Mirrigold: Mutterings & Musings

Jude by Garrett Leigh

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

So good, this is Garrett Leigh at her finest giving us two complex men with real issues which mean the path to happiness isn’t always a smooth one.

There’s also, as with many books from this author, an exploration of some of the difficulties which can face people living with a disability. In this instance it’s epilepsy and the condition is handled with deft care and attention to detail in how it affects Jude and his daily life.

I loved that Garrett gave me such a wonderfully nuanced character who lives with a condition that, at its most severe, is a threat to life – and even when it’s not – has multiple complications which most of us would never even think of. I loved that he was more at home with his reptiles than with people. I loved that he did the best he could with what life had given him.

And Isha, oh Isha, how much did I fall for you?! Repressed, fearful, desperately trying to make amends for being a workaholic and afraid to tell his best friend Dom he’s queer too.

Everything about Isha just pulled on my heartstrings, his stumbling attempts to be a better father, his inability to ignore that Jude made him feel things, his devoted friendship with his ex-wife which compounded the guilt he felt about their marriage failing, even though Mina is awesome and repeatedly points out he wasn’t the only one who didn’t love enough for it to work.

Together they stumble and fumble their way through insanely chemistry-filled, emotionally connected hot sex and into a sort of relationship but neither’s able to say just how they feel as everything about their hook-ups change into something more.

This isn’t as angsty as some of Garrett’s other works, but there’re still things not said and eventually all comes to a crashing halt when Jude’s condition forces both men to confront their fears and hopes head on.

And again, I loved the way Garrett handled this, guiding the reader through the seriousness of what was happening but never pushing it into dramady and plot for plot’s sake.

There are also wonderful guest appearances from the previous couples in this series and I liked seeing Rae in his role as Jude’s friend, supportive and encouraging, while Dom was his usual awesomely grumpy but brilliantly loyal self.

And, as a PS, the epilogue in this is bloody perfect but I want more! I really hope we get a book four, even if it’s just a teeny novella, with the three couples in this trilogy as Garrett did with the Skins series because I’d love to see them all a few years down the line.

#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review My Garrett Leigh fangirling is my own work as usual.

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