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L.A. Witt handles sensitive issues with consideration

Posted on March 23, 2021 by Mirrigold

5_V&V_Witt_ebook_FINAL Aftermath by L.A. Witt

I enjoyed this entry in the Vino and Veritas series, but I also found it frustrating at times – even though the situation both men were in made their behaviour completely believable.

Both Brent and Jon have serious issues they’re dealing with and that gave a bit of a melancholy air to a lot of the narrative which, for me, meant I didn’t rush through it like I had with some of the others in the series.

That’s not to say it wasn’t a great romance, because it really is. It demonstrates beyond any doubt that love is love and if you love someone enough, you will move all obstacles – even the ones you create yourself with doubt – to make it work.

I also very much appreciated one specific element of the narrative, which I won’t go into detail on because I think it deserves to be read and understood as you’re going through their experiences. I think it was handled with incredible care and sensitivity.

And, as someone who lives with chronic pain and serious mobility issues through atrophy and other tendon/muscular related reasons, I would seriously like to thank L.A. for the consideration and accuracy in which she explored Brent’s injuries and debilitating medical conditions and the very realistic affects they had on his daily life.

There are some really beautiful moments in this book but also times when I wanted to shake or slap them both and tell them to just have a bloody conversation about their fears 😁

The ending is incredibly satisfying though, and I loved the dogs and Jon’s son Cody. Brent’s dad through, he needs to gerrint bin as we say in Yorkshire.

#ARC kindly received from the publishers Hearts Eyes Press in return for an honest and unbiased review

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Reviews: LGBTQ+

Second in the series tackles a sensitive subject with a deft hand

Posted on March 25, 2018 by Mirrigold

Asylum by Robert Winter

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Full review to come when I’m at the laptop.

Oh this book was bloody fantastic! It’s tackling a tough subject and one that some people may not wish to read so HEED the author’s notes if you choose to pick it up. This romance will not be for everyone.

However, as a Brit with no axe to grind in the illegal immigrant argument, I found it utterly captivating. The horrors young Hernan has to go through, the abuses he suffers, the threat to his life is chillingly real and my heart was pounding with fear as I was reading that all would go horribly wrong.

But, eventually, he does arrive in the Promised Land and makes his way to Provincetown, where his cousin Rudy (of Book One fame if you’ve read the equally fabulous September by the same author) is legally living and working having been chucked out by the revolting Gerald.

Colin was an utter joy of a character. He’s got his own hangups but he knows he has a privilege which comes from being a rich white boy and while he’s shocked and angry at what Nan has been through, he’s also determined to fight for him and to ignore the growing attraction he has for the El Salvadorian man because he doesn’t want him to think he’s like all the others who’ve only ever seen the surface and not the intelligent man beneath the beauty.

I’ve come late to the Robert Winter party but I have to say, of the two books I’ve read so far, I absolutely love his style of story telling, the way he plonks the reader firmly in the midst of all the narrative and lets you slowly absorb what’s going on.

This book didn’t capture me quite as much as September did, but it’s a hell of a lot more serious in subject matter. But I have to say, the quality of writing and pace of the plot and setting were exemplary.

The slow burn of the romance perfectly suits the characters of both men, it takes time to build up trust, especially with everything Nan has been through, and I loved that Colin just let him become comfortable with everything.
There is also great conversation and dialogue between the two men, nothing is left to fester and fears are approached head on and with total honesty and I loved reading that.

#ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review