Without You
by Marley Valentine
Genre: M/M Romance
Release Date: March 13th, 2020
Cover Design: PopKitty Design
Photographer: Wander Aguiar
Models: Jacob Cooley & Luke Schaeffer
Blurb
“Tragedy brought us together, but something stronger made me want to stay.”
Julian was the boy next door. My brother’s best friend, he fit with my family in ways I never could. While he and Rhett went on to play house, I left the only life I knew, desperate for a fresh start.
Until everything changed.
Heartache came along, and the aftermath of my brother’s death was here to stay. I was now face to face with Julian more than I ever wanted to be.
Being around him brought up all my insecurities, forced me to deal with hard truths, and conjured up feelings I had no business entertaining. He wasn’t the man I thought I knew. He was complex and layered, and inherently beautiful in all the ways I’d never noticed.
Not on another person.
Not on another man.
Not until him.
Purchase Links (Kindle Unlimited)
Carra's Review
There’s a reason I limit myself on books filled with angst and heavy emotion—there’s just so much I can take before I’m drained by these types of stories. When written well, they are incredibly satisfying even if I’m absolutely wrecked at the end. Without You has a good balance throughout the story of hurt/comfort for both Julian and Deacon, and a very slow burn romance with relationship development that is both sweet and searingly hot at the same time. The result is an intense and deep connection between the two men that helps them heal…without fully devastating me for the foreseeable future. Well, with one exception.
Julian and Deacon have been connected for a long while just by the fact that Deacon’s brother Rhett was Julian’s boyfriend. It wasn’t until after Rhett’s passing that their connection changed, and even then it wasn’t an immediate occurrence. I really liked that things built slowly between them during the times they spent apart, yet still with such intensity that when they are finally in the same place together it’s electric and powerful.
I don’t think it’s possible for anyone to read this book and not get “the feels”. Besides the fact that the characters are connected by someone important to them who died—which means you know going in that hurt/comfort is a major theme—there is also family drama and one character’s evolving sexual identity to provide emotional and personal conflict. But every aspect you’ll find…even the requisite hostile character that you want to personally slap…contributes to the progression of a beautiful relationship between Julian and Deacon.
Without You is definitely going to be in my list of top reads for 2020, and deserves all the stars possible, so five out of five. I need to decompress now with something light and fluffy, especially after that final chapter…so that’s your warning to come prepared with a tissue or two, at least for the very end. This book is for readers 18+ for adult language and sexual content.
About the Author
Marley Valentine comes from the future. Living in Sydney, Australia with her family. When she's not busy writing her own stories, she spends most of her time immersed in the words of her favourite authors.
Facebook - Reader Group - Instagram - Twitter - Amazon - BookBub - Newsletter
No comments:
Post a Comment