eARC Review: 10 Signs You Need To Grovel
Well hello my favourite blog reading humans! I can’t believe it’s almost the end of November AND I’m squeaking in just under the finish line with an advance review!
I’m here today sharing my thoughts on book 2 in Kelly Siskind’s Bower Boy’s series of interconnected novels, this time featuring Desmond! If you’re interested in my advance review of book 1, head on over here.
As always a huge thank you to NetGalley, and Montlake for the advance copy, thoughts below are my own, enjoy.
Before we get, get into it, I do think to get the most of this whole series it does benefit the reader to read them in order (I know, sorry). Seeing glimpses of Des in E’s book really makes his story all the more emotional and resonant, so definitely keep that in mind as you go through my review!
Des, the self-hating, bad tattoo getting, EXTREMELY heartbroken brother is finally free from WITSEC. Reeling from the revelations at the end of book 1 (Uh Des, you’re a dad), we pick up 5 month in the future when E finally get’s a hold of him.
Desmond, finding out he’s fathered a child with Sadie, the love of his life was intense and sets the entire premise of this book up really well. I think the whole 10 signs, part of the title is a little misleading as both Des, Sadie and Max to some degree are victims of the most shit-tastic circumstances that places Des’ family in WITSEC for wait for it, 10 years.
Des spends most of the first half of the book getting closer to both Sadie and Max through an outdoor program for preteens, and wow are there some genuinely heart squeezing moments between new dad and son. Especially seeing them connect over books. Max is clearly grappling with his sexual identity, and is unsure how to process whatever he’s feeling.
Max and Des bond over book club and seeing Des unlearn his own very hetero world view was exactly the feel good sh*t I needed to read about. And the confession between son and dad while they’re talking about Simon vs The Homo Sapiens, RIGHT IN MY FEELS. My goodness.
The connection and love between Sadie and Des was so tender, but also the ANGST. The book is told from his singular point of view (which is a rarity!) and pretty much from the first time he sees her after 10-odd years his right back where he was the night before their lives were changed: so extremely in love with her. Oh and you’re probably like BUT DO THEY BANG?!?
Yes. They sure as f*ck do. All over the place, and on the couch like the v horny people they are.
Listen. this is a story about falling back in love with your person despite being so scared that they will find you wanting. Finding and falling in love with the child you never knew you had. And in some ways loving yourself and battling with the grief of losing out on what could have been. I love Kelly’s writing, and how she tells stories, and this again was no exception.
Like I said at the top, grab E’s book first and then if you’re dying to know how it turns out pick this book up wherever you buy your romances when it lands in stores and online Jan 31st 2023.