BlueRating: 2.5 stars
Buy Link:
Amazon | iBooks | Amazon UK
Length: Novel


Blue McCoy embraces every part of life, even the harder aspects of it. He does odd jobs and lives in a dilapidated house without electricity, but he knows plenty who have it worse. So Blue counts his blessings and doesn’t sweat the small stuff. Then his dog Chewie is hit by a car and Blue can’t handle the thought of his best friend dying. While at the animal clinic, he meets John Williams, a bank president who couldn’t be more different than Blue.

John has struggled since his wife left him two months ago. Apparently she found their marriage and John to be boring and, with barely a word, she walked out of his life. Lonely and lost, he decides to go to the local clinic and adopt a dog. Instead he finds Blue. He is captivated by Blue’s capacity for love and his vivacious nature and almost overnight, John’s world is turned upside down. He and Blue embark on an amazing journey, but when the excitement of a new romance fades, will they be strong enough to last?

Awkward. That pretty much sums up how I feel about Blue. I wanted to like it a great deal more than I did, but found myself struggling with the book from the start. Part of the issue is Blue himself. He is impossible not to like as a character. Optimistic, bubbling with life, and utterly charming, he seems like a breathe of fresh air. And I loved that aspect of him. But he is also just a bit childlike, which made his relationship with John feel somewhat uneven. It’s not something I can really put a finger on and Blue is certainly of age, but I never felt completely comfortable with his and John’s romance. The plot is quick moving and the author does a good job of keeping the action moving along. Additionally, there is a strong secondary character in “Mom” whom I really enjoyed.

The romance between John and Blue is basically insta-love. They meet, have dinner, complete at least half the Kama Sutra in one night (especially ridiculous because John is a virgin regarding m/m sex), and declare their love for one another in a matter of forty-eight hours. And it doesn’t come off as poignant or sweet. It just feels phony and disconnected. The challenges that John and Blue face are resolved almost without effort and John, who has denied his sexuality for years, embraces his homosexuality over the course of a single night. It doesn’t read as believable and it really does a disservice to a couple that could have been much stronger.

Blue tried too hard to be a sweet romance and ended up being an uneven and unbelievable. The relationship between John and Blue moves too quickly and undergoes no real growth as a result. Combined with an overall discomfort with the romantic aspect (which may be an issue for me alone), I found myself failing to enjoy Blue. It is a very sweet romance and if that’s your thing, you might enjoy Blue. For everyone else, I’d recommend giving this one a pass.

A review copy of this book was provided by Dreamspinner Press.

sue sig