Crucify my Love: Gay Book Reviews: [53-ENG] Review: In Case You Missed It

Series: #lovehim

Volume: 3/?
Publisher: May Books

Genre/s: YA LGBT romance

Length: 98 000

Pages: 400

Read in: English
Review copy format: epub

Rate:✮✮✮✮✮✮

In his life, teenage Brooks Lehman follows one rule, which he intends never to break – he doesn't date. And in his opinion, he has a quite good reason for it because he suffers from a serious illness. And although every day is a fight for every breath and his future looks dark, the boy is happy with his life and tries to enjoy it to the fullest. His organized world changes when Darien, a charming boy met some time ago at a Christmas party, restores their friendship and moves nearby along with his family. And although Darien knows that Brooks doesn't date, he finds ways to avoid this rule, for it is impossible to deny their mutual attraction. However, the problem is that Dare doesn't know about Brooks's illness, and disclosing it can change everything between them.

"In Case You Missed It" is a story that begins in a short story entitled "For The Win", which presents the first meeting of our two lead characters. And although they are the main elements that combine these two pieces of writing, it is thanks to the novel concerning Brooks and Darien that we really have the opportunity to get to know these two better and fully appreciate their charms. For there is no doubt that the main characters are one of the greatest advantages of this book, and believe me, it's filled with them to the brim. But let's return to our boys and start with the fact that we can sense S.M. James' parental love towards them from the very first page. No wonder they are so easy to love, truly wonderful and memorable. I also think that Brooks and Darien are to a large extent believable characters and, what is equally important, they are presented in a way that fully reflects their young age, but doesn't make children out of them, and that is really essential. I would also like to add that they are a huge plus of this novel not only as the characters themselves, but also because in this story they represent something more, because…

Brooks is not only an extremely strong, sweet, and sometimes silly boy who is struggling with a terrible illness. In fact, I have the impression that his character is on the one hand the embodiment of strength and courage, and on the other, of the fears associated with the consequences of cystic fibrosis that he suffers from. But this is just the beginning, as Brooks represents a life with an illness. A life that one can still enjoy in one's own way to the fullest for as long as possible. But that's still not all, because the character of Brooks is also a reflection of hesitation and uncertainty of a sick person, who must understand that if only they have the courage to do it, it's all right to want something more from life, something really special. Thus, the person of this young boy carries a very positive message, which should arouse in the readers a certain optimism and hope. For we have only one life, so no matter how long it lasts and with what difficulties we have to struggle, let's get the most out of it, because we all have the right to be really happy.

As for Darien, he's not only a charming, lively boy who can't stand still for too long. This character represents the human kind which consists of its various faces. Darien is the embodiment of life and youthful craziness, every day of the average teenager, as well as of care for others, love without limits, courage to face adversities in the name of feelings, openness to sacrifice, life, people. I think that the character of Darien is also a reflection of perseverance in pursuing the goal, and if we look at him from Brooks' perspective, we can see that he's like an avatar of the fulfilled dreams and a friend who pushes us forward, motivates us. What's more, while Brooks is the strength in itself, Darien seems to be someone else's strength and at the same time the one that is fueled by this other person. This boy is like a gift which becomes really valuable when it's given to someone, and that's how we can see that it is not enough that we simply are, because what we give to people and the world is the most important.

As for the story presented in "In Case You Missed It", I think it's not only interesting but also really beautiful, wonderfully romantic and positive. I admit that there are moments that are incredibly touching, which reach readers' hearts and make them cry, but it doesn't change the fact that the novel focuses primarily on the presentation and the discovery of positive emotions. What's more, the story shown in this book is also full of wisdom as it emphasizes many very important truths. One of them is the fact that the most important thing in our life is to take full advantage of the time that is given to us and to try enjoying every moment, instead of counting down the time while waiting for the end of those better, more beautiful days. I admit that in my opinion in this story there are simply no weak points and each sentence carries a significant message.

"In Case You Missed It" is a truly wonderful novel, which surely should be appreciated by everyone who decides to read it, regardless of their age. The characters of this book will undoubtedly engrave their own mark in the readers' hearts and won't let them to ever forget them. To the story like this one, we simply want to come back many times. To be honest, to say that it is a valuable and beautiful novel is simply not enough. No matter who you are and how old are you, you must read "In Case You Missed It"!

Headcanon: No matter how long they have been together, Darien still takes care of Brooks experiencing all his "first times" of a normal life.

Fanfiction idea: Brooks and Darien's wedding makes their parents so nervous that it slowly affects also the young couple. It's so intense that Darien starts to plan their escape and a quiet ceremony away from the hustle and bustle of all those preparation.

AU idea: Science-fiction!AU, Darien is an engineer who creates androids. One day, on the street he finds an android, thrown away by someone when it broke down. Darien takes it home, repairs it and studies its construction, which is very technologically advanced. Thanks to this, Brooks, because that's the name of the android, seems to be very human.

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Here's some more about:

Book Title: In Case You Missed It

Author: S.M. James

Cover Artist: Story Styling Cover Designs

Heat Rating: 1-2 flames

Release Date: February 12, 2019

It is a standalone story.

All books in the #lovehim series are stand alones. The series number is the recommended reading order.

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Blurb

Brooks is convinced his life is totally, one hundred percent happy.
Until Darien tracks him down.
Darien was supposed to be the guy he kissed once and remembered forever, but now he’s back in Brooks’s life, with easy smiles and big ideas.
The first of which … show the homeschooled Brooks everything he’s missed out on. But as the pair work through a spring of playing catch up on life, it becomes obvious to Darien that Brooks has a secret.
And as things heat up between them, Brooks’s secret might just be Darien’s worst fear.
Because Darien has always lived in the moment.
But Brooks has always lived for the future he knows is inevitable.
When life is set to tear them apart, will love be enough to keep them together?

Buy Links - Available on Kindle Unlimited

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Amazon UK
Amazon AU

Excerpt

We cross the front of the school, head past the football field, and into the courtyard. It’s eerily quiet, with filtered sunlight and a soft breeze breaching the concrete quad.
Darien heads for a bench that runs along the base of an enormous tree and flops down onto it. I sit next to him and silence settles gently over my shoulders. The courtyard is surrounded by buildings on three sides, and I vaguely remember one of them as the science wing.
“So this is where you’d eat at breaks on a nice day. Cameron and Chels sit there, and some of the others here, and over there.” He points to an opposite bench. “We’d sit right here, of course. Since you’d be in all the nerd classes, we’d be inseparable over break.” He grips the back of the bench and leans into his hands, grinning over at me.
I swing a leg over the back of the bench so I’m facing him. “And you’d be such a shameless flirt, I’d have to find new friends to save you the embarrassment.”
“No point.” He shrugs. “I’d just follow you there too.”
The thing is, I believe him. I don’t know how anyone can be so effortless about how they feel. He doesn’t try to hide it, but he doesn’t push me either, and the fact he can be so unashamedly into me, makes me want to give him more.
But he’ll get over it. And I have to help him.
I lean away from him a little. “So, is there anyone here who’s caught your eye?”
“There’s this one guy …”
His tone makes me arch my eyebrow. “He wouldn’t be me, would he?”
“See? You’re too damn smart.”
I duck my head as I hold back a laugh. “Seriously though. Nothing is going to happen between us, so it’s okay if you find someone else.”
“Yeah, we’re not doing this.”
I frown. “What do you mean?”
“We’ve been over this, like, a thousand times. Jesus, Brooks, I get it. I just want to spend time with you, as friends, and I don’t need you trying to push me onto someone else.”
“Darien …” I reach for his arm and he shrugs me away. “I’m sorry.”
“Good. Now no more mentioning that shit, okay? My memory is fine, I can make my own damn decisions.”
“You’re right.” But how does he make the right decision when I’m keeping a huge part of myself from him? I take a couple of short breaths, the very real possibility of telling him, looming at the front of my thoughts.
“Here.” Darien finally takes off his backpack and unzips it. He’s packed a heap of food, some I haven’t seen before, and he slides away from me on the bench to set it out between us. “Dig in.”
Lunch is delicious, and I try some of everything. Darien talks me through some of the foods his mom made, like zelnik and tulumba, and it’s so damn good, I’d hang out with him just for the food. After a week of barely eating I don’t hold back, but I didn’t bring my enzyme tablets with me, so it’s close to pointless.
Darien takes some more photos after lunch as we explore the school. He fills me in on little bits and pieces about his first two weeks, and we wind up under the bleachers. He dives into his bag again and pulls out two cigarettes.
I give him a flat look. “Fuck no.”
He smirks. “Goodie two shoes.”
“Nope.” I shake my head, trying to think of how I can get him to put those freaking things away. “I just don’t see the point in sucking on something that can fucking kill you.” My words come out way harsher than I mean, but if he starts on one of those things, I’m leaving him here.
His dark eyebrows furrow, and something goes on behind his eyes that I can’t quite make out, but he just shrugs and grinds the smokes into the ground. “Thank the lord. Don’t think I could have stomached it, even for you.”
I relax a little, though I’m not sure I really believe the words.
He steps closer. “You know, there are other things people do under the bleachers …”
It takes me a second to catch up, and my focus automatically drops to his lips. My stomach is a riot as I try not to focus on how good our first kiss was, all those months ago.
Darien smirks and steps back, breaking my runaway thoughts. He pulls a marker from his bag. “We have to mark we were here, otherwise it doesn’t count.”
“That, I can do.” I take the marker from him and uncap it with a click. Reaching above my head, I hesitate a second, trying to figure out what to write. In the end, I go simple.
BL + DM.
“Those letters look good together,” Darien says. His voice is low and warm and reminds me of summer. His fingers slide down mine as he takes the marker from me.
He reaches up and his shirt pulls higher on his back, leaving this smooth strip of brown skin exposed. The pull to touch him is so strong. I need to feel his skin under my fingertips. It’s a physical battle to hold back, and just as I’m about to fold,
To reach,
To touch,
To give in to him, Darien finishes up, and steps back to survey his work. I blink a few times to try and lessen the fog in my head, then turn my focus up.
He’s drawn a heart around our initials.