Crucify my Love: Gay Book Reviews: [64-ENG] Review: Rewind

Series: Rewind

Volume: 1/?
Publisher: Self-Published

Genre/s: MM Romance

Length: 73 350

Pages: 343

Read in: English
Review copy format: epub

Rate:✮✮✮✮✮✮

Florian and his long-time girlfriend have been drifting apart for some time now, but he's never thought that his lover might be able to cheat on him. However, it turns out that she's been doing it for quite a long time, and what's worse she's been sleeping with his best friend. The moment when Florian's quite well organized world begins to fall apart, the man meets his ex-boyfriend whom he hasn't seen for many years.
Enzo lost his hearing as a teenager, but it has never stopped him from bravely pursuing his goals. However, things have been completely different in terms of his love life, as the young man had been in a relationship with a man who cheated on him, and in the end broke up with him. Although Enzo should be better without his nightmarish ex, he can't forget about him. At least until he meets the love of his teenage life.
The dormant feelings of these two men experienced by fate revive once again, and the sun starts to shine just above their heads.

"Rewind" is undoubtedly one of the novels that we can describe as beautiful and wise. Rowan Shaw filled this story with very important, deep and serious topics, like homophobia, about which I would like to write few words in this paragraph. There is no doubt that this problem plays an extremely important role in "Rewind". Let's start with the fact that the author shows the above mentioned topic from many different sides. First of all, it presents a multitude of homophobic behaviors, starting from prejudices against people who don't identify as heterosexual, through belief in often absurd stereotypes, to considering the different than heterosexual orientations as diseases or sources of health problems. What's more, Rowan Shaw refers in great detail to the problems of human ignorance in relation to bisexuality, its negation, seeing it as a form of hidden homosexuality. I really like the fact that the author has presented all this in her book in so much detail and with such care, because specific examples speak more clearly to the readers than the general concept of the problem.

In "Rewind" Rowan Shaw raises the subject of hearing loss with equal passion. The fact that one of the main characters is deaf is the great advantage of this novel. After all, the representation in literature is not limited to gender, orientation, religion or skin tone. I would like to add that due to the fact that people with any kind of disability are rare in literature, on the list of valuable books you must read "Rewind" occupies a really high place. It is equally important for me that in this book deafness is one of the key topics, as it's not only one of the features characterizing Enzo. In the novel we have the opportunity to get to know some average people's misconceptions related to the hearing loss and the problems that deaf people, including our main character, have to face. What's more, the author shows us Enzo as a person who is fiercely fighting for the rights of the deaf, who offers sensible solutions that can help them, thanks to which the reader also learns a lot about this subject. In short, this problem has been presented in "Rewind" in an extensive and wise manner.

Another undoubtedly interesting subject that occupies a significant place in the novel and greatly affects Enzo's and Florian's life is the problem of excessive care. I suspect that there are readers who have never thought that something so seemingly harmless can bring a private end to the world upon some people. Therefore, it is worth appreciating the fact that Rowan Shaw in a very touching way shows how easy it is to cross the boundary between help and harming another person, when trying to satisfy them, make them happy, take care of them against their will. What's more, the author lets us see that under the facade of concern often hides the unconscious selfishness, not to mention depriving the other person of their freedoms, including the one to decide for themselves. It's really amazing that Rowan Shaw has managed to clearly and bluntly present the truth, we often can't see.

However, "Rewind" raises not only difficult topics and problems, but it also presents the beautiful love that can stand the test of time, the characters' stubbornness, bigger and smaller lies told for someone's sake. Believe me, the way in which Enzo and Florian blossom starting from their first meeting after many years is so wonderful that we immediately fall in love with this never-ending feeling that never ceased to unite them. To tell the truth, we immediately sense their affection very strongly and almost physically, but not only as a sexual tension, but also as pure chemistry of true love. It is so sweet that we melt when we read about these feelings of our two characters. The more so because they both want to give as much as possible and don't expect anything in return. Their love presented in this novel reminds me of a beautiful, rare flower that, regardless of the obstacles, grows on a stony ground that made the grow of so many other plants impossible.

With all this in mind, I can say with a clear conscience that "Rewind" is a truly wonderful, wise and very valuable novel that you really need to read. Together with Enzo and Florian, the reader plunges into the warm and clear waters of the ocean of love, which unfortunately are full of sharks of human ignorance, stereotypes, closed minds and homophobia. In short, our characters can enjoy this crystal water of affection, but they need to try not be eaten.

Headcanon: Enzo and Florian decide to save some money to spend the holidays abroad. Their first step is to eat at home more often instead of going out or ordering in. Because of that Florin learns to cook and tests his culinary experiments on his lover, who often very bluntly and honestly tells what he thinks about his beloved's performances in the kitchen.

Fanfiction idea: Florian takes Enzo on a date to the newly opened Japanese-style rabbit café, where they can pet real rabbits.

AU idea: Florian is the owner of a small travel agency located opposite the flower shop. For some time, every Monday morning, he finds a bouquet of flowers at the doorstep of his agency. He suspects that it's a gift from a florist who is too shy to confess her feelings to him. However, when he finally decides to make acquaintance with this beautiful woman, it turns out that the one who gives him a bouquet every week is a young, attractive flower shop owner, Enzo.

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Here's some more about:

Book Title: Rewind

Author: Rowan Shaw

Cover Artist: Molly Phipps

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Release Date: March 18th, 2019

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Tagline

Were Enzo and Florian truly meant to get a second chance or were they doomed from the start?

Blurb

The day Enzo Chevalier lost his hearing, everything changed. Forced to rebuild his future and fight for his dreams, Enzo refused to let anything take him down...until the man of his life walked out on him and shattered his heart.

Florian Beaudry had his whole life figured out. His business was flourishing and everything was settling down at last. Or so he believed...until he walked in on his girlfriend and best friend.

Still on the rebound and unable to trust another man, Enzo never expected a chance encounter with Florian. The one person he thought he would never see again. The one person he missed the most.

Were they truly meant to get a second chance or were they doomed from the start?

REWIND is an MM romance novel set entirely in France. Though part of a series, it is a standalone story without a cliffhanger.

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Excerpt

I stared at Enzo, unsure what to do or how to react. I hadn't seen him in such a long time. When I smiled at him, the deep scar on his left cheek carved into his skin as he replied with a grin of his own, along with a shy wave. I gaped like a moron. He was even more breathtaking than he used to be, taller and stronger too.
My eyes caught on the gorgeous male with his arm around Enzo's shoulders. Something inside me sank. I could either be a coward and ignore Enzo, or I could be the bigger person and ask him to join me for a drink—even if that meant watching him flirt with that hot guy all evening.
Enzo was staring back at me without moving, so I took that as my cue to beckon him forward. The man next to him raised a questioning eyebrow, but Enzo signed at him, explaining I was someone he used to know in high school. The guy crinkled his forehead and glared at me with eyes so green, I couldn't help but stare. Even their hypnotizing tint wouldn't soften the warning in his glower.
Enzo chuckled at the guy's reaction and grabbed his hand, leading him toward me.
I had also forgotten how beautiful he was when he laughed. Even in my fondest memories, he had never looked as good as he did now. The scar on his face only heightened his splendor, especially since I knew what it represented. I tried hard not to gawk, but it felt so good to see him again and get confirmation he was well.
Enzo kept smiling at me shyly, but before he could reach my level, the other guy stood in the way.
"Florian, is that it?" he asked with a hint of hostility.
"Yeah."
I held out my hand to shake his, but he snubbed me, leaning forward instead, blocking Enzo's view. "I don't remember Enzo telling me about any friends in high school. If anything, I only remember him talking about his bullies."
I clenched my teeth at the threat under his tone. "I'm not going to hurt him if that's what you're implying."

About the Author

Rowan Shaw is a human being from Planet Earth (originally from the country of France). She's also the queer author of Rewind, an MM romance series set entirely in her home country.

Addicted to reading and writing, Rowan can usually be found with a book in her hands or sitting in front of her computer typing some kind of story while listening to music from the 80s.