Cover Design: Dar Albert
Length: 205 pages
Blurb
Oliver and Samuel’s relationship is fairy-tale perfect. They share a gorgeous house in Antwerp, go out with their friends every weekend, and count down the days to their dream wedding. But their happy ending is shattered one late night, and just like that, Ollie is left bereft and alone.
The months that follow are long and dark, but slowly Ollie emerges from his grief. He even braves the waters of online dating, though deep down he doesn’t believe he can find that connection again. He doesn’t think to look for love right in front of him: his bisexual friend Thomas, the gentle giant with a kind heart and sad eyes who’s wanted him all along.
When Thomas suddenly discovers he has a son who needs him, he’s ill prepared. Ollie opens up his house—Sam’s house—and lets them in. Ollie doesn’t know what scares him more: the responsibility of caring for a baby, or the way Thomas is steadily winning his heart. It will take all the courage he has to discover whether or not fairy tales can happen for real.
4.75 Stars!
This is my first book by Indra Vaughn and I wasn't prepared for the emotional impact it had on me. First with Samuel's—Ollie's fiancé—death and Ollie's grieving process. It was so poignant and realistic, my heart was breaking along with Ollie's. They'd been together for ten years and it was understandable that Ollie would have a difficult time letting go. And then the progression of his relationship with Thomas, although I felt it was a bit too soon for Ollie to be thinking of being in love with Thomas before they even got together, well, it kind of made sense considering their history and how Thomas had been there for Ollie all along after Samuel died. It wasn't like they jumped into anything, anyway, not with the not-so-small matter of Milo, Thomas's son. The chemistry between Thomas and Ollie was amazing and they were both sweet and hot together. And I just adored them with Milo, it was something that was so much theirs and that Ollie would've never had with Samuel.
I didn't particularly care for Samuel's parents, especially his father, and I would've liked a bit more closure in that respect. I felt like there were a few unanswered questions with the whole house deal. Like, why did Samuel's grandmother leave it to him, bypassing his father? Or why was his father so interested in selling the house, what did he need the money for? And regarding Samuel's will, I felt like it was too convenient that it could be revoked just like that by a judge, even if he was of a sound mind when he wrote it, but yeah, I have no clue how these things work in Belgium.
While I liked Cleo, I wasn't all that happy with how her fairytale relationship with Imran just crumbled like that, but I guess that made it believable. Not all relationships work, after all. I loved Ollie's mom, who was amazing and of course, baby Milo who was completely adorable. I wouldn't mind reading a story featuring Peter, the lovely vet Ollie dated, he seemed like a very nice man all-around.
Overall, I found Patchwork Paradise very enjoyable. I was completely enthralled with Ollie and Thomas's love story and the hurdles they had to go through to get their HEA. Fair warning that you'll probably need some tissues at some point while reading, though.
Definitely recommendable!
*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***
5 Stars!
Sam has been in Ollie’s life since they were kids. They shared their first kiss at 16 and 10 years later their wedding is just one month away. But the perfect life they’ve shared is ripped apart one night when a mugger kills Sam as he tries to shield Ollie. Now Ollie is drowning in his grief and trying to find normalcy once again. With the help of his closest friends, he’s able to start the healing process. However, it’s his friend Tommy who helps Ollie in ways he’d never expected.
Thomas has been one of Ollie’s best friends for over 4 years. When he’d first met Ollie he’d began falling for him having no idea about Ollie’s relationship with Sam. Knowing that Ollie and Sam are the perfect couple and he doesn’t stand a chance, he fills his bed with men and women to take his mind off of the one person he can’t have. Even after Sam’s death, he knows he’ll never be able to fill the man’s shoes so he tries to keep things as the friends they’ve always been.
But as time passes and their lives start changing, feelings start to emerge that Ollie never expected. Thomas’s life is further changed when he learns he has a baby. Ollie is there for him though and the two men find life has its own plan.
I loved this story and even though I had wanted to read it a long time ago, I think now was just the perfect time. I cried and I laughed and I found myself sitting on pins and needles hoping that these two men would get their happily ever after at last. This wasn’t your typical plot in which one man mourns his partner for about a month and then quickly falls in love with another man (a better man) who suits him perfectly. Instead, Tommy and Ollie are friends first and foremost and their relationship moves at a realistic pace.
There are never instances in which the author makes you think that had Sam lived, he and Ollie wouldn’t have been perfectly happy. Instead, this is more about not closing yourself off to love after losing it. Thomas is a great guy for Ollie and they have awesome chemistry. He brings new and wonderful things to the relationship and Ollie’s life but he doesn’t make Ollie completely let go of Sam either. I was very happy with the progression and the way things were handled.
I only have one negative thing to say about the story and it’s just my own personal opinion. While I loved the secondary characters Cleo and Imran, I really didn’t care for the change in their relationship. It seemed a bit too much and unnecessary for what we were already reading. I could’ve done without personally.
Overall, I loved the story and I loved Ollie and especially Thomas. I definitely recommend this one.
***Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by the author/publisher for my reading pleasure in hopes of an unbiased opinion, a review was not a requirement.***
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