AotM ~ Switched by N.R. Walker

Switched

Amazon

Israel Ingham’s life has never been easy. He grew up in a house devoid of love and warmth. Nothing he ever did was good enough. The fact Israel is gay just added to the long list of his father’s disappointments. 

Then a letter from Eastport Children’s Hospital changes everything.

A discovery is made, one of gross human error. Twenty-six years ago two baby boys were switched at birth and sent home with the wrong families.

Sam, Israel’s best friend, has been his only source of love and support. With Sam beside him every step of the way, Israel decides to meet his birth mother and her son, the man who lived the life Israel should have.

Israel and Sam become closer than ever, amidst the tumultuous emotions of meeting his birth family, and Sam finds himself questioning his feelings toward his best friend. As Israel embraces new possibilities, he needs to dissect his painful relationship with his parents in order to salvage what’s left.

Because sometimes it takes proof you’re not actually family to become one.

5+ Stock-on-the-Tissues Stars!!!

It’s been a long time since a book affected me this way. I think I began crying at 5% or so into the story and continued the same way throughout most of the book. (Donna has nothing on me, btw!)

My heart broke for Israel I don’t know how many times. Seeing how much the indifference of his parents and his father’s awful words hurt him made me hurt for him. It was lovely seeing that he had Sam on his corner, though, and that he would drop everything to be there for Iz when he needed Sam the most.

They were both so perfect for each other and I loved how their relationship changed from best friends to lovers, relatively seamlessly. It took them a while to get there, and there were times when the sexual tension was so thick between them that it could be cut with a knife, but it was sooooo worth it. Their chemistry was unbelievable and when they finally made love, it was just that, making love and not just having sex for the sake of it.

I loved the switched at birth storyline, I loved that it was the catalyst Iz needed to change his life and finally face the demons from his past, emerging stronger in the end.

I have to admit I wasn’t sure I was going to like Israel’s parents at first, but once I learned more about them and saw how much they were trying, especially Iz’s dad, well, I couldn’t help but warm up to them. I loved the Westbrooks, they were a lovely bunch, and Iz and Sam’s friends were a hoot!

N.R. Walker took me through an emotional journey right along with Iz and Sam, one that while heart-wrenching at times, was also hopeful and loving and left me with a huge smile and puffy eyes. Switched is a must-read, just don’t forget to have the tissues at hand, because you’ll need them.

*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn’t a requirement. ***

5 Stars! 

Please don't be put off by the slightly (sorry!) unexciting blurb, as this is a beautiful read.

I was lucky enough to be able to get my hands on a copy of this tale to proof, and went into it knowing that it was an NRW tale, with a guaranteed HEA, and that it'd be a good tale, was totally a given. I knew a little about it, but I hadn't expected how lovely a read this would be and I am glad that I didn't know the whole blurb when going into it, other than the switched-at-birth part.

I won't rehash the tale, as yes, the switch is true and the lives of everyone involved change, as expected. I will tell you that this tale had a lot of love in it - family love, romantic love, a love out of a sort of duty that as the tale ended, seemed to have turned into a truer love, sexy love and that Sam and Iz's romance was beautiful. Beautiful in a low-key, best-friends-who've-always-loved-each-other way. I loved that there wasn't any faux drama, that when they came together, they were open with their feelings, and that it was their feelings that were the more important, and that the admittedly really hot, really sexy sex, came after. I can't express that clearly enough, but the guys loved each other without realising they were in love with each other, until someone opened their eyes, and they went for it, openly, honestly, immediately, fully, exclusively and without any faux anything.

It's a stunning tale that ends in the leads living their HEA, and having cemented that by another happy event that takes place a few years down the line.

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