Friday, March 2, 2018

Release Day Review: Touch by Remmy Duchene



Title: Touch
Author: Remmy Duchene
Release Date: March 2, 2018
Category: Contemporary
Pages: 137

Dreamspinner Press

One can’t walk the path of darkness and expect to escape unscathed.

At eighteen, Foster Erickson stepped out of the closet into a world of homelessness, prostitution, and drugs. Years later, he’s pulled it together and is ready to rebuild.

Determined not to let the demons win, Foster starts university with a plan to keep others from making the same mistakes he did. The last thing he expects is Sylvester Roberts.

After years of working with his father, Sylvester decides to step out on his own. University at his age is strange, but for him, failure isn’t an option. After flunking a few tests, Sylvester’s professor assigns him a tutor—Foster Erickson. The moment they meet, Sylvester knows Foster isn’t like other guys.

As the darkness hovers and Sylvester begins falling, he will have to decide if helping Foster fight his demons will be worth it in the end.



3 Stars

Touch definitely has some good bones. I really love the premise and the beginning of the story drew me in and had me worrying if I was going to have enough Kleenex. However, somewhere along the way things started to fall a bit flat for me and I just couldn’t read with the same intensity. I enjoy raw and gritty reads, drama and angst, many times dark or harder themes. I love emotional books that tug at my heartstrings or have me sobbing. I wanted that from Touch. I expected that from Touch. Unfortunately, it just didn’t happen.

Foster is 28 but felt like 20 tops. Sylvester is supposed to be 32 but again felt mid 20’s at most. While I’d expect Foster to be vulnerable due to his past, I didn’t expect him to feel as young and scared as he did. I wanted his character to be more jaded, tougher. Now, don’t get me wrong, his fears were completely understandable and I am not in anyway downplaying that, there was just something about it that didn’t quite work for me.

I didn’t feel the chemistry between either man which also made it hard for me to truly feel invested in their relationship. With as traumatized as Foster was and dealing with his intense and severe Haphephobia, I just felt as if the chemistry between these men should have been off the charts and undeniable. I didn’t need sex, after all, Foster needs compassion, patience and love. However, I did need to see these men in their relationship, getting to know and trust one another. I needed to see them not be told about them.

Overall, I can’t necessarily say I recommend Touch. I think the story has potential but doesn’t quite reach the mark.

***Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by Dreamspinner Press for my reading pleasure in hopes of an unbiased opinion, a review was not a requirement.***


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