This is not a plot I'm used to find but it sort of reminded me a lot of the Ten Count series, so the novelty was lost on me.



I wanted to read this because it's Nash Summers, but in fact it didn't touch me the way fawn did. Not even close. This is a light read instead, the fragile fearful guy who lives in his apartment, and the new confident neighbor who falls for him for apparently no reason whatsoever, and goes through all the 'baggage' this person has... well, the idea is kind of romantic, but it's not very realistic.

Despite this, I can't deny this is a very sweet story and gave me good vibes. What I really complain about is how fast the plot is solved.

Yes, the OCD aspect is important. But here, errrhhh: now I have it, now I don't, now I have issues again, now I'm cured. Well... not convincing at all. A person with OCD suffers, and it's a painful and slow process to get over it, to get better. I personally believe the author doesn't emphasize well enough the importance this matter needs.

Also, the problem with the mother is not even talked about, one moment she is the 'cage', and the next she is all accepting and understanding.

However, the romance aspect is not less unbelievable. Too rushed for my taste, too 'easy'. They are touching hands (if ever), they have a conflict which separates them for a while, the MC decides to redeem himself and 'shape up' for the sake of the other, and suddenly they are together-forever-in-love as if nothing wrong has happened.

Uh?

There was something missing for me here. Like, the most part of an average novel. This change felt like a memory lapse rather than the contentious process of growing up as a person in order be healthy enough to have a happy and balanced life with your partner, in order to be able to cope with the daily complications the existence offers, and to fulfill your most profound wishes.

If felt incomplete. It felt not enough.

*****

You can read it for free here.

Wow, what a suprise this was *sniffs*

Devin was perfect for Jude. Gosh, I can't imagine feeling the way Jude felt for years. Having this severe OCD with social anxiety disorder. He felt so alone.

"I asked about you. Your first and only response was to tell me about your disorder. You aren't your disorder. You told me about all the things you don't like and none of the things you do like. I just find it hard to believe someone like you is completly comprised of dislikes and not a single like."

I loved how patient Devin was with Jude. How he was able to get Jude out of his comfort zone.
But in the end Jude did all the work, he made his world change by taking baby steps and wanting more for his life.

"That was my smile, I decided right then, the one Devin always wore for me. That was the smile that had made me realize that all the most difficult things in life would be worth doing ten times over, just for him."

This story is a free story from Goodreads M/M Romance Group (MM Romance Group - Love Landscapes 2014)

http://www.mmromancegroup.com/carte-blanche-by-nash-summers/

Picture and prompt;

I had no idea what he was always smiling about. Devin must've seen the world in a different light than I did. Where I saw vast expanses of nothing but whiteness and dull comparisons of reality, Devin saw things in the brightest forms of Technicolor, and constantly acted as if he'd basked in it's glow during his sleep. I wanted more of his color to rub off on me. I wanted more of his smiles.

 

If he was going to bother me, I'd at least prefer he do it at the same time each day, but I'm sure he knew that and was annoying me at randam times to mix up my patterns.

 

Nauczyciel historii tracący wzrok, to prawie książka o mnie. Nie mniej jednak nie specjalnie zrobiła na mnie wrażenie. Staraniem autora było ukazanie naszego podejścia do niepełnosprawności. Umiejętności radzenia sobie z własną niepełnosprawnością w tym przypadku utratą wzroku. Czy tylko? Polonistka Ewa – choć w odniesieniu do szkoły średnie niej raczej należy używać określenia nauczycielka języka polskiego – jest też swego rodzaju niepełnosprawna. Jednorazowy seks, wpadka, mężczyzna nieznany – przypadek raczej tak rzadki we współczesnym świecie że zakrawa na sf.
Ale wróćmy do głównego bohatera Kacpra, ponoć opowieść na faktach. Autor mógł zadbać o bardziej realne skonstruowanie postaci. Dla mnie każda z przedstawionych sylwetek jest raczej szkicem niż postacią. Podobnie jest z opisem sytuacji panujących w szkole ponadgimnazjalnej (uczniowie posługują się iPadami). Autor mógł zadać sobie odrobinę trudu i dowiedzieć się jak dziś przebiega egzamin maturalny. Zapoznania się z podstawą programową i rozszerzeniem z historii– materiału ogólnodostępne. Cały czas czekam na książkę, napisaną w oderwaniu od stereotypów "Sposobu na Alcybiadesa", "Szatana z siódmej klasy" czy "Ferdydurke".
Całość oceniam na dostateczny, mały plusik za to że czyta się dobrze i szybko i dobre zakończenie. Niepełnosprawność jest samotnością, wchodzimy w mgłę o której inni niewiele wiedzą. Niestety z Jackiem Lusińskim włącznie.