I often use to preface my reviews of paranormal books with comments like...It's not my favorite genre, as a rule I don't do paranormal... yadda, yadda, yadda. Of course I've also been known to say 'never say never' and it's a good thing because it seems my affinity for this genre is growing.

I actually picked up the book a while ago thinking "Ok, this looks interesting. Sounds like a different take on the whole psychic thing, I'll give it a try the next time I want something different."  Much to my surprise a short time later I was present with the opportunity to listen to the audio book of 'Surreal Estate' with the narration being done by new to me narrator, TJ Clark. It felt like I was being pulled in a certain direction.

The narrator was not the only thing that was new to me for this story, this was also my first Jesi Lea Ryan novel and past experience has taught me that the combination of a new to me author and narrator can be a wonderful thing or something that goes sideways very, very fast. Luckily this one came in much closer to being a wonderful thing than a sideways thing.

TJ Clark provided a very solid and enjoyable narration for this story and I look forward to hearing more from him in future. I found the voices for not just the MCs but the other characters in the story each held their own consistent uniqueness.

'Surreal Estate' is the story of Sasha, a sweet young man whose life hasn't always been easy but somehow Sasha's managed not to let this turn him into someone who's jaded or bitter. In fact all things considered he's kept a fairly good outlook on things in general. He's been living on the streets for a few months now, working at odd jobs for minimum wage when he can and busking in between to add to his income. All Sasha really wants is a place where he can feel safe and call it home.

Then there's Nick. He's older and one would hope wiser and all he wants is to get his house-flipping business back on it's feet and to move on from his failed marriage.

Lastly we have the house. Sasha sees it as someplace where he can be safe and dry and he knows the house doesn't want to be alone anymore...did I mention that Sasha's psychic and has an affinity for houses? I didn't, really? Sorry, my bad...so yeah, Sasha's psychic and his connection isn't with people living or dead...it's with houses. So of course we have a house and Sasha sees it as a home, but Nick sees it as a fresh start for his business...now, if he just had the money to buy it and flip it...enter your friendly neighborhood loan-shark (seriously it's all in the blurb). 

For Sasha and Nick made for an interesting couple. Both of these men are strong willed and highly independent in their own way and distinctly different individuals. They're also very drawn to each other or they would be if Nick wasn't gay, but they can be friends right? Refreshingly this story had a nice slow burn and it isn't a 'gay for you' story either and yes, I really liked that fact. 

As Nick and Sasha work together both to restore the house and to help each other out of a couple of sticky situations and as Nick's feelings for Sasha grow so does the realization that maybe he's not as straight as he thought he was.

I really enjoyed this story and the the additional characters that the author created to help fill things out. There were some really sweet and sexy moments between the MCs as well as some touches of humor and for me just the right amount of emphasis was given to Sasha's psychic abilities to keep them an active part of the story without overwhelming the romance between him and Nick.

In general the balance and pacing was good and the story was laid out in such a way that it can easily stand on it's own or Ms Ryan has the opportunity to give us more, which  I admit I wouldn't mind if this turned into a series even just a short one with only a couple more stories to give the reader more of Nick and Sasha as their relationship develops both the personal relationship and the professional one that's hinted at as these two men join forces to flip houses and give them a new life...in more ways than one.

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An audio book of 'Surreal Estate' was graciously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC copy of the book from the publisher. This has in no way affected the content of my review.

This is a great collection of short stories. The author has a talent for being able to create a vivid background for her stories and she also gives us a good insight into who her characters are and what makes them tick. I am mostly a reader of novels, and I am aware that sometimes, even after reading a whole novel we still don’t have a clear sense of who these characters are, so this is a skill I particularly appreciate. The stories are beautifully observed; we get to see what is going on through the heads of the characters and also the situation that develops around them. The stories share a variety of moments and events in the lives of the characters, seemingly chosen randomly, ranging from tales of job difficulties, to family relationships, illnesses, and even the death of some of the characters.

I didn’t find any of the stories weak, and I enjoyed them all, although some of them might be better received depending on the mood of the reader and personal taste.

I’ll briefly comment each one:

In the Current Climate. A quietly menacing story that although somewhat surreal and taken to extremes seems very apt in today’s job market and big companies.

Debts. In appearance a vignette of everyday life rather than a complete story, it beautifully conveys how our state of mind can be reflected and amplified by everything around us: interfering neighbours, children’s tantrums, and even the weather. Mundane, wonderfully observed and beautiful.

Downsizing. After reading this story, I don’t think I’ll ever think of audits and management books in quite the same way. A great combination of realistic insight into the workings of modern companies and corporations and the whimsy and imagination of people that can never be totally subjugated.

Mistaken. Retail therapy with a difference. An articulate and high-achieving academic discovers that prejudice is still alive and well, sisterhood can have different meanings for different people, and some artworks can be prescient.

An Unplanned Event. The story of a man who never felt he belonged anywhere and finally gets to feel accepted and loved.

Escape Artist. A young woman ends up violently trapped at home and realises that she is also trapped in her relationship.

Live Show, Drink Included. What starts at a seemingly seedy and slightly menacing location turns up to be a beautiful love story full of light humour and some of my favourite lines.

“If you cut me open with a little knife there’d be a print of her right there in the middle of me” (Grut, 2018, p. 86).

A Minor Disorder. Two young men travelling in South Africa in the mid-1950s with very different attitudes to the situation are affected by the atmosphere around them in contrasting ways.

Saucers of Sweets. A story of life imitating art, especially recommended to people in the book publishing business, with some precious quotes.

“A book should be like a saucer of sweets, each chapter brightly wrapped and inviting in its own right” (Grut, 2018, p. 100).

Stranger. A lyrical observational vignette about an episode that feels oddly familiar and can be read in different ways.

Rich. This story contains the germ of a whole novel, full of fascinating characters (I loved Ashley), a compelling background and enlightening insights. It also has a great sense of time, place, and atmosphere. Its open ending can be discomforting to some readers, but I found it liberating.

There is a quote that particularly resonated with me:

“People equate emotion with weakness…” (Grut, 2018, p. 132).

Visitors. A vignette of small-town life in Wales, containing sharp observations about family relationships and motherly love.

On the Way to the Church. A possible life-changing revelation comes at the weirdest moment and explains many things.

Into the Valley. Having spent time in hospital with both of my parents in recent times, this story felt particularly touching and true to life. It records the last ten days in the life of a woman, spent in hospital, from the perspective of her daughter-in-law. The longest of the stories, it captures the feeling of numbness and routine that can take over one’s life in such circumstances.

“Night shift, day shift, back again to the night. We are far away from the world. We are in the Valley. Deep In” (Grut, 2018, p. 166-7).

There are characters with similar or the same names in different stories, and there are also typical corporate speech expressions which appear in separate stories, so as we read them we might find some similarities or links between the stories included, but as the end note explains, many of the stories have been published before, have received awards, and can, indeed, be read separately. I was impressed by the quality of the collection and this is an author I intend to keep a close eye on in the future.

Grut, V. (2018). Live show, drink included. Collected stories. London, UK: Holland Park Press.

"Almost all girls dream about their happily ever after. It is something that everyone knows they do. Sara was no different. Since the day she met Zain she had been dreaming of a future with him, a future full of hope and love. Zain, however, didn’t even know she existed. He was aloof and self-absorbed. For him the only person worth loving was himself. Poor Sara, she was in a world of trouble. But that would turn out to be the least of her worries. Life is so tricky at times, don’t you agree?"

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