Reviews

Rough Canvas by Joey W. Hill

duchessrin's review against another edition

4.0

You have a purity I’ve lost, pet. But in some ways, the important ones, you’re not naïve. You understand the darkness without ever having been in it. You see the world as it is, all its misery and pain, all the beauty that somehow rises above it, and you accept all of it. You accept me.

I've been in an M/M reading slump for a couple of months. I don't even know why. So when I saw this book, its rating and reviews, I was like, "Please be the book that would lift me from this freaking slump." I wasn't disappointed with this but I couldn't say that I was completely wow-ed by it.

If there's one word to describe this book, it would be INTENSE. I've never read anything that's equally intense emotionally and sexually. The writing in this book was so captivating I felt it straight to my heart.

This review might contain spoilers and I didn't tag them because I don't know which ones to tag. You've been warned.

Growing up in a family of Roman Catholics, Thomas had always struggled with his sexuality. Even with his budding art career in New York, he left and went back to where he grew up to take over after his father died. He was torn between wanting to become what his family wants him to be and what he really was. Add to that, his tastes weren't exactly normal. It was even difficult for him to accept what he was and in the process, he pushed away even the man he loves.

Months later, Marcus came to his town to deliver a check for the Thomas' paintings that he managed to sell along with a proposal to stay with for a week to revive his muse.

For me, Marcus' anger was warranted since Thomas literally ran away from him in the middle of the night. They didn't even have a proper closure. And with his refusal to acknowledge what he was feeling, not only was he hurting himself but also Marcus.

“Fuck you,” Marcus snarled abruptly, upending the table, sending it crashing against the railing. Crockery spun and shattered, juice and eggs splattering them both. “For your information, you selfish prick, I can read everything in your face. I’ve never lied to you about anything. Ever. The only one lying to himself here is you. You tell me ‘one week’. That’s it, that’s all you’ll give us. Well, since I’m on a roll, let me continue to be perfectly honest with you.”
 
Marcus leaned forward again, his face hard. “That has nothing to do with your family. You’ve accepted a man can want to fuck another man, but you can’t accept they can love each other. That’s what’s eating a hole in your gut. Your dad dying when he did was just an excuse. You were getting too scared of where we were going. And it wasn’t just the way you feel about me. You’re not only gay, you’re a fucking sexual submissive. Wouldn’t that just send your mother over the deep end?”

Gosh, maybe I should just quote the whole book with the way I'm going.

Still despite their intense reunion, Thomas still went back to his hometown to finish his paintings there.

“Why should I pour out my guts to someone who considers me family only when it’s convenient, which means he’s never considered me family at all? You’ve got a permanent hard-on for me, but hey, join the rest of the world. You’re right. Go home. Go home to North Carolina and be everything your family wants you to be.”

Marcus came to his town (a-fucking-gain, srsly) and he asked Thomas to move in with him. But when Thomas tried to bring up Marcus' past, he shut down and walked away. (Ha! Now he knew how it felt now!)

“I can’t trust anyone. It’s just not in me. Not now. Not ever. I’ve got to go.”

Now it's Thomas' time to prove that he loved Marcus.

Gaah, I didn't want the summary to be that long but I really wanted to show those passages above so that you could understand the beauty that is this book.

You know what I love best about this book? The characters. I've never read a book with such well-crafted characters. I loved even Thomas' Mom even though she exasperated me but when you read about her it's like…you could get where she stood and why she was so against their relationship.

With Marcus, let's just say that this guy is my spirit animal. He viewed the world in a different way.

“Why is it older people deserve respect just because they’re old? Pedophiles and sleazy politicians have been known to live to ripe old ages, right along with Mahatma Gandhi.”

His devotion for Thomas was just so amazing I felt so bad for him because Thomas didn't believe that he loved him.

“Accepting what people are, what they can’t change and loving them with every part of yourself anyway. That’s what love is about.” He glared at Elaine. “You take that away from him, you make him believe that kind of love doesn’t exist… It would be better for you to shoot him rather than destroy him inch by inch, year after year. If you do that, you’re not saving his soul, you’re killing it. If you’d look into his eyes for once, you’ll see it. How we love is our soul.”

But this book wasn't perfect enough for me to give it five stars, even with my ravings about its prose and characters.

During that one week arrangement Thomas and Marcus had, they had a sex marathon where Marcus came six fucking times consecutively.



I don't know if that's anatomically possible— if it is, please tell me—but I would assume that he was tired as fuck after that but no, the next day, they still managed to have mind-blowing sex. I don't know how this guy did it but I was starting to think that he had a some kind of cum reservoir inside his body because he didn't take viagra at that time. There should be a logical explanation behind that sex prowess.

Also, I was exasperated that it had to take for Marcus' past to resurface for Thomas to resolve his issues. Like he even left Marcus while he was injured like fuck. I did understand that he had to go back to his family because of his responsibility blahblahblah, but couldn't he have stayed a few days or I don't know at least a day? The man he loved was like ten seconds away from his death and wasn't he shaken or something? Gdi.



I didn't like that they kept on ignoring the issue and just kept going on at it despite the elephant in the room. It took too long for them to settle shit. At some point, I was just grumbling, "When the fuck will Thomas pull his head out of his ass?" They just kept on having sex. They did talk, but they always end up in an argument whenever they try to solve the issue.

Overall, I'm kinda torn between loving it and just plain liking it. But it's the kind of book that's not really easy to forget.

If you want to read a book that's really emotional, then this book is just for you.

msmiz95's review against another edition

4.0

This book was brilliant, beautiful, brutal, strip yourself to the bones emotional messiness, sexy, hard love all around. Marcus and Thomas are two very amazing people.

nicola949's review against another edition

5.0

So many great reviews so I won't say much other than they are all right! This is a 5 star read, the sort of book that has you thinking about it when you are not reading it ( although I pretty much read it in one sitting as it was hard to put down). The characters were so well developed and the story fabulous. Loved it! This is going on my favorites shelf!

faustin2nd's review against another edition

5.0

Best M/M romance I have ever read. Even without the BDSM elements this is a riveting story. The conflicts dealt with in this book are realistic and relatable, the characters all seem to have good heads on their shoulders...there's no unnecessary drama. I love Ms Hill's writing.

papercranestitches's review against another edition

5.0

*** 4.5 Stars ***

Smart, packed with raw emotion, and sexy as fuck.

anya_doesntmatter's review against another edition

5.0

Joey Hill is a very talented writer. Her writing revolve around a sexual world I have never indulged in and I thought this would hinder me enjoying her books. I'm happy to say I was wrong! Hill's characters tend to be so complex and multilayered that it's easy to believe that chracter could be "real". Her writing style manages to capture and convey emotions so succinctly that you feel for her characters and their frailties. Rough Canvas exemplifies her skills brilliantly. The story is of two men Marcus and Thomas(a book I NEVER thought I would read but gave it a chance b/c Hill wrote it), whom were in a relationship but the relationship desolved due to Thomas' commitment to his family. While Marcus is publicly gay, Thomas, has yet "come out". With Thomas torn between duty and his passion (art and being w/ Marcus) and Marcus torn between facing his past demons and falling in love, will these two former lovers find their way back to each other again? Hill weaves and absorbing tale that is sure to have you laughing, crying and cursing!
At the end you will root for two people that are journeying on a hard road to find their happiness. Enjoy! I know I did.

renpuspita's review against another edition

DNF

Even I love reading erotica, there some lines that I'm not dare to cross it yet. Especially for same genre loving, gay and lesbian. Joey W Hill can write a good story, emotional and intense. But this one just too much for me. I read Thomas and Marcus first sex scene, when Marcus punish Thomas for leaving him. And I can forced my self to read it. But when they go to BDSM club, that's it. I can't continue reading.

I guess, it took a big courage to read gay and lesbian story. Since its still taboo at my culture. I think I will stick to menage erotica, while its have m-m scene, I can enjoy it. Maybe because its not the main focus of the story, and usually both men both love the woman. I can accept that.

chocchelle's review against another edition

5.0

Love her books especially this series!

christina_34's review against another edition

4.0

Really enjoyed it!
Loved both the heroes, Marcus was my favourite though.
I really liked how the story was about past lovers. I also loved how heartbreaking it was, sometimes not really realistic, but even then the sadness and the angst got you really good.
Would definitely re-read again.

alecmm's review against another edition

5.0

Every sentence a poem.