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sara11_reads's review
4.0
This was great and I really enjoyed it. I'm going to go read everything in this author's backlist now. I had a hard time figuring out what was going on with Collin's character at the beginning, why he was so hot and cold, and I didn't love the resolution of with Collin's friend group at the end. They were pretty shitty to him and should have apologized better.
heabooknerd's review
3.0
JEREMIAH was an interesting read, but I definitely liked the second half a lot more than the first half. The beginning just felt a bit lost for me, like there was another story going on under the surface (that we weren't being told) that made it hard to understand everything going on. This got better as the story went on though which is why I liked the book more as time went on.
I really liked Jeremiah from the beginning, he's genuine, honest, and truly cares about other people. He's also hopelessly devoted to family even though there's some serious tension between himself and his brother. I also loved how Jeremiah cared for and supported Collin when he was struggling. I felt like we really got to know Jeremiah and his character was really developed especially compared to Collin. I did like Collin too and he definitely goes through a lot of growth in the story. He's a bit awkward and he doesn't trust easily but he's also really sweet and dedicated to his best friends Lizzie and Ryan.
Overall, I liked JEREMIAH but I was just missing that thing needed to really engage me and push this to a higher rating. The characters were enjoyable and they made a cute couple but I just didn't feel the tension in their story.
ARC provided by NetGalley for honest review
Content Warning: Jeremiah’s brother uses homophobic language and they get in a physical fight when the brother finds out Jeremiah is gay.
I really liked Jeremiah from the beginning, he's genuine, honest, and truly cares about other people. He's also hopelessly devoted to family even though there's some serious tension between himself and his brother. I also loved how Jeremiah cared for and supported Collin when he was struggling. I felt like we really got to know Jeremiah and his character was really developed especially compared to Collin. I did like Collin too and he definitely goes through a lot of growth in the story. He's a bit awkward and he doesn't trust easily but he's also really sweet and dedicated to his best friends Lizzie and Ryan.
Overall, I liked JEREMIAH but I was just missing that thing needed to really engage me and push this to a higher rating. The characters were enjoyable and they made a cute couple but I just didn't feel the tension in their story.
ARC provided by NetGalley for honest review
Content Warning: Jeremiah’s brother uses homophobic language and they get in a physical fight when the brother finds out Jeremiah is gay.
bookschaosnart's review
4.0
A great contemporary romance set in Washington, DC. I loved the characters about how they felt like it could have been a couple of my friends I was reading about. The voices of the characters felt like I was among friends. The setting of DC was well used in order to further the plot line. The various conflicts found through out the plot didn't feel forced or shoved in to create drama but rather reflected current day and pushed the characters to address themselves before carrying on with their relationships. I appreciated that the love interests didn't interact within a vacuum but instead interacted with the friends and family of each other. Overall a great read and worthy of a reread as well.
lezreadalot's review
4.0
I didn’t know if anything would stop me, if he wanted me. Nothing but everything would be enough.
3.5 stars. Super enjoyable m/m romance! I mostly really liked what I read from this author before, and I'm glad I took the chance to check out more of her backlist, because this was so good. This follows a paramedic and an office worker who feel irrevocably drawn to each other after their elevator meet-cute, and how their relationship eventually progresses and becomes deeper, as they both face major upheavals in their lives. Jeremiah's company is downsizing, so his future at his job is precarious, and he's also dealing with being in the closet to his family. Colin is feeling unmoored and a bit aimless at work, and is also having some trouble with his best friends. Their romance together is intense, and they end up being so good for one another. I love romances where there's this push and pull, just enough to create tension but not enough to be annoying. Jeremiah possessive and caring and tender in the best ways and it made me (and Colin) swoon. <3
Something I really liked is the fact that this focused almost as much on their development as individuals, as much as on the development of the romance. That might not work for everyone; I get how it could feel like their personal/family drama was taking time away from the romance. But I honestly really enjoyed it; it was a great balance, imo. It really made the characters feel well rounded, three dimensional, rather than a collection of traits and tropes. I didn't love everything about the story progression, and there were a few parts where it was maybe a bit too slow, but otherwise, I love the way this was plotted, and the arc of the romance.
Listened to the audiobook as read by Jameson Adams and Ace Bentley, and it was so good! Only thing better than reading AAVE in a romance novel is hearing it performed so well. I enjoyed both narrators a lot, Adams just a teensy bit more, and I just flew through this audiobook. It was so immersive. I can't wait to get into this author's backlist a bit more.
andrea_author's review
4.0
When Jeremiah's company starts downsizing, he turns to Collin for help with his resumé. With the attraction between them so hot, there's no way they can keep their relationship professional. Is Collin the guy Jeremiah's been waiting for—the one who will give him reason to finally come out to his judgmental family?
This book blends literary and commercial fiction. It's slow to start plot-wise. Yet I enjoyed the characters, as well as the author's style and unique voice. I became really engrossed in the story, and the ending was worth the time spent.
Thanks, Booksprout, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
This book blends literary and commercial fiction. It's slow to start plot-wise. Yet I enjoyed the characters, as well as the author's style and unique voice. I became really engrossed in the story, and the ending was worth the time spent.
Thanks, Booksprout, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
marmarta's review
3.75
It wasn't a bad romance, some parts were nice (and hot), but it also felt kind of forgettable.
mommasaystoread's review
3.0
I struggled with this first High Rise book in the beginning. Well, more like about 60% of the way through. There is a lot, and I do mean a lot, of internal monologue. So much so that it felt like I was never going to get to the romance. Jeremiah and Collin clearly have sexual chemistry, and I did start to warm up to Jeremiah when he seemed to prefer taking things slowly with some build-up to intimacy. The blurb hints at an out for you story, but really, the only time Jeremiah seemed to be keeping any secrets is with his immediate family. He has no problem with public displays of affection or even drawing attention to himself and Collin in a crowd of people, so I didn't really get the out for vibe from this story. There are also a couple of other plotlines going on in the periphery, but some things almost felt like an outline rather than fleshing out those characters and their stories. Nevertheless, by the last half of the book, I had warmed up to these characters, and Jeremiah and Collin had won me over. They are adorable together once they get comfortable with each other and start to figure things out. In the end, there were things I liked and things I didn't about this one, but this is my first read by Jayce Ellis and I will check out the next in the High Rise series to see how things go. Not everything was all tied up by the end of Jeremiah, so hopefully, we'll get some answers as the series progresses.
cleo_reads's review
4.0
What a delightful surprise from a new to me author. MM IR contemporary slow burn romance set in D.C. between two late 20 somethings who are looking to make some changes in their lives.
The romance takes a while to develop - the h/h have like 3 meet cutes before they actually have a conversation. And honestly, while the romance is cute, what won me over was the depictions of the h/h's family and friends. I particularly liked how Jeremiah's loud and loving family was portrayed and how his concerns about coming out are handled. It felt so real to me.
The romance takes a while to develop - the h/h have like 3 meet cutes before they actually have a conversation. And honestly, while the romance is cute, what won me over was the depictions of the h/h's family and friends. I particularly liked how Jeremiah's loud and loving family was portrayed and how his concerns about coming out are handled. It felt so real to me.
kidlitluv's review
4.0
I really enjoyed the characters in this one. There wasn't a lot of plot, but I'm ok with that because I love character-driven stories. I love that the two main characters are very different, but in ways that tend to balance each other out. I also really enjoyed the secondary characters and look forward to seeing more of them in future books.
terriaminute's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Some time ago I tried this novel and couldn't get into it. When it cropped up in one of the on-sale lists I get, I tried again, and sank into it with instant interest. It's one of the kinds of stories I nibble at rather than read a lot of at a time. I enjoyed that. I liked the arcs of the characters, the complex family, the friendships, a lot. The jobs parts were not boring, always a plus. I'm glad I finally got to read it.
It's minus a star for a few reasons: for some dull sex, and for the white boy sounding more Black than I expected. (It happens, I just didn't get any idea how he picked up the phrases and idioms.) But mostly, I was disappointed both MCs gave in to fears and procrastination. I know adults don't always get past such habits, but that seemed excessive to me.
On the whole, a good book.
It's minus a star for a few reasons: for some dull sex, and for the white boy sounding more Black than I expected. (It happens, I just didn't get any idea how he picked up the phrases and idioms.) But mostly, I was disappointed both MCs gave in to fears and procrastination. I know adults don't always get past such habits, but that seemed excessive to me.
On the whole, a good book.