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A review by kaje_harper
Tea by Matthew J. Metzger
4.0
This book packs a whole lot of issues into one character-driven story. John is a big guy, rough-hewn and unattractive in appearance but gentle by nature, whose last relationship was beyond bad. He's tied up in knots, unable to trust himself and even prone to panic attacks after his previous boyfriend put him through a psychological wringer.
John meets Chris at a cafe, accidentally spilling his tea, and it's attraction at first sight - or in the case of Chris, who is blind, at first hear. In the absence of a snap judgement based on what John looks like, Chris's first impression is warm and kind, and desirable, “like the hot afterburn of whiskey.” They begin a tentative relationship, hampered by Chris's prickles and limits and by John's worries and inability to take anything lightly.
I adored John, and he gave us a look at a current hot button from the other side, in a way that felt valid. His family was great too. Chris had his reasons for his reflexes and worries, and for holding John at a little distance when John was already falling head over heels in love.
Sometimes, John seemed like the one making all the accommodations, but Chris was climbing some real obstacles and the fact that he worked hard to discount them as much as possible didn't make them less real. By the end of the book, it felt like Chris had one too many things piled onto him (including the last family reveal) and I wouldn't have minded John pushing Chris to get therapy too. The ease of the physical side of their relationship is plausible because of who John is, as his deep pleasure is in pleasing his partners, but once or twice I looked for hesitation that wasn't there. In general, I was pulled along through this story cheering these guys on to finding the balance between all of their issues, needs, desires, and painful spots.
I love this author's writing style, his use of language, the conversations between his characters. Always a pleasure to read.
John meets Chris at a cafe, accidentally spilling his tea, and it's attraction at first sight - or in the case of Chris, who is blind, at first hear. In the absence of a snap judgement based on what John looks like, Chris's first impression is warm and kind, and desirable, “like the hot afterburn of whiskey.” They begin a tentative relationship, hampered by Chris's prickles and limits and by John's worries and inability to take anything lightly.
I adored John, and he gave us a look at a current hot button from the other side, in a way that felt valid. His family was great too. Chris had his reasons for his reflexes and worries, and for holding John at a little distance when John was already falling head over heels in love.
Sometimes, John seemed like the one making all the accommodations, but Chris was climbing some real obstacles and the fact that he worked hard to discount them as much as possible didn't make them less real. By the end of the book, it felt like Chris had one too many things piled onto him (including the last family reveal) and I wouldn't have minded John pushing Chris to get therapy too. The ease of the physical side of their relationship is plausible because of who John is, as his deep pleasure is in pleasing his partners, but once or twice I looked for hesitation that wasn't there. In general, I was pulled along through this story cheering these guys on to finding the balance between all of their issues, needs, desires, and painful spots.
I love this author's writing style, his use of language, the conversations between his characters. Always a pleasure to read.