Title: Better than People
Author: Roan Parrish
Genre: Romance
Publisher: Carina Adores
Heat: 3 Flames
Rating: 3 Hearts
Synopsis via GoodReads:
Simon Burke has always preferred animals to people. When the countdown to adopting his own dog is unexpectedly put on hold, Simon turns to the PetShare app to find the fluffy TLC he’s been missing. Meeting a grumpy children’s book illustrator who needs a dog walker isn’t easy for the man whose persistent anxiety has colored his whole life, but Jack Matheson’s menagerie is just what Simon needs.
Four dogs, three cats and counting. Jack’s pack of rescue pets is the only company he needs. But when a bad fall leaves him with a broken leg, Jack is forced to admit he needs help. That the help comes in the form of the most beautiful man he’s ever seen is a complicated, glorious surprise.
Being with Jack—talking, walking, making out—is a game changer for Simon. And Simon’s company certainly…eases the pain of recovery for Jack. But making a real relationship work once Jack’s cast comes off will mean compromise, understanding and lots of love.
Review:
I’ll preface this review by stating that I requested this arc blindly. I saw that it was an m/m about two dog lovers and thought this would be a perfect book for me! I mean, c’mon, who doesn’t love that cover? But, I did not see that it also had someone with crippling anxiety in the book. That’s not to say that that’s bad, but it’s also my profession as I work with psychiatric patients on a daily basis. I don’t necessarily want to read what I live every day. I’m very picky about what mental illnesses or any psychiatric content that I read for that reason. I read for escape and potentially seeing my patients for 200+ pages in a book is …. not relaxing or helpful. So, forgive me if I didn’t love this one as much as I thought I would. That’s not the book’s fault, it’s mine. I’ve loved other books by this author such as Riven and the Middle of Somewhere series. This just wasn’t my cuppa.
Simon is a man with crippling anxiety, which was depicted very well. He struggles with everyday things some days, without warning or cause. Things that an average person takes for granted, like simply being able to talk to a stranger. There is a lot of angst in the story when we’re in his head sometimes because he is frustrated with himself and his daily battle with anxiety. Jack is a man who ended up with a broken leg and a zoo of animals to take care of when he meets Simon. Simon responds to an add that Jack placed on a petcare app for help in walking his animals.
This is the perfect story for those who not only love animals, but also hurt/comfort themes. Both Jack and Simon help either other over their respective hurdles each day, making them stronger for it.
Now whether or not it was my own issues, or it was the book, I can’t honestly tell you, but this couple and this book never actually pulled me in and I seriously struggled to finish it. I can read a book in a day, two at the most, this took me over a week. I love books with flawed characters, but I just couldn’t with this one. I’ll chalk this one up to another, it’s not you, it’s me. *shrugs*
Please don’t take my word for it, I’ve read a lot of reviews where people loved this one. I’m just in a slump.
Better than People releases on August 25, 2020. Go reserve your copy!
Thanks to Netgalley for providing this copy in exchange for an unbiased review.
Purchase Link | Amazon
