From the Bookshelf of #DiverseRomanceBingo Reading Challenge…

Interborough (Five Boroughs, #4)

Santino Hassell

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Oct 08, 2016 Sadie Forsythe rated it really liked it

You know, I generally know what to expect when I pick up a Santino Hassell book and in that respect there were few surprises here. The characters were real and the situation gritty and über New York. He writes gay and bi men who struggle with relatable difficulties. It's not the cotton candy fantasy many contemporary m/m romances portray and I love that about them.

In this one I unfortunately felt the under-framing a bit too much at times. There were certain scenes that felt abruptly added becau You know, I generally know what to expect when I pick up a Santino Hassell book and in that respect there were few surprises here. The characters were real and the situation gritty and über New York. He writes gay and bi men who struggle with relatable difficulties. It's not the cotton candy fantasy many contemporary m/m romances portray and I love that about them.

In this one I unfortunately felt the under-framing a bit too much at times. There were certain scenes that felt abruptly added because the author had something to say on the subject. (Or maybe like he wrote a book around the theme instead of the other way around.) I'm not really complaining, I agreed with him and there are undoubtedly many who can relate and will appreciate seeing their experiences mirrored by the characters. And honestly the story really did call for them. An interracial romance could easily feel less authentic if racism wasn't at least alluded to, for example.

But I thought that some scenes had jagged edges, where I could see where they'd been stitched into the plot. For example, privilege was addressed several times in the book—passing privilege, racial privilege, situational privilege (being able to be out or not), financial privilege. These are real-world issues and I'm glad to see them addressed, but sometimes I didn't think they were dovetailed as smoothly into the plot as they should have been, even when accounting for the fact that some of these things, like a racist interaction with the police, can and often do pop up on any regular Tuesday. Thus, my ability to pick them out as the author's issue de jour.

But man, if my biggest complaint is a little roughness around socially relevant scenes that I'm glad were there regardless, in a book that otherwise shines, that's high praise in my opinion. And others I've spoken to didn't even agree that any particular scenes stood out at all, so this is subjective anyhow.

While the book does stand alone, I think a reader would enjoy it significantly more if they've read Sunset Park. Otherwise, you might wonder why it's so important to these two young men to fight for a relationship that truly seems to be making them miserable. As much as I adore Raymond and David, what really choked my up in this book was all the ways the reader is told that they are madly in love with one another. I really liked seeing the gruff, protective exteriors scrubbed away and the beating hearts underneath.

All in all, it's another win from Hassell. I've somehow missed the third book in the series and I can't wait to go back and read it.

Edited ...more

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Oct 23, 2016 Toni FGMAMTC rated it it was amazing

Shelves: romance, contemporary, realistic-fiction, family, relationships, quiltbag, life-lessons, m-m, favorite-bbf, sexy

FGMAMTC Blog Review + Giveaway

4.75

Raymond totally 'does it' for me. I love his gruffness and how he softens for David. I'm so proud for him too, the way he's made so many positive steps in his life. He gives off all those bad boy vibes and does so many good guy things. He even has the looks. So yeah, male perfection, a five star, four alarm book boyfriend.

We saw David and Raymond go through states of semi-functioning adulthood to actually seeming to pull it together in Sunset Park, but r ...more

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Jan 02, 2017 Rita rated it really liked it

I finally got a chance to read this one. Review to come.

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Dec 12, 2016 Jackie rated it really liked it

A sequel to SUNSET PARK, catching us up a year-and-a-half on with David and Ray's relationship. Things are not running all that smoothly, what with former slacker Ray working two jobs and going to community college, and David letting his anxieties and insecurities lead him into getting angry and resentful of Ray's lack of attention instead of talking with him about their problems. Ray insists that things will be better soon, once he quits job #2, but when his old family house is unexpectedly van ...more

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