I loved this book so much. Roan Parrish writes a story that sucks you in and makes you part of their world and you don't ever want to leave. Such a beautiful story of love and acceptance.

This is such a beautiful story. Corbin Wale lives a life of solitude. He is known as the town weirdo and he has no friends, but he has a magic of his own. Corbin also lives under the shadow of a family curse.

When Alex Barrow returns to his hometown in Michigan he is intrigued by the silent, handsome Corbin who hangs out at the coffee shop which belongs to Alex's mum. Alex is also intrigued when he sees Corbin's artistic talents and he wants to know more and see more.

Alex has come home to take over the family café and turn it into a bakery and Corbin likes to spend time sitting in the café. Alex gets to know Corbin and wants to know his story and who this silent but enigmatic man truly is. As the new bakery begins to flourish Alex draws Corbin into conversation and the attraction between the two men springs up, but Corbin is fearful that his relationship and deepening friendship with Alex will somehow hurt Alex and so Corbin decides to look for a way to overcome the curse.

So we have a story which has hints of magic and deep seeds of love. When the magic and the seeds come together something new and beautiful emerges. The challenge for the two men is to allow the magic and the love to actually take root and flourish, and in order to do this Alex needs to trust Corbin and Corbin needs to trust an Alex and release his fear.

Of course there are a few other characters which enrich the story . There is Gareth who finds that his own relationship is full of darkness and pain and he needs to leave that darkness behind. There's Alex's mom who finds comfort with a new partner even if she grieves for Alex's dad and there are the towns people who get to learn what it is to accept the outsider and how to be generous towards people who don't fit.

I think this is a really lovely story. It has just the right amount of challenges to overcome, as well as the perfect amount of courage, love and beauty. It is a perfect holiday story and just leaves the reader with feelings of comfort and warmth.

This is the first time I've read anything by this author and I was really impressed because I have been reading m/m romance for years. This surprised me simply by its gentle charm and I highly recommend this.

Copy provided by Riptide Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

The Remaking of Corbin Wale was such a sweet, yet odd, story. It grabbed me right away and I found myself drawn in, immediately falling in love with Corbin and Alex. I didn’t expect to have my heartstrings tugged so hard

It is impossible to not like Corbin. All his life everyone has called him weird, a freak. To deal with it all, Corbin would escape into his own world. I knew I was reading an M/M romance but at times, because of his fantasies, I kept expecting everything to change gears and trip into a different genre. It just makes me want to momma bear him away from all the cruelties he has suffered from mean people.

Alex, he is just one of those really nice guys. He returns to his hometown after losing partner, home, and job to help his mom with the family coffee shop. The coffee isn’t that great, so he takes it and makes it into a bakery. On opening day, a man comes in. One that catches his attention and is strangely familiar. Every day he waits to see if Corbin arrives.

What can I say but I really enjoyed this book. What goes on between Corbin and Alex is fragile and amazing. Not quite an instant love, but more of two people drawn to each other. One feeling unworthy, the other only see the beauty. Corbin is such an odd duck, he can’t understand how Alex wants to be with him. There’s this special magic friendship that grows between them while secretly they both want something more. And can I say my goodness can Corbin fantasize! The ending was amazing. A perfect read all the way around.

Now if only if Gareth could get his own HEA!

reviewed by Jac

I'm a big fan of Roan Parrish, so I was excited to read this one, but it fell a little flat for me. I agree with many other reviewers that the writing is beautiful, and this was a very sensory experience filled book. I enjoyed the baking and the wild nature aspect, but the "curse" around Corbin seemed flimsy and the resolution to it not very well explained. I also didn't see the connection between Corbin and Alex, who was drawn to Corbin immediately through insta-love. I wanted to love this book, but the plot really fell short for me.

This was such a sweet Holiday read. I loved Alex from the beginning and Corbin may have considered himself a weirdo, but he was adorable. There was oh so much to love about this book, I'm not too sure where to start...

Alex needed a change. Actually, this is the second book in the past couple of months where the ex in a relationship totally blew me away... and not in a good way. But as fate would have it, Alex's ex did him a huge favor... he brought him home. Right where he obviously belonged.

Corbin had an interesting, creative mind. I loved being inside his head. He kind of over thought everything, but he had little or no self confidence and he was raised in a unique way, by very unique individuals. His back story was a little sad, but it also proved how strong he really was.

One of the things I liked most about The Remaking of Corbin Wale was the Jewish background that Alex and his family brought to the story. It's not something that happens often enough and it was a fresh take, at least for me, on the Holiday season.

These were characters that I was glad to get to know and sorry to say good-bye to. Actually, I felt that way about most of the characters in this Charity Bundle offered by Riptide. I'm kinda hoping that some of the authors that took part in this treat readers to more from them and some very special supporting characters in the future.

This book is ambitious. The sentiment with which this book was created is lovely. A man who is seen as 'broken' by all who surround him is finally seen for who he actually is and then is accepted unconditionally. Add to this lots of metaphors with food (hunger, cinnamon sugar, fruits (of labor, of love) and nature (woods, plentiful greenery, cleansing), which lend to a magical atmosphere for someone wonderful to happen.

But.

The execution wasn't what it could have been. And while I admire an author who strives to stretch their abilities, it is also necessary to be even more painstaking with edits--and in this case, The Remaking needed an editor who would be ruthless.

First, the prose was ornamental and so emotive there was nothing left for me to process. Not many authors can make this style of writing work. Clearly, it was intended as a sort of modern-day fairytale, which brings me to...

Second, even a fairytale needs some mystery. I'm not talking about the mystery of the curse of whatever magic or witchery is happening. I'm talking about being able to see every last thought in the character's head. The story is told in alternating POV's with each character's thoughts repeating internally as well as externally. Several times, I caught myself thinking...yeah, I know this already.

Third, there was the part where the view of the other (Alex to Corbin and Corbin to Alex) didn't sync up. They were hot for each other but they didn't seem to understand each other, despite all the words on the page that told me otherwise. I felt very little emotional connection between the two--again despite all the words on the page. And while the 'important' part of the story felt like Corbin saw Alex as perfect and he should want to change him...the fact that he didn't seem like Alex should be rewarded for such a thing... which goes totally counter to what I think the intention for a takeaway is. Yes, Alex said Corbin was amazing...but I never felt it.

Fourth is the squick factor. Because for me, it was absolutely there. In the moments where Corbin was opening up to Alex, it didn't feel as if Corbin was vulnerable, it felt like he was in distress. The flip of the discussion between 'hey, I'm really scared here' to 'hey, I'm really hot for you' read as forced and as a reason to get sex on the page. I'm generally a fan of Roan's intimacy scenes but I had to flip past. Eventually, I went back to read them and...no. I could not get into these scenes given context.

Fifth is very likely a bit controversial but important to me: the casual mention of Corbin's fear of being called names (freak, crazy, etc...) conflated with a negative response of the one time someone paid enough attention to him to get tested for IEP's at school. While I give kudos for setting up a scenario in which Corbin isn't 'fixed' (spoiler...he kind of ends up being 'fixed' anyway such that by the end he's normalized rather than remaining half in another world), I am so tired of the people who are trying to get resources for people who might need them demonized. The author tread in and out of aligning Corbin with having some sort of mental illness in this book. It wasn't named and there could have been a few things happening, especially since he raised himself. This is a kid who hasn't had social contact with others except on a very minimal basis for a very long time. He was all but abandoned even before then. And, sure, a few 'nice' people in the community cared but it was all from a distance. Did anyone check on him? Not only is the answer 'no' but it was implied that he was better off for squirreling himself away. In reality, this is how people fall through cracks, it is how they suffer, it is how they lose their homes...with no one noticing. Ultimately, I couldn't get on board with this narrative.

Now.

There are many authors and reviewers who love this book, many of whose opinions I deeply respect. So, it surprises me that I'm having this experience of this book when so many have a different one. It surprises me so much so that I contemplated withholding this review and, perhaps, remaining silent about my opinion.

Similarly, this is an author who is wonderful. I will absolutely continue reading her other works and probably anything else she writes. Based on her other works, I suspect her intent in writing this book is to promote advocacy for individuality, kindness, accepting others, and standing up for what is important...and while it hit the sweet spot for many others, I think had she ruminated on this a little bit more and worked with a hard-ass editor, she could have done so for me as well.

Maybe next time.

This is a MM romance. It is a little unusual as the characters are completely unique and unlike others out there. It is a magical story about falling in love with someone who is different. The author has done an excellent job creating characters with real depth. The story is very well written and magical. A great Christmas read.

*4.5 stars*

Lovely, just lovely. With a mix of magical realism and atmospheric romance, the story simply sang.

For those readers who are fans of Sarah Addison Allen, this book feels very similar in style, if a bit darker (perhaps a bit of Alice Hoffman mixed in). I didn't quite know what to expect going into it, but I was very pleasantly surprised.

The Remaking of Corbin Wale has garnered quite a bit of hype, and I couldn't pass up the chance to see if it stood up to the rave reviews. It really was a unique story, and all fans of atypical MCs should give this one a go. I have a weakness for a MC in romance who is outside the box, so to speak, so Corbin with all of his facets really worked for me.

The romance is slow-burn, though there is that pull of connection right from the start. It is a very intense story and it feels important as you read it, so that draw between the two MCs is almost hypnotic.

The story is also unexpectedly hot with some scenes that knocked my socks off. I wouldn't say that you should read this book for the sexy bits, but if you want some sex scenes that go beyond the norm and have a slightly kinky edge, you'll be in for a treat.

I also think that Roan Parrish really nailed the side characters. I could use a spin-off story with a couple of them (you'll know who), and I was intrigued and engaged the entire time.

Also, I finally got my yearly Hanukkah story! I had no idea going into it, but a Jewish MC was a great little treat, and it warmed my heart to read this story right as Hanukkah was beginning. Though I wouldn't say that the story was focused on the holiday, it was included, and I thought that was a nice touch.

Roan Parrish did a fabulous job creating a story that skirts the boundaries between magical realism and contemporary romance and crafting unique characters that will stick with me for a long time to come.

*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*

The first 20% or so was really difficult to get through because despite displays of kindness, Alex came off as extremely creepy the way he non-stop lusted after Corbin. This seemed particularly bad seeing as Corbin was portrayed as a shy and elusive dreamer who is often lost in his own world - perhaps even touched - whereas Alex was described as a strong, persuasive go-getter. This one part in particular had me recoiling ""

But I must say the book improved dramatically as soon as we switched to Corbin's POV. It was like a complete 180 to the point where even Alex's subsequent POV later was much improved and his character came off as grounded and magnetic and well, strong, as opposed to... predatory.

I loved the hints of magical realism woven into the story. Saying more would give the best parts away, but I liked that it was serious and quite dark in tone while giving that otherworldly feel that made for a fantastical holiday romance. I'm a huge fan of the the author's work and I thought her writing shone (even during the early parts I didn't like). It may have taken me a while to warm up to Alex and Corbin, but in the end, this book was pure magic.

4.5 stars

This unique story entranced me from the start. I wasn’t sure going in, magical realism doesn’t always work for me, but Roan Parrish did an amazing job of making me want to be able to experience the way Corbin saw the world around him.

Alex who has returned home after losing his reason to be in NYC, reopens his mother’s coffee shop into a bakery/cafe. When he sees Corbin there, working in his book something calls to him. Corbin is cast as the weirdo, the loner, the one who brings bad luck. Alex sees none of that. He sees the beauty, the talent, the amazing soul that is Corbin Wale and is pulled to try to befriend him.

The language paints a stunning picture and being in Corbin’s mind is magical. Raised by his aunts in an unconventional manner, Corbin is incredibly, almost (maybe actually) magically in tune with nature and the world around him. A lonely boy, now man, and a talented artist, he is often lost to his own musings. As much as Corbin would love to get closer to the beautiful man who has befriended him, there is something that holds him back. Not so much for fear of himself, but for fear of the damage he could do to Alex.

I don’t want to say much more as you need to let the story unfold. The relationship between Alex and Corbin is amazing as their tentative friendship slowly develops into so much more. Alex will do anything to help draw Corbin into his world at Corbin’s pace. As they work together in the bakery Corbin begins to wonder if there is something he can do to change his fate and make Alex his forever. Something he thought he would always be denied.

The emotions are intense and the pictures painted by the author’s words are beautiful. There were times I didn’t know if I wanted to smile or cry. Corbin is at times both heartbreaking and utterly amazing. Alex is patient and sweet as he controls his own innate need to “make things happen”. Even the secondary story about Alex’s best friend Gareth had me sucked in (I can only hope we’ll get his HEA in the future).

This story will easily become a yearly holiday read for me (for those of you looking for books that celebrate Hannukah you’ll get your fix here). An absolute feel-good story that you’ll want to take your time and savor.

Roan Parrish brings her A-game with The Remaking of Corbin Wale. An absolutely stunning novel, the prose is fluid and expressive, the characters are complex, and a positive message of hope is woven throughout. This one is so magical it gave me tingles and I was wishing it would never end.

Everything in Alex’s life has fallen apart so he moves back to his hometown to open his dream bakery and hopefully get a fresh start. From the moment Corbin steps into his shop all Alex can think about is seeing him again. He obsesses over every connection they make and longs for more. Parrish does a great job of building Alex’s desire for Corbin with anticipation that is just wonderful.

The sections of the novel told from Corbin’s point-of-view allow us to learn more about him. Used to being shunned by the people in town, Corbin has created his own world. His imaginary friends have become real to him and he illustrates their stories in his special notebook. Corbin is very attracted to Alex but has been told his whole life that he is cursed, if he lets someone into his life they will die, so Corbin has resigned himself to never finding love.

The attraction between these two is clear from the start and builds steadily over the course of the novel. The Remaking of Corbin Wale is the best kind of slow-burn romance, leisurely and steamy with very little angst. The anticipation I felt for these two to get together paled in comparison to the sparks that flew when they finally did! The first time Alex and Corbin go to bed together has got to be one of the most erotic scenes I’ve ever read, and is made even more so thanks to the painstaking build-up.

There’s so much more to Corbin’s life that I’d love to know about: How did he survive after his aunts died? What’s the story surrounding their deaths? Give me more details about this curse he lives under! And I could read a whole novel just about the characters Corbin creates…Parrish is leaving us space to wonder and interpret and relate to our own experiences.

The Remaking of Corbin Wale is a hard story to get out of my mind. I was transfixed by the beautiful, hypnotic quality of Parrish’s words. I loved the magical, mystical concepts of fate and chance and creating hope for the future. I’ll be so glad if this is the first book in a new series, and we don’t have to wait long for the next one!

Wow, this book blew me away. I've recently read all of Roan Parrish's Middle of Somewhere series, and enjoyed it (though some books were better than others). This book felt so richly layered with a touch of mysticism* that the book felt reminiscent of Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman, Nuts by Alice Clayton, and the first book in the Middle of Nowhere series. All that said, the book still felt fresh and new.

Alex was such a likable and empathetic main character, especially with how gentle and empathetic he felt toward Corbin. It was nice to see their friendship/relationship develop over time and with repeated interactions. No insta-love here. I also loved that Alex had strong feelings about Thanksgiving and how problematic a holiday it is, and the nod to his Jewish heritage with Chanukah. Parrish didn't give it lip service but instead made it a strong feature of the second half of the book, and I thought it was very well done.

Overall, I'd definitely recommend this one. Excited to see if Gareth and Orin have a book next!

* Although it's presented as a mysticism and fantastical element, I thought that some of Corbin's actions seemed representative of neurodiversity.

4.5 Stars ~

And what is magic if not the possibility for things to happen that would otherwise be impossible?” – Roan Parrish

The Remaking of Corbin Wale was unexpected and magical. I was confident it would be good, having loved everything I’ve read from Roan Parrish previously, so I don’t mean unexpected in the sense that I was worried about whether I would like it…I mean unexpected in that it was even more unique and wondrous than I even hoped it would be. It was the perfect story to kick off my holiday season reading.

It’s difficult to describe how special and different, in a good way, Corbin is. He is so precious—Alex even describes him as precious at one point in the story—and unique. Having been called “weird” and a “freak” for pretty much his entire life, he has become accustomed to people looking at him strangely, and avoiding him. He didn’t have any real friends growing up, so he created friends for himself that he drew in his notebook and brought to life in his mind. His whole life has been those friends—Carbon, Lex, and Finnian—and his beloved dogs, including Wolf, who is also prominent in his drawings, and his aunts, whom he lived with until they died when he was fifteen. He has spent most of his time alone. Until Alex Barrow opens the new bakery. I loved Corbin’s first impression of Alex:

"The man at the counter had a warm glow around him. It felt like kindness and nature and energy and something Corbin didn’t quite recognize. Something he couldn’t look away from."

As much as I adored Corbin, I think I adored Alex even more. He has come back to his hometown in Michigan after his life in New York basically went to pieces in a matter of a couple of days. As a pastry chef, he has always wanted to open his own bakery, so when the opportunity comes up to take over the lease on his parents’ old coffee shop, and bring the business he has envisioned to life, he goes for it. Alex is kind, steadfast, and strong. He’s an amazing friend—I loved, loved his best friend Gareth—and a good employer. And, he is immediately taken with the strange and beautiful man who walks into the bakery on opening day. I loved how much Alex cares for his mom, and misses his father, who has been gone for ten years, and wants to make them both proud. And, I LOVED that he wanted to recreate the joy of Chanukah that he was raised with, and the dinner event he plans, along with Gareth and Corbin, at the bakery.

The friendship and relationship that grows between Alex and Corbin is beyond beautiful. Alex was so thoughtful in every interaction he had with Corbin; he exuded kindness and patience. And, his initial reaction to Corbin was as visceral as Corbin’s was to him:

"Something about Corbin called to everything in him, and though Corbin wasn’t an easy man to get to know, every time he walked through the door, it felt like things were right in Alex’s world. He felt a kind of peace and satisfaction that came from having the person you most wanted to see near you, and Alex couldn’t explain it any better than that."

The only thing standing in their way is Corbin’s belief in the Wale family curse. Supposedly anyone they loved, and who truly loved them back, died within a year. Stories passed down to Corbin by his aunts, time and time again, cemented in him this belief, this fear that he shouldn’t allow himself to get close to anyone, or anyone to get close to him. He has an idea, though, an amazing idea that would perhaps get rid of the curse…so, he starts baking. I must share with you guys this one beautiful passage, which is just one example of the gorgeous, gorgeous writing in this book:

"As he mixed oil and egg with flour and salt, watching them bleed into each other, he imagined the ways he wanted his mind and Alex’s to become one, their thoughts merging. As the dough rose, he pictured rising with Alex in the early morning, soft pillows and warm arms and hot breath. As he braided the dough, he pictured the way their bodies would entwine, edges obliterated as they sank into one being in a form more beautiful than either could make apart."

Roan Parrish has delivered an incredible story here. The characters, the beautiful imagery, the food (I want lemon-lavender pound cake and challah so bad), and the Chanukah magic made it a fabulous read. It’s one I will go back to when I want to lose myself in a feel-good holiday book.

DNF @ 33%

Honestly, I just didn't connect with any of the characters in this book. Alex and Corbin were both just kind of boring characters, and Alex seemed more drawn to Corbin over some desire to ""protect him"" than anything else. I mean, he was obsessing over him after maybe one conversation, two chapters into the book. It felt more like a "I want to protect/fix him" than anything else. It doesn't help that from Alex's POV, Corbin comes across as fragile and possibly having some sort of trauma - it feels a little like it might be fetishising that trauma, though obviously I gave up after a third of the book so who knows. On top of that, Corbin reads a hell of a lot younger than he supposedly is - it feels at times like he's a pre-teen kid, and Alex? Lusting over him? Uh...

There's also a sideplot of Alex's best friend, Gareth, getting out of an abusive relationship. Only it gets mentioned once, he leaves, and then it's pretty much never mentioned again (I know, because I searched the rest of the book to find out what happens. Nada). I know he's only a side character, but if you're gonna introduce that kind of plotline, maybe deal with it well?

Anyway, the 33% of this book that I read just frustrated me, which is a shame, because I had liked Roan Parrish's books in the past. Maybe this one was just not for me.

***5 STARS***

“Because love doesn’t live in kisses and flowers and first dates. It lives in your mind, in your heart.”

How can I come up with words to describe the pure magic and beauty that is this book?! This book owned every part of me while reading. Every words served a purpose, every scene evoking an emotion that connected me even more to the characters...ever page fed my soul.

Basically....

I LOVED THIS BOOK!! I want to propose marriage to this book. I want this book to move in with me and share in a 30 year fixed mortgage. I want this book to meet my mom.

By 20% I knew this was going to be one of my favorite reads of 2017. By 50%, I already had the paperback en route to my house. By 100% I looked at the world in a new way and believed in magic.

“You remake the world a hundred times a day.”

3.5 stars- Really creative and different

I sat on this review for a while because I wasn’t quite sure how to rate this book. Honestly, I’m surprised The Remaking of Corbin Wale didn’t hook me as much as I’d expect. Typically, this would be a story I’d love- different characters, vivid imagery, and a slow burn romance. Even now, after scanning the other reviews, I’d undoubtedly one click this title without any hesitation; but the truth is I just wasn’t swept away.

A good part of my difficulty connecting with this book may simply be timing. The pace in The Remaking of Corbin Wale is more languid, building the feelings over time and allowing experiences shape Corbin and Alex’s relationship. With my current hectic schedule it was harder to settle in, read for long periods, and wait as the plot and romance unfolded. The descriptive imagery also slowed the pace a little and eventually I ran out of patience waiting to connect more with the characters, especially Corbin.

Although I didn’t devour every moment, I have to commend the author with the unique plot and characters in The Remaking of Corbin Wale. I liked the setting of a small Michigan town, loved the idea of Alex moving home to relaunch his family’s bakery and coffee shop, and found all the elements of Corbin’s mind and world fascinating. The creativity was evident in so many aspects, I just never understood Corbin as much as I expected. Together Alex and Corbin were wonderful, accepting and supportive of one another, but often I felt like a third wheel watching through a window when what I wanted was to be included in their journey enough to feel the magnetism they had toward each other. There’s certainly a chance this all just came down to timing and I could revisit this book later and have a completely different experience because there really were so many wonderful aspects of this book. I think readers looking for something a little different with some holiday warmth and magic will enjoy The Remaking of Corbin Wale, with the caveat that you need time to savor the descriptions and slower build.

I'm not sure I can articulate how much I loved this story in actual words that aren't "GO BUY THIS BOOK NOW! YOU CAN THANK ME LATER!" repeated over and over again. This book is weird and magical and adorable. It's what I've always imagined a romance novel that was written by Maggie Stiefvater would be like but also not. It's sweet, quirky, and a bit strange in parts and I fell in love with Roan Parrish's writing style from the first. It's a perfect read for the holiday season!

Alex Barrow has hit a rough spot in his life. He's returned to his hometown after being dumped and losing his job in a 48 hour period. Alex isn't moping about his bad luck though. He takes over his parents' coffee shop and turns it into his own bakery. He thinks things can't get any better until one of his parents' regulars pops in and he literally loses his breath over the man.

Corbin Wale is a little weird. Everyone treats him like he's a freak because he tends to lose himself inside his own head sometimes. Corbin has lead such a solitary life up till the start of this book and it broke my heart. He's believed that he'll always be alone and he's okay with that until he meets Alex.

There was so much about this story that just burrowed deep in my being and stayed there. While the story really didn't strike me as paranormal or fantasy, it had a magical and otherworldly feel to it. The way Corbin sees the world is unique and I am in awe of him. But no one, until Alex, saw Corbin at all. Not really.

Alex and Corbin are absolutely adorable. The characters in this book have a magical air to them. The romance is sweet and slow burning and if you're anything like me you'll be yelling at them to kiss already not even half way through the book. I loved their interactions and how respectful and kind Alex is to Corbin. I shipped them from their first meeting.

I think that the story is open for a sequel. Okay. I'm just really hoping for one and that it'll be about Alex's best friend, Gareth. I just want to know more about him and about what happened on his camping trip. Especially since his interactions with a certain character after the fact are a bit shifty. I'll be honest, I ship it already. I just really want Gareth to find his own happy ending, okay? Also, I need more Gareth and Corbin interactions in my life.

Overall, this book was absolutely delightful! It was sweet and cute and I couldn’t put it down once I started it. It definitely made a spot for itself on my best books of 2017 list! I'll warn you now though. Do not read this book on an empty stomach! The descriptions of food will make you want to eat every baked good you have in your house and then some. I have the biggest craving for challah right now and nowhere to buy any where I live now.

3.5 Stars!

I thought this one was a bit slow, but still enjoyable. The writing was great, as I've come to expect from Roan Parrish.

There was a nice slow build between the MCs, which felt real.

I really, really loved Gareth and hope he and Orin get a book!