Just the cover alone drew me into this book. The writing kept me fully engaged and I really enjoyed the characters getting to know one another again and falling in love.

This was really cute and I loved the characters and the storyline! I thought this was well written and would definitely recommend.

I received a copy of this arc from NetGalley for an honest review. I loved the characters in this book but some of the plots lines were lacking.

I've loved all the books by Sally Malcolm and this one is no exception. I just adore her way of writing and the characters she tends to create. I just adored both of them and it's,...amazing in general :)

Sally Malcolm's Between The Lines is an amazing read.

Luca comes home to his mom and homophobic step-father for one last time. And I fell in love with him and his plight from the start. The small town of New Milton immediately comes to life, easily placing the reader in the setting.


Both Luca and Theo have a complex relationship with their parents. Both men are multi-layered who come together with a quick connection. What follows is an emotional journey as they deal with their trust issues. The men butt heads at the start, but they definitely end up being perfect for one another. Unfortunately, they don't live near one another, which is just one more issue they have to face.


Overall, Luca's self discovery/awareness is a stellar issue that pulls the plot along. I love it, both in it's subject matter and it's development. It's something we see way too often, and witnessing someone coming to terms with their issues, and making amends is inspirational. The character growth is stellar!

Theo's dyspraxia is wonderfully written, full of understanding and care. The author perfectly illustrates the physical and emotional effects.

The following quote is my favorite. Both poignant and thought-provoking, it's well worth repeating it.

'"People lie all the bloody time. I mean, they call it sarcasm or good manners or irony or horsing around, but when you can't tell the difference...?"...It's easy to make mistakes."'


It's no surprise that the writing is fabulous, as the author excels in bringing settings and characters to life.

The storyline is definitely predicable, but never disappointing. It's full of denial, confusion, and coming to terms with one's feelings. The family elements are amazingly well developed.

And if you've read Perfect Day, which I loved, you'll enjoy getting to witness Josh and Finn's wedding.

Between the Lines is a beautiful story of fear, as Luca struggles with taking a chance on love. It's a stunning story of finding what one truly wants out of life. This Sally Malcolm book is a fantastic read.

A small town romance to fall in love with. Luca is home—trying desperately to save his family's hotel—and Theo's the man who's trying to persuade him to sell it. I love a small business owner falling in love with the person trying to buy them out romance, and I loved how this bucked the trend. Luca hasn't lived at home for years, and so there's real complexity to his emotions surrounding the hotel and his family's decision to sell it.

And then there's Theo, whose dyspraxia means that he can't read people very well, and whose reserved temperament seems at odds with Luca's outgoing nature. The two of them make a gorgeous couple—despite their initial conflict—and there's a really delightful quality to some of the scenes that they have together. Who could imagine that something as simple as a dance at a wedding could be so poignant? Utterly enchanting.

Loved this book, adorable characters, good storyline and it was well written and easy to read.

Luca and Theo, the lead characters, were both lovely, both had faults, but both had big hearts, and embraced love in the end. This was a really enjoyable read.

I was given a copy of this novel by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a fun and mellow read. Perfect second chance romance! Dyspraxia is something I was not at all familiar with and I am so happy that I was able to read and learn more about it. I loved the romantic tension between Luca and Theo! This was just a really satisfying read that gave me good feels all around!

*3.5 stars*

Between the Lines was my first book by Sally Malcolm, but it certainly won't be the last (well, mostly because I already own two of her other books! I'm a hoarder!). Despite a few issues I had with the story, I really enjoyed it and think that Sally Malcolm did a very nice job.

I love, love, love a MC with some type of disability, and I was very excited to read about a MC with dyspraxia. The depiction of Theo's dyspexia felt real and extremely well-done, and I wasn't at all surprised to find out later that the author has a personal connection to that condition. I wanted evern more details about Theo's dyspraxia and how it affects him, but I was still really pleased with how it was portrayed.

I also really enjoyed the writing, which felt easy and not forced. I could see myself falling head-over-heels for one of this author's stories because of her fluid and straightforward writing style.

However, some aspects of the story bothered me. The relationship veered a little too close to instalove for my tastes, if I'm being honest. I don't like when we get intimacy and feelings too early in the story, and I felt like the "I love yous" were far too fast. They went from fondness to everlasting love in a blink, and even though I know that's possible in real life, I don't like it in my romance. It wasn't quite instalove, but it was nearly there for me.

I also thought that Theo put himself out there WAY more than Luca. I wanted more grovelling from Luca, more vulnerability from him. His stubbornness was a bit of a turnoff, and though I loved Theo and thought that he put his heart on the line more than once, I didn't love how he took all the chances.

Overall, I thought that Between the Lines was a very nice summer romance, and I can see why it's a hit with readers. Super excited to see what else this author has to offer.

*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*

I really enjoy Sally's work and this novel lived up to previous ones. She's got a great gift for creating memorable secondary characters who reappear in her novels. I feel like I know the town and want to visit the hotel. And, of course, Theo and Luca were delightful.

Well, this may be a first. I unknowingly picked up the 2nd book in a series - which for the record, happens more often than I'd like to admit. The new part was that I had already read the first book in the series, Perfect Day before I even knew it was part of a series. So I read Between the Lines not knowing it was part of the New Milton series. Rather serendipitous, don't you think? Since all of the books can be read as standalone, I probably didn't need to pick up the novella, Love Around the Corner, that falls between the two, but why break an unintentional streak?

Now, on to Theo and Luca... They were both thrown into impossible situations. Luca's family feels they have no choice but to sell the Majestic - a huge part of their family history. It's also a place that Luca called home while growing up, until he decided no home was better than one where he wasn't welcome. He wants to save it, but has no idea how to go about it. Theo wants nothing more than to take his rightful place in the family business and the only way to do that is to close the deal on the Majestic. The only thing standing in his way is Luca.

I loved and felt for both these guys. It was a great "enemies to lovers" story. They both went into their "relationship" with no expectations, but somewhere along the way things changed and I loved watching them fall.

Between the strained family dynamics, their growing attraction and the fate of the Majestic, this was a pretty quick read for me. The romance was sweet and the guys were clueless when it came to where their hearts fell into the mix. I'm really glad I decided to pick this one up and I'll definitely be checking out more from Sally Malcolm. ;)

This author is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. This is set in the same town as Perfect Day and if you've read that (which you should do because it's fantastic) you'll be happy to see some cameos of Finn and Josh in this one.

Luca is back in town because his mother is planning to sell their family home which is also a hotel. He's upset at her choice but does not want to take it over himself because he's hurt and angry at his mother for marrying a man who's religion is not accepting of Luca's homosexuality.

Theo works for his father's company and he's attempting to buy the old hotel. It's his chance to prove himself to his father and get some recognition from the over bearing and harsh man. Theo has some unique challenges and he is quite the opposite of Luca. The two men immediately dislike each other but that quickly turns to an attraction neither of them wants. They decide to have a fling but that also quickly turns to something much more serious than they were expecting.

I love this author's writing and story telling style. She does a fantastic job of getting you to identify with her characters. I loved Theo and felt so much for him. He's such a realistic type of person and everyone who's ever been awkward will really identify with some of the things he goes through. I wasn't sure about Luca at the beginning but as he starts to open up to Theo I really felt for him. I understood his anger at his mother.

One of the things I really like about this author's characters is how human they are. She shows how complicated relationships can be. Luca and his mother's relationship is super well done. His mother and his step-father make some pretty big mistakes but his mother loves him and his step-father loves his wife. Nothing was magically solved and the story showed that sometimes you hurt the ones you love and there's not much you can do but try to forgive that person and move on with your relationship.

The romance was so sweet. I loved these two together. Luca was so respectful of Theo and yet was a perfect support. Some of their moments together were so tender and heart felt.

This can be read as a standalone or can be read before the other two books in the series. Their main connection is that they all take place in the same town and some of the side characters overlap into all three books.

**ARC provided through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

So wonderful, so emotional, I loved it!

After I read Perfect Day, my first book by Sally Malcolm, I wasn't sure the next one could live up to how much I loved the first. Not only did Between the Lines live up to Perfect Day for me but it may have tipped over the top just a bit. Both of these are wonderful love stories.

One of the MCs (main characters) in Between the Lines has a condition that I've never heard of before, Dyspraxia. A neurological disorder that results in life-long impaired motor, memory, judgement, processing, and other cognitive skills.-- Dyspraxia Foundation USA Because I wasn't familiar with this disorder I read up a bit on it. From the way that Ms. Malcolm writes Theo's reaction to things and his behavior around people I wasn't surprised at all to learn that she has personal experience with this condition.

Theo has come to New Milton to buy the hotel owned by Luca's family. When the two of them make a connection, they agree to enjoy a two-week fling while Theo is there – no strings attached. Too bad neither of them told their hearts not to get involved.

Both Theo and Luca have serious trust issues when it comes to personal relationships. Luca thinks that getting close to someone isn't worth the risk because they'll always let you down. Theo doesn't think that he'll ever have the kind of committed loving relationship that he wants. His last relationship ended in public humiliation and he can't risk that ever happening again.

I thought this story was so romantic. Yes, there were unpleasant things that happened and some moments that had me nearly bawling my eyes out, but it was ultimately such a wonderful story about overcoming obstacles, both business and personal.

As I said in my review for Perfect Day, if you've never read an M/M romance before, but have thought about it, I highly recommend Between the Lines (or Perfect Day) as a perfect one to start with. There is no explicit on-page sex, it's just a really wonderful romance.

Sally Malcolm's writing flows so smoothly and had me so engrossed in the story, I didn't want to put this book down once I started it. I'm looking forward to reading more book by Ms. Malcolm.

A review copy was provided by the publisher via NetGalley but this did not influence my opinion or rating of the book.

***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***

Sally Malcolm’s latest novel, Between the Lines, was so lovely, you guys. I didn’t know for sure what to expect, as I hadn’t read her before, but am so delighted I decided to pick this one up. Between the Lines is set in the fictional seaside town of New Milton, as are Perfect Day, and her new holiday novella, Love Around the Corner, but all the books can be read as standalones. And, you can bet I’ll be reading the others as soon as possible! I was charmed by Malcolm’s writing, and by Luca and Theo, the MCs in this story.

It’s been a long time since Luca Moretti has been back to his childhood home of New Milton. His mother hurt him deeply when she married the man who called Luca’s “lifestyle” a sin, even after he asked her not to, and he’s spent the last five years as an itinerant surf instructor during the summer, and wayward snowboarder and hotel worker in the off-seasons. He’s come home now, though, ostensibly for the last time, as his mom is planning to sell the Majestic, the hotel that has been in their family for three generations. Yet another decision he can’t forgive her for. Luca doesn’t agree with selling the hotel, but he did agree to come meet with the representative from Lux, the company who is planning to purchase and tear down the Majestic, and put a cheesy, cookie-cutter golf resort in her place.

Theo Wishart, the person Lux Properties has sent to try to close the deal on the Majestic, is trying to make his own mark in the company, which is owned by his father, but from the beginning of the book it seems pretty obvious that Theo’s heart is not really in it. He wants to be taken seriously, and undoubtedly wants to make his father proud, but Theo is no shark; that much also becomes clear early on. Luca’s mom, Jude, is resigned to sell, but she would much rather have Luca take over running the hotel, so she sets a plan in motion to see if she can’t change the outcome of the situation. She asks Theo to stay in New Milton, at the Majestic, for two weeks, in the hopes that he will fall in love with the place, and perhaps convince Lux to refurbish rather than tearing it down.

What follows is a fun, sweet, sexy, enemies-to-lovers story filled with heart and hope, with some family drama and emotion mixed in. Luca can’t deny his attraction to Theo, and after confirming that his interest is returned, he comes up with a no-strings-attached deal for the time Theo is in New Milton. No feelings…no expectations…Except, we all know how those things usually turn out, right? Heh. I loved these guys together. I loved the visions that kept popping into Theo’s mind for the hotel, and I loved watching Luca’s walls come down.

I also have to mention the care Malcolm took with writing about a significant part of Theo’s character. We learn early on that Theo has dyspraxia, a neurological disorder that affects many aspects of a person’s life. In the book, Theo gives Luca such a perfect description of a major part of the disorder, which is the inability to read people: he says, “You ever hear the expression ‘the eyes are the window to the soul’? Well, to me, all the blinds are down.” I thought that was so brilliant. And, I absolutely adored the way Luca dealt with the information, and the care he took with Theo after learning about it. So, so good.

Between the Lines was such a good read. I was a bit worried for a minute that I’d have trouble jumping into a summer book in the middle of December, but Luca and Theo made it easy. I wholeheartedly recommend checking this one out! And, if you loved Finn and Josh from Perfect Day there’s a treat for you in this book also. 😉 Happy reading!

After reading Love Around the Corner, the author’s Christmas novella set in the small town of New Milton, I was primed to read this book. It didn’t disappoint.

One of the main characters, Theo, has dyspraxia, a disorder I’d never heard of before. In addition to causing problems with coordination, Theo’s dyspraxia interferes with his ability to read people’s faces and identify the nonverbal cues that most of us take for granted when we communicate with other people. That’s a fascinating premise for a character in a romance novel, because people are so often not totally honest about their feelings. It’s caused problems in Theo’s past, and it’s one of the complicating factors in his relationship with Luca. One of the best things about the book is how sweet Luca is in supporting and caring for Leo, who is very sensitive about the limitations of his condition.

The other factor affecting the development of their romance is that Theo is trying to buy the hotel owned by Luca’s mother. Luca is somewhat estranged from his mother and refuses to stay in New Milton for very long, living out of his van when he does. He doesn't want to run the hotel himself, but he also doesn't want his mother to sell it, which seemed a bit selfish to me. Losing your childhood home would be hard, but she wanted him to take over, so it’s not like he didn’t have that option. I did see the way the situation resolved itself coming as I read, but the author managed to throw in a bit of a twist that surprised me before getting to the happy ending.

I’ve seen some other readers criticize the book because of Luca’s mother’s choice to marry an intolerant man rather than put her gay son first, which is what led to Luca not feeling comfortable in the family home and their partial estrangement. That’s a valid point, and I think the story would have been improved if the author had explored that aspect of their relationship more fully. At the same time, parents are people, and people make bad choices. Luca chooses to forgive and work on building a better relationship, and that’s usually the better option, in my opinion.

Overall, I enjoyed Between the Lines, and I’m looking forward to reading more of Malcolm’s novels.

A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.

My first read by Sally Malcolm and it certainly won’t be my last, this author has proved that she can hold her own in amongst the very talented selection of M/M authors that I love. A stand-alone romance that I throughly enjoyed and I will be checking out her other books as soon as time permits.
Theo in is New Milton on a mission he needs to prove to his father that he is worthy of the job given to him and he needs to close the deal on The Majestic Hotel owned by the Moretti family.
Luca is back in town for the summer and he is not happy at the thought of the family hotel being sold to a large company who will just tear it down but it’s not just the thought of losing the hotel that is making Luca angry he is angry with his family and with the world and that means he has no time for the uptight Theo with his snotty British accent.......
This love story is an emotional roller coaster ride, the anger and the love are a big part of it but this author also covers the subject of Theo’s dyspraxia with compassion it’s not in your face but you know it’s there you know it’s the reason for some of the things Theo struggles with. What can I say about the ending it was inspirational it was heartwarming and it was the perfect HEA so please if you love M/M romance one click this book you won’t be disappointed.

Oh Theo, you poor cinnamon roll! Lemme give you a hug（⊃≧ω≦(´ω｀*⊂)

Damn you Luca! For making him go through all that. You should have been the one begging!

There were moments where I almost didn’t like Luca. Moments when he was being so damn stubborn. It was Don, of all people, who made him open his eyes. He was suitably contrite and more importantly, took that big leap forward so I forgave him. Though, I still think he needs to make up to Theo big time.

Theo, at first glance was a privileged snobby rich man’s son out to make profit but right off the bat, I had an inkling he’s going to be the cute one. Turns out, he was a hopeless romantic who cries at weddings. Aaaw…

Luca was the golden boy who can do everything but doesn’t want to be tied to anything. I kind of felt like the balance of the relationship was tipped in his favor. Like there was slightly more take than give. In fairness to him, he tried to understand Theo’s dyspraxia and I am convinced he does love him but he was also a coward who made Theo go through painful scenes so you better give him his dream wedding, mister!

Between The Lines is set in New Milton, a small seaside town which is slightly on the decrepit side and needed that economic boost Lux Properties was offering. This is one of the three novels set in New Milton. Perfect Day is a prequel of sorts and the couple there, Finn and Josh had their big wedding scene here. However, Between The Lines could be read as a standalone and I had no problems dealing with the references from the first novel even though I have not read it yet.

I was swept away by this summery little tale. Sally Malcolm created a delightful story with an equally beautiful setting. Granted there were some predictable elements, the overall delivery was still engaging and enjoyable. As the cover suggests, this is a good book to read while getting toasted on the beach.

P.S.

I received a copy of Between The Lines from Carina Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Rating:
4 Stars - minor quibbles but I loved it to bits

Soundtrack: I Would Do Anything for You
Artist: Foster the People
Album: Torches

LOVED THIS! Such a well written story with real characters and genuine feelings and situations. Sally Malcolm wrote a five star romance (see what I did there? This is about a hotel, which are given star ratings, and so are books. ;) ).

I felt very connected to Theo because of his dyspraxia. I've never heard of dyspraxia, and before Theo explained to Luca what life was like for him as a result, I thought Theo might have a form of autism. He doesn't make eye contact, can't read sarcasm or understand if someone is being serious or telling a joke. If it's not spelled out in words and logic, Theo often doesn't understand. Eye contact is hard for me so that really struck me first with Theo, and in social situations I don't always know what to do, say or how to act and I know I miss things others don't. So for these reasons Theo had my heart right away. Being an adult is hard, but add on "not normal" things, and it's brutal.

Luca at first doesn't like Theo - thinks he is British snob. But after getting to know Theo, Luca can't help but be drawn to him and I loved Luca for not treating Theo as a child (which was always Theo's complaint) because he has coordination issues. These two fit well together, and yes they had their ups and downs, and those were hard to read because each felt pain because of it. And then add in Luca's feelings of betrayal by his mother (because she chose to marry Don, who didn't start off well with Luca being gay), and the selling of the hotel - Luca was a volcano just waiting to erupt. And whew, when he spewed all his hot ash all over Theo over a misunderstanding, that was hard.

I enjoyed this story from start to finish. There wasn't a stinker word in the bunch and I found myself reading every word, not skipping a single part because I was so absorbed in every minutiae that these characters did, and the complete story of the town and hotel, even Theo's dad was great (even if he is a money man). I would love to have been able to experience the ending in more detail but it was so yummy as it was. Sigh. Such a great romance. 5 stars and I highly recommend.

I had mixed feelings about the New Milton book that precedes this one, Perfect Day, Ms. Malcolm’s take on Jane Austen’s Persuasion. I liked it, but not as much as our reviewer did. So it’s a bit ironic that reading Between the Lines, its loosely-linked follow-up, provided me with a perfect day. Strong writing, an engaging story, and superbly rendered principal characters kept me engrossed from the first page to the last and I read the whole thing over the course of a lazy Sunday afternoon. The past looms large in Between the Lines – two men, opposites (and adversaries), forge an intense bond after a ‘fling,’ that’s anything but. Intimate, tender and deeply moving, Between the Lines is further proof Sally Malcolm belongs on your auto-buy list.

When Theo Wishart arrives in New Milton (the same town featured in Perfect Day), he’s out to prove to his father he has what it takes to follow in his footsteps despite a string of embarrassing missteps at the family business, Lux Properties. He has his eye on The Majestic, a grand seaside hotel that’s recently fallen on hard times, hoping to purchase it on the cheap and redevelop it into a destination golf resort for the wealthy. New Milton is an ideal vacation destination; the increased tourist traffic will also be a boon to the sleepy town. Theo is confidant Jude Moretti, the owner, is ready to sell – after all, The Majestic is barely staying afloat, and Theo is ready to buy – he only needs her to sign the papers and transfer ownership. After arriving early to New Milton, he’s killing time before heading to The Majestic to meet with Jude and her husband Don, when disaster strikes. Theo inadvertently collides with a man on the sidewalk, spilling coffee on his clean dress shirt. The ensuing confrontation is, as usual with Theo, a disaster.

Luca Moretti loves The Majestic and New Milton. He had a happy childhood raised in his family’s hotel – but when his mother remarried and her new husband made it abundantly clear he couldn’t accept Luca’s sexuality, he left. He’s spent the last decade as a nomad, flitting from place to place as the seasons change, never settling anywhere for too long and avoiding romantic attachments. He’s only returned to New Milton after learning of his mother’s plan to sell the hotel. Unwilling to take over The Majestic, he’s still hopeful – with the right words – he can convince her not to sell. He’s just arrived in New Milton when his visit gets off to a rough start – a handsome, arrogant (and totally overdressed) stranger, clearly a tourist, collides with him on the sidewalk and then tries to blame him for his spilled coffee. He suppresses his anger and heads to The Majestic, his sunny optimism tinged with a foreboding of worse things to come.

When Theo shows up to make his pitch for The Majestic, he’s met by Jude, Don and a glowering, suspicious and angry Luca. It’s obvious mother and son aren’t in agreement about selling the property, and Theo is doubtful he can close the deal… until Jude offers him a lifeline. What if Theo stays for two weeks and get to know the hotel and the town; Luca can show him around, and Jude can have a bit more time to consider his offer? It’s clear to Theo, despite his dyspraxia (a condition that makes it nearly impossible for him to read people), there’s something more to the conflict between mother and son and that Luca doesn’t like or trust him – or want to spend the next two weeks as his tour guide. But Theo needs to prove himself to his father, and he needs The Majestic. So he agrees to the deal.

Although neither man has high hopes for the next two weeks spent in each other’s company, it isn’t long before they form a tentative friendship. Theo is attracted to Luca, but isn’t sure if Luca feels the same, and he doesn’t trust his instincts. Luca is attracted to Theo, but can’t quite figure him out – it seems like Theo is interested in more than a friendship, but it’s hard to be sure. Only after Luca confronts him – and Theo finally confesses he has dyspraxia and how it affects him, do they admit they’d like to be more than friends. The pair agree to a short summer fling while Theo is staying at The Majestic, although it’s clear from both of their PoVs that their feelings are far from casual.

As Theo and Luca transition from enemies to loves, the narrative alternately charms readers with lovely vignettes of their developing intimacy, and frustrates, as they stubbornly keep a part of themselves separate, fearing rejection and afraid to trust how they feel. It’s an idyllic interlude from reality – they deliberately avoid discussing their impending separation, or their disparate dreams for The Majestic – and it’s a bittersweet pleasure watching them fall in love, knowing it can’t last. Theo and Lucas are appealing heroes, and although they seem to have little in common, the author does a masterful job establishing how well those differences complement each other.

Unfortunately, the things they have in common – fear drives their decision making, fractured parental relationships, trouble communicating – ultimately tears them apart. Watching Theo and Luca fall for each other is akin to watching a car crash in slow motion… you just know the crash is coming but you keep hoping it doesn’t. It does.

Much like in her other stories, Ms. Malcolm proves adept at showing the vulnerable and flawed facets of her principal (and secondary) characters. Luca and Theo are lovely and mostly good to each other, but they struggle. Past, unresolved hurts make it difficult for Luca to trust Theo, and he’s quick to lash out whenever he feels threatened; Theo wants a partner to love and shower with affection, but a painful past relationship has led him to doubt his appeal or his instincts – and his dyspraxia only exacerbates his insecurities. Both men have complex relationships with their parents (and step-parent), and although I think these secondary characters – and the problems they present – absolutely enhance this story and add nuance and complexity to it, they’re a largely unlikeable lot.

Between the Lines is an apt title for this beautiful love story. As the novel unfolds, Luca and Theo struggle to understand what they mean to each other when neither is brave enough to confess the truth. False starts, misunderstandings and past hurts conspire to keep them apart, until… well, you’ll have to see won’t you? Between the Lines drew me in from the first page to the last, and that super sweet epilogue (which I loved) left me sighing as I said goodbye. Great stuff.

There's a lot to love about this novel: the evocative prose, the quaint beach town setting, the tenderness between our heroes, the respectful & careful disability representation. However, I found the blatant homophobia coming from a family member of one of our heroes and the pressure to reconcile & forgive to be upsetting and distracting from the core of the story.

!SPOILERS AHEAD! CW: discussion of homophobia

When Luca's mother marries an unrepentantly homophobic man, he no longer feels welcome in his own home and skips town. Now years later he's back. Still being blamed for the rift in the relationship with his family, labeled as judgmental, which is not fair. Eventhough Theo supports Luca in front of his family, in private he implies forgiveness is the only solution, which isn't ever ok to say. Luca's mother makes excuses for her husband saying that he's grown up in a different time but we don't see any signs or remorse, no amends are made until the very end of the book. True, Luca didn't let his stepfather off the hook and the resolution was optimistic yet it felt like too little too late.

Most importantly, this whole subplot was completely unnecessary since the conflict between the main protagonists was already sufficient to build up tension and propel the plot forward. All it did was spoil the mood. Queer readers deserve better. This seems like something an editor should have picked up on.

While I can't comment on depiction of dyspraxia, because my own disability is different, overall the representation rang true to some of my own experiences. Theo was adamant about presenting himself in a professional way to prove himself capable of taking care of himself and worthy of respect. He doesn't wish to be treated as a child and reminds Luca to be patient. His yearning to love and be loved in return mixed with a fear of being unlovable felt relatable on a deep level. The way Theo was treated with dignity as a complex human being not defined by his disability was wonderful and for that I am thankful to the author and her daughter.

My favorite part of the story was the wedding of Josh and Finn whom we got to know in "Perfect Day". It was magical and emotional and I shed a few tears when Theo and Luca got to dance together at the reception.

Wish we didn't have to choose between good disability representation and being free from hurt by homophobia in the text.