Jack Matheson is an introverted illustrator of children’s books. He lives alone with his pack of rescued animals–dogs and cats alike, near his older brother Charlie in rural Wyoming. Jack met a man in college, a Davis, who became a friend. Knowing Jack was a good artist, Davis asked him to illustrate a school project, then a story to celebrate his sister’s baby. And, that developed into a partnership after college. Unfortunately, Davis took Jack’s idea for a story and shopped it as his own, and Jack’s been in a depression- and rage-fueled block that has robbed him of his lifelong passion of art for almost the past year.

One night Jack’s out walking his dog pack when skittish shenanigans leave Jack in the bottom of a ditch with a badly broken leg. He can’t manage his animals’ care while in a cast on crutches, so Jack seeks help via an app called PetShare, and that’s when Jack’s life starts to turn around.

Simon Burke is beautiful. Like an angel almost in Jack’s opinion. But Simon has troubles with his intense shyness. A single man, he lives as a companion to his recently widowed grandma, and owns his own graphic design business. When he agrees to assist Jack in the care of his cats and dogs, Simon is almost unable to even knock at Jack’s door he’s so scared. But the animals love Simon. And Simon finds that he is able to talk to them as surrogates for people. Simon finds Jack to be utterly sexy, not that he’s able to say so. Yet, the needs of the animals put Jack and Simon into close proximity twice daily, and with exposure comes bravery, on Simon’s part—and Jack seems to find him a muse worth sketching. Their conversation is a battle, almost, to see if they can find common ground enough to confess their attraction, and Jack makes a key choice to have Simon text him when he’s too overwhelmed to speak, even if they are sitting side by side on Jack’s couch.

The close they become, the more intense Simon’s shyness—because Jack’s healing and he soon won’t need Simon around. And why would such a sexy man want a shy, recluse of a partner anyway?

This really is a special story with two men who’ve been emotionally wounded by some of the people who should have most cared for them. Jack’s relationship with Charlie is so key, He really loves his elder brother who became his guardian when their parents died. And as close as they are, it takes this big setback for Jack to challenge himself to get to know Charlie, who has become a rather solitary man. Was that because of his duties to his brother? And how can Jack show Simon how much he loves him, if Simon wants to shut him out to protect his fragile heart.

They are some very yummy sexy times, as Jack teaches Simon all he can about pleasing a partner. I really loved both Jack and Simon, and all their crazy fur-babies. They had such cute personalities, especially Pirate the cat who thinks she’s the leader of the dogs. I think she may have inspired sweet Simon to stretch himself into social situations he was barely able to manage. I loved how both Simon and Jack grew in this story. Jack learned to trust both himself and others again, and he also stretched himself both personally and professionally in very new ways. And, Simon gets way more than his first kiss from Jack, who truly loves him properly. It’s delightful and endearing. Highly recommend!

When animal loving Jack breaks his leg and can no longer take his pets for the exercise they need, Simon, a man who craves four legged companionship, comes to the rescue. Soon they discover they have more in common than their love of pets. Simon and Jack are just the sweetest, softest and most heart warming pair you could spend an evening with, but both have real issues to work out. Simon has debilitating social anxiety, and Jack is an artist who no longer creates art and is having trouble sleeping in the wake of a work partner’s betrayal. But these two get along like a house on fire almost from the start. Together they work through some of their heaviest baggage, though the narrative makes clear that it's not a matter of trying to "fix" anyone. They love each other completely not in spite of any perceived faults, and they mourn each others' pain without trying to change who they are. There’s angst in the story, but overall there was fairly little stress for me in reading it, because these people are very good to each other, and they have loved ones who are good to them as well. The writing is emotional and evocative and beautifully done. This was exactly the steamy and emotional comfort read I craved.

One of my favorite scenes comes near the end. IT'S A SPOILER:
“Are you crying?” Simon said, instantly attentive. “What’s wrong?”
Jack shook his head.
“I’m so fucking in love with you.” He wiped his cheeks. “So when do you think you might wanna—”
“Now. I live here now.” He turned around the room, addressing the animals. “Pack! I live here now!”

🧡 A Pet Lover’s Dream Come True 🧡

I came into reading this book with zero expectations, aside from the promise of a happy ending. Having read all the recent Carina Adores titles, I was feeling hopeful of a good time – and frankly, it was what I got. Better Than People is a sweet, and fairly light, M/M small town romance and I adored it to bits.

As you probably know by now, I am a sucker for anything involving doggos, so, the cover alone got me sold. And when I finally got the chance to check the blurb, I was so happy to find that these pets play an important role in the story.

🧡Adorable Premise & Characters🧡

Better Than People tells the story of Simon and Jack, and I can describe both of them as seriously adorable. Jack, a children’s book illustrator, meets an unfortunate fate when he had an accident that led him to be on crutches. The main problem is that he has lots of pets to care for and they need to be walked everyday.

His saving grace comes through PetShare, an app that connects pet owners in need to pet lovers wanting a few hours to spend with some fur babies.

Through this app, he meets Simon, a very shy graphic artist who finds it difficult to connect to people, and finds solace in animals. This leads to quite a rough start for this two — as they deal with their own issues and the decision to let people in.

🧡Dogs! Cats! and Their Fun Personalities🧡

For me, the best thing about this book is the highlight on all the animals. I love each of them and their quirky antics and I just adore every time the characters interact with them and treat them just like they would do a human. It reminds me of my interactions with my dog, Munchie, and these precious moments just give me so much joy.

🧡Shedding Light on Social Anxiety🧡

One of the themes explored in this book is Simon’s social anxiety. Most of the time, he finds it really hard to talk – even just a few words, and it as a concern that he had problems dealing with every since he was a kid. This mental health concern even has its own physical manifestations.

What I loved about how this book discussed everything are the moments they addressed that anxiety is not a person’s fault. It is a real illness, there’s a possibility that it cannot be fixed, and that’s okay. Then again, I cannot vouch for everyone who suffers from anxiety, particularly social anxiety. If you are an #ownvoices reviewer on this theme and has read this book, I would love to know what you think.

🧡Final Thoughts: Dog Lover Approved🧡

Overall, Better Than People is a sweet and cute book for me. It’s my first read from the author roster of works and I have to say that I enjoyed her writing style. Admittedly, there are some very cheesy scenes, especially on the steamy moments, but as a whole, it as intimate, vulnerable, and very ‘human’. Her characters are very charming, even the supporting ones, which led to a very ‘smiley’ and chill reading journey.

CW: Severe anxiety and panic attacks

Dear Roan Parrish,

Jack Matheson is an illustrator who has been unable to draw for eight months after a trusted friend’s betrayal. He’s in a bit of a funk and my impression was he wasn’t all that happy with himself about it but didn’t really know how to get himself out of it. He has a menagerie of animals, all rescues, including a St. Bernard call Bernard, a labrador called Puddles who is afraid of puddles and sticks shaped like lightning (among other things), and a cat called Pirate who tends to be the pack leader. Rat, Mayonnaise, Pickles, Louis and Dandelion make up the rest of his animal family.

When Jack falls and breaks his leg he is of course unable to take his dogs (and Pirate) out for walks anymore and so he signs up for “PetShare”, an app which matches people who want to care for pets but cannot have their own, with people who have pets but need help with them. Thus Simon Burke comes into his life.

Simon is a graphic designer who works from home. He has severe anxiety and this largely manifests in social situations and interactions. He finds it difficult to speak to people he does not know well and even with those he does know there are many times he struggles. When he worked in an office, he was traumatised by people coming up to his desk and birthday celebrations were a nightmare for him. When he was in school all of the public speaking assignments made him ill. People often mistake his silence for rudeness and this distresses him too.

Simon had wanted to get a dog but when his grandfather died suddenly he moved in with his grandmother (who is also his best friend) and as grandma is allergic to animals, the dog plan had to be put aside. Simon’s parents and sister don’t get him. They think he should just try harder and “get over it”. His grandparents were always there for him growing up and his grandmother is his fiercest supporter. Grandma was the one who would go down to the school and give them a hard time for giving Simon a hard time. (I heart Grandma.) I liked that the relationship was not all one-sided. Simon provides tremendous support to his grandmother too. I liked their interactions very much – especially the plate scene!

Jack isn’t exactly a curmudgeon but he’s been doing a good job of pretending to be one for the previous eight months and, now that he can’t do all the things for himself that he could before, he’s even worse. Jack has close friends but has dropped contact with them a little in recent times. His brother Charlie helps but Jack is both resentful of and guilty about the assistance he needs from Charlie. Charlie was 17 and Jack was 13 when their parents suddenly died and Charlie stepped up to be the pseudo parent. There is a complicated bond between them. They’re close but Jack resents Charlie’s parental vibe. I suspect (I hope!) there will be a story for Charlie and I’d love to see it from his point of view. I think he just wants to help and feels constantly rejected when Jack arcs up. Even though there is friction, they clearly love each other and, over the course of the book, they begin to forge a better relationship.

At first Jack doesn’t really know what to make of Simon. He’s silent and awkward and good looking and he clearly adores the animals. Simon particularly bonds quickly with Puddles which says something to Jack given how hard it was for Puddles to trust him. For all that, it is really that Jack is lonely and sick of his own company that encourages him to try and entice Simon to stay and keep him company. Jack has twigged that Simon finds it difficult to talk and offers to text and from there the two men build a friendship which burgeons to more.

Simon has never been able to be comfortable enough with someone else for kissing or cuddling let alone sex. But it’s different with Jack. Simon discovers he can communicate with Jack via touch effectively as well.

I liked the way Simon’s anxiety was juxtapositioned with Puddles’ and the bond they formed, possibly because they understood each other so well.

Simon went on chatting to the animals until Puddles stopped short. Simon peered at the ground, keeping Jack’s list of the dog’s fears in mind. It was a stick shaped like a lightning bolt.

He tried to guide Puddles to give the stick a wide berth, but the dog wouldn’t budge. Simon studied the stick, trying to intuit what it was about it that made Puddles so afraid.

After a minute he snorted at himself. Who knew better than him that fear didn’t have to have a reason?

“It’s okay, sweetheart. I’ll take care of it.”

Once Jack’s cast is off and he can go back to “normal” Simon fears that he will no longer be enough for Jack and the pair have to navigate what happiness will look like for them. There is no cure for Simon’s anxiety. He will never be a person who will be able to mingle happily at a party or give a speech at an event. But Jack isn’t all that social anyway so maybe that isn’t a dealbreaker? Maybe between them Simon and Jack can find a happy medium where each can get their needs met without any magic wands being waved.

Over the course of the story Simon helps Jack find his illustrating mojo and encourages him to expand his professional horizons and there’s a lovely nod to The Remaking of Corbin Wale in there too.

I enjoyed the semi-rural Wyoming setting and the animals (I’m a big fan of animals in books, especially dogs) and I liked the way that Simon entering Jack’s life expands it exponentially, notwithstanding that Simon is a very solitary person.

There were a couple of plot threads that I would have liked to know more about – one was a kind of Rear Window-ish thing that didn’t really go anywhere. As I said before I am very keen to know more about Charlie. I do hope he has a story coming out.

Better than People was charming and sweet, sexy and kind but not at all saccharine. I’m coming to appreciate, more and more, that quality of kindness and this book delivers on that score in very satisfying ways.

Grade: B
Regards,
Kaetrin

Jack Matheson is an illustrator who loves his pack and his daily walks. His pack includes adorable dogs and cats in all breeds and sizes. One day Jack is on a walk when one of his dog’s scurries away. When Jack goes to find him, he slips down an embankment and breaks his leg. Jack now finds himself unable to walk the pack, so he joins a PetShare app and sends out his information.

Simon Burke is a graphic designer with social anxiety. He lives with his sweet, lovable and fun grandmother who always supported him when no one else would. He loves being alone but has always wanted a pet. When he sees Jack’s ad, he applies and now just has to face meeting Jack.

Jack and Simon’s friendship is slow to get started. Jack is cranky and Simon is shy. Slowly though Jack finds more ways to engage Simon and soon they settle into their unique friendship. Both start having feeling towards the other, but can they last? Everything is great while Jack is housebound, but what happens when he heals and wants to socialize with friends?

This was such a beautiful story and I applaud Roan Parrish for her brilliant writing style and whit. Both characters were beautifully written, and you were drawn into the story from the beginning. I loved the furry supporting characters and Simon’s grandmother. This is is the first book I have read by Ms. Parrish, but it will not be my last. I will honestly say this is the first LGBTQ novel and I was a touch hesitant due to the sexual part and did not know what to expect, but it was so tender and sweetly written that my hesitation soon disappeared. Thank you so much to the author Roan Parrish, Harper Collins and NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book to review. It was fabulous! All opinions expressed for this review are unbiased and entirely my own.

DNF at 15%. Blaming this on the state of the world and my inability to concentrate - not feeling a connection to the characters and not interested in continuing right now. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance reading copy.

This is the wonderful MM romance with dogs and cats in abundance. I am always excited when a new Roan Parrish books is published, because she does a great job with her characters, and this book was no exception. These characters have big flaws and she does a great job making you feel the characters pain and joy. The pace makes it hard to put down. I really loved this book and can’t wait for her next one.

Kudos to Roan Parrish for giving readers an accurate picture of the way anxiety can impact every moment of every day by creating a character who suffers from a crippling case of anxiety disorder.

Simon is that character, striving to get out of his comfort zone in some ways but clinging to his tried and true lifelines in others. The young man can accurately be described as a kind person, a helper who’s always there to lend a hand to family or friend, so when his grandfather passes, he moves in with his grandmother, giving up his own dream of independent living and becoming a pet owner. Her allergies preclude him having any pets at her house, so when he spots the ad for a dogwalker on the PetShare app, he knows he's the right man for the job. He just has to control his anxiety long enough to knock on the door.

Jack is the pet owner and, though normally a nice easygoing guy, he’s grumpy and distracted by the injury to his leg that turned his whole lifestyle upside down. When he opens his front door to the cute young guy who’s about to knock, he’s gobsmacked by what he sees. Unfortunately, Simon can barely speak due to his anxiety, so he does not make a good first impression. The dogs and cats don’t care, however, as they embrace him wholeheartedly, so Jack gives Simon a chance.

I live with someone who suffers severe anxiety so I can say in all good conscience that I am very, very impressed by the author’s attention to detail and ability to paint a picture with words, building empathy for both characters so that each page turn brings a feeling of delight. This is a slow-burn, heartwarming story with compelling characters, an adorable assortment of cats and dogs, a warm-hearted (and smart) grandmother, and an overall feeling of goodness.

Simon is a loveable character and Jack, like his dog, is all bark and no bite. The two together leave me with that warm and fuzzy good feeling that I get when I know I’ve read something special. I very highly recommend this to those who love an interesting, heartwarming MM romance with not-so-perfect characters.

I haven't read anything yet by Roan Parrish. I've been meaning to, and as I researched this review, I found that last Christmas Day, I purchased The Remaking of Corbin Wale. (As a side note, I am fairly certain I have a couple other books by this author on my purchased but yet to read list.) I did notice as I was reading Better Than People, the reference to Corbin Wale, and knew that it must have referred back to that...so on that note, I will be for sure reading it this holiday season! I'm also very sorry that it's taken me this long to get on board!The characters in this book were so distinctive. Even now, several days later, there are so many distinguishing characteristics in all the characters, both MC and side characters that stick out to me. Simon with his extreme shyness, Jack with his grumpiness, Puddles the dog who's afraid of almost everything, Pirate the Cat who is the leader of a pack of dogs and cats, Grandma who is kooky, and caring, and grieving. This band of...well Pirates lol, really stuck with me. The two MC's took some time to find their way. Getting past Simon's extreme shyness took perseverance by Jack, even when he didn't know why Simon just grabbed the dog leashes and ran out the door. He didn't judge Simon, just waited. Meanwhile, Simon berated himself for what has always been an issue for him. Jack was patience, didn't make any assumptions, and found a way to get through to Simon.As an aside...this author can write some seriously HAWT scenes...just saying...I really enjoyed the journey this book took me on. Simon didn't have to "fix" himself for Jack. Jack had to learn what he could live with, and what was important to him, his pack, which grew to include Simon, as well as even his own brother. (I'd sure like to see a story with Jack's brother...if anyone is asking...there is definitely some backstory there.)I am going to have to do some backlist reading now, so you'll excuse me. :) 4 pieces of eye candy

It's no secret that I am a big fan of Roan Parrish. The Remaking of Corbin Wale is on my favorites list. So I was really excited for this release. It definitely had the same sort of vibe as Corbin Wale (as opposed to her Riven series or her Small Change series) and it was really good.

Jack is a loner, a children's book illustrator who lost his art after his partner and collaborator stole an idea from him. For nearly a year he has been home, unable to draw, with only his pack of dogs and cats as company. And his well meaning brother who checks on him. Until he breaks his leg and can't walk his dogs- the highlight of his day. So he goes online and finds someone willing to walk his pack twice a day. No easy feat as some of the animals are neurotic with their own little quirks.

Simon adores animals, but living with his grandmother who is highly allergic means he can't have his own. So he is eager to help out this stranger and his dogs. Not so eager to have to talk to him though because of debilitating social anxiety.

After a few missteps, Jack and Simon find their groove. Simon loves the dogs, the dogs love him. But Jack is totally miserable and lonely and intrigued by Simon.

Their slow dance to come together is one of my favorite things about how Roan Parrish writes. It is so lyrical they way they develop a language together that doesn't necessarily use words. Looks and touches and movements. It's a ballet.

The dogs themselves- the pack- are their own individual characters. They add to the story instead of just being there. With them as a buffer, Simon slowly comes to trust Jack. Without them, I don't know that Simon would have ever come out of his shell.

Simon's grandmother is hilarious and adorable. Jack's brother is broody and sweet and I definitely want more of his story.

There is an awesome easter egg that made me smile.

This book is up there with Corbin Wale in my favorites.

I really enjoyed this animal-lover friendly romance. Simon is sweet and soft, yet deceptively strong. Jack is moody, broody, and warm and gooey on the inside. Their bonding over cookies and Simon's supportive grandmother rounded out this cute story.

I also loved all the animals. Parrish gives each their own distinctive personality, and they played well with Jack and Simon's journey from strangers to lovers. The side story with Jack's brother added a little bit extra; especially Simon;s bonding with Charlie.

Oh and, hello Corbin Wale cameo!

4.0 out of 5 stars
Well written, good attention to detail, super sweet angsty love story. Told in dual POV. Simon has a anxiety, to say the least. He's uncomfortable and even has a hard time speaking to people. But animals, he loves! And he is always comfortable and himself (so to speak) around them. Enter Jack. With his new broken leg he needs someone to help him with his rescue animals. What started as a simple working relationship, turns into a romance. (Pretty quickly) They face some deep dark emotions, but eventually love conquers all. Some great sexy steamy times too. Definitely worth the read.

Roan Parrish writes about broken individuals who we cannot help but admire. And in “Better Than People,” I fell in love with Jack and Simon’s pain, which carved strength into their psyches. In fact, I would have been sad if they were any different, thank you very much.

Book illustrator, Jack, prefers his dogs and cats to family and friends because, “Animals never betrayed you the way people did. They were loyal.” Jack’s ex-boyfriend stole his professional and personal confidence in one horrible deed. The shock reverberates against Jack’s parents’ death, when he was 13. Since then, Jack has growled at the only person he loves, the brother who raised him since their death, when Charlie was merely 17. Jack can no longer draw and avoids his friends, as if frightened everyone will be disloyal. But when he breaks his leg and can’t walk his four dogs (and one of his cats) he must rely on a gorgeous stranger.

Simon can’t believe his luck. Handsome Jack trusts him to walk his animals, despite a social phobia that leaves Simon almost mute. After building a graphic design business, and carefully gaining financial stability, Simon was finally ready for his dream, to adopt a dog. Then his grandpa died. He moved in with Grandma, despite her fur allergy. After all, she rescued him from family pressure to “get over” his phobia as a teen, plus soothed over their dismissal when he came out as gay. When Simon gets to walk Jack’s pets, he’s exposed to unconditional love, against which, Simon wonders whether Jack’s kindness is genuine. For Jack, it’s a delight to be around someone who doesn’t push him to recover.

Parrish repeatedly demonstrates her astute powers of observation, like when she verbally sketches the pets on a walk. “Bernard didn’t know his own strength. Dandelion pranced along, happy as always to snap at the breeze or a puff of dust, or simply to be outside. Puddles walked carefully, his soft golden face swinging back and forth, alert for danger, and he jumped at every sound…Rat took the lead, just behind Pirate, her tiny legs going hummingbird fast to keep ahead of the others.” The novel’s “awww” factor is a perfect counterpoint to human cruelty. “Boys were awful. They seemed intent on making his life miserable in order to make their own more amusing, and the indignity of finding them beautiful or intriguing was humiliating,” Simon thinks.

Parrish sidesteps her normal angst to portray Simon as a man whose big-hearted, hard-won self-acceptance is a lesson for Jack, who overtly appears to have achieved more. True, Jack has been rightfully bruised, but Simon’s lack of self-pity spurs Jack. And Jack’s acceptance gives Simon the reward he’s worked so hard to deserve. Parrish surpasses her prior excellent work in illustrating life with social phobia. “Shy was the word for a child’s fear, shed like a light spring jacket when summer came. What Simon had was knitted to his very bones, spliced in his blood, so cleverly prehensile that it clung to every beat of his physical being.” It’s almost as if Parrish captures their suffering as whole, separate characters who walk alongside these men.

Add a cherry to this superb sundae, as Parrish draws minor characters with equal complexity. Grandma is a hoot, while she grieves her husband. And we want to hug long-suffering Charlie and pinch Jack when he’s not appreciative. Will Charlie get his own story? (Hint, hint.)

Roan Parrish’s luminous insights into people, animals and their intersections render “Better Than People” a gentle, smooth-reading romance that awed me with its perceptiveness, thrilled me in its sensuality, and soothed me as I watched Jack and Simon’s tenacity in healing. This is pure brilliance on paper!

A grumpy illustrator with a marshmallow heart – and a small army of animals – meets his match in Better Than People. Animal lovers will smile over Jack’s cats and dogs and their antics (Puddles is a personal favorite), but it’s the humans that make this story shine.

After being betrayed by his best friend and business partner, Jack is grouchy, reclusive, and hasn’t drawn in longer than he cares to admit. A broken leg is the last thing he needs, especially with four dogs (and one cat) to walk. The PetShare app brings more than he expected in the form of handsome Simon Burke. Simon grabbed my heart from the first. He has extreme anxiety and author Roan Parrish doesn’t shy away from the realities someone like Simon lives with. I appreciated both the emotionally honest take on Simon’s anxiety and that it didn’t define his whole character. Both Simon and Jack are likeable heroes with tempers, insecurities, and flaws which help bring them alive and make them easy to root for. Their romance is slow burn to start and I thoroughly enjoyed watching their love story unfold. Problems aren’t overcome by magic and Jack and Simon have to work for their happily ever after, but it’s worth every bump in the road for a satisfying ending.

A cast of mostly animal supporting characters make Better Than People a lot of fun to read. The canine and feline personalities are every bit as well-defined as the heroes’, which was a treat. But there are a couple of human secondary characters who also made this book a richer experience. Simon’s grandmother was as endearing as could be and Jack’s brother Charlie… Oh, that man has a heart of gold and I do hope he gets a book of his own.

Better Than People is a sweet, sensual, and satisfying romance. This is the first book of Roan Parrish’s I’ve read and given the references to The Remaking of Corbin Wale in this story I will definitely be picking up that book next.

I found this to be a super sweet love story. Two men...both preferring animals to humans for different reasons. Thrown together by a pet share app that will allow Jack to get the help he needs with his menagerie, neither men expect that they would ever be able to speak to each other, let alone become more. The men had pain in their pasts and getting through that is not always easy but these wonderful, personable pets and the people in their lives will not let them travel down that lonely road. Are they ready to allow someone in?

I'm always excited to see a new Roan Parrish book, and I was particularly excited about this one because -- dogs!

Jack is an illustrator of children's books who not only is dealing with a betrayal by his business partner, he also suffers an accident that leaves him with a broken leg and no one to walk his family of pets. I adored Jack's devotion to his family (pets doesn't seem to do them justice). He signs up with PetShare to find someone to help out with walking duties while he's laid up.

Simon isn't good with people but loves animals. His living situation doesn't allow him to have his own, so he's more than happy to help Jack with what he needs. It's a perfect job for someone like Simon who has difficulty expressing himself verbally. The words are in his head but they just don't make it to his mouth.

I loved these characters so very much. Not the usual alpha-types, their charm is expertly revealed by Roan Parrish as she gradually peels back the layers to show their deepest emotions and insecurities. My ebook is full of highlighted passages that make me marvel over the perfect description of these characters feelings. Jack's sensitivity to Simon's verbal difficulties was particularly beautiful.

Their friendship progresses to something physical and it's so wonderful to see Simon enjoy this aspect of life under Jack's patient manner. These two are so adorable together! I just loved them. I didn't want this book to end and I was excitedly turning the pages to see how they would handle Jack's return to mobility, keeping my fingers crossed for both of them!

I enjoyed Better Than People so very much. The writing is wonderful and chock full of emotions. I found myself really relating to these characters on many different levels. Their physical relationship is super steamy --okay, hot, hot, hot!

I just adored all the characters in this book, Jack, Simon, Charlie and all of Jack's four-footed friends. Better Than People will definitely be on my favorites of 2020 list. Fabulous M/M romance. Loved it!

Audio Review:
Performance – 5
Story – 5
Overall – 5


So sweet, lots of feels and I loved the narration!

I loved this book so much. The blurb is really great and explains the story pretty well. What it can't really convey is the extent of Simon's debilitating social anxiety and inability to cope with people even in a one-on-one situation. He is worse than shy; he becomes so completely tongue tied that he can't speak, or if he can he stutters very badly. My heart ached for him.

Jack was betrayed by someone he trusted and now he only wants to be with his pets. After breaking his leg, he doesn't have a choice but to get some help with his menagerie of rescued dogs and cats. It doesn't take long for a kind of kinship to develop between Simon and Jack. As Simon adjusts to Jack, he eventually is able to carry on a conversation with him without feeling the need to run away.

Simon's grandmother was a great secondary character as was Jack's brother Charlie. They both provided additional depth to the story and insight into the main characters.

I really couldn't stop reading/listening to this once I started. I was totally drawn in by the writing and excellent performance by James Cavenaugh. He did a fantastic job of portraying both of the MC's in this book but he really excelled with Simon. This is the first audiobook I've listened to him perform but I'm sure it won't be the last.

A review copy of the ebook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley, and a review copy of the audiobook was provided by Harlequin Audio, but this did not influence my opinion or rating of the book.

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

What an absolutely lovely and angsty hug. Forced proximity between two hurting animal lovers with absolutely exquisitely crafted emotional responses? Yep, sign me up!

When Jack breaks his leg while walking his small pack of animals, he’s forced to hire Simon to take them for their twice daily walks. Jack is resentful of having to ask for help, but there’s something about the withdrawn Simon that makes him crave more time with him. For Simon, who prefers animals to people, the joy of spending time with such a menagerie of animals is overshadowed by having to interact with grumpy Jack. Neither man expects a friendship – or perhaps something else – could grow from such a simple arrangement.

The plotting of the book is excellent. It’s a very tight and focused story – there’s little external conflict, and most everything happens in either Jack’s house or Simon’s grandmother’s house. Everything revolves around the slow building of trust between Jack and Simon. They both have to come to terms with their own issues, whether it’s Simon’s lifelong anxiety or Jack’s inability to draw after a shocking betrayal, while simultaneously navigate the other’s. Jack struggles in his own way with words, as well, having been dependent on his “friend” to write the stories for the children’s books he illustrated. He knows how powerful they are and how distressing the lack of them is, but has some missteps with Simon initially. There’s a difference between accommodating a person’s differences and trying to fix them, and the author does an excellent job showing that.

“This—this right here was why animals beat people, paws down.
They were sensitive. They cared. They wanted to be loved and they gave love back. Animals never betrayed you the way people did. They were loyal.”


I thought Simon’s anxiety was handled well. He’s frustrated and tired of everyone trying to fix him, telling him that if he only tried harder he’d be able to overcome it. It makes him touchy and sensitive to certain phrasing. After all, no one wants to be someone’s project to “fix.” While Simon’s had a multitude of bad experiences with people reacting to his anxiety in the past, everyone in the book is exceedingly kind and patient with him, even grumpy Jack. Jack is dealing with a betrayal of his own, and coupled with a broken leg that forces him to rely on others, including his brother that raised him after their parents died, he’s, well, grumpy. He’s fiercely independent – but does relying on others make him weak, like he thinks? And can he accept that the good things in his life, like Simon, aren’t going to leave or betray him? Their relationship is quite sweet and builds somewhat slowly, which is understandable as Simon is a virgin. For Simon, communicating through touch is

“Dick pic, dear?” Grandma Jean said sympathetically. “The bits not quite what you’d hoped for?”
“Grandma, no! God.”


The secondary characters are so much fun, especially Simon’s grandma and Jack’s brother Charlie (I need a novel for him, stat!). As you’d expect from the cover and blurb, there’s a whole petting zoo full of animals, from a St. Bernard named Bernard to a lab named Puddles to a cat named Pirate (Jack is… not so good at naming animals). And while they’re certainly there and prominent in the book (including tripping over dog toys and shooing them off the bed prior to sexy times) they never veer into cutesy trite plot moppet (plot pupper?) territory. There’s even a little bit of surprise Christmas magic – though magic is a misnomer, considering it’s each character’s kindness, empathy and ability to listen that ultimately brings them together rather than anything supernatural. And also a Christmas-tree-shopping-inspired blowjob!

Overall, this was a fun, enjoyable and emotional read!

I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

A great emotional book that deals with pain, anxiety, acceptance and love. Simon is very shy, has severe anxiety, gay, and love animals. Jack is an illustrator that has been hurt by a coworker and he's not able to draw anymore. He breaks his leg while walking his animals and hires Simon to walk him. They are attracted to each other from the start, but don't communicate at first. Once they start talking they a relationship. Their romance is sweet, some angst, funny, I love the pack and I love the way Charlie looks after his brother. The book will have your attention from start to finish. I'm looking forward to the next book from Roan Parrish.

Sur le papier, ce roman avait tout pour me séduire mais au final, la petite étincelle qui rend le lecture un peu magique ne s'est pas produite...

"Better than People" est une histoire douce et pleine d'espoir entre deux solitaires qui partagent le même amour pour les animaux et la même méfiance à l'égard des êtres humains, pour des raisons bien différentes. Boules de poiles et sacs à puces sont d'ailleurs omniprésents et contribuent à rapprocher les héros, je n'ai pu qu'adorer cette particularité du livre !
Simon est hyper attachant et j'ai adoré suivre le rapprochement qui s'opère entre lui et Jack mais le souci c'est que tout cela est un peu cousu de fil blanc, on sait exactement ce qui fera que la bulle réconfortante qui enveloppe les héros va éclater... Et j'avoue qu'à un moment, je me suis un peu ennuyée... il a manqué ce "petit je ne sais quoi" pour complètement captiver mon attention.

Les personnages secondaires sont peu nombreux mais très intéressants, le frère de Jack et la grand-mère de Simon sont deux belles personnes qui guideront de façon bienveillante les héros. Mais là encore, j'ai regretté que l'autrice n'exploite pas davantage la relation fraternelle, complexe, de Jack et Charlie, j'aurais aimé que ce soit plus creusé. Mais bon, j'ai eu un vrai coup de coeur pour Charlie, et si Roan Parrish a l'excellente idée de lui dédier une histoire et bien je serai de la fête !
Un petit détail m'a aussi titillé et là j'avoue que je n'ai pas compris : à plusieurs reprises, Jack est intrigué par ce qui se déroule dans une maison du voisinage...Je pensais qu'une intrigue secondaire serait liée mais en fait non, du coup je trouve ces passages un peu étranges et surtout inutiles !

Mon avis est donc en demi-teinte, en fait je pense que j'aurais davantage savouré cette lecture si elle était sortie comme une nouvelle de Noël car elle en a tous les atouts et caractéristiques.