This book made me want a dog. Or four dogs. And I would give then really cook original names, because what better name can there be for a St Bernard than, well, Bernard?

I loved Bernard. And Puddles, aptly named because he’s scared of Puddles. I’m also a big fan of cats, especially cats like Pirate who thinks she is part dog, part human. Louis is also magnificent, in the way he takes care of the very nervous Puddles.

But that’s enough about pets. The people in the book are superstars. The sign of a good human is one who cares for animals so much that they take in the waifs and the strays and love them unconditionally, flaws and all. Jack Matheson, is a beautiful, caring human being. He’s perfect for Simon Burke. Simon is another waif that needs to be nurtured with gentleness, patience and love.

Better Then People was a lovely hart warming story about two men, true love, lots of dogs and lots of cats.

I like dogs and cats, and I like shifter stories that center ‘pack’.  Unfortunately, despite these things - and my fondness for this author’s work - I didn’t really like Better Than People.  No, it isn’t a shifter story.  But animals and pack are at its heart, and if you aren’t a big time dog or cat lover, this book is a tough sell.  Jack, one-half of the principal couple, has A LOT of pets (four dogs; three cats) and refers to them as his pack.  I was so fixated (and distracted) by these furry friends - and all their pet hair and smelly fur - I couldn’t enjoy the romance.  It’s a shame; the opposites-attract love story is tender and lovely.

Jack Matheson is an acclaimed children’s book illustrator on hiatus since his best friend (and collaborator) stole a story from him and then sold it as his own.  Depressed, stung by the betrayal, and newly plagued with doubts about his talent, he hides away in his Wyoming cabin with only his pack of rescued dogs and cats for company.  Out for a walk late one evening, one of the dogs runs away.  After a frantic chase in the dark, Jack finds himself alone at the bottom of a ditch, concussed and with a broken leg.  Following a brief hospital stay, his older brother Charlie brings him home and gets him settled.  Jack hates asking for help and resents needing it, and finally convinces a worried and doubtful Charlie he’s fine on his own.  He quickly discovers that navigating crutches, exhaustion, and caring for a menagerie of animals is nearly impossible, and he turns to PetShare, an app that matches up pet owners with caregivers.  Much to his surprise, someone quickly responds to his ad for help, and when he opens the door the following day, he’s caught off guard by the beautiful man waiting on his doorstep.

Simon Burke loves animals and prefers them to people.  After struggling with debilitating shyness and anxiety since he was a young boy, he’s finally able to support himself working from home as a graphic designer.  He tries to limit his interaction with clients to email only, and spends most of his time alone or with his newly widowed grandmother (whom he now lives with).  Simon hoped to adopt a dog of his own, but his plans changed when his grandfather died.  Spotting Jack’s ad on the PetShare app, he quickly responds, although actually knocking on the door and introducing himself proves much more difficult.  When he finally forces himself to do it, he’s surprised by the handsome disheveled man who opens the door.  Barely able to look him in the eye, Simon can’t get any words out and begins to panic.  When he motions to the dogs, Jack follows his lead and quickly introduces them.   Before Jack can ask Simon any questions, Simon grabs the dogs and leashes and sets out.

After this inauspicious meet-cute, Jack and Simon barely interact beyond a waved hello and goodbye whenever Simon comes over to walk the dogs.  Jack, unhappy with his limited mobility and growing progressively grumpier with every day spent on the couch, can’t understand why Simon won’t speak to him and avoids eye contact whenever possible.  Simon knows that Jack is frustrated by their lack of communication, and wishes things could be different... but they aren’t.  He can’t get the words out to give voice to his struggles, and he doesn’t want Jack’s pity.  Fortunately (for this story), Jack persists and Simon starts to ‘talk’ to him by texting.

This helps Jack and Simon get to know one another, and eventually Simon finds the strength to actually speak to Jack, too.  Every conversation is a struggle... until it isn’t.  Jack somehow intuits when Simon isn’t able to communicate with words, and his empathy, combined with the pack's easy, eager acceptance of their new friend, gives Simon the confidence to share about his issues.  What starts as a careful friendship soon gives way to a flirtation and eventually an affair.  Despite the fact that most of Jack’s previous ‘relationships’ were little more than one-night stands, he knows he wants more from Simon, and Simon - who’s never had a romantic relationship before - is an eager and curious partner.  The relationship quickly turns serious, and alone in their bubble with each other and their pack, both men begin to heal from the hurts of the past.

I loved the interaction between Jack and Simon and their intense affection and loyalty to each other almost from the moment they first meet.  There’s a generosity and a kindness - an empathy for each other’s struggles - that unites them from that very first awkward porch meeting.   And when they eventually become lovers, it’s another happy and passionate journey of discovery.  Their shared happiness permeates the story, despite the daily struggle Simon faces every time he’s forced to face the world outside their bubble.  Parrish carefully, painfully exposes Simon’s debilitating shyness and anxiety, and like Jack, we bear witness to their corrosive effects on his life.  In Jack, he finds a champion in his darkest hour, and a protective confidant who doesn’t seek a quick and easy solution, but looks for ways to help his partner navigate and succeed even as he sometimes struggles.  Meanwhile, Simon helps Jack let go of the past and unwittingly becomes the muse that reawakens Jack’s creative spark.   The relationship is intense, tender and passionate.

So why didn’t I grade this lovely romance higher?  Because I was constantly distracted from it, and there isn’t nearly enough of it.  Instead, we spend lots of time with Jack and Simon’s furry found family.  I found it strange (and sometimes just weird) how much page time is dedicated to these animals. I could maybe have forgiven it if Parrish had ever addressed the elephant in the room (a little animal humor for you):  WHEN DOES JACK CLEAN UP ALL THAT PET HAIR?????!!!!  No one vacuums or cleans, and they sleep and have sex on the same bed that the dogs and cats use for naps.  Pet food is constantly getting spilled and dropped, and Jack uses his own towels to dry off the wet dogs... UGH!  Look, I’m not the neatest person on earth, but all of it - plus the frequent smell of wet dog - just grossed me out.  The pack is ever present in this story, and perhaps if I was a bigger animal lover it would have been silly and fun... but I’m just your basic animal lover and it was all too, too much.  I would much rather have spent more time with our couple or Jack’s brother Charlie (please tell me he’s getting his own story, sans the menagerie) or Simon’s grandmother.  Unfortunately, these charming secondary characters are mostly relegated to the sidelines, leaving readers wishing we could spend more time with them.

Better Than People feels tonally similar (and is loosely linked) to The Remaking of Corbin Wale, an earlier Parrish story featuring an artist with an affinity for animals.  Big surprise - I wasn’t a fan of that story either.   I can only recommend Better Than People to Parrish fans who passionately love animals; otherwise, it’s a rare misstep for this talented author.

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Roan Parrish is the author of one of my favorite series of books: Middle of Somewhere, so when I saw this opportunity, I signed up right away. “Better Than People” is a sweet summer read you may want to add to your list.

Jack is trying to figure out what to do with himself after a betrayal by a colleague that’s left him unable to create the children’s illustrations, he once made his living from. What makes him happy? Jack rescues pets. One of my favorite things about this book was the rag-tag band of housemates Jack has collected. They range from a cuddly Saint Bernard named… Bernard to a cat named Pirate who leads them on their walks. But it’s because of Puddles who gets an acorn on the jogging and races off… that Jack ends up with a nasty fall and a broken leg. So, who is going to take his dogs out for walks? His brother suggests a pet share app… so Jack puts up an ad.

Simon is the man who answers Jack’s add for pet care. He loves animals and has had to put off getting his own dog because he’s moved in with his grandmother. His grandfather recently passed away and he’s there to take care of her (although, I think it goes both ways in an adorable on-page relationship). But the man who struggles to appear at Jack’s door is severely incapacitated by shyness and anxiety. There are times when Simon struggles to speak when he gets so completely overwhelmed that he has to leave, and sadly – he suffered from severe panic attacks.

These two men are drawn to each other and boy do they both have challenges! Jack is bearing the weight of being betrayed by a long-term friend and business partner. Trust is a huge issue for him… trust and wondering if he’s been a burden to the older brother who raised him. Simon, on the other hand, doesn’t think that anyone would want a relationship with him. He’s lived his whole life struggling with anxiety and knows that he will never be “normal” and do the things that other people might consider to be day-to-day. Why would anyone want to be in a relationship with him?

The switching POV in this book gives the reader lovely insight into what both of these men are thinking as they begin to get to know one another. Simon’s struggle is real. Every day he fights to do the things that he wants to do. There’s a part of him that wants to be a different person for Jack…but there’s a bigger part of him that wants the world to acknowledge that he is who he is and there are some things that he won’t be able to change.

Ultimately, the book is about figuring out that “anxiety” isn’t your fault… that you are who you are. We can’t change the person that we are, sure, we can work on some things that will help us move through the world in a better way, but we can’t change some things. As someone who has lived with anxiety for my entire life, I really appreciated that Parrish didn’t make Simon’s anxiety something that could “be fixed”. I loved the fact that even though Jack struggles to understand, worries about the way Simon is feeling, the two men find a way to meet in the middle.

There are some dark times in this novel – obviously, the subject matter is a bit intense. It’s well worth a read!

I wanted to love this book, but I could not get into it. It's a bit too much of an animal book (perhaps a mismatch between reader and book, there) and I struggled with that. If you like your books with more animals than people, then this is probably the book for you.

A heartwarming story of acceptance, love, and healing.

Better Than People is a charming low-angst, slow-burn romance introducing two unique mains sharing the love of animals.

With themes of social anxiety addressed with care and understanding, it brings a very real issue to life in a thoughtful and dynamic way. Creating a character with crippling anxiety and giving them a voice was beautifully developed. And doing so with the growth of a love story was as moving as it was inspiring.

With a well-written narrative, carefully crafted, and intimate scenes that were incredibly hot as well as moving, Better Than People was a story so easy to fall in love with.

A truly beautiful gay romance from Roan Parrish, one that offers perfect romantic escapism.

I received an e-ARC of Better Than People by Roan Parrish from Netgalley and the publisher.

Roan Parrish is an auto-buy author for me, so I was really excited to read this book. And it did not disappoint. This is the story of Jack and Simon. Jack’s an animal lover with a broken leg, and Simon is a guy with severe anxiety, especially social anxiety, who also loves animals. They are connected through the PetShare app, which connects people who have pets with people who do not have pets but want to be around them. (This sounds like an amazing app and I need it to exist because I need puppy snuggles but there are too many loose legos in my house these days to get a dog.)

Simon lives with his grandmother, who’s allergic to animals, and he agrees to walk Jack’s “pack” (several dogs and a cat named Pirate) twice a day. Simon can’t talk to Jack at first, but eventually he can text and he starts talking more throughout the book. There’s a relationship and no drama and a satisfying as hell HEA. It’s just what I say I want in a book: Nice people falling in love and having sexy times in regular life.

This book is all about the characters. Jack is wonderful, somewhat bitter at first, patient, smitten, and passionate. I want to be his friend. Simon is…well, Simon is my favorite. I want to wrap him up in a blanket and give him butterscotch candies, and blow his nose on a used kleenex that I keep in my purse. Basically, I want to be his grandmother, which is totally unnecessary as he has an excellent grandmother, but he inspires grandmotherly feelings in me. He’s so brave, and he knows it, but he still struggles so much.

There’s excellent mental health rep in this book. Simon has accepted his anxiety as part of him and anyone who is going to be in his life needs to accept it to and not try to change him. That’s what I loved the most. I think most people wouldn’t choose to have a mental illness, but once it’s there, you have to accept it and learn to live with it. Having someone constantly trying to fix you or even fix situations for you is exhausting. And Simon gets that. Jack gets it too, eventually.

There are two side characters worth noting, Simon’s grandmother who is wholly lovely, and Jack’s brother, Charlie, who I would love to see get his own book. And Jack’s pack is like a set of secondary characters as well. They all have distinct personalities and I want to cuddle Bernard (the Saint Bernard) so bad.

I give this book five heart-eye-emoji stars, and recommend that you buy it as soon as you’re able. The Ripped Bodice is supposed to have signed copies so get on that. I know I will.

Whenever I crack open a Roan Parrish book I expect to find wonderfully well-written, complex characters who might be a bit bent around the edges but never so broken that they can't find love and Better Than People was no exception. Jack and Simon were such lovable characters and their story pulled me in and made the world disappear for a little while as only a good book can, I enjoyed every single minute.

*I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley*

4.5 Stars
I have read the author's previous works and knew this would be a quality book and I was not disappointed.
This is a romance between an alpha personality that prefers animals to people (which caused me to love him instantly) and a shy introvert that can barely get through the day with his extreme fears of interacting at what most consider normal everyday activities.
Jack is an illustrator that is having a severe mental block with his artwork. A betrayal which I will let you discover on your own is the root to his problems. While going on a walk with his beloved pets, he has an accident which cause some severe injuries, He is advised to try an app that matches people that can't have pets where they live, an opportunity to spend time with the animals that crave to be with. Amazingly Jack gets a response to his request for someone to walk his pets and help out while he is sidelined with his leg and ribs.
Simon loves animals but has moved in with his grandmother after his grandfather's death to help her out. She is allergic, so he is excited for this opportunity. One huge problem is his debilitating shyness and awkwardness around others. With a gentle push from his grandmother he decides to give it a try.
As the story progresses you can see that Jack is intrigued by Simon and rather than change him like family and well meaning friends, Jack accepts Simon and gives him ways to interact that make him feel safe.
This was a tender romance and I enjoyed the slow and steady confidence that made it's way into Simon's life. There no miraculous recovery but more of an acceptance and tools to combat Simon's insecurities that made him feel worthwhile.
I highly recommend this sweet book and hope you give it a try. Special thanks to the published and NetGalley for giving me a copy for my reading pleasure.

Roan Parrish is a goddess with unique plots. I’ve recently discovered her works, and when presented with a chance to read a new book, I took it!

And I was not disappointed. What an original tale, a beautifully descriptive story – lyrical almost – and just so sweet.

Jack, an illustrator, is living alone with his pack of badly named dogs and cats (I thought the names are cute, btw) and on a walk one day, slips and breaks his leg chasing after one of his pack’s spooked pooch. Facing a predicament of not being able to walk his pack twice a day, he turns to an app for pet owners looking for people to help tend to them.

Simon always wanted a pet but couldn’t have one since he lives with his highly allergic grandmother. He matches with Jack on PetShare and it’s a match made in heaven. For Simon that heaven is the dogs. But his hell is communicating with anyone other than his grandmother. He’s shy to the point of social awkwardness that brings the worst in people. But Jack is different, and quickly the two start a unique and tender relationship.

I love Jack’s background story, his hurt and I loved how by being there for Simon, he himself, healed. I loved how brave Simon turned out to be, how sweet and emotional every single word in the book is.

Better Than People is the love story you never knew you wanted to read. It solidified my love for dogs and restored a little bit of my respect for the human race. If only more wonderful people like Simon and Jack existed.

This is the start of a new series by Roan Parrish. The same author that brought you the angst driven Riven Series and Middle of Somewhere. Better Than People is a charming low angst story that follows Jack and Simon as they find love in the midst of navigating unexpected emotions all while being surrounded by a pack of adorable beasts. I loved Jack and Simon’s story, but I also enjoyed that art was heavily represented in the prose.

Jack is a grumpy children's book illustrator completely comfortable keeping everyone and everything at a distance until a series of unfortunate events (read somewhat fortunate) leads him to an app that brings Simon to his door. Simon, a keep-to-himself graphic designer with social anxiety that prefers pets to people, finds himself on the PetsShare app looking for some animals to love. What started as a necessary arrangement turned into an epic love story neither man anticipated.

I adored Jack and Simon’s love story. Jack had this gentleness reserved only for Simon, while Simon allowed himself to be vulnerable with Jack. In addition to Jack and Simon, you’ll fall head over heels for their pack of beasts! This is a cozy read that will leave you wishing you were in Wyoming in the winter. I’m so excited to see what book comes next in this series. 4 stars

Simon has severe anxiety. Jack has a broken leg. Who would have known that this would turn out to be the perfect combination? It’s hard to pinpoint why I enjoyed their story. Every time I sat down to read, I was left feeling hopeful and happy.
An app, PetShare, is what brings these two men together. Simon can’t have animals at home, his gran has allergies, but animals are the only things that make him feel calm. Jack is the first person Simon wants to be more than a ball of anxiety around. He finds himself feeling easy and comforted when he’s around Jack.
The steadily form a connection with every walk Simon takes Jack’s pets on. Their attraction grows the more they get to know each other. And their chemistry? Off the charts. Simon may live in a world full of anxiety, but with a few touches or well-timed words, Jack was able to Simon away from the overwhelming anxiety. He helped Simon feel free and he didn’t judge him.
They grew with each other, never leaving the other behind.
Their romance, oh, it was intense. For someone who feels so deeply, it would only make sense that Simon would be as reactive as he was. Jack soaked in all that Simon had to offer, and wasn’t afraid to show him more.

This was so beautiful! I haven’t read a Roan Parrish book in awhile and I forgot that she writes these intricate, romantic stories that sweep you up. I just felt like I was floating on air the entire time I read this. I haven’t read something this romantic and utterly beautiful before.

Simon is a different character, he is completely unique. He is so shy he can barely speak but he can always be himself, with no judgement, around animals. Jack is in a bad situation having broken his leg and he is also getting over the betrayal of a friend/co-worker. He has his animals which he calls “the pack”. These animals are such a fun group! They each have their own personality and crazy name. As Simon thinks, Jack isn’t too good at naming animals.

The relationship that builds between Simon and Jack is based on trust and understanding. They have such great chemistry and I really liked that the issues that they faced were real and not overly angsty or dramatic. The main issue is Simon and how he feels he’ll fit into Jack’s life once Jacks leg heals.

I also loved Simon’s relationship with his grandmother. I wish everyone had such a wise, loving woman in their life! I’m also very interested in Jacks brother Charlie and hope we get a story for him. He sure needs a happy ever after!

This is one of my favorite reads this year for sure. I fell in love more and more with every word I read.

**ARC received from publisher via NetGalley

What a lovely book! Just so gentle and sweet with all the feels of hurt/comfort. Jack’s collection of pets is so adorable and I loved his love of them, plus Simon. And Simon! He’s so self-aware and honest about his struggles with mental health. And then in turn, Jack is able to learn and be aware of him as well. And kind of random, but Jack is great at dirty talk. Kind of unexpectedly good, given everything else.

Thank you Carina Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

A very sweet contemporary m/m romance between two loners with some hurt/comfort tropes and a ton of charming cats and dogs. Not my favourite by this author as I thought it lacked in depth and plot, but an easy and enjoyable read.

Dnf at 28%

I think there are many people who will probably enjoy this, judging from Roan Parrish‘s popularity as an author. This is very much an “it’s me, not the book” problem - I always find her ideas interesting but ultimately her characters and writing fail to grab me. But plenty of other people don’t seem to have that problem, so it really shouldn’t discourage you.

That was soooooo good! I'm not sure I can quite articulate why I loved this book so much but I did.

Maybe it's because I love seeing happy endings for characters that don't fit into the 'square jawed alpha' stereotype.

Maybe it's because it's a book chock full of different types of love, love that persists against the odds and love that provides a bedrock of support for the people it encompasses.

Roan has such a talent at writing outside the norm.

Her characters have an otherworldly way to them at times, here it's not as obvious but both Jack and Simon follow non-traditional character tropes even while they skirt the edges of convention.

Jack is an artist, but he's not a tortured one, he's struggling with the very real anger that comes with a betrayal of trust.

Simon's anxieties aren't irrational or treated as a joke, he's managed to make a path through life for himself to the best of his ability and Waugh the help of his awesome grandma Jean.

I also loved Jack's brother Charlie I felt so much love for his much he'd sacrificed. I'd love to read his story and have him find a happy ending too please Roan!

That the majority of the narrative concerns just a cast of two, and a multitude of wonderful animals, but never feels claustrophobic, is testament to the author.

I also very much appreciated, in a book where one of the character's anxieties paralyse him on occasion, that miscommunication was not a major plot point.

I also appreciated the cameo appearance in reference only of Corbin Wale

So, all in all, just a cracking good read.

I adored this book so much! The characters were amazing, and the animals were even better and I just adored it so much, I need to reread it before I can write an actual, coherent review.
Also I loved how the issues were dealt with!! Roan Parrish always does it amazingly.

Parrish is delightfully good at depicting people struggling with their own issues and insecurities. The protagonists in this m/m story are nuanced and relatable, and it's a pleasure to see their relationship blossom.

4.5 (rounded to 5 stars)
I have to write a disclaimer first saying I love Roan's writing, I've read every book and every book I loved. There's some I hold closer to my heart than others but in general Roan's books are in my insta-buy will insta-read list.
Better than People doesn't disappoint, it's a heartwarming low angsty story about Jack who after getting injured walking his pets (dogs and cat) he finds himself needing someone to take care of his dogs. He's stubborn, grumpy and heartbroken. Simon comes in his life as a breath of fresh air, he not only helps him taking his pets out for a walk but he's someone Jack is suddenly interested in. But Simon also struggles with doing the things everyone would consider 'normal', being intrigued and attracted to this grumpy children's illustrator is not what he expected when he said yes to walking his pets. But maybe they are exactly what each other needs?
I loved this book and the cast, I kinda need Jack's brother to have his happy story too.
cw for panic attacks, discussion of family deaths, social anxiety or 'being shy', friend betrayal

Roan Parrish has done it again with characters that call to me. It's a well paced book with characters who are both hurt and healing others at the same time. I love how she writes mental issues as part of someone rather than something tat can be fixed. Both of the main characters are charming and frustrating in their own way with a happily ever after that works with the story.

ARC received courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher.