Review: Life on Pause by Erin McLellan


Note: This ARC was provided by Riptide Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Erin McLellan's Life on Pause became one of my most anticipated reads after I read the author's debut release, Controlled Burn, a couple of months ago. That's what happens when I'm thoroughly impressed by someone's initial foray into the mad, mad, mad world of romance fiction. This second published work of hers is markedly different from her first one, and I like that sort of thing because it shows that an author isn't boxed in by a certain genre or type of romance story. Niles Longfellow and Russell Adams's story is quirky as hell and it's the kind of read that more than tickles my fancy because it isn't the usual fare that crosses either my crowded tablet or lands on my I-no-longer-have-space bookshelves. Both fun and frustrating, this was a read that had my attention from the get-go.

Niles Longfellow and Russell "Rusty" Adams are two twenty-somethings who may not have a great deal in common other than the fact that they're insanely drawn to one another. Niles has lived in Bison Hills all his life and Rusty moved there four years prior to be with his younger sister and niece. While Niles has never been in a relationship, it's been six months since Rusty's ex ended things with him--the same ex he works with on a regular basis. Niles is a nerd, having to wear a pioneer costume as part of his job at the local museum; and Rusty is a hipster with a beautiful voice and a love for music that he shares with his students in the school's choir he works at. They shouldn't make sense together, and Niles is wary while Rusty may move away, but somehow these two simply...do.

I mentioned earlier that this was a fun yet frustrating read. There's a lot--A LOT--of back and forth that goes in with these two guys. They take baby steps forward and huge leaps back, making it really frustrating because you can see that they're sabotaging the very thing that brings them the greatest joy. In the first half or so of the book, it may seem as if Niles is the one with issues, but trust me, that's not necessarily the case. Rusty makes his fair share of stumbling and fumbling, making me want to smack these two upside the head. Thank goodness they were surrounded by those who knew better--namely, Rusty's sister, single mother Jackie, Niles's best friend Victor Consuelos, and even Rusty's ex, The Todd McGower. Speaking of the last two, I'm hoping for a spin-off or companion novel featuring Victor and Todd because if the fireworks they showcased here was any proof, I'm guessing they would be explosive together (and not necessarily in the way you may be thinking!). This story about knowing when to let go and when to hold on was a surprise in the best way possible. 4.5 stars go to Life on Pause. ♥

Release Date: 30 October 2017

Date Read: 28 October 2017

Learn more about Erin McLellan.

Purchase Life on Pause on Riptide Publishing | Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo.

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