Review: "There You Stand" by Christina Lee (Between Breaths #5)
Note: This ARC was provided by the author via Penguin Group (Berkley, NAL/Signet Romance, DAW) in exchange for an honest review.
"I was thinking that since my mum was killed, I haven't belonged anywhere. To anyone," he said. "And there you stand. Like the keeper of all of my dreams. And suddenly there's someplace I desperately want to belong."
Rumors have circulated as to who Jude York is and what kind of life he may have led prior to moving to the area. But it isn't the whispers and gossip that intrigue Cory Easton. It's the man himself and the silence that envelops him that make Cory wonder what thoughts and feelings someone like Jude may have. He wants to get to know Jude better and when the skateboarder sets up an appointment for a major tattoo project with Cory as the artist, Cory asks numerous questions but doesn't really get any answers. He's not even sure if Jude is gay but he can't help but wonder if the pull he feels isn't one-sided after all.
Jude has his reasons for not sharing much information about himself, whether past or present, and he's had no problem keeping his distance from people...until he meets Cory. No one's captured his attention as much as the tattoo artist has and even though Cory never seems to be at a loss for words, just being in his presence brings Jude a peace and contentment he hasn't felt in years. Try as he might to stay away from Cory, Jude simply can't resist the lure, even as he knows that he's hurting the man whose shown him more understanding and compassion than he thought possible with his secrecy and lack of answers.
Less than three hours. That's how long it took for me to finish There You Stand in one sitting, and while in that seemingly short span of time, the story of Cory Easton and Jude York made my heart thrum in anticipation. I wanted answers as much as Cory did and as those answers were unveiled, that anticipation grew because, for the first time in a really long while, I had absolutely no idea what was going to happen next. There are no guarantees when it comes to the stories we read, and while readers may clamor for happily-ever-afters in every book, a part of me wondered if Cory and Jude would get their own.
I've read and loved every single book in the Between Breaths series by Christina Lee, but there's something about this fifth release that calls to me. I've been struggling for days to find the right words for this review and here I am, still searching for a way to convey how this book affected me. Both Cory and Jude have experienced great loss in their lives and their individual stories are heartbreaking, to say the least. But it is their love story that touches a familiar chord in someone like me and my hope is that other readers will recognize this book as more than a gay romance because it is more than simply that.
On a personal note, I'd like to publicly express my gratitude to the amazing Christina Lee, who went above and beyond and whose kindness and generosity continues to humble me. I've said as much to her in private, but I just wanted to share that it takes an extraordinary person to go out of their way to do something nice for someone they only met online and what was a small gesture to them may mean the world to those whose lives they touch. So, thank you again, Christina. Your books have brought me such joy and I hope that others fall in love with them as much as I have. You. Are. Awe-Inspiring! ♥
There You Stand is a story of two people who find each other in less than ideal circumstances, both lost in the trappings of their respective pasts, but with their lives now intersecting, they join one another on a journey of belonging. Suffice it to say that the combination of two multi-dimensional and strong lead characters, an array of four-legged furry companions, skateboarding, and tattoos found in a beautifully written story of love, courage, and hope with an element of mystery and suspense has me wishing I could give it more than five-plus stars. This is, without a single doubt, a love story worth reading. ♥
Release Date: 21 April 2015
Date Read: 17 April 2015
Learn more about Christina Lee here.
Purchase There You Stand on Amazon | B&N | Kobo.
Check out my reviews for the Between Breaths series:
Jude has his reasons for not sharing much information about himself, whether past or present, and he's had no problem keeping his distance from people...until he meets Cory. No one's captured his attention as much as the tattoo artist has and even though Cory never seems to be at a loss for words, just being in his presence brings Jude a peace and contentment he hasn't felt in years. Try as he might to stay away from Cory, Jude simply can't resist the lure, even as he knows that he's hurting the man whose shown him more understanding and compassion than he thought possible with his secrecy and lack of answers.
Less than three hours. That's how long it took for me to finish There You Stand in one sitting, and while in that seemingly short span of time, the story of Cory Easton and Jude York made my heart thrum in anticipation. I wanted answers as much as Cory did and as those answers were unveiled, that anticipation grew because, for the first time in a really long while, I had absolutely no idea what was going to happen next. There are no guarantees when it comes to the stories we read, and while readers may clamor for happily-ever-afters in every book, a part of me wondered if Cory and Jude would get their own.
I've read and loved every single book in the Between Breaths series by Christina Lee, but there's something about this fifth release that calls to me. I've been struggling for days to find the right words for this review and here I am, still searching for a way to convey how this book affected me. Both Cory and Jude have experienced great loss in their lives and their individual stories are heartbreaking, to say the least. But it is their love story that touches a familiar chord in someone like me and my hope is that other readers will recognize this book as more than a gay romance because it is more than simply that.
On a personal note, I'd like to publicly express my gratitude to the amazing Christina Lee, who went above and beyond and whose kindness and generosity continues to humble me. I've said as much to her in private, but I just wanted to share that it takes an extraordinary person to go out of their way to do something nice for someone they only met online and what was a small gesture to them may mean the world to those whose lives they touch. So, thank you again, Christina. Your books have brought me such joy and I hope that others fall in love with them as much as I have. You. Are. Awe-Inspiring! ♥
There You Stand is a story of two people who find each other in less than ideal circumstances, both lost in the trappings of their respective pasts, but with their lives now intersecting, they join one another on a journey of belonging. Suffice it to say that the combination of two multi-dimensional and strong lead characters, an array of four-legged furry companions, skateboarding, and tattoos found in a beautifully written story of love, courage, and hope with an element of mystery and suspense has me wishing I could give it more than five-plus stars. This is, without a single doubt, a love story worth reading. ♥
Release Date: 21 April 2015
Date Read: 17 April 2015
Learn more about Christina Lee here.
Purchase There You Stand on Amazon | B&N | Kobo.
Check out my reviews for the Between Breaths series:
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