Reviewed by Dan
TITLE: The Heart As He Hears It
SERIES: Perspectives #3
AUTHOR: A.M. Arthur
PUBLISHER: Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
LENGTH: 253 Pages
RELEASE DATE: April 19, 2016
BLURB:
While most of his friends have moved on to “real” careers, Jon Buchanan is content skating through life as a part-time waiter and gay porn star. Firmly single thanks to a previous relationship disaster, he focuses his spare time on Henry, a dear friend dying of cancer.
And with Henry’s happiness paramount, Jon is on a mission to help Henry meet his recently discovered grandson.
Isaac Gregory hasn’t set foot outside for the past year. He has everything he needs delivered, and his remaining family knows better than to visit. When a complete stranger shows up claiming to be his grandfather—with a distractingly handsome younger man in tow—his carefully structured routines are shaken.
Despite his instant attraction, Jon senses Isaac is too fragile for a relationship. Yet tentative friendship grows into genuine companionship. And when Henry’s health begins to fail, they realize Fate brought them together for a reason.
Warning: Product contains a neurotic porn star with body image issues, a virgin hero with severe agoraphobia, and a fluffy ball of gray cuteness you’ll want to take home and cuddle. Also contains references to past abuse some readers might find disturbing.
REVIEW:
I know I always get giddy when I write a review on one of this lady’s books. So I’ll try to hold back. I love the flawed characters that she uses in her stories. I don’t remember ever reading a book by her, in fact, that didn’t have some dysfunction within its pages!
In The Heart As He Hears It, Ms. Arthur brings the tale of Jon, a friend and coworker of Gabe from book two. This time Jon is front and center. Jon is taking care of his friend Henry, who is dying of cancer. When Henry learns he had a son that he never knew about, from the one time he had sex with a woman, Henry is off to find the son. He is too late for the son, but there is a grandson. Jon and Henry are able to finally track down the grandson, with the help of one of the grandson’s relatives on his mother’s side. The great aunt is hesitant, but she introduces them all, and things get interesting.
Isaac is a house bound recluse. He hasn’t been out of the house since his Yia Yia (Grandmother for any of you not married to a Greek) died a year previously. He is afraid of the outside world because of something really terrible that he witnessed as a kid. He doesn’t trust anyone, and doesn’t let anyone in the house. Will Henry and Jon be able to overcome his fear?
I liked the character study of Isaac in this book. I think the author did a fantastic job of portraying someone with agoraphobia, and that person’s contact, or lack of contact as it were, with the rest of the world. Jon’s character was also well written. I loved his hesitation and fear of telling Isaac what he actually does for a living. And the tale of Henry which flows through the pages definitely tugged on my personal heart strings. I’ll be honest, I had to put the book down for a few minutes when I got to a certain part of the book, do something different for a while and then come back to it. I absolutely love this author’s ability to draw me into her stories and her characters and her ability to make me feel their pain. Kudos Ms. Arthur.
Another superbly written installment in the Perspectives series. I very highly recommend this book and every A.M. Arthur book I’ve ever read. Be prepared, they always have emotional sections, which will cause you to tear up a little (or a lot). This series is comprised of standalone books. I don’t think there is a need to read them in order…unless you want to! Why not pick up one of them today and get started?
RATING: 
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