Reviewed by Donna
TITLE: Get Up
AUTHOR: Reece Pine
PUBLISHER: NineStar Press
LENGTH: 246 Pages
RELEASE DATE: December 25, 2017
BLURB:
Recently dumped (again) for being cold, Guy gladly accepts his publisher friend’s request to go to a remote hut in wintry Nunavut to find out whether aspiring novelist Cam Campbell is a plagiarist. By agreeing also to help the eccentric ecologist survey wildlife for a month, Guy buys time to assess Cam’s innocence and hear stories about Cam’s late father–Guy’s favorite fantasy writer and the man whose book Cam is accused of stealing.
Guy’s investigation is soon biased by his attraction to Cam and the growing concern about Cam’s odd behavior. At times, Cam dissociates and is icier than Guy could ever be, yet he’s the only one who’s ever recognized, at a glance, the emotions burning beneath Guy’s surface. Guy knows he’s the best person to help Cam abandon the dangerous wilds outside and address those in Cam’s head, but he also knows that he’ll lose the chance if he comes clean about his ulterior motives for getting close to Cam. How can he convince Cam to come in from the cold… and why are they both really out there anyway?
REVIEW:
Where on earth do I start with this book? Maybe by stating that I think this author is super smart and a great writer. However, unless I was having a particularly dumb day, I feel it’s safe to say that this book won’t appeal to a vast number of readers. It’s rather more…cerebral…than I was expecting, and certainly anyone who isn’t absolutely fluent in English will struggle. I’m not saying that there’s anything at all wrong with the book, but having read upward of a thousand romance books, I can confidently say that this isn’t written in any common style. Again, that isn’t a bad thing, but some readers prefer to get what they’re expecting and may be put off.
The writing felt a little complicated to me, more what you’d expect from a fantasy. Some passages seeming almost lyrical and overly expressive. Which can be nice sometimes, especially when describing the kind of winter wonderland setting that the men are living in, but it got to be too much for me. I had difficulty connecting with the characters when I had to regularly reread passages to figure out what was happening and what our MCs were talking about. I often felt like I was left out of a joke. What I suggest is readers download a sample and have a read of that. If you enjoy this writing style then you’ll probably really enjoy this story.
The character of Cam was weird and fascinating. The blurb mentions his odd behavior, but that’s putting it rather mildly. I loved the way Guy likened him to some kind of mythical creature, beyond the comprehension of mortal men, because that’s exactly how he felt. I don’t know that I’ve ever come across another character like him, and I appreciated the way the author allowed him to be so dismissive of labels and gender conformity. He knows his preferences because it’s his body, his mind, so people can try to apply any labels that they want because it doesn’t change him in anyway. He doesn’t care. And not in a rude, dismissive way, but he honestly just doesn’t bother worrying about it.
The plot was also a little random, but in a good way. There’s no way that you’ll see those twists coming. It certainly keeps you guessing and on your toes. The publisher’s warning for graphic violence should indeed be heeded, and as I read along I couldn’t see how this violence was going to ever be incorporated. It doesn’t seem like that kind of book. Though those instances are brief and in the past, they are intense.
While I am recommending this book, do check out a sample first, and decide if the writing works for you.
RATING: 
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