Reviewed by Becca

TITLE: Invitation to the Blues

SERIES: Small Change #2

AUTHOR: Roan Parrish

PUBLISHER: Monster House

LENGTH: 220 pages

RELEASE DATE: March 28, 2018

BLURB:

Eight months ago Jude Lucen fled his partner, his career, and a hospital in Boston after a suicide attempt. Now back in Philadelphia, he feels like a complete failure. Piano has always been his passion and his only escape. Without it, he has nothing. Well, nothing except a pathetic crush on the most gorgeous man he’s ever seen.

Faron Locklear came to Philly looking for a fresh start and has thrown himself into tattooing at Small Change. He’s only met Jude a few times, but something about the red-haired man with the haunted eyes calls to him. Faron is blown away by Jude’s talent. What he isn’t expecting is the electricity he feels the first time they kiss—and the way Jude’s needs in bed speak directly to his own deepest desires.

Jude and Faron fall fast and hard, but Jude has spent a lifetime learning that he can’t be what the people he loves need. So when the opportunity arises to renew his career in Boston, he thinks he has to choose: music, or Faron? Only by taking a huge risk—and finally believing he’s worthy of love just as he is—can he have the chance for both.
The Small Change series is set in the Middle of Somewhere universe and features crossover characters from that series. Each book can be read on its own.

Content warning: This book contains explicit discussion of depression, anxiety, attempted suicide, and feelings of worthlessness.

REVIEW:

I am still reeling from this book. I wish I could give this book like 10 stars. I’ve read a lot of books for this blog and I’ve had a lot touch me in different ways. Whether from the poetic way it was written, to the way the characters mesh, to the intimacy of the book, and so much more. I’ve had them touch me because of things I have dealt with in my life and my past, but I don’t think I have ever had one that I felt like I was reading about myself. Granted I’m not a gay man or a music prodigy, but with all this character had to deal with. With his disability and everything he felt, it was like reading myself. And it was hard in a lot of ways. To see the truth of yourself written on page, but also seeing that someone DID write it on page. And I felt like someone actually got it. I don’t know if the author did research for this or if the author experiences this, but I just have to say thank you. For a few hours, I finally felt like someone understood me. Someone finally got the depths of this disability that I deal with daily. And yes, it is a disability. I’ve finally learned that. I’m still so emotional over this book, I almost don’t know what else to write. But it made me feel like that maybe there is finally hope. Maybe this book could be true and someone will finally get it. I wish I was better with words. I just hope I’ve gotten across how good this book is. It’s a hard one to read, but so worth it. If those reading this deal with depression and anxiety, I know reading about stuff like this is hard, but give it a try anyway. If you know someone that deals with these disabilities, maybe take it as a way to help if you don’t know how? I don’t want that to sound wrong. But the secondary characters in this book tried so hard to help Jude, the main character, and many times they didn’t know how. Maybe this will help those who don’t somewhat. I just know that it impacted me in ways I will never forget. And I hope it does for you too. I more than recommend this book. And for fellow suffers like me, try to hold on to hope.

Jude has suffered from depression and anxiety for as long as he can remember. And the one thing that made everything better was music. The piano. But all the touring he did with the orchestra left him forgetting his meds or losing track and missing doctor appts. He was missing work and just couldn’t seem to get better to go back. The relationship he was in was getting worse and worse, because, quite frankly, he is an asshole. Always putting Jude down and making him feel worthless. Making his disability seem like he was just a bad person. Finally, he had enough and tried to end it. Thankfully, someone got to him in time. His ex, unfortunately. With feeling like he failed, even at dying, he ran. Back to Philly and his family. But no one knows how to help. He’s tried working for his brother but food makes him physically ill. So he decided to try teaching piano lessons. He makes fliers and goes to his brother’s girlfriend’s tattoo shop to make copies and runs into the one man who makes him actually feel. The one man who makes him want to be alive. Faron. Grace and beauty on legs. What Jude doesn’t know, Faron is just as interested. Little by little, they get to know each other. And Jude is in heaven. Faron takes his illness in stride. He doesn’t mind if Jude can’t talk. He doesn’t mind he has to be picky about food or that sex is sometimes not an option. But it makes Jude wonder how long it will last. Faron shows him the beauty of the world. How to work around his illness and he doesn’t want to let him down, but life sometimes gets too hard. Through push and pull, a lot of heartaches and silence, they work to get through. Jude just has to realize there are people out there who care and in the right way. And that he can trust someone wholeheartedly. With some of his own issues, Faron has to learn to trust too. And they both have to learn, sometimes it just takes time to heal.

I can’t recommend this book enough. Please give it a chance and go read it. It’s a beautiful love story. So real. Life isn’t always sunshine and roses, and I love that this story doesn’t pull punches. It shows life how it is. But also shows there is beauty and hope. We just have to be open and hold out for it.

RATING:  

BUY LINKS:

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