Reviewed by Valerie and Sadonna
TITLE: Better Than People
AUTHOR: Roan Parrish
PUBLISHER: Carina Adores
LENGTH: 336 pages
RELEASE DATE: August 25, 2020
BLURB:
It’s not long before their pet-centric arrangement sparks a person-centric desire…
Simon Burke has always preferred animals to people. When the countdown to adopting his own dog is unexpectedly put on hold, Simon turns to the PetShare app to find the fluffy TLC he’s been missing. Meeting a grumpy children’s book illustrator who needs a dog walker isn’t easy for the man whose persistent anxiety has colored his whole life, but Jack Matheson’s menagerie is just what Simon needs.
Four dogs, three cats and counting. Jack’s pack of rescue pets is the only company he needs. But when a bad fall leaves him with a broken leg, Jack is forced to admit he needs help. That the help comes in the form of the most beautiful man he’s ever seen is a complicated, glorious surprise.
Being with Jack—talking, walking, making out—is a game changer for Simon. And Simon’s company certainly…eases the pain of recovery for Jack. But making a real relationship work once Jack’s cast comes off will mean compromise, understanding and lots of love.
VALERIE’S REVIEW:
Better Than People is another wonderful offering by Roan Parrish, featuring winsome characters and a writing voice that evokes beautiful, rich imagery.
Simon has an unfortunate combination of shyness and intense anxiety around people he doesn’t know well – exacerbated by a difficult childhood with family and peers – and it renders him speechless, literally. That, in turn, draws unwanted attention which often sends him into panic attacks. What helps? The love of animals. He longs for a dog of his own, but he lives with his highly allergic grandma. So he seeks out a creative way to sate his furry yearnings and the answer is an app that matches him with Jack, who needs help walking his menagerie of pets after breaking his leg.
Jack is dealing with more than a broken bone, though. He was badly betrayed by a friend and work partner, and the trauma has left him unable to illustrate books – or even simply sketch; he’s been a shell of a broken man ever since. Over time, a mutual desire builds between Simon and Jack, very sexy times happen (their first kiss was … everything), and the men help each other heal.
“I don’t suppose…” Jack started. But he lost his train of thought as Simon sat upright. The redness had faded to just a blush on his cheeks, and his hair was mussed. He was so damn beautiful. Simon raised an eyebrow and Jack cupped his cheek. “Don’t suppose you wanna kiss me?” Jack said, voice rough with desire.
Grandma Jean is a wonderful character because of her gentle support and prodding of Simon to take a chance on Jack, no matter the discomfort. She’s also a bit irreverent, like when she asks Simon if Jack sent him a dick pic. Jack’s brother, Charlie, is the other significant side character. He served as Jack’s surrogate parent when they were teenagers, and in many ways, he still takes care of Jack. Charlie is single and lonely; I wonder if he might star in his own book someday. And I would be remiss if I failed to mention how much the cute and crazy canines and the furry, finicky felines are central characters and enhance the story.
To fans of Roan Parrish – in particular, the beautiful book The Remaking of Corbin Wale (a Love Bytes 2017 Book of the Year nominee) – you’ll be tickled by the references to Corbin in this book.
Better Than People has a lovely happily ever after.
[Being with Jack] gave him the unfamiliar sense of having a place in the world. Of being tethered, rather than floating ghostlike, through a land that belonged to others.
Whether you’re a pet lover or just in the mood for a sweet romance between two struggling men who complete each other, you can’t go wrong with this one.
VALERIE’S RATING: 
SADONNA’S REVIEW:
Jack Matheson had been happy in his little house in Wyoming. He’s got his pack – a bunch of cats and dogs – and his art. He and a friend from college had collaborated for a number of years on children’s books with Jack providing the illustrations. But then he was betrayed 🙁 Then the true cherry on the top of the sundae, he falls while out with his dogs and breaks his leg. Needless to say, walking the pack is now out of the question. So he tries and app to find a dog walker. What he gets is so much more 🙂
Simon has lived his life with nearly crippling anxiety. What had seemed like shyness as a young child had only gotten worse as he grew up. His family wants better for him, but their attempt to “help” him have actually made things worse. But he’s got his own web-design business and was working towards getting a dog when his grandfather passed so he has moved in with his grandmother. He figures the app is a way to get some pet time without the pets since his grandma is terribly allergic.
Jack and Simon get off to a little bit of a rough start since Simon has a lot of trouble talking. But Jack is grateful for the help and he is mesmerized by the beautiful man who seems so in synch with the animals. But Jack is also pretty crabby and tired because of the leg and not being able to take care of himself. He resents having to ask for help from his brother Charlie and from Simon. He’s really interested in Simon though – kind of fascinated really.
As Jack and Simon get to know each other, Jack is able to share things with Simon that he hasn’t even told his brother. He begins to open up to him and share his feeling – the betrayal, the gratitude to his brother for stepping up, and how much he misses being able to draw. And Jack wants to know everything about Simon too – but he takes it slowly at first. But after their first kiss, things progress for them and Simon communicates what he’s feeling in other ways besides talking 😉
But the course of true love never did run smooth, and so there are obstacles to overcome. They both make mistakes and have to figure out how to make things right. But with Jack’s brother and friends and with Grandma Jean, Jack and Simon have a whole bunch of support that they didn’t anticipate. And mostly what they have is love and respect for each other.
Roan Parrish has a real talent for writing unusual characters and conveying the struggles that they go through brilliantly through inner dialogue. This story almost reads like fairy tale in some ways. I love the way Simon describes his issue internally. Simon knows what he wants to say, what he wants to know. He just has such trouble articulating it.
He still didn’t entirely understand it, the war inside of him.
It had been raging as long as he could remember, and as in any war, all sides lost.
I loved how creative Jack was in getting around Simon’s initial inability to speak. He’s such a compassionate soul with Simon and he really does want to know what Simon is thinking. He wants to know everything about him, but he knows it can only be at Simon’s pace. And yeah, he screws up sometimes. But he’s willing to do what it takes to get there. Simon really feels seen – all of him – for the first time. He still has a lot of fear to overcome. He hasn’t had the right kind of support from those who should have been there for him in the past. But his grandma Jean is the absolute best! I just loved her and I sure do miss my own grandmother after reading this 🙂
Jack has his own issues that we learn about over the course of the story. He’s also been a bit adrift – with his art really being his anchor, so when he loses that he’s completely off balance. Simon is a welcome distraction and then he becomes so much more. It’s just beautiful how they fill the gaps in each other’s lives. They encourage each other and admire each other. The fact that Jack recognizes how much it costs Simon to get his words out make me love the grumpy Jack <3 His kindness and patience was the key to Simon being able to open up to him.
On another note, for those long time fans of Roan Parrish, you will enjoy the little Easter Egg from The Remaking of Corbin Wale, another brilliant book. Whether it’s the Middle of Somewhere series, Small Changes series or these lovely standalones, this author continues to set a very high standard for romance. Her characters are the embodiment of my favorite Glennon Doyle quote – Life is Brutiful. Highly recommended for all the feelz!
SADONNA’S RATING:
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