Reviewed by Sadonna

TITLE:  Invisible Strings

AUTHOR:  Aimee Nicole Walker

PUBLISHER:  Self-published

LENGTH:  317 pages

RELEASE DATE:  May 19, 2021

BLURB:

Magnetic as the Sun

Jimmy Alsop, a vivacious journalist, longs to trade his sheltered life for a summer of adventure but lacks the confidence to launch his stellar plan.

Lonely as the Moon

Nova Skye, an aloof scientist, wants to resuscitate his dead love life but hasn’t found the right man to kickstart his guarded heart.

Eclipse of the Heart

Sparks fly when a chance encounter drops Jimmy and Nova into the same orbit. Though their approach to life and love couldn’t be more different, they’re inexplicably drawn together as if connected by an invisible string. With nothing to lose but their inhibitions, Jimmy and Nova embark on an epic adventure of discovery. Passions soar with the sultry Savannah temperatures, and soon, their carefree summer becomes something more profound and beautiful than either man bargained for.

But are the ties that bind sturdy enough to withstand a lifetime, or will they fray after a season?

Invisible Strings is a standalone novel within the Sinister in Savannah universe. Jimmy was introduced in Mr. Perfect, but it is not necessary to read that book first. Invisible Strings is a contemporary romance, where the other Savannah books are romantic suspense. We have heat, humor, and heart, but there are no homicides in this book, y’all. Invisible Strings contains mature content and is intended for adults eighteen and older.

REVIEW:

Jimmy is a young and enthusiastic journalist.  He writes for the Savannah Morning News and he loves his job. He’s grown in confidence thanks to his mentor Felix, but he’s excited about his Summer Adventure list.  He’s got big plans to knock some things off his list that he feels like he should have completed by now.  As a sickly child with an overprotective mother, though, he might be a teensy bit behind his peers.  But no matter, because he’s got a plan!   And it start with his idea to cover a Summer Studio program at the Community college.  His idea is accepted and on his first night, he meets one of his favorite authors, Natalie Skye, a famous astrologer and psychologist, and her son, Dr. Nova Skye.  And from the first time their eyes meet, there is some force pulling them toward each other.

Nova is a physicist and head of the planetarium at Georgia Southern University.  He’s also a divorced dad with a precocious six-year-old daughter, Camilla June, who keeps him and his ex-husband but still best friend Scott on their toes.  Scott has a lovely boyfriend, Kai, that he also likes very much and who adores Millie June too 🙂  But he’s working too hard on a big project at the University and when Scott tells him he’s got a job offer out of state for the summer that would be a big boost to his career, Nova isn’t too happy to have his daughter gone for so much of the summer.  His life is in a rut and he hasn’t dated in forever.  His mother notices his focus on Jimmy at the Summer Studio program and when she invites Jimmy to dinner unbeknownst to Nova to pitch a story idea, Nova is a bit put off.   Not because he doesn’t want to get to know Jimmy, but because he does and he knows more about Jimmy than he should and he’s not sure how to tell Jimmy that 😉  And also he’s not too happy with his mother’s attempt at matchmaking.  However, his whole family, including his daughter are thrilled and just seem to love Jimmy to pieces.

When Nova makes a bit of a mess things with Jimmy at that first dinner with his parents to talk about the story idea, he feels terrible.  He tries to apologize, but he makes kind of a mess of that as well.  So he and Jimmy begin texting.  And then spending time together.  But Nova can’t let things get too far without confessing – but he doesn’t want to lose this burgeoning potential relationship with a man who has made him feel more alive than he ever has in his entire life.  So the agree to a compromise on the Summer Adventure with no strings attached that they will embark upon together 🙂

In the meantime, things go well and not so well at work for each of them.  They both have colleagues that cause them a fair amount of difficulty – for very different reasons.  Some of those reasons don’t become clear for quite a while.  Others are pretty transparent.  And there are some surprises that Jimmy discovers that change his whole worldview.  Thankfully Nova talks him off the ledge and Jimmy agrees to a more sensible plan of action.  Nova is a huge comfort to Jimmy and Jimmy is a source of delight for Nova and as the summer moves along, it’s clear that this is no summery fling.  For either of them.  Everyone sees it, but can they each get over their own fears of ending up with a broken heart to go for what they truly desire?

Oh. My. God.  This is such a beautiful book!  I absolutely adored every single thing about this book and my only complaint is that it ended 😀  Jimmy is so adorable and sweet and enthusiastic.  Oh to be that young and still looking forward to so many firsts.  Nova is so guarded at first – with good reason.  I loved how his disorder was described and dealt with.  What a wonderful family he was blessed with.  Another lovely aspect of this book with the friendship and love between Nova and his best friend and ex-husband, Scott.  Wouldn’t it be nice of people could behave this way when they move on to another family configuration? I think so many adults and children would be happier and do so much better if this could be more the norm.  They are co-parenting their daughter in such a constructive way!  They do put her first, but also realize that a miserable person makes a miserable parent and so they are moving on in their personal lives.  Millie June is a hilarious and believable 6-year-old.  What a great age 🙂  Nova’s parents and Jimmy’s mother and grandmother are very entertaining and so well written too.  I’m amazed a mother and daughter could live together and raise Jimmy without coming to blows 😀  It seems like that relationship definitely has evolved and I loved how they came around to accepting that Jimmy is and adult and will make the best decisions, despite any mistakes they might have made.  Jimmy and Nova are really mature characters who are able to recognize the humanity of the people they come into contact with.  They both are quick to forgive and also give the benefit of the doubt to people, which of course will serve them well.

I’ve been a big fan of Aimee Nicole Walker for some time because she writes authentic and interesting characters.  The romance in this story plays out over the course of the summer and the pacing is perfect.  As Nova and Jimmy are able to spend more time together, they find they enjoy so much about the other.  They have fun together!  They can confide in each other about those things troubling them – whether it’s a work problem or a family issue.  They can count on each other and they want to support each other as best they can – even if that means they can’t spend as much time together as they want.  I completely fell in love with both of these men and their whole story arc.  So so so good.  I highly recommend this to anyone who is looking for a beautifully written romance about believable characters who decide to take a chance on love.

RATING: 

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