Reviewed by Larissa

 

TITLE: Undone

SERIES: Vino & Veritas Book #18

AUTHOR:  Leslie McAdam

PUBLISHER: Heart Eyes Press

LENGTH:  280 pages

RELEASE DATE:  August 12, 2021

BLURB: 

My new roommate has the worst taste in men.

I mean, Murph’s special. He’s funny and flamboyant and full of life.

While I’m straight, even I can tell these guys aren’t good enough for him.

I had to yell at one date, toss another one out the door, and throw a beer in another’s face.

Kind of embarrassing, really. I don’t know what’s gotten into me.

I ask my sister what’s wrong with me and she says I’m jealous.

Jealous? Please. Me?

Come on.

Only thing is, I hate the thought of Murph kissing any guy. Ever.

Except, maybe … me?

Undone is a contemporary m/m romance about a dreamy insurance agent that might not be as straight as he thinks, an adorable bartender who adds sparkle wherever he goes, and maybe one or two jokes about swords.

REVIEW: 

“Davey Murphy.
The cute, sweet, funny, impish guy who’s taken my world and turned it inside out and upside down.  The one who’s made me come apart at the seams.”

Leslie McAdam’s Undone, the final entry in the highly enjoyable, eighteen-book Vino & Veritas series, reveals that the best was most definitely saved for last.  This exceptional M/M romance features the effervescent, ever loveable Davey Murphy (“Murph”) improbably falling head over heels for his (not really) straight, burly, beautiful landlord/roommate, Jason Falkner.  

If you’ve been reading the whole V&V series, you may remember Murph as Reeve’s BFF from Book 16, Marley Valentine’s Unforgettable.  When Undone opens, Murph is moving into Jason’s old Victorian home where he will share the top floor apartment with Jason, aka “Handsome McHandsomer”, aka “Mr. Hottie McHotterson”, aka “Jason and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Hair” … I could go on and on with Murph’s adorable and hysterical nicknames for Jason, who he also laudatorily describes as “a total snack”, then quickly upgrades him to “grade A steak” status.  

Jason is a kind, generous, solid, dependable, yet lonely guy.  Who is straight.  Or at least thinks he is, that is until he meets Murph.  Jason’s a simple, straightforward (excuse the pun) guy that hasn’t been invested in his own life.  He’s shades of grey to Murph’s vibrant, colorful personality and outlook on life.  While Jason doesn’t prevaricate and would never intentionally hurt someone, he’s also oblivious, with a total lack of self-awareness.  The irony of Jason’s studying philosophy in college at Brown is hard to miss.

Murph and Jason seemingly have nothing in common but they actually fit like a hand in glove.  Despite appearances, they actually have a lot of shared interests and enjoy the same activities (like watching Forged in Fire and pretending it’s for the weapons, not the brawny, built, tattooed men wielding said weapons).  They bring out the best in each other.  Murph sees Jason as a man with vibrancy locked inside and wants to help him let it out.  Jason sees Murph as rainbows, sunshine, and light. Unapologetically himself and someone Jason would like to emulate if only he could figure out how. 

I don’t want to spoil the trajectory of Murph and Jason’s romance because it is absolutely glorious in every respect.  You should experience it untainted by any foreknowledge.  Suffice it to say it’s full of heart, energy, and adoration mixed with some doubt, trepidation, and lots and lots of questions.  Oh, and also sex.  🔥🔥🔥 

Jason’s confusion and fear about whether he’s actually homophobic when he keeps antagonizing Murph’s dates is a simultaneously poignant and amusing layer to the story.  (Ms. McAdams states in her Acknowledgement that the genesis of this story was a gay news article relaying the story of a man grappling with this very situation.  You know what they say; you can’t make this sh!t up.  Taking a plot bunny borrowed from something IRL, which she expresses credit and gratitude for, and then creating a touching, meaningful, uber-romantic story from it is truly inspired and remarkable.)

So let’s stop now to talk about the stars of the show.  Murph and Jason. *sigh* These two men.  They are what Undone is all about.  Ms. McAdam expertly crafts their complex characters in a way that is so authentic and real.  Take Jason for example.  (Did I mention how enamored I am with him?  It’s hard not to be.  Trust me.  You’ll see. He’s just … everything. *swoon* ).  Not only could I clearly picture him, but I understood him in such a deep, connected way, I was frankly astonished how Ms. McAdam accomplished that level of engagement with a fictional character.  I felt like I inherently knew him so nothing he did came as a surprise.  His emotions, actions, reactions … it just all made sense. 

Murph is life, joy, and wonderment.  But his OTT glittered exuberance sometimes masks the emotional damage his ex-boyfriend inflicted on his psyche and his heart.  I just adored Murph.  His snark and humor.  His lively, witty banter with Jason.  He’s the whole package but in a very distinct, but no less appealing, way than Jason.  

You may think Undone is just a bisexual awakening story.  And sure, that’s part of it.  But there’s so much more.  Murph and Jason’s love has a complexity to it you might not expect.  It hinges on trust, and trust hinges on not just belief in your partner, but belief in yourself.  Ms. McAdam masterfully explores this dynamic as part of a colorful, emotional romantic journey between two men who you can’t help but fall for.

As an added bonus to an already phenomenal story, cameos from prior V&V couples are peppered throughout the book.  She reaches all the way back to Roddy and Kieran from Sarina Bowen’s Roommate which, while not technically a V&V novel, really kicked off the whole series.  This helps bring a very satisfying closure to an enjoyable, but lengthy, series.

It’s hard to believe this is Ms. McAdam’s first M/M full-length novel.  Undone provides a stunning entry for her into this genre, one I hope she will continue to visit, frequently, going forward.  In the meantime, read Undone.  It’s a story you definitely don’t want to miss.

“I never thought I was the kind of person who’d have this epic love story.  But that’s what we have, Murph.  An epic love story.”

 

RATING:

BUY LINK: 

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