Reviewed by Taylin
TITLE: Out of Focus
AUTHOR: C S Carver & Jana Maylin
PUBLISHER: Self Published
LENGTH: 220 Pages
RELEASE DATE: December 9, 2022
BLURB:
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. For romance author Sam Wyatt, a photograph changed the course of his life. Leaving his small hometown in Pennsylvania was the first step to becoming the person he wants to be… now to get out and experience all the things he never let himself do before.
Jaxton Zhang has never taken the easy road. Being the only Chinese kid in his small Pennsylvania high school, life was complicated. The best thing he ever did was to escape that hick town and chase his dreams. Now an internationally famous model, he only has one desire left… to find the same success as a fashion designer.
Coming face-to-face with Jaxton, the subject of the photo he’s been carrying in his pocket for almost half his life, means Sam needs to decide whether he will embrace more change or let his dreams vanish. Two men running from their pasts… all they need to do is keep what’s important in focus.
This book contains a cocky fashion model, a shy romance writer, meddling best friends, and a romantic sprint through the Brooklyn library. This is 65,000 words of resolved misunderstandings and high school crush reconnection with moderate heat and angst and a HEA.
REVIEW:
After years of living up to his father’s expectations of a son, it’s time for author, Sam, to be himself. A photo he found in his local library, as a teenager, represents the dream. He’s had hook-up opportunities, but Sam is holding out for the real deal – companionship, sex, and maybe, one day… love. So, what happens when Sam comes face to face with the man in the photo?
Out of Focus is a standalone story where life experiences and idealism foster miscommunication – and it was a delight to read.
The tale is told in the third person, present tense, from the viewpoints of Sam and Jaxton. This perspective is not typically my preference, but it reads well, and technically, nothing glared at me as being wrong. Worldbuilding suited my reading tastes, too, by not overdoing the detail. The written word painted enough of a picture to put me in the scene. Among others, the extended cast comprises well-known caring best friends who stage interventions and once-upon-a-time booty calls. I particularly enjoyed Dante, who was … just damn… blooming great.
Sam is a lovely relatable person that fills your heart with warmth. He also has an idealized view of Jaxton’s life. The photo he has of the man represents hope for what might be in his future, and this aspect was beautifully written. Jaxton’s life has been emotionally and physically demanding and he certainly does not wish to remember his teenage years. He has many walls that he hides behind and jogs for relaxation as much as fitness. Also, what he wears is an indication of his emotional state.
The lives that Sam and Jaxton have experienced get them off to a rocky start. Both misinterpret actions, which have consequences for their responses. Also, while emotions sail stormy, unnavigated seas, careers must be directed, preferably progressed. There’s hurt, comfort, intervention, memory, and more in this delightfully packaged multicultural story.
RATING:
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