Reviewed by Ro

TITLE: On Circus Lane

SERIES: The Wright Brothers #1

AUTHOR: Lily Morton

PUBLISHER: Self Published

LENGTH: 262 pages

RELEASE DATE:  December 17, 2024

BLURB:

The first time Bee Bannister met Tom Wright, he couldn’t stand him.

Everything about the man aggravated him—his perfect hair and body, his confident arrogance, and the way he looked straight through Bee.

Which is why it’s such an unpleasant shock to find that he’ll be sharing space with him while on a Christmas holiday with friends in Scotland.

However, as the days fly by and snowy Edinburgh begins to work its magic on him, Bee discovers that sometimes first impressions can be very misleading. Tom is kind and funny, and somehow, rather than looking through Bee, he actually sees and likes all of him.

The two men grow closer, but will Bee follow his heart or his head when the holiday ends? And can relationships that start so badly ever lead to love?

REVIEW:

I admit to being a little worried about On Circus Lane, only because Merry Measure, which is the story of Arlo, Tom’s brother, is one of my absolute Christmas favorite stories. I love Arlo and Jack, and in Merry Measure (where Tom and Bee are already together), I loved them too. The whole friend group made me happy. So I was somewhat nervous that this wouldn’t live up to my expectations. Happy day for me, it lived up and surpassed it. I adored this book.

This story happens before Merry Measure, so we don’t get to see Arlo, but we get some insight into Jack and Steven, which made me hate Steven more than I did before. Such an absolute tool. Talk about a wanknugget!

A group of friends are going on a trip and some of them haven’t met each other. When Sal, Tom and Arlo’s sister, describes Tom to the ones who haven’t met him, “He’s lovely, but a complete wanknugget sometimes…”,  I thought, uh oh! Tom’s first meeting with Bee does not go well, as he is livid at Steven for something and basically ignores everyone else. “Tom? My eyes grew big. This is Tom? The lovely person I keep hearing about is this rude, gorgeous twat?” I didn’t blame him and at first thought Bee was overreacting, until later when we get more of Bee. For his part, Tom was so pissed at Steven he didn’t even realize he came across as being a rude twat and makes up for it by being his so sweet self. Tom is there to support Jack, and he cares for everyone in his friend and family group.

When the trip happens, Bee is suckered into being on Steven’s side, not realizing how nasty he is, and so being anti-Tom. Others try to show him, “You must see it, Bee… I don’t think Steven’s very nice.” Bee tries to defend Steven but, “You don’t know Steven…even though I have a sneaking suspicion she’s right. Everything he says seems to be about making him look good against other people’s inadequacies.” That realization finally makes Bee realize he might have made a mistake in judging Tom so quickly and harshly.

When Bee goes to apologize, Tom actually apologizes first, again letting Bee see what a lovely person he really is. “He’s being so gracious, considering how rude I’ve been, and I feel ashamed of myself.” This is when they really start to become friends, and it’s such a joy to read. Bee has some baggage and he is shocked to find himself sharing it with Tom.

Bee is a certified genius and his mind is always going, always thinking. “He positively vibrates with cleverness, like he has his own and twenty other people’s share.”  Tom’s friend says he has a “capability kink” and it may be so. I loved that one of Bee’s tricks to calming himself is to watch Bob Ross. That is a thing in my family, watch Bob and his happy accidents, to make things better. It works!

It’s a wonderful trip, connections are really happening and then Bee makes the most awkward moment ever and I was so there for it. Bee is usually so self-possessed and this was just a train wreck. His best friend, Ivy, was on the trip and witnesses it. “Oh my god.” Ivy stares at me with her mouth open.” For real, Bee! But it was funny!

This is low angst, gem of a story that truly just made me happy to be reading it and sad when it was over, because I wanted more.

RATING:

BUY LINKS: 

Amazon