Reviewed by Sadonna
TITLE: Cut to the Feeling
SERIES: Big Boys Small Places
AUTHOR: M.A. Wardell & A.J. Truman
PUBLISHER: Self-published
LENGTH: 247 pages
RELEASE DATE: September 30, 2025
BLURB:
For Bryce Derrickson, rejection is nothing new. He’s used to Broadway casting directors seeing his size and assuming he can’t be a graceful dancer. But getting dumped with no notice is a special kind of burn. At least his sweet dog Bobo still loves him.
As if being left without warning isn’t bad enough, Bryce’s ex sublets their apartment without telling him, leaving him without a place to live. When his new ‘roommate’ turns out to be a stuffy, elbow-patches-on-blazer, permanent-frown-on-face professor, Bryce is furious. No way will he give up his bohemian pad without a fight.
Years ago, Emerson Grant was on the fast track to being a preeminent scholar in his field, but his lack of people skills has kept him stuck at a commuter school in a cornfield. Landing a guest lecturing spot at a prestigious New York institution could be the jet fuel his career needs to finally take off. That is, if the man and dog blatantly squatting in his sublet don’t drive him bananas first.
Sharing a one-bedroom apartment with a stranger is a New York rite of passage. Sharing it with a stranger you might be falling for is something else entirely.
REVIEW:
This is the second book in the series and there are spoilers for the first book. That being said, this can absolutely be read as a standalone.
Bryce is a dancer. So what if he doesn’t have the historically narrow expectation of a dancer’s physique. He is good damn it! He and his friend Portia are perennial also rans. They go on lots of auditions. They rarely get chosen – despite callbacks and making it to the finals. They take class together, get coffee together, etc. Portia is a rich kid though – her parents pay for her apartment and everything else really. Meanwhile Bryce lives with his boyfriend Anthony, an actor, and works selling subscriptions to the Met Opera.
Bryce comes home one night though to find his apartment unexpectedly empty – well except for Bobo, his pony sized dog. But no Anthony. No Anthony’s clothes. He does however find a note. The note tells him that Anthony has gone off to Australia to make a movie. This is a problem because Anthony generally covers the rent and Bryce has about $67 to his name. He’s devastated. He did not see this coming at all. Why is he always being left? Despite his generally sunny disposition, this is crushing. His neighbors who are friends – Marsh and Data – are out of town and he’s really only got Portia to lean on.
Emerson is exhausted. He’s arrived late from his flight from Indiana and arrives at address of the apartment he’s sublet. After trudging up 6 flights with his bags, he’s about to unlock the door when it opens and Bryce is there. He assumes Emerson is someone else entirely – which results in some pretty hilarious banter. Needless to say Emerson is NOT amused to find someone in his sublet. Especially someone who is his opposite and his very large dog.
Emerson grew up on a farm so he gets animals. And he feels bad that Bryce has been left in the lurch by an ex who clearly didn’t treat him right or even let him know that he’d sublet his apartment. Bryce’s name is nowhere on a lease and it’s only through Emerson’s generosity that Bryce and Bobo still have a roof over their heads. But Emerson is there to hopefully get a make or break career jump at a reputable university. But if he can’t get some peace and quiet, that won’t happen either.
While Emerson and Bryce seem to reach some detente, Bryce still isn’t getting jobs. And Emerson is tanking his temp job. If he can’t get it together, he’ll never get the shot at the tenure position, despite his friend Sheena’s backing. Surprisingly Bryce has ideas about how Emerson can shine and grab attention of his students and peers. I mean that is his strength 😉
But what happens on the way to Bryce helping Emerson? They begin to catch feelings. Isn’t this just temporary though? Will Bryce be left yet again? Can Emerson break down his own walls and get close to someone? You’ll have to read to find out 😉
This is an adorable story! I loved both MCs so much. They are so very very opposite but they just fit once they start to actually communicate honestly. Bryce is a the sunshine and Emerson is the serious. They each need to learn to trust themselves and each other. It takes some doing and some pushing by friends, but they finally get there! I loved the humor and I ADORED Bobo. This is just another sweet, funny, spicy and romantic tale in this series and I can’t wait for the next book. So many funny moments and so many heartfelt revelations. Highly recommended.
RATING: 
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