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rellimreads's review against another edition
4.0
Love Him Free is the first book in E.M. Lindsey’s On The Market series. This is my first experience with their writing and I loved it. I couldn’t help but fall in love with these characters, their lives, and their blossoming relationship. But grab yourself a box of tissues because this is an emotional ride.
Rocco and Simon are both dealing with quite a bit in their personal lives – Rocco’s personal life is imploding publicly and Simon continues to turn in on himself in an effort to avoid the pain that has been constant since moving to the U.S. While things heat up quickly between Rocco & Simon, their histories and healing unfold slowly. There are a lot of painful revelations and self-discovery.
I liked the way Linsey approached Rocco’s deafness and Simon’s anxiety. It felt authentic without fetishizing. Lindsey does add a bit of humor, especially with the pets. “Pocket James” is just adorable. Ultimately, this is a really emotional yet sweet story and I’m looking forward to the rest of the series.
Note: While this does stand on its own, Simon’s brother Levi & his partner James are from Kate Hawthorne’s book, Heartless. I haven’t read it (though I plan to now!) and don’t feel not having that backstory impacted my enjoyment of the story.
Narration:
Nick Hudson! Oh my goodness. This narration is perfection. Hudson gives everyone in this book (and there are a lot of accents, inflections, voices) a unique sound. Additionally, he uses a slightly different voice on the chapters that are from Rocco’s POV in contrast to the ones from Simon’s POV. Not only does this give an added depth to the performance, it’s especially helpful when the writing is in 3rd person.
I received a free copy of this audiobook from Gay Romance Reviews and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Rocco and Simon are both dealing with quite a bit in their personal lives – Rocco’s personal life is imploding publicly and Simon continues to turn in on himself in an effort to avoid the pain that has been constant since moving to the U.S. While things heat up quickly between Rocco & Simon, their histories and healing unfold slowly. There are a lot of painful revelations and self-discovery.
I liked the way Linsey approached Rocco’s deafness and Simon’s anxiety. It felt authentic without fetishizing. Lindsey does add a bit of humor, especially with the pets. “Pocket James” is just adorable. Ultimately, this is a really emotional yet sweet story and I’m looking forward to the rest of the series.
Note: While this does stand on its own, Simon’s brother Levi & his partner James are from Kate Hawthorne’s book, Heartless. I haven’t read it (though I plan to now!) and don’t feel not having that backstory impacted my enjoyment of the story.
Narration:
Nick Hudson! Oh my goodness. This narration is perfection. Hudson gives everyone in this book (and there are a lot of accents, inflections, voices) a unique sound. Additionally, he uses a slightly different voice on the chapters that are from Rocco’s POV in contrast to the ones from Simon’s POV. Not only does this give an added depth to the performance, it’s especially helpful when the writing is in 3rd person.
I received a free copy of this audiobook from Gay Romance Reviews and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
sasreadsthings's review against another edition
2.0
This was kinda blah. Just, everything jumped around, nothing quite flowed. It was just, kinda... there. It felt like they were throwing adjectives onto characters for the hell of it.
Second EM Lindsey book and I think I'm going to have to concede they're not for me.
Second EM Lindsey book and I think I'm going to have to concede they're not for me.
foxconfessor's review against another edition
3.0
So although this is book one in a series, it's building on an already existing series by another author (or the same? It's hard to tell sometimes) that I haven't read. So there were a lot of characters with backstories and names to remember, which wasn't prohibitive to enjoying the read, but it was a little annoying.
I gave this four stars at first based on feeling - overall it was sweet, and I liked the premise of the overburdened shy baker and the Deaf pornstar and their totally unlikely relationship. The more I think about it though the shine comes off a bit. There was a lot of telling and not a lot of development to the characters, even Simon with all his backstory and his diva brother. Rocco's main personality was just his Deafness, and that he liked Simon instantly. That's kind of all there was to him.
Also, there's no epilogue, just a piece of amateur fan art? So, yeah. There's that.
I gave this four stars at first based on feeling - overall it was sweet, and I liked the premise of the overburdened shy baker and the Deaf pornstar and their totally unlikely relationship. The more I think about it though the shine comes off a bit. There was a lot of telling and not a lot of development to the characters, even Simon with all his backstory and his diva brother. Rocco's main personality was just his Deafness, and that he liked Simon instantly. That's kind of all there was to him.
Spoiler
Also is he still doing porn at the end? What is Simon studying, how will he use his degree? We never get a real discussion of the future with them.Also, there's no epilogue, just a piece of amateur fan art? So, yeah. There's that.
julianicole's review against another edition
4.0
This was a great book and another first for me! I have never read a book where one of the main characters was deaf. It was such a small glimpse at what a deaf individual might go through when exploring relationships and falling in love, but I very much enjoyed it.
This book also touched on a lot of interesting topics such as porn stars, deaf porn stars, deaf individuals working with interpreters, Jewish virgins, kosher bakery, PTSD, and I feel like so much more.
If you read the Room For Love series this book gives us Simon's story (who is the brother of Levi who is one of the main characters of book 2). They are brothers that own a Kosher bakery together. I feel like you go through each book kind of hating the other brother because they aren't the nicest to each other. But when you read their own books you realize how much inner hatred there actually is and how they just don't know how to tell each other what's going on and how to love each other. I would read the Room For Love book first before this one, as this book takes place later in the timeline of events.
In all this was a great book and I am loving reading all these books and the touches of kink they all have.
This book also touched on a lot of interesting topics such as porn stars, deaf porn stars, deaf individuals working with interpreters, Jewish virgins, kosher bakery, PTSD, and I feel like so much more.
If you read the Room For Love series this book gives us Simon's story (who is the brother of Levi who is one of the main characters of book 2). They are brothers that own a Kosher bakery together. I feel like you go through each book kind of hating the other brother because they aren't the nicest to each other. But when you read their own books you realize how much inner hatred there actually is and how they just don't know how to tell each other what's going on and how to love each other. I would read the Room For Love book first before this one, as this book takes place later in the timeline of events.
In all this was a great book and I am loving reading all these books and the touches of kink they all have.
adammm's review against another edition
2.0
I found this book very frustrating to read for a myriad of reasons. First, everyone is horrible to Simon, one of the protagonists, yet he is meant to be the difficult one for some reason which is never clearly articulated. Second, it is very clear that at least 75% of the characters in this book appeared in previous books - which makes me wonder how this can be considered the "first in the series." Third, literally every single adult who appears in the book is gay - in a small town. That does not happen. Ever. Fourth, the adult entertainment plotline(s) is incredibly unrealistic on every level. Finally, the relationship is inexplicable instalove between two incredibly dissimilar people who share nothing in common and, honestly, don't even find a common ground in the course of the novel.
I find it hard to identify what I actually like about this book. Good Deaf/Jewish representation, I guess? Besides that, this book is an unrealistic, frustrating bore. I may try more books by this author (I want more Jewish representation!), but I won't go out of my way for it. Recommended if you like good representation; Jewish baked goods; instalove; sex workers; one-dimensional characters with no redeeming qualities.
I find it hard to identify what I actually like about this book. Good Deaf/Jewish representation, I guess? Besides that, this book is an unrealistic, frustrating bore. I may try more books by this author (I want more Jewish representation!), but I won't go out of my way for it. Recommended if you like good representation; Jewish baked goods; instalove; sex workers; one-dimensional characters with no redeeming qualities.
liza5326's review against another edition
4.0
I am slowly working my way through EM Lindsey’s backlist and I have yet to be disappointed. This was a beautiful and sweet story. I loved how innocent and wonderful Simon was, giving his entire life to his family, fighting to keep his bubbe’s bakery going, even though it’s a losing battle. And Rocco was a wonderfully compassionate character, so giving and loving. And the sex . . . Wowza. I mean, this is a porn star and a 36 year old virgin, so it’s on fire, but still so beautiful and emotional. Plus the secondary characters are great.
robazizo's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. While nice, I wasn't wholly convinced by the romance part of the book, Rocco's process of falling in love in particular. Simon's process of coming out of his shell and healing his relationship with Levi were lovely to witness though. I also liked the town of Cherry Creek and its inhabitants and I'll be sure to read more about them in the future.
Connected to Kate Hawthorne's Room For Love series and [b:Heartless|52826003|Heartless (Room for Love, #2)|Kate Hawthorne|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1585675499l/52826003._SY75_.jpg|78976931] in particular. See also [b:Cloudy with a Chance of Love|52023893|Cloudy with a Chance of Love|E.M. Lindsey|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1583189178l/52023893._SY75_.jpg|76729943].
Free today (24 October 2020) on Amazon.
ETA 21 May 2023: This entire series is being rewritten and there will no longer be a connection with the Kate Hawthorne books.
Connected to Kate Hawthorne's Room For Love series and [b:Heartless|52826003|Heartless (Room for Love, #2)|Kate Hawthorne|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1585675499l/52826003._SY75_.jpg|78976931] in particular. See also [b:Cloudy with a Chance of Love|52023893|Cloudy with a Chance of Love|E.M. Lindsey|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1583189178l/52023893._SY75_.jpg|76729943].
Free today (24 October 2020) on Amazon.
ETA 21 May 2023: This entire series is being rewritten and there will no longer be a connection with the Kate Hawthorne books.