Iggy Wilker never expected his 36th birthday to turn into an existential crisis. When Iggy’s friends celebrate him with his usual favorite pastime — drinking, dancing, and willing guys — he suddenly wants nothing to do with any of it. He’s fed up and ready for something else. The question is what?Ronan Clenney has had his eye on his neighbor forever, but as a single father of a precocious … precocious eleven-year-old, he’s never believed he stands a chance. But over a late night cup of tea, it seems circumstances have changed. Is this the right time, finally?
Iggy has never believed in romance, but can Ronan show him he’s wrong? That love is a real thing?
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Nell Iris always writes characters you can’t help but love. When you meet Iggy, he’s hiding in the bathroom of a club on a night he normally enjoys, and yet what has become routine for him had lost its luster. He goes home and runs into his neighbor, Ronan, who invites him over to talk. Iggy is different, honest around Ronan and you see they have a great relationship. When Iggy realizes that he’s ready for a relationship and a solid one at that, he tells Ronan, who’s been waiting for him. This story is sweet, sexy, and loving and I can’t recommend it highly enough!!
A birthday bash matching the Iggy of the past just doesn’t work for him anymore. Not to mention a few insults from a rejected bathroom encounter sealing his decision to leave his own party. But he has no idea why the life he’s led is so unfulfilling now. A deep sense of dissatisfaction sends him home early and an invitation from the handsome, tender single dad across the hall is just what his soul needs, always needs. An evening of tea, conversation, and achingly beautiful French music opens his eyes to new possibilities, ones that just might bring him love.
This was sweet, slow, and warm. With the simple yet effective setting of a table, tea, and a friend we’re instantly drawn into the warmth of the scene and aside from getting them from friends to more, I’m an instant believer in their forever. By adding the daughter as well as some drama regarding the ex, you’d think that it would be marred by misunderstandings, reservations, or doubts, but every piece fit, was given enough attention to matter but not overwhelm, and only what could be resolved was. It was believable. From start to finish, I liked both men quite a lot. Ronan was someone I more had to accept at face value, but the very end where the confession came, it was all heart and very sweet. For such a short story there was quite a bit of depth and I couldn’t help but enjoy it all.
A sweet short story, I loved it!
I’ve read quite a few short-ish stories by Nell Iris and have come to appreciate her writing style. In my opinion she does a great job with short stories, which is not an easy task. She manages to make the story seem much longer (in a good way). She conveys a lot of depth and creates poignant stories with a minimum amount of words and little to no angst.
I fell in love with Iggy and Ronan. Ronan is such a sweet man, with a daughter who means the world to him. Iggy seems to have a sort of epiphany during his 36th birthday party and realizes that he needs more out of life than what he’s been getting.
Overall Awakenings & French Songs was simply a very sweet, enjoyable story with great characters and I loved it.
An advanced copy of this book was provided to me but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author.
***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***
This was a nice quick delightful read. When I finished all I thought I wish it were a little longer because I wasn’t ready for Iggy and Ronan’s story to end. I gobbled this book right up in one sitting. I mean Ronan had me right from the get-go being a single dad. I loved reading Iggy and Ronan interacting with one another. This book is romantic and will make any romantic heart swoon. Like I said the only thing I wish it were longer because I was instantly captured by Iggy, Ronan, and Emery.