Monday, October 22, 2012

To Hear You Smile



To Hear You Smile by Gina Rossi

(The title is so hard to read on the cover! Plus you hardly get any idea at all what the book is about. Bad design, if you ask me).

Dev Rating: **
(As a book, 4/5)

I like the writing style in this one a lot. The author is clearly a pro. It's sweet, endearing, romantic, and fun. It seriously makes me want to pack up and move to a quiet English village.

The only problem is that the blurb is left intentionally vague about the disability because (DevoGirl, look away!), the heroine meets the blind hero and doesn't realize that he's blind. Yes, this is one of DG's top complaints about books with blind characters.

It was difficult for me to keep reading because I found that idea so silly. Oliva meets Zac three or four times, and even has a lengthy date with him, without ever figuring out that he's blind. There are little hints all over the place (and in the title, of course), but it's half way through the novella before Oliva finds out (and I guess it's supposed to be a surprise for the reader too?)

If you are able to see past that conceit, the story is really charming and I would recommend it. The dev factor was lessened for me because I found the confusion about him being blind to be really irritating. If I wasn't so distracted by that I would have found it significantly more devy.

I'm looking forward to trying more stories from this author.

See a longer review on my website: www.ruthmadison.com

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Breath(e)

Breath(e) by Ruth Madison

Dev Rating: ****

A sequel to Madison's first book (W)hole, Breath(e) delves into Elizabeth's experience exploring her devo-sexuality in college.  After breaking up with her paraplegic boyfriend Stewart, Elizabeth attempts several other relationships with disabled men, most with disastrous consequences.

All I can say is that Ruth Madison "gets it."  Elizabeth's struggles are all too familiar for any devotee who has struggled to connect with a disabled partner.  Her experiences and emotions feel incredibly real, from her painful confession to her parents to being shunned by her colleagues.  You will find yourself rooting for Elizabeth to get her happy ending (both literally and figuratively). 

Much like (W)hole, this book is a must-read for any devotee.  Buy it from Amazon and I promise you'll finish it in one weekend!