ARC Review: Goodbye Paradise by Sarina Bowen

Recommended Read!

“This is a heartwarming story packed with sweet, innocent emotion.  It will melt your heart.”
~ Under the Covers

When we had a glimpse of Caleb and Josh in the True North series, I was immediately intrigued.  They grew up in the same cult as Zach did (the hero in KEEPSAKE) and have made a life for themselves as well as being a base of support for other survivors that escape the cult.  What intrigued me the most was the fact that they must’ve dealt with such conflicting feelings while living there because they were attracted to each other.  I was definitely going into this book expecting a lot of the angst and despair of that situation.  And while this book delivered on that, it was such a different take than I was expecting.  In a good way!

GOODBYE PARADISE is the journey that Caleb and Josh went on from deciding to leave Paradise behind and making a life outside.  Learning the rules of this new world they faced, as well as learning the right way to be together.  It was that process that I enjoyed the most.  The little things that they found challenging, from learning to cook to identifying themselves with a gay character on TV and thinking to themselves there was nothing really wrong with them.  I loved their innocence and their self discovery.

While I thought I would immediately take a liking to Caleb because he’s the more alpha male of the two, I was shockingly so drawn to Josh.  There’s a tender caring in him that moved me and just made me love him.  And to see him flourish and grow was a thing of beauty.  While Caleb started out the stronger one because he had some exposure to the outside world and more confidence, Josh was really the one that grew into his own more in my eyes.  And that made him the perfect partner for Caleb.

This is a heartwarming story packed with sweet, innocent emotion.  It will melt your heart.  I wish it would’ve had a bit more of the angst I was expecting, but it was tender in a way that left a smile on my face.

[about-author author=”Sarina Bowen”]

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