Cloud Nine

Nailed It! #2

by Fearne Hill

Nominated for the Goodreads M/M Romance Members Choice Awards 2023

Bedroom eyes, that’s the name my mom gave them.Before I travelled to the UK, she issued me plenty of warnings: don’t look the wrong way when crossing the road, the first floor was the second floor, and no one would know what I meant if I asked for ranch dressing at a restaurant.

But the perils of shy, beautiful men like Tristan Carter? Men with walking canes and hearing aids and those damned bedroom eyes, hidden behind a curtain of silky blond hair?

She forgot to tell me anything about those. And I messed up badly. Monumentally. The kind of misjudgement that had me waking in a cold sweat, wanting to catch the next flight back to my pampered college life in the US. Except I couldn’t, seeing as I’d messed up there too.

So I stayed. I got a job, grew up, and learned some harsh life lessons. Worked out what I wanted to do with my future. Drank warm beer, chilled with my big brother. Ferried Tristan Carter across London. Helped him in and out of the car. Goofed around with him. Tumbled headlong in love with him.

Bedroom eyes. I’m an absolute sucker for those.

Genres: M M Romance, Romance, Disability, Contemporary, Enemies To Lovers, LGBT, Slow Burn

232 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 27, 2023

About the author

Fearne Hill resides far from the madding crowds in the county of Dorset, deep in the British countryside. She likes it that way.
Her novel, Oyster, is a 2025 Lambda Literary Award winner. Two Tribes is a 2023 Lambda Literary Award finalist..
Her popular Rossingley series was nominated in nine separate categories of the 2021 Goodreads M/M Romance awards and received an Honourable Mention in the 2021 Rainbow Awards.

Be sure to follow her on Bookbub for the latest sales and releases! https://www.bookbub.com/profile/fearn...

Join her Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/11724...

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fearnehill_...

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/FearneHill

She also writes very brief and not especially insightful book reviews here on GR...

Finally, she also writes straight contemporary romance under the pseudonym Coco Chambers.

Reviews

[Lilly [Hiatus due to School] · Rating 4 out of 5]

“We might not look like pieces of the same jigsaw, but his hand fit into mine like they were designed that way”

Cloud Nine was such a delightful read. It's the second book in the Nailed It series and can be read as a total standalone.

We have Dominic, a young rich, and spoiled American college student who is shipped off to the UK due to a scandal at home. While his parents and their lawyers work to make that incident go away, he's to lay low and work as an intern at the family company. However, a late-night dip at the penthouse pool leads to him hurling abuse and insults at poor Tristan Carter, the younger brother of his brother's future husband. Ashamed and embarrassed, he works hard to show him he's not that person as he starts to fall in love.

Tristan Carter, the youngest of the Carter triplets, is deaf and has cerebral palsy and unfortunately has dealt with his fair share of insults and abuse from abled bodied people. However, he tries to live his life not defined by his disability with his wonderful (sometimes crazy) family and close friends.

Goodness, I did not know how Dom could ever redeem himself after what he did and said to Tritian. It was disgusting and foul, but he has a major redemption arc and character growth. It was a difficult scene to read, but seeing how ashamed he was and his willingness to address and change for the better was a positive.

I adored Tristan so much. I liked how Fearne Hill handled Tristan's CP and his struggles living in the abled-bodied world. I found it to be a learning experience for me, as I do not know much about CP.

Dom and Tristan balanced one another so well. While there's an attraction between them from the beginning, I liked how it felt like a slow burn. It was realistic as there was no way after that incident I could see anything romantic happening between the two immediately. So we get this strangers to friends and then lovers type dynamic. But Dom was so sweet and caring; he was like a golden retriever doing his best to please and, treating Tristan as Tristan when others often did not. I really liked them as a couple.

My only issue with this story is how abrupt the ending was. I would love it if we could get more of their happy ever after.

Overall this was a sweet story (despite the really rocky start between the two), and I enjoyed it. This book was my first read by Fearne Hill, and I look forward to checking out their other works.

If you're looking for a low angst, sweet, opposites attract, disability representation, slow burn (ish) romance with British humour I recommend it. Please do check TWs.

[~✡~Dαni(ela) ♥ ♂♂ love & semicolons~✡~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

In some ways, I liked Cloud Nine more than the first book. At least with Tristan, what you see is what you get.

Actually, scratch that. Tristan is so much more than what you see. He's more than his deafness, more than his CP. He's witty, smart, and charming in a nonassuming, effortless way.

When Dominic first meets Tristan, he doesn't see any of that. He sees a perv and a creep. He sees what he wants to see. Dom is angry and frustrated, and unloads on Tris in the worst way. (I hated Dom at the beginning; he was the worst kind of bully.)

But Dom eventually comes to see all of Tristan, his strengths and vulnerabilities, his daring side and his sexy shyness.

Their friendship, which begins with Dom driving wildly "on the wrong side of the road," turns into something tender and beautiful.

This is not an angsty story. There is no relationship drama. Indeed, I'm not sure you can call what Dom and Tris have a relationship. It's sex. It's feelings. But it's all underground, and this is Tristan's choice, not Dom's.

Tristan wants something just for himself. He doesn't need his siblings telling him it's a bad idea.

I absolutely loved the disability rep in this book. I'm not disabled or an expert on disability issues, but I believe with my whole heart that love is for everyone.

Tristan has cerebral palsy, and it does hurt and limit him to some degree, but "disabled" is not a dirty word. And when Tris takes out his hearing aids because he doesn't want to listen to his sister's nagging, he owns it in the best way. That's his FU to the world, and it's brilliant.

Dom gets that. He doesn't treat Tristan like he's fragile. He's cognizant of Tristan's physical limitations but thinks nothing of lifting him up on the counter, so Tris can swing his legs. It's not overbearing or awkward; it's simple, and that easy acceptance is everything.

I loved this story until the very end.

Friends, I'm not a cynic when it comes to romance. I'm all about the puppies and rainbows and wedding bells.

But Dom is 21, and Tris has never been away from home.

With no epilogue, I simply don't believe that Dom will be content playing house with Tristan when he's used to the college party lifestyle.

And, Tristan, with no job and no friends, will quickly become restless. And, no, Dom, Tristan can't get a job on a tourist visa; it takes well over an year (and a mountain of paperwork) to receive a work permit in the States.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but Tristan and Dom would have been better off separating for two years and living their lives. If it's meant to be, it will be.

Frankie and Lysander get a glorious HEA in this book, so I have hope Tristan and Dom will get theirs in book 3.

[Lau ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even the worst meet-cute can be the beginning of something precious


Dominic hasn’t been taking the best decisions lately. After getting into trouble, his parents send him from the USA to the UK, to work and live for a couple of weeks with his brother and his fiancée. But on his first day he ends up bullying the disabled brother of said fiancée, Tristan, after discovering him hiding in the hot tub while he was swimming naked. Now Dominic will have to do whatever is needed to show them he deserves a second chance, even if that means driving Tristan around using the wrong side of the road. But the more time he spends with Tristan, the more he yearns for more than forgiveness…


Cloud Nine was an impulsive reading after reading Amina's beautiful review -and sometimes those end up being the best ones.


“Are you going to show me how you do that trick?”
() Tristan looked puzzled. “What trick?”
“The one that makes everyone want to be your friend. That makes us all fall for you.”


Dominic doesn’t start with the right foot, but he will spend the book earning our forgiveness. There was something so special about the way Dominic admired Tristan, the quiet way he noted every single detail, asked all the important questions. His will to get better, not only to show the people around him but also for himself, slowly stole my heart. Moreover, it was one of those dual POVs where you can actually tell the characters apart: Dominic’s was full of funny remarks while Tristan’s was a bit more serious. I loved their dynamics; how Tristan always had a sassy comment to charm everyone around and Dominic leveled up with his flirting.


“You are not so bad, you know, () for a spoiled trust fund brat.”


The only thing I would have changed is them having more time to fall in love and be established as a couple, the decisions at the end came a bit rushed. They have only known each other for a few weeks!


For those interested in the disability rep, Tristan has cerebral palsy (CP). He needs two canes to walk because his legs are not strong enough and he’s deaf but uses hearing aids to be able to hear. I don’t know how good the rep was, since I haven’t suffered from it, but it was something that was constantly a part of the story, not just used when it was convenient.


This was my first time trying the author and I really enjoyed both the writing and the humor. However, I’m not sure whether I would enjoy Lys and Frankie’s romance-first book in the series. To be honest, I didn’t find them really interesting as secondary characters-I was even annoyed at Frankie. He first forbade Dominic to be in the same room as Tristan, even if he just wanted to apologize, and next day he decides Dominic is going to be driving his brother around as punishment. Not a very solid reasoning. So, instead of going back to the first book, I will read another book by her-if you have a fav let me know!


Overall, Cloud Nine has humor and banter, but also character development and disability rep. I adored reading it and I know I will come back to visit them someday.


“I can’t decide what’s worse, your dancing or your driving!”
“Wait until you experience my cooking!”


💫Similar book recommendation: Until I Saw You. Disability rep with great humor, in this case also deals with domestic violence. In Until I Saw You the humor of the POV (Riley’s POV) is more OTT; in Cloud Nine Dominic’s POV is also really fun but it’s more subtle and you have more banter.


*Rating: 3.75/5

[Cat the bookworm (semi hiatus ish) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This. Was. Lovely.
And it made me all kinds of emotional.

Remember Tristan, Frankie‘s triplet brother with cerebral palsy, meaning that his legs don’t work properly, and he has to use canes? And he’s deaf from birth, only able to hear with hearing aides? Not a main character to read often about, right?

This is his book. And while his handicaps might seem to make it unlikely for this to be a “happy” book, it actually is very lighthearted, without making light of it, if that makes sense.

Some folks pretended to ignore my mobility issues altogether, which I daresay helped the person feel like they were paying me a compliment—hey, you’re one of us! This cunning plan, though, painted disability in a negative light, something shameful, something to pretend not to see. And made for very awkward conversations at the bottom of a staircase.

Tristan is remarkably funny, even if he knows all too well what he can and can’t do. And when he meets Dominic (Lysander’s little brother) for the first time, and Dominic (in a very bratty and inconsiderate way) behaves badly towards him, Tristan is deeply hurt and humiliated.

Dominic is 21, and what you would call a trust fund baby, spoiled and a typical American frat boy who messed up so badly in California where he lives with his mum, that he’s sent away to London for a while to “touch grass” until things cool down at home. But he’s… nice. A very good man under all his blustering, and when he knows he fucked up (like with Tristan), he tries to make amends. He’s like a Labrador who knows he was wrong to do what he did and now tries everything to make things better.

And yes, I was in doubt at the beginning if he can redeem himself, but it worked so well. What a redemption arc, it was a joy to see him grow up, even if it all takes place in the course of a few weeks!

I can’t even describe what makes them both so special, and why Tristan and Dom work perfectly as a couple. They feel so real, and getting both their POVs made me root for both of them, up to the point at the end of the book where my heart broke for both of them and I shed a tear or two (never fear, there’s no third act breakup or some other bullshit drama).

I loved it. It’s not perfect, but i tend to be generous with my rating when a book gives me all the feels, and this one definitely did.

Because he made me feel safe. Not like protection from muggers or disease. Nor like mapping out a secure future, a career, finances, welfare. But the best kind of safe. The hidden, secret inner safety we all craved. The one allowing us to expose our fears, vulnerabilities, desires, my horrid legs, and, yes, even my arsehole. And the security of knowing that, for the next few hours, at least, someone held me close.

I think it can be read as a standalone, but to fully enjoy all the characters, you should read book 1 first.

Oh and special shoutout to Frankie, who’s a true bridezilla while planning his wedding 😬

[Amina · Rating 4 out of 5]

✰ 4 stars ✰

“But she’d utterly forgotten to warn me about the perils of beautiful blond Englishmen with canes and hearing aids and bedroom eyes. And about falling in love.”



Even before I read the blurb, even before I knew it was an M/M romance, I was immediately drawn to to Cloud Nine's cover model. And when I read all about his 'bedroom eyes', I knew that it had succeeded in convincing me to read. This was such an endearingly adorable read with such a sweet love story of such an unlikely pair that had writing so soft, it left me with a ridiculous smile on my face as I read it. I may have not read the first part to the series and it may be my second book by Fearne Hill, but I have to admit - I enjoyed it a lot more than Two Tribes.

Dominic was the guy who was always at the wrong place at the wrong time saying the wrong thing to the wrong person. But, what made him such a fun and likable character, was because his heart truly was in the right place. 🥺 After making an ill-advised and ill-timed comment to Tristan, he genuinely worked really hard to redeem himself; not because he was attracted to him first, but he did feel awful for how he reacted and behaved and wanted to treat him better.

“What trick?”

“The one that make everyone want to be your friend. That makes us all fall for you.”

Colour pinked his cheeks; Tristan’s gaze shyly flirted with mine through a film of hair. Reaching up, I tucked the soft-as-silk golden strands behind his ear, as I’d done in the car.

That time, he’d pushed me away, embarrassed, but now, he moistened his lips with the tip of his tongue, those stunning eyes never leaving mine.

“I get it now,” I murmured. “That’s how.”

And as their older brothers forced, or should I say, coerced him, into spending time with him, I loved the subtle slow way that as he learned more about Tristan - his mannerisms to how he copes with his Cerebral palsy, his interests and how he's so passionate about what he does, his charismatic charm and how he draws everyone's attention towards him - that he gradually fell in love with him, as well. The gentle consideration and overall kindness he tried to show Tristan was so ridiculously sweet, that while it may only be because of Tristan's 'bedroom eyes' that did the trick, it came with such a genuine concern for him, that I couldn't help but root for him. 🥹

“Not like protection from muggers or disease. Nor like mapping out a secure future, a career, finances, welfare. But the best kind of safe. The hidden, secret inner safety we all craved. The one allowing us to expose our fears, vulnerabilities, desires, my horrid legs, and, yes, even my arsehole.

And the security of knowing that, for the next few hours, at least, someone held me close.”

I adored Tristan's POV; I am not very much aware of Cerebral Palsy and this may even not be a completely accurate representation of it, but what FH did show was someone who was not beholden to his disability. Someone who didn't want to be defined by it, no matter how much it may hinder his movement and lifestyle. I really admired that about him and respected how she incorporated it into the story in a natural manner. ☺️

And at first, he may have been dismissive to Dominic's totally adorable endeavors to make it up to him, but much like a Labrador puppy you can't ignore, his gentle and thoughtful gestures eventually won over his heart in such a gradual way that made it so very believable. 🥰 Their intimate moments had a vulnerability to them - how Dominic felt that he was being trusted so openly with Tristan, and how Tristan realized and accepted that he cared for him just the way he was. 💕💕

“Things I loved about the penthouse: part 10: very little, actually.
There were fifty ways to leave your lover.

Things I hated about living in London: very little, actually.
Apart from that uniquely hellish wedding.”

The banter was also so very hilarious and still effortlessly charming - the supporting cast on both sides of the team added such flavor to the story, as well as, Frankie and Lysander's nauseatingly lovey-dovey moments that had me cracking up at their younger siblings' less than impressive reactions to them. 😀 I loved how Tristan's siblings were so ridiculously over-protective of him, while being so very thoughtful for him - even if it annoyed him.

The ode to British lifestyles brought such a colorful flair to the writing - the vibe of London thrumming with life and feeling - that made reading it so very different from other M/M romances - it really added to the overall appeal of the story. Mungo and Miles' chemistry is certainly setting up for a potential storyline next, but I wouldn't be very much surprised if it's Tristan's sister who has her own story in the works, as well. 😏

I do have to admit the ending did feel like a bit of a impossible stretch; but if these were the lengths that Dominic would go to prove his love for Tristan - that Tristan could even find it impossible to refuse, then all the more kudos to them. Because the writing was so entertaining - fun and light - fresh and airy - but still, heart-warming and touching that I could overlook the little irritating moments. 😄 Tristan and Dominic may have gotten off on the disastrously harsh wrong foot, but the tender gentle way in which they fell for each other softened any blows to my heart I may have had for doubting Fearne Hill's talents. 🤍🤍

“You never asked. But it doesn’t matter. Because then I met you, and the list petered out. None of those things mattered any more. In its place in my mind, I created another list, entitled ‘things I love about London’."

He threw me his shy smile, the one I absolutely freaking adored. “I hope that was just as long.”

I shook my head. “Nah. I only ever wrote two words on it. Tristan Carter.”

[NicoleR.M.M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book might be my new favorite Fearne Hill. I fell so hard for Dom and Tristan! All my love for these guys.

Well, apparently each time I finish the latest Fearne Hill book it's my new favorite. It says something about the high quality of her writing and the interesting characters she creates. Unlike some authors I used to love, she still seems to chose quality over quantity and I hope she will continue doing so. It's such a shame some authors have lost my interests because the books they release don't even come close to the quality of their earlier work. It's either that or they continue writing the same formulas over and over again.
I'm just thankful that's not the case with Fearne Hill. She fast became one of my favorite mm romance authors and she continues to be so.

I loved the first book in this series (Cloud Ten) very much. It's where we meet the St. Cloud family. A family who owns a construction company, and in particular we meet Lysander St. Cloud and his rather unique PA Frankie, who's part of a triplet. Frankie's younger brother Tristan (by 3 minutes) is deaf and suffers from cerebral palsy. He already seemed such an interesting, quite mysterious character and I really wanted to read his story.
This is his book. And Dominic's, Lysander's, younger, American brother who comes over to London involuntarily to work for the firm.
Tristan and Dominic start off on a very wrong foot and it takes some serious efforts to set things straight. But once they have, Dominic isn't the a**hole he seemed to be at first like at all, and Tristan and Dominic find their way towards each other. It almost felt like a privilege to watch how they slowly fell in love, how Tristan put his trust into Dominic and dared to be himself when there's hardly ever been a place or a person outside his family he felt safe enough to do so. I loved every aspect of their developing relationship and I think Fearne Hill did an excellent job writing a disabled main character. Once again she's proven to be an amazing, sensitive author who I trust to write about anything and still make me read and love it.

There was A LOT to love about this book - the characters, the dialogues, the setting, the Britishness, the falling in love, the writing and the plot. I fell in love with it, and despite all the things Tristan suffers from that makes his life a lot more challenging on a daily basis than it does for most people, this book never feels dark or angsty. Instead, it had the ability to touch me, specially when Tristan opened up and dared to show himself and his disabled body to Dominic, knowing how they started off and realizing where they came from. This trust was something very precious and difficult and still Dominic managed to make Tristan feel safe, to have Tristan put faith in him. It was one of the most beautiful relationship developments I read!

This book is the second book in a series and I'm in doubt whether you should read it as a stand alone. Maybe you could, but I do think it's best to read the first book first, otherwise you might feel like you've jumped right into the middle of something. Plus, you'd be missing out on another wonderful book!
Loved it, loved it, loved it, and I can only highly recommend!

[Kathleen in Oslo · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, book one in this series was a mixed bag for me: I was able to accept the, let's face it, bonkers Tootsie-premise but was thrown by the sexed-up gymnast (and Lysander's whole backstory, really) and the accidental pregnancy. Book one was a lot, not all of which worked for me; although most of what didn't work for me were very much me-things.

This book is way more chill. The couple this time is Tristan, Frankie's younger (by three minutes) brother, who we met in book one; and Dominic, Lysander's younger (by 10 or so years) brother, who previously got a mention but no page time. Tristan is deaf (with cochlear implants and hearing aids) and has cerebral palsy, which most obviously affects his mobility, balance, pain level, and physical appearance. Dominic is, at least initially, a dumb-ass. That's it, that's Dominic's most defining trait. Dominic the dumb-ass.

Be warned that this is a bully-trope book, which I realize is a hard no for some people. Although -- unlike most bully books, where the bullying is prolonged and in the past (high school, usually), and then there is a long time gap during which the bully makes a remarkable, typically off-page transformation into becoming someone with a working moral compass -- this is really more of an "I was an irredeemable asshole to you when we first met, oops"-trope book. The distinction here being that the first horrible, no-good, really-very-bad meeting between Tristan and Dominic (no points for guessing who the asshole was) is a single incident rather than chronic targeted behavior, although that incident slots into a larger pattern of selfish, immature, non-targeted spoiled asshole behavior. The other distinction being that we actually see the MC make the working-moral-compass transformation on-page, fueled by their self-disgust and the disappointment of friends and family, and with the genuine intention of rectifying mistakes and earning forgiveness.

This worked pretty well for me. I bought Dominic's disgust and determination to do better; I thought Tristan's forgiveness was maybe a bit hasty, but I liked the tension this set up between Tristan's feelings and the much-less-lenient feelings of his friends and family, and how this (over)protectiveness on their part plays into the larger dynamic of Tristan's disability and people's perceptions of him as fragile and unable to stick up for himself.

Indeed -- and I write this as as able-bodied person, so please take this with a grain of salt -- I thought Tristan's deafness and CP was handled extremely well, not just in describing the physical aspects but in terms of how he relates to his disability and how his disability frames all his other relationships, from the casual to the closest. A key part of this, of course, is how Dominic treats Tristan as their relationship develops -- and here it should be noted that the initial incident is not centered on Tristan's disability, of which Dominic was at the time unaware, but about Dominic's kneejerk reaction to a situation that makes him uncomfortable and his inability to consider that things might not be as they seem. Tristan's fears aside, Dominic is never repulsed by Tristan's physical condition, but he is, at first, afraid of it, or at least afraid of saying or doing the wrong thing. This gradually gives way to a much more forthright, lusty relationship to Tristan's body, facilitated by a few awkward interactions and conversations. I thought this was very empathetic and well done, with a relatable mix of anxiety, patience, frustration, and generosity from both parties.

This is dual POV, and Tristan's voice is the stronger one. And NB! -- the first Dominic chapter we are in full-on fratbro territory. This is a deliberate authorial choice, showing us the callow young American dumbass in all his (glory?), but hoo boy, it's grating. Thankfully we move past this fairly quickly, though the Dominic chapters still have that air of British-person-writing-Americans -- and while there is a running joke on all the Britishisms that Dominic struggles with, they still pop up unintentionally ("dogsbody", "mad keen") in his POV.

The storytelling here is, in typical Fearne Hill style, very brisk and efficient -- almost overly so, although given the current trend of authors turning a 200-page story into a 500-page slog, I can't lie and say I don't appreciate it. Tristan and, in particular, Dominic move from horrible clusterfuck into deep infatuation/ love territory quite quickly, albeit only in their own heads: mindful that this is a relationship with an expiration date (Dominic's return to the US), they both tamp down on declarations and the l-word. I also would have liked a bit more on Dominic's role in the family business; he went from doofy fratbro to determined magnate on a dime, a transformation that felt more convenient than rooted in the character (it would have helped if, for example, his backstory was more "work hard, play hard" instead of "dumb spoiled rich kid with no concept of responsibility"). Frankie and Lysander, meanwhile, are in the background doing what already-paired-off couples tend to do in later books, i.e. being cringingly schmoopy and PDA-ey with each other. I really liked Frankie's interactions with Dominic, though, and how that relationship was slowly and tentatively rebuilt after the havoc Dominic wreaked in the beginning; I could have done without the wedding planning. Of course, all supporting characters pale in comparison to Darren, our reasonable king.

All in all -- if you liked book one, you'll probably like this one too. If the bonkers premise of book one turned you off, this one traffics in much more recognizable tropes and story arcs (redemption; relationship with expiration date; oh noes we caught feelings!). If the pacing and somewhat stylized, somewhat OTT, jokey/serious writing style of book one didn't work for you, then you probably won't have better luck here. So far, this series hasn't hit the Rossingley sweet spot, but book two worked better for me than book one, and -- since we're out of brothers -- I'm looking forward to Milo and Mungo's book.

I got an ARC from Gay Romance Reviews in exchange for an honest review.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The beginning of this was so good, the end wasn't bad but it felt so rushed. It just ended. It needed like four more chapters and an epilogue!

But also, I realize I just finished a long book and felt it was too long and drawn out. Now I finish a short book and feel its too rushed. So I guess I'm just goldilocks and I'll be in search of the page length that is just right 😂😂

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Uh oh maybe I’m one of the people with a disability kink that the MC in this cringes over. How embarrassing. I did really love the disability rep in this. It was my favourite part of the book and I couldn’t get enough of Tristan and his life with cerebral palsy and deafness. The author does an absolutely brilliant job of describing his challenges and how they affect everything from menial activities to sexy times. Dom is an exceedingly horrible idiot about everything in the beginning and I love how he changes and realises Tristan’s worth.

This book was great until the ending which royally pissed me off! How did we not get the reveal to Tristans friends? How did the author not include Frankie and Lysander finding out?? There was so much build up for that! What was with the weird ending in the flat with the friends ABOUT to find out and then suddenly Dom’s POV and Tristan hanging in the tub? How did all that transpire and why did we not get to see it?? Gah!

And I just can’t believe that Tristan would be in a better place in the US twiddling his thumbs waiting for Dom to finish his degree. He is 21 and filthy rich and has led a life of partying. That is a huge change to moving in with a partner with complex disabilities after a holiday fling. And taking Tristan away from all his supports, his work and his friends 😭 Its like spoilt rich boy swoops in and packs him off to be his new toy, completely disregarding his job and independence and now all the accomplishments he has made on his own are inconsequential.

And while I’m on a roll here, why did poor Frankie turn into the gay airhead bridezilla here? I really respected in the last book that he was femme but strong and intellectual. I loved his early defence of Tristan against Dom but the wedding turned him into that stereotypical OTT bimbo type and I thought he had proven that he was so much more than that.

[Pingmg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I FLOVED Cloud Nine! This second book in the series was equally addictive, read it straight! I knew Tristan’s story would be something unique and heartwarming same as Frankie’s in book one and I was not wrong. Captivated me from page one till the end!

Tristan and Dominic’s internal monologue had me laughing in stitches and mumbling to myself like a crazy person (one so enamored by what they were reading). I especially adored those touches on the contrast between living in London, language, and culture as opposed to how it is in sunny SoCal where Dominic is from.

The disability that Tristan had was addressed with respect and sensitivity, giving me as a reader more insight into his character and making the story more compelling. How Dominic slowly had realizations about himself and his growth as a person was so natural too. He did fit in with Tristan and it showed in their interactions.

Also, I loved that Frankie and Lysander were so much a part of Tristan and Dominic's lives, as were Mungo and Milo as Tristan’s best friends. They were so precious!

I had so much fun reading this, now I can’t wait for book three! Definitely diving into Fearne Hill’s backlist of books!🥰

[Liya · Rating 5 out of 5]

~4.5
Absolutely delightful story with a positive disability representation.
I just wish there was a proper epilogue to solidify the HEA.

[Layla]

DELIGHTFUL

RTC

[Sjoukje · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is adorable. It starts with a horrible bully scene and I really didn’t expect me to get over it. I mean, Frankie and I were both livid. And then, about 10 pages in I already loved Dom 😁 He is a very young ignorant shit, but he tried so hard to make up for all the bad things he did.
Tristan is not written as the most attractive man but in Dom’s eyes he is. And that made the book for me. It’s not totally 5 stars because of lots of open ends (ok, maybe just one big one: what was in Dom’s presentation??? It was mentioned so many times and somehow still forgotten at the end?) However I like it better than the previous book and I gave that four stars. So four and a half it is 😁

Might reread and do recommend

[AngelFire · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @ 49%

I adored both MCs and I thought Tristan's cerebral palsy and Dominic's belated growing up arc were really well done but there other factors that made the story impossible to enjoy.

One of the things that drove me crazy was that Dominic had a very strong and obvious British accent. He constantly used British slang and British expressions, some of which even flew over my head. The problem? He's supposed to be American. Not just American but Mr. USA and Mr. Never-Been-To-England-Before. Him not understanding British culture, British accents and other 'foreign' things was a major part of his characterization. So it made no sense that the guy casually uses very British expressions ALL THE TIME. Obviously, this was either a result of laziness or ignorance on the part of the author. I have no patience for authors who can't be bothered to invest a little time to remove region-specific phrases from a character's speech because it's not hard. For two decades now, we've had tons of free websites pop up that do comparisons of British vs American vs Canadian (etc) expressions so there's no excuse. Dominic's speech was so obviously British that nearly every single time he opens his mouth, he's using a British phrase. It was so frequent and distracting that it made it impossible to focus on the story. Here are just a few examples that I pulled from skimming through a few pages:

Mad keen
Took a slash
Keep me out of mischief
Balls it up
Cheerful chap
Joshed

I adore characters who have strong regional accents but that accent has to make sense and it didn't here.

The other big problem is that the story is boring. Throughout the first half I read, the MCs would only interact for short scenes but they would interact with annoying, pointless side characters for much longer scenes. None of the side characters interested me so it was very irritating to skim through page after page of pointless conversation between the MCs and one of them. My main interest in the story was seeing how Dominic adjusts to Tristan's disabilities and that can't happen when the majority of their time is spent with other people. I didn't give a damn about Dominic's interactions with his brother or Tristan's brother because these things had very little to do with Tristan. As for Tristan - I didn't care about the record shop where he worked and was surrounded by half a dozen pointless side characters.

Overall, this wasn't my cup of tea which is a big shame because I adored the MCs. In particular, I thought the author did a great job portraying Tristan's cerebral palsy (minus the few scenes where Tristan is able to lip read much more accurately than is realistic) and I was enjoying Dominic's becoming-an-adult character arc. But the writing style made it impossible for me to continue.

[Iz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved "Cloud Nine" with my whole damn soul.
I'm completely obsessed with everything Fearne Hill has managed to create with this series, but especially with Dom and Tristan's journey towards a well-deserved HEA.
Their romance was freaking amazing, and utterly precious: I swooned so damn much. I literally could not stop grinning, and I even got emotional by the end. I loved their romance SO MUCH.

This is how you do a proper redemption arc and a proper groveling scene (or scenes): Dom behaved abominably towards Tristan, and he knows it. I loved how the author managed to handle his redemption arc: he messes up, big time, but he's also given the time and space to redeem himself, and make up for his cruel words, via sincere apologies and by being, and learning, by Tristan's side, day in and day out.
I really have to applaud Fearne Hill for how she handled everything: I thought she was brilliant when reading "Cloud Ten", but she outdid herself here. The writing was majestic, and I feel like the tough, complex conversations about disability and sexuality, and about every single little but important thing this book tackles, were handled brilliantly, with empathy and thoughtfulness and honesty, and a bit of humour even.

And oh my god, once Dom finally manages to grow a pair and apologize to Tristan, and when he starts trying to make up for what he did... I fell for these two, and their dynamic and relationship, hard. I loved them so so much.
Dominic, with his adorable Golden Retriever Energy and his boundless cheerfulness and openness, and Tristan, with his grumpy snark and his shy eagerness. I loved them individually, but together? Talk about a romance for the ages.
Deliciously slow-burn, fueled by caring touches and scorching chemistry, sweet and light-hearted and silly, but also a punch-in-the-gut-when-will-it-be-my-turn-sobbing-forever emotional trainwreck.
Banter and silly goofiness, caring, thoughtful touches and helping, affectionate hands, moving first times and scorching hot steamy deliciousness: this book has it all.
It has believable character growth and it tackles difficult themes with a lighter touch without ever making them seem silly or non-serious.

AND THE SIDE CHARACTERS. Again, I don't know how she does it, but every single character Fearne Hill has created has been vivid and memorable and striking. I really cannot wait for Mungo and Milo's story: friends-to-lovers with a side dish of angst and pining? YES PLEASE.
In the meantime I'll be devouring all of this author's backlist; I can't believe she isn't more popular. Her writing alone should place her among the best MM contemporary (British and non) writers, but the story she weaves? GAH. I feel like I've hit the jackpot.

I feel so happy, but also quite ready to sob my eyes out? How is that possible? Is it magic? Who knows, but either way, I cannot wait to get my heart and soul smashed by Fearne Hill once again when I'll finally have "Cloud White" in my grabby hands.

[Kaje Harper · Rating 4 out of 5]

This opens with Dominic bullying Tristan -- half-inadvertently, because in a dimly-lit sauna and pool he doesn't realize Tristan has CP and mobility issues and is Deaf. But that doesn't excuse his behavior. And I really liked that he was aware soon after, was ashamed, and tried to both apologize and make up for it.

I like Tristan a lot - his confidence within his physical limitations, his unwillingness to let anyone else define what he should or should not do, his sometimes snarky and dark-tinged humor that let him get through his days. And I liked that Dominic respected him, and quickly learned to offer help not impose it. I thought (as a non-disabled person) that the disability rep was pretty good. The romance was quick, but I liked that sexual attraction was a driver here for both of them, instead of saying that a person with disabilities had to be loved for their mind before they could be attractive.

In one aspect, I was rather annoyed at Tristan's family - his parents and sibs - for not embracing sign language with him from the start. While cochlear implants can be done as early as 10-12 months of age, there's a lot of language learning that begins before that. Plus, when you don't provide sign as an alternate bilingual modality, you render your child isolated as soon as he showers, goes swimming, has battery failure, has his processors knocked off or damaged, is in a noisy environment, has a headache and takes them off. Perhaps worse, you also isolate him from most of the Deaf community. Tristan has no obvious Deaf friends, and he's never in a group where his Deafness is not a disability. When his sibling comes to his room at the end of a tiring day, Tristan can't take off his processors, relax, and talk in a Deaf person's most comfortable mode. He has to work (as he notes is always needed) to understand. (I grant you, there were outmoded ideas that letting Deaf kids with implants have the "easy out" of Sign would make them not focus on the spoken/heard language, so perhaps the parents got bad advice when he was a kid. But even now, to not add sign to his skills seems like an odd choice, for them and Tristan with his resolute independence.)

I otherwise loved Tristan's closeness to his sibs, and other family. I really liked his driver as a second mother figure. I liked the way the romantic relationship worked out (but wasn't sold on the practical details of the HEA - too fast, and too optimistic of all the obstacles. These are very young men, Dominic in particular; I'd like to have seen them face the hurdles of an American and a Brit trying to create a household that satisfies both of them, and putting in more thought and work to make it a balanced future, perhaps including expecting some extended time apart navigating the immigration process).

Over all, I like this author's characters. The dialogue works, there's a touch of humor, and I like that the MCs are almost always part of a bigger world, not living in isolation.

[Carol (§CoverLoverGirl§) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cloud Nine (Nailed It! Book 2)

Tristan is one of the Carter Triplets from Book 1, he’s the youngest brother by minutes, to Maddie and The fabulous Frankie MC in Book 1.

Tristan has Cerebral Palsy which curtail his leg movements and he is also completely deaf. However he has a job he loves in a specialist Record Store, has some very good friends, Mungo and Milo, also featured in Book 1.

Now living in a luxury penthouse suite with Frankie and his Fiancé Lysander St Cloud, he is enjoying the extra amenities, namely the sports complex in their basement which boasts a pool and a hot tub.

It’s in the hot tub late at night that he has a very humiliating experience that has a huge impact that leaves him shaken. A man accuses him of being a pervert and throws insults at him.

After eventually getting back up to the penthouse to Frankie and Lysander he is further shocked when he is introduced to Lysander’s brother Dominic who has come over from US to intern at Cloud Ten, the family business.

Both Dominic and Tristan turn a whiter shade of pale as they recognise each other from the poolside half an hour ago.

*****************
I’ve been looking forward to reading this after I read Book 1, and I loved meeting all the secondary characters from there also, especially Mungo and Milo. I’m hoping they get their own book, maybe ‘Cloud White’ next in line, will be their story.

Tristan is such an adorable guy, and Dominic just needs to keep himself out of trouble, he has such potential.

Highly recommend this angst free read from Fearne Hill and look forward to end of June for Cloud White.

[Nelly S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars

”He kissed my forehead again, and then once more, just because he could, doing that eager puppy thing, wanting to play.”

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute read 🤗, the book was over before I knew it.

[Kazza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pre reading:That cover is eye-catchingly beautiful. Look forward to the story.

Post reading: For whatever reason, Goodreads wouldn't allow my original review to be posted so I'll just say here that this has the best disability rep of any romance book I've ever read. More can be found on the blog when I put the review up properly there later on.

Just some quotes for you.

I’d watched plenty of movies; I’d read plenty of books. So I recognised the moment when the desire to ram my tongue into someone else’s mouth led to an urge to clamber all over their body. As a matter of fact, that urge hit me right now. Except, unlike in films, I had fluffy carpet, rugs, a doorstep, and a garden path to negotiate first, not forgetting the twin chores of settling myself in and out of a car. Plenty of time for Dominic to cool down and ask himself what the hell he thought he was doing. Plenty of time for me to calm down and rationalise, too. To gulp the clean night air and clear my head. To steel myself against rejection.

“Why can’t you ask Tristan to dance? Do you have two left feet or something?”
“As a matter of fact, yes, but that’s not the point. Tristan…”
“Don’t make assumptions,” she interrupted while I was still trying to come up with a polite way of alluding to Tristan’s physical disabilities. “Tristan dances when the mood takes him. We often have a little boogie in the back room of the shop when something good comes on. But I warn you—he’s had a glass of wine, so his balance might not be all that.”

Dominic starts this relationship journey with a HUGE bump in the road, being a twat to Tristan. However, he owns what he did and said and irrespective of those close to Tristan wanting a pound of flesh, Tristan decided it's up to him. He accepts Dominic's apology. No need for others to butt in.

“The only person Dominic owed an apology was me. He’s done that. And if I’d known he’d need a coat of armour on tonight before he came up to join us, I’d have told him to stay downstairs. So cut it out, you two.”
Wow, that was my voice. Milo’s mouth opened, then closed again. He wasn’t the only one taken aback. “I can fight my own battles, everyone,” I added, “but I appreciate the support.”

The romance arc was beautiful and visceral.

His guileless eyes—hazel again tonight—locked onto mine and held. The eyes of a twenty-one-year-old college boy with the world at his feet. Maybe this dance was another way to make up for his shitty past demeanours. And, in the process, unwittingly perpetrating multiple further crimes. Because as he shuffled next to me on that ragged carpet, Dominic St. Cloud stole each of my senses, one at a time, filling them up with only him. His dark handsomeness blinded my vision, his delicious scent pervaded my nostrils, his drawling accent melted my soul. The touch of his palm at my back rendered me weak.

A ribbon of desire vibrated through my core at the carefree silliness of it. This was a glimpse of the real Tristan, the private Tristan, the Tristan he only revealed to a few. Watching him wake up next to me, I reckoned I’d penetrated a layer deeper than anyone.

Perfect, sensitive contemporary romance. I highly recommend grabbing a copy. This can be read as a standalone if you'd like.
Blog review at-

[DJO · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this but had issues. I didn’t read book one—some of the reviews scared me off a bit—but this moves along just fine without having read that one. The story checked a lot of boxes—interesting premise, solid writing and pacing, nice hurt/comfort, and the CP rep was a first for me that I enjoyed very much. The romance, however, didn’t quite get there for me. I liked the MCs (with caveats in the case of Dom) but they never quite reached the level of “believable couple”.

Dom was so young, immature, self-absorbed, and reckless that I didn’t find it plausible for him to connect so intensely with someone with Tristan's challenges. It just didn’t compute. Also, I struggled big-time to let go of how badly Dom treated Tristan at the story’s outset. He was so incredibly cruel and I never really got past it. I didn’t understand his cruelty either. Here we have a guy that parties hard, loves sex, and by all appearances is extremely uninhibited. Why did he react so badly to finding out Tristan was at the pool and had seen him swim naked? He didn’t seem the type of guy to gaf that some random person had seen him in the buff. And as the story progressed and we got to know him better, he did not seem the kind of guy who would ever be that level of douche. Immature and impulsive, sure, but not an outright jackass. So all that terrible shit that went down at the story’s beginning ended up feeling very plot device-y.

My other big beef is that I didn't feel the MCs were on very solid ground at book's end. They're in much more of an HFN than HEA situation IMO. Dom's age and Tristan's challenges were some pretty big issues and I was side-eyeing the heck out of those last few pages.

Despite my beefs, the story had a lot going for it...but I don’t think I’ll be reading book three.

[Mina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fearne Hill is an insta read for me. However I couldn’t make myself read book 1 in this series as it has a deception storyline. With that being said this book was fine to read as a stand-alone. Despite all my niggles, I still liked it.

[Zuzu · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this so much! The writing and story were really good. Dominic and Tristan get off to a rocky start but it doesn’t take long for Tris to realize Dom isn’t the jerk appeared to be. Tristan has cerebral palsy and tries to live as independently as possible. Dominic is a spoiled college kid sent to London to stay with his older brother to chill after he makes a stupid mistake. These 2 were really sweet together. I didn’t read the first book in this series and it didn’t seem to affect my enjoyment.

ARC provided by GRR.

[Bekka · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25

Enjoyed this one a lot.
I found the portrayal of a twenty year old spoiled college brat trying to adapt to England and impress his older brother well done. I've also enjoyed Fearne Hills writing of sex scenes, here again a great level of intimacy and realism. Also the cars are always well picked :)

I wish we'd seen Dominic on the work site more and learning more cockney rhyming slang but in general great pacing imo and I always love characters commenting on cultural differences :)

tags: bullying, ableism, Deaf MC with cerebral palsy, labrador MC, airport scene (coming full-circle in place of meeting romcom like scene)

Quotes

"Yep, I'd become best buddies with a fucking Labrador puppy." (p. 9)

"Can we dance, Tristan? Like, right now? I mean, do you dance? Would you like to dance... with me? Is your dance card full? Is there room for my name on it? (p. 136)

"He kissed my forehead again, and then once more, just because he could, doing that eager-puppy thing, wanting to play." (p. 178)

NSFW infos:
- younger MC (20, rather American, nipple piercing, tops)
- older MC (26, British, Deaf (cochlear implants from a young age), cerebral palsy, virgin, bottoms)
- slowburn enemy-ish to friends to lovers
- snugglefuck
- teasered docking that doesn't happen

Nickname:
Tristan -> Tris

[Kirsten · Rating 2 out of 5]

Can you trust the CP rep
When the voices are so wrong?
Did he love Tris or his dong?
Not ready for the next step.

[Zofia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a sweet story and a realistic (I think) portrayal of life with a disability. I didn't quite buy into the insta-love and intimate scenes read somewhat forced for me. There was lots of decorative language like "gorgeous cock" or "gloriously erupted" etc, which didn't quite work in the context. Still, the narration, the British feel and the overall story were enjoyable so I'm going with 3,5 stars, rounded up.

[Xanthe · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a thoroughly enjoyable read this was! I'm a huge fan of Fearne's Rossingly series but I feel like Cloud Nine has stepped up a level. The characters are so well written, especially Tristan. I love the redemption arc for Dominic after a truly dreadful start to his introductions to Tristan and his brother, Frankie.
Now, Dominic definitely comes across as the true Cali, rich, privileged young man he is and clearly hasn't learnt anything from the drama that caused him to be sent away to London from college in California when he has a full on rant to his future brother-in-law about the weirdo he met at the swimming pool. Of course, how was he to know that Tristan, his other future brother-in-law, is that weirdo who jut happens to be deaf and has cerebral palsy. Oh the humiliation and guilt, all of which he knows he deserves to feel. Full props to him, he's not afraid to apologise and he follows his brother's advice to step up, put some effort into his mini internship at the family company, and make right with Tristan. I don't think he meant for the two men to go quite as far as they do!
Tristan's character has me just wanting to hug the man, gently of course. He's so strong, honest and shows how far he has come in accepting his disability and differences to his siblings. There are the highs and lows of physical and emotional pain as well as interacting with friends, family and strangers. It's infuriating what people think they can get away with saying to people just because they are different to what you think of as normal, or that they think you need their help just because you have to do things differently.
The evolving relationship between Tristan and Dominic is endearingly sweet and I fell in love with them as they did with each other. It's a wonderfully told romance that brings all of the emotion. Together and individually, they experience happiness and pain, romance and loneliness. I have to say, my favourite thing overall about this book, is the disability representation that Fearne has given to Tristan's character. Often a secondary character or distant relation, it's so good to show and explore what he does and has been through, and what it means for a relationship. Cannot recommend enough.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.

[Kel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the books that when one is doing something else, one is always thinking "I have to get back to reading". At least, this is what happened to me. Fearne Hill is an underrated gem, and I loved all her books, since the first book in the Rossingley series.

However, I have a little niggle with this one. The abrupt ending. I'd love to read about the Tristan's siblings and friends reactions. And also basically, what the other reviewer Dani(ela) said. This looks more to be a HFN then a HEA. Dom is only 21. He has the frat parties and college to occupy him. What will Tristan do? Twiddle his thumbs? He has no family and support in So-Cal except for Dom. One can't get a work visa as easily as that. Or maybe Cloud Industries has offices in USA and can sponsor him to work.

I do hope in the next book, they will be featured. Maybe Dom can obtain a college transfer to UK. Fingers crossed. I'd love to see more of them.

[rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

**3.5 stars**

Huh, okay. I'm anything but sure how to rate this book right now.

Because while I really liked Tristan, I was never really a fan of Dominic. And that has absolutely nothing to do with his faux-pas. I just couldn't fully get on with him.

Also, the plot was a bit too "one way or the other". Some parts of the plot were great and really nice, others were a bit boring and maybe even a bit unnecessary.
What I mean by that is that the start of the story was really good, but the rest was a bit mediocre, apart from a few isolated passages.

The relationship between Tristan and Dominic was sweet, but it never really felt authentic. At least for me. The relationship was really fun sweet in parts, especially Tristan getting sarcastic when Dominic had put his foot in his mouth again, but otherwise the relationship didn't really stand out.

Despite everything, I liked the book, but I think I expected more.

[Caz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've given this a B+ at AAR, 4.5 stars.

Fearne Hill continues her Nailed It! series with Cloud Nine, in which the protagonists are the two younger brothers of Frankie and Lysander from the previous book, Cloud Ten. I admit that I find books/series where sets of siblings fall for each other a bit… contrived, but I enjoy Ms. Hill’s work and know I can rely on her for an entertaining read loaded with depth, humour and well-developed characters, so I waved that minor niggle aside and dove in.

Tristan Carter is the youngest of the Carter triplets. He’s Deaf (he uses cochlear implants and hearing aids) and has cerebral palsy (CP - a group of disorders which affect muscle development and motor function), but he’s worked hard not to let those things define him and to be as independent as possible. He still lives with Frankie – although now it’s in Lysander’s swanky penhouse apartment where Tristan has his own suite – and works in the same record shop, where he’s gained quite the bunch of fans due to his musical knowledge and his dry sense of humour. His family and friends adore him and are fiercely protective of him, although they all know not to treat him with kid gloves – he can be every bit as prickly and caustic as his brother when he wants to be.

Dominic St. Cloud is ten years younger than Lysander and is, when we meet him, a total dick. He’s a spoiled, entitled rich-kid-frat-boy who has been shipped off to England to do an internship at the family construction company after doing some seriously dumb shit that had the potential to cause a massive scandal at home in the US. All he really wants is for his dad’s lawyers to make it all go away so he can go home and back to college to finish his degree and return to his partying lifestyle, but in the meantime, he might as well intern at Cloud Ten as anywhere; it might not be his first choice, but at least it’s cut out the need for applications and schmoozing and interviews… and he gets to live in a nice apartment rather than being stuck in a hotel room, so – win.

Tristan likes using the hot tub in the sports complex in the basement of the apartment building – the heat eases his tight muscles and relieves his pain – but he tends to go there late at night because he doesn’t want Frankie fussing over him. It’s awkward, but he can manage to get himself in and out, and he likes having the time to himself. On this particular evening however, he’s not alone; part way through his soak, a guy he doesn’t know comes in and dives – completely naked – in to the pool. Tristan can’t get out of the tub quickly so instead he dips down as low as he can go, not wanting whoever is in the pool to think he’s being perved on by some creep. But Tristan is making moves to get out when suddenly the guy is in his face yelling at him. Tristan can’t hear – he’s taken out his hearing aids to save them getting wet – and he tries telling the man he’s deaf, but he continues to yell, then sweeps Tristan’s clothes onto the wet floor before stalking out.

No prizes for working out who the arsehole is. But neither Tristan nor Dominic find out until the next evening when Dominic arrives for dinner at Lysander and Frankie’s apartment and tells them about the weird loser skulking in the hot tub who’d said he couldn’t hear. Needless to say, his welcome quickly evaporates and Lysander asks him to leave.

So yes, Tristan and Dominic don’t get off to the best of starts. Dominic really is awful to Tristan and says some horrible things to and about him, and it’s hard to see how the author is going to redeem him and turn him into a suitable love interest. But she does it incredibly well, showing Dominic growing as a person, facing up to his shortcomings, taking responsibility for his actions and showing he can think and act like an adult.

Lysander comes up with the idea of Dominic taking over as Tristan’s driver for the couple of weeks his regular one is away – and while Tristan at first preserves a degree of frostiness and distance – completely understandably – he soon begins to see that Dom isn’t a bad person; he’s just someone to whom everything has always come easily, who has got away with selfish, immature behaviour for years, and never had to face up to his own mistakes. Dominic’s initial behaviour towards Tristan is just another instance of that, but this time, he can’t get away from the consequences, and that forces him to confront his behaviour – towards Tristan and towards others – and to realise how awful he’s been. And the thing is, he’s genuinely contrite; he decides he needs to do better, he sets about doing it, and we get to see it all on the page as he takes on board the disappointment he’s been to his family and friends, his self-disgust at his behaviour – not only to Tristan, but to others, too – and how he works hard to turn things around and earn forgiveness.

Once again, the construction firm has a role to play in the story, and here, I liked that Dom ends up working on a building site and making friends with some of the guys on the crew. He realises how cushy those at the top have it, and decides that, far from being a kind of stepping stone to something else, he really wants to take his seat on the board of Cloud Ten and has plans to make things better for their employees on the ground.

Dominic’s character growth is incredible and superbly written, but Tristan is the beating heart of Cloud Nine. His PoV is sharper, and his condition is written about sensitively and knowledgeably (the author is a medical professional) – and the mobility issues he lives with are not at all sugar-coated. It’s clear that he faces difficulties every day that the able bodied people around him don’t have to even think about, but he’s not a martyr to his CP – it’s just part of who he is – and I loved watching his confidence grow as he realises that Dominic finds him attractive regardless of his physical imperfections. Dominic is a bit unsure around him at first – not wanting to do things for him without being asked, but not liking to watch him struggle, and being afraid of saying or doing the wrong thing – but he always sees beyond Tristan’s condition and values him for who he is. Their eventual romantic (and sexual) relationship needs a few awkward but necessary conversations to start with, but this aspect of the story is well done, with a realistic mix of generosity, anxiety and patience on both sides. But in the background of their new-found happiness is the shadow of Dominic’s return to the US – which was always on the cards, so they determine to keep things light and casual and have both held back from saying things they might regret. That doesn’t mean it won’t hurt like hell when Dominic leaves.

I did wonder if maybe Tristan forgives Dominic too quickly, but then I liked the contrast between his willingness to build bridges and the lingering outrage of his siblings and family on his behalf – and honestly, once the two of them start to feel comfortable around each other and the sparks start flying between them, they’re so cute together that I decided it didn’t bother me. In fact, I was far more bothered by the fact that Lysander thought it was a good idea to send Dominic, who’s never driven on the left and had no idea of London’s geography, out into London traffic to drive Tristan around! If I had to pick one thing about this book that stretched my credulity too far, it would be that!

Cloud Nine is another terrific read from this talented author, a lovely slow-burn romance with a wonderful redemption arc featuring two complex, three-dimensional leads and a nicely-rounded secondary cast. I’m really looking forward to the next book in the series.