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When He Saved Me
He was the savior I never knew I needed…
Jamie
The moment I laid eyes on him, I was captivated. I wanted to know everything about the guy with the soulful eyes and broody exterior. He throws up walls at every turn, but I can be patient. The more I get to know him, the more I want to help him see how beautiful life is once you truly choose to live it. Can I convince him that love is worth opening yourself up for?
Finn
Invisible nearly all of my life, I was living a shell of an existence. Work. Eat. Sleep. Repeat. Then Jamie walks in with his shiny, pretty-boy exterior and the heart of a golden retriever. He doesn’t understand my life, but that doesn’t stop him from trying, and next thing I know, I’m opening up to him in ways I never have with anyone. But when tragedy strikes and roles are reversed, Jamie loses his shine.
He saved me from a life devoid of color. Can I do the same for him?
When He Saved Me is an emotional new adult romance featuring a broody barista and a sunshiney college student navigating love and loss and comes with a guaranteed HEA. This standalone deals with heavy themes of grief.
Jamie
The moment I laid eyes on him, I was captivated. I wanted to know everything about the guy with the soulful eyes and broody exterior. He throws up walls at every turn, but I can be patient. The more I get to know him, the more I want to help him see how beautiful life is once you truly choose to live it. Can I convince him that love is worth opening yourself up for?
Finn
Invisible nearly all of my life, I was living a shell of an existence. Work. Eat. Sleep. Repeat. Then Jamie walks in with his shiny, pretty-boy exterior and the heart of a golden retriever. He doesn’t understand my life, but that doesn’t stop him from trying, and next thing I know, I’m opening up to him in ways I never have with anyone. But when tragedy strikes and roles are reversed, Jamie loses his shine.
He saved me from a life devoid of color. Can I do the same for him?
When He Saved Me is an emotional new adult romance featuring a broody barista and a sunshiney college student navigating love and loss and comes with a guaranteed HEA. This standalone deals with heavy themes of grief.
322 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 18, 2023
132 people are currently reading
459 people want to read
About the author
Melody Claire
7 books86 followersMelody Claire writes emotional contemporary MM romance stories with moderate heat and a whole lot of heart. She hails from Kansas City but resides in Omaha and loves setting her stories in the Midwest. She is married with two almost grown kiddos, a dog, and a kitty. By day, she teaches middle school, and by night can be found writing on her laptop or curled up with her kindle. She's addicted to Pink Drinks and the sound of her husband's laugh, and loves nothing more than to escape into a love story.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
July 24, 2023
What an incredible debut for Melody Claire! I think her way of writing is really special and beautiful.
This book was truly heartbreaking, but also brilliant and full of hope.
I'm not someone who particularly loves flashbacks in a novel, but here I really appreciated how it was done. They were short, which I really liked, and most importantly, it allowed us to see how completely different Finn and Jamie's childhoods were... It’s easy to see how they came to be the way they are.
When we first meet Finn, he's a very broody young man, who's used to pushing everyone away, and would definitely rather be alone and numb than feel too much emotion… ❤️🩹
"The point is, when I look at Finn-he's the guy I'm interested in--he has that same look in his eye. He's grumpy and prickly and snarky, but I think it's just a front. I think, inside, he's scared."
And on the other side we have Jamie, who is full of life, a happy-go-lucky, and one of the most confident and optimistic character I've ever seen! ☀️
I'd never met anyone like him. Someone who was truly the best of humanity.
He had a goodness inside of him that drew people in, that made us all want to be better.
From the first time he sees him Jamie is instantly attracted to Finn, but unfortunately for him it's not quite reciprocated.
Perhaps that was why I continued to pursue Finn. One might have argued that life was too short to waste chasing someone who didn't want you. But I would argue that this wasn't about the chase, not really. This was about seeking a connection with someone who you knew absolutely deep in your core would fundamentally change you for the better.
He had to work very hard to win him over, get him to let his guard down and finally teach him how to learn to trust and open his heart.
"Maybe I've spent too much of my life playing it safe, hiding in the shadows, avoiding conflict." His hands came up to rest on the nape of my neck, their heat scorching my skin. I forgot to breathe as he leaned in closer, his lips nearly brushing against mine. "Maybe I need you to show me what it's like to take a risk. Push me, Jamie."
At a certain point in the book, something happens that causes the roles to reverse. Although it was very painful for me, I found this change interesting and very realistic given the situation. And that just made the ending even more wonderful in my opinion!
I also loved all the secondary characters (except for a few I won't name, they're easy enough to recognize) but in particular I adored Jamie's mom and Finn's best friend Carmen! They were amazing. 🥰🥰
Despite everything I loved about this book, it's still the love story between Finn and Jamie that I adore the most. They had to overcome so much to get their happy ending. It's really obvious how much they love each other. 💙💙💙💙
It was a settling of souls, a recognition of completeness, wholeness. The threads of our souls had been braided together into something stronger and more beautiful.
Obviously in this review I'm trying to be careful about what I can and can't say so as not to reveal too much, which makes it a bit complicated…
I also just wanted to take the time to say that I find it incredibly moving that the author went through a similar situation and managed to write such a wonderful book in spite of it all...
I don't think my review does the book justice at all, but if it wasn't clear enough, I highly recommend it!
⚠️ Nothing too shocking, but we're dealing with some pretty serious issues, so if you think you need it, check the TW please.
🔹 New Adult
🔹 Hurt/Comfort
🔹 Grumpy/Sunshine
🔹 Found Family
🔹 Slow Burn
This book was truly heartbreaking, but also brilliant and full of hope.
I'm not someone who particularly loves flashbacks in a novel, but here I really appreciated how it was done. They were short, which I really liked, and most importantly, it allowed us to see how completely different Finn and Jamie's childhoods were... It’s easy to see how they came to be the way they are.
When we first meet Finn, he's a very broody young man, who's used to pushing everyone away, and would definitely rather be alone and numb than feel too much emotion… ❤️🩹
"The point is, when I look at Finn-he's the guy I'm interested in--he has that same look in his eye. He's grumpy and prickly and snarky, but I think it's just a front. I think, inside, he's scared."
And on the other side we have Jamie, who is full of life, a happy-go-lucky, and one of the most confident and optimistic character I've ever seen! ☀️
I'd never met anyone like him. Someone who was truly the best of humanity.
He had a goodness inside of him that drew people in, that made us all want to be better.
From the first time he sees him Jamie is instantly attracted to Finn, but unfortunately for him it's not quite reciprocated.
Perhaps that was why I continued to pursue Finn. One might have argued that life was too short to waste chasing someone who didn't want you. But I would argue that this wasn't about the chase, not really. This was about seeking a connection with someone who you knew absolutely deep in your core would fundamentally change you for the better.
He had to work very hard to win him over, get him to let his guard down and finally teach him how to learn to trust and open his heart.
"Maybe I've spent too much of my life playing it safe, hiding in the shadows, avoiding conflict." His hands came up to rest on the nape of my neck, their heat scorching my skin. I forgot to breathe as he leaned in closer, his lips nearly brushing against mine. "Maybe I need you to show me what it's like to take a risk. Push me, Jamie."
At a certain point in the book, something happens that causes the roles to reverse. Although it was very painful for me, I found this change interesting and very realistic given the situation. And that just made the ending even more wonderful in my opinion!
I also loved all the secondary characters (except for a few I won't name, they're easy enough to recognize) but in particular I adored Jamie's mom and Finn's best friend Carmen! They were amazing. 🥰🥰
Despite everything I loved about this book, it's still the love story between Finn and Jamie that I adore the most. They had to overcome so much to get their happy ending. It's really obvious how much they love each other. 💙💙💙💙
It was a settling of souls, a recognition of completeness, wholeness. The threads of our souls had been braided together into something stronger and more beautiful.
Obviously in this review I'm trying to be careful about what I can and can't say so as not to reveal too much, which makes it a bit complicated…
I also just wanted to take the time to say that I find it incredibly moving that the author went through a similar situation and managed to write such a wonderful book in spite of it all...
I don't think my review does the book justice at all, but if it wasn't clear enough, I highly recommend it!
⚠️ Nothing too shocking, but we're dealing with some pretty serious issues, so if you think you need it, check the TW please.
🔹 New Adult
🔹 Hurt/Comfort
🔹 Grumpy/Sunshine
🔹 Found Family
🔹 Slow Burn
August 1, 2023
God damm it Melody!!! Why you gotta do me like that!!! I’m not a crier, but my god did I sob!! What a beautiful debut story. I love finding new authors that produce such a gem of a book.
This was a heartbreakingly beautiful story of child hood trauma, grief, making memories, healing, learning to love and a rollercoaster of emotions.
Jamie was a vibrant, happy young man, his positivity and joy rolled off him, he was a patient caregiver, but under all that he was also a young man helping to care for his sick mother. One intense look with the barista serving him, had him curious and drawn to this guy who didn’t want to give him the time of day. He knew somewhere inside him that this grumpy guy was hiding something and he was determined to try and understand him.
Finn had a crappy upbringing and he learnt the hard way that showing any kind of emotion didn’t get him anywhere so he locked them up never to come out again. Then Jamie come into his life and slowly started to show him the life he was missing, he opened him up to love and family, and between Jamie and his mother they showed Finn that surrounding yourself with good people was an amazing thing.
Jamie and Finn both had similar but also very different childhoods, these two boys both ended up feeling broken, they learned to lean on each other but what happens when neither of them are capable of fixing each other. This book was full of beautiful words that flowed off the pages into my cold heart and gave me all the feels. I will always love a book that has mental health rep. I can’t wait to read more by Melody.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Trigger warning in the book
💙Hurt/Comfort
💙New Adult/College
💙Grumpy/Sunshine
💙Slow Burn
💙Feeling all the feels
This was a heartbreakingly beautiful story of child hood trauma, grief, making memories, healing, learning to love and a rollercoaster of emotions.
Jamie was a vibrant, happy young man, his positivity and joy rolled off him, he was a patient caregiver, but under all that he was also a young man helping to care for his sick mother. One intense look with the barista serving him, had him curious and drawn to this guy who didn’t want to give him the time of day. He knew somewhere inside him that this grumpy guy was hiding something and he was determined to try and understand him.
Finn had a crappy upbringing and he learnt the hard way that showing any kind of emotion didn’t get him anywhere so he locked them up never to come out again. Then Jamie come into his life and slowly started to show him the life he was missing, he opened him up to love and family, and between Jamie and his mother they showed Finn that surrounding yourself with good people was an amazing thing.
Jamie and Finn both had similar but also very different childhoods, these two boys both ended up feeling broken, they learned to lean on each other but what happens when neither of them are capable of fixing each other. This book was full of beautiful words that flowed off the pages into my cold heart and gave me all the feels. I will always love a book that has mental health rep. I can’t wait to read more by Melody.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Trigger warning in the book
💙Hurt/Comfort
💙New Adult/College
💙Grumpy/Sunshine
💙Slow Burn
💙Feeling all the feels
July 8, 2023
I really enjoyed Melody Claire's debut MM romance book, When He Saved Me. The story of Jamie and Finn's journey to their happy ending was beautiful. It took me on an emotional rollercoaster, I actually cried at one point. I always feel that if a story can get a real emotion out of me, such as tears, out loud laughs, heartache, swoony etc...then the story is really good. This book gave me all those feels and more and had such wonderful characters. I loved Jaimie and Finn, but I also adored Annie. She was just an amazing, lovable character. The story had good depth and loved the writing style, which kept me interested. Definitely recommend reading this and look forward to future books from this new author!
**Read Trigger Warnings**
**Read Trigger Warnings**
December 14, 2023
This book did make me tear up and that usually gives a bit of leniency but there were several things that kept this from being a solid read.
There were two overarching issues:
There was far too much internal dialogue and it became repetitive. (The set up between the MCs took far too long with barely anything happening other than their regular daily lives.)
There was also an excessive amount of obscure and pointless detail about things that literally didn’t matter to character development, plot progression and lacked interest. Just too many words. (Meanwhile, everything that happened the month following the big “event” was entirely glossed over.)
I also have a few wishes:
I wish the two MCs had been together longer before the big “event” occurred.
I wish the big “event” would’ve happened sooner in the book.
I wish the MCs would’ve been apart longer following the big event.
I feel like these three things, along with less internal dialogue and much fewer extraneous details would’ve given this debut novel so much more emotional depth, a deeper longing between the MCs and made the resolution more impactful.
All of the elements are there and there were several moments and scenes that were so wonderful. It just had so much extra stuff that distracted from the core of the story. It also made it feel like a long read.
That being said, I found all of the characters wonderful! I loved the connection between Jamie and Finn! They were steamy and dreamy! The compassion and patience between was so sweet!
There were two overarching issues:
There was far too much internal dialogue and it became repetitive. (The set up between the MCs took far too long with barely anything happening other than their regular daily lives.)
There was also an excessive amount of obscure and pointless detail about things that literally didn’t matter to character development, plot progression and lacked interest. Just too many words. (Meanwhile, everything that happened the month following the big “event” was entirely glossed over.)
I also have a few wishes:
I wish the two MCs had been together longer before the big “event” occurred.
I wish the big “event” would’ve happened sooner in the book.
I wish the MCs would’ve been apart longer following the big event.
I feel like these three things, along with less internal dialogue and much fewer extraneous details would’ve given this debut novel so much more emotional depth, a deeper longing between the MCs and made the resolution more impactful.
All of the elements are there and there were several moments and scenes that were so wonderful. It just had so much extra stuff that distracted from the core of the story. It also made it feel like a long read.
That being said, I found all of the characters wonderful! I loved the connection between Jamie and Finn! They were steamy and dreamy! The compassion and patience between was so sweet!
July 10, 2024
This was a sweet debut that felt like a big warm hug at times.
There was some dialogue and scenes that were a bit clunky and needed finessing, and the first half of the book was stronger than the second half... but authors need to start somewhere right?
Overall, it was a tender story of the joy of finding love and the pain of losing a loved one.
There was some dialogue and scenes that were a bit clunky and needed finessing, and the first half of the book was stronger than the second half... but authors need to start somewhere right?
Overall, it was a tender story of the joy of finding love and the pain of losing a loved one.
July 21, 2023
I have never read something of her and I really liked the book. Finn and Jamie come from a very different upbringing and both have their own history, together they conquer the ups and downs life brings. Though the beginning of their relationship felt rushed, the author excelled at showing the fine lines of coping hard times as a couple. I can highly recommend this book.
July 17, 2023
In Finn’s head, he’ll never find a forever, he doesn’t need it, doesn’t want it. Uhuhh.
Jamie saw things in Finn’s eyes and wanted to soothe him if only Finn let him.
A story about two guys in their early twenties who needed each other without knowing how much.
Finn isolated himself from every encounter after he was thrown out by his icing-cold parents.
Very carefully he opened up to Jamie.
Jamie himself has a sweet caring mother who has cancer. She took Finn under her warm wings.
It’s a bittersweet story, wonderfully written, quite emotional, and with a sweet romance.
A loved both Finn and Jamie. There are a few precious, protective, and supportive side characters who need a spotlight on them.
Jamie saw things in Finn’s eyes and wanted to soothe him if only Finn let him.
A story about two guys in their early twenties who needed each other without knowing how much.
Finn isolated himself from every encounter after he was thrown out by his icing-cold parents.
Very carefully he opened up to Jamie.
Jamie himself has a sweet caring mother who has cancer. She took Finn under her warm wings.
It’s a bittersweet story, wonderfully written, quite emotional, and with a sweet romance.
A loved both Finn and Jamie. There are a few precious, protective, and supportive side characters who need a spotlight on them.
August 26, 2023
This is a debut book?! I had no idea until after I read it. It is absolutely gorgeous and emotional. Going right onto my favorites list!
If you like emotional connections between your MCs like I do - well, just read this book. I adored it and read it in one day. Sorry Saturday afternoon chores - you are just going to have to wait because Finn and Jamie needed me!
And bonus points for me - it’s set in the KCMO area and that’s where I grew up!
If you like emotional connections between your MCs like I do - well, just read this book. I adored it and read it in one day. Sorry Saturday afternoon chores - you are just going to have to wait because Finn and Jamie needed me!
And bonus points for me - it’s set in the KCMO area and that’s where I grew up!
July 26, 2023
***ARC Review***
This is my honest review for the ARC I received.
Melody Claire is a new author! I thought this was a touching book that shows how two young men come together during difficult circumstances in their lives. (This book has some trigger warnings, so pay attention to those).
Finn isn’t really into relationships. He comes from an affluent lifestyle, but has been on his own since he was 18 years old. Finn has issues with his parents. They aren’t accepting of his sexuality. Finn is not a fan of people (he’s kind of a grump) and is slow to trust/let someone in. Carmen is the only person that he is remotely close to. He’s great at playing the piano, though.
Jamie is a college student looking to become an English teacher. Jamie meets Finn at the coffee shop Finn works at, called The Daily Grind. Jamie is taken with Finn right away. Finn takes a bit longer to warm up to him. Jamie is a warm and open individual. Jamie’s mom has some health issues. He’s already experienced the loss of one parent in regards to his father.
Finn and Jamie have some sweet moments of vulnerability between them. I liked seeing Finn open up to Jamie more and more each time they hung out. I also enjoyed seeing Jamie bring Finn into the fold with his mom, Aunt Cathy, and her family. (Jamie’s mom really is a special lady).
There’s a good amount of heat in this novel and plenty of heartfelt moments as well. Chapter 31 in particular really had me in the feels. There is a turn of events that test Finn and Jamie’s relationship. Finn has to be the one to hold things together for a while. That said, the pair manage to overcome the recent conflict in their lives and achieve an HEA.
The epilogue is cathartic, yet sweet. I appreciated the mental health representation in this novel. I will read more by this author in the future!
This is my honest review for the ARC I received.
Melody Claire is a new author! I thought this was a touching book that shows how two young men come together during difficult circumstances in their lives. (This book has some trigger warnings, so pay attention to those).
Finn isn’t really into relationships. He comes from an affluent lifestyle, but has been on his own since he was 18 years old. Finn has issues with his parents. They aren’t accepting of his sexuality. Finn is not a fan of people (he’s kind of a grump) and is slow to trust/let someone in. Carmen is the only person that he is remotely close to. He’s great at playing the piano, though.
Jamie is a college student looking to become an English teacher. Jamie meets Finn at the coffee shop Finn works at, called The Daily Grind. Jamie is taken with Finn right away. Finn takes a bit longer to warm up to him. Jamie is a warm and open individual. Jamie’s mom has some health issues. He’s already experienced the loss of one parent in regards to his father.
Finn and Jamie have some sweet moments of vulnerability between them. I liked seeing Finn open up to Jamie more and more each time they hung out. I also enjoyed seeing Jamie bring Finn into the fold with his mom, Aunt Cathy, and her family. (Jamie’s mom really is a special lady).
There’s a good amount of heat in this novel and plenty of heartfelt moments as well. Chapter 31 in particular really had me in the feels. There is a turn of events that test Finn and Jamie’s relationship. Finn has to be the one to hold things together for a while. That said, the pair manage to overcome the recent conflict in their lives and achieve an HEA.
The epilogue is cathartic, yet sweet. I appreciated the mental health representation in this novel. I will read more by this author in the future!
July 10, 2023
Finn is a an introvert creative, who is rejected by his family but managed to stand on his feet. My heart broke for him throughout the story. Coming from money but surviving on his own very young. He was a multi-layered character.
Jamie is literal sunshine, a sweet guy. He was dealing with loss of a parent and sickness of other and he still managed to be a kind, compassionate, happy guy. He was really patient with Finn, which was exactly what he needed. And probably made everyone fall in love with him while reading.
The story is sweet and heartbreaking at the same time. For both characters dealing with trauma and life while trying to navigate through this new relationship so it made story interesting because they had lived outside the relationship.
Jamie is dealing with his mom's illness while shuffling through university. Finn has been alone for so long, abandoned by family, he built walls around him. But Jamie manages to wear him down by being persistent and patient.
Both Jamie and Finn were deep, well-written characters along with side characters so it made story multi-dimensional and more captive. I loved how Jamie's mom kinda adopted Finn.
I wasn't fan of flashback chapters that didn't bring much to main story. Those could have rather blended into the dialogues maybe. Also the details of sex with exes, not a fan of reading MCs with other people.
Probably an unpopular opinion, Carmen. I know she is perfect friend and Finn's biggest support in past and now but I couldn't connect with her. She was there too much in the beginning and she disappeared abruptly in second half. Also, Finn constantly bringing her up in every intimate conversation with Jamie in the beginning annoyed me a bit.
Overall it's a sweet read, debut book of the author which seems pretty solid to me. Both characters and the main story were detailed and well developed. I will be following for the next books for sure. 🤞🏻
I have received a complimentary copy of the book for ARC review to give my honest opinion on book. It will be released on July 18!
Jamie is literal sunshine, a sweet guy. He was dealing with loss of a parent and sickness of other and he still managed to be a kind, compassionate, happy guy. He was really patient with Finn, which was exactly what he needed. And probably made everyone fall in love with him while reading.
The story is sweet and heartbreaking at the same time. For both characters dealing with trauma and life while trying to navigate through this new relationship so it made story interesting because they had lived outside the relationship.
Jamie is dealing with his mom's illness while shuffling through university. Finn has been alone for so long, abandoned by family, he built walls around him. But Jamie manages to wear him down by being persistent and patient.
Both Jamie and Finn were deep, well-written characters along with side characters so it made story multi-dimensional and more captive. I loved how Jamie's mom kinda adopted Finn.
I wasn't fan of flashback chapters that didn't bring much to main story. Those could have rather blended into the dialogues maybe. Also the details of sex with exes, not a fan of reading MCs with other people.
Probably an unpopular opinion, Carmen. I know she is perfect friend and Finn's biggest support in past and now but I couldn't connect with her. She was there too much in the beginning and she disappeared abruptly in second half. Also, Finn constantly bringing her up in every intimate conversation with Jamie in the beginning annoyed me a bit.
Overall it's a sweet read, debut book of the author which seems pretty solid to me. Both characters and the main story were detailed and well developed. I will be following for the next books for sure. 🤞🏻
I have received a complimentary copy of the book for ARC review to give my honest opinion on book. It will be released on July 18!
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July 26, 2023When He Saved Me is Melody Claire’s debut novel and it follows the story of Jamie and Finn. Jamie and Finn have that grumpy/sunshine dynamic which is one of my all time favorite tropes. I thought the way Jamie and Finn first meet, with Finn initially rejecting Jamie was an interesting meet cute or maybe more so of a meet ugly lol. I feel like most romance books make the meeting of the two main characters something grand but sometimes it’s as simple as seeing someone you think is attractive and shooting your shot which is exactly what Jamie did!
The writing itself unfortunately did not work for me which is why this is no rating. For a debut novel I thought this was good and I definitely think Melody has a lot of promise for this genre. The internal monologues just felt a bit too long and the slow burn was too slow for me which made the book feel dragged out.
I received an arc and this is my honest review.
The writing itself unfortunately did not work for me which is why this is no rating. For a debut novel I thought this was good and I definitely think Melody has a lot of promise for this genre. The internal monologues just felt a bit too long and the slow burn was too slow for me which made the book feel dragged out.
I received an arc and this is my honest review.
August 7, 2023
3/5 stars
I think there was definitely more internal monologue than I wanted. But it gets a star for making me cry.
I think there was definitely more internal monologue than I wanted. But it gets a star for making me cry.
July 10, 2023
☕️ARC Review ☕️
'I could feel his love in the way he held me while we slept. In the way he listened to me when I spoke. In the way he kept showing up, even when I made it difficult. I’d never met anyone like him. Someone who was truly the best of humanity.'
I just finished reading an arc of When He Saved Me, the fabulous debut novel from Melody Claire.
This one is a highly emotional read, and it's handled so well and realistically by a new author. Have your tissues ready!
We meet Finn, a 22-year-old barista by day, a piano lounge player by night, and a writer with no direction.
Finn comes from extreme wealth but spent his youth ignored by careless parents, who abandoned and cut him off at 18 because of his sexuality and not following their rules.
Finn is, unsurprisingly, closed off to all but his best friend Carmen, who is a wonderful character. We all need a BFF like Carmen 😍
Jamie, a sunshiney college student, looks on the bright side of life. He meets Finn at the coffee shop and is instantly drawn to him. Calling in each day and not accepting Finn's refusal of a date.
Despite his reluctance, Finn is intrigued by Jamie, and when they randomly meet, he decides to stop hiding and agrees to a date.
From there, we see Finn open up. I love seeing their relationship develop. The love these two have for each other is just beautiful.
However, Jamie lost his father at a young age, and his mother, Annie, is extremely ill with cancer.
Annie is just wonderful, and I loved her relationship with Finn. Seeing Finn get the chance to experience a loving mother was just beautiful and heart-wrenching. This young man had been so mistreated.
Unfortunately, as Annie's health deteriorates, they have to face up to the grief of losing her. There were some really heartbreaking moments in this book, and my heart hurt for both of these beautiful guys.
My only quibble would be the ending felt slightly rushed. The boys hit a bad patch, and whilst it's resolved quickly, the ending felt very much like a HFN rather than a complete HEA, particularly as the epilogue felt more melancholy than happy and loving.
However, there is a bonus epilogue that takes us a little further into the future and feels more positive.
That could have been just me, and even despite that, I really loved these two characters. They most definitely belong together, and I'm so glad that I had the chance to read their story.
I definitely recommend this one. When He Saved Me releases on July 18th.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
'I could feel his love in the way he held me while we slept. In the way he listened to me when I spoke. In the way he kept showing up, even when I made it difficult. I’d never met anyone like him. Someone who was truly the best of humanity.'
I just finished reading an arc of When He Saved Me, the fabulous debut novel from Melody Claire.
This one is a highly emotional read, and it's handled so well and realistically by a new author. Have your tissues ready!
We meet Finn, a 22-year-old barista by day, a piano lounge player by night, and a writer with no direction.
Finn comes from extreme wealth but spent his youth ignored by careless parents, who abandoned and cut him off at 18 because of his sexuality and not following their rules.
Finn is, unsurprisingly, closed off to all but his best friend Carmen, who is a wonderful character. We all need a BFF like Carmen 😍
Jamie, a sunshiney college student, looks on the bright side of life. He meets Finn at the coffee shop and is instantly drawn to him. Calling in each day and not accepting Finn's refusal of a date.
Despite his reluctance, Finn is intrigued by Jamie, and when they randomly meet, he decides to stop hiding and agrees to a date.
From there, we see Finn open up. I love seeing their relationship develop. The love these two have for each other is just beautiful.
However, Jamie lost his father at a young age, and his mother, Annie, is extremely ill with cancer.
Annie is just wonderful, and I loved her relationship with Finn. Seeing Finn get the chance to experience a loving mother was just beautiful and heart-wrenching. This young man had been so mistreated.
Unfortunately, as Annie's health deteriorates, they have to face up to the grief of losing her. There were some really heartbreaking moments in this book, and my heart hurt for both of these beautiful guys.
My only quibble would be the ending felt slightly rushed. The boys hit a bad patch, and whilst it's resolved quickly, the ending felt very much like a HFN rather than a complete HEA, particularly as the epilogue felt more melancholy than happy and loving.
However, there is a bonus epilogue that takes us a little further into the future and feels more positive.
That could have been just me, and even despite that, I really loved these two characters. They most definitely belong together, and I'm so glad that I had the chance to read their story.
I definitely recommend this one. When He Saved Me releases on July 18th.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
July 26, 2023
“𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆 𝑰’𝒗𝒆 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐𝒐 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒕 𝒔𝒂𝒇𝒆, 𝒉𝒊𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒅𝒐𝒘𝒔, 𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒊𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒇𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒕.”𝑯𝒊𝒔 𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒄𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒖𝒑 𝒕𝒐 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒏𝒂𝒑𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒚 𝒏𝒆𝒄𝒌, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒕 𝒔𝒄𝒐𝒓𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒚 𝒔𝒌𝒊𝒏. 𝑰 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒈𝒐𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒔 𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒓, 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒑𝒔 𝒏𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒚 𝒃𝒓𝒖𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒕 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒆. “𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆 𝑰 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒎𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒕'𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒂 𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒌. 𝑷𝒖𝒔𝒉 𝒎𝒆, 𝑱𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒆.”
Melody Claire hit it out of the park with her debut novel!! When He Saved Me was such a sweet, beautiful story but heartbreaking and deeply moving. I experienced all of the emotions with this book. This story made me feel and feel deeply. I haven't gotten choked up in a while, but I definitely did reading this!
Finn came from money, but his parents were too involved in their lives & cared way too much about appearances to care for their child. He had a horrible upbringing that affected his adult life tremendously. This grouchy barista didn't do relationships, so when Jamie tries to get to know him & and asks him out, he flat out refuses.
Jamie, the exuberant, smiley cutie that wears his heart on his sleeve, sees something in Finn that he can't let go of. Jamie comes from wealth just like Finn, but their upbringing is much different. When Jamie and his family accept Finn, flaws, and all, he truly starts to see the love that he's missed out on all of his life. Finn received the kind of love that he never received but unknowingly needed from Jamie & his family. He learned how to give that love back in return. When the tables are turned and it's Jamie needing someone, Finn is there.
I truly enjoyed & appreciated the flashbacks into Jamie & Finn's past. I think it added to their story and showed insight into who they are as people now and what shaped them.
The tender moments were tender & some were heart-wrenching. The chemistry, love, sexual tension, and sexy times between these two were 🔥🔥🔥
As in real life, there are good times & bad.This story also deals with grief. The author does an amazing job showing how grief is not defined, a straight line, or the same for everyone. It shows how it can be different for each person walking that path.
This won't be the last time I pick up a Melody Claire book, and I can't wait to see what she brings us in the future. Honestly, my review isn't doing this book justice, so you just need to read it for yourself. It's written so beautifully.
"𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒑𝒊𝒆𝒄𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒊𝒎, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒉𝒊𝒎 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒑𝒊𝒆𝒄𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒆 𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒍 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒑𝒊𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒆𝒅 𝒖𝒔 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒏𝒆𝒘 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒇𝒖𝒍."
Melody Claire hit it out of the park with her debut novel!! When He Saved Me was such a sweet, beautiful story but heartbreaking and deeply moving. I experienced all of the emotions with this book. This story made me feel and feel deeply. I haven't gotten choked up in a while, but I definitely did reading this!
Finn came from money, but his parents were too involved in their lives & cared way too much about appearances to care for their child. He had a horrible upbringing that affected his adult life tremendously. This grouchy barista didn't do relationships, so when Jamie tries to get to know him & and asks him out, he flat out refuses.
Jamie, the exuberant, smiley cutie that wears his heart on his sleeve, sees something in Finn that he can't let go of. Jamie comes from wealth just like Finn, but their upbringing is much different. When Jamie and his family accept Finn, flaws, and all, he truly starts to see the love that he's missed out on all of his life. Finn received the kind of love that he never received but unknowingly needed from Jamie & his family. He learned how to give that love back in return. When the tables are turned and it's Jamie needing someone, Finn is there.
I truly enjoyed & appreciated the flashbacks into Jamie & Finn's past. I think it added to their story and showed insight into who they are as people now and what shaped them.
The tender moments were tender & some were heart-wrenching. The chemistry, love, sexual tension, and sexy times between these two were 🔥🔥🔥
As in real life, there are good times & bad.This story also deals with grief. The author does an amazing job showing how grief is not defined, a straight line, or the same for everyone. It shows how it can be different for each person walking that path.
This won't be the last time I pick up a Melody Claire book, and I can't wait to see what she brings us in the future. Honestly, my review isn't doing this book justice, so you just need to read it for yourself. It's written so beautifully.
"𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒑𝒊𝒆𝒄𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒊𝒎, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒉𝒊𝒎 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒑𝒊𝒆𝒄𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒆 𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒍 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒑𝒊𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒆𝒅 𝒖𝒔 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒏𝒆𝒘 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒇𝒖𝒍."
August 2, 2023
“ You’ve given me glimpses of the beautiful heart of your. will you trust me with all of it? will you let me love you the way you deserve to be loved? because I do Finn. I love you.” ☺️🥹💞
Jamie and Finn are everything🥹 they deserve the whole universe and more. Their story is so beautiful from the very beginning and I loved every moment of it.
My heart broke so many times for them. I felt Jamie’s pain, I experience something similar and it just broke me 😭. For the last 20% of this book I was a mess, I had to keep pausing bs my tears were coming in full 😭😭.
These two beautiful souls really save each other with their love and it was a beautiful thing to see how after everything they found happiness.💞💞
I love how Finn found love in Jamie’s family and how they just love on him🥹. Finn’s family can suck it 😤
Carmen was everything with all need a friend like her in our live💞
I just loved this book so much, please read it now.
July 31, 2023
beautiful
This was absolutely beautiful. No other way to put it. These two broke my heart. Finns story was so said and the way he loved when he found it and let himself have it make me weep. These two were fire together and I loved seeing how it all played out. Will be on the look out for more from the author.
This was absolutely beautiful. No other way to put it. These two broke my heart. Finns story was so said and the way he loved when he found it and let himself have it make me weep. These two were fire together and I loved seeing how it all played out. Will be on the look out for more from the author.
December 27, 2023
This one hit incredibly close to home and I just loved it so fucking much. Its been a while since a book has made me sob uncontrollably 💀💀
January 26, 2024
4.5 ⭐️
This book was very sweet and so so sad. I could never re-read this because it will depress me but I’m glad I read it at least once. The love Jamie and Finn have for each other is beautiful. I love them.
This book was very sweet and so so sad. I could never re-read this because it will depress me but I’m glad I read it at least once. The love Jamie and Finn have for each other is beautiful. I love them.
July 9, 2023
"You’ve given me glimpses of that beautiful heart of yours. Will you trust me with all of it? Will you let me love you the way you deserve to be loved?”
I have no words, I mean.. this was a total journey! I became so emotional with this book, cried A LOT! Happy and sad tears falling on my face while I was reading.
Finn & Jamie were so cute, I loved Annie, and how she opened her heart to Finn and encouraged him 🫂
I have no words, I mean.. this was a total journey! I became so emotional with this book, cried A LOT! Happy and sad tears falling on my face while I was reading.
Finn & Jamie were so cute, I loved Annie, and how she opened her heart to Finn and encouraged him 🫂
July 20, 2023
3.75⭐️ 3🌶️
check tw/cw: family death, grief, cancer
I received an ARC for this story, and it was a pretty good debut novel. There were some parts I thought were really well done, especially the spicy scenes, but then some that dragged a little. I liked the characters and their overall romance for sure.
Jamie and Finn are a typical opposites attract/grumpy-sunshine couple, and I love it. Finn is very standoffish to basically everyone, surviving day to day after his family disowns him. Enter sweet, happy Jamie. Jamie knows Finn is special from the first moment he sees him, and is determined to get closer to him. I loved watching their relationship develop and Finn slowly let in Jamie, and then Jamie's family, and how he got the love he deserves. Then when things aren't going well, Finn is strong enough to step up and be there for Jamie. They have a very good give and take in their relationship. They also really respect each other, which I love to see in relationships.
One thing I didn't love the pacing. It started a little slow, then got good, then slowed. I feel like I could've been more invested. There was also a few cheesy conversations, things I would never say in a real talk to my mom or friend that are slightly cliched.
Jamie and Finn had a really good ending though, and I loved seeing their HEA. I would definitely try another from this author!
Read if you like:
• opposites attract
• hurt/comfort
• slow burn
check tw/cw: family death, grief, cancer
I received an ARC for this story, and it was a pretty good debut novel. There were some parts I thought were really well done, especially the spicy scenes, but then some that dragged a little. I liked the characters and their overall romance for sure.
Jamie and Finn are a typical opposites attract/grumpy-sunshine couple, and I love it. Finn is very standoffish to basically everyone, surviving day to day after his family disowns him. Enter sweet, happy Jamie. Jamie knows Finn is special from the first moment he sees him, and is determined to get closer to him. I loved watching their relationship develop and Finn slowly let in Jamie, and then Jamie's family, and how he got the love he deserves. Then when things aren't going well, Finn is strong enough to step up and be there for Jamie. They have a very good give and take in their relationship. They also really respect each other, which I love to see in relationships.
One thing I didn't love the pacing. It started a little slow, then got good, then slowed. I feel like I could've been more invested. There was also a few cheesy conversations, things I would never say in a real talk to my mom or friend that are slightly cliched.
Jamie and Finn had a really good ending though, and I loved seeing their HEA. I would definitely try another from this author!
Read if you like:
• opposites attract
• hurt/comfort
• slow burn
August 1, 2023
DNF’d at 33%.
It’s hard to pin down why this one fell flat for me.
I love character-driven novels, like I’ve said in many previous reviews. However, there still has to be, like, at least a modicum of a plot? Because if not, it’ll feel like the characters are just moving about like in the Sims with no real direction to go in. And that’s how WHEN HE SAVED ME felt. Maybe if I would’ve read a little longer, more of a plot would be established? Regardless, the lack of direction really makes for an uncomfortable reading experience.
I also am not a fan of when characters are just assumed to be love interests. No. I hate that. I need to see at least a little bit of chemistry before. Or, like, I don’t know. It also felt as if we were just being told rather than shown that they’re love interests. It also just didn’t feel like Jamie and Finn had any chemistry.
So I guess it wasn’t THAT hard to pin down why I didn’t like this. Meh. I tried!
It’s hard to pin down why this one fell flat for me.
I love character-driven novels, like I’ve said in many previous reviews. However, there still has to be, like, at least a modicum of a plot? Because if not, it’ll feel like the characters are just moving about like in the Sims with no real direction to go in. And that’s how WHEN HE SAVED ME felt. Maybe if I would’ve read a little longer, more of a plot would be established? Regardless, the lack of direction really makes for an uncomfortable reading experience.
I also am not a fan of when characters are just assumed to be love interests. No. I hate that. I need to see at least a little bit of chemistry before. Or, like, I don’t know. It also felt as if we were just being told rather than shown that they’re love interests. It also just didn’t feel like Jamie and Finn had any chemistry.
So I guess it wasn’t THAT hard to pin down why I didn’t like this. Meh. I tried!
July 22, 2023
A poignant, sweet debut
I hope Melody Claire continues to write, because I enjoyed her first novel. It's so well written it's hard to believe she's not published before.
The characters are relatable. Their relationship a steamy journey with bumps along the way, and though the end had me in tears, I loved the hurt-comfort of it all.
I hope Melody Claire continues to write, because I enjoyed her first novel. It's so well written it's hard to believe she's not published before.
The characters are relatable. Their relationship a steamy journey with bumps along the way, and though the end had me in tears, I loved the hurt-comfort of it all.
January 4, 2025
4.6 ⭐️..🩵 I loved it overall and kept me locked in to the end.. with the exception of some of the drawn out inner dialogue or fluff content that wasn’t quite needed to or needed to the extent it was given. Didn’t happen a lot but enough I kinda started to skim stuff when I saw it coming.
Otherwise the story of Finn and Jamie was so sweet and sad and beautiful in the way they healed each other. 🩵
Otherwise the story of Finn and Jamie was so sweet and sad and beautiful in the way they healed each other. 🩵
January 23, 2024
2 stars.
Something about this just did not work for me.
It had been on my TBR for a while but the chemistry between our two main characters just felt like it was lacking for me. It all happened quite quickly considering Finn didn't want to date Jamie, and I just didn't feel it between them.
I imagine there is reason so many people liked it, but it just wasn't for me.
Something about this just did not work for me.
It had been on my TBR for a while but the chemistry between our two main characters just felt like it was lacking for me. It all happened quite quickly considering Finn didn't want to date Jamie, and I just didn't feel it between them.
I imagine there is reason so many people liked it, but it just wasn't for me.
March 23, 2025
Melody Claire’s When He Saved Me is an emotional and heartfelt debut that had me tearing up more than once, which is a sure sign that it did something right. Finn and Jamie’s story is full of tenderness, chemistry, and raw emotions, and while it had so much potential to be an unforgettable read, a few things held it back from fully delivering.
The strongest aspect of the book was, without a doubt, Finn and Jamie’s connection. Their dynamic—broody, guarded barista meets sunshiney, determined college student—was beautifully written, and their slow burning understanding of one another was lovely to watch unfold. Their steamy, dreamy chemistry felt authentic, and the patience and compassion they showed each other made their bond even more compelling.
It semeed to have too much internal dialogue and unnecessary detail. The pacing suffered because of this—so much of the first half was just their regular daily lives with very little actually happening. Coffee shop interaction, one character getting upset with the other, then rinse and repeat for SEVERAL chapters. At times, the story felt bogged down by excessive descriptions that didn’t add anything meaningful to the plot or character development, making it a longer read than necessary.
The big moment and its aftermath were frustrating. The book spent so much time building up Jamie and Finn’s relationship before the major turning point, but when the big moment finally did happen, it felt oddly rushed. I wish it had happened sooner, that they had been together longer before it, and that they had spent more time apart afterward to deepen the emotional weight of their reunion. The month following the event was mostly glossed over, which felt like a missed opportunity for greater impact.
That said, the core of this book, which is the emotional depth, the chemistry, the grief, and healing, was beautifully done. I loved the side characters, the depth of Finn’s journey, and the way Jamie’s light shone even through his own struggles. If the book had been tightened up, with less repetition and more focus on when and how events unfolded, it would have packed an even greater punch.
Overall, When He Saved Me is a strong debut that showcases Melody Claire’s ability to craft an emotional and deeply personal romance. While it had some pacing and structural issues, it still delivered a touching and heartfelt story about love, loss, and healing. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on what she writes next!
The strongest aspect of the book was, without a doubt, Finn and Jamie’s connection. Their dynamic—broody, guarded barista meets sunshiney, determined college student—was beautifully written, and their slow burning understanding of one another was lovely to watch unfold. Their steamy, dreamy chemistry felt authentic, and the patience and compassion they showed each other made their bond even more compelling.
It semeed to have too much internal dialogue and unnecessary detail. The pacing suffered because of this—so much of the first half was just their regular daily lives with very little actually happening. Coffee shop interaction, one character getting upset with the other, then rinse and repeat for SEVERAL chapters. At times, the story felt bogged down by excessive descriptions that didn’t add anything meaningful to the plot or character development, making it a longer read than necessary.
The big moment and its aftermath were frustrating. The book spent so much time building up Jamie and Finn’s relationship before the major turning point, but when the big moment finally did happen, it felt oddly rushed. I wish it had happened sooner, that they had been together longer before it, and that they had spent more time apart afterward to deepen the emotional weight of their reunion. The month following the event was mostly glossed over, which felt like a missed opportunity for greater impact.
That said, the core of this book, which is the emotional depth, the chemistry, the grief, and healing, was beautifully done. I loved the side characters, the depth of Finn’s journey, and the way Jamie’s light shone even through his own struggles. If the book had been tightened up, with less repetition and more focus on when and how events unfolded, it would have packed an even greater punch.
Overall, When He Saved Me is a strong debut that showcases Melody Claire’s ability to craft an emotional and deeply personal romance. While it had some pacing and structural issues, it still delivered a touching and heartfelt story about love, loss, and healing. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on what she writes next!
June 3, 2024
Final Rating: 4.5 / 5
Notable Tropes or Content Warnings: Grumpy x Sunshine, Pining, Hurt/Comfort, Greif and Loss, Found Family, College, Slow Burn
Favorite Moment and/or Quote
"All that time, I'd been so concerned I didn't know how to do this, that I didn't know how to be in a relationship, that I didn't know what love looked like...it looked just like this. It was picking up the pieces when the one you loved to fell apart. It was comfort and laughter and patience and lust. [...] It was him saving me and me saving him. It was ours."
Review
Going into this book, I did not expect to love it as much as I do now. But wow - it really had me crying in my office on a Monday morning. Jamie and Finn truly have my whole heart. I just want to wrap them both in blanket burritos and give them endless love and happiness.
All the side characters are amazing as well, especially Jamie's Mom - Annie. Like I wish she was my mom, everyone needs a mom like her.
Claire notes this a slow burn which is why I have it noted as one as well but to be honest it is more of medium burn - it takes about 80 pages before this get going and by the time your one third in, things are in full swing. I'm typically an avid slow burn hater but Claire writing really has a way of making it not feel so dragged out. The pacing of Finn and Jamie coming together is totally reasonable in my opinion.
As for the towards the end; you see it coming the majority of the book. Like you know it's going to happen, so you think it would hurt less - nope. It was still tragically painfully. The mental health representation as it pertains to grief and how it manifests differently in different people and at different times in one's life was also incredibly well written.
I feel I could write a whole essay singing this book praise, but I will end it here but just saying definitely check it out. This was my first book from Claire and I can say with complete certainty it will not be my last.
Notable Tropes or Content Warnings: Grumpy x Sunshine, Pining, Hurt/Comfort, Greif and Loss, Found Family, College, Slow Burn
Favorite Moment and/or Quote
"All that time, I'd been so concerned I didn't know how to do this, that I didn't know how to be in a relationship, that I didn't know what love looked like...it looked just like this. It was picking up the pieces when the one you loved to fell apart. It was comfort and laughter and patience and lust. [...] It was him saving me and me saving him. It was ours."
Review
Going into this book, I did not expect to love it as much as I do now. But wow - it really had me crying in my office on a Monday morning. Jamie and Finn truly have my whole heart. I just want to wrap them both in blanket burritos and give them endless love and happiness.
All the side characters are amazing as well, especially Jamie's Mom - Annie. Like I wish she was my mom, everyone needs a mom like her.
Claire notes this a slow burn which is why I have it noted as one as well but to be honest it is more of medium burn - it takes about 80 pages before this get going and by the time your one third in, things are in full swing. I'm typically an avid slow burn hater but Claire writing really has a way of making it not feel so dragged out. The pacing of Finn and Jamie coming together is totally reasonable in my opinion.
As for the towards the end; you see it coming the majority of the book. Like you know it's going to happen, so you think it would hurt less - nope. It was still tragically painfully. The mental health representation as it pertains to grief and how it manifests differently in different people and at different times in one's life was also incredibly well written.
I feel I could write a whole essay singing this book praise, but I will end it here but just saying definitely check it out. This was my first book from Claire and I can say with complete certainty it will not be my last.
July 21, 2023
**4.5** (Please read trigger warnings for possible upsetting scenes and themes)
What an emotional ride this story is for both Finn and Jamie. It's very much an opposites attract, grumpy/sunshine, hurt/comfort romance with the main element being the hurt and comfort that both men experience and support each other.
Finn has been alone for a lot of his life, even when living with his parents. It suited his introverted nature but has also become very lonely apart from his best friend, Carmen, and that was more that she forced her friendship upon him but is fantastic for him. Jamie is enthralled by Finn when he spots him behind the counter at the coffee shop one day and can't stop himself from trying to get his attention. Despite the initial rejections, he can't help but come back to him and slowly, Finn allows him just a little bit closer whilst still keeping his walls up, he's been hurt by those supposed to love you before. While Jamie is trying to get closer to Finn, he also has his own stresses at home, with his mum currently going through cancer treatment.
My heart hurt for both of these men throughout the story. Finn's pain is mostly from the past but it has impacted his daily life whereas Jamie is living his right now, along with his mum and the rest of their family. I found a strong sense of healing when allowing yourself to lean on another and how much that one person can impact your life so much. Jamie brought light and love to Finn, whilst Finn provided support and life when everything gets too much. Annie is such a beautiful soul and it's heartwarming to read the scenes where she and Finn spend time together. She clearly impacted a lot of people and brought her son up right, regardless of their wealth, and she is the complete opposite of the hell that is Finn's parents. The type of people who should be tested first to see if they are fit to be parents.
A wonderfully written story full of heartache, healing, romantic and familial love. Definitely a recommended read but read the trigger warnings first.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.
What an emotional ride this story is for both Finn and Jamie. It's very much an opposites attract, grumpy/sunshine, hurt/comfort romance with the main element being the hurt and comfort that both men experience and support each other.
Finn has been alone for a lot of his life, even when living with his parents. It suited his introverted nature but has also become very lonely apart from his best friend, Carmen, and that was more that she forced her friendship upon him but is fantastic for him. Jamie is enthralled by Finn when he spots him behind the counter at the coffee shop one day and can't stop himself from trying to get his attention. Despite the initial rejections, he can't help but come back to him and slowly, Finn allows him just a little bit closer whilst still keeping his walls up, he's been hurt by those supposed to love you before. While Jamie is trying to get closer to Finn, he also has his own stresses at home, with his mum currently going through cancer treatment.
My heart hurt for both of these men throughout the story. Finn's pain is mostly from the past but it has impacted his daily life whereas Jamie is living his right now, along with his mum and the rest of their family. I found a strong sense of healing when allowing yourself to lean on another and how much that one person can impact your life so much. Jamie brought light and love to Finn, whilst Finn provided support and life when everything gets too much. Annie is such a beautiful soul and it's heartwarming to read the scenes where she and Finn spend time together. She clearly impacted a lot of people and brought her son up right, regardless of their wealth, and she is the complete opposite of the hell that is Finn's parents. The type of people who should be tested first to see if they are fit to be parents.
A wonderfully written story full of heartache, healing, romantic and familial love. Definitely a recommended read but read the trigger warnings first.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.
July 28, 2023
If I could give this book more than 5 stars I would. Jamie and Finn's story is full of heart, loss, emotion, joy, and love. When He Saved Me by Melody Claire is a heartfelt, emotional story about two men that find each other at the right time in their lives. Jamie and Finn find each other in a coffee shop and over time build a relationship of trust, comfort, and love. Both men have been through many trials in their lives, but together can they find their forever?
Jamie is a college student studying to be a teacher. Jamie lost his father at a young age and is dealing with his mom having cancer. Finn has been on his own supporting himself since he was 18 when his parents kicked him out. Besides his best friend Carmen, he doesn't know what it's like for someone to love him. When these two meet, Finn doesn't want to give Jamie a chance. Finn thinks Jamie is just another rich, pretty boy, when that is the farthest thing from the truth. Finn holds back because for him it is difficult to let go of the fear of letting someone in, but the more time they spend together the more Finn realizes what he and Jamie have is different. Jamie doesn't just love him, but his family takes Finn and makes him a part of the family right away. Finn is there for Jamie and his mom as she's battling cancer and for the first time in his life he feels a motherly connection with someone. As the illness progresses and Annie begins to deteriorate, Finn knows no matter what happens he will be there for Jamie and he will cherish every moment forever.
I cannot recommend this book enough. The writing and the character development show the depth of thought the author put into the story. You can feel the connection and the emotions the author went through while writing this book. The afterward was heartfelt and made me appreciate her even more. Thank you for bringing these characters to the pages and for showing the reader your heart.
I received this ARC from the author for my honest opinion.
Jamie is a college student studying to be a teacher. Jamie lost his father at a young age and is dealing with his mom having cancer. Finn has been on his own supporting himself since he was 18 when his parents kicked him out. Besides his best friend Carmen, he doesn't know what it's like for someone to love him. When these two meet, Finn doesn't want to give Jamie a chance. Finn thinks Jamie is just another rich, pretty boy, when that is the farthest thing from the truth. Finn holds back because for him it is difficult to let go of the fear of letting someone in, but the more time they spend together the more Finn realizes what he and Jamie have is different. Jamie doesn't just love him, but his family takes Finn and makes him a part of the family right away. Finn is there for Jamie and his mom as she's battling cancer and for the first time in his life he feels a motherly connection with someone. As the illness progresses and Annie begins to deteriorate, Finn knows no matter what happens he will be there for Jamie and he will cherish every moment forever.
I cannot recommend this book enough. The writing and the character development show the depth of thought the author put into the story. You can feel the connection and the emotions the author went through while writing this book. The afterward was heartfelt and made me appreciate her even more. Thank you for bringing these characters to the pages and for showing the reader your heart.
I received this ARC from the author for my honest opinion.
July 29, 2023
An emotional contemporary romance debut.
Finn and Jamie both come from relatively wealthy families but their upbringing could not be more dissimilar. Jamie had two loving parents and, although his dad passed away when he was 10, he grew up in a supportive environment and coming out as gay was not an issue. Finn, on the other hand, was raised by two narcissistic parents who had no business having children and ultimately kicked him out after he came out at 18.
Finn and Jamie's paths cross at The Daily Grind, where Finn is working as a barista. In order to make ends meet, Finn has a second job moonlighting as a jazz pianist but his real passion is writing. Jamie is following in his mum's footsteps and studying to become a teacher. He is also taking care of his mum, who is undergoing treatment for cancer. Jamie is smitten with Finn at first sight and pursues him rather relentlessly. Finn is not interested in relationships due to his fear of attachment and abandonment. However, Jamie's persistence (and encouragement from Finn's best friend Carmen) pays off and they begin dating. As Finn slowly opens up to Jamie, their relationship is tested when a major breaking point occurs in Jamie's life.
This was a great debut from a promising new author, who describes her work as “emotional contemporary MM romance stories with moderate heat and a whole lot of heart”. This is certainly the case with Finn and Jamie's story. The short flashbacks added depth to the characters. It was evident from Jamie’s childhood, when he took in a rescue dog and become best friends with a boy who showed up at school with bruises, that he was born to nurture and protect. It was no surprise that he was drawn to Finn’s wounded soul.
Looking forward to reading more from this author (perhaps Jamie’s best friend Asher’s story, fingers crossed).
Content warning for grief, death of a parent, cancer, homophobia, parental abandonment.
Finn and Jamie both come from relatively wealthy families but their upbringing could not be more dissimilar. Jamie had two loving parents and, although his dad passed away when he was 10, he grew up in a supportive environment and coming out as gay was not an issue. Finn, on the other hand, was raised by two narcissistic parents who had no business having children and ultimately kicked him out after he came out at 18.
Finn and Jamie's paths cross at The Daily Grind, where Finn is working as a barista. In order to make ends meet, Finn has a second job moonlighting as a jazz pianist but his real passion is writing. Jamie is following in his mum's footsteps and studying to become a teacher. He is also taking care of his mum, who is undergoing treatment for cancer. Jamie is smitten with Finn at first sight and pursues him rather relentlessly. Finn is not interested in relationships due to his fear of attachment and abandonment. However, Jamie's persistence (and encouragement from Finn's best friend Carmen) pays off and they begin dating. As Finn slowly opens up to Jamie, their relationship is tested when a major breaking point occurs in Jamie's life.
This was a great debut from a promising new author, who describes her work as “emotional contemporary MM romance stories with moderate heat and a whole lot of heart”. This is certainly the case with Finn and Jamie's story. The short flashbacks added depth to the characters. It was evident from Jamie’s childhood, when he took in a rescue dog and become best friends with a boy who showed up at school with bruises, that he was born to nurture and protect. It was no surprise that he was drawn to Finn’s wounded soul.
Looking forward to reading more from this author (perhaps Jamie’s best friend Asher’s story, fingers crossed).
Content warning for grief, death of a parent, cancer, homophobia, parental abandonment.
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