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Nearlywed
An engaged couple's compatibility is put to the test during their ill-fated early honeymoon in this smart, dazzling, and provocative summer comedy perfect for fans of People We Meet on Vacation.
5 Signs You and Your Fiancé Might Be Secretly Incompatible…and #3 Will Shock You!
Ray Bruno and Kip Hayes are horrible on paper. Ray is a chaotic millennial ex-clickbait-writer who's been oversharing his every thought online since he was a teenager, and Kip is a pragmatic Gen X doctor who values privacy above all else.
But somehow it all manages to work…until Ray convinces Kip to join him for an early honeymoon at a famous lux resort in Ray's coastal New England hometown, eschewing the tradition of bachelor parties and hoping to recharge before their end-of-August wedding. When a surprising encounter with another couple at the resort leads to a series of escalating mishaps and miscommunications, Ray and Kip are forced to look at their many differences in a stark new light, turning the trip into less of a vacation and more of a will they be able to work through their issues in time for the big day? Or is this marriage over before it begins?
5 Signs You and Your Fiancé Might Be Secretly Incompatible…and #3 Will Shock You!
Ray Bruno and Kip Hayes are horrible on paper. Ray is a chaotic millennial ex-clickbait-writer who's been oversharing his every thought online since he was a teenager, and Kip is a pragmatic Gen X doctor who values privacy above all else.
But somehow it all manages to work…until Ray convinces Kip to join him for an early honeymoon at a famous lux resort in Ray's coastal New England hometown, eschewing the tradition of bachelor parties and hoping to recharge before their end-of-August wedding. When a surprising encounter with another couple at the resort leads to a series of escalating mishaps and miscommunications, Ray and Kip are forced to look at their many differences in a stark new light, turning the trip into less of a vacation and more of a will they be able to work through their issues in time for the big day? Or is this marriage over before it begins?
345 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 21, 2024
60 people are currently reading
5605 people want to read
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June 17, 2024
4.5 Stars
I really, really, really enjoyed this story.
If you’re sensing a tone of surprise, you’d be spot on. Picking a book, about a relationship-on-the-rocks romance, featuring a lot of miscommunications?! Yeah, both things I’m notorious for avoiding at the best of times.
Yet, I’d heard good things about DiDomizio’s earlier works and when the opportunity to read an ARC of this story came my way, I decided to throw caution (and my most disliked tropes) to the wind, in hopes of finding a hidden gem.
And what a gem I found!
When the story kicks off, we meet protagonist Ray Bruno, an outgoing, internet magazine writer—known previously for his click-bait lifestyle articles—now living a quieter life in suburban NY, with his slightly older, privacy-revering, family doctor fiancé, Kip Hayes.
From the outside, these two are very much #couplegoals, shacked up and still desperately in love (even five years into their relationship), with their Hamptons wedding impending. But they’re also polar opposites, born to different generations (Gen Y and Gen X), with wildly different upbringings, communication styles, and diverse past experiences as gay men that have shaped the people they are and the expectations/needs they have within the parameters of their relationship.
As Ray’s youthful romantic fantasies dictate, he and Kip find themselves heading back to Ray’s coastal New England hometown, to an idyllic resort, known to cater to couples seeking an “earlymoon” before their big day. Yet, what is meant to be a relaxing, romantic getaway, soon devolves into anything but, as they encounter old faces from their pasts, which, subsequently, brings to light some long-standing issues they each have, forcing them to face some deep personal revelations and emotional truths, and ultimately putting their relationship to the test in a big make or break way.
What follows are a lot of relationship challenging moments; scenes where you cringe or get mad or get smacked with hard-hitting personal truths that make you want to spontaneously cry while re-assessing your own life and what led you to this point. It’s one of those stories. One of those emotionally resonant pieces that challenge a reader’s own feelings and thinking, about everything, not just relationships and their personal ideals of love.
But DiDomizio is damn clever, because, he manages to make you feel all the deeper feels and think all the deeper thoughts, while also sneakily wrapping the heavier, angstier, “thinking” themes of the story within a narrative that is wholly fun, morish and entertaining; voicing it all through a highly likeable and relatable couple, who I couldn’t help adore from the first flashback scene of their meet-cute, through all their current-day arguments and miscommunications, and well beyond the point where my “reads romance for escapism” self would usually be annoyed to be reading about a book couple dealing so realistically with real-life coupley things.
All this is to say, it could have been a total downer but I found it refreshing, charming and, maybe surprisingly, deeply romantic.
As I mentioned earlier, I do not usually enjoy (or even bother with) established couple, relationship-on-the-rocks-type romances, but I was so damn impressed and consumed by this one—so much so that it has me re-evaluating my stance on this entire trope. And miscommunication!? Surely, no one is sitting around eager for their next miscommunication-themed read? Right?! Yet, this book just goes to show how any tropes—even ones we don’t normally like—can be made desirable when in the hands of great writers.
DiDomizio’s writing—in truth, his voice—was ultimately the biggest draw for me. Born of the same generation, I understood and related to everything Ray was about. From his nineties, pop culture entrenched upbringing, to his outward-validation-seeking, social media immersed twenties; to his probably-unrealistic romantic expectations and deeper personal insecurities that made him question his worth as a partner well into his thirties. I got this guy; lord, did I ever. And because of this authentic, me-specific MC relatability, I found myself completely consumed by his very simple, but deeply thought-provoking, personal-stance-questioning, often-hilarious and smile-inducing story.
Needless to say, I enjoyed the heck out of this story, and now I find myself so inspired, that I’m off to make a Lilith Fair greatest hits playlist to end all playlists, because as we all know (or should know), that shit is ICONIC! (inside joke for those playing at home)
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! <3
***A special thanks to the publishers (via Netgalley) for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I really, really, really enjoyed this story.
If you’re sensing a tone of surprise, you’d be spot on. Picking a book, about a relationship-on-the-rocks romance, featuring a lot of miscommunications?! Yeah, both things I’m notorious for avoiding at the best of times.
Yet, I’d heard good things about DiDomizio’s earlier works and when the opportunity to read an ARC of this story came my way, I decided to throw caution (and my most disliked tropes) to the wind, in hopes of finding a hidden gem.
And what a gem I found!
When the story kicks off, we meet protagonist Ray Bruno, an outgoing, internet magazine writer—known previously for his click-bait lifestyle articles—now living a quieter life in suburban NY, with his slightly older, privacy-revering, family doctor fiancé, Kip Hayes.
From the outside, these two are very much #couplegoals, shacked up and still desperately in love (even five years into their relationship), with their Hamptons wedding impending. But they’re also polar opposites, born to different generations (Gen Y and Gen X), with wildly different upbringings, communication styles, and diverse past experiences as gay men that have shaped the people they are and the expectations/needs they have within the parameters of their relationship.
As Ray’s youthful romantic fantasies dictate, he and Kip find themselves heading back to Ray’s coastal New England hometown, to an idyllic resort, known to cater to couples seeking an “earlymoon” before their big day. Yet, what is meant to be a relaxing, romantic getaway, soon devolves into anything but, as they encounter old faces from their pasts, which, subsequently, brings to light some long-standing issues they each have, forcing them to face some deep personal revelations and emotional truths, and ultimately putting their relationship to the test in a big make or break way.
What follows are a lot of relationship challenging moments; scenes where you cringe or get mad or get smacked with hard-hitting personal truths that make you want to spontaneously cry while re-assessing your own life and what led you to this point. It’s one of those stories. One of those emotionally resonant pieces that challenge a reader’s own feelings and thinking, about everything, not just relationships and their personal ideals of love.
But DiDomizio is damn clever, because, he manages to make you feel all the deeper feels and think all the deeper thoughts, while also sneakily wrapping the heavier, angstier, “thinking” themes of the story within a narrative that is wholly fun, morish and entertaining; voicing it all through a highly likeable and relatable couple, who I couldn’t help adore from the first flashback scene of their meet-cute, through all their current-day arguments and miscommunications, and well beyond the point where my “reads romance for escapism” self would usually be annoyed to be reading about a book couple dealing so realistically with real-life coupley things.
All this is to say, it could have been a total downer but I found it refreshing, charming and, maybe surprisingly, deeply romantic.
As I mentioned earlier, I do not usually enjoy (or even bother with) established couple, relationship-on-the-rocks-type romances, but I was so damn impressed and consumed by this one—so much so that it has me re-evaluating my stance on this entire trope. And miscommunication!? Surely, no one is sitting around eager for their next miscommunication-themed read? Right?! Yet, this book just goes to show how any tropes—even ones we don’t normally like—can be made desirable when in the hands of great writers.
DiDomizio’s writing—in truth, his voice—was ultimately the biggest draw for me. Born of the same generation, I understood and related to everything Ray was about. From his nineties, pop culture entrenched upbringing, to his outward-validation-seeking, social media immersed twenties; to his probably-unrealistic romantic expectations and deeper personal insecurities that made him question his worth as a partner well into his thirties. I got this guy; lord, did I ever. And because of this authentic, me-specific MC relatability, I found myself completely consumed by his very simple, but deeply thought-provoking, personal-stance-questioning, often-hilarious and smile-inducing story.
Needless to say, I enjoyed the heck out of this story, and now I find myself so inspired, that I’m off to make a Lilith Fair greatest hits playlist to end all playlists, because as we all know (or should know), that shit is ICONIC! (inside joke for those playing at home)
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! <3
***A special thanks to the publishers (via Netgalley) for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 3, 2024
This one is for you if you’re in a relationship and sometimes have difficulties communicating with your partner. Or if you just want to read about all the things communication-wise could go wrong. The ‘will I tell, or hmmm, maybe not’. The ‘you did that or you did not’. This story is so, so relatable!
Sometimes, I just need a story to lighten the heaviness in my heart. Right now, because I finished a very raw but beautiful book and knew I needed something to let go. And this one definitely delivered!
Ray and Kip, the main characters in Nearlywed, could have been stereotypes in an average rom-com full of miscommunication—Ray, the outgoing, social media-loving journalist, and Kip, the introverted, private doctor—but gladly, they weren’t.
Instead, this story is about not communicating in relationships. About the topics that really matter, like your biggest fears. Ray and Kip are madly in love with each other, but hardly talk about their differences and their fears. Ray who grew up between lobster catchers with a mom who did everything for her Prince Charming, Kip in a traditional doctor’s family with a dad who has certain dreams for his son.
So Ray clings to Kip and sets his own life on hold, focusing on quality time with his fiancé, afraid the love of his life will find out he’s not enough. Kip doesn’t want everything to be about his sexuality and always conforms to anything his Dad wants. Like I said, their way of communicating is so relatable, instead of listening and staying calm, Ray hissed and throws all his grievances onto the table, and Kip just defends himself or shuts the conversation down and falls asleep like nothing happened.
Smiles pulled at my lips so hard while reading, and at other times, I wanted to shout at those guys to start listening to the other and start talking, really talking. But I also know from my own experience how hard it can be to put your fears fully on display with the ones you love the most. Those two guys were perfectly flawed and should have opened up much sooner, but I also understood why they didn’t.
I already loved The Gay Best Friend and I fell in love with Nearlywed even a bit more. Highly, highly, highly recommended!
Thank you so much, Sourcebooks Casablanca, for this wonderful ARC! I enjoyed Ray’s and Kip’s story immensely!
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Sometimes, I just need a story to lighten the heaviness in my heart. Right now, because I finished a very raw but beautiful book and knew I needed something to let go. And this one definitely delivered!
Ray and Kip, the main characters in Nearlywed, could have been stereotypes in an average rom-com full of miscommunication—Ray, the outgoing, social media-loving journalist, and Kip, the introverted, private doctor—but gladly, they weren’t.
Instead, this story is about not communicating in relationships. About the topics that really matter, like your biggest fears. Ray and Kip are madly in love with each other, but hardly talk about their differences and their fears. Ray who grew up between lobster catchers with a mom who did everything for her Prince Charming, Kip in a traditional doctor’s family with a dad who has certain dreams for his son.
So Ray clings to Kip and sets his own life on hold, focusing on quality time with his fiancé, afraid the love of his life will find out he’s not enough. Kip doesn’t want everything to be about his sexuality and always conforms to anything his Dad wants. Like I said, their way of communicating is so relatable, instead of listening and staying calm, Ray hissed and throws all his grievances onto the table, and Kip just defends himself or shuts the conversation down and falls asleep like nothing happened.
Smiles pulled at my lips so hard while reading, and at other times, I wanted to shout at those guys to start listening to the other and start talking, really talking. But I also know from my own experience how hard it can be to put your fears fully on display with the ones you love the most. Those two guys were perfectly flawed and should have opened up much sooner, but I also understood why they didn’t.
I already loved The Gay Best Friend and I fell in love with Nearlywed even a bit more. Highly, highly, highly recommended!
Thank you so much, Sourcebooks Casablanca, for this wonderful ARC! I enjoyed Ray’s and Kip’s story immensely!
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March 3, 2024
✰ 3.25 stars ✰
“Of course love is never perfect, because humans aren’t.”
At some point, while reading Nearlywed, it started to feel like I was reading a relationship manual instead - the do's and don'ts of what to do to make any healthy relationship work. I was actually taking note of what those words of wisdom were rather than appreciating them as actual quotes of the book and that by the end of the book, I was exhausted! 😮💨 But, does that mean it's a bad book? Not at all; if anything, it was a very informative one that offers its heart to you in the form of Ray and Kip - polar opposites who while treating themselves to an exclusive and much-needed trip to the EarlyMoon Hotel resort, as is the tradition of Ray's family, discover that perhaps going on the actual honeymoon, there may be parts of their future marriage that need a look, before taking that walk down the aisle that promises forever. 💍
“As basic as it may sound, I genuinely believe that love is love. All romantic relationships have the same foundation at work—two people who want to feel seen, understood, and protected.”
Call me strange, but I always feel a real connection when a character fits the age that I would be at the time that the book is released or portrayed; like we have this unique bond that makes me feel closer to their portrayal. Rae being thirty-five years old made him so much more of a relatable character, because then, okay, yes, even if he was growing up gay, the experiences that he has around him is something that we share, and I can also relate to, as well. ☺️ And Ray really had the best intentions at heart; he did come to this hotel to live out his wedding ideals that he's always aspired to have - the whole blissful shindig that doesn't seem fair that only straight people get to enjoy it.. There is a lot of ground that this book covers and it's impressive how none of those ever seemed to overlap the other, but served their purpose in their own respective way. Because all these factors do have a hand in making a relationship work. Ray and Kip's dynamic is one of an age gap that reflects in not only the lifestyles and careers, but also their conflicting views on the importance of online presence vs. real life goals. 😥
A ten-year-age difference that defines experiences from generations which have differing views in upbringing and expectations of society norms and how you don't need validation from the unknown, and that the opinion that only matters is the ones closest to you. It's mirrored in the insecurities and uncertainties he may have over what Kip may really want from him and if he is enough to be worth his time and affections. 'I know he loves me, but there must be a part of him that believes he knows—or perhaps even is—better than me.' 🥺 Kip is one who prefers anonymity, while Ray feels so much more comfortable in his creative element by being more open and vocal with his social presence. But, that's the magic of being nearly wed; through messy moments and mix-ups, you are given the time to work it out and communicate! And even if it was one of the major causes of the rifts that stirred up between them - it's that inevitable falling apart that finally put them back together - healthier and stronger, and more in love than ever. ❤️🩹❤️🩹
“It’s a song specifically for people who’ve been married and divorced, people who understand that making a relationship work requires a certain toughness, a willingness to get hurt.
The grit to stay committed when things inevitably get hard.”
The story sadly relies on two of my least favorite plot devices - miscommunication and misunderstanding - for the two of them to see the light. But, I'm forgiving of it, because if you take it into account that this really was a helpful means into making something work - then maybe those points were necessary to cover so that we can avoid them and know it's not the right way to go about it! I do think that it wasn't fair that Rae took all the blame on himself. 🙍🏻♀️ "That’s the other beautiful thing about letting yourself be seen. Sometimes it can open the hearts and minds of the people you’d least expect.' Yes, he was the narrator and we were not fortunate enough to have the perspective of Kip's, but I still think he was just as much responsible for the many unresolved conflicts that came to light on their early honeymoon.
As much as Ray's self-deprecating and understanding attitude mirrored my own, I didn't like that he was so quick to put all the blame on himself and paint Kip in such a forgiving light, when he deserved to shoulder just as much of a burden for why they were not seeing eye to eye on this fortuitous occasion. I know Kip had his own personal demons to overcome, his own fears and insecurities that also explained his behavior towards Ray, but I think it was forgiven a little too easily on Ray's part. Not that I wanted some groveling, just a little more closure for Ray to know that his feelings weren't completely invalidated. 🙎🏻♀️
But, is it fair of me to be so critical and judgmental when I've never been in a serious relationship or I don't know the sacrifices of what it takes to make a marriage work? Maybe. But, I do know that it's not a one-way street; regardless of how many people may be involved in the dynamic, no one deserves to bear the responsibility on their own. It's a mutual give and take, where it doesn't have to be a 'marriage being a resigned compromise based on a lifelong fear of dying alone', but a commitment of understanding and respect to each other's wishes that doesn't require any self-sacrifice from either of them. It was also nice to see the author include various takes on different couples; it showed that no one deserves to be devalued or criticized for what setup works for them. 👍🏻👍🏻
“I’d love you even if you weren’t tougher than the rest,” I quietly tell him. “You can be weak with me whenever you need to. I promise I can handle it.”
Mistakes make us human; but so, too, is learning from them. It comes in the form of us learning to be more empathetic and compassionate of others and to learn from our past views to be better people and treat others better, too. And this rendezvous may have led to disastrous results for the now, but it is what is to come that matters the most in life. 💓 'The reality of a marriage is all the days that come after.' The long run of commitment where you won't live a life of regret and think back that maybe if I had known then what I know now, I could have worked it out before that final stage. And the fact that the two of them were able to realize the potential harm in not addressing these issues now - then I guess, it was a success, after all. 💌
*Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
“Of course love is never perfect, because humans aren’t.”
At some point, while reading Nearlywed, it started to feel like I was reading a relationship manual instead - the do's and don'ts of what to do to make any healthy relationship work. I was actually taking note of what those words of wisdom were rather than appreciating them as actual quotes of the book and that by the end of the book, I was exhausted! 😮💨 But, does that mean it's a bad book? Not at all; if anything, it was a very informative one that offers its heart to you in the form of Ray and Kip - polar opposites who while treating themselves to an exclusive and much-needed trip to the EarlyMoon Hotel resort, as is the tradition of Ray's family, discover that perhaps going on the actual honeymoon, there may be parts of their future marriage that need a look, before taking that walk down the aisle that promises forever. 💍
“As basic as it may sound, I genuinely believe that love is love. All romantic relationships have the same foundation at work—two people who want to feel seen, understood, and protected.”
Call me strange, but I always feel a real connection when a character fits the age that I would be at the time that the book is released or portrayed; like we have this unique bond that makes me feel closer to their portrayal. Rae being thirty-five years old made him so much more of a relatable character, because then, okay, yes, even if he was growing up gay, the experiences that he has around him is something that we share, and I can also relate to, as well. ☺️ And Ray really had the best intentions at heart; he did come to this hotel to live out his wedding ideals that he's always aspired to have - the whole blissful shindig that doesn't seem fair that only straight people get to enjoy it.. There is a lot of ground that this book covers and it's impressive how none of those ever seemed to overlap the other, but served their purpose in their own respective way. Because all these factors do have a hand in making a relationship work. Ray and Kip's dynamic is one of an age gap that reflects in not only the lifestyles and careers, but also their conflicting views on the importance of online presence vs. real life goals. 😥
A ten-year-age difference that defines experiences from generations which have differing views in upbringing and expectations of society norms and how you don't need validation from the unknown, and that the opinion that only matters is the ones closest to you. It's mirrored in the insecurities and uncertainties he may have over what Kip may really want from him and if he is enough to be worth his time and affections. 'I know he loves me, but there must be a part of him that believes he knows—or perhaps even is—better than me.' 🥺 Kip is one who prefers anonymity, while Ray feels so much more comfortable in his creative element by being more open and vocal with his social presence. But, that's the magic of being nearly wed; through messy moments and mix-ups, you are given the time to work it out and communicate! And even if it was one of the major causes of the rifts that stirred up between them - it's that inevitable falling apart that finally put them back together - healthier and stronger, and more in love than ever. ❤️🩹❤️🩹
“It’s a song specifically for people who’ve been married and divorced, people who understand that making a relationship work requires a certain toughness, a willingness to get hurt.
The grit to stay committed when things inevitably get hard.”
The story sadly relies on two of my least favorite plot devices - miscommunication and misunderstanding - for the two of them to see the light. But, I'm forgiving of it, because if you take it into account that this really was a helpful means into making something work - then maybe those points were necessary to cover so that we can avoid them and know it's not the right way to go about it! I do think that it wasn't fair that Rae took all the blame on himself. 🙍🏻♀️ "That’s the other beautiful thing about letting yourself be seen. Sometimes it can open the hearts and minds of the people you’d least expect.' Yes, he was the narrator and we were not fortunate enough to have the perspective of Kip's, but I still think he was just as much responsible for the many unresolved conflicts that came to light on their early honeymoon.
As much as Ray's self-deprecating and understanding attitude mirrored my own, I didn't like that he was so quick to put all the blame on himself and paint Kip in such a forgiving light, when he deserved to shoulder just as much of a burden for why they were not seeing eye to eye on this fortuitous occasion. I know Kip had his own personal demons to overcome, his own fears and insecurities that also explained his behavior towards Ray, but I think it was forgiven a little too easily on Ray's part. Not that I wanted some groveling, just a little more closure for Ray to know that his feelings weren't completely invalidated. 🙎🏻♀️
But, is it fair of me to be so critical and judgmental when I've never been in a serious relationship or I don't know the sacrifices of what it takes to make a marriage work? Maybe. But, I do know that it's not a one-way street; regardless of how many people may be involved in the dynamic, no one deserves to bear the responsibility on their own. It's a mutual give and take, where it doesn't have to be a 'marriage being a resigned compromise based on a lifelong fear of dying alone', but a commitment of understanding and respect to each other's wishes that doesn't require any self-sacrifice from either of them. It was also nice to see the author include various takes on different couples; it showed that no one deserves to be devalued or criticized for what setup works for them. 👍🏻👍🏻
“I’d love you even if you weren’t tougher than the rest,” I quietly tell him. “You can be weak with me whenever you need to. I promise I can handle it.”
Mistakes make us human; but so, too, is learning from them. It comes in the form of us learning to be more empathetic and compassionate of others and to learn from our past views to be better people and treat others better, too. And this rendezvous may have led to disastrous results for the now, but it is what is to come that matters the most in life. 💓 'The reality of a marriage is all the days that come after.' The long run of commitment where you won't live a life of regret and think back that maybe if I had known then what I know now, I could have worked it out before that final stage. And the fact that the two of them were able to realize the potential harm in not addressing these issues now - then I guess, it was a success, after all. 💌
*Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 29, 2024
2.5*** stars
I’m sorry, but a romance this was not. Not in my book anyway.
I mean really, two people being in a romantic relationship with each other (that turns troubled) and them figuring their shit out does not make this a romance.
For the biggest part of this story I wasn’t even rooting for Ray and Kip to make it.
We were told Ray and Kip are happy in love with each other, but I wasn’t feeling any of it. Added to it that this was a squeaky clean story and also totally free of PDA of any kind (their choice) I haven’t seen any passion from them towards each other at all. I didn’t feel any chemistry nor a connection between them.
And now that I think about it, I’m not sure I even liked one of the characters. They just felt so bland and emotionless to me. At some point I honestly wouldn’t have even cared if they had broken off their engagement altogether.
But at least the last part, their discoveries about themselves, their relationship and the resolution to it all saved this book for me a little. Otherwise it would’ve been a total loss.
The premise sounded like a lot of fun and I expected some good entertainment. But this was not fun and I regretted having invested one of my valuable audible credits for it. Sadly, the audio itself was nothing to write home about either. Michael Crouch wasn’t bad persé but there was no real distinction to his voices and he generally didn’t feel like a good fit to me.
I’m sorry, but a romance this was not. Not in my book anyway.
I mean really, two people being in a romantic relationship with each other (that turns troubled) and them figuring their shit out does not make this a romance.
For the biggest part of this story I wasn’t even rooting for Ray and Kip to make it.
We were told Ray and Kip are happy in love with each other, but I wasn’t feeling any of it. Added to it that this was a squeaky clean story and also totally free of PDA of any kind (their choice) I haven’t seen any passion from them towards each other at all. I didn’t feel any chemistry nor a connection between them.
And now that I think about it, I’m not sure I even liked one of the characters. They just felt so bland and emotionless to me. At some point I honestly wouldn’t have even cared if they had broken off their engagement altogether.
But at least the last part, their discoveries about themselves, their relationship and the resolution to it all saved this book for me a little. Otherwise it would’ve been a total loss.
The premise sounded like a lot of fun and I expected some good entertainment. But this was not fun and I regretted having invested one of my valuable audible credits for it. Sadly, the audio itself was nothing to write home about either. Michael Crouch wasn’t bad persé but there was no real distinction to his voices and he generally didn’t feel like a good fit to me.
December 8, 2024
I won this in a Goodreads giveaway back in June thinking that it was an ARC (it wasn’t) and I’ve been putting off reading it ever since. So I’m glad to say that I finally read it.
Rating: 3.5 ⭐️
So, the humor was there and I really enjoyed the characters and their personalities. I genuinely feel like the Ray and Kip love and care for each other. (And we love a hot doctor). The idea of an “earlymoon” is also a cute concept.
However, I wasn’t sure how I felt about the resolution for Ray and Kip as well as for the other couples featured in the book. Ray and Kip (spoiler alert) end up getting married and honestly, they probably shouldn’t have. Or at least, they should have waited. There was a lot of internalized homophobia going on, and while I don’t doubt that the two characters loved each other, they had a lot more issues than a weeklong getaway was going to solve.
The other couples featured all had issues with cheating which was resolved by… not being resolved? I guess? They just continued as they were, but this time they were… ok with it? That was a bit of a strange stance to take on nonmonogamy.
Rating: 3.5 ⭐️
So, the humor was there and I really enjoyed the characters and their personalities. I genuinely feel like the Ray and Kip love and care for each other. (And we love a hot doctor). The idea of an “earlymoon” is also a cute concept.
However, I wasn’t sure how I felt about the resolution for Ray and Kip as well as for the other couples featured in the book. Ray and Kip (spoiler alert) end up getting married and honestly, they probably shouldn’t have. Or at least, they should have waited. There was a lot of internalized homophobia going on, and while I don’t doubt that the two characters loved each other, they had a lot more issues than a weeklong getaway was going to solve.
The other couples featured all had issues with cheating which was resolved by… not being resolved? I guess? They just continued as they were, but this time they were… ok with it? That was a bit of a strange stance to take on nonmonogamy.
Thank you Sourcebooks for providing me a copy of Nearlyweds in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
March 3, 2025
Per usual I chose this book by the cover and title so I was expecting either a light-hearted romcom about soon-to-be betrotheds or a second-chancer about the one who got away. I’m a geezer so earlymoons and babymoons are all a bunch of newfangled getaways to my old ass, but I don’t have any sort of visceral reaction to the idea of either the experience or of reading about them. What I do react to instantly are stupid nicknames – so the notion of these two guys using various Lilith Fair performers as their standard way of greeting each other was so gimmicky it made my eyes roll. And then there’s the idea of a couple two months away from marriage where one is practically still in the closet and neither appear to ever communicate about ANYTHING ending in anything other than either a break up or at least a postponement. Thank you, next.
May 13, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Nearlywed by Nicolas DiDomizio was truly the right book at the right moment.
Ray and Kip are about to get married. Ray is a Millennial writer who was used to sharing every single part of his life on the internet, while Kip is a GenX doctor who values his privacy above everything else. When Ray convinces Kip to take a romantic getaway before the wedding at the Earlymoon Hotel, the two will soon realize their marriage may be over even before it begins. And now the question is, will they manage to walk to the altar in two months?
I felt so connected with the character that at some point it was scary. I felt so much for Ray, and like him sometimes I couldn't understand Kip's choices.
But in the end, no one is perfect, and when we care enough about the other person the best thing that can be done is to improve together and communicate.
For the communication aspect, I was to spend a couple more thoughts with you. I read some reviews talking about the miscommunication trope, but here this statement it's so far off that I wonder if these people have actually read the book.
Ray and Kip had indeed a communication problem, but this wasn't due to the fact they weren't speaking to each other or omitting information, but because of internal fears that were clouding their judgments and didn't let them hear or see anything differently than what they had in mind.
It took a lot of work throughout the book, it took being faced by third-party characters and directly clashing with their fears to actually let them open their eyes.
So to round up why I liked this book I can say this:
1. Witty and entertaining writing
2. Relatable characters
3. Creative setting
Also here are some reasons why I sometimes felt like one of the characters in it:
1. I have a Xena tattoo
2. I am allergic to bees
3. I have a fairytale marriage vision due to my parents
4. I love rock music but also anything celeb gossip
Finally, thanks to Sourcebook CASABLANCA and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC, I loved it.
Nearlywed is out May 24th! Put it on your calendar because it is worth it 🥰
Nearlywed by Nicolas DiDomizio was truly the right book at the right moment.
Ray and Kip are about to get married. Ray is a Millennial writer who was used to sharing every single part of his life on the internet, while Kip is a GenX doctor who values his privacy above everything else. When Ray convinces Kip to take a romantic getaway before the wedding at the Earlymoon Hotel, the two will soon realize their marriage may be over even before it begins. And now the question is, will they manage to walk to the altar in two months?
I felt so connected with the character that at some point it was scary. I felt so much for Ray, and like him sometimes I couldn't understand Kip's choices.
But in the end, no one is perfect, and when we care enough about the other person the best thing that can be done is to improve together and communicate.
For the communication aspect, I was to spend a couple more thoughts with you. I read some reviews talking about the miscommunication trope, but here this statement it's so far off that I wonder if these people have actually read the book.
Ray and Kip had indeed a communication problem, but this wasn't due to the fact they weren't speaking to each other or omitting information, but because of internal fears that were clouding their judgments and didn't let them hear or see anything differently than what they had in mind.
It took a lot of work throughout the book, it took being faced by third-party characters and directly clashing with their fears to actually let them open their eyes.
So to round up why I liked this book I can say this:
1. Witty and entertaining writing
2. Relatable characters
3. Creative setting
Also here are some reasons why I sometimes felt like one of the characters in it:
1. I have a Xena tattoo
2. I am allergic to bees
3. I have a fairytale marriage vision due to my parents
4. I love rock music but also anything celeb gossip
Finally, thanks to Sourcebook CASABLANCA and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC, I loved it.
Nearlywed is out May 24th! Put it on your calendar because it is worth it 🥰
February 2, 2024
Nicolas DiDomizio has crafted another amazing and magical romantic comedy with Nearlywed!
Nearlywed follows Ray Bruno, a relationship writer (think male Carrie Bradshaw), as he gets closer and closer to his wedding day with the very handsome Dr. Kip Hayes. Everything seems to be going perfectly as they gear up for their "Earlymoon" at a stunning resort that Ray's parents went to before they got married. However, when they get there things don't go according to plan and then all of a sudden the soon-to-be grooms are fighting and debating the walk down the aisle.
Nicolas DiDomizio knows exactly how to get me ramped up with emotion in his books. I was ENAMORED with this couple. Ray starts with such ideals and I truly loved his character. His energy is infectious and so full of love and he had so much room to grow. I think that ability to add depth is one of my favorite parts of DiDomizios' characters. They start so loveable, but they also have areas to grow in that don't change how you feel about them. I think that is truly a testament to the writing style in his books and I know readers love it (I LOVE IT).
I feel like this book gives you two very different sides of an argument, however, I found myself flip-flopping back and forth and not knowing which side I was on. Another testament to how enthralled I was in this story, but I was rooting for both characters and changing sides because I wanted to see them find a path forward for their differences. This story was just so dynamic and fun!
Throw in all the funny wit and jokes that Nicolas DiDomizio is famous for and you has this next great love story! Check this book out, you won't be disappointed!!
Nearlywed follows Ray Bruno, a relationship writer (think male Carrie Bradshaw), as he gets closer and closer to his wedding day with the very handsome Dr. Kip Hayes. Everything seems to be going perfectly as they gear up for their "Earlymoon" at a stunning resort that Ray's parents went to before they got married. However, when they get there things don't go according to plan and then all of a sudden the soon-to-be grooms are fighting and debating the walk down the aisle.
Nicolas DiDomizio knows exactly how to get me ramped up with emotion in his books. I was ENAMORED with this couple. Ray starts with such ideals and I truly loved his character. His energy is infectious and so full of love and he had so much room to grow. I think that ability to add depth is one of my favorite parts of DiDomizios' characters. They start so loveable, but they also have areas to grow in that don't change how you feel about them. I think that is truly a testament to the writing style in his books and I know readers love it (I LOVE IT).
I feel like this book gives you two very different sides of an argument, however, I found myself flip-flopping back and forth and not knowing which side I was on. Another testament to how enthralled I was in this story, but I was rooting for both characters and changing sides because I wanted to see them find a path forward for their differences. This story was just so dynamic and fun!
Throw in all the funny wit and jokes that Nicolas DiDomizio is famous for and you has this next great love story! Check this book out, you won't be disappointed!!
June 23, 2024
When I picked this up for Pride Month, I was looking forward to a fun, cheesy romance, but NEARLYWED is not really a romance. It's more a story of looking inward at relationships, filled with a lot of thinking and talking about love and connections. For a while, it feels like nothing much happens in the book, as our main character, Ray, pontificates about his past and present liaisons, overthinks everything, and tends toward the dramatic.
In his defense, Ray cannot fully help it: he grew up steeped in his parents' love story, dreaming of having an "earlymoon" (pre-wedding honeymoon) at the same beautiful New England resort his mom and dad did, and memorizing every aspect of their wedding album. He's a hopeless romantic used to sharing his entire life online as a reporter in the digital age. His older husband-to-be, Kip, however, came out late in late, and is a reticent doctor. (Also, can I just say, that I constantly thought Ray was Kip because Ray is the older sounding name?)
Now they're finally on their earlymoon, but things go awry quickly when they both run into people they know (wow, what a coincidence!!) and Ray wonders if Kip is truly ready to be an out, married man and Kip feels as if Ray is pushing him to share too much, too fast, with the world.
The story covers some truly important messages about being gay, being seen, coming out on your own terms--all of which are great. I found myself incredibly frustrated by Kip dragging his feet at fully acknowledging his relationship with Ray, even though I could understand his reasoning. DiDomizio does a good job of showing both sides of the relationship. Still, I found so much of the thinking and and wondering and talking about their relationship too much: I wanted something to happen. The last 10% or so of the story redeemed this to a 3-star read, but I could have done without so much of the earlier bitterness and angst.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca in return for an unbiased review.
In his defense, Ray cannot fully help it: he grew up steeped in his parents' love story, dreaming of having an "earlymoon" (pre-wedding honeymoon) at the same beautiful New England resort his mom and dad did, and memorizing every aspect of their wedding album. He's a hopeless romantic used to sharing his entire life online as a reporter in the digital age. His older husband-to-be, Kip, however, came out late in late, and is a reticent doctor. (Also, can I just say, that I constantly thought Ray was Kip because Ray is the older sounding name?)
Now they're finally on their earlymoon, but things go awry quickly when they both run into people they know (wow, what a coincidence!!) and Ray wonders if Kip is truly ready to be an out, married man and Kip feels as if Ray is pushing him to share too much, too fast, with the world.
The story covers some truly important messages about being gay, being seen, coming out on your own terms--all of which are great. I found myself incredibly frustrated by Kip dragging his feet at fully acknowledging his relationship with Ray, even though I could understand his reasoning. DiDomizio does a good job of showing both sides of the relationship. Still, I found so much of the thinking and and wondering and talking about their relationship too much: I wanted something to happen. The last 10% or so of the story redeemed this to a 3-star read, but I could have done without so much of the earlier bitterness and angst.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca in return for an unbiased review.
June 25, 2024
I've given this a B+ at AAR, 4.5 stars
Nicolas DiDomizio’s Nearlywed is not so much a romance as it is a story about romance and what happens to a couple after they’ve found their HEA. The blurb’s description of an engaged couple's compatibility [being] put to the test during their ill-fated early honeymoon did give rise to a teeny bit of apprehension, but those niggles were very quickly allayed as I became completely caught up in this refreshingly funny and insightful story of two people who are very much in love – but who have somehow managed to avoid talking about some really important issues.
Thirty-something Ray Bruno is a child of the internet age who, in his twenties, turned many personal experiences into clickbait articles as he forged a career as a writer for various blogs. Ten years later, he’s graduated to writing pieces for a more upmarket lifestyle magazine and curates his online life a little more carefully, but he’s essentially the same, bubbly, slightly over-dramatic oversharer he’s always been. He grew up in a small lobster fishing community in Seabrook, Connecticut, listening to his mother’s stories of romance and true love and dream weddings, and has wanted the same for himself for as long as he can remember.
Ray’s fiancé Kip Hayes is a respected doctor from a well-to-do family who, when they first met, had recently divorced from his wife of twelve years after realising he could no longer live a lie. Kip is ten years older than Ray and is quite content to keep his private life just that – private – and has never felt the need to plaster his every thought and deed across social media. At first sight, Ray and Kip are a terrible mis-match, but they just clicked from the moment they met, and now, almost six years later, they’re as deeply in love as ever and planning their wedding.
Their troubles begin when Ray suggests they go on an “earlymoon” – like a honeymoon, but before the wedding as a way to escape the stress of event planning and re-charge their batteries. The Earlymoon Hotel has long been a fixture in Ray’s home town, and his mother’s stories of her own, magical earlymoon there further stoked twelve-year-old Ray’s obsession with wedding culture. So with a couple of months to go before his own wedding, Ray books him and Kip in for five days of R&R with visions of moonlight walks along the beach, romantic meals-for-two and lots of vacation sex.
Unfortunately, however, from pretty much the minute Ray arrives, nothing goes as it should. The setting is as idyllic as he had hoped for, but the unexpected friction between him and Kit is not. The short break exposes cracks in their relationship that neither of them has wanted to address, or even thought needed addressing, bringing their conflicting expectations and preferences into sharp relief. When one of Kip’s old college buddies and his fiancée show up at the hotel – on an earlymoon of their own – it throws up even more questions as to Ray and Kip’s ultimate compatibility and makes both men realise that there are parts of their relationship that need serious examination before they walk down the aisle and into forever.
I’m not the biggest fan of books that centre around miscommunication, but Nearlywed is an exception because the central misunderstanding isn’t due to a lack of communication between Ray and Kip, it’s because they’ve both allowed fears and insecurities to colour their view of each oher and their life together to such an extent that it’s difficult for them to admit to the possibility of anything different. They’re both complex, flawed characters and the author does a spectacularly good job of articulating both their points of view so it’s easy to see where both of them are coming from, and I found my sympathies frequently shifting between them. There’s no question that Ray and Kip love each other dearly, but Ray has sublimated his own need to be obviously out, proud and coupled-up, pushing aside worries that Kip doesn’t want to be completely open about their relationship because he isn’t good enough, while Kip doesn’t understand Ray’s desire to shout about their relationship online, insisting that their lives are their own business and nobody else’s.
The story is told entirely from Ray’s perspective, and he’s a terrific narrator – quick witted, funny and sharply observant but with a very real vulnerability that will tug at the heartstrings. We don’t therefore have any first-hand accounts from Kip, but the author presents their differing viewpoints in an even-handed, nuanced way. There’s a lot of discussion about identity and image here, and the story highlights the way in which ordinary things done by a queer couple – such as having the first dance at their wedding – often feel much more momentous than when they’re done by a straight couple, and whether that’s reason to back away from them or jump into them, headlong. Ray wants to actively celebrate his queerness with the perfect gay wedding while Kip doesn’t want everything in his life to be about his sexual orientation and would prefer things to be much more low-key.
I liked both characters a lot, and as I’ve said, the author makes it easy to understand both their points of view, although I have to confess that I found it easier to relate to Kip to start with. Perhaps it’s because I’m closer to his age than I am to Ray’s, but Ray comes across as somewhat chaotic (and a bit of a drama queen) while Kip is more level-headed and seems to have his life sorted out. But as the story progresses and we start to learn more about him, we realise he’s got insecurities of his own, a lot of them tied to having come out later in life and his struggles with self-acceptance.
I really enjoyed Nearlywed and raced through it in a couple of sittings. In addition to the engaging main characters, there’s a small, but well-developed secondary cast – special mention goes to Ray’s no-nonsense sister, Stef, whose blend of sarcasm and sisterly concern is a delight – and the author’s portrayal of love as messy, complicated and wonderful is very satisfying. It’s a thought-provoking story, and while I liked that, there were a couple of times it became a little ‘teachy’, which is why, in the end, I’ve gone with a B+ rather than an A-. Even so, Nearlywed is definitely a book I’d recommend to anyone looking for a romance with a difference.
Nicolas DiDomizio’s Nearlywed is not so much a romance as it is a story about romance and what happens to a couple after they’ve found their HEA. The blurb’s description of an engaged couple's compatibility [being] put to the test during their ill-fated early honeymoon did give rise to a teeny bit of apprehension, but those niggles were very quickly allayed as I became completely caught up in this refreshingly funny and insightful story of two people who are very much in love – but who have somehow managed to avoid talking about some really important issues.
Thirty-something Ray Bruno is a child of the internet age who, in his twenties, turned many personal experiences into clickbait articles as he forged a career as a writer for various blogs. Ten years later, he’s graduated to writing pieces for a more upmarket lifestyle magazine and curates his online life a little more carefully, but he’s essentially the same, bubbly, slightly over-dramatic oversharer he’s always been. He grew up in a small lobster fishing community in Seabrook, Connecticut, listening to his mother’s stories of romance and true love and dream weddings, and has wanted the same for himself for as long as he can remember.
Ray’s fiancé Kip Hayes is a respected doctor from a well-to-do family who, when they first met, had recently divorced from his wife of twelve years after realising he could no longer live a lie. Kip is ten years older than Ray and is quite content to keep his private life just that – private – and has never felt the need to plaster his every thought and deed across social media. At first sight, Ray and Kip are a terrible mis-match, but they just clicked from the moment they met, and now, almost six years later, they’re as deeply in love as ever and planning their wedding.
Their troubles begin when Ray suggests they go on an “earlymoon” – like a honeymoon, but before the wedding as a way to escape the stress of event planning and re-charge their batteries. The Earlymoon Hotel has long been a fixture in Ray’s home town, and his mother’s stories of her own, magical earlymoon there further stoked twelve-year-old Ray’s obsession with wedding culture. So with a couple of months to go before his own wedding, Ray books him and Kip in for five days of R&R with visions of moonlight walks along the beach, romantic meals-for-two and lots of vacation sex.
Unfortunately, however, from pretty much the minute Ray arrives, nothing goes as it should. The setting is as idyllic as he had hoped for, but the unexpected friction between him and Kit is not. The short break exposes cracks in their relationship that neither of them has wanted to address, or even thought needed addressing, bringing their conflicting expectations and preferences into sharp relief. When one of Kip’s old college buddies and his fiancée show up at the hotel – on an earlymoon of their own – it throws up even more questions as to Ray and Kip’s ultimate compatibility and makes both men realise that there are parts of their relationship that need serious examination before they walk down the aisle and into forever.
I’m not the biggest fan of books that centre around miscommunication, but Nearlywed is an exception because the central misunderstanding isn’t due to a lack of communication between Ray and Kip, it’s because they’ve both allowed fears and insecurities to colour their view of each oher and their life together to such an extent that it’s difficult for them to admit to the possibility of anything different. They’re both complex, flawed characters and the author does a spectacularly good job of articulating both their points of view so it’s easy to see where both of them are coming from, and I found my sympathies frequently shifting between them. There’s no question that Ray and Kip love each other dearly, but Ray has sublimated his own need to be obviously out, proud and coupled-up, pushing aside worries that Kip doesn’t want to be completely open about their relationship because he isn’t good enough, while Kip doesn’t understand Ray’s desire to shout about their relationship online, insisting that their lives are their own business and nobody else’s.
The story is told entirely from Ray’s perspective, and he’s a terrific narrator – quick witted, funny and sharply observant but with a very real vulnerability that will tug at the heartstrings. We don’t therefore have any first-hand accounts from Kip, but the author presents their differing viewpoints in an even-handed, nuanced way. There’s a lot of discussion about identity and image here, and the story highlights the way in which ordinary things done by a queer couple – such as having the first dance at their wedding – often feel much more momentous than when they’re done by a straight couple, and whether that’s reason to back away from them or jump into them, headlong. Ray wants to actively celebrate his queerness with the perfect gay wedding while Kip doesn’t want everything in his life to be about his sexual orientation and would prefer things to be much more low-key.
I liked both characters a lot, and as I’ve said, the author makes it easy to understand both their points of view, although I have to confess that I found it easier to relate to Kip to start with. Perhaps it’s because I’m closer to his age than I am to Ray’s, but Ray comes across as somewhat chaotic (and a bit of a drama queen) while Kip is more level-headed and seems to have his life sorted out. But as the story progresses and we start to learn more about him, we realise he’s got insecurities of his own, a lot of them tied to having come out later in life and his struggles with self-acceptance.
I really enjoyed Nearlywed and raced through it in a couple of sittings. In addition to the engaging main characters, there’s a small, but well-developed secondary cast – special mention goes to Ray’s no-nonsense sister, Stef, whose blend of sarcasm and sisterly concern is a delight – and the author’s portrayal of love as messy, complicated and wonderful is very satisfying. It’s a thought-provoking story, and while I liked that, there were a couple of times it became a little ‘teachy’, which is why, in the end, I’ve gone with a B+ rather than an A-. Even so, Nearlywed is definitely a book I’d recommend to anyone looking for a romance with a difference.
March 3, 2024
"All romantic relationships have the same foundation at work— two people who want to feel seen, understood, and protected."
Nearlywed by Nicolas DiDomizio
GENRE: contemporary romance
TROPES & TOPICS: relationship drama, marriage and engagement, mm romance, communications, family ties, age gap, vacation and summer vibes, divorcee
RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
REALESE DATE: May 21, 2024
This is the second book from this author that I have read, and while with the first book, I made some conclusions. This book confirmed it. Nicolas DiDomizio is excellent at writing realistic characters.
And I can't tell you enough how that is important. I would even say fundamental in contemporary fiction books.
I also felt the same build-up as before. The story slowly socks you in, and then you just have to keep on reading.
If I didn't get enamored with charcters before, I would totally love them after Ally McBeal mentions. If you know you know!
If you are looking for a summer read that will give you that cozy feeling but also make you think about your relationships, perceptions, and beliefs about relationships and marriage, then READ this book.
"“It’s the truth,” I tell him. “I forgot that you existed! Don’t blame me—” I cut myself off upon realizing that I’m now speaking exclusively in Taylor Swift song titles. “Let’s all just calm down,” Joley suggests. “You need to calm down,” I retort. Dammit! I’m doing it again."
Nearlywed by Nicolas DiDomizio
GENRE: contemporary romance
TROPES & TOPICS: relationship drama, marriage and engagement, mm romance, communications, family ties, age gap, vacation and summer vibes, divorcee
RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
REALESE DATE: May 21, 2024
This is the second book from this author that I have read, and while with the first book, I made some conclusions. This book confirmed it. Nicolas DiDomizio is excellent at writing realistic characters.
And I can't tell you enough how that is important. I would even say fundamental in contemporary fiction books.
I also felt the same build-up as before. The story slowly socks you in, and then you just have to keep on reading.
If I didn't get enamored with charcters before, I would totally love them after Ally McBeal mentions. If you know you know!
If you are looking for a summer read that will give you that cozy feeling but also make you think about your relationships, perceptions, and beliefs about relationships and marriage, then READ this book.
"“It’s the truth,” I tell him. “I forgot that you existed! Don’t blame me—” I cut myself off upon realizing that I’m now speaking exclusively in Taylor Swift song titles. “Let’s all just calm down,” Joley suggests. “You need to calm down,” I retort. Dammit! I’m doing it again."
February 11, 2024
Ray Bruno is a child of the internet, an over sharing, out and proud millennial who turned personal stories into clickbait as a journalist in his 20s, never once thinking it might catch up to him. He also grew up in a house where his mother constantly spoke about true love, her dream wedding and all the trappings. Young Ray wanted nothing less for himself.
Kip Hayes is a well established doctor from a prominent family, recently divorced from his wife of twelve years. He is meticulously private, having been born ten years before Ray, he never had the desire to over share, or share at all. But maybe that’s because he was in the closet until his late 30s.
They’re terrible on paper.
But engaged and in love, Ray convinces Kip to have an “earlymoon”, something cooked up in his hometown on the shores of the Atlantic in Connecticut where harried couples get away before the wedding.
Everything is perfect — Ray will accept no less — until it isn’t. A run in with another couple leaves Ray and Kip questioning everything. Are they truly meant for each other?
Here’s what worked for me:
•Ray’s insecurities are universal, I think, and touched on my own making him relatable, something missing from some romcoms.
•Kip initially seems strong and infallible but slowly his own insecurities are revealed, making him more human.
•The cast of supporting characters are used perfectly.
•A bee! Anaphylactic shock! Two things you would not expect to be instrumental in a romcom and yet serve as a perfect catalyst.
•Guys, even the third act break up works!
Here’s what didn’t work for me:
•The epilogue didn’t plop me down where I expected it to, and I was a tad disappointed.
This is my first 5 star ARC read. You should definitely pick this up when it becomes available!
Thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks for the e-ARC to read and review. Available May 21, 2024.
Kip Hayes is a well established doctor from a prominent family, recently divorced from his wife of twelve years. He is meticulously private, having been born ten years before Ray, he never had the desire to over share, or share at all. But maybe that’s because he was in the closet until his late 30s.
They’re terrible on paper.
But engaged and in love, Ray convinces Kip to have an “earlymoon”, something cooked up in his hometown on the shores of the Atlantic in Connecticut where harried couples get away before the wedding.
Everything is perfect — Ray will accept no less — until it isn’t. A run in with another couple leaves Ray and Kip questioning everything. Are they truly meant for each other?
Here’s what worked for me:
•Ray’s insecurities are universal, I think, and touched on my own making him relatable, something missing from some romcoms.
•Kip initially seems strong and infallible but slowly his own insecurities are revealed, making him more human.
•The cast of supporting characters are used perfectly.
•A bee! Anaphylactic shock! Two things you would not expect to be instrumental in a romcom and yet serve as a perfect catalyst.
•Guys, even the third act break up works!
Here’s what didn’t work for me:
•The epilogue didn’t plop me down where I expected it to, and I was a tad disappointed.
This is my first 5 star ARC read. You should definitely pick this up when it becomes available!
Thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks for the e-ARC to read and review. Available May 21, 2024.
April 16, 2024
This was my first novel by DiDomizio, and boy am I now champing at the bit to continue with his back catalog. DiDomizio's main character is Ray Bruno, a man who has allowed hopeless romanticism to rule his life. Doctor Kip Hayes is a conformist who is out, but maybe not that proud when it comes to his everyday life. The comedy of errors that unfolds thereafter is so heartwarming and relatable that I can't help but to immediately stan the author. I felt myself commiserating with both Ray's and Kip's viewpoints as they navigated the choppy waters of gay identity and monogamy in the 2020s. Fluffy, wholesome, spicy as a bowl of vanilla ice cream, but just as tasty and enjoyable.
Highly-recommended for any gay man in his 30s or 40s wanting a comfy read that makes you remember why you believe in love. I'm molting! Five stars.
***Note: I received an ARC of this novel from SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca and Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.***
Highly-recommended for any gay man in his 30s or 40s wanting a comfy read that makes you remember why you believe in love. I'm molting! Five stars.
***Note: I received an ARC of this novel from SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca and Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.***
February 28, 2024
Wow! What an incredible book. And why haven’t I heard about this author before? I need to grab their previous books. I honestly went into the book with zero expectations. An earlymoon (early honeymoon) was a cute concept, but I was nervous about the obstacles that Ray and Kip may have to go through. The book flowed so well and was fast paced. Ray and Kip have decided to go on this trip a couple of months before their wedding, There were some serious topics such as Kip not wanting a big wedding to Ray feeling unsecured due to past relationships that made this book really important and interesting to read. I won’t give too much away. There were many hilarious scenes and Ray was an amazing character! Most importantly, I cheered for Ray and Kip. They were an adorable couple that needed to just communicate honestly to each other. The ending was simply perfect. I wondered how the book would end and it was really beautiful. Overall, this was a fun and sweet book that if you love a sweet m/m love story you will love this book. I highly recommend it! A huge thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for my review.
May 22, 2024
Nearlywed felt like a fresh take on the romance genre. Here the story focuses on the conflicts a couple struggle with that come to a head when they go on an “earlymoon” in the lead up to their planned wedding.
Kip and Ray have distinctly different personalities and occupations, and even come from different generations. This leads to many of their common arguments, which doesn’t sound like the best topic for a romance novel, but somehow it works and is additionally charming, funny, and a delight to read. I loved the setting at the seaside inn famous for hosting couples before they say “I do” and didn’t even mind it so much when coincidence made for some convenient reckoning with one’s past.
Overall, this was a quick and enjoyable read that I appreciated for its unique reimagining of the romance novel. Many thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for providing the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Kip and Ray have distinctly different personalities and occupations, and even come from different generations. This leads to many of their common arguments, which doesn’t sound like the best topic for a romance novel, but somehow it works and is additionally charming, funny, and a delight to read. I loved the setting at the seaside inn famous for hosting couples before they say “I do” and didn’t even mind it so much when coincidence made for some convenient reckoning with one’s past.
Overall, this was a quick and enjoyable read that I appreciated for its unique reimagining of the romance novel. Many thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for providing the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
June 29, 2024
From the beginning I was torn between the two main characters, Ray and Kip. At times, Ray could be so unrealistic with what he wanted and expected from Kip, but at the same time I would get so angry that Kip always reverted back to being “straight”. I found myself at points throughout the book laughing, getting choked up, and even gasping with the twists and turns the author conjured up for us. Overall, it was such a fun and witty read, perfect for the summer. I wish I could read it all over again for the first time!
May 23, 2024
I finished this one only because I wanted to know what happened. But I spent the entire book grumpy about reading it. Both MCs were infuriating in their inability to communicate. And I get it, maybe it's the fact I haven't dated in a long time, but like these two have been together for like 5/6 years and are getting married, and they have these very basic aspects of their relationship they haven't worked through?! It just felt unbelievable to me.
August 30, 2024
unremarkable
June 20, 2024
cute! good audiobook for long commutes.
Read
June 14, 2024No rating
After taking nearly 3 weeks to finish this, I can confidently and wholeheartedly say the only thing I liked about it was the narration… which was the main reason I picked this, but the blurb seemed interesting too.
I didn’t like either Ray or Kip… or most of the supporting cast. I certainly don’t like Ray and Kip together.
It was hard to follow the timeline, especially the first bit when it jumps around. But I don’t really blame myself for that, because even the author couldn’t keep it straight. Ray and Kip are mentioned as having been together for both 5 & 6 years. The wedding is mentioned as being next month, and 2 months away. Ray mentions by the age of 30 coming to terms that he can be happy without being married, in a passage that makes it seem as though he was single at that time. But he met Kip when he was 29.
Now, I should have DNFd. I wanted to DNF. But the more I read, the more I was curious how the author was going to give a convincing HEA. And for me, he didn’t.
Yes, Ray and Kip have their differences. Yes, they fight and make up. Yes, Kip apologizes for calling Ray an “attention seeking hurricane”.
But you know what Kip never apologizes for?
Kip never once apologizes for passing Ray off as his golfing buddy to his old school friend that he ran into on their early honeymoon. A lie that Kip wanted Ray to maintain the entire trip. Even though Kip says the people important to him know that he is gay. So if this old school buddy isn’t important enough to know, he isn’t important. So, why shove yourself and your fiancé (against his will) back into the closet for someone that isn’t important? Why call your fiancé an attention seeker for wanting to be acknowledged as your fiancé?
This wasn’t romantic. It wasn’t comedic. Michael Crouch’s lovely narration couldn’t save this.
If you’re reading this and trying to convince yourself the ending will be worth it, this is your sign that it won’t be.
P.S. wasps and bees are different, so is Ray allergic to both, or are we just going to ignore that?
After taking nearly 3 weeks to finish this, I can confidently and wholeheartedly say the only thing I liked about it was the narration… which was the main reason I picked this, but the blurb seemed interesting too.
I didn’t like either Ray or Kip… or most of the supporting cast. I certainly don’t like Ray and Kip together.
It was hard to follow the timeline, especially the first bit when it jumps around. But I don’t really blame myself for that, because even the author couldn’t keep it straight. Ray and Kip are mentioned as having been together for both 5 & 6 years. The wedding is mentioned as being next month, and 2 months away. Ray mentions by the age of 30 coming to terms that he can be happy without being married, in a passage that makes it seem as though he was single at that time. But he met Kip when he was 29.
Now, I should have DNFd. I wanted to DNF. But the more I read, the more I was curious how the author was going to give a convincing HEA. And for me, he didn’t.
Yes, Ray and Kip have their differences. Yes, they fight and make up. Yes, Kip apologizes for calling Ray an “attention seeking hurricane”.
But you know what Kip never apologizes for?
Kip never once apologizes for passing Ray off as his golfing buddy to his old school friend that he ran into on their early honeymoon. A lie that Kip wanted Ray to maintain the entire trip. Even though Kip says the people important to him know that he is gay. So if this old school buddy isn’t important enough to know, he isn’t important. So, why shove yourself and your fiancé (against his will) back into the closet for someone that isn’t important? Why call your fiancé an attention seeker for wanting to be acknowledged as your fiancé?
This wasn’t romantic. It wasn’t comedic. Michael Crouch’s lovely narration couldn’t save this.
If you’re reading this and trying to convince yourself the ending will be worth it, this is your sign that it won’t be.
P.S. wasps and bees are different, so is Ray allergic to both, or are we just going to ignore that?
February 13, 2024
“What do you think makes for a successful earlymoon?”
“Hmm! That’s a good one.�� He strokes his gray beard for several moments, careful not to rush his response. “If you’re still engaged by the end of it, then it was a success.”
The minute I saw the author's name on NetGalley, I snagged the book without a second thought. I liked his previous work titled "The Gay Best Friend" very much and I just knew I wouldn't be disappointed with this one. And I was right - loved it from the beginning til the end, devouring it almost in one sitting.
I'm a bit tired of wedding themed romances, but give me gay wedding any day! And Mr. DiDomizio delivers: I enjoyed the unexpected angles and curious insights about relationships and marriage, I loved the main characters, Ray and Kip, how different they were, yet completing each other. And the writing style is just my cup of tea - clever, witty, evocative and a perfect balance of angst and humor.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange of an honest opinion.
“Hmm! That’s a good one.�� He strokes his gray beard for several moments, careful not to rush his response. “If you’re still engaged by the end of it, then it was a success.”
The minute I saw the author's name on NetGalley, I snagged the book without a second thought. I liked his previous work titled "The Gay Best Friend" very much and I just knew I wouldn't be disappointed with this one. And I was right - loved it from the beginning til the end, devouring it almost in one sitting.
I'm a bit tired of wedding themed romances, but give me gay wedding any day! And Mr. DiDomizio delivers: I enjoyed the unexpected angles and curious insights about relationships and marriage, I loved the main characters, Ray and Kip, how different they were, yet completing each other. And the writing style is just my cup of tea - clever, witty, evocative and a perfect balance of angst and humor.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange of an honest opinion.
June 20, 2024
I was 80% through this book and absolutely horrified when I realized they were going to stay together. What an affront to Ray and his proud identity as a gay man. Kip literally gaslights him and somehow Ray needs to grovel back. There are few queer books that make me angry but this is a sad romance.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 2, 2024
4.25⭐️
-Unhinged gay MC ✅
-relatable ✅
-enjoyable ✅
-predictable ✅✅
-Unhinged gay MC ✅
-relatable ✅
-enjoyable ✅
-predictable ✅✅
August 6, 2024
An introspective on gay marriage told with third person point of view. Despite the plot containing heavy topics (such as discrimination, stigmas surrounding same sex marriage and coming out) and the main characters being very raw with their emotions…the overall feeling of the book was and was quite lighthearted and sometimes comical. Kudos to the author for giving me a pleasantly ambiguous reading experience. I enjoyed learning the journey of Ray and Kip’s relationship, discovering their differences and seeing if their relationship will survive the honeymoon before the their wedding (apparently this is a thing?!)
Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca for the eARC.
4.24 stars
Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca for the eARC.
4.24 stars
February 14, 2024
Ray Bruno and Kip Hayes seem like an imperfect match—where Ray is an chronic oversharer, Kip keeps his life close to the vest. As they go on an “earlymoon” ahead of their wedding, some of those differences come to a head and suddenly the romantic week they had planned might be the cause of their breakup.
The generational difference between Ray (millennial) and Kip (gen X) is the root of a lot of their issues, centering most specifically around what they’re comfortable sharing, both online and with those around them. There’s a lot of discussion about one’s identity and image, and how even uneventful things done by a straight couple often hold much more weight when done by a queer couple—and whether that’s cause to back away from them, or to lean in. The book examines what it’s like to come out later in life, how that can change people’s opinions, and how it can make it harder to accept yourself.
There are some fun side characters, and surprising stories from some of the other guests at the hotel on their own earlymoons. I was pleasantly surprised by the various shades of queer identity and relationships that were depicted, and that they were all shown respect, driving home that what works for someone doesn’t have to work for others, as long as it works for them and their partner.
I really enjoyed this! It’s a nice change to read a romance where the initial relationship is already established, and we as readers get to see how they work together, how they succeed (and fail!) to communicate with each other, and how they trust each other to work through it together. It would be perfect to read by the pool or at the beach!
Thanks to NetGalley for making this ARC available.
Pub date: 21 May 2024
The generational difference between Ray (millennial) and Kip (gen X) is the root of a lot of their issues, centering most specifically around what they’re comfortable sharing, both online and with those around them. There’s a lot of discussion about one’s identity and image, and how even uneventful things done by a straight couple often hold much more weight when done by a queer couple—and whether that’s cause to back away from them, or to lean in. The book examines what it’s like to come out later in life, how that can change people’s opinions, and how it can make it harder to accept yourself.
There are some fun side characters, and surprising stories from some of the other guests at the hotel on their own earlymoons. I was pleasantly surprised by the various shades of queer identity and relationships that were depicted, and that they were all shown respect, driving home that what works for someone doesn’t have to work for others, as long as it works for them and their partner.
I really enjoyed this! It’s a nice change to read a romance where the initial relationship is already established, and we as readers get to see how they work together, how they succeed (and fail!) to communicate with each other, and how they trust each other to work through it together. It would be perfect to read by the pool or at the beach!
Thanks to NetGalley for making this ARC available.
Pub date: 21 May 2024
November 13, 2024
[4.5 stars] Among the romance novels I’ve read, this one definitely stood out. The fact that it focused on two characters who have already been together for years instead of a budding love story felt very refreshing. There were many interesting takes on relationships and what building strong fondations for a marriage really entails. Just a very fun romcom with entertaining characters.
June 16, 2024
(3.5)
July 10, 2024
Absolutely devoured this book! Loved The Gay Best Friend and I can honestly say I think I loved this one even more! Ray and Kip’s love story is like any other love story with heart emojis and roller coaster rides! I loved their development both as a couple and as individuals (especially Kip because whew! IYKYK!) Nic can write no wrong and I’m all here for it 💕
April 4, 2025
Two men, alike in
hang-up if not persona
come out to "romance."
hang-up if not persona
come out to "romance."
May 21, 2024
I went into this book blind and it took me by surprise! The concept of a couple, who are opposites on paper, going on an early honeymoon only to hit a series of speed bumps along the way that force them to examine their past and shared history, relationship, communication, and the bonds that unite them was intriguing, captivating, and oh so messy. These characters’ stories and vulnerabilities were incredibly relatable and DiDomizio’s writing was full of so much heart that the characters’ emotional journeys and experiences left me teary and breathless.
This story was romantic and tender and very layered as it examines how our past, family, friends, hopes, and fears mold and influence our future and present relationships. I loved getting to follow Ray and Kip as they worked on their communication, shared their hearts, encouraged each other, and loved each other in both times of blissful and difficulty while fighting for the love and relationship of their own making.
This story was romantic and tender and very layered as it examines how our past, family, friends, hopes, and fears mold and influence our future and present relationships. I loved getting to follow Ray and Kip as they worked on their communication, shared their hearts, encouraged each other, and loved each other in both times of blissful and difficulty while fighting for the love and relationship of their own making.
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