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New Milton #1
Perfect Day
First love conquers all in Perfect Day, a captivating contemporary male/male retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion.
Love doesn’t burn out just because the timing’s wrong. It grows. It never leaves.
When Joshua Newton, prodigal son of one of New Milton’s elite, fell in love with ambitious young actor Finn Callaghan, his world finally made sense. With every stolen moment, soft touch and breathless kiss, they fell deeper in love.
Finn was his future…until he wasn’t.
Love stays. Even when you don’t want it to, even when you try to deny it, it stays.
Eight years later, Finn has returned to the seaside town where it all began. He’s on the brink of stardom, a far cry from the poor mechanic who spent one gorgeous summer falling in love on the beach.
The last thing he wants is a second chance with the man who broke his heart. Finn has spent a long time forgetting Joshua Newton—he certainly doesn’t plan to forgive him.
Love grows. It never leaves.
One-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise : all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise!
This book is approximately 63,000 words
Edited by Kerri Buckley
Love doesn’t burn out just because the timing’s wrong. It grows. It never leaves.
When Joshua Newton, prodigal son of one of New Milton’s elite, fell in love with ambitious young actor Finn Callaghan, his world finally made sense. With every stolen moment, soft touch and breathless kiss, they fell deeper in love.
Finn was his future…until he wasn’t.
Love stays. Even when you don’t want it to, even when you try to deny it, it stays.
Eight years later, Finn has returned to the seaside town where it all began. He’s on the brink of stardom, a far cry from the poor mechanic who spent one gorgeous summer falling in love on the beach.
The last thing he wants is a second chance with the man who broke his heart. Finn has spent a long time forgetting Joshua Newton—he certainly doesn’t plan to forgive him.
Love grows. It never leaves.
One-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise : all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise!
This book is approximately 63,000 words
Edited by Kerri Buckley
239 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 13, 2018
51 people are currently reading
1150 people want to read
About the author
Sally Malcolm
36 books291 followersSally Malcolm was bitten by the m/m romance bug in 2016 and hasn’t looked back. It’s fair to say she’s obsessed with the genre. She has four contemporary m/m romances out, set in the fictional Long Island seaside town of New Milton.
She's also the author of eight Stargate novels and novellas, including the hit "Apocalypse" trilogy. She has penned four Stargate audio dramas for Big Finish Productions, including Stargate SG-1: "An Eye for an Eye" starring Michael Shanks, Claudia Black, and Cliff Simon.
Sally lives in South West London.
She's also the author of eight Stargate novels and novellas, including the hit "Apocalypse" trilogy. She has penned four Stargate audio dramas for Big Finish Productions, including Stargate SG-1: "An Eye for an Eye" starring Michael Shanks, Claudia Black, and Cliff Simon.
Sally lives in South West London.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 216 reviews
December 16, 2025
Alfred Tennyson was such a fan of Austen's Persuasion, he famously exclaimed, "Show me the exact spot where Louisa Musgrove fell."
I'll do Tennyson one better and shout, "Show me the exact spot where Liz almost drowned!"
Who's Liz, you may ask? She's the woman Finn woos as revenge for Joshua leaving him eight years prior.
But let's back up: Josh and Finn met the summer they were 23 when Finn was working for Josh's father. Josh was upper-crust, wealthy, and played the piano beautifully. Finn had dreams of making it big in Hollywood. Josh was going to forget his Harvard MBA and follow Finn to L.A. where they'd build a life together.
But at the last moment, Josh broke up with Finn. He wanted Finn to pursue his dreams without being shackled to a boyfriend (Josh's aunt convinced him that making it as an actor was hard enough without also coming out as bi or gay, and she wasn't wrong).
Eight years later, Finn, now an A-list celebrity, still hasn't forgiven Joshua. The men are thrown together when Finn's brother buys the house in which Josh grew up. Finn proceeds to ignore Josh and begins dating Liz to spite him.
My heart utterly broke for Josh. I wanted to cry every time Finn shunned him or said something cruel. Finn's thirst for revenge was unsettling. After all, he and Josh had only known each other for one summer.
As the girl who did what Josh didn't and followed her boyfriend of two years to L.A. after dropping out of a graduate program, I will vouch for the fact that follow-your-heart stories don't always have a happy ending.
What I'm saying is that I was on Josh's side! Finn acted like an arrogant bastard, and I kind of wish Josh had held out longer. But someone had to stop the cycle of anger and pride. After all, these men sang together in perfect harmony.
I've never read anything by Sally Malcolm, but she has a wonderful writing style, with evocative, but never flowery, descriptions of the setting (sea, snow, and coffee shop). I was so wrapped up in the story, time ceased to exist.
The MCs were complex and real.
Finn: determined, proud, alone in a fortress of his dreams but not happy, not really.
Josh: kind, isolated, lonely, existing but not living up to his potential.
Even the secondary characters were interesting people with their own motivations and desires. Finn's brother was such a good guy, and I couldn't hate Liz if I tried. Finn didn't exactly do right by her either.
While the steam was muted, I found I didn't miss it. The feels more than made up for it. And the HEA was so romantic, I almost sobbed.
You needn't have read Austen's novel to enjoy this book. It proudly stands alone.
I'll do Tennyson one better and shout, "Show me the exact spot where Liz almost drowned!"
Who's Liz, you may ask? She's the woman Finn woos as revenge for Joshua leaving him eight years prior.
But let's back up: Josh and Finn met the summer they were 23 when Finn was working for Josh's father. Josh was upper-crust, wealthy, and played the piano beautifully. Finn had dreams of making it big in Hollywood. Josh was going to forget his Harvard MBA and follow Finn to L.A. where they'd build a life together.
But at the last moment, Josh broke up with Finn. He wanted Finn to pursue his dreams without being shackled to a boyfriend (Josh's aunt convinced him that making it as an actor was hard enough without also coming out as bi or gay, and she wasn't wrong).
Eight years later, Finn, now an A-list celebrity, still hasn't forgiven Joshua. The men are thrown together when Finn's brother buys the house in which Josh grew up. Finn proceeds to ignore Josh and begins dating Liz to spite him.
My heart utterly broke for Josh. I wanted to cry every time Finn shunned him or said something cruel. Finn's thirst for revenge was unsettling. After all, he and Josh had only known each other for one summer.
As the girl who did what Josh didn't and followed her boyfriend of two years to L.A. after dropping out of a graduate program, I will vouch for the fact that follow-your-heart stories don't always have a happy ending.
What I'm saying is that I was on Josh's side! Finn acted like an arrogant bastard, and I kind of wish Josh had held out longer. But someone had to stop the cycle of anger and pride. After all, these men sang together in perfect harmony.
"Love doesn't vanish just because you missed your slot. It's not conditional on time and place. It ... it stays."
I've never read anything by Sally Malcolm, but she has a wonderful writing style, with evocative, but never flowery, descriptions of the setting (sea, snow, and coffee shop). I was so wrapped up in the story, time ceased to exist.
The MCs were complex and real.
Finn: determined, proud, alone in a fortress of his dreams but not happy, not really.
Josh: kind, isolated, lonely, existing but not living up to his potential.
Even the secondary characters were interesting people with their own motivations and desires. Finn's brother was such a good guy, and I couldn't hate Liz if I tried. Finn didn't exactly do right by her either.
While the steam was muted, I found I didn't miss it. The feels more than made up for it. And the HEA was so romantic, I almost sobbed.
You needn't have read Austen's novel to enjoy this book. It proudly stands alone.
October 4, 2018
As this story started out, in my opinion, it was freaking *PERFECT*. One to give even Anyta Sunday a run for her money in the feels and slow burn department.
I loved the MC's, I loved their story, and there wasn't a single thing that I would've changed.
AND THEN THE RAINS CAME...
Ugh, once Finn finally decided that he needed to get over himself and Josh was "The One" for him, that's when the fuckery began.
Josh ran away, Finn gave chase.Aaaaaaand I was about to KILL some scared, indecisive bitches, trust.
Finn walked away, Josh gave chase.
Josh ran away, Finn gave chase.
Finn walked away, Josh gave chase.
Rinse and repeat.
I still loved the story, especially once the chasing was done, but would've much preferred the book without all of that mess. You know, the way that the book actually *began*.
4.25 stars, even with the frustrating crap toward the end.
August 28, 2018
4.5
Modern retelling of Jane Austen's Persuasion
Well,this was a pleasant surprise.I'm always a bit nervous about reading something from an Author I haven't come across before but I'm so glad I requested this.I read it in about 24hours,I couldn't put it down once I started it.
Finn and Joshua were from different worlds when they fell in love one summer.They had their future mapped out-it was going to be perfect-until it wasn't-when their dreams ended just like the idyllic summer they'd spent together...
8 Years later Finn is back in Joshua's life....
-There's anger,
-There's resentment,
-There are so many memories...
Will love be enough the second time around?
This was utterly charming
-the scene setting,by the beach,was beautiful,
-Finn and Joshua are highly likeable,well developed characters that fit together so well,
-a sensual love story that turned out beautifully.
Ok,there was a bit of miscommunication and the epilogue was too long but I'm overlooking that because I really,really enjoyed this!
Recommended read.
Review copy provided by the publisher,via NetGalley
There was one last perfect day.
Modern retelling of Jane Austen's Persuasion
Well,this was a pleasant surprise.I'm always a bit nervous about reading something from an Author I haven't come across before but I'm so glad I requested this.I read it in about 24hours,I couldn't put it down once I started it.
Finn and Joshua were from different worlds when they fell in love one summer.They had their future mapped out-it was going to be perfect-until it wasn't-when their dreams ended just like the idyllic summer they'd spent together...
8 Years later Finn is back in Joshua's life....
-There's anger,
-There's resentment,
-There are so many memories...
Will love be enough the second time around?
This was utterly charming
-the scene setting,by the beach,was beautiful,
-Finn and Joshua are highly likeable,well developed characters that fit together so well,
-a sensual love story that turned out beautifully.
Ok,there was a bit of miscommunication and the epilogue was too long but I'm overlooking that because I really,really enjoyed this!
Recommended read.
Review copy provided by the publisher,via NetGalley
April 1, 2019
Uh!
Don't mind me, It is me not the book. I believe maybe MM contemporary is not my thing.
The story is a retelling of Jane Austen's persuasion which i haven't read andi don't think i will. Maybe i will someday. Unnecessary miscommunication is my biggest pet peeves, and that was the main plot in this book.
The MCs spend 80% of the book tiptoeing around each other over something that could have been solved by just communicating.
The last 20% was rushed and tied up with a neat bow for me to believe.
The MCs were likable but i couldn't feel the Zing connection between them.
The writing is good, maybe in the near future i will read other books by this author.
Overall it was an ok read.
Don't mind me, It is me not the book. I believe maybe MM contemporary is not my thing.
The story is a retelling of Jane Austen's persuasion which i haven't read and
The MCs spend 80% of the book tiptoeing around each other over something that could have been solved by just communicating.
The last 20% was rushed and tied up with a neat bow for me to believe.
The MCs were likable but i couldn't feel the Zing connection between them.
The writing is good, maybe in the near future i will read other books by this author.
Overall it was an ok read.
December 19, 2018
I was going to whip up this really pretty review with graphics and squee my head off about how much I loved this book, how I devoured it but that shit takes time, y'know? And I'm chomping at the bit to get to "Love Around the Corner" so I'll leave this quote:
And that's just one! The highlights were copious!
Anyhoozle, there's tons of fantasmal reviews out there like Jude's or Dani's.
I'm just going to say Perfect book was PERFECT! And I hearted the stuffing out of it.
Thanks BUNCHES to An elf in a book shelf! xx
Suddenly, all he wanted was to touch him, No, not wanted, needed. He needed to touch him with a force he hadn't felt in years-like he couldn't breathe unless they were in each other's arms, like his hands couldn't still unless they were sliding along the smooth muscles of his back, like his chest couldn't stop aching unless it was pressed against Josh's, skin-to-skin. The explosion of desire made his legs shake as he pushed through the crowd.
And that's just one! The highlights were copious!
Anyhoozle, there's tons of fantasmal reviews out there like Jude's or Dani's.
I'm just going to say Perfect book was PERFECT! And I hearted the stuffing out of it.
Thanks BUNCHES to An elf in a book shelf! xx
January 1, 2019
4.25 Stars
Love doesn’t burn out just because the timing’s wrong. It stays. Even when you don’t want it to, even when you try to deny it, it stays. It grows. It never leaves.
Perfect Day is a quick read and a second chance love story. It’s well-written with well-developed characters and contains flashbacks but not too much. You can feel every emotion, their love, happiness, and sadness. It’s a bit angsty, just the way I like! Both of them were so likable. Main characters aside, side characters were great as well. Told in dual POV, 3rd person. It’s the first installment in the New Milton series and it can be read as a standalone. Overall, I had a good time reading this and hope you enjoy it as well!
Love doesn’t burn out just because the timing’s wrong. It stays. Even when you don’t want it to, even when you try to deny it, it stays. It grows. It never leaves.
Perfect Day is a quick read and a second chance love story. It’s well-written with well-developed characters and contains flashbacks but not too much. You can feel every emotion, their love, happiness, and sadness. It’s a bit angsty, just the way I like! Both of them were so likable. Main characters aside, side characters were great as well. Told in dual POV, 3rd person. It’s the first installment in the New Milton series and it can be read as a standalone. Overall, I had a good time reading this and hope you enjoy it as well!
September 21, 2018
Peruasión de Jane Austen es un libro absolutamente maravilloso. Este retelling de Sally Malcolm a su manera, también lo es.
Una historia de segundas oportunidades, con separación entre los protagonistas, soledad, celos, arrepentimientos, errores de juventud, errores por orgullo. Finn y Sean son dos personajes muy reales, el amor entre ellos se palpan, cometen muchos errores, pero aun así se siente cómo se quieren. Finn enamora, pero Sean... A Sean le quieres abrazar, arropar, necesitas saber que será feliz. Y todo esto acompañado con secundarios con mucho peso y un entorno que también lo tiene. Mientras leía me veía realmente transportada a ese lugar de la costa de USA, con sus habitantes, su cafetería y su mar.
Un libro muy muy romántico y muy bien escrito. Para arrancar unos cuantos suspiros.
Una historia de segundas oportunidades, con separación entre los protagonistas, soledad, celos, arrepentimientos, errores de juventud, errores por orgullo. Finn y Sean son dos personajes muy reales, el amor entre ellos se palpan, cometen muchos errores, pero aun así se siente cómo se quieren. Finn enamora, pero Sean... A Sean le quieres abrazar, arropar, necesitas saber que será feliz. Y todo esto acompañado con secundarios con mucho peso y un entorno que también lo tiene. Mientras leía me veía realmente transportada a ese lugar de la costa de USA, con sus habitantes, su cafetería y su mar.
Un libro muy muy romántico y muy bien escrito. Para arrancar unos cuantos suspiros.
August 25, 2018
-4.25 stars-
What an amazing little gem that was! I’m very glad a friend recommended it or else it would have gone unnoticed.
My friends know that I’m a complete sucker for second chance stories. Perfect Day embodies everything I love about the trope:
-A breakup followed by years of separation.
-The “OMG I just saw you again after all these years” moment.
-Glimpses of the past in the form of short and sparse flashbacks.
-TONS of UST, stolen glances, awkward but intense moments. Oh the angst!
-I love it when one of the MCs (the wronged one) holds a grudge and acts like an asshole (sue me). That was Finn.
-The writing. I normally prefer a grittier style in this kind of stories, but this worked very well. It had an eerie feel to it, maybe because it’s a retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion. The prose should have felt purplish, except it didn’t.
The only reason I’m not rating this higher is that I felt that the “Liz” subplot went a little too far and then a couple short miscommunication scenes followed (thankfully very, very short). And although the epilogue was a lovely HEA it was a little bit too long.
The steam is low to moderate but the existing scenes, although somewhat muted, are very intense and sensual.
Overall, this was very nice and there was indication that there will be a second book. I’ll be reading it.
Recommended.
”This is the beginning, Josh. This is the beginning of everything for us.”
But of course it wasn’t. It was the end. It was the last golden hour of the last perfect day.”
What an amazing little gem that was! I’m very glad a friend recommended it or else it would have gone unnoticed.
My friends know that I’m a complete sucker for second chance stories. Perfect Day embodies everything I love about the trope:
-A breakup followed by years of separation.
-The “OMG I just saw you again after all these years” moment.
-Glimpses of the past in the form of short and sparse flashbacks.
-TONS of UST, stolen glances, awkward but intense moments. Oh the angst!
-I love it when one of the MCs (the wronged one) holds a grudge and acts like an asshole (sue me). That was Finn.
-The writing. I normally prefer a grittier style in this kind of stories, but this worked very well. It had an eerie feel to it, maybe because it’s a retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion. The prose should have felt purplish, except it didn’t.
The only reason I’m not rating this higher is that I felt that the “Liz” subplot went a little too far and then a couple short miscommunication scenes followed (thankfully very, very short). And although the epilogue was a lovely HEA it was a little bit too long.
The steam is low to moderate but the existing scenes, although somewhat muted, are very intense and sensual.
Overall, this was very nice and there was indication that there will be a second book. I’ll be reading it.
Recommended.
August 18, 2019
Persuasion is my least favorite of Austen's novels, so I wasn't sure what I was in for with this modern-day m/m retelling. I do love a good second-chance romance, though, so decided it was worth a try.
There was an appropriate amount of suffering from the injuring party -- a crucial element for me, because I hate it when the reconciliation feels unearned. But Josh stewed in remorse to my heart's content. It would have been easy for this to devolve into a big old angst-fest, but, as the POV alternated between Josh and Finn, I was impressed by how genuine their emotions felt.
The writing was evocative but restrained. The last 20% or so of the story spun a bit out of control, with the guys ready to reconcile but repeatedly thwarted by circumstances. That got a bit tedious. And things threatened to get too sweet for me at the end, although the quality of the writing was strong enough to keep it from becoming cloying.
It's difficult for me to fully appreciate a story that's "just" a contemporary romance; I prefer the romance to be an element within a story, rather than the whole of the story. That's not a criticism of the book, just an acknowledgement of my own preferences and how they affected my enjoyment.
There was an appropriate amount of suffering from the injuring party -- a crucial element for me, because I hate it when the reconciliation feels unearned. But Josh stewed in remorse to my heart's content. It would have been easy for this to devolve into a big old angst-fest, but, as the POV alternated between Josh and Finn, I was impressed by how genuine their emotions felt.
The writing was evocative but restrained. The last 20% or so of the story spun a bit out of control, with the guys ready to reconcile but repeatedly thwarted by circumstances. That got a bit tedious. And things threatened to get too sweet for me at the end, although the quality of the writing was strong enough to keep it from becoming cloying.
It's difficult for me to fully appreciate a story that's "just" a contemporary romance; I prefer the romance to be an element within a story, rather than the whole of the story. That's not a criticism of the book, just an acknowledgement of my own preferences and how they affected my enjoyment.
December 31, 2019
I had put off reading this story after reading another m/m retelling of PERSUASION which had released around the same time. I didn't quite love that one, but this one? Oh man. I had feels. I am soft and mushy.
PERSUASION is my favourite Austen, which is hilarious as I'm not a huge fan of second chance romance, but something about it just gets me. And this one did, too.
True, we are a little light on layers for the character development for both leads, but honestly? I don't even care. I felt these characters, regrets and resentment respectively, and I spent probably 60% of the reading of this with my eyes welled up. The story, for me, just brimmed with emotion. Yes, I'm biased, but also RE aforementioned other retelling, I'm not so biased I'll accept just anything.
I liked how this modern day version was adapated to keep the structure of the original story intact and, with only one exeption, everything felt.. right.
As I've already read the novella book that follows this one, that one being the You've Got Mail/The Shop Around The Corner retelling, I'm not quite sure what to expect of the other. Is it a retelling? No idea. But I'm diving right in.
Lastly, as I know I'll get called on it, shoutout to Sam who reminded me this series existed and, despite saying I wasn't going to prioritize it (what, two days ago?) I reached for them anyway, wanting something on the short side that would hopefully be sweet. Well, both were true, though I did not expect to drown in quite as many feels as I did.. here's hoping book "two", which will likely be my last read of the year, is a little less soft and is, instead, more fun or lighthearted.
PERSUASION is my favourite Austen, which is hilarious as I'm not a huge fan of second chance romance, but something about it just gets me. And this one did, too.
True, we are a little light on layers for the character development for both leads, but honestly? I don't even care. I felt these characters, regrets and resentment respectively, and I spent probably 60% of the reading of this with my eyes welled up. The story, for me, just brimmed with emotion. Yes, I'm biased, but also RE aforementioned other retelling, I'm not so biased I'll accept just anything.
I liked how this modern day version was adapated to keep the structure of the original story intact and, with only one exeption, everything felt.. right.
As I've already read the novella book that follows this one, that one being the You've Got Mail/The Shop Around The Corner retelling, I'm not quite sure what to expect of the other. Is it a retelling? No idea. But I'm diving right in.
Lastly, as I know I'll get called on it, shoutout to Sam who reminded me this series existed and, despite saying I wasn't going to prioritize it (what, two days ago?) I reached for them anyway, wanting something on the short side that would hopefully be sweet. Well, both were true, though I did not expect to drown in quite as many feels as I did.. here's hoping book "two", which will likely be my last read of the year, is a little less soft and is, instead, more fun or lighthearted.
May 25, 2019
This was enjoyable and cute. Especially if you are a Persuasion fan, which I am. It was fun reading how certain scenes and scenarios matched up with Persuasion. CAPTAIN WENTWORTH IS SO UNDERRATED! Was it the most amazing thing I’ve ever read? No. Is it a good lay by the pool read? Yes.
Like I said, fun and cute. I liked the characters though they were pretty two dimensional. Okay, really two delusional and forgettable. The more I think about it the more I’m like, “wait. I don’t even know these characters...”. Just the development in general is.. there isn’t a lot of it relationship or character wise, which works for a Jane Austen novel written a long time ago but... yeah...
As ya’ll know, I like sexy times and this one didn’t have nearly enough. Honestly, not enough tension or like, hot moments.
But I’m traveling, I don’t have time to get consumed by books so for me this was good. Enjoyable but put-downable. It was fine. Not bad but not great? Am I mad I read it? No. Will a re-read it? No. Should you read it? I don’t think it was a waste of time, but it also won’t blow your mind.
Like I said, fun and cute. I liked the characters though they were pretty two dimensional. Okay, really two delusional and forgettable. The more I think about it the more I’m like, “wait. I don’t even know these characters...”. Just the development in general is.. there isn’t a lot of it relationship or character wise, which works for a Jane Austen novel written a long time ago but... yeah...
As ya’ll know, I like sexy times and this one didn’t have nearly enough. Honestly, not enough tension or like, hot moments.
But I’m traveling, I don’t have time to get consumed by books so for me this was good. Enjoyable but put-downable. It was fine. Not bad but not great? Am I mad I read it? No. Will a re-read it? No. Should you read it? I don’t think it was a waste of time, but it also won’t blow your mind.
September 13, 2018
Si lo valorase en comparación con la mayoría de lo que he leído este año sería 5, se lleva una menos porque al final me ha resultado más fluffy que Angst, pero es muy romántica y evocatica, me encanta el mar y para mi es un tercer personaje en esta novela. Se nota que la autora sabe lo que hace así que me apunto la siguiente porque promete. Muy buena historia de segundas oportunidades, al fin!!
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December 10, 2018Amazingly atmospheric, and a wonderful slow burn (my favorite trope). Sweet and gentle, I loved Joshua.
November 4, 2018
Ooh, I adored this story of second chances! Josh and Finn are young passionate lovers who plan to go away to California to start a new life together - Finn as an actor and Josh a concert violinist. But when the moment comes, Josh reneges and remains home with his dysfunctional family. Eight years later, they meet again when Finn's brother buys Josh's familial home in New Milton.
Malcolm writes so beautifully and emotionally of Josh's regret when he sees Finn again and finally realizes he threw away his chance at happiness. The longing and sense of loss Josh feels is just gut-wrenching as it registers that Finn will never forgive him and is heading into a new relationship.
Malcolm writes so beautifully and emotionally of Josh's regret when he sees Finn again and finally realizes he threw away his chance at happiness. The longing and sense of loss Josh feels is just gut-wrenching as it registers that Finn will never forgive him and is heading into a new relationship.
Joshua still mourned what he'd lost in Finn, and nobody knew it but him. Not even Finn. Crazily, he wondered what would happen if he just said it out loud: 'Finn Callaghan is the love of my life.'The chemistry here is intense and the emotional richness of the sex scenes particularly moving. I adored almost everything about "Perfect Day" ... except for the subplot about Finn's involvement with Joshua's friend and fellow teacher Liz. Without giving away too much, it went too far, and then was resolved quickly with a HEA for Liz in a matter of a few sentences. But other than this, I loved the book and give it 4.25, let's call it 4.5 stars, and give "Perfect Day" a recommended read.
August 17, 2018
5 stars
Modern m/m version of Persuasion! It's one of my favourite Austen novels and it's the ultimate second chance love story. This version captured everything I loved about Persuasion, and second chance romance in general. So beautifully written too.
Modern m/m version of Persuasion! It's one of my favourite Austen novels and it's the ultimate second chance love story. This version captured everything I loved about Persuasion, and second chance romance in general. So beautifully written too.
November 19, 2023
Re-Read: Nov 2023
Original Read: Aug 2022
I hate it when this happens, but once again, a book that I rated 5 stars dropped down to 3 stars during my re-read. Even worse - this is the second Sally Malcolm second chance romance that this has happened to.
There were still many positives to this book, such as the beautiful prose, which pairs so well with that gorgeous cover. The story was joyful and heartbreaking at the same time and the author did a wonderful job using the weather to emphasize the emotions that were taking place. For example, Josh and Finn constantly refer back to their 2 month love affair, which had taken place during the heat of summer. They're always remembering the warmth of the sun, the sweat on their bodies, how enjoyable the breeze felt. In contrast, their reunion takes place during fall and winter and the difficult emotions they're dealing with (heartbreak, anger, sadness, regret etc) are mirrored in the pouring rain, cold snow, bitter wind etc. What I loved was that it wasn't just me seeing these connections, but the author purposefully emphasizes these connections through gorgeous, lyrical descriptions of the weather and the surroundings.
But she didn't just have the MCs emotions reflected by the weather - she completed the circle by using the weather as a plot point to influence their emotions, like when .
Another thing I liked is that the author provided interesting and emotional flashbacks throughout from both Josh and Finn that gave me a good feel for their first romance but still kept the focus on the second one. It was great that the author used a small number of flashbacks but referred to those scenes often and used the details to connect to the MC's lives in the present. That was really well done. For example, certain details like Josh's piano playing, Josh's dad's red mustang, Josh's former family home and other things featured in both the flashbacks and the present, which allowed readers to contrast how these things have changed in the MC's lives, which added more emotional weight to them.
Unfortunately, the story dragged during my re-read, to the point where I got bored and frustrated. A big part of this is due to the story being a Persuasion re-telling. I only know the general plot beats of Persuasion and I DNF'd it because it bored me to tears, but I kept getting distracted during my re-read by the knowledge that many plot beats weren't necessary to Perfect Day but were only included because it was a nearly beat-for-beat re-telling. For example, Finn and Josh pine for each other from the moment they meet again in New Milton but the reason they don't get together until the end of the book is because that's how Persuasion was written, so that's what Sally Malcolm had to do. In order to do this, she kept using miscommunication, misunderstandings, stupid assumptions and the presence of side characters to keep the MCs apart.
I think Malcolm had done such a great job showing how well the MCs knew each other that it made no sense for them not to see how much the other still loved them from miles away. For example - . It drove me crazy.
Not to mention that the end arc was way too drawn out with tons of pointless side characters showing up at random times to add more drama and there were some truly ridiculous moments of miscommunication. Like when .
I also got irritated by the many pointless side characters. Except for Liz, none of the other characters were important enough to warrant having them show up as often as they did. Sean (Finn's brother, the guy who buy's Josh's family house) and his wife were present way too much, as were the rest of the townspeople. The worst offenders were Josh's brother and his wife, who Josh is estranged from. Josh hates his brother, the wife and his imprisoned father and has lived without them for 8 years. Yet these people keep showing up or being shoved into the narrative despite Josh not needing or wanting them. In fact, the story ends with Josh continuing to have zero desire for a relationship rekindling with any of them, so what was the point of having them in the story? Well, their counterparts were in Persuasion, that's why. Sally Malcolm is a very talented author so I hated that she didn't find a better use for these characters simply because she kept her hands tied by her desire to stick so closely to the Persuasion storyline.
In addition, the epilogue was ridiculously long. This was the author's first for-profit original MM romance (she had written official SGA and SG-1 novelizations before this) and I guess she was told by some old fuddy-duddy publisher that epilogues are 'mandatory' and Malcolm went full out to meet this supposed requirement. It was boring and it just kept going and going and going until I stopped reading.
Lastly, I got distracted by a small handful of British phrases/terminology that must have slipped past the many rounds of editing that this book got. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think North Americans use the word 'twee' to describe small/cute things (I've never heard anybody say it) and the phrase 'We're stuck here, hauling this crap about' is definitely the British way of saying that. Then near the end, the author refers to Josh's supposed new British boyfriend as a 'limey bastard' multiple times. While Finn is technically correct using this insult against a British person, it's a very old fashioned expression that stopped being commonly used a long time ago. It didn't fit to have Finn casually using that expression.
Anyway - this is still a solid second chance romance and I definitely recommend it for big Persuasion fans. But it wasn't a hit during my re-read and I doubt I'll ever return to it.
Original Read: Aug 2022
I hate it when this happens, but once again, a book that I rated 5 stars dropped down to 3 stars during my re-read. Even worse - this is the second Sally Malcolm second chance romance that this has happened to.
There were still many positives to this book, such as the beautiful prose, which pairs so well with that gorgeous cover. The story was joyful and heartbreaking at the same time and the author did a wonderful job using the weather to emphasize the emotions that were taking place. For example, Josh and Finn constantly refer back to their 2 month love affair, which had taken place during the heat of summer. They're always remembering the warmth of the sun, the sweat on their bodies, how enjoyable the breeze felt. In contrast, their reunion takes place during fall and winter and the difficult emotions they're dealing with (heartbreak, anger, sadness, regret etc) are mirrored in the pouring rain, cold snow, bitter wind etc. What I loved was that it wasn't just me seeing these connections, but the author purposefully emphasizes these connections through gorgeous, lyrical descriptions of the weather and the surroundings.
But she didn't just have the MCs emotions reflected by the weather - she completed the circle by using the weather as a plot point to influence their emotions, like when .
Another thing I liked is that the author provided interesting and emotional flashbacks throughout from both Josh and Finn that gave me a good feel for their first romance but still kept the focus on the second one. It was great that the author used a small number of flashbacks but referred to those scenes often and used the details to connect to the MC's lives in the present. That was really well done. For example, certain details like Josh's piano playing, Josh's dad's red mustang, Josh's former family home and other things featured in both the flashbacks and the present, which allowed readers to contrast how these things have changed in the MC's lives, which added more emotional weight to them.
Unfortunately, the story dragged during my re-read, to the point where I got bored and frustrated. A big part of this is due to the story being a Persuasion re-telling. I only know the general plot beats of Persuasion and I DNF'd it because it bored me to tears, but I kept getting distracted during my re-read by the knowledge that many plot beats weren't necessary to Perfect Day but were only included because it was a nearly beat-for-beat re-telling. For example, Finn and Josh pine for each other from the moment they meet again in New Milton but the reason they don't get together until the end of the book is because that's how Persuasion was written, so that's what Sally Malcolm had to do. In order to do this, she kept using miscommunication, misunderstandings, stupid assumptions and the presence of side characters to keep the MCs apart.
I think Malcolm had done such a great job showing how well the MCs knew each other that it made no sense for them not to see how much the other still loved them from miles away. For example - . It drove me crazy.
Not to mention that the end arc was way too drawn out with tons of pointless side characters showing up at random times to add more drama and there were some truly ridiculous moments of miscommunication. Like when .
I also got irritated by the many pointless side characters. Except for Liz, none of the other characters were important enough to warrant having them show up as often as they did. Sean (Finn's brother, the guy who buy's Josh's family house) and his wife were present way too much, as were the rest of the townspeople. The worst offenders were Josh's brother and his wife, who Josh is estranged from. Josh hates his brother, the wife and his imprisoned father and has lived without them for 8 years. Yet these people keep showing up or being shoved into the narrative despite Josh not needing or wanting them. In fact, the story ends with Josh continuing to have zero desire for a relationship rekindling with any of them, so what was the point of having them in the story? Well, their counterparts were in Persuasion, that's why. Sally Malcolm is a very talented author so I hated that she didn't find a better use for these characters simply because she kept her hands tied by her desire to stick so closely to the Persuasion storyline.
In addition, the epilogue was ridiculously long. This was the author's first for-profit original MM romance (she had written official SGA and SG-1 novelizations before this) and I guess she was told by some old fuddy-duddy publisher that epilogues are 'mandatory' and Malcolm went full out to meet this supposed requirement. It was boring and it just kept going and going and going until I stopped reading.
Lastly, I got distracted by a small handful of British phrases/terminology that must have slipped past the many rounds of editing that this book got. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think North Americans use the word 'twee' to describe small/cute things (I've never heard anybody say it) and the phrase 'We're stuck here, hauling this crap about' is definitely the British way of saying that. Then near the end, the author refers to Josh's supposed new British boyfriend as a 'limey bastard' multiple times. While Finn is technically correct using this insult against a British person, it's a very old fashioned expression that stopped being commonly used a long time ago. It didn't fit to have Finn casually using that expression.
Anyway - this is still a solid second chance romance and I definitely recommend it for big Persuasion fans. But it wasn't a hit during my re-read and I doubt I'll ever return to it.
October 1, 2018
I've given this an A- at AAR, so that's 4.5 stars rounded up.
Sally Malcolm’s first published m/m romance is a contemporary retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion (which regularly vies with Emma for first place in my ranking of Austen’s novels!) set in a sleepy New York seaside town. I admit I’m usually a bit wary of retellings of classic novels – especially when they’re great personal favourites – but I’ve known the author on and off for over a decade, I enjoy her writing and was confident that she’d treat the material with respect – and that confidence wasn’t misplaced. Perfect Day is a beautifully told second-chance-at-love story that tugs at the heartstrings and can be enjoyed regardless of whether you’re familiar with Persuasion or not. It stands on its own very well, although the fun for those of us who do know the original is in recognising the plot points and characters the author has chosen to ‘transplant’ and how she’s made them work in a contemporary setting.
During one halcyon summer eight years earlier, Joshua Newton and Finn Callaghan met when Finn was employed to work on Charles Newton’s classic car collection at his Hanworth Hall estate on Long Island. The Newtons were extremely wealthy; Joshua’s father and older brother Michael were tough-nosed businessmen who believed money was everything, but Josh was always a bit of an outsider, a talented musician and gentle soul whose ambitions lay in a different direction. He and Finn spent as much time together as they possibly could over the couple of months that followed, falling deeply and passionately in love and eventually deciding to move to Los Angeles together, where the stunningly handsome Finn would pursue an acting career while Josh would further his musical studies.
But their dreams came to an abrupt end when Josh allowed his aunt Ruth to persuade him not only that he should finish his MBA at Harvard, but that for Finn to arrive in LA with a boyfriend in tow would end his career before it had even begun. If Josh truly loved Finn, he should end their relationship and let him go.
Eight years later, and Josh never did leave New Milton and embark on a musical career. His father kicked him out of the family home when he came out around a year after he split up with Finn, and he now lives in a small cottage near the beach, works part time as a music teacher at the local school and works a few shifts at the coffee shop in town. He knows he’s living a small life, which isn’t at all what he’d intended, but he lacks the energy to break out of his regular patterns and prefers his music and his own company to interacting with people – which he finds exhausting.
When the present day story opens, Josh’s father has been imprisoned for tax fraud and the house and as many possessions as possible must be sold off in order to pay his creditors. Josh is completely unprepared to learn that Hanworth has been bought by hot-shot lawyer Sean Callaghan – Finn’s younger brother – who will be arriving, with his wife, to take possession in a matter of days.
Josh tries to tell himself that it’s unlikely Finn will ever visit, and that if he does, they’re unlikely to meet. Even when he learns that Finn is flying in to spend a few days with his brother, Josh hopes to avoid seeing him – hopes which are dashed when Finn accompanies Sean into the coffee shop one morning. Josh is stunned but manages to nod an acknowledgement – while Finn looks furious and leaves without saying a word.
At first, Finn’s ire is focused on Josh and the way he’d so carelessly broken Finn’s heart, but later it turns inward as he realises that even after eight years he still has feelings for Josh – and doesn’t want them. Being afforded the second PoV is probably the biggest difference between Perfect Day and Persuasion; in that novel, the story is told entirely through Anne Elliot’s eyes, whereas here, we’re given direct insight into Finn’s emotions and motivations, and I enjoyed that aspect of the storytelling, as it means that the author is able to present Finn as a more fully-rounded individual and explore his conflicted feelings for Josh, his desire to punish him for breaking his heart and the desire to grab onto him and never let him go.
Ms. Malcolm sticks fairly closely to the original story although she has removed or pared down some of the secondary plotlines; and Josh and Finn are very much characters in their own right and not just cyphers or pale representations of Anne and Wentworth. They’re richly drawn, with very distinctive personalities and voices, and flaws that make them seem that much more human. Josh has been living in a kind of limbo since he split up with Finn, and I loved watching him gradually find his way back to the person he’s supposed to be, and eventually, the strength to try to move on with his life.
The writing is lyrical and romantic, yet economical and precise, and while there’s plenty of angst in the story, it’s never overdone or overplayed. My one criticism is that the epilogue is perhaps a little long, but ultimately, Perfect Day is the sort of book you finish with a heartfelt sigh of satisfaction and a dreamy smile, and I’m more than happy to recommend it.
Sally Malcolm’s first published m/m romance is a contemporary retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion (which regularly vies with Emma for first place in my ranking of Austen’s novels!) set in a sleepy New York seaside town. I admit I’m usually a bit wary of retellings of classic novels – especially when they’re great personal favourites – but I’ve known the author on and off for over a decade, I enjoy her writing and was confident that she’d treat the material with respect – and that confidence wasn’t misplaced. Perfect Day is a beautifully told second-chance-at-love story that tugs at the heartstrings and can be enjoyed regardless of whether you’re familiar with Persuasion or not. It stands on its own very well, although the fun for those of us who do know the original is in recognising the plot points and characters the author has chosen to ‘transplant’ and how she’s made them work in a contemporary setting.
During one halcyon summer eight years earlier, Joshua Newton and Finn Callaghan met when Finn was employed to work on Charles Newton’s classic car collection at his Hanworth Hall estate on Long Island. The Newtons were extremely wealthy; Joshua’s father and older brother Michael were tough-nosed businessmen who believed money was everything, but Josh was always a bit of an outsider, a talented musician and gentle soul whose ambitions lay in a different direction. He and Finn spent as much time together as they possibly could over the couple of months that followed, falling deeply and passionately in love and eventually deciding to move to Los Angeles together, where the stunningly handsome Finn would pursue an acting career while Josh would further his musical studies.
But their dreams came to an abrupt end when Josh allowed his aunt Ruth to persuade him not only that he should finish his MBA at Harvard, but that for Finn to arrive in LA with a boyfriend in tow would end his career before it had even begun. If Josh truly loved Finn, he should end their relationship and let him go.
Eight years later, and Josh never did leave New Milton and embark on a musical career. His father kicked him out of the family home when he came out around a year after he split up with Finn, and he now lives in a small cottage near the beach, works part time as a music teacher at the local school and works a few shifts at the coffee shop in town. He knows he’s living a small life, which isn’t at all what he’d intended, but he lacks the energy to break out of his regular patterns and prefers his music and his own company to interacting with people – which he finds exhausting.
When the present day story opens, Josh’s father has been imprisoned for tax fraud and the house and as many possessions as possible must be sold off in order to pay his creditors. Josh is completely unprepared to learn that Hanworth has been bought by hot-shot lawyer Sean Callaghan – Finn’s younger brother – who will be arriving, with his wife, to take possession in a matter of days.
Josh tries to tell himself that it’s unlikely Finn will ever visit, and that if he does, they’re unlikely to meet. Even when he learns that Finn is flying in to spend a few days with his brother, Josh hopes to avoid seeing him – hopes which are dashed when Finn accompanies Sean into the coffee shop one morning. Josh is stunned but manages to nod an acknowledgement – while Finn looks furious and leaves without saying a word.
At first, Finn’s ire is focused on Josh and the way he’d so carelessly broken Finn’s heart, but later it turns inward as he realises that even after eight years he still has feelings for Josh – and doesn’t want them. Being afforded the second PoV is probably the biggest difference between Perfect Day and Persuasion; in that novel, the story is told entirely through Anne Elliot’s eyes, whereas here, we’re given direct insight into Finn’s emotions and motivations, and I enjoyed that aspect of the storytelling, as it means that the author is able to present Finn as a more fully-rounded individual and explore his conflicted feelings for Josh, his desire to punish him for breaking his heart and the desire to grab onto him and never let him go.
Ms. Malcolm sticks fairly closely to the original story although she has removed or pared down some of the secondary plotlines; and Josh and Finn are very much characters in their own right and not just cyphers or pale representations of Anne and Wentworth. They’re richly drawn, with very distinctive personalities and voices, and flaws that make them seem that much more human. Josh has been living in a kind of limbo since he split up with Finn, and I loved watching him gradually find his way back to the person he’s supposed to be, and eventually, the strength to try to move on with his life.
The writing is lyrical and romantic, yet economical and precise, and while there’s plenty of angst in the story, it’s never overdone or overplayed. My one criticism is that the epilogue is perhaps a little long, but ultimately, Perfect Day is the sort of book you finish with a heartfelt sigh of satisfaction and a dreamy smile, and I’m more than happy to recommend it.
September 1, 2018
4.5 stars
Jane Austen is one of my favourite authors, so I was really looking forward to reading this. And it didn't disappoint.
The story was beautifully written with the perfect combination of „now“ and „then“, the setting was amazing and the overall atmosphere of the book was warm and cozy.
I loved Josh and Finn as characters and felt connected to them instantly. The side characters were great in this one as well, especially Sean. Loved him.
The epilogue was a bit too long and too sweet for me, but that didn't take away from enjoying this book.
Jane Austen is one of my favourite authors, so I was really looking forward to reading this. And it didn't disappoint.
The story was beautifully written with the perfect combination of „now“ and „then“, the setting was amazing and the overall atmosphere of the book was warm and cozy.
I loved Josh and Finn as characters and felt connected to them instantly. The side characters were great in this one as well, especially Sean. Loved him.
The epilogue was a bit too long and too sweet for me, but that didn't take away from enjoying this book.
January 2, 2019
4.5 stars
The writing flows beautifully keeping you in the story with ease.
I loved both Josh and Finn.
My first book from this author.
The writing flows beautifully keeping you in the story with ease.
I loved both Josh and Finn.
My first book from this author.
September 2, 2018
I loved this. I have a feeling this will end up on my Top 10 books of the year. This is a m/m retelling of Jane Austin's Persuasion. You do not have to have read that though to enjoy this. The author takes the bones of that story but modernizes it.
The prologue starts in the past where we see Josh and Finn happy and in love. When the rest of the book begins it is 8 years down the road. The two men have gone down different paths and they haven't seen each other again.
The majority of the story is told from Josh's point of view and man did the author nail this. He is complex and well written and he felt so real. He is drowning in his grief over his loss of Finn and there was more than one place that my heart hurt for him. There is one scene, which I can still see so clearly, where something happens and he steps out of the room and his pain jumps off the page so strongly that immediately my eyes began to tear up. This level of feelz is all through the book. You feel their pain and their joy so strongly it is like they're real people.
We do get some of the story from Finn's point of view and I thought that worked well. It made me understand him and empathize with him and realize that he was just as lost in grief as Josh was, he just showed it differently. He looked like he had it together more on the outside but on the inside he too was a mess.
The author did a great job of making both of these characters feel like real people. They weren't perfect, they made lots of mistakes, hurt each other more than once, but loved each other from the bottoms of their hearts. They work hard for their hea.
The author also did a great job with the sense of place. Her writing was detailed and painted such a strong image of the sea, the forest, the small town, etc. I felt like I was right there with these two, standing in the rain, feeling melancholy as I watched their story play out.
There is an entertaining plot and a host of engaging side characters. All of which were also well done. They added another level of depth to the story.
Apparently the author has a series of Sci Fi books but this is her first romance and I am so impressed. I can not wait to read more from her. If her next romance is done anywhere near as well as this one I will become her biggest fan girl.
**ARC provided through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**
January 29, 2019
3.5 redondeado hacia arriba.
Una novela muy mona sobre segundas oportunidades (oh, sí)
El final se me desinfló y me hizo entornar un poco los ojos pero lo cierto es que lo leí del tirón y el romance me hizo disfrutar.
Un fluff bien hecho, del que te reconcilia con la cruda realidad xD
Una novela muy mona sobre segundas oportunidades (oh, sí)
El final se me desinfló y me hizo entornar un poco los ojos pero lo cierto es que lo leí del tirón y el romance me hizo disfrutar.
Un fluff bien hecho, del que te reconcilia con la cruda realidad xD
March 12, 2025
"Love doesn't vanish just because you missed your slot. It's not conditional on time and place. It.. it stays."
"Whether it's wanted or not, sometimes."
I didn’t realize this was a queer retelling when I got it, so it feels a bit serendipitous that I happened to read Persuasion , the book it's mostly based on, earlier this year.
This is a classic second-chance romance where two boys fall in love as teenagers/young adults but are forced to part due to life circumstances. Finn and Josh shared the best summer of their lives, ready to be together, but Josh got afraid and his aunt (cough cough) "persuaded" him it was for the best to end things now.
Eight years later, Finn is a successful actor and his brother has just bought Josh's childhood home and is coming to New Milton for a visit. Josh, who really hasn't had the best 8 years of his life, is apprehensive and nervous, trying not to get his hopes up at the opportunity to rekindle something with Finn, who is the love of his life. Of course, Finn is still angry and his pride and recklessness causes pain for both of them for a good chunk of the book.
But alas, do not despair as these two find their HEA after a beautiful letter that Finn writes to Josh, an echo of Captain Wentworth’s letter to Anne.
I personally loved all the paralelism with the original story, more so since I still had it so present in my mind.
"Whether it's wanted or not, sometimes."
I didn’t realize this was a queer retelling when I got it, so it feels a bit serendipitous that I happened to read Persuasion , the book it's mostly based on, earlier this year.
This is a classic second-chance romance where two boys fall in love as teenagers/young adults but are forced to part due to life circumstances. Finn and Josh shared the best summer of their lives, ready to be together, but Josh got afraid and his aunt (cough cough) "persuaded" him it was for the best to end things now.
Eight years later, Finn is a successful actor and his brother has just bought Josh's childhood home and is coming to New Milton for a visit. Josh, who really hasn't had the best 8 years of his life, is apprehensive and nervous, trying not to get his hopes up at the opportunity to rekindle something with Finn, who is the love of his life. Of course, Finn is still angry and his pride and recklessness causes pain for both of them for a good chunk of the book.
But alas, do not despair as these two find their HEA after a beautiful letter that Finn writes to Josh, an echo of Captain Wentworth’s letter to Anne.
I personally loved all the paralelism with the original story, more so since I still had it so present in my mind.
August 16, 2018
This year might have had a lot of ups and downs, but so far it has also given me two queered Jane Austen retellings that have hit it out the park.
This one, a reimaging of Austen’s Persuasion, was thoroughly enjoyable, emotionally enthralling, and damn entertaining. I’ve always loved this particular book of Austen’s. It has an emotional gut-punch that is only really rivaled by Sense and Sensibility, for me, and I was freaking over the moon when I realized that Sally Malcolm was going to queer it the fuck up. This is the first book I’ve read of Malcolm’s, so I had no clue what I getting when I asked to review this book, but if this is a reliable measure of her writing, I’m going to have to check out her backcatalog.
Perfect Day doesn’t follow the Persuasion plot beat for beat, but like all good retellings, it takes what it needs from the book it is based and focuses on getting the feelings and intent correct, instead of transposing every page of the original. It is, in my opinion, the best way to do these kind of stories. This story doesn’t try to cram in characters or scenes that were not needed for the plot, but instead builds a world around Finn and Joshua that makes sense for the contemporary time in which they both live.
While I’m not going to give a full synopsis, I think there have been enough changes made to warrant at least a quick roundup of what is going on. Joshua is the son of a wealthy family who in his youth fell in love with Finn, an aspiring actor. They spent one summer together, fell madly in love, and planned to run off to Hollywood together when the summer came to a close. Joshua, on the advise of his aunt, though, changes his mind. Heartbroken, Finn goes to Hollywood, intent on making it big and forgetting the man who hurt him…while Joshua finds himself just as heartbroken, but with his life going nowhere and forced to regret and remember the one man who might have been his one and only love. This story picks up just as Joshua’s family is being forced to sell their home to pay for his father’s debts and Joshua comes to find out the Finn’s brother is to be the new owner.
While mainly focusing on Joshua, Perfect Day, unlike Austen’s novel, gives us a look at the story from Finn’s perspective as well. Originally I was a bit thrown by this when it happened the first time, but as the story went on, I was glad to have this alternate perspective. It gives the story a bit more depth, being able to see things as Finn sees them, to get a better understanding of why he is a bit of an ass at times. He was genuinely hurt by Joshua in the past, and having to come back and not only face the memories of that summer, but the boy-turned-man who inflicted those wounds, has a real impact on his character and his actions. He becomes more sympathetic, even if some of his decisions are a bit douchey.
And Joshua embodies a lot of the hurt and regret that I was expecting (and craving) when I picked this book, but he also has a bit more sense of self than his counterpart in Persuasion. Probably due the gender and time changes, there wasn’t as strong of a sense of having missed the boat for Joshua. Unlike in the the 1800’s, not being married by 20, let alone the fact that as a man things would have been wildly different anyways, isn’t some kind of societal death sentence. Here there isn’t the sense that Finn coming back is Joshua’s last hope. Certainly there is a feeling that Finn really is The One, and losing him a second time would be fucking tragic…but there are other things out in the world for Joshua if this one thing doesn’t work out. It made Joshua feel a bit less hopeless than the heroine of Austen’s story. Both work well for their own setting, but I am glad that Malcolm realized that not everything could work the same in both books.
Perfect Day turned out to be just about everything I was looking for, to be honest. It was a great retelling of a story I have long loved, but it was also just a very well crafted, told, and realized romance on its own. Joshua and Finn are not great together because they are crafted from the same cloth of characters who have existed for several centuries, but because they are characters wholly crafted to fit in this story. And it is told in a way that reflects the changes in circumstances in both the characters and the setting, but which also brings with it the heart of regret, loss, rekindling, and second chance romance that made Persuasion such a good story to begin with. Be you a lover of Austen’s tales to begin with, or if you are just on the look out for a good contemporary story of love and forgiveness, this is an excellent addition to your tbr pile.
4.5 stars
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
This one, a reimaging of Austen’s Persuasion, was thoroughly enjoyable, emotionally enthralling, and damn entertaining. I’ve always loved this particular book of Austen’s. It has an emotional gut-punch that is only really rivaled by Sense and Sensibility, for me, and I was freaking over the moon when I realized that Sally Malcolm was going to queer it the fuck up. This is the first book I’ve read of Malcolm’s, so I had no clue what I getting when I asked to review this book, but if this is a reliable measure of her writing, I’m going to have to check out her backcatalog.
Perfect Day doesn’t follow the Persuasion plot beat for beat, but like all good retellings, it takes what it needs from the book it is based and focuses on getting the feelings and intent correct, instead of transposing every page of the original. It is, in my opinion, the best way to do these kind of stories. This story doesn’t try to cram in characters or scenes that were not needed for the plot, but instead builds a world around Finn and Joshua that makes sense for the contemporary time in which they both live.
While I’m not going to give a full synopsis, I think there have been enough changes made to warrant at least a quick roundup of what is going on. Joshua is the son of a wealthy family who in his youth fell in love with Finn, an aspiring actor. They spent one summer together, fell madly in love, and planned to run off to Hollywood together when the summer came to a close. Joshua, on the advise of his aunt, though, changes his mind. Heartbroken, Finn goes to Hollywood, intent on making it big and forgetting the man who hurt him…while Joshua finds himself just as heartbroken, but with his life going nowhere and forced to regret and remember the one man who might have been his one and only love. This story picks up just as Joshua’s family is being forced to sell their home to pay for his father’s debts and Joshua comes to find out the Finn’s brother is to be the new owner.
While mainly focusing on Joshua, Perfect Day, unlike Austen’s novel, gives us a look at the story from Finn’s perspective as well. Originally I was a bit thrown by this when it happened the first time, but as the story went on, I was glad to have this alternate perspective. It gives the story a bit more depth, being able to see things as Finn sees them, to get a better understanding of why he is a bit of an ass at times. He was genuinely hurt by Joshua in the past, and having to come back and not only face the memories of that summer, but the boy-turned-man who inflicted those wounds, has a real impact on his character and his actions. He becomes more sympathetic, even if some of his decisions are a bit douchey.
And Joshua embodies a lot of the hurt and regret that I was expecting (and craving) when I picked this book, but he also has a bit more sense of self than his counterpart in Persuasion. Probably due the gender and time changes, there wasn’t as strong of a sense of having missed the boat for Joshua. Unlike in the the 1800’s, not being married by 20, let alone the fact that as a man things would have been wildly different anyways, isn’t some kind of societal death sentence. Here there isn’t the sense that Finn coming back is Joshua’s last hope. Certainly there is a feeling that Finn really is The One, and losing him a second time would be fucking tragic…but there are other things out in the world for Joshua if this one thing doesn’t work out. It made Joshua feel a bit less hopeless than the heroine of Austen’s story. Both work well for their own setting, but I am glad that Malcolm realized that not everything could work the same in both books.
Perfect Day turned out to be just about everything I was looking for, to be honest. It was a great retelling of a story I have long loved, but it was also just a very well crafted, told, and realized romance on its own. Joshua and Finn are not great together because they are crafted from the same cloth of characters who have existed for several centuries, but because they are characters wholly crafted to fit in this story. And it is told in a way that reflects the changes in circumstances in both the characters and the setting, but which also brings with it the heart of regret, loss, rekindling, and second chance romance that made Persuasion such a good story to begin with. Be you a lover of Austen’s tales to begin with, or if you are just on the look out for a good contemporary story of love and forgiveness, this is an excellent addition to your tbr pile.
4.5 stars
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October 22, 2019
-Second chance romance
-UST
-Feels: anger, resentment, longing, heartbreak, hope, love.
The writing was stellar!
Once started, I couldn't put down Perfect Day by Sally Malcolm.
4.5 Stars! Starting book 2 now!
November 24, 2018
This was fuckin’ awful. I two starred it because the author can write, but everything about this was awful.
It reminded me of an m/f from about 40 years ago. Finn’s the man, and josh is the woman. Plug’m right in. All the (self imposed) torture!! All the angst! All the suffering! Finn is a douche because he’s hurt and josh is sweet passive and long suffering. And being a humble music teacher even though he is so talented . And they can’t communicate like adults, because they are both so hurt. Also, because then, the book would have only been 2 pages long. Honestly, I expected Finn to start grating grinding gritting and groaning (as opposed to speaking) and clenching his jaw any minute now. And Josh really needed to start starving himself and fainting everywhere.
At least the book was only 99 cents.
It reminded me of an m/f from about 40 years ago. Finn’s the man, and josh is the woman. Plug’m right in. All the (self imposed) torture!! All the angst! All the suffering! Finn is a douche because he’s hurt and josh is sweet passive and long suffering. And being a humble music teacher even though he is so talented . And they can’t communicate like adults, because they are both so hurt. Also, because then, the book would have only been 2 pages long. Honestly, I expected Finn to start grating grinding gritting and groaning (as opposed to speaking) and clenching his jaw any minute now. And Josh really needed to start starving himself and fainting everywhere.
At least the book was only 99 cents.
March 10, 2019
You know those books with characters who are perfect for each other, but life happens, time happens and then they get a second chance and it hurts your heart, but also makes you ridiculously happy?
Yeah, that's this.
Yeah, that's this.
January 2, 2019
*** 4.5 Stars ***
Oh, what a wonderful book!
Oh, what a wonderful book!
June 10, 2022
I enjoyed this a lot - Persuasion is by far my favourite Austen novel and I love second-chance romances, so this queer, modern retelling promised to be right up my alley and did not disappoint. The balance between past and present events was great, you get enough of a sense of the history to appreciate the emotional fallout, but the main focus is firmly on the present and the characters' current, slow, semi-reluctant reconnection. I loved that the author gave enough space to the past hurt and how it had affected both characters' development - the regret and loneliness on Josh's side and lingering hurt and resentment on Finn's felt so genuine, and I was really happy that the feelings stayed complicated for a long time. It made for a great contrast between the happy, super-sweet summer romance of the past and the current, much more complex emotions between two grown men who still loved each other but carried a lot of baggage from the intermediate eight years.
The side characters were strong as well, I was quite impressed with the author’s skill in creating modern counterparts for all the family and friends and make it believable. Sean and his wife in particular were lovely.
My one (really very tiny) niggle is that the story stayed very close to its source in terms of structure, which led to a few unlikely scenarios towards the end of the book where the modern setting had somewhat obviously had its arm twisted to align with the Regency-era denouement. Nothing too obnoxious, but I did think the ending could have benefited from a slightly loser interpretation of the source.
The steam level is somewhat restrained with this one, but I thought the sex scenes were in tune with the overall tone of the story, and they still felt lovely and intimate. A highly enjoyable read, I’ll definitely check out other works from this author.
The side characters were strong as well, I was quite impressed with the author’s skill in creating modern counterparts for all the family and friends and make it believable. Sean and his wife in particular were lovely.
My one (really very tiny) niggle is that the story stayed very close to its source in terms of structure, which led to a few unlikely scenarios towards the end of the book where the modern setting had somewhat obviously had its arm twisted to align with the Regency-era denouement. Nothing too obnoxious, but I did think the ending could have benefited from a slightly loser interpretation of the source.
The steam level is somewhat restrained with this one, but I thought the sex scenes were in tune with the overall tone of the story, and they still felt lovely and intimate. A highly enjoyable read, I’ll definitely check out other works from this author.
February 10, 2024
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 AND 💖💖💖💖💖 from me.
The fact that I spent most of the story with that wet stuff in my eyes 😢 is irrelevant. This was a superb recreation of Jane Austen's Persuasion for us M/M addicts, so full of feels it sometimes hurt to read the story 😍.
Josh's loneliness was an almost palpable thing and Finn was a complete swine to him at first, just to get revenge for the fact that 8 years ago Josh had had the decency to let him go, refusing to hold him or his acting career back. Josh's family?? Absolute arses, the whole bloody lot of them, but Finn's brother Sean and his wife were priceless.
That ending?? Yup, the watery stuff again...hubby thought there was definitely something wrong with me. This is a story I shall read again and again, rather like I listen to Him when I need cheering up...it's just that good, and of course, the original Jane Austen story was amazing [as are most of her stories actually].
The fact that I spent most of the story with that wet stuff in my eyes 😢 is irrelevant. This was a superb recreation of Jane Austen's Persuasion for us M/M addicts, so full of feels it sometimes hurt to read the story 😍.
Josh's loneliness was an almost palpable thing and Finn was a complete swine to him at first, just to get revenge for the fact that 8 years ago Josh had had the decency to let him go, refusing to hold him or his acting career back. Josh's family?? Absolute arses, the whole bloody lot of them, but Finn's brother Sean and his wife were priceless.
That ending?? Yup, the watery stuff again...hubby thought there was definitely something wrong with me. This is a story I shall read again and again, rather like I listen to Him when I need cheering up...it's just that good, and of course, the original Jane Austen story was amazing [as are most of her stories actually].
September 3, 2018
A complimentary copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.
This was an emotional story, so much more than I was expecting. Finn and Josh were truly in love and it was unfortunate that they found each other when they were so young and just starting their lives. Josh was scared of the future and what it would do to Finn if Josh followed him out to Hollywood. And he was afraid of losing his family by coming out as gay and NOT doing what his father expected - going to college for an MBA. Josh wanted to be a musician, whatever way he could.
I was so heartbroken when these two broke up, and Finn was devastated. But so was Josh. Finn didn't see that and now, almost 9 years later, Finn is bitter and angry with Josh over what happened. It's only later he realizes how hard he was being on Josh. I loved this dynamic between them. This is how you write a story about teenage loves seeing each other again after a bad breakup.
Finn wasn't kind to Josh, he wasn't easy or interested in reconnecting with Josh. But his feelings wouldn't stop cropping up and that just made him angrier. I love a good emotional read, and this one certainly tugged at my heartstrings. My eyes may have gotten a little misty when they each recounted their memories of that long ago summer where they were deeply in love, and then the break up. I understood where both of them were coming from, and who knows if Josh made the right call all those years ago. They will never know what would have become of them had Josh been in Finn's life as he was trying to make it as an actor. I'd like to think they needed the time apart to be able to really appreciate what they have now as adults. When they were kids, they didn't have a care in the world, believing their love would carry them on in Hollywood - even if they had no money, no food, or a place to live.
I do recommend this, and it's not too angsty for those who don't like that type of story. Their is just the right amount of angst to show how much these two really loved each other, and how hard it has been to be apart. Their reunion at the end was super sweet. I don't want to spoil it, so I'll say it's a nice long epilogue and you get to see them being happy together for more than just a few paragraphs (like you get in a lot of romance endings). Extended happy endings really work for me because thru the whole book we see the MCs struggle to find each other and then to only get a few minutes of their HEA isn't satisfying enough. Perfect Day will for sure tie a nice pretty bow on the tumultuous story.
4.5 stars (hopefully they fixed the editing issues prior to release)
This was an emotional story, so much more than I was expecting. Finn and Josh were truly in love and it was unfortunate that they found each other when they were so young and just starting their lives. Josh was scared of the future and what it would do to Finn if Josh followed him out to Hollywood. And he was afraid of losing his family by coming out as gay and NOT doing what his father expected - going to college for an MBA. Josh wanted to be a musician, whatever way he could.
I was so heartbroken when these two broke up, and Finn was devastated. But so was Josh. Finn didn't see that and now, almost 9 years later, Finn is bitter and angry with Josh over what happened. It's only later he realizes how hard he was being on Josh. I loved this dynamic between them. This is how you write a story about teenage loves seeing each other again after a bad breakup.
Finn wasn't kind to Josh, he wasn't easy or interested in reconnecting with Josh. But his feelings wouldn't stop cropping up and that just made him angrier. I love a good emotional read, and this one certainly tugged at my heartstrings. My eyes may have gotten a little misty when they each recounted their memories of that long ago summer where they were deeply in love, and then the break up. I understood where both of them were coming from, and who knows if Josh made the right call all those years ago. They will never know what would have become of them had Josh been in Finn's life as he was trying to make it as an actor. I'd like to think they needed the time apart to be able to really appreciate what they have now as adults. When they were kids, they didn't have a care in the world, believing their love would carry them on in Hollywood - even if they had no money, no food, or a place to live.
I do recommend this, and it's not too angsty for those who don't like that type of story. Their is just the right amount of angst to show how much these two really loved each other, and how hard it has been to be apart. Their reunion at the end was super sweet. I don't want to spoil it, so I'll say it's a nice long epilogue and you get to see them being happy together for more than just a few paragraphs (like you get in a lot of romance endings). Extended happy endings really work for me because thru the whole book we see the MCs struggle to find each other and then to only get a few minutes of their HEA isn't satisfying enough. Perfect Day will for sure tie a nice pretty bow on the tumultuous story.
4.5 stars (hopefully they fixed the editing issues prior to release)
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