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Trials of Fear #1
Owl's Slumber
Imagine what life would be like if panic ruled your world at the mere thought of going to bed at night.
For as long as he can remember, Finnley Hollins has been crippled by his extreme phobia of sleep. Every night is a battle, and every morning isn’t without consequences. The root cause is something he’s ashamed to admit to anyone. It’s his war, and he will fight it alone.
When an unexpected turn of events lands the stunningly gorgeous Aven Woods at Finnley’s place of business, his life gets turned upside down.
All it would take is one night together for his secret to be exposed. Finnley wasn’t prepared to fall in love. More so, he wasn’t prepared for his phobia to completely consume his life. Not only is it affecting his job and his relationship, but now it’s affecting his health. What will it take for Finnley to finally admit he needs help?
For as long as he can remember, Finnley Hollins has been crippled by his extreme phobia of sleep. Every night is a battle, and every morning isn’t without consequences. The root cause is something he’s ashamed to admit to anyone. It’s his war, and he will fight it alone.
When an unexpected turn of events lands the stunningly gorgeous Aven Woods at Finnley’s place of business, his life gets turned upside down.
All it would take is one night together for his secret to be exposed. Finnley wasn’t prepared to fall in love. More so, he wasn’t prepared for his phobia to completely consume his life. Not only is it affecting his job and his relationship, but now it’s affecting his health. What will it take for Finnley to finally admit he needs help?
251 pages, ebook
First published May 24, 2018
544 people are currently reading
1950 people want to read
About the author
Nicky James
75 books2,251 followersI live in the small town of Petrolia, Ontario, Canada and I am a mother to a wonderful teenage boy (didn't think those words could be typed together...surprise) and wife to a truly supportive and understanding husband, who thankfully doesn't think I'm crazy.
I have always had two profound dreams in life. To fall back hundreds of years in time and live in a simpler world, not bogged down by technology and to write novels. Since only one of these was a possibility I decided to make the other come alive on paper.
I write mm romance novels that take place in fantastical medieval type settings and love to use the challenges of the times to give my stories and characters life.
I have always had two profound dreams in life. To fall back hundreds of years in time and live in a simpler world, not bogged down by technology and to write novels. Since only one of these was a possibility I decided to make the other come alive on paper.
I write mm romance novels that take place in fantastical medieval type settings and love to use the challenges of the times to give my stories and characters life.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 363 reviews
May 28, 2018
I've had bouts of insomnia and let me tell you: going even one day without a proper night's sleep is hell. The older I get, the more I can't do without at least seven hours of shuteye. I get super emotional, irrational, angry, weepy. I simply can't function, not at home and certainly not at work.
Some people can get by with five hours. I cannot. I've never been able to nap, and caffeine does only so much. After a while, I'm wired but still exhausted.
Watching Finnley fight sleep was agonizing. He has an intense phobia of dying while sleeping, thanks to his dad who called death the "big sleep" and forced Finn to watch him handle corpses at age 8.
That would fuck up anyone, and phobias, deeply irrational as they are by definition, take over a person's very being.
All that being said, Finn was hard to like. He didn't want to change, didn't want Aven's help. He hid his drug problem (yes, guzzling gallons of coffee and energy drinks, while popping stimulants like candy, qualifies as a drug problem) and refused to seek therapy.
I loved Aven, although I didn't get to know him as well as I would have liked. Aven was the patient foil to Finnley's phobia madness. He was easygoing and a natural caregiver, but Finn took and took, and never gave. I found this pattern frustrating after a while.
Finnley's job as a funeral director added to the grimness of the story. I wanted more brightness and light.
There was a lot of passion between the MCs, plenty of steam, but it wasn't quite enough to build a connection beyond sex and hurt/comfort.
I really liked the last couple of chapters, when Finn finally realized that he couldn't manage his phobia on his own and there was no shame in accepting Aven's willingly given support. Finn's mischievous and light-hearted personality shone at Aven's sister's wedding and in the epilogue.
Owl's Slumber may not be my favorite book by Nicky James, but it is a well written, interesting story with a hard-earned HEA.
Some people can get by with five hours. I cannot. I've never been able to nap, and caffeine does only so much. After a while, I'm wired but still exhausted.
Watching Finnley fight sleep was agonizing. He has an intense phobia of dying while sleeping, thanks to his dad who called death the "big sleep" and forced Finn to watch him handle corpses at age 8.
That would fuck up anyone, and phobias, deeply irrational as they are by definition, take over a person's very being.
All that being said, Finn was hard to like. He didn't want to change, didn't want Aven's help. He hid his drug problem (yes, guzzling gallons of coffee and energy drinks, while popping stimulants like candy, qualifies as a drug problem) and refused to seek therapy.
I loved Aven, although I didn't get to know him as well as I would have liked. Aven was the patient foil to Finnley's phobia madness. He was easygoing and a natural caregiver, but Finn took and took, and never gave. I found this pattern frustrating after a while.
Finnley's job as a funeral director added to the grimness of the story. I wanted more brightness and light.
There was a lot of passion between the MCs, plenty of steam, but it wasn't quite enough to build a connection beyond sex and hurt/comfort.
I really liked the last couple of chapters, when Finn finally realized that he couldn't manage his phobia on his own and there was no shame in accepting Aven's willingly given support. Finn's mischievous and light-hearted personality shone at Aven's sister's wedding and in the epilogue.
Owl's Slumber may not be my favorite book by Nicky James, but it is a well written, interesting story with a hard-earned HEA.
October 20, 2020
Audio – 5+++ Stars!! Adam Gold is just….AWESOME! OMG, when he chuckles or laughs…swoon!!!
Story – 4.25 Exhausting Stars (no pun intended)
I’m just going to start thinking of Nicky James as the queen of unusual hurt/comfort romances. Unusual and enlightening.
As stated in the blurb, Finnley suffers from a phobia of sleep. Reading about Finnley and what he goes through broke my heart. I seriously don’t know how he managed to function as long as he did. When Aven comes into his life and eventually finds out about Finnley, I loved how he was determined to help him. He was wonderfully supportive and loving. Of course, Finnley’s condition and stubbornness to get help effects their relationship, but it doesn’t stop them from loving each other.
This was an emotionally exhausting story for me, but it was also very satisfying. And the ending was absolutely beautiful.
Story – 4.25 Exhausting Stars (no pun intended)
I’m just going to start thinking of Nicky James as the queen of unusual hurt/comfort romances. Unusual and enlightening.
As stated in the blurb, Finnley suffers from a phobia of sleep. Reading about Finnley and what he goes through broke my heart. I seriously don’t know how he managed to function as long as he did. When Aven comes into his life and eventually finds out about Finnley, I loved how he was determined to help him. He was wonderfully supportive and loving. Of course, Finnley’s condition and stubbornness to get help effects their relationship, but it doesn’t stop them from loving each other.
This was an emotionally exhausting story for me, but it was also very satisfying. And the ending was absolutely beautiful.
June 24, 2018
3.5 Stars
I, myself, hate sleeping but if I don’t sleep the exact seven or eight hours, the next morning I will be like a zombie and I would eat everyone who tries to be near me! And I have so many rules for my sleep like I can’t sleep in daylight and for nights all the lamps must be off, I can’t sleep in a crowd and at nights it must be so quiet, other than my bed it’s really really hard for me to sleep in other places and the list goes on and on but still I don’t fight to not sleep. So imagining someone suffers from sleep phobia is a bit difficult for me and I think it’s one of the worst phobias! It must be so so hard for them. I mean all of us needs our sleep to survive…
Well, Finn aka Owl has sleep phobia. Every night he tries to sleep he has a panic attack. He thinks he will die in his sleep. So he tries not to sleep until he can’t tolerate the sleeplessness and will be unconscious. His job in a funeral home doesn’t help either and this insomnia has affected his life, you know the anxiety, fatigue, and drowsiness, inability to concentrate, having low energy levels… and he solves all of them by consuming coffee and energy drinks!!! So when he met Aven everything changes, and I can’t tell you in a good way or in a bad way. Finn thinks of his phobia as a weakness and these thoughts affect their relationship. Can Finn trust Aven and let Aven help him? Or more importantly; can Aven help him and how can Aven help him when Finn himself doesn't want it!?
I’m not a fan of Finn’s character! He was thirty-one-year-old and he knew he has a serious issue with his phobia but still, he didn’t go to see a therapist! But I loved Aven, how he fought for Finn, how he helped him, how he was there for him. Told in dual POV, 1st person. It’s a standalone novel, well-written and a bit slow. Overall, it was a good read and hope you enjoy it!
I, myself, hate sleeping but if I don’t sleep the exact seven or eight hours, the next morning I will be like a zombie and I would eat everyone who tries to be near me! And I have so many rules for my sleep like I can’t sleep in daylight and for nights all the lamps must be off, I can’t sleep in a crowd and at nights it must be so quiet, other than my bed it’s really really hard for me to sleep in other places and the list goes on and on but still I don’t fight to not sleep. So imagining someone suffers from sleep phobia is a bit difficult for me and I think it’s one of the worst phobias! It must be so so hard for them. I mean all of us needs our sleep to survive…
Well, Finn aka Owl has sleep phobia. Every night he tries to sleep he has a panic attack. He thinks he will die in his sleep. So he tries not to sleep until he can’t tolerate the sleeplessness and will be unconscious. His job in a funeral home doesn’t help either and this insomnia has affected his life, you know the anxiety, fatigue, and drowsiness, inability to concentrate, having low energy levels… and he solves all of them by consuming coffee and energy drinks!!! So when he met Aven everything changes, and I can’t tell you in a good way or in a bad way. Finn thinks of his phobia as a weakness and these thoughts affect their relationship. Can Finn trust Aven and let Aven help him? Or more importantly; can Aven help him and how can Aven help him when Finn himself doesn't want it!?
I’m not a fan of Finn’s character! He was thirty-one-year-old and he knew he has a serious issue with his phobia but still, he didn’t go to see a therapist! But I loved Aven, how he fought for Finn, how he helped him, how he was there for him. Told in dual POV, 1st person. It’s a standalone novel, well-written and a bit slow. Overall, it was a good read and hope you enjoy it!
June 17, 2019
4.5 Stars
I’m absolutely exhausted from reading this story - no pun intended. I guess that means the author did a spectacular job, because I was right there with the characters, every step of the way, feeling every single anxious, distressing, debilitating moment of their emotional, mental and physical journeys.
Somniphobia (a fear of sleep) is a disorder I knew zilch about prior to reading about Finnley’s horrific struggles. I felt so bad for the guy and just wanted to dive into his story to give him a hug and tell him everything would be okay- but thankfully that’s what darling, immensely supportive Aven was for. *swoon*
Sympathising, even just broadly speaking, with some of Finnley’s feelings of anxiety, hopelessness, and never ending exhaustion is something I related to all too well (battling my own life-impacting chronic illness for the better part of the last decade). Not getting a good night's sleep and not feeling rested even when I do sleep, is something I’m all too familiar with, so imagining those often debilitating feelings paired with Finnley’s absolute terror at the mere notion of sleep was enough to make me consider that his phobia may just be one of the worst ones imaginable.
This was definitely an angst-y story of the highest order, at least for me, but the love story between Finnley and Aven certainly helped balance out the intense mood of the piece with lots of romance, passion, tenderness, care, and never ending emotional support shared between these two very raw and very real characters.
Owl's Slumber was eye opening and affecting, for sure, so kudos to the author for impressively and authentically representing the day-to-day struggles of someone fighting chronic illness.
This was my first time reading a story by James but you can god damn bet I’ll be reading more from her in the (very near) future. I daresay a new reading obsession may have just begun! <3
I’m absolutely exhausted from reading this story - no pun intended. I guess that means the author did a spectacular job, because I was right there with the characters, every step of the way, feeling every single anxious, distressing, debilitating moment of their emotional, mental and physical journeys.
Somniphobia (a fear of sleep) is a disorder I knew zilch about prior to reading about Finnley’s horrific struggles. I felt so bad for the guy and just wanted to dive into his story to give him a hug and tell him everything would be okay- but thankfully that’s what darling, immensely supportive Aven was for. *swoon*
Sympathising, even just broadly speaking, with some of Finnley’s feelings of anxiety, hopelessness, and never ending exhaustion is something I related to all too well (battling my own life-impacting chronic illness for the better part of the last decade). Not getting a good night's sleep and not feeling rested even when I do sleep, is something I’m all too familiar with, so imagining those often debilitating feelings paired with Finnley’s absolute terror at the mere notion of sleep was enough to make me consider that his phobia may just be one of the worst ones imaginable.
This was definitely an angst-y story of the highest order, at least for me, but the love story between Finnley and Aven certainly helped balance out the intense mood of the piece with lots of romance, passion, tenderness, care, and never ending emotional support shared between these two very raw and very real characters.
Owl's Slumber was eye opening and affecting, for sure, so kudos to the author for impressively and authentically representing the day-to-day struggles of someone fighting chronic illness.
This was my first time reading a story by James but you can god damn bet I’ll be reading more from her in the (very near) future. I daresay a new reading obsession may have just begun! <3
May 28, 2018
*** 3.75 Stars ***
It was my first time reading about Somniphobia. I didn't even know this could be such a HARD issue to some people.
My impressions:
Positive:
.) I think the author did an incredible job portraying Finn's fears. It got to me, I felt it. I also felt extremely touched by all he suffered while growing up. His Dad - on purpose or not - left deep emotional scars on him for the rest of his life. It was cruel and heartbreaking.
.) Both characters were well developed.
Negative:
.)The relationship. There was something missing. They connected too fast and I couldn't keep up with what was happening between them. In my opinion there was a lack of chemistry.
Doing the math trying to balance the pros and cons I still think this was a great read.
Available on KU.
It was my first time reading about Somniphobia. I didn't even know this could be such a HARD issue to some people.
My impressions:
Positive:
.) I think the author did an incredible job portraying Finn's fears. It got to me, I felt it. I also felt extremely touched by all he suffered while growing up. His Dad - on purpose or not - left deep emotional scars on him for the rest of his life. It was cruel and heartbreaking.
.) Both characters were well developed.
Negative:
.)The relationship. There was something missing. They connected too fast and I couldn't keep up with what was happening between them. In my opinion there was a lack of chemistry.
Doing the math trying to balance the pros and cons I still think this was a great read.
Available on KU.
January 10, 2019
Me ha gustado, algunas cosas creo que están muy bien contadas, fundamentalmente la fobia a dormir de uno de los protagonistas, sientes su miedo y se sufre leyendo su experiencia. La pareja es adorable por separado, es muy fácil quererles, sin embargo, la forma en la que su relación se construye es un tanto precipitada, por no decir un mucho, curiosamente es el aspecto que se siente menos real en el libro.
February 18, 2023
I kinda cheated with this one. You see, I read Love Interrupted first. I saw Finnley and Aven in all their HEA glory before I walked step by step with them to get there. That little snippet of them celebrating Valentine's Day sent me running to buy their story. And then I went ahead and snagged the rest of the series as soon as I was finished with this amazing book. I was so smitten. Last year I discovered James' incredible rail riders and her Jasper crew. I'm not exactly surprised that I'm kicking off my new year with another series binge with her initials attached. This time I'm blissfully stuck in Dewhurst Point. And I'd love for you to join me!
I had a feeling I was going to fall over my feet for Aven and I wasn't wrong. Finnley is harder to reach, holding everyone at arm's length, but once his walls slide, I was just as enamored. They meet under solemn circumstances. Considering Finnley owns a funeral home you can imagine what brought them together. Finnley's phobia is peculiar and difficult to understand. He suffers from somniphobia, the fear of sleep. Sleep is such a vital part of our lives and something I cherish, so it's almost impossible for me to conceive someone being afraid of drifting off with the sandman. However, Nicky breaks down his phobia with such clarity that it's easy to grasp Finnley's terror.
Finnley keeps a bed for appearance's sake but never uses it. Walking into his bedroom creates enough turmoil that he avoids it at all costs. He crashes on the couch, in his nest when he can no longer keep himself awake. But those moments are too few and too far between. His health is suffering and he has no social life, let alone time for dating. When Aven slips past his defenses everything changes. He has a reason to stay present and alert, clearing his sleepwalking fuzzy brain. He has a reason to drive his car, which he hardly uses. He has a reason to use a bed, and find pleasure at the same time. But despite all these new reasons, he still can't let himself sleep. He was raised by his coldhearted father and after his death, he hoped to release the hold his words had. Hope is fickle in Finnley's world and he discovers he's still a prisoner to his father's fated mantra. But he can't avoid the land of nod forever, no matter how hard he tries.
I loved witnessing Finnley slowly tear down walls for Aven. I loved Aven's endless patience. I loved how Aven never gave up on Finnley. I loved Finnley's substitute mom, Margaret. I did not love Aven's sister, but then again I don't think anyone does. My heart ached and then it soared. When Finnley comes out of his shell, I could see why Aven fell for him and fought so hard to keep him. Their affection quickly turns to passion and then so much more. Their story is full of shadows and fierce frustrations, but when the sun comes out, it's so beautiful and bright, it will blind you.
Beware of: Patience and compassion are essential when it comes to phobias. Insomnia and somniphobia are not the same, despite both creating grumpy bears. Fueling passion is often easier than building trust.
This book is for: Not everyone. Life as an undertaker is a significant part of their story. There are many fears here, but be mindful of your own. If you've recently lost a loved one, you might want to wait on this one. Or jump ahead to meet Rory and Adrian. I'll see you there next!
Book UNfunk
I had a feeling I was going to fall over my feet for Aven and I wasn't wrong. Finnley is harder to reach, holding everyone at arm's length, but once his walls slide, I was just as enamored. They meet under solemn circumstances. Considering Finnley owns a funeral home you can imagine what brought them together. Finnley's phobia is peculiar and difficult to understand. He suffers from somniphobia, the fear of sleep. Sleep is such a vital part of our lives and something I cherish, so it's almost impossible for me to conceive someone being afraid of drifting off with the sandman. However, Nicky breaks down his phobia with such clarity that it's easy to grasp Finnley's terror.
Finnley keeps a bed for appearance's sake but never uses it. Walking into his bedroom creates enough turmoil that he avoids it at all costs. He crashes on the couch, in his nest when he can no longer keep himself awake. But those moments are too few and too far between. His health is suffering and he has no social life, let alone time for dating. When Aven slips past his defenses everything changes. He has a reason to stay present and alert, clearing his sleepwalking fuzzy brain. He has a reason to drive his car, which he hardly uses. He has a reason to use a bed, and find pleasure at the same time. But despite all these new reasons, he still can't let himself sleep. He was raised by his coldhearted father and after his death, he hoped to release the hold his words had. Hope is fickle in Finnley's world and he discovers he's still a prisoner to his father's fated mantra. But he can't avoid the land of nod forever, no matter how hard he tries.
I loved witnessing Finnley slowly tear down walls for Aven. I loved Aven's endless patience. I loved how Aven never gave up on Finnley. I loved Finnley's substitute mom, Margaret. I did not love Aven's sister, but then again I don't think anyone does. My heart ached and then it soared. When Finnley comes out of his shell, I could see why Aven fell for him and fought so hard to keep him. Their affection quickly turns to passion and then so much more. Their story is full of shadows and fierce frustrations, but when the sun comes out, it's so beautiful and bright, it will blind you.
Beware of: Patience and compassion are essential when it comes to phobias. Insomnia and somniphobia are not the same, despite both creating grumpy bears. Fueling passion is often easier than building trust.
This book is for: Not everyone. Life as an undertaker is a significant part of their story. There are many fears here, but be mindful of your own. If you've recently lost a loved one, you might want to wait on this one. Or jump ahead to meet Rory and Adrian. I'll see you there next!
Book UNfunk
February 18, 2023
Time of death: around 50%.
I really feel bad for abandoning this book, but I’m so very bored that not even a good narrator (Adam Gold) can keep me going.
Finn owns a funeral home, one that has been in his family for 3 generations, but he isn’t happy with his job. And he suffers from severe anxiety: he’s afraid of dying in his sleep, that’s why he tries to avoid sleeping at all costs.
One day, he meets Aven, who asks him on a date and falls in love. Ofc, Aven find out about the anxiety attacks, and tries to help Finn.
I can’t really say how it ends - they probably get their HEA. I just couldn’t continue, because I was bored to tears and I just didn’t care about the both of them. In short: Aven is a saint, and Finn needs help, but pushes Aven away. I feel bad to abandon Finn, because I think his phobia is described very well, and the author put a lot of thought into it.
But I just didn’t feel their connection, and I didn’t care enough to continue listening.
No idea why the book didn’t work for me. I’m not overanalysing it - there are enough good reviews out there, but sometimes it’s just not meant to be.
I really feel bad for abandoning this book, but I’m so very bored that not even a good narrator (Adam Gold) can keep me going.
Finn owns a funeral home, one that has been in his family for 3 generations, but he isn’t happy with his job. And he suffers from severe anxiety: he’s afraid of dying in his sleep, that’s why he tries to avoid sleeping at all costs.
One day, he meets Aven, who asks him on a date and falls in love. Ofc, Aven find out about the anxiety attacks, and tries to help Finn.
I can’t really say how it ends - they probably get their HEA. I just couldn’t continue, because I was bored to tears and I just didn’t care about the both of them. In short: Aven is a saint, and Finn needs help, but pushes Aven away. I feel bad to abandon Finn, because I think his phobia is described very well, and the author put a lot of thought into it.
But I just didn’t feel their connection, and I didn’t care enough to continue listening.
No idea why the book didn’t work for me. I’m not overanalysing it - there are enough good reviews out there, but sometimes it’s just not meant to be.
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November 24, 2022
MM Romance
Hurt Comfort
2 Stars ⭐️
Somniphobia: The fear of going to sleep.
This book did not work for me. I was in the mood for something angsty but this just gave me anxiety. I can’t imagine being afraid to fall asleep although it made perfect sense why Finn had this phobia. The way this author describes Finn’s issues made me feel like I was living it along with him hence the anxiety. I just wanted to give him a hug and tell him it would be okay. My issue with this book was the relationship because I never felt like Aven and Finn had much chemistry even though this is the first book I’ve read in ages where it actually showed them dating and getting to know each other. Their conversations felt forced and it didn’t help that Finn didn’t feel like he deserved someone as great as Aven yet I found Aven terribly boring and thought Finn could do better. It was also hard for me to believe Aven would sacrifice so much for someone he just met. Finn had real problems and needed more than just Aven to lean on. Even when he gets that help it felt like he couldn’t do it without Aven and that if they ever split, Finn would fall to pieces again. When I read books like this with characters that are broken in some way, I need to see them getting healthy for themselves before anyone else. These two felt too codependent and it made their relationship feel toxic at times. I especially hated some of the things these two said and did to each other.
Finn expressed multiple times he didn’t like the endearment “baby” because all his issues made him feel like a child and yet Aven still called him baby non-stop. The first time could have been an accident but it kept happening over and over again and it really bothered me. Finn had enough going on and if Aven respected him he would have watched what he said. I also hated how Aven tried to “help” Finn fall asleep by using sex as the magic remedy because it was ridiculous but also if Finn’s mind caught on he’d have horrific panic attacks. The part where Finn gets Aven to admit his feelings and then uses them against him was cruel and while I understood Finn was getting absolutely no sleep and was super sick both mentally and physically, I felt like he didn’t grovel nearly enough for what he did. I couldn’t believe Aven was so forgiving because it had been 2 months maybe? and I can’t say I would have been able to just move on from what Finn did. It was cruel.
So much happened in this that should have made me emotional and yet I was strangely detached from most of it. I hated what Finn went through but the resolution felt rushed and I wanted more. I also hated how Aven’s family treated him especially how his mother never stood up for him and I could have lived without his sister’s wedding and all that drama near the end.
This is the second book I’ve read in this series and I didn’t like the first one either (Book 4) because once again I hated the relationship so maybe this series is just not for me? I am interested in some of the other characters from this book but I just don’t know if reading anything else in this series is worth my time. 🤷🏻♀️
Hurt Comfort
2 Stars ⭐️
Somniphobia: The fear of going to sleep.
This book did not work for me. I was in the mood for something angsty but this just gave me anxiety. I can’t imagine being afraid to fall asleep although it made perfect sense why Finn had this phobia. The way this author describes Finn’s issues made me feel like I was living it along with him hence the anxiety. I just wanted to give him a hug and tell him it would be okay. My issue with this book was the relationship because I never felt like Aven and Finn had much chemistry even though this is the first book I’ve read in ages where it actually showed them dating and getting to know each other. Their conversations felt forced and it didn’t help that Finn didn’t feel like he deserved someone as great as Aven yet I found Aven terribly boring and thought Finn could do better. It was also hard for me to believe Aven would sacrifice so much for someone he just met. Finn had real problems and needed more than just Aven to lean on. Even when he gets that help it felt like he couldn’t do it without Aven and that if they ever split, Finn would fall to pieces again. When I read books like this with characters that are broken in some way, I need to see them getting healthy for themselves before anyone else. These two felt too codependent and it made their relationship feel toxic at times. I especially hated some of the things these two said and did to each other.
Finn expressed multiple times he didn’t like the endearment “baby” because all his issues made him feel like a child and yet Aven still called him baby non-stop. The first time could have been an accident but it kept happening over and over again and it really bothered me. Finn had enough going on and if Aven respected him he would have watched what he said. I also hated how Aven tried to “help” Finn fall asleep by using sex as the magic remedy because it was ridiculous but also if Finn’s mind caught on he’d have horrific panic attacks. The part where Finn gets Aven to admit his feelings and then uses them against him was cruel and while I understood Finn was getting absolutely no sleep and was super sick both mentally and physically, I felt like he didn’t grovel nearly enough for what he did. I couldn’t believe Aven was so forgiving because it had been 2 months maybe? and I can’t say I would have been able to just move on from what Finn did. It was cruel.
So much happened in this that should have made me emotional and yet I was strangely detached from most of it. I hated what Finn went through but the resolution felt rushed and I wanted more. I also hated how Aven’s family treated him especially how his mother never stood up for him and I could have lived without his sister’s wedding and all that drama near the end.
This is the second book I’ve read in this series and I didn’t like the first one either (Book 4) because once again I hated the relationship so maybe this series is just not for me? I am interested in some of the other characters from this book but I just don’t know if reading anything else in this series is worth my time. 🤷🏻♀️
May 28, 2018
2.5 stars
Well, this was a disappointment. I was sure this would be a winner, but there were 3 things that really bothered me.
1. Let me start by mentioning my biggest issue with this book: the lack of chemistry. I never once thought these guys had any spark. I actually felt as if it was a matter of setting up their relationship as quickly as possible so we could get to the parts where the sleep phobia would play a major role. I mean, ice skating as a date is cute and all, but neither of these guys were the cute type, so that really missed its mark for me.
Now I love hurt/comfort and I guess there was plenty of that to find here, unfortunately I do have to believe in the relationship first. I have to care about the characters before I can feel their hurt. But these guys were just so plain and boring. I can’t even tell you what they were like, what their interests were, nothing. I only know Finnley suffers from sleep phobia and Aven helped him with it.
2. Then my second problem was Finnley himself. He did not want to be helped. I love characters that are hurting, sometimes the more the better (I salivate at a good torture scene, I know, I know, I’m a bit weird), but I always need to feel that my MC do wants to get out of the situation he’s in. Finnley did not. He got angry and hurtful towards Aven when Aven tried to help. The only reason Finnley eventually got help because he was forced to. I get that you can’t just ‘get over’ a phobia, but I felt as if Finnley didn’t even look into solutions (professional help) at all. Even when his life was on the line he still didn’t want to be helped. And that made me so frustrated with him that I liked him less and less.
3. My third point is a bit illogical since it’s where the whole book is based on, but I was so creeped out by Finnley running a funeral home. I get that it wasn’t his first choice of a career and that his phobia came from this, but I still thought it was the most unromantic place two people could meet. I was having constant flashbacks to my father’s funeral and all the talk about balming and open caskets really made me relive that smell dead people have. It is not a happy memory.
I get that it plays a major role in the book, but I just wanted to get far far away from all the dead people.
I think I could have overlooked points 2 and 3 if I had just felt the connection between Finnley and Aven, but I didn’t. I do want to read the next book, because I know Nicky James can write and perhaps that one will feel different to me.
Well, this was a disappointment. I was sure this would be a winner, but there were 3 things that really bothered me.
1. Let me start by mentioning my biggest issue with this book: the lack of chemistry. I never once thought these guys had any spark. I actually felt as if it was a matter of setting up their relationship as quickly as possible so we could get to the parts where the sleep phobia would play a major role. I mean, ice skating as a date is cute and all, but neither of these guys were the cute type, so that really missed its mark for me.
Now I love hurt/comfort and I guess there was plenty of that to find here, unfortunately I do have to believe in the relationship first. I have to care about the characters before I can feel their hurt. But these guys were just so plain and boring. I can’t even tell you what they were like, what their interests were, nothing. I only know Finnley suffers from sleep phobia and Aven helped him with it.
2. Then my second problem was Finnley himself. He did not want to be helped. I love characters that are hurting, sometimes the more the better (I salivate at a good torture scene, I know, I know, I’m a bit weird), but I always need to feel that my MC do wants to get out of the situation he’s in. Finnley did not. He got angry and hurtful towards Aven when Aven tried to help. The only reason Finnley eventually got help because he was forced to. I get that you can’t just ‘get over’ a phobia, but I felt as if Finnley didn’t even look into solutions (professional help) at all. Even when his life was on the line he still didn’t want to be helped. And that made me so frustrated with him that I liked him less and less.
3. My third point is a bit illogical since it’s where the whole book is based on, but I was so creeped out by Finnley running a funeral home. I get that it wasn’t his first choice of a career and that his phobia came from this, but I still thought it was the most unromantic place two people could meet. I was having constant flashbacks to my father’s funeral and all the talk about balming and open caskets really made me relive that smell dead people have. It is not a happy memory.
I get that it plays a major role in the book, but I just wanted to get far far away from all the dead people.
I think I could have overlooked points 2 and 3 if I had just felt the connection between Finnley and Aven, but I didn’t. I do want to read the next book, because I know Nicky James can write and perhaps that one will feel different to me.
September 22, 2023
Insanely exhausting. I was scared of this book from the beginning, I wasn't sure if I could manage to get through it, not because it's so dark, it is, but more because the concept of this phobia is completely foreign to me. I love to sleep, if it were feasible and not harmful, I would never leave my bed. 😊 The complete opposite of what Finnley thinks of beds. Still, empathizing with him was super easy and I suffered with him.
And then there ist Aven - one perfect boyfriend and one that is very patient.
God, I felt silly smiling so much, but I couldn’t help it. Aven was just so perfect, and the more he smiled, the more I smiled back.
Would he stay when he realized the reality of what I faced every day? My fears had become all-consuming. They were a prison I couldn’t escape, a poison I couldn’t cure. Could he love me broken like I was? Did he already?
Should I spoiler this? The answer is yes, because otherwise there wouldn’t be a HEA. But Finnley could have made it a bit more easier. Well the way is a hard one and I was slightly annoyed, that it was so slow developing. Otherwise with this phobia … this just needed time.
For most of the book, I had a giant elephant sitting on my chest. I never thought there would be a satisfying ending. It was a bit short. But I'm also insanely grateful that it got a little amusing towards the end, and Aven's sister's wedding was hilarious.
A good book, but not a possible re-read for me.
And then there ist Aven - one perfect boyfriend and one that is very patient.
God, I felt silly smiling so much, but I couldn’t help it. Aven was just so perfect, and the more he smiled, the more I smiled back.
Would he stay when he realized the reality of what I faced every day? My fears had become all-consuming. They were a prison I couldn’t escape, a poison I couldn’t cure. Could he love me broken like I was? Did he already?
Should I spoiler this? The answer is yes, because otherwise there wouldn’t be a HEA. But Finnley could have made it a bit more easier. Well the way is a hard one and I was slightly annoyed, that it was so slow developing. Otherwise with this phobia … this just needed time.
For most of the book, I had a giant elephant sitting on my chest. I never thought there would be a satisfying ending. It was a bit short. But I'm also insanely grateful that it got a little amusing towards the end, and Aven's sister's wedding was hilarious.
A good book, but not a possible re-read for me.
January 7, 2026
⭐️ 4 stars ⭐️
♪ 𝚂𝚘𝚗𝚐 𝙼𝚊𝚝𝚌𝚑 — 𝚋𝚞𝚛𝚢 𝚊 𝚏𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚍 𝚋𝚢 𝙱𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚎 𝙴𝚒𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚑 ♪
// Why aren't you scared of me? Why do you care for me?
When we all fall asleep, where do we go? //
This series is hurt/comfort at its finest.
Cuddly love stories laced with phobias.
I loved the contrast between the angst surrounding Finn’s disorders and the sweetness of the romance. Aven was the most supporting and loving person ever, their love story heart-warming. Add in the pinch of spice, and it’s not hard to fall in love with this series.
The comfort definitely outweighs the hurt, because Owl’s Slumber left me with only warm fuzzy feelings.
CW and NSFW info (spoilers):
- Death of a parent
- Grief
- Somniphobia
- Panic attacks
- Anxiety disorder
- Drug use
- Homophobia
- Medical trauma
- Car accident
- Mention of child mental abuse
- Top/bottom
- Phone sex
♪ 𝚂𝚘𝚗𝚐 𝙼𝚊𝚝𝚌𝚑 — 𝚋𝚞𝚛𝚢 𝚊 𝚏𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚍 𝚋𝚢 𝙱𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚎 𝙴𝚒𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚑 ♪
// Why aren't you scared of me? Why do you care for me?
When we all fall asleep, where do we go? //
Could he love me broken like I was?
This series is hurt/comfort at its finest.
Cuddly love stories laced with phobias.
“I’m afraid…” My teeth chattered. “I’m afraid I’m going to die in my sleep. Like the minute I’m unconscious, I’ll slip away, and it will all be over.”
I loved the contrast between the angst surrounding Finn’s disorders and the sweetness of the romance. Aven was the most supporting and loving person ever, their love story heart-warming. Add in the pinch of spice, and it’s not hard to fall in love with this series.
“We all have demons, baby. But you shouldn’t have to fight them alone.”
The comfort definitely outweighs the hurt, because Owl’s Slumber left me with only warm fuzzy feelings.
“I’m here. Always here. I’ve got you.”
CW and NSFW info (spoilers):
- Death of a parent
- Grief
- Somniphobia
- Panic attacks
- Anxiety disorder
- Drug use
- Homophobia
- Medical trauma
- Car accident
- Mention of child mental abuse
- Top/bottom
- Phone sex
January 31, 2025
Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.
I knew in my gut, Finnley was my someone special. The person I may have by my side until the end.
4.5 stars, probs
I had a bit of a rough stretch with Nicky James books recently, so I’m very happy that this was another winner for me. I’ve wanted to read more from this series from a long time since one of my favorite books ever (Cravings of the Heart) is in it, but these books are heavy and angsty as shit. I also figured that none of the other books could compare to Cravings or Touch of Love. And to be fair, this one didn’t, but it came pretty close! I thought it was really well done, and I can always trust Nicky James to handle mental illness well.
This one wasn’t as sad as the other two imo, because I only cried once, which is shocking. Although there were a couple scenes that truly punched me in the freaking gut. If you’ve read this, you’ll know what scene. Owwie.
Aven joins Iggy and Raven (from Cravings and Touch) as the ultimate book boyfriends. They are so supportive, kind and understanding.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & content tags ⚠️
Phobia
Fear of sleep
Funeral director MC
Mental illness rep
Anxiety disorder
Architect MC
Fast burn
Cute dates
FaceTime sex
Hurt/comfort
Fast feelings
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
On-page panic attacks
On-page use of drugs to avoid sleep (Adrafinil)
Hospitalization and death of parent
Homophobic family (on-page comments)
Alcohol consumption
Abuse of caffeine
Explicit sexual content
Minor car accident (off page)
MC shoving other MC during fight
Medical emergency (hospitalization, MC)
MC1 restraining MC2 for forced sedation against MC2’s will (medical emergency)
Vomiting
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: No
Breakup: A few days with no contact, but no breakup
POV: 1st person, dual
Genre: Contemporary romance
Pairing: M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
Main characters’ age: 31 and 35
Series: Mildly interconnected standalones
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Pages: 273
Happy ending: Yes
Finnley cracked an eye and glanced around at the setup. A soft smile curved his mouth. “You put all those men in my books to shame. I think I’ll keep you.”
“What happened, baby?” Baby. He really couldn’t help it. The moment I was breaking down or suffering at all, it spilled from his mouth automatically. Maybe I didn’t hate it as much as I let on.
My Finnley. My beautiful, troubled soul. I know you aren’t being serious, but I’ll marry you someday, you’ll see.
You can find most of my reviews on Instagram as well: https://www.instagram.com/booksafety?...
I knew in my gut, Finnley was my someone special. The person I may have by my side until the end.
4.5 stars, probs
I had a bit of a rough stretch with Nicky James books recently, so I’m very happy that this was another winner for me. I’ve wanted to read more from this series from a long time since one of my favorite books ever (Cravings of the Heart) is in it, but these books are heavy and angsty as shit. I also figured that none of the other books could compare to Cravings or Touch of Love. And to be fair, this one didn’t, but it came pretty close! I thought it was really well done, and I can always trust Nicky James to handle mental illness well.
This one wasn’t as sad as the other two imo, because I only cried once, which is shocking. Although there were a couple scenes that truly punched me in the freaking gut. If you’ve read this, you’ll know what scene. Owwie.
Aven joins Iggy and Raven (from Cravings and Touch) as the ultimate book boyfriends. They are so supportive, kind and understanding.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & content tags ⚠️
Phobia
Fear of sleep
Funeral director MC
Mental illness rep
Anxiety disorder
Architect MC
Fast burn
Cute dates
FaceTime sex
Hurt/comfort
Fast feelings
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
On-page panic attacks
On-page use of drugs to avoid sleep (Adrafinil)
Hospitalization and death of parent
Homophobic family (on-page comments)
Alcohol consumption
Abuse of caffeine
Explicit sexual content
Minor car accident (off page)
MC shoving other MC during fight
Medical emergency (hospitalization, MC)
MC1 restraining MC2 for forced sedation against MC2’s will (medical emergency)
Vomiting
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: No
Breakup: A few days with no contact, but no breakup
POV: 1st person, dual
Genre: Contemporary romance
Pairing: M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
Main characters’ age: 31 and 35
Series: Mildly interconnected standalones
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Pages: 273
Happy ending: Yes
Finnley cracked an eye and glanced around at the setup. A soft smile curved his mouth. “You put all those men in my books to shame. I think I’ll keep you.”
“What happened, baby?” Baby. He really couldn’t help it. The moment I was breaking down or suffering at all, it spilled from his mouth automatically. Maybe I didn’t hate it as much as I let on.
My Finnley. My beautiful, troubled soul. I know you aren’t being serious, but I’ll marry you someday, you’ll see.
You can find most of my reviews on Instagram as well: https://www.instagram.com/booksafety?...
April 24, 2024
Reread April 2024
While I still love the whole idea for this series and Nicky James's writing, this book didn't resonate as much with me as on that first read.
Mainly I wanted to shake Finn so hard on a couple of occasions when he simply could not see how ill he is and hurts himself again and again. Aven is the epitome of a knight in shining armour, but it seems all he does for most of the book is help, support and rescue Finn.
Finn does help him out a little at the end with Aven's homophobic family, but that's a very small token compared to what Aven has gone through.
It also annoyed me that Aven keeps calling Finn 'baby' when Finn requests at least twice that he doesn't use that term. Why??? There are so many other terms of endearment!
Anyway, it was still a good read, all in all, but I knocked a little off my original rating.
original review
A series about men with very particular fears? That's quite an intriguing idea. I love it. And by Nicky James? I love it even more!
And I certainly enjoyed book 1.
Loved ...
... how much research into Finn's condition (the phobia of falling asleep) the author must have done to describe the anguish and horror of it in so much detail and with so much compassion. What Finn goes through on a daily basis is unimaginable. Sleep deprivation for a few days is bad enough but to never sleep properly? Or only when your body simply shuts down?
Needless to say that Finn's whole life is severely affected, also needless to say that one's body can take only so much.
... how brilliantly the author puts the fear, the panic attacks, the obsessive behaviour that comes with a phobia across. I really felt with Finn every step of the way.
... Aven. What a hero! What a considerate, genuine, loving guy. He is so good to Finn in every way and never even blinks twice when the going gets tough. He is there for Finn right from the beginning, and is hardly put off by any snarky behaviour.
... that the job of an undertaker actually appeared in a romance novel. And how it has relevance to the whole problem. I actually found it quite fascinating (sorry, that's morbid me *g*)
What I wished for...
... a little bit more emphasis on the development of the romance between Aven and Finn. Loved their romantic dates and the overall very cute tone of their relationship, but it wasn't quite enough.
A fab book which would have been totally perfect with a bigger helping of relationship talk.
While I still love the whole idea for this series and Nicky James's writing, this book didn't resonate as much with me as on that first read.
Mainly I wanted to shake Finn so hard on a couple of occasions when he simply could not see how ill he is and hurts himself again and again. Aven is the epitome of a knight in shining armour, but it seems all he does for most of the book is help, support and rescue Finn.
Finn does help him out a little at the end with Aven's homophobic family, but that's a very small token compared to what Aven has gone through.
It also annoyed me that Aven keeps calling Finn 'baby' when Finn requests at least twice that he doesn't use that term. Why??? There are so many other terms of endearment!
Anyway, it was still a good read, all in all, but I knocked a little off my original rating.
original review
A series about men with very particular fears? That's quite an intriguing idea. I love it. And by Nicky James? I love it even more!
And I certainly enjoyed book 1.
Loved ...
... how much research into Finn's condition (the phobia of falling asleep) the author must have done to describe the anguish and horror of it in so much detail and with so much compassion. What Finn goes through on a daily basis is unimaginable. Sleep deprivation for a few days is bad enough but to never sleep properly? Or only when your body simply shuts down?
Needless to say that Finn's whole life is severely affected, also needless to say that one's body can take only so much.
... how brilliantly the author puts the fear, the panic attacks, the obsessive behaviour that comes with a phobia across. I really felt with Finn every step of the way.
... Aven. What a hero! What a considerate, genuine, loving guy. He is so good to Finn in every way and never even blinks twice when the going gets tough. He is there for Finn right from the beginning, and is hardly put off by any snarky behaviour.
... that the job of an undertaker actually appeared in a romance novel. And how it has relevance to the whole problem. I actually found it quite fascinating (sorry, that's morbid me *g*)
What I wished for...
... a little bit more emphasis on the development of the romance between Aven and Finn. Loved their romantic dates and the overall very cute tone of their relationship, but it wasn't quite enough.
A fab book which would have been totally perfect with a bigger helping of relationship talk.
Want to read
November 11, 2020Thank you to Happy Dancing Biden/Harris Voter Elf for the gift!!
September 20, 2020
This was a great first book in this series, and I’m really excited to read about all different phobias. This one, about fear of sleep, was fascinating. I had never heard of it and can’t imagine living like that. My anxiety gives me insomnia, and I read and read until I fall back asleep. Sometimes until morning. But what if the idea of sleep causes the anxiety? If you can’t even stay in bed without panicking?
Finn has never had a full night of sleep in his life. He sleeps on average 20 hours a week. I loved how these two met, and how supportive and amazing Aven was. It was a really enjoyable read overall, but it dragged a little in the middle for me. The two MCs got together really quick, and then it’s all about how Aven is helping Finn get better. I really loved the end and the epilogue.
I think I would have preferred a bit less support and patience from Aven, a bit more relationship angst. Nobody is that perfect. 😜
Finn has never had a full night of sleep in his life. He sleeps on average 20 hours a week. I loved how these two met, and how supportive and amazing Aven was. It was a really enjoyable read overall, but it dragged a little in the middle for me. The two MCs got together really quick, and then it’s all about how Aven is helping Finn get better. I really loved the end and the epilogue.
I think I would have preferred a bit less support and patience from Aven, a bit more relationship angst. Nobody is that perfect. 😜
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September 13, 2019
Wow, what a powerful storyline. Many thanks to Gabi for recommending this book!
The concept of phobia of falling asleep was new to me, and it was enlightening to get to walk in Finn's shoes in this book. The nightly terror of panic attacks, the constant exhaustion, and how Finn hid it all from everyone else was so very well done. And it was beautiful to see how supportive Aven was when he figured the situation out.
The connection between the pair felt more like a real relationship than a traditional romance novel, as everyday problems arose very soon for the couple. For me that didn't take away one bit from the reading enjoyment, but perhaps made me rate this book around 4.5 stars rather than a full 5. I will definitely read the next book in the series, and fingers crossed it will be as good.
The concept of phobia of falling asleep was new to me, and it was enlightening to get to walk in Finn's shoes in this book. The nightly terror of panic attacks, the constant exhaustion, and how Finn hid it all from everyone else was so very well done. And it was beautiful to see how supportive Aven was when he figured the situation out.
The connection between the pair felt more like a real relationship than a traditional romance novel, as everyday problems arose very soon for the couple. For me that didn't take away one bit from the reading enjoyment, but perhaps made me rate this book around 4.5 stars rather than a full 5. I will definitely read the next book in the series, and fingers crossed it will be as good.
dnf
May 7, 2021Finnley is terrified of falling asleep. It constantly hinders his life and makes everything foggy around the edges. We all need sleep to survive and sadly Finn spends his days exhausted and downing as much caffeine as he can to feel better. Aven wants to help Finn sleep and live a healthy and rewarding life. I cannot even imagine being afraid of falling asleep. I just felt so bad for Finn, my heart broke over and over for him as I read on. I have so many sleep issues of my own due to my anxiety disorder but what Finn experiences is on a different level. I didn’t even know this fear existed before reading and I appreciate how Nicky writes about Finn’s fear. It is done incredibly well. The romance aspect happened in a blink of an eye and just didn’t feel genuine or believable! There was zero chemistry to be found. I almost never DNF a book but sadly I just can’t read anymore of this. I’m just too bored. So it’s time to call it quits for me!!
June 2, 2018
Can't say that this was my favorite of Nicky James. I love all her books. Especially the mental-issues stories she does best.
I must say, I really felt Finnley's Somniphobia. I hurt for him so much. I could imagine how this disorder developped since his childhood. Cause man... The envirement alone was creepy. "I" couldn't sleep because of it...
Finnley and Aven were sweet but I wasn't 100% on board with their connection.. Finnley got on my nerves quite a lot because of his reluctance of any help but I guess that easy for me to say having not to be living his fears. Aven was a sweetheart for not giving up on him, ever!
But I'm excited about the other installments of the series!!
I must say, I really felt Finnley's Somniphobia. I hurt for him so much. I could imagine how this disorder developped since his childhood. Cause man... The envirement alone was creepy. "I" couldn't sleep because of it...
Finnley and Aven were sweet but I wasn't 100% on board with their connection.. Finnley got on my nerves quite a lot because of his reluctance of any help but I guess that easy for me to say having not to be living his fears. Aven was a sweetheart for not giving up on him, ever!
"I'm here. Always here. I've got you."
But I'm excited about the other installments of the series!!
June 5, 2018
Whoa. I mean, sleep guys. S-L-E-E-P.
Ok, so you know, we all go through stages of what sleep means to us. Well, at least that is what my Mom says. We sleep a lot as babies and then we do it again as teenagers. Man, as a teenager all I wanted to do was sleep it seems. Stay up as late as possible and sleep until noon. At 43, sleeping until noon makes me sick to my stomach (more than half the day would be gone!), but at 43 sleep is just as necessary but so very better managed. There is no more staying up all night for me and no more sleeping until noon but I still need a certain amount of sleep in order to be human.
I can’t even think about what Finnley goes through without panicking. Sleep is important!
So, Finn may be one of the strongest characters I’ve read about. I think Nicky has a way of making who we should see as broken actually have a strength beyond normal. Finn should not have been able to function. AT ALL. He should not have been able to do the job and he especially should not have been able to do the job as his phobia overtook his life. But he did. Every single day he did it. This is beyond amazing to me and the effort it must have taken is mind boggling. I would have just given up. Most people would. So, where maybe he was doing it all wrong and not even taking any steps to try to get better he was not giving up. Unreal. I can only imagine what kind of man he could have would have been had he not been forced into this life at such a very young age. Hopefully, in my brain, he gets the chance to be something more.
So let’s talk about this amazing human being known as Aven. Just wow. I mean, I’d like to tell you that I am a super nice human. That I am full of compassion and patience and I possess an inner strength. But seriously, I just don’t know. He had such an ability to see Finn. I mean, to really see Finn and to never want to give up on him. To want with every breath to help him. To see him better, to see him well. Wow, wow, wow. What a knight. This wasn’t all of him though. He had a horrid family. A family who at times seemed a bit evil. Come one guys, even his Mom needed to step up, yeah? But he didn’t avoid, he didn’t retaliate, he just did. He put up with it because it was his family. He was also very successful. Aven was a great guy and Finn needed a great guy.
I loved them both in their own ways. And together I think they were perfect for each other. They each brought something the other needed to the relationship. The scales may have been out of balance a bit but I don’t think they cared.
I never thought I would enjoy these types of stories until I read Love Me Whole and now I can’t seem to get enough. I am super excited this is going to be a series.
Oh but hey, did anyone pick up on the business card hand off in the hospital by the tattooed guy? Am I the only one that felt like there was a story there?
Good stuff.
Ok, so you know, we all go through stages of what sleep means to us. Well, at least that is what my Mom says. We sleep a lot as babies and then we do it again as teenagers. Man, as a teenager all I wanted to do was sleep it seems. Stay up as late as possible and sleep until noon. At 43, sleeping until noon makes me sick to my stomach (more than half the day would be gone!), but at 43 sleep is just as necessary but so very better managed. There is no more staying up all night for me and no more sleeping until noon but I still need a certain amount of sleep in order to be human.
I can’t even think about what Finnley goes through without panicking. Sleep is important!
So, Finn may be one of the strongest characters I’ve read about. I think Nicky has a way of making who we should see as broken actually have a strength beyond normal. Finn should not have been able to function. AT ALL. He should not have been able to do the job and he especially should not have been able to do the job as his phobia overtook his life. But he did. Every single day he did it. This is beyond amazing to me and the effort it must have taken is mind boggling. I would have just given up. Most people would. So, where maybe he was doing it all wrong and not even taking any steps to try to get better he was not giving up. Unreal. I can only imagine what kind of man he could have would have been had he not been forced into this life at such a very young age. Hopefully, in my brain, he gets the chance to be something more.
So let’s talk about this amazing human being known as Aven. Just wow. I mean, I’d like to tell you that I am a super nice human. That I am full of compassion and patience and I possess an inner strength. But seriously, I just don’t know. He had such an ability to see Finn. I mean, to really see Finn and to never want to give up on him. To want with every breath to help him. To see him better, to see him well. Wow, wow, wow. What a knight. This wasn’t all of him though. He had a horrid family. A family who at times seemed a bit evil. Come one guys, even his Mom needed to step up, yeah? But he didn’t avoid, he didn’t retaliate, he just did. He put up with it because it was his family. He was also very successful. Aven was a great guy and Finn needed a great guy.
I loved them both in their own ways. And together I think they were perfect for each other. They each brought something the other needed to the relationship. The scales may have been out of balance a bit but I don’t think they cared.
I never thought I would enjoy these types of stories until I read Love Me Whole and now I can’t seem to get enough. I am super excited this is going to be a series.
Oh but hey, did anyone pick up on the business card hand off in the hospital by the tattooed guy? Am I the only one that felt like there was a story there?
Good stuff.
November 1, 2022
4 stars for the book
5++++ stars for the audiobook.
Adam Gold is SPECTACULAR.
I remember being fascinated with this series back when I read years ago. Especially sleep phobia which was something I hadn't heard of before.
I can't even imagine being in Finley's shoes. I love my sleep...and not sleeping gives me severe migraines. Being actually afraid of going to sleep would probably make me crazy.
I adored Aven. He's a perfect boyfriend and his support of Finn was heartwarming.
Big winner for me. On to book 2.
5++++ stars for the audiobook.
Adam Gold is SPECTACULAR.
I remember being fascinated with this series back when I read years ago. Especially sleep phobia which was something I hadn't heard of before.
I can't even imagine being in Finley's shoes. I love my sleep...and not sleeping gives me severe migraines. Being actually afraid of going to sleep would probably make me crazy.
I adored Aven. He's a perfect boyfriend and his support of Finn was heartwarming.
Big winner for me. On to book 2.
July 2, 2024
Although I've loved Aven and his Owl, I haven't felt their relationship as intensely as Touch of Love... I read this first and maybe it's not fair, but it is what it is.
Aven is a unicorn... I think all the MCs in this series are mythical and supernatural creatures that exist to help these broken minds. 🙌 Finn... What a life...
This book was really desperate to read...🥹 Finn's terror affliction... my god... I don't want to start trying to understand. I'm glad you found someone to help you wake up (pun inteneed) from that nightmare of a life...
I know his rudeness was caused by lack of sleep, but I spent too much time thinking about how satisfying it would be to bitch slap him to sleep... 🙄 I know... shame on me... Their relationship... well It was hugely insta love, but Nicky can write this and make it seem like it was the only way it could happen, there was no alternative. Using sex as a defense mechanism... It was strange, I admit, but they both realized that they truly needed feel each other that way and that made Finn tired so he could sleep... Incredibly hot btw!🥵
Zero good words for Finn's father... and for Aven's family, including his dorm mother!
I still think that Nicky writes incredible stories, but it always seems like something is missing and at the end of the book all the good achievements are off page... it bothers me... it leaves me without the appropriate closure.
I was very happy with the epilogue, they deserve it!🦉♥️
Aven is a unicorn... I think all the MCs in this series are mythical and supernatural creatures that exist to help these broken minds. 🙌 Finn... What a life...
This book was really desperate to read...🥹 Finn's terror affliction... my god... I don't want to start trying to understand. I'm glad you found someone to help you wake up (pun inteneed) from that nightmare of a life...
I know his rudeness was caused by lack of sleep, but I spent too much time thinking about how satisfying it would be to bitch slap him to sleep... 🙄 I know... shame on me... Their relationship... well It was hugely insta love, but Nicky can write this and make it seem like it was the only way it could happen, there was no alternative. Using sex as a defense mechanism... It was strange, I admit, but they both realized that they truly needed feel each other that way and that made Finn tired so he could sleep... Incredibly hot btw!🥵
Zero good words for Finn's father... and for Aven's family, including his dorm mother!
I still think that Nicky writes incredible stories, but it always seems like something is missing and at the end of the book all the good achievements are off page... it bothers me... it leaves me without the appropriate closure.
I was very happy with the epilogue, they deserve it!🦉♥️
March 26, 2019
1.5 stars
I can't begin to explain how much I didn't enjoy this. I'm very disappointed because my friends loved it, the story was unique and the writing solid and free of melodrama, the way I like it. However, as an engineer I need proof in order to accept something. And the mention of 'he knew Finnley was the one' and 'there was a connection between them', along with two nice dates, is not reason enough for me to accept that a man like Aven, who could have anyone he wanted, would go through all that crap to be with Finnley. Because Aven accepted a lot of crap for Finn. And Finn was nothing more than a dead weight in this relationship and besides, he had as much personality as a banana. It just seemed to me that the only foundation their relationship was built on, was sexual chemistry.
Also I couldn't understand why Finn wouldn't visit a therapist. There was absolutely no reasoning behind this and it was obvious that Finn would never get better without professional help, so around 50% I started skimming in order to see when that would happen. But what I wanted was for a solid reason to come up, why Finn hadn't tried that before, like he went once and was prescribed sleeping pills, not sheer idiocy on his part. .
So, in short I wasn't convinced about the romance and I didn't like Finn at all, which ended in me skimming the second half in order to see how it would end. I did round it up to 2 stars because even though I didn't like it, I found myself unable to put it down completely and the premise was very unique.
I can't begin to explain how much I didn't enjoy this. I'm very disappointed because my friends loved it, the story was unique and the writing solid and free of melodrama, the way I like it. However, as an engineer I need proof in order to accept something. And the mention of 'he knew Finnley was the one' and 'there was a connection between them', along with two nice dates, is not reason enough for me to accept that a man like Aven, who could have anyone he wanted, would go through all that crap to be with Finnley. Because Aven accepted a lot of crap for Finn. And Finn was nothing more than a dead weight in this relationship and besides, he had as much personality as a banana. It just seemed to me that the only foundation their relationship was built on, was sexual chemistry.
Also I couldn't understand why Finn wouldn't visit a therapist. There was absolutely no reasoning behind this and it was obvious that Finn would never get better without professional help, so around 50% I started skimming in order to see when that would happen. But what I wanted was for a solid reason to come up, why Finn hadn't tried that before, like he went once and was prescribed sleeping pills, not sheer idiocy on his part. .
So, in short I wasn't convinced about the romance and I didn't like Finn at all, which ended in me skimming the second half in order to see how it would end. I did round it up to 2 stars because even though I didn't like it, I found myself unable to put it down completely and the premise was very unique.
August 16, 2023
Edit 2023: I loved this book even more the second time around!
This book was just a gem. It was easy to understand and empathize with Finnley‘s struggles. The way NJ wrote his character was just priceless. And of course Aven just being a gem and caring for him even when it’s painful.
This book was just a gem. It was easy to understand and empathize with Finnley‘s struggles. The way NJ wrote his character was just priceless. And of course Aven just being a gem and caring for him even when it’s painful.
November 12, 2022
owl's slumber was a solid start to what i know is a great series. i've read a few books in the trials of fear series. for some reason, though, i've never actually read owl's slumber.
now that i've read it, eh. it's not a bad book by any means, i'm not sure nicky james is really capable of that, but it didn't wow me like i was expecting it to.
i think i wanted a bit more from finn and aven as separate characters. for finn, i would have liked to see him start to heal and deal with his somniphobia a little sooner. instead, it happens in almost the last chapter, rather quickly, and mostly off-page.
similarly, aven as a character was pretty one note. he's supportive, almost unrealistically supportive, has some family issues that are majorly glossed over, and enjoys calling finn baby. there. that's all i know about him. oh and he wears suits.
same for finn, i know his father forced him to confront death in an unkind and extremely harmful way. i know that his mother dying when he was so young effected him deeply. i know he literally runs on coffee and a prayer. but aside from that? eh. his personality doesn't really come through till the end.
and okay, ugh, i don't want it to sound like i'm hating on owl's slumber, because i'm not. this book, like almost all of nicky james's books, was insanely readable. also, the hurt/comfort vibes were top notch.
ultimately, i just wanted a bit more from the series opener is all 🤷♀️
now that i've read it, eh. it's not a bad book by any means, i'm not sure nicky james is really capable of that, but it didn't wow me like i was expecting it to.
i think i wanted a bit more from finn and aven as separate characters. for finn, i would have liked to see him start to heal and deal with his somniphobia a little sooner. instead, it happens in almost the last chapter, rather quickly, and mostly off-page.
similarly, aven as a character was pretty one note. he's supportive, almost unrealistically supportive, has some family issues that are majorly glossed over, and enjoys calling finn baby. there. that's all i know about him. oh and he wears suits.
same for finn, i know his father forced him to confront death in an unkind and extremely harmful way. i know that his mother dying when he was so young effected him deeply. i know he literally runs on coffee and a prayer. but aside from that? eh. his personality doesn't really come through till the end.
and okay, ugh, i don't want it to sound like i'm hating on owl's slumber, because i'm not. this book, like almost all of nicky james's books, was insanely readable. also, the hurt/comfort vibes were top notch.
ultimately, i just wanted a bit more from the series opener is all 🤷♀️
July 31, 2023
[3.5] As a not-so-proud owner of an extremely high-maintenance body, I can't even begin to imagine how much somniphobia (aka fear of sleep) would completely wreck me. Ya girl needs a minimum of 8 hours of sleep or she'll be suffering from headaches, brain fog, mood swings, etc. And with the absolute bare minimum of shuteye Finn was getting? Cue the magical girl transformation music because I need to get my zombie suit on.
This story gives us lots of hurt/comfort as Finn is forced to confront his phobia as his panic attacks worsen and his lack of sleep becomes a very real matter of life-or-death. As frustrating as it was to witness, I could understand his reluctance to seek or accept help because rational thinking? It yeets itself out the window when anxiety enters the picture and you're too busy dealing with the crippling fear to focus on anything else.
Aven's patience was astounding, and the way he worried and cared for Finn, garnished with the pain of watching a loved one trapped in a downward spiral with little power to stop it, was what kept me reading. But it was a bit difficult to understand what had him so invested in Finn in the first place once they entered the endless back and forth cycle of Aven pleading with Finn to get help and Finn insisting that he's fine. It reached a crescendo where I was just waiting for Aven to call it quits. Walking saint on the premises! I also wished the big climax happened earlier on, so we could've seen more of the playful Finn we caught a glimpse of at the very end at Aven's sister's wedding, because he deserves it! But the realism of how difficult, if not impossible, it is to get someone the help they need when they so adamantly refuse, it was painfully well-done. Prominent and surefooted.
So while I wish we got more of the healing to balance out the dark pit they're stuck in for majority of the book, I still think this was very much a worthwhile and unique read to experience, especially if you pick up the audiobook for Adam Gold's phenomenal narration :)
This story gives us lots of hurt/comfort as Finn is forced to confront his phobia as his panic attacks worsen and his lack of sleep becomes a very real matter of life-or-death. As frustrating as it was to witness, I could understand his reluctance to seek or accept help because rational thinking? It yeets itself out the window when anxiety enters the picture and you're too busy dealing with the crippling fear to focus on anything else.
Aven's patience was astounding, and the way he worried and cared for Finn, garnished with the pain of watching a loved one trapped in a downward spiral with little power to stop it, was what kept me reading. But it was a bit difficult to understand what had him so invested in Finn in the first place once they entered the endless back and forth cycle of Aven pleading with Finn to get help and Finn insisting that he's fine. It reached a crescendo where I was just waiting for Aven to call it quits. Walking saint on the premises! I also wished the big climax happened earlier on, so we could've seen more of the playful Finn we caught a glimpse of at the very end at Aven's sister's wedding, because he deserves it! But the realism of how difficult, if not impossible, it is to get someone the help they need when they so adamantly refuse, it was painfully well-done. Prominent and surefooted.
So while I wish we got more of the healing to balance out the dark pit they're stuck in for majority of the book, I still think this was very much a worthwhile and unique read to experience, especially if you pick up the audiobook for Adam Gold's phenomenal narration :)
June 2, 2018
Not even sure I was aware of Somniphobia but good heavens my heart breaks for anyone struggling with this fear. A fear that affects not only the person mentally but quite physically as well. And I felt it all in this story.
This book starts and ends quite sweet and loving. A true romance. But what occurs in the middle 60% of this book hurt. But hurt in the way Nicky James does her best. Once again she has shown a strength in her desires to explore love and mental illness and she did so quite remarkably.
I struggled a little with the connection between Finnley and Aven and while they no doubt loved and supported one another, their bond was less felt than with other books by this author.
I eagerly await the next in this series and more on heliophobia. Wow.
This book starts and ends quite sweet and loving. A true romance. But what occurs in the middle 60% of this book hurt. But hurt in the way Nicky James does her best. Once again she has shown a strength in her desires to explore love and mental illness and she did so quite remarkably.
I struggled a little with the connection between Finnley and Aven and while they no doubt loved and supported one another, their bond was less felt than with other books by this author.
I eagerly await the next in this series and more on heliophobia. Wow.
July 3, 2022
Neither liked, nor disliked, this one.
I often find with books that discuss mental health have a heavy focus on recovery and very little about how it actually effects the characters life. This book did the opposite. There was very little recovery until the last 15% (max 20%). I really think when books are about mental health, there needs to be a good balance between the two sides.
The characters were just okay to me. I liked them well enough to finish the book, but I don't think I'll ever think about them again.
I think I'm just disappointed. This was a really niche concept, but something was just missing from the overall story. The writing was great and emotive, but execution of characters and plot was lacking to me.
I often find with books that discuss mental health have a heavy focus on recovery and very little about how it actually effects the characters life. This book did the opposite. There was very little recovery until the last 15% (max 20%). I really think when books are about mental health, there needs to be a good balance between the two sides.
The characters were just okay to me. I liked them well enough to finish the book, but I don't think I'll ever think about them again.
I think I'm just disappointed. This was a really niche concept, but something was just missing from the overall story. The writing was great and emotive, but execution of characters and plot was lacking to me.
September 20, 2021
Reread and first listen.
Adam Gold is amazing and he did such a great job bringing this book to life! It felt like reading it for the first time! I can’t wait to read/listen to the next 3 books on audio! I am excited that this series is being put in to audio!
4 solid stars
After reading Love Me Whole, I wanted to check out some of Nicky James' other work.
When looking at her back list you can tell she goes for the misunderstood heroes, and I love that. I especially didn't think I would be fantasizing a funeral home director... but look what books can do to a person lol.
In college Abnormal Psych was one of my favorite classes, so reading Nicky's books is bringing me back to those days learning about different phobias and I always found it fascinating. The human mind is a wild thing and seeing the power that it can hold over a person is what really draws me to these types of books, and to see something more than the stereotypical MM book.
I don't think I have read many books about these specific phobias in Nicky's "Trials of Fear" series. I think that Finn's phobia of sleep was eye opening (no pun intended). I think that having Aven there supporting Finn and not pressuring him to change was great. Knowing that both men went through life with father issues and still came out on top was great to see.
I do feel like there were things missing in this book like if Aven had friends in the company, what was his work day like, or more interactions with his family, or even Finns interactions with Margret if we had more outside the couple relationships shown in this book I would have enjoyed it more. It would have made them more well rounded in my opinion, but again that is super nit picky.
I can't wait to see what the next book has to offer.
Adam Gold is amazing and he did such a great job bringing this book to life! It felt like reading it for the first time! I can’t wait to read/listen to the next 3 books on audio! I am excited that this series is being put in to audio!
4 solid stars
After reading Love Me Whole, I wanted to check out some of Nicky James' other work.
When looking at her back list you can tell she goes for the misunderstood heroes, and I love that. I especially didn't think I would be fantasizing a funeral home director... but look what books can do to a person lol.
In college Abnormal Psych was one of my favorite classes, so reading Nicky's books is bringing me back to those days learning about different phobias and I always found it fascinating. The human mind is a wild thing and seeing the power that it can hold over a person is what really draws me to these types of books, and to see something more than the stereotypical MM book.
I don't think I have read many books about these specific phobias in Nicky's "Trials of Fear" series. I think that Finn's phobia of sleep was eye opening (no pun intended). I think that having Aven there supporting Finn and not pressuring him to change was great. Knowing that both men went through life with father issues and still came out on top was great to see.
I do feel like there were things missing in this book like if Aven had friends in the company, what was his work day like, or more interactions with his family, or even Finns interactions with Margret if we had more outside the couple relationships shown in this book I would have enjoyed it more. It would have made them more well rounded in my opinion, but again that is super nit picky.
I can't wait to see what the next book has to offer.
May 26, 2018
Finnley lives his life in a state of stress, tiredness and fear... he can't escape the feeling of panic that engulfs him every time he even think about sleeping. He has sleep phobia since he can remember and nothing he does or try helps... things are looking worst for him as time goes by... how long will his body be able to keep going without completely shutting down? Finn needs help, he needs to sleep... he needs something to change in his life... but... will he be open to try when salvation knocks on his door? Will he take the first step? or will the fear rule him forever?
Aven was totally awestruck when he met Finn for the first time... even if it was not the right place or time, the memory of Finn didn't leave his mind so Aven decided to be impulsive and ask Finn on a date... they couldn't be more different... they couldn't be more perfect for each other...
The more Aven knew Finn, the more in love he became... but... Finn was hiding something from him... something that could break them up... or made them stronger...
How far were them willing to go to make their relationship work?
This book will keep you enthralled from page one. don't miss it!
Aven was totally awestruck when he met Finn for the first time... even if it was not the right place or time, the memory of Finn didn't leave his mind so Aven decided to be impulsive and ask Finn on a date... they couldn't be more different... they couldn't be more perfect for each other...
The more Aven knew Finn, the more in love he became... but... Finn was hiding something from him... something that could break them up... or made them stronger...
How far were them willing to go to make their relationship work?
This book will keep you enthralled from page one. don't miss it!
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