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The Perfect Shine
Jackson Meade was a shy, awkward kid just trying to survive a high school with too many bullies and too few friends. Now that he’s in college, his eyes have been opened to a whole world of possibilities, especially those regarding love and sexuality. However, he can’t enjoy any of it since he’s been separated from his best friend.
Blake Renault has been in love with his best friend almost since they first met. After escaping a bad family situation, he lived with Jackson and his mom for the last two years of high school, which made it much harder to keep his feelings a secret. Graduation brings lots of changes for the boys, including Blake moving to a different city to apprentice with a tattoo artist and Jackson going off to college.
Being forced apart after high school leads them to new revelations about themselves and their relationship. While Jackson questions whether his attachment to Blake is normal for best friends, Blake decides to risk everything and tell Jackson the truth. Jackson and Blake must figure out what they want from each other while the future of their deep friendship hangs in the balance. Will they find love, or lose everything?
Blake Renault has been in love with his best friend almost since they first met. After escaping a bad family situation, he lived with Jackson and his mom for the last two years of high school, which made it much harder to keep his feelings a secret. Graduation brings lots of changes for the boys, including Blake moving to a different city to apprentice with a tattoo artist and Jackson going off to college.
Being forced apart after high school leads them to new revelations about themselves and their relationship. While Jackson questions whether his attachment to Blake is normal for best friends, Blake decides to risk everything and tell Jackson the truth. Jackson and Blake must figure out what they want from each other while the future of their deep friendship hangs in the balance. Will they find love, or lose everything?
279 pages, ebook
Published March 18, 2019
1 person is currently reading
50 people want to read
About the author
J.K. Hogan
21 books298 followersJ.K. Hogan is a pan/demi nerd living in North Carolina with her husband, two sons, and their pets. She’s been telling stories for as long as she can remember, beginning with writing character lists and storylines for her toys growing up. In addition to being an author, J.K. is an autist, an artist, and an activist, with a special place in her heart for Star Trek. When she isn’t writing, J.K. can be found designing book covers at Wicked Pixel Designs, creating fiber art and supplies at Earthbound Fiber Arts, watching Hurricanes Hockey and, of course, reading!
For more information, visit www.jkhogan.com
For more information, visit www.jkhogan.com
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
March 18, 2019
When I read the blurb for this book, I figured it would be a perfect read for me. I love YA/coming of age books. Throw in some sexuality struggle and secret crushes and I am sold !! Not to mention that J.K. Hogan is the author of one of my "all-time favorite" books "Unbreak Broken".
I didn't quite get what I expected though... These two don't really get romantically involved until the very end. Now I can do "slow burn"... I am actually a big fan, but I didn't really feel any burn here.
In the blurb, it is said that Blake has always been in love with Jackson...but it didn't really come up until I passed the halfway mark... For me, the first half of the book was more about "high school friendship" than anything else. Now there isn't anything wrong with that...it just wasn't what I expected.
When both of them are in college, things seem to change and it that's when it's mentioned that Blake has always had a thing for Jackson... It should have been mentioned sooner I think...it would have helped with the burn.
All in all, I didn't really "feel" the attraction between the two of them. I was also a bit thrown off by the POV switches, it took me out of my zone a bit.. They were awesome characters though and I have to give extra credit here to Jackson's mom !!
That said, this isn't my favorite by this author. That's okay though, because we can't love them all. And I will also have my Unbreak Broken re-read :P
March 14, 2019
#Netgalley #ARC
Al leer la sinopsis pensé que me iba a encontrar con otro tipo de historia. Pero lo que yo tenía en mente tardó en llegar, casi la mitad de libro fue una puesta en escena para conocer a los protagonistas y sus personalidades. Allá en el 60% fue cuando la historia, para mí, comenzó a coger fuerza y a ser realmente un libro adictivo.
Las partes narradas desde el punto de vista de ambos protagonistas, me gustaron, así se puede conocer mejor a los personajes.
Me gustó ver a Jackson una vez le abrieron los ojos analizar su situación y buscar información al respecto.
Algo que sucedió en los 2 últimos capítulos me hizo pensar que quizás la autora escriba otro libro con alguno de los personajes de este como protas...
The perfect shine me resultó un libro sencillo, dulce y entretenido, donde los protagonistas son la amistad y el amor sincero.
Al leer la sinopsis pensé que me iba a encontrar con otro tipo de historia. Pero lo que yo tenía en mente tardó en llegar, casi la mitad de libro fue una puesta en escena para conocer a los protagonistas y sus personalidades. Allá en el 60% fue cuando la historia, para mí, comenzó a coger fuerza y a ser realmente un libro adictivo.
Las partes narradas desde el punto de vista de ambos protagonistas, me gustaron, así se puede conocer mejor a los personajes.
Me gustó ver a Jackson una vez le abrieron los ojos analizar su situación y buscar información al respecto.
Algo que sucedió en los 2 últimos capítulos me hizo pensar que quizás la autora escriba otro libro con alguno de los personajes de este como protas...
The perfect shine me resultó un libro sencillo, dulce y entretenido, donde los protagonistas son la amistad y el amor sincero.
April 12, 2019
3.5
ARC (NetGalley)
Reseña completa en Mi Rinconín de lectura https://mirinconindelectura.blogspot....
Un libro entretenido y fácil de leer, pero en el que la historia de amor entre los protagonistas llega tarde, para mi gusto. Mientras que se descubren y llegan a sentir algo el uno por el otro, disfrutamos de la bonita amistad que nace entre los dos y que se va fortaleciendo a medida que pasa el tiempo. Sin embargo, lo que es el romance en sí, no se da hasta más de la mitad del libro.
Aunque Jackson y Blake son dos chicos muy adorables, su historia no me ha llegado tanto al corazón. Es bonita y dulce, pero hasta ahí. Además, el final me pareció muy apresurado.
ARC (NetGalley)
Reseña completa en Mi Rinconín de lectura https://mirinconindelectura.blogspot....
Un libro entretenido y fácil de leer, pero en el que la historia de amor entre los protagonistas llega tarde, para mi gusto. Mientras que se descubren y llegan a sentir algo el uno por el otro, disfrutamos de la bonita amistad que nace entre los dos y que se va fortaleciendo a medida que pasa el tiempo. Sin embargo, lo que es el romance en sí, no se da hasta más de la mitad del libro.
Aunque Jackson y Blake son dos chicos muy adorables, su historia no me ha llegado tanto al corazón. Es bonita y dulce, pero hasta ahí. Además, el final me pareció muy apresurado.
March 18, 2019
I was so excited to see a new JK Hogan so I jumped on the change for an ARC. Unfortunately, this story felt almost unfinished to me, or like a draft. It could have been so much stronger with some adjustment.
I really loved Blake and Jackson. Characterization was not an issue at all. I loved Jackson's relationship with his mother, and I loved how Jackson & Blake's friendship developed.
What didn't work for me was that there was no burn. There is no on-page attraction between them until nearly the end of the book, and then we're rushed through. It wouldn't have taken much to at least show a one-sided attraction a bit earlier on. I also would have preferred more sexual exploration between them and more time for their romantic relationship to solidify.
There was also a plot line that appeared that was left open. It wasn't crucial to the story and could have been left out completely, but since it was added to the story, I really wanted to know what happened.
All in all, this is a beautiful story of friendship that I truly did enjoy, but as a romance, it fell flat for me.
*ARC received in exchange for an honest review
I really loved Blake and Jackson. Characterization was not an issue at all. I loved Jackson's relationship with his mother, and I loved how Jackson & Blake's friendship developed.
What didn't work for me was that there was no burn. There is no on-page attraction between them until nearly the end of the book, and then we're rushed through. It wouldn't have taken much to at least show a one-sided attraction a bit earlier on. I also would have preferred more sexual exploration between them and more time for their romantic relationship to solidify.
There was also a plot line that appeared that was left open. It wasn't crucial to the story and could have been left out completely, but since it was added to the story, I really wanted to know what happened.
All in all, this is a beautiful story of friendship that I truly did enjoy, but as a romance, it fell flat for me.
*ARC received in exchange for an honest review
March 10, 2019
This book really was a mixed bag for me!
To get this out of the way, my single biggest issue with this book is the description. I get that some people don't read descriptions, but I like to know what I'm getting into. And I know that most authors are not responsible for the descriptions of their books, but this was really annoying. From the description I thought we would get some little flashbacks to high school and the main story of this book would be Jackson and Blake figuring out their sexuality. But in reality, the first half of this book is about these two in high school and the second half starts with Jackson in college. And I really don't like it when descriptions tell me more than half of what is going to happen in the book I'm about to read.
Anyway, I couldn't quite put this conflicting information aside. The description tells us Blake has been in love with Jackson from the beginning, so I thought this would be a nice twist on the usual "nerd in love with the jock" trope. But, even though we got a few chapters from Blake in the first half, there was nothing about any romantic feelings between these two. It was a really sweet developement of a deep friendship between the two main characters, don't get me wrong, I really liked that! My mind was just set on a different kind of story. If you can get over that or just stay blind to the description, the first half is just a very low-key, sweet friendship story. When the second half started and we suddenly learn that Blake has been in love with Jackson from the very beginning and that he's always known he's bisexual. And like I said, we got some chapters from Blake's perspective and there was no indication of that. Why? I would have loved to read about Blake trying to figure out how to deal with his feelings.
Despite this confusion that Blake brought with him, I really liked him as a character! Especially towards the beginning when Jackson and him were just getting to know each other. He was always so sweet and wanted to do the best for Jackson. And even later when Jackson was in college, he was still a sweetheart, sending him care packages and I loved that these two were calling each other every day!! Speaking of great characters, Meredith (Jackson's mom) is seriously the sweetest! I loved how they really formed a family together and were always there for each other. I'm really close to my mom too, so seeing this in this book warmed my heart! I also loved her reaction when Jackson talks to her about his relationship/sexuality problems.
Speaking of sexuality, I really liked that once Jackson started questioning what was between him and Blake, he started seriously thinking about it and doing his own research, instead of ignoring it and pushing it to the back of his mind. On another note, though, people were super casual about sex in this book and it probably comes down to personal taste, but I didn't really enjoy this. Any time Jackson mentions that he had sex with girls, he throws it around so casually and that was just weird to me.
Something that I really enjoyed was that people actually talk to each other in this. Once there's some conflict between Jackson and Blake regarding their feelings and sexualtiy, they don't just ignore it or have some stupid fallout where they try to ignore each other (there is a brief situation like that, but it's not as bad as it could be and it gets resolved rather quickly). They talk about their insecurities and I really liked that Jackson really tried to figure out what label he could put on his sexuality, and ultimately deciding that it doesn't matter.
There's a few plot threads that don't get resolved in the end, which confused me a little.
Anyway, the writing started out okay and got better towards the ending, in my opinion. Characters were talking a bit strangely sometimes (like Jackson calling himself an "old soul", what teenager does that?), but it was easy to read!
Overall, this is a perfectly enjoyable contemporary about friendship and figuring out your sexuality.
I received and ARC of this via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
To get this out of the way, my single biggest issue with this book is the description. I get that some people don't read descriptions, but I like to know what I'm getting into. And I know that most authors are not responsible for the descriptions of their books, but this was really annoying. From the description I thought we would get some little flashbacks to high school and the main story of this book would be Jackson and Blake figuring out their sexuality. But in reality, the first half of this book is about these two in high school and the second half starts with Jackson in college. And I really don't like it when descriptions tell me more than half of what is going to happen in the book I'm about to read.
Anyway, I couldn't quite put this conflicting information aside. The description tells us Blake has been in love with Jackson from the beginning, so I thought this would be a nice twist on the usual "nerd in love with the jock" trope. But, even though we got a few chapters from Blake in the first half, there was nothing about any romantic feelings between these two. It was a really sweet developement of a deep friendship between the two main characters, don't get me wrong, I really liked that! My mind was just set on a different kind of story. If you can get over that or just stay blind to the description, the first half is just a very low-key, sweet friendship story. When the second half started and we suddenly learn that Blake has been in love with Jackson from the very beginning and that he's always known he's bisexual. And like I said, we got some chapters from Blake's perspective and there was no indication of that. Why? I would have loved to read about Blake trying to figure out how to deal with his feelings.
Despite this confusion that Blake brought with him, I really liked him as a character! Especially towards the beginning when Jackson and him were just getting to know each other. He was always so sweet and wanted to do the best for Jackson. And even later when Jackson was in college, he was still a sweetheart, sending him care packages and I loved that these two were calling each other every day!! Speaking of great characters, Meredith (Jackson's mom) is seriously the sweetest! I loved how they really formed a family together and were always there for each other. I'm really close to my mom too, so seeing this in this book warmed my heart! I also loved her reaction when Jackson talks to her about his relationship/sexuality problems.
Speaking of sexuality, I really liked that once Jackson started questioning what was between him and Blake, he started seriously thinking about it and doing his own research, instead of ignoring it and pushing it to the back of his mind. On another note, though, people were super casual about sex in this book and it probably comes down to personal taste, but I didn't really enjoy this. Any time Jackson mentions that he had sex with girls, he throws it around so casually and that was just weird to me.
Something that I really enjoyed was that people actually talk to each other in this. Once there's some conflict between Jackson and Blake regarding their feelings and sexualtiy, they don't just ignore it or have some stupid fallout where they try to ignore each other (there is a brief situation like that, but it's not as bad as it could be and it gets resolved rather quickly). They talk about their insecurities and I really liked that Jackson really tried to figure out what label he could put on his sexuality, and ultimately deciding that it doesn't matter.
There's a few plot threads that don't get resolved in the end, which confused me a little.
Anyway, the writing started out okay and got better towards the ending, in my opinion. Characters were talking a bit strangely sometimes (like Jackson calling himself an "old soul", what teenager does that?), but it was easy to read!
Overall, this is a perfectly enjoyable contemporary about friendship and figuring out your sexuality.
I received and ARC of this via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 14, 2019
This book isn't what I expected but I ended up really enjoying it. Actually I probably wouldn't have read it had the blurb been a bit more accurate since I don't read YA books and the first 60% of this book takes place while the two MCs are in high school. Surprisingly though that ended up being my favorite part of the book and I really loved it. I liked both Blake and Jackson as characters, I loved Jackson's relationship with his mother and I loved the friendship that developed between Blake and Jackson.
The only issue I really had with this book was that during the first 60% of the book we get a few scenes in Blake's POV and there is never even a hint of his acknowledging his attraction to Jackson. That would be okay except in the last 40% of the book Blake repeatedly states that he has always wanted Blake. I really wish the author would have made it more clear in the first part of the book. There was some great potential for a very slow burn or at least a one-sided attraction. I would have liked to have some scenes were Blake was dealing with his attraction to Jackson in the first part of the book.
I really loved that the friendship these two had built made the romantic relationship between them far easier because they communicated and respected each other already. It did seem to happen rather quickly and I would have liked a bit more of the book dedicated to the development of this relationship. What this book did an amazing job at was the self discovery from Jackson. I loved this aspect of the book.
It seemed that there were a few open ended questions at the end especially in regards to Jackson's roommate. Maybe this was meant to be set up for another book but it was a bit of a loose end that had me wondering.
Overall, I loved this tender, sweet coming of age romance and although there were some things which I would have liked to be a bit different I will definitely look for some other books by this author.
A copy of this book was provided to me by Net Galley and the publisher with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and my comments here are my honest opinion.
The only issue I really had with this book was that during the first 60% of the book we get a few scenes in Blake's POV and there is never even a hint of his acknowledging his attraction to Jackson. That would be okay except in the last 40% of the book Blake repeatedly states that he has always wanted Blake. I really wish the author would have made it more clear in the first part of the book. There was some great potential for a very slow burn or at least a one-sided attraction. I would have liked to have some scenes were Blake was dealing with his attraction to Jackson in the first part of the book.
I really loved that the friendship these two had built made the romantic relationship between them far easier because they communicated and respected each other already. It did seem to happen rather quickly and I would have liked a bit more of the book dedicated to the development of this relationship. What this book did an amazing job at was the self discovery from Jackson. I loved this aspect of the book.
It seemed that there were a few open ended questions at the end especially in regards to Jackson's roommate. Maybe this was meant to be set up for another book but it was a bit of a loose end that had me wondering.
Overall, I loved this tender, sweet coming of age romance and although there were some things which I would have liked to be a bit different I will definitely look for some other books by this author.
A copy of this book was provided to me by Net Galley and the publisher with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and my comments here are my honest opinion.
September 6, 2021
I must admit when I started "Perfect Shine," I really wasn't in the mood for a young adult romance about two teenagers living in a very small town in Georgia. But this book grabbed a hold of my attention and really captivated me.
Jackson is a junior in high school, determined to simply survive until he can leave town and get to college where he'll be free of the bullies that plague his existence. Blake is the new kid in school, transferred from Baton Rouge and against all odds they become best friends. And when Blake reveals his bad family life, he ends up living with Jackson and his mother until they both graduate from high school.
The story starts out mainly with Jackson's POV followed with a few chapters from Blake's viewpoint but sometimes it is hard to differentiate the two voices, resulting in having to page back to the chapter heading to see who is speaking. For me personally, some of the high school scenes seemed to drag on and on, but finally college is Jackson's time to reevaluate his relationship with Blake and to reexamine his sexuality and I appreciate how Jackson slowly realizes that sexuality can't be divided into only two categories.
The romance develops slowly and is all kinds of sweet (and pretty darn sexy) and you can just feel the on-page yearning between Blake and Jackson. However the ending feels too rushed, as we get a HFN for Blake and Jackson's relationship as well as Blake's work situation, we meet a whole bunch of Jackson's new friends, and it appears the author is perhaps laying the groundwork for another book in the series featuring Jackson's roommate Cullen. Although I had a few problems with the pacing of the story, I really enjoyed this story of young love and give "Perfect Shine" 4 stars.
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
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Jackson is a junior in high school, determined to simply survive until he can leave town and get to college where he'll be free of the bullies that plague his existence. Blake is the new kid in school, transferred from Baton Rouge and against all odds they become best friends. And when Blake reveals his bad family life, he ends up living with Jackson and his mother until they both graduate from high school.
The story starts out mainly with Jackson's POV followed with a few chapters from Blake's viewpoint but sometimes it is hard to differentiate the two voices, resulting in having to page back to the chapter heading to see who is speaking. For me personally, some of the high school scenes seemed to drag on and on, but finally college is Jackson's time to reevaluate his relationship with Blake and to reexamine his sexuality and I appreciate how Jackson slowly realizes that sexuality can't be divided into only two categories.
The romance develops slowly and is all kinds of sweet (and pretty darn sexy) and you can just feel the on-page yearning between Blake and Jackson. However the ending feels too rushed, as we get a HFN for Blake and Jackson's relationship as well as Blake's work situation, we meet a whole bunch of Jackson's new friends, and it appears the author is perhaps laying the groundwork for another book in the series featuring Jackson's roommate Cullen. Although I had a few problems with the pacing of the story, I really enjoyed this story of young love and give "Perfect Shine" 4 stars.
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Visit my blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews
June 30, 2019
2.5 stars. This review and lot of other cool stuff can be found at Love Bytes Reviews
Jackson and Blake are best friends. Blake has moved to Jackson’s small town in Georgia from Louisiana. He’s a good-looking smart guy and Jackson – who considers himself a geek and a nerd – takes a shine to him immediately. The stunning part is that Blake seems to want to be his friend – something Jackson is not used to at all! He’s been bullied and picked on for as long as he can remember and he is clueless as to why Blake would want to hang out with him.
They become very good friends and Blake shares with Jackson that he’s got a rough home life. Jackson’s lovely mom allows Blake to live with them for the rest of high school and the boys become closer. Blake tries to get Jackson to see that life will be so different once he’s out of his high school and that he needs to focus on what he will be able to do in college. His attempts at getting Jackson to be more social tend to backfire however, when he tries to get him to interact with the more “popular” crowd that Blake hangs with.
Once they do separate and Jackson goes to college and Blake begins his job in far-away Atlanta, things improve for Jackson in some ways. He does have a couple of friends and he begins “sort of” dating a girl names Daisy. But he misses Blake something fierce. They basically have not been apart in over two years so it’s very hard when they have done everything together. Blake misses Jackson too, but he keeps his head down and works all the time – which he gets called out on by his boss. Obviously, he’s avoiding something.
The guys do not see each other very much over the first year of college, but in the 2nd semester there are a couple of visits that change the course of their relationship. Daisy is one of the catalysts in opening Jackson’s eyes. Blake is scared, but he’s also really tired of not being honest about his feelings. But is Jackson ready to hear it and what will he do about it? Without being spoilery, I will have to say that they definitely had some things to work out.
Well, I really wanted to like this book more than I did. I have enjoyed JK Hogan’s writing and especially LOVE Unbreak Broken. But something was just off in this one for me. There were things that threw me out of the story right off the bat. Jackson is in the Marching Band – but oboes and French horns do NOT march. Like ever. Oboist here – Jr. High, Sr. High, College. I was in the flag corp or played the bells during marching season. Oboe reeds (until you learn to make them yourself) are extremely expensive and sensitive and the thought of trying to move while playing one is frightening to say the least. You’ll never ever see any double-reed marching. French horn players play mellophones – you can’t march and properly play a French Horn – the bell faces behind the player so the sound would be going backwards. The time jumping – from college back flashbacks of the two years of high school were jarring at first and I wasn’t sure why the story was told that way. Then they did things like swimming after getting a new tattoo. Um no. No swimming for a couple of weeks after getting a new tattoo – and certainly not in a dirty freshwater lake, river or pond. Being served alcohol as a minor in a bar – after JUST talking about wrist bands for those who could be served since both guys were underage. On the other hand, I did really like Blake and Jackson and Jackson’s mom Meredith. She was a terrific mom and a supportive adult to Blake when he really needed it. She was the kind of mom everyone should have. I also really liked Daisy – Jackson’s sort of girlfriend, but definitely his friend. She was so helpful in opening Jackson’s eyes to the possibilities that he really hadn’t let himself see. I really think another round of edits would have helped this book to tighten it up and catch some of these issues that threw me out of the story too many times. It had great bones, but the execution was just a little off. It took me a long time to read it, which is never a good sign. As usual, YMMV.
Jackson and Blake are best friends. Blake has moved to Jackson’s small town in Georgia from Louisiana. He’s a good-looking smart guy and Jackson – who considers himself a geek and a nerd – takes a shine to him immediately. The stunning part is that Blake seems to want to be his friend – something Jackson is not used to at all! He’s been bullied and picked on for as long as he can remember and he is clueless as to why Blake would want to hang out with him.
They become very good friends and Blake shares with Jackson that he’s got a rough home life. Jackson’s lovely mom allows Blake to live with them for the rest of high school and the boys become closer. Blake tries to get Jackson to see that life will be so different once he’s out of his high school and that he needs to focus on what he will be able to do in college. His attempts at getting Jackson to be more social tend to backfire however, when he tries to get him to interact with the more “popular” crowd that Blake hangs with.
Once they do separate and Jackson goes to college and Blake begins his job in far-away Atlanta, things improve for Jackson in some ways. He does have a couple of friends and he begins “sort of” dating a girl names Daisy. But he misses Blake something fierce. They basically have not been apart in over two years so it’s very hard when they have done everything together. Blake misses Jackson too, but he keeps his head down and works all the time – which he gets called out on by his boss. Obviously, he’s avoiding something.
The guys do not see each other very much over the first year of college, but in the 2nd semester there are a couple of visits that change the course of their relationship. Daisy is one of the catalysts in opening Jackson’s eyes. Blake is scared, but he’s also really tired of not being honest about his feelings. But is Jackson ready to hear it and what will he do about it? Without being spoilery, I will have to say that they definitely had some things to work out.
Well, I really wanted to like this book more than I did. I have enjoyed JK Hogan’s writing and especially LOVE Unbreak Broken. But something was just off in this one for me. There were things that threw me out of the story right off the bat. Jackson is in the Marching Band – but oboes and French horns do NOT march. Like ever. Oboist here – Jr. High, Sr. High, College. I was in the flag corp or played the bells during marching season. Oboe reeds (until you learn to make them yourself) are extremely expensive and sensitive and the thought of trying to move while playing one is frightening to say the least. You’ll never ever see any double-reed marching. French horn players play mellophones – you can’t march and properly play a French Horn – the bell faces behind the player so the sound would be going backwards. The time jumping – from college back flashbacks of the two years of high school were jarring at first and I wasn’t sure why the story was told that way. Then they did things like swimming after getting a new tattoo. Um no. No swimming for a couple of weeks after getting a new tattoo – and certainly not in a dirty freshwater lake, river or pond. Being served alcohol as a minor in a bar – after JUST talking about wrist bands for those who could be served since both guys were underage. On the other hand, I did really like Blake and Jackson and Jackson’s mom Meredith. She was a terrific mom and a supportive adult to Blake when he really needed it. She was the kind of mom everyone should have. I also really liked Daisy – Jackson’s sort of girlfriend, but definitely his friend. She was so helpful in opening Jackson’s eyes to the possibilities that he really hadn’t let himself see. I really think another round of edits would have helped this book to tighten it up and catch some of these issues that threw me out of the story too many times. It had great bones, but the execution was just a little off. It took me a long time to read it, which is never a good sign. As usual, YMMV.
March 20, 2019
**ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
Ok, so reading the synopsis I was hooked by the friends to lovers and sexual discovery aspect of the book; however, once I started reading it was clear that it was a good idea, but it lacked real clear execution.
First, we start off with Jackson in college, an introvert missing his best friend. Then he meets a girl that kinda becomes his girlfriend and then we are whisked off to Jackson and Blake in high school, where their story began. I felt like there was so much time spent on things that just didn't matter and little time developing the characters, their story, and how it all came together. I mean, we get a lot of details into their high school lives, but a lot of it felt unnecessary. Did we really need to get huge chunks of Jackson being bullied? It would have been enough to have some things shown, but the amount of detail gone into it you would think it would have had more of an impact.
We also learn about Blake and his homelife. It was rough and I felt for him, but when the decision came to go to college, I don't understand why he even cared about what his parents thought or why they should even get a say. It wasn't explained, it was just a convenient way for him not to go to college with Jackson. And we don't even learn that he is bisexual until half way through the book. According to the synopsis, he is in love with Jackson since high school, but it isn't even in his thoughts. Not even a hey, I am bisexual and find Jackson kinda cute but I need to suppress that side of me and bang all these girls to try and fuck the gay out of me. Nothing. But apparently that's what was going on because that's what we are told later. It just didn't add up.
And that wasn't the only thing that didn't connect. There is a scene where they have a sexual encounter kinda together. It's viewed as a one time thing, but then later apparently it was a thing they did? And let me just tell you that that scene in itself distracted me because was it just me and my teen wolf (read Sterek) obsession, but the summer kids were basically the Hale Pack. Lahey? Allie? Scott? Derek? Schulyer?? Come on.
ANYWAY, once I got past that, it was again clear that there had been scenes or thoughts that wanted to happen, but then all the pieces were not put together. I also feel like their personalities changed from part one to part two and there was literally no time for that to have happened. Jackson was super introverted with no social skills or knowledge of really going out to a guy who had a regular drink and wanted to go out with his new friends? Blake was super in love with Jackson and was gonna pass that boundary and not really care if it ruined the friendship as long as he got in a quick makeout session? What?
I also felt like there were parts that literally added nothing to the story. Why did Wils show up at the college for no reason? Why did Wonder have to show up at the bar? What was that crap about Blake and Jackson knowing each other in kindergarten? It added nothing to the story and was unnecessary.
I guess what it boils down to is this story had a lot of potential, but lacked follow through and cohesiveness. And it didn't feel genuine.
Ok, so reading the synopsis I was hooked by the friends to lovers and sexual discovery aspect of the book; however, once I started reading it was clear that it was a good idea, but it lacked real clear execution.
First, we start off with Jackson in college, an introvert missing his best friend. Then he meets a girl that kinda becomes his girlfriend and then we are whisked off to Jackson and Blake in high school, where their story began. I felt like there was so much time spent on things that just didn't matter and little time developing the characters, their story, and how it all came together. I mean, we get a lot of details into their high school lives, but a lot of it felt unnecessary. Did we really need to get huge chunks of Jackson being bullied? It would have been enough to have some things shown, but the amount of detail gone into it you would think it would have had more of an impact.
We also learn about Blake and his homelife. It was rough and I felt for him, but when the decision came to go to college, I don't understand why he even cared about what his parents thought or why they should even get a say. It wasn't explained, it was just a convenient way for him not to go to college with Jackson. And we don't even learn that he is bisexual until half way through the book. According to the synopsis, he is in love with Jackson since high school, but it isn't even in his thoughts. Not even a hey, I am bisexual and find Jackson kinda cute but I need to suppress that side of me and bang all these girls to try and fuck the gay out of me. Nothing. But apparently that's what was going on because that's what we are told later. It just didn't add up.
And that wasn't the only thing that didn't connect. There is a scene where they have a sexual encounter kinda together. It's viewed as a one time thing, but then later apparently it was a thing they did? And let me just tell you that that scene in itself distracted me because was it just me and my teen wolf (read Sterek) obsession, but the summer kids were basically the Hale Pack. Lahey? Allie? Scott? Derek? Schulyer?? Come on.
ANYWAY, once I got past that, it was again clear that there had been scenes or thoughts that wanted to happen, but then all the pieces were not put together. I also feel like their personalities changed from part one to part two and there was literally no time for that to have happened. Jackson was super introverted with no social skills or knowledge of really going out to a guy who had a regular drink and wanted to go out with his new friends? Blake was super in love with Jackson and was gonna pass that boundary and not really care if it ruined the friendship as long as he got in a quick makeout session? What?
I also felt like there were parts that literally added nothing to the story. Why did Wils show up at the college for no reason? Why did Wonder have to show up at the bar? What was that crap about Blake and Jackson knowing each other in kindergarten? It added nothing to the story and was unnecessary.
I guess what it boils down to is this story had a lot of potential, but lacked follow through and cohesiveness. And it didn't feel genuine.
March 11, 2019
This ARC was kindly provided by NineStar Press in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
3.5 stars
I picked up this ARC because I was in the mood for a cute/fluffy read, and it did deliver just that. I’ve never picked up any of J.K Hogan’s novels, so I had to get used to the writing style, which wasn’t exactly my taste but I did like it. Judging by the cover, I automatically assumed this would be in the genre of fantasy, but soon realised it definitely wasn’t.
The Perfect Shine follows Jackson and Blake – and follows their story of becoming best friends in high school, to developing that friendship into a romantic relationship in college. We see Jackson struggle with coming to terms with his sexuality, and realising his feelings for Blake. We see Blake keep his feelings a secret from Jackson for years.
I did like this book, I liked the development of Jackson and Blake’s relationship, and the struggles they both went through. However, I found them to be a bit bland. At first, we see Jackson’s POV, and then it suddenly switches to Blake throughout the novel. This was a bit confusing, but I liked seeing things from Blake’s side as well. It was a classic friends-to-lovers trope, a trope I adore, and I liked their platonic friendship as well as their relationship after they got together.
Jackson is a shy, introverted teenager when we first meet him. As time progresses, and he meets Blake, and eventually goes off to college, his shell cracks a bit. He becomes social, and more comfortable with himself as a person. I liked that, and it was relatable seeing his story and his struggles with his sexuality. He shut himself off from the idea of liking boys because of the bullying he went through at school, but his world opens when he meets his friends in college.
Blake was interesting, although I had trouble connecting with him at first. But his development was also important, and him opening up about his sexuality and his feelings for Jackson made me fall in love with him as a character. He felt real, and it was easy to relate to him as someone who is bisexual as well.
I adored Jackson and Blake’s friendship before that developed into a romantic relationship. They didn’t care what anyone else thought because the way they acted around each other was normal for them. Whether or not they knew they had feelings for each other at this time, they never deemed anything “weird”. And their transition from friends to lovers was relatable, it’s hard going from being best friends for years to suddenly being in a relationship.
Overall, it was an enjoyable read, if you’re looking for a cute/smutty/fluffy m/m romance. I don’t read a lot of m/m romances, so it was nice to read from Jackson and Blake’s perspectives. The writing wasn’t perfect, and the plot was a little slow at times, but I enjoyed what I read and would recommend it to any romance lover out there.
3.5 stars
I picked up this ARC because I was in the mood for a cute/fluffy read, and it did deliver just that. I’ve never picked up any of J.K Hogan’s novels, so I had to get used to the writing style, which wasn’t exactly my taste but I did like it. Judging by the cover, I automatically assumed this would be in the genre of fantasy, but soon realised it definitely wasn’t.
The Perfect Shine follows Jackson and Blake – and follows their story of becoming best friends in high school, to developing that friendship into a romantic relationship in college. We see Jackson struggle with coming to terms with his sexuality, and realising his feelings for Blake. We see Blake keep his feelings a secret from Jackson for years.
I did like this book, I liked the development of Jackson and Blake’s relationship, and the struggles they both went through. However, I found them to be a bit bland. At first, we see Jackson’s POV, and then it suddenly switches to Blake throughout the novel. This was a bit confusing, but I liked seeing things from Blake’s side as well. It was a classic friends-to-lovers trope, a trope I adore, and I liked their platonic friendship as well as their relationship after they got together.
Jackson is a shy, introverted teenager when we first meet him. As time progresses, and he meets Blake, and eventually goes off to college, his shell cracks a bit. He becomes social, and more comfortable with himself as a person. I liked that, and it was relatable seeing his story and his struggles with his sexuality. He shut himself off from the idea of liking boys because of the bullying he went through at school, but his world opens when he meets his friends in college.
Blake was interesting, although I had trouble connecting with him at first. But his development was also important, and him opening up about his sexuality and his feelings for Jackson made me fall in love with him as a character. He felt real, and it was easy to relate to him as someone who is bisexual as well.
I adored Jackson and Blake’s friendship before that developed into a romantic relationship. They didn’t care what anyone else thought because the way they acted around each other was normal for them. Whether or not they knew they had feelings for each other at this time, they never deemed anything “weird”. And their transition from friends to lovers was relatable, it’s hard going from being best friends for years to suddenly being in a relationship.
Overall, it was an enjoyable read, if you’re looking for a cute/smutty/fluffy m/m romance. I don’t read a lot of m/m romances, so it was nice to read from Jackson and Blake’s perspectives. The writing wasn’t perfect, and the plot was a little slow at times, but I enjoyed what I read and would recommend it to any romance lover out there.
March 25, 2019
I wanted to love this book, and for the first couple of chapters I did, but there story jumped, bringing in subplots that were never brought up again once they were first introduced, and the jarring switch back and forth between present time and flashbacks which I found weren't necessary to the story. The relationship between Jackson and Blake should have happened in present time because their past friendship had little to do with their feelings at the present moment and could have been explained through dialogue and not with flashbacks.
Jackson kept to himself in himself and was picked on during high school. You understand why he's standoffish, but he still smarts back to his bully and he's brilliant. Then Blake moves to town and they become unlikely friends. As you start to understand more about Blake's home life, you understand why he tries to fit into the popular crowd without jeopardizing it for Jackson, but after you learn later he was bisexual and identified so at such a young age (the main reason he didn't get along with his stepfather) and had feelings for Jackson, none of his actions in high school made sense. It also drove me nuts when Blake didn't defend Jackson because of the threat of being ostracized from his popular group of friends although he spent most of his time with Jackson.
The more I read, the more frustrated I became. The story was told in events, most of which have little to do with character development or moving the relationship forward. And then the subplots (what the heck was going on with Jackson's roommate, who was Jackson's mom on the phone with and is she dating again, what happened to the bully and why was he on campus when Jackson ran into him, etc.) were brought up and immediately dropped.
And the the ending was abrupt. Yes, there were declarations of their feelings, but the ending stopped in the beginning of their new relationship. The entire book left me shaking my head, wondering why there was so much unneeded backstory, no character relationship development, and such an immediate ending. Even if there was a continuation of this book, I don't think I would read it. It's just filler with no substantive plots, character development, or character arc.
Jackson kept to himself in himself and was picked on during high school. You understand why he's standoffish, but he still smarts back to his bully and he's brilliant. Then Blake moves to town and they become unlikely friends. As you start to understand more about Blake's home life, you understand why he tries to fit into the popular crowd without jeopardizing it for Jackson, but after you learn later he was bisexual and identified so at such a young age (the main reason he didn't get along with his stepfather) and had feelings for Jackson, none of his actions in high school made sense. It also drove me nuts when Blake didn't defend Jackson because of the threat of being ostracized from his popular group of friends although he spent most of his time with Jackson.
The more I read, the more frustrated I became. The story was told in events, most of which have little to do with character development or moving the relationship forward. And then the subplots (what the heck was going on with Jackson's roommate, who was Jackson's mom on the phone with and is she dating again, what happened to the bully and why was he on campus when Jackson ran into him, etc.) were brought up and immediately dropped.
And the the ending was abrupt. Yes, there were declarations of their feelings, but the ending stopped in the beginning of their new relationship. The entire book left me shaking my head, wondering why there was so much unneeded backstory, no character relationship development, and such an immediate ending. Even if there was a continuation of this book, I don't think I would read it. It's just filler with no substantive plots, character development, or character arc.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 18, 2019
J.K. Hogan is a new-to-me author, but reading this book has inspired me to check out her backlist.
I’d call this a coming of age story that straddles the line between young and new adult fiction. Jackson, a nerdy outcast, meets Blake when he starts attending Jackson’s high school. Blake quickly befriends Jackson, who can’t quite figure out why, but the two of them go on to become best friends. Blake even moves into Jackson’s home to escape a bad family situation, and they become inseparable. When the Jackson and Blake are parted by college and work, they find being separated difficult, and that’s the catalyst for their relationship to take a turn toward the romantic.
I’ve read a fair number of YA contemporaries, and the first two-thirds or so of this book would fit well into that genre since it's mostly a flashback to their high school years. I liked the characters; Jackson is smart and self-deprecating, and Blake is nice and protective of Jackson. The first part of the story is mostly about the development of their friendship, which I enjoyed. However, I also became a bit frustrated because the author spends so much time on the backstory for the romance. There are reasons for why nothing develops between them at that point, as the reader learns later, but it definitely made me impatient for the next phase in their relationship.
Once the two of them acknowledge that they might be more than friends, the pace of the story picks up. Jackson is confused about his sexuality, and Blake is supportive as Jackson tries to adjust to the change in how he views himself and their relationship. The two of them are very sweet together, and eventually things take a turn for the spicy, too.
Aside from the pacing issues, I liked this novel. A few secondary characters appeared more prominently toward the end of the book, and I’m wondering if a follow up is in the works. If so, I’m definitely going to check it out.
A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.
I’d call this a coming of age story that straddles the line between young and new adult fiction. Jackson, a nerdy outcast, meets Blake when he starts attending Jackson’s high school. Blake quickly befriends Jackson, who can’t quite figure out why, but the two of them go on to become best friends. Blake even moves into Jackson’s home to escape a bad family situation, and they become inseparable. When the Jackson and Blake are parted by college and work, they find being separated difficult, and that’s the catalyst for their relationship to take a turn toward the romantic.
I’ve read a fair number of YA contemporaries, and the first two-thirds or so of this book would fit well into that genre since it's mostly a flashback to their high school years. I liked the characters; Jackson is smart and self-deprecating, and Blake is nice and protective of Jackson. The first part of the story is mostly about the development of their friendship, which I enjoyed. However, I also became a bit frustrated because the author spends so much time on the backstory for the romance. There are reasons for why nothing develops between them at that point, as the reader learns later, but it definitely made me impatient for the next phase in their relationship.
Once the two of them acknowledge that they might be more than friends, the pace of the story picks up. Jackson is confused about his sexuality, and Blake is supportive as Jackson tries to adjust to the change in how he views himself and their relationship. The two of them are very sweet together, and eventually things take a turn for the spicy, too.
Aside from the pacing issues, I liked this novel. A few secondary characters appeared more prominently toward the end of the book, and I’m wondering if a follow up is in the works. If so, I’m definitely going to check it out.
A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.
March 19, 2019
This book is hard for me to review. I love this author’s writing and storytelling, and I like this book. I like Blake and Jackson together. This just felt like two different books and this is where I’m torn because both parts are necessary to their story but the transition between the parts didn’t really flow well.
Part one is the boys meeting and becoming best friends in high school. Other than a couple of small hints we have no idea that Blake is in love with Jackson during this time, especially since he pursues girls several times. Jackson’s sexuality was never really discussed in part one. He goes through major sexual discovery in part two. And right as Jackson starts his discovery, Blake’s sexuality is uncovered abruptly, almost too conveniently. This is also when the confession of his true feelings is revealed to us. For me, this would have worked better if we had some insight – even just a couple of hints – into Blake’s feelings in part one.
I adore the friends-to-lovers trope and it really works for these guys. Their friendship was critical for both of them, especially in high school. I’m also glad they separated for a bit at the beginning of college thus proving their relationship would survive a separation. Part one with them in high school was a little slow but part two made up for that. Jackson's sexuality discovery was handled perfectly for me with very little angst and a great support system for him to lean on when he needed.
The ending seemed a bit abrupt with some hesitation still regarding their future – not necessarily whether or not they’d have one, just what it would look like. Their story feels unfinished, so I really hope we get a follow up in the future.
The cast of side characters in part two is amazing as is Meredith, Jackson’s mom, throughout the book. There are some dangling story lines left at the end of the book with some of those side characters so I’m hopeful this is the start of a series.
Part one is the boys meeting and becoming best friends in high school. Other than a couple of small hints we have no idea that Blake is in love with Jackson during this time, especially since he pursues girls several times. Jackson’s sexuality was never really discussed in part one. He goes through major sexual discovery in part two. And right as Jackson starts his discovery, Blake’s sexuality is uncovered abruptly, almost too conveniently. This is also when the confession of his true feelings is revealed to us. For me, this would have worked better if we had some insight – even just a couple of hints – into Blake’s feelings in part one.
I adore the friends-to-lovers trope and it really works for these guys. Their friendship was critical for both of them, especially in high school. I’m also glad they separated for a bit at the beginning of college thus proving their relationship would survive a separation. Part one with them in high school was a little slow but part two made up for that. Jackson's sexuality discovery was handled perfectly for me with very little angst and a great support system for him to lean on when he needed.
The ending seemed a bit abrupt with some hesitation still regarding their future – not necessarily whether or not they’d have one, just what it would look like. Their story feels unfinished, so I really hope we get a follow up in the future.
The cast of side characters in part two is amazing as is Meredith, Jackson’s mom, throughout the book. There are some dangling story lines left at the end of the book with some of those side characters so I’m hopeful this is the start of a series.
March 21, 2019
Perfect Shine is a fantastic glimpse into the lives of Jackson Meade and Blake Renault, two young men who are facing the trials of the last two years of high school and the beginning of their lives after graduation. I totally recommend this book. It has just the right balance of angst and sweetness. I loved Jackson so very much. Despite being bullied and having plenty of tragedy in his young life, he still has such a giving heart. His relationship with his mom was probably one of my favorite parts of this book. They truly loved and respected each other, with fun interactions and genuine dialogue. Blake. Sweet Blake. He is good looking, but with a lack of self confidence in matters of the heart. He is a jock, but is happiest hanging out with a nerdy band kid. And he is a survivor of a family that is anything but loving, but he is a true romantic at his core. These boys are figuring out life. Along with that, they are figuring out their sexuality. The story is a slow romance, with these guys growing into their love for each other. There are not a lot of on-page sexual acts. It is truly more about the journey from friends to lovers. The other awesome thing about this new book from JK Hogan is getting to meet a cast of characters along with our main couple that are interesting enough to want to see if they get their own books in the future. And I LOVE that.
March 10, 2019
3.5 Stars
Friends to lovers is a fun and exciting trope! When best friends cross that line into something more... that feeling is the best!
Jackson was always a loner. A predictable introvert, he had his mom and school and was happy. Then Blake waltzed into his life his Junior year of high school and introduced him to friendship and happiness and the rare feeling of home.
The feelings were all there. The actual writing was perfect. I loved both characters and their truthfulness. There was something just effortlessly sweet about them whenever they were together that had my heart in knots.
I have to admit, the timing and the POV's got in the way of the story for me, big time. There was no rhyme or reason to it. Flashbacks, then real time, then multiple chapters of Jackson's POV, then switched to Blake and went back. It made me dizzy and totally detracted from the story.
Overall, it was a very sweet read of two boys who learned life together and found their happy ever after.
*Galley copy generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. Cross posted to http://gaybook.reviews/ *
Friends to lovers is a fun and exciting trope! When best friends cross that line into something more... that feeling is the best!
Jackson was always a loner. A predictable introvert, he had his mom and school and was happy. Then Blake waltzed into his life his Junior year of high school and introduced him to friendship and happiness and the rare feeling of home.
The feelings were all there. The actual writing was perfect. I loved both characters and their truthfulness. There was something just effortlessly sweet about them whenever they were together that had my heart in knots.
I have to admit, the timing and the POV's got in the way of the story for me, big time. There was no rhyme or reason to it. Flashbacks, then real time, then multiple chapters of Jackson's POV, then switched to Blake and went back. It made me dizzy and totally detracted from the story.
Overall, it was a very sweet read of two boys who learned life together and found their happy ever after.
*Galley copy generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. Cross posted to http://gaybook.reviews/ *
March 24, 2019
This book was provided by the author via IndiGo Marketing & Design in exchange for an honest review.
I was so looking forward to this book as I loved J.K. Hogan's Oceans Apart but unfortunately this is only an okay read for me. I love the characters but I was disappointed that a lot of the story took place when Jackson and Blake were teenagers and best friends. I like knowing their history together but I wish there was more about them as adults. They have an amazing connection as friends but there isn't any chemistry between them until their relationship changes near the end of the book. When they finally start to see each other in a different light it happens so quickly and I wish there was more interaction between them. The best part of this story is the wonderful relationship Jackson has with his mom. She is absolutely amazing and I love how she takes in Blake when his mom wants to send him away. There are several unanswered questions as well that made the story feel unfinished to me. Overall I think that this book had great potential but it lacked in execution.
I was so looking forward to this book as I loved J.K. Hogan's Oceans Apart but unfortunately this is only an okay read for me. I love the characters but I was disappointed that a lot of the story took place when Jackson and Blake were teenagers and best friends. I like knowing their history together but I wish there was more about them as adults. They have an amazing connection as friends but there isn't any chemistry between them until their relationship changes near the end of the book. When they finally start to see each other in a different light it happens so quickly and I wish there was more interaction between them. The best part of this story is the wonderful relationship Jackson has with his mom. She is absolutely amazing and I love how she takes in Blake when his mom wants to send him away. There are several unanswered questions as well that made the story feel unfinished to me. Overall I think that this book had great potential but it lacked in execution.
March 18, 2019
Received this via Netgalley(ARC)
I think this story had a lot of potential. I loved the idea of best friends to lovers and both characters were appealing in their own way. The first half of the book shows how Jackson and Blake's friendship came to be while the second half deals more with their romantic feelings. I didn't feel a connection to their romantic connection for some reason. Overall, the writing was great and the characters were fun to read, but I think the plot could've been a bit more flushed out.
I think this story had a lot of potential. I loved the idea of best friends to lovers and both characters were appealing in their own way. The first half of the book shows how Jackson and Blake's friendship came to be while the second half deals more with their romantic feelings. I didn't feel a connection to their romantic connection for some reason. Overall, the writing was great and the characters were fun to read, but I think the plot could've been a bit more flushed out.
March 25, 2019
I am having a hard time writing this review because I loved these characters and I love their story of discovery, acceptance and love but the first quarter of this book was really hard for me to read. I actually love the fact that this story unfolds over 3 years in the lives of these young men but the first few chapters were just jarring with the back and forth flashback, fast forward aspects. The beginning is also very heavily Jackson's POV and Blake's perspective was sorely missing. I love reading both YA and NA novels and it feels like this book gave me both but I just wish it had done so in a more cohesive way. I hope other readers will not be thrown off by the beginning because I feel like if you stick it out the pay off is a beautiful love story.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
March 5, 2019
I have always loved friends to lovers stories and this was an example of a really great one. The relationship between Jackson and Blake felt so genuine and real. It made me fall in love with them through every interaction. I enjoyed reading from both of their perspectives throughout the book and also throughout their time together. This was an enjoyable story that I loved reading.
*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley for an honest review.
*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley for an honest review.
November 28, 2021
Sometimes authors go out on a limb and write a story that is, in my opinion, coming straight from their heart. This is how I felt the story of Blake and Jackson is about. This is more of a YA lit story, then an M/M story. The author addresses the struggles of sexuality and attraction from different points of view. At times the pace slowed, but in the end, I thought it delivered a poignant coming of age, coming to terms story.
March 13, 2019
The Perfect Shine is a perfect coming of age and friends to lovers book. Jackson and Blake are high school friends and the story is about what to happen to them during college. The book is mostly Blake's point of view and the discovery of their feeling for one another. The interactions with them has a great flow and truly enjoyed the book.
March 25, 2019
This books showed a relationship between Jackson and his best friend Blake, I’ve never read a book like this before and I did enjoy the story line. However, Blake was said to have liked Jackson through their friendship although I never got that vibe from him in his chapters. The ending was graphic, but I enjoyed the rest! 4/5 ⭐️
July 1, 2025
Ms. Hogan has written quite a realistic YA story where the two main characters face the struggles of finding out one's sexuality. Jackson and Blake are some of the most likable boys, and I'm glad I was
'there' to see them bloom and realize their love for each other. Well-written romance.
'there' to see them bloom and realize their love for each other. Well-written romance.
listed
March 15, 2020Demisexual MC
May 19, 2020
I liked it till the moment Jackson and Blake's friendship became something more. After that I got bored and skimmed the rest.
June 14, 2019
The Perfect Shine sounded like it might be a fun romance, but it didn't do much for me; or maybe I'm just super critical, it's hard to tell these days. While the first 50%—most of this being Jackson and Blake's friendship during high school—was fairly entertaining, I felt disconnected from the second half. I found the construction odd due to the fact that the majority of the book came from Jackson's point of view, but then over a fourth of the way into the story Blake's narrative was introduced, and from there the dual perspectives weren't shared evenly. The writing also wasn't the best: it tried to be amusing but instead generally fell flat. I didn't like Jackson, though I enjoyed the look he gave into questioning one's sexuality and not being able to entirely define it. Blake was okay for the first half, though I never connected with him, but the author's decision to make him suddenly acknowledge his bisexuality and romantic feelings for Jackson felt forced and awkward: it kind of came out of left field, even though hints of attraction had been there from nearly the beginning. Their relationship would have benefited from being a slow burn, which is what I say about most romances, I know. I did enjoy the relationship Jackson had with his mother, and their conversation near the end was lovely. Honestly, I much preferred seeing the boys' friendship as they lived under the same roof, building a family together with Jackson's mother.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 19, 2019
The Perfect Shine is about a lot of things, but I think what stood out most for me, is that it’s about figuring out who you are, and I will always read the hell out of that kind of story
This book follows Jackson Meade and his best friend Blake Renault. From the day they first meet in high school, it’s clear that there’s a connection between them despite their differences. Sweet, befuddled, bullied, unusual Jackson in his skinny jeans and band t-shirts is surprised when popular, tattooed, soccer playing Blake seems to want to be friends with him. That’s what this book is all about though, the connections that we make with people who may not be the same as us… the non-judgemental kind of love and friendship we all need.
I think this story also reminds us that we shouldn’t be drawing conclusions about who people are, what they think, what kind of life they’re living… based on how they look. Life can be pretty confusing without us all making assumptions about each other.
As this lovely friendship blossoms, Blake creates a buffer safe zone around Jackson with his unconditional support and it’s a very new thing for Jackson. He’s the kind of guy who doesn’t much like to touch people, and he’s not really social, preferring his own company.
There are things going on in Blake’s life that make his home life untenable and big-hearted Meredith (Jackson’s mom) takes him in. No spoilers here, people!
As the two young men grow and change, they find themselves off on different paths even though they are still inexplicably drawn to each other. For one… the attraction is confusing and terrifying, for the other, it’s just how he’s always felt. The book is about how they figure that out and what will become of their friendship once they do.
I loved this book. I want to cuddle it. Honestly, the relationship between Blake and Jackson made my heart feel all warm and fuzzy. Did you ever want a friend who would kind of just show up, and be … everything?
Reading this made me feel good and it made me miss my best friend. Please write more dear author.
This book follows Jackson Meade and his best friend Blake Renault. From the day they first meet in high school, it’s clear that there’s a connection between them despite their differences. Sweet, befuddled, bullied, unusual Jackson in his skinny jeans and band t-shirts is surprised when popular, tattooed, soccer playing Blake seems to want to be friends with him. That’s what this book is all about though, the connections that we make with people who may not be the same as us… the non-judgemental kind of love and friendship we all need.
I think this story also reminds us that we shouldn’t be drawing conclusions about who people are, what they think, what kind of life they’re living… based on how they look. Life can be pretty confusing without us all making assumptions about each other.
As this lovely friendship blossoms, Blake creates a buffer safe zone around Jackson with his unconditional support and it’s a very new thing for Jackson. He’s the kind of guy who doesn’t much like to touch people, and he’s not really social, preferring his own company.
There are things going on in Blake’s life that make his home life untenable and big-hearted Meredith (Jackson’s mom) takes him in. No spoilers here, people!
As the two young men grow and change, they find themselves off on different paths even though they are still inexplicably drawn to each other. For one… the attraction is confusing and terrifying, for the other, it’s just how he’s always felt. The book is about how they figure that out and what will become of their friendship once they do.
I loved this book. I want to cuddle it. Honestly, the relationship between Blake and Jackson made my heart feel all warm and fuzzy. Did you ever want a friend who would kind of just show up, and be … everything?
Reading this made me feel good and it made me miss my best friend. Please write more dear author.
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