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Copper Point: Main Street #1
The Bookseller's Boyfriend
Bookshop owner Jacob Moore can’t believe his longtime celebrity crush, author Rasul Youssef, is moving to Copper Point. For many, the chance to meet the playboy novelist would be a dream come true, but Jacob dreads it. You should never meet your heroes.
You definitely shouldn’t pretend to be their boyfriend.
Rasul came to this backwater town for an academic residency—a necessary evil, since he’s burned through his advance without finishing the book that goes with it. But he’s also getting distance from a toxic relationship. Quiet, reserved Jacob isn’t his type, but their charade gives Rasul a respite from the social media circus surrounding his breakup, and Jacob’s charming apartment proves the perfect setting to write.
Of course, prolonged exposure reveals that Jacob’s reserved exterior hides a thoughtful, intelligent man who sets Rasul’s imagination—and heart—alight.
Every day Rasul reveals himself to be more than Jacob ever dreamed he could. Jacob tries to be content with friendship and the professional overlap between author and bookseller, knowing a shooting star like Rasul could never make a home with Jacob in a small town like Copper Point.
Could he?
You definitely shouldn’t pretend to be their boyfriend.
Rasul came to this backwater town for an academic residency—a necessary evil, since he’s burned through his advance without finishing the book that goes with it. But he’s also getting distance from a toxic relationship. Quiet, reserved Jacob isn’t his type, but their charade gives Rasul a respite from the social media circus surrounding his breakup, and Jacob’s charming apartment proves the perfect setting to write.
Of course, prolonged exposure reveals that Jacob’s reserved exterior hides a thoughtful, intelligent man who sets Rasul’s imagination—and heart—alight.
Every day Rasul reveals himself to be more than Jacob ever dreamed he could. Jacob tries to be content with friendship and the professional overlap between author and bookseller, knowing a shooting star like Rasul could never make a home with Jacob in a small town like Copper Point.
Could he?
216 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 19, 2021
20 people are currently reading
444 people want to read
About the author
Heidi Cullinan
45 books2,880 followersAuthor of over thirty novels, Midwest-native Heidi Cullinan writes positive-outcome romances for LGBT characters struggling against insurmountable odds because they believe there’s no such thing as too much happy ever after. Heidi’s books have been recommended by Library Journal, USA Today, RT Magazine, and Publishers Weekly. When Heidi isn’t writing, they enjoy gaming, reading manga, manhua, and danmei, playing with cats, and watching too much anime.
Heidi goes by Jun when being spoken to in person or online, and Jun’s pronouns are they/them.
Heidi goes by Jun when being spoken to in person or online, and Jun’s pronouns are they/them.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
February 2, 2021
Meh, I hate being critical of books written by my favorite authors.
Unfortunately, this was not a win for me.
This is a well written book. It's Heidi Cullinan, so I expected no less.
The character are interesting and an interracial bi/pan MC, couldn't be happier about that.
There is actually a lot of inclusivity in this book (secondary characters) which is something that I hope to see more of in this genre.
The setting is dynamic and I felt Copper Point come alive.
My issue lays in the balance of romance against other factors. Which directly led to me feeling quite disconnected from the romantic aspect of the book. I was interested in Rasul specifically and wanted to see him finish his book and stabilize emotionally. But that narrative sort of took over, and the romance itself became non essential, it wouldn't have made a difference to me if this was a platonic friendship that was brewing vs an "i'll love you forever" scenario.
I did pick up this book expecting to be moved by a romance between a bookstore owner and a novelist, and not caring about the aspect of the MC's relationship sort of defeats that purpose. Hence why I'm disappointed. I hope others won't feel the same way I did, and I will still be checking out the rest Cooper Point's books and consider this a fluke.
Unfortunately, this was not a win for me.
This is a well written book. It's Heidi Cullinan, so I expected no less.
The character are interesting and an interracial bi/pan MC, couldn't be happier about that.
There is actually a lot of inclusivity in this book (secondary characters) which is something that I hope to see more of in this genre.
The setting is dynamic and I felt Copper Point come alive.
My issue lays in the balance of romance against other factors. Which directly led to me feeling quite disconnected from the romantic aspect of the book. I was interested in Rasul specifically and wanted to see him finish his book and stabilize emotionally. But that narrative sort of took over, and the romance itself became non essential, it wouldn't have made a difference to me if this was a platonic friendship that was brewing vs an "i'll love you forever" scenario.
I did pick up this book expecting to be moved by a romance between a bookstore owner and a novelist, and not caring about the aspect of the MC's relationship sort of defeats that purpose. Hence why I'm disappointed. I hope others won't feel the same way I did, and I will still be checking out the rest Cooper Point's books and consider this a fluke.
July 9, 2022
3.5 rounded up
This is the start of a spin-off from the Cooper Point Medical Series, which I didn't love, so I was a bit unsure about going into this one. To start, while the characters from that series do make brief appearances, I do think this reads fine as a standalone. And, thankfully, I enjoyed it much more than any of those ones!
Like those books, it's relatively low steam, which isn't a direction I love, particularly as there was such great sexual tension here, though we do get some smut! I really liked the characters and their connection, and the whole story felt quite interesting and unique. Some aspects were perhaps a bit overblown, and Rasul seemed to clean up his image quite quickly and with little growing pains, but overall I just enjoyed reading this one!
This is the start of a spin-off from the Cooper Point Medical Series, which I didn't love, so I was a bit unsure about going into this one. To start, while the characters from that series do make brief appearances, I do think this reads fine as a standalone. And, thankfully, I enjoyed it much more than any of those ones!
Like those books, it's relatively low steam, which isn't a direction I love, particularly as there was such great sexual tension here, though we do get some smut! I really liked the characters and their connection, and the whole story felt quite interesting and unique. Some aspects were perhaps a bit overblown, and Rasul seemed to clean up his image quite quickly and with little growing pains, but overall I just enjoyed reading this one!
February 1, 2021
I found the characters and the story and the rhythm of the book to be unique and well-crafted. Very, very pleased with this book.
December 13, 2021
this is how not to write a fan/celeb romance
content/trigger warnings; death of parents recounted, drug abuse, toxic relationship recounted, homophobia, stalking, ableism, racism, anti-wiccan prejudice, panphobia, mspecphobia, nightmares, kissing, revenge porn, internet harassment, explicit sexual content,
rep; rasul (mc) is pansexual and brazilian/syrian. jacob (mc) is gay. queer side characters and side characters of color.
this romance does not work for me because the fan/celeb-hero dynamic was never fully dismantled enough in my eyes to create a healthy, equal partnership.
jacob wasn’t just a casual fan or even super fan of rasul. he worshipped the dude. he credited rasul with getting him through his parents’ death. he called him his north star. his friends said he carried rasul’s books around like they were his bible. rasul and his books were jacob’s reason for living. and that is not an exaggeration.
jacob’s friends go as far as claiming jacob was in love with rasul before/when they met. but you can’t be in love with someone you don’t know. and especially when it’s a celebrity, you’re “in love” with the idea of them or the fantasy of them you create in your head. loving rasul’s books, idolizing rasul, even being attracted to rasul, does not equate to being in love with him. whatever “feelings” jacob had for rasul before they met and formed a relationship was parasocial on a fan/celeb level. it’s gross and harmful to pass that off as true romantic love.
and what makes it worse is that jacob’s idolization of rasul stems from grief that he never truly dealt with, even by the end of the book, and that is not the basis of a relationship. the way jacob’s friends describe him as barely living and being a shell of himself and dressing like his father and completely changing who he was after his parents’ death, and rasul’s books being the thing that he clung to keep from drowning, is so unhealthy. and jacob is constantly fearing that a relationship with rasul will make that unhealthy dependency go away and he’ll fall under again.
instead of having jacob work on that, having him deal with his grief and the loss of who he was, in order to have a real connection and relationship with rasul, he just clings even harder to it. and rasul creates his own unhealthy obsession regarding jacob. he turns jacob into his muse, his reason to write, and he becomes so fixated on writing another book that could mean as much to jacob as his first two did. he goes as far as writing them into his book and both of them recreate aspects of the book in their lives.
they don’t see each other as human beings, they see each other on pedestals of “hero” and “muse”. and it’s not romantic. it’s incredibly unhealthy and obsessive.
other issues/annoyances; fiction within fiction is always a hard no from me. they say they’re in love with each other way too quickly and without any kind of on page development to back it up. rasul’s agent and jacob’s friends are annoying and overbearing. rasul’s main character being bisexual is mentioned more than rasul’s own pansexuality and it’s sad that that does not surprise me. some standard made up reason to angst that didn’t need to exist. some “cats are cold and unfriendly” narratives.
a heavy focus on sex being inherently integral to romance. the flirting between the characters was described multiple times as an “assault” and “attack” which is very weird and unromantic to me. rasul thinks his agent running his social medias is “highly, highly intimate” and i don’t get that. use of “straight sex” when the act of sex doesn’t actually have a sexuality or warrant a sexuality label. rasul says jacob’s bookstore “smells like literature” and i don’t know what that means.
when rasul points out the bi and pan exclusion of jacob’s little queer group only having “gay” in its title, jacob says they don’t have many bi men, completely erasing pansexuality from the conversation. of all the queer characters in this book, rasul is the only one who’s mspec. jacob calls rasul when he has a nightmare and rasul comes over and they almost have sex, which is A Choice, i don’t know why initiating sex, especially for the first time, so often in books happens when one character is very emotionally fragile or vulnerable.
rasul’s book is ya, but he writes explicit sex for it. (jacob says the sex is “essential to believe the ending will be happy” which is fucked up.) rasul justifies not making the characters college age by saying he wanted to keep the “not quite hatched but biologically and mentally a functional adult” aspect (which is a fucking weird way to describe minors, and could more accurately describe college age people, but whatever.) and that the book isn’t really ya, but a book about teens for adults. and i fucking loathe people writing/marketing ya and then saying it isn’t for teens. (ya books can have sex, there’s just no need for it to be the same kind of sex that’s in adult books.)
pan quotes: “He was a biracial, pansexual man with a huge personality and wild reputation.” / “high school, where he’d kept a tight lid on his orientation and only dated girls because coming out as bi or pan felt far too dangerous.” / “’Are you sure?’ was a common refrain. ‘But you’re dating a guy,’ someone would point out, insisting that meant he was gay. ‘But you’re dating a girl’ would come another time, and now his pansexuality—they’d called it gayness—had been a phase. His whole life, people had lined up to explain his orientation to him as if he weren’t personally living it.”
content/trigger warnings; death of parents recounted, drug abuse, toxic relationship recounted, homophobia, stalking, ableism, racism, anti-wiccan prejudice, panphobia, mspecphobia, nightmares, kissing, revenge porn, internet harassment, explicit sexual content,
rep; rasul (mc) is pansexual and brazilian/syrian. jacob (mc) is gay. queer side characters and side characters of color.
this romance does not work for me because the fan/celeb-hero dynamic was never fully dismantled enough in my eyes to create a healthy, equal partnership.
jacob wasn’t just a casual fan or even super fan of rasul. he worshipped the dude. he credited rasul with getting him through his parents’ death. he called him his north star. his friends said he carried rasul’s books around like they were his bible. rasul and his books were jacob’s reason for living. and that is not an exaggeration.
jacob’s friends go as far as claiming jacob was in love with rasul before/when they met. but you can’t be in love with someone you don’t know. and especially when it’s a celebrity, you’re “in love” with the idea of them or the fantasy of them you create in your head. loving rasul’s books, idolizing rasul, even being attracted to rasul, does not equate to being in love with him. whatever “feelings” jacob had for rasul before they met and formed a relationship was parasocial on a fan/celeb level. it’s gross and harmful to pass that off as true romantic love.
and what makes it worse is that jacob’s idolization of rasul stems from grief that he never truly dealt with, even by the end of the book, and that is not the basis of a relationship. the way jacob’s friends describe him as barely living and being a shell of himself and dressing like his father and completely changing who he was after his parents’ death, and rasul’s books being the thing that he clung to keep from drowning, is so unhealthy. and jacob is constantly fearing that a relationship with rasul will make that unhealthy dependency go away and he’ll fall under again.
instead of having jacob work on that, having him deal with his grief and the loss of who he was, in order to have a real connection and relationship with rasul, he just clings even harder to it. and rasul creates his own unhealthy obsession regarding jacob. he turns jacob into his muse, his reason to write, and he becomes so fixated on writing another book that could mean as much to jacob as his first two did. he goes as far as writing them into his book and both of them recreate aspects of the book in their lives.
they don’t see each other as human beings, they see each other on pedestals of “hero” and “muse”. and it’s not romantic. it’s incredibly unhealthy and obsessive.
other issues/annoyances; fiction within fiction is always a hard no from me. they say they’re in love with each other way too quickly and without any kind of on page development to back it up. rasul’s agent and jacob’s friends are annoying and overbearing. rasul’s main character being bisexual is mentioned more than rasul’s own pansexuality and it’s sad that that does not surprise me. some standard made up reason to angst that didn’t need to exist. some “cats are cold and unfriendly” narratives.
a heavy focus on sex being inherently integral to romance. the flirting between the characters was described multiple times as an “assault” and “attack” which is very weird and unromantic to me. rasul thinks his agent running his social medias is “highly, highly intimate” and i don’t get that. use of “straight sex” when the act of sex doesn’t actually have a sexuality or warrant a sexuality label. rasul says jacob’s bookstore “smells like literature” and i don’t know what that means.
when rasul points out the bi and pan exclusion of jacob’s little queer group only having “gay” in its title, jacob says they don’t have many bi men, completely erasing pansexuality from the conversation. of all the queer characters in this book, rasul is the only one who’s mspec. jacob calls rasul when he has a nightmare and rasul comes over and they almost have sex, which is A Choice, i don’t know why initiating sex, especially for the first time, so often in books happens when one character is very emotionally fragile or vulnerable.
rasul’s book is ya, but he writes explicit sex for it. (jacob says the sex is “essential to believe the ending will be happy” which is fucked up.) rasul justifies not making the characters college age by saying he wanted to keep the “not quite hatched but biologically and mentally a functional adult” aspect (which is a fucking weird way to describe minors, and could more accurately describe college age people, but whatever.) and that the book isn’t really ya, but a book about teens for adults. and i fucking loathe people writing/marketing ya and then saying it isn’t for teens. (ya books can have sex, there’s just no need for it to be the same kind of sex that’s in adult books.)
pan quotes: “He was a biracial, pansexual man with a huge personality and wild reputation.” / “high school, where he’d kept a tight lid on his orientation and only dated girls because coming out as bi or pan felt far too dangerous.” / “’Are you sure?’ was a common refrain. ‘But you’re dating a guy,’ someone would point out, insisting that meant he was gay. ‘But you’re dating a girl’ would come another time, and now his pansexuality—they’d called it gayness—had been a phase. His whole life, people had lined up to explain his orientation to him as if he weren’t personally living it.”
January 23, 2021
Such a warm, wonderful read, rooted in reality but romantic and hopeful. The main characters were both lovely and beautifully written; they got to grow and evolve, not just fall in love with each other. It dives into publishing as an industry, with a writer and a bookseller for MCs, and has very poignant things to say about reading and writing as ways to interface with the world and figure oneself out. At one point, Rasul is thinking about what he wants for the characters of the book he's writing, one of whom is a pretty transparent self-insert, and the message/intention he settles on is, I’m okay. I’ve always been okay. I can be okay whenever I want, no matter what happens. Gorgeous stuff.
I look forward to more in this series!
I look forward to more in this series!
Read
January 22, 2021Sweet...cute...new to me author....no extra mumbo jumbo...
June 30, 2022
Wow! Just wow. Honestly, I knew I would probably like this story going into it because Heidi Cullinan has never disappointed me. I'm happy to report that this book was even better than I had expected. It's outstanding, amazing, and memorable.
Both main characters are different from the norm, and each is a unique three-dimensional, well thought-out, and engaging person. I was hooked from the early chapters and adopted Rasul and Jacob as my best friends for the days I read it, and although now a few days have passed, i don't want to let them go.
I easily related to Jacob, who owned a bookstore and read constantly, but I also related to Rasul, who was an author suffering from a dry streak. The depth of their emotions and self-reflection was spot-on to their characters. I so appreciated how well I came to know the men.
The insanity of social media influencers was addressed and incorporated into the plot--something I haven't seen in a story before, but it's totally appropriate for our times.
And, of course, there was romantic attraction between the men, though they hesitated to make a lastly romantic commitment at first. Instead, they built a strong friendship that ultimately became a foundation for more. I have a note to self at the midpoint to remind me that this was quite an unconventional and drawn-out courtship and was just perfect, IMO. Kudos to the author for not throwing these guys into bed together until late in the story when it made sense. "Their kiss was full of fire and passion, but it was a conflagration springing from months of stoked kindling and well-tended embers."
In reference to Rasul's narrative style, Jacob ponders: "...the way it pulled the reader hard and fast into the fictional world, the way it made everything around the reader bloom in a rich, breathless fashion." I can say the same about Heidi Cullinan's writing.
This book is going on my favorites shelf and will most definitely be one I nominate when we do our group award nominations this year. Very highly recommended!
Both main characters are different from the norm, and each is a unique three-dimensional, well thought-out, and engaging person. I was hooked from the early chapters and adopted Rasul and Jacob as my best friends for the days I read it, and although now a few days have passed, i don't want to let them go.
I easily related to Jacob, who owned a bookstore and read constantly, but I also related to Rasul, who was an author suffering from a dry streak. The depth of their emotions and self-reflection was spot-on to their characters. I so appreciated how well I came to know the men.
The insanity of social media influencers was addressed and incorporated into the plot--something I haven't seen in a story before, but it's totally appropriate for our times.
And, of course, there was romantic attraction between the men, though they hesitated to make a lastly romantic commitment at first. Instead, they built a strong friendship that ultimately became a foundation for more. I have a note to self at the midpoint to remind me that this was quite an unconventional and drawn-out courtship and was just perfect, IMO. Kudos to the author for not throwing these guys into bed together until late in the story when it made sense. "Their kiss was full of fire and passion, but it was a conflagration springing from months of stoked kindling and well-tended embers."
In reference to Rasul's narrative style, Jacob ponders: "...the way it pulled the reader hard and fast into the fictional world, the way it made everything around the reader bloom in a rich, breathless fashion." I can say the same about Heidi Cullinan's writing.
This book is going on my favorites shelf and will most definitely be one I nominate when we do our group award nominations this year. Very highly recommended!
January 22, 2021
The premise of this one was enticing to me because at one point in my life I lived in a small Midwestern town like Copper Point. The nostalgia of that, and the small university town feel pulled me into the story. Also, I will never tire of authors creating the bookstores of their dreams and using them as the backdrop of a story. Cozy, small bookshops with quirky owners are always welcome. I also really loved that one of the MC's was of Syrian decent; more diverse romance heroes is wonderful. I was also quite pleased that Rasul was pansexual and that the author talked about how he sometimes felt alienated from queer spaces, and that he felt pushed towards only writing about heterosexual partners in his work.
My struggles with the book stemmed from my inability to get immersed in the novel and the MC's story. Often when authors make their character's also authors, I find the character disconcerting. So many times in this novel I felt like I was hearing the actual author talking to me about her thoughts and feelings and not Rasul. At times it even took on a lecture quality that just took me right out of the story. This might be a personal dislike, but it caused me to struggle to finish the book. Lastly, for some reason in contemporary novels there is a preponderance of teenage girls cast in the role of villain. I can't quite put my finger on why it bothers me so much but I think it is several things. First, teen boys are not as frequently cast in this role. Also, yes teens can do vile acts, but they are still kids? Girls are often expected to act maturely beyond their years yet are also cast as immature, spiteful and cruel. It could be a me thing, it just unsettles me a bit.
Those issues aside, this book was a soft, beautiful love story. For those who don't enjoy the 80% breakup, the conflict here was external which was a nice detour from the typical romantic arc.
My struggles with the book stemmed from my inability to get immersed in the novel and the MC's story. Often when authors make their character's also authors, I find the character disconcerting. So many times in this novel I felt like I was hearing the actual author talking to me about her thoughts and feelings and not Rasul. At times it even took on a lecture quality that just took me right out of the story. This might be a personal dislike, but it caused me to struggle to finish the book. Lastly, for some reason in contemporary novels there is a preponderance of teenage girls cast in the role of villain. I can't quite put my finger on why it bothers me so much but I think it is several things. First, teen boys are not as frequently cast in this role. Also, yes teens can do vile acts, but they are still kids? Girls are often expected to act maturely beyond their years yet are also cast as immature, spiteful and cruel. It could be a me thing, it just unsettles me a bit.
Those issues aside, this book was a soft, beautiful love story. For those who don't enjoy the 80% breakup, the conflict here was external which was a nice detour from the typical romantic arc.
February 14, 2021
3 Indifferent Stars ⭐⭐⭐
Ahhh an interesting tale of the dangers of allowing social media to define your identity.
Rasul is an author on the ragged edge. Too much partying, drugs & an ex who cant keep her claws to herself have him tettering on the brink of a statistic. He's months late turning in his latest work & his agent has enough, sending him into a media blackout in Copper Point. ( agent is code for babysitter)
Jacob is fussy...also the whole " you shouldn't meet your heroes" line is very true in this sense. Jacob ends up in a relationship & in love with his.
Rebecca the shark lawyer from St. Ann's is back with a significant side role in the story. The other guys from St. Ann's are layered into the plot but sprinkled only. Its a few years later & everyone is getting on with their lives.
Its lacks the punch of the original series but a decent read. Wait until its on sale.
Ahhh an interesting tale of the dangers of allowing social media to define your identity.
Rasul is an author on the ragged edge. Too much partying, drugs & an ex who cant keep her claws to herself have him tettering on the brink of a statistic. He's months late turning in his latest work & his agent has enough, sending him into a media blackout in Copper Point. ( agent is code for babysitter)
Jacob is fussy...also the whole " you shouldn't meet your heroes" line is very true in this sense. Jacob ends up in a relationship & in love with his.
Rebecca the shark lawyer from St. Ann's is back with a significant side role in the story. The other guys from St. Ann's are layered into the plot but sprinkled only. Its a few years later & everyone is getting on with their lives.
Its lacks the punch of the original series but a decent read. Wait until its on sale.
June 11, 2022
What a good story. I see it didn't work for some reviewers, but it worked very well for me. There's a lot to be wary of if you're sensitive to loss or addiction or online stalking and related issues. But I liked what the author had to say about the bad (very bad) side of social media. I think it's important to talk about that. What Jacob learns about publishing, I already knew. And if you didn't know what it takes to write a novel, Rasul's struggle is real, if but one example. I loved reading about the book in this book, very meta. I loved who saves the day, and I loved how the bad guys are handled. But most of all, I really, really enjoyed the dynamic between Jacob's and Rasul's personalities, how it shifts and changes over time and with new experiences. The ending is perfect.
January 28, 2022
Beautiful! I absolutely love when the story of an author or book store owner is done well -- so many excellent new favorite books to look up now, including I Capture the Castle, which I've been meaning to read for SO long -- and having an author fall in love with a bibliophile is even better. I wish Rasul's books really existed so I could read them (they sound wonderful). I'm really looking forward to seeing which of the Mini Main Street guys will find their HEA next!
April 2, 2022
Ok this was just adorable and wonderful. I loved Jacob so much. He was so sweet and had so much bottled up inside him. His awe of the writer he'd built up in his head for Rasul was one of the things he held onto to get him through hard times. But meeting his hero, that's never been something he's wanted, he'd rather keep him on the pedestal he'd built for him in his mind. But then Rasul shows up in town and seems to find Jacob's little bookshop and apartment the perfect place to write his long overdue third novel. How can he refuse?
I loved watching these two fall for each other. Rasul was so bound up in his head and didn't know how to move forward with his life other than to lose himself in booze and bad ideas. But being in Copper Point is showing him another way and is actually freeing him to be the writer he should be. His attraction to Jacob was unexpected for him. It was sweet watching them go through the slow burn of coming together.
This was a wonderful story dealing with a wider spectrum of the LGBTQ+ community. I liked that we had not only an interracial couple but also a loving relationship between MC's who were bi/pan. I can't wait to read more of the mini Main Street stories, they all deserve their HEA's. :)
I loved watching these two fall for each other. Rasul was so bound up in his head and didn't know how to move forward with his life other than to lose himself in booze and bad ideas. But being in Copper Point is showing him another way and is actually freeing him to be the writer he should be. His attraction to Jacob was unexpected for him. It was sweet watching them go through the slow burn of coming together.
This was a wonderful story dealing with a wider spectrum of the LGBTQ+ community. I liked that we had not only an interracial couple but also a loving relationship between MC's who were bi/pan. I can't wait to read more of the mini Main Street stories, they all deserve their HEA's. :)
March 4, 2021
I enjoyed this a lot. It’s a bit of a love letter to books and bookshops. Also interesting having an insight into authorship.
The romance was sweet and swoony. Loved having the biracial bisexual Mc (who actually appears on the cover rather than his white love interest).
I didn’t love all the assorted characters and couples that were a little too prominent, or got unnecessary mentions (and made me realise that I’d probably hopped into the back end of a long series).
This also made me want to read ‘I capture the castle’ again... it’s one of my favourites but I haven’t read it in about 15 years!
I’m going to read more from this author.
The romance was sweet and swoony. Loved having the biracial bisexual Mc (who actually appears on the cover rather than his white love interest).
I didn’t love all the assorted characters and couples that were a little too prominent, or got unnecessary mentions (and made me realise that I’d probably hopped into the back end of a long series).
This also made me want to read ‘I capture the castle’ again... it’s one of my favourites but I haven’t read it in about 15 years!
I’m going to read more from this author.
February 23, 2021
Happy New Year indeed! Another series set in Copper Point, Wisconsin! While it would be helpful to read the first trilogy, it’s not necessary. The characters from the first three books make very small appearances and are not integral to the overall plot.
In this first ‘Main Street’ installment, the reader is introduced to the small local business owners on Main Street. Jacob owns the bookstore and is in turn owned by three cats with brilliant names - I ADORED the subtle references! I’m not spoiling this one…
Enter Rasul, Jacob’s favorite author for very personal reasons. Rasul is in a bad spot with his ex-girlfriend, his agent, and social media. Copper Point is supposed to be a reset on his life and writing career.
But everyone needs a little bit of help from their friends, even if they are new friends. I loved the slow-burn to the romance, the rapport Rasul created with not only Jacob, but with Jacob’s friends. I loved all the author references, the heart to hearts (and I usual roll my eyes at those), and how Jacob and Rasul came together and became stronger as individuals.
‘Copper Point Medical’ was a great series. ‘Bookseller’s Boyfriend’ on its own was outstanding. I loved this book and had a hard time putting it down (darn day job). I am so looking forward to seeing which characters get to shine in the next book.
NOTE: This book was provided by the author for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
In this first ‘Main Street’ installment, the reader is introduced to the small local business owners on Main Street. Jacob owns the bookstore and is in turn owned by three cats with brilliant names - I ADORED the subtle references! I’m not spoiling this one…
Enter Rasul, Jacob’s favorite author for very personal reasons. Rasul is in a bad spot with his ex-girlfriend, his agent, and social media. Copper Point is supposed to be a reset on his life and writing career.
But everyone needs a little bit of help from their friends, even if they are new friends. I loved the slow-burn to the romance, the rapport Rasul created with not only Jacob, but with Jacob’s friends. I loved all the author references, the heart to hearts (and I usual roll my eyes at those), and how Jacob and Rasul came together and became stronger as individuals.
‘Copper Point Medical’ was a great series. ‘Bookseller’s Boyfriend’ on its own was outstanding. I loved this book and had a hard time putting it down (darn day job). I am so looking forward to seeing which characters get to shine in the next book.
NOTE: This book was provided by the author for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
September 22, 2021
A novel of mutual courtship, healing, creating community, and the struggle of creativity, Bookseller's Boyfriend is a sweetly simmering slow burn that romance fans won't want to miss.
Cullinan packs in a crowd of well-drawn supporting characters, with backstory that's clearly been deeply thought out. The plot is aware of romance tropes (in this case, "fake dating" applies, and the concept echoes Beauty and the Beast) but doesn't get bogged down in them, choosing instead to follow what really works to help the characters work through their issues and come together naturally. Thoughtful engagement with the publishing process and the dark side of social media is a really effective thread that runs through the romantic story. Book lovers might also appreciate the loving nods to the fantasy and speculative fiction genres. Best of all, the inclusion of LGBTQ and racial identities is intentional and touches on the struggles of bi and pansexual men in the larger landscape.
If you're looking for a romance with a lot of community, intelligence, and heart - and a good pinch of passionate heat - definitely try this book.
Cullinan packs in a crowd of well-drawn supporting characters, with backstory that's clearly been deeply thought out. The plot is aware of romance tropes (in this case, "fake dating" applies, and the concept echoes Beauty and the Beast) but doesn't get bogged down in them, choosing instead to follow what really works to help the characters work through their issues and come together naturally. Thoughtful engagement with the publishing process and the dark side of social media is a really effective thread that runs through the romantic story. Book lovers might also appreciate the loving nods to the fantasy and speculative fiction genres. Best of all, the inclusion of LGBTQ and racial identities is intentional and touches on the struggles of bi and pansexual men in the larger landscape.
If you're looking for a romance with a lot of community, intelligence, and heart - and a good pinch of passionate heat - definitely try this book.
started-but
September 28, 2021Dull
July 18, 2021
I have not read a book by Heidi Cullinan for quite some time and was tempted by this one. The story gripped me and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The only issue is I felt that Rasul suddenly went from finding Jacob unattractive to wanting to date him. The abrupt change in attitude was unconvincing to me, but it did not spoil my reading pleasure.
Read
September 3, 2022DNF Too much exposition and not enough romance and what there was of it was dull. Parts of the book read like a lecture and that took me out of the story. Would an author be treated like a star by teenagers across the country? No. I know he partied and hung with a celebrity woman, but it didn’t ring true that teenagers and young women would queue around him for selfies.
February 8, 2021
The leading men of The Bookseller’s Boyfriend are warmly wonderful, painfully real characters. Jacob is a lonely, buttoned-up bookstore owner whose motto could be self-preservation. Reading saved Jacob. It was the debut novel by his favorite author, Rasul Youssef, that enabled Jacob to find his way out of the despondency following his parents’ sudden deaths, and Rasul's second book that led him through a debilitating, dark depression. Rasul became Jacob’s hero.
Rasul is a vibrant, passionate playboy whose childhood left him with a deep fear of abandonment. He has been struggling for seven years to write his third book but his creativity well is dry. As a last resort before his publisher drops him, his highly frustrated literary agent has exiled him to a small town to teach at the college for a year and take the time to finish (er, start) the book. The story begins with Rasul wandering into Jacob’s bookstore and meeting the man who will ultimately inspire his writing.
Coinciding with Rasul moving to Copper Point, beginning his visiting professorship, and meeting Jacob is a scandal he’s becoming embroiled in with his ex-girlfriend. The most effective way to combat that, according to his agent, is for Rasul to fake a relationship with Jacob and garner a social media presence that will hopefully shift attention away from the scandal. Rasul has no problem with this plan – he’d like to be dating Jacob for real. It’s not as clear-cut for Jacob, though. He’s built himself a safe, comfortable life he doesn’t want to jeopardize, but he’s loved Rasul from afar for so long and so intensely. As much as he longs to be with him, he’s terribly afraid his heart will break when Rasul leaves his temporary teaching position at the end of the school year. Rasul will resume his exciting, jet-setting, hobnobbing lifestyle while Jacob will continue his quiet, small-town existence. Jacob is also afraid to let go of the ephemeral form of Rasul – an impossible dream he always held close and could imagine however he needed him – and instead grasp onto the real man.
I didn’t read Cullinan's previous series, Copper Point Medical, which is set in the same town as this book. It’s clear that a number of main characters from that series serve in minor roles as friends and community members here. The most significant characters are Jacob’s longtime best friends, Gus and Matt, who love, cherish, and support him during his inner struggles over Rasul.
There’s more to The Bookseller’s Boyfriend than just the story of Jacob and Rasul’s evolving relationship. There are layers here that add to the reading experience. Dig below the love story and individual character arcs and you’ll find an exposition of the harmful aspects of social media and the destructive or dangerous behavior it can incite, and the addiction it can cause. There are also interesting details about the publishing, PR, and entertainment industries, as well as a glimpse at the process of writing a novel.
I’ve read many of Ms. Cullinan’s terrific books, but it's been a few years; I was hoping she held onto her writing mojo and she did – The Bookseller's Boyfriend is creative and entertaining with two protagonists I rooted for eagerly. The individual growth of Jacob and Rasul – personally and professionally – as well as their growth as a couple, culminates in a lovely, romantic ending. Because this is the first book in a continuous timeline series, there’s no follow-up epilogue. That’s fine, though, because we’ll see them again, I’m sure. I’m looking forward to the next installment, presumably featuring Gus or Matt. This is a wonderful kick off to the new series and I highly recommend it.
Reviewed for Love Bytes Reviews
Rasul is a vibrant, passionate playboy whose childhood left him with a deep fear of abandonment. He has been struggling for seven years to write his third book but his creativity well is dry. As a last resort before his publisher drops him, his highly frustrated literary agent has exiled him to a small town to teach at the college for a year and take the time to finish (er, start) the book. The story begins with Rasul wandering into Jacob’s bookstore and meeting the man who will ultimately inspire his writing.
Coinciding with Rasul moving to Copper Point, beginning his visiting professorship, and meeting Jacob is a scandal he’s becoming embroiled in with his ex-girlfriend. The most effective way to combat that, according to his agent, is for Rasul to fake a relationship with Jacob and garner a social media presence that will hopefully shift attention away from the scandal. Rasul has no problem with this plan – he’d like to be dating Jacob for real. It’s not as clear-cut for Jacob, though. He’s built himself a safe, comfortable life he doesn’t want to jeopardize, but he’s loved Rasul from afar for so long and so intensely. As much as he longs to be with him, he’s terribly afraid his heart will break when Rasul leaves his temporary teaching position at the end of the school year. Rasul will resume his exciting, jet-setting, hobnobbing lifestyle while Jacob will continue his quiet, small-town existence. Jacob is also afraid to let go of the ephemeral form of Rasul – an impossible dream he always held close and could imagine however he needed him – and instead grasp onto the real man.
I didn’t read Cullinan's previous series, Copper Point Medical, which is set in the same town as this book. It’s clear that a number of main characters from that series serve in minor roles as friends and community members here. The most significant characters are Jacob’s longtime best friends, Gus and Matt, who love, cherish, and support him during his inner struggles over Rasul.
There’s more to The Bookseller’s Boyfriend than just the story of Jacob and Rasul’s evolving relationship. There are layers here that add to the reading experience. Dig below the love story and individual character arcs and you’ll find an exposition of the harmful aspects of social media and the destructive or dangerous behavior it can incite, and the addiction it can cause. There are also interesting details about the publishing, PR, and entertainment industries, as well as a glimpse at the process of writing a novel.
I’ve read many of Ms. Cullinan’s terrific books, but it's been a few years; I was hoping she held onto her writing mojo and she did – The Bookseller's Boyfriend is creative and entertaining with two protagonists I rooted for eagerly. The individual growth of Jacob and Rasul – personally and professionally – as well as their growth as a couple, culminates in a lovely, romantic ending. Because this is the first book in a continuous timeline series, there’s no follow-up epilogue. That’s fine, though, because we’ll see them again, I’m sure. I’m looking forward to the next installment, presumably featuring Gus or Matt. This is a wonderful kick off to the new series and I highly recommend it.
Reviewed for Love Bytes Reviews
Read
May 16, 2021This was a fun read. Impossible to put down once it got going.
I did find some things kind of a stretch, like Jacob's whole " I won't date my hero" thing. But then I thought, would I refuse to date someone I was drawn to because of some mental line I'd drawn in the sand? Yeah. I would. I have. Plus, once his reasons are fully explained, it makes a lot more sense.
That was one of the good points of this book, actually. It's not all light and fluffy- it really delves into some serious grief, trauma and depression. Also, one of the leads is bi or pan (can't remember which) AND so is the main character of his book (he's a writer, writing a book), so that was some nice representation. Bi/pan erasure and some of the other complications of not fitting the straight/gay boxes are addressed, which was nice to see.
Speaking of writing, the whole writer writing a book in a book thing was pulled off really well. There were some beautiful turns of phrase connecting Jacob and Rasul's romance to the romance in Rasul's book. Which made the book (Heidi Cullinan's book, I mean) seem a bit more literary than might be typical for a romance novel. (Though I don't know. I've only just dipped my toe into the mainstream romance genre.)
Now for some more complaints. The sex scene was more vague and metaphorical than I expected. It was sweet, but I wanted more detail XD
Also, at one point the conflict in Syria is brought up (Rasul is half Syrian) out of the blue during a conversation about something else, and Rasul just says something about how he has family over there and then dismisses it and goes back to talking about dating Jacob. Um, between family in a war zone and getting dating advice, wouldn't the former sort of kill the latter topic? If the writer didn't want to discuss it, it might have been better not to bring it up at all. I hadn't even thought of it before then, but after reading that part, I just found it callous.
And then the ending.. I found the crisis at the end kind of manufactured. Maybe it's just the fact that in the books I usually read, people have to cross continents, battle armies and take down evil empires in order to be together, so a [redacted for spoilers] didn't really seem like a big deal. And ending with a [redacted]? I saw it coming, but hoped it wasn't so, and then when it was, put the book down with a sigh. But that probably has more to do my own feelings on the topic. I would wager many people expect that as the start of a happily ever after.
Overall though, enjoyable read, and obviously from the length of my review, more thought-provoking than your usual romance novel.
I did find some things kind of a stretch, like Jacob's whole " I won't date my hero" thing. But then I thought, would I refuse to date someone I was drawn to because of some mental line I'd drawn in the sand? Yeah. I would. I have. Plus, once his reasons are fully explained, it makes a lot more sense.
That was one of the good points of this book, actually. It's not all light and fluffy- it really delves into some serious grief, trauma and depression. Also, one of the leads is bi or pan (can't remember which) AND so is the main character of his book (he's a writer, writing a book), so that was some nice representation. Bi/pan erasure and some of the other complications of not fitting the straight/gay boxes are addressed, which was nice to see.
Speaking of writing, the whole writer writing a book in a book thing was pulled off really well. There were some beautiful turns of phrase connecting Jacob and Rasul's romance to the romance in Rasul's book. Which made the book (Heidi Cullinan's book, I mean) seem a bit more literary than might be typical for a romance novel. (Though I don't know. I've only just dipped my toe into the mainstream romance genre.)
Now for some more complaints. The sex scene was more vague and metaphorical than I expected. It was sweet, but I wanted more detail XD
Also, at one point the conflict in Syria is brought up (Rasul is half Syrian) out of the blue during a conversation about something else, and Rasul just says something about how he has family over there and then dismisses it and goes back to talking about dating Jacob. Um, between family in a war zone and getting dating advice, wouldn't the former sort of kill the latter topic? If the writer didn't want to discuss it, it might have been better not to bring it up at all. I hadn't even thought of it before then, but after reading that part, I just found it callous.
And then the ending.. I found the crisis at the end kind of manufactured. Maybe it's just the fact that in the books I usually read, people have to cross continents, battle armies and take down evil empires in order to be together, so a [redacted for spoilers] didn't really seem like a big deal. And ending with a [redacted]? I saw it coming, but hoped it wasn't so, and then when it was, put the book down with a sigh. But that probably has more to do my own feelings on the topic. I would wager many people expect that as the start of a happily ever after.
Overall though, enjoyable read, and obviously from the length of my review, more thought-provoking than your usual romance novel.
August 10, 2022
I'm literally writing this at 536AM & I've been up about 2 & a half hours. I need sleep & this review will hence be a bit disorganized.
I'm not quite sure what attracted me to this book when I saw it listed on some mainpage in the Libby app, but I was like, OMG checking it out. I think it's partly because I didn't see the first name, but still. Like I forget what the other options were next to this book, but yeah. It seemed bold yet calm.
This is a romance book & as genre typical it has amatonormativity. There are some parts in this book where I don't like how that blossomed, but like with Rasul/Jacob I'm good with it, partly because they're thankful.
So the book has interesting meta commentary since Rasul also writes about LGBT+ characters. Like there will be commentary about how to write a book, about how to teach a course (my exception to Rasul's course getting that instructors don't exactly wing courses. I've had at least 2 teachers recycle courses from the 1990's in the 2020's). The way that course for example went down it worked as like brainstorming the process of writing as well as giving economic commentary (IDK how the fiction/nonfiction line went there but that's because I'm not informed).
I also liked how the way the pacing worked with the last chapter that there was a good chunk of that where I didn't know what to expect.
The book had existentialism like a lot of it & I enjoyed that because I'm an existentialist. This book has amatonormative themes, bonding over interpreting literature. I don't mind that between Rasul/Jacob, but that's because there was a blunt acknowledgement that shit has to be built, as in existentialism.
So the purity part about how communities come together, vs "merit", That didn't make sense to me. Also I do want to give a trigger warning that with the book within a book there's a making love scene between 2 17-year olds. I didn't like that part, but that's partly because I don't like how abusive amatonormativity is in general. Like I don't necessarily mind that, , Not even adulthood can save you from that system's abuse traps. That being said, evil knows no bounds, so mood I guess.
So this book was cozy & a relief from some of the various war rape culture nonfiction I've been reading lately. It's even given me good dreams of architecture, walkablity, food, and lighting. It's 4 stars though, because I thought there were some weird parts that didn't flow with the existentialism I was enjoying, but still.
I'm not quite sure what attracted me to this book when I saw it listed on some mainpage in the Libby app, but I was like, OMG checking it out. I think it's partly because I didn't see the first name, but still. Like I forget what the other options were next to this book, but yeah. It seemed bold yet calm.
This is a romance book & as genre typical it has amatonormativity. There are some parts in this book where I don't like how that blossomed, but like with Rasul/Jacob I'm good with it, partly because they're thankful.
So the book has interesting meta commentary since Rasul also writes about LGBT+ characters. Like there will be commentary about how to write a book, about how to teach a course (my exception to Rasul's course getting that instructors don't exactly wing courses. I've had at least 2 teachers recycle courses from the 1990's in the 2020's). The way that course for example went down it worked as like brainstorming the process of writing as well as giving economic commentary (IDK how the fiction/nonfiction line went there but that's because I'm not informed).
I also liked how the way the pacing worked with the last chapter that there was a good chunk of that where I didn't know what to expect.
The book had existentialism like a lot of it & I enjoyed that because I'm an existentialist. This book has amatonormative themes, bonding over interpreting literature. I don't mind that between Rasul/Jacob, but that's because there was a blunt acknowledgement that shit has to be built, as in existentialism.
So the purity part about how communities come together, vs "merit", That didn't make sense to me. Also I do want to give a trigger warning that with the book within a book there's a making love scene between 2 17-year olds. I didn't like that part, but that's partly because I don't like how abusive amatonormativity is in general. Like I don't necessarily mind that, , Not even adulthood can save you from that system's abuse traps. That being said, evil knows no bounds, so mood I guess.
So this book was cozy & a relief from some of the various war rape culture nonfiction I've been reading lately. It's even given me good dreams of architecture, walkablity, food, and lighting. It's 4 stars though, because I thought there were some weird parts that didn't flow with the existentialism I was enjoying, but still.
March 5, 2022
This novel is placed firmly within the 21st century. Even the small town of Copper Point is no stranger to Instagram accounts and internet scandal. But a withdrawn bookstore owner who dresses like Mr. Rogers yet harbors a not-so-secret yen for his favorite author isn’t prepared for the storm that results when the same author comes to town.
The story builds the intensity between these two in small increments. Rasul Youssef is used to people falling into his arms (and lap). So Jacob Moore’s panicky retreat from him leaves him baffled—and very eager to consummate their fake relationship.
But Rasul isn’t quite the playboy that he seems and Jacob has fires smoldering underneath that cardigan. Both men have pasts that have broken and reshapen them in unusual ways. Yet the author doesn’t pander to expectations. They don’t automatically come together over shared stories of pain and dubious exes. Their story is more nuanced than that and the author plays on our heartstrings as we see them negotiate the perimeters of their private and public affair.
Love within the glare of publicity is not something Jacob is accustomed to and he’s also outraged about the vile attention directed towards Rasul by his toxic ex-girlfriend. He’s puzzled that Rasul isn’t more upset even when Rasul tries to explain how getting involved with this woman was his life, even if it was part of a string of very bad choices.
The book delves deep into the workings of Instagram, online tagging, selfies and postings. For older readers, born before the Internet age, this may prove off putting. But the story of these men and their attempts to find love amid the spotlight is endearing and worth the effort.
Rasul’s fight to get his novel written up is interesting to read too. This novel also gives us a peek into what it takes to get a novel from the author’s head into the publisher’s office and the public’s hands. It’s a far more exhausting process than might be imagined and we feel Rasul’s fluctuating emotions of joy, despair, agony, frustration and manic determination as he tackles his latest novel.
The Veil of Stars might not be a real novel. But I’m betting that there are fanfic writers out there tackling it right now. This novel will drive them to it.
The story builds the intensity between these two in small increments. Rasul Youssef is used to people falling into his arms (and lap). So Jacob Moore’s panicky retreat from him leaves him baffled—and very eager to consummate their fake relationship.
But Rasul isn’t quite the playboy that he seems and Jacob has fires smoldering underneath that cardigan. Both men have pasts that have broken and reshapen them in unusual ways. Yet the author doesn’t pander to expectations. They don’t automatically come together over shared stories of pain and dubious exes. Their story is more nuanced than that and the author plays on our heartstrings as we see them negotiate the perimeters of their private and public affair.
Love within the glare of publicity is not something Jacob is accustomed to and he’s also outraged about the vile attention directed towards Rasul by his toxic ex-girlfriend. He’s puzzled that Rasul isn’t more upset even when Rasul tries to explain how getting involved with this woman was his life, even if it was part of a string of very bad choices.
The book delves deep into the workings of Instagram, online tagging, selfies and postings. For older readers, born before the Internet age, this may prove off putting. But the story of these men and their attempts to find love amid the spotlight is endearing and worth the effort.
Rasul’s fight to get his novel written up is interesting to read too. This novel also gives us a peek into what it takes to get a novel from the author’s head into the publisher’s office and the public’s hands. It’s a far more exhausting process than might be imagined and we feel Rasul’s fluctuating emotions of joy, despair, agony, frustration and manic determination as he tackles his latest novel.
The Veil of Stars might not be a real novel. But I’m betting that there are fanfic writers out there tackling it right now. This novel will drive them to it.
March 29, 2021
3.5. Lots of interesting stuff about the writing process and its relationship to social media in this m/m romance. Rasul Youseff (half Syrian, half Brazilian ancestryr) is an award-winning fantasy writer who has been avoiding his post-sophomore-effort-writers' block by partying and making bad romantic decisions. His agent is giving him one last chance to get over himself and sit his butt in the chair and write, by arranging for him to adjunct as a visiting professor at a small college in rural Wisconsin. His romantic interest, Jacob, is a white bookseller who fan-worships not Rasul himself, but Rasul's two novels, the first of which served as a respite and talisman for him after the death of his parents in a car accident. Jacob veers between believing Neil Gaiman's advice that meeting your idols is a big mistake and being overwhelmed and blown away by the dynamic Rasul. Growing tired of being known in his friend group (which includes all of the protagonists from Cullinan's previous medical Copper Point series) as the steady, reliable one, Jacob agrees to Rasul's proposal to fake date to ward off a persistent ex and her social media fans. But the lines between fake and real, idol and human being, blur almost from the start. Opposites in personality, but spiritual twins in backstory (both have abandonment issues), Rasul and Jacob make a sweet couple.
Had to cringe when Cullinan talked about receiving fan mail from people who pointed out errors in his books and offered to be his proofreader.
Had to cringe when Cullinan talked about receiving fan mail from people who pointed out errors in his books and offered to be his proofreader.
December 13, 2021
Loved loved loved this book! Usually I don’t have much patience for a ‘story within the story’ device but this one *really* worked because it so perfectly expressed how a writer might experience falling in love.
The imagery was beautiful and I loved getting to see both points of view. These characters were so different from each other, and complex, and the story showed that in the spaces they created and how they treated each other. I loved that their interaction was sort of ‘actions speak louder than words’: not relying on dramatic confrontations to move forward but showing how they both put a lot of focus and intention into the relationship.
I also really appreciate the social media storyline and discussion. In fact I’m just now realizing the literary plot and social media plot are sort of flip sides of the same coin which is so interesting to think about how imaginary worlds can be both wonderful and awful. (and…so meta to be writing a review of this on social media? I kind of hope the author doesn’t read these reviews!)
Anyway this book really carried me away and left me feeling thoughtful and fascinated and happy. I think I’ll go read the whole thing again.
The imagery was beautiful and I loved getting to see both points of view. These characters were so different from each other, and complex, and the story showed that in the spaces they created and how they treated each other. I loved that their interaction was sort of ‘actions speak louder than words’: not relying on dramatic confrontations to move forward but showing how they both put a lot of focus and intention into the relationship.
I also really appreciate the social media storyline and discussion. In fact I’m just now realizing the literary plot and social media plot are sort of flip sides of the same coin which is so interesting to think about how imaginary worlds can be both wonderful and awful. (and…so meta to be writing a review of this on social media? I kind of hope the author doesn’t read these reviews!)
Anyway this book really carried me away and left me feeling thoughtful and fascinated and happy. I think I’ll go read the whole thing again.
February 6, 2021
Summary - It's an ok book. I'd recommend you wait for a sale to buy it. Re-read Nowhere Ranch while you're waiting. A repressed, traumatized bookseller meets the author of his dreams. Shenanigans ensue. True love wins in the end.
Pros - Copper Point is a fun place to visit. The characters are emotionally engaging. Bad Cullinan is still better than many author's best efforts.
Cons - All the previous Copper Point characters do drive by visits which are so quick I nearly got whiplash. The bad guys in this story never appear in person. They're always off page and/or out of town. It would have been much more fun to hate them in person. Lastly, the author goes on a huge explanatory rant about how social media works and how harmful it can be. She's not wrong, but it's so much better to show the reader through a story than it is to read a lecture.
Pros - Copper Point is a fun place to visit. The characters are emotionally engaging. Bad Cullinan is still better than many author's best efforts.
Cons - All the previous Copper Point characters do drive by visits which are so quick I nearly got whiplash. The bad guys in this story never appear in person. They're always off page and/or out of town. It would have been much more fun to hate them in person. Lastly, the author goes on a huge explanatory rant about how social media works and how harmful it can be. She's not wrong, but it's so much better to show the reader through a story than it is to read a lecture.
March 31, 2025
I really, really tried. I couldn't get into this book, and the romance felt lackluster to me. It felt like the whole thing was about Rasul's issues and feelings of exclusion or alienation from this or that, even if I had no clue why he wanted to be a part of something that wasn't even relevant for him (maybe it's the famous person thing thinking he's missing out?). And frankly neither main character was interesting enough to me for that to be engrossing. Jacob felt like an afterthought and read like one too, to me. I wouldn't call him the second main character, more of a side character love interest, for all he has POV chapters. But that didn't bother me a ton because he was also lackluster.
I'm very sad about this because this sounded like a fantastic read. Unfortunately, it's definitely not for me.
I'm very sad about this because this sounded like a fantastic read. Unfortunately, it's definitely not for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 1, 2021
I didn't realize this book was a spinoff from another series when I started it. I really don't like finding myself in the middle of a continuing story, and having characters referenced from other books that I am unfamiliar with. I might not have read this book if I'd known it was a spinoff.
I did like the MCs, Jacob and Rasul. There was potential for them to have great chemistry, but when they finally did hook up, it was a let down. I know this author is capable of writing raunchy sex scenes, and don't understand why she chose to keep their intimacy mostly off the page.
I liked the parts of the book that focused on Rasul writing his novel, and how Jacob inspired his creativity. What I didn't like, was how much of the book focused on social media battles related to Rasul and his ex-girlfriend. I could have done without all of that drama.
I think this book has a great premise, but that it didn't live up to it's potential. And that definitely had to do with it focusing too much on unnecessary subplots. It was enjoyable enough for me to finish though, and I would be willing to read this author again.
I did like the MCs, Jacob and Rasul. There was potential for them to have great chemistry, but when they finally did hook up, it was a let down. I know this author is capable of writing raunchy sex scenes, and don't understand why she chose to keep their intimacy mostly off the page.
I liked the parts of the book that focused on Rasul writing his novel, and how Jacob inspired his creativity. What I didn't like, was how much of the book focused on social media battles related to Rasul and his ex-girlfriend. I could have done without all of that drama.
I think this book has a great premise, but that it didn't live up to it's potential. And that definitely had to do with it focusing too much on unnecessary subplots. It was enjoyable enough for me to finish though, and I would be willing to read this author again.
August 16, 2021
I LOVE IT
It took me two reads, most especially the last part because I didn’t want it to end😢. Our main MCs, especially our main character, is the baddest of them all is Rasul Youssef! I’m glad though that he isn’t perfect, in fact he is flawed (just maybe like the rest of us in real life). This character is my favorite because I can relate to him. Our next MC is Jacob, you’ll love him too because he’s a gentle soul and you’ll meet his 3 lovely cats!!! The unsavory villains in this book are the ones you’ll really love to hate. It is because they exist in real life as well, who knows maybe I find myself in them too. The other supporting characters here are great as well! You won’t regret picking up this book at all.
It took me two reads, most especially the last part because I didn’t want it to end😢. Our main MCs, especially our main character, is the baddest of them all is Rasul Youssef! I’m glad though that he isn’t perfect, in fact he is flawed (just maybe like the rest of us in real life). This character is my favorite because I can relate to him. Our next MC is Jacob, you’ll love him too because he’s a gentle soul and you’ll meet his 3 lovely cats!!! The unsavory villains in this book are the ones you’ll really love to hate. It is because they exist in real life as well, who knows maybe I find myself in them too. The other supporting characters here are great as well! You won’t regret picking up this book at all.
January 20, 2021
3.5 stars
A good book that, for some reason, didn't pull me in as much as the others about Copper Point did. I wasn't able to form a clear mental picture of anyone, for some reason. Perhaps it was just me. I will definitely reread at some point and will see if I do better.
A couple of obvious and surprising typos missed, e.g.
(...when a rough and shaky voice shouting his name his name into a mic....).
All that said, it was an interesting glimpse into the world of an author and publishing. The internal and external angst coupled with exhilaration, depression, and exhaustion.
A good book that, for some reason, didn't pull me in as much as the others about Copper Point did. I wasn't able to form a clear mental picture of anyone, for some reason. Perhaps it was just me. I will definitely reread at some point and will see if I do better.
A couple of obvious and surprising typos missed, e.g.
(...when a rough and shaky voice shouting his name his name into a mic....).
All that said, it was an interesting glimpse into the world of an author and publishing. The internal and external angst coupled with exhilaration, depression, and exhaustion.
February 12, 2021
I loved the author's Copper Point Medical series so I was really excited when I saw that this book would be released, yay more Copper Point!
I really liked that we got to catch up with previous MC's and met some new characters that will hopefully have their own HEA. I wish I could say more positive things for this book but I felt the story fell a bit flat. Both characters were likeable individually but the MC's romance/connection took a back seat at times, it was hard to connect with them as a couple.
I also felt the election drama was very formulaic if you had read the previous series, it followed a VERY similar and predictable pattern.
I really liked that we got to catch up with previous MC's and met some new characters that will hopefully have their own HEA. I wish I could say more positive things for this book but I felt the story fell a bit flat. Both characters were likeable individually but the MC's romance/connection took a back seat at times, it was hard to connect with them as a couple.
I also felt the election drama was very formulaic if you had read the previous series, it followed a VERY similar and predictable pattern.
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