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Shadowboxing
A late night, a dark alleyway, a cry for help—and two unlikely men see a chance to reach for love.
Roy is a boxer, a lifelong loner who prefers to express himself with his fists. His stutter and his troubled past have left him nearly silent. When he stumbles across three drunks trying to steal a young man’s wheelchair, he sees a chance to make his mark. But once the adrenaline rush has faded, he finds that it’s the bright-eyed man in the wheelchair that he can’t forget.
Asher is sweet, playful, and nerdy—but often rejected in love because of his disability, cerebral palsy. He’s equal parts intrigued and intimidated by the taciturn vigilante who came to his rescue. But the way Roy looks at him makes him think that they might have more in common than meets the eye.
As their chance encounter grows into a tender connection, Asher and Roy discover that the closer they get, the more they’ll have to reckon with the unspoken pain that each carries with him. Will they be able to bridge the differences that drew them together in the first place?
Shadowboxing is a sweet, standalone M/M romance with a few steamy scenes.
Roy is a boxer, a lifelong loner who prefers to express himself with his fists. His stutter and his troubled past have left him nearly silent. When he stumbles across three drunks trying to steal a young man’s wheelchair, he sees a chance to make his mark. But once the adrenaline rush has faded, he finds that it’s the bright-eyed man in the wheelchair that he can’t forget.
Asher is sweet, playful, and nerdy—but often rejected in love because of his disability, cerebral palsy. He’s equal parts intrigued and intimidated by the taciturn vigilante who came to his rescue. But the way Roy looks at him makes him think that they might have more in common than meets the eye.
As their chance encounter grows into a tender connection, Asher and Roy discover that the closer they get, the more they’ll have to reckon with the unspoken pain that each carries with him. Will they be able to bridge the differences that drew them together in the first place?
Shadowboxing is a sweet, standalone M/M romance with a few steamy scenes.
144 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 21, 2021
25 people are currently reading
173 people want to read
About the author
Rowan Mai
2 books14 followersRowan Mai is a writer and artist based in New England. She loves both contemporary and historical fiction driven by soulful characters and a strong sense of place. Outside of books and art, she enjoys gardening, bookbinding, and ‘80s music.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
September 25, 2022
Maybe four and a half stars, because I would have loved a more expansive approach to some of the narrative (WHAT DID THEY DO ABOUT THANKSGIVING DINNER FINALLY?????), but TBH "Shadowboxing" made me so happy that I feel like a grump saying that.
Full disclosure, I hesitated even to get the sample, because I anticipated a cheesefest with a Perfectly Competent Disabled Person and many lessons about how disabled people are just the most heroic and the best and the only problems disabled people face are those imposed by an ableist society blah blah blah, which is just stupid if you think for five seconds about what living with chronic pain is like. But yay, I fell head over heels for Asher just as Roy does in the novella. (Roy's not too shabby either, but it was Asher's characterization I was more skeptical about, going in.)
And ... it's a little delicate to say this, I suppose, but if you have any doubts about being persuaded that Roy is hot for Asher, feel free to throw caution to the winds. For me, this was one of the most impressive aspects of the book -- never mind believing that Asher has an active sex drive, because that's baseline for most people so it wasn't any kind of stretch, but I was 1000% convinced that Roy found him desirable, including the features of Asher's body that most people would likely find challenging, at best, and which the narrative doesn't shy away from. I don't mean here that people with visible disabilities are inherently undesirable, but general standards of sexual attractiveness are what they are, and it's really impressive to find a writer who can send you flying right past those ideas and into heck-yeah-I-would-hit-that territory. Asher is funny and self-doubting and traumatized by the events which which the book opens; he's smart as hell and he has beautiful eyes and pretty skin and can talk a mile a minute and all in all is a million times hotter than any standard-issue romance protag with perfectly sculpted abs etc.
Late addendum: This book has become one of my favorite comfort reads.
Full disclosure, I hesitated even to get the sample, because I anticipated a cheesefest with a Perfectly Competent Disabled Person and many lessons about how disabled people are just the most heroic and the best and the only problems disabled people face are those imposed by an ableist society blah blah blah, which is just stupid if you think for five seconds about what living with chronic pain is like. But yay, I fell head over heels for Asher just as Roy does in the novella. (Roy's not too shabby either, but it was Asher's characterization I was more skeptical about, going in.)
And ... it's a little delicate to say this, I suppose, but if you have any doubts about being persuaded that Roy is hot for Asher, feel free to throw caution to the winds. For me, this was one of the most impressive aspects of the book -- never mind believing that Asher has an active sex drive, because that's baseline for most people so it wasn't any kind of stretch, but I was 1000% convinced that Roy found him desirable, including the features of Asher's body that most people would likely find challenging, at best, and which the narrative doesn't shy away from. I don't mean here that people with visible disabilities are inherently undesirable, but general standards of sexual attractiveness are what they are, and it's really impressive to find a writer who can send you flying right past those ideas and into heck-yeah-I-would-hit-that territory. Asher is funny and self-doubting and traumatized by the events which which the book opens; he's smart as hell and he has beautiful eyes and pretty skin and can talk a mile a minute and all in all is a million times hotter than any standard-issue romance protag with perfectly sculpted abs etc.
Late addendum: This book has become one of my favorite comfort reads.
September 8, 2024
Really beautiful, really slice-of-life. The characterizations and chemistry and pace were all fantastic, and just right (the end went on a tiiiiny bit too long for me but then the very last scene was perfect, which made up for it).
I liked the authenticity of it all, especially/including the aftermath of being the victim of a crime. Sometimes if you’re reading a romance you (I) kind of expect that the romantic plot, and the effect of that plot on the characters, will be stronger and more developed than any of the other plots. That’s not something you have to worry about here.
I do have a couple nitpicks about the legal stuff - there’s a moment with a clerk, and then the prosecutor’s borderline-rude response to him, that just would never happen, and although they kept talking about “the arraignment” I think it’s clear based on context that this would have been a negotiated plea deal ahead of time, so even if the arraignment were taking place then (and totally realistic that it would), Asher and Roy would have known beforehand that the defendants were expected to plead guilty. But I get that referring to it only as an arraignment built a little more dramatic tension.
But in general I really liked the level of detail Mai gave to the story - just enough, in the right ways, but with extraneous stuff left out. It kept the book at this balance between realism and fairy tale that was unexpected, and sweet.
I liked the authenticity of it all, especially/including the aftermath of being the victim of a crime. Sometimes if you’re reading a romance you (I) kind of expect that the romantic plot, and the effect of that plot on the characters, will be stronger and more developed than any of the other plots. That’s not something you have to worry about here.
I do have a couple nitpicks about the legal stuff - there’s a moment with a clerk, and then the prosecutor’s borderline-rude response to him, that just would never happen, and although they kept talking about “the arraignment” I think it’s clear based on context that this would have been a negotiated plea deal ahead of time, so even if the arraignment were taking place then (and totally realistic that it would), Asher and Roy would have known beforehand that the defendants were expected to plead guilty. But I get that referring to it only as an arraignment built a little more dramatic tension.
But in general I really liked the level of detail Mai gave to the story - just enough, in the right ways, but with extraneous stuff left out. It kept the book at this balance between realism and fairy tale that was unexpected, and sweet.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 12, 2024
Very good. I think this is the first M/M novel I’ve read with a main character with this type of disability. (Are learning and sensory disabilities actually more represented in the genre, or is it just my own selection bias?)
The writing was good both on a sentence level and a not too much, not too little level of detail, though when I noticed rhythm it was not always pleasing, and there was one very definite “well you know what I mean” moment to which my answer was absolutely, “No, I have no fucking idea what you mean, please spell it out.”
One weakness, to my mind, in the writing is that some of the disability and trauma discussions felt a little too much like “therapy speak” or “scenes from the discourse” and thus not really natural. I think I could accept characters falling back to that sort of language in circumstances where they clearly lack experience with the topic, but I’d need it to be clear that’s what’s happening.
If any aspect of the story could be said to have failed for me, it’s that the little sliver of backstory we got for Roy felt insufficient to explain why he was the way he was. There was a constant sense of something more, something big lurking in the background. Even after we got what we got, I was expecting more, and when I noticed I was at 79% in the book and no further reveals had happened, I was a bit puzzled.
But aside from that, in terms of the characters and the relationship arc, and where the author chose to leave things, I’m quite liked it.
The writing was good both on a sentence level and a not too much, not too little level of detail, though when I noticed rhythm it was not always pleasing, and there was one very definite “well you know what I mean” moment to which my answer was absolutely, “No, I have no fucking idea what you mean, please spell it out.”
One weakness, to my mind, in the writing is that some of the disability and trauma discussions felt a little too much like “therapy speak” or “scenes from the discourse” and thus not really natural. I think I could accept characters falling back to that sort of language in circumstances where they clearly lack experience with the topic, but I’d need it to be clear that’s what’s happening.
If any aspect of the story could be said to have failed for me, it’s that the little sliver of backstory we got for Roy felt insufficient to explain why he was the way he was. There was a constant sense of something more, something big lurking in the background. Even after we got what we got, I was expecting more, and when I noticed I was at 79% in the book and no further reveals had happened, I was a bit puzzled.
But aside from that, in terms of the characters and the relationship arc, and where the author chose to leave things, I’m quite liked it.
February 6, 2021
As a person who has a disability I like to read stories that have disabled people in them and this has to be one of the best that I have read in a long time. As much as society has made great progress in attitudes towards people who are different there will always be the feeling that is so eloquently made in this book that we are “other” and “not normal”. This beautiful story ultimately makes the point that we are all that way, just in different ways. I could keep gushing about this book for a long time as I absolutely loved it but I will just say that if you want to read a realistic and very enjoyable love story between two men irrespective of their abilities then I highly recommend this book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 28, 2023
Great characters and wonderful disability rep but...
The narrative didn't flow that well, the POV shifts were too abrupt for comfort and, despite the short page count, the story dragged in the middle.
The narrative didn't flow that well, the POV shifts were too abrupt for comfort and, despite the short page count, the story dragged in the middle.
February 3, 2023
4.5 stars
I really enjoyed this! I can't speak on the accuracy of the disability rep in this, but it felt like there was care and complexity brought into both characters. They were both fully fledged humans with backgrounds, personalities, and chemistry, who also happened to have disabilities. I also like that they didn't flinch away from showing the actual realities of having cerebral palsy, and there weren't any rose-tinted glasses or glossing over the realities of chronic pain, muscle spazzing, etc. I also really appreciated how there was some space discussing being in a relationship with someone who is nonverbal a lot of the time. I can't speak on the accuracy of the internalized ableism or if the mark was missed.
I love seeing romances with supportive and caring parents. I also really liked how after they were together for a bit and started feeling comfortable around one another, there was another shift into their relationship dynamics. One MC started to apologize less and stop trying to make himself small to appease everyone else, and started setting boundaries and being frustrated, and I really liked the realism of that. There wasn't ever a doubt that these two weren't head over heels enamored with one another, I loved it.
I do wish there was more boxing, lol. But that isn't really the point of this story, I know. I also wasn't sure why they shied away from just openly talking about STDS and HIV. It felt like a taboo topic to discuss, even though it shouldn't be, and they were open and communicative with literally everything else. Vibes were a bit off on that whole sexual backstory.
CWs for assault, ableism, recounting childhood bullying, some violence.
I really enjoyed this! I can't speak on the accuracy of the disability rep in this, but it felt like there was care and complexity brought into both characters. They were both fully fledged humans with backgrounds, personalities, and chemistry, who also happened to have disabilities. I also like that they didn't flinch away from showing the actual realities of having cerebral palsy, and there weren't any rose-tinted glasses or glossing over the realities of chronic pain, muscle spazzing, etc. I also really appreciated how there was some space discussing being in a relationship with someone who is nonverbal a lot of the time. I can't speak on the accuracy of the internalized ableism or if the mark was missed.
I love seeing romances with supportive and caring parents. I also really liked how after they were together for a bit and started feeling comfortable around one another, there was another shift into their relationship dynamics. One MC started to apologize less and stop trying to make himself small to appease everyone else, and started setting boundaries and being frustrated, and I really liked the realism of that. There wasn't ever a doubt that these two weren't head over heels enamored with one another, I loved it.
I do wish there was more boxing, lol. But that isn't really the point of this story, I know. I also wasn't sure why they shied away from just openly talking about STDS and HIV. It felt like a taboo topic to discuss, even though it shouldn't be, and they were open and communicative with literally everything else. Vibes were a bit off on that whole sexual backstory.
CWs for assault, ableism, recounting childhood bullying, some violence.
May 18, 2022
I went in blind without even reading the blurb, so was pleased that I quite liked this.
The story was interesting, the characters were well fleshed out.
I was pleasantly surprised when I realized I was at the end of the book, as I find it’s becoming more and more common that authors draw stories out longer that they need to, determined to tie everything up in a neat little bow. This story ended where and how I wish more would.
I do think maybe the sensitivity of some things may be questionable…. but those things are not my place to say, as I don’t have CP, I don’t have a speech impediment, I’m mostly able bodied, etc.
The only reason I didn’t give this 5 stars is because, while I found each character was really well defined, the voices of their respective POVs read nearly identical. The author didn’t use headers to indicate the POV switch (which I appreciate), but it wasn’t always immediately obviously if it was Asher or Roy narrating.
The story was interesting, the characters were well fleshed out.
I was pleasantly surprised when I realized I was at the end of the book, as I find it’s becoming more and more common that authors draw stories out longer that they need to, determined to tie everything up in a neat little bow. This story ended where and how I wish more would.
I do think maybe the sensitivity of some things may be questionable…. but those things are not my place to say, as I don’t have CP, I don’t have a speech impediment, I’m mostly able bodied, etc.
The only reason I didn’t give this 5 stars is because, while I found each character was really well defined, the voices of their respective POVs read nearly identical. The author didn’t use headers to indicate the POV switch (which I appreciate), but it wasn’t always immediately obviously if it was Asher or Roy narrating.
May 11, 2022
4/5. Highlights may contain spoilers. Read at your own risk.
House of Obscure Reviews
Content Warnings for book: Ableism, discussions of homophobia
Kink: N/A, mostly FTB
This book is still a personal 5/5, in that I do not think it’s actually a perfect book, but it both held a lot of emotion for me and much of it I enjoyed the way certain topics were handled and addressed between the two MCs.
As a note: I am able-bodied and I do not have a stutter. I cannot say whether or not the cerebral palsy rep was actually true to life nor the stutter, but it did seem like the author put care into some aspects of Asher’s life. Roy is also low verbal and I enjoyed how that was discussed about, because as an autistic person I do know what it feels like to be low verbal or nonverbal. Mai doesn’t cover how sex and intimacy work for these two in depth, and perhaps questions about bathrooms and whatnot. I don’t know if this was because they didn’t want to address it or because maybe, it doesn’t matter for the context of the story. YMMV.
I loved Asher’s personality. I also liked how it was handled how Asher projected himself— and then the work later on that he needed to do, which did include discussions about therapy, about emotions, and things like that. I like that he struggled to communicate sometimes even though he was talkative because of how he masked some issues. Conversely, I enjoyed how Roy was able to soothe him, though we still see how Roy struggled too. That idea of ‘performance’ and worry about disappointment. The way these two communicated, for me, felt real and raw. Their interior thoughts and connections felt tangible and enjoyable. Absolutely this is on the instalovey side however, so you may not enjoy that aspect.
Some criticisms: there was a discussion about STDs, and the way a reference to HIV was handled was poor. There is internalized ableism on both sides for these characters and while that may be realistic, Asher often saw his body as “wrong” and “deformed” compared to Roy’s, and not much was done on page to push that back. Roy has some anger issues and we don’t really see that addressed (although he doesn’t express anger towards Asher). The sexualization of Asher’s spasms, in the context of sexual situations, is… an interesting one. I’m not sure how I felt about that.
Overall, I’m giving this a 4/5 because the criticisms I mentioned do have some weight to all of the impact of this book. However, I really enjoyed the writing and the feelings I had surrounding it. I do recommend this read and I hope this author writes more.
House of Obscure Reviews
Content Warnings for book: Ableism, discussions of homophobia
Kink: N/A, mostly FTB
This book is still a personal 5/5, in that I do not think it’s actually a perfect book, but it both held a lot of emotion for me and much of it I enjoyed the way certain topics were handled and addressed between the two MCs.
As a note: I am able-bodied and I do not have a stutter. I cannot say whether or not the cerebral palsy rep was actually true to life nor the stutter, but it did seem like the author put care into some aspects of Asher’s life. Roy is also low verbal and I enjoyed how that was discussed about, because as an autistic person I do know what it feels like to be low verbal or nonverbal. Mai doesn’t cover how sex and intimacy work for these two in depth, and perhaps questions about bathrooms and whatnot. I don’t know if this was because they didn’t want to address it or because maybe, it doesn’t matter for the context of the story. YMMV.
I loved Asher’s personality. I also liked how it was handled how Asher projected himself— and then the work later on that he needed to do, which did include discussions about therapy, about emotions, and things like that. I like that he struggled to communicate sometimes even though he was talkative because of how he masked some issues. Conversely, I enjoyed how Roy was able to soothe him, though we still see how Roy struggled too. That idea of ‘performance’ and worry about disappointment. The way these two communicated, for me, felt real and raw. Their interior thoughts and connections felt tangible and enjoyable. Absolutely this is on the instalovey side however, so you may not enjoy that aspect.
Some criticisms: there was a discussion about STDs, and the way a reference to HIV was handled was poor. There is internalized ableism on both sides for these characters and while that may be realistic, Asher often saw his body as “wrong” and “deformed” compared to Roy’s, and not much was done on page to push that back. Roy has some anger issues and we don’t really see that addressed (although he doesn’t express anger towards Asher). The sexualization of Asher’s spasms, in the context of sexual situations, is… an interesting one. I’m not sure how I felt about that.
Overall, I’m giving this a 4/5 because the criticisms I mentioned do have some weight to all of the impact of this book. However, I really enjoyed the writing and the feelings I had surrounding it. I do recommend this read and I hope this author writes more.
February 26, 2025
I guess I should find the ending of this book to be somewhat poetic but I don’t because I fear this may just be the first time I’m not actually be sure if I have just fully consumed a love story. Like there’s love? But it’s so technical. And not because of the disability representation more like because of the lack of proper communication from author to reader through writing.
These two were going through a lot of changes and re-invention throughout their relationship (the author even stated it in one POV with something like “it felt like we had started our relationship all over again so many times”) but I couldn’t help but feel out of the loop with that. Communication was stated, but it wasn’t shown to me. I didn’t feel included in the process so it all left me feeling very confused, somewhat detached and very annoyed.
These two were going through a lot of changes and re-invention throughout their relationship (the author even stated it in one POV with something like “it felt like we had started our relationship all over again so many times”) but I couldn’t help but feel out of the loop with that. Communication was stated, but it wasn’t shown to me. I didn’t feel included in the process so it all left me feeling very confused, somewhat detached and very annoyed.
July 4, 2022
4.5/5 stars. One man stops an assault on another. I enjoyed this just as much on my second read and it remains on my shortlist of romance books with good disability representation. In this book, one character has cerebral palsy and the other has a stutter.
I can’t speak to whether Asher’s cerebral palsy or Roy’s stutter were accurately portrayed, but the portrayal seemed respectful and nuanced, and the author captures a lot of the complexities around disability. Disability wasn’t treated as an obstacle to be overcome or as something to inspire able-bodied readers, and in general this book felt like it centered disabled perspectives. Although Asher’s disability is always present and affects every scene to one extent or another (reflecting how disability cannot be separated from how one experiences the world), his disability isn’t presented as his personality or as a key factor in Roy’s interest.
I liked that Roy’s stutter didn’t magically go away as soon as he got comfortable with Asher, which is an approach I’ve seen other books take. Although speech impediments can be affected by things like emotional state, authors often introduce disabilities that can be easily disregarded as soon as they have any impact on how you might write the romance. So I appreciated that in this book, we see Asher learning how to accommodate Roy and how their differences in speech processing affect their communication.
This book ends with a HFN and leaves open a lot of questions about the characters’ future together, but I found the ending satisfying because the book so successfully conveys those early relationship feelings and what it’s like to get to the point with someone where you’re sure you want a long-term commitment and you’ve established enough trust to commit to working through your differences instead of parting ways. Getting to that point is noteworthy in and of itself, especially for those who, like these characters, haven’t successfully made similar connections in the past. By stopping so early in the relationship, this book focuses on the effect it will undoubtedly have on the characters to make it this far, regardless of whether they stay together forever or eventually break up.
I can’t speak to whether Asher’s cerebral palsy or Roy’s stutter were accurately portrayed, but the portrayal seemed respectful and nuanced, and the author captures a lot of the complexities around disability. Disability wasn’t treated as an obstacle to be overcome or as something to inspire able-bodied readers, and in general this book felt like it centered disabled perspectives. Although Asher’s disability is always present and affects every scene to one extent or another (reflecting how disability cannot be separated from how one experiences the world), his disability isn’t presented as his personality or as a key factor in Roy’s interest.
I liked that Roy’s stutter didn’t magically go away as soon as he got comfortable with Asher, which is an approach I’ve seen other books take. Although speech impediments can be affected by things like emotional state, authors often introduce disabilities that can be easily disregarded as soon as they have any impact on how you might write the romance. So I appreciated that in this book, we see Asher learning how to accommodate Roy and how their differences in speech processing affect their communication.
This book ends with a HFN and leaves open a lot of questions about the characters’ future together, but I found the ending satisfying because the book so successfully conveys those early relationship feelings and what it’s like to get to the point with someone where you’re sure you want a long-term commitment and you’ve established enough trust to commit to working through your differences instead of parting ways. Getting to that point is noteworthy in and of itself, especially for those who, like these characters, haven’t successfully made similar connections in the past. By stopping so early in the relationship, this book focuses on the effect it will undoubtedly have on the characters to make it this far, regardless of whether they stay together forever or eventually break up.
January 19, 2022
This book was both sweet and sad. There is a young guy in this story named Asher who has cerebral palsy (CP).
One night in a dark alleyway some guys are trying to take Asher out of his wheelchair so they can steal his wheelchair. That is when you get to meet a guy named Roy. He is a big, tough guy. He works outdoors for a living and he is also a boxer. When Asher is getting attacked Roy comes to rescue Asher. Asher and Roy have an attraction towards one another. You learn that Roy has a speech impediment and he has been through some things in his life.
It was wonderful to read a book like this. Roy was really sweet and loving to Asher throughout the book. Asher was also loving to Roy. I loved reading their story. It was sad to read how Asher lived with his illness of CP. I have never read a book like this one.
One night in a dark alleyway some guys are trying to take Asher out of his wheelchair so they can steal his wheelchair. That is when you get to meet a guy named Roy. He is a big, tough guy. He works outdoors for a living and he is also a boxer. When Asher is getting attacked Roy comes to rescue Asher. Asher and Roy have an attraction towards one another. You learn that Roy has a speech impediment and he has been through some things in his life.
It was wonderful to read a book like this. Roy was really sweet and loving to Asher throughout the book. Asher was also loving to Roy. I loved reading their story. It was sad to read how Asher lived with his illness of CP. I have never read a book like this one.
February 1, 2021
This is a sweet love story between Roy and Asher. Both men have a disability .. Roy has a stuttering problem and Asher has Cerebral palsy .. together they find the acceptance and love they both craved. The author does a great job developing the story and brings a ton of emotions along with the steamy romance. She moves the story fluidly with her detailed writing and vividly painted scenes. It's a heartwarming love story and I enjoyed reading.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own and freely given.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own and freely given.
February 7, 2021
Asher and Roy were two men in need of repair and though they meet when Roy comes to Asher's rescue in some ways it was a chance for Roy to be rescued as well. This was an intense touching story. I am glad I got to read it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
dnf-for-now-may-finish-later
August 17, 2023Going to DNF this at 74%. I reallly wanted to like and finish this book but could not finish the last quarter. There were so many misused words, long-ish time jumps and there is no demarcation when a character switch is happening. This is a dual 1st person pov but the author does not use anything to show when the characters change and whose view we’re getting. I also was not in the mood for the lets fight the patriarchy narrative. I am a super liberal person but there were just things peppered through to get a rise I felt like. Like commenting on a man being the patriarch. And a government building having a flag on top of it. Like I get it and I am all about protecting peoples rights and saying eff you you people who have a problem with it but I read to escape reality. I liked the disability rep of both characters but felt like it could’ve been fleshed out in a way where big things weren’t glossed over. Idk just wasn’t feeling this book after the first half and it felt meh and like the relationship was just stuck. Roy needed therapy to help combat his views around sex, etc.
Read
March 25, 2024No rating - This had me up until about 50%. The disability representation was amazing but unfortunately I just felt like the plot was not fully there? It was very Asher focused and I felt like Roy's struggles didn't have the same amount of page time so they felt a bit out of place. I would read something by this author again though!
September 20, 2024
Liked but didn’t love.
Solid crip rep; weak romance
oblique back stories.
3.5 rounded up
Solid crip rep; weak romance
oblique back stories.
3.5 rounded up
February 11, 2021
Asher and Roy meet by chance when Roy steps in to save Asher from attackers in a dark alley late at night. The two could not be more different. Roy is big and powerful, a landscaper by day, and an amateur boxer in his spare time, but a severe stammer and social anxiety keep him from connecting with people. Asher is a self-described "hyperanalytic chatterbox," sweet and outgoing, but passed over for dates because of his CP. Out of this unlikely meeting, the sweetest romance starts to bloom, but Asher is a bit too quick to put the attack behind him and pretend it never happened.
This is a lovely, deeply satisfying romance between two outsiders who are not the typical m-m characters. I love how well-adjusted Asher is, never slipping into self-pity or cliches about feeling inadequate. I also love that he has a best friend who also has CP. It's so rare to find depictions of characters with disabilities who exist in a community, and a supportive community at that. Asher and Roy are both such real, sympathetic characters. It's so touching to watch Asher gently pull Roy out of his shell, and Roy help Asher process the trauma of his attack in a realistic way.
Despite the topic, this is not an angsty or melodramatic read. The writing is sparklingly vivid and poetic, delivered with the lightest touch. I'm looking forward to reading more from Rowan Mai.
This is a lovely, deeply satisfying romance between two outsiders who are not the typical m-m characters. I love how well-adjusted Asher is, never slipping into self-pity or cliches about feeling inadequate. I also love that he has a best friend who also has CP. It's so rare to find depictions of characters with disabilities who exist in a community, and a supportive community at that. Asher and Roy are both such real, sympathetic characters. It's so touching to watch Asher gently pull Roy out of his shell, and Roy help Asher process the trauma of his attack in a realistic way.
Despite the topic, this is not an angsty or melodramatic read. The writing is sparklingly vivid and poetic, delivered with the lightest touch. I'm looking forward to reading more from Rowan Mai.
February 8, 2021
Wheelchair jacking, is a whole new level of low. Roy, was out one night and came upon a scent that offended his moral compass. Three men were attacking a man in a wheelchair. Roy, welcomed the excuse to release some aggression. Asher, had Cereberal Palsey and was fiercely independent. He had only recently, in the last few years moved out of his parents' house. They were 100% supportive of his independence. He had nightmares, from his trauma, but he was coping. Roy, made his interest known, but he didn't push. Asher, was content with his new friend and appreciative of the respect and care Roy showed him. Will their friendship progress? Will Asher's CP, deter Roy's going further? Is Asher bothered by Roy's stuttering? Nice story. It is a good window into the mindset of a person with CP and the determination and energy it takes to cope every day. It is good watching how Roy works through his stuttering. Well done. The author did an excellent job painting a picture of these men. I would like to hear more about these men. Excellent story! I received an ARC from Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 18, 2023
This was a really sweet and comforting book. I did DNF it at 64% but I'm pretty sure that's just bc I suck.
I felt like there was maybe some subtext I was missing throughout the book that I just didn't have the mental energy to decode. But I really loved how the author wrote in general. I settle for some of the doggiest writing sometimes so this was nice.
It felt very real. Like every character felt like an actual person????? I know super crazy...
somebody did say "ohmahgawd" at some point and that was upsetting but I moved past it bc we all make mistakes and at least it's not dancing through a supermarket playing 'Happy' on a speaker. iykyk.
I felt like there was maybe some subtext I was missing throughout the book that I just didn't have the mental energy to decode. But I really loved how the author wrote in general. I settle for some of the doggiest writing sometimes so this was nice.
It felt very real. Like every character felt like an actual person????? I know super crazy...
somebody did say "ohmahgawd" at some point and that was upsetting but I moved past it bc we all make mistakes and at least it's not dancing through a supermarket playing 'Happy' on a speaker. iykyk.
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January 12, 2023dnf at 52%, just not feeling it and can't bear the thought of 70 more pages.
July 10, 2025
4.5 stars
I didn't love this quite as much as The Walled Garden but it was still excellent and I hope this author puts out more work!
I didn't love this quite as much as The Walled Garden but it was still excellent and I hope this author puts out more work!
November 27, 2025
4.5 stars
it was pretty good
it was pretty good
December 11, 2025
I don’t really know what I think
November 13, 2022
4.5 stars - This was my 'read a book recommended by a compatibility buddy' book, and this was recced by Bizzy - thank you! It was such a lovely and tender book about two people thrown together by circumstance and that ends up being maybe the most important relationship of their lives. It's both deep and spare, giving us clear insights into who Asher and Roy are without overembellishing. Asher's disability is described with a sort of offhand reverence; we can totally understand why Roy sees him as precious and beautiful. We flip between their perspectives, but their voices are very distinct, so it was seamless. I recommend this wholeheartedly, and fervently hope the author graces us with something else. A gem of a novella that I'm sure I'll return to.
January 31, 2022
3 stars
I very much enjoyed reading about MCs that find happiness in spite of struggling with physical or mental disabilities. These MCs have this strength about them—whether physical, mental, or emotional—that often compensates for whatever’s lacking. I admire this. This book portrays a lot of that.
Asher has Cerebral Palsy. I loved him. He’s so positive despite the many obstacles he has.
Roy is quiet and has a speech impediment. His character is more of a mystery. I liked him. We learn a little about his past, but I feel that a lot about his story was lacking. I wanted a lot more info about him because there are questions that aren’t answered.
This story ends abruptly with a HFN and a hint of the future. It was worth the read, but fell flat in many places.
I very much enjoyed reading about MCs that find happiness in spite of struggling with physical or mental disabilities. These MCs have this strength about them—whether physical, mental, or emotional—that often compensates for whatever’s lacking. I admire this. This book portrays a lot of that.
Asher has Cerebral Palsy. I loved him. He’s so positive despite the many obstacles he has.
Roy is quiet and has a speech impediment. His character is more of a mystery. I liked him. We learn a little about his past, but I feel that a lot about his story was lacking. I wanted a lot more info about him because there are questions that aren’t answered.
This story ends abruptly with a HFN and a hint of the future. It was worth the read, but fell flat in many places.
June 17, 2023
This is just a really lovely story about 2 people who have had struggles and overcome in their way, coming together and building a beautiful relationship. It feels real, like a slice of life, and isn't full of high drama or grand gestures, but the writing is really good and it draws you in and holds you. It's not cheesy and trite as so many stories with people with disabilities can be. I came away with a smile on my face, hoping that Rowan Mai keeps writing.
February 20, 2024
What an absolutely beautiful, quiet love story. I'm always so impressed when authors are able to flesh out such a well-developed premise in a short number of pages and Shadowboxing is no exception. Other reviews have already described the premise, so all I can add is that this is a book I believe deserves to be read.
June 17, 2024
4.5 rounded. This is a wonderful romance. Roy’s love for Asher is quiet and deep and true. Asher’s love for Roy is so powerful and passionate and real. This story was so good and I would have loved more. The whole relationship was authentic. .
Damn. See, this book made me want to be all poetic and esh. Basically, this is a highly recommended lovely read.
ETA: just wanted to comment that parentheses were used way too liberally, and most times unnecessarily. But the prose was really good.
Damn. See, this book made me want to be all poetic and esh. Basically, this is a highly recommended lovely read.
ETA: just wanted to comment that parentheses were used way too liberally, and most times unnecessarily. But the prose was really good.
July 3, 2024
I’ve only read a few romance books where the mc has such a severe disability that it impairs his daily life more than usual but this book was absolutely amazing. I love our mc’s and the chance encounter was a good way to introduce them. I really liked the way Roy didn’t even bat an eye other than to be curious about the man he saved that looked so different.
It’s a good way to show that even if someone is different, they aren’t completely helpless. I loved reading!
It’s a good way to show that even if someone is different, they aren’t completely helpless. I loved reading!
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December 30, 2022Trigger & Content Warnings:
Ableism
Homomisia discussed
Ableism
Homomisia discussed
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