Face Blind

Glastonbury Tales #1

by J.L. Merrow

When even friends look like strangers, how will he ever find love?

Corin Ferriman was left face blind by the car crash that killed his ex. Even people he’s known for years are unrecognisable to him. Running from his guilt and new-found social anxiety, he’s moved to Glastonbury, where he knows no one—or does he? Repeated sightings of a mysterious figure leave him terrified that his ghosts have followed him.

Tattoo artist Adam Merchant left Glastonbury at sixteen, escaping from his emotionally distant mother to the father who’d left them seven years previously. Now, at twenty-five, he’s come home to bring his family back together. But in a cruel twist of fate, his mother dies before he can talk to her, leaving him haunted—perhaps literally—by her memory and his unanswered questions.

When Corin and Adam meet again after an eerie first encounter, Adam lays siege to the walls Corin’s built around himself, which start to crumble. But there are ghosts haunting them both, and while Adam longs for a connection beyond the veil, Corin’s guilt leaves him in angry denial that there could be anything after death. With the liminal festival of Samhain fast approaching, neither man is sure what’s real and what’s just a trick of the mind—or maybe something worse.

Genres: M M Romance, Contemporary, Romance, LGBT, Contemporary Romance, Disability, British Literature

274 pages, ebook

First published October 10, 2022

About the author

JL Merrow is that rare beast, an English person who refuses to drink tea. She read Natural Sciences at Cambridge, where she learned many things, chief amongst which was that she never wanted to see the inside of a lab ever again. Her one regret is that she never mastered the ability of punting one-handed whilst holding a glass of champagne.

She writes across genres, with a preference for contemporary gay romance and the paranormal, and is frequently accused of humour. Her novella Muscling Through was a 2013 EPIC Award finalist, and her novel Slam! won the 2013 Rainbow Award for Best LGBT Romantic Comedy. Her novel Relief Valve is a finalist in the 2015 EPIC Awards.

JL Merrow is a member of the UK GLBTQ Fiction Meet organising team.

Find JL Merrow online at: www.jlmerrow.com, on Twitter as @jlmerrow, and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/jl.merrow

Reviews

[Heather K (dentist in my spare time) · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5 stars*

I have owned this book for ages (Christmas exchange gift!), but it was only when I attempted to do a mini #kindlecleanout that I finally got around to reading it.

I will pretty much try any book where one of the MCs has a disability, so having an MC with face-blindness really drew me in. I watched a few videos about the disorder, but the best way of describing it to someone is to look at a photo of a face upside down. Can you recognize who is in the picture? It's actually incredibly difficult, which shows us how complex our brains are to put together pieces of a face and make it make sense to us.

I think the concept and the setting to this story was incredibly cool. I loved the atmosphere of the small British countryside town, and I think the cast of characters were interesting. The story started off well, but I think the author got a bit caught up in the side plots and some twists and turns, and the romance fell by the wayside. There needed to be more substance and chemistry for the romance to really develop. It felt weak at best, like the start of something but not enough for a true romance story.

I'm very curious about the rest of the series, so I think I'm going to continue in the hopes that the next has a deeper romantic connection. However, this was still a cool story for those who like romance books with atypical MCs.


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[alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

the story took a little fumbling to draw me in, but once i made it past the first 10%, i was invested.

software engineer (Corin) x tattoo artist (Adam), an unconventional pairing but smashingly refreshing. what i liked most was that this was more than just a romance - it delved into each character's trauma with tantalizingly slow unraveling (the pacing of which worked sometimes and not others) and mesmerizing writing against the atmospheric Glastonbury backdrop.

this book is my first encounter with prosopagnosia (aka face blindness) in any medium, and Corin's experience had me reeling at the sheer dread of not being able to recognize family members or even yourself without relying on other identifiers, like voices or tattoos.

while the blurb hints at ghostly, supernatural notes, i found that it centered more around manifestations of grief and guilt, but they were still equally eerie in their own right. an ethereal, twisty ride with side characters boasting heaps of personality (i kid you not, they outshone Adam for a spell 😆) and a strong sense of place, i'd recommend this for the vibey experience alone.

best news? it's out already so go go go!! 💃🏻

Thank you to GRR and the publisher for providing an advanced copy of the book. This is my honest review :)

[Trio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Out Today - Highly Recommend!

J.L. Merrow truly captured my heart with Face Blind. I found myself reading slower and slower as the story progressed, just hoping I could prolong the marvelous experience. These characters are so likable, and seeing how they work their way through everything to find their happily ever afters. It was simply marvelous.

I've never heard of prosopagnosia, but what a fascinating idea for a story! It sure is a terrifying thought, needing to rely on unique characteristics and voices to identify folks you know. And not being able to follow a film or TV show would be awful.

Face Blind is also filled with interesting facts about Glastonbury and that historical region of England. The story is filled with wonderful descriptions of the natural beauty, the charm of the village, and the colorful folks who live there. Gearing up for the celebration of Samhain adds to the ghostly mystery.

Fantastic!

an advanced reader copy of Face Blind was provided to me for the purpose of my honest review, all opinions are my own

[drew · Rating 4 out of 5]

the ending fell a little flat for me, but this was one of the better books i’ve read this year. a solid 4 stars.

[Simona · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is pure joy

[Zuzu · Rating 3 out of 5]

It started out really well and I was very interested in the face blindness aspect of the story. Then it got a bit strange and messy with ghosts and melodrama and I ended up being disappointed. The ending seems to be a cliffhanger- at least it should be as some things were left unresolved.

[Kaje Harper · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gives us a fascinating look at a little-known disability. Corin was in a car crash and his head trauma left him with face-blindness, which is a disconnect between the visual perception and recognition areas of the brain. Humans have an amazing ability to discriminate and identify faces, but for Corin, every person with brown hair, a straight nose, and blue eyes looks the same, a stranger. Even his own brother, turning up on his doorstep, has to be greeted cautiously - could be anyone, until he speaks or gives Corin a clue.

Corin's been alone since the accident. Not just because he lost his ex-lover, but also out of fear. How can he take someone to bed when he knows that if he dozes off, when he wakes, he won't recognize the man beside him. He left his hometown to escape the people on the streets who expect him to know them, or who drip pity when he doesn't.

Adam is also newly arrived in the small town, his birthplace but one he avoided for a decade. His mother just died, and left him her house, he wants to reconnect with his sister, and his mom seems to be haunting him. A big family secret might be a reason her ghost can't rest, if it really is her ghost.

Adam has enough on his plate, when he meets an attractive man out for a walk in the hills. But when that man seems not to know him the second time, and the third, he's both insulted and curious.

I loved how Corin's difficulties were dealt with, the vivid depiction of how it would range from annoying to panic-inducing for every face you look at to eternally be a stranger. Adam's issues were interesting too, the hint of ghosts and haunting flavored but didn't take over the story. The end is a little bit HFN for the guys, though not for the relationship - Adam in particular has some loose family threads he hasn't decided how to deal with.

But Merrow always knows how to make me care about her characters, and they and the setting feel real and interesting and relatable. Add some good secondary characters, and this was a solid read, and probably a reread.

[~Nicole~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is very…..British lol
It’s wonderful,but then again, all JL Merrow’s books are. Such an underrated author.
This one here is a bit simpler than this author’s usual MO. A simple story with two compelling and interesting characters , with very good writing but that it felt too short. I would have needed more pages and maybe a stronger ending and why not an epilogue. The plot was quite basic ..I expected more honestly.
It is though, a very enjoyable book and the MCs , Adam (loved him) and Corin (poor guy ,i wanted to hug him) were absolutely lovely.

[Alexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book tricked me in a good way.

The book is set in the English countryside, with heavy folklore references and in the middle of the liminal festival of Samhain.

- Beautiful writing
- Face blind MC
- Hurt/comfort
- Mystical tension
- Great storyline
- Secrets
- New beginning
- Tattoo Artist
- Amazing side characters
- Gwyn ap Nudd, the horned god’s tale
- Grief & regret
- Medium heat
- HFN

The book was very entertaining, with a lot of tension and strong plot, while the romance aspect seemed to me a bit superficial. I would prefer much more dialogues between the main characters and less internal monologues. I found difficult to believe their strong feelings to each other, that’s the reason I wouldn’t say the book ended as HEA, they are really in the beginning of their relationship and also in the journey of their healing.
The mysterious tension was palpable in the book, and I enjoyed every moment of it.

I’ve received an ARC copy from GRR and this is my honest review.

[Brooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️ 3 stars ⭐️

Ooh, I wanted to like this. I thought the face blindness was interesting, but the characters and the plot weren’t fully developed. It was fast-paced, the britishness of the setting and the language pretty charming [do they really call everyone ‘my lover’?] but it lacked in romance and feels, and the ending felt a bit abrupt. The mystery wasn’t so mysterious after all.

Not sure how I feel about the writing style, but I want more love in my romance and while Adam and Corin were sweet together, I needed more.

I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.

CWs (spoilers):
- Face blindness
- Social anxiety
- Tattoo artist MC
- One spice scene + one closed doors scene
- Mentions of parental neglect/parental death
- Mentions of cheating (not between MCs)

[Bizzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Corin and Adam are both dealing with a lot of complicated feelings about family and their futures, and I thought the book did a great job exploring those things in detail and using the relationship to develop their individual character arcs. I wish some of Corin’s circumstances hadn’t been kept hidden from the reader so long for the sake of the mystery, though, because I felt like his character didn’t get as much time to grow and develop as Adam’s. I also felt like Adam’s mystery resolved a little abruptly and didn’t answer all of my questions, though perhaps the author intends to do more with that story in a future book.

The depiction of prosopagnosia seemed decent. What’s most important to me in any portrayal of disability, especially when it’s used as a major plot point, is that it’s based on someone’s real-life experiences and not just invented by the author, and I found that difficult to determine here. On the positive side, Merrow put thought into how having prosopagnosia would affect Corin’s daily life, the focus was on how his disability affected him rather than how it affected others, and his dilemma of when to disclose his disability to others or ask for accommodations was relatable to me as a person who also has an invisible disability. However, I wondered at times how much research Merrow did into adaptations people with prosopagnosia have for identifying people, because Corin had so few coping strategies. Of course, this could simply be the result of his diagnosis being so new. I also side-eyed the choice to call this book “Face Blind,” because that’s the equivalent of writing a book about a dyslexic character and calling it “Dyslexia.” The writing is much more sensitive and nuanced than the title, however, which makes up for it somewhat.

Overall, I liked this a lot. The most recent Merrow books I’ve read were the Plumber’s Mate series, which is more humorous and less nuanced than this. This book has the type of character development I was missing in Plumber’s Mate, and reminded me of what I liked in Muscling Through.

I received an ARC in exchange for my review.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

After reading the reviews for this book, it seems I’m one of the few who didn’t like this. And that kind of surprises me. Because while the subject is definitely interesting, I liked the other book I’ve read about face blindness much more.

This one kind of dragged. And dragged. And dragged…..

I think the writing style was just not for me. I skimmed entire pages because not a lot was happening and I wanted to get to the good parts. Unfortunately there were no good parts, for me that is. I’m totally fine with other people loving this book. :)

I thought the relationship felt very forced. I never once swooned or thought it was very romantic. I was really missing some emotions. More feelings. I just didn’t feel the connection between Adam and Corin.

Overall I guess it’s mostly me and not the book, since a lot of people liked it.

[Ajax1978 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I pretty much love anything written by JL Merrow but this story I just liked a lot. Being the first in a series I’m assuming some of the storylines that were left hanging will be resolved in future installments but that doesn’t change my feeling of wanting just a little more closure. And more Scratch.

[Caz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've given this a B at AAR.

J.L. Merrow’s Face Blind is an atmospheric tale featuring two men who are trying to come to terms with and move on from traumatic events in their pasts. Add in family secrets, some gentle humour, a little bit of mystery and touch of the paranormal, and you’ve got an interesting and entertaining romance.

Adam Merchant left home when he was sixteen, leaving behind his much older sister and the mother who never seemed to care about him, and went to live with his dad in London. He only moved back to Glastonbury a month before the story opens, taking a job at a local tattoo parlor. He came back intending to try to build some bridges with his mum – even though she never seemed to want to see him on the rare occasions he visited anyway – but she’s recently passed away. Adam was surprised to learn that she’d left him her house – the one he’d grown up in – in the will, and can’t help but think maybe it was because of a guilty conscience. He’ll never know.

A serious car accident around six months earlier has left Corin Ferriman with prosopagnosia, a condition that means he is unable to recognise people’s faces. Struggling with survivor’s guilt (his ex, who was driving the car, was killed) as well as the disorienting effects of not even being able to recognise his own face in a mirror, Corin can’t face the alternately pitying and disbelieving reactions of his acquaintances and colleagues and decides he needs to make a fresh start somewhere nobody knows him. On his first night in his new place in Glastonbury, Corin decides to celebrate his move with a takeaway and, even though it’s drizzling, heads out for a walk on the famous Tor first.

He’s part-way to St. Michael’s Tower when he sees another man, bedraggled and wearing a leather jacket, his dark hair plastered to his head, on the path ahead of him. The man appears slightly panicked as he asks Corin if he’s seen the older woman in the dark coat; and then subsides as he mumbles something about his mind playing tricks and goes on his way.

Corin is walking in town a few days later and, as he passes one of the many tattoo studios in the high street, is struck by the idea of getting inked himself. Something small and discreet might be a good idea as it would provide a defining feature for him to latch on to when he’s looking at his reflection. He steps inside the nearest shop – and is introduced to one of the artists, a dark-haired young man who smiles at Corin and starts apologising to him. Something about his voice sounds vaguely familiar, and when the man – Adam – says that he doesn’t normally go around seeing ghosts, the penny drops. It’s the guy he met on the Tor.

Adam is just a bit disappointed at the thought he’s so unmemorable, but he lets it go and sets about talking through what Corin wants and what to expect, and makes an appointment for a couple of week’s time. Adam can’t help hoping that maybe they’ll bump into each other again sooner.

There’s a definite spark of attraction between Adam and Corin, but Corin can’t see how he can ever have a relationship when everyone looks like a stranger. At first, Adam just thinks Corin is a bit skittish because of how they first met – after all, he’d probably be a bit wary of someone who thought they’d seen a ghost! But when, the next time they meet – and the time after that – Corin looks at him like he’s never seen him before, Adam can’t help feeling a bit hurt.

Corin knows exactly what Adam must be feeling, but he can’t bring himself to explain. It’s still too raw and so difficult to get his own head around sometimes, that he just doesn’t want to get into it – or to watch Adam’s expression turn from one of interest to one of pity or dismissiveness. Fortunately, however, Adam is a bright bloke, and after the fourth or fifth time of Corin looking at him like he’s a total stranger, he starts to wonder if maybe he has some kind of visial impairment, and from then on, makes a point of greeting Corin by speaking to him and identifying himself by name. I really liked that about Adam, that he’s intuitive enough to realise that it’s not all about him and subtly figures out how to help without needing to be asked. And when Corin does tell him the truth, he takes it in his stride and listens rather than making assumptions.

I don’t have any experience of prosopagnosia or know anyone who has it, but it seems to me that the author has done a good job when it comes to describing the condition and the way it affects Corin, both physically and emotionally. What were previously simple, everyday things have become difficult or even daunting, whether it’s being unsure of who is on the other side of the front door after opening it, or keeping track of who is who in a film or TV show.

The romance between these two damaged men is sweet, if a little unevenly paced, and the storyline concerning Adam’s search for the truth about his past is intriguing. Without spelling it out, the author drops some very big hints as to the reasons for the estrangement between Adam and his mother – but of course, the reader knows only what Adam knows, so the twist comes as as much of a surprise to him as it does to us!

Also enjoyable is the well-rounded secondary cast – Adam’s boss, Sasha, his brother Declan and best friend Scratchy; these people obviously care and look out for one another and their relationships with each other and the two leads are believable and a lot of fun.

The one thing that didn’t work so well for me was the supernatural aspect of the story. I suppose setting a book in Glastonbury in late October cries out for some paranormal shenanigans, but what with the romance, Corin still working on his coping strategies and struggling with his newly-emerged social anxiety, Adam repairing his relationship with his sister and trying to find the truth about his past, there’s already so much going on that the ghostly aspect is patchy and not well developed.

Those reservations aside however, Face Blind is one of the more unusual romances I’ve read recently, and I’d certainly recommend it to anyone looking for a love story that’s slightly out of the ordinary.

This review also appears at my blog - Caz's Reading Room.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm used to Merrow's more humorous works, but this was a much deeper more thought provoking read. If you're a fan of character driven stories with lots of growth this may just be a story for you. Adam and Corin have each recently been through a LOT, but they muddle through together and it was a beautiful story. I guessed one of the "twists" (Corrin's), not the other, but enjoyed both were there to add more depth and layers to everything going on rather than just being there for shock value. It was beautifully written from the developed characters to the rich and lovely setting. I think it could have used an epilogue, but maybe that was just me wanting more.

[The Word Nerd Reviews Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first book by this author, and overall it was a very enjoyable experience. Corrin's disability of face blindness drew me to the story. It was absolutely fascinating, and to be honest, it made me think about how we take for granted just being able to identify each other from just a glance and how it would turn your whole world around if that ability suddenly disappeared.

I really enjoyed the story itself. I never guessed Adam's twist (no spoilers); I was leaning towards another theory that was brought up in the book. Both Adam and Corrin had a lot of issues in their past and were still trying to deal with them in the present. Their stories alone, their general likeable characters, and the beautiful secondary characters (Scratch and Sasha particularly) made Face Blind a lovely story to read.


I have only one complaint. The supernatural element. I love a good paranormal or ghost story, and for the first 25% or so of the book, there was a build-up to a supernatural element that would actively feature in the story later on. Even late in the book, at around 85-90%, it seemed to be building up to 'the event', but then it sort of just fizzled out. This story could stand on its own without the ghost element, or even with it, but without the build-up, making the reader expect something spooky would happen.

My experience (and this is only my experience) was that I was turning pages waiting for something to happen, and when it didn't happen in any way that I was expecting, it sort of felt a bit flat. I thoroughly enjoyed Corrin and Adam's story, and I felt that the ghostly build-up took away the emphasis on them because I was always waiting for something to happen. My enjoyment of the book would have been that much more without the spooky setting expectations set up at the beginning of the story.

I really enjoyed this author's writing style, the story was engaging, and the characters had depth, even the secondary characters. It was so easy to want to see Corrin and Adam get their happy ending.

I will definitely be exploring this author's back list, and I'm looking forward to the second book in this series!!



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[Joyfully Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

3.75 stars

Face Blind is a contemporary get-together romance from author J.L. Merrow. It takes place in Glastonbury, England around the end of October. I thought the timing helped the mood of the book and tempered the skepticism of our two MCs. First, I loved the association between fall time and spooky time. Second, I thought the atmosphere surrounding the upcoming Samhain celebrations help the two MCs more readily believe they are being contacted by the dead. Third, I enjoyed the light tension created by Adam being convinced his “haunting” was a positive one (his mother trying to tell him goodbye) and Corin being convinced his “haunting” was a negative one (his boyfriend out to terrorize him because Corin survived and the boyfriend didn’t).

Read Camille’s review in its entirety here.

[Kirsten · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love Merrow, but
I didn't love this. MCs
didn't engage me.

[PaperMoon · Rating 4 out of 5]

An engaging read that kinda crept up on me with heightened tensions/drama and some mild spookiness that ratcheted up towards the end. I liked both MCs (in spite of their mental & emotional baggage) and totally appreciated the path of intimacy took a longer route instead of the insta-action that seems endemic in much of M-M romances of late. The township and the impending Samhain celebrations were nicely detailed with a couple of nicely fleshed out secondaries too. A great start to a new series.

[peach · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the atmosphere in this story, which is set in Glastonbury around Samhain with great descriptions that helped bring the setting to life. Their eerie and confusing hauntings helped create an unsettling mood that worked in harmony with the MCs' struggles with, among other things, grief, loss of identity, and dealing with a new disability. It was balanced out by their sweet romantic interactions, which I loved seeing because they made for a very sweet couple.

[Diane Dannenfeldt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant. This was such a great book & I'm so glad that this story doesn't end here. I have never heard of prosopagnosia & it is such a heartbreaking condition. Not being able to recognize even yourself in the mirror? I don't even know how someone can function. So, the story takes place in England and reading about the life in this small town. I love the secondary characters. I also loved the fact that Adam realized that there was something wrong with Corin's vision & asked him, instead of assuming things. The only thing I really didn't care about, was the twist with Corbin's boyfriend who died in the accident that caused his prosopagnosia. That was kind of weird. Anyway, I can't wait to read more.

I received a copy of this book from Gay romance reviews, and this is my honest opinion

[ᓚᘏᗢ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5*

[Kassu · Rating 4 out of 5]

4-⭐

This book has a lot going on for it. The disability portrayed here is fascinating, the characters are good, the setting is beautiful. But the pacing was a bit off. The story dragged just a bit in the beginning, and then in went into overdrive towards the end, finally ending quite abruptly.

[Courtney Bassett · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Edited my review and bumped to five stars now that there's a free short bonus that gives the closure that I wanted**

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and thought it addressed the topic of face blindness with compassion. I loved the way the relationship between the two men grew and how they helped each other through their various challenges.

My main complaint, which I was prepared for after reading other reviews, is that Adam finds out a *big thing* about his family and there’s no closure to that or to whether or not he’d actually seen his mom’s ghost. I’d love to see a bonus short or epilogue that helps lay those things to rest.

[Iz · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

What an absolute delight. I adored "Face Blind" to bits.
JL Merrow has been a favourite of mine since I devoured her "The Plumber's Mate Mysteries" a few years back (if you haven't read those, PLEASE DO), but I've always wanted to dive into her backlist a bit more. "Face Blind" was the perfect occasion: I loved this gentle, lovely, heart-wrenching romance so so much.

The atmosphere was so damn vivid and evocative; the prose absolutely dreamy. And the characters? I don't know were to start but I'd lay my life down for both Corin and Adam. UGH, they were so lovely. Adam was that peculiar blend of cocky and extroverted, while also being fueled by whimsy and that perfect amount of immaturity and gullibility that comes with being young and (mostly) carefree. He hasn't had it easy, and he goes through quite a lot of turmoil in this book, but I loved his easygoing nature. And Corin! He was my favourite. God, I wanted to jump into the book and hug him to death. He broke my heart, but I also adored seeing him slowly but surely get back that spark of life, the joy he'd forgotten about after his accident. He was so damn brave and relatable and lovable. I also loved their relationship so so much: they made me squeal into my pillow, and not many new-to-me romances manage that nowadays. I also looooooooved the disability rep: I've never read a book about a character with prosopagnosia (aka face blindness), and while I found the depiction both brutal and fascinating, I also found it really well done too. So yes, double kudos for that as well: I love how JL Merrow seems to always effortlessly include some kind of rep in her stories (like with Tom's disability in "The Plumber's Mate Mysteries").

I also loved the side characters: Sasha, you're an icon; Scratch? I cannot wait to be in your head for book two. He was the absolute BEST.
I even adored the plot: it was absolutely fascinating, and gut-wrenching too. Grief is the theme that guides the entire book, but it never feels overwhelming nor does it take away from Corin and Adam's romance.
I loved this book okay? And I wholly recommend it.
I'm jumping into book two ASAP.

TWs/CWs: grief, death of parent, death of partner, cheating (in the past), ableism, neglectful parents, abandonment, pregnancy complications (mentioned), child kidnapping (past) .

Many thanks to GRR for the ARC. This is my honest review.

[Susana · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a magical place, two strangers may feel the supernatural in very different ways…
Both Corin and Adam have issues related to events in their past. None of them is looking for love, they are both in fact trying to find their place in a world which has changed deeply for them due to very different reasons. A chance encounter in a mystical place brings them together, and against all odds, they build a sweet relationship that seems to be very promising… If the manage to stop looking back and start looking forward to what life may bring.
I really enjoyed the story, the characters are interesting, their anguish so real, specially Corin’s. I also liked the setting, the magical city of Glastonbury, and the folk elements like the Morris Dancers… There is a bit of humour, lots of romance, some anguish and a hint at the supernatural that makes this story both enticing and intriguing
Great book
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Saskia Veldhuis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the MCs, both separately and together. Corin's complete face blindness was unusual and very interesting. I'm bad at remembering faces, and that's already frustrating and sometimes really embarrassing. Adam's acceptance was touching. Adam's own struggles with his family also turned out to be somewhat unexpected. That part ended a bit too abruptly for me. The idea of possible ghosts fit the story very well.

[Pjm12 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Haven't read this author in a while (wonder how many I've missed?) Appreciate her quirky style and very British blokes.

Corin's issues seem insurmountable (to him) and we have to trust that grieving Adam can help him work out his stuff. Adam also benefits from Corin's sturdy self.

Loved this a lot. Keen to get to the other stories...

[Juniper · Rating 5 out of 5]

The setting really shines in this book— the region of Glastonbury is atmospherically rendered, with folklore and ambiance and the festival of Samhain all woven into the characters’ experiences in interesting and immersive ways. The characters are beautifully drawn as well, and many of the supporting personalities feel layered and interesting, as, of course, do the protagonists. Corin and Adam have so much to deal with, and getting to know them as the plot (also super immersive and easy to get caught up in) progresses feels like a rewarding experience. Corin’s face blindness and how he navigates the world with it is compellingly written, and it’s easy to want to see both Corin and Adam find answers and healing and a relationship with each other. 4.5 stars.

*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

[CateReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

***4 stars***

I’ve enjoyed nearly everything I’ve read from JL Merrow, so I was looking forward to reading Face Blind. While I wasn’t disappointed, I wasn’t wowed either. Don’t get me wrong, it’s an enjoyable read. My issue is that it feels like the author let this one get away from them in terms of theme and plot.

Corin is new to town and looking to find himself again after an accident made him develop prosopagnoaia, a condition in which he does not recognize faces at all, even of people he’s known for years. He meets Adam, a tattoo artist who is reeling from the loss of a mother whom he didn’t really know and didn’t get along with. The two start a romance but the ghosts of their past keeps getting in the way, quite possibly literally.

I was impressed with the way the author handled Corin’s face blindness. It's a disability that I never truly thought about and Merrow really made me feel the constant unease and low-level panic that Corin felt with every new interaction. The way he worked around his fear and developed coping skills was really interesting and showed strength in his character, even if he didn’t feel all that strong.
Adam’s grief was also portrayed really well. The death of someone you’re not sure you knew, and not sure you love anymore, is a rough experience. His interactions with his sister, the mundane acts of cleaning out someone else’s house, the gut punch of grief that hits at random times. You felt for Adam too but in a different way.

What kept me from giving this higher than 4 stars is that I had a hard time getting a sense of the two characters. I knew who they were individually, but not really who they were together. The romance was fine, but I was occasionally more interested in the stories of the side characters than if Corin and Adam would get together.

There's also the matter of the paranormal aspect of the book. Honestly, I really thought this was going to be a ghost story, or at least have the influence of fairies. The possibility of ghosts haunting both men was dangled in front of us, along with the minor plot point of it being Samhain in Glastonbury. Hell, they only met because Adam thought he saw his dead mom on the tor. But the ghost/fairies aspect was abandoned a quarter of the way in, only for it to show up as a misdirection in the end with the identity of Corin’s “ghost.” I get that the fairies and changelings may have been a metaphor for Adam’s parentage, but it just felt messy. I like a little paranormal in my romance, but I need it to be purposeful. Isabel Murray does a great job in Not That Complicated of having a mystery but with a story so good that you don’t even care about the mystery being solved, one way or another. Here, for the answer to the question “were there ghosts?” I needed a better answer than ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Overall, this was enjoyable and kept my interest, even if parts fell flat for me. Solid 4 stars, but I wish it could be more. This might be a series, though it's not entirely clear that it is by the end (I'm just going by the listing on Goodreads) so maybe I'll get a clearer picture of the overall story later. I'm interested enough to keep reading if there's more.


***I received this as an ARC and this has been my honest review.***