See the Light by Kate McMurray
Review by Lauren
source: copy from Netgalley; all opinions are my own
Official Summary (add to Goodreads): Up-and-coming Broadway actor Jeremy was given two days to get up and get out. Dumped by his long-term boyfriend and suddenly homeless, he needs a sofa and a sympathetic ear, stat.
Enter Max, aspiring makeup artist and Jeremy’s BFF and former roommate.
Max has been in love with his best friend forever. Now that Jeremy is back in his home, his old feelings are back, too. He’s happy to help his friend, but this time…it’s complicated.
When Jeremy gets his big break in a new show, the message of the play hits home. “Live life to the fullest” means recognizing how he really feels about Max, and that’s not complicated at all. Jeremy’s in love, and wants to move full steam ahead.
But Max has waited too long for Jeremy to look at him this way, and he doesn’t want to risk his heart. If this is just a rebound fling, or if Jeremy is only interested in Max because he’s convenient, it will not only shatter him—it will ruin the best friendship he’s ever known.
Review: I love a good friends-to-lovers romance and that’s what we get in See the Light. However, I wish we had a bit more of Jeremy and Max in a nice, committed relationship. A lot of the book is a bit back and forth, because while Max has always loved Jeremy, he’s not sure that Jeremy feels the same or that this will actually work out. He’d rather Jeremy as his best friend than nothing at all, and I could understand that. Max also deals with depression and that seems to be a part of his hesitation when it comes to believing Jeremy really wants him. Again, though, I would have liked to have seen more of this dealt with in the book.
See the Light takes us to Broadway! #mmromance review on the blog! #bookbloggers Share on XSee the Light is great for Broadway fans though, as Jeremy is an actor/singer and Max does makeup. The title actually comes from a musical Jeremy stars in, but of course, it also refers to our two leading men finally “seeing the light” when it comes to each other. I really did enjoy See the Light overall, but like I said before, there were things that I wish had been included – or focused on more – so that lessened my enjoyment a little bit.
This sounds like it wasn’t quite as good as you were hoping it would be or that it had the potential to be. Sorry it wasn’t more of a knock your socks off kind of read but glad you did enjoy it nonetheless.
What a fun setting for a romance – glad you enjoyed it overall! Friends-to-lovers is always sweet to read.
I’m glad that you were able to enjoy this one overall Lauren, despite having some issues, I do like how the author has given a meaning behind the title of the book rather than just something random! Great review 🙂
Even if you would have wanted a bit more it’s great that you had a good time in a whole
sorry to hear that the book didn’t reach it’s full potential, I always enjoy a good friends to lovers story myself.
My eyes lit up as soon as I saw Broadway mentioned. I enjoy a good friends to lovers story too so I might have to check this one out.
I really need to venture out and read more romance books this year–it’s a genre that I tend to ignore, but I know there are so many great ones out there to mix things up!
Sounds like a sweet book, I’m glad that it was enjoyable overall.
Sounds like a good story for the most part. But yeah, sometimes it is nice to have more of the actual happy relationship than the author might give.
This one sounds cute, but looks like it could have been worked on in some places. I feel like if something as big as depression is going to be included it really needs to be fleshed out and examined, and not just in there to “add” something to the character or story. And I always want at least a little bit of the happily ever after in a romance story otherwise it doesn’t feel like all the torment got a pay off! The broadway aspect of this one sounds cute, though 🙂