Free Hand

This was not as much of a slam dunk as Switch Hitter was for me but I still enjoyed it. Overall, the main issue I have with this book is that it's the first novel in a series and it feels like it's being weighed down by the other stories the author wants to tell. Derek and Basil are the couple for this novel but there is significant focus on what will become Sam and Niko's story in a future installment. We were also getting a bit too much of Sage's backstory in my opinion. Very slow burn romance between Derek and Basil with them not actually getting together until about 60% in. I rate is 3/5 stars and I don't know if I'll continue with the series at this time.

This was a good read, and I'm not giving it 5 stars only because the romance needed more work.

I don't fault the author for prioritizing the development of the characters over the romance, but I yearned a little more for the development of the relationship.

I enjoyed this but the pacing felt odd.

Slow burn, disability rep, tattoo MM romance.

Deaf representation was HUGE in this! Basil and Derek both had revelations about dating in general. Their chemistry was there but neither were into it. (Yet they had dates with other people before they went on a date with each other)

It was so slow to get them to a point of being a couple, and then it was really wuick to the I love you, then an epilogue. So just paced weirdly so I wanted more of them as a couple? Not sure.

Either way, had a good time reading