A sweet heartfelt story. Beautifully written. A hurt/comfort story that will make you hurt while healing you, Color of Sunshine by Lucia Laurence is the best kind of hurty love.
From the blurb:
My life is…fine. Quiet, predictable, and free of any danger of rebreaking my (mostly) mended heart. Or at least it is until an ultimatum from my best friend leaves me with just two weeks to invite a man on a date and successfully go on said date.
If I don’t fulfill his conditions? He’ll unleash his wife’s cringeworthy cousin on me.
It should all be laughably easy. Unless you’re me: an awkward, introverted perpetual grad student who can’t remember the last time he went out with anyone.
At least I know exactly who I want to ask. If only I can work up the courage…
The new barista at my favorite coffee shop is stunning. Flirty and charming, he has a dazzling smile that leaves me weak in the knees and lucky to be able to string together the words of my usual coffee order. He’s a million miles out of my league, and I might have accidentally dumped a cup of scalding coffee down his front the first time I met him.
And yet, every time he sees me, he calls me sunshine.
It can’t mean anything, can it?
Tristan
I don’t date. I don’t date and I don’t do messy. That word doesn’t even begin to describe the hell of a relationship I just escaped, and I am never going down that road again. Nope, not a chance.
Not even for Cute Latte Guy, the adorably shy, doesn’t-have-a-clue-how-sexy-he-is customer with the deliciously sunset-pink blushes that’ve got me feeling all kinds of feelings. The warm fuzzy type that he’s got no business stirring up in me.
Trouble is, when he invites me out for dinner, it turns out I just can’t bring myself to say no.
I can keep this casual, right? After all, that’s the one thing I’m good at. One night with him, a little fun, and he’ll be out from under my skin for good. Even if there is something about the way he looks at me, with those sweet, kinda sad eyes of his, that makes me wonder if, for once in my life, someone might just care enough to see the real me.
And oh yeah, did I mention that I’m his new neighbor? There’s nothing too messy about that, is there?
Color of Sunshine is a dual POV standalone MM romance between a jaded golden retriever barista with a heartbreaking past and the shy, sweet-as-can-be PhD student who makes him feel safe to love and be loved for the first time. Their story features anonymous piano duets, first date embarrassment, forced proximity, a seven-year age gap, lots of sweet and oh-so-spicy scenes, hurt/comfort dynamics, love after loss, meddling but devoted friends, and a guaranteed HEA.
Autumn's review:
Normally, I tend to go towards more hurt/comfort reads that are full of heartache, but this was a great book to toss into the mix to change things up.
It was slightly slow burn, had a few tearjerker (sweet ones), and overall great story and wording.
Normally, I tend to go towards more hurt/comfort reads that are full of heartache, but this was a great book to toss into the mix to change things up.
It was slightly slow burn, had a few tearjerker (sweet ones), and overall great story and wording.
Molly Otto's review:
Color of Sunshine by Lucia Laurence is the kind of hurt/comfort romance you always want. Two men who have been hurt before, and are not looking forward for more heartbreak, but instead find the part of themselves that were missing as they heal and hold each other up. Trstian and Jesse worked in a way only people who have been deeply hurt and know what it's like to survive can, and watching them together was such a sweet feeling.
SNik's review:
Standalone. Hurt/comfort. Slow burn. Dual POV. Heed content warnings.
Perhaps it is time for Jesse to start dating again, and with his best friend pushing him he thinks that maybe the new barista that has caught his eye might be a good chance to take the leap. But Tristan doesn’t date, and he has reasons from his past to avoid it, but there’s something about Jesse he can’t say no to.
This story went beyond the standard meeting of two men that begin to instantly fall for each other. There is a lot of emotionality in the beautiful writing, as both Jesse and Tristan have to overcome personal doubts and past trauma as they embrace the idea of a special connection that’s worth every risk. I liked both these characters and the relationship building was swoony until it got super steamy. Jesse and Tristan really go beyond physical attraction, appreciating every part of the other and were both supportive, thoughtful and kind. A really enjoyable read.
Color of Sunshine is currently available as an e-book and can be read as part of your Kindle Unlimited Subscription
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