Erryn reviews ‘The Endless Road to Sunshine’ by Nicky James. This book was released by the author on February 1, 2021, and is 361 pgs long. The audiobook version of this story was narrated by Nick J. Russo. It was released on August 20, 2021, and is 13 hrs and 26 mins long. A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.
Why I read this book: I am a huge Nicky James fan and I wanted to see where she went next.
My name is Jason Atkinson, and I married a serial killer.
My world shattered on a cold April morning when they took my husband away in cuffs.
The life I knew, the man I loved, and the world I believed in was nothing but a lie. He stole my trust, my happiness, and my faith in humanity, and I’m not sure how to move on.
With my mental health hanging by a thread and a media circus following me everywhere I go, escape seems like the only answer.
Shedding my old life and starting fresh.
A new city. A new job. A new name.
Maybe everyone will leave me alone and let me wallow in peace.
But Skylar Dawson, a student almost twenty years my junior, has a different plan.
Everything about him is endless – his eyes, his smile, even his babbling mouth.
He shines with a blinding inner light I can’t ignore.
He’s a ray of sunshine in my dark world.
Skylar Dawson will not be ignored.
But will his energy and patience run out when he realizes I’m too tormented and broken to love him back?
This is a hurt/comfort, student/teacher, grumpy/sunshine, age gap (25/43) MM romance novel with a moderate amount of angst.
Buy Links: Audible | Amazon | Add to Goodreads
My Review:
I rave about Nicky James books for a reason. Ms. James gives her characters deep emotional wounds, makes the suffer terribly, and then gives them a happy ending. Although the formula is the same (as it is with the vast majority of romances) her unique approach to each story is what makes her phenomenal at her craft.
I can imagine how this story started…what happens if you discover the person you’ve been living with is not who they claim to be? Not just a fake, but someone horrific? A serial killer? How much would you blame yourself for never having seen through the civilized veneer?
Jason Atkinson is in such an untenable situation. One morning they took away his husband of 20 years, accusing the man of being a serial killer. The evidence is overwhelming, and the life sentence is well-deserved. The question for Jason is – how do I move forward?
As a university professor, he’s lost his position in the town where they’d made their home. He goes halfway across the province of Ontario to take a new post under a new name. His intention is to stay under the radar. Do his job. Find a way to survive what has been the most egregious loss of his life.
Enter Skylar Dawson. Skylar is the antithesis of the brooding professor. He’s light, he’s fun, he has friends, and he has a job at a local bar. He also is a world traveler who has enrolled in university to see if he can find a purpose beyond travel and waiting tables. The very first day of classes he meets Jason and their worlds enter a collision course.
Now, I’m always hesitant with student/teacher books. I have a firm belief that rules exist for a reason and when power dynamics are involved, it’s touchy. Except never once did I feel Jason held the power in the relationship – it was always Skylar. Skylar who has issues (his step-father and emotional issues are thrown in because, you know, can’t have someone without some crap going on…). Skylar who remains undaunted.
And, of course, I knew the tranquility of the situation couldn’t last. Jason would be outed. Skylar would be in peril. Those were givens – what wasn’t obvious was how everything would be resolved. A few heart-pounding moments, to say the least.
I felt true empathy for these characters. Skylar with his dysfunctional family and Jason unable to escape the clutches of a vile former partner. I take notes when I listen to audios and my note for this one read ‘so freaking good’. So yeah, I cannot say enough good things, and I highly recommend you scoop this one up right away. And finally, I’ll touch on Nick J. Russo’s narration. He’s a fave of mine and he delivered a solid performance. This is one I plan to listen to again.
My Rating:
10/10 Pots of Gold (100% Recommended) – Compares to 5/5 Stars
Facebook | Twitter: @NicoleJames1978 | Goodreads
I live in the small town of Petrolia, Ontario, Canada and I am a mother to a wonderful teenage boy (didn’t think those words could be typed together…surprise) and wife to a truly supportive and understanding husband, who thankfully doesn’t think I’m crazy.
I have always had two profound dreams in life. To fall back hundreds of years in time and live in a simpler world, not bogged down by technology and to write novels. Since only one of these was a possibility I decided to make the other come alive on paper.
I write mm romance novels that take place in fantastical medieval-type settings and love to use the challenges of the times to give my stories and characters life.
Rainbow Gold Reviews 