Erryn reviews ‘Ambiguous (IOU Book 1)’ by Leslie McAdam. This book was released by the author on April 13, 2022, and is 302 pgs long. The audiobook version of this story was narrated by Hamish Long and Kirt Graves. It was released on August 25, 2022, and is 8 hrs and 18 mins long. A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.
Why I read this book: I love these two narrators separately and wanted to see what they could do together.
Love is for other people, not for me….
At least that’s what I believed, until I met him. Julian Hill. The most famous rock star on the planet. A music god with untidy hair and the voice of an angel.
I’ll never be anything but out, and he has very good reasons to stay in the closet. After all, every move he makes is dissected, critiqued, and shared on social media, so he just wants a little privacy. I understand that. Truly, I do.
But no one makes me feel the way he does, and I’m pretty sure he has feelings for me as well. Which is inconvenient, since his record label just hired me to sue him. Guess I should’ve sorted things out before I kissed him…oops.
Ambiguous is an addictive MM bisexual romance novel about a fashion-forward rock singer who hates labels of all kinds (except for clothing), a dapper attorney who already has a (fake) boyfriend for a very good reason, and the possibility of love saving the day in a sensually stimulating “opposites-attract” romance story. In addition to the compassionate, big-hearted main characters and engaging, steamy interactions, LGBTQ+ romance fans are raving about the refreshingly honest discussions about homophobia, acceptance, bisexuality, and gay rights, which flow seamlessly into the heartwarming, soul-stirring love story.
Buy Links: Audible | Amazon | Add to Goodreads
My Review:
I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book. Despite the wave of rock star romances, I have actually read very few. This one caught my eye and I’m glad I got to listen to it.
From the start, I related to Sam. Slightly clumsy, making a fool of himself, wanting to make a good impression and then believing he failed – these are all things I can intensely relate to. He’s a lawyer whose family’s political ambitions know no bounds. In California – and being of a liberal bent – that means supporting LGBTQ rights. Having a gay son who is dating the son of another prominent politician is just good optics. Forget that Sam views the man as a friend. He’s just going along dealing with the homophobic boss and the assignment of babysitting some pampered rock star. If it means he can keep doing his pro bono work, Sam’ll do it. Doesn’t help that Julian isn’t just attractive – he’s a genuinely good guy.
Julian is that rock star. He doesn’t want to be babysat. He wants his muse back. He’s agreed to write a solo album and he’s stuck. He came up first through a boy band and then into his current group – who are great – but this is a journey he’s on his own for. Except he’s got Sam there. Sam who makes him laugh. Sam who helps him face his fears – both irrational and not. Sam who supports him – even at great personal and professional expense. Sam who lives his life out and proud as a gay man. Julian dislikes labels – but straight doesn’t fit. He’s tried to express himself in clothing – only to have people see it as a fashion statement rather than the personal one he’s trying to make. He’s being pushed into owning something he’s not ready to do. I can completely relate – if you are going to come out as anything other than the heteronormative cis and straight, it needs to be done on your timeline, not someone else’s.
If you can’t tell, I really enjoyed this story. Sam and Julian were perfect together. And they couldn’t keep their hands off each other, which totally made the story hot. But it was also touching as both men had to grapple with what they wanted, what their families demanded, and what society expected. In the end, I got a great book.
I adore both Hamish Long and Kirt Graves as narrators. I was excited to see the two men working together and they did a fantastic job. If they team up again, I’m definitely in.
My Rating:
9/10 Pots of Gold (90% Recommended) – Compares to 4.5/5 Stars
Leslie McAdam is a California girl who loves romance and well-defined abs. She lives in a drafty old farmhouse on a small orange tree farm in Southern California with her husband and two children. Leslie’s first published book, The Sun and the Moon, won a 2015 Watty, which is the world’s largest online writing competition. She’s gone on to receive additional literary awards and has been featured in multiple publications, including Cosmopolitan.com. Her books have been Top 100 Bestsellers on both Amazon and Apple Books. Leslie is employed by day but spends her nights writing about the men of your fantasies.
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