Loud and Clear by Aidan Wayne

Loud and Clear
by Aidan Wayne
Pages: 85
Date: May 23 2016
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Series: None

Review
Rating: 5.5 out of 5.0
Read: May 3 2016

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Riptide Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

Dang, this was one damn good story. I do not believe I’ve read a MM Romance that I’ve liked better. Which, to be fair, isn’t really saying much since I do not make a habit of reading MM Romance. So let me not limit myself – I love everything about this story, forget about the fact that it involves two men (or put that to the side?).

Not sure I specifically loved Caleb, but he was likeable. Loved Jaxon though.

Right, so, this book involves two points of view – that of Caleb and Jaxon. Jaxon is a cab driver and keeps running into the very well dressed Caleb outside a high class bar seemingly every Tuesday night. As his cab driver I mean. Caleb’s anywhere from tipsy to falling down drunk when he meets Jaxon, but even in such a state he notices Jaxon.

So, we have two men who like the looks of the other.

Except, Caleb has trouble speaking without stuttering – and he tries very hard to not stutter, so he tries handing hand-written notes when he can get away with that. Not talking, or reverting to sign language (I’m wording this badly since his first preference is sign language).

Caleb’s matched up with Jaxon. Who ‘can’t read’. Well, he can, but he has a reading problem that causes him to have trouble figuring out words (dyslexia), the kind of problem that caused him to flunk out of high school and go through life thinking he’s stupid. Though he has a great mind for memorization and the like.

The two issues obviously enough cause certain issues. It’s not as bad as someone who cannot see bumping into someone who can’t talk, but any and all communication between the two comes only at a certain effort. Like having both the patience and desire to communicate. To take the time to understand what is written, to understand what is stuttered/said.

Still, despite their communication issues, the two get to know each other over several weeks of cab rides, and eventually dates.

Jaxon is a rugged, blue-collar type. If the story had been set back when he was in high school, or shortly thereafter, he would have been a completely different person. Drunk, angry all the time. And with his build, you don’t want to meet him angry. But Caleb and Jaxon didn’t meet back then. No, now Jaxon’s sober and really very much of a gentle giant type. Though quite down on himself intellectually. Which makes a certain amount of sense, I mean, growing up everyone – school, teachers, everyone said he was stupid. Because he couldn’t read.

Caleb’s character isn’t as defined, though enough of the building blocks are there to picture him. Grew up in a well-to-do situation. He also was called stupid, because of his speaking issues, but because he came from a well-to-do situation, he had opportunities not given to Jaxon. And Caleb had the type of character wherein he wanted to prove everyone wrong. So he strove hard to do well educationally and now in his professional life.

Both Jaxon and Caleb are happy with their current life situation, but neither has anyone to share their lives with – in a romantic relationship kind of way. I stress that part since I hadn’t mentioned Jaxon’s sister yet. Another great character – I kind of love Tati as well, and she’s only ever seen in brief snippets over the phone.

An overall great story. Hmms. I just glanced at some of the other reviews since I know two things – currently this story has a sub-4 rating on GoodReads, and it also has something I’m sure many would not like – the lack of graphic sex (there’s stuff, but not actual explicit sex). But Most of the lower rated ones mention the shortness of the story, or the lack of ‘seeing’ more of the ‘troubles’ both face with their issues (I do not exactly agree – since I got a good sense of both of their issues, but fair enough). There’s more than likely at least some that rated lower for lack of sex, but I do not currently see any with my brief glimpse.

Well, no matter. As I noted, I loved the story. I wouldn’t change a thing. Sure, reading another story or three involving these characters would be great, but I liked what I found here length-wise.

May 3 2016