A Note in the Margin by Isabella Rowen

Blurb:

John McCann, a man who judges life by the tally of an accounts ledger, has a supreme goal in life: To achieve, live, and enjoy the rarified executive lifestyle. But he’s encountered one problem: 

The migraines are going to continue to get worse unless you make some major changes in your lifestyle. What you need is a ‘sea change’… Perhaps buy a nice little business in the country, settle down, something easier to occupy your time…

While John knows the doctor is right, he just can’t resign from the job he’s fought so hard for. He decides the sacrifice of taking a year’s leave of absence won’t interfere too much with his plans, and so he finds himself running Margins, a cozy little bookstore, with the help of the former owner’s son, Jamie.  John expects to put in his year, get his stress under control, and then get back to business.

What John doesn’t expect is how Margins and its denizens draw him in, particularly the quiet, disheveled man who takes refuge in the old leather chair in the second-hand book section. John’s plans for an unattached year of simple business crumble when he meets David and is forced to reevaluate life, love and what he really wants from both. John and David are forced to come to terms with their pasts as they struggle to determine what possible future they might build together.

 

 

*reviewed for Manic Readers Reviews

Review:

As the blurb summary does a great job of giving you the basics of the story, I won’t delve into the plot basics but know this is an emotional story that will pull your own experiences into question. There are so many elements woven into this story that it could have easily lost itself within the heavy weight the story creates, yet the author has delivered a touching, poignant and beautiful story depicting a complex and difficult relationship between two unlikely men. Easily one of the best books I have read all year, I highly recommend this story to everyone – not just m/m romance lovers.

John is set adrift when he’s told to take time off from his high pressure corporate world and finds himself lost within the quaint and slow paced atmosphere of a neighborhood bookstore. He struggles to find his balance and lapses back into his comfort zone of profits and balances, but the son of the previous owner refuses to let John stay within his staid life. John’s initial reaction to the homeless David is one that resonates with all readers as he expresses his disgust at the smelly, dirty, and gaunt man that shuffles in to sit in the corner of the bookstore. It is only through Jamie’s persistence that John starts to see beyond the initial appearance to the man within. John’s struggle against ingrained stereotypes and reactions never ends. Even when he’s able to see the real man David is, a new struggle begins to understand David’s mental illness and the impact it has on all relationships around him.

John’s anger, confusion, and fear are depicted in a stunningly honest voice from his desire to protect David against everything to his all consuming fear of losing this man he’s come to love. John also struggles with anger and disappointment, as David is unable to act and respond like most people would in a relationship. It’s a long process for John to understand how David lives in his own altered world and what it means to be with someone who will never be easy, but is undeniably worth any amount of pain and hardship – of which there is a considerable amount. John’s character easily strikes a cord with any reader and his considerable human emotions and flaws are drawn beautifully.

David is a lovely character wrapped in silence and stillness. His every word and movement has a purpose and a cost, vibrantly highlighting the difference between the casual actions and words John initially uses. David’s inner core of strength and dignity shine through the frailty of his situation and appearance, showing the depth and complexity of a man who has been changed forever by his experiences. David struggles with the very real threat of HIV and the knowledge that there are very few choices for the hopeless where survival is the only real goal. His own lack of self worth and overwhelming shame cast him easily as a sympathetic character just as his actions allow the reader to sympathize with John’s anger and confusion. David’s relationship with his son and glimpses into the man he once was are a tantalizing taste of how life used to be. David will never be the same man and will continue to lapse into the survival mindset undoubtedly in the future, showing an honest reality even amongst a romantic relationship.

The cast of secondary characters was wonderful and added to the depth of the story while giving a much needed lightening of the intensity between John and David. Jamie was a particularly delightful addition with his surprising insight and perception against a perpetually cheery and flirtatious outlook. His confidence and unyielding strength are integral for both David and John. Just as Barbara’s subtle therapy are necessary to helping both men with their confusion and difficult trials. Even the late addition of Adam, David’s son, created another link between the men and an additional layer of dimension to the story and characters.

Within this honest romance filled with complex issues, there were a few problems with the execution of the story. First was the repeated and sometimes confusing point of view changes. The author attempts to show what each and every character is thinking and thus frequently changes the point of view for each paragraph to show this. Unfortunately, this head hopping was unnecessary to show the point of the characters feelings and occurred too often for comfort. Additionally the character of John’s occasional girlfriend, Marian, was introduced but then completely dropped once John and David became involved which questioned the need for her appearance at all. The pacing was well done considering the number of side elements the author introduced and although it may have been slightly uneven, the added emotion and information easily outweighs the pacing problem.

Rowan is an incredibly talented writer and her book vaulted to my best book list easily. The genuine voice she offers when dealing with the complicated emotions and problems never allows this to be a simple romance. Yet the characters are lovely and will resonate easily within each reader, calling out experiences to both the shame and pride. This is not an easy book to read, but it shouldn’t be and is infinitely better for the honesty it offers. You’ll not want to put it down.

Get it HERE! 

 

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