Book Review: The Blinding Light

Title: The Blinding Light

Author: Renae Kaye

Publisher/GR Link: Dreamspinner, GR

Genre: MM

Vice: Disability, Contemporary

Rating: 5/5

Lock this book up: 

: 3 out of 5 keys, sex completely supports the romance

Length: Novel

Satisfaction: HEA- Big smile!

Cover Impressions: Adorable, and totally captures the mood

Best Line: "Who said I was straight? I never did.  Then he leaned in and kissed me..."

Synopsis: Jake Manning’s smart mouth frequently gets him into trouble. Because of it, he can’t hold a job. Combined with some bad luck, it's prevented him from keeping steady employment. A huge debt looms over him, and alone he shoulders the care of his alcoholic mother and three younger sisters. When a housekeeping position opens, Jake’s so desperate he leaps at the opportunity. On landing, he finds his new boss, Patrick Stanford, a fussy, arrogant, rude… and blind man.

Born without sight, Patrick is used to being accommodated, but he’s met his match with Jake, who doesn’t take any of his crap and threatens to swap all the braille labels on his groceries and run off with his guide dog unless he behaves.

Jake gets a kick out of Patrick. Things are looking up: the girls are starting their own lives and his mum’s sobriety might stick this time. He’s sacrificed everything for his family; maybe it’s time for him to live his life and start a relationship with Patrick. When his mother needs him, guilt makes his choice between family and Patrick difficult, and Jake must realize he’s not alone anymore.

Impressions: I loved this book!  It totally grabbed me and I couldn't wait to get back to Jake and Patrick.  It was not exactly what I expected from the blurb.  I was surprised and excited to hear that this was connected to Loving Jay, which I totally love!  I quickly reread Loving Jay, which was no hardship at all (and gets another 5/5 from me!)  This can definitely be a standalone, so there is no need to read the previous book- but I still highly recommend it!

I expected Jake to be a little bit like Jay- sassy and smart mouthed, but in reality, he was very sweet.  He had sass, but it I was thinking he might be an unemployable brat, but that was not the case.  Jake was simply adorable, and the type of man to help without even realizing the sacrifices he was making.  He just takes these challenges in stride.  Patrick was not an evil, grumpy man, but rather a lonely man who was afraid to believe he could be worthy of love.  Their romance is sweet, sexy and so believable.  

I loved the cast of characters that supported the story, and I found them to be very realistic too.  The setting in Australia was great.  The little bits of slang and phrasings were adorable additions.  When I had to put the book down I felt like I was leaving my good friends, and when I finished, I was left with a smile on my face.  I wanted to keep reading and I wanted it to never end!

Do yourself a favor and go read both Loving Jay and The Blinding Light.  I could not have loved them more.  

Highly Recommended!

(Review published on Goodreads and Amazon)