Book Review: Illumination by Rowan Speedwell

Title: Illumination
Author: Rowan Speedwell
Genre: Contemporary Romance, M/M Romance
Sensuality Rating: Erotic
Source: review copy provided by publisher
Published: September 30, 2013 by Riptide Publishing

Adam Craig is burned out. Lead singer of the hard rock band Black Varen, he's tired of the empty life of groupies, paparazzi, and hotel rooms. Worse, a life in the closet. After the final concert of their latest tour, he flees the after-party in pursuit of memories of lost summers and carefree days, until he passes out on the patio of a shuttered lake resort.

Miles Caldwell is a brilliant artist, tied by agoraphobia and social anxiety to his family's lodge. Alone but for his parrot, he spends his days illuminating manuscripts and hiding from the complexities of life. When he discovers Adam asleep in a deck chair, he's furious but intrigued. Adam soon charms his way into Miles' bed, and they lose themselves in a summer idyll, safe from the compromises and claims of reality.

But Adam's life, with all its demands, is waiting for him. And Miles, uncertain of Adam's true feelings, is battling demons of his own. Somehow, the man who's never home and the man who never leaves it must find the strength to fight for a future together.

Reviewed By: J9

In a Nutshell: I enjoyed this gentle, tender MM romance with good secondary characters.

The Set Up: Adam is the lead singer of a highly successful rock band complete with groupies, paparazzi, feuding band mates, and living the lie that he’s bisexual, not gay. One night it gets too much for Adam and he hires a cab to take him to a lake resort where his family often vacationed. Adam is found by Miles, an agoraphobic artist with social anxiety. Adam and Miles form a bond but the outside world, including Adam’s rock star life, may tear men apart.

Why I Read this Book: I liked the synopsis of opposites attract.

What I Liked: Miles and Adam are nicely developed characters. Adam’s isolation well matched Miles isolation and allow the men to connect on more than just a sexual level, though they certainly connect that way too. Even though Adam is a rock star he never plays games with Miles or attempts to deceive him and this was necessary for me to like his character, especially since he had to leave Miles at times. Miles has traumatic brain injury so he’s socially awkward and pretty harsh on himself. Miles’ attempts at forging a bond with Adam were believable and more importantly consistent. Miles and Adam share awkward emails and texts as they attempt communication and I loved this.  Miles is never “fixed” just because he and Adam fall in love and this realistic struggle made the novel for me.

What I Also Liked: This book meanders its way to Adam and Miles together. This isn’t a book with a giant mystery or huge plot but instead just the journey of two men and the people who love them. I think this was successful for me because I liked Miles and Adam as well as their friends: Miles’ loving sister Lisa and his best friends Bobby and Doug, Adam’s band manager Bill and his pesky older brother Eric. Adam and Miles make life changes not just because they want to become a couple but because they need to do so to grow as people. Miles’ agoraphobia and Adam’s issues with drugs are part of their journey together and I enjoyed being immersed in their lives.

Additionally, this romance is told over time so it never felt rushed. Months pass as Adam and Miles grow as people apart but the romantic tension is still very present in the book. For instance, Adam makes a private video for Miles that perfectly captures their sexual and emotional intimacy.  I also like that readers get to see Adam and Miles together as a couple, along with a strong epilogue, instead of just the big emotional denouement.

What I Didn’t Like: Normally I’m not a fan of an external stimuli getting leads back together but since there was enough emotional development between Adam and Miles after the big hospital event, it worked for me.

IMO: I enjoyed this book and recommend it to other MM readers.

J9’s Rating:

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