Switched by N.R. Walker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
*~~*ARC kindly provided by the author to me in exchange for an honest review *~~*
Israel Ingham’s life has never been easy. He grew up in a house devoid of love and warmth. Nothing he ever did was good enough. The fact Israel is gay just added to the long list of his father’s disappointments.
Then a letter from Eastport Children’s Hospital changes everything.
A discovery is made, one of gross human error. Twenty-six years ago two baby boys were switched at birth and sent home with the wrong families.
Sam, Israel’s best friend, has been his only source of love and support. With Sam beside him every step of the way, Israel decides to meet his birth mother and her son, the man who lived the life Israel should have.
Israel and Sam become closer than ever, amidst the tumultuous emotions of meeting his birth family, and Sam finds himself questioning his feelings toward his best friend. As Israel embraces new possibilities, he needs to dissect his painful relationship with his parents in order to salvage what’s left.
Because sometimes it takes proof you’re not actually family to become one.
What do you do when you have always the feeling you don’t belong to your family and get the information you are right… because you are switched at birth?
This disturbing news are revealed to Israel and his parents who aren’t the most loving and caring parents.
Totally devastated by the news Israel is trying to comprehend what this means, and maybe what new possibilities this left open.
Without the help of his best friend Sam – Samuel – who is at his side and never been apart since they were 14 years old he would be totally crushed – and soon he reveales how much more Sam is for him.
With being both gay but BFF there wasn’t mutal attraction… until Israel’s live is totally put opposite down.
Israel is reflecting his new feelings for his friend:
Why was I noticing these things about him now? I’d never tought of hiim that way before, I didn’t know what had changed…
Constantly the tension is rising and moments are full of the mutual attraction:
My lips were barely an inch from his, and the heat in his eyes stripped me bare. I could offer him nothing but the truth.
And at the top Israel isn’t denying anymore at some part in the book:
I wanted him to. With everything I was, I wanted him to kiss me.
The natural evolution of their relationship from friends to lovers is perfectly done by N.R. Walker and again a splendid read. Not often authors can’t really grab the tension and it’s rushed, this book shows how a well balance has to be. Never did it felt strange that both feel more for each other, also never did Sam things Isreal wasn’t ready for since it’s clear who was the first who fell in love.
Besides the lovestory the dealing with the events is great and it is really awesome how N.R. Walker is putting the things together. Of course Israel’s parents aren’t perfect – they shouldn’t be – but they aren’t bad people though a bis mislead and also captured in a cloud of sadness. It is touching how Walker is able to also let those person act naturally and understandable. Also did the author a great job in solving the character’s problems without whitewashing anything. All parties have to do their part to be a union.
I can truly recommend everybody who loves friends to lovers-stories. Also to those who love stories with regional insertions since the author is Australian and therefore places and terms are from Australia and written in Australian English.
Also is this book filled with sometimes hilarious funny scenes, where you can’t look at a few things not innocently again. xD And be prepared to have the Spongebob Squarpants intro stuck in your head. XD
5 out of 5 stars ❤
This is my final review for the last day of 2016. Have a great year 2017. 🙂
Be careful and celebrate, enjoy the new year. 🙂 See you next level 😉
Mikku-chan 