Yanni’s Story by N.R. Walker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
*~~*ARC kindly provided by the author to me in exchange for an honest review *~~*
When Yanni Tomaras is kicked out of his family home, his parents’ final words are religious insults and an order to never return. Homeless and desperate, he’s lured in by Lance—charming on the outside, an evil predator underneath—who abuses Yanni until he finds the courage to leave.
Yanni should feel free. But by the time Spencer Cohen finds him, he’s resigned to being handed back to Lance and once again being caged by fear.
Starting school and a part-time job, Yanni begins to reclaim his life. But a love for silent films leads him to Peter Hannikov, a man with a kind heart but who’s twice his age. An unlikely friendship between them blooms into so much more. Neither man knows what he wants, at first. Finding out exactly what he needs is Yanni’s story.
“I’d spent years as a bird, caged with my wings clipped, tormented and beaten.
I thought I’d escaped when I’d left my abuser, but in hindsight, I could see that I was still caged, this time by fear and self-doubt.
Spencer and Andrew, and Andrew’s parents, opened the door to the cage that confined me.
But it was Peter who taught me how to fly.”Trigger Warning: Descriptions of violence, suicide, and sexual assault. Reader discretion advised.
It is no secret I love the stories written by N.R. Walker and the way she always captures my heart.
I was pretty late with reading the Spencer Cohen series but luckily I could read all three books in one row. Next to Spencer and Andrew I loved the series because of Peter and later Yanni. And I hoped for weeks that they get their story. And here it is.
I can’t really say how much I’ve screamed of joy and excitement when I heard this, even more when I saw the fabulous cover. And I read the book at a time when it was most needed. ❤
I loved how N.R. Walker described the sensitive topics in the book. One of it is the sexual assault and violence against Yanni by Lance who we know from the Spencer Cohen series.But it’s not only Yanni who’ve suffered. The other minor character, who Yanni is roommate is have tragic stories which go straght to the heart. I love the strong bond they soon share, and especially the way how Andrew’s mother Helen is “adopting” Yanni is heart warming. ❤
What I also loved was the relationship between Peter and Yanni. Truth is, there is a huge age gap between them and it may or maybe not some other reader’s cup of a tea. And that’s okay. I actually was very fond of it, since I explored I like it pretty much in stories recently. 🙂 And the way how N.R. described their both needs was perfect in my eyes. Never did Peter force Yanni to anything, he is patient, he is kind and he has one of the most biggest hearts I’ve ever seen in a character.
The fact that Peter is having a kinkier side behind the serese appearance is very exciting to explore. And as I said although Peter has wishes and expectations of his lover he is patient to wait for the right time when Yanni is feeling ready.
Peter is one of the rare major character, who has dealt with things, who has made several own experiences but never looks from above to Yanni. Both are equal in the relationship and therefore their bond is rare, special and wonderful. ❤ His backstory and his own connection to his mother is sweet and shows what character lies under the surface.
Within the book we see a major progress in Yanni’s health and how he overcomes a lot of his problems. The way how his therapy is shown is sensitive but also spiked with funny and light parts, which made the whole book pretty serious but it feels like you are reading a helping guide, without being too educational or with a pointed finger.
N.R. Walker knows how to reveal the character’s feelings, the considerate way in which she writes is a pleasure and for me it was a book which helped me when I was emotional unbalanced.
The quote from the blurb sums it really good up what is so special about the book:
Spencer and Andrew, and Andrew’s parents, opened the door to the cage that confined me.
But it was Peter who taught me how to fly.
So this book get 5 out of 5 stars. A recommendation to read this book comes right from the bottom of my heart. ❤
In the next weeks I hope I have time to write the reviews to the Spencer Cohen series. So, stay tuned. 🙂 If I do, I add the reviews to them here.
Mikku-chan 
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