Review: No Such Thing by A.M. Arthur

Book Title: No Such Thing

Author: A.M. Arthur

Release Date: February 17th, 2014

Publisher: Carina Press

Genre: NA/LGBT/Romance

Series: Book 1

Book Link: Goodreads

Purchase Links:  Amazon, Barnes & Noble

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Twenty-two-year-old Alessandro Silva knows that returning to tiny Perch Creek to help his foster mother was the right thing to do. With no degree and a delinquent's reputation, he's lucky to have landed a job waiting tables. But not everyone is happy he's back, and the only thing keeping his move home from being a total bust is his boss's hot brother.

Jaime Winters spent most of his life watching the world go by, first from a series of hospitals and then from behind big stacks of textbooks. Studying is easier than facing the fact that years of heart failure means he's still a virgin at twenty-three. Until the new waiter in his sister's diner awakens desires he'd long ago given up on.

The last thing Alessandro wants is to fall for someone as fragile as Jaime. And Jaime may have a new heart, but he's scared of what giving it to another person would mean. Their no-strings-attached, instructional approach to sex keeps emotion safely at bay, until a secret from Alessandro's past forces them to confront their feelings in the present...

Disclaimer: I received this e-ARC from Carina Press via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Review:

When I read the synopsis, I just knew I had to read this book. Like Jamie I spent years of my life in and out of the hospital.Like Jamie I dealt with poor health due to my heart problems. Unlike Jamie I haven't needed a transplant (knock on wood) Being ill with a chronic illness causes you to grow up fast in some ways but you are basically assured an immature social life.I related to Jamie big time in this book. He sought comfort in his books and school much like I did.

Jamie didn't know how to suddenly emerge into the dating world because he had spent so much of his teenage years, sick and lacking the energy to do much. I know that feeling. I also know the feeling of feeling like everyone is lightyears ahead of you in personal milestones. Marriage, kids, owning a home etc.

Jamie wasn't out to anyone except for his sister Shannon, who I loved. She was a total sweetheart but she also was willing to open up a can of whoop-ass on whoever hurt or even threatened to hurt her baby brother. Fiercely protective she was.

That's why I was happy to see how she warmed up to Alessandro. From the beginning the attraction between Jamie & Alessandro was evident. Shannon herself noticed how her brother and her new employee looked at each other but aside from inquiring about how they were doing as a couple, she stayed out of it.

Oh Alessandro, I loved that you returned to help your former foster mom out. His devotion to family was so nice to see. His former foster father had recently died, so Alessandro was back to help Eunice and her two foster kids Tony & Molly.Tony needed a stable male influence around as he was easily swayed by older and cooler kids.Molly was a little shyer but she was a sweetheart underneath all of her fears.

This book was weird as I loved the relationship between Alessandro and Jamie but through a decent chunk of the book it was straight up erotica. Now I don't mind erotica at all but I think that there was too much of it and it detracted from the story arcs for Jamie & Alessandro. 

Jamie's arc was his growing confidence and his refusal to stay in the closet any longer. He also allowed himself to believe that he was worthy of love and that the vertical scar that ran down his chest as a mark of how far he had come. Alessandro's arc was learning to allow someone into his heart and allowing him to lean on Jamie as he faced demons from his past.

At about 70% through it I was getting frustrated with the sexy scenes. But then something happened that totally turned the book around for me. It was at this point that I shed tears. I was heartbroken for Jamie and Alessandro and scared for them both throughout the rest of the book.

I am really conflicted on what to rate this book. I don't think removing two whole stars is okay just because of the excess sex scenes, but I don't know. Will I read the next book in the series? Yes. Did I enjoy the book outside of the sex scenes? Yes. I wouldn't continue the series if it was a 3 star rating because a three star rating means (to me) that I am indifferent on the book. But I'm not. indifferent. So I'll give this book 4 stars. I am excited to see where the series goes next.