Heartscape by Garrett Leigh

 

Release Date: 03.22.2021

Synopsis:

I’m not the obvious choice to run Burlington’s coolest wine bar—quiet, brooding, clueless about tannin content, and always one wrong turn away from another downward spiral.

But no one seems to mind that I'm a wreck. Besides me. I just focus on getting through each shift until the night a beautiful stranger appears, looking as lost and damaged as I feel.

When a mutual friend calls in a favor, the sexy newcomer winds up crashing on my couch. I don't know if it's his melodic Cornish accent, or his ocean blue eyes, or the rock-hard body with the mysterious scars, but I get the feeling whatever happened to him runs far deeper than those wounds. 

Having Jax in my home makes my chest warm. Makes me shiver. Makes me want more. But I've got a pile of baggage and I don't want to be a burden on anyone let alone a man who seems to have enough demons of his own. 

Our chemistry is off the charts. His arms feel like home. The last thing I want is to screw this up. Is it wrong to hope we can heal each other? Or will one of us die trying?

**HEARTSCAPE is a heartfelt MM friends-to-lovers romance in the True North world, with a brooding bartender, a rugged outdoorsman, sweet angst and lots of Shipley cider. Triggers: contains mentions of depression, suicidal ideation and PTSD recovery.

Review:

Heartscape was a good story that brought out all the emotion.

Tanner is the Vino and Veritas bar manager, his hardwork makes up for his complete inexperience. Jax is the new videographer of the wilderness on the mountain near Burlington. A night Tanner has to take Jax at home as a favour for a friend and between them there’s instantly a spark of attraction but they both have their demons to confront before to think about a relationship.

Tanner and Jax are both running away and hiding from their painful pasts and it was endearing to see how they slowly come out of their shells, how giving and receiving love save them from themselves and a lonely life.

I loved them both, but Tanner a little more. I’ve appreciated how his depression doesn’t magically disappear overnight but he has to go a long way before he even  understands his condition.

This was the first time I’ve read something of this author and I liked the writing style, the characters, both men have the right amount of sweetness and cockines, and the plot captured me from the first chapter.

I recommend to read it if you don’t have any triggers for depression and toxic relationships.