Linear Park

3 Stars

Linear Park tells Sean's story for the most part and how he ended up being an alcoholic and ruined his marriage and lost his job because of it.

Frankly, I'm not sure what I expected, but it wasn't this. First of all, I didn't really feel like Sean hit rock bottom or really wanted to leave the alcohol. He didn't really struggle all that much with it all, either, even after quitting cold turkey. Then his mother accepted him back and his sort-of sponsor roped him into flipping a house so he could work on it. And after throwing him out, or rather bailing him out of jail and moving Sean out, Nick, his husband, just takes him back in an ending that was really abrupt. I know this is a novella, there's only so much you can fit in 61 pages, however, I really think the author missed a great opportunity here.

Unfortunately, despite the writing being okay, the content wasn't up to par. We were told that Nick and Sean had this whole love story, and about Sean's spiralling into alcoholism after his father was diagnosed with cancer and his subsequent death, but I couldn't really see any chemistry between Nick and Sean or feel sorry for Sean, because his so-called struggle wasn't really that, plus his recovery and the resolution were just too easy and unrealistic. I'm sorry but I don't think I can really recommend this book.

*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by Dreamspinner Press for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***

Reviewed by Erin for Diverse Reader

A good book cover will always catch my eye so when I saw the cover for Ken Harrison's Linear Park, it immediately grabbed my attention. It's very nice, yeah? There is not enough diversity in MM romance so I was really excited to dive into this book. I was especially excited because the book centers on an established couple who have hit a rough patch. Books that focus on a couple who have a long history together are among my favorites; there's just something about that connection that I really enjoy reading about.

In Linear Park, Sean and Nick have known one another almost all their lives. They grew up together, were high school sweethearts, and have got married after college. Things couldn't be going better for them until Sean's father passes away sending Sean on a self-destructive downward spiral until he's an alcoholic who has lost not only his job, but his husband as well. For such a short book, at only 61 pages, Linear Park handles some pretty serious topics, and for the most part, does it well. Due to the length of the book there's not a whole lot of time to devote to Sean's undoing, but what Harrison portrays is heartbreaking and emotional. Sean's unwillingness at first to admit he has a problem, then his anger and his guilt, until finally he hits rock bottom and decides to get help.

There is a lot of telling and not showing in the book, since the story begins after most of the hard stuff is over, too much for me to really connect with Sean as much as I would have liked. Sure his story is gut-wrenching and seeing the aftermath of his self-destructive behavior is painful, but I wish there'd been more. With the shortness of the book it's impossible, and it's really quite a shame. It's pretty refreshing to see a couple that is not perfect and has to overcome some pretty serious obstacles to find their happiness once again. All in all, this was a good book, I just wish there'd been more to it. Give it a chance though, it might be for you.

Sean lots his father 2 and a half years ago and his life has spiraled out of control. He has lost his job, and his husband finally not able to take anymore has kicked him out.

In a way I can relate to Nick, Sean’s husband has had an alcoholic husband. However, Sean made recovery look so easy and with no mishaps or backsliding which having been there I felt was unrealistic.
Now having said that and taking in this is romantic fiction. I like to believe it could work this way and I would love to see this in a full story, how they met, the downslide, the recovery, and an H E A.