Stubbed Toes and Dating Woes

Stubbed Toes and Dating Woes (2023) Dahlia Donovan

Niclas Ruiz loves his archeological work. He also has a huge crush on his brother’s best friend.

Falk “Grizz” Evensen is content with his life. He has his own business (which he runs with the help of his best friend) and is successful. But his life is perhaps a little empty–it’s hard for asexuals to find partners–and even if his crushed on Nic for years, he’s just Nic’s brother’s best fried.

Right?

This is the third book in two weeks I’ve read with one or more ace characters. I didn’t necessarily mean to, but I wanted books with little or no boinking.

It’s also the second book in a row I read with a neurodivergent character.

This makes it extremely difficult not to compare the two stories.

First, Nic has dyspraxia.

“Fairly confident most people don’t trip over their own feet at least once a day or bash themselves into the sides of door frames and furniture on a regular basis.”

That, is me.

Second, Nic loves language and old words.

“Why do you love old words so much?”

“It’s history. Words mean something. We forget them like the items I find buried in the ground and rivers. There are some magnificent ones.”

I adore words that perfectly suit what I am thinking.

My issue with the story is there was almost no tension, and the story kept shifting in a direction I wasn’t expecting.

For instance, I assumed Izan was pushing Falk to spend time with Nic because he wanted them to recognize the feelings they had for each other.

Nope.

The bit of drama there was to the story–the horrible Charlene– dissolved into nothing.

This isn’t bad per se, but with both characters talking about their feelings and being honest, this felt more like a vignette rather than a fully fledged story.

It wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t much of anything.

Publisher: Hot Tree Publishing

Rating: 6/10

• Browse the archives:
  
• Amongst Our Weapons, Audio Book » »
• « « Socially Orcward