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A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019)
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019)
2019 | Drama
Based on a magazine article written by an Esquire investigative reporter assigned a profile on Fred Rogers, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood is the Tuesdays With Morrie adaptation of the man who guided generations of children through the perils of childhood. Opening in the style of the famed PBS series Mr. Rogers Neighborhood, we begin by learning the story of journalist Lloyd Vogel, a man very much in need of a change in attitude. He harbors a lot of father issues. The editor of Esquire wants him to write one of the articles for an issue on Heroes, but everyone has read his work and is afraid to talk to him. That is,except for the one man in the world who never judges others until he has walked in his shoes. In other words, you need to know a person in order to really be able to know someone. Tom Hanks is a national treasure and perfectly captures the heart and soul of a man who exuberates compassion and willing teaches everyone the most important lesson of life. Matthew Rhys capably plays Lloyd as he comes to grips with all the buried feelings of the childhood he had which turned him into the man he is. Chris Cooper stands out as Jerry, the father who abandoned his family when life became too rough. Overall, the movie is good, and the movie achieves its goal: telling the story of how one person can make a huge difference in the lives of others just by listening.
  
Absinthe
Absinthe
Winter Renshaw | 2017 | Contemporary, Romance
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This has been borrowed from the Kindle Unlimited Library.

I'll be honest. With how this started I was expecting it to be erotica. That prologue with how "Absinthe" walks into the principles office, sucking on that lollipop, and how they recognise each other from their voices alone. I expected it to be a bit...kinky with them going on to have sex in his office. But then we go back three months and see how their relationship started with the Karma dating app.

I was really rather enjoying this. It had the angst of love that couldn't really happen but them being unable to fight their feelings or stop seeing each other. But then their secret got out and things fell apart around them both. And then years passed. YEARS! I began to get a little fed up with the characters after five years had passed and they hadn't found each other. Yeah, one of them was looking for the other but...it wasn't really going anywhere.

They did eventually find each other but it wasn't great between them for quite a while and my initial enjoyment of the story had waned a little by then. I did like the epilogue and how their love of classic literature worked its way into their lives. That bit was cute.

It was those five years with the travels and the trying to find each other and despising each other...it knocked it down a star for me. It just seemed too long.
  
His Temptation (Unexpected Love #1)
His Temptation (Unexpected Love #1)
Jaclyn Osborn | 2020 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
good, but not one for me!
Independent reviewer for Gay Romance Reviews, I was gifted my copy of this book.

*insert sigh*

I can't decide whether I actually liked this book, or not, and it's annoying me cos I can't figure out WHY!

The plot isn't a particularly original one, and you can see what's gonna happen coming at you like a freaking train wreck and you can't stop it. But I actually liked that, that I could see it all coming at me, for the most part, anyway.

Both guys have a say, in the first person. Each voice is very different, and clear, given their ages and upbringings. I liked that, again, for the most part. First person isn't my first choice of narrative though. However, I did feel more of a connection to Ryan, who is Cason's best friend and Emery's son, than to the two main characters!

It's hot and steamy in places, and sweet and funny and emotional in others. Everything comes across nicely, and is well written.

It just . . didn't float my boat! As to why? I can't pinpoint that fact and you all know how much that stresses me so, not being about to voice my book feelings!

Its GOOD, don't get me wrong, because it kept me engaged enough to finish, and trust me when I say, I would've dumped it if it hadn't. Just not one for me, I'm afraid.

3 good, but not brilliant, stars.

**same worded review will appear elsewhere**