Amy's Romance Reviews: RELEASE BLITZ & REVIEW

The day Enzo Chevalier lost his hearing, everything changed. Forced to rebuild his future and fight for his dreams, Enzo refused to let anything take him down...until the man of his life walked out on him and shattered his heart.

Florian Beaudry had his whole life figured out. His business was flourishing and everything was settling down at last. Or so he believed...until he walked in on his girlfriend and best friend.

Still on the rebound and unable to trust another man, Enzo never expected a chance encounter with Florian. The one person he thought he would never see again. The one person he missed the most.

Were they truly meant to get a second chance or were they doomed from the start?

REWIND is an MM romance novel set entirely in France. Though part of a series, it is a standalone story without a cliffhanger.

Review

My Rating - 5 Stars!

Wow. I love Rewind. Rowan Shaw excels with this riveting romance.

Enzo and Florian were high school boyfriends, but haven't spoken in a long time. We're treated to an inspirational tale of "rewinding" and going back to where they were before. The men need to "rewind" to find out what went wrong and to try to make things work now.

The tone is full of melancholy, as it's a tale of overcoming separation. They have a lot to deal with, and the tone sets the scene perfectly. In fact, I found myself totally engrossed by the somber mood, feeling bad for the guys even when they weren't sad. I was instantly thrown into a gloomy and depressed for them state. But, it's also a refreshing story of hope, in addition to the angst and heartbreak

I love Enzo. He's adapted extremely well to his hearing loss and it's beautiful that he doesn't want to live in fear. The details about people with hearing loss, both the treatment of them, and the education aspects, are written with knowledge and care. As well, the thoughtlessness of his ex is very well captured.

My favorite quote is "They saw deafness as a disability; I saw it as a gift."

Their relationship deals with family issues, deception, hate crimes, and being kicked out by one's family. They face bad times, scary times, angry times, and end with love and happiness.

An interesting topic is bisexuality and the assumption that a bisexual person can't be monogamous. It's a thing I tend to hear a lot, so I appreciate this discussion.

Told in a third person dual pov, the reader is able to complete get into their minds. The writing is superb, allowing us to feel every emotion, while also capturing the environment in a first-rate manner. A debut novel, I am extremely impressed.

Rewind is a story of dealing with misunderstandings and lies. It's a wonderful second chance romance that had me gripped from the start, as the two men try to rekindle their old relationship. It's fantastic and accomplished, full of hope and romance.

Excerpt

I stared at Enzo, unsure what to do or how to react. I hadn't seen him in such a long time. When I smiled at him, the deep scar on his left cheek carved into his skin as he replied with a grin of his own, along with a shy wave. I gaped like a moron. He was even more breathtaking than he used to be, taller and stronger too.

My eyes caught on the gorgeous male with his arm around Enzo's shoulders. Something inside me sank. I could either be a coward and ignore Enzo, or I could be the bigger person and ask him to join me for a drink—even if that meant watching him flirt with that hot guy all evening.

Enzo was staring back at me without moving, so I took that as my cue to beckon him forward. The man next to him raised a questioning eyebrow, but Enzo signed at him, explaining I was someone he used to know in high school. The guy crinkled his forehead and glared at me with eyes so green, I couldn't help but stare. Even their hypnotizing tint wouldn't soften the warning in his glower.

Enzo chuckled at the guy's reaction and grabbed his hand, leading him toward me.

I had also forgotten how beautiful he was when he laughed. Even in my fondest memories, he had never looked as good as he did now. The scar on his face only heightened his splendor, especially since I knew what it represented. I tried hard not to gawk, but it felt so good to see him again and get confirmation he was well.

Enzo kept smiling at me shyly, but before he could reach my level, the other guy stood in the way.

"Florian, is that it?" he asked with a hint of hostility.

"Yeah."

I held out my hand to shake his, but he snubbed me, leaning forward instead, blocking Enzo's view. "I don't remember Enzo telling me about any friends in high school. If anything, I only remember him talking about his bullies."

I clenched my teeth at the threat under his tone. "I'm not going to hurt him if that's what you're implying."

About the Author

Rowan Shaw is a human being from Planet Earth (originally from the country of France). She's also the queer author of Rewind, an MM romance series set entirely in her home country.

Addicted to reading and writing, Rowan can usually be found with a book in her hands or sitting in front of her computer typing some kind of story while listening to music from the 80s.

Author Links