VINE by Fearne Hill

My review

Let's start this off by saying this is by no means a light read. It is a true, beautifully gut-wrenching, truthful read on living with anxiety. Caspian has been through the ringer this past year that elevated his past mental health issues. What he doesn't expect is Max. Max is a man on the nuerospicy spectrum who is truly happy as he is. He knows his issues and embraces them fully, and helps Caspian be able to settle into his. These two are an odd pair that on paper may be too much for the other, yet aren't because they accept and help the other. Caspian knows he will never fully be past his issues but learns to be okay with them. He learns it's okay to not be okay, and for me, that's truly magical. Max, the beautiful soul that he is, takes on this with open arms and enables them to move forward to a better future. One of if not the best representations of controlled cutting I have read. More often than not, it bothers me how it's treated, but in this case, it felt real and beautiful and well life. Another amazing addition to this already beautiful series.

Book overview

Caspian Pumkin-Watts is at the end of his rope. Facing a career crossroads, when he’s offered a chance to spend nine months filming a reality TV show on a French holiday island, he grabs it with both hands.

There are only two problems. His co-star is his ex-husband, and the producer is Caspian’s replacement in his ex-husband’s bed.

Max La Forge of La Forge Oyster Farms knows he’s peculiar.He has a penchant for blue rubber, for instance, and only drinks from a blue mug. He loves driftwood and seashells and hates being touched without his permission. Living alone in his little hexagonal house suits him perfectly, until his dog discovers a young Englishman unconscious on his driveway. Inexplicably drawn to the lonely, complicated stranger, Max garners courage to set out on his first ever romantic exploration.

Author’s note: as always, I write with a light touch, but please heed the trigger warnings for anxiety disorder and deliberate self-harm (on page).

Vine (Island Love Book 3) https://a.co/d/dYwvbs8