Hiya peeps, we have Cat Grant popping in today with her newest release Rites of Passage, we have a great excerpt, a fantastic giveaway and Lisa’s review so enjoy the post and click that rafflecopter link <3 ~Pixie~
Rites of Passage
(A Courtland Novel)
by
Cat Grant
Adulthood sucks.
With college graduation behind them, Seth Thompson and Bilal al-Mansoori enjoy their last carefree summer. But the perfect future Seth’s envisioned since high school—moving to New York to pursue a career as an artist—doesn’t appeal to city-phobic Bilal. A job offer allowing Bilal to remain in upstate New York drives a wedge between them, and Seth’s family’s well-meaning interference doesn’t help at all.
A trip to the UK for Bilal’s sister’s wedding offers a chance to get back on the same page. But their holiday is abruptly cut short when the unthinkable happens…
And Seth faces the very real possibility that he may never see the man he loves alive again.
Title: A Year in the Life Series: A Courtland Novel – Book One Author: Cat Grant Genre: Contemporary Length: Novel (267 pages) Publisher: Cat Grant Books (December 15th, 2014) Heat Level: Low Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥5 Hearts Reviewer: Aerin Blurb: Courtland fans, get ready – the next generation’s here!
A campus flu outbreak, complicated by a freak October blizzard, brings Cornell seniors Seth Thompson and Bilal al-Mansoori together. Three days spent waiting out the storm at Seth’s snowbound apartment leads to an unexpected mutual attraction—and a hot night under the covers, which quickly deepens into a true emotional bond…
Plus, a world of problems for Bilal, an Iranian Muslim. Despite his homeland’s harsh laws and even harsher punishment for homosexuality, Bilal can no longer deny who he really is: A gay man falling in love for the first time.
Seth’s gentle manner and passionate lovemaking bring Bilal more joy than he ever thought possible. Yet, despite the lovers’ growing happiness, Bilal’s haunted by guilt and shame left over from his strict upbringing, and the sad realization that he’ll never see his family in Iran again.
Speaking of families, it’s time for Bilal to meet Seth’s…
Eric, Nick, and Ally. Ten years later, this committed triad is still as deeply in love as ever, but even commitment comes with challenges…
Is there room in this non-traditional family for Bilal? His future with Seth may depend on it.
Review: This was an amazing story that was so beautifully written, I was lost in it from the beginning to the end. I was able to connect with every single one of the characters and they were all complex and unique; I loved the journey to get to know every single one of them.
The story is told from multiple points of view but don’t let that stop you from reading this. It was done perfectly and it will help you understand better what the characters are going through, their struggles, and feeling; we get Bilal and Seth’s point of view through most of the book but we also get to see life through Seth’s parents eyes. They are an unconventional family to say the least and I loved getting to know them as good as I did.
Bilal is an Iranian Muslim who’s studying in the United States. His inner turmoil is hard to witness and I got teary eyed multiple times. Once he meets Seth, he can no longer deny he is gay, but how can he choose between accepting his true self and giving up his family forever? Homosexuality has a death punishment in Iran and once Bilal chooses his own happiness, there’s no way for him to ever go back to see his family. Bilal was born in England and grew up there, until he was around 10 years old. His father hated everything about England and once Bilal’s British mother died, Bilal and his sister were suddenly removed from everything they knew; they were taken to Iran and the change was brutal.
My heart ached for him and his sister both. We get to see Bilal experience the American holidays for the first time and we also learn a lot about the cultural differences Bilal deals with every single day.
Seth was my absolute favorite character and I adore him. He is patient, loving, and accepting. He is also truthful and he manages to help Bilal overcome most of his personal struggles. Seth knows how happy and fortunate he was growing up. He’s filthy rich but he isn’t self-entitled at all; he is humble, and grateful. He appreciates everything he got in life and it’s truly impossible not to fall in love with him.
Seth and Bilal’s relationship isn’t very steamy, so we don’t get any intercourse in this book. Why? Because for Seth intimacy and closeness are more important than anything. He doesn’t need anything else other than a loving relationship with someone who truly loves him. Seth has a huge heart and isn’t afraid to fall in love and get hurt, and his family is a little concerned about how fast his relationship with Bilal progresses.
This book couldn’t have a better title than this, because for me, life was all this book was about. The decisions the characters make and the changes that occur in their lives are both admirable and heartbreaking. There are obstacles to overcome and the end result isn’t always what they want it to be, but the journey makes it all worth it. The ending of this book isn’t exactly a cliffhanger, but it’s pretty close to it (we get a happy for right now).
Most of the problems are still unresolved and the next book in this series will resume where this one left off. I honestly can’t wait to get my hands on it.
I recommend this book to anyone who loves a good romance, one that’s complex and where happiness isn’t so easy to achieve.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
