Title: Waiting for the Moon and You
Author: L.J. LaBarthe
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Novel (234pgs)
ISBN: 9781632168382
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (27th April 2015)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts
Reviewer: Prime
Blurb: All his life, Leith has loved Aaron, and all his life, Leith has wondered if Aaron returns his feelings. Through high school, college, and beyond, Leith and Aaron are drawn together and pulled apart. Leith is finally convinced he and Aaron are not meant to be when a cowardly act of violence against Leith changes everything.
Aaron returns to Leith’s side, but Leith struggles to accept that Aaron can love him now.
If Leith doesn’t overcome his doubts and fears, he will forever be waiting for the moon and Aaron… and true love.
Product Link: https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6320
Review: Waiting for the Moon and You is a wonderful book which is mostly about the path that one man’s life went down after the dramas of high school. It is a warm, sweet and heartfelt tale which is written like a memoir. The writing is well done and it was just so easy for me to lose myself in (this is the 3rd book I’ve read by LJ LaBarthe and I had the same experience that time too).
As for the story itself, we centre on the life of Leith. As I said, it’s like a memoir, so the story is told entirely from Leith’s POV. I was impressed that I did not feel like I was missing parts of the story because we didn’t get the direct POV of Leith’s crush, Aaron. As for Leith himself, he was not dealt an easy card in life. This story touches on a few tricky issues including domestic violence he encounters over the years, but more important is to think of this as something of a proper journey towards true love.
This leads me to the unrequited love of Leith’s life, Aaron, which is completely mutual! More than a couple of times it seems unfathomable that these guys have not been together sooner, but then you realise that this is just exactly how life is. Things get in the way and we sometimes neglect our personal relationships or are too scared to move on with anything. Thinking on that, it’s probably accurate to add that this book is also quite poignant.
There is a lot of feeling, particularly when we see our characters go through high school and the inevitable changes that come with university or college is so easily relatable in one way or another. If you’ve not experienced it you’ve heard about such stories second or third hand. Interestingly, our love interest here, Aaron, was notably absent for over half the book but when he made his appearance…I was ready to cry like a baby half the time he popped up.
I absolutely adored this book and its characters. The minor characters, Leith’s friends and parents, are also a highlight of the story. By the end of it I wanted to hug both Aaron and Leith. If you like the memoir style narration this book is especially for you, but I tend to think that this one has a broad range of appeal for people.