Rating: 4.5
Steam: 2
PoV: dual, 1st person
Series: Fisher & Church #1
Genre: romantic suspense, MM
Tropes / tags: hurt / comfort, mystery, slow burn
Something had brought him here. Something big. And for a few ridiculous seconds, I wanted nothing more than to gather him in my arms and tell him that whatever it was, everything would be okay. That I would stand guard over him until it was.
The Meaning of You was a powerful and intriguing start to Jay Hogan’s new series!
I probably should have been better prepared for the emotional impact of this one, I have to admit it caught me a little bit off guard. The very first chapters that focused more on Nick and Davis were heartbreaking, and Nick’s grief and spiralling after losing Davis was difficult to read. I loved to see Nick and Madigan’s connection in those moments though, Madigan trying to be there for Nick and checking in on him.
Nick was ornery at best, and while it was frustrating at times, I loved his grumpiness. Madigan had a ton of patience, but wasn’t afraid to call Nick out when needed, and he was clear with his boundaries. While they shared a bit of an instant connecting, it took quite some time before anything intimate happened between them. Their relationship development was a magnificent slow burn with a lot of tension, along with some hesitation. I really liked them together and felt all giddy at the first signs of affection between them.
The suspense plot started in the prologue, and it built slowly but steady until it really took off later on. It was easy to become intrigued by the story along with the discoveries Nick made while going through Davis’ things. I can’t wait to learn more about what he was up to and what’s really going on, as well as seeing more of Nick and Madigan’s relationship!
The Meaning of You was an intricate story with complex characters, and I enjoyed every page of it! A fantastic start to the Fisher & Church series, and I honestly couldn’t be more psyched for the next part of Nick and Madigan’s story. I highly recommend this one if you’re in the mood for a great romantic suspense ending with a HFN (no cliffhanger, I promise).
“I love these smile lines.” He tipped my head down to kiss the corners of both eyes, then let me go. “You put on this big grumpy act, but those lines tell a different story. They speak of a big heart and big emotions. Whatever you feel— sadness, laughter, fear, anger— it’s all supersized and maybe a bit scary. So, you lock it down, shut the door, and set those spikes in place. But you don’t fool me, Nick Fisher.”
Book links:
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