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What Remains
by
Web designer Jodi Peters is a solitary creature. Lunch twice a week with his ex-girlfriend-turned-BFF and the occasional messy venture to a dodgy gay bar is all the company he needs, right?
Then one night he stumbles across newly divorced firefighter Rupert O’Neil. Rupert is lost and lonely, but just about the sweetest bloke Jodi has ever known. Add in the heady current be ...more
Then one night he stumbles across newly divorced firefighter Rupert O’Neil. Rupert is lost and lonely, but just about the sweetest bloke Jodi has ever known. Add in the heady current be ...more
ebook, 1st edition, 278 pages
Published
July 4th 2016
by Riptide Publishing
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Start your review of What Remains
I had a weird reading experience with this book because I started off sort of... disliking it.
It was:
-Too British (lots of slang)
-"Boyo" <--- that nickname... just didn't work for me
-It felt like a few books that I've read before (The River Leith, especially, with the "I think I'm straight" vibe and the roommate/best friend assumption)
- Too little build-up between the MCs.
I read this book in the bath, and I thought that I would want to put it down after just a few chapters.
But then, something ...more
It was:
-Too British (lots of slang)
-"Boyo" <--- that nickname... just didn't work for me
-It felt like a few books that I've read before (The River Leith, especially, with the "I think I'm straight" vibe and the roommate/best friend assumption)
- Too little build-up between the MCs.
I read this book in the bath, and I thought that I would want to put it down after just a few chapters.
But then, something ...more
This is the best I’ve read of Garrett Leigh in a very long time.
I’ve read almost every book she has published so far (you don’t believe me? Check this out: Garrett Leigh's shelf) and, although none of her books measure up to the Slide series, I’ve found great stories in her record. She has the talent, and the means, to write great books.
But there is always something, a little detail, often a subjective one, that refrains me from loving each one of those stories to pieces. There is always some c ...more
I’ve read almost every book she has published so far (you don’t believe me? Check this out: Garrett Leigh's shelf) and, although none of her books measure up to the Slide series, I’ve found great stories in her record. She has the talent, and the means, to write great books.
But there is always something, a little detail, often a subjective one, that refrains me from loving each one of those stories to pieces. There is always some c ...more
Gah! So much of this book was really heartbreaking. Going from totally happy, then losing everything in the blink of an eye.
I really enjoyed how the story alternated between the "before" and the "now", as a way to both introduce you to Jodi and Rupert, and make you genuinely care that they got back to where they once had been.
The first half of the book was my favorite, before the middle parts felt a bit too slowly-paced for my liking, then the end was a bit less engaging than the first bits.
And ...more
Jan 04, 2017
Josy
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Josy by:
Annie ~ Queer Books Unbound
YAY!! I got a late Christmas present!!
Thank you so much, Simone :)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~ 4.5 stars ~
This was a really great story!! So emotional, heartbreaking and beautiful!
I can't remember when I read the last amnesia story so even if this wasn't anything new, it's still a trope I don't read every day and it was refreshing.
And I loved it! Seeing how Jodi learned to love Rupert all over again was everything. And Rupert... OMG, I was weeping for him. He was so supportive and lovi ...more
Thank you so much, Simone :)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~ 4.5 stars ~
This was a really great story!! So emotional, heartbreaking and beautiful!
I can't remember when I read the last amnesia story so even if this wasn't anything new, it's still a trope I don't read every day and it was refreshing.
And I loved it! Seeing how Jodi learned to love Rupert all over again was everything. And Rupert... OMG, I was weeping for him. He was so supportive and lovi ...more
4.5 Stars!
I requested this one months ago from NetGalley and I tried reading it a few times but I just wasn't in the mood. I kept saying soon, I'll read it soon. Then all of a sudden it was release day....whoops!
And as it usually happens with Garrett Leigh's books, despite my hesitations I always end up liking them. This one was no exception.
Yes, it was on the heavier side. Emotional and depressing at times. But I knew this...so maybe my expectations were high? Low? Regardless....I didn't hones ...more
I requested this one months ago from NetGalley and I tried reading it a few times but I just wasn't in the mood. I kept saying soon, I'll read it soon. Then all of a sudden it was release day....whoops!
And as it usually happens with Garrett Leigh's books, despite my hesitations I always end up liking them. This one was no exception.
Yes, it was on the heavier side. Emotional and depressing at times. But I knew this...so maybe my expectations were high? Low? Regardless....I didn't hones ...more
This was my first book by this author and I'll post a full review once my brain quits exploding and I get my thoughts together...but for now HOLY CRAP!!!! This one impressed the hell out of me...reasons to follow at a later date.
Update: June 25/16 full review posted below...
I find myself wondering "If I took away the memories of the love I have...
What Remains...and is it enough?
Try to imagine, if you will, suddenly having your memories of your entire life for the past five years wiped out, ...more
Update: June 25/16 full review posted below...
I find myself wondering "If I took away the memories of the love I have...
What Remains...and is it enough?
Try to imagine, if you will, suddenly having your memories of your entire life for the past five years wiped out, ...more
4.5 Stars - This book makes you think!
Two men in love. Rupert and Jodi - living their lives. A normal day. Doing something you do every day. Then everything changes. The ones you love are left to put life back together with What Remains
This book takes you through the world of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and the author does a really good job of realistically representing the life of someone with a TBI. As a nurse, I really enjoyed this story because it gives you a look at the injury from the pat ...more
Two men in love. Rupert and Jodi - living their lives. A normal day. Doing something you do every day. Then everything changes. The ones you love are left to put life back together with What Remains
This book takes you through the world of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and the author does a really good job of realistically representing the life of someone with a TBI. As a nurse, I really enjoyed this story because it gives you a look at the injury from the pat ...more
3.5 stars
Garrett Leigh wrote another beautiful story...... shrugs . The end.
Ok, not really. But here's the thing. Magic happens for me when I read m/m because of stories about every day people who go through every day things. I'm "ok" if a not-so-every-day side plot is thrown in there from time to time, but I just love it when authors can make magic out of the lives of you, me, our co-coworkers, cousins, siblings, crazy best friends, neighbors, etc. It just makes reading more relatable and I ...more
Garrett Leigh wrote another beautiful story...... shrugs . The end.
Ok, not really. But here's the thing. Magic happens for me when I read m/m because of stories about every day people who go through every day things. I'm "ok" if a not-so-every-day side plot is thrown in there from time to time, but I just love it when authors can make magic out of the lives of you, me, our co-coworkers, cousins, siblings, crazy best friends, neighbors, etc. It just makes reading more relatable and I ...more
4.5 Stars
It's been too long since I've read an angsty Garrett Leigh book, and What Remains is masterfully done.
The first part of the book is done with flashbacks to when Jodi and Rupert meet and then fall in love, all mixed in with the present and Jodi's accident and hospital stay. The flashbacks really give you a sense of who Jodi was and how he and Rupert were as a couple. They were young, in love and so damn happy I could weep. But sometimes really bad shit happens to really good people and ...more
It's been too long since I've read an angsty Garrett Leigh book, and What Remains is masterfully done.
The first part of the book is done with flashbacks to when Jodi and Rupert meet and then fall in love, all mixed in with the present and Jodi's accident and hospital stay. The flashbacks really give you a sense of who Jodi was and how he and Rupert were as a couple. They were young, in love and so damn happy I could weep. But sometimes really bad shit happens to really good people and ...more
I love a good amnesia trope and Leigh kept this so real and really got me in the feels with this book. The hopelessness, the struggle to understand and accept what had happened then to learn to love a whole other person even though the old one is staring you in the face.
Great narration too (though at times I though Rupert sounded a little too much like Terry Wogan!)
Loved it! 4.5 stars
Great narration too (though at times I though Rupert sounded a little too much like Terry Wogan!)
Loved it! 4.5 stars
2,5 stars
Amnesia as a tricky health condition offers actually a thrilling twist for many novels, not unnecessarily romance novels. I read some books where a memory loss was an important part of the plot, and I am not averse to it. There are also many popular movies based on this phenomenon.
For a romance novel it is simple: you have to find two partners, let something terrible happen to one of them (you can do it to both, but then it will be difficult to find a way out of this misery), and then ...more
attracted to the protagonists 
Garrett Leigh + Firefighter =
...more
...more
Jan 02, 2017
Denise H.
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
drama,
favorites,
first-time,
gfy,
suspense,
contemporary,
m-m-romance,
firefighters,
m-m-sex,
healing-comfort
*** Here we have a deliciously British tale of two blokes who are destined for each other.
* Emotional, raw, powerful, tragic, realistic, heartbreaking and heartwarming !
A beautifully told tale of newly divorced Rupert, Firefighter,
finding his way and sharing custody of his young daughter, Indie.
Meanwhile he meets Jodi, a Web Designer,
who he's very drawn to, and the men become great friends and then evolve, until Rupert can be comfy with his new found attraction to a man. The story is told ...more
* Emotional, raw, powerful, tragic, realistic, heartbreaking and heartwarming !
A beautifully told tale of newly divorced Rupert, Firefighter,
finding his way and sharing custody of his young daughter, Indie.
Meanwhile he meets Jodi, a Web Designer,
who he's very drawn to, and the men become great friends and then evolve, until Rupert can be comfy with his new found attraction to a man. The story is told ...more
⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱*Might contain spoilers*⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱
Web designer Jodi ‘boyo’ ‘Jojo’ Peters (how old is he?) and newly divorced firefighter Rupert ‘Rupe’ O’Neil (how old is he?) met outside a bar, and that meeting changed their lives. 4 year of blissful life full of love came to a brutal stop when Jodi ends up in a horrible car accident. Laying months in coma, where Rupert had no idea if the love of his life would ever wake up, the world felt like it could never get bright again. On top of that, when Jodi fi ...more
**4.5 stars** - Thank you so much, Jewel, for this great SS gift !!
Very emotional, but let’s face it, also a bit depressing at times. I couldn’t put this book down : I so needed to see how Jodi and Rupert, being together for 5 years, would deal with Jodi’s accident which put him in a coma and took away his memory and left him with daily challenges – and how Jodi and Rupert would rebuilt their relationship.
I could really relate to this story and the way it unravelled for both MCs and their entou ...more
Very emotional, but let’s face it, also a bit depressing at times. I couldn’t put this book down : I so needed to see how Jodi and Rupert, being together for 5 years, would deal with Jodi’s accident which put him in a coma and took away his memory and left him with daily challenges – and how Jodi and Rupert would rebuilt their relationship.
I could really relate to this story and the way it unravelled for both MCs and their entou ...more
Full disclosure here, the first few chapters annoyed me because it goes from the present to the past in each chapter, and I am not a fan of flashbacks, but I am so happy I stuck it out, because when Jodi wakes up that stops and this story is overall so compelling and engrossing, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough.
Jodi and Rupert have been together nearly five years when Jodi is hit by a car and spends months in a coma and then coma-like state. Rupert rarely leaves his side, and only then when ...more
Jodi and Rupert have been together nearly five years when Jodi is hit by a car and spends months in a coma and then coma-like state. Rupert rarely leaves his side, and only then when ...more
‘What Remains’ is not an easy book to read. It’s angst-filled from the first chapter, and continues like that for the rest of the book. However, I would say it’s the good kind of angst, the kind that you know will lead to a special ending that makes it all worth it.
I tend to avoid books with an amnesia premise, because it’s often not very believable and becomes too melodramatic. I’m not an expert on the matter, but I thought that the author did a good job of portraying the medical effects of Jod ...more
I tend to avoid books with an amnesia premise, because it’s often not very believable and becomes too melodramatic. I’m not an expert on the matter, but I thought that the author did a good job of portraying the medical effects of Jod ...more
Garrett Leigh is so very talented! The story in this book shook me. It's packed with so much of what we all dread. Loss. Grief. Grave illness. A harsh reality of bills to pay and real life to deal with no matter what hardship befalls us.
And yet. And yet it managed to be an amazing read—romantic, sexy, with the most beautiful and steadfast friendships. Leigh is also clever when it comes to the timeline. In the first half of the book scenes from several year ago are interlaced with current events ...more
And yet. And yet it managed to be an amazing read—romantic, sexy, with the most beautiful and steadfast friendships. Leigh is also clever when it comes to the timeline. In the first half of the book scenes from several year ago are interlaced with current events ...more
An absolutely stunning book. I was so moved by this story which in any other author's hands would have been an angst-filled mess of a book. Garrett Leigh has created something truly amazing here. One of my favorite books of the year.
Visit my new blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews ...more
Visit my new blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews ...more
Overall book rating: 4.5
Audio Book: Craig Beck - 5 Stars
Book Cover: 4
FIRST: Craig Beck... please kindly provide me with a list of narrations you do using your Rupert O’Neil voice and accent!
I’m thinking you multiplied my love for Rupert x 10 with that. I’m contemplating listening to the whole thing again, just to experience it one more time. LOL
Second: I really love Garrett Leigh. I have a special little place just for her writing, and it didn’t disappoint.
This one is a little bit of a hard ...more
Audio Book: Craig Beck - 5 Stars
Book Cover: 4
FIRST: Craig Beck... please kindly provide me with a list of narrations you do using your Rupert O’Neil voice and accent!
I’m thinking you multiplied my love for Rupert x 10 with that. I’m contemplating listening to the whole thing again, just to experience it one more time. LOL
Second: I really love Garrett Leigh. I have a special little place just for her writing, and it didn’t disappoint.
This one is a little bit of a hard ...more
What a gorgeous book.
As a psychologist in a brain injury hospital, I see patients suffering the effects of brain injury on a daily basis. I was really looking forward to reading this book from this author because I was hoping to see a more realistic depiction of TBI/ABI within the context of a romance novel. I was very impressed with how the author handled it and although some things were a bit far-fetched, the majority was spot on. Kudos author.
The story is told in flashbacks alternating w ...more
As a psychologist in a brain injury hospital, I see patients suffering the effects of brain injury on a daily basis. I was really looking forward to reading this book from this author because I was hoping to see a more realistic depiction of TBI/ABI within the context of a romance novel. I was very impressed with how the author handled it and although some things were a bit far-fetched, the majority was spot on. Kudos author.
The story is told in flashbacks alternating w ...more
This one of those books that I picked by its cover, in comparison to one of my favorite book
. Okay, there is not to much to compere with, in terms of the storyline nor the prose, but still it's a cover artwork of a book that can tell you a lot about the contents. Something about the way your mind plays tricks on you. The cover is very symbolic of the story- the black dusting behind Jodi represent the fracture of his memory and the holes in his brain.
I didn't quite expect all that I foun ...more
. Okay, there is not to much to compere with, in terms of the storyline nor the prose, but still it's a cover artwork of a book that can tell you a lot about the contents. Something about the way your mind plays tricks on you. The cover is very symbolic of the story- the black dusting behind Jodi represent the fracture of his memory and the holes in his brain.I didn't quite expect all that I foun ...more
Jul 04, 2016
Kade Boehme
added it
It was all... Too much.
4.25 stars
Another lovely story from one of my favourite m/m authors. Lots of feels and great characters that I really felt for.
Another lovely story from one of my favourite m/m authors. Lots of feels and great characters that I really felt for.
*3,5* rounded up
3.5 stars
This story is so emotional. So sad but beautiful.
I had a problem with part 1 because I find plots with back and forth time jumps disorienting. But part 2 had me screaming for an HEA.
This story is so emotional. So sad but beautiful.
I had a problem with part 1 because I find plots with back and forth time jumps disorienting. But part 2 had me screaming for an HEA.
Mar 28, 2016
Lelyana's Reviews
rated it
it was amazing
Shelves:
2016,
arc,
mm,
book-boyfriend,
favorites,
made-me-laugh,
secrets,
stand-alone,
emotional-read,
made-me-cry
*** FIVE 'WHAT REMAINS' OF YOU' STARS !
This is Garrett Leigh at her finest. Like chocolate. This is fine dark chocolate that I always craved every day of my life. Bitter but yet delicious you want it for more.
I'm still hangover and can't write a proper review today. I mean...I feel Jodi, I feel Rupert.
How miserable their life after what happened with Jodi that day, the day after 'everything is fine'...the BAM! It changed in one second.
With Ed Sheeran's Photograph while writing this (you'll kno ...more
This is Garrett Leigh at her finest. Like chocolate. This is fine dark chocolate that I always craved every day of my life. Bitter but yet delicious you want it for more.
I'm still hangover and can't write a proper review today. I mean...I feel Jodi, I feel Rupert.
How miserable their life after what happened with Jodi that day, the day after 'everything is fine'...the BAM! It changed in one second.
With Ed Sheeran's Photograph while writing this (you'll kno ...more
* 4.5 stars *
"What Remains" has one of my favourite tropes: established couples!
Jodi and Rupert have been together for a few years and everything was perfect, until one night Jodi tried to cross the road while distracted.
After that, everything changes. Jodi wakes up after months in a coma and he's missing the last few years of his life. That means that Rupert is a stranger to him...
What follows is an uphill battle for both of them: Jodi has a long road ahead of him trying to recover from his inj ...more
"What Remains" has one of my favourite tropes: established couples!
Jodi and Rupert have been together for a few years and everything was perfect, until one night Jodi tried to cross the road while distracted.
After that, everything changes. Jodi wakes up after months in a coma and he's missing the last few years of his life. That means that Rupert is a stranger to him...
What follows is an uphill battle for both of them: Jodi has a long road ahead of him trying to recover from his inj ...more
Garrett Leigh was one of the very first M/M Romance authors I read when I recently found the genre. One of the things I liked the most about her writing was that she managed to write hopeful stories, but at the same time, she didn’t hold back. There’s always this soft air of angst, and in some of her stories there’s a light grittiness that comes with her characters and their stories – it makes them real, and tangible, and very relatable. What Remains felt like that, in a lot of ways.
In this book ...more
In this book ...more
I loved this and thought it was a beautiful story. It is a moving book about a happy ever after couple, Jodi and Rupert, whose deep love is tested when disaster and ill health strike.
It really pulled on my heart but in a nice way because the story overflows with hope and deep love.
First of all I loved this story because it is set in Tottenham, where I live. It is not always that I get to experience a story set in Tottenham. Although it doesn't really have a strong sense of being in Tottenham, j ...more
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Bonus Material available for all books on Garrett's Patreon account. Includes short stories from Misfits, Slide, Strays, What Remains, Dream, and much more. Sign up here: https://www.patreon.com/garrettleigh
Facebook Fan Group, Garrett's Den... https://www.facebook.com/groups/garre...
Garrett Leigh is an award-winning British writer, cover artist, and book designer. Her debut novel, Slide, wo ...more
Bonus Material available for all books on Garrett's Patreon account. Includes short stories from Misfits, Slide, Strays, What Remains, Dream, and much more. Sign up here: https://www.patreon.com/garrettleigh
Facebook Fan Group, Garrett's Den... https://www.facebook.com/groups/garre...
Garrett Leigh is an award-winning British writer, cover artist, and book designer. Her debut novel, Slide, wo ...more
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