Thursday, December 28, 2017

Outside the Lines by Anna Zabo

First off, I'm so sorry I've been a bit MIA on here. I hope to get back into the swing of things in the New Year!! If you celebrate Christmas, I hope it was wonderful. And Happy New Year!! 


Outside the Lines by Anna Zabo
Review by Lauren
Source: copy from Netgalley; all opinions are my own
Official Summary (add on Goodreads)Miniature artist Ian Meyers has one week to rebuild his damaged set. Needing help, he goes to End o’ Earth, the local comic and gaming shop. Owner Simon Derry pushes all of Ian’s buttons, and he also has steady hands and the skills Ian needs.
Before they can even grab a beer, Ian meets Lydia Derry, Simon’s wife. If Ian had any interest in women, he’d suggest a threesome, but then Simon explains that he and Lydia are polyamorous, and if Ian wants Simon, neither of them will complain. If anything, Lydia encourages the relationship.
Ian’s all in, and it’s fantastic working with Simon to piece together his set and then take each other apart at night. His friendship with Lydia grows too. The only problem is, the more time he spends with Simon, the more he wants everything Simon already has with Lydia: A house. A cat. A commitment. So Ian runs, and shatters the trust he has with them both—right when they need him the most. Piecing their relationships back together might prove harder than a smashed set.

Review: This is the 22nd novel in the Bluewater Bay series, but believe me, they can all be read as stand-alones. In fact, most of the books are written by different authors throughout. Outside the Lines is actually the second to last in the entire series, and it’s one that I really enjoyed. The TV show Wolf’s Landing is filmed in Bluewater Bay, so the famous and the not-so-famous cohabitate, and that’s the overall focus of these books. Outside the Lines is about Ian, who makes miniature sets for the show, and Simon and Lydia Derry – a polyamorous married couple. While Simon and Lydia are married, being poly means they are welcome to pursue other relationships too and that’s what Simon does with Ian. I thought the whole relationship between the three main characters was handled really well and with a lot of respect, and it helps explain how a poly relationship works. There is some brief angst/drama, but it just helps them all become a stronger unit. Also, I should note that Simon and Ian are in a sexual relationship, but Ian isn’t in one with Lydia as he’s gay – he does however grow to love and care for Lydia as a friend/family member.

6 comments:

Karen said...

What! A poly romance book? That's awesome. Glad to hear your enjoyed this one.

Kit @ Metaphors and Moonlight said...

That's a long series! But that's good they can all be read as standalones. This sounds really interesting, being about a polyamorous couple, and it sounds like it's written in a very realistic, respectful way. Glad you liked it!

Hot guys said...

Seems interesting IMO! :) Not that into reading about polygamy but, good for you. And, Happy New Year, dear! Hope to see you around.

Verushka said...

Hmmm, I'm very curious about this one. I've never read a story with a ployamorous like this, and I'm particularly interested in seeing how the author writes these characters.

Lisa Mandina said...

This one sounds like a good story. I think I'd like to read about a polyamorous couple. Thanks for sharing this one!

Lola said...

Good to know this one can be read as standalones and the books in this series are written by the different authors. The polyamorous relationship does sound interesting to read about. Good to know this book helps explain how that type of relationship works. I haven't seen many books around yet that deal with a poly relationship. Great review!