Release Day Review, Excerpt & Giveaway:A Tiny Piece of Something Greater by Jude Sierra

A Tiny Piece of Something Greater
Publisher: Interlude Press
Release Date (Print & Ebook): May 17, 2018
Length (Print & Ebook): 258 Pages
Subgenre: LGBT, Interracial/Multicultural, New Adult

Book blurb

Reid Watsford has a lot of secrets and a past he can’t quite escape. While staying at his grandmother’s condo in Key Largo, he signs up for introductory dive classes, where he meets Joaquim Oliveira, a Brazilian dive instructor with wanderlust. Driven by an instant, magnetic pull, what could have been just a hookup quickly deepens. As their relationship evolves, they must learn to navigate the challenges of Reid’s mental illness—on their own and with each other.

Jude Sierra talks A Tiny Piece of Something Greater: I want readers to walk away with a deeper appreciation and understanding of what it is like to thrive with mental illness—or strive toward it—and what it is like for two people to be and fall in love in these situations. I’d love for readers to come away knowing that love doesn’t cure mental illness, nor should it. Reid and Joaquim love each other as they are.

Editor's Note: Some readers may find some of the scenes in this book difficult to read. We have compiled a list of content warnings, which you can access at interludepress.com/content-warnings

 

Buy Links

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Teaser Excerpt

“All right,” Reid says. “Close your eyes.”

“Oh, is it my turn now?”

“Yep. Please try not to fall; we’re aiming for romantic.” Reid guides him with one hand on his shoulder and the other at the small of his back, trusting Joaquim to keep his eyes closed. “Hand out,” Reid says. He takes Joaquim’s hand, puts it on the back of a chair, and lets Joaquim fumble into it. A whispered kiss to his lips, then two more to his eyelids and Reid’s soft command to open his eyes make him viscerally aware of love, as if Reid’s touch has become a living thing, something curled inside Joaquim, something he can cherish and hold and keep.

The table is set with candles Joaquim recognizes. There’s also a beautiful charcuterie plate, chocolate-dipped strawberries dewing from the humidity, and tall drinks garnished with lime wheels.

“I’m breaking some rules with these. I did some research online and thought I’d try to make something that might remind you of home,” Reid explains. He’s twisting his hands nervously. “Also, we’re eating on the pool deck, although no one really pays attention to that.”

“Reid.” Joaquim turns and presses his cheek against Reid’s belly, closes his eyes into Reid’s fingers ruffling through his hair.

“I had a plan for something else, but I fucked it up. Um, so the drinks don’t match but, yeah. Caipirinhas?” Reid tests the word out slowly, fumbling over the pronunciation.

“Hey, hey,” Joaquim says, catching Reid’s fingers and kissing them. “This is wonderful.” It also explains the cupcakes. “Thank you.”

Reid’s eyes are bright, and his smile is shy, sweet in a way Joaquim never could have expected when they first met. “You are so welcome.” His next kiss is somehow even sweeter. It lingers, it promises, though it’s not about the heat that so often sparks between them. It’s love, is all. It is simple and full.

“Let’s eat.” Reid pulls up a chair. “Tell me what you like.”

“I want to try it all.”

“Well, then, here.” Reid selects an olive, “These are my favorite.” Joaquim allows him to slip it between his lips. He holds Reid’s wrist carefully and nips at his fingers.

“Delicious.” Joaquim doesn’t let go. Reid cups his cheek briefly and smiles again.

They eat slowly, moving to the strawberries eventually. Night begins her sweet slide across the sky, slipping over the light.

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What I thought about A Tiny Piece of Something Greater

Reid escapes his family's home and the overbearing attitude of his relatives by staying at his grandmother's condo in Florida where he meets Joaquim. There's an instant attraction between these two young twenty-year-olds but things are a bit complicated for Reid and his new relationship with Joaquim.

It's clear from the start that Reid has a mental illness. I thought his reasons for for escaping to his grandmother's condo so he can learn how to live with himself and this illness. Support hasn't exactly been there for him in the past, with a passive-aggressive ex (who happens to make an appearance) and some other behaviors that leave him at-risk.

A Tiny Piece of Something Greater is really Reid's journey with his illness and how it affects those around him, especially Joaquim. It takes Reid a lot of courage and some time to let Joaquim know the details, and it isn't easy always for Joaquim to understand everything that's going on with Reid. But these two young men really want to make it work. This is a "first-love" sort of relationship, and it's not an easy one. I did like that about the story.

I have to admit, I fell in love with the title of this book.  It spoke to me. I'm not a fan of present tense writing so I struggled with this title a bit.The voice of the writing just made me really work hard and that took away from the very interesting but difficult subject matter. If you are looking for some fluffy mm romance, this is not it. But if you are looking for a very thoughtful and thought-provoking treatment of mental illness and relationships, this might be what you are looking for. Overall, I liked the premise of the story, it was the technical aspects of the writing that didn't quite work for me. Your mileage may vary as they say, and this is my first Jude Sierra title. It did leave me wanting to read more from this author. 

An ARC was provided for review.

About Jude Sierra: Jude Sierra is a Latinx poet, author, academic and mother working toward her PhD in Writing and Rhetoric, looking at the intersections of Queer, Feminist and Pop Culture Studies. She also works as an LGBTQAI+ book reviewer for From Top to Bottom Reviews. Her novels include Hush, What it Takes, and Idlewild, a contemporary LGBT romance set in Detroit’s renaissance, which was named a Best Book of 2016 by Kirkus Reviews.

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