The Boxer

There's something about the way she writes that's as warm and inviting as the taste of hot chocolate and the soft touch of a knitted blanket on a chilly rainy autumn day, when you know winter is inevitably coming, as it does every year, but you're still desperately clinging to the last remnants of hot summer nights. The Boxer gives me just such vibes - full of sweet comfort and bitter sadness mixed in a cocktail of so many different emotions - the crippling pain, the deep sense of loss, the overwhelming sadness , the rough edges of regret, the hot rage bubbling just beneath the surface, the unsettling sense of unease and enveloping it all the strongest bond of love. Love in all its colourful variety - the love of friendship that resists hardship and challenge, the love of surviving siblings/like Ferg and his sister/ who stand by each other at every turn, the love and loyalty of family found.
I haven't read all of this author's books, but of the ones I know, this one has the strongest emotional impact so far. It is heartfelt, thoughtful and unforgettable. And the pinnacle of all the emotional turmoil packed into the book is the relationship between Ferg and Jack. When they finally let go, these two truly knew how to love with every cell of their bodies, every fiber of their beings, every drop of their blood. It wasn't easy and every one of them had their own insecurities and struggles, but they had a rock solid friendship to give them a flying start.
Their relationship was based on the kind of deeply realized and mature love that is the fruit of overcoming extremely traumatic events in 1 person's life; the kind of events that leave a soul scarred, distrusting and closed off.
It wasn't just a book, it was a bone deep feeling of satisfaction when they found their HEA.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.