Eight years ago, Joshua said goodbye to the boy he loved, breaking both their hearts. Eight long years in which he has lived as a hermit in his small cottage, convincing himself he’s fine. He has a few friends, two jobs that keep him busy, and his music. But when his family home is sold to Sean Callaghan, Joshua’s fragile hold on his well-ordered world slips away from him, no matter how tightly he clutches at it. Callaghan. As in Finn Callaghan, the television star. Finn Callaghan who, for a summer, was Joshua’s everything. Finn Callaghan, the man Joshua still can’t help loving, if only a little.

Eight years ago, Finn and Joshua had a plan: to run away from home and head to L.A. where Finn would become a movie star and Joshua would be a musician. Joshua’s aunt, who had looked after Joshua and his brother since the death of her sister, convinced him it was better to stay behind and let Finn go. Finn would have a better chance of success without a boyfriend, even in the liberal world of California. After all, their relationship was based on the passions of young men and might not even last that long. What if they broke up? What if they hated each other? What if Joshua cost Finn his career?

It was reasonable, it was rational, and Joshua allowed himself to be persuaded. It was the worst mistake he ever made, and now with Finn coming back to New Milton to see his brother, it is time to face the consequences. How can Joshua face him? What will he say? What will Finn do when he see him? What will he feel? But Finn wants nothing to do with the man who broke his heart, and Joshua can’t blame him. But it doesn’t stop the pain.

Now they’re stuck, two men all but strangers in a small town where everyone knows everyone else. Sean is trying to befriend everyone, inviting Joshua to visit his old home as often as he likes and making certain to invite Joshua to dinners, to parties, to Christmas, and each time Joshua comes, once more face to face with Finn. Finn who can’t look at him, or talk to him. Even though it’s been eight years, neither of them can forget that one summer where they were very much in love. As Josh says, love stays. Whether it’s wanted or not.

Like it’s inspiration, Persuasion, Perfect Day is a story about second chances. Eight years is a long time to hold a grudge or to nurse a flame, and in eight years both Finn and Josh have grown and matured. What’s between them isn’t the easy, hormone-driven love of a summer romance. It’s something deeper, darker, and more intricate.Finn was hurt, terribly, by Joshua’s betrayal and abandonment for all that he was the one asking Joshua to give up everything for him. He wanted Joshua to give up his family, his education, his life to follow Finn to the west coast. Finn was always a little mroe footloose, having come to Hanworth Hall for a summer job.

Finn had lost his mother at a young age and been abandoned by his father. His only family was his younger brother, Sean, over whom he obsessed, ordered, and bullied — even now he calls to make certain Sean has the snow chains on his car or to find out if he needs anything — which has given him a sense of entitlement. He knows what’s best, he knows what to do and how to do it, and he knows that the struggle to be an actor isn’t an easy one. But, knowing the risks and knowing himself, he’s confident that he can make it work. That’s not to say he was controlling (unless it’s about poor Sean), just confident. Joshua’s lack of faith in him, in them, was an unforgivable blow and the sense of betrayal still hasn’t healed, eight years later. When he comes back to New Milton, he does his best to cut Joshua down, to remove him completely from his life. Easier said than done as his much-loved brother has taken a liking to Joshua. To get past the memories and the small flame still flickering between them, Finn picks a local woman to flirt with and romance. He does it both to cover his own unhappiness as well as to punish Joshua, something which backfires as the more he sees of Joshua, the more he has to admit to himself that what he wants, who he wants, is the man in front of him.

For Joshua, Finn leaving destroyed his world. Shortly after his father discovered he was gay and disowned him. If it weren’t for his friends in town letting him rent one of their cottages, he would have nowhere to stay. He was even able to get a pair of jobs to pay for the suspiciously low rent, but he had no choice but to take their sympathy and their friendship. Joshua tried to get word to Finn years ago, but with no reply he let it go. Seeing Finn again is both a balm and a curse; Finn is doing well, he looks good, he looks happy. But he’s also having to see Finn look happy without him. To see the way Finn ignores him, tries not to see him, the way Finn avoids him. The more he’s in Finn’s company, though, the… well, not easier, but the more doable it is. He can be in the same room with him and not despair. And, if Finn can move on, move past their broken past, so can he. Joshua is, for the first time in a long time, thinking about moving on. He isn’t content to be an occasional music teacher and seasonal barista. He wants more for himself, even if he has to accept that his new life might not have Finn in it.

The small ways in which Finn and Joshua watch each other, each trying desperately to not be caught, are charming and sweet. If you’re familiar with the source inspiration at all, you’ll see each of the beats hit, measure perfect. It’s helped that this story is told both from Joshua and Finn’s points of view as they see one another, to see why Finn says the words he does, to see how he views the new Joshua even as Joshua has to deal with the reality of a Finn eight years away from the young man he fell in love with.

I only have two small, very small nitpicks since, overall, I enjoyed this book. The epilogue is longer than most chapters and goes on, and on, and on. I understand the desire to show us the happily ever after for a couple who have gone through such drama and turmoil, but the epilogue, in my opinion, took out some of the perfectly balanced joy of the story and capped it off with so much sugar that it became saccharine. It was almost as if the author couldn’t figure out which of four epilogues to put in, and so gave us all of them.

The other nitpick is the note scene. [spoiler] In Austen’s book Wentworth puts his heart on his sleeve in one of the most romantic letters, letting her know that a single nod or look or word from her would have him rushing to her side. Here, Finn also writes a letter… but makes a point of leaving his phone behind so he can point it out. Wouldn’t it have made more sense for him to send a text? It’s a small thing, but it felt a bit much, to me, to have Finn pause in the middle of a party to write a letter to Joshua. Not that it wasn’t sweet, I just question the method of delivery[/spoiler]

I felt Joshua’s pain and understood Finn’s anger. I also really liked Sean, who might have come across as a little clueless, but ended up being one of the smarter characters in the book. This was a fun homage, giving us a love letter to Austen’s Persuasion wrapped up in a sweet romantic story between two men who deserved every bit of happiness they received. Do give this book a try. I highly recommend it.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. This book was a pretty good read about soulmates that split and then find each other again several years later. This was a quick read with good characters and storyline.

-Second chance romance
-UST
-Feels: anger, resentment, longing, heartbreak, hope, love.

The writing was stellar!

Once started, I couldn't put down Perfect Day by Sally Malcolm.

4.5 Stars! Starting book 2 now!

Ooh, I adored this story of second chances! Josh and Finn are young passionate lovers who plan to go away to California to start a new life together - Finn as an actor and Josh a concert violinist. But when the moment comes, Josh reneges and remains home with his dysfunctional family. Eight years later, they meet again when Finn's brother buys Josh's familial home in New Milton.

Malcolm writes so beautifully and emotionally of Josh's regret when he sees Finn again and finally realizes he threw away his chance at happiness. The longing and sense of loss Josh feels is just gut-wrenching as it registers that Finn will never forgive him and is heading into a new relationship:

Joshua still mourned what he'd lost in Finn, and nobody knew it but him. Not even Finn. Crazily, he wondered what would happen if he just said it out loud: 'Finn Callaghan is the love of my life.

The chemistry here is intense and the emotional richness of the sex scenes particularly moving. I adored almost everything about "Perfect Day" ... except for the subplot about Finn's involvement with Joshua's friend and fellow teacher Liz. Without giving away too much, it went too far, and then was resolved quickly with a HEA for Liz in a matter of a few sentences. But other than this, I loved the book and give it 4.25, let's call it 4.5 stars, and give "Perfect Day" a recommended read.

I thoroughly enjoyed this modern version of Jane Austen's "Persuasion" with two gay characters, and I was happy to follow Joshua and Finn as they found their second chance / happy ending.

Fabulous, wonderful story! 5+ stars.

This seems to be my year for reading books that retell stories by famous authors. Perfect Day is a modern retelling of Jane Austen's Persuasion and I LOVED it.

I must confess that I've never read any of Jane Austen's books but this is the second retelling of Persuasion that I've read recently. While I enjoyed the first one very much this one really hit me in the feels so hard! Perfect Day is also the first book I've read by Sally Malcolm and I was so happy to learn that there will be a follow up novel about a different couple (half of whom we met in Perfect Day).

Perfect Day is a wonderful second chance story (read the blurb, it's a good one) and it left me breathless in anticipation during a lot of the story. I could feel how desperately Joshua and Finn wanted each other. I could feel how angry and upset Finn was about what happened in their past and how sorry Joshua was about it.

I really can't say much more about this wonderful book. It made me terribly sad in places and my eyes leaked. When things finally work out I cried tears of joy. If you enjoy a romance that will break you and put you back together again you need to read this.

If you've never read an M/M romance before, but have thought about it, I strongly recommend Perfect Day as a perfect one to start with. There is no explicit on-page sex, it's just a really wonderful second chance romance.

A review copy was provided by the publisher via NetGalley but I loved it so much after reading it I purchased a copy from the publisher.

***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***

LOL - I just realized how many "wonderfuls" I have in this review. Can you tell I really liked this book? :-)

Un livre qui est une bien jolie surprise ❤️
En tant que lectrice amoureuse des écrits de Jane Austen, je ne pouvais pas passer à côté de cette réécriture de "Persuasion", livre que j’aime passionnément. Sally Malcolm nous propose une romance MM délicieusement romantique et touchante qui respecte l’esprit de l’œuvre originale. Et j’ai beaucoup aimé cette histoire de seconde chance, celle d’un premier amour, perdu puis retrouvé.

Lors d’un été inoubliable, Josh et Finn sont tombés éperdument amoureux... Pourtant, la pression familiale poussera Josh à rompre brutalement.
Huit ans plus tard, les deux hommes sont amenés à se faire de nouveau face. Le temps a passé mais si Finn n’a pas pardonné, la force de l’amour que lui et Josh ont partagé se rappellera à leurs souvenirs. Sauront-ils saisir cette nouvelle opportunité qui s'offre à eux ?

Les deux personnages principaux sont très réussis, ils sont faillibles mais les erreurs commises ne les rendent que plus attachants.
Josh est particulièrement touchant, sa solitude m’a serré le cœur tout comme le poids de sa décision qui pèse douloureusement sur ses épaules, malgré les années écoulées. D’autant que Finn est sans pitié car il fera preuve d’indifférence et s’efforcera d’instaurer une froide distance entre lui et son amour de jeunesse. Forcément, cette attitude peut paraitre cruelle, on ne peut s’empêcher de souffrir pour Josh, mais l'attitude de Finn est compréhensible, il veut tout simplement se protéger car son coeur a été brisé...
Mais les gestes ne trompent pas et on sent parfaitement que les sentiments de nos héros ne sont pas morts, que l’espoir semble permis. Comme j’ai aimé être le témoin de ce rapprochement subtile et voir ces deux hommes surmonter peu à peu leurs peurs pour saisir la chance d’être enfin heureux.

Évidemment, j’ai traqué LA scène culte du livre originale et je n’ai pas été déçue ! Et j’ai beaucoup aimé les quelques réminiscences de cet été magique partagé des années plus tôt, cela ne m’aurait pas gênée d’en avoir une bonne dose supplémentaire.

Les personnages secondaires sont nombreux et donnent un certain peps au récit ; la famille, si détestable, de Josh, a une présence finalement assez discrète dans le récit ce dont je me réjouis. Et j’ai beaucoup aimé la façon dont l’auteur introduit son prochain roman, "Between the lines"...

Juste un petit bémol sur la forme : j’aurais préféré que le premier chapitre, par ailleurs délectable, forme un joli prologue. Et j’ai trouvé l’épilogue un peu long, mais c’est vraiment un détail !

J’ai hâte de lire le prochain roman de Sally Malcolm, vivement que décembre arrive !

*~~*ARC kindly provided to me for an honest review *~~*

- Review to come

Review originally posted on my blog with added content on Mikku-chan / A world full of words

A complimentary copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

This was an emotional story, so much more than I was expecting. Finn and Josh were truly in love and it was unfortunate that they found each other when they were so young and just starting their lives. Josh was scared of the future and what it would do to Finn if Josh followed him out to Hollywood. And he was afraid of losing his family by coming out as gay and NOT doing what his father expected - going to college for an MBA. Josh wanted to be a musician, whatever way he could.

I was so heartbroken when these two broke up, and Finn was devastated. But so was Josh. Finn didn't see that and now, almost 9 years later, Finn is bitter and angry with Josh over what happened. It's only later he realizes how hard he was being on Josh. I loved this dynamic between them. This is how you write a story about teenage loves seeing each other again after a bad breakup.

Finn wasn't kind to Josh, he wasn't easy or interested in reconnecting with Josh. But his feelings wouldn't stop cropping up and that just made him angrier. I love a good emotional read, and this one certainly tugged at my heartstrings. My eyes may have gotten a little misty when they each recounted their memories of that long ago summer where they were deeply in love, and then the break up. I understood where both of them were coming from, and who knows if Josh made the right call all those years ago. They will never know what would have become of them had Josh been in Finn's life as he was trying to make it as an actor. I'd like to think they needed the time apart to be able to really appreciate what they have now as adults. When they were kids, they didn't have a care in the world, believing their love would carry them on in Hollywood - even if they had no money, no food, or a place to live.

I do recommend this, and it's not too angsty for those who don't like that type of story. Their is just the right amount of angst to show how much these two really loved each other, and how hard it has been to be apart. Their reunion at the end was super sweet. I don't want to spoil it, so I'll say it's a nice long epilogue and you get to see them being happy together for more than just a few paragraphs (like you get in a lot of romance endings). Extended happy endings really work for me because thru the whole book we see the MCs struggle to find each other and then to only get a few minutes of their HEA isn't satisfying enough. Perfect Day will for sure tie a nice pretty bow on the tumultuous story.

4.5 stars (hopefully they fixed the editing issues prior to release)

I loved this. I have a feeling this will end up on my Top 10 books of the year. This is a m/m retelling of Jane Austin's Persuasion. You do not have to have read that though to enjoy this. The author takes the bones of that story but modernizes it.

The prologue starts in the past where we see Josh and Finn happy and in love. When the rest of the book begins it is 8 years down the road. The two men have gone down different paths and they haven't seen each other again.

The majority of the story is told from Josh's point of view and man did the author nail this. He is complex and well written and he felt so real. He is drowning in his grief over his loss of Finn and there was more than one place that my heart hurt for him. There is one scene, which I can still see so clearly, where something happens and he steps out of the room and his pain jumps off the page so strongly that immediately my eyes began to tear up. This level of feelz is all through the book. You feel their pain and their joy so strongly it is like they're real people.

We do get some of the story from Finn's point of view and I thought that worked well. It made me understand him and empathize with him and realize that he was just as lost in grief as Josh was, he just showed it differently. He looked like he had it together more on the outside but on the inside he too was a mess.

The author did a great job of making both of these characters feel like real people. They weren't perfect, they made lots of mistakes, hurt each other more than once, but loved each other from the bottoms of their hearts. They work hard for their hea.

The author also did a great job with the sense of place. Her writing was detailed and painted such a strong image of the sea, the forest, the small town, etc. I felt like I was right there with these two, standing in the rain, feeling melancholy as I watched their story play out.

There is an entertaining plot and a host of engaging side characters. All of which were also well done. They added another level of depth to the story.

Apparently the author has a series of Sci Fi books but this is her first romance and I am so impressed. I can not wait to read more from her. If her next romance is done anywhere near as well as this one I will become her biggest fan girl.

Alfred Tennyson was such a fan of Austen's Persuasion, he famously exclaimed, "Show me the exact spot where Louisa Musgrove fell."

I'll do Tennyson one better and shout, "Show me the exact spot where Liz almost drowned!"

Who's Liz, you may ask? She's the woman Finn woos as revenge for Joshua leaving him eight years prior.

But let's back up: Josh and Finn met the summer they were 23 when Finn was working for Josh's father. Josh was upper-crust, wealthy, and played the piano beautifully. Finn had dreams of making it big in Hollywood. Josh was going to forget his Harvard MBA and follow Finn to L.A. where they'd build a life together.

But at the last moment, Josh broke up with Finn. He wanted Finn to pursue his dreams without being shackled to a boyfriend (Josh's aunt convinced him that making it as an actor was hard enough without also coming out as bi or gay, and she wasn't wrong).

Eight years later, Finn, now an A-list celebrity, still hasn't forgiven Joshua. The men are thrown together when Finn's brother buys the house in which Josh grew up. Finn proceeds to ignore Josh and begins dating Liz to spite him.

My heart utterly broke for Josh. I wanted to cry every time Finn shunned him or said something cruel. Finn's thirst for revenge was unsettling. After all, he and Josh had only known each other for one summer.

As the girl who did what Josh didn't and followed her boyfriend of two years to L.A. after dropping out of a graduate program (also Harvard, but whatever), I will vouch for the fact that follow-your-heart stories don't always have a happy ending.

Dear Reader, he cheated on me and broke my heart. And I was stuck in Los Fucking Angeles settling for a graduate program at a university that wasn't Harvard.

But enough about that. What I'm saying is that I was on Josh's side! Finn acted like an arrogant bastard, and I kind of wish Josh had held out longer. But someone had to stop the cycle of anger and pride. After all, these men sang together in perfect harmony.

"Love doesn't vanish just because you missed your slot. It's not conditional on time and place. It ... it stays."

I've never read anything by Sally Malcolm, but she has a wonderful writing style, with evocative, but never flowery, descriptions of the setting (sea, snow, and coffee shop). I was so wrapped up in the story, time ceased to exist.

The MCs were complex and real.

Finn: determined, proud, alone in a fortress of his dreams but not happy, not really.

Josh: kind, isolated, lonely, existing but not living up to his potential.

Even the secondary characters were interesting people with their own motivations and desires. Finn's brother was such a good guy, and I couldn't hate Liz if I tried. Finn didn't exactly do right by her either.

While the steam was muted, I found I didn't miss it. The feels more than made up for it. And the HEA was so romantic, I almost sobbed.

You needn't have read Austen's novel to enjoy this book. It proudly stands alone.

Modern retelling of Jane Austen's Persuasion


Well,this was a pleasant surprise.I'm always a bit nervous about reading something from an Author I haven't come across before but I'm so glad I requested this.I read it in about 24hours,I couldn't put it down once I started it.


Finn and Joshua were from different worlds when they fell in love one summer.They had their future mapped out-it was going to be perfect-until it wasn't-when their dreams ended just like the idyllic summer they'd spent together...


8 Years later Finn is back in Joshua's life....

There's anger,

There's resentment,

There are so many memories...

Will love be enough the second time around?


This was utterly charming

-the scene setting,by the beach,was beautiful,

-Finn and Joshua are highly likeable,well developed characters that fit together so well,

-a sensual love story that turned out beautifully.


Ok,there was a bit of miscommunication and the epilogue was too long but I'm overlooking that because I really,really enjoyed this!




Recommended read.

3.5 stars

Perfect Day is my first Sally Malcolm novel and I did enjoy it. I liked the premise of the story and the principal characters, but I would have liked the novel more if they shared more page time together. I struggled with the too few glimpses of their halcyon summer, and very limited interaction they had once they were reunited. I wanted to feel the same connection to them as they had to each other - only because I didn't really get to know them as a couple very well. The secondary characters are interesting and I liked their involvement in the story.

While the story flowed and I had a fairly good idea of where it was ultimately going, I would have liked a more detailed look at the conversation between Joshua and his aunt and father when he decided not to go to LA with Finn; I also wish we had a detailed flashback of the MOST PIVOTAL SCENE OF ALL - the one wherein Joshua tells Finn he isn't coming with him. The author alludes to both throughout the text but I needed a fuller picture in order to enjoy the story.

Also, the author uses several British colloquialisms throughout the novel and it doesn't "feel" very american.

A promising first book (for me) from Ms. Malcolm.

I'm ashamed to say that I haven't read a lot of classics... not that I never wanted to - I just never got around to it. So, I can't really compare Jane Austen's Persuasion to Sally Malcolm's Perfect Day. What I can tell you is that this story is a very good rendition of the familiar "second chance" story.

There's all sorts of reasons why a "perfect" family would deem someone not worthy to associate with. Joshua knew that Finn had a couple of strikes against him, regardless of how much he cared about him. Finn's family didn't come from money - he was actually working for Joshua's family at the time they met. That, coupled with the fact that Finn was gay or bi - which meant that Joshua was gay - left him with no other choice but to let him go. Finn had no idea that decision crushed Joshua just as much as it crushed him. Joshua ended up breaking both their hearts at the end of that summer.

Fate brought them back to where their story began in an interesting way. Neither man was ready to face the other and neither was ready to admit that they still had feelings for each other. Finn definitely didn't want to - but some things you can't hide from and eventually they couldn't hide it from each other.

There was a lot to like about Perfect Day. I loved both Joshua and Finn. They were both young when they met. Who knows if what they had would have even lasted if they had stayed together then. I think that's one reason why second chance romances work for me. I like to think that past mistakes help us grow. I also loved Finn's family. His brother and sister-in-law were great and supportive - of both Finn and Joshua. I think I adored them as much as I loathed Joshua's family. Even his aunt, who I suppose tried to be caring, went about it in all the wrong ways.

Perfect Day was the first book published by Sally Malcolm and I'm looking forward to seeing what she comes up with next.

"He was beginning to wonder whether he'd ever forgotten him at all, whether the memories had just hidden beneath the glitter of his new life, whether he'd spent the past eight years staring straight ahead so as to not glimpse them out the corner of his eye."

This was such a heartbreaking, wonderful, sad, and joyful m/m re-imagining of Jane Austen's Persuasion! Even though I knew how the story would unfurl, I still ended up reading until past midnight, glued to my Kindle, crying from the first to the very last page (I'm not kidding…). Enough was added (we finally get to see the two before they end things and how happy they were before everything fell apart) and changed to make the story new and different from the original, while perfectly preserving the most important and gut-wrenching scenes. A truly wonderful and imaginative re-telling!

If this was the author's first attempt at a m/m romance, I can't wait to see what she does next! I just hope comes out soon…

A Perfect Day is a beautiful second chance romance by Sally Malcolm.

I found myself instantly intrigued with the mood of this book. It is tender, emotional and sweet. I felt as if I was snuggled up in a warm blanket while someone told me a romantic love story.

Josh and Finn met while they were young, spending an idyllic summer together at the beach. They both felt that strong, profound connection of devotion and dreamt of spending their lives together.

But everything changed when Josh chose his family over Finn, creating a long separation. Eight years later, they meet again, as Finn’s brother purchases Josh’s family mansion. Finn never expected to see Josh again, let alone cleaning tables in a coffee shop, as he was supposed to be a successful CEO somewhere.

Both man have changed a lot over the years, including their positions in life. Back then, Finn wasn’t worthy of being with Josh’s rich family. Now, Josh’s dad is in jail and Josh is financially struggling, while Finn is a rich actor.

One great theme in this book is memories. Can we just forget our memories for a while when we’re not thinking about them? Or are they gone forever? Do they start coming back in small echoes? Or in complete recollection?

Josh and Finn’s love story consists of an instant connection, amazing remembrances, regrets, questions, misunderstandings, secrets, and most importantly, another try.

Sometimes one is meant to be with their first love, even if it requires a lot of work to get to that point. For Josh and Finn, the love remained all along even if it was ignored for years. Seeing them come back together and rekindle their relationship is exquisite, as they truly are meant for each other and make each other better people.

I highly recommend Sally Malcolm’s Perfect Day to anyone who loves a good second chance romance.

Trigger warnings: homophobia (including one character playfully call another a “dirty fag”)

Second-chance romances are one of my favorite tropes, and since this book is a loose retelling of Persuasion, this was right up my alley It’s told from both main characters’ third-person POVs, and alternating between the past and present. I especially liked this aspect, as it helped show just how broken both men were, in different ways, and made it deliciously angsty.

While I’d have to say Pride & Prejudice is my favorite Austen book, I have a special love for Persuasion retellings. The idea of a second chance romance, especially one where they’re both broken by the initial breakup. I like that tension, the uncertainty that if they had stayed together, they may never have lasted – that because of the breakup and the years apart, they’ve become stronger people. While it’s a loose retelling, it stays true to the themes. Honestly, I actually prefer retellings like this – sometimes the ones that attempt to be more faithful read as too stilted as the author is never really given the space to put their own spin on things.

“Don’t want anything without you. You get that, right? You get that this”—he threaded their fingers together and held tight—“You and me? This is the real deal, Josh. I mean it. You’re it for me. You get that, right?”
“I do,” Joshua assured him. “This last couple months, this summer… Finn, it’s changed everything.”


Eight years ago, Josh had the most perfect summer of his life – thanks to meeting and falling in love with Finn, the man hired to take care of his dad’s car collection. Finn’s planning on going to Hollywood to become an actor, and Josh was ready to cut off ties with his family and follow him – his father would not be pleased to have him dating a man, let alone the help – until his Aunt Ruth stepped in and pointed out the problems Finn would have in Hollywood with a boyfriend. Now, eight years later, Josh’s father’s seaside mansion was put up for sale, and Finn’s brother has bought it. Josh is broken, still pining after Finn from afar, but convinced that he did the right thing for him, especially after seeing the flashy star actor with a different supermodel on his arm every week. When Josh realizes Finn never even told his beloved younger brother Sean about them, he becomes even more convinced that what they had was just a summer fling for Finn.

Finn didn’t answer, ignored the slight tug in his chest at the thought of Josh teaching kids music— But no, he wasn’t interested. Maybe Josh was a nice guy, maybe he was great with kids and puppies, but Finn had trusted him like he’d never trusted anyone and when things had gotten tough Josh had hung Finn out to dry. He couldn’t forgive him for that, for giving up on them so easily. For being so damn weak.


Finn, for his part, believes he’s moved on, but seeing Josh again brings everything back. Finn sees him as weak for choosing his family (their business, and Harvard) over Finn – well, at least that’s the way Finn sees it. In Joshua’s mind, he was preventing their inevitable breakup – as Finn would certainly be forced to choose between his Hollywood career and having a boyfriend. Finn’s string of girlfriends since certainly seems to prove his point, so Joshua believes that it’s just him that’s still mired in guilt and regret, reliving that golden summer while teaching music and slinging coffee. Finn wants to revel in the turnabout of him being the rich guy while Finn works a bunch of part-time jobs, but he can’t quite hold on to his anger when Josh is around.

“But sometimes, if you don’t seize the day, you might miss it.”
“Then it’s not love.” That much he knew for sure. “Love doesn’t vanish just because you missed your slot. It’s not conditional on time and place. It…it stays.” He gave a rueful smile. “Whether it’s wanted or not, sometimes.”


If you’ve read Persuasion, you can guess how the book goes – a series of awkward encounters, lots of that delicious angst, and then, finally, the big reckoning. Overall, it’s a feels-laden ride, and I simply couldn’t put it down. Highly recommended!

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Perfect Day was a perfect pleasure to read. It’s been a while since I read Jane Austen’s Persuasion so I have no comparison but I enjoyed the heart grasping story of two people who have a happy love story.
Joshua and Finn are distinctly different characters, flawed and yet perfect for the story and each other. While the title includes the word “perfect” Joshua and Finn are not perfect. They were realistic in their failings and also in their compassion for each other. This is a satisfying second chance love story that begins and ends happily. I particularly enjoyed the back-and-forth POV that the author wove seamlessly into the story. I gives the reader the opportunity to understand both MCs motivations and cares.
Beautifully written and a thoroughly enjoyable book.

Firstly I have to admit that I am a terrible English major as I have not read the original on which this book is based. However, I have checked the synopsis so I basically knew what to expect.

Or so I thought! This book took my heart and broke it again and again and again. There are a few flashback chapters but I had no problems with following the switch. Finn and Joshua have a completely different circumstances. They meet because Finn comes to work for Joshua’s father but soon after, the circumstances are reversed.

Finn went and achieved his dreams, became a famous actor, while Joshua has moved back home, or at least close to it. Due to his father being arrested for fraud and having debts, the house he grew up in is sold.

And to none other but Finn’s brother. He is a sweetie, and so is his wife, as they encourage Joshua to hang out and to come back to the house as often as he wants to. The fact that he now has family there is also why Finn starts coming back, and that he sees Joshua for the first time in years.

Being slightly afraid of all of his feelings, of outing himself as he has dated famous stars, Finn enters in a relationship with Joshua’s friend and a mother. I won’t spoil it, but let me just say the woman is irresponsible at least in one very memorable occasion.

The ending however, is sweet and charming and happy and I just adored it. There’s also a kind of a sequel (as in most romances, with different characters but with cameos of the two guys from this book too) and honestly, I can’t wait to be able to read it! 🙂

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ღ✿•*4 STAR REVIEWღ✿•*¨

Josh who had loved Finn, who had loved Josh.

I am not even sure where to begin because this book did something not many have. It gave me pause, it made me shiver from the inside out and it made my tear ducts dampen.

I cannot imagine the feelings those two young men had, losing what one would deem their soul mates. To love and lost is an earth crushing thing, but to renew old love is paradise. For Finn, life went on as planned, but no matter how hard he tried, Josh was always there if only on the periphery of his thoughts. For Josh, he had lost everything after losing Finn. No longer the strong, confident man on his way to greatness, he floundered, finding his way back into the town he had ran away from.

This story started and ending happily. There was one last perfect day, and with slow burn, misunderstanding and swallowing pride, the author wrote a truly inspiring love story about making every day perfect.