This book certainly hit harder than I expected. What looks like a fun vacation novel turns serious when Ray and Kip begin to question whether they should get married. The two take a close look at their relationship in the most heartwrenching way, and at times I wasn't sure if they would make it.

In the end, the story is hopeful and thought-provoking. I wasn't expecting this relationship-in-trouble to have the impact that it did! I usually hate miscommunication in my novels, but loved the way this one turned out. It's romantic in the most unexpected way.

felt like this couple hadn't done enought talking about what it meant to be together and be married and this book just didn't do it for me

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this ALC.

Michael Crouch is a fine performer.

I tried to listen a few times. This story fell flat and bored me. I’ll try again at a later date.

“I love you and I’m proud to be with you. You’re the catch of my life. I’m sorry if my personal issues haven’t allowed me to express that to the world.”

“Fuck the world.”

We need more books with a love story of a couple already in love. There’s so much more you could do with that and this book is a good example of it.

This was such a refreshing example on the miscommunication trope. Instead of secrets and lies, it was fears and insecurities (essentially cold feet before the wedding). As someone who has read the dreaded third-act miscommunication breakup so many times and hates it 95% of the time, I greatly appreciated this new twist on the trope.

Ray and Kip are the definition of opposite’s attract. I don’t read a lot of age-gap stuff either cause it tends to give me a bad taste, but I love how they were written. They were so cute and so in love in their different ways with one another. On their own, even though this book was only in Ray’s POV, they were such interesting and captivating characters. I was rooting for them since I read the summary. I love that we got some glimpses on how they fell in love as well since, although I said I love a pre-established couple, it’s still so cute to watch them fall in love.

(And, honestly, Ray basically being a higher level Buzzfeed journalist is so funny to me).

The idea of an earlymoon is so cool to me. I would do it to myself if I could land someone.

Thank you, Netgalley, for the ARC!

How cute is this cover?! Overall this was a sweet queer romance perfect for the beach!

With themes of self-discovery and character growth for Ray and Kip as they embark on an early moon before their wedding, and their love is tested. I really enjoyed the audio narration!

*many thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca, Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for the gifted copy for review

3.5 stars.

I enjoyed "Nearlywed" by Nicolas DiDomizio for the most part. I loved the self-exploration of the main character, Ray, and I loved stepping out of my comfort zone to try and see some rationale in his fiance Kip's actions. Some of his interactions with Kip rubbed me the wrong way, but I guess that was the point? I hated how he kept trying to almost deny his queerness in public and/or in front of certain people. I understand the implications, but it made me feel so bad for Ray! Their age gap did not bother me in the slightest. I think DiDomizio raises some interesting questions about the public perception of age-gap romances. Actually, DiDomizio raises a lot of intriguing points in this book about public displays of affection, queer romances, stereotypes, assumptions, compatibility, etc. I found myself rooting for Kip and Ray to work out their immense differences and work out as a couple. This book made me laugh and laugh and laugh. DiDomizio sure knows how to write a quick-witted retort! There are also some very well-written side characters here, too. I have a hunch you'll really enjoy this book!

Thank you to NetGalley, Nicolas DiDomizio, and Dreamscape Media for the complimentary ALC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

I enjoyed this book! The characters were lovely and so was the narrator. I was engaged and the writing was interesting!
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for a copy!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so good! I loved how Ray explored himself and how he is in relationships throughout this book. The self discovery in this book was the best part. I really enjoyed Kip and Ray as a couple and how Kip really tried to help Ray be his best self. This was a fun read.

What a charming and fun story! Nearlywed is my second book by Nicolas DiDomizio, and my second five star rating for this marvelous author.

Told entirely from Ray's point of view, Nearlywed explores how Ray and his fiancé deal with some interesting pressures in their upcoming nuptuials. DiDomizio has fun with the mild age gap between these two, as well as the differences in their upbrining and family dynamics. It goes to show that opposites do attract and can make for the best relationships :).

The audio version of Nearlywed is beautifully performed by Michael Crouch. Crouch really captures the vulnerablity and emotion Ray feels as he navigates his way around the hurdles that arise throughout the tale. Wonderful!

If you haven't had a chance to check out Nicolas DiDomizio yet I urge you to pick up one of his books as soon as possible!

I didn't have any expectations going in and was pleasantly surprised at the depth and warmth of the story, I'll be going back to read the author's other books.

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this audio book.

This was such a sweet read, with well written characters that made you root for them. I enjoyed listening to this one, and the narrator did a great job.

A cute, queer beach read! Ray and Kip couldn't be more different, but when they met one night over shellfish, they started a love story for the ages. Straightlaced Kip is the perfect balance to disaster queen Ray. When Ray and Kip head to Ray's hometown for their earlymoon ahead of their wedding, Ray is expecting all his dreams to come true. He's wanted this earlymoon, a tradition in his hometown, ever since he heard about his parents. Their trip is plagued by arguments and ex-boyfriends- not to mention that Kip keeps one foot in the closet. As Ray tries to salvage his vacation and his impending marriage, he learns a lot more about himself, his future-husband, and what it takes to make marriage work. This was such a cute book. I love when romance authors veer towards literary fiction and this was a perfect mix of the two. If you love Emily Henry you will love this! Fun, but also has emotional substance,

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed "Nearlywed" and can say I did enjoy it more than I did his first book "The Gay Best Friend". I thought the events of Nearlywed were pretty unique and interesting. Ray and his fiancee Kip go on a vacation prior to their wedding...a pre-wedding moon you could say. They run into Ray's ex fiancee there and hijinks ensue. At the heart of the story however is the conflict between what Kip wants of their wedding and their life together versus what Ray wants. At a certain point of the story it feels like Kip is trying to keep himself in the closet and hides his relationship with Ray. This bothered me to no end. My biggest peeve with this book was the fact that at no point did I feel like Ray and Kip did actually make a compatible couple. The differences in their worldviews were so vastly different. For a good chunk of the book, I actually expected Ray to not end up with Kip. The ending helped a bit but not enough for me to believe these two would last. More time should probably have been spent on showing us more of the chemistry and happiness between them. I did really like other parts of the story quite a bit and there were a couple of times I laughed aloud at the weird situations they managed to get into. I will continue to read Nicolas DiDomizio's books as they are entertaining and seem to be improving as they go.

Nicolas DiDomizio’s Nearlywed is not so much a romance as it is a story about romance and what happens to a couple after they’ve found their HEA. The blurb’s description of an engaged couple's compatibility [being] put to the test during their ill-fated early honeymoon did give rise to a teeny bit of apprehension, but those niggles were very quickly allayed as I became completely caught up in this refreshingly funny and insightful story of two people who are very much in love – but who have somehow managed to avoid talking about some really important issues.

Thirty-something Ray Bruno is a child of the internet age who, in his twenties, turned many personal experiences into clickbait articles as he forged a career as a writer for various blogs. Ten years later, he’s graduated to writing pieces for a more upmarket lifestyle magazine and curates his online life a little more carefully, but he’s essentially the same, bubbly, slightly over-dramatic oversharer he’s always been. He grew up in a small lobster fishing community in Seabrook, Connecticut, listening to his mother’s stories of romance and true love and dream weddings, and has wanted the same for himself for as long as he can remember.

Ray’s fiancé Kip Hayes is a respected doctor from a well-to-do family who, when they first met, had recently divorced from his wife of twelve years after realising he could no longer live a lie. Kip is ten years older than Ray and is quite content to keep his private life just that – private – and has never felt the need to plaster his every thought and deed across social media. At first sight, Ray and Kip are a terrible mis-match, but they just clicked from the moment they met, and now, almost six years later, they’re as deeply in love as ever and planning their wedding.

Their troubles begin when Ray suggests they go on an “earlymoon” – like a honeymoon, but before the wedding as a way to escape the stress of event planning and re-charge their batteries. The Earlymoon Hotel has long been a fixture in Ray’s home town, and his mother’s stories of her own, magical earlymoon there further stoked twelve-year-old Ray’s obsession with wedding culture. So with a couple of months to go before his own wedding, Ray books him and Kip in for five days of R&R with visions of moonlight walks along the beach, romantic meals-for-two and lots of vacation sex.

Unfortunately, however, from pretty much the minute Ray arrives, nothing goes as it should. The setting is as idyllic as he had hoped for, but the unexpected friction between him and Kit is not. The short break exposes cracks in their relationship that neither of them has wanted to address, or even thought needed addressing, bringing their conflicting expectations and preferences into sharp relief. When one of Kip’s old college buddies and his fiancée show up at the hotel – on an earlymoon of their own – it throws up even more questions as to Ray and Kip’s ultimate compatibility and makes both men realise that there are parts of their relationship that need serious examination before they walk down the aisle and into forever.

I’m not the biggest fan of books that centre around miscommunication, but Nearlywed is an exception because the central misunderstanding isn’t due to a lack of communication between Ray and Kip, it’s because they’ve both allowed fears and insecurities to colour their view of each oher and their life together to such an extent that it’s difficult for them to admit to the possibility of anything different. They’re both complex, flawed characters and the author does a spectacularly good job of articulating both their points of view so it’s easy to see where both of them are coming from, and I found my sympathies frequently shifting between them. There’s no question that Ray and Kip love each other dearly, but Ray has sublimated his own need to be obviously out, proud and coupled-up, pushing aside worries that Kip doesn’t want to be completely open about their relationship because he isn’t good enough, while Kip doesn’t understand Ray’s desire to shout about their relationship online, insisting that their lives are their own business and nobody else’s.

The story is told entirely from Ray’s perspective, and he’s a terrific narrator – quick witted, funny and sharply observant but with a very real vulnerability that will tug at the heartstrings. We don’t therefore have any first-hand accounts from Kip, but the author presents their differing viewpoints in an even-handed, nuanced way. There’s a lot of discussion about identity and image here, and the story highlights the way in which ordinary things done by a queer couple – such as having the first dance at their wedding – often feel much more momentous than when they’re done by a straight couple, and whether that’s reason to back away from them or jump into them, headlong. Ray wants to actively celebrate his queerness with the perfect gay wedding while Kip doesn’t want everything in his life to be about his sexual orientation and would prefer things to be much more low-key.

I liked both characters a lot, and as I’ve said, the author makes it easy to understand both their points of view, although I have to confess that I found it easier to relate to Kip to start with. Perhaps it’s because I’m closer to his age than I am to Ray’s, but Ray comes across as somewhat chaotic (and a bit of a drama queen) while Kip is more level-headed and seems to have his life sorted out. But as the story progresses and we start to learn more about him, we realise he’s got insecurities of his own, a lot of them tied to having come out later in life and his struggles with self-acceptance.

I really enjoyed Nearlywed and raced through it in a couple of sittings. In addition to the engaging main characters, there’s a small, but well-developed secondary cast – special mention goes to Ray’s no-nonsense sister, Stef, whose blend of sarcasm and sisterly concern is a delight – and the author’s portrayal of love as messy, complicated and wonderful is very satisfying. It’s a thought-provoking story, and while I liked that, there were a couple of times it became a little ‘teachy’, which is why, in the end, I’ve gone with a B+ rather than an A-. Even so, Nearlywed is definitely a book I’d recommend to anyone looking for a romance with a difference.

4.5 stars / B+

Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ALC!

Ahh this book gave me all the feels! I related a lot to Ray, as a fellow millennial! The relationship between him and Kip was interesting given they are part of different generations. Also, I love the idea of an early moon! I don’t know if this is a real thing but I think it should become one! It’s clear that the couples in this story learn a lot about each other through this process. Ray faces some tough life questions and Kip does as well, considering his past. This book makes you think about privacy, familial expectations, and more as the characters navigate these issues throughout the book. The side characters were great too! I mean Ray’s sister is a badass!! I’d love to hear more of her story!

The narrator was great! I’ve listened to a few by Michael and he always does a great job!

This book was frustrating and captivating and silly and real all at once. In many ways, it is a romcom, with the inherent high jinks that come along with that. But because the story is focused on an established relationship, the conflicts and challenges in the relationship felt very high stakes.

What was most remarkable (and impressive) to me was the viscerally realistic portrayal of the arguments between these two main characters with different conflict styles. It was almost too real and familiar. Even though I found the story compelling and didn't really want to put it down, I had to take a break from the book a couple of times because I related a little too much with the main POV character and his conflict style. While on the surface, some of the arguments might seem petty, I thought it was so very true to life, the way we often end up arguing about something when the problem is something else, or how conflict styles impact (and escalate) the argument.

I found both the main characters sympathetic as flawed humans who so clearly love each other and accidentally hurt each other while they work through their stuff. Their love story was really beautiful and had me tearing up at times.

The sense of place was well done and the side characters were distinct with some depth, even though most of them were fleeting. In particular, I liked the portrayal of Ray's relationship with his sister.

I listened to the audio version and thought the narration was excellently done. The delivery of Kip's dialogue was a highlight for me.

There were moments where I was disagreeing with positions asserted by the story (for example, it seemed misinformed and needlessly judgey about polyamory) but for the most part, it felt like things were mostly challenged by the end - enough for me to let it go at least.

Some content notes for homophobia, homophobic slurs, internalized homophobia, excessive alcohol consumption, cheating (not between the main characters), and a somewhat offensive description of polyamory.

Since we are still in the midst of the heatwave, I have a perfect beach read to recommend!

Nearly Wed by Nicolas DiDomizio is a fun resort romance featuring an engaged couple at a pre-wedding honeymoon working through relationship issues before they tie the knot!

Ray Bruno and his fiancé Kip Hayes are the perfect odd couple! Their age gap and very different personalities make their match a mystery to outsiders, but when they met- they just clicked… or or did they just fit themselves into the mole but the other one wanted so that they could have the ideal relationship they both yearned for?

Ray has dreams of the perfect wedding, perfect marriage and lifestyle… and practical Kip just wants to make Ray happy…

This was one of those romances that I didn’t know how it was going to turn out in the end, and I was on the edge of my seat awaiting for their HEA. If you ever watched the movie The Breakup- where you meet the happily coupled characters and their relationship dissolves in front of you … it kind of gave me that vibe… but Kip and Ray do find a way to get to their happily ever after after many bumps and a rocky pre-wedding honeymoon!

Both of these characters were exceptionally lovable, and I was rooting for them to find a way to open up to each other and resolve the issues that we’re holding them back.

I listen to the audiobook narrated by Michael Crouch and was very impressed with his use of different voices to represent both Kip and Ray. His reading was enjoyable and easy to follow.

This was my first book by Nicolas DiDomizio and it definitely will not be the last!

Grab a copy of Nearly Wed and hit your local beach or pool today!

📚Review: Nearlywed 🏖️

Thank you for the #gifted copy, @sourcebookscasa! 🥰

By: Nicolas DiDomizio
Publishing: May 21, 2024

Ray Bruno and Kip Hayes are opposites in so many ways. Ray is a chaotic millennial ex-clickbait writer who’s been oversharing his every thought online since he was a teenager and Kip is a pragmatic Gen X doctor who values privacy above all else. Somehow they make it work…well, that is until Ray convinces Kip to go on an early honeymoon to recharge before their wedding. A surprise encounter leads to a series of escalating mishaps and miscommunications that bring their differences into stark contrast and put their relationship to the test. Will they make it to the big day or will they say I don’t before getting down the aisle?

DiDomizio does it again!

For his third novel, Nicolas delivers us the story of Ray and Kip, two men from different generations with vastly different preferences when it comes to sharing their lives and love for one another with others. This is a very character driven story and I appreciated how it captured a realistic romance where both partners aren’t perfectly aligned on everything. I really loved how it showcased generational differences between folks and how it impacts coming out, especially later in life. And, I feel like gay culture was captured so well in the book in regard to open relationships, social media, and complicated feelings about marriage when the “right” was only recently won.

I struggled with our MC at times because he felt a little selfish, but, ultimately, I came around and really rooted for him in the end. I also have a soft spot for folks who come out later in life, unpacking a lifetime of hiding yourself away must not be easy.

This was an easy, fun read that’s perfect for the pool, beach, or really anywhere this summer!

Verdict: Loved 😘

3.5 🌟 *rounded up*
Nearlywed is a romance book that is based around a couple going on an “early moon”, which I’ve never heard of and now I want to go on one. This book had a lot of different perspectives and arguments, but it all works and makes everything feel more realistic. I loved reading about all of the emotional journeys each character went on.

I found this book lighthearted and very enjoyable.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this audio ARC!

This was nothing like what I expected, and I'm so happy I decided to request it, coz it's so beautifully written and deep. It's the kind of book that really lingers on your mind, and answers questions that you didn't realize you even had. It's written in a manner that made me feel like I was reading an autobiography, and I struggled wrapping my head around the idea at first, but now I think it's just testament to how real and raw the story feels.

These characters are flawed with actual insecurities and pasts that I could relate with, despite my experiences not being remotely similar. I don't hate the miscommunication trope when done well, and I enjoyed the themes of self-discovery and introspection which the MC's journeys feel authentic and engaging. Despite the heavy themes and conversations the characters push through, the romance feels genuine, founded on understanding and acceptance, rather than just attraction.

I love how the author dwells on aspects of coming out and how it changes one's identity. The story delves into the pasts of the characters along with the circumstances as they grew up which birthed their insecurities. There's a lot of mistakes made throughout their lives, and I personally think the author did justice to their story with a good resolution. The book is packed with some amazing, insightful quotes and I highly recommend this audiobook to everyone, especially this pride month.