A wonderful read that has more depth to its characters than youd first think!

Nearlywed is a fantastic encompassment of why books with older characters really hit home for me. We have the usual miscommunication trope but it also gives the characters a chance to properly communicate and grow together from said miscommunications. Ray and Kip felt so extremely real, from their families and the details of their upbringings to who those things have turned them in to as adults. We see their highs and lows and all flaws laid out bare. They are honest with each other and work towards being more open and caring in their love for one another. Their relationship was truly wonderful to experience and I really enjoyed getting to know them!

What a cute summer read. honestly a really cute book to take on the beach. it was a good predictable book. a comfort read for sure.

This was a fun summer read! A bit predictable, but aren't they all?
I enjoyed the premise, and loved the setting. And even as a straight woman, I really felt connected to the characters!

Absolutely love this book. I don't think I have ever seen as much of myself in a character before as I did with Ray. His emotions towards dating and romantic life are exactly how I feel and so I was able to connect to this character on such a deep level that this will definitely be a book that I continue to come back to and read. Thank you for this wonderful book.

What a great book. Perfect queer summer read with a main character full of humor and personality. I wasn't sure I'd like the final resolution of the book but I did. I also enjoyed the journey and how complex the characters were, especially how the people in the story grew together. I would definitely look into more work from this author.

Nearlywed was a fantastic read - an exploration of love, the sacrifices you make, and how far you are willing to go to keep your relationship or before losing a sense of self.

Ray Bruno was a fun character's head to be inside. He was far from perfect and knew it. He came to his current relationship with so much baggage - from his mom, from his ex-husband, and from his very high expectations. His self-exploration was relatable, recognizing his own need for validation (via social media) and his (accidental?) loss of everything that wasn't a part of his relationship.

Kip Hayes seems perfect on paper, yet his unwillingness to compromise on some of Ray's desires leads them to some reasonable clashes.

Following along with this couple's tests of their relationship (and unexpected run-ins) while on their EarlyMoon kept me engaged throughout. I will definitely pick up more books by this author.

••If you liked Big Gay Wedding by Byron Lane, you'll like this one too••

I absolutely loved The Gay Best Friend so I was thrilled to get an Advanced Listeners Copy of Nearly Wed. I loved the narrator so that definitely got things off to a great start. I immediately loved both Ray and Kip. I was on edge listening to the whole book because I didn’t want anything bad to happen with their relationship. I enjoyed the journey that both characters were on separately and together. I highly recommend this one! Thank you so much to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media!

I received a listening copy of this from Netgalley-many thanks to the publisher. Such a well-narrated audio book! Is this a romance? Is this relationship fiction? It's kind of both! This is a backwards love story-the couple is already engaged and on an earlymoon at a resort in CT. Their relationship takes a hit and they have to fall back in love as the week happens. So sweet and such a great look at how to communicate with someone you love.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

When I requested this book I was really hoping I would love it. And I had, in fact, loved it. I really need more romance books with already formed couples. I’m so in love with the evolution of a relationship!
In this case we have two men, Ray and Kip, who deeply love each other. They are in relationship and want to get married. But they also are very different people and they come to realise that when they come to an early honeymoon.
There is generational gap (Ray is a millennial and as a millennial myself oh my god he’s so relatable!!! Kit is a gen X) and age gap and miscommunication but it’s so well written I love everything!
I really enjoy this book and I just want more. I want to continue reading about those characters. Any chance for a sequel? I’m serious! I can’t loose them I want more of them, please!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the arc!

I really thought I was not going to enjoy this book because it was advertised as a bunch of miscommunications and I really hate it when characters can't just talk to one another. This was the exact opposite - lots of introspection and communication. I understand that may not be appealing to some, but honestly I found it refreshing to have two adults talk about what is going on inside their heads. Michael Crouch was a good narrator and did a nice job of pacing the story. This was an enjoyable light-ish summer read. Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

A real life meet cute brought Kip and Ray together 6 years ago, and even though they couldn't be more different on paper, somehow they make things work. They decide to eschew bachelor parties to go on an "early-moon" together instead, but what was supposed to be a romantic pre-wedding get away brings on a reckoning that could derail their happy ever after. The story is told entirely from Ray's POV, and the inside of his head can be a neurotic mess at times. I love dual POV in romance, but only hearing one side provides more tension in this case. Ray and Kip (and the side characters) got on my nerves regularly, but a lot of the discussions about fear and figuring out what you actually want (not what people told you to want) felt real and honest. There is a bit of miscommunication in here, but not the contrived kind that drives me batty. It can be really easy in relationships, especially as time goes on, to stop having meaningful conversations and assume you know all you need to know about the other person, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Watching this couple run into issues they had been ignoring and choose to examine their feelings and motivations was inspiring. I got this as an audio-arc, but I absolutely need my own copy.

Ray and Kip test their compatibility on a pre-wedding honeymoon. I guess I really didn't feel any empathy for Kip who struggled to come out to, like, anyone, even in fairly low stakes situations. You're getting married! You're just gonna act like this guy is your roommate forever?

It's fine. It's cute enough. But also if they'd broken up I would have been okay with it.

Grateful to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for access.

Fun Story

This story was fun to read from the start. I was hooked early on and read it quickly. Listening to the audiobook made the experience even better.

4.5/5 ⭐️
0/5🌶️
5/5 🎧

Ahh this was so good! I absolutely loved the introspection and growth shown in this book. The characters were flawed and yet so lovable. It was so interesting to see them navigating their own issues and how it affected their relationship with each other, as well as everyone else in their lives. It was so incredibly heart warming and cute. It was also so freaking funny I burst out laughing quite a few times!

I loved getting to explore the complexities of their relationship, relating it to my own newlywed status as well as past relationships I’ve been in. I really resonated with Ray and his experiences and this book did such a good job at taking the unique experience of the characters and making them and what they learned still incredibly relatable.
I had a fabulous time reading this book and finished it in one sitting, will definitely be keeping an eye on this author!

Holy miscommunication! While this book had so much drama, it hit so many great points. The greatest point is learning to be able to talk to your spouse.

So I love the idea of an early honeymoon. Love that every couple in the book had their own little issues. So many people base their lives and relationships off what they see online( in many ways like Ray), when the things online are what people want to share. I feel a lot of people can learn a lot from this book. Kips growth throughout the book(showing other people it’s ok in the times we live in) just made the book so much better. Who knows how many people could be helped by reading this book.

I am so shocked I enjoyed Nearlywed as much as I did.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the opportunity to read an advance copy for a honest review.

I was fortunate enough to read Nicolas DiDomizio’s last book so was pumped when I was able to get an audio arc of his newest! This book is simultaneously lighthearted and serious, as it tackles real life issues surrounding relationships and marriage. I loved Ray and Kip’s polar opposite personalities meshing together and would have loved to keep listening longer. The narrator was excellent

Ray Bruno is a sap when it comes to romance. He is a writer about relationships and love, He is engaged to Kip who is a primary care physician. They take an early honeymoon and problems ensue.

Many thanks to Net Galley and Dreamscape Media for an audio ARC of this book for an honest review.

It took me a few days after finishing this book to be able to sit down and write a review for it. I had an emotional reaction to this book that I hadn’t anticipated.

Ray Bruno and Kip Hayes are very different characters. Ray is an internet journalist/former trashy website blogger and Kip is a doctor. Between the differences in professional life and age, some issues arise. Ray is very comfortable in who he is and his sexuality, but Kip isn’t always comfortable sharing his relationship with the world.

There are a lot more heavy themes in this book than I expected. I went into this thinking it would be a fun beach read! At times it was, but other times it really made you slow down and be introspective. I related to Kip a lot more than I anticipated. I expected to relate to Ray because I too am a millennial. But I’m also someone who took a long time to become comfortable with their sexuality. I am not out to my mailman. I am not even out to my family (formally). Being bisexual has its perks. My current partner is a man, so I don’t have to deal with the staring and whispering anymore. I can still feel the anxiety that I felt when going out with another woman. The curious eyes that were suddenly on us when they figured out we weren't just two friends out for dinner. I would recommend going into this with a solid headspace if these are things you can relate to.

The narrator for the audiobook were fantastic! He did a great job of bringing the characters to life and keeping you engrossed in the story. There were a lot of great conversations we got to experience the characters have. At times I wanted to shake Ray for being stupid, but I’m very glad I continued to listen.

Overall, I had a great time with this book! I am so thankful that I was able to listen to this before it released. Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ARC!

This is a fun, quick read with some amazing insights into what it actually means to get married.

Ray Bruno writes marriage/relationship/celebrity clickbait articles and is a hopeless romantic. He's dreamed about his wedding since he was young. Kip Hayes is a responsible family practice doctor who doesn't really deal in pop culture or social media, and is a fierce protector of his privacy. Ray has always wanted to go on an "earlymoon" (a pre-honeymoon) at a famous resort in his hometown. So when Kip finally relents, Ray goes all in on the booking. What follows are some funny (and some cringe) mishaps and miscommunications.

When Ray is asked by his editor to write a story about the resort, and earlymoons in general, the novel really shines a light on what marriage looks like for each couple, why people get married, and how hard we fight for the love we want, and need. For Ray and Kip, in particular, it's an eye-opener since they really don't seem to be on the same page at all. This is where the character development really starts to show, and for me, elevates the story.

I did the audiobook of this and the narrator was excellent.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.