3.5 stars ( )

Jake has one heck of a character arc. Do read the forward, it is short and worth the kind and tender entreaty before you begin that first chapter. And Dallas, of course he is exactly who Jake needs but nothing is so straightforward.

I read this almost straight through. It's overly descriptive and verbose, and though Ford is good at characters and emotions, there was enough repetition to prompt the subtraction of a star. That, and a bit of plot left hanging, unless I missed something. Always possible. ( )

There's This Guy by Rhys Ford is an incredibly uplifting and extremely emotional journey of healing.

Jake Moore is an exceptionally gifted metal worker but his highly dysfunctional and abusive childhood leaves him feeling utterly hopeless and unable to accept every aspect of himself. He is heavily guilt-laden over his perceived role in his mother's death and despite the horror inflicted upon him by his father, Jake cannot turn his back on the man now that he is dying. His life is at an incredibly dark place and when Jake meets Dallas Yates and his delightful friend Celeste, he does not feel worthy of love let alone friendship or comfort.

Dallas is Jake's complete opposite in every way. He has a loving, supportive family who accept every facet of his personality and his life. He is quick to welcome people into his life and his heart and he is extremely upbeat and outgoing. His optimism is refreshing and despite his sunny outlook on life, Dallas knows not everyone can be fixed and he is well aware his relationship with Jake might not ever progress beyond friendship.

Although Jake is not ready to embrace his sexuality, his fledgling friendship with Dallas is a glimmer of light in his somewhat grim and rather hopeless life. Dallas respects Jake's boundaries and his inability to talk about his past, but when he inadvertently stumbles onto one of his new friend's most shameful secrets, he finally begins to breach his defenses. Quickly realizing the depth of Jake's problems, he encourages him to seek professional assistance to help him deal with the trauma from his childhood. The changes in both Jake and the men's relationship are gradual and realistic as Jake finally begins to come to terms with his haunting past.

There's This Guy is an absolutely heartwarming romance but it is Jake's recovery from his emotional wounds that makes the novel such an outstanding read. Rhys Ford handles difficult subject matter with a great deal of sensitivity. The storyline has an amazing amount of depth and there are no quick or easy fixes for Jake's issues and his subsequent recovery from his traumatic past. The characters are richly developed and multi-faceted with realistic backstories and experiences. While there is plenty of chemistry between Dallas and Jake, it is their emotional connection that makes their relationship so believable. A heartfelt and moving novel that I highly recommend to fans of the genre.
( )

Let me warn you: this book starts with an emotional punch to the gut that almost knocked me out, and it gets worse from there. Much worse. Jake has to go through hell dealing with physical and emotional abuse, a tyrannical, abusive, dying father, flashbacks, suicidal tendencies… But as painful as it was to see him struggle, I loved watching him slowly, slowly pick up the pieces and change from a suicidal wreck to a man who can be honest with himself about who he is, one who accepts and even likes himself, and who finds a partner who is everything Jake never admitted he wants. It is an emotional journey of epic proportions and while it left me emotionally drained like few novels do, I also think it is one of the most rewarding books I have read in a long time. Well worth the “effort” of dealing with my own reactions – close to tears as I came on more than one occasion.

Jake has more baggage than one man should have to carry. Fear and angst define and limit him despite the fact his heart yearns to be free. His mother, while helping him deal with his father’s abuse when Jake was a child, made it clear that being gay is an abomination. Jake’s father – where do I even start? He is a selfish, tyrannical piece of work who doesn’t even deserve to be called human, as far as I am concerned. Jake is gay, but due to his parents’ indoctrination, he feels guilty, unworthy, and immoral about it to the point of rejecting himself. And as if all of this is not bad enough, Jake also struggles financially (much of it due to the fact that he feels he has to pay for his father’s care in a hospice). No wonder Jake is ready to end it all! Jake is attracted to Dallas as soon as he sees him, then works with him on the restoration, but his initial reaction sums up the issue in a nutshell: “Dallas Yates was everything Jake needed to deny himself.” Talk about a challenge!

Dallas comes from a very different background. He has a family who loves him, is well-off financially, and he specializes in challenging projects. When Dallas is looking for a place to restore and turn into a club for his best friend’s drag show, he ends up buying a dilapidated Art Deco building close to where Jake works. At first it is Jake’s physique that attracts Dallas, but as they bond over restoring the building to its former glory, then become friends, Dallas begins to fall in love and want more than a physical relationship. It is slow going mostly due to Jake’s issues, but Dallas never gives up and I admired him for his perseverance and insistence on therapy for Jake, as much as for the loving way in which he helps Jake deal with his issues.

Jake and Dallas could be poster children for what a slow burn romance looks like. And this is exactly as it should be because Jake has so many emotional barriers to work through before he can accept himself, never mind a relationship with a man – something he has grown up to believe is unacceptable and depraved. Dallas is amazingly patient and supportive, but he has glimpsed the man, the artist, Jake could be once he frees himself from others’ opinions of how he should lead his life. And Dallas is determined to help Jake be everything he can be. In that sense, Dallas is like a sculptor who helps free Jake’s soul from all the debris stopping Jake from being a happy, productive guy.

If you’re ready for an emotional roller coaster that will leave you wrung out but feeling uplifted with a sense of great hope, if you think that men who are their own worst enemies deserve help and support when digging themselves out of mental and emotional hell, and if you’re looking for a read that is honest about the issues and the struggle some gay men face when they strive to overcome the damage abusive parents and a lifetime of suppressed feelings have done, then I can wholeheartedly recommend this novel. It’s well written, emotionally powerful, and an extraordinary story all rolled up in one breathtaking experience. And the ending couldn’t be more perfect and made it all more than worth it.


NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews. ( )

4.5 ( )