Long time listeners of the podcast will remember that I was an ARC reader for Melissa Grace’s last book and absolutely fell in love with her writing (and subsequently slid into her DMs and forced her to be my friend). So it should come as absolutely no surprise that I got to be an ARC reader again for the latest book in her Midnight in Dallas series, Feels Like Home.
Katie Kelley has all the things a girl could ask for: a great job she loves, the best friends in the world, and a house filled with love and memories. If she could just get a doctor to take her pain and other symptoms seriously, then she could finally feel like everything has come together. Dallas Stone has been a bit lost ever since the band broke up. When Katie confides in him her fears, the pair grow closer than they already were and Dallas starts to see that maybe there is a life for him outside of music. But when Katie finally gets a diagnosis, Dallas’ over-attentiveness starts to press on Katie’s nerves and she sets out to prove that her diagnosis doesn’t render her incapable.
Anyone who has read the Midnight in Dallas series has been waiting since the moment they met for Katie and Dallas to find their way to each other and the time has finally come. The ultimate slow-burn friends to lover story, this was everything that I could have ever asked for out of a couple that I have been waiting to get together for so long.
One of the greatest things about Melissa’s stories is that it’s never just about the love story. In this book, we follow along as Katie seeks answers about her chronic pain. It’s a glaring reminder that healthcare is sexist and geared towards men, showing how women’s real pain and real symptoms get repeatedly dismissed. I don't live with chronic illness myself, but the representation in this book for those that do is (in my humble opinion) phenomenal. Not only that, but caretakers, partners, or anyone who loves someone with a chronic illness get an insight into how to best support someone living with chronic illness.
With her usual mix of sweet and steamy, Melissa once again had me completely in my feels and questioning whether I should actually continue with my own romance writing journey. Though this book is not quite as steamy as the previous in the series, I found that I didn’t miss it as much as I would have expected. And, of course, Emilia’s introduction immediately steals the show.
If you’ll excuse me, I will now go cry in a corner as I not-so-patiently wait for my sweet, grumpy Luca to get his happily ever after.
Feels Like Home by Melissa Grace is book four of the Midnight in Dallas series and hits Kindle Unlimited on June 6, 2023 and is already available in paperback here. Even though each book in this series could technically be read as a standalone, you're going to also want to pick up the other books in the series: Home Is Where You Are, Home Again, and Long Way Home (all also available on Kindle Unlimited).
Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of this book from the author for free and have voluntarily written this review. Since this is an indie published book, the links above are not affiliate links as my links usually are.
