I’m going to read everything Charish Reid writes, and I’m going to like it because I like the way she writes. Read Me Slow is a lovely steamy short novel about a romance writer who needs a narrator and her younger brother’s best friend, a horror podcaster, who steps in to help.
Maya is doing well as a self publishing romance author. When her usual narrators announce that they are splitting up and won’t be recording her soon to be released book, Maya is in a jam. Her assistant reaches out to a horror podcaster, known to his fans as The Voice, who happens to be Theo, Maya’s brother’s longtime best friend. Theo is very happy to help out, especially since Maya will be narrating as well. Theo has been in love with Maya for years. My only complaint about Read Me Slow is that we don’t get to see Theo fall in love with Maya.
I do love a well done third act breakup, but I also love it when an author knows she doesn’t need one. It takes Theo a good chunk of the 255 pages he’s given to convince Maya that he’s relationship material. The tension between what they want and their concerns about how a relationship would impact their lives and shared circle makes a third act breakup unnecessary. The drama is in the way they work through her reticence to be in a relationship at all, their worry about her brother/his best friend’s reaction, and the complications that arise. I love a romance that lets the characters work through the kinds of anxieties and problems that occur in new relationships.
Read Me Slow explores the similarities between the romance and horror genres, uplifting both while acknowledging that romance is looked down on because it’s primarily written and read by women. It’s also, as intended, a soft break from the persistent horrors of reality. And it might unlock a new interest.
“Don’t worry,” he said, voice dropping just a little. “I keep my horror and my romance in separate files.”
“I mean, do you?” she asked. “They’re quite different…”
Theo tilted his head, considering. “Not as different as you’d think.” Maya raised an eyebrow. “In horror, you’re waiting for the monster to show up,” he said. “In romance, you’re waiting for the kiss. Either way, it’s about building tension. Drawing it out. Making you ache for the moment something finally breaks.”
She blinked. Once. Slowly.
I received this as an advance reader copy from the author. My opinions are my own, freely and honestly given.