The Remaking of Corbin Wale
4.5 stars This unique story entranced me from the start. I wasn’t sure going in, magical realism doesn’t always work for me, but Roan Parrish did an amazing job of making me want to be able to experience the way Corbin saw the world around him.
Alex who has returned home after losing his reason to be in NYC, reopens his mother’s coffee shop into a bakery/cafe. When he sees Corbin there, working in his book something calls to him. Corbin is cast as the weirdo, the loner, the one who brings bad luck. Alex sees none of that. He sees the beauty, the talent, the amazing soul that is Corbin Wale and is pulled to try to befriend him.
The language paints a stunning picture and being in Corbin’s mind is magical. Raised by his aunts in an unconventional manner, Corbin is incredibly, almost (maybe actually) magically in tune with nature and the world around him. A lonely boy, now man, and a talented artist, he is often lost to his own musings. As much as Corbin would love to get closer to the beautiful man who has befriended him, there is something that holds him back. Not so much for fear of himself, but for fear of the damage he could do to Alex.
I don’t want to say much more as you need to let the story unfold. The relationship between Alex and Corbin is amazing as their tentative friendship slowly develops into so much more. Alex will do anything to help draw Corbin into his world at Corbin’s pace. As they work together in the bakery Corbin begins to wonder if there is something he can do to change his fate and make Alex his forever. Something he thought he would always be denied.
The emotions are intense and the pictures painted by the author’s words are beautiful. There were times I didn’t know if I wanted to smile or cry. Corbin is at times both heartbreaking and utterly amazing. Alex is patient and sweet as he controls his own innate need to “make things happen”. Even the secondary story about Alex’s best friend Gareth had me sucked in (I can only hope we’ll get his HEA in the future).
This story will easily become a yearly holiday read for me (for those of you looking for books that celebrate Hannukah you’ll get your fix here). An absolute feel-good story that you’ll want to take your time and savor.
ARC of The Remaking of Corbin Wale provided by the publisher, via NetGalley
