I don’t remember who recommended Roan Parrish to me, but this book seemed like a good place to start since it’s the first in a series.

Dan has always felt like an outsider: he is too cultured for his father and brothers, and he was not cultured enough for his college classmates. But when he receives an opportunity to teach at a small college in Michigan, he sees an opportunity for a fresh start.

Dan meets Rex after his job interview, and there’s clearly some chemistry between them, but nothing happens because there’s an injured dog that needs to go to the vet (long story).

Dan doesn’t think he’ll ever see Rex again, but then he does—and it’s the beginning of something wonderful for both of them, but there are so many factors at play.

Oh, gracious, this was an excellent book. First of all, Dan has a very sarcastic personality, and since he serves as first person protagonist, this made for a humorous narrative. It’s most important to note that there are quite a few more serious moments in the book, and the transitions between moods are seamless.

This is an excellent example of the “opposites attract” trope. Dan is an academic, and Rex is a big rugged mountain man. It doesn’t seem like they would have anything in common, but Rex is much more complex than a stereotypical personality, and it’s an important lesson for Dan, who has faced similar judgment his entire life.

Dan has only ever had one person who he can trust—his friend Ginger—and he tends to do things to keep people from getting too close to him. He needs to learn to recognize when people are trying to help him.

And Rex needs to keep being awesome. He spent the entire book looking out for Dan, and was so patient and understanding, and I just loved him so much.

Oh, and Dan and Rex have some pretty amazing chemistry- yes, indeed!

I would absolutely recommend In the Middle of Somewhere. This was my first Roan Parrish book, and I’m hooked. There’s a nice cast of secondary characters, many of whom are featured in leading roles in the subsequent books in the series. They served as interesting foils for Dan and Rex, and I’m looking forward to reading their books!