Look Up Handsome Book Review By Jack Strange

I love Christmas, I love gay Christmas books but it always seems to be a chore to find them. However, since joining Threads I’ve had loads of recommendations for queer Christmas books and you best believe that I’m over the moon and can’t wait to read them all.

Look Up Handsome by Jack Strange has to be one of my favourite Christmas books so far and I highly recommend it. Take a look at what I thought below. I will apologise it I spelt any of the names wrong or different versions, very dyslexic!

Any spoilers will be marked in italics so if you’ve not read this book make sure you skip them as you don’t want to ruin it.

Look Up Handsome Book Synopsis

Hay-on-Wye’s only queer bookshop is the beating heart of the town, and its owner, Quinn Oxford, will stop at nothing to keep it open when closure looms. But just as Quinn begins his fight to save the shop, brooding romantic novelist Noah Sage sweeps into town. Gorgeous yet reluctant to be in Hay, Noah’s return stirs up old wounds he’d rather keep buried.

When a snowstorm strands Noah in town, the small community leaves him with no place to hide—and no way to avoid Quinn. Sparks fly as Quinn’s sunny determination clashes with Noah’s icy demeanour, but as they’re drawn together, could the frosty walls around Noah’s heart begin to melt?

With time running out for the bookshop and the magic of the season in the air, Quinn faces the biggest question of all: can he find his happily-ever-after in real life and save the shop he loves, or will it take a Christmas miracle to make both dreams come true?

This festive romcom is bursting with:

• Small-Town Charm
• Forced Proximity
• Grumpy x Sunshine Chemistry
• A Bookshop Setting
• Seasonal Romance Magic
• Slow Burn

Buy Look Up Handsome by Jack Strange

Look Up Handsome Book Rating – 4.45/5

I kicked off December 2024 with Look Up Handsome by Jack Strange and I have to say I’m glad I did. It was a fun festive read and one of my favourite gay Christmas books. Let me know what you think about my rating, was I too harsh? Too nice? Or did I hit the nail on the head.

Look Up Handsome Plot – 4.8

I found the plot really easy to follow. The book was an easy read espiecally if you’re dyslexic. I didn’t really find any plot holes either and I normally find one or two when I’m reading a book so that’s why I rated the plot so high.

I loved how the plot kept you reading, wanting to read and surprising you when you least expect it. When Hermione showed up at the shop I let out a little cheer. The surprises throughout made it a magical festive read.

Look Up Handsome Characters – 4.5

The character in Look Up Handsome were well written, great description and had growth. Even the characters I thought were a little meh had growth that made me love them and that’s something not all authors can achieve.

Bloody Blair Becket! Loved that and had to say it out loud each time it cropped up. I loved how he and Ivy got together. Daniel has to be one of the most underrated and most exciting characters in the book and I would have loved to of seen more than him. The biggest growth though, Gordon!

Look Up Handsome Emotional Rating – 4.5

The Look Up Handsome book ticked all the right boxes for it’s emotional rating. That being said, I got a little mad at some of them and I didn’t think that was supposed to be the direction of the novel so that’s why I gave it a 4.5 rating.

I can see the appeal that Noah brings to the book but something he rubbed me up the wrong way. I get it he has his demons but leaving Quinn in the lurch like that, nah I hated him after that sorry.

Look Up Handsome Ending – 4

The ending was good, it was a plot twist I didn’t even see coming which was great. I did feel it was wrapped up rather fast and there were some questions I would have loved answers too that weren’t addressed which was a shame, still it’s a strong ending and didn’t totally suck.

I wanted to know more about Daniel!

Look Up Handsome Spice – 1

So up until the end I thought the spice was pretty decent. It was suggestive and not graphic like other books. However, towards the end Jack just threw some spice in there and it didn’t really make much sense and personally I don’t think that it was needed, that being said I did think the spice was pretty well written and you could tell a gay guy wrote it; not to mention the mention of protection which you don’t find in books that often.

So as you can imagine, I’m conflicted. I thought the spice was really well written although it seemed to leap a lot from the suggestive language to, lube in the drawer haha. I don’t include spice ratings in my overall rating but I have to mention it.

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