Seven Minutes : An MM Hurt Comfort Romance

I knew Raquel Riley was going to hurt me, but I was not prepared for this book to absolutely wreck me in chapter one and then somehow, slowly piece my heart back together again. This story is heartbreak wrapped in love, grief wrapped in hope, and one of the most beautiful MM hurt/comfort romances I’ve ever read. Eli and his husband felt so real that I forgot I was reading fiction half the time. Every memory, every moment, every regret, every ounce of love hit with full force. I cried, smiled, held my breath, and ugly-sobbed more than once. The concept alone is devastating—living through the final seven minutes of your life while reliving the love story that defined you—but the execution was flawless. The emotional weight of this book is enormous, yet it never feels manipulative. It feels honest. Raw. Human. And the love? Absolutely unforgettable. The kind of love that lingers in the quiet moments, in missed kisses goodbye, in exhausted late-night conversations, in the instinct to reach for each other even when everything is falling apart. This book reminded me that great romance isn’t just about falling in love. It’s about choosing each other over and over again, even when life is messy and painful and unfair. Five stars isn’t enough for this one. It shattered me and healed me at the same time, and I know these characters are going to stay with me for a very long time. Well done!

As Eli’s body gets stronger, so does the love and relationship between Eli and Adrian. This hurt to read. All the angst, the longing, the loneliness, the lost love, the sadness, the emptiness was a lot to take in. And then all those feelings were replaced by the steadiness of life, and love was rebuilt for two people who continue to show up for each other and believe again. The language used throughout the book is beautiful to read. I found myself highlighting many passages. If you enjoy books that get under your skin and make you feel the feelings of the characters and then leave you feeling soft and comfortable with a smile, this book is for you.

At times this was a difficult read for me (stress for ME). But that didn't make it a bad book. Quite the contrary. Any book that stirs feelings in you is a book that hits home. We aren't yet privy to the relationship between Adrian and Eli when a horrific car accident brings Eli to Adrian's emergency room. (maybe a nitpick here but how did none of the staff know it was his husband??) The title refers to the 7 minutes after you die when your brain is still functioning. Which is really kind of scary to me. But it is through those 7 minutes of recollection by Eli that we get most of the back story. Being that this is a romance, I don't think it is much of a spoiler that Eli survives. But what comes next is picking up the pieces of their lives, and more importantly, their marriage. There are fights and apologies and explanations.... Eli is still ready to give up despite his love for Adrian. Adrian is not giving up because of his love of Eli. You don't appreciate what you have until you lose it. Or almost lose it.