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Keeping an open mind can lead to a full heart. Carl Lewis has little joy in his life. He’s recently struggled through a painful divorce, has partial custody of his two kids, and is learning to rearrange his schedule so work as a detective is no longer first. It’s not easy.
Reviewed by: Patti
Book provided by: Publisher
Review originally posted at Romancing the Book
I was set up to think from the beginning one of the prime characters was wretched. Carl Lewis was a straight, recently divorced father, cocky, angry cop. I have to say he quickly became a character I will love for a long time. Okay, I like flawed men, I admit it but they have to be redeemable and he was. He found love in an unexpected place that could also cause potential disaster on a few different fronts. Vincent offers Carl the chance to take him on a journey to discover the pleasures he has been searching for and the love that has eluded him. I felt that the way the story was written was probably an accurate scenario for how a man could possibly react in his position.
Vincent Androse the other main character stepped right into my heart from the first page. Vincent was a proud, friendly, easy-going, fireman with a positive attitude. He immediately saw Carl as a man that was off limits, but he also could not deny that he was hot. I am sure that isn’t easy when you fall for a straight man but add to that, you know is also dealing with an ex-wife, kids and he is a cop, the chances start looking pretty slim. I loved the way they come together and his reactions to their first few encounters are precious. That first kiss alone is worth a great scene. This character stayed true to who he was and what he believed. He was also pretty special IMHO.
Carl and Vincent become friends, and then a little more, after Vincent moves into the neighborhood. Then Vincent’s ex comes and trouble begins. When it all goes bad, lives are forever changed. There were a few sub-stories within this story and at first I wasn’t sure if they were all necessary. My feeling is that this is a series and the author may be giving us a few little crumbs of characters that may appear again. I liked this one so much I have already re-read it a few times. I would want to refresh my memory and then I would read the whole thing again.
My Review:
This was a book that was a pure joy to read just because these characters are so wonderful and have such great dialogue. Constantly throughout reading this one, I found myself with a smile on my face...just loving the repartee between them.
Both Carl and Vince have just gone through bad break-ups. Carl just divorced his wife of 16 years after finding out that she cheated on him. Vince has just left his boyfriend of 8 years for the same reason. The men bond over their mutual broken hearts and become friends when Vince moves in across the street. They are just friends...Carl is absolutely straight, but when he comes home from work one day to find Vince's ex harassing him, Carl pretends to be Vince's boyfriend. It's purely a ploy to get rid of the ex, but that kiss sends both these guys to a place they hadn't even considered before. (It's really HOT!)
There was so much I loved about this book. I already talked about the guys...they are awesome together. Vince is a fireman, Carl is a cop/detective. They are immediate friends...they just click and that comes across the page loud and clear. Carl has two kids: a 15 yo son and a 10 yo daughter that he shares custody with his ex. I loved what the kids perspective adds to the story especially the 15 yo son...he sees the chemistry between these guys before they ever recognize it for what it is. I loved that!
The ONLY thing that caused me pause in this book was Carl's easy acceptance of his sexuality change after 35 years. Yes, he has issues with coming out, but he never has any question about the fact that he's suddenly drawn to a guy. I just didn't feel that was realistic as I think that most people would have some mental qualms about such a sudden and radical change into such a basic truth about themselves. BUT despite that, the book was so good, I definitely could overlook that slight niggle.
Really, truly a great read. There's supposed to be a second book coming out in this series in December and I already have it on my wish list!
Anonymous
Posted December 25, 2012
No text was provided for this review.
Overview
Keeping an open mind can lead to a full heart. Carl Lewis has little joy in his life. He’s recently struggled through a painful divorce, has partial custody of his two kids, and is learning to rearrange his schedule so work as a detective is no longer first. It’s not easy.