Book Reviews

Book Blurb

Danny
I may be young, but I've done a hell of a lot of growing up in the past year. I watched my big brother deal with the challenges of loving someone, went through some medical stuff myself, and changed my career plans and ultimately, my city. Gaynor Beach is smaller than where I was, but it has two attractions—my brother's big new house, where he's letting me live for now, and Rob Dunn. When I met Rob, just, damn. Like my brother, I wanted to help that sweet, stubborn guy and his cute kids get back on their feet. Maybe the rescue husky wasn't the right gesture, despite Rob’s connection to her, but a dog is love on four paws, and I plan to be there to help all the way.

Rob
I fled my abusive husband with my two kids and the clothes on our backs. I'm grateful every day for the support the Gaynor Beach folks have given us…okay, I'm not sure I'm precisely grateful for the rambunctious young husky Danny Reynolds gave us, but Trouble makes my kids smile, and that's a big win in my eyes. I'm determined to get back on my feet. I hate relying on other people to help us, but somehow it doesn't bother me as much when it comes from Danny. It's nice to have a real friend after all those isolated years, but do I want to keep him in the friend zone?

 

Book Review

Those who read ‘Love Furever’ may recall James and Colin, the couple who got together due to Colin’s dog Widget. This is about James’s younger brother, Danny, and a young man named Rob who has just fled from his abusive husband as the story opens. Rob and his two children left home without anything but the clothes on their backs, and Colin and James welcome him into James’s now vacant one-bedroom home. Once James moved in with Colin, he’d decided to donate his little home to those who need temporary shelter.

 

Rob and Danny meet when Danny agrees to help move donated furniture for the kids. Anthony, Rob’s social worker, arranged the confidential move through his contacts, and with Colin’s generosity, the family is well-stocked with supplies. Colin recently came into an inheritance and is determined to do good with his family money. What better way than to support a young man escaping abuse with his children? Gaynor Beach is not only populated by numerous LGBTQ couples, but generous ones at that. And though this is not a continuation of Colin’s and James’s story, they do play a prominent role.

 

This story delves into what happened with Rob and his controlling husband, why it’s important to keep him away from the children, and how difficult it is for Rob to cope on his own after being subjugated to his ex’s dominance for the last six years. The story also focuses on Danny and his career goals, at first to become a doctor and then, after a life-changing event, deciding on psychology instead. There’s an extraordinary amount of page time dedicated to Danny’s family, all of whom we met in ‘Love Furever’. To be honest, a little less would have been more palatable for me as I’m not a fan of big families and OTT in-your-business family members—especially mothers. Colin finally receives a liver transplant, a liver donated by the boss of the man to whom Danny donates half his own liver, so lots of page time was given to transplants here too.

 

But it’s during Danny’s recuperation that he and Rob cement their relationship through a clever use of texts and calls and getting to know each other without the impediment of spontaneous sexual responses leading to regrettable actions in the way (as often happens in m/m romances). Rob’s kids slowly come to know and care about Danny during this time as well and there’s plenty of page time devoted to animal rescue and the husky acquired for Rob’s kids.

 

The theme is definitely a very slow, slow-burn romance. The ending is sweet and finds Danny and Rob settled in together with the kids and also ties up some of James and Colin’s loose ends. It’s always nice to see how couples have grown since we first met them. Animal lovers, lovers of sweet slow-burn romance, and tight-knit communities will definitely enjoy this story.

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER:Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book was provided by the author via GRRT for the purpose of a review.

 

Additional Information

Format	ebook
Length	Novel, 328 pages
Heat Level
Publication Date	02-July-2024
Price	$4.99 ebook
Buy Link	https://www.amazon.com/Husky-Love-Friend-Gaynor-Animal-ebook/dp/B0CT5SGK5S