Book Reviews

Book Blurb

Larx and Aaron have faced a lot together—small-town prejudice, work injuries, and pregnant daughters. But finally two of their teenagers have graduated and Larx is making moves to lessen his workload in anticipation of Aaron being elected sheriff in the fall. Maybe, just maybe, they can start planning the wedding they’ve longed to have.

Then a student goes missing and Aaron’s mentor takes a bullet during the search. Larx and Aaron backburner their plans and jump into what they do best—taking care of their people.

They don’t expect to be the ones who end up in danger.

While Larx and Aaron struggle to get out of their perilous situation, their family is galvanized into action. Just like Larx and Aaron’s relationship, their rescue is going to take hard work, ingenuity, and a solid sense of humor, but the people whose lives they’ve touched are up for the job. Nobody will rest until Larx and Aaron are safe and sound—and ready to ride off into the sunset toward the beginning of the rest of their lives.

 

Book Review

‘Sunset’, the third book in Amy Lane’s ‘Bonfires’ series, beautifully continues not just the main characters’ lives, but the ideas of finding love in middle age, blending two family units into a loving and cohesive whole, all while dealing with the stressors of modern life. One of the things that hit me the hardest and that cements why this author is in my top five favorites is what she wrote in the Author’s Note, before the story even began. She said “Wedding vows are promises. The marriage is how to keep the promise.” This author knows love and what it takes to keep it going amidst everything the world can throw at us. Her knowledge and very personal experience are what makes Larx and Aaron ring so incredibly true.

 

This story picks up at the end of the school year as Kirby, Aaron’s son, and Kellan, Larx and Aaron’s “fosterling” for lack of a better word, are graduating and beginning their journey into adulthood. Boy, did that scene bring back memories of my own high school graduation and where I was expected to head. Neither of these young men are jumping straight into leaving for a four-year college experience. Instead, they have the option—because their dads are awesome—of taking a couple of years to get certifications in things they’d like to look at as potential careers and attend the community college while also working in a prospective field. Oh, how my life might’ve been different if that had been a choice for me. Of course, because of the families, and dads, that have influenced them, both young men are looking into service industries to give back to their community. It brought such a feeling of warmth to my chest as I was reading.

 

Of course, being the Queen of Angst and Pain, Amy Lane couldn’t just have this book, any more than the others in the series, being nothing but happy-happy, joy-joy. One of the teenage protagonists featured previously, a racist, bigoted son of a racist, bigoted a**hole, has gone missing. Normally not a big deal as he’s eighteen years old, but he didn’t graduate, his father makes trouble, and Larx, plus the rest of the faculty, have all been concerned about this young man since January due to his portraying signs of serious meth abuse. One thing leads to another resulting in Aaron, Larx, the young man in question, plus Detective Tad Hawkins of Sacramento PD, trapped, shot at, wounded, and stuck in a perilous canyon with no way out.

 

The entire dramatic ordeal was made worse, for me anyway, because the author had me trying desperately to remember old physics lessons which just made my head hurt. The entire thing reminded me of an old episode of Macgyver and brought such a smile to my face even amidst the pain and trauma. Because of the genius behind the writing, I forgive you, Amy Lane, for making me think of science! Ugh. Some of the best dialogue came from that ordeal, though.

 

“Larx, I would be absofuckinglutely worthless without you. Do you understand me?”

Larx rubbed his thumb under Aaron’s cheekbone. “No,” he said softly. “You would pull yourself up, and you would take care of our children, and you would be exactly who you’ve always been.” He swallowed, and his voice broke remembering his own terrible moments of peering over the edge of the embankment, praying to a God he only seemed to talk to when someone he cared for was in jeopardy. “But your heart would be slow and sad and empty, and you’d never take a deep whole breath again.” His next breath shook. “Ask me how I know.”

 

Not only did ‘Sunset’ bring Larx and Aaron’s journey to a close, it introduced Guthrie and Tad who are the main characters in the next book, but also paved the way to see more of this blended family as they all continue to struggle with the realities of life: mental health, new parenthood, demanding careers, finding love, and just struggling to survive with all life can throw at us. Thank you, Amy, for another gorgeous story that I will treasure. You’ve reminded me again of why I fight.

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been purchased by the reviewer.

 

Additional Information

Format	ebook and print
Length	Novel, 299 pages/107501 words
Heat Level
Publication Date	27-February-2024
Price	$6.99 ebook, $19.99 paperback
Buy Link	https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/sunset-by-amy-lane-12446-b