Reviewed by Roberta

TITLE: Butterball

AUTHOR: Michelle Robbins

PUBLISHER: Amber Quill Press, LLC

LENGTH: 37,000

BLURB: For Travis, it’s business as usual at Wentwood Investments, other than the annoying task of finding a new account manager for his expanding office. Everything changes, however, the moment Jeremy Roberson walks into the room for an interview. The cuddly butterball is everything Travis likes in a partner…except for The Closet locked around the man.

Jeremy’s worn a mask for so long he isn’t sure who he is anymore. Every lie of his life has somehow become the truth, and yet those lies never hold. Desperation and despair have been his roommates, especially since the moment he’d hurt someone else in his attempt to deny his truth.

But Travis has other ideas for them, beautiful, wonderful moments and promises for tomorrow. All Jeremy needs to do is take that all important step and find the strength to finally come out.

Not much fun, sure, but Travis might be able to help. He has kicked down a few closet walls in his past also. And if he’s going to find paradise with Jeremy, it appears he has to kick down those walls again.

Good thing Travis knows how to fight.

REVIEW: I was intrigued when I read the blurb for this book.  A successful businessman who has this fetish for butterballs and a man who fits not only that criteria, but everything that he’s looking for in a man. 

The problem: said man is in the closet.  Sigh.

Travis Wentwood is a very successful businessman in the stock market.  He’s this really smart, honest guy who not only is attractive, but kind and so very generous with not only his money but his time as well.  Travis had a rough childhood.  Homophobic parent, his father and an abused mother.  He got help from a ballet teacger and a boxing coach.  Those two helped give him direction for how he wanted to live his life.  The rule that he lives by: You can’t fight if you can’t breathe. 

Jeremy Roberson is on the way to rock bottom.  He was part of the stock market system that was the helping the recession happening.  Worrying only about himself.  When the recession hit, so was he.  He’s just a month or so away from having nothing at all.  He’s been out of a job and he’s about to lose his home.  He needs this job, badly.  Jeremy is dealing with childhood abuse from his stepfather, even as an adult.  He’s so not happy in his own life.  Jeremy is gay and trying so very hard not to be.  He’s had relationships with women in the past and yet it’s not working for him.  He’s at his wits end and doesn’t know what to do.

A job interview changes both of their lives. 

Travis sees everything that he wants in a partner.

Jeremy sees a man who makes his heart beat faster AND the dream job that could put him back on the path to redeeming himself.

There was really one secondary character that stood out in this extended novella, JoBeth.  She’s been Travis’ best friend since they were children.  She sees a way to help get Travis what he wants and she also sees a way to help Jeremy face the truth about himself.  She was open and very honest about her help, ie manipulations.  Both guys knew that she was doing it and still didn’t stop her.  She was so helpful to both of these guys that it was nice to see a female who did this not only for a friend, but for someone that she didn’t necessarily like, but knew needed the help.

This story was very well thought out and delved into these characters quite nicely.  The author made them real and gave them such depth and emotions that you fell for them and were very invested into their lives.  You wanted to see them both take the chance and find the love that could grow between them.  I liked how the author gave them both issues that they needed to work through and that they really needed to work to make their HEA happen.

This story was well written and really had me from the start to the finish.  I liked that it wasn’t insta-love, but a nice progression of working to make a relationship happen between them.  This story flowed without any interruptions and you got caught up in the story. 

This story is great if you want to read a story that flows smoothly and takes you on a short journey.  This story is great if you have a bit of time and want to fall in love with two gentleman who need each other.

RATING:

BUY LINKS: Amber Quill/Amber Allure, Amazon