Reviewed by: Taylor
SERIES: Blackwater Creek #2
AUTHOR: Riley Hart
PUBLISHER: Riley Hart
LENGTH: 330 Pages
BLURB:
Wes Jensen just lost the sister who raised him, and gained custody of his niece. The last thing he needs to add to his full plate is dealing with Braden Roth, the one-night-stand who continues to try to push his way into Wes’ life. He has a kid to raise now, and Wes isn’t great at getting close anyway.
Braden has never had a woman or a man sneak out on him the morning after. From the start, Wes intrigues him, and Braden isn’t one to deny himself something he wants. And he wants Wes. The more time he spends with Wes and the little girl who constantly keeps them on their toes, the more Braden realizes this isn’t just about getting the guy who walked away.
As their lives intertwine more and more, Wes discovers Braden isn’t as shallow as he thought. But after everything Wes lost in his life, he isn’t sure he can risk his heart, and truly want Braden to stay—and if he did, would Wes’ quiet life be enough for Braden?
REVIEW:
OK, so I read this after a good friend of mine had read this, and she kept telling me I was really going to love this. And you know what? She was right tenfold, so much that at one point we were actually discussing how we were Liesl in Sound of Music after Rolf kisses her in the rain. We were that little girl squee’ing in the rain from pure, absolute joy.
Oh my fuck, I just loved this book. I loved it for very personal reasons with Wes and his family situation. With the death of his sister and having to raise his niece and that minefield that comes with figuring things out when you are suddenly a parent of a small person with a personality and needs. I loved it for the romantic in me that a casual sexual encounter can lead to love when both parties aren’t looking for it and don’t even believe they want it. I love it for showing that there are such great examples of men out there and that I deserve a man like Braden Roth, and that we shouldn’t accept less for ourselves. I loved it for all the moments that punched me in the gut whether from sadness, or the beauty of something small with a life-changing impact. I love this book because it centered around the holidays, and I know I will want to re-read this over and over every Christmas and finish it each time with my same dopey smile.
I don’t want to spoil anything for the reader but so many moments stand out to me. From the very beginning when Wes is putting Jessie, his niece, to bed and he’s remembering instructions his sister gave him about taking care of Jessie, I knew I was going to be a sobbing mess the whole way through the book. When I look to sunrises now, I’ll always remember a moment in this book that made me want to purr in happiness. Then there are the headlights and dammit I just looked at my notes and I teared up again!! Over headlights. Seriously. The notes in the morning…I just did a jig in my living room, people. The sex. Ohhhhhhhh the sex. *twirls around in glee* The Christmas scene. The sled rides. Those moments were stunning to me, and I felt like I was bundled up on Christmas morning with hot chocolate watching these men fall more and more in love.
This is a simple story of two men comfortable with themselves and supportive families, which I adored. But these normally comfortable men unexpectedly fall hard for each other after a one night stand and there are just so many things to consider that leads to self-doubt on both of their parts. Wes is just so lonely and lost, but he has so much love to offer Jessie and Braden, if only he’d believe in his ability to give and it be enough. And BRADEN…sigh…he’s funny and free, strong and supportive, he pushes Wes in exactly the way he needs to be pushed, and he doesn’t back down from what he wants and the man he knows is there and sees every time he looks at Wes. Add in a wonderful child character (seriously, this kid is awesomesauce) and a dog named Jock that I must squeeze because I love him too, and you have one happy reader.
Riley Hart, I could kiss you and I NEED this in paperback. Make it so, please!
BUY LINK:
Loved this book and also loved Collide!!!! Need more!!
Wasn’t this FANTASTIC? I just ran the gammit of crying from something so beautiful and wonderful to wishing my friend was there so I could slap her arm at all the awesome parts I kept wanting to discuss!
Well S**T! I already have 2 RH books on my nook that I have gotten to and now I’m about to add a third!
Thx for the review
Oh YAY!!! I haven’t read her menage book(s), but I’ve read this and Collide and loved them both, although I loved this one even more. This is definitely going on my favorites and ficitional husbands shelves. Hope you enjoy! 🙂