Reviewed by Kat

TITLE:  Hawaiian Orchid

SERIES:  The Hawaiians #2

AUTHOR:  Meg Amor

PUBLISHER:  Loose ID

LENGTH:  302 pages

BLURB:

Kulani Mahikoa is “The Orchid,” a young, insecure, pro surfer from a rough background on the Big Island of Hawai’i. He’s Beau Toyama’s cousin from Hawaiian Lei and a healer with a heart as deep as the ocean he’s part of. Like many of the great Hawaiians, Kulani epitomizes the spirit of aloha and love. Kulani’s healing his own wounds, and “The Lost Boys”–young, homeless abandoned and abused gay boys he cares for.

He meets the lone and lonely New Zealand widower, Rob Masterson–a wounded psychologist who’s trying to come to terms with his husband’s death. When he died, they were separated but still living together. Rob needs to reconcile all the pieces of guilt and love to heal before he can fall in love again.

The age difference raises one barrier, and besides that, Kulani has more layers than Rob–with his own New Zealand heritage and tangled knot of emotion–ever bargained for. Traveling between the South Sea Islands of beautiful New Zealand and the exotic Hawaiian Islands, they forge a bond–two wounded men find a home for their shrapnel-laced souls.

REVIEW:

I was intrigued by the title of this book and “begged” to be allowed to read and review it. Oh how deliriously happy I am I did! Meg Amor got Hawaii right!!! You can tell that she has lived there and understood the culture and ways of the people that live on the islands. I spend half my time divided between the Pacific Northwest and Oahu, so I was intrigued about a gay romance set in the islands I now call home. I knew she knew her stuff when she started writing about sitting down and “talking stories”. That is exactly the way my dear friends talk.

Hawaiian Orchid is the story of a widower, Robin “Rob” Masterson, who has sailed back to the islands to recover and try to start a new life after his husband died suddenly. He is grief stricken and questions himself constantly if he could have done more to save his mate. Enter into his life the confusing young man, Kulani Mahikoa, who seems to run hot and cold. One minute he is gruff and harsh and the next, tender and sweet. But Rob realizes that Kulani is getting “under his skin” and has to try to understand this complex young man. Kulani has had a horrible life growing up in a very dysfunctional family. He is the cousin of Beau from the first book in the series, Hawaiian Lei. Beau and his ex-wife have always taken care of the sweet young boy and when Mattie and Beau married, they took him under his wing. Kulani has a heart of gold and is learning the ancient ways of Healing. He is also the “caretaker/dad” to five teenage boys that have been discarded by their families after they came out to them. These boys are completely dependent on Kulani and regard him as their dad and family. The story line of these boys touched my heart completely after working in education for years with troubled youth. Ms. Amor got their needs and total reliance down perfectly.

I have trouble, at times, visualizing a story, but did not have any problems here. Her rich and full descriptions were spot on, from scenery to foods to people, I could see it all clearly. I can not wait to read the next book in this heartwarming and captivating series. How she had these men face huge, challenging problems and struggles and then showed how they overcame them with deep and fully committed love for another person. The Hawaiians series is a must-read for me and I enthusiastically give it a shining 5 stars!!! When I am homesick for the islands or need a pick-me-up for how people should act, I will be re-reading again.

RATING:  

BUY LINKS: 

Loose Id

Amazon

ARe