Reviewed by Jess

TITLE: Building Forever

SERIES: This Time Forever #1

AUTHOR: Kelly Jensen

PUBLISHER: Riptide Publishing

LENGTH: 337 pages

RELEASE DATE:  October 15, 2018

BLURB:

Charlie King is doing fine. Sure, he’s a widower raising a teenage daughter who just got her first boyfriend, his book series isn’t writing itself, and he has a crush on his new neighbor — the guy next door. But everything’s just fine.

Simon Lynley is doing better. He moved to Bethlehem to fall out of love and rebuild his career. An affair with his neighbor isn’t part of the plan, but the attraction between them is too hard to ignore.

But when Simon’s ex follows him to Pennsylvania seeking reconciliation, and Charlie’s life starts to feel like a video on repeat, everything comes apart. Charlie worries that he’s failing as a father, and Simon is a distraction he can’t afford. Meanwhile Simon doesn’t know if he could survive being left again, and he hasn’t come all this way to make the same mistakes. But despite their fears, it’s only together that they’ll find the strength to slay old foes and build the forever they’ve been waiting for.

REVIEW:

I have a feeling this book is going to be a big hit in the M/M romance world. Older characters are having their romantic heyday, and they’re especially enjoyable to read about when they’re written by an author with a knack for dialogue, tight characterization, and scenes of great emotional impact. I didn’t love the entire plot of this book, but the characters alone make it a fantastic read.

From the first second Charlie, a single father in his late thirties, meets Simon, a new-in-town architect in his late forties, he’s totally smitten. He knows he’s bisexual, but he’s never acted upon his desires for either sex after his wife passed five years before. He doesn’t know how to navigate the unfamiliar waters of same-sex attraction—and to be honest, he’s sort of a dork, with an affable Paul Rudd-esque charm about him. But Simon is a pro at this, even though he just ended a long-term relationship and moved to a new place to start fresh. Their love is inevitable, but seeing them stumble sweetly into it is just perfect.

I’m a big fan of romances mixed with family dramas, and the sort of tension Charlie has with his teenage daughter and his in-laws is really well-done. For the most part, it isn’t terribly high-stakes—it feels real. He still blames himself for the death of his wife, Merry, brought on by her pregnancy, and he thinks his former mother-in-law does, too. He doesn’t feel guilty for being bisexual, but he does have reservations about bringing a new love into his life, especially since his first (and only) passed so tragically. His only real family in the area is Merry’s family, so bringing Simon into his life could really alter his small community. It’s a well-done story arc that reads smoothly.

This is very much Charlie’s book, despite the alternating point of view. The threads of Simon’s personal journey—building a new home, getting over a bad breakup, furthering his career potential—sort of unravel without much fanfare, implying his arc pretty much is Charlie. Charlie gets an amazing story from beginning to end, one that explores his grief, sexuality, and role as a father, but Simon just gets Charlie. Their love story is fantastic, but Simon is such a good character that I wanted more of him.

Jensen is a professional author in her own right, but she really reminds me of one of the most well-known M/M writers around—Amy Lane. This story immediately made me think of Lane’s “Bonfires” series, which also revolves around middle-aged men navigating family and a second chance at true love. Jensen does a lot of things better, I think—the voices of her older male characters feel very authentic, from their dorky dad jokes to the sort of confidence that only comes with time. And both Jensen and Lane write the family unit with love, humor, and realism.

But I have a similar issue with both authors—I’m not a huge fan of what they do with their female characters. I especially am not a fan of the dramatic plot involving Charlie’s daughter that takes up the greater half of the book. I don’t want to spoil it (though it is pretty easy to see coming), but I don’t think any of the characters made their best decisions, and I would’ve been interested in seeing it play out in a different way. I would’ve enjoyed the book more if that particular plot was skipped entirely. I understand why Jensen included it, but it felt like a needle slipping off a record—clumsy, noticeable, and not very enjoyable, especially after the lovely noise beforehand.

This is a readable, accessible romance. It’s sweet, funny, and properly dramatic at times. Some will love the plot points, some (like me) will not. But I think everyone will find something to like about Charlie and Simon’s story.

(It also happens that this review will be published on my birthday! A fine gift indeed).

RATING: 

BUY LINKS: 

Riptide Publishing

Amazon