Reviewed by Paul
TITLE: Maybe this time
SERIES: The Belonging Series
AUTHOR: A.M. Arthur
PUBLISHER: Carina Press
LENGTH: 61,000 words
BLURB:
As a regular at gay hotspot Pot O Gold, Ezra Kelley avoids his tangled emotions with the simplicity of one-night stands and attachment-free hookups. Until the night bartender Donner Davis picks him up off the floor after a misunderstanding and too much tequila. Ezra can’t remember the last time someone was…nice. It’s more than he deserves.
Witnessing his lover’s death two years ago has Donner trapped in a holding pattern, living in his sister’s basement, working at the Pot and flirting with the customers. He’s not above spending a night with the gorgeous Ezra, but love is not in the cards. That’s more than he’s ready for.
A passionate night leads to a connection neither man expects, and they take the first steps to something that looks like a real relationship. But Ezra’s been running from himself so long he doesn’t know how to live any other way. And Donner can’t risk his heart just to lose everything again. They’ll both need the strength to let go of the past if they want to get it right this time.
REVIEW:
I Purposely didn’t read “No such things”, the book that precedes this story, to give my honest opinion whether or not this story could be read as a stand-alone. And my word, it CAN !! It’s a lovely story about Ezra and Donner, finding themselves and thereby creating room for one another.
Donner had a bad experience (death of boyfriend) several years ago and vowed to himself never to fall in love again. His character is well developed in the first chapters, working at a gay bar, with the bar as natural barrier between him and the crowd and that is exactly how he runs his love life. The sex-scenes are written as if the reader is a part of the action, and that sure makes this one a winner.
Ezra is the character that is developed carefully in the book. He has a wicked relationship with his parents and the rest of his family. As a dominant top, he has a scary encounter at the start of the book. And as he is thinking he’s without true friends he copes with all of his misfortune by himself. Luckily Ezra and Donner have a hot night of sex, that both shows them they might actually have a connection. Yet Ezra is defiant of committing to a serious relationship, but because of Donner, he deals with his past demons. It’s refreshing to see the author take a different turn from most novels I have read. Ezra and Donner actually talk about their past problems and in that is the strength of this book.
This book is a page-turner. I loved all characters and the tension that lasts all through the book. As it was the first book by AM Arthur I read, I was pleasantly surprised by the way he slowly revealed all. Will now go back to read the first book in these series, as I want to read more from this author and these characters.
RATING: 
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