Reviewed by Amber
TITLE: Empty Nests
SERIES: Nested Hearts #1
AUTHOR: Ada Maria Soto
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
LENGTH: 214 pages
BLURB:
Neither James nor Gabe has ever had a real relationship. They might make a connection if they can get past their differences—and their fears.
At age fourteen, James Maron decided to prove he wasn’t gay despite vast evidence to the contrary. Now at thirty-two, he’s getting ready to send his son to college and wondering what he’s supposed to do next. Outside his son, his life consists of an IT job he hates and watching telenovelas with the women in his apartment building.
Gabriel Juarez is the CFO of a technology giant. He has looks, charm, fantastic wealth, a workaholic personality, and a string of boyfriends who only stick around because he’s too busy to tell them to leave.
A bad laptop/projector interface causes James and Gabe’s paths to cross. Friends, family, and coworkers jump to match Gabe with a nice guy, and James with anyone. But are they too different? Everyone will have to tread very carefully to keep things from ending before they start.
REVIEW:
I love finding new to me authors!! Ada Maria Soto is an author I’ve never read before but I’m genuinely happy I chose this story as my first read. This story was interesting in the fact that it was a slow burn throughout the entirety of the novel. The attraction between the characters was there basically from the beginning and while both characters acted on the attraction this wasn’t a story of explosive, passionate moments but that didn’t take away from how sweet it was.
James Maron takes personal responsibility to a whole new level. At 15 he tried to prove to himself that he wasn’t gay and knocked up one of his friends. Unlike most teenagers he took full responsibility for his child, essentially raising him and completing high school on his own. At 32 he finds himself with a son about to graduate high school with a full ride baseball scholarship. He couldn’t be more proud but he’s incredibly lonely, without even realizing it.
Gabriel Juarez is an uber rich founder of a super successful technology company. He wants for nothing. On one of his regular lectures he gives to college classes he meets, James. And like I mentioned before, the attraction is there, it’s just more of a fleeting recognition.
After a few run-ins they start dating. James having raised his kid basically his whole life is new to the nuances of a budding romance. What’s super sweet is how patient, gentle and caring Gabe is with James.
The writing in this story was great. Everything flowed so well and the plot was solid. I was entertained and truly wanted to know what was to become of these two characters.
Keep in mind this is a HFN story. It ends in a way where things are ok and still moving forward in their new relationship but it’s still shaky. Their foundation isn’t solid at all. I’m looking forward to reading book 2 in this series as I thoroughly enjoyed this one.
RATING: 
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