Reviewed by Kat
TITLE: Tonight’s Encore: A Second Chance Gay Romance
SERIES: For the Love of Pup (book #1)
AUTHOR: Parker Avrile
PUBLISHER: Self Published
LENGTH: 206 pages
RELEASE DATE: February 13, 2016
BLURB:
A second chance steamy gay romance between a hot rock star and a hotter doctor.
“Reed was an experiment. A good time I needed to leave behind to focus on my music.” Zac was once Bobby, a small-town boy raised by his grandparents in a mountain cabin. But he had to leave Bobby– and Bobby’s best friend Reed– far behind if he wanted to claw his way to the top of the charts. Ten years later, bounced from the band he founded, he has nowhere else to go except back home. “Zac says we’re friends with benefits, but I wonder if I’m just a substitute for his old flame.” Reed hasn’t seen Bobby for ten years after making the hard choice to leave music to study medicine. When cult musician Zac moves into the old Mason cabin, Reed didn’t expect him to turn out to be his Bobby from way back when. And the freshly minted doctor certainly didn’t plan on so much attention from tabloid gossip sites who keep insisting Zac and his ex are going to be reunited at any moment. Can former friends find the love they lost, or will the paparazzi tear them apart for good?
This full-length standalone male/male contemporary romance novel includes the frank language and steamy situations you’d expect between two athletic men in their late twenties. It comes complete with a helpful Bernese Mountain Dog, an elopement, and a Happily Ever After. There are absolutely NO cheating incidents or cliffhangers involved in the making of this sometimes steamy, sometimes sweet small-town romance between a rock star and a doctor. Themes include rock stars, second chances, and best friends to lovers. All novels in the “For the Love of Pup” series are standalones centered around a different couple. Feel free to jump in anywhere.
REVIEW:
I think that this might just be the best novel I have read by this author.
Zac Dillon has returned to his hometown to reflect and lick his wounds. He has spent 10 long years of his life trying to make his rock star boyfriend and fellow band mate of Phoenix Fire, Troy Reiver, happy despite Troy’s major drug usage. Now unceremoniously dumped and home to re-evaluate his life, he literally is run into by his former best friend and first love’s dog. Dr. Reed Hartwell has returned to his small home town to provide the much needed medical care for his community. He is in town a short time when he runs into his childhood friend, former band mate and lover, Bobby Mason. Except, it turns out, Bobby isn’t Bobby anymore but world famous bassist Zac Dillon. The two acknowledged the flames still burn strong but aren’t willing to admit to any kind of commitment so they agree to be “friends with benefits”. The problem is that both men do have feelings. Those feelings come to a head when Zac’s ex starts trying to manipulate his way back into Zac’s life. “Tonight’s Encore” is the story of how Zac and Reed work through ten years of life that slipped by and how their reunion moves them forward.
Who says you can never go back? Yeah, there will be a lot of bumps in the road but those potholes usually lead to a realization and life learned moments. When you are nineteen you think the world is yours and you can do anything you set your mind to. That was true with both these men. Reed had always dreamed of being a doctor and helping people. And he was determined to make that happen, even if he had to dance on tables as a stripper to pay for it. Bobby has always had music flowing through his veins and he had to get out of this back woods town to make it happen. Some strong words were spoke as the two teens broke up and headed their own direction in life. But sometimes things are meant to be in their own time. You have to experience life to appreciate what got away. I think that is what I liked most about this story. Both men owned up to their past and didn’t shy away from it. But they were always true to their goals and beliefs. And the curves thrown at them only made them stronger and realize that all they wanted and needed was standing right in front of them.
I really liked that the author added a working dog that helped reduce some of Reed anxiety. Magnum, a Bernese Mountain Dog, was the epitome of a well trained and loyal service animal. It could read Reed so well and realized immediately what Zac was to Reed.
As I stated previously, I liked this novel by author Parker Avrile the most of all the works I have read. This was a sweet, touching tale of two men, finally back together and realizing just what was missing from their lives, each other.
RATING: 
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