Reviewed by Kat
TITLE: Back Home
AUTHOR: RJ Scott
PUBLISHER: Love Lane Books Ltd
LENGTH: 216 pages
RELEASE DATE: May 26, 2017
BLURB:
Falling for his brother’s boyfriend broke his heart. Now he’s back home and falling in love all over again. One birthday kiss, given on a dare, and Kieran realizes he is in danger of falling for his brother’s boyfriend, Jordan. Leaving for college, then moving to another country is the only way to ease the ache in his heart. But, when his father becomes ill, and his sister begs him to come home, Kieran returns for good. He finds the family business nearly bankrupt and Jordan, the man he ran from, beaten down by despair and guilt. Friendship is what they promise each other as they work to repair the business, but it could never be enough for Kieran. When secrets spill, and there are vital decisions to be made, Kieran realizes two things; he’s back home, and he wants to stay with Jordan for good. Now he just needs to convince Jordan.
REVIEW:
I don’t know what I was expecting but this wasn’t it.
Kieran is Brad’s younger brother and left home shortly after graduation to avoid the inevitable. He has been in love with his big brother’s boyfriend every since Jordan kissed him, on a dare, on his sixteenth birthday. When his beloved older brother dies suddenly and he kisses Jordan again, after the funeral, he knows he needs to stay in England where he belongs! But, he is desperately needed back home. So he packs up, gives up his chance of becoming a partner some day in the architecture firm he works at, and returns to America. “Back Home” is the story of what happens when the two men are literally thrust working together and having to deal with the ghosts of their past.
This book really worked for me the first 80% of the book. Both men had been through a lot, dealt with the “elephant in the room” and were on the right path. I admired how they worked together to open up and share their insecurities and demons. Then, all of a sudden, it was like a different author took over. Instead of well worked out scenes that built the story and their relationship, I felt like we were being rushed from scene to scene, some of which felt a bit unnecessary or unfinished. Evan, Kieran’s best friend flew back home, and though it was always planned, it felt like an after thought and under utilized. The whole David threatening and blackmailing Jordan for sex, while being a closeted married man working for daddy, just didn’t work for me. We have laws in place concerning banking and the fact it only took Anna, Kieran’s mom who was dealing with her husband’s sudden stroke, a quick minute to solve it just didn’t work. These were two college educated men that couldn’t figure out the right way to deal with him? Also, Jordan is seriously hurt in the opening chapter of the book and then it was just dropped like it wasn’t important. His injury and Phil’s declining health were the reasons that Kieran needed to return home. I did like how the Mom, Dad and sister all knew that these men were suppose to be together and not only supported it but kinda pushed for it.
Like I said, I really liked the first 4/5th of the book but it just fell flat for me at the end.
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