Reviewed by Tammy
TITLE: Calm
SERIES: Sequel to Wake
AUTHOR: K. Evan Coles & Brigham Vaughn
PUBLISHER: Pride Publishing
LENGTH: 392 pages
RELEASE DATE: September 12, 2017
BLURB:
A love worth the wait.
When Riley Porter-Wright comes out as bisexual and confesses his feelings for Carter Hamilton, it severs their friendship. Carter’s rejection forces Riley to move on and he’s shocked to learn Carter’s marriage has fallen apart.
Overwhelmed by his failure as a husband and father, Carter misses Riley, but feels guilty for disappearing after Riley’s coming out. After Riley extends an olive branch, the former friends agree to repair their relationship. Slowly, Carter pieces together a new life, admits his attraction to men and confesses his feelings for Riley.
Leery of Carter’s initial rejection, Riley turns his focus to a new man, Will Martin.
Disappointed, Carter fosters new friendships with men like Jesse Murtagh and Kyle McKee, while also navigating new waters with his ex-wife, Kate, as their children learn their parents are dating other people.
As they rebuild their friendship, both Carter and Riley draw strength from each other, hoping the choices they’ve made are for the best.
REVIEW:
Oh wow, was this sequel worth the wait or what!!
When Riley Porter-Wright came out as bi-sexual in Wake, he lost almost every person he cared about. He even becomes estranged from Carter which hurts him the most because he’s been in love with Carter Hamilton since they were in college together. Carter is shocked to the core when Riley comes out, he can’t understand how or why he would deliberately destroy his life as he knows it. While Carter is trying to come to term with what Riley has done Riley is trying to come to terms with the fact that Carter has totally shut him out.
Riley meets college professor Will Martin there’s an immediate attraction on both sides. Will and Riley start a relationship, although they decide to take things slow, allowing Riley to become adjusted to dating a man. It takes Riley about a year to get to the point where he is feeling comfortable with his life, then he runs into Carter’s wife Kate and discovers that they too are getting a divorce. This rocks Riley’s world and the next time he sees Carter he discovers that Carter too is trying to come to terms with the realization that he has real, sexual feelings for men.
Riley doesn’t realise it yet but things are never going to be the same again once he learns that Carter is single but when Carter tells Riley that he has feelings for him Riley goes into a tailspin. Because Riley no longer trusts Carter due to his lack of understanding and support when he came out, Riley decides to take a step back to decide what ad who it is he wants. Carter is hurt by Riley rejection but he understands why he’s done it, this is when Carter develops close ‘friendships’ with two men. It’s with these two men that Carter learns how to be the new, gay, Carter!
Riley and Carter do get together and they do begin a relationship, one that doesn’t need a woman between them! They take their time getting to know who they are now that they’re being open and honest with not only themselves but with everyone. Carter has to get used to being Riley’s lover as well as his best friend and Riley has to get used to being a parental figure to Carter’s children not just the godfather/uncle! What I loved in both Wake and Calm is that just because there are intense feelings between the men they don’t automatically fall into bed, they take their time getting to know each other and actually developing a rapport before sex. I have no hesitation in recommending Calm to everyone to read, the only thing I will say is that you must read Wake first!
RATING: 
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