Reviewed by Danielle
TITLE: Connor & Ash
SERIES: Barista Boys
AUTHOR: A.E Ryecart
PUBLISHER: Self Published
LENGTH: 227 Pages
RELEASE DATE: June 15th 2017
BLURB:
When you live in the shadows, it’s hard to believe in the light
Each time Ash Hemsby strips off for a stranger in a hotel room or gets down on his knees in a back alley, a little piece of his soul dies. But debt is a hard task master, and money lenders don’t take IOUs.
From a shadowy corner of a hotel bar, Connor O’Brian watches the rent boy’s clumsy attempts to ply his trade. Beneath the younger man’s brash exterior Connor senses desperation and vulnerability, and his heart goes out to him, because he too bears the scars of living crushed and defeated.
A whispered conversation, a key exchanged, and the deal is struck. Yet the night turns out in a way neither expects.
A chance meeting brings Connor face to face with the man he can’t stop thinking about, and he’s determined not to let him get away a second time. Ash owes Connor for what happened that night in the hotel, but what was meant only to be the fulfilment of a promise begins to feel like something more.
Step by step, they begin to mend what is broken in the other. But life has a habit of tripping up the unwary. A random discovery, a scribbled, desperate note and a race across London brings each man face to face with the secret shame they have only ever wanted to keep hidden.
Secrets and half-truths have kept Connor and Ash in the shadows. Only the raw, heart wrenching truth can lead them out of darkness and into light. But is it already too late, and will the shadows reclaim them?
Connor & Ash is the third instalment in the Barista Boys series. Each book charts the lives and loves of the men who work in a funky little cafe in the heart of London’s Soho.
Barista Boys, where it’s not just the coffee that’s hot.
Connor & Ash can be read as a stand alone, and is a full length novel of approx 84,400 words.
REVIEW:
First let me tell you how I got involved in this series. I picked up an author request for our author request month this month and stumbled on this one. When I started reading it, I felt I really needed to read the ones that came before as well. Yes they are all stand-alones but I wanted to feel the connection with the cafe and the people there, so I contacted the author and she graciously send me the other books in the series. I thank her for that 🙂
Simply because I would have not wanted to miss the complete experience of the Barista Boys man before I restarted this one. Where I loved the characters from the first two books ( Danny & Jude and Stevie & Mack) these two men, Connor & Ash really grabbed me. Both men have such a story to tell.
When I started this the second time around I felt so much more connected to the story then I did in the first instance so I am glad I did what I did.
This story tells us about Ash and Connor who are completely different men who meet by accident or maybe I should say coincidence.
When Ash hits rock bottom, he sees no way out anymore than to do something to get him the money that he so desperately needs to keep paying off the debt that was thrust upon him.
And there comes in Connor. No he is definitely not the knight on a white horse but it is how they meet.
It’s impossible not fall for Ash. He touched me as a reader, his shyness and sort of clumsiness is endearing. And then we have the business man Connor and in his own way he is just as endearing as you feel there is a story hidden behind those wide open eyes.
How they meet is interesting to say the least and how author A.E Rycart weaves them together in this story is impressive.
I loved the slow build in this one. It fit perfectly and I especially liked the fact that they really made a connection before the drama hit. Because you know drama is on it’s way especially if you have read the other books in this series 😉
It all needed to come out and be dealt with before there would be any chance of a happy ending for Connor and Ash. Let me say thank god for Bernie!
The story rounds up very nicely and feels complete. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Connor and Ash’s story.
It makes me happy that I picked up this author request because it brought me a whole new series that I very much enjoyed reading.
Looking forward to the last one, so bring on Bernie’s story.
RATING: 
BUY LINK:
Thank you for the review, Danielle. I have the first book in the series, and after reading your review, I’ll move it up in the reading order. Sounds good!
Thank you for the review. I’ve been eyeing this series for a while now and will definitely be picking it up and trying it myself soon.
Looks heartrending, but ultimately satisfying!