Reviewed by Becca

TITLE: Hurricane Reese

AUTHOR: R.L. Merrill

PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press

LENGTH: 205 pages

RELEASE DATE: January 30, 2018

BLURB:

The life of Tony-winning musician Reese Matheson resembles a natural disaster, and caregiver Jude De La Torre is caught in the eye of the storm. But can the love of two opposites survive caring for an ornery octogenarian with wayward balls and a meddling family insistent upon tradition?
Fresh off the successful London run of his musical, the last thing Reese expects when he comes home is a house surrounded by paparazzi and his girlfriend throwing his stuff into the pool. All he wants to do is spend time with his beloved grandfather and musical mentor who suffers from Alzheimer’s. Reese knows he doesn’t have much time left before the elder Matheson forgets who he is. In classic “Hurricane Reese” form, he moves into the cottage by the sea and displaces Jude, the intriguing caregiver he hired two years before. When Grandpa proves too much for Reese to handle on his own, Jude comes to his rescue, taming Grandpa… and the Hurricane as well. Soon all Reese can think about is how to get Jude out of his scrubs and into his bed—permanently. Will Hurricane Reese destroy everything in his path, or will this odd couple learn to harmonize together?

REVIEW:

Oh my gah what is it with you authors making me cry like a baby? Lol. Another first for me with this author and I’m glad I read it. It was beautiful. A reminder that sometimes we have to make sacrifices for those we love and that sometimes things don’t turn out as bad as we think. We just have to have faith and hope that it will work out. Sometimes it don’t, yes I know, but for the times it does, it’s magical.

Hurricane Reese got his nickname because he always seems to come in like a whirlwind. Not that he necessarily destroys everything his path, but he definitely uproots things and often leaves those in his path in a state of shock and displacement. The sad part is more often than not he means well and has good intentions, but he doesn’t often think things through. Bless his heart, he’s done it again. After a bad breakup and wanting to take time off, he wants nothing more than to spend time with his aging grandfather who has Alzheimer’s. So he moves into the cottage, let’s go of Jude, the caretaker, and proceeds to try to take care of his grandfather on his own. But he can’t. It’s too much. And after losing his grandfather when he wanders off, he begs Jude to help him. Jude agrees to help him a bit, but the chemistry between the two is pushing Jude in ways he’s not sure he is ready for. He wants to be with Reese but with all he is dealing with, he doesn’t know if he can handle it. It’s taking all he has just to keep his head above water and having Hurricane Reese in his life is too much. But he can’t help himself from falling for this man, who has shown there is more to him than meets the eye. Reese just wants to take care of Jude as well as his grandfather, but he knows he’s screwing up royally. If he can just calm the storm that is in him, maybe he can make things right. And just maybe he can make Jude his.

Wow. This book had me running the rainbow of emotion. There were times I just want to smack Reese. Not that he’s a bad guy, but because he needed someone to shake him and wake him up. He is used to the fast pace of the Hollywood types when Jude is a very private, calm man. But the beautiful thing about Reese is how special he really is. Underneath all that typhoon type energy and at times ditzyheadedness, lies a man that is intelligent, passionate, and such a tender heart it makes you weep. He just wants what’s best for everyone. He just has a hard time expressing himself unless it’s through his music. And there’s another talent. The music he writes is so expressive. His talent is otherworldly. And I love that it’s all Jude can do to keep from throwing him on the floor and having his way with Reese from hearing him. Jude is another one that makes me weep. He’s already consigned himself to being alone for the rest of his life. His family’s religion will never accept him. All they want is marriage to a woman and children and Jude can’t give them that. Jude wants love so much. And he wants that with Reese. He sees the way Reese is with his grandfather. He sees the man Reese is underneath it all and he yearns for the man. But how can he choose between his family and Reese?  Gah it kills me. At times like this I get so furious because I want people like Jude to have that love. But people push religion in and suddenly everyone is wrong and miserable. And it’s not fair. But sometimes you have to choose and sometimes you don’t. What’s important is doing what makes you happy. And that’s a decision Jude had to make. So did Reese.

I’m still in book hangover heaven. If you have someone to love, love them with all you are. Hold on tight. It takes work and sacrifices, but if it’s true, it’s worth it. Don’t let close minded people define who you are and who you are with. Be happy. Be in love.

RATING:  

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