Reviewed by Jess

TITLE: Honeymoon for One

AUTHOR: Keira Andrews

PUBLISHER: Self-published

LENGTH: 286 pages

RELEASE DATE:  September 27, 2018

BLURB:

The wedding is off, but the love story is just beginning.

Betrayed the night before his wedding by the supposed boy of his dreams, Ethan Robinson escapes the devastating fallout by going on his honeymoon alone to the other side of the world. Hard of hearing and still struggling with the repercussions of being late-deafened, traveling by himself leaves him feeling painfully isolated with his raw, broken heart.

Clay Kelly never expected to be starting life over in his forties. He got hitched young, but now his wife has divorced him and remarried, his kids are grown, and he’s left his rural Outback town. In a new career driving a tour bus on Australia’s East Coast, Clay reckons he’s happy enough. He enjoys his cricket, a few beers, and a quiet life. If he’s a bit lonely, it’s not the end of the world.

Clay befriends Ethan, hoping he can cheer up the sad-eyed young man, and a crush on an unattainable straight guy is exactly the safe distraction Ethan needs. Yet as the days pass and their connection grows, long-repressed desires surface in Clay, and they are shocked to discover romance sparking. Clay is the sexy, rugged man of Ethan’s dreams, and as the clock counts down on their time together, neither wants this honeymoon to end.

REVIEW:

Sometimes, you come across a romance that just hits all the right notes. It has a great story arc, well-written and fully-fleshed characters, and a love story that will leave you all melty and gooey. Honeymoon for One starts with one man’s personal nightmare, but by the end, we’re sinking into bliss right along with him. And the gorgeous Australian setting is just the start.

At the start of the story, we’re filled with dread as Ethan goes about a normal day, looking forward to his wedding to Michael, his college sweetheart. We know it’s coming, but the eventual betrayal hits us like a shovel, because Andrews does a really good job of getting us to like Ethan before the drama unfolds. It’s one of those “how do I come back from this?” scenarios, and Ethan’s heartbreak and decision to venture out on his own on their planned Australian honeymoon makes us 100% invested in his happiness from the get-go.

Andrews really put love and care into writing Ethan. His deafness is a huge obstacle in his life, and Andrews never forgets that in favor of easier storytelling. It’s truly portrayed as a disability that hinders Ethan’s happiness, and it is taken very seriously. The fact that Ethan finds a partner who understands (and doesn’t seek to somehow “cure” him) may seem like a small detail, but it means everything to those with disabilities that sometimes make other people shy away.

We meet Clay, a tour bus driver from the Outback, a little later in the story. He’s a bit of a stereotype—rugged, laid-back, sexy in a dad kind of way—but he’s completely endearing. He’s also just as well-formed as Ethan. He’s sort of in a rut after his long marriage ends amicably, leaving him with two adult children and a job he enjoys, but not much else to look forward to. He’s in for quite a surprise with Ethan. Their romance is the definition of slow burning—Clay doesn’t even know if he likes men, and Ethan is still heartbroken. But they have an instant chemistry that is impossible to ignore.

Though the M/M heyday of the “gay for you” trope is pretty much over, Clay might fall somewhat into that category for those who miss that specific romantic device. He feels comfortable calling himself gay by the end of the book, but his interest in men begins and ends with Ethan. It’s a nice exploration of a man finding himself later in life. He has his natural worries and fears, but he’s easygoing enough (and in love to boot) to take things in stride. And the reaction of his kids—a younger generation of people who see queerness very differently—is spot-on.

From the start of the book to the epilogue, this is just an awesome read. We’re so invested in both men’s happiness, so seeing them come together like magnets over the span of one vacation makes for a perfect story. I definitely recommend this one.

RATING: 

BUY LINK: 

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