Reviewed by Kat
TITLE: Uniting the Souls
SERIES: Souls of Chicago Series
AUTHOR: Annabella Michaels
PUBLISHER: Self Published
LENGTH: 239 pages
RELEASE DATE: September 28, 2017
BLURB:
As the owner of Agape House, a center for Chicago’s LGBTQ youth, Matt worked tirelessly to provide a safe and loving atmosphere for the kids who called the center home. He put his heart and soul into helping the teens in his care, pushing aside his own pain. A pain that no one knew about, not even his closest friend, Isaac.
When Isaac first arrived at Agape House in need of shelter, the first person he saw was Matt. Isaac could tell that Matt was a good man and as he got to know him better, he began to trust him and the two became close friends. As an adult, Isaac began working at the center, wanting to give back to the place and the man who had saved his life. Over time, his feelings for Matt grew, but he wasn’t sure if Matt would ever see him as more than just a friend.
Dr. Hudson Westley was impressed when he heard from his friends about the work being done at Agape House so he decided to check it out for himself in the hopes of volunteering his counseling services. He was excited to help the LGBTQ youth from his home city. However, he wasn’t expecting the visceral reaction he had to both Isaac and Matt when they met.
The attraction between the three men was immediate and powerful, taking them all by surprise, especially Matt who not only found himself drawn to Hudson, but began to see Isaac through new eyes as well. There was obviously something special between them, but would Matt be able to let go of his past in order to create a future? Would Isaac finally open up about what happened that led him to Agape House all those years ago, and could Hudson be strong enough to hold them all together, creating a love like they’ve never known and uniting their souls?
Possible trigger warnings: This book contains situations of child abuse, physical violence and substance abuse which may be disturbing to some readers.
REVIEW:
If you know and follow me at all you know that ménage/triad/polyamorous relationships are one of my most favorite tropes in gay romance. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this book when I realized that a treat we got it in here!
I had always wondered about Issac, who ran the front desk at Agape House, every since he sent Carter on that photo shoot that got Ryan and Carter to talk and get to know each other. He seemed to be a pivotal piece of Agape House and I had been wondering about him and Matt. Matt seemed so determined to keep Agape House afloat, even if it was at his own personal sacrifice. And then there was the tall, dark, amazing Dr. Hudson Westley! After all he had done for both Lachlan and Rylie I wanted the world for him too. But can three men make a relationship work? Especially if two have some very hidden and sad things in their pasts that they have never revealed to anyone?
While reading this book, and this entire series, the unconditional Agape Love that resonated throughout it rang crystal clear. Then I got to the Afterward and Annabella Michaels goals she had with this series were highlighted. One of her goals was “to write about a family that loved and accepted each other unconditionally, regardless of age, race, sexual orientation or circumstance…at the center of it all is their love and commitment to each other and that never wavers.” I believe that she achieved this with flying colors. Her other goal was “to include a LGBTQA youth center that would extend agape love beyond that of a family, reaching out to help those who have been cast aside, hurt, lost or broken and giving them a place where they could feel understood, accepted and loved for who they were.” The Agape House was a key and intricate part woven within the entire series storyline. The Greene family, starting with the parents Rick and Kathy, had made volunteering at Agape House and working with those youth a mission and passion that they passed on to their children. Through their children that love and desire was joined by their spouses and friends. I had looked forward to each visit that a character had to the center and getting a glimpse of the dynamics of it. The interactions and the skills that each character brought to help the kids, that made Agape House their home, was heartwarming and rewarding. Whether it was as mundane as teaching a child to do dishes and learn how to help clean up, to helping with their daily homework (something that could have very easily overwhelmed the staff there), or playing a game of pick up on the basketball court, to being taught music by a very successful musician, or even being coached how to find and land a job or apply and get grants to continue their education, all the characters of these books brought their love, talents and commitment to the center for these kids that came because the had no where else to go! And that is a true testament to Agape Love!
Getting to read the history of how the center got it’s start and the love and pain that surrounded that vision was heartbreaking. I will admit, it worried me having a former resident and the house owner “hook up” but I was so thankful to read of the time that had gone by, the friendship and trust that formed and the care for the other that came with that intense friendship. I do believe that none of the future would have had a chance to happen without Hudson. Hudson deserved so much for all the help he had given to Lachlan, Rylie and even Micah. I don’t think that Matt would or could have opened up about his past…it was just to painful without Hudson’s patience and understanding of not only Matt but both Matt and Issac. He was the key to opening their eyes and helping them along this journey to open their hearts to love. With Issac’s past, which was unbelievably heartbreaking, was so buried that it took the love of both men to free him of it’s burden. These three loving and amazing men made a perfect triad.
I knew this time together was going to draw to a close way too soon but I just couldn’t wait until this match up. I know that we still have the Christmas novella and a new spin-off series “Hamilton’s Heroes”, that is Micah’s employees, and I am hoping to see our men there quite often, however it is going to be really hard to finish this series. These men, their significant others, their families and friends have become real to me. I want to keep seeing them succeed and grow with families each of their own. I highly recommend that you take the chance, much like all these men did in this series, and open your heart to their Agape Love.
RATING: 
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