Reviewed by Becca
TITLE: Home Improvement – A Love Story
AUTHOR: Tara Lain
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
LENGTH: 209 pages
RELEASE DATE: July 9, 2019
BLURB:
Romance on Aisle Sixteen—opposites attract amid the hammers and screws of the home improvement store.
Gabe Mason became a father at seventeen, and his daughter, Ellie, is the most important thing in his life. But being the parent the courts demand means Gabe has given up most of his dreams—education, making furniture, a gay social life—to be a model dad with a steady, reliable job in a home improvement store. Life’s predictable until Jerry, a shy, eccentric guy in a hat and sunglasses, begs Gabe to oversee the renovation of his run-down mansion.
Gabe loves the house and the work, and Jerry’s pretty lovable too, but when Gabe discovers Jerry’s secret identity, he fears their passion could overturn both their lives forever.
REVIEW:
This was a pretty sweet story, but a reminder that secrets can hurt.
Jerry is trying to keep himself hidden. He goes into a home improvement store looking for stuff to renovate his new home, but really has no clue where to start. But meeting Gabe, who works there, has settled Jerry in a way he really never had been and he wants to hire Gabe immediately to renovate his home. Gabe has no clue with most of the stuff but knows people who do and they get started. Pretty soon the house is looking like a home and Jerry and Gabe seem to be hitting it off. Until Gabe’s daughter’s birthday present. A concert of Jet Gemini, who is none other than Jerry. Feeling used and lied to Gabe rushes out and Jerry is a wreck trying to figure out how to make things right. He eventually does, but more storms hit with the paparazzi and Jerry being done with being Jet. He wants a normal life. But with what the paparazzi are printing and saying, there may be no coming back from this one.
I couldn’t imagine being in Jerry’s shoes. At all. I’ve never wanted to be in the limelight or front and center. I am perfectly happy being in the background. To have to deal with all the drama and not being able to just be himself or have real friends or live his life. It’s insane. So I don’t blame him for grabbing on to Gabe with both hands and not letting go. Gabe worried about him, his finances and everything. He treated him like he was a real person not a rock star. He had no clue who Jerry was. And it was wonderful. He felt free. Even more when he met Ellie, Gabe’s daughter. He felt he had a little family. Until assholes tried to mess that up.
Which makes me feel for Gabe and Ellie. Having the blowback of being in a rock star’s life. Some people love it. Not me. And they weren’t too thrilled either. Gabe just wanted the best life for his kid. That’s it. He put his life on hold to give Ellie the best life. So when all this happened with Jerry, it was heartbreaking. He felt used. And lower than dirt.
Communication is always key. No matter how much you may want to hide, you have to consider everything and everyone around you and how it affects it all. You can’t hide and not expect a blowout. It’s a bit of an angsty story but not bad. I love Ellie. She made it for me. See what you guys think.
RATING: 
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