Reviewed by Becca

TITLE: Cameron & Rylan

SERIES: A Chance Meeting #1

AUTHOR: Valerie Ullmer

PUBLISHER: self-published

LENGTH: 259 pages

RELEASE DATE: March 26, 2019

BLURB:

Cameron Hayes believed himself to be a dedicated friend and a good son but destined to be alone. Because in his twenty-one years, he’d never fallen for anyone. Dating never appealed to him when he would rather spend a night at home. Despite his friend’s best intentions for Cameron to find a hookup for the night, he stayed at the bar as he nursed a beer. And that’s when Cameron spotted him and everything he knew evaporated with one look.

Rylan Ellis wanted one night out without complications. To forget about his overwhelming responsibilities and stress at home. He loved to lose himself in the music and ignore everyone around him. But when he happened a glance at the bar and spotted the tall, broad, and sexy-as-sin man, he felt drawn to him.

Soon, Cameron and Rylan learn about each other and establish their lives together. They also have to deal with a group of well-meaning friends, loving parents, and unexpected friendships. But most of all, a dangerous threat that could tear their lives apart.

Will a chance meeting turn into something more?

This novel contains heavy attraction at first sight and first-time gay sex between two men. There is no cheating or cliffhangers and ends with a happily ever after.

*Contains a brief mention of a prior sexual assault and violence in later scenes.

REVIEW:

Warning: read the blurb. There is an attempted rape scene and it’s discussed. There is also a beating and a hate crime. If it is a trigger, please be careful.

Cameron has really had no interest in anyone. It makes him feel weird sometimes but if you aren’t attracted to someone, you just aren’t. At least he wasn’t until a night out at a club with his 3 best friends, he laid eyes on the most beautiful man he’s ever seen and he’s hooked. He can’t help but watch the man and has no idea, the man is watching him too. But when he turned around to get a drink and turned back around, he lost sight of him and was saddened. Until he felt someone beside him. It was the man. And he was talking to him. But Cameron was so enthralled, he lost what the man was saying. His name was Rylan and everything zeroed in on them. When he saw a man glaring at Rylan, Rylan ended up telling him a bit and Cameron protected him and got him out of there. When Rylan told him the rest at a diner, he knew he had to get Rylan out of his home and away from Tristan and his father. And he did. From there, it was a whirlwind courtship that progressed into a relationship neither had ever had and couldn’t believe, because everything felt so right so fast. But that didn’t stop them. And before you know it, they were married. But during all this, Tristan was getting worse. After almost raping Rylan years ago, he’s determined Rylan is his and he’s going to get him one way or another. They filed a restraining order but it didn’t work. The final straw was when Tristan beat the hell out of Rylan in a restaurant in front of tons of witnesses and spewing all kinds of hate and homophobia and bigotry. Also spewing he will kill him. After almost losing Rylan, Cameron is terrified to the point he wants to move. But Rylan was the voice of reason, making Cameron realize they can’t live in fear for the rest of their lives. And they have to move forward. But can Cameron let go and move on after seeing Rylan almost lose his life?

I’m one of those people who has a hard time believing in love at first sight. I’m a bit of a cynic. But I secretly love to read about them at times, because I hold out for hope that it’s really a true thing. So this book was good for me. Especially knowing that Cameron learned he was a demisexual. I’m demi/ace myself so I get it. And I like to see stories like this. To show that people are different on every scale. Not everyone is attracted to everyone or wants sex every five seconds. Not everyone is this perfect model of ….whatever. They’re human. I loved this story between these two. Even though Rylan felt out of whack at first because of Cameron’s money, he didn’t want Cameron to spend his money on him. Because Cameron was not his money and that’s not what attracted Rylan. He wanted the man for himself. And they were so good for each other. Both were basically virgins so they experienced a lot of firsts together. But it was the intimacy too. They spent a lot of time getting to know each other and being in a relationship and fooling around before they got to the actual sex part. Cameron made Rylan feel safe. Rylan made Cameron feel like he was finally seeing life and colors and living. Their relationship was beautiful. Even with the crap from Tristan, it made them stronger. It made things more intimate.

It’s a good story. A start to a good series.

RATING: 

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