Reviewed by Becca
TITLE: Twice Shy
SERIES: New Milton #3
AUTHOR: Sally Malcolm
PUBLISHER: self-published
LENGTH: 381 pages
RELEASE DATE: November 1, 2019
BLURB:
The last thing Joel Morgan wants is to fall in love again. Scarred by his failed marriage, Joel’s determined to keep his life emotionally stable—which means taking a job teaching fourth grade, fixing up his house on weekends, and avoiding absolutely all romantic entanglements. And he’s doing great.
Until he meets sweet but struggling single dad, Ollie Snow.
Following the tragic death of his sister and her husband two years earlier, Ollie became the legal guardian of their two young sons—much to the horror of the boys’ conservative grandparents. They think Ollie’s too young and too unreliable to raise their grandsons. So to prove them wrong, Ollie’s determined to parent the boys without anyone’s help.
Until he meets reserved but caring teacher, Joel Morgan.
As the only two men in the school’s Parent-Teacher Association, Joel and Ollie are thrown together over a series of fundraising events, and somewhere between the Beach Fun Run and the Fall Festival they fall in love. But Ollie has another reason for moving to New Milton—a reason he’s keeping close to his chest—and Joel’s wounded heart won’t trust a man with secrets.
Dare they hope for a future together, or will their past pain keep them apart forever?
REVIEW:
Woooo. This book is so damn good but it will leave you emotionally …..wrecked. It will make you laugh, cry, and everything in between. This is a story on how shitty sometimes life can be. And it takes one step, one day at a time to keep going and try to get it right. And most often we get it wrong. Whether because of bad pasts, bad exes or who knows what. Fears and doubts. It all adds up and we often flounder a bit before we get it right. But the point of this story too, is that you have to keep trying, and you have to give yourself that push even when fear is your biggest enemy and staring you in the face, daring you to move.
Joel had started over in New Milton about four years ago after a nasty break up with his now ex wife. He hadn’t even thought about settling down again. Well, he had, because he wanted the whole family thing, but he didn’t dare attempt again after the way his ex-wife had treated him, just because he finally told her he was bisexual. So, they divorced and he moved and he firmly kept himself in the closet and away from the dating lifestyle. Just teach and come home to remodel his new home. But all that changed when he met Ollie. Somehow Ollie just kept worming his way under Joel’s skin. Ollie and his adorable nephews. But when things heated up between Joel and Ollie, Joel wanted it kept quiet. It hurt Ollie but he tried to understand. And Joel’s jealousy of something between Ollie and another man was getting to him. But before Ollie could explain or anything, Joel jumped to the wrong conclusion after they were getting close. Or so Ollie thought. And after that Ollie couldn’t stay with Joel. And Joel being devastated when he found out the whole story and to learn that Ollie was going to leave for good, had Joel finally breaking down those walls and admit to everyone his secret. But will it be enough to try to win Ollie back and make amends? Make him stay?
When someone you love basically throws you under a bus, in more ways than one, trying to trust again and move on is incredibly hard. Especially when you are one that loves hard and fast and with everything you are. I don’t blame Joel a bit for basically losing his shit after it all went down. And I don’t blame him for not trusting or being leery of being out and in a relationship. No matter how bad he may want it. But as he learned very quickly, all his fears and doubts and everything pretty much cost him the one thing he wanted. And he had to do all he could to fix it in any way he could. And during it all, the doubts still keep rising up. Am I good enough? Will this be enough? Etc etc. It never ends until you finally learn to let go and trust in your partner and that everything will be ok. And even if it doesn’t, at least you tried again.
It was just as hard for Ollie. He just lost his sister and brother-in-law in a car accident and is now the father to two little ones. He had to give up school and his hopes and dreams to be all he can be to these two precious boys. And it’s not easy to be a single parent. Especially when it seems everything is stacked against you. So when he finally lets someone in, and helps, and starts an intimate relationship, the backlash of it comes slamming into him like a knife. And when you feel like that one person you thought had your back, drops you like everyone else, it’s shattering.
It’s a hard time for both of these men. They had a lot of growing to do and a lot of learning. Both had to learn to let go, accept help and try their hardest. But together. Not a easy thing to do, but nothing worth having is ever easy. And that was another lesson they had to learn.
This is a hell of a book. It really is.
RATING: 
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