Reviewed by Valerie

TITLE: Second Nature

AUTHOR: Alexa Land

SERIES: His Chance #2

PUBLISHER: Self Published

RELEASE DATE: August 29, 2020

BLURB:

The last time I saw Gabriel, he was putting me on a bus and sending me to some relatives I’d never met, with the hope of a fresh start after rehab.

That was four years ago.

Now he’s back in my life. I’ve wanted him for years, while he’s always thought of me as just a friend. This is my one shot at turning our friendship into so much more.

But how do I convince him I’m the man he needs, and not the broken boy he used to know?

REVIEW:

Second Nature is a typical, wonderful Alexa Land novel; you know you’re going to get a delightful love story, charming characters with depth, settings brought to life with Ms. Land’s hallmark imagery, a solid plot always unique from her other work, and always a rewarding happy ending. 

The book opens at the Seahorse ranch on Catalina Island where Riley, 23, is a guest, and Gabriel, 29, is an employee. They were close friends with an unfortunate past until they lost contact four years ago; now they have miraculously run into each other. Riley has longed for Gabriel daily since they were separated but he’s afraid Gabriel will only see him as a friend. Well, that worry goes out the window in short order. Let’s say the reunion is sweet and sexy. 

Riley must return to San Francisco for a few weeks while he completes his work as a make-up artist on a  movie set. Gabriel doesn’t miss the opportunity to join Riley in the city where they met and where they’ll get to know each other again: 

…there was a lot more to learn about the man I’d thought about every day for the last four years. It was kind of like having an all-time favorite album, them discovering a bunch of new songs beyond the part you’d always listened to. 

San Francisco, where most of the book takes place, holds very painful memories for both but it’s also home to invaluable friends, many of them from the twenty-one book Firsts and Forever series. Reading Second Nature is like going to a high school reunion and seeing all your old friends. Seasoned Alexa Land readers will enjoy catching up with Christian and Shea, Sawyer and Alastair, Zachary and TJ, and Vincent and Dante Dombruso, complete with Dante’s badass persona! The Seahorse Ranch crew from the Castaways series makes a brief appearance, and the characters from Second Act – the first book in the new His Chance series – have sizeable roles, particularly Phoenix who will star in book three, Second Thoughts, along with movie star Harper Royce. Despite all the familiar faces, this book is a standalone. I would, however, recommend reading Second Act; it’s a fun read and will enhance your reading experience with both this and the next book. 

As I’ve said before – and will probably continue to say in future reviews – Ms. Land is an absolute master at character development. As always in her work, there are a plethora of side characters, loaded with personality. She is wise to incorporate her former characters for more than a brief cameo or quick mention because they are full of life and their extensive backstories are already known. They add additional layers to the current book leading to an enriched narrative. Some memorable new characters are Riley’s friend Emory/Polly Swallows and Gabriel’s ex-boyfriend Roger.  

This is the type of love story I like to read, where the feels veritably jump off the page. There’s something magical about Gabriel and Riley right from the first few pages. And their first (platonic) night together in bed … *swoon*. Gabriel lives up to Riley’s nickname for him – Angel. He’s a very special man. I love how tactile he is with Riley. He’s always doing something like putting his head on Riley’s shoulder or touching his face. There are many types of romantic love – I would call theirs tender and caring as a result of their unique past relationship which had a hurt-comfort dynamic, and still does today. 

That’s not how this works, Angel. You’re not going to drag me down. Instead, I’m going to hold you up, until you’re strong enough to stand without my help.

On a side note, I appreciate that care has once again been taken in selecting a cover model in keeping with the character’s actual appearance and personality. It never feels like a random pick. 

Second Nature is well-worth the read and deserving of a 4.5 heart/star rating.  It’s every bit as good as its predecessors, packing in the fun and the feels. Enjoy! 

RATING: 

BUY LINK:

Amazon