Reviewed by Valerie

TITLE:  Messy Love

SERIES:  Stumbling into Love #3

AUTHOR:  Riley Hart

PUBLISHER:  Self-Published

LENGTH:  342 pages

RELEASE DATE:  June 8, 2021

BLURB:

Danny
I’m not a guy who’s looking for a serious relationship. I love the chase, and the one time I thought I wanted more, the guy bailed. When my buddy Will mentions his recently out, older brother is looking for a place to stay, I offer the spare room in my apartment. It’s clear Jonathan’s past did a number on him, and he’s locked up tight. I make it my mission to show him how to have a little fun. What I don’t expect is to start to like him…or get jealous when he goes on a date…and hooking up with him is a terrible idea…right?

Jonathan
When Dad caught me kissing a boy as a teenager, he made it clear such behavior was unacceptable, and I’ve been messed up about it ever since. I’m over thirty, yet from Danny’s viewpoint, I’m a baby gay, which should be more annoying than it is. He’s got me playing on a queer baseball team, making friends, and wanting things I never thought I’d want, like pursuing my art—and him. I definitely want him.

Problem is, I can’t get rid of the unwanted voices in my head, my relationship with most of my family is a disaster, and every time Danny touches me, I come apart, finding myself wanting more. Danny doesn’t do relationships, he’s my brother’s friend, and I have a slew of hang-ups. All of this makes things…messy.

So then why can’t we keep our hands off each other? Why is he taking me on dates and looking at me like we could have more? To get there, we’ll need to put our pasts away for good, and have a lot of trust, not just in ourselves, but each other.

REVIEW:

Messy Love is a story about one man learning to live his truth after thirty years of hiding himself and being ashamed of being gay. It’s also the story of a younger man who befriends him and teaches him to love himself.

Jonathan has a textbook case of internalized homophobia. He was subjected to his father’s intolerance for so long he believes his bigotry to be true, and hates himself for being gay. He was the oldest and favorite of his father’s four sons – an honor Jonathan cherished. So when his father caught him kissing another boy and made it clear that having a gay son was unacceptable, Jonathan insisted it was a one time thing and suppressed his true self for the next fifteen-ish years. Above all, he didn’t want to disappoint his dad whom he knew would hate him. But he was miserable and took out some of that on his youngest brother, Will (from Awkward Love), who was “different” and bisexual.

At thirty-one, after his father died, Jonathan came out to friends and family. Two of his brothers seemed uneasy but Will was supportive despite Jonathan’s years of mistreatment. After spending time with Will and his close-knit group of LGBT friends, Jonathan decides he needs to figure out his new life and relocates to midtown Atlanta near Will.

Danny, one of Will’s friends whom we met in the previous books of the Stumbling into Love series, offers to rent his spare room to Jonathan. Danny is an outgoing, affectionate, free spirit who is excited to take the baby gay under his wing. Jonathan has never had a gay friend or confidante and enjoys talking candidly with Danny. Danny accepts everything about him from day one and never tries to change him, just helps guide Jonathan. Danny gives his new friend and roommate the precious gift of being able to be himself for the first time in his life, and as a result, Danny is rewarded with Jonathan’s trust and openness. He gradually comes out of his shell, makes new friends, enjoys new activities, and lives free of judgement.

This is a love story, so of course, Danny and Jonathan fall for each other. They’re both a bit clueless about their feelings, which is just one thing that makes this book endearing. Neither can make sense out of the nature of their relationship which teeters somewhere between friendship and lovers. Their mutual attraction is strong, but it’s complicated. Jonathan is afraid of losing this new friendship he desperately needs, and Danny is afraid he’ll hurt Jonathan or be hurt himself. He had his own demons to battle that stem from his absentee father.

Messy Love is a wonderful addition to the series and continues with the gentle, heartwarming tone of its predecessors. Danny is adorable and I love him for his sweet, bubbly nature and kindness toward Jonathan. Their dynamic is playful, loving, and yes, hot. I thought it would be harder to warm up to Jonathan after his less than stellar appearance in Awkward Love. He experiences great growth in this book, which is ultimately what makes a character likable. In addition to Jonathan’s family, all of Danny’s friends are included in the cast: Jameson, Elijah, Shaw, Kira, Ali, and Brooklyn. Danny’s mother and two sisters are supportive, warm, and immediately welcoming to Jonathan.

This book has all the hallmarks of Riley Hart’s consistently strong storytelling. I highly recommend it to readers already invested in the series, and if you’re not, it’s time to pick up a copy of Stupid Love and meet all the lovable characters of the Stumbling into Love world.

RATING: 

BUY LINKS: 

Amazon