Reviewed by Cheryl K

TITLE: Love on the Horizon

AUTHOR: R.J. Peterson

PUBLISHER: Wanderlust Publishing

LENGTH: 164 Pages

RELEASE DATE: May 4, 2021

BLURB:

Two years after losing his husband, the last thing widower Rob Asher wants to do is go on a cruise-for-two by himself. But after some practical advice from his best friend, Rob realizes that his husband wouldn’t have wanted him to hide away from the world with only his grief for company. So despite some lingering doubts, Rob packs his bags for his cruise adventure and flies to Barcelona to board the Ocean Wanderer.

Actor Ben Rockingham has just finished a whirlwind promotional tour around Europe and is looking forward to a week long cruise so he can relax and unwind. He’s felt alone for far too long and doesn’t foresee that changing anytime soon. But a chance encounter in a hotel bar has Ben feeling things he hasn’t contemplated for a very long time.

He and Rob hit it off right away and Ben is both intrigued by and attracted to this conflicted man. Is it possible that Rob is the one who’s been missing from Ben’s life all these years, and can Ben help Rob move past his grief so they have a chance at a future together? They have one week aboard the Ocean Wanderer to find out and the stakes are high on the high seas.

REVIEW:

What a wonderful debut novel by RJ Peterson. I found this book to be sweet, with a bit of naughty.  If you need a book, that I call a palette cleanser, this is it.  RJ draws on his personal experience to envelope you in the world of cruising.  I have never been on a cruise, but this book makes me want to book a cruise and get lost at sea for a while.

The other aspect of this book that I loved was it dealt with an older set of main characters.  Ben and Rob are men in their 50’s, who honestly have been around the block a time or two.  Rob is trying to adjust to life without his late husband and Ben is struggling with his own identity.

This book kept me engaged from beginning to end. The rich locales of each port stop are beautifully depicted.  I also enjoyed the character development of being friends first, before moving into a more serious, intimate relationship.

This book is a explores a time in people’s lives that is not dealt with a lot in the M/M romance genre.  As I mentioned before Rob is a widower and Ben is a Hollywood actor.  Both men have come to a crossroads in their lives, debating the merits of what is next.  Is there a next chapter for either men?   Are men of a certain age, allowed to have another happy ever after (or a first happy ever after)?  I would like to think there is and this book sheds light on this mid-life chapter perfectly.

As a debut novel, I found this book to be a little too grammatically correct.  Grammar is super important, but sometimes, I like a little bit looser flow, when telling a sweet, lighthearted story.

If you like super sweet, low angst stories with main characters of a certain age and beautiful locales, I highly recommend this book.  Pick it up and see if Rob and Ben get their happy ever after.  I look forward to the next book from RJ.

RATING:

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