Reviewed by Anabela.m
TITLE: Risky Business
SERIES: Animal Lark Book 2
AUTHOR: Andi Lee
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
LENGTH: 275 pages
RELEASE DATE: December 14, 2021
BLURB:
Veterinarian Dane Vincent is used to being unlucky in love. That’s why his crush on new friend Ben is No Big Deal. He’s more than happy to swoop to Ben’s rescue when he brings a ferret into his practice. It’s what friends do—and vets.
Ben Clifford came to Lockstone for a new job and a fresh start. He didn’t expect to make friends, never mind a tightknit group of them. They’re all wacky and wonderful, and he fits right in, something he’s never done before. They even support him when he finds a ferret at work and decides to keep the cute little bundle of joy.
There’s just one tiny problem. Ben’s house doesn’t allow pets.
Moving into Dane’s spare room is meant to be temporary, but the more time he spends with him, the less he wants to leave. They connect on a level he’s never experienced before, and slowly but surely, the feelings of friendship Ben has for Dane morph into something deeper.
The question is… does he have the courage to act on them?
REVIEW:
Dane’s modus operandi in matters of the heart has always been to either choose the wrong men or crush on the unattainable ones. Case in point, his new friend Ben. And, if his feelings weren’t hard enough to live with, why not have Ben move in with him, just to have a daily reminder of how wonderful the latter is and what he could never have? For his part, Ben was happy, because he had found a group of friends that gave him a sense of belonging. Dane, though, was slowly stirring up in him desires he hadn’t felt before, triggering existential questions and doubts.
Risky Business started as a classic ‘crush on the straight friend’, but it didn’t develop in a bisexual awakening tale. There were no intense sparks of attraction as soon as Ben realized that he saw Dane as more than a friend, nor did the two immediately jump into bed together. I could call this a slow burn romance, made of dates, honest and open conversations, and gentle sexual explorations. The emotional connection between the two men was strong, while Ben had difficulties trying to label himself. He knew his family and friends would ask questions, and that “I’m gay” would have been the easy reply. But he felt like he couldn’t box himself that clearly. Gay, asexual, demiromantic, bisexual, nothing seemed to fit him, and it was hard to find his doubtless position on the spectrum, either for own mind or as an answer to people’s questions.
In a way, this was an important lesson on all the vibrant colors of the rainbow and how society demands that everyone should don labels for their sexuality. The author has taken two wonderful, endearing men and woven around them a fabulous story of self discovery. Light weight, with pet cuteness, fun secondary characters and awesome found-family vibes, yet with enough conflicts and poignant undertones to make it a realistic, touching romance.
I think this was a great, compelling story. I really enjoyed it and read it in one sitting. The epilogue was definitely worthy of a big happy sigh. Absolutely recommended.
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