Reviewed by Sadonna

TITLE:  Alec

SERIES:  Single Dads of Gaynor Beach

AUTHOR:  Kaje Harper

PUBLISHER:  Self-published

LENGTH:  286 pages

RELEASE DATE:  September 13, 2022

BLURB:

Coming back from loss, one heartbeat at a time.

Alec ran from his grief over the death of his son, throwing a few things in his car and driving west. In the town of Gaynor Beach, CA, he hit the shore and stopped. The next step would be off a broken pier into the ocean and although he stands daily watching the waves, he’s not quite ready for that. Especially when a young voice like his son’s, behind him, says, “Hey, Mister, you wanna see a picture of an albatross?”

Joe brought his preteen son to Gaynor Beach, looking for a better place to raise his kid. Kevin loves California— the beaches, the marine life, the weather, and the freedom. But when Joe finds out Kevin’s “ghost down by the pier” is a living, grieving, and much too appealing man, this simple new life is about to change, for all of them.

* hurt-comfort, single dad, grief and recovery, sweet rescue dog, bright preteen, HEA

The books in the Single Dads of Gaynor Beach series stand alone, but why not check them all out and meet the wide range of complicated, wonderful men raising kids in this fictional California town.

REVIEW:

At the beginning of this story, Alec really is just barely holding on.  He’s lost his son six months previously and his grief is overwhelming  Kevin, a young boy who walks down the oceanfront every day seems to be the voice that keeps him tethered to life in Gaynor Beach.  When he finally turns around and talks to Kevin, things change a bit.  And when Kevin’s dad, Joe, meets Alec, things get both better and worse.  It’s clear that Alec has heavy things on his mind.  Joe is worried about his son being alone with this stranger.  It takes Alec a minute to pick up on it, but then he’s resigned to it.  He retreats farther into his grief again.  Joe figures out that maybe he was a little bit harsh and when Alec shares what he has been dealing with Joe feels bad.  He really wants to help Alec and they begin a tentative friendship.

Alec seems to be doing better as he spends more time with Kevin and Joe, but he is still dealing with a lot.  Guilt.  Worry.   Grief.  He’s got a project that he’s working on that might make people with disabilities lives better and he’s making it free to all.  He’s part owner of a software company but he’s on sabbatical and spends a lot of his time working on this program and ignoring everything else – including eating and sleeping.  Joe and Kevin do their best to try to help him focus on other things too.

When Alec starts feeding a skittish stray dog and then he finds her injured, Kevin jumps in and decides to help Alec get the dog help – but they need Joe as well.  It’s going to be expensive and Alec can’t not help.  As they bond more over the injured dog, Kevin and Joe insert themselves more into Alec’s world.  Joe is crazy attracted to Alec and Alec reciprocates this attraction.  Plus he thinks Joe is about the nicest man in the world.  As their worlds collide, Kevin spends more time with Alec as well – with tutoring in math and also having a new audience for his endless marine life facts.  This is bittersweet for Alec and his son, Nathan, will never get to have these times with him.

When Tamsin, Kevin’s mother comes to visit, Joe and Alec get the opportunity for more alone time and they take their relationship to the next level.  Kevin isn’t so naive as to not know what’s happening between them.  Tamsin tries to insert some control in things but Joe isn’t having it.  She has moved on, is remarried and has her own life, but he’s not going to let her try to run his.

Then the past comes roaring back for Alec.  He’s terrified of what he might or might not have put into motion.  He wants to go it alone, but Joe isn’t having it and they come up with a plan.  Things get very dicey for all and it’s a race to the end to make sure that Joe and Alec get the life that they want and deserve.

Wow!  What a roller coaster ride this story is – in the best way possible.  This is a romance that starts off pretty heavy with Alec’s grief over the loss of his son.  His guilt that he didn’t have his son that week and whatever else he can pile on himself are exacerbated by the circumstances that surrounded that time in his life.  He’s holding all this in and it’s eating him alive.  He does realize he needs help and I was glad that a grief therapist was in the mix here.  I love stories of second chances for mature characters (mean not 20 somethings) and this author is a master of these stories.  Her sensitivity around handling the multilayered LGBTQ+ characters in this story is another hallmark of this author’s work.  There is some unexpected excitement at the end of the story that I sort of saw coming (as intended) that added another layer of conflict and angst to what up to that point was a fairly easily paced story.  I happened to enjoy that part of the story as well – although the part I loved best was how Alec and Joe were able to work things out.  The epilogue was also really lovely and very real world.  Both men realize that being together and making a life that works will always require effort and patience and they are willing to do that.  Highly recommended.

RATING: 

BUY LINK:

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