Reviewed by Sadonna

TITLE:  The Rivals of Casper Road

SERIES:  Garnet Run

AUTHOR:  Roan Parrish

PUBLISHER:  Harlequin Special Edition

LENGTH:  288 pages

RELEASE DATE:  September 27, 2022

BLURB:

He’s in it to win it until he falls under his neighbor’s spell.

Bram Larkspur’s rugged, sexy looks belie his fear of all things horrifying. But as Casper Road’s newest resident, he’s excited to join the annual Halloween decorating contest. The competition is keen, especially from six-time champion, architect Zachary Glass. But when enigmatic Zachary sparks a prank war, it’s game on – until one sizzling kiss turns these rivals into allies. Now only one thing scares Bram: how quickly he’s losing his heart to Zachary.

REVIEW:

Note:  This is the fourth book in this series, but it can be read as a standalone.  I personally enjoyed the previous books though, so I recommend reading them as well 🙂

Bram Larkspur has moved to Garnet Run after a betrayal and breakup.   He loves being outdoors and he loves Wyoming.  He’s a happy, outgoing guy with of course a golden retriever.  When he moves to Casper Road and meets his neighbors, he can’t help but be intrigued by his neighbor across the street – Zachary Glass. Zachary is an architect who works from home in a suite every day.  This is such a foreign concept to Bram who really prefers flannel and the outdoors.  He also learns that the biggest thing on this street is the Halloween decorating contest that Zachary has won 6 years in a row.  Being an architect, Zachary has a whole concept that he’s put together – starting on November 1 the year before 😉

As Bram gets comfortable in the town, he and Zachary keep “running into each other” mostly from Bram’s stoop as he’s there every day when Zachary gets the mail.  Bram asks a lot of questions and he’s also excited about the Halloween decorating contest.  He goes into town to get supplies and meets a bunch more of the townspeople.  On the side, he’s also found a potential job with Rye, the guy who runs the local cat rescue.  Making cat boxes to put out for the stray cats as part of a catch and release program becomes a joint project for Bram and Zachary as he asks Zachary for design help since he’s an architect.  While making the boxes they become more friendly.  Zachary has also started a bit of a prank war – although unintentionally – with Bram.   This also leads to more time together as they also prank others.

Zachary has quite a bit of darkness in his past that colors the way he sees the world.  Between his family and the bullying he was subjected to, he has focused on being the best.  And so he is.  But he’s not fulfilled and he wants more.  He also has trouble communicating/articulating his feelings.  He’s not that good at picking up social cues either, so when he hurts Bram, unintentionally, or makes him sad, he’s not exactly sure why and how.  Luckily he does have a best friend, Wes (who we met in the last Garnet Run book) to give him some feedback 😉

When Zachary has the chance for advancement and he tells Bram, Bram is mad and sad and has trouble communicated why that is.  As an afterthought Zachary proposes a solution without articulating why he thinks this would be a good idea.  Bram throws himself into working on the cat boxes and helping Rye while trying to figure out why he seems to never get it right and trusts the wrong people.  His family is there for him and maybe, just maybe, Bram is starting to figure out what works and doesn’t work for him.

When Halloween finally rolls around, the combination of Bram and Zachary will be very hard to beat.  The children of Garnet Run love the decorations that Bram and Zachary have put together.  A good time is had by all.  And in the end, Bram and Zachary are both the winners – because they have found each other.

This is a really cute story about two guy who really are opposites in so many ways.  Zachary reads to be maybe on the spectrum as he’s not good at picking up social cues.  His life was altered at an early age but a family tragedy that has definitely shaped his personality and his view of himself.  He’s stunned that someone like Bram – open and friendly and big and handsome – would have anything to say to him.  Bram has his own issues with his bad breakup and trying to get his feet under him.  He’s sort of like the human equivalent of his dog, a golden retriever, in many ways.  I loved how he was scared and didn’t even like scary movies and how Zachary accommodated his feelings after he figured out how really sensitive Bram was.

This story also figures some prominent cameos from the couples who are the MCs of the previous three books in the series.  Jack and Simon, Charlie and Rye and Wes and Adam and their daughter Gus all show up in this story, providing help and encouragement t0 both Zachary and Bram.  Gus is still enamored of Wes’s pets and Adam is still not a fan 😀  It was fun to catch up with all of them here in this story as they move along in their lives.

This fairly low angst story really has at its heart the growth of the two MCs as men who have to learn to trust in themselves and their own desires and express their own needs.  Zachary’s early life pattern has given him the impression that nobody will want him long-term as everyone leaves.  Bram thinks that because he trust the wrong person that he doesn’t know why he is so bad at judging people.  He doesn’t trust that whoever he gives his heart to won’t just turn around an betray that trust.  It takes some heart to heart interventions from friends and family to help Bram and Zachary see that they have the answers if only they will look inside to find them.

If you like opposites attract stories with some humor and pathos thrown in, I think you’ll enjoy this adorable Halloween tale.

RATING: 

BUY LINKS:

Amazon

Carina Press