Reviewed by Kat
TITLE: Unfortunate: A Black Diamond Resort Novel
SERIES: Unlucky 13
AUTHOR: Nicole Dykes
PUBLISHER: Self Published
LENGTH: 195 pages
RELEASE DATE: June 27, 2023
BLURB:
Welcome to the Black Diamond Resort and Spa . . .
I’m in exile in this luxurious refuge after a scandal, which shouldn’t be a scandal at all.
I’m Elijah Hunt, former child actor, now beloved action star.
When a picture of me in a compromising position is posted online, for the entire world to see, my agent sent me here to escape the limelight.
But here, it’s different from my crazy, loud, glitzy life. It’s quiet and peaceful. No one seems impressed with my celebrity.
And no one is less impressed than the sexy, aloof member of the cleaning crew. He couldn’t care less who I am or why I’m here.
He’s convinced I’m one of the fortunate ones—and I suppose I am. I’ve had it all—big houses, the best care, money, fame, and shallow adoration . . . but I’ve never been loved.
I’ve never known if people like me for who I am underneath it all or just for my money and fame.
And to me . . . that seems awfully unfortunate.
REVIEW:
I have grown quite fond of Nicole Dykes books and this one is a keeper.
Elijah Hunt has just broken up with his long-time secret boyfriend. He can’t keep making Christopher so unhappy hiding away their relationship from the world and his adoring fans on his luxury penthouse. But Christopher makes sure to get back at him before he leaves big time. Posting a picture of the two of them in a sexy lip-lock now outs Elijah. So now he is whisked off to a private island resort to hide away. Black Diamond resort is made for just this purpose. Hiding until a scandal dies down. What Elijah never expected was the housekeeper that woke him up rudely to become the one for him. But how can he have the love of his man, his privacy he has longed for and his film career?
Nothing upsets me more than someone outing someone else on social media. It happened to a close family friend. His story was more innocent. A group of gay young men out on the town and tagging him on a picture at a gay club. But the backlash was brutal from some of his supposedly good friends. It all worked out like it did for Elijah but it still infuriates me to this day that his choice when and if to come out publicly was striped from him. When Christopher posted that picture he knew what he was doing. I don’t know if it was for spite because Elijah broke it off with him or if it was some weird attempt to make them finally public so they could be together. But it just is so wrong and hurtful.
I loved that even though these two men seemed so opposite they had so many similarities. Both had teen moms that were poor as dirt. Atlas’s mom did the honorable thing and worked hard to support her young son. Unfortunately Elijah’s parents used him to support themselves with his looks and acting ability. I know they were supposedly aggressively religious parents but they were only 15/16 when he was born so I don’t know how that works.But being gay wasn’t alright with them. But I guess living off your son was. Both men had never been in love before. Atlas had known the love and care of a parent but Elijah had a lonely life before he came to the island and was allowed to be free and just Elijah for the first time in his life.
Watching these two navigate from just fun to a loving and solid relationship was wonderful. You couldn’t help but cheer for the two of them to make it. They were perfect for each other.
I am hoping that we somehow get Holden, Atlas’s best friend’s story some day. Maybe we will get more glimpses of how life is working out for Elijah and Atlas.
RATING: 
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