Reviewed by Taylin
TITLE: Always The Best Man
SERIES: Destiny Ink Romance #13
AUTHOR: Deanna Wadsworth
PUBLISHER: Self Published
LENGTH: 269 pages
RELEASE DATE: July 17, 2023
BLURB:
What happens in Vegas doesn’t just stay in Vegas.
Since high school, Dillon Hintz has been in love with his straight best friend, Jackson McCaughey. He knows nothing will come of his crush, however, because Jackson is getting married… until his fiancée leaves him at the altar. WTF?
To compensate for a lost honeymoon, Destiny Resorts offers Jackson a jilted groom vacation at their luxurious Las Vegas casino, courtesy of the sisters Fate. Jackson invites his twin cousins and Dillon to be his plus-threes, and the guys set out for a fun-filled weekend to help Jackson party away his heartbreak. But Dillon is surprised to find his best friend isn’t very heartbroken.
In fact, Jackson is being unusually attentive with Dillon. Flirty even.
It has to be Dillon’s imagination, right? There’s no way his straight best friend is interested in nerdy Dillon.
But after one night of too much fun and alcohol, Dillon wakes up in Jackson’s bed… wearing a wedding band. WTF?
Just what did they do last night?
REVIEW:
After being jilted at the altar, Jackson and his closest friends are compensated with an all-in trip to Las Vegas. Dillon is angry on behalf of Jackson for the humiliation. However, he is more confused by his straight best friend’s lack of reaction to the non-wedding. He’s even more surprised when Jackson’s attention turns to him – especially since Dillon has been in love with Jackson since…forever.
I found Always The Best Man to be a sweet friends-to-lovers story that I enjoyed, but it wasn’t the heart-fluttering page-turner I hoped it would be, hence the 3-rating (good book). There is also a Dear Reader note from the author advising that while the story is original – in this particular instance – the two main characters were totally based on Jackson and Stiles from the MTV series Teen Wolf. If you love the series, then this is a plus. While being up-front is commendable, some may frown at using someone else’s character traits.
The story is told in the third person from the viewpoints of Dillon and Jackson, with personal thoughts written in italics. Worldbuilding gave a flavor of the setting without being too intense, which suited my reading preferences. The emphasis was more emotional than painting a picture of Las Vegas life. Although, after a drunken night on the strip, and waking up wearing wedding bands (as the blurb outlines), the tale rarely ventures out of one room. As for the extended cast, they are small, varied, and have fleeting yet memorable page space.
Jackson comes from a monied background that had certain expectations. The lifestyle also had a private and a public face, suggesting not all was as it seemed. Dillon hails from a loving family and was able to follow his heart into an artistic career. When circumstances change between Dillon and Jackson, there is plenty of confusion, anger, and soul searching. There are also questions surrounding what changed, and why now, amid many physical discoveries!!
As already said, Always The Best Man was an enjoyable friends-to-more story, but, for me, it needed something extra to get a better rating. However, if your reading high includes two good men who, after many years of friendship, find the right time to be together, alongside plenty of physical activity and explanations, you will love it.
RATING: 
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