Reviewed by Lesley

TITLE:  Danny Doormat

SERIES:  Art of Love, Portland

AUTHOR: Rowan McAllister

PUBLISHER: |Self Published

LENGTH: 320 Pages

RELEASE DATE:  September 23, 2023

BLURB:

Asa isn’t looking for romance. Danny thinks it’s out of reach. Shared memories, mutual truths, and new adventures kindle a spark between them that neither expects.

No matter how messed up his own life is, Danny Dorfmann is the guy everyone can count on when they need a favor. So when his friend and secret crush, Asa Behar, has a family emergency and needs a last-minute sitter for his 120-pound pitbull, of course Danny won’t say no.

Since the loss of his husband, Asa has coasted through his days, keeping it together but not really living. Reconnecting with his once close-knit group of friends is the first step in reclaiming his life. Deepening his relationship with Danny could be the most important.

If a roommate from hell, meddling friends, and well-intentioned family don’t douse the embers, they might just find they’re each other’s true flame. Dependable Danny will have to stand up and stop letting them walk all over him, if he wants his happily ever after.

Danny Doormat is a sweet contemporary slow-burn, friends to lovers, where the guy who everyone overlooks finally finds the man who sees him for who he is. First in a series where artists find love—Portland style.

REVIEW:

Danny Dorfmann can’t say his life isn’t going to plan because he doesn’t have one, but it’s definitely not going to his family’s well-intentioned plans. He has dropped out of college, is juggling multiple part-time jobs and living with a roommate who seems to be getting stranger by the day. He has always had a bit of a crush on one or two of his older brother’s friends. So, when a mutual friend reaches out and asks him to dog sit one of his crushes Asa’s dog there is no way he can say no.

Asa is trying to restart living after the unexpected death of his husband Sean (Danny’s other crush) a couple of years ago and reconnecting with his husbands’ closest friends is a good start.  When one of their younger brother’s dog sits at short notice for him, he realises that Danny is all grown up now and a really nice guy. One that deserves more credit than he gets and one he would like to get to know better.

I am not sure I have ever read a book with exactly this storyline before, where one of the main characters being taken total advantage of by “friends” in quite this way. It was nice reading a slightly new storyline.

Roan McAllister is a new author to me and one I will continue to read as I really enjoyed their style of writing. It’s not overly flouncy and very fluid meaning I found this a really easy, sweet read. I loved the development of Danny and Asa’s relationship with both of them having to overcome their own challenges along the way.

Yes, the course of true love is never easy, and the challenges here come in the form of a nutty roommate, a family who are really supportive just not maybe in the right way and persuading their friends that Danny is not a doormat!

Oh, and I must not forget Minion, the 120 pound rescue pit bull, whom without none of this would of happened. He is so cute!!!

RATING:

BUY LINKS: 

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