Reviewed by Cindy

 

TITLE: Haunted

SERIES: Salvation Book 2

AUTHOR: K.C. Wells

PUBLISHER: Self Published

LENGTH:  540 Pages

RELEASE DATE: October 9, 2023

BLURB:

Still haunted by his past, the last thing Butch wants is someone from that past intruding into his present.

But what if Sol is exactly what he needs?

Butch Buchanan has spent his life trying to forget the stuff he did when he was an asshole teenager. He’s also spent most of his fifty-two years on this planet convincing himself he’s straight. And the fact that he gets down and dirty with Salvation’s foreman whenever his itch needs scratching?

Guys do that, right? Doesn’t make them gay or bi, right? Besides, Butch is always the top, so he’s definitely not gay. Right? But those nights aren’t about intimacy—they’re about steering him away from the dark chasm of his dreams.

Only, it’s not working. The comfort and safety he’d found has become a rut, and the road ahead goes on and on, no divergence, just a straight run that seemed to be going nowhere.

Middle of the road isn’t enough anymore.

Sol Davenport hasn’t seen Butch since high school, and his handsome face brings back memories of a Sol he’d rather forget—a Sol he left behind. Maybe Butch is avoiding him because he shares those same memories. Which is a pity, because Butch is even hotter now than he was back when Sol was firmly wedged in his closet. But a lot of things have happened since then, like the heartache he yearns to forget. A heartache he will keep far from his door.

So he’s not about to let himself get entangled with a man who’d win the award for Gayest Straight Man.

A man who doesn’t play his kind of games.

Yet.

Change is coming to Salvation.

A different kind of guest, new activities…

Butch craves change, but is he ready for the collision that’s about to rock his world?

There’s change waiting in the wings for Sol too—he just needs to be brave enough to accept it.

Two haunted men who need to exorcise their ghosts if they’re to have a chance of happiness.

Haunted is a slow-burn—and I do mean slow—bi-awakening, hurt-comfort story about discovering kink, found family, redemption, and learning to live again. It’s also about two men finding love—and a lot of firsts for one of them.

 

REVIEW:

Butch Buchanan has been haunted by things he did in high school for a long time. He’s found a home and he loves it, but loneliness follows him constantly. When a man from his past rolls into Salvation, Butch’s nightmares feel like they are closing in on him.

Sol Davenport is stunned to find that his past has caught up to him when he goes to Salvation to help an old friend. When he realizes that Butch is still stuck in the misery of their shared past, Sol has to decide if he can open his broken heart up enough to free Butch from his nightmares.

I will admit that I had a bit of a hard time getting into this story, but I suspect that’s more about life in general than the book itself. Once I got into it, I couldn’t put it down.

Butch is such an intriguing character. He’s so determined to see himself in a certain way, but he struggles so much and it’s slowly killing him. When Sol walks back into his life he’s terrified and for a while I couldn’t decide why. Was is the shared past or the possiblity that Sol could mess up his present life.

It was nice to see Toby and Robert again. They are such an interesting couple and I love their dedication to each other and the ranch and the men who run it. It was nice to see all the men of Salvation. I enjoyed getting to know them better and I hope to continue along that track as the series continues.

K.C. Wells is great at writing relatable characters who can capture a readers attention and hold it until the end. These characters became men I wished I could know. Also, I wouldn’t mind taking a gander around the ranch. I have an interest in a lot of the “extra curricular” activies that are happening there.

I will say that Butch made me cry. I won’t tell you when because I don’t want to give anything away, but my heart broke for him in so many ways and I was so glad that Sol was there to help put Butch back together.

The only thing that kept this book from having five hearts was the ending. Once again, I don’t want to give anything away, but I think the last part of the epilogue could have been handled a little better and given more depth. But once again, that’s a personal opinion.

I’m looking forward to the next book in this series. Can’t wait to see the shenanigans the men of Salvation get up to next.

RATING:

BUY LINK:

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