Reviewed by Sadonna
TITLE: Liberty
AUTHOR: Alexandra Caluen
PUBLISHER: JMS Books
LENGTH: 250 pages
RELEASE DATE: April 20, 2024
BLURB:
John Hancock Darrow left his North Carolina hometown after college. The only reason he’s there twenty-eight years later is to deal with estate business when his mother and sister are killed in an automobile crash. The realtor he chooses to list his mother’s B&B can’t make that hurt less, but he can help John forget it for a while.
Small-town, self-employed, multiple job holding Daniel Washburn doesn’t expect more than after-dinner sex with the big-city lawyer. When the man turns up at the local ballroom studio a few days later, Daniel’s happy to dance with him. When they start working out an unusual deal for the B&B, they begin to feel like friends. Then during one of their many phone calls, John asks if he can take Daniel to dinner.
John and Daniel keep finding reasons to stay in touch. Then to be lovers. Then to get married. It’s a convenience, John says. Daniel knows it’s more. But John’s ten years older, successful, the kind of man who owns a million-dollar New York City condo and can afford to give away a house. If he wants Daniel on any terms, he surely has his reasons.
Daniel’s willing to wait for the right moment to put that convenience nonsense to rest. Because he has his own reasons, and the truth will set them free.
REVIEW:
High-powered New York lawyer John Hancock Darrow returns to his small hometown after the sudden death of his estranged mother and his sister. He needs to settle the estate and sell the B&B in his family’s ancestral home. Daniel Washburn is the real estate agent he signs with. They have an attraction and have what they assume is a one night stand. But then they run into each other at the local dance studio. They both enjoy ballroom and as John is getting ready to leave to head back to his law partnership in New York, he asks if he can call Daniel. Daniel says yes of course 🙂
Daniel is tired. He’s working three jobs, supporting his extended family and not happy with his prospects. One day he breaks down at the dance studio where he has taken to going to get work done away from his family drama. He gets support from his friends there. He had dropped out of school in his last semester after a bad breakup with his first boyfriend. He just couldn’t bring himself to finish – what was the point? So he’s been hustling for 20 years getting no place. He shares this with John in one of their phone conversations. John tells him something he literally has never though of before. That advice is the catalyst he needs. He is going to make change in his life and go for what he wants so that he doesn’t have to spend the second half of his life on the hamster wheel.
Meanwhile John is figuring some things out too. He really likes Daniel and he wants to see where this could go. Daniel also brings him a creative solution to his real estate problem. They are both ready to move on to the next stage of their lives. Never mind that they have different background and experiences. They have both been through a lot and John wants things now he never thought he would. But he’s nearly 50 and he’s lonely and he finds Daniel more than physically attractive. He knows Daniel is a good person, smart, motivated, a hard worker and he has a very good heart.
When Daniel’s long ago ex comes back into the picture it’s a big surprise. And the even bigger surprise is that he needs Daniel’s help. He’s also very sorry when he learns that the breakup sent Daniel into a tailspin and that he’s been struggling all this time while he went on to fame and fortune. But he is truly sorry and he wants to make things right. This turns out to be serendipitous and plays into John’s desire to spend more time with Daniel and he makes him an offer to marry him. They really do get along and though he makes the offer as a marriage of convenience, nobody is too fooled. Certainly John’s best friend Quinn isn’t. And Quinn’s new man Marc isn’t.
Daniel is still finishing his degree though and his time with John is limited. But they manage holidays and a wonderful trip to New York for Daniel over the semester break. John still has a lot of baggage and things to sort through post his devastating loss. Luckily he understands that the needs professional help and he gets it. There is a lot that needs doing for him to get closure. With the love and support of family and friends and a few surprises along the way, this couple earns their well-deserved HEA.
This is a very engaging story was such a good read. There are so many great life lessons and insights in this book. I kind of don’t want to spoil the theme of the story, but I can say it’s recurring and valid and yes, liberating. Whether it’s John advising Daniel, Marc advising John or Daniel advising Brianna and Derrick, over and over this theme is so important to the arc of these characters stories. I truly loved how things ended up for all of the important people in this book. There is also a nice little easter egg crossover with the first book I read by this author, Mistletango. I really do not want to spoil the unfolding of this story or the lessons learned and the romance of these two men. I will just end by saying that this is a very effective tale of two men who connect at the right time and are able to provide for each other the path to true personal liberty.
RATING: 
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