Reviewed by Sadonna

TITLE:  Complete Me

SERIES:  Love in the Pacific Northwest

AUTHOR:  Beck Grey

PUBLISHER:  Pine & Moon LLC

LENGTH:  335 pages

RELEASE DATE: September 9, 2024

BLURB:

When it rains, it pours. And right now, it’s a freaking monsoon.

Bjorn:

After my parents’ deaths, I devoted myself to raising my younger siblings. It meant growing up fast, but I had to keep the family together. Romantic relationships weren’t a priority. My siblings had to come first.

It takes my near-death experience for me to reprioritize yet again. I need to stop meddling in my siblings’ lives and focus on me. Only, I’m not sure I remember how. Then Kaino Nieminen and Xander Neilsen walk out of my past and into my hospital room, and maybe, just maybe, the universe is finally cutting me a break.

Xander:

I live to fill eager students’ minds with the wonder that is Dickens and Austen, to debate the merits of Shelley, and dive into the scandalous roots of the Bronte sisters’ novels. Woe betide the graduate student who doesn’t find English Literature fascinating. I have no patience for unenthusiastic students, or issues letting them know. I’ve been called sharp-tongued, defensive, and dramatic. As those are traits of many main characters in my beloved classic novels, I take it as a compliment. Though it doesn’t win friends and influence students. Or Deans in the English department. Or romantic partners.

Except for Bjorn Osouf. Our fleeting but passionate relationship burns in my memory, like the glowing embers of Manderlay. When the fool plays hero and almost gets himself killed, I take it as my sign to reconnect. As expected, there’s still a spark between us. What I don’t anticipate is the imminently fascinating Kaino Nieminen, or my inconvenient attraction to them.

Kaino:

Making personal connections is a challenge. I’m no introvert, but I need time to really get to know someone, to trust them, before they’re a friend. As a non-binary, touch-averse, demisexual, it takes even longer for anything romantic to develop, and believe me, most people aren’t that patient.

There’s only been one person who cared to try. And when Bjorn almost dies it’s the shove I need to reconnect. Before I know it, I’m in Bjorn Osouf’s hospital room, and the instant reconnection between us has me eager to give things one more try. Then Xander Neilsen walks in and throws a wrench into my plan.

Complete Me is a low-angst, MXM, opposites attract, second chance contemporary LGBTQ+ romance about unexpected connections, being more than two halves of a whole, and finding the perfect fit, even if it’s not quite as expected. It contains no cheating and has a guaranteed happily ever after.

REVIEW: 

Note:  this is the sixth book in this series but can work OK as a standalone.  There are spoilers for pervious books in the series, especially those books featuring Bjorn’s brothers Erik and Gunnar finding their significant others 🙂

Bjorn is a SWAT team member who is injured in the line of duty.  His family, who has has taken responsibility for his entire adult life after his parents died, are there for him.  Despite some friction with his brother Gunnar, they seem to be doing OK without his watchful eye over them 😉  He’s considered a hero and two of his exes end up coming to visit him in the hospital.  Xander is an English Professor who is hard on the trail of gaining tenure.  Kaino is a non-binary ASL interpreter.  Both had good relationships with Bjorn, but something about the timing was off for both relationships.

Xander is a little put out by seeing another ex of Bjorn’s around.  Then he sees Kaino around the university and they being sort of a tentative friendship.  Xander is very focused on his career and that Bjorn was so involved in his job and taking care of his siblings that they just didn’t have time to build a real relationship – even though the desire was there.  Kaino and Xander start having coffee together and talking about not only their lives but why things didn’t work out with either of them and Xander.  The more time they spend together though, the more they realize that they are not only still attracted to Bjorn but also to each other.  Hmmmm.  What could this mean?

When Bjorn finally leaves the hospital and gets home, both Kaino and Xander want to help him.  Bjorn also figures out that the way he’s interacting with his siblings, particularly Gunnar, has to change.  His brothers and sister are adults now and need to be leading their own lives without Bjorn’s oversight and control.  It’s a work in progress though 😉

Kaino has his own issues that he’s been surprisingly candid about with Xander. He’s touch averse – for a couple of reasons.  He’s also demisexual so it does take him time to build connections with people.  Luckily he feels that’s possible with Xander.  He has used Shibari to help him with his issues and he things aspects of the practice may help Xander as well.  And Maybe it’s something the three of them can work on together. Because it seems like three is definitely better than two here 🙂

Despite the misgivings of some – in particular colleagues of Xander’s – Xander, Kaino and Bjorn begin to figure things out.  The most important thing is to be completely honest in communication.  For the most part this goes really pretty well for them. None of them have hang-ups about polyamory, but they are reluctant to be too open, lest their be blowback.  Bjorn’s family is surprisingly on board with this plan.

I really enjoyed this MXM romance story with these three incredibly different men.  It’s an illustration of how choosing partners who have varying strengths and weaknesses can make the unit stronger.  I loved the way these guys supported each other in their life goals.  They knew jealousy could be a problem and so they worked diligently to try to get in front of any perceptions that they weren’t all being transparent.   Their families did a good job of supporting them as well which can be unusual, but seemed quite natural here.  I’m sad these series is over because it’s been a pleasure to get to know this larger circle of fiends and lovers.  I like character-driven contemporary stories a lot and this whole series is a fine example of why. Recommended.

RATING: 

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