Reviewed by Sadonna
TITLE New Year
SERIES: Reconstruction
AUTHOR: A.M. Arthur
PUBLISHER: Briggs-King Books
LENGTH: 295 Pages
RELEASE DATE: May 27, 2025
BLURB:
Nathaniel “Nat” Hawking is used to the people he loves betraying him—first his mother, and now his abusive ex-boyfriend Austin. After finally being pushed too far, Nat chooses living on the streets to stay off Austin’s radar. No address, no legit job, to way to be found. But for a twenty-three-year-old college dropout who used to love waiting tables at a neighborhood gay bar, the isolation of his chosen life is stifling. And dangerous.
When Zack Matteson moves to Reynolds, North Carolina, to both start over and help his ailing best friend run his restaurants, he has no interest in dating. After too many bad choices and risks, he left his old, wild city ways for a quieter, peaceful, single life. But when a chance encounter in an alley crashes young, scared Nat Hawking into his carefully ordered life, Zack’s closed-off heart begins to open up.
Nat is grateful for Zack’s help, while still suspicious of his motives. Nothing is ever free. But as Zack helps Nat find a job, a place to live, and a real purpose in life, the unlikely pair forges a new, powerful bond. A bond threatened by Austin’s jealousy and cruelty. As Zack and Nat slowly fall in love, Austin’s sinister need to say goodbye to Nat on his own terms could tear them apart forever.
NEW YEAR is the third installment of the Reconstruction series, featuring a silver fox with a past, a younger guy with no future, a meddling best friend, hurt/comfort, age gap, and buckets of angst. Previous books do not need to be read to enjoy this story. Content Warning: book contains depictions of abuse (not between the romantic pairing), as well as on-page non-consent. Reader discretion advised.
REVIEW:
Note: There is significant domestic violence and physical and psychological abuse in this book that occurs on-page. Take care if this is triggering for you.
Nat Hawking, who we met in the previous book in this series, has not had an easy time of it. He’s changed his name and left his old life in Louisville and moved to Reynolds to start over and go to college. But he had to drop out of college a few years later in his early 20s since he couldn’t afford classes anymore. He’s survived nearly being blown up in a boiler explosion at his previous place of employment, a local LTBGQ+ bar. And he’s survived a narcissist bullying abusive ex-boyfriend. Until he was afraid he wasn’t sure he could anymore and ran. He’s got no phone, very little money and is sleeping rough. He’s turning tricks to make money because he doesn’t have an address and he is trying to avoid being found by said awful ex.
Zack Matteson is a restauranteur who is somewhat new to Reynolds. He’s moved there at the behest of his old friend Chase who owns the restaurant that Zack is now running. Chase has a terminal debilitating disease and can no longer do the work. He’s got an in-law suite that Zack is living in to assist Chase when he needs it.
One night Zack here’s a noise from an alleyway not far from the restaurant. Then he is sure it’s a call for help. He finds Nat being assaulted by what is clearly a “customer”. The man finally leaves and Nat is shaken but grateful for the save. Zack also offers him a meal and a couch so that he can get himself together. He assures Nat he doesn’t have an any other motive other than helping him. He’s trying to be a better man and he recognizes something Nat.
Nat is unsure how to receive this help. He’s not sure why Zack would do this for him and he’s not wanting to be beholden to anyone after what he’s been through. Zack assures him he has no designs on making Nat “pay” him in sexual favors. Then Nat meets Chase, Zack’s landlord and friend. He ends up helping Chase as he’s becoming less able to care for himself – unable to drive, etc. Chase has been reluctant to hire any help, but this might solve both problems 😉
Of course Zack and Nat get closer. Nat has clearly been traumatized and suffered abuse and has BIG trust issues. Zack is determined to NOT be another person who betrays and exploits Nat, so they take things incredibly slow. Nat begins to open up to Zack and let him help him – all while keeping an incredibly low profile to avoid his ex.
Well you know eventually the ex is going to show up. And it’s bad. Worse than bad. Thank god for Zack.
Well that was a surprise. I read the CW but I don’t think I was actually expecting the amount of on-page violence and torture. Please take the warning seriously. The first two-thirds of the book are really the building of a friendship and some trust between Zack and Nat. Nat has really suffered. I don’t want to be spoilery but lets just say it’s kind of a miracle he’s any sort of functional. I was glad to see that eventually he was able to make sure of a trauma therapist. This also shines a light on how very very difficult it is for people with no or little insurance to be able to get help when needed. This probably answers a lot of the question as to why we have such a gigantic mental health crisis and homelessness crisis in this country. So much untreated trauma 🙁 I loved Zack in this story taking responsibility for his past and working so hard to be a better man. His care and protectiveness and patience with Nat as he processes his past and the immense and significant trauma he’s been through was heartening. His relationship with Chase was lovely also. There are some nice cameos from characters in previous novels in this series as well as other A.M. Arthurs series that I thoroughly enjoyed. This is a hard book in many ways, but the HEA was really hard won here, which is something this author excels in writing. Recommended.
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