Sandra @ My Fiction Nook

I was gifted this book by the author at GRL 2014, and just now got around to reading it, because paperback. It sat on my shelf all year, looking lonely and neglected.

I had read book 2 of this author's series a while back, and was looking forward to reading this one, and it didn't disappoint.

It was weird, though, reading a paperback, I'll tell you that. Seriously weird, after so many years of reading only ebooks.

I liked the characters in this book, both the in-the-closet Mike and the "I'm not gay" Dylan, who are thrown together by chance when Mike comes to the rescue while Dylan's twin brother is being bashed in a local park. From the start there seem to be hints that the bashing victim was supposed to be Dylan, and oh boy, the guilt of that is getting to Dylan right away.

Dylan seems to think he's not gay, because he eventually wants a wife and kids, but he can't stop thinking about Mike and showing up at Mike's apartment. Because denial is clearly just a river in Egypt. 

Mike figures out pretty quick that he can't get in too deep, but his heart didn't get that memo. And Mike's not out at work, where he's a physical trainer for the local college football team.

But shit keeps happening, with Dylan set on finding the assholes who beat up and nearly killed his twin, and Mike getting pulled into that plan, and the two getting closer. Dylan of course keeps lying to himself, and Mike is at risk of getting his heart broken, when they figure out who's behind the bashing and then do something rather stupid, that Dylan in his mind justifies as keeping Mike from losing his job.

This book is a rollercoaster, for sure, with high highs and really low lows, and a bunch of drama, but also really good snark in the dialogue, and some nicely developed characters. We even get to see Aaron and Joey again, though I must say that Aaron is still an asshole, and I despised how he talked to Dylan and how pretty much the whole family made him feel like he was worthless.

So, thank you, KA Mitchell, for this gift. I really enjoyed reading your book!