When one love breaks apart, another one comes out of nowhere.
Ben Griers is the darling of Corinth Georgia’s Police Department—intelligent, handsome, and hardworking. Thanks to his beautiful wife and clever daughter, Ben’s family is the envy of the town. Yet desperate unhappiness is hiding just below the surface.
When Donnie Saunders, a deadbeat redneck with a temper, is brought to the Corinth PD as a suspect in a hit-and-run, Ben finds himself surprisingly intrigued by the man. He quickly establishes Donnie’s innocence but can’t shake the feeling that Donnie is hiding something. When they unexpectedly encounter each other again at an AA meeting in Atlanta, sparks begin to fly.
With his marriage on the verge of collapse, Ben is grateful for the other man’s affection. But he is soon struggling to help an increasingly vulnerable Donnie, while at the same time having to deal with the upheaval in his own life. Ben eventually realizes that they cannot achieve happiness together unless they confront their darkest secrets.
Professional Reviews
Excellent
I originally bought this to support the author, whom I know. Ended up genuinely loving it. Great pace, superb characterisation. And I missed the characters when I finished it. Very good book.
Loved this novel!
Fast paced, good characterisation & real human interest. Great first novel -highly recommended. A new take on a love story.
Heavy material but well worth reading...
For Sergeant Ben Griers, life has fallen into a rut. He and his wife Helen have grown apart, they're basically just going through the motions and he loves his job but being stuck in a small town means there are no opportunities for progression. Thankfully, he has his best friend and work colleague, Jason and he has a great relationship with his daughter, Laura. Life for him isn't really too bad but he wants more.
Donnie hasn't had the greatest start in life and pretty much every day is a struggle for him but he's trying his best. He works with kids at a daycare facility and keeps his nose clean but his older brother Floyd is a law unto himself and Donnie is constantly walking on eggshells, waiting for his next beating. When Donnie is needlessly dragged into the police station by Jason, it is Ben who is the voice of reason and works quickly to have Donnie released. Their brief interaction left a lasting impression on Ben and when a few days later Ben is in need of help, it is Donnie that comes to his rescue and so starts the beginnings of a tentative relationship that builds into something deep and lasting.
I have no boundaries when it comes to my reading. For me, anything goes but some readers may struggle with the subject content regarding the severe health issues of Donnie and Floyd and also the abuse that is depicted. In my opinion, this is well handled by the author and is a necessary part of the story.
I loved both these main characters. Donnie's vulnerability bled off of every page and when I say that his life and health are pretty dire, that's an understatement but it just made me like him even more. Despite everything that life has thrown at him, he has a great strength that has kept him from taking a different path entirely so when Ben comes along and is his knight in shining armour, they have many battles to fight but for the first time in his life, Donnie isn't facing them on his own. The supporting characters in the book were really well portrayed and played an important part in making this story as good as it is.
This is the first book from MG that I have read and I wouldn't hesitate to read more. It made me want to keep reading even when I didn't have time to. It was well written, the characters really came to life and it had a sweet HEA. Most importantly, it made me smile.
Copy received from publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed for Alpha Book Club
Just a simple gathering of the Gay & Lesbian Activist Association of New Birch and Sipsboror (GLAABS) and we plunge down a hilarious ride to perdition.
