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Denise’s Review:
When I first read A Walk Through Fire, as most of you know, I ugly cried when Keith died. I also may have (I will neither confirm nor deny) sent Felice Stevens more than one threatening message that she “better fix this”. 🙂 I’m very happy to say that with After the Fire, she did a wonderful job of fixing poor, broken Jordan. He has a LONG way to go during this book.
At the beginning of ATF, Jordan is drunk, taking Xanax, and has pushed away everyone in his life who has meant something. Taking his grief and his anger out on those around him, and barely waking up some mornings. It was truly heart breaking to see what a man as confident and strong as Jordan had done to himself to bring himself to such a dark and lonely place.
Meanwhile, Lucas, Ash’s long lost foster brother, learned the meaning of being alone at 17 when he was completely abandoned, without a word from his foster family. As he moved through life, making very few connections, he felt that relying only on himself was the safest road for him.
As these two meet, and find a sexual attraction, Jordan becomes even more angry, confused, and feels he is betraying Keith’s love. At the same time, Lucas feels nothing but hatred for his foster brother Ash, and refuses to even meet with him.
These men learn to walk the road of love and forgiveness together, as they work through very real issues of grief, anger, addiction and most of all, how to find love in a world that sometimes just doesn’t make sense.
Felice does an amazing job with this book, showing all the cracks in these men, and how with the love of one other, those cracks can be filled, and they can be stronger than before.
I cried in this book, absolutely. Not the ugly cry of Keith’s death, but a steady sadness for all these two men endured to heal themselves, and then to heal each other. Felice has a way of bringing emotions out, and shining a light on all aspects of love. Not only the ones that are happy and light-filled, but the darkness that sometimes gathers with those that you love.
Felice is still a new author on the m/m, having only published her first book, Rescued (http://amzn.to/1Dy5rXF) last August, but she has quickly become a “must read” for me. (And YES! Another stray animal makes an appearance in here.)
I know that Felice has already written Brandon’s story, book 3, and is waiting to hear about publishing it. I know that there will be many of us beating down her door looking to get that in our hot little hands. I am anxious to see how she brings Brandon back to the fold.
Five tear-stained pieces of eye candy from this girl!!!
Morgan’s Review:
and down. “Ow.” He rubbed his arm when Drew elbowed him. “Don’t get mad at me,
baby. You know he does. Look at him.”
better.
to trail behind him back through the house and into the spacious kitchen. Sunlight
poured onto the terra-cotta floors and glinted off the glass-fronted maple
cabinets. The kitchen was his pride and joy, and when he and Keith bought the
brownstone, it had been the only room he cared about decorating. Jordan had
always loved staring out of the large bay window as he relaxed with his cup of
coffee in the morning.
vodka bottles.
stomach, he lashed out.
even though Jordan knew how happy Drew was, the man still irritated the hell
out of him.
nor derided him. Instead, it held an overall note of sadness, mixed with
empathy that pulled Jordan up short. “You sit here, night after night, refusing
our dinner invitations, as well as any social contact with Rachel, Mike, or
even Esther. Don’t think we don’t know what you’re doing and why.”
the usual sarcastic attitude he dished out to everyone. “I’m not in the mood
for company; that’s all.”
that doesn’t mean you don’t go on living. When your only company since he died
has been vodka or whiskey, you’re heading for disaster.”
lost weight, skipped days at the hospital, and I was told that during surgery
last week—”
“What the fuck, man? You’re not my goddamn keeper.” Humiliation, shame, and a
sense of despair tore through him as he turned away from his two friends to go
back and sit at the kitchen table. He ran his hands over the battered wood of
the long farmhouse table. He remembered how happy he and Keith had been to find
it in the small Pennsylvania town they’d stumbled upon oneSaturday. Making love
on top of it after lugging it up the stairs of the brownstone was a memory
etched forever in his mind. He gripped the edge of the table to steady himself.
than anyone else. People might think Drew Klein was sweet and easygoing, but
Jordan knew the core of steel within his friend. Drew refused to back down if
he thought he could help. True to form, Drew dropped into the chair right next
to him, challenging and direct.
deep breath and smiled into Drew’s face. “What is it?”
usual anger. “I’m not checking up on you. It’s common knowledge that you showed
up to your first surgery since Keith died and had to wait an extra hour to
start because you had the shakes.” Drew’s mouth thinned to a hard line. “Are
you crazy showing up drunk for surgery? You could lose your fucking license,
for God’s sake.”
before.”
Jordan? You can come up with a better one than that.”
unflinching, his eyes soft and knowing. “I know you’re still having a hard time
moving on from Keith’s death, but it’s going to be a year soon.”
already?” Horrified, Jordan swept his hand across the table, sending the empty
bottles and food containers crashing to the floor. “Could you forget Ash so
quickly? Keith and I were together for almost four years. Stop pressuring me to
move on with my life. It’s over for me. There will never be anyone else.”
