Isha has spent the last year watching his BFF get his happily-ever-after. He’s proud of Dom, but…it hurts to see him so free while Isha’s love life is still on lockdown. Only Isha’s ex-wife knows the secret that he’s kept caged for so long—that he’s queer too, and he’s lonely.
Jude’s too chained to his work to notice what he’s missing by being terminally single, but a new face in the village soon catches his attention. City boy Isha is gorgeous, and when he starts to haunt Jude’s reptile shop as well as the hook-up app on his phone, he’s a welcome distraction from Jude’s business problems.
For a control freak like Isha, letting Jude under his skin is an existential meltdown, but Jude’s not in the market to be anyone’s queer crisis, not when he’s facing troubles of his own. Unlocking their lives could push both men apart forever, but it might be a risk worth taking if sharing is the key to their happy future.
Length: 60,000 words approx.
Cover Design: Garrett Leigh @ Black Jazz Design
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Lucky – Amazon US | Amazon UK
Cash – Amazon US | Amazon UK
This author is growing on me more and more. It took me a while to find them, but I read everything I come across. And they just keep getting better. Even though this isn’t listed as part of a series, it is obviously book 3, although it can very easily be read as a stand alone. Which I did. Although, when time allows, I will go back to read the first two.
I also want to read the other two because I feel like there is some back story for Isha that I didn’t get in this book. Like why he left his high profiled career to move into this next stage of life doing something completely different.
One of the things I really enjoy is the diversity in the books. People are described, of course, but then it never really seems to be an issue. No one is clutching their pearls that a white guy and a middle eastern guy are together. They just are.
I wish Isha hadn’t been closeted. I mean, I kind of get it. But at the same time he is friends with all of these out people. It just kind of broke my heart that he felt the need to hide.
And Jude- Jude needs to be with someone who is out. He is totally that guy who wants the whole shebang. The partner, the pda in public, cooking dinner together. And he deserves it.
There was good flow in the story- even with Isha kind of being a jerk. Not a jerk, but dude come on. Open up a bit. Even his kids play a decent role in the story and aren’t just cute filler.
And even Jude worked in and owned an exotic pet shop, talk of spiders was kept to a minimum. Snakes and geckos were much more prominent.
And I learn a lot of British slang! It cracks me up when I have to put my kindle down to google a word or a phrase. But I love it too. I like when books aren’t “American-washed”. If a story takes place in England, use that vernacular.
This was a good story with a slightly older main character, a main character with a disability, kids, friends, ex wives and creatures kept in cages.
4 pieces of eye candy
Garrett Leigh is an award-winning British writer and book designer, currently working for Dreamspinner Press, Loose Id, Riptide Publishing, and Fox Love Press.
Garrett’s debut novel, Slide, won Best Bisexual Debut at the 2014 Rainbow Book Awards, and her polyamorous novel, Misfits was a finalist in the 2016 LAMBDA awards.
When not writing, Garrett can generally be found procrastinating on Twitter, cooking up a storm, or sitting on her behind doing as little as possible, all the while shouting at her menagerie of children and animals and attempting to tame her unruly and wonderful FOX.
Garrett is also an award winning cover artist, taking the silver medal at the Benjamin Franklin Book Awards in 2016. She designs for various publishing houses and independent authors at blackjazzdesign.com, and co-owns the specialist stock site moonstockphotography.com with renowned LGBTQA+ photographer Dan Burgess.
Website: http://www.garrettleigh.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/garrettleighauthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Garrett_Leigh