Is it better to keep some secrets locked away?
Matt thought his life was perfect, but he learns there’s no such thing when the man he planned to marry breaks his heart and leaves him holding the pieces. Needing to escape and lick his wounds, Matt heads to New England to spend time on his brother’s lobster boat. A one-night stand proves to him that empty sex does nothing to mend old hurt, and neither does running away.
So when Matt’s best friend, Luke, a firefighter, is seriously injured, Matt steps up, even if it means facing bigotry and ignorance. Luke has been hiding his feelings from Matt all their lives, and revealing them after so many years won’t make life easier for either of them. But nothing worth having ever comes easily….
Title: Three Little Words
Author: Allison Cassatta
Release Date: August 26, 2016
Category: Contemporary
Pages: 200
Amazon
ARe
Dreamspinner Press
I love a good friends to lover story so I grabbed this one up quick when I read the blurb, while it was good it wasn’t great.
Matt comes home from a three week stint out of town to find his partner of five years has left him, with a Dear John letter at that. Needing to come to terms with his new life his friend Luke,who Matt has secretly been in love with for years helps him pack his stuff and offers to keep his dog while he goes to Connecticut to work on his brother’s lobster boat.
Luke has loved Matt since almost the first moment he met him, over twenty years ago. He knows his family wouldn’t be accepting of a gay son, so he has buried himself so deep in the closet he isn’t sure he will ever come out. A moment of desperation has Luke kissing Matt before he runs off to Connecticut to lick his wounds. Matt leaves even more confused than ever.
Along his trip up the coast he meets a man names Aric and ends up having a one night stand. The next morning all he feels is guilt and shame, and all his unresolved feelings for both his ex and Luke. Matt knows heading out on his brother’s lobster boat is the only thing that will clear his head.
A week’s worth of back breaking, exhausting work leaves Matt with a clear head. He knows he needs to see where this thing with Luke will take him. In twenty years Luke has never hurt him or let him down, he needs to trust that Luke won’t hurt him now. As soon as he gets off the fishing boat he receives a call that Luke has been hurt while on the job as a firefighter. He’s currently in a coma in Tennessee.
Matt rushes to be at Luke’s side, but has to play it safe because he doesn’t want to out Luke to his family without his permission. This accident has made both Luke and Matt realize what they could have missed out on if Luke hadn’t been so lucky. The shit hits the fan when Luke tells his parents that he is in love with Matt.
Luke’s parents disown him, leaving Matt to help Luke with his rehab. The two opt for a fresh start and along with Matt’s mom, move to Connecticut to be closer to Matt’s brother. Matt and Luke will need to work together to get through Luke’s rehab and family drama and come out happier and closer that ever on the other side.
I really wanted to love this book, but it just didn’t happen. I loved Luke and Matt together, it seemed effortless and easy. Just like it should be.
There were a few secondary story lines that didn’t work with the story or just gave the story the wrong vibe. One was the mention of an older brother that passed away. It didn’t add anything to the story and I was pulled out of the story a few times wondering how that factored into everything else. The other was Aric. I don’t see the added value to Aric’s character. I am one of those that only likes the MC’s to have sex with each other, not with anyone else. I kept expecting Aric to pop back up, especially when they moved back to Connecticut.
I did like the closure Luke got with his family and that Matt’s family was so accepting. There was a great cast of supporting characters, Emma was my favorite.
While this story wasn’t what I expected it was an entertaining, quick read.
3 pieces of eye candy
