Reviewed on Hearts On Fire... http://heartsonfirereviews.com/

It's good to see another collaboration RJ Scott and Meredith Russell and the beginning of a new series. Lucas Madison has raised his younger sister, Tasha, for ten years since their parents died. He has fought his way to the top of the corporate ladder but at the cost of his health. Lucas is in the Bahamas with Tasha on a serene little island called Sapphire Cay to end his familial duty by seeing his sister married. He is doing a good job of hiding his ulcers and high blood pressure and the work that he was forced to bring along on this two week holiday from Tasha but he can't hide the sadness in his eyes from the resort's jack of all trades, Dylan Gray. Dylan has his own past health issues and is living life on the fly following the sun and seasons from job to job yet always returning to Sapphire Cay to work. Lucas is amazed by the many jobs Dylan does and Dylan is just plain amazed by Lucas. The two men begin an easy camaraderie but hide all of their baggage well but both men are at a crossroads in their lives which can make or break their slowly growing love. I had a hard time getting into this story because of all the world building that had to be put in place but once the story line was established, the calm and easy life on Sapphire Cay carried me away. The story is definitely character driven and soon had me wrapped up in the slow, laid back life on the tropical island. The story read beautifully but lacked the action usually found in Ms Scott's books which was kind of refreshing after the Sanctuary series. The health issues and the angst were the bad guys in this well written and easy read. Lucas and Dylan were likable and rather intense characters that had me often frustrated by their angst and indecision but they eventually found their HEA in an unusual way. There was not much action around the secondary characters who could have been pumped up a little more to make the story more interesting in my opinion. I recommend this story to anyone looking for a slow burn romance. Ms Scott and Ms Russell have proven that they can write a good romance as a team. I'm looking forward to book two in this easy going series. ( )

Follow the Sun is the first book in the ‘Stories from Sapphire Cay’ series. It stars Lucas Madison, a workaholic, and Dylan, an employee at Sapphire Cay. This is told in third person from both Lucas and Dylan’s povs.



First the cover. I’m not sure which character the cover model is supposed to portray, but I’m guessing it’s Lucas. The cover and model are certainly eye-catching and I think it suits the story.

The blurb gives some info as to the plot but I’ll add a bit more. The story involves two opposite men, Lucas a workaholic to the point of endangering his health, and Dylan a young man who can’t stay in one place for long, seeming unable to commit to a job or location. So how can two different men change enough to stay together?

Lucas’s sister is getting married on Sapphire Cay and Lucas has helped arrange everything. He’s taken care of his sister since their parents died in an accident. That’s probably part of the reason he’s a workaholic at Morgan Municipal. Don’t ask what he does because I don’t remember. Only that the company puts a lot of pressure on its employees and Lucas lost his best friend because of the stress at their job. Lucas suffers from ulcers, can’t sleep because of stress, and the doctors have warned him he’s on the road to an early death if he doesn’t stop. But Lucas can’t seem to stop. He’s now feeling pressure to straighten out an account someone messed up and Lucas’s sister wants him to forget about work for the time for her wedding and the vacation. Lucas learns to relax as Dylan shows him the island and a more laid-back lifestyle.

Dylan is a traveler. He never stays in one place too long but for the last five years has returned to Sapphire Cay where he feels most at home. He’s sort of a jack of all trades, picking up skills from his many travels. I don’t think Dylan would have learned to settle down or commit to one person or location if it wasn’t for Lucas. Yes, Lucas was overworked, but at the same time he dedicated himself to what he did. Lucas’s offer to help Dylan with Dylan’s surprise opportunity, also helped Dylan commit to something permanent.

I liked how the authors created distinct personalities for Dylan and Lucas, and carried that throughout the story. Lucas’s stressful situation and his personality had me stressed reading the book, but I guess that’s a compliment to the authors for creating such a realistic personality. I’d say that Lucas grew more than Dylan. Lucas would have to give up everything to change his life. Dylan already had a place he loved and could be happy working and living there. Lucas was the one who took the giant leap of faith. It was taking the time away from work and discovering a new way of life, and the possibility of love, that set Lucas free.

I enjoyed the plot of Follow the Sun and especially the characters. I’ll likely read the next book in the series, and recommend this book to others. I give this book, 4 Stars.

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This was a very sweet read. Good characters, great scenery--what more do you want? Maybe a slight case of insta-love, but not anywhere near enough to put me off really enjoying it. Honestly it was just what I needed!

Looking forward to the next in this series. ( )