I read this as a digital library book. This is a nearly-perfect love story between a young man with too many responsibilities and an older man with a family and a secret he's afraid to confront. The only flaw is some repetition. It's more a flaw for me because I read this in two days. But I read it in two days because I loved it, so. There you go.

Were I the author, I'd have made a Content Warning: addiction from the child of an addict's POV. I can see where if you suffer/suffered that special hell, you might want to avoid this story. ( )

Original rating: 4 stars
Re-read rating: 3 stars
A contemporary romance with some darker themes. The "dark" part (Trey's mom's alcohol and substance abuse) made me ache for everyone involved, but I feel the romance part was a bit rushed towards the end, and the ending itself was very neat Vin's family was used like a substitute for the magical D - once they got involved, all of Trey's problems seemingly disappeared, and there were a lot of them and they were in no way minor. I know it was probably intended to enforce the "everything is easier with family" feeling, but it really did feel like it was used as a quick way to tuck in loose ends before the inevitable HEA. It just felt too good to be true, too unrealistic and too big a contrast after all of the darker stuff Vin and especially Trey went through. ( )

Vince Fierro is forty and still bouncing back from his third divorce. His job with a family plumbing firm is going well. But Vince knows something's missing in his life. And when he works on a job for a gay couple, he starts to wonder if there's a reason his marriages failed. Could Vince be gay? He doesn't think so. And he can't be. That doesn't jive with being an Irish Catholic, after all. After getting some advice from his sister, he sets out to explore the gay bars of Chicago to see if anyone stirs his interest. And no one does until he runs into someone he knows from his neighborhood.

Trey Giles keeps busier than anyone else he knows. He's going to school, working two jobs, taking care of his grandmother, and dealing with his alcoholic mother. There's no time for a relationship, or even a hookup, so he's never pursued one. But when he spots Vince Fierro at a bar in Boystown, he can't help but ask some questions. And even though Vince tells Trey he doesn't think he's gay, Trey sees something that makes him think otherwise. And he figures he can make some time to help Vince find his way.

But can Vince come to terms with who he is? And how will he reconcile it with his religion and his family? And even if he does, can Trey make time for the two of them to be together?

--

Taking a journey with these two guys was quite fun. And I enjoyed hearkening back to the year that I lived in Chicago with all the local references. Even better than they were all spot on.

I honestly had expected to see Vince do a bit more soul searching regarding his sexuality. We really didn't see too much struggling aside from a few moments or how it appeared to Trey without getting a chance to see things from Vince's perspective. And while I sympathized with Trey's position near the end, exploring his feelings a bit more from his perspective would likely help readers who don't have the experience of dealing with a loved one who is an addict or an alcoholic.

Overall, though, this is an enjoyable read and it warrants a recommendation from me! ( )

preordered

due 12/3

Very sweet book with a side of angst. ( )