Book Reviews

Book Blurb

Tattoos don’t define a person’s character, or make him sexy. But, if you ask Sam Madison, they sure don’t hurt.

Dr. Travis Nelson has a passion for ink but keeps his many tattoos covered by long sleeves and trousers. He’s aware that as a pediatrician he’ll be judged not only by the other physicians in his practice, but also by the parents of his young patients.

 

When Sam Madison takes his young nephew, Levi, to be seen for an ear infection, he’s immediately attracted to Travis and the feeling is mutual. But Sam’s sister Melanie is going through a rough time and caring for Levi, and covering her obligations, keeps Sam occupied. He feels like he’s in no position to start a relationship.

 

Travis sees things differently, though he’s unable to truly understand the deep bond and connection Sam shares with his twin. As Melanie’s life goes from bad to worse, Sam is forced to make difficult decisions. Is protecting Levi enough of a reason for the two men to stay together, or will fighting for the child ultimately tear them apart?

 

Book Review

'Acceptable Behavior' is the first full-length novel I have read by Jenna Byrnes. My only other experience with this author was a short story in an anthology and I really enjoyed her writing. I'm woman enough to admit that tattoos are a huge turn-on even if they're hidden under clothing.... especially if they're hidden. *grins* The blurb for this book caught me because I'm a sucker for a tattooed guy and a kid who needs some help from his uncle. Yeah, the description pretty much had me right from the gate.

I liked and admired Sam straight from the beginning. Having siblings myself, I know it's a whole lot easier to say "I'm done, deal with your mess yourself" and walk away, than it is to try to help, particularly when there's a child involved. Levi is six and has had a pretty tough life with a dad who is in prison and a mom who still runs with the same crowd, getting high before her job as a waitress in a bar at night. Sam moved into their run-down apartment to try to help Melanie get her life back together and to help care for Levi. He didn't expect Travis and he certainly doesn't have time for a relationship.

Travis is an only child so even though he understands, in his mind, the difficulties Sam is facing with Melanie, he has no frame of reference to understand emotionally. He's an excellent pediatrician, loves his job, and falls fairly quickly for Sam. In fact, that was one of the things that didn't sit right with me was how quickly Sam and Travis advanced in their relationship. You know, the one Sam said he didn't want and didn't have time for?

Overall this was a good, sexy, sweet story about two men beating the odds and doing what was right. However, there were more than a few things that niggled at me and wouldn't let me be. First was how quickly Sam and Travis's relationship moved forward when they didn't really know each other very well and, in fact, I never got a good feel for either character which could totally be my fault. The second was how predictable the storyline became in terms of Sam, Melanie, and Levi. And how quickly Travis jumped on that bandwagon. The whole scenario didn't work well for me but, again, this is only my opinion and someone else will probably view it differently.

If you enjoy a story about two men making it work under seemingly tough odds then this might just work for you. I definitely loved the relationship between Travis, Sam, and Levi. I think every child should have that kind of love. All in all this is a sweet romance with some drama and a happy ever after.

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been provided by Pride Publishing for the purpose of a review.

Additional Information

Format	ebook and print
Length	Novel, 172 pages/59362 pages
Heat Level
Publication Date	26-January-2016
Price	$5.50 ebook, $10.50 paperback
Buy Link	https://www.pride-publishing.com/book/acceptable-behavior