Book Reviews

Book Blurb

Bran Kendrick never expected to fall in love. He’s asexual, after all. What chance does he have of finding someone who’ll see past that? So when Malachi Warren catches his eye, Bran tells himself his crush will pass. Malachi disagrees. He has been attracted to Bran for some time, something he is delighted to find Bran reciprocating. They begin to date and feel their way through an intimate relationship that meets both their needs.

Suddenly Bran finds himself juggling a new boyfriend, a demanding job, and a college degree he’s not sure he wants, but he couldn’t be happier—until a series of seemingly random accidents befall Malachi. When they escalate, Bran realizes someone is trying to take away the best thing that ever happened to him, and he must scramble to keep Malachi safe while they search for the would-be killer.

 

Book Review

This is a special book in more than one way. It’s an intriguing mystery with some good tension around Malachi, one of the main characters, having to fend off several attempts on his life. It’s also informative and fascinating, because the romance between Malachi and Bran is definitely sweet, but they have an unusual situation to deal with: Bran is asexual. In the course of the story, as Bran learns more about himself now that he has an incentive for trying to make things right for Malachi as well as himself, I learned right along with him. It is rare to find stories about the less known sexualities in the LGBTQ+ continuum, and this is definitely one that held my attention!

Bran is a junior in college and works at a small coffee shop as a baker. When he meets Malachi, a senior, who is clearly interested in him, Bran begins a journey of discovery into exactly what it means for him to be asexual. He has never had any interest in sex, but what if Malachi wants to become intimate - how will Bran deal with that? What is the difference between romance and sex, and can he have one without the other? I loved the way all of these unfold as Bran and Malachi begin to date and start defining their relationship. The romance between Bran and Malachi is super sweet! Their emotions are described well and made me feel for both of them. Malachi with his understated way of living, rather than displaying his wealth, is very likeable, as is Bran with his shyness, curiosity, and eagerness to discover what romance means to him.

The secondary characters deserve a mention as well. Tristan is Malachi’s somewhat overbearing brother, and I learned to love him as he opens up to Bran. Bran’s friends are very supportive, and Malachi’s father – well, he doesn’t deserve the air he breathes as far as I am concerned. Add to that the suspense and real mystery of who is behind the attempts on Malachi’s life, and I was fascinated. There are little well-placed clues throughout, but the final revelation was still a bit of a surprise. Very well done!

If you like unusual, intriguing stories with a twist or two, if men outside the “traditional” confines of romance and relationships pique your interest, and if you’re looking for a read that is as emotional and sweet as it is mysteriously suspenseful, then you will probably like this novel. I couldn’t get enough of Bran and Malachi!

 

 

 

 

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

Additional Information

Format	ebook and print
Length	Novel, 220 pages/66748 words
Heat Level
Publication Date	11-May-2015
Price	$6.99 ebook, $14.99 paperback, $14.99 bundle
Buy Link	https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/coffee-cake-by-michaela-grey-5085-b