Book Reviews

Book Blurb

Henry's been in love with his sister's best friend for years, but he never could seem to get the timing right. Jake has sworn off falling in love, after losing his partner to cancer, and Henry knows better than to compete with a ghost. But just as he's about to lose hope, a fateful tumble into a closet is all it takes to spark his inspiration -- if he can't give Jake his heart, maybe he'll accept Henry's body instead.

Two years after the death of his partner, and Jake still feels the loss most keenly during the holidays. So when his long-time friend, Henry, proposes they be friends-with-benefits, he can't immediately turn it down. It's a perfect solution to his loneliness without risking his heart. Besides, who wouldn't want a little company for the holidays?

Of course, Jake never considered the idea that he may have already fallen. A long time ago.

Book Review

Dealing with the loss of a partner is never easy, especially when it happens while people are still young. Cancer is a particularly cruel cause to deal with, and that is the situation Jake in this story faces. He thinks not getting into another relationship - so his heart cannot be ripped out again - is the solution. As the holidays approach not only does he miss companionship more than ever, but his best friend’s older brother, Henry, has a suggestion that sounds like a good idea. What follows is the story of their “friends with benefits” arrangement leading to something Jake didn’t expect, and Henry has been wanting for years. It’s a sweet tale, very emotional, and contains some wonderful self-realization for Jake and a few agonizing moments of angst for Henry.

When cancer takes Kevin from Jake’s life after five years together, Jake decides never to fall in love again. He isn’t willing to find someone new only to have his heart ripped out a second time, but the loneliness isn’t easy to deal with – especially around Christmas. The one “incident” that brought him close to another man was a brief interlude with Henry in July – and Jake has avoided the man ever since then, scared of the consequences. But he has also missed Henry, so when they run into each other in the grocery store a few weeks before Christmas, Henry’s idea of a “friends with benefits” arrangement seems like the best possible solution.

Henry has loved Jake for years but has always been too much of a coward to do anything about it. As a consequence, he has had to watch Jake fall in love with and lose Kevin, and he still doesn’t know what to do. The only thing he can come up with won’t get him closer to Jake’s heart, but Henry is desperate enough to accept anything he can get from Jake. It doesn’t take long for Henry to realize it hurts more to be so close physically yet still miles away from what he wants emotionally.

If you like stories with a touch of angst and lots of repressed emotions, if two men who were meant for each other finally coming together is something you want to read about, and if you’re looking for a read that is as emotionally touching as it is sweet, then you will probably like this short story. I loved it!

 

 

 

 

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

Additional Information

Format	ebook
Length	Short Story, 13291 words
Heat Level
Publication Date	09-December-2015
Price	$3.99 ebook
Buy Link	http://www.jms-books.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=29_98&products_id=1574