Book Reviews

Book Blurb

When a series of personal crises prompt risk-averse research librarian Aaron Templeton to apply for a job on the other side of the country, nobody is more surprised than he is. He nearly runs home before the final interview except for one little problem: he has no home anymore. He put his condo on the market before he left California and it’s already sold. Only an encounter with free-spirited Connecticut native Cody Brown at the Mystic Seaport Museum staves off Aaron’s incipient panic attack.

 

Cody loves nothing better than introducing newcomers to the great features of his beloved home state, and when the newbie in question is a rumpled professorial type with the saddest blue eyes on the planet? Score! The attraction between the two men deepens as they explore Cody’s favorite spots, but when difficulties arise and Aaron’s insecurities threaten to overwhelm him, will Cody’s love be enough to keep him in Mystic?

 

 

First edition published by Dreamspinner Press, June 2018.

 

Book Review

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” ~ Mark Twain

Aaron Templeton, of 'Mystic Man' by E.J. Russell, is not an impulsive man. He likes security, planning everything out, and not doing anything on the spur of the moment. But when his back is to the wall, Arron reacts in the only way he can, by taking flight. He leaves his job, puts his condo up for sale, and heads from California to Mystic, Connecticut. No one is more surprised by his behavior than Aaron himself, but if he had not made the move, he would have never found his “safe harbor”.

There are so many differences between California and Connecticut that Aaron is almost frozen in fear. He wants to go home back to the security he had before, even if it meant fighting the traffic, the smog, and a job that bored him to death. As Aaron is contemplating his dilemma, he is spotted by Cody Brown, life-time resident and all around free spirit, who assumes Aaron is a tourist so he can't pass up expounding upon the wonders of the seaport village of Mystic. Cody and Aaron get along well from the beginning, they enjoy each other's wit and special charm, and are happy to continue spending time together. Aaron appreciates how well Cody gets along with his family, especially since his own experience with family is so vastly different.

When Cody realizes that Aaron isn't just a tourist but soon expects to be employed in the small town, he's ecstatic, hoping for a chance to make their relationship more than just a friendship. Aaron has a lot of issues, is frightened of just about everything, for example afraid of being closed in, being on a ship (even when it's not moving), and terrified of actually being on the water in a ship. Cody is a very nurturing guy and accommodates Aaron without judging him. Although there are vast differences between their natures, Aaron and Cody learn to compromise. To help Aaron's fear of being on the water, Cody arranges a date on a ship that is in the water but will remain docked at all times. Aaron balks a little but Cody reassures him. After an enjoyable evening, Cody and Aaron take their relationship to the next step level. Cody is falling fast and hoping for more, but the next morning, Aaron panics. He decides he can't live with the uncertainty of it all and runs back to California, leaving Cody sad and lonely.

This is an endearing love story about two men who need each other in order to balance out their lives; Aaron needs to learn how to be safe and Cody needs something to anchor him. Thanks, E.J., for an enjoyable read.

 

 

 

 

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Additional Information

Format	ebook
Length	Novella, 32000 words
Heat Level
Publication Date	16-January-2020
Price	$2.99 ebook
Buy Link	https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083YSJW2H/