Book Reviews

Book Blurb

When layoffs hit Jim LaRue’s company, his first concern isn’t for his own job, it’s for his friend and coworker, Tommy Graves. Tommy’s going through a bitter divorce, and he’s closing on a new home. Losing his job would mean losing the house—and the fresh start he desperately needs. Jim can’t let that happen to the man he’s secretly in love with, so he proposes a swap: his job for Tommy’s.

Now out of work, Jim reluctantly agrees to help Tommy remodel. He needs the income, but he can’t stand being a charity case—especially not when things between them start heading in a direction he hardly dared hope for. The strain drives a wedge between them, and a confrontation might spell the end of their relationship.

First Edition published by Amber Quill Press/Amber Allure, 2010.

Book Review

Two strong, macho men who are both in the closet – yet secretly admire each other and might be interested in more than being friends. Two guys who are stubborn and not the best communicators to put it carefully – yet they are so clearly suited to each other. This could be a recipe for disaster, or, as turned out to be the case for me, a recipe for a very entertaining story.

Jim and Tommy have been friends for a while, they work together in the same construction company, and when layoffs hit, Jim decides to argue for Tommy to stay on instead of him. For one, Tommy has been with the company longer and needs the money since he has just gone through a bad divorce and has bought a house. Also, Jim doesn’t want their boss to play favorites just because they are close personal friends. When Tommy hires Jim to help with restoring the house, their problems start.

Money and friendship does not easily mix, and these two hard-headed guys are the proof. Part of the problem is that they begin to explore a physical relationship at the same time and things get muddled. But the real issue is that neither of them is completely honest about what else is going on in their lives and when things come to a head, it almost separates them for good. If it weren’t for the physical attraction winning out, they’d still be fighting. As it is, I found the lack of a resolution (i.e., a discussion of what was wrong) worrying, but I guess the fact that they make up by falling into bed together and promise to “talk later” is realistic for who they are.

If you like stories about macho men who prefer physical communication over verbal discussions, if you think that two men who are friends can become more as they fumble their way out of the closet, and if you’re looking for an entertaining read that is set mostly in the bedroom, then you may like this novella.

 

 

 

 

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
Length	Novella, 64 pages/19075 words
Heat Level
Publication Date	26-October-2016
Price	$3.99 ebook
Buy Link	https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/the-swap-by-devon-rhodes-7694-b