Book Reviews

Book Blurb

Can you have a second chance at a first love? 

Nick Paine is just starting to return to normal after he told his wife he’s gay and asked for a divorce. Despite a daughter he loves dearly and a job he believes in, part of him is stuck in the past. He’s never forgotten the first love he let fade away fifteen years ago.

Adam "Izz" Azzi has settled into a happy rhythm. His daughter is healthy, he's found a mosque that accepts him, and his work as a modern artist is gaining international attention. While his past is fraught with mistakes and what-ifs, his life now is good, and he doesn't want to upset any of the balance he's worked so hard to achieve.

When Nick and Izz are reunited by luck and fate, their attraction is just as undeniable, but what was left unsaid haunts them. They have hope for a future together, but wishing may not be enough.

Book Review

"I am going to wrap my arms around you, hold you, inhale your scent, breathe your very essence, and let it fill the hole inside me that has ached and bled for so very long." ~ CD

A lot of things can happen in fifteen years. An entire lifetime can happen between the ages of eighteen and thirty-three. For Adam and Nick, that's exactly what occurred from when they last saw each other at their high school graduation and unexpectedly meeting again at Adam's gallery showing. A host of memories has gone by for each of them, but neither one ever stopped missing the love of their life.

“I told you I loved you and I never heard back from you,” Nick whispered, the words coming out choked. But if they were going to have any hope of rediscovering what they’d once had, then everything needed to be said. No matter how painful it was. He had to find the strength to rip them out of a past that would only attack them again and again if they didn’t face it now."

I could so understand and appreciate Adam's perspective, however. As a recovering alcoholic and addict, who only got clean when he found out he had a brand-new daughter, the thought of getting lost in Nick, again and then losing him, is a terrifying prospect. My heart went out to Nick, also, who literally didn't figure out he was gay and still in love with Adam until his wife talked to him about having another child, and he all of a sudden realized he wanted all of the day-to-day stuff, but with Adam. Nick is so focused on everyone else's happiness he completely forgets to take the time to figure out what he wants. Whereas Adam, as an emotional artist, often forgets to learn what those he loves want. Two sides of a coin.

I was incredibly impressed that the author didn't stick with the standard fare in this trope. Instead, she broadened it with some extremely heartfelt and very emotional drama, that reminded me of what family is truly all about. The writing was brilliant and evocative. The story was simple, but equally complex. Truly a must-read in my opinion.

 

 

 

 

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, 246 pages/83560 words
Heat Level
Publication Date	02-October-2015
Price	$6.99 ebook, $14.99 paperback, $14.99 bundle
Buy Link	https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/where-wishes-go-by-sa-mcauley-342-b