On Davis Row by N.R. Walker

 by N.R. Walker

4.5 stars 

Nearing the end of a suspended jail sentence should unlock a brighter future for CJ Davis, only the chip on his shoulder is as hard to shift as his bad reputation. Born into a family of career criminals who live down Davis Road, an address the cops have dubbed Davis Row, his name alone is like a rap sheet that makes optimism impossible.

Brand-new parole officer Noah Huxley is determined to see the good in men like CJ. After all, he knows firsthand that bad things can happen to good people. His colleagues mock his doe-eyed optimism, but Noah soon sees CJ’s bad attitude and bravado are weapons he uses to keep people at a distance.

Both men know one simple mistake can change a life forever. At first glance, they might seem to be polar opposites. Yet underneath, they're not that different at all.

Another knock-it-out-of-the-park novel from N.R. Walker.  It is a different sort of book, slower-paced than N.R. Walker other books and deals with a heart-breaking story of trying find value in yourself when no-one else see it.  Yes, this is a love story, but it is heart-breaking, we laughed, we cried, we stopped reading because our heart was breaking. It is a story of love of second chances and so much more.

What did we love?

- Dual POV: So many dual POV stories struggle with the different voices, but On Davis row is a perfect example of never confused voices.  We loved Noah’s optimism, his belief that everyone sometimes just needs a hand up.  And even through his own personal tragedies he still has so much hope and drive.  CJ’s voice is broken; he doesn’t believe much in himself and thinks that everyone is there to take from him.  The balance between Noah’s bright eyed optimism and CJ’s negativity is brilliant.  Don’t know if we would be able to survive a whole book from either of their POV, but moving back and forth gives balance.

- Slow burn:  We love slow burn romance, and On Davis Row is wonderfully unhurried.  Not to be misconstrued with the chemistry between CJ and Noah, because that is palpable.  But, the story takes it’s time, there is no rush to get them into bed, there is no rush to the happy ending.  There is significant issues that need to be worked through to get to all those things, and they make Noah and CJ’s journey to love so much sweeter.

- The Characters:  We love these men.  We love that CJ as hard and tough as he wants to appear is taking care of an elderly sick relative.  We love the Noah is determined to help, to support and to be anything CJ needs, how he could see through all the walls and labels and see the real CJ. We loved falling in love with them through each other’s eyes. 

- Epilogue:  A beautiful beautiful epilogue – thank you.

N.R. Walker is one of our favourite authors and On Davis Row is a wonderfully book full of so many emotions.  On Davis Row is a character driven story that sucked us in and kept us hoping for that happy ending.  A great read!

Review of Yanni’s Story (Spencer Cohen #4) by NR Walker

by NR Walker

5 stars

When Yanni Tomaras is kicked out of his family home, his parents’ final words are religious insults and an order to never return. Homeless and desperate, he’s lured in by Lance—charming on the outside, an evil predator underneath—who abuses Yanni until he finds the courage to leave.

Yanni should feel free. But by the time Spencer Cohen finds him, he’s resigned to being handed back to Lance and once again being caged by fear.

Starting school and a part-time job, Yanni begins to reclaim his life. But a love for silent films leads him to Peter Hannikov, a man with a kind heart but who’s twice his age. An unlikely friendship between them blooms into so much more. Neither man knows what he wants, at first. Finding out exactly what he needs is Yanni’s story.

“I’d spent years as a bird, caged with my wings clipped, tormented and beaten.

I thought I’d escaped when I’d left my abuser, but in hindsight, I could see that I was still caged, this time by fear and self-doubt.

Spencer and Andrew, and Andrew’s parents, opened the door to the cage that confined me.

But it was Peter who taught me how to fly.”

Gosh, we LOVED this book!  It is heartbreaking, achingly tender, sweet and so redeeming.  When we first met Yanni in Spencer Cohen #2, we despaired how he would ever find his way to be whole again, and we hoped and hoped.

This is book #4 in the Spencer Cohen series, and you really have to read the other books to really appreciate Yanni and Peter.  This is not a sweep you off your feet story, or a love will heal all story, it is redemption, it is taking back your life, it is finding value in yourself and believing in love again.  Amazing. 

NR Walker creates real life characters; these are not caricatures, but real people who struggle with their demons and live real lives.  Yanni’s story does not shy away from hard topics – Yanni was horribly abused by someone who said they loved him, Yanni was abandoned by his family for his sexual choices, and Yanni is broken.  But, Peter sees who Yanni really is, Peters sees that friendship is a lifeline for them both and doesn’t give up.  He is constant, caring and accepts Yanni’s past, and hopes to be part of his future.

Yanni’s Story is slow slow slow burn, but it works so well.  It is a story about Yanni taking back his life and that includes choosing to love and to feel intimate with someone.  And aside from the other critics we felt it worked really well.   Honestly if Yanni had jumped into bed with Peter, don’t think it would have felt authentic.   They have chemistry and that is undeniable that they both feel it, but they can enjoy it and not rip each other’s clothes off.  They also have this daddy kink between them that is sexy sexy sexy.  It isn’t in your face, but there is an undercurrent of Peter wanted to take care of Yanni, to provide for him and to nurture him. We aren’t huge daddy kink reader, but Peter and Yanni fit together that it doesn’t seem like a huge stretch.

Review of Physical Therapy (St. Nacho's #2)

 by Z.A. Maxfield

4 Stars

When Jordan Jensen moves to St. Nacho’s he has one goal in mind: starting over. He wants to reconnect with best friends Cooper and Shawn yet is uncertain of his welcome. He has the skills to get a job, but isn’t sure any prospective employer can get past the time he spent in jail for alcohol-related vehicular homicide. He’s past the worst part of his life but knows it will haunt him forever. So Jordan plans a life of quiet service. One thing he knows for sure: finding love is entirely too much to ask.

On the first day of his new job, Jordan meets Ken Ashton. Ken has every reason to hate Jordan for his past and only one to seek him out: Ken's baseball career was shattered in a drunk-driving accident. But for some reason he can’t explain, Ken needs Jordan’s touch and finds healing within Jordan’s warmth and strength. Jordan wants to give Ken everything his new partner needs.

Without entirely understanding it, Ken and Jordan develop a powerful emotional and erotic connection, but Ken must help Jordan find the faith to trust it. Unexpected help comes from the people of Santo Ignacio--and the town itself--a place where Physical Therapy can be a path toward spiritual healing and powerful, passionate love.

This is the 2^nd installment of the St. Nacho’s series, and we think it is a great emotional read.  There is something about how ZA Maxfield has written this book that draws you in form the first chapter.

Let’s start with Jordan, this is such a different Jordan that we saw in the first book.  That Jordan was self-centered, self-involved, greedy, and unremorseful.  This Jordan, he is changed.  After prison, and getting his degree sees that he can give back to society, he still harbours huge guilt, the thoughts that he will never be good enough and an unrealistic view that he will always be atoning for his mistakes, but he wants to try and have a life.  He moves to St. Nacho’s the idealistic seaside town hoping to start fresh in his life.  Taking a job at t local gym he find himself working with Ken.  Ken is recovering form a life-changing accident caused by a drunk driver that claimed his best friends life.  These two men are drawn to each other and the hurt and heartbreak they both feel for their situations.

There is so many good and not-so-good things in this book.  We are so happy that Jordan is getting his life together, but it is heartbreaking hearing his internal dialogue of self-worth.  He feels he doesn’t deserve anyone. And Ken is so so so so SO ANGRY.  He is stuck in this loop of what his life was like, and where it is now, and the reality that he wasn’t truthful to his family about who he really was, a gay man. And the heat between theses two is hot, and yet, so sad.  They are so drawn to each other, comforted by each other, but neither really want to be tied to each other. 

If you have read anything by ZA Maxfield, she creates a fantastic world of secondary characters and Physical Therapy doesn’t disappoint.  From Izzie, the gym owner, to the local cops and the red hat ladies, they are all unique and distinct and create a whole world in St. Nacho’s.  And re-visiting with our friends from the first book, is so fun, I love seeing that  a year later they are still happy and settled. 

Although we clearly loved this book, there were a few things that made us skim.  Jordan’s internal-dialogue.  We understand his pain, and his guilt over his mistakes, but wished that through this journey he could see that he is worthy of love, and hold onto Ken, instead of always keeping him at arms length.  Then there is the piece about Jordan’s attack – and honestly we felt there wasn’t really settled.  Yes, they changed the person that did it, but it was all off page.  

All in all, Physical Therapy is a great 2^nd book in the St. Nacho’s series.  We truly weren’t fans of Jordan in the first installment, but he is trying so hard to pay for his sins that you can’t help root for his happy ever after, and Physical Therapy delivers!