Review: If you prefer a certain realism in your romance plots, try this
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 07 23, 2013
First of all, the characters were realistically flawed and not utterly beautiful hunks, and that was refreshing.  Mike was actually not bad looking, I think, just SO self-conscious and shy that his self-image was terrible.  I loved that he was not perfect.  And that Kellen was a real guy, too.  Hunky and intelligent enough for a writer, I think! All that was perfectly sexy.I like that Mike's insecurities were things he was working on over-coming.  Sure, he was still too hesitant to have much of a sex life, but that kind of thing can be pretty scary for a number of people.  If you can barely talk to people to make close friends, trying to get a boyfriend would be even more difficult, after all.  Mike had a good job, was financially secure, talked on-line, had his sister's family... He was OK... just needed to find his One True Love.Kellen had a great sex-life, but like many guys, he had trouble with commitment.  And he had his mother's hatred of relying on others.  This could have been enough for one book, but then we have a serious block to a relationship:  having a sick, elderly parent to take care of.It IS a bit of a downer for a romance.  But it's also different and realistic.  All kinds of basic things can create conflict in a relationship, and for people who are reaching middle age and older, an ailing, aged parent can totally shut their life down for years.  It was interesting to see how our two lovers would manage to deal with such a devastating, long-term event.There were so many very cool elements to this story.  I really applaud the author for trying to keep the couple and their romance real.  Sure, it is not for everyone.  The development of the relationship is gradual and there are no big dramatic events, so it can seem a bit slow-moving.  But if you like a sweet but realistic romance that deals with an everyday, but tough situation, this could be for you.