Review: ~ Review by Caroline
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 06 13, 2014
4.75 of 5 starsFor original review see The Prism Book Alliance Blog onlineThis pretty much picks up where Collide finished but sadly Wesleys sister Chelle has died. Wes is naturally devastated and is in a very dark place where he feels he can’t cope with the new task of raising his niece. Braden, is very much still being the Braden we first met and wants to get Wes back into bed.Wes lost his mum to a car accident when he was younger and was raised by his older sister Chelle who he adored. His father walked out of the house one day to go to the shop and never returned.  His one long term relationship with another man didn’t work out well and after 5 years he was once again left on his own. With his sister now dying Wes feels as though another person has left him. He quickly puts up so many barriers around himself preventing people from getting close, thus preventing any further hurt, that he has left himself feeling desolate and lonely.Braden is bi-sexual and thinks there is not enough time in the world to try everything that life has to offer. He has spent his years travelling around and never laying down roots. The last thing he wants is to settle down with one person and curtail his lifestyle. Funny how things work out!Wes is so sure that he has to be perfect in every way to raise his niece that he soon finds himself struggling. There are not enough hours in the day and he is emotionally exhausted and feeling very fragile. He second guesses himself as to what he should be doing and whether he is doing it right so much that he is missing out on all the enjoyment of raising a child.Braden is like an itch that won’t go away. No matter how much Wes tries to keep him at arms length he slowly wheedles himself into this new little family. He bonds with Jessie, Wesleys niece, and without anyone noticing becomes integral to their healing process. He teases, annoys and riles Wes until one day Wes realises that he actually likes it and has come to depend him.This is not an easy relationship and I spent a lot of time with my fingers crossed that Braden wouldn’t go off and do something stupid when constantly being brushed off by Wes. I loved the changes in Braden throughout the book, he wasn’t a bad person but his thoughtlessness wasn’t his best asset. Wes needed to come out of his self inflicted bubble and start to live life again, never easy for someone that has been hurt previously. Riley Hart has once again given us two imperfect men and a beautiful story.All Wes needs is to be brave enough to ask the man he has fallen in love with to Stay………..