Review: A great story for the holidays!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 11 26, 2013
A touching story of two men finding each other in a moment in their lives when nothing is certain.Judah is a proud man who has lost everything he ever worked for. Driven by fear of the uncertain and the state his life is in, he lashes out at Toby when he ran into him. Try as he might he can't get his life back together and everything comes crumbling down around him. Now he's homeless, broke and most of all lonely.Toby has been homeless for a year and even though he has learned to accept his situation and appears content and cheery, he is conflicted and his spirit is dwindling. He sees all Judah is trying to hide - the fear, the uncertainty. And recognizes it for what it is. He extends a hand to Judah and offers him a shoulder to lean on.Together they embark in a friendship that leads to romance, but Judah continues to struggle. He has come to rely on Toby, but fears losing himself.Ally Blue did a wonderful job in bringing Judah and Toby's story to the page. The concept behind the story is not a common one, but a very real one regardless.She brought each character's doubts, emotions and thoughts to the page in such a way that I could not help myself but to feel for them both. Each honest interaction, passion-filled exchange and conflicted emotion helped to develop the connection between Judah and Toby. Both men grew as characters throughout the story while still dealing with their current situation and what it all entailed. Although it took Judah more time and his struggle brought tears to my eyes, his growth was essential for him to have any type of success, especially in his relationship with Toby. I admired his resilience and wanted to shake some sense into him all the same.Needless to say that their chemistry was awesome. They each brought something different every time they came together. But mostly I enjoyed the vulnerability they displayed. It made their connection that much more believable.All in all, a sweet, heart-warming story of new beginnings for two men who never thought they'd ever get a chance to achieve that kind of happiness. A great story for the holidays!I received this title in exchange of my honest opinion as part of my participation in the blog tour.