Is There Still Room in Your Life for Me?

This is a case of expectations vs. reality not met but I'm not going to say it was a bad thing. Just not what foresaw going into this read.

Starting by the cover (which I love), title, and blurb I thought this would be second chance romance between mature adults. On paper it is. And it isn't.

The book is split into two parts titled Jake & Colt but it's really all kind of an omniscient POV. The story is told in present time and flashbacks to two time periods: high school and Halloween when both MC have come back to their hometown(ish) during their college days. These episodes revolve around missed opportunities for them both to come out to each other and profess their mutual attraction. It happens.

The present day has Jake dealing with his parents, his professional life, and reverting to a besotted teen whenever he sees Colt, which isn't un-relatable. However I struggled to get a grasp onto who these people were and/or their actual feelings beyond “we crushed on each other as youths and despite all of life experiences (I think they're in their mid 30's) we're in love”. I guess that's romantic but ...

Colt has the most textbook supportive parents, is smart (he's a doctor), and by description is super hot yet he's managed to not have any meaningful relationship. Is it just in service of the trope that he only has eyes & heart for his boyhood crush whom he never had anything with?

To me the story is about second chances but not necessarily the romantic type, that's incidental and where the romance readership could be disappointed. Despite the flashbacks to Jake & Colt's younger selves crushing on each other the issue to be resolved is Jake's situation with his parents. IMO it got the Hallmark treatment.

I'm not a proponent of never forgive, people make mistakes & they can change, but throughout the book, present day & flashbacks, Jake's mother is the bog standard, bible quoting, religious fanatic when it comes to Jake's sexuality and revelations made by her towards the end only make it worse. Meanwhile we're meant to forget all this as she makes a 180 in record time. I didn't believe it. Jake's father on the other hand is portrayed as the good guy while he knew of and condoned by silence the behavior of his wife. Also didn't buy it.

Other things that needled me? I'm glad you asked.

The indeterminate age child who speaks and acts like an adult from another age and validates the choices his parent wants to make rather than be an actual child.

The de rigueur outré female friend which every gay male character seems to have. She's sassy, slutty, and has a mouth on her with zero filter. Here we get two. One for each MC. I'm tired of them.

The present day romance between the MC is just a couple of dates in which the talk (which is good) but so much is off page (I don't care much but forewarned that all of the smexy times are curtains) that I felt like the author is yada yadaing a big chunk of the story.

Anyway enough of my carping. If you're looking for a well written sweet story about second chances in life this isn't a bad read and it's on KU.

As usual YMMV