Take a Chance on Me
Reviewed for Sinfully.Starting a new Alexa Land book is like meeting up with old friends. Never fear, this one can be read as a standalone, though characters from prior books make plenty of appearances.
Both men need someone to take a chance on them. Duke, the uptight cop and Quinn the lovable mess. They couldn’t be more opposite on the outside, but beneath the surface they have more in common than you would think.
If you adored Quinn as much as I did when he was introduced as River’s outrageous and lovable roommate in the last book, [b:All I Ever Wanted|35422788|All I Ever Wanted (The Firsts and Forever, #14)|Alexa Land|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1497283471s/35422788.jpg|56798015], you will love him here because that’s just who he is. He works as a go-go boy at night, but he’s a classically trained ballet dancer and is the lead in Dare’s new dance troupe. He is a sweetheart and just wants to be happy, living each day to its fullest. He also wants everyone around him to be happy. Of course Quinn being happy often results in a mess of epic proportions, but everything he does is done with all his heart.
The Duke we’ve met before as Cole’s roommate and Finn’s partner on the job is pretty much the anti-Quinn. He is big and quiet and a bit of stick in the mud. Even Quinn can’t understand what would possess Duke to allow him to move into his pristine home. It turns out Duke is also pretty insecure and worries about everything. He didn’t grow up in a warm happy household and his dating life has been nothing but a disaster, something he blames himself for.
I truly loved these two together and the way they progressed from strangers to friends to lovers. As much of a handful as Quinn is, he brings out something in Duke that no one has before. Duke’s emotional walls are pretty high but Quinn’s light is infectious and Duke soon succumbs. Seriously, who could resist a guy who has a moving box labeled “happy stuff”. Their romance is slow and sweet. Duke gives Quinn the most perfect, swoon-worthy first date imaginable and they were destined to fall in love from that moment on.
Since the two are roommates, they bond over everyday things. Baking cookies, watching TV, talking about work. Soon they are sharing their families and their pasts, both of which have some horrible moments that left them a bit scarred. Just as the two men are different, so are their families. I guarantee you’ll love one and hate the other. Duke becomes an unconditional support for Quinn while Quinn helps Duke see that he needs to let go of some things and start living the life he wants for himself, not what others have thrust upon him. Both men experience plenty of firsts here and I was happy to be along for the ride.
This wouldn’t be a Firsts and Forever book without appearances from Nana and the gang. Nana is gearing up for a fundraiser for her LGBTQ shelter and concocts the perfect way to make money and the perfect way to get attention for both that and Dare’s troupe’s first performance. That can only be topped by a Halloween weekend in Las Vegas, sexy costumes included. There is also time spent with the younger men in the series, especially Darwin and Elijah, who quickly works his way into Quinn’s heart (I cannot wait for an Elijah story – that boy deserves a lot of happy).
As usual you’ll run through a gamut of emotions with tears (both happy and sad) and uncontrollable bursts of laughter. The ending provides the guys with a Christmas miracle and drops a surprise about the next couple up for their HEA. If you’re looking for a light-hearted romance that will leave you with a huge smile, I highly recommend this one.
