Debra E's Never-Ending TBR

3.5 stars

The fast-moving relationship between Russell and Justin quickly hits a low point after Russ's drinking leads to an outburst that terrifies the younger, previously abused Justin. Between the large age gap, the fact that Russ is Justin's father's best friend, and both men personally struggling, there are a lot of issues that arise. I couldn't help but root for this relationship to work out as it is clear the two really are a good fit despite everything stacked against them. There was a surprising element that arose in their relationship that worked where I thought it wouldn't. There was quite a bit of angst and emotion, and the writing flowed much better than in the first story, [b:The King's Mate|18003880|The King's Mate (Sam's Cafe Romances, #1)|Ashavan Doyon|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1370105772s/18003880.jpg|25267207]. I'm glad I stuck with it.