Personal Secrets: 4
4.5 starsReaders following the Personal series know Ed Fellows as Blake's office manager and best friend. Bearish and rough on the outside, Ed is fiercely loyal and protective of those he cares about. Ed has been there in there in the background supporting both Blake and Will and Rick and Angelo and now it is Ed's turn to have his world turned upside down.
We got the first brief peek of Colin and Ed in [b:More Than Personal|18666564|More Than Personal (Personal #2.5)|K.C. Wells|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1381685633s/18666564.jpg|26490887], but if you haven't read that, the scene is replayed at the start of this book, but from Colin's point of view. When a drunk Ed gets word that Blake and Will's baby is on the way a bit early, his rugby teammate Colin offers him a ride to the hospital and then takes him home. Colin has been lusting after the presumably straight Ed since he joined the rugby team, so when a drunken Ed makes a move on Colin, it is hard for him to put up too much of a fight. The experience flips a switch in Ed. He had fooled around with men in university, but mostly found himself bouncing around from girl to girl with no real attachment. Now, not only can't he stop thinking about being with Colin, but he finds himself with feelings he's never had before in any relationship. The fact that he is having sex with a man is not a struggle for Ed, but the growing emotional attachment is.
I have loved Ed's character since the beginning of the series and like that he hasn't changed. The story flow felt very real and the outside drama is toned down in this installment. The majority of the conflict is within Ed himself dealing with the fallout from his teammates and his family and with feelings he is not sure how to express. Colin is not perfect and has his own trouble dealing with how quickly he is falling for Ed, as well as the sudden reappearance of an old boyfriend. Rick and Angelo serve as the voice of reason for Ed, especially with his old friend Blake dealing with life as a new father (although there is plenty of catch up time with Blake and Will).
This was a lighter read than the other stories in the series and I enjoyed watching the men navigate their relationship. Of course, with any K.C. Wells story, the hot sex doesn't hurt. I know this is slated to be the last in the series and the story works well tying up any loose ends for all three couples. I would be very interested however, in Rod and Derek's story, as those two seemed to hit it off quite well. Perhaps a little spin off?
A copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
