Debra E's Never-Ending TBR

Evan again is the center of this book. Instead of being able to enjoy his new relationships with his brother Brennan and boyfriend Alek, Evan becomes the victim of a brutal beating. Months after the assault, at home recovering, he finds himself feeling abandoned by Brennan, who fears losing another loved one, and Alek, who is weighed down by guilt for not protecting him. Needing physical affection and comfort, he finds himself turning to Luka. Once their relationship crosses the line of friendship and Luka's true feelings for Evan come out, the fragile boundaries the four men have created all start to crumble. On top of all this, Evan and Brennan's father is returning home for the first time to meet the son he gave up and it appears that Evan's confidant and family friend Jimmy has been filling him in on the questionable nature of the foursome.

This book finds Evan questioning all of the relationships in his life and trying to learn to stand on his own for the first time. There are so many emotional ups and downs as all the relationships between brothers and lovers are tested. While it is clear all the men love each other, it appears that without Evan the whole thing falls apart. They are hard enough on each other but their loyalty is never in question, especially when Charlie returns to find everything has changed in Evan's life and not necessarily for the better.

Again each of the characters is very distinct. Brennan desperately wants his father's love and approval and Evan is determined to make that happen even as he feels his relationship with Charlie changing. The guilt and anger from Alek and Luka's troubled past is still hanging between them and their love for Evan and Brennan sometimes only seems to bring out the worst in them, especially as the boundaries between all of them keep shifting.

The ending brings some resolution and the couples try to set some rules for going forward with their relationships. I'm sure it won't be an easy road, but I'm looking forward to seeing them work things out on the new path they have set for book 3.