58-year-old former Marine Thomas Duncan is a bodyguard for the rock band Boyfriend of the Loveless, and he's specifically entrusted with the care of the lead singer, 27-year-old Ryan Lawling. And right here is where my issues with this story begin. Duncan -- no one calls him Thomas, apparently, except his mother and his sister -- doesn't seem like a man who is almost 60 years old to me. His actions -- personal, not professional -- make him appear sometimes to be a much younger man. And Ryan is 27 going on 17 for much of the story. Also, I'm a true fan of May/December love stories, but a 31-year age difference is a little hard even for me to swallow, especially when the older man begins by complaining about how immature the younger man is and then suddenly reverses course in his opinion.
Which brings me to the second issue I have with this story. Duncan begins by appearing to find Ryan tiresome, and we're led to believe he doesn't even find him likable. Then within a chapter -- whiplash-inducingly swift -- he is sexually fantasizing about the younger man and -- more whiplash -- before too much longer, they get down and dirty. There is no development of any real relationship between them. It's all just lust. Additionally, neither man's character is developed so that we learn anything more about him than we knew when we started reading. This is all we know. Duncan is a devoted son and father, Ryan is talented but insecure, and they discover that they unexpectedly want each other, desperately enough to risk their careers to hook up.
The angst created by their situation as client and bodyguard is used only to give some credence to the notion that Ryan's need for a personal bodyguard on him 24/7 will complicate a relationship they're both needing to keep secret. And Ryan's stalker manages to get caught by the cops only after she creates further drama which lands Duncan in hospital. Before that, she always serendipitously escapes. And is it only me, or does anyone else find it odd that she inexplicably has damning photos of them in a compromising situation? How did she manage to get ANYWHERE close enough to them when they were getting naked to take pictures? The writer doesn't even TRY to answer that awkward question that her plot choice raises. It's just another narrative ploy, used without sufficient thought, to give a story added interest.
There was so much potential for this to be a really fabulous age-gap love story, but the writer missed the mark. Older men acting implausibly isn't sexy, just unbelievable. And being a brat doesn't look good on a younger MC after a while, especially if he's the older man's love interest and that man doesn't have a Daddy kink. I'm truly disappointed in this story.
$4.99 with 62 percent savings
Print List Price: $12.99 
The Print List Price is the lowest suggested retail price provided by a publisher for a print book format of this title, available on Amazon (e.g. hardcover, paperback, mass market paperback).
Learn more
Learn more
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Unwell Hydration from Alex Cooper
Hydrate & focus with every sip Shop now
Shop this series
See full series- Kindle Price:$14.97By placing your order, you're purchasing a license to the content and you agree to the Kindle Store Terms of Use.
Shop this series
There are 3 books in this series.
Kindle Price:
$14.97
By placing your order, you're purchasing a license to the content and you agree to the Kindle Store Terms of Use.
Popular titles by this author
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
About the author
Great 2nd Book
Another amazing book in this series. I am really enjoying this authors books and I love the chemistry between Duncan and Ryan even though there is an age gap and Ryan is Duncan's client.
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews. Please reload the page.
- Reviewed in the United States on October 24, 2019
- Reviewed in the United States on July 9, 2020
