Loss, grief, and survivor's guilt is something we all have to deal with at some stage in our lives. We all deal with it in different ways, but when we lose a partner, a lover, it is immeasurably more difficult to get back to some sort of normal, maybe even happy life. Relief and change can come from different sources, and this story looks at one that is probably one of the most misunderstood: physical attraction to a new man.

Lane has lost his lover of ten years in a car accident and, as happens so often, even a year later his grief is so deep that he doesn’t allow himself any sort of joy. He hasn't quite lost the will to live, but all he does is go through the motions. He is in survival mode, and cannot imagine anything that might be able to pull him out of the depths of his depression. The shock when it does happen is significant, but he is ready to let the new feelings take him where he needs to go.

Mike is just the right guy to pull Lane out of his funk. He is considerate, a professional masseur, and, as such, well aware of the power of physical sensations and their effect on the heart and mind of people who hurt – for whatever reason. I loved his patience, his dedication, and his willingness to let Lane heal in his own time. It may help that he has recovered from a serious football injury and knows about healing, both physically (Lane is starved for touch) and mentally (Lane has not, so far, allowed himself to stop grieving).

What follows is an exploration of the physical as well as the emotional between two men who are both, in their own ways, desperately lonely. Yes, their bedroom activities are hot, but that is a part of the deeper emotions that develop between them, giving each of them what they are looking for. I think it's fascinating that J.P. took this situation to show us how, sometimes, the body can lead the way in the healing process. After all, what could be more natural?

If you like stories about two hot men who deal with more than just physical attraction as they explore each other's bodies, and if you enjoy finding out how a 'happy ending' can sometimes come from the most unexpected source, you will probably like this short book.
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Sweet read and sexy smut. I'm not sure what purpose Lydia served but otherwise this was a nice love story. ( )