The second in the Poker Night series is a nice may / december relationship, even if, apart telling the age of Jules, 43, there are no other hints that Jules is older than is lover Bobby.

Jules is an handsome and lonely doctor, and also a very wealthy man. The money doesn't come from his work but from family; apparently Jules was born in a lovely family and he grew happy and confident. At college he met his first love, and lover, Morgan, and they were fated to be happy together. As all the young people believe, they thought to have a life in front of them, and Jules devoted himself to his studies and career. But when he was only 27 years old, Morgan died in a car accident and Jules was left only with remorse. Worst, both his parents than his sister died for illness, and he, other than with remorse, was left also alone. It's a bad joke of destiny that Jules, a good doctor, was unable not only to save his lover but also his family. From all these tragedies, Jules comes out as a sad but still good man. He is not angry with the world, he is only disappointed of himself. He now devotes all of him to the hospital he works in and when he is at home, to restore old classic car: I don't know, maybe restoring old things that were fated to die gives him some peace, some relief from his sense of guilty.

Bobby is one of Zac's poker night friend. Like Jules he was born in a wealthy family, but unlike Jules, his parents were not supportive of him. He soon detached himself from them and tried to make his living restoring an old yacht to take around tourist. Only that he had money trouble, and his brother bought the leasing from the bank. It's was not a brotherly love gesture, instead he is now treating Bobby as an underpaid employer. After all this, Bobby has not a so good opinion of men coming from money, but Jules seems different. Actually it's not Bobby who brings Jules out of his mourning period, it's Jules who takes the chance to live again and talks Bobby into a relationship.

There are not much contrast between Jules and Bobby, their story flows nicely and easily. I like that the money factor was never a problem and that Jules has never tried to buy Bobby's love, not even unintentionally. The only few troubles between them are aroused by their respective misunderstandings, and they are all things they can work through with a bit of patient. Again the overall feeling is of a series about ordinary men living in ordinary places, the problems are common to most people, money trouble, past mistakes... and the solutions are simple as the problems are. The first two books in the Poker Night series have also a low drama profile, something that maybe will change in the third book, from what I could understand from the closing scene of this one.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1907010920/?tag=elimyrevandra-20