Category: Contemporary

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Waiting for the Rain Audiobook by Susan Mac Nicol Narrated by Matthew Lloyd Davies

Dreamspinner Presents
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6639

WaitingForRainAUDMEDBlurb

The village of Stamford, the quintessential chocolate box English scene, seemed an impossible dream for foster kid Toby Prentiss. Now he’s found a home among the haystacks and village fairs as the general manager for the Duck and Drake Hotel. With the fears and demons from his youth hidden away in this bucolic oasis, he’s very protective of who he lets in. Until he stumbles across shirtless carpenter Rain Engel building the hotel’s new custom-designed bar.

Working in the countryside, Rain prepared to face his biggest fear: sheep. He didn’t expect to deal with his second biggest fear: commitment. Toby’s controlled, tough guy façade coupled with his “find happiness where you can” optimism calls to Rain like nothing before. While Rain may be an exhibitionist, his romantic history forces him to hold his emotions close. As their relationship develops, secrets from their pasts drive a wedge between them: the ex-boyfriend who tore apart Rain’s trust and Toby’s history with the law. But can the secrets hiding among the quirky villagers bring them together? With missing sheep, pole dancing at the winter festival, and a crippling drought, everyone is waiting for Rain.

Review

Toby is the manager of a hotel. He’s just booted his last boyfriend for smacking him around, he’s not necessarily looking to get involved with anyone right now.

Rain – not his real name – is working at Toby’s hotel in construction – he’s newly single and definitely not looking for any relationship. But… Rain is super hot for Toby, from the first moment they meet and vice versa.

Toby and Rain start a furtive relationship of handjobs and BJs – they aren’t even really sure they like one another. But… as time passes Toby wants more. He asks for and gets a date.

The “date” shows them both there is more to their ‘relationship’ than just quick getting-off.

Rain has a past – where he’s been hurt, so he’s guarded. Toby doesn’t trust easily and has a confusing relationship with his current boss that muddies the waters.
Then there’s the sheep…

In the end these guys make their way to a HEA and there’s stripping!

**

I have to tell you that this story just didn’t do it for me. I kept starting and stopping and putting it away, hoping for inspiration at another time.

Finally, I just pushed through and though there are some moments that are funny, some hot sex scenes and some tender declarations, I was never “moved”.

For me there just wasn’t that “hook” where you get invested in the characters or the story and just “have to keep reading/listening” to find out what happens next.

I just didn’t really care all that much. The writing was fine and the narrator Matthew Lloyd Davies did a fine job – in fact he did a great job – but I was just never that caught up in the story. Matthew gives everyone a different voice and that really added to the overall enjoyment.

I think the other thing that made this story hard for me was it’s length. There is a lot of side-story going on: the exes, the boss, the sheep, the fathers, the town drought… it got distracting.

So… I would definitely look to this author again – I can see that she has definite talent, but this story just didn’t flip any of my switches.

I give it 3 of 5 hearts for the narration because he did such a great job and the story wasn’t bad, just not terrific.

3

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Here For You Audiobook by Skylar Cates Narrated by Paul Morey

Dreamspinner Presents

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6753

HereForYouAUDMEDBlurb

Life is a thread connecting us. One pull and it all unravels.

Cole Gannon arrives in the seaside town of Ocean Vista to work as a bartender and finally find a place to belong. Determined to make a home for himself, Cole lives happily with his four colorful roommates, whom he considers brothers. The only problem is Cole’s attraction to Ian Stark—a guy all wrong for him. He wishes he didn’t keep running into the sexy lawyer.

Ian knows Cole is attracted to him, but the younger man keeps him at arm’s length. It only makes Ian more determined to be with Cole and learn all his secrets. But while Ian has built a successful law practice, he hasn’t done too well with relationships.

When a sudden and devastating tragedy occurs, it shatters Cole’s world and throws Cole and Ian together in unexpected ways. In an instant, everything between them changes forever.

Review

Cole’s biological family was never there for him, so he created his own family with a group of friends in a house of their own. It wasn’t always easy but they were there for one another.

Tragedy strikes and Cole loses one of his “family” – Brendan. He takes the loss hard. As does the rest of the “family”.

Ian was Brendan’s boss, and is older than Cole or his friends. Complicating things is that Cole had a crush on Ian, as did Brendan, before Brendan passed.

Ian, however, has only ever had eyes for Cole.

When Cole turns to Ian for comfort, the couple begins their long dance of courtship. It’s a slow burn, there are a lot of emotional hurdles to be jumped before they can achieve their HEA. But… they do.

This is the first in a series and there are many roommates who undoubtedly will have their story told in the future, they are well developed and each add their own unique flavor to this tale.

**

Skylar Cates is a phenomenal writer. Her prose is crisp and clear, without a lot of unnecessary clutter. I enjoy her characterizations and she has a real knack for the “slow burn” style of romance. By the time our MCs finally “commit”, the reader is as invested as they are!

I do recommend that you prepare for the long haul, because there is all that sadness to wade through – it’s not a quick, light or fluffy read. For me, I had to be in just the right frame of mind and so it took quite awhile to get through. (And I was listening so that made things more complex – see Audio part of review.)

I also warn that since it is the first in a series be prepared for a lot of background information – there are a lot of guys we need to meet.

That being said, it’s a really well done book about love and loss and friendship and family.

Audio

I love Paul Morey. I think he’s one of the better narrators out there, and I always enjoy his reading style. This book definitely challenged him because there are so MANY characters and he has to keep in mind that they are gonna keep showing up. I think he did a valiant job in giving them distinguishing voices, though I did have to go back and forth between book and narration if I stopped for any stretch in time to get re-acquainted again with who is who.

I also didn’t like Tomas’ “voice” it was a bit like a mix between a Hispanic accent and Paul’s Russian accent.

For the Audiobook I’d give this a 4 of 5 hearts, with the book maybe earning a 4.5 on it’s own.

4

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Tigers on the Run (Book 3) by Sean Kennedy

Dreamspinner Presents http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6631

TigersontheRunBlurb

Young Australian Micah Johnson is the first AFL player to be out at the beginning of his career. Retired professional football player Declan Tyler mentors Micah, but he finds it difficult, as Micah is prone to making poor life choices that land him in trouble. Nothing Dec can’t handle. He’s been there, done that, more times than he’d like to admit. Being Simon Murray’s partner all these years has Dec quite experienced in long-suffering and mishaps.

As usual, Simon thinks everything is going along just fine until his assistant, Coby, tells him a secret involving an old nemesis. Simon and Dec’s problems mash together, and to solve them, they must undertake a thousand-kilometer round trip in which issues will have to be sorted out, apologies are finally given, and a runaway kid is retrieved and returned to his worried parents.

Review

We saw Simon and Declan move from cautious lovers to full on partners in books 1 and 2. We saw lots of drama in between. Without sounding too glib, book three is yet more drama – but, really – isn’t that just life?
What makes books like these fun is the jumping back into the lives of the characters that you fell in love with originally. Simon’s sarcastic self, Declan’s reserve. Then there are Fran and Roger and Lisa and Abe – catching up with them in their lives as well.

Unfortunately there is also Jasper – and he takes up a fair bit of the book with his shenanigans, too. But things are changing with Jasper, he makes a new “friend” in Coby, Simon’s assistant.

So, if you are a fan of the series you’ll want to check in on the guys and see what they’re up to. Maybe in the next book we might find ourselves invited to a wedding so that we can see Simon and Dec “destroy the sanctity of marriage”? ☺

Though I wish there’d been some more “romance” in this “romance” it was fun catching up with the gang. (There is next to nothing in the smexy department, much to my dismay!) But lots of affection and true love.

3.5 of 5 hearts

3.5

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Healed Hearts by Logan Meredith

Dreamspinner Presents http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6764

HealedHeartsBlurb

Even men afraid of donuts deserve a happy ending.

Second-grade teacher Seth Ray has experienced more than his fair share of heartbreak. On his own since his mother’s death, Seth remains burdened by frequent anxiety, which he manages by steadfastly avoiding anything that might set it off—including men whose names start with the letter J and donuts. Unfortunately, after a night with Jude Murphy, he encounters both and flees into the street.

Jude’s not your typical twenty-something-year-old gay man. The youngest of six boys, he desperately wants to start a family of his own. The puzzling morning-after with Seth reminds him why he doesn’t sleep around.

When Seth discovers the man he brushed off is the uncle of one his students, he’s compelled to smooth things over to save face, but Jude lays it on the line—he wants Seth, but he doesn’t do casual. The allure of the sexy redhead compels Seth to face an entire family of J names for a chance at happiness.

Review
Seth and Jude meet at a bar – only Seth thinks Jude is “David” and that makes all the difference.

Seth has had a run of bad luck with men whose names start with J and donuts. So he’s sworn off both – for life. When Jude shows up after a night of hot sex with a bag of donuts and the confession that his name is really Jude not David as he’d said, Seth runs away.

When Jude meets Seth again it’s as the uncle to one of Seth’s students. They realize they have an uncommon attraction and decide to give it some work.

Jude is a bit broken as well, though. He’s only ever had one relationship – period- and is kind of an “all or nothing guy”. The exact opposite of Seth.

They have their work cut out for them.

**

I really liked this book. It wasn’t afraid to let both guys be very messed up and to really work through both their issues in detail. At times it did drag a bit, and for that I think it’s a 4 not a 5 in my ranking, but all in all I enjoyed their work.

The smexy times were pretty hot and the feels were very authentic and felt right.

This is a new author to me and I will definitely look for more from her in the future.

4 of 5 hearts

4

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Marriage Most Convenient by Amberly Smith

Dreamspinner Presents

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6775

MarriageMostConvenientBlurb

No bank is going to give a nomadic thrill seeker a loan, even if Tom Flynn wants to develop and run a retreat for disabled kids. Good thing he’s finally old enough to pull from his trust fund. However, it would mean settling down—because accessing the money requires him to be married—so he asks his best friend, Luke, to marry him.

Luke Marten’s goal is simple: don’t go on one more crazy adventure with Tom. Knowing how successful he has been in the past, Luke has a backup plan: don’t fall in love. He’s a goner when Tom not only proposes but confesses to one seriously hot kink.

For their friendship to survive this marriage, they’ll need to face DOMA, conservative judges, and long-held beliefs about each other. Talk about getting caught by the short hairs.

Review

Tom and Luke have been friends forever. Tom is bi-sexual but Luke (who is gay) doesn’t know this. Tom’s been wandering the world doing a bit of this and that until his inheritance comes in at 35. He doesn’t realize he has to be married to get it. When he does he asks Luke to help him out.

Luke agrees to the plan – it really is for a good cause – and the two explore the feelings neither has let the other know.

**

So… I liked this. I did not love it. The writing style was such that I found myself having to read and re-read parts to get who was doing what and why. It just didn’t flow smoothly for me, even though there was no high-brow concepts or anything standing in my way.

On the one hand I appreciated that the writer was kind of going for a more “minimalist” approach and letting each word/phrase/sentence fill with more meaning as a result, but the effect left me a bit confused rather than intrigued.

Tom and Luke are both compelling characters and I wish we’d had more story to get more deeply immersed with them. I was a bit bewildered by the added drama of the friend and the almost divorce and the angst surrounding the land. I’d have thought there was enough to deal with as it stood with the gay marriage and the time line and the friends to lovers and the “I’m bi-sexual”, etcetera.

I also never quite got a handle on how Luke and Tom felt toward each other before the deal. There was tension and I’m not sure how Tom managed to hide his sexuality from his BFF for so long – or why – but in the end I was still happy they found each other and could achieve their dreams.

I rounded this up from 3 to 3.5 simply because I appreciated the effort the author took to give us something new and different in terms of writing styles and I hope to see more from her.

3.5

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Mythologically Torqued Volume 2 by Torquere Press Tour with Giveaway & Excerpt

RC
Pages or Words: 102,185 words

Excerpt:
That night Luis dreams for the first time in years.
His surroundings are a surreal clash between pub and coffee shop. The bar is one he frequents only when he craves the noise and companionship of a crowd instead of an empty studio. The coffee shop is where he sat only days ago, agreeing to take on his first commission in ages. The mix of locales is strangely chaotic, too many details going awry between them. Gray windows hang opposite the bar itself, reflected by a wide mirror along the back wall. Yellow light glints from the ceiling, painting the pub brighter than Luis has ever actually seen it.
The booth he occupies is plush, empty but for himself, and the cushions beneath and behind him are cracked with wear.
“Can I join you?” a coffee-smooth voice asks, and Luis raises his eyes to find absolute perfection smiling down at him.
He can’t answer. His voice has frozen in his throat.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” the man says, dropping into the booth across from Luis. Mischief glints in dark eyes, and Luis stares in helpless silence, taking in everything he’s been searching for in a thousand unsuccessful sketches. Sharp cheekbones cut across a narrow face, perfectly symmetrical and softened by a widening smile. The face is narrow, but the jaw is strong, the nose straight and broad and fitted perfectly to deceptively delicate features. There’s an uncanny smoothness to the brow where it slopes beneath dark curls, but the smoothness creases when sharp eyebrows rise in pointed amusement.
Generous lips quirk into an even wider smile, and the man asks, “See something you like?”
Luis tries to reply, but he’s still too floored. Even knowing this is a dream, he’s mortified with himself for gawping. It’s embarrassingly difficult to summon his voice and answer.
“You’re perfect.” He means to say more, but a grating alarm sounds, jarring him. When he blinks he’s not at the bar any longer, but at home in his own bed, early sunlight piercing between window curtains and the alarm clock a cacophony in his ears.
The grogginess of sleep vanishes in a rush of adrenaline, and Luis reaches for the sketchbook on his nightstand
from By Hand and Heart by Yolande Kleinn

Buy the book: http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=200&products_id=4452

mythologicallytorquedii1400
Publisher: Torquere Press
Cover Artist: BSClay
Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of ‘Mythologically Torqued Volume 2’
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Truth & Tenderness (Faith, Love & Devotion Book 6) by Tere Michaels

Dreamspinner Presents:
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6330

 

Truth&TendernessBlurb

Newly promoted police captain Evan Cerelli takes command of his own precinct as Matt Haight’s security business begins to expand at a rapid rate. Both of their careers require more and more of their time—away from home and each other. When his most famous clients, Daisy and Bennett Ames, suffer a traumatic breakup, Matt is drawn into a dangerous and dramatic situation. With attentions diverted, Evan and Matt’s tight-knit home life begins to unravel.

As Griffin Drake’s movie nears final edit, his thoughts turn toward building a home with his new fiancé, Jim Shea—and maybe even starting a family. Before he can think of a new family, Jim is caught up in his past. The possibility of putting Tripp Ingersoll in jail once and for all beckons, and Jim wants the closure that has long eluded him. As a new lead spurs him on, Jim begins to lose sight of the future by chasing an old ghost.

Both couples struggle to remember that “happily ever after” requires hard work, trust, and tender, open hearts.

Review

Wow! Book 6! What a crazy ride it’s been!

Evan and Matt are still together raising the kids. Matt’s gone long hours with his security job on occasion, but Evan takes the cake in the absentee-partner race. His new job as police captain has him gone for 11+ hours a day and it’s starting to take a toll on the relationship. Evan sees that this is a pattern but doesn’t know what to do about it. Matt won’t take it lying down.

Griff and Jim are in a similar bind. Griff’s producing takes him away from Jim for long periods at a time, but his own priorities toward starting a family have him re-organizing things closer to home. Jim, however, is still stuck trying to solve “the one that got away” and it’s beginning to effect his home life and possibly his legal affairs, too.

Meanwhile, something terrible is going on between Daisy and Bennett and that will also have repercussions on the other couples.

In the end Griff and Jim finally do get married and….And of course Matt and Evan are happy again, but planning something secret… And Daisy and Bennett are working on things as well… So a big, fat HFN! A big lead in to the next book I think!

**

I have so, so enjoyed this series. I just love these guys so much. It’s great seeing them and being in their lives again.

This go around was a little too filled with unhappiness for me for me to count it among my favorites of the series. Very little time was spent with the couples happy or even together and there is very little steam in this book. Even the monumental event between Matt and Evan was kind of down-played to a side note.

When I go through a lot of angst with my MCs I like to see a pretty substantial happy time with them, for balance. In this book it feels like my “happy time” must be still coming in the next book in the series, because it really isn’t here – especially for Matt and Evan.

I don’t know what’s in store for them, but I really, really, really wanted Evan to quit his job. Boy it hit some buttons for me! Especially when Casper was being such a douche! So, I hope for everyone’s sake that the issue gets addressed in the next book, more satisfyingly.

But… that being said… it was nice catching up with the boys, and it was great finally closing that case… and the exciting new things in their future will be great to see in the next book.

3.5 of 5 hearts

3.5

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White Lies by Jack Byrne

Dreamspinner Presents
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6729

WhiteLiesBlurb

Brent Winton is doing all the wrong things for all the right reasons. Since the death of their parents years ago, Brent is helping his younger brother Zach through law school in sunny Queensland, Australia. The boys share a cheap flat, and Brent works two jobs to support them, but Zach thinks the second job is merely bar tending. In reality Brent has turned to gay prostitution to ensure that Zach has all the best textbooks and the up-to-date laptop he needs so he can focus on his studies. When hot Russian refugee Dimitri moves in next door, Brent finds him mesmerizing, but fears that if he gets involved, Dimitri will expose Brent’s white lies. But Dimitri has a dark secret of his own, and the question becomes how either of them can learn to trust the other without blowing their cover.

Review

Brent is working as a rent boy to help his younger brother through law school. Dimitri is fresh from Sochi where his brethren can be killed for being gay.

Together they find love and find a way to live with their past mistakes.

**

This is a sometimes awkward and unbelievable but very sweet novella.

I liked the motivations the MCs had in their decision making even though sometimes the dialog and the way things worked out didn’t really feel authentic.

I think there are parts that are uncomfortable and some people won’t like in regard to Brent’s career choice, but in the end I think the author did a fair job explaining away the decision each MC made in regards to how those choices were handled and why they were made.

3.5 of 5 hearts

3.5

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The Lightning Struck Heart by TJ Klune

Dreamspinner Presents

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6663

LightningStruckHeart[The]Blurb

Once upon a time, in an alleyway in the slums of the City of Lockes, a young and somewhat lonely boy named Sam Haversford turns a group of teenage douchebags into stone completely by accident.

Of course, this catches the attention of a higher power, and Sam’s pulled from the only world he knows to become an apprentice to the King’s Wizard, Morgan of Shadows.

When Sam is fourteen, he enters the Dark Woods and returns with Gary, the hornless gay unicorn, and a half-giant named Tiggy, earning the moniker Sam of Wilds.

At fifteen, Sam learns what love truly is when a new knight arrives at the castle. Sir Ryan Foxheart, the dreamiest dream to have ever been dreamed.

Naturally, it all goes to hell through the years when Ryan dates the reprehensible Prince Justin, Sam can’t control his magic, a sexually aggressive dragon kidnaps the prince, and the King sends them on an epic quest to save Ryan’s boyfriend, all while Sam falls more in love with someone he can never have.

Or so he thinks.

Review

Sam is going to be a powerful wizard one day. One day. For now he’s stuck serving a jerk named Justin who is engaged to marry Ryan – the guy Sam has had a crush on since forever.

When Justin gets kidnapped by a dragon Sam and Ryan go to save him.

What happens next – for nearly four hundred pages – is lots of banter (as only TJ Klune knows how to create) amid hysterical adventures with bizarre (and sometimes kinky and over-sexed) creatures.

We have Gary the snarky, sometimes bitchy, always vain, hornless, gay unicorn.

Then there’s Tiggy a half-giant who won’t win genius of the year but who is fiercely loyal and true.

Finally – our two MCs connect and we get a happy ending.

**

Ok – so I’m gonna tell you that I DNF’d this for now. One day I might finish it, but I got OVERWHELMED by the banter and the non-discussing of the issues and the never ending puns and stuff. I wanted some ROMANCE and though there is some in this book – there isn’t nearly enough to satisfy my sappy heart.

I did sneak a peek at the end and I was grateful that Sam and Ryan get their HEA but I was so bummed because I also found out that the end (300 some pages into it) is when they first get “together”.

So – for now – I’m setting this aside and when I want a MOSTLY funny and a little romantic fantasy – I’ll pull this one back out. I do appreciate TJ’s humor but I gotta tell you I really think he needs a good, strong editor. Someone to rein in the monologues and get the story back on track.

My friend had this to say about her experience reading the book:

I stayed up forever finishing The Lightning-Struck Heart. F**k! I’m so mad! It was exactly like I’d thought it would be. Now, I’m not saying it was a bad book, because it wasn’t. TJ’s books are always funny and entertaining but… the MCs are in love with each other YEARS before the book starts and they don’t get together until 95% [of the way through the book]…95 f**king %!!!!!! I have rage!!!!! I was like…. This book could have been 1/3 of the length if the characters would just shut the f**k up with the banter once in awhile. Ugh! The banter is fun but there is WAY too much of it!! And [really] no one can be clueless for 412 pages for f**k’s sake!!
…If you’re selling your books as romance, [m]aybe have the people be together for more than 5% of the book.

That is essentially what I was feeling – only without putting the effort of getting through the 421 pages myself.

One day I will. I’m sure. Because I’m sure it’s hilarious. But… I want a LOT of romance in my books and this just doesn’t qualify.

So…. If you are looking for a funny, fantasy, gay story with a bit of romance this is for you.

For what it’s worth my friend gave this a 4 of 5 hearts despite the rant. ☺

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The Gift by Andrew Grey

Dreamspinner Presents http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6722

Gift[The]Blurb

Sequel to The Price
Las Vegas Escorts: Book Two

Ember is a drop-dead gorgeous Las Vegas escort. He notices Alejandro in some of the classes he teaches at his side business—a yoga studio. Then, color-blind Alejandro further captures Ember’s attention when he’s momentarily blinded by a quick change in light and needs Ember’s help at a club. What Ember doesn’t expect is the way Alejandro touches his heart.

Alejandro never intended to develop feelings for Ember. He’s in Las Vegas for a year to sow some wild oats. But Alejandro quickly sees more in Ember when he sets out to make some of Alejandro’s dreams come true—including a trip to the Grand Canyon and the beaches of LA. Alejandro’s wild oats could turn into something memorable.

Ember knows keeping his escort job from Alejandro isn’t the right thing to do, but he wants to be liked for who he is. Alejandro keeps his own secrets for the same reason. But Alejandro’s family obligations, along with Ember’s profession, could make it impossible for the two of them to stay together—unless they can figure out how to make the most of the gifts they’ve been given.

Review
We met Ember in book one, he’s one of the escorts that Hunter worked with before he retired. Ember likes his escort job, but he also has a Yoga studio he goes to center himself and regain the part of himself he loses with each client encounter.

Alejandro is a real Prince of a small Spanish country in Las Vegas for a year to “be himself” and have fun. He “knows” he can’t be gay – he has to marry and have babies to carry on the lineage – but he wants to have some memories and affairs before he settles down.

Ember and Alejandro meet and each know the other is someone important in their lives. They have a (surprisingly) sedate courtship that eventually leads to some hot sex and later devotion. But….

Both men have their secrets and those have to be dealt with before the two of the them can find their Happily Ever After.

**

This is a nice, solid, predictably happily ending Cinderella-type story. There are some nice secondary characters and a few surprising twists, but the story basically unfolds as you’d expect.

It’s a nice escapist story of love conquering all.

3.75 of 5 hearts

4

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