forever in one secondRating: 4.75 stars
Buy Links: 
 Amazon | All Romance
Length: Novel


When Dane Harper manages to escape death from a freak tornado, he finds himself even more full of positive energy and a determination to get the most out of life. He knows our lives can change in a single second. In fact, Dane is pretty sure he was heading toward death when he was rescued by Courtenay Woods.  And now that he has survived his near fatal wounds with a dramatic recovery, Dane doesn’t want to waste any time getting out there living.

When Court finds Dane pinned under a door after the tornado, he knows the man’s injuries are far too severe to survive.  So Court uses his power to heal Dane, even though part of him is wary and ashamed of his ability. But he can not bear to let Dane die, so he takes a chance and uses his healing gift.

Although growing up Court was friends with Dane’s older brother, Court never really expects Dane to come leaping into his quiet life.  But Dane is a force to be reckoned with, and he feels a connection to Court that he can’t forget.  And Court feels it too, he just worries about Dane getting mixed up with someone like him.  Court has a painful past and questions whether he is worthy of someone as bright and shiny as Dane.  He wants him so badly, but doesn’t want to mar Dane by letting him too close.  Especially now that it looks like others are aware of Court’s gift, bringing danger to both men.  However Dane is not willing to give up on Court and knows there is something special between them.  But the ghosts from Court’s past and the threats of the present may be more than the couple can overcome.

Wow, you guys, this one totally surprised me!  I was expecting a standard contemporary with a bit of a paranormal twist, but along with that this story throws in a major suspense plot that kept me frantically reading until the very end.  Add in a fabulous couple who I just adored and this one was a real winner for me.

Ok, so the first part of the story really focuses on the growth of Court and Dane’s relationship.  Dane is full of life and energy and such a vibrant guy.  He really is a force of nature, full of determination and confidence and such a zest for life.  I totally adored him, even his bit of arrogance and his pushiness, because they all just fit with his larger than life personality.  Dane knows there is a strong connection between him and Court and he refuses to be put off, no matter how much Court tries to push him away.  And try Court does, so haunted by his own demons that as much as he cares about Dane, he doesn’t think he deserves him.  Although he has a gift of healing, in many ways Court sees it as a curse, especially in light of traumatic events from his past.  He knows that he brings danger to Dane just by being around him.  He is also so filled with self-doubt and loathing, he doesn’t feel good enough for Dane either.  Yet at the same time, Court can’t resist him.

As much as there is intensity to their relationship, there is also a lot of playfulness.  Their interactions and their banter and even their bickering are so much fun, I really loved them together.  It was wonderful to see how Dane can bring Court out of his shell and get him to open up.  They are so sexy together and you can just see what a perfect match they are. These guys are really one of my favorite couples I’ve read in a while.

After the initial part of the book, the story moves to more of a suspense plot and this was really a delightful surprise.  I was worried the book would get mired in Court’s angst about whether he was worthy of Dane. But instead we take off into a thrilling second half as Court’s past comes back to haunt him and the guys face crazy danger at the hands of those who both want to harm Court and to use him.  The story takes so many unexpected twists and turns and I was breathless as I followed along with their adventures.  I especially loved how despite the fact that they are regular guys, their heroics and problem solving all felt perfectly natural given their individual talents and personalities. I could completely believe their actions, despite the craziness of the situation.  It was exciting and dramatic and a lot of fun.

My only small quibble is that I think the book relies a bit too much on the “I’m not worthy of him” trope with Court.  I think Marlowe does a great job giving Court a back story that makes all of his actions and feelings totally believable. It is just that as a reader it began to feel a little bit repetitious.

But that aside, I really loved this one. It was just a perfect blend of fabulous couple who are both fun and incredibly sexy, along with a creative paranormal twist, and a fabulous suspense plot. I thought this one was wonderful and highly recommend it.

jaysig