nevertoolateRating: 3.5 stars
Buy Link:
Amazon | All Romance | Amazon UK
Length: Novella


Jared had been with his partner for 20 years, until his partner died. Two years later, he’s still grieving. Jared has always been athletic and active in sports, but after experiencing quite a bit of pain, his doctor tells him he needs a hip replacement. He was already feeling old at the age of 50, but this really gets to him.

Steve is a handsome paramedic. He and his partner transfer Jared in their ambulance from the hospital to rehab, and then back to his house. Steve is instantly attracted to Jared, but Jared keeps pushing him to the dreaded friend zone, repeatedly telling Steve he’s too young. Steve isn’t one to give up, though, and eventually he does wear Jared down.

The men must deal with being in a new relationship, coping with the memories of Jared’s dead partner, and a declaration of love from an unexpected place as they figure out if they can make it together.

I liked this little book. It was short, sweet, and to the point. It’s a May/December version of the boy meets boy, boy chases boy, boys fall in love, a little bump in the road, boy and boy get their happily ever after.

Jared and Steve are lovely characters. I rooted for them as soon as they met. Poor Jared is still mourning his dead partner, and then he’s dealt a blow in the form of hip replacement surgery. He’s feeling down and old. When Steve comes along, he starts feeling things he’s not felt in two years. These guys were made for each other. I really believe that. Even though Jared keeps trying to send Steve away, Steve doesn’t want to let go, and thank goodness, he has a lot of patience.

Never Too Late is relatively angst free. That’s a big plus for me. I like my stories to be sweet, sexy, and above all, happy. Reading about Jared and Steve’s slow fall into love, even though it’s not too slow because this is a novella rather than a novel, was a pleasure. Steve’s gentle nudging of Jared about their age difference not mattering was adorable. Once they come together…whoa! Their first time was equal parts romantic and hot. Steve is a caring top, and he was always paying attention to whether Jared was feeling any pain.

Everything is hunky dory until Jared’s brother-in-law shows up to claim him. Jared is thrown completely off guard, shocked over the declaration and angry because his BIL has abandoned his sister. It was actually a little funny, even though it was tragic. I liked that Steve was willing to give Jared some space to deal with the situation. He’s supportive, but not pushy about it.

All in all, Never Too Late is an enjoyable way to spend a few hours. Jared and Steve are great, and you’ll find yourself wishing they were your friends in real life. I actually wouldn’t mind if J.P. Bowie revisits them sometime in the future so we can see what they’re up to.

kenna sig