Rating: 3 stars
Buy Link: Amazon | All Romance | Amazon UK
Length: Novella
Brothers Cole and Morgan were close growing up and the death of their parents made them even closer. They have always loved each other, but it wasn’t until years later that a physical relationship entered the picture. Now, they are both cops and life without the other is simply not a possibility, even if they have to hide their love and their relationship from most of the world.
They are perfectly content with each other until Robby’s enters their world. Cole happens upon a beaten and bloody Robby after he had been abused by a client. Robby is trapped in his life as a prostitute and his pimp, Vince, has a tight hold on him. He has never known any kind of kindness or love and he falls hard for both brothers. Robby knows he wants a different life, one that includes both Cole and Morgan, but the men have to adjust their relationship to let Robby in and also find a way to keep Vince away from Robby once and for all.
While I have never read a book by Carol Lynne before and wanted to check out the author, I will completely own the fact that I mostly chose this book when I saw the word “brothers.” Cole and Morgan have been in a relationship for years and are each other’s entire world. We get a glimpse of their history and how their relationship evolved, but they are firmly an established couple at the opening of the book. So clearly take a pass if a relationship between brothers isn’t your thing.
This book had an interesting premise and three likable characters. It was not a full-length novel and suffered from trying to accomplish too much in too few pages. Cole is the first to find Robby who is beaten and in all kinds of pain. Cole has a nurturing demeanor and he can’t turn his back on Robby in need of help and takes him home. Every scene had something just a little off for me. Here we have Cole attending to Robby’s most intimate injuries the moment that he meets him. It could have gone the way of an erotic fantasy, but given the injuries and references to two off page rapes, it did not lend itself to that at all.
Cole and Morgan are solid in their relationship. Cole immediately informs Morgan that he brought Robby home and instantly Morgan can see that Cole is interested in Robby. Not in just caring for him, but aroused by him. Given the extent of Robby’s injuries and that Cole has only ever wanted Morgan, the timing was sudden and off. It of course doesn’t take Morgan long to then see how special Robby is and fall for him as well.
The brothers keep saying how open they are with each other and that they will progress with Robby together, but that doesn’t really happen. They say one thing and then do another as conversations happen and emotional and physical connections are made without everyone being present. Also, there were time jumps to move the story along, but that left out vital information. The story of Robby and Vince is also wound through, but mostly stayed on the surface and then the resolution was offered as an overview. So back to it being a good premise with three likable characters, but there wasn’t nearly enough depth here for me for the story that was being told and at the end it was just another book.
