Rating: 4 stars
Buy Link: Amazon | All Romance | Amazon UK
Length: Novel
Blue is at a California vineyard for his sister’s wedding. He knows his ex is going to be there, but he isn’t prepared for said ex to walk in with a new man on his arm and with the man wearing a ring. It’s only been six months since the breakup and Blue really wants his ex to see he has also moved on. It’s not so easy when Blue is at the bar alone, but the gorgeous man next to him comes to his rescue. A few laughs and a few heated kisses leaves no doubt that Blue is no longer on his own. He’s also not alone that night back in his room as he spends one hot night with a stranger named Tristan. The next morning the men are constantly thinking of each other, but the catch is that Blue’s sister is marrying Tristan’s brother.
Tristan has recently purchased the vineyard resort and the very sight and taste of Blue has him breaking his rule of not hooking up with guests. Also, it’s been quite some time since Tristan has even thought about hooking up with a man. When Tristan agrees to be Blue’s boyfriend for the week, there is no denying the heat between them. But Blue has accepted a job in Europe and when the week is over their families will be already intertwined. The timing is just all wrong. Or is it?
Borrowing Blue is the debut book from Lucy Lennox and there were a lot of things the book had going for it, mainly Blue and Tristan. Characters are of course a vital component to books and here both men had a strong showing. The book is told in alternating first person point of view so right away I was in the groove with this book. The chapters are shorter and many times one chapter would end only to pick back up in the same scene from the other perspective, which was a bonus for me. The transitions were not only seamless, but also added great character depth.
Both men were engaging from the first scene with Tristan coming to Blue’s rescue, much to Blue’s surprise. The surprise comes from Tristan mentioning his ex-wife and then Blue thinking Tristan is not into guys. The story comes out slowly of Tristan having been attracted to men at an earlier age and then thinking he would be safer taking the straight and narrow route, so to speak.
The men have that spark. From the first scene, to each and every scene they are together, the heat and tension and longing sparks from the page. While Tristan agrees to be Blue’s pretend boyfriend for the week, it never seemed at all that they were pretending and the men pretty much fall in love from the first word, which totally worked for them here. The book has a lot of drama and at times had the feel of a soap opera with new scenarios popping up at almost every turn. But the drama never went too far and the author held the reins of the story and it didn’t get out of control.
However, I did feel that the author gave me many hurdles to navigate during the course of the story. When the men first meet they have no idea who the other is, although their siblings are marrying each other. This really threw me off at first and while an explanation is offered not too long after that, I had a more difficult time fully buying it. Then, there was the issue of Tristan’s sexuality, which was only moderately explored and then the men being hung up on stating that they were going to be “related” after their siblings got married. There were also issues with Blue’s promotion that made me think twice. There were a lot of family members present and there was the older aunt and the grandmother whose sole purpose was to make a spectacle of themselves and embarrass everyone else. These characters did not overwhelm the story, but they’re just not for me. Tristan’s brother was another character that added drama and for everything he put Tristan through, it was difficult to watch Tristan, as well as the rest of the family, constantly pander to him.
Even with all of that, if I focus on the core of Blue and Tristan, the story was aces. They’re hot and sexy while being a perfect fit and complement to each other. Blue has lots of brothers and there seems to be lots of stories to tell. Jamie is up next in the Alaskan wilderness and Jude, a famous singer, looks to have an interesting story as well. I would definitely suggest checking out Blue and Tristan’s story, especially if you enjoy immediate chemistry and a hefty supply of drama drama drama.
“When I’m with you, I feel like the real me. Like the person I’m supposed to be, you know?”
