Buy Link: Finding Home
Author: Cameron Dane
Publisher: Loose Id
Length: Novella
Rating: 3.75
As Finding Home opens, Adam Reyes is a 17-year-old pickpocket who is caught by Rhone Quinn while trying to steal his phone. Rhone decides to take the boy in and give him a job at his security and investigations company rather than turn him into the authorities. He sees something in Adam that makes him decide to take a chance on the boy and it pays off in a deep and growing friendship.
The majority of the book is told in an episodic way, following the men over a 10-year period beginning when they first meet. Each chapter has an event or events that show a snippet of their lives from a given year. The two men become incredibly close and share a very deep bond. They are best friends, live together, and work together closely. However, as time passes Adam grows completely in love with Rhone, while Rhone feels only friendship in return. He is totally unaware of Adam’s feelings because Adam keeps them a secret, fearing Rhone’s reaction if he finds out. Along the way Rhone periodically meets and dates women, even having sex with them in the home he shares with Adam, never knowing his best friend is in love with him.
Although I did enjoy the slow growth of the relationship, I must admit I started to get a bit tired of things as year after year went by and Adam continues to pine for Rhone (not only is Rhone unaware of his attraction, he doesn’t even know Adam is gay). Each time we’d jump into their lives briefly, they wouldn’t get together, and then I’d realize another year was going to pass before something else happened. I guess it just went on too long for me. I see the need to stretch things out to keep it from being squicky that Adam starts out as a teenager rather than jumping right into attraction between the two men. But I think it could have happened faster than 10 years, or at least skipped more than a year at a time. I also couldn’t help but wonder how Adam doesn’t have sex or even DATE anyone over ten years and no one thinks that is unusual. Even Rhone, who knows him so well, doesn’t wonder about it at all?
Over time Adam’s pent up frustration with his desires for Rhone continues to grow and finally comes to a head. I must say the most jarring issue for me was the scene where Rhone finally finds out that Adam is in love with him. Without going into spoilerish detail, the set up is so completely out of character with everything we know about Adam as to be almost impossible to imagine, and at the office no less? It seemed so hard to believe that it took me completely out of the story.
I also had a hard time with Rhone’s instant acceptance of situation once the truth comes to light. In about 10 minutes he goes from never feeling any attraction to men, to finding out Adam is in love with him, to realizing he is in love back, to wanting to have sex immediately, to committing to a life long homosexual relationship. Really? I want my HEA as much as the next girl, but doesn’t the guy need a few moments to come to terms with a complete lifestyle change?
I know I am picking on a lot here, but I did find it a sweet read. I also read the follow up, Saying I Do, which I enjoyed a bit more. I really liked both Adam and Rhone as well as the other supporting characters (many of whom appear in other books in the Quinn Security series). I thought they had a very touching relationship, especially the parts where Adam takes care of Rhone after a death in the family. I wish it had come together a bit more for me as there were parts that I really enjoyed and overall it was a sweet story.
>I really liked this book. For some reason the slow buildup never really bothered me, whereas when you point it out I can totally see why you'd get frustrated. I do think Rhone's instant acceptance was a bit much but to me that's more classic Dane than anything (well along with the wonderfully descriptive terms of "chute" "channel" "back door" hehe).
>@Kassa, lol, this is the first book I have read of hers so I didn't realize they were hallmarks! This is definitely a book that gets lots of positive reviews so even though it didn't totally work for me I know lots of others really enjoyed it.
>I loved this novella but I did have the same issues as you. First I can’t believe that Rhone never noticed that Adam was gay, then there was the fact that Rhone never noticed that HE was gay, and his magical acceptance of it all! Despite all this I did enjoyed the story and the whole series is pretty good. Have you read Grey’s Awakening? That book is sooo good!
>@Brie, yes it seemed a bit hard to believe. I mean they weren't just friends, they lived and worked together for years and years. I haven't read anything else by her. I'll check that one out though.
>I really liked this book when I read it. I've gotten the other books in the series and just need to get to reading them!
>Hmmm. I've read this book before, but I think I'll have to go back and read it again!
>I loved this novella, I think at the end when they got together it blew off my pants. Just loved it so much.
>If you all liked this one, I would recommend Saying I Do. It is their sequel (although not the next book in the series). I think the series moves on to m/f first before going back to Rhone and Adam. I actually liked the sequel better – less buildup, story more focused on their relationship.
>I really enjoy Cameron Dane. I love her Redemption series.
>Saying I do is awesome, they are just so super hot together.