Rating: 4.75
Buy Links: 
 Amazon
Length: Novel


When Jay Colby lands in Coldwater, Montana, he figures it will be just one more place he passes through.  On his own since 18, Jay has moved from place to place, sometimes settling in with a guy for a while until one of them gets tired and then moving on.  For some reason he decides to stop and stay a while in the tiny town, applying for a job in the little diner run by Sam Mayne.

At first Sam isn’t so sure what to make of Jay. Jay is young and traveling with just a backpack; Sam is pretty sure he’ll be back on the road within the day.  But he needs the help and decides to take a chance on the guy.  When he realizes Jay has no place to live, Sam offers a room in his house.  It doesn’t take long before the two land in bed together.  Jay has a thing for older guys and is happy being a bit of a slut.  And Sam has a dominant side that he is thrilled to see totally works for Jay as well.

The guys get surprisingly settled together, falling into a relationship neither really saw coming. However, Sam is always sure it is just a matter of time before things come to end.  First off, he knows Jay has been a wanderer and Sam figures Jay will only stick around for a few months.  But the bigger problem is that Sam knows it is just a matter of time before his past catches up with him.  There are some bad men after Sam and when they find him, things will be very dangerous for him and anyone who is with him.  Now that both men have finally found what they are looking for with each other, they must hope that the dangers from Sam’s past don’t tear it all apart.

Oh, I really liked this one you guys.  It was such a nice mix of sweet romance and exciting adventure.  The first part of the book focuses primarily on the developing relationship between Sam and Jay.  When things start off, both men assume it is just going to be sex between them.  They are totally hot together, their kinks fitting each other perfectly. Jay has a bit of thing for older men, and Sam is big, strong, and dominant (not to mention enticingly hairy).  Hiding out in this tiny town, Sam hasn’t had much opportunity to play the way he likes. But Jay is so responsive and receptive to everything Sam introduces him to, and the guys turn out to be a perfect match.  (FWIW, the kink level is pretty mild.  The guys do some fairly intense stuff, but it is not portrayed in a very intense way.)  What ends up surprising them both is that not only are they sexually compatible, they are also a great fit personally and start falling for one another without really expecting it.

The second part of the story takes on a more a road trip feel as the guys are forced to flee the town and the men who are after Sam.  And despite Sam’s best efforts to separate from Jay and keep him safe, Jay is committed to Sam and wants to see it through with him. The book picks up a lot of excitement as Sam and Jay are on the run, trying to escape and outsmart the bad guys, always looking over their shoulders and never knowing who they can trust.  I thought this part was really well done.  Jay once compares Sam to Jason Bourne, and I think there is a little bit of that cleverness here of figuring out the next move, how to outsmart the bad guys, etc.  I think at times things relied a bit to heavily on Sam’s Uncle Frankie who arranged things before his death that provide convenient solutions to a lot of their problems.  But aside from that , I found it very fast paced and exciting.

I also think Harper does a really nice job creating these characters.  Jay and Sam felt distinct and well developed. I could understand them both, what was motivating them, what happened in their past that shaped their decisions.  They don’t initially seem like they would go together, but somehow the two of them just work.  I really liked both Sam and Jay and think they are really well thought out characters.

I loved Last Stop and think it was a lot of fun.  Great romance, exciting adventures, and super hot. I’d definitely recommend it.

Cover Note: I love this cover. It totally captures the book, from the image of Jay, to the handcuffs, to the road trip.  Very nicely done.