Rating: 4.75 stars
Buy Link: Amazon | All Romance
Length: Novel
Luke Jordan was married for twenty years to his high school sweetheart, but he always knew he was gay. Once his son was grown, Luke and his wife parted ways amicably and remain friends. But for the past two years, Luke has been in a rut. His son decides it’s time for his father to meet new friends, and buys him a year’s membership to Rainbow Blues—a place where blue collar gay men can hang out and socialize without fear of recrimination. At the first Rainbow Blues outing, Luke meets Bennett. Though there is no sexual attraction between them, they become friends and Bennett takes him to a play a few weeks later.
Luke is captivated by the lead actor, Jimmy Alexander. When Bennett convinces Luke to go over and talk to Jimmy, the chemistry between them sparks. Luke asks Jimmy out for dinner, but with the storm raging, they get take out and go back to Jimmy’s place. Their connection is quick and deep, and they begin dating. Luke is bluntly honest, and open and sweet, and Jimmy has been craving that kind of affection for a long time. Though Jimmy’s sometimes frentic enthusiasm is not what Luke is used to, the two men quickly fall in love. Being older, they know it’s fast by standard conventions, but they have both discovered who they want to spend the rest of their lives with.
When Jimmy gets the opportunity to act in a movie, they know the long distance will be hard on them. They only manage a few phone calls during the two months Jimmy is away, though the texts are much more frequent. But when stills and publicity from the shoot start leaking out, Jimmy is all over the news. One particular story causes Luke to think that the best thing for Jimmy would be for them to break up. When Luke is in accident, things are up in the air and miscommunication causes some near heartbreak. The men have to fall back on their honest connection to try to repair their relationship.
Sometimes, I’m just in the mood for a really good heartfelt tale of two men falling in love. Rainbow Blues fits this to a T. There is so much to love about this story, I’m not even sure where to begin. I was hooked from the very beginning, when Luke waxes poetic about his washing machine, and I couldn’t put it down until the very end.
I fell in love with Luke almost instantly. He’s stuck in a rut, and he knows it, but he’s not sure how to change it. Rainbow Blues helps him to begin to change, but the core of who Luke is remains the same. He’s trustworthy, bluntly honest, sweet, affectionate, and loyal. I adored everything about this guy. I loved his sense of honor. I loved how he spoke his mind. This guy is the guy that everyone would want to fall in love with.
Jimmy is a bit more dramatic, and has an energy about him that is just endearing. He teaches high school Biology, and acts at the local playhouse. He’s beautiful and full of life. I absolutely adored his vitality. He’s attracted to Luke the moment he sees him, and the chemistry between the two of them is intense. It’s easy to see how these guys fit together. They just work. Their relationship is easy, and when they hit bumps, they work them out quickly. I so appreciated the way they discussed things, and trusted in each other. It was refreshing to see.
That being said, I have to admit that the miscommunication at the end of the book felt a little unreal. These two guys discussed everything with each other, and they were always honest. So when Luke makes a decision that would impact them both without even checking with Jimmy first, I was a little taken aback. It was out of keeping with Luke’s character up until that point. I mean, he’s a caretaker, and I get that he wanted what was best for Jimmy, but to not even talk to Jimmy first and check his facts threw me a bit.
But oh, you guys, this was just a sweet love story from beginning to end and I enjoyed it immensely. I’m highly recommending this one. It’s high on the happy, low on the angst, and just an all-around feel good story. And one I know I’ll be picking up again in the future.
A review copy of this book was provided by Dreamspinner Press.
