Rating: 4.25 stars
Buy Link: Amazon | All Romance
Length: Novella
When his boyfriend breaks up with him right before they are supposed to take a trip to Turkey together, Evan Stanton goes anyway, regardless of the pain. Chronic pain from a fall follows Evan everywhere he goes so Evan is pretty sure he’ll spend most of his time in his room letting the trip pass him by. Until he meets Bale.
After breaking up with his girlfriend, Chris Bale spent a semester overseas to clear his head. Who knew he would find his purpose on the plane on his way to Istanbul? There is something about Evan that makes Bale want to see the guy smile. Making it his goal, Bale sets out to take care of Evan and make sure he has a good time on vacation.
Evan is surprised by his attraction to Bale on this trip that was meant to be purely educational and a time away from their everyday lives. There’s more to Bale than meets the eye, and instead of running from his attraction, he fully immerses himself in it.
Total Immersion is a lovely story of starting over and healing. I loved Evan and Bale’s story. From the beginning the friendship built between the guys is the strong foundation for the eventual relationship. Their story is a slow burn, weeks of friendship that builds and kindles the fire between them. When they meet, Bale makes Evan a sort of project. Evan thinks Bale is a rebound attraction so he tries to ignore it and see the pushy guy as a friend. I really like these guys. Evan is very cynical and a bit broken, both physically and emotionally. The break up with his boyfriend was inevitable, especially after his accident. When this story begins, Evan is his injury. He’s a bit depressed and gives into to his pain. Bale is a breath of fresh air. He’s a light in Evan’s world that he hasn’t had in a long time. I love these guys individually as well as in a relationship.
This story is told in first person present tense and surprise, surprise, I really liked it. Carrington does an amazing job telling this one. It’s written as journal entries and so easy to read. I was unable to put the book down once I began reading. The story itself is sweet, sexy, and so funny. The scene in airport security killed me. That’s all I’m going to say about it. You’ll have to read the story yourself to get it.
Total Immersion is the perfect summer read—sweet, sexy, funny, and angst-less. I definitely recommend this story.
A review copy of this book was provided by Dreamspinner Press.
