Back to the Sky cover by Mina CarterRating: 4.5 stars
Buy Links: 
 Amazon | All Romance | Amazon UK
Length: Novel


It is the summer after college and Zane Woodward is back home, dealing with his controlling father, but happy to be close to his sister and best friend. Zane still isn’t sure where he wants to go with his life, though it is clear it is in a different direction than his father demands. So Zane is just biding his time until he ultimately needs to accept the role his father has planned for him.

At the house next door, there is a hot young house sitter staying for the summer. Geordie Finsen is a gorgeous, built, blue-haired free spirit and the sexual connection between Zane and Geordie is immediate. The two begin spending time together, and in addition to the heat between them, Zane and Geordie begin to share their ideas about life. What started out as a summer fling has the potential to grow into much more, but with Geordie getting ready to leave town, things between them may end before they even really start.

Back to the Sky is a quick, fun, sexy story that I really enjoyed. It shows us a summer romance with lots of heat and sexiness, but also where the guys really learn and grow from one another. Zane is a guy who needs connections, who thrives on being needed, and who has a strong relationship with both his sister and his best friend. Lauren has issues with anxiety and Zane needs to be there for her, as much for himself as for her. He has a controlling dad who wants him to go into law and who is threatening to basically disown him if he doesn’t fall into line, leaving Zane torn between a life he doesn’t want, or a separation from (or stress for) his sister. Zane needs someone to help me see he can have more out of life, that he can be connected but also do what he needs to be happy. Geordie, on the other hand, lives with no connections, drifting along from place to place and living in the moment. He needs to learn to trust that people can be there for him, that he can have a real connection with someone without pain or giving up himself. So I like the way both of these guys take something from each other, that they grow and change and learn to be happier versions of themselves from being together. I do think at times things drifted a little too far into the philosophical here, and I’ll admit I didn’t always understand some of the discussions they had, but I did like the way these guys are open and growing throughout the story.

Lauren and Zane’s friend Raff are great side characters here. They are fun and add some nice banter and interaction with the guys. I loved seeing Lauren show how she is stronger than Zane thinks and how she pushes him to live more for himself. And Raff and Zane are adorable together as life long best friends. Their interaction is a lot of fun (and oh would I love to see a story for Raff).

There is a tiny bit of a paranormal element that grows here, a sense that somehow Geordie is connected to the sky and the weather. We get comments on how the good weather follows him, and Zane notices that the storms come when Geordie is upset. I wish this had been developed a bit more, as it is sort of right there but not quite. We never really learn more about it, but it is just a taste of an idea and I would have liked to see it explored more.

Overall this is a fun, sweet, and super sexy story. It takes two young guys who are very different and brings them together in ways that help them both learn and grow. Throw in the great sexy times and this one was a big hit for me.

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