Quillon's CovertRating: 4.5 stars
Buy Link:
Amazon | All Romance | Amazon UK
Length: Novel


When Martin was a boy, he would spend two weeks with his father in an isolated cabin. The clothes came off as soon as they got there and it was a time spent bonding and being with nature. Now that Martin has his own son, Marty, he continues the tradition. Allie, Martin’s wife and Marty’s mother, stays at home while the guys head to the cabin.

Marty has always loved his father and after a medical scare at an early age, the bond between them became stronger. Marty wants to be just like his dad, admires his dad, and then the admiration turns to lingering glances and forbidden wishes and desires.

Martin sees the changes in his relationship with his son, sees the way Marty looks at him, and tries to steer them back to familiar ground. But, when Marty takes the initiative, Martin is faced with very real choices with real consequences that send all he has ever known into turmoil. For once that step is taken, it can never be undone and Martin has to decide if he can really be the man and the father that Marty wants him to be.

Let’s talk first about what this book is. There are tags that should be looked at closely as this book delivers exactly what it states that it will. Many books that tackle this subject are either abusive non-con or the parent did not raise the child and they meet years later. Neither is the case here as Martin and Marty are biological father and son and have a secure and loving relationship. The relationship becomes sexual and if this storyline is too far past your boundaries, then look elsewhere. If you are intrigued by this type of story or are looking to push your boundaries with taboo themes, incest, and a bit of kink, this story delivers it all in a well-written package.

The book offers alternating points of view from both Martin and Marty and the story opens when they are 14 and 34, respectively, and spans 13 years. Marty is an only child, a quieter kid with a stutter, and there is nothing better than getting to spend two weeks alone every year with his father. They have a unique and close relationship all the way around as they shed their clothes the moment they arrive at the cabin, share a bed and a shower, and Marty is still getting paddled for punishment at the age of 16. It’s their norm and is described as such and from their viewpoint it all reads as plausible.

The story also takes place entirely at the cabin over the years. There are glimpses of their lives at home through brief stories of Martin’s work, Marty’s school, Marty’s eventual boyfriends, and Allie is even discussed briefly and this did add structure to the story. Marty sees their time away as their own “bubble” where real life doesn’t enter and their time at the cabin doesn’t follow them home, so he feels there are no consequences to consider. While this makes perfect sense to him, from the outside looking in he could be seen as selfish and with all that is going on with this book, perhaps my greatest source of conflict came from the idea of them living perpetual dual lives.

There were times the authors made it almost easy to get lulled into thinking this was a sweet and tender coming of age story. Because there was no interference from the outside world, their relationship progressed in a loving and intimate manner. The scenes of them together ramp up in intensity and sensuality and kink, but the authors never let you forget that the men are indeed father and son. And then when I would have a thought or a question the authors seemed to anticipate that and it would be answered. But, there was another side as well. The side that wasn’t seen, the side of cheating and consequences, the side where the outside world did live, and the reality that they worked together while at home. Then came a time when it wasn’t just the two of them in their own world any longer and in the space of what wasn’t said was where I had a thousand thoughts.

This book definitely does not fit into any type of standard conclusion that romance books are known for, which is fitting for the unique relationship. This book would be recommended for those looking for a taboo subject matter that is thought provoking, as these two authors can write it well, package it, and for the most part, back it up.

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