Rating: 3.75 stars
Buy Link: Amazon | iBooks | Amazon UK
Length: Novel
Finlay Masters knows the job he took with MC Securities saved him from a downward spiral of too much drink and too much self-recrimination. He’s better now, but far from perfect. So when the company needs him to play the boyfriend to a client whose business is under threat, Finlay doesn’t feel like he has much choice but to say yes. He’s supposed to cuddle up to Aaron Baker and help the man figure out who’s threatening the company and its social identity.
Aaron knows someone is targeting his business, but he doesn’t know why or even how. He trusts MC Securities can ferret out the culprit and that Finn can help. And playing acting shouldn’t be a problem, until his heart gets involved. Finn doesn’t do relationships and Aaron can’t imagine being without him. It will take a crisis and a reunion to help both men realize what they have is more than pretend.
Finding Finlay is the second in the MC Securities series and, while the books are tangentially related, I think this one can be read as a standalone if you’re just starting out. There’s an easy writing style and a relaxed rhythm to the book that resulted in a smooth pace that I enjoyed. The plot is more of a mixed bag. There is certainly a well-rounded story offered and I appreciated that some depth was provided to the otherwise overused fake boyfriend trope. But there’s a lot of forced emotional conflict in Finding Finlay and much of it I found excessive. The drama with Aaron’s son felt overwrought and the last minute arrival of Finlay’s family into the picture was completely out of step with the rest of the story.
Finlay and Aaron are multi-layered characters, but, by the end of the book, I hadn’t developed any particular connection to either of them. They seemed almost flat despite their developed storylines and as a couple, I never latched onto much of a spark. They were rather ordinary and while that isn’t bad, it made them seem boring. I just didn’t care much about them one way or another and that disconnected sensation permeated throughout the entire book.
Finding Finlay is one of those books that doesn’t do anything wrong. It’s perfectly serviceable in many regards, but serviceable doesn’t equate to memorable or remarkable. This is a very solid read, except that it never made much of an impact on me. Other readers might feel differently so if the fake boyfriend trope is a favorite of yours, Finding Finlay could be a great fit for you.
