Rating: 4 stars
Buy Link:
Amazon | iBooks | Amazon UK
Length: Novel


When Dan Grim walked away from a successful music career, he didn’t give anyone an explanation, but his bandmate and boyfriend, Ryder, knew the deal. There has been public speculation for years, but Dan never addressed any of the rumors and tries to live a quiet life as the owner of a small chain of music stores. Dan was hurt more than he wanted anyone to know and he shut down on making his own music and he shut down on ever finding love.

Owen Harper is an employee in the Nashville store. He’s younger than Dan and his sunny disposition and rambling nature is a direct contrast to Dan’s grumpiness. Owen can be clumsy and a walking hazard, but Dan can never seem to look away. Owen also wants a career in music, but his stage fright trips him up every time and Dan seems to think he is way past pursing music.

The pull between the men is gradual, but about the most natural thing Dan has ever experienced. But with Dan’s business in trouble, the past knocks on his door with a financial offer he can’t possibly pass up. Dan isn’t prepared how leaving Owen, even for a short time, makes his heart ache and his fingers twitch with longing. It might be time to make Owen his once and for all.

Resonance picks up after the first book in the Rhythm of Love series, Dedicated, and for the most part works on its own. Dan and Owen are both introduced in the earlier book, and I appreciated knowing the connection to Les and Evan from the first book and the mystery that everyone thinks surrounds Dan for leaving his music career behind.

Dan knows all things music. I really liked the setting here with his music stores and his and Owen’s intense background and love for many genres of music. Dan loves his stores and the collectible items he sells, and he enjoys still being connected to the music world on the periphery. He never dealt with what happened between him and Ryder, and Dan has been in a holding pattern for years that has become so natural, he has no idea how to break free from it.

Owen is his extreme opposite. With a 17-year age difference, the men are in different places in their lives, but Owen is a rambling burst of sunshine and at first Dan isn’t sure what to make of him. While Owen has always been attracted to Dan, Dan’s attraction catches him off guard at first. However, when Dan recognizes his feelings for Owen, he is all in, although he can’t quite admit that at first.

I had a more difficult time settling into this book in the beginning. There was something about the style of the narrative in the beginning of the book that had me reading sentences over to fully make sense of what the characters were saying. The book takes place in Tennessee and Dan is from the area, but was using words like “innit” that didn’t really mesh with his character. And, when one MC called the other a “road trip Nazi” that term will put me on the defensive.

As the book progressed, however, I was able to settle more into it and the depth of the characters was well developed and some of the prose was so well crafted and insightful. The chemistry and scenes between Dan and Owen were hot and they had a great time exploring each other and the progression of their relationship was engaging to read about. I did want a little more from Dan’s interactions with Ryder as Dan’s entire life was framed by his prior relationship with Ryder and I would have liked a little more than what we were given.

The age difference between the men is touched upon, but is not a focal issue at all. The differences between the men, with Dan being gruff and sulky and Owen being filled with energy, play off each other well and their relationship overall was sweet and romantic with an ending that will make you believe in their love story.