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


The San Capistrano series is a continuing story revolving around Alex and Ben and the books should be read in order.

Alex and Ben are trying to put the court case and the trauma left by Alex’s mother, Janice, behind them. It’s difficult, but Alex is making steady progress and is feeling healthy. They have their two girls who make them a family and life is better than Alex ever dreamed it could be.

When Alex wants to make some changes, he returns to school and also takes up shifts at the free clinic. It’s there he meets Jamie, a homeless gay teen in need of help. When Alex decides he wants to do more for Jamie, he needs to get Ben on board without sacrificing their own relationship. Alex sees a chance to help someone else when there was no one to help him as a teen. Ben and Alex are just getting their own relationship solid again and while Ben is at first reluctant, Jamie may add a piece to their family they didn’t know was missing.

Scattered Shells continues to follow the lives of Alex and Ben. This book opens up with the men getting themselves back on solid ground after Alex’s mother, Janice, once again caused trauma for their family. Alex is doing the work though and getting healthier. Life with two young children, two careers, and a dog still brings daily stress, but the men are more committed than ever.

If there was a couple that could be viewed as relationship goals, it would be Alex and Ben. The men have been together for years, but are still so in love with each other and enjoy spending all of their time together. Their girls add to their lives and Alex never thought he would have so much love in his life. When he meets Jamie, he sees how he can help and feels it will help him as much as Jamie.

The men have been through a lot and their lives haven’t been easy and while they do deserve a break, the transition with Jamie was almost too easy. They don’t know much about him, but move him into their home with their two small children and, while there are of course some legal things to figure out, it all seemed so so easy.

I do enjoy visiting with Alex and Ben and their family as their lives progress. There aren’t a lot of series where you can check back in with the same couple over many years. Alex and Ben have a great love story and even though they have had a lot to deal with, the books and their story have a soothing quality to them. There are still more books I haven’t read in this series and I will once again look forward to catching up with Alex, Ben, and their growing family. If you like an ongoing series, that has drama, family, and an incredible amount of heart, definitely check in with Alex and Ben and The San Capistrano series.