Rating: 3.75 stars
Buy Link:
Amazon | iBooks | Amazon UK
Length: Novel


Journalist Quentin has spent his fair share of time at Rainbow Place, covering the vandalism and the happy aftermath. But those aren’t the only stories he writes. Meeting George to write a piece on his boat restoration business is fun, especially meeting the sexy owner, but when Quentin thinks George is a homophobe, it puts a damper on things.

However, George is anything but. In fact, George is so far in the closet he can’t even see the door. He’s denied it for so long, and he doesn’t want to be gay. There’s no denying his attraction the Quentin though, and when Quentin offers an ear, George spills the truth. When Quentin suggests George get out there and explore his desires, George asks Quentin if he’s interested in hooking up.

The two men form a connection and have a standing date, but it’s supposed to be just sex, no feelings. Only Quentin can’t help feeling more for George, especially when one hook up seems an awful lot like a date. But George doesn’t want to come out, and Quentin can’t live his life that way. With things on the rocks, George knows if he wants to keep Quentin in his life, he’s going to have to make some changes.

I was quick to pick up this next installment in the Rainbow Place series because I’ve enjoyed the others so much. This one left me with mixed feelings though, because it didn’t quite live up to the others in the series, for me.

Northcote has a way with characters that I really enjoy, which is why I’m always happy to read his books. This story is much the same. Quentin is a confident, happy guy who knows what he wants, and he’s kind and thoughtful, as well. Just an all around great character, and perfect for someone like George. George, on the other hand, is ashamed of the way he is, and was married to a woman for many years before everything fell apart. He hasn’t been honest with himself, let alone the people in his life. I loved watching George’s growth in this book, seeing him come to terms with himself and then really blossom as his affection for Quentin grows.

These guys have chemistry together, and I liked watching George explore his mild kink and what really turns him on. I liked the conversations the MCs had, and the way George embraced his new life full tilt, once he realized he’d have something to lose. And I loved seeing cameos from some of my favorite characters from previous books.

But I’ll be honest, despite the chemistry, I had trouble connecting with their romance. George and Quentin are hot together, sure, and they have a few deep conversations, but I felt like something was missing to really transition them from hooking up and exploring, to something more meaningful and into love. I needed more between them. It felt like we barely scratched the surface of what they had and then George was coming out and changing his whole outlook. So it didn’t work for me completely and, despite liking the characters, I just felt like we were missing a big chunk of what made it go from lust to love.

But despite that, and some of the heavier themes, this was a feel good story, and one I definitely needed right now. There was fluffy and happy, heat and heart, and though I wanted more from the MCs to be able to truly believe in their love, it was all around another solid book by Northcote. Fans of this author and of this series should definitely consider picking this one up.