Rating: 4 stars
Buy Link: Amazon | iBooks | Amazon UK
Length: Novel
Shawn Wood and his older brother, Nathan, own a remodeling company in their home town of Jade River, Colorado. The town is small and mountainous and a place they love. Shawn’s single and unhappy about it, however. He came out late in his 20s and considered proposing to his last boyfriend–until the guy cheated on Shawn the moment he left on vacation. Twice. Now, in his mid 30s, Shawn’s not really about hook-ups, because he likes to feel a little more comfortable with people before he’s ready for sex, and he struggles to flirt, or recognize when he’s the object of flirtation.
Shawn had a serious unrequited crush on Nathan’s high school bestie, Robert “Rush” Rushing, who couldn’t leave Jade River fast enough. Rush embodied all the sexy rebelliousness Shawn admired, yet couldn’t manage for himself. For nearly two decades, Rush’s been living the fabulous life in California, running bars and having all the sex. He’s only returned to Jade River to help refurbish the brewery and home his late-father left him. It’s a no-brainer to hire Nathan and Shawn to fix his dad’s house up, and Shawn takes point on the job. Rush figures it’ll take a few months to renovate and cash out, freeing him to return to his glamorous, but lonely, life of mostly anonymous sex and no attachments. However, returning to his roots doesn’t feel as stifling as it had in his teens, and Shawn’s come a long way from his gawky years. In fact, Rush wants all the time he can get with the sweet, burly, cuddly Shawn, though just as friends-with-benefits. Because Rush doesn’t do feelings. And Nathan will wring his neck if Rush breaks Shawn’s foolish, loving heart. Does Rush really want to walk away forever? Not so much, not after learning that Shawn’s so perfect for him. But, can he convince Shawn to take a chance building a relationship with a man who’d always vowed not to settle down?
Flip Job is the first in the book in the Fixer Brothers Construction series and it is a strong introduction. This story has pretty good pacing, and the best friend’s brother and long-time crush tropes were well handled. Shawn’s desire for intimacy wasn’t awkward, but Rush’s offers to help him loosen up and flirt better naturally reignite that crush. As Shawn and Rush get physical, it’s a constant battle for Shawn to keep himself from getting too attached. Meanwhile, Rush is fairly captivated by Shawn, who is so giving and whose family pretty much adores him. Growing up in his lonely home made Rush less willing to invest in love. Now, having such examples of caring people in front of him–and seeing how the Wood brothers treat friends like family–gives him a desire for all that attention he’s always lacked. Plus, his house remodel is amazing, thanks to Shawn’s diligence and craftsmanship.
As the beginning of a series, we have a good sense of the characters, their environment, and lead characters to come in future installments. It’s fun and sweet, and all these characters are folks who are nice to spend time with. I loved the sibling bickering between Nathan and Shawn–and how seamlessly Rush fits into their dynamic. The big brother anger was managed in a realistic manner, with a little bit of bruised feelings and a lot of genuine concern. Rush has some proving to do–to himself and Shawn–but he makes good strides on this without being too obstinate. The book’s not too serious; I found it a breezy, sexy read and I’d definitely pick up the next book.
