Rating: 4.25 stars
Buy Links: Amazon | iBooks | Amazon UK
Length: Novel
Dallas is returning home from a visit with his brother. He is a nervous flyer, but is fortunate to be seated next to a sweet man who happens to be a pilot. Dallas doesn’t know exactly why, but he feels a connection with the man, however they lose touch in the rush of debarking. Dallas is disappointed, but he doesn’t have much time for a new friendship anyway, as he is in the middle of a custody conflict with his ex-wife, plus it’s the start of his new school year as a kindergarten teacher.
Kylen knows better than to fall for a straight guy, but he does find Dallas both engaging and attractive. But Kylen’s life feels even more in upheaval than Dallas’. His grandmother is in declining health and, while his family seems to have a lot of opinions on her care, no one is willing to help Kylen do the actual work. He is raising his daughter mostly on his own, and while he and Flora’s mother are the best of friends, it is still a lot of work being a single dad. Not to mention his sister and mother are driving him crazy with their refusal to accept that he is gay; they keep insisting that because Kylen had one-off sex with a woman that must mean he is straight. It is so frustrating that, in a fit of irritation, Kylen tells his sister that he has a boyfriend… named Dallas. Which gets all the more embarrassing when he goes to visit Flora’s school and finds out her teacher is none other than Dallas himself.
Dallas is surprisingly not bothered by playing the boyfriend for Kylen’s family; he is just happy for the chance to see Kylen again. The men begin to build a friendship and become a source of support for each other as they both struggle with stresses in their lives. For Dallas, he also begins to reflect on his own sexuality. He has never really been interested in sex and has always felt a bit broken. But Dallas slowly comes to realize that not only is he gray asexual, but he also has an interest in men. Dallas and Kylen both want to explore the connection between them, but they are each also dealing with a lot of complications that make a relationship difficult. But with the support of one another, along with their group of close friends, the men may find a way to move forward with their lives together.
Finding You is third book in E.M. Lindsey’s Words We Never Said series. The books feature a strong found family element in the single dads group and the guys are prominent side characters in each other’s stories. You could follow along with Kylen and Dallas’ story without having read the other books, but I love this series and I think getting the full dynamic among the group members will add to reader enjoyment. This story is very character driven (one of Lindsey’s specialities) as Kylen and Dallas are both single dads going through a lot. For Dallas, it is custody issues with his ex-wife, along with a new understanding of his own sexuality. For Kylen, it is the challenges of raising his daughter alone, along with frustrations from his unpleasant family. I really liked how these men come to lean on and support one another as they each are going through their struggles. Dallas steps right up to play the boyfriend with Kylen’s family and be a buffer and a listening ear when they get out of hand. Kylen is there to help when Dallas is dealing with a custody fight and working through feelings about his sexual identity. They are just both sweet and supportive and give each other the strength they need to work through their challenges they are facing.
One of the major issues for Dallas is a new understanding of his own sexuality. In part, it is an attraction to men for the first time. Given Dallas’ brother is gay, as are most of his friends, Dallas is pretty low key about realizing he may like men. For him, the bigger issue is recognizing he fits under the asexual umbrella and comes to identify as gray ace. Dallas’ wife blamed her cheating on his lack of interest in sex and he has always felt wrong and like a failure. Even as he becomes more aware of his own sexuality, it is a struggle for Dallas to believe that he is worthy and that someone like Kylen could want him. He is sure that Kylen will get tired of him and frustrated with the limits of what Dallas can give. But Kylen is supportive and accepting and their needs end up being a perfect match for one another.
I also really liked Kylen’s relationship with Flora’s mother, Daniela. The two had a drunken night together and, while Daniela didn’t want children, Kylen wanted to be a father, so he is raising Flora on his own. Kylen and Daniela are the best of friends, however, and she is a source of support for him, as well as a sounding board as he navigates things with Dallas. I really liked seeing this positive relationship between them, particularly as some characters in this series have more negative dynamics with their child’s parent (including Dallas). I also liked that we see that Daniela has chosen to focus on her career in lieu of parenting (she works out of the country most of the year) and she is not shamed for that decision. It was just a nice dynamic between them that I thought added to the story.
This story once again features this lovely found family of men who are all single dads. They are sweet and there for one another and I just adore them all. I love the playfulness between them, but also that any one of them would drop everything if someone is in need. They are there to help Dallas as he works through his feelings, as well as to support both men as they handle their various challenges. (Also, if Adele isn’t the dreamiest man alive, I don’t know who is and I am dying to hear his story.) It looks like the next book up features two new characters, both of whom we meet here, and I am really looking forward to continuing on with this series. There is just something I love about a found family vibe and Lindsey really brings that energy here. This was a great installment and I am eager for more.
