CARIBBEAN BLUES by Ari McKay

Publisher: Torquere Press

Date published: 01/30/13

ISBN: 978-1-61040-427-3

MM Erotic

E-book

Reviewed by Helen

Weblink: http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=96&products_id=3801

Obtained via publisher

 

Jon Lawson knows it was his fault his romance fell apart, but he’d been wanting to go on this Caribbean vacation for so long he decides to go anyway. Alone. On arrival he cancels all the reservations and bookings he’d made except for the dolphin tour. He’s loved dolphins since he was a small boy. His guide is Derrick Mason, and not only does Jon fall in love with the dolphins, but he also falls for Derrick as well.

The entire book is in Jon POV and although I usually much prefer the other main character to have at least one scene in their POV in even a short story, in this case it works because we become totally enthralled with Jon and his doubts and uncertainties, his hopes and fears, and his view of the vacation. Jon has been derided, under-appreciated and stomped on all through his life by everyone who matters to him except his brother. He never lived up to his parents’ ambitions for him, he has bad luck (or bad taste) in partners, and he’s a rather ordinary sort of person. Just like everyone else really.

And that’s the strength of the story. The reader can relate to an ordinary person falling in love with someone very special but feeling not worthy of them, and scared and inhibited by what everyone else has told them for their entire life. That makes the book extremely powerful and the ending even more realistic and effective than the reader may have expected.

Great characters including the minor characters and the dolphins too, cleanly presented, excellent twist to the story, and hints for a sequel. I’m sure I’ll be among the majority of readers in urging Ms. McKay to get busy writing the sequel.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.