MAYBE THIS TIME by A.M. Arthur

Publisher:               Carina Press           

Published:               July 21. 2014         

ISBN:                     978 142688 871 6 

Genre:                   Romance, M/M

Book Format:          E-book

Obtained via:          Publisher

Reviewed by:          Helena Stone, helenastone63@gmail.com

Rating:                   4

         

This is the second book in the ‘Belonging’ series. While it can be read as a stand-alone I think you’ll enjoy it more if you read ‘No Such Thing’ first.

Ezra Kelley presents himself as a free spirit. A regular at gay hotspot Pot O Gold, he loves flirting and one night stands. A relationship is the farthest thing from his mind after a boyfriend he gave his all to,let him down. When bartender Donner Davis picks him up off the bathroom floor one night after an encounter gone wrong and too much tequila, Ezra is amazed at the man’s kindness. A kindness Ezra is sure he doesn’t deserve.

Donner’s life has been on hold ever since his lover died two years ago. He lives in his sister’s basement and works at the Pot where he flirts with his customers. He can’t deny his attraction to the flamboyant Ezra and wouldn’t mind spending a night with him but knows that a fling is all it could ever be. He isn’t ready for anything beyond that.

What should have been a one-night-stand leaves both Ezra and Donner with feelings they didn’t expect. What they thought was physical attraction appears to be a connection that won’t be denied. But with Donner still afraid to risk his heart and Ezra incapable of sharing his thoughts and feelings they push each other away as much as their connection brings them closer. They’ll both need to face their past, deal with it and leave it behind them if they want to get it right this time.

When I started this book I didn’t realize it was the sequel to ‘No Such Thing’ and I was pleasantly surprised to find myself spending more time with Jaime and Allessandro, even if they only play a supporting role in this book. The two characters taking centre stage this time, Donner and Ezra, are as fascinating as their two predecessors. They come with enough baggage to make connecting with each other harder than it should be which makes their hesitant relationship fascinating to follow. They don’t always deal with their issues in the best possible way which makes them relatable characters.

None of the issues the characters face are new to the reader. We’ve read books about parents rejecting their child before. There’s nothing new about being reluctant to commit to someone new after you’ve lost the love of your life. And yet nothing in this story felt rehashed. Their story may not be unique, these characters were and they are what made this a beautiful and hard to put down book.

It was impossible to not fall for Donner almost from the moment he is introduced to the reader. He is one of those characters who is aware of his issues, struggles with them but tries to stop himself from allowing his past to interfere with his future. Ezra on the other hand is a bit more of a handful. Younger than Donner he hasn’t yet learned to separate his past from who and what he is. His constant struggle between wanting to connect to Donner and being afraid of what it might cost him in the long run was at times heartbreaking. Watching him as he takes small steps towards a happy future was beautiful.

“Flaws are only part of a person. Our pasts are another part. But the most important part is our present. It’s the guy you are now and the guy you’re going to be down the road.” - Donner

The author pulls no punches in this book. We’re given a clear picture of everything that can and does go wrong in relationships, families and the world at large. The fact that this is a positive and ultimately uplifting story despite all the darker details proves A.M. Arthur has found the right balance between gritty realism and beautiful romance.

The writing in this book was smooth and at times awe-inspiring. The dialogue between the characters sounded real and the descriptions left me with a clear picture of Donner, Ezra and the world they live in. I’m pretty sure there will be more titles coming in the ‘Belonging’ series – I even have my suspicions about the character the next book might focus on – and I will most definitely be reading it when it comes out.

“Because nothing worth doing is ever completely easy. It’s like falling in love. You have to risk getting hurt in order to get the rewards, and usually the rewards are so fucking amazing and totally worth it.” – Donner

 

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