The honeymoon phase of the relationship between Dave and Nicholas from The Butterfly Hunter.

OF DREAMS AND CEREMONIES is the sequel to The Butterfly Hunter, and it really should be read in order as part of that series.

Dave and Nicholas have decided to spend the rest of their lives together, and now they must deal with the realities of their lives. No longer on an excursion, they must now deal with the ugly realities of leaving one’s family behind, obtaining citizenship in another country, and enjoying the beginning of their new lives together.

Having just read the first story, I was hoping to see more of this sweet couple get to know one another better. Unfortunately, there was too much going on in this story, and very little of it developed the characters any further.

Dave and Nicholas are both very kind people and most definitely in love with each other. As Dave gets to know a little bit about Nicholas’ family, they begin to plan out how they will celebrate their civil ceremony along with their honeymoon. They also must deal with trying to get Nicholas to be a permanent citizen in Australia, and in order to convince the government of their love for each other, Nicholas starts to blog about their lives together. It was nice to get a little glimpse into Nicholas’ mind from his musings.

The honeymoon included a bit of kink in the bedroom, and a mystery surrounding some lights and stones outside their cabin. The mystery was odd and I’m still not sure how it fit into this story. After heading back to Australia, they participated in the ritual that was started in the first story surrounding the mysterious location of the butterflies. It’s unfortunate more time wasn’t devoted to this wonderful couple and their relationship. There were so many times where it would have been nice for them to have a full conversation to explain exactly what was happening and how they felt about it.

If you enjoyed the first story in this series, then this is a must read to see the continuation of their happy ending.

Originally reviewed for The Romance Reviews. Complimentary copy provided by author/publisher for an honest review.
Book Blurb

Recovering and moving on from one’s past isn’t always easy, but the rewards are certainly worth it.

As a young child, George Zajac was seriously abused by his father for leaning toward being gay. He suffered through a marriage for 10 years, trying not to accept his true feelings while also trying to avoid his father’s displeasure. After finally getting divorced and moving across the country to start over, he’s hoping to form a hidden friends-with-benefits relationship with his co-worker, Kenny Marks. Kenny is happy to oblige since he has a crush on George, but how long is Kenny willing to live on the sidelines?

The entire story is told from George’s point of view who is still truly suffering from his earlier abuse. George is a very strong and successful individual, and yet there is also a very sad and lonely aspect to his life. Kenny is such a wonderful character who always seemed to find the best in a situation. The two of them worked together in catering, but for Kenny it was just something to pay the bills while he’s working on his screenplays. I loved the interactions between these two, and since they worked together, there was plenty of it. I also liked how Kenny’s writing was brought into the story. There were several steamy scenes that helped to move the plot forward, especially since these guys enjoyed pillow talk. The story took place over several years, which made it much more believable.

Kenny was always extremely supportive with all of George’s issues, but he also continued to encourage George to seek assistance. I was very glad that his recovery was taken seriously, and that George sought professional help. This was not a “love cures all” type of problem. I also thought it was great that this wasn’t a depressing story given the earlier abuse. The author made sure you understood George’s behavior without making it overwhelm the story. I was flying through the pages, anxious to see how everything would be resolved, and yet dreading to see it end.

Although this was my first read by this author, it certainly won’t be the last. I didn’t feel lost even though I hadn’t read the first 3 stories in the series. I really enjoyed this realistic and riveting story, and I highly recommend it to those who enjoy a tender, slow building relationship with love winning in the end.

Originally reviewed for The Romance Reviews. Complimentary copy provided by author/publisher for an honest review.
Book Blurb

If you assume guardianship of a young adult, are you allowed to fall in love with him?

When Brett’s brother dies suddenly, Andrew becomes his guardian. Brett is deaf, and although he’s 19, he needs some minor assistance and can’t live on his own. Andrew is a young and single writer. As they spend time together, they both begin to fall in love but aren’t sure how to pursue it.

Andrew and Brett had a very hard time sharing their emotions and rarely had any deep discussions with each other. Although they both cared for each other, they were both seeing other people. They were both a bit immature and tended to get angry easily.

Unfortunately, the emotional connection was missing from the story for me. Although the plot had a lot of potential, the writing style lacked the necessary flow. The author did a good job sharing some of the experiences a deaf person must deal with on a regular basis.

Originally reviewed for The Romance Reviews. Complimentary copy provided by author/publisher for an honest review.
Book Blurb