Scars run deep but run loves even deeper.
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After a lifetime of being told he’s worthless, Evan Harris is forced out of the closet and the only home he’s ever known. Jobless and homeless, he makes a desperate call to a couple he barely knows. They give him a place to stay at their place in Atlanta while he gets back on his feet. But he’s too shy to explore the big city and go after what he wants: a relationship.

Physically and emotionally scarred from a devastating car accident, Jeremy Lewis struggles to reconcile the brash, outgoing man he used to be with the social recluse he’s become. He’s resigned himself to being alone, but an encounter with an ex-boyfriend shakes up his dull existence and brings Evan into his life.

Loneliness draws Evan and Jeremy to each other, but a strong mutual attraction isn’t enough. At thirty-six, Jeremy is convinced a relationship would be holding twenty-one-year-old Evan back. 

Evan must be strong enough to fight for what he wants and Jeremy must let someone close enough to see his scars. Otherwise, they’ll miss out on the love of a lifetime.

 

Review

 

A hopeful tale where two lonely kind men find love. Jeremy and Evan need to mind the age gap and each others self esteem issues but it is a lovely romance with a chosen family.

Too busy to date while he worked to put himself through school, Russell Bishop's dedication finally pays off; he has a great job with Vantage Marketing. Stephen Parker, CFO of the marketing firm, has resigned himself to a life without a partner. For six months, they wanted each other but it isn’t until Russ slips on spilled coffee, and Stephen rushes to his rescue that they discover their attraction is mutual. However, the twenty year age gap between them proves difficult when they begin dating. Fiercely independent, Russ isn't sure he's ready for long-term commitment. Scarred from a previous relationship, Stephen is afraid history is repeating itself. Is there any way for them to meet in the middle and become equals?

 

Review

 

I enjoyed this book. It was great to watch the heroes work through the conflicts of an office romance and an age difference as well as their own backstories.

However, the focus was too narrow for me, not that the book is character driven I love that, but that these men are so isolated in their connections to others.

And then it turns out this book is really a serial stretched out over several books so I don't get the full HEA. Sigh.

Good writing though.

Doc Brodie and the Big, Purple Cat Toy comes pretty close to being the perfect story for me. In fact, I could almost be persuaded the story was written, if not specifically for me than at least with readers like me in mind. This story was adorably cute, fun to read and contained just enough angst to keep me on the edge of my seat without ever making me uncomfortable.

 

At first glance, Grant Murchison is the one with all the issues that might keep these two men from turning their mutual attraction into something more and lasting. His previous partner really did a number on him, leaving Grant questioning whether his sexual appetite is even normal, and very afraid to trust again. But, if you look a little closer, it soon becomes clear that Doc Brodie has his own reasons for wondering whether he’ll ever find a man who’ll put up with him. Since his job demands he only works night-time shifts for the foreseeable future, forging a relationship is tricky at best.

 

When the two men first meet, Grant is embarrassed to say the least. Admitting what exactly his cat, Mollie, had eaten was excruciating for him, especially since he already questions his hunger for sexual release. Dr. Brodie handles him well though, almost as if he’s dealing with another scared but adorable creature, and when the two men meet again outside the surgery, it doesn’t take long for sparks to fly.

 

In fact, things go so well it’s hard to believe anything could come between these two men and their journey to a happily ever after… until something does. Good (or should I say naughty? J) Molly comes to the rescue though, and Doc Brodie is determined not to let his second chance pass him by.

I adored everything and everybody in this story. Both Grant and Brodie are wonderful and easy to like men, and obviously meant for each other. Their pets, the adventurous Molly and the huge but loveable Ruby are as cute as their owners and regularly put a smile on my face, unless Molly was doing her utmost to scare me and Grant out of our minds.

 

As always Brigham Vaughn’s writing is smooth. Her carefully chosen words paint vibrant pictures. The story moves with ease from start to finish; never boring, never rushed, always gripping and without any filler material.  

 

If you’re in the mood for a wonderful feel-good story with only minor angst and endless amounts of cute, you’ll want to pick this book up immediately.

Book – Doc Brodie and the Big, Purple Cat Toy
Author – Brigham Vaughn
Star rating - ★★★★☆
No. of Pages – 111

Cover – Fun and Cute
POV – 3rd person, dual POV
Would I read it again – Yes.

Genre – LGBT, Contemporary, Vet, Geek


** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK, BY THE AUTHOR, IN RETURN FOR AN HONEST REVIEW **
Reviewed for Divine Magazine


This was a funny, bright book that made me smile most of the way through. The few times I wasn't chuckling along or smiling to myself were when things got serious and I was worried about where the story was going to go.

I haven't read the prequel (didn't know there was one, TBH) about Paul and Isaac, but thankfully, I didn't have to. They were minor characters in this story and I don't think reading about them here will stop me from reading their story, later.

For main characters, I liked both Grant and Brodie. Neither were too overpowering. Grant was a bit of a loner geek, with some serious self-esteem issues thanks to a previous boyfriend, while Brodie was a confident, over-worked man with little to no time to socialise. Together, they found a way to balance the good and bad in each other, while accepting and opening up about their flaws and pasts.

However, there was something that I can't put my finger on that stopped it being a 5 star read. Maybe it's how quickly (and conveniently) it all came together. Maybe it's that this is a short story and I missed the growth and struggle of the relationship that it could have been, if longer. I can't say. All I can say is that while I really enjoyed it, it didn't blow me away.

Another negative is that there were a few problems; mostly spelling/grammar and one instance of formatting, where a sentence was divided between two lines and a few missing or extra quotation marks where they should/shouldn't have been. There was also one or two continuity issues, with people doing things they'd already done.

Overall, there was very little angst here and what there was basically revolved around little Molly. That's fine with me. I like a good, happy book that isn't going to have me gritting my teeth with anxiety every other page. This one was fluffy, light and happy in all the ways that I love.

All too often when I read a romance I’ll finish the story and sit back thinking ‘yeah! Nice! But what happened next?’ Because that’s the thing with romances, isn’t it? You read two hundred pages of two men trying to overcome all their issues so they can be together, get to spend twenty pages with them while they declare their undying love for each other and then the story ends and you’ll just have to believe the happy ever after really happened. And while this isn’t an issue for me, I do often find myself wondering about what the future would hold for the two characters.

 

In many ways Brigham Vaughn answers those questions in this book, and it was as satisfying an experience as I always thought it might be. When ‘Connection’ ends Jeremy and Evan seem to at last have found their way too each other. We leave them together, in bed, and we dare hope that they’ll be happy together.

 

Trust starts the morning after Connection ends and from the start it is clear that these two men are only at the start of their rocky road. Sometimes love alone isn’t enough and Jeremy and Evan are learning that the hard way.

 

Jeremy and Evan charmed me as often as they infuriated. For every time I wanted to squeeze them in a tight hug and comfort them I had a moment when it was all I could do to not shout at my Kindle that they should just talk to each other, stop introspecting and start believing. But of course, that is what this story is all about; Jeremy and Evan’s journey to the moment where they are able to believe in themselves and in each other—the moment when they can both trust that they are good enough and that together they’re perfectly imperfect. And seeing Evan find inner strength and confidence was as beautiful as watching Jeremy as he overcame his insecurities and stopped looking at himself as only half the man he used to be.

 

Evan and Jeremy’s journey in these two books was heartbreaking and delightful, sad and funny, frustrating and uplifting. Most of all, their journey was beautiful and memorable and I can’t recommend it highly enough.

 

On a side note I have to say that I also enjoyed catching up with the gang from the Equals series again. They featured enough to give us an insight into their lives but not enough to take the focus of Evan and Jeremy. The balance was just about perfect. And I think I may have spied another spin-off in the making while reading Trust. I’m looking forward to that tale when it comes.