It started pretty uneventful and slow and continued that way until about the middle of the story, then it got really good.
Ken and Jimmy frustrated me so much but they made me suffer for them so much too. I just wanted them to step up and defend themselves. The martyr complex they had surprised me sometimes, but at the same time all the angst made my heart clench, and I LOVED IT.
I really enjoyed this book. I wanted more of it by the end. I liked it even more than the first in the series.
This is book two in the Love in Laguna series and I'm thrilled to read Jim's story. At 82% through the audio version (narrated by K.C. Kelly), I got so ticked off with Jim. How could he go along with his dad's crazy scheme? How could he ruin not only his own life, but those of people he cared about? It's not only ruining his own, but he's ruining Constance's and Ken's lives as well.
'Knave of Broken Hearts' is the second book in Tara Lain's 'Love in Laguana' series and sadly it came up as second rate when all was said and done. There were issues many, many issues and if you want a full accounting of them I suggest you follow this link https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25422386-knave-of-broken-hearts because I'm going to address the issue that while in some ways not as relevant as others but still struck a cord with me and that issue is the parents in this book. All told we encountered 3 different sets of parents first we have Ken's parents...traditional Asian, controlling every aspect of their son's life, especially his mother (Dear Mama-chan there are actual laws against arranged or forced marriages). No reservations here folks I want to shake this woman because if it hadn't been for her and Ken's misguided sense of duty to his parents especially his mother he never would have dated what's-his-face thus avoiding the roofie experience and further dates. He didn't like what's-his-face from the get go.
Then we have Jim. His father was simply 'a bag of dicks' end of subject. Finally we have Constance, who seemed to me to be a pretty amazing woman in spite of her father and his misguided meddling because in the end she gave so much better than she got from any of the men she was involved with no wonder she wants to stay single.
Three adults from 3 different families and yet none of them had a truly loving and supportive family. I have to admit I was left wondering why it seems so hard to create a story where the characters or at least some of them have this. But mostly at the end of it for me the moral of this story was 'You can't please everyone. So you might as well please yourself.' Seriously consider it..if Ken had done as he wanted and pursued a relationship with Jim a lot of his issues wouldn't have happened, if Jim had returned Ken's interest like he truly wanted to and told his dad to jump off a cliff how much of what happened to him wouldn't have happened? And how soon would our MC's have been that much happier?
As Catherine stated in her review "There is so much dafuqery in this book." I believe that sums it up quite nicely.
“He who cheats others is a knave, but he who cheats himself is a fool.” ~ Karl G. Maeser
Jim Carney is not a happy man. In fact, he's not even content. He has spent years hiding from his desire for men, not even able to admit it himself. Jim has gone through life doing what he thinks is expected of him, not putting his heart completely into anything; and it shows. Others see Jim as just getting by in life, as not particularly smart or reliable. Everyone thinks he is a ladies’ man, which is so far from the truth it hurts; but Jim has never considered having any other choice. When Billy gives Jim the responsibility of running his company while he's away, Jim is amazed but determined to make his boss proud.
Leaving home at sixteen because he got a good friend of his in trouble, Jim continues his self-punishment by shutting down his feelings. He is on autopilot most of the time, taking things as they come. With this lack of direction, Jim often gets into difficult situations because he won't speak up for himself. Jim continues flagellating himself for ruining his friend's life, by making sure his is a disaster, thinking he doesn't deserve better. His love life is dismal at best; he can't explain his lack of interest to the women he dates because Jim doesn't understand it himself. Unfortunately, the men Jim works with think he's some kind of Casanova, having any woman he wants and Jim, to his detriment, plays along. The image is enhanced even further when the boss lady takes a shine to Jim and starts coming on to him. Again, fearing ruining things for Billy, Jim pretends to like her, trapping him in yet another relationship he doesn't want. Add his younger brother showing up on his doorstep causing more confusion and Jim has his hands more than full.
Dr. Kenji Tanaka meets Jim when he is referred to him by another doctor who has found a problem with Jim's heart. Ken takes a special interest in Jim and flirts with him outrageously. Jim feels the connection between them, but is not sure what to make of it, or even if he should make something out of it. Meanwhile, Ken has his own problems with his family, particularly with his mother. After finally accepting Ken is gay, she stops pushing women at him and presents Ken with a man from what she considers a good family. To get his mother off his back, he agrees to go out with him, but Ken's negative first impression of the man, unfortunately, turns out to be correct. The other problem is, Ken can't stop thinking about Jim no matter how hard he tries. They both know the union is impossible, but this doesn't stop their hearts from wanting to try. When the worst case scenario happens to Jim, Ken knows he has to make a choice once and for all.
This is a delicious, well-written love story not without its fair share of angst. The characters, particularly Ken and Jim, are so vividly written, I felt as though I had crawled right in the book with them. They are charming and sexy, but at one point or another, I was ready to slap both of them for being so dense. Good communication skills, especially when they involve matters of the heart, don't come easily and Ken and Jim are no exceptions to the rule. They both needed a lot of character growth before they could open up, not just to each other, but to themselves as well. I loved Jim's brother, Ian, who was often the voice of reason for everyone involved. He is so wise and practical for his young age of eighteen and exactly what Jim needed to get him moving in the right direction. I can hardly wait for his story, which I hope will be in the next book in the series. This story can be read alone, but is most enjoyable when read in sequential order. If you enjoy stories about effective communication, handsome men, hot sex, interracial dating, Japanese customs, and following your heart, you may like this book. Many thanks, Tara, for a thoughtful, charming story.
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