AUTHOR: Jessie G
TITLE: Our Reason
SERIES: Sizzling Miami #8
(Red & Bull #3)
COVER ARTIST: Andrew Reyna
CATEGORIES: Gay Romance,
Contemporary Romance
RELEASE DATE: October 22, 2017
BLURB
Married life is everything Bull and Red could have hoped
for. It’s not something they’d ever take for granted and the need to pay it
forward is a trait the husbands happily share. When the new director of the
Bennett House asks Red to teach an art class, he isn’t entirely sure how it
will help, but he’s more than willing to try. Before Bull, he used his art to
purge his demons and sharing that with those in need of an outlet for their own
pain was a gift he never considered giving. Each week he is rocked by the
artful outpouring of emotion and the gratitude of his students. One by one,
they burrow into his heart…but none more so than Dillon Young.
Always holding himself apart from the others, the wisp of a
boy keeps his head down and hides behind a mangy, overgrown length of dark hair
like a shield. Despite his best attempts not to see himself in all the young
men that come through the center, everything about Dillon calls out to Red.
Needing to share their encounters, and maybe hoping for a little perspective,
he turns to the one man he knows he can always count on. Expecting Bull to be
the voice of reason had been a fool’s mission from the start and soon they’re
both invested in helping Dillon.
There’s no doubt they have an abundance of love to share and
if ever there was someone who needed it, Dillon was the one. Between Bull’s
strength and Red’s patience, they’ll help Dillon learn to trust again, and in
the process, create a family that none of them intended. Though they never
envisioned themselves as parents, Bull and Red will find room in their happily
ever after to save the child they didn’t know lived in their hearts.
ABOUT THE CHARITY: The Zebra Coalition®
is a network of organizations which provide services to lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgender and all youth (LGBT+) ages 13 – 24. The Coalition assists young
people facing homelessness, bullying, isolation from their families, and physical,
sexual and drug abuse with individualized programs to guide them to recovery
and stability. A portion of the royalties from Our Reason will be
donated by the author, but you can donate now at http://www.zebrayouth.org/donate/
UNIVERSAL LINK: books2read.com/u/b5MjkG
Review
For anyone who is a fan of Jessie G's Sizzling Miami series (and I'm a huge one!) I think it's fair to say that Bull and Red--aka Jon and Ian--are among the favorite couples, if not THE favorite. Of course each couple has different things that we love about them from Saul's growliness to Owen's somewhat awkwardness to Chris's strength, they all have a certain thing that makes them unique. But for Bull and Red, while they do have traits that make them extremely likable, it's also the fact that they're just such great guys. Compassionate, loving, and so, so kind, these two really make it so easy to love them and see why they're the epicenter of their blood and made family. We've seen them fall in love, we've seen them get married, and in Our Reason, we see them add to their family by opening their hearts and their home to Dillon.
Though this is a novella, it packs quite the emotional punch. I found myself tearing up in more than a few places, which is due to Jessie G's writing. I love everything about this entire series, and Bull and Red especially. The way they support one another, they way they encourage and tease and love just gets me right in the feels. In Our Reason, we see Red fall in love with Dillon, a troubled young boy whose appearance at Bennett House throws Red into a bit of tailspin. Watching him recognize parts of himself in the way Dillon acts and speaks, especially after all we know Red has been through in his life, was equal parts painful and beautiful. The thing I love the most about Bull and Red's relationship is the level of honesty and trust they have in one another and it's never more apparent in their approach to Dillon and in their discussions to make Dillon a part of their family. As couples go, these two are pretty much perfect!
Our Reason is a fabulous addition to a series I hope continues on and on. I'm not sure I'll ever get enough of these guys. *hint hint Jessie* I know the ending left plenty of avenues for new books, especially about a certain lawyer who loves to fish! Really folks, if you haven't started this series, I highly recommend you do so at once and fall in love with the Connor's, whether they're born into the family or made a part of it. Make sure you have plenty of time set aside, and probably a box of tissue, too, because once you start, you'll binge your way through all of them. If you've already discovered Bull and Red and all the rest then Our Reason is not to be missed!
EXCERPT
They stopped at a
light and Bull glanced at him thoughtfully. “Did Dillon show up for Thursday’s
art class?”
There was no denying
that the troubled teen was at least partly responsible for his need to give
more or that Bull knew his interest far exceeded his role in the boy’s life.
“Yeah. He was a few minutes late and he looked rough, but he was there. Even
stayed for the food the center brought in afterward.”
Rail thin and tall
for his age, Dillon Young slumped like life had already beaten him into
submission. He always kept his head down and his dark hair long enough to cover
his eyes, but Red had glimpsed at them once and the familiarity had grabbed him
by the throat. The feeling was so strong that he reached for Dillon, needing to
just hug him as tight as he could, but the boy flinched back and took off.
Dillon disappeared
for a few days after that and Red had been beside himself until director called
to say he’d come around again. After that, Red kept his approach cautious. He
wouldn’t avoid him because he needed to know how to help him, but he never got
too close and made sure there was no physical contact even in passing. Months
later, he thought they were making headway, but then Dillon disappeared again
and Red didn’t know why. Like before, he returned with little fanfare and zero
desire to explain his absence. With his own past acting as a reminder of all
the possible shit Dillon could be dealing with, it was a cycle that Red wasn’t
sure he could continue to live with.
“I know the center
has rules it has to follow, but there’s no reason we can’t find out more
information about his home life, is there?” They had been trying not to go
around the center because he didn’t want to cause them any issues, but the fear
of something happening to Dillon was forcing his hand. Red wasn’t scared and
destitute anymore. He was a grown man with resources and friends who could help
this kid. They had to help because the alternative was unacceptable.
“None at all,” Bull
agreed as he reached for his hand. “I’ll talk to Ric. If it’s a conflict of
interest for him, I’m sure he can point me in the direction of someone who can
help.”
AUTHOR BIO
Like many readers, the dream of being a writer has been
with me a long time. After three decades of trying, I'd begun to doubt. Thanks
to social media, I followed my favorite authors hoping to glean some words of
wisdom as I pounded out half-formed ideas with alarming regularity. Two
repetitive themes emerged: to be a great writer you must read a lot and your
butt must be in the chair every day like it's a job. I took that advice to
heart and write every day. With three series in the works and a full schedule
of releases planned for the next two years, it's been amazing to have made this
dream my reality.
I am a firm believer in marriage equality, love at
first sight, power dynamics, and happily ever after. I'm a lover of strong
secondary characters, and series filled with families—biological or chosen. All
are themes you'll find throughout my books.
Contact Links:
Social Links:
Author Pages:
Note from Diverse Reader
Since proceeds of this book will be going to charity
there is no giveaway for this review post.
Please donate or buy
Thank you SOOO much for hosting my guys today and for that beautiful review. I got the hint and I promise, there is so much more to come out of this series, including (most definitely) the Fishing Lawyer.
ReplyDelete