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Button Down
When he finds himself captivated by a movie-star handsome stranger he meets in a bar, lawyer Ford Reilly watches a simple one-night stand develop into a taste of what living honestly might bring him. Out and proud Gus Hansen has built a small architectural firm from nothing, but could lose it all as he tries to break a contract he signed before knowing about the project’s antigay ties. After Ford discovers he spent a passionate night with the man on the other side of the dispute he’s handling, he finds himself in more than one quandary. He can either maintain the status quo, enforcing the contract to the letter, or he can defy his overbearing father and break free of the closeted life he's built for himself in order to be with Gus. Gus has his own choices to make. He knows the sting of loving a man who hides himself, but the longer he lingers in Ford's presence, the more difficult it becomes to deny their attraction.
230 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 22, 2013
2 people are currently reading
98 people want to read
About the author
Dawn Kimberly Johnson
34 books66 followersDawn lives in Huntington, West Virginia, and graduated from the W. Page Pitt School of Journalism & Mass Communications at Marshall University. An avid reader and storyteller since childhood, she was first published by Dreamspinner Press in 2009, shortly after discovering a delightful appetite for gay romantic fiction. Her interests include writing, seeking full civil rights for the LGBTQ community, drawing, and playing silly Facebook games. You can connect with Dawn at her author page at Dreamspinner Press: https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/aut...
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
December 24, 2013
4.25*
I saw the blurb and immediately wanted to read this story. I was a little worried about the level of angst and inner musings, self-loathing and misunderstandings that might await me. A totally unfounded fear as it turned out.
Ford is the second son of the town mayor, deacon of the church and all around ambitious man. Ford has always lived in his brother Royce's shadow. He wants to please his father and earn his love and respect but even at 30 doesn't feel like he's ever quite good enough.
“Ford knew he would never shine as brightly in his parents’ eyes as Royce. His big brother would always be bigger, stronger, and better-looking. Ford’s only consolation was knowing that no one loved him like Royce loved him. His brother always had his back.”
He's kept his homosexuality a secret for the most part. He's afraid of losing his family, especially his brother Royce.
Ford is a good man, a good friend, a good son and brother. I really liked him.
But meeting Gus, he now has a reason to come out, his own happiness.
“Mm-hm. But what do you want, Button?”
Ford scrubbed his face with his hand, glanced toward the bedroom, and sighed, “I know what I don’t want. I don’t want to be afraid anymore.”
Gus was kicked out at 16 when his religious parents found him kissing a boy, but he's made his way in life, has great friends and doesn't hide who he is. His lover left him and went to 'conversion therapy' which has been especially hard on Gus.
I think Gus is a great guy, he has strong convictions and a good heart.
He didn't pressure Ford, he understood his situation.
“as he imagined the fear and horror Ford must have been feeling at that time, so young and surrounded by people who likely believed he was an abomination. No one to talk to. Just like me.
They had taken different paths—Ford distracting himself, pretending, buttoning himself down, and Gus bursting out, albeit against his will and sooner than he would have liked. Ford had held on to his family by lying, while Gus had lost his by telling the truth.”
There are a lot of issues covered in this story, religion, prejudice, political ambitions, conversion therapy, being true to yourself, coming out, standing by your family and loved ones, homophobia and acceptance. Despite all that it wasn't a dark or depressing story, as a matter of fact, I found it uplifting and hopeful. I loved watching Ford come into his own and actually once he decided on it, it was surprisingly easy for him.
Ford's mama and grandmother rock! His best friend Cicely was wonderful and even Royce turned out more than ok, despite a few hiccups. I wasn't thrilled with the way Andy's story played out, but that was probably just me.
At times it felt a little 'preachy' but it was all wrapped up in such a way that I didn't mind at all.
I loved that these guys are honest with each other, no mind games, no unnecessary drama and I'm really glad I read this story.
I saw the blurb and immediately wanted to read this story. I was a little worried about the level of angst and inner musings, self-loathing and misunderstandings that might await me. A totally unfounded fear as it turned out.
Ford is the second son of the town mayor, deacon of the church and all around ambitious man. Ford has always lived in his brother Royce's shadow. He wants to please his father and earn his love and respect but even at 30 doesn't feel like he's ever quite good enough.
“Ford knew he would never shine as brightly in his parents’ eyes as Royce. His big brother would always be bigger, stronger, and better-looking. Ford’s only consolation was knowing that no one loved him like Royce loved him. His brother always had his back.”
He's kept his homosexuality a secret for the most part. He's afraid of losing his family, especially his brother Royce.
Ford is a good man, a good friend, a good son and brother. I really liked him.
But meeting Gus, he now has a reason to come out, his own happiness.
“Mm-hm. But what do you want, Button?”
Ford scrubbed his face with his hand, glanced toward the bedroom, and sighed, “I know what I don’t want. I don’t want to be afraid anymore.”
Gus was kicked out at 16 when his religious parents found him kissing a boy, but he's made his way in life, has great friends and doesn't hide who he is. His lover left him and went to 'conversion therapy' which has been especially hard on Gus.
I think Gus is a great guy, he has strong convictions and a good heart.
He didn't pressure Ford, he understood his situation.
“as he imagined the fear and horror Ford must have been feeling at that time, so young and surrounded by people who likely believed he was an abomination. No one to talk to. Just like me.
They had taken different paths—Ford distracting himself, pretending, buttoning himself down, and Gus bursting out, albeit against his will and sooner than he would have liked. Ford had held on to his family by lying, while Gus had lost his by telling the truth.”
There are a lot of issues covered in this story, religion, prejudice, political ambitions, conversion therapy, being true to yourself, coming out, standing by your family and loved ones, homophobia and acceptance. Despite all that it wasn't a dark or depressing story, as a matter of fact, I found it uplifting and hopeful. I loved watching Ford come into his own and actually once he decided on it, it was surprisingly easy for him.
Ford's mama and grandmother rock! His best friend Cicely was wonderful and even Royce turned out more than ok, despite a few hiccups. I wasn't thrilled with the way Andy's story played out, but that was probably just me.
At times it felt a little 'preachy' but it was all wrapped up in such a way that I didn't mind at all.
I loved that these guys are honest with each other, no mind games, no unnecessary drama and I'm really glad I read this story.
January 2, 2014
Too much religious oppression for this atheist, my poor jaw needs to find something to uncramp it now, so much teeth grinding
January 19, 2014
REVIEWED FOR THE BLOG OF SID LOVE
"I find it comforting, I guess, knowing what’s expected, planned. It gives me a false sense of control, but I know there aren’t any guarantees in this.”
This quote from Ford Reilly pretty much sums up his life. He comes from what seems like a storybook family. Wealthy, successful, pillars of their community. His Daddy is the mayor and Ford and his older brother Royce, both lawyers, work with him. Ford is polite, well spoken and is one of those people who seems to be friends with everybody but close to no one. No one but his best friend Cicely. Even the family he adores is unaware of the secret he hides. The fact that he’s gay.
Gus, our second main character was meant to be a one night stand for Ford. The two men felt an instant connection but the next day both agreed to walk away. Gus was still hung up on an ex who had been “cured of gay” by a church group and Ford had no intention of leaving the controlled safety of his closet. When Gus finds himself stuck working as the architect for Eliza Reilly’s (Ford’s mother’s) renovation project, the two men are brought together once more.
I love the romance between these two. In some ways they fit together so perfectly right from the start but they also need to work through the issues they both have before they can commit to an actual relationship.
So yes, the romance was great and all but, for me at least, this book was about more than that.
Religion plays a pretty large role in Button Down. Commonly in M/M romances religion is portrayed as the enemy. To the point where, were I a religious person, I’d probably be offended. And ok, the book does have Family Strong, a group of religious fanatics who believe they can help save these poor misguided homosexuals from their life of sin J. But, they are presented as an extreme example to be compared with the rest of the religious characters in the story. Did that all come out a bit convoluted? What I’m trying to say, what the author is showing, is that religious does not equal homophobic. I’ll mention this again as I gush about the characters.
The Reilly’s will have to go on my list of fictional families I wish were real. At first I took them to be superficial and too image conscious but as the story went on they all revealed more of themselves and I was hooked.
Ford Reilly is perfectly written. He’s the most careful, controlled, buttoned down (hey look at that) character I’ve ever read. It’s as though his whole life is filled with premeditated actions and behavior. He has very strong religious beliefs but, and thank you, he hasn’t been written as another self-doubting, religious gay man. He says at one point that if God made him gay then it’s obviously okay. The only reason he’s not “out” is because he’s concerned about the reaction of his very close family. Once he makes the decision to come out though, he simply does it with no regrets or second-guessing.
My favorite character in this book, and it may not be a popular choice, is Ford’s father. Benjamin Reilly is written as a totally flawed and realistic character. He’s the mayor, a deacon in their church, and he’s use to having complete control over his sons’ lives. He’s been raised to believe homosexuality is a sin and he sees no reason to question that. Until he meets Gus. We can see immediately that his composure is shaken as Gus defends himself against the bigoted beliefs of the Family Strong leader. Gus makes strong, sensible arguments, quoting scripture right back at the man and Benjamin seems to realize that what he believes may be wrong. Of course it’s never that easy to change someone’s beliefs so naturally he reacts badly to his own son coming out as gay. The author balances everything so well, Benjamin’s prejudices, his confusion and his love for his family. While he could easily have become a villain, I ended up seeing him as a rather sympathetic character instead.
I’d describe Button Down as a story about family, sprinkled with humor and with a kickass romance thrown in for good measure.
And since I started with a quote, I think that’s how I’ll end it too. I loved this one.
“Yes, well,” Ford began wistfully, “I use to think you were the best-looking man I’d ever seen, that black hair and those big blue eyes.”
“Yeah?” Andy asked, brightening, his chest puffing up.
“Yeah. But I was a kid then, and over the years, your homophobia has beaten you about the head with a big-ass ugly stick. Excuse me.”
"I find it comforting, I guess, knowing what’s expected, planned. It gives me a false sense of control, but I know there aren’t any guarantees in this.”
This quote from Ford Reilly pretty much sums up his life. He comes from what seems like a storybook family. Wealthy, successful, pillars of their community. His Daddy is the mayor and Ford and his older brother Royce, both lawyers, work with him. Ford is polite, well spoken and is one of those people who seems to be friends with everybody but close to no one. No one but his best friend Cicely. Even the family he adores is unaware of the secret he hides. The fact that he’s gay.
Gus, our second main character was meant to be a one night stand for Ford. The two men felt an instant connection but the next day both agreed to walk away. Gus was still hung up on an ex who had been “cured of gay” by a church group and Ford had no intention of leaving the controlled safety of his closet. When Gus finds himself stuck working as the architect for Eliza Reilly’s (Ford’s mother’s) renovation project, the two men are brought together once more.
I love the romance between these two. In some ways they fit together so perfectly right from the start but they also need to work through the issues they both have before they can commit to an actual relationship.
So yes, the romance was great and all but, for me at least, this book was about more than that.
Religion plays a pretty large role in Button Down. Commonly in M/M romances religion is portrayed as the enemy. To the point where, were I a religious person, I’d probably be offended. And ok, the book does have Family Strong, a group of religious fanatics who believe they can help save these poor misguided homosexuals from their life of sin J. But, they are presented as an extreme example to be compared with the rest of the religious characters in the story. Did that all come out a bit convoluted? What I’m trying to say, what the author is showing, is that religious does not equal homophobic. I’ll mention this again as I gush about the characters.
The Reilly’s will have to go on my list of fictional families I wish were real. At first I took them to be superficial and too image conscious but as the story went on they all revealed more of themselves and I was hooked.
Ford Reilly is perfectly written. He’s the most careful, controlled, buttoned down (hey look at that) character I’ve ever read. It’s as though his whole life is filled with premeditated actions and behavior. He has very strong religious beliefs but, and thank you, he hasn’t been written as another self-doubting, religious gay man. He says at one point that if God made him gay then it’s obviously okay. The only reason he’s not “out” is because he’s concerned about the reaction of his very close family. Once he makes the decision to come out though, he simply does it with no regrets or second-guessing.
My favorite character in this book, and it may not be a popular choice, is Ford’s father. Benjamin Reilly is written as a totally flawed and realistic character. He’s the mayor, a deacon in their church, and he’s use to having complete control over his sons’ lives. He’s been raised to believe homosexuality is a sin and he sees no reason to question that. Until he meets Gus. We can see immediately that his composure is shaken as Gus defends himself against the bigoted beliefs of the Family Strong leader. Gus makes strong, sensible arguments, quoting scripture right back at the man and Benjamin seems to realize that what he believes may be wrong. Of course it’s never that easy to change someone’s beliefs so naturally he reacts badly to his own son coming out as gay. The author balances everything so well, Benjamin’s prejudices, his confusion and his love for his family. While he could easily have become a villain, I ended up seeing him as a rather sympathetic character instead.
I’d describe Button Down as a story about family, sprinkled with humor and with a kickass romance thrown in for good measure.
And since I started with a quote, I think that’s how I’ll end it too. I loved this one.
“Yes, well,” Ford began wistfully, “I use to think you were the best-looking man I’d ever seen, that black hair and those big blue eyes.”
“Yeah?” Andy asked, brightening, his chest puffing up.
“Yeah. But I was a kid then, and over the years, your homophobia has beaten you about the head with a big-ass ugly stick. Excuse me.”
January 14, 2014
Original Blog Post: http://headouttheoven.blogspot.com/20...
I don't know what it is about stories like Button Down. They press the right buttons and I just get the warm, fuzzy feeling and a goofyfacedsmile that never leaves. Strangely enough, for such an open and real story, there is no uberness to the drama.
Here we have Ford, a lawyer, son of affluence, and gay. Closeted gay. Despite his family love, his best friend's support and love, his fear to come out to them is real and quite understandable. Especially as he lives in a community so steeped in traditions and religion. The only time he gets to enjoy himself is when he goes out of town on a trip usually assigned him by his father, the Deacon and the town Mayor.
Then we have Gus. An architect, out and proud gay sans the rainbow bumper stickers, and nursing a broken heart when his partner of three years ups and leaves to get cured of his gayness. To complicate matters, he finds himself trapped in a contract he had signed up for before he finds out that a group whose main thrust is to combat the gay disease, is the very same that is funding the project. Oh yes, this is also the same group that supposedly cured his ex.
The two men meet one night, get tangled between the sheets and go their separate ways. Unknown to Gus, Ford is the very representative who made it impossible for him to renege on his contract. Of course, Ford knows this but hides for fear of Gus' rejection. And so their story begins.
The contract was tight. Solid. Simple. Gus cannot get out of it and risk bankrupting his own fledgling business. Off he goes to surrender his plans and meets the Reilly family. He finds himself not only corralled by the charming Mrs. Reilly, but by Ford as well.
The romance that soon develops between Gus and Ford is simple, straightforward and quite sweet. The only thing that ruined the whole affair was the bigotry from a stranger who just happened to be the same one who had furnished the money for the project.
Soon, things go to a head and we read all sorts of reactions from Ford's loved ones: from all knowing acceptance to just plain bigoted. Of course, this has an HEA ending so it does end happily for them.
Now why did I love reading this so much?
Dawn Kimberly Johnson managed to make a potentially dangerous and boring plot of a love story steeped in the drama of bigotry into something sweet and simple.
It was sweet in her approach to the love developing between the two men. Sweet in her writing about a fiercely loyal mother whose love for her children was unconditional. Sweet in her approach to writing about an older brother who was a protector of the younger one whom he'd always backed.
It was simple in that the story never went beyond the drama into uber drama. Simple in that the story never went beyond the known, she stuck to the facts as we know it today and dealt with it straight and forward. Simple in that the legalese was simply stated and spared those readers unfamiliar with the language. Simple in that the love between two men is just as meaningful as everything else is on this planet - no matter the race, gender or species.
This is the first I have read of Ms. Johnson and I took this chance on her after I read the blurb. It is a decision that resulted with me smiling and just feeling warm all over. It is light, sweet, romantic and simply a beautiful read that was very hard to put down.
I don't know what it is about stories like Button Down. They press the right buttons and I just get the warm, fuzzy feeling and a goofyfacedsmile that never leaves. Strangely enough, for such an open and real story, there is no uberness to the drama.
Here we have Ford, a lawyer, son of affluence, and gay. Closeted gay. Despite his family love, his best friend's support and love, his fear to come out to them is real and quite understandable. Especially as he lives in a community so steeped in traditions and religion. The only time he gets to enjoy himself is when he goes out of town on a trip usually assigned him by his father, the Deacon and the town Mayor.
Then we have Gus. An architect, out and proud gay sans the rainbow bumper stickers, and nursing a broken heart when his partner of three years ups and leaves to get cured of his gayness. To complicate matters, he finds himself trapped in a contract he had signed up for before he finds out that a group whose main thrust is to combat the gay disease, is the very same that is funding the project. Oh yes, this is also the same group that supposedly cured his ex.
The two men meet one night, get tangled between the sheets and go their separate ways. Unknown to Gus, Ford is the very representative who made it impossible for him to renege on his contract. Of course, Ford knows this but hides for fear of Gus' rejection. And so their story begins.
The contract was tight. Solid. Simple. Gus cannot get out of it and risk bankrupting his own fledgling business. Off he goes to surrender his plans and meets the Reilly family. He finds himself not only corralled by the charming Mrs. Reilly, but by Ford as well.
The romance that soon develops between Gus and Ford is simple, straightforward and quite sweet. The only thing that ruined the whole affair was the bigotry from a stranger who just happened to be the same one who had furnished the money for the project.
Soon, things go to a head and we read all sorts of reactions from Ford's loved ones: from all knowing acceptance to just plain bigoted. Of course, this has an HEA ending so it does end happily for them.
Now why did I love reading this so much?
Dawn Kimberly Johnson managed to make a potentially dangerous and boring plot of a love story steeped in the drama of bigotry into something sweet and simple.
It was sweet in her approach to the love developing between the two men. Sweet in her writing about a fiercely loyal mother whose love for her children was unconditional. Sweet in her approach to writing about an older brother who was a protector of the younger one whom he'd always backed.
It was simple in that the story never went beyond the drama into uber drama. Simple in that the story never went beyond the known, she stuck to the facts as we know it today and dealt with it straight and forward. Simple in that the legalese was simply stated and spared those readers unfamiliar with the language. Simple in that the love between two men is just as meaningful as everything else is on this planet - no matter the race, gender or species.
This is the first I have read of Ms. Johnson and I took this chance on her after I read the blurb. It is a decision that resulted with me smiling and just feeling warm all over. It is light, sweet, romantic and simply a beautiful read that was very hard to put down.
July 12, 2014
REVIEWED FOR PRISM BOOK ALLIANCE
Story 4 Stars
Narration 4 Stars
I really enjoyed this. Two more different men you couldn’t meet!
Ford is from a Southern State. His father is not only Mayor of their small town but also a Deacon in the church. He demands respect and obedience from his two sons and believes in ‘traditional’ family values. His father was a bigot!
Gus was brilliant. Out, loud and proud and a great advocate for LGBT rights. Disowned by his family at 16 when his father discovered kissing another boy over their homework he has worked hard to get where he is. His previous boyfriend of three years was in the closet and has just gone through conversion therapy; he now claims to be happy, free of sin and has just married a woman.
The story stems around a community centre being built in a small town. Gus was the architect and didn’t know that a group with extreme homophobic views was involved until after the contract ink was dry. He tries and fails to get himself out of his commitment. As this is happening he has a hot one night stand with Ford, and it is only after that night that he discovers Ford is the lawyer tasked with ensuring Gus finishes the job he has started.
This is not always a comfortable read as it deals with racism and homophobia but real life is not always comfortable. I liked Ford a lot, he may have spent his life in the closet and lived in fear of what his family thought but he was never negative about who he was and he never denied it to himself. Gus was always thoughtful about his predicament understanding what it felt like to lose your family.
The cast of characters in this story was important and you meet some very strong people. Some you will hate immediately but others will surprise you in their support and compassion. I personally think books like this are important, they show us if even for a small time that life isn’t always easy, that we must persevere and that who we love is never wrong. It is worth mentioning the ending......not everything is fixed....again just like real life.
I would love to read a story about Thor!
Narration
Great narration on this one! There were quite a lot of characters and all were done perfectly IMO. Very easy to listen to and very clear.
Story 4 Stars
Narration 4 Stars
I really enjoyed this. Two more different men you couldn’t meet!
Ford is from a Southern State. His father is not only Mayor of their small town but also a Deacon in the church. He demands respect and obedience from his two sons and believes in ‘traditional’ family values. His father was a bigot!
Gus was brilliant. Out, loud and proud and a great advocate for LGBT rights. Disowned by his family at 16 when his father discovered kissing another boy over their homework he has worked hard to get where he is. His previous boyfriend of three years was in the closet and has just gone through conversion therapy; he now claims to be happy, free of sin and has just married a woman.
The story stems around a community centre being built in a small town. Gus was the architect and didn’t know that a group with extreme homophobic views was involved until after the contract ink was dry. He tries and fails to get himself out of his commitment. As this is happening he has a hot one night stand with Ford, and it is only after that night that he discovers Ford is the lawyer tasked with ensuring Gus finishes the job he has started.
This is not always a comfortable read as it deals with racism and homophobia but real life is not always comfortable. I liked Ford a lot, he may have spent his life in the closet and lived in fear of what his family thought but he was never negative about who he was and he never denied it to himself. Gus was always thoughtful about his predicament understanding what it felt like to lose your family.
The cast of characters in this story was important and you meet some very strong people. Some you will hate immediately but others will surprise you in their support and compassion. I personally think books like this are important, they show us if even for a small time that life isn’t always easy, that we must persevere and that who we love is never wrong. It is worth mentioning the ending......not everything is fixed....again just like real life.
I would love to read a story about Thor!
Narration
Great narration on this one! There were quite a lot of characters and all were done perfectly IMO. Very easy to listen to and very clear.
February 23, 2014
2.5
This one is hard for me to rate.
I'm not a huge fan of religion in my reads so that tends to be something that read around when I come across it my books. I also found the hate group information really heavy handed and more than a bit depressing.
I loved the MCs though and their ties to their friends and family was really rich and layered. So this ended up being a bit of a high/low for me.
This one is hard for me to rate.
I'm not a huge fan of religion in my reads so that tends to be something that read around when I come across it my books. I also found the hate group information really heavy handed and more than a bit depressing.
I loved the MCs though and their ties to their friends and family was really rich and layered. So this ended up being a bit of a high/low for me.
May 20, 2015
I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Sweet and cute, with lovable characters. Will there be sequel involving Thor and Andy?
January 1, 2014
Synopsis:
When he finds himself captivated by a movie-star handsome stranger he meets in a bar, lawyer Ford Reilly watches a simple one-night stand develop into a taste of what living honestly might bring him.
Out and proud Gus Hansen has built a small architectural firm from nothing, but could lose it all as he tries to break a contract he signed before knowing about the project’s antigay ties.
After Ford discovers he spent a passionate night with the man on the other side of the dispute he’s handling, he finds himself in more than one quandary. He can either maintain the status quo, enforcing the contract to the letter, or he can defy his overbearing father and break free of the closeted life he's built for himself in order to be with Gus.
Gus has his own choices to make. He knows the sting of loving a man who hides himself, but the longer he lingers in Ford's presence, the more difficult it becomes to deny their attraction.
My Thoughts:
I'd give this 3.5 stars.
I ended up enjoying this. Not quite as much as I wanted to, but it's a light, easy read despite the drama and some of the characters standing on their religious soap boxes.
I can't think of a whole lot to say about this. I didn't love it, but I was drawn into it. I liked Gus and Ford and most of the secondary characters. Most of Ford's friends and family were pretty awesome. Gus's friends Lin and Grace were awesome, too. And then there's Thornton who it sounds like Ms. Johnson is setting up to get a book of his own with a character I totally saw coming. It's so obvious that dude is in the closet. Not surprised Thornton went after him. He seems the type to go after someone like that dude.
Anyway, I did like seeing Ford finally realizing that hiding wasn't getting him anything. I felt pretty proud of him. I was glad Gus decided to stick around. Ford wouldn't have been able to do what he did on his own. I like the two of them together and I think they're going to be really happy. Good for them.
I don't know if I'll read the book for Thornton and that guy it seems he's set up for if one comes out. I don't much care for that dude. I get he is likely as afraid as Ford was to come out, maybe even more so, but I just don't like him or really care about him one way or the other. Thornton seems like a good guy, but I just don't know.
When he finds himself captivated by a movie-star handsome stranger he meets in a bar, lawyer Ford Reilly watches a simple one-night stand develop into a taste of what living honestly might bring him.
Out and proud Gus Hansen has built a small architectural firm from nothing, but could lose it all as he tries to break a contract he signed before knowing about the project’s antigay ties.
After Ford discovers he spent a passionate night with the man on the other side of the dispute he’s handling, he finds himself in more than one quandary. He can either maintain the status quo, enforcing the contract to the letter, or he can defy his overbearing father and break free of the closeted life he's built for himself in order to be with Gus.
Gus has his own choices to make. He knows the sting of loving a man who hides himself, but the longer he lingers in Ford's presence, the more difficult it becomes to deny their attraction.
My Thoughts:
I'd give this 3.5 stars.
I ended up enjoying this. Not quite as much as I wanted to, but it's a light, easy read despite the drama and some of the characters standing on their religious soap boxes.
I can't think of a whole lot to say about this. I didn't love it, but I was drawn into it. I liked Gus and Ford and most of the secondary characters. Most of Ford's friends and family were pretty awesome. Gus's friends Lin and Grace were awesome, too. And then there's Thornton who it sounds like Ms. Johnson is setting up to get a book of his own with a character I totally saw coming. It's so obvious that dude is in the closet. Not surprised Thornton went after him. He seems the type to go after someone like that dude.
Anyway, I did like seeing Ford finally realizing that hiding wasn't getting him anything. I felt pretty proud of him. I was glad Gus decided to stick around. Ford wouldn't have been able to do what he did on his own. I like the two of them together and I think they're going to be really happy. Good for them.
I don't know if I'll read the book for Thornton and that guy it seems he's set up for if one comes out. I don't much care for that dude. I get he is likely as afraid as Ford was to come out, maybe even more so, but I just don't like him or really care about him one way or the other. Thornton seems like a good guy, but I just don't know.
December 30, 2013
This was nice. Some people may say there's preaching, but it's not too much, or too bad.
I found some issues with the legalese of Gus remaining the contractor a bit thin, and wondered exactly what was Ford's job when he wasn't running around solving problems for Benjamin, but they are small matters, of little concern.
I liked that the many and varied secondary characters were built into the story in a very solid way. We really got to know Cecily and Gran and Lin and even Thorton, right at the end.
When Royce bahaves badly, I liked that there were reasons for it. I am still not sure about Andy - maybe his storyline was the most predictable. And that awful awful Taylor - what a piece of work he is.
Although we followed the boys into bed, we didn't linger and most of the smex was gentle and not graphic. So if that's your thing, you're not going to get it here.
Enjoyable.
I found some issues with the legalese of Gus remaining the contractor a bit thin, and wondered exactly what was Ford's job when he wasn't running around solving problems for Benjamin, but they are small matters, of little concern.
I liked that the many and varied secondary characters were built into the story in a very solid way. We really got to know Cecily and Gran and Lin and even Thorton, right at the end.
When Royce bahaves badly, I liked that there were reasons for it. I am still not sure about Andy - maybe his storyline was the most predictable. And that awful awful Taylor - what a piece of work he is.
Although we followed the boys into bed, we didn't linger and most of the smex was gentle and not graphic. So if that's your thing, you're not going to get it here.
Enjoyable.
February 17, 2014
Dawn Kimberly Johnson did an absolutely wonderful job of balancing the extreme views of some of the characters to the more mainstream views of others. I was also seriously impressed with the fact that Ford, the closeted lawyer, had zero self-loathing. He was fully aware of himself and loved himself unconditionally. The only worry he had was completely believable: he was worried about his family’s acceptance and nothing more.
See the entire review at The Novel Approach: http://thenovelapproachreviews.com/20...
See the entire review at The Novel Approach: http://thenovelapproachreviews.com/20...
March 7, 2014
Great book! Really appreciated that it was an inter-racial story, but it wasn't even mentioned in the blurb. It's just a fact of life, not a story line they have to follow.
August 5, 2016
This one was a surprise. After reading the blurb I decided why not? Could be interesting. A few pages in and I realized I had made a good decision taking a chance on Dawn Kimberly Johnson.
January 3, 2014
What to say?
From one site, story plot was pulling from another it was nothing special and it got boring fast.
So my reading time was okay; I guess.
From one site, story plot was pulling from another it was nothing special and it got boring fast.
So my reading time was okay; I guess.
December 30, 2015
This is my first book book by this author and I quite liked her style! It had lots of family drama but as much supportive as non. I really liked Ford and Gus and how they worked through their issues.
March 1, 2014
3.5-4 A little too much religion, but still good.
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