Faith does it again
For those of you who were floored by Deliver Me, the first book in the series, rest assure you will NOT be disappointed by Release Me. Cade Anderson was the drummer for 7's Mistress (coolest band name ever) who managed to make a complete mess of his life by the end of book one. I always felt that he needed a chance to redeem himself—well, he got it!
Just so you know right up front, the former band members play no part in Release Me. I thought I'd miss Tag and company, but honestly, Cade's story had so much to offer that it wouldn't have been fair to share him.
Floundering and unsure of what to do with his future, Cade winds up in Nashville, auditioning for a couple of bands looking for a new drummer. Not even realizing that he's in Kentucky, he winds up in a bar drinking away his sorrows of what has become his pitiful life. He also can't take his eyes off the bartender. Keep in mind, this story takes place in a rural, honky tonk, bible-thumping, little old town where homosexual behavior is not tolerated and could cost anyone their life. I can't stress how lost and alone this big, gorgeous rock star is. My heart was aching for Cade. There was so much to learn about him—the more I did, I fell completely in love with him.
Mal, the handsome bartender and target of Cade's desire, wound up saving Cade's butt after the bar closed and he was harassed by two local troublemakers. Mal invited him home as he was too drunk to drive—you know, a good guy showing him some Southern hospitality.
So now we have a story about the rock star and the cowboy.
Cade and Mal are so completely opposite: wealthy California rocker meets poor, cattle rancher who's on the verge of losing his farm, his bar, all that defines his life. Mal's story broke my heart—he is lost as well.
Despite some of their differences, these two are extremely compatible physically and sexually. (Uh yeah, smokin hot really!). They enjoy one another's company immensely—Mal's mom treats Cade as her own. But why doesn't something seem right? There's just so much at stake for both men, but especially for Mal. Cade's money is the bane of Mal's being. Sometimes the best of intentions are the hardest to accept when pride stands in the way. If I had to choose the perfect scenario for Cade to reinvent himself and to show what a giving, beautiful person he is on the inside, this would have been it. The way Mal handled Cade's generosity irked me. Yes, he did take care of Mal's financial needs behind his back; it was done solely out of love and he never flaunted his money or behaved with an entitled attitude. Without going into any more detail of the story itself (I don't want to give it all away) I felt content that in the end, they wound up where they were supposed to be, and the epilogue was fun and sweet as well.
I loved all the supporting characters—each one of them enriched this book with their own poignant stories. Faith Gibson is one of the best storytellers out there. Her books 'show' her readers what exactly is happening because of her painstaking attention to detail. Punctuation, grammar, and sentence structure were also spot on. Her chapters flowed with ease from one to the other so well that, at times, I didn't even realize I was in the middle of the next one. Another fabulous job by Faith Gibson. So happy Cade told us his story. Five drum-beatin' stars for me.