Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book
Rate this book
Del feels broken. Can Issa be the person to help him heal?

President Delano “Del” Shafer is grieving the loss of his wife, Sarah. Now that the culprits behind the Pride Bombing and all the killings are caught, everyone has been able to move on…except Del.

His friends have all found love. Even his son is happier than Del could have ever imagined. Yet he is stuck, unable to move past the grief, the loss, and the loneliness. He has the most coveted job in the world, but he’s tired of it all. If not for Issa, his twenty-year-younger body man, he wouldn’t even make it out of bed most days.

Issa, with his unfailingly sunny disposition, his infuriatingly stubborn optimism, his endless care for Del. Issa, who becomes the sole reason Del is still standing, is still smiling, is still clinging to the hope that things will get better. Issa, who is making Del feel again, laugh again, live again.

But can he also make him love again?

Heal is the last book in the White House Men series, a continuing MM romantic suspense series that needs to be read in order. It contains a sunshiney assistant, a slightly grumpy president, sweet hurt/comfort, an age gap, and the happiest of happy endings.

393 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 29, 2021

61 people are currently reading
307 people want to read

About the author

Nora Phoenix

128 books2,191 followers
Would you like the long or the short version of my bio?

The short? You got it.

I write steamy gay romance books and I love it. I also love reading books. Books are everything.

How was that?

A little more detail? Gotcha.

I started writing my first stories when I was a teen…on a freaking typewriter. I still have these, and they’re adorably romantic. And bad, haha. Fear of failing kept me from following my dream to become a romance author, so you can imagine how proud and ecstatic I am that I finally overcame my fears and self doubt and did it. I adore my genre because I love writing and reading about flawed, strong men who are just a tad broken..but find their happy ever after anyway.

My favorite books to read are pretty much all MM/gay romances as long as it has a happy end. Kink is a plus… Aside from that, I also read a lot of nonfiction and not just books on writing. Popular psychology is a favorite topic of mine and so are self help and sociology.

Hobbies? Ain’t nobody got time for that. Just kidding. I love traveling, spending time near the ocean, and hiking. But I love books more.

Come hang out with me in my Facebook Group Nora’s Nook where I share previews, sneak peeks, freebies, fun stuff, and much more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/noras...

Wanna get first dibs on freebies, updates, sales, and more? Sign up for my newsletter (no spamming your inbox full…promise!) here: http://www.noraphoenix.com/newsletter/

You can also stalk me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NoraFromBHR
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nora.phoenix/
On Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/nora-...

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
676 (56%)
4 stars
373 (30%)
3 stars
128 (10%)
2 stars
23 (1%)
1 star
7 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 153 reviews
Profile Image for Cadiva.
3,997 reviews438 followers
November 7, 2021
A satisfying conclusion to this political romance series

Nora brings to an end her White House series with a solid final book that sees President Del Shafer find a second chance of happiness after the murder of his wife.

I really loved the romance at the heart of this story. Del is a wonderfully solid man, the kind of honourable politician you'd absolutely want to be in charge of one of the biggest powers in the world.

And Issa, he really is sunshine in human form, but never too much joy and happiness, he's real and flawed too, capable of making mistakes and also holding his own in the face of all that Presidential awe.

It's relatively slow burn, which makes total sense, but once they go all in, boy does the heat turn up.

As this is the last book, there's also brief check ins with all the other men from the series and I really love the thought of them all gathering in New York to live their best lives going forward.

I've knocked a star off simply because, at times, there were some odd dialogue choices which seemed to only be there as a means of passing on commentary on the state of LGBTQ issues in our actual real world.

I don't object to that in principle, but here it just felt awkward to me, more thrown in just so the reader could have it drilled in that - in one example - bisexual erasure is not a good thing, which I utterly agree with, but it felt misplaced in this narrative.

It happens at a few different places and with similar kinds of messaging and it was a personal distraction to me.

Having said that, it's also nothing that spoils the overall story arc and even though book six wrapped up the main plot, there's still a nice sub-plot here bringing the man responsible for all the terrorism to justice.

Here a decision is taken which I felt worked within the boundaries of the narrative and which didn't feel at all unbelievable. It was a fitting end imho although I'm sure there are people who will feel differently.

All in all, this series as a whole has been a 5* read for me. The West Wing is my all time favourite TV show and I think Nora has played homage to that perfectly.
Profile Image for Julia (bookish.jka).
939 reviews289 followers
November 2, 2021
Honestly, this was THE PERFECT conclusion to this wonderful series! So happy that Del finally got his HEA 💙
Profile Image for Mirian.
171 reviews31 followers
August 3, 2025
A decent ending to a long ride, but ultimately underwhelming. This final book—and the series as a whole—never quite delivered the political intrigue I was hoping for. With most entries hovering around average, I kept reading in hopes of a stronger payoff. Romance + political drama is my favorite combo, so my bar was high. Not terrible by any means, just not the gripping finale I wanted. Still, made it through all seven—cheers to that!
Profile Image for Dan.
1,733 reviews51 followers
November 15, 2021
It's a nice conclussion to an overall good series. It's a bit sad to see this guys go, but I'm also pretty excited to see what projects Nora is up to in the future
908 reviews21 followers
October 29, 2021
Fabulous!

What a supremely satisfying end to a wonderful series! This book brought so many emotions out in me.  I was thrilled to see Del find love again, his slow burn romance with Issa was the backbone of this story and it was just lovely.  The book opens a year after the last one ended and Del is still struggling with his grief. Issa was just simply a wonderful character who was absolutely perfect for Del. He was honest, loyal, fierce, smart, and always spoke his mind. He went toe to toe with The President often, always with his best interest at heart. Watching them dance around each other, as Del slowly found his way back to being attracted to someone again, was amazing to watch. It was so real, so emotional, so touching, and when he finally was ready to take the next step, sexy AF! Boy did they have some hot times in bed together! But each encounter was also intimate, filled with feeling, and burning with passion.

We also get to spend a wonderful amount of time in this book visiting with all the men we have fallen in love with along the way. Each couple gets some time and a check in on how they are doing. I loved it! There were so many scenes with these friends, this family, spending time together--just relaxing, ribbing each other, being there for each other to talk through the hard times, and just enjoying the life they've all built.  I laughed out loud, I sighed happily, and I teared up. I felt all the feelings! The true heart of this series was the amazing friendship, brotherhood if you will, between Del, Calix, and Milan. While it was always touched on in the previous books, I never felt it more strongly here and it warmed my heart.

The ongoing suspense plot is not nearly as prevalent here, but there is a small piece still woven in and a spectacular conclusion that literally choked me up!  You need to read this series in order to truly appreciate the complexity of the characters,  the deep and loving relationships, and the overall mystery surrounding the bombing that kicked everything off at the beginning.  While I am sad to leave this series behind, I could not have asked for a better, more satisfying ending!
445 reviews24 followers
November 11, 2021
I didn't expect much from Del/Issa story. To be honest I was on a fence about Sarah's death since book 4. Having a book about Del seemed like the only reason to kill her and it didn't sit well with me. It would be nice if she was part of the happy ending. The author made a different choice and it resulted in a surprisingly solid 2nd chance in love romance. I liked Del and Issa together, the way Issa took care of Del and how Del wounds started to heal. Some things were too fast and too easy, but the connection between Del and Issa was true and heartwarming. My only complaint is that we never saw Del bottoming. It was mentioned that he liked it and missed it. So I expected it to happen with Issa and was disappointed that the roles weren't reversed even once.
The investigation is over but as in previous books there were chapters told from other couples perspective and it served like a perfect epilogue to their books. Though I wish there was an epilogue for Del and Issa. I would love to see them together after their relationships become public.
As in other books there were some out of place educational dialogs about different society issues which felt unnecessary and, as we are at book 7, repetitive. The series would win without those.
Other than that it was a solid and enjoyable reading experience.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Love Is All Around.
2,305 reviews68 followers
July 19, 2025
RECENSIONE A CURA DI LADY MARMELADE
Ed eccoci arrivati alla fine di questa appassionante serie ambientata nelle stanze del potere degli Stati Uniti d’America.
Durante la lettura della serie abbiamo conosciuto tutte le figure che compongono la politica americana, nonché le persone che ruotano attorno a queste figure, sia civili che militari, visto che si spazia dagli addetti stampa ai servizi segreti, senza tralasciare governanti, assistenti personali e il presidente stesso.
È giunta l’ora anche per lui di rifarsi una vita dal punto di vista sentimentale e non solo; questo è il volume a lui dedicato, ma non temete, ci sarà occasione di salutare tutti i personaggi che lo hanno preceduto.
La serie si è mantenuta sempre molto corale, fornendo informazioni sulle coppie precedenti nei volumi successivi, cosa che ho apprezzato molto, come anche credo abbia fatto piacere anche agli altri lettori.
È sempre molto difficile scrivere recensioni senza fare spoiler sulla trama, soprattutto per chi non ha ancora letto tutti i volumi, essendo questa una serie mediamente corposa.
Cercherò di limitare i danni al minimo!
Continua sul nostro blog!
Profile Image for ML.
1,604 reviews1 follower
October 25, 2021
We get to know Del more than we ever have. We feel all that he’s been through.

Nora handles the relationship with Issa SO well. The slow build up to the eventual explosion of feelings. Love, lust and true friendship. I loved Issa for Del. He was the perfect partner for him. Sassy, sexy and honest to the core. Their dynamic was great.

We get check ins with all the other characters and how they’ve moved on with their lives. Loved this.

Every couple had a very satisfying HEA. The love and friendship that all the characters share was really something to aspire to. All loose ends were tied.

This was a great series. I’m sad it’s over 🥺 I want more of Del and Issa.
Maybe a Christmas 🎄 party check in?
Please Nora 😬🙏♥️♥️
Profile Image for Badh.
3,311 reviews66 followers
November 1, 2021
Perfect ending

Del's story was the perfect ending for this series. It's been a very long journey for everyone and this wrapped everything up nicely. Issa is a force of nature and he just arranges everything the way he wants it. I wouldn't want to mess with him.
Profile Image for Clidia.
162 reviews3 followers
May 22, 2025
Letto in francese, bella conclusione di un'ottima serie!!
Profile Image for Claudia.
3,024 reviews109 followers
January 17, 2024
January 2024
The way how this relationship develops is so beautiful.
Love it


First review
this was a great last book in this series and I loved that we see all the couples again. Issa and Del are perfect together and although I would have liked a bit more slow burn, the way they found each other was beautifully done.
the reason why only 4,5 stars is that there are a few things which are open for me or which I would have loved to see them adressed.

nevertheless, this is a great series and this book is the perfect last book
Profile Image for Naomi.
705 reviews4 followers
February 24, 2022
This series was absolutely wonderful. I enjoyed seeing the end to the investigation and the team gaining closure. I loved seeing Del get a second chance to find love. His grief and processing was well written. Issa was perfect as well. I loved the ending and how everything turned out.
Profile Image for Barb ~rede-2-read~.
3,755 reviews113 followers
December 6, 2021
I loved this series, some of the stories more than others, but overall this exceeded my expectations so I'm super happy I picked this up. Del deserved every moment of happiness he might possibly deserve and he found it with Issa. Their banty was witty, smart, upbeat, and endearing. I really couldn't imagine how Nora Phoenix could take this widower, the President of the US, and make him an engaging character who suffered so much grief from the loss of his wife and turn him around to be a sexy loving romantic partner for a much younger Issa. But she did it and did it well.

As a bonus, readers are treated to a wrap up on the other couples who have appeared in the series: where they are, what their future plans are, and how they may achieve a long-lasting HEA. And if you enjoyed Puzzle you'll be treated to more of Ryder and Brandon, who play a critical role in wrapping up the extensive search for El Swedey, the man behind the bombings and previous assassinations.

Where does a former president go to live with his new love? Well, pick this up and you'll be pleasantly surprised (or not) to learn he and Issa have some wonderful times ahead. Seriously, don't miss a chance to read this whole series. Better than a box of Godiva chocolates.
Profile Image for Manfred.
799 reviews48 followers
November 12, 2021
Oh no, I did it again! Starting a series with the very last book - usually not a clever choice.
But I did love the blurb: on the one hand we have Del, the American president who is grieving after the loss of his wife. On the other hand there is Issa, who works for him, kind of a personal valet, making sure the president has everything he needs, and gets where he needs to be...
Issa is 20 years younger than Del, funny, sarcastic and not easily intimidated. The chemistry between those two was perfect.
And even without knowing everyone from the inner circle of friends, or the circumstances that led to the situation, it was easy to follow and enjoy the book.
Sure, knowing the backstory would have been nice, but honestly the blurbs of the previous books were not as interesting for me, so I jumped right in and didn't regret it.
The book tells how those guys fall in love with each other, how their friends react and how they find their HEA. I really liked the lack of drama, misunderstandings and miscommunication, there was enough action to keep the story going and I didn't miss any of it.
For me this was a very good read above average and 4 stars overall rating.
Profile Image for Smut Librarian.
1,305 reviews51 followers
October 31, 2021
This is one of those cases where you can't wait to read the book, but you want to savour it at the same time. I have adored this series and finishing it is both beautiful and bittersweet. All year I have been anticipating the next book and now I don't have a new book to look forward to.
But Heal lived up to my expectations and then some. Both Issa and Del are wonderfully crafted characters who fit together perfectly and Nora built up their attraction slowly and had their passion explode on the page exactly as we readers wanted it to happen. It's an emotional story, full of heart and intelligent dialogue as well as wrapping up the last of the loose ends to the overarching plot.
These books need to be read in order, but now they're all out - readers should get onto it and dive in!
Profile Image for Joyfully Jay.
9,080 reviews518 followers
October 29, 2021
A Joyfully Jay review.

4 stars


Heal is the seventh and final book in Nora Phoenix’s White House Men series. The series covers an overarching suspense plot and the final elements are resolved in this book. Therefore, this book (and this review) has spoilers for past events and the stories should be read in order, starting with Press.

Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
Profile Image for &#x1f989;Maggie Whitworth.
3,254 reviews113 followers
July 17, 2022
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
💋💋

Great last book of this series.
The President and his body man/Valet/Secretary/man of everything that needs doing.
Great story of a second chance at love, older man .
It’s so nice to see them in this setting and to finally see the President relax at the end of his term.
I’ll miss this brilliant series I’ve very much enjoyed it.
Profile Image for Terry-ann.
721 reviews
November 6, 2021
beautiful ending

That was an amazing ending! I love how the author tied up everyone’s story in this book. I’ll miss these characters a lot. I just wished there was like a second epilogue maybe 2 years in the future,that would have been perfect
Profile Image for Kirstin.
2,097 reviews19 followers
November 12, 2021
I enjoyed this book a lot, but there were too many things going on. As the last book in the series, I felt as though we were trying to get Del and Issa's story, but then wrap up the other six books that came before. Half the chapters didn't even involve Del or Issa. It was confusing at first, but then took me out of the story too much to feel much of anything towards the romance aspect. If you enjoy a witty, sarcastic character and an older man, this is a good choice.
514 reviews15 followers
November 18, 2021
beautiful ending!

This series has been amazing! So much romance and intrigue stretching across all 7 books. Truly the only thing left was for Del to find love again and ride off into the sunset happy. His story was lovely and I really enjoyed seeing where all the other wonderful couples ended up and their next moves. A 5 star series from start to finish and John Solo did an excellent job bringing all these men to life and helping being the romance and drama off the page.
Profile Image for Cynthia Osborne.
382 reviews5 followers
October 29, 2021
Such a beautiful story about healing after a major loss and the people around you that have your back. Issa wants Del to be happy and healthy he takes care of Del with grace. With Del leaving the White House and him trying to cope with losing his wife he has a hill to climb. Issa brings Del out of himself to start the slow process of finding what is next.

I did receive an Arc for a review.
Profile Image for Alexus.
170 reviews
February 11, 2023
Going into this book I didn’t have high expectations for it even though I was really curious to read about the president finding love again. I just wanted to end the series and find out what happens.

Before I get into all the things I didn’t like about this book let’s talk about what I did like.

I really like the fact that we get a time jump in this book and allowing time for Del to grieve and come to terms with losing his wife besides jumping right into another relationship. Aside from all my bitching about having multiple different point of views in all these books it’s nice to see some of my favorite couples and seeing how they are doing and planning for the future. Seth and Coulson is just the sweetest things, definitely my favorite couple in the series.

Unlike in the previous books its nice to actually see Del and Issa spend time together and getting to know each other better that I felt I missed out on in other books. Yes, we still get multiple other chapters that doesn’t include them but in this book we definitely get more of just them. I love how sassy and blunt Issa is they is no misunderstandings between him and Del and the communication is just perfect between them. I did love all the little moments between them. And finally I just absolutely love the friendship between everyone, it was so nice to see everyone again.

Now onto what I didn’t like about this book. I know some people said this was a slow burn but to me it wasn’t. The whole relationship between Del and Issa just felt rush and not enough time to be flush out. They went from deciding to be friends for the two weeks they both were on vacation at Camp David to choosing to have sex and then into a relationship and confessing that their love each other all within those two weeks. I get they both knew each other for the last year but we didn’t see that and from what was implied in the story they only had a professional relationship so in my opinion it moved way too fast. We were told more then shown.

Even though the main plot is finish we do get another sub plot in this book and once again I just wanted more time with the main couple. I did like that everyone finally got closure and was able to truly move on in the end. I though we would finally get a book center only on the main couple and get the happy ever after we all deserved in this book and that just didn’t happen the way I hoped it would.

They definitely was miss opportunities in this book. Am I the only one that waited the whole book for Del to bottom? Don’t get me wrong I’m not the type to care about a guys preference in a book but from what Del has express early on in the book about loving bottoming and other kinks and then not doing it. It felt like the author totally forgot all about it and never brought it up. And that was just one explain. They was a few moments I wish we could have seen. One was the state dinner with the British prime minister that we never got to see. Since Del wanted to bring Issa so badly I though we would see it and have a scene about it. Second I wish we saw the moment Del told his parents about Issa. I really wanted more moments with them moving forward and trying to navigate their relationship while he was still in the White House and then afterwards with his family.

Towards the end of the book I did love how all the President inner circle/his friends got together one last time at Camp David and all decided to move to New York so now they will all be together and close by which makes me think that Ryder and Branson totally feel left out and don’t even belong in the series. I get it’s a sand-alone book in the series but with all the other guys in the series you know they are friends and like a family together but it’s just a disconnect with them.

The ending of the story/book could have been better. The last chapter was told in Calix’s point of view and then the epilogue was finally told in Del’s point of view and him finally doing the ceremony to welcome the new president and being a free man again. It felt like the epilogue should have been the last chapter and then the epilogue being maybe a year later and we get to catch up with all the guys. Maybe I’m just being picky but I just expected more towards the end.

Overall, this was a okay series. I won’t be revisiting it. I can see how some people would absolutely love this series but it just wasn’t for me and what I wanted out of a suspense plot and a White House romance. I recommend that if your like me and wanted more suspense and a romance with the President that will burn your soul I suggest reading The Executive Office Series by Tal Bauer if you never read it. I’m just happy I finish this series and can finally move on to something else.
Profile Image for Bette.
3,294 reviews24 followers
November 22, 2021
Superb Ending to a Remarkable Series! Great Narration & Audible Listen🎧

Heal
An Age Gap Gay Romance (White House Men Series, Book 7)
By: Nora Phoenix
Narrated by: John Solo

Nora Phoenix not only saved the best for last, President Delano “Del” Shafer’s story, but she wraps up the storylines that started in the first book and played throughout the series and include followups of the lead characters from earlier books in the series. I loved this series and am sad that it is ending because I am really going to miss these characters and the wonderful world Nora Phoenix created. Del has been one of the key characters of this series and he has been through so much, starting with being present at the NY Gay Pride Parade bombing in the first book, we watched him go from the Vice Presidency to the Presidency and from a married man to a widower and all the stress that came along the way. He always remained level-headed and with the help of his new personal assistant, aka, his body man, he was always prepared and ready for anything and everything. Issa is great at what he does, keeps on top of everything Del needs, even before Del realizes it himself. Issa is so in tune with Del’s needs and he catches on that he never had time to grieve from losing his wife and that the events of the past have left a mark on him and his psyche. Knowing Del’s stubbornness and that the lack of privacy a man in position has, he contacts the people who not only have his back but went thru the same as him, Milan and Calix. This book pulled at my heartstrings like no other, the descriptive details and writing is phenomenal it brings you right alongside the characters allowing you to feel what they are feeling and going thru. I loved how everything played out in this book, the story is beautifully plotted with plenty of drama, heartfelt emotions and a slow burn but oh so worth the wait romance. It was a joy to watch Del and Issa’s relationship blossom and grow. It was also great to watch the others settle into their relationships and move on to life past D.C. Best of all love the way the justice was finally served, woohoo, well done Nora Phoenix. Thank you for this amazing story and emotional rollercoaster ride, I loved every minute of it.

🎧📚🎧 And for the amazing narration, John Solo delivers another stellar performance, bringing these characters and their stories to life. He has a complete understanding of the characters he portrays, giving each a voice that suits each character’s persona perfectly and sounds believable in every role he plays. He was consistent with his character voices throughout the series and the quality of the audio was always top-notch. He sets the perfect tone for the story, captures all the characters’ emotions and projects them into his performance. John Solo is a mega talented voice artist and an entertaining storyteller. Thank you for another exceptional listen, it is always a pleasure to listen to your work.
Profile Image for Becca.
3,217 reviews47 followers
November 4, 2021
If you've kept up with this series, you know it's been a doozy. From the very first page of the very first book, it's been action packed, it's been emotional, it's been a journey. It's been about love and loss, letting go and moving on, death and grief, and so much more. But for me, I think this book has been the one of the hardest out of the whole series for me.

President Del Shafer has been through more than most men in his forty some odd years. From being the Vice President to being shoved into the Presidency, to attempted assassins and successful ones, and so much more. He's lost the love of his life, only to turn around and find that everyone who has had something to lose during this Presidency, those who have stuck by him, those who have been his rocks, his best friends and confidants, and employees he now considers friends find love. But because of everything that's happened, Del hasn't had time to grieve himself. He's had to be too much to too many others first. And now that things are changing, he finally gets to grieve and he wants to move on. But without his wife, how can he?

And this is where I love Issa. I knew from the end of book 6, Issa was going to be a challenge for Del from the first and he would never stop, and I was right. I laughed and cried with them, and cheered Issa on every time he challenged Del. He wouldn't let Del give up his life and stop living. And what tickled me more was all Del's friends were having a ball watching it. Maybe behind closed doors or behind their hands, but they were laughing. Because Issa gave Del something to live for again. He gave a way to grieve, a way to smile, a way to laugh, and a way to remember without it ever being a contest. Issa is the sun in a cloudy, rainy, gloomy day and someone who you can lean on and feel safe. But he's also smart as a whip, just as feisty, and just as witty.  I absolutely adore Issa and think he's perfect for Del. 

But in the end, no matter how happy he may make Del or make things better, it's up to Del to decide which way he wants his life to go. Del has to learn that it's ok to let go and move on. Or he can stay where he is and hold on to his memories and let life go on. Either way, life has to move in some direction. And I think Del sees which way he needs to go.

This has been a memorable series. It's been an emotional journey that I know may have had some major triggers for others. But it's also been a series to make you think. The lgbt community is alive and full of loving people. And no one should be condemned for it. Love is the key is whatever form it comes in. 
Profile Image for Amur Thera.
560 reviews75 followers
October 30, 2021
The good
+ The passing of one year between the previous book and this one. I was afraid Del would be forced through his grieving too quickly to make space for Issa in his life, but by skipping a year he was allowed more time to grieve
+ The way Del's grieving process was described. It was very clear he loved Sarah very much, and his grief was real. The way he moved on was very real too, and Issa never felt like a replacement for Sarah
+ Del showing his vulnerable side to Issa without pause, time and time again
+ Issa's calm and collected responses to Del's vulnerabilities
+ Issa's confrontation with Ruben. Ha! In your face!
+ The friendship between Del, Calix and Milan
+ Sarah's role in the relationship between Del and Issa
+ Del not hiding Issa from his close friends, and wanting to share him with the whole world (which was a terrible idea and I'm glad Issa and Calix managed to prevent him from doing that)
+ No accidental leaking of their relationship to the press
+ The acceptance of the White House staff and the Secret Service of Del's relationship
+ The people with the most need for justice (out of the MCs) being there when the bad guy was caught
+ Every couple/throuple got a lovely HEA

The neutral
o Just like the last few books of the series, the main couple only took up about half of the pages of the book. This made their relationship seem rushed at times

The bad
- Del did not need a book. He loved Sarah and he deserved to grieve. Calix needed five years until he was ready for a relationship, and while grieve doesn't have a timeline and I'm not saying Del moved on too quickly, I don't think it was necessary to put him in a new relationship. Not every gay/bi/pan character needs to end up with a (male) partner, especially not so soon after losing the love of their life
- Issa didn't top Del. From the beginning, Del's thoughts were heavily focused on bottoming and with Issa's bossiness I expected him to be a good top. However, not once throughout the whole book have they talked about this, even when talking about their sexual compatibility (which I was not convinced of, as I think Del also needed to be the "vulnerable" one sometimes)
- The super smart bad guy who evaded justice for years and was talked about as being super intelligent made a stupid mistake when he was caught. It was so unrealistic and really made me wonder how they hadn't caught a dumbass like that months ago


I liked the book, I didn't love it. Overall, I would probably recommend the series, but it's not this author's best work.
Profile Image for Alchimia DelleParole.
209 reviews4 followers
July 30, 2025
Questo libro ha ben definiti, a mio avviso, tre filoni principali. Abbiamo la suspense che finalmente dopo anni di indagini serrate e omicidi efferati giunge alla sua completa risoluzione, l’happy ending per il presidente Shafer a distanza di parecchi mesi dalla morte di Sarah e poi l’epilogo di tutta la serie vissuto con tutti precedenti protagonisti.

L’autrice è riuscita a tessere una trama intricata che ha attraversato le trame di tutti i libri della serie, non si è risparmiata nell’architettare brutalità e sotterfugi per i terroristi. Giunti finalmente al termine riesce a mettere il punto, la fine, mentre tutti sono presenti e hanno una loro rivalsa, una specie di vendetta che vede forse la giustizia vincere e il male perdere.
Mentre fino all’ultimo si trovano a indagare alcuni, mentre altro devono fare i conti con la riassegnazione ad altri incarichi, Del è a un passo dalla fine del suo mandato. O meglio alla fine del periodo in cui ha dovuto reggere la presidenza degli Stati Uniti dopo l’omicidio del presidente eletto. Sono mesi pesanti, complicati, che lo portano a un passo da una vita meno in prima linea come sogna, ma anche a giornate senza amici, colleghi e inservienti sempre presenti. È questo mix di attesa e paura che lo preoccupa e incupisce. Ha dedicato più di metà della sua vita ad amare la moglie: come può pensare di trovare di nuovo un equilibrio?
Issa è il body man del presidente, colui che passo a passo ha guadagnato la confidenza di Del che ha iniziato a comprargli l’intimo sostituendo alcune attenzioni che prima erano ambito solo di Sarah. Issa è bellissimo, è impossibile non notarlo. A Issa piacciono gli uomini maturi, più vecchi di lui. Del non si accorge del momento esatto in cui Issa non è più solo il suo body man e diventa il suo tutto. L’attrazione è travolgente, il desiderio si accende in Del facendogli capire che esiste ancora una vita da vivere. Nessuno pensa o spera che lui dimentichi Sarah, ma ha la possibilità di essere felice, di godere dei giorni futuri, di poter ancora pensare a se stesso amato e innamorato.

Se crediamo di poter amare più di una persona allo stesso tempo…» e con la testa indicò Milan e i suoi uomini, «… allora perché non si può amare anche più di una volta nella propria vita?


Un’altra serie finisce e lascia una scia di nostalgia. Nora ci ha fatto entrare nelle stanze del potere, dove si decidono le sorti politiche del mondo. Ha immaginato una casa bianca molto queer e ha intrecciato storie e colpi di fulmine che si sono trasformati in amori duraturi.

Buona lettura!
Annalisa
Profile Image for Cristina Fly Mosca.
169 reviews3 followers
July 30, 2025
Recensione per il blog Peccatrici Librose
Buongiorno Peccatrici,
Siamo arrivate alla fine del mandato per il Presidente degli Stati Uniti: Delano Shafer e con "Guarigione" della serie:Amore Alla Casa Bianca vol 7, chiuderemo un cerchio fatto di intrighi, attentati e cospirazioni che hanno compromesso e mescolato vite, come fossero fish di una roulette truccata.
Del Shafer e i suoi fidati amici hanno percorso, come su un ottovolante, ogni sentimento di gioia e dolore che la vita dispone, ma essere il presidente ha dato a Del molto su cui piangere, perdite che non ha potuto elaborare e questo lo ha stancato fisicamente e moralmente e l'unico che ha permesso che la sua routine continuasse, senza avvolgerlo completamente in una nube nera è stato Issa, il suo body man, che con trucchi poco sottili, ha ridato spirito alla sua vita, sempre attento ai bisogni del presidente, non solo pratici ma anche dell'anima.
Issa è un'anima antica, per essere un ragazzo di ventisei anni, sembra comprendere ogni necessità di Del, ma anche di sentire il suo dolore per i lutti subiti ed è in una vacanza quasi imposta, che la relazione tra i due cambia, acquisendo una sorta di parità, dove le battute sarcastiche di Issa, danno a Del motivo di riflettere su i propri desideri.
Come è quel detto? "Andando sl forno ci si infarina". Ecco Peccatrici, loro si infarineranno nel modo meno appropriato per i ruoli che hanno, ma sarà davvero, davvero entusiasmante.
La crescita della confidenza smuove sentimenti che entrambi nemmeno prendono in considerazione, è solo qualcosa di passeggero, un aiuto per ricominciare lasciando andare un passato doloroso che ambedue hanno per situazioni diverse.
Vi assicuro che questo capitolo, oltre a chiudere il cerchio sui terroristi, vi farà ridere e commuovere. Scopriremo un presidente deciso che nel privato, mostra gelosie e insicurezze, ma sempre rispettoso dell'altro e attento alla sua famiglia allargata.
Nora Phoenix si è superata con questa storia che ci ha tenuto col fiato sospeso dal primo al settimo volume, perché fino all'ultimo abbiamo rincorso i cattivi, ma abbiamo anche vissuto in trepidante attesa che ogni personaggio avesse il suo giusto equilibrio con lo sguardo rivolto al futuro.
Ecco amichə Peccatrici, troverete una lettura piacevole, intrigante e passionale, dove verrete appagate dal giusto finale.
Non mi resta che augurarvi di fare buon viaggio ❤️ la vostra Fly
Profile Image for J.L..
Author 14 books72 followers
November 4, 2021
Like many others, I anxiously awaited the final book in this amazing political romance series. This book tied together not only the remaining characters who more than deserved their happily ever after but also acted as a sort of epilogue for the series as a whole. While it might seem contradictory, Phoenix wrote a low-angst romance that is still packed with intense emotions. Like the title suggests, a significant part of this story revolves around Del healing from tragedy; however, his newfound love does not “fix” or “erase” his history. Issa is a new chapter in his life that Del must embrace wholeheartedly (which he does, with lots of fun, sexy bits).

We’ve known Del as the President for this entire series, but it was lovely to finally visit his point of view. This narrative aspect is especially poignant in contrast to Issa’s bright personality that does much to help Del finish out his presidency even before a deeper friendship develops between them, much less a romantic relationship. Issa completes the found-family around which this series developed and expanded upon based on the longtime connection between Del, Calix, and Milan. We get scenes with almost all of the men we’ve come to know so far as they both move on in their lives and complete the final bits of the overarching mystery that has wound through this series.

As someone who originally put down the first book in this series and didn’t think I’d ever come back to it, I’ve come full circle and highly recommend it. This collection of unique romances that develop over the course of an intriguing political plot was a fun and sexy adventure that continues to solidify Phoenix as one of my favorite authors. And while Serve and Friends are my favorites of the seven, Heal will always have a special place as the story that features the President I’d be proud to have and who exists as the true heart of this series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 153 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.