Alonzo Russo is a bartender but also part owner of The Slippery Slope, having overcome his past to become one of the Bowery’s most influential men. He’s even looking to expand his business interests to keep building a bright future. He just needs someone to share that future with, and he’s decided that man is Ricky.
Ricky DeMarco, a bartender at a competing club, wanted nothing to do with the life he left behind in Chicago. He’s content to keep tending bar for his boss, Jonathan, grateful that the man stepped in to save him from destitution five years ago. Unfortunately, for Jonathan to keep Ricky’s secrets, his stipulation is that Ricky stay away from Alonzo.
But when the future of both clubs is put in danger, Alonzo and Ricky are thrown together anyway. They can’t and won’t fight the pull that exists between them, even if it could destroy everything. They have every chance of ending in tragedy, but a small window of hope that their love will enable them to fight for a secure future for everyone.
I was actually really surprised by how much emotion was conveyed in this book and how believable the romance was between Alonzo and Ricky. These two have known each other for years, been interested in one another for months, but have only just given in to that pull. I loved that this story felt pretty low angst despite dealing with a pretty heavy theme with the antagonists. Though they appear on the page fairly briefly, it’s enough to make them truly loathsome and it had me cheering when they were brought to justice by Ricky’s clever trickery. I loved the fact that despite things looking bleak and it seeming like there was no way they could be together, Ricky and Alonzo were both determined to make it happen and remained loyal to each other. When one wavered or lost confidence, the other stepped in to shore him up and they faced their naysayers head-on until they earned acceptance for their relationship. I loved that lack of wavering; these two weren’t afraid to admit their feelings for one another and I found that lack of game playing so refreshing.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.