Keira Andrews once again successfully writes a better gay romance than even the most sappy gay men could conjure. With Honeymoon for One: May/December Gay Romance, we are once again treated to a love story that hits all the right spots, both figuratively and literally.
From the Amazon Blurb:
Betrayed the night before his wedding by the supposed boy of his dreams, Ethan Robinson escapes the devastating fallout by going on his honeymoon alone to the other side of the world. Hard of hearing and still struggling with the repercussions of being late-deafened, traveling by himself leaves him feeling painfully isolated with his raw, broken heart.
Clay Kelly never expected to be starting life over in his forties. He got hitched young, but now his wife has divorced him and remarried, his kids are grown, and he’s left his rural Outback town. In a new career driving a tour bus on Australia’s East Coast, Clay reckons he’s happy enough. He enjoys his cricket, a few beers, and a quiet life. If he’s a bit lonely, it’s not the end of the world.
Clay befriends Ethan, hoping he can cheer up the sad-eyed young man, and a crush on an unattainable straight guy is exactly the safe distraction Ethan needs. Yet as the days pass and their connection grows, long-repressed desires surface in Clay, and they are shocked to discover romance sparking. Clay is the sexy, rugged man of Ethan’s dreams, and as the clock counts down on their time together, neither wants this honeymoon to end.
Honeymoon for One is a gay romance by Keira Andrews featuring a May/December age difference, a slow burn of newfound friends to lovers, first-time m/m sex, and of course a happy ending.
Ethan and Clay are immediately captivating as love interests. As gay romance usually goes, there tends to be a bit of “insta-love” and fairy tale romances. That simply isn’t the case here. Though we’re expecting a happy ending (per the blurb no-less), these two are fully realized from a story standpoint.
Keira’s main gift as a writer is characterization and attention to detail. The interactions between Ethan, who is hard of hearing, and Clay are handled extremely well.
From a technical standpoint, Keira’s writing is in top form as usual. The dialogue is realistic and well-researched. She certainly spares no expense when it comes to the backgrounds of characters and the details of their locales.
All that to say, if you’re looking for an example of how to plant and grow your characters, look no further.
This isn’t just another book about two men falling in love and succumbing to over-written melodrama. It’s a story that clearly and consistently displays a portrait of male love that few get to see, yet a picture that should hang proudly.