“I’m protective of my friends. Especially the ones who’ve been hurt…I wasn’t prepared for how badly you’d been hurt.”

4.25 stars

Friends, Donnie realized. That’s what Richard Merriweather needed. That’s why he’d come to Sapphire Cove. Because one of his oldest friends had promised him new ones to replace the ones who’d betrayed him.

I thought this was going to be a light romance, like, the cover is a dude on a beach, but there were lots of emotions and pain, hurt and mystery and it was really great! Not the pain and hurt 😂 but the growth and development of the characters that came out it.

"I mean, for Christ’s sake, he was slipping out of bed with me on vacation and going into the bedrooms of our friends and we were all having breakfast together the next morning and I had no clue. Like all around me there’d been this secret."

Past relationships absolutely broke both Richard and Donnie, Richard and his cheating douche husband and Donnie and his past boyfriend/man who groomed him and attempted to pimp him out. And they were pretty sad characters because of it, which showed in their inability to trust people and relationships. But because of this, I really enjoyed them together!

“Do you usually stroll the hotel in your underwear?”
Donnie shrugged. “Everyone’s out cold. Besides, the security guy on tonight used to work for me. Naked.” Donnie smiled.

Okay, but this was spicy and I didn’t expect it lmao The role-play scene ohmagawd

“Come here and kiss me, jackass, before you say something crude that ruins it.”
“You brought up my dick.”
“How could I not? It’s everywhere all the time all at once.”

If you like:
- Former porn star now Porn Daddy
- Role Playing
- Insecurities and Healing
- Beach/Resort Vibe
- Wedding Planning
- Angst
- Protectiveness/Possessiveness

“I would never lie about how sexy you are. Sex is my business. It would be a violation of the Smutocratic Oath.”

Thank you to Pride Tours, 1001 Dark Nights & Blue Box Press, and the author for providing me with a physical ARC!