Contemporary Romance Novella Early Review: Yours All Along by Roni Loren

Yours All Along by Roni Loren (Loving On The Edge #7.5)

Egalley thanks to Penguin Group (USA)

Synopsis from Goodreads
The new Loving on the Edge romance from the New York Times bestselling author of Nothing Between Us turns on the heat between two men who wonder how much they’re willing to risk in the name of love.

Four years after an accident tore their friendship apart, Hunter and Devon are living separate lives. Hunter is now the all-America hero—a congressman’s son and a pro pitcher in Houston preparing to marry his beauty-queen girlfriend. Devon is in Dallas running a new restaurant.

But when Hunter unexpectedly shows up in Devon’s bar, Devon can’t turn him away. Damn it if the man isn’t still gorgeous. But engaged? Hell no. All he’s doing for Devon is bringing back memories of their college-roommate days, and the night their relationship went too far. Turns out Hunter has never forgotten it either.

Now Devon can’t help but be drawn in all over again by the only guy who’s ever gotten close enough to break his heart. Maybe one more night together would be enough for both of them to finally move on. Or maybe one night will change everything…

Release date: June 16th 2015.
 
 Amazon kindle US/UK

8/10

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 For those of you who, like me, got confused trying to remember who the hell Devon and Hunter are, you didn't miss any of Roni's books. This novella is a prequel to Call on Me which is out next and talks about some of the secondary characters related to the main heroine.


As usual Roni enthralled me with her magic in this short and sweet love story. Just listen to this:

"Sometimes you took what life gave you. And sometimes you started over by giving life the finger, grabbing what you wanted by the shirt, and making it your own."

This is a story about second chances and being true to yourself, and I loved the message behind it.

Devon and Hunter used to be roommates in college, until their friendship spilled into something unexpectedly deeper. Confused and scared, Hunter backed away not ready to deal with the backlash from his conservative senator father if the truth about his love for another man got out, and Devon let him.

Years later they meet on the brink of Hunter's marriage to a good Christian girl, approved by his family and with deep insecurities of her own. Suddenly Hunter can't breathe and he rapidly evaluates all his life choices after he walked away from Devon, and realises how unhappy they made him.

The story goes from their present meet to their past, giving us the background for the romantic involvement, and back to present ending with happy for now. It's sweet, touching, and feels very young at heart.

The only reason for my lower rating is that it's a novella, so plenty of things are not explained, and I would have loved to get to now Devon more. He seems like such a fascinating character with hints of very dominant behaviour, although nothing is spelled out.

Recommended, a lovely summer read!

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Для тех из вас, кто как и я задался вопросом, кто такие Девон и Хантер и не пропустили ли мы одну из книг Рони, не беспокойтесь! Это второстепенные персонажи в следующем романе мисс Лорен, Позвони Мне.

Так как это коротенькая новелла, высокую оценку я ей дать не могу, однако история Девона и Хантера милая, нежная, и с хорошим уроком -  нельзя лгать самому себе и пытаться сделать других людей счастливыми вопреки себе. Всем ведь не угодишь.

Девон и Хантер встречаются в колледже и становятся соседями по комнате, однако их дружба неожиданно перерастает в любовь, и Хантер, в ужасе от идеи, что ему придётся признаться консерватору отцу, который является сенатором республиканцем в том, что он гей, и что его семья пострадает от такого скандала, от Девона сбегает, и тот его не останавливает.

Годы спустя, на пороге женитьбы на хорошей христианской девочке, одобренной его семьей, Хантер вновь встречает Девона, и неожиданно продолжать лгать самому себе больше не может, так как он очень несчастлив.

Новела начинает повествование в настоящем, продолжает историей отношений между парнями в колледже и заканчивает хэппи эндом. Мило и очень подходит под летнее настроение, рекомендую.