Brian has been hiding behind his reputation as a liar and a cheat for so long that he actually believes he’s that guy—until his nephew, Josh, turns up on his couch, tossed out for being gay. Brian has never considered being a father, but he knows all about being rejected by loved ones. Now Brian wants to be more: a partner for Mal and a role model for Josh.
But when Mal’s recovery is set back and the sad truth of Brian’s past is revealed, the forever they’ve been chasing seems even further from their grasps. It’ll take a rescue effort to revive their sense of worth and make Brian, Mal, and Josh into a family of their own.
Comment: This is the third installment in the This Time Forever trilogy by author Kelly Jensen. I liked the first book well enough and liked the second one a little less but there was no doubt I'd finish the trilogy. Thankfully, this one was quite the emotional journey.
In this third novel we have the story of Brian Kenway (the seemingly "bad guy" from book#1) and how he goes from being a man who is only interested in his job and casual hookups since his break up with Simon to being in love with nerd professor Malcolm. They meet each other at a bar and both recognize the other one is the exact opposite of what they are looking for, but still there's an attraction. Their slow relationship isn't easy though, with personal challenges for both of them and Brian's nephew suddenly showing up to live with him after his mother kicked him out. This does bring out many memories to Brian, but will everyone learn to deal with one another in time to save all their connections?
I would not say this book is a redemption story for Brian but it does feel like it. To be fair, there isn't much I remember about him from the first book but some allusions and a conversation he has with Simon in this book made me recall a few details. Nevertheless, Brian isn't the bad guy it was suggested he was and as with everything in life, truth is a matter of perspective.
Brian is the main character in this story, but Malcolm is the other one and he, too, has quite the challenges to overcome. Malcolm is a fit man of 50 but his life took another turn when a car run him over and he broke his two legs. Physical therapy and and all that it entails makes him feel he is a burden at times, especially for his twin brother Donny. He had been checking Brian at the bar for a while for isn't the type of person to make the first move until, one day, they do have a small conversation.
This is how things begin for them but the road is certainly a rocky one because of Brian's reputation, because of Malcolm's need for stability and because a teenager shows up and makes them both think about things, both at school when Malcolm starts taking over the GSA, and when Brian becomes the person who his nephew now needs to depend on. Of course these challenges make both men think about their lives and what it means to be there for others and how that is a sign of trust and change.
This story is quite emotional, but it's not cheesy. This means we get to think about what is happening along with the main characters and more or less root for them and for their willingness to reach for happiness. There are some small conflicts between them which I think were more to add drama than to evidence any special trait or situation but that is minor to the situations depicted.
Malcolm is a very interesting character, easy to sympathize with and I especially liked he was such an athletic person but accidents in his teenager years and more recently both somehow affected his choices and how he can feel about himself. Setbacks yes, but this doesn't mean he becomes morose or resigned, even if the feelings sometimes are there... I liked him and I could even excuse some little things he does badly and that I'd change to make the story more to my taste.
In regards to Brian, he is the real "star" of this book, and a lot of the plot is about him. It was already obvious he wasn't as bad as he seemed from the past books, nor as mysterious either. The truth about him is revealed here and it is as heartbreaking as one could imagine but the author didn't go as far as other authors have, when it comes to descriptions and actual scenes (the worst things are shared in conversation). In a way, this makes the book feel more grounded and less about pity and misery, something I did appreciate.
I think the author did a good job portraying Brian, portraying the different relationships in the story and even in how things often happen in subtle but believable ways. I think the romance could have been even more romantic, although I do like the fact these two are at a place, in terms of maturity and age, where it's not all about the physical. Thinking of that, I also things could have been made to be more special, but it's depicted good enough.
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