Love, Again

by H.D. Nels

Dan Holstrom is a middle-aged widower who spent the past year wallowing in grief. His daughter is determined to get him out and socializing again, and to that end, she enlists her boyfriend, Bruce, a personal trainer at a gym, to coach her father. Bruce decides to involve his own father, Luke Fraser, to get Dan back among the living. Luke Fraser is a gay man, a gym aficionado, and an all-around nice guy. When his son Bruce explains he has a new client who is a non-active bisexual man who withdrew socially after the death of his wife, Luke is intrigued and willing to help. An attraction grows between Luke and Dan which slowly morphs into something more. However, Dan’s insecurities cause the budding relationship to cool, and Luke is seen out and about with another man. Reluctantly Dan agrees to accompany Luke to Calgary, where the mystery man in Luke’s life reappears. Dan’s ready to give up and go back to his semi-reclusive life. When a misunderstanding jeopardizes their relationship, is it too late to rebuild things between the two men?

Kindle Edition

Published March 27, 2019

Reviews

[Joyfully Jay]

A Joyfully Jay review.

4 stars

I jumped on Love, Again because I love stories about older couples. There aren’t very many out there, so I tend to gobble them up when I can. I’m going to tell you, it didn’t really do much for me…at first. In preparing for this review, I actually wound up reading the whole book for a second time. Giving it a fresh look, I was able to understand the characters and their thoughts and feelings on a much deeper level.

I feel for Dan. I put myself in his shoes and tried to imagine what it’d be like to lose a beloved spouse after 34 years. The grief must be overwhelming. I feel like his less than enthusiastic reaction to Julia’s efforts was very real. However, I also admire him for actually putting effort into it. He’s consistently insecure…and scared, and I get that.

On the other hand, there’s Luke. He’s a gay man with confidence to spare. He’s also a loving father and caring friend. I really like the way he took Dan under his wing, even before they became involved. Luke is generous with an ornery streak. He makes me laugh even though some of his humor makes me feel a little uncomfortable…not mean or cruel, but occasionally embarrassing.

Read Kenna’s review in its entirety here.

[Gavin Stephenson-Jackman]

Largely set in Halifax, Dan's world collapsed when his wife died. He's become a bit of a recluse. His daughter convinces him to go to the gym where her boyfriend is a personal trainer. Bruce entices his gay father Luke to be Dan's workout partner. Dan's never hidden the fact that he's Bi from his children so when the two men meet there's an attraction there. Dan is self conscious about his body image when he compares himself to Luke. Over time they become friends. When Dan sees Luke with another man he jumps to conclusions which need to be addressed if they're ever to have something between them. A mysterious trip to Calgary reveals some truths that bring things back where they should be. An interesting set of second chances even if a bit short

[Benoitcesoir]

A cute short story about finding love again, after having lost someone you have been with for a long time. I would have given this book more stars if the characters and story were more developed. It is a great story, but obviously rushed.

[Lila Hunter]

Review at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words.

ARC provided by JMS Books in exchange for an honest review.