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| Melting Point, by Kate Meader |
Melting Point is a short e-novella in the
Hot in Chicago series by Kate Meader. This story is one that I was
surprised to find myself looking forward to. I don't generally read
a lot of books dealing with same sex relationships, but this one got
my attention.
Gage Simpson is one of the Dempsey
foster kids. These kids grew up together in the home of Sean &
Mary Dempsey and found a family. The foster Dad was a firefighter
and all of the children followed in his footsteps. Together, the
kids work at the same firehouse.
We first met Gage in the first book of
the series, Flirting with Fire. He is the most happy-go-lucky guy I
have ever met in a book. He was also a bit of a man-whore. With a
great physique and an over abundance of charm, he has no trouble
finding another guy to hook up with. That is, until he meets Brady
Smith.
Brady Smith is a chef and owner of the
Smith & Jones restaurant. He is a brooding, former Marine, with
a complete dislike of being touched. When Gage is taken back to the
kitchen to meet Brady, the sparks flew instantly.
Brady is a wounded soul. Having been
captured and tortured while serving in the Middle East as a Marine,
he has scars both inside and out. He avoids people as a much as he
can. What he didn't count on was the persistence that Gage has as he
pursues Brady.
Their relationship isn't easy. Each
has past issues that they are dealing with. The biggest obstacle
however is the effects that Brady's time as a captive has on his
perceptions of self worth. Gage is patient and understanding of what
Brady is dealing with up until an event challenges that steadfast
support.
There is a lot of sex involved in the
story. For the amount of it though, it didn't seem too over the top.
I found that overall their story was one that felt so natural.
Unlike some stories that make same sex relationships look like two
people in constant heat, this story really had a strong emphasis on
the relationship over the physical side of things.
I thoroughly enjoyed the story. It was
good to see these two have a happy ending.
Advance review copy provided by Simon & Schuster publishing for review.
