Synopsis:
Damien Giles hasn’t seen his husband in twelve years. Not since Carlisle left him on their honeymoon. All Damien got was his father-in-law telling him that Carlisle wasn’t coming back. (Twice.) And yet divorce papers never arrived.
Now Carlisle’s back in town for his brother’s wedding and keeps crossing Damien’s path. More baffling to Damien is how little Carlisle’s changed – and how much he still seems to care for Damien. Which, after twelve years of silence, is more than a little ridiculous.
As tensions rise and secrets resurface, Damien begins re-examining their relationship for all the things he missed and soon learns that there is far more to his husband and their history than he knows. But the more he learns about the reasons behind his husband’s disappearance, the more Damien realises that leaving him the first time might just have been the kindest thing Carlisle could have done for him.
Review:
Love, complicated families, and paranormal politics abound in this romantic urban fantasy, featuring werewolves, vampires, demons, and more.
As the main character, Damien is an infallible optimist with an endearing personality. But he’s had his share of misfortune, and most of it stemmed from his estranged husband, Carlisle. The first two parts of the book bounce between the present day—where Damien is reeling from Carlisle’s inexplicable return—and scenes from their shared past. Even after the years apart, they still love each other, but with Carlisle’s unusual circumstance, the distance was mandatory.
Carlisle was forbidden from staying with Damien due to paranormal policies beyond his control, and it was his way of keeping Damien safe… Although, whether or not Damien would have been safer with Carlisle remains up for debate.
When werewolves, witches, vampires, and demons are involved, nothing is a sure thing. There are the typical clashes between the various paranormal species; werewolves are seen as the least desirable of the bunch, while vampires hold the usual amount of ridiculous wealth and power.
But what kept me reading above and beyond the fantasy aspects—and what I loved most about this book—was Damien and Carlisle’s story. Theirs is a love that transcends disapproving families, paranormal conflicts, and maybe even life itself. It was really beautiful. And I’m so glad they got their happy ending.
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