Title: Renewal
Series: Dublin Virtues #3
Author: Helena Stone
Genre: M/M Romance
Publisher: Pride Publishing
Release Date: 20 June 2017
Blurb
When everything changes, can renewal bring redemption?
Shane Boyle left Dublin for America, burning most of his bridges, certain his future lay in Florida. When a family crisis forces him back to the city he grew up in, he knows his life will never be the same again. With his sister close to death, his mother and five-year-old nephew Danny need him not just to be around but also to be the rock they can depend on. Torn between panic about his new responsibilities and despair at his impending loss, love and a relationship are the last thing on his mind.
Chris Anderson left Australia for Dublin ten years ago with no intention of ever going back. For reasons he can’t explain, even to himself, he hasn’t been in a relationship for almost as long as he’s been in Ireland. Now thirty-five years old, he wonders what happened to his dream of a lasting bond and a family to call his own.
When Shane and Chris hook up one night in a pub, neither knows that the next day they’ll meet again, this time as colleagues in a tattoo parlour. Chris has no idea about Shane’s dodgy past and Shane can’t figure out the mountain of a man who refuses to take no for an answer. Having to reinvent his whole life is only the start of Shane’s process of renewal. Will Chris turn out to be his savior or his downfall?
Buy Links
(Available now)
(Out June 20)
Review
This is the third book in the Dublin
Virtues m/m romance series and when I knew it was going to feature
Shane as one of the main characters I was a little apprehensive to
read it. For the first two books it was clearly outlined that he was
an absolute pig who had left Troy in the lurch when he was supposed
to be a partner in the new tattoo parlour business with Troy.
Chris is a new employee in Troy's
tattoo shop and on a night at the pub he hooks up with a sexy
stranger. When Chris goes to support another tattoo shop in the town
as a favour to Troy he comes face to face with the man he had a
passionate tryst with behind the pub – Shane! He knew of Shane but
not who he was. Now he is in a dilemma of supporting Troy and Xander
but also as he gets to know Shane better he can not see how he was
the same man who did the dirty on his friend, especially knowing all
about Shane's family sorrows now.
I loved the dynamics between Shane and
Chris and how their slow build relationship took shape. If I had read
this as a stand alone I don't think I would have had much issue,
however being a big fan of the series to date I already had that
hatred for Shane and it kept pinging back to the forefront of my
mind.
This was a great romance and I liked
how the whole issue of the past was resolved but it still didn't
clarify why Shane was like that previously. I just wished that could
have been further emphasised and given a clear indication of Shane's
dramatic change in character.
I loved Chris though, the big sexy
Aussie and I wish he could have been partnered with someone other
than Shane so that whole history thing didn't keep getting in the
way. Overall though I did enjoy the storyline and the romance. The
family emotional drama of Shane's sister also gave an added depth
that nearly made me forgive him for being a douche to Troy. As I say
it just needed that extra explanation and this would have been a five
star read. All things considered though this is a 3.75 star read for
me which I will push to a four because I love this series.
Author Bio
Helena Stone can’t remember a life before words and reading. After growing up in a household where no holiday or festivity was complete without at least one new book, it’s hardly surprising she now owns more books than shelf space while her Kindle is about to explode.
The urge to write came as a surprise. The realisation that people might enjoy her words was a shock to say the least. Now that the writing bug has well and truly taken hold, Helena can no longer imagine not sharing the characters in her head and heart with the rest of the world.
Having left the hustle and bustle of Amsterdam for the peace and quiet of the Irish Country side she divides her time between reading, writing, long and often wet walks with the dog, her part-time job in a library, a grown-up daughter and her ever loving and patient husband.
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