Monday, May 7, 2012

Review for Where You Hurt the Most by Anne Brooke


Adrian is more than happy as high-class escort for a number of regular clients. When his boss and dear friend asks him to entertain his nephew, Adrian readily agrees, but meeting Dan challenges him in ways he'd never imagined.

Dan is scarred inside and out from an accident that destroyed a promising future. Despite Adrian’s loveless lifestyle and Dan’s withdrawal and anger, the two men forge a deep—if unnerving—connection. Soon they find themselves questioning the choices they’ve made and the futures they’ve mapped out for themselves.

Yet even bright young men like Adrian and Dan fear the unknown and take comfort in the familiar. Neither may be strong enough to step away from the life they know and toward the one they dare not hope for. But while it’s true that love can’t heal all wounds, it is the surest balm for where you hurt the most.


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From the moment I picked up this book I knew it would be a memorable one.  First off it has one of my favorite themes, that of a scarred hero.  Combine that with two characters whose sexual tension is off the charts from the moment they meet and you end up with a short story long on a deep seated understanding of loneliness and those unexpected moments of happiness.

For Adrian, life as an escort seemed to make him happy as he got to experience the finer things in life while living in an artsy modern home.  He had love once but after losing it he doesn't want to lay his heart on the line again which is why his no-strings attached line of work seems ideal.  Then he meets Dan, who's been physically scarred and sees things more realistically than others.  He opens Adrian's eyes to how superficial his escort life is which leads to some soul searching.  Dan too is left changed by his meetings with Adrian who teaches him that beauty still exists even when it's hidden under a shadow.  They both brought out a gentler side to the other with their sensual sexual interludes that said just as much as a gentle touch of the hand.

This was a gutwrenchingly emotional story featuring two lost souls finding each other in a storm of unhappiness.  It was a powerful yet entertaining read that has me eagerly looking forward to reading more from this author.

My rating for this is an A-/B+

*I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

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