Made in Portugal: Made In Book 1, Ana Newfolk

Ten years and thousands of miles separates David and Joel.  But one road trip and a heartfelt confession bring them together in a way neither believed they could hope for.  As they navigate past hurts, secrets, and a travel journal, they'll find more than just answers; they'll find a relationship that spans years and continents but was made and meant to be in Portugal.

The overall story was sweet and touching.  Having their mothers be the very best of friends brought a closeness and cohesiveness to the story that I think would be sorely missed were that not the case.  The dynamic between the two men was believable in the tension and passion.

Their relationship as lovers, though, made me want to celebrate and be disappointed in turns.  I had a hard time with the coming-out issue.  Not that he wanted to, but in Joel's flip-flopping.  It's understandable fear that David has regarding his reveal of his true self when you look at what his uncle did to Isaac.  After acknowledging that it's David's choice and accepting when or if he comes out, Joel's reaction after the club was more than a little disappointing.  Especially when he can see the predatory and familiar man there that gets up in Joel's face.  Reacting in hurt is one thing, but to run away right afterward and treat Joel as he did was cowardly and inconsistent.  David was really trying and a few days of cautious openness isn't going to give him the confidence and courage to possibly lose his family.  I just think Joel was more childish than necessary.

Throughout the story we're led along by a travel journal that David and Joel's mothers shared.  There are quite a few unanswered questions about family members and other people mentioned in the mysterious journal.  It was an element of reality that I'm not exactly looking for in a romance novel.  While it's true that we don't always get the answers to our questions, I'm wondering why Joel's history was even brought up at all.  It didn't add to the story or even enhance the plot.  Though it introduced the impetus behind the uncle's vitriol and despicable behavior, it didn't do anything else for the story.

Other than that, I found Joel and David to be an ideal pairing.  There was a support, a friend, a lover all wrapped up into the person that made you realize that true part of yourself.  Not just a question of sexual identity, but who they wanted to be, where they came from, and what they wished for the future.  There was a hopeful anticipation to what we read between these two men despite their many bumps in the road.

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