Red, White, and Blue: Uncorked Book 6, Shea Balik

There's not much you can do when your own mother understands nothing about who you are and what makes you happy, and even less when she's intent on making a scene in public places because of it.  Poor Blue, but one moment of a guilt-induced wardrobe gets him noticed by someone who he'd never have picked for himself.  Everything that Lowen is matches Blue and they get along really well, both bringing out strengths in one another.  While there was a ton of potential here, it was merely a nice story with a lot of sappy endearments, moments of passion, and a happy ending with more love than I expected.

I wish I was more thrilled with this story.  Apple Blossom really had potential to be a fantastic comedic element to the story, but instead she was a serious embarrassment and a disappointing human being.  Whether the direction with her character was supposed to me more dramatic or more funny, neither were fully realized and that was a shame.  Similarly, Blue could have really developed some grit in response to the first or more acceptance of himself and peace with the second, but again, without working to either of those ends, he was made to be an insecure young man and was left feeling less than complete as a character.  Lowen was nice with his encouragement and conflicted relationship with his parents, but if he weren't an MC I fear he'd be forgettable most of the time.

It's not that the story was bad or disappointing, it was just underwhelming.  There were a ton of moments that I was excited for when they came around, but very few of them bore any fruit.  So overall, it was a nice story.  This was my first book by this author and according to their catalogue, they've got quite a few under their belt so I'm hoping this isn't a true representation of their work.  I may or may not look for more from them.

*$4.99 on Amazon

Blue Moon tried to live a fairly ‘normal’ life. To him that meant working, paying bills and keeping as far under the radar as possible. He’d had enough of being the center of attention to last a lifetime. Although, to be fair, it usually wasn’t him that found a way to draw a crowd. That would be his mother, Apple Blossom. Blue was just the unfortunate person she used to gain the spotlight as often possible.

Lowen Delany loved his new job at The Twisted Vine as a Wine Tasting Assistant. His bosses didn’t even mind his multicolored hair and tattoos. It didn’t hurt that he got to try the vineyard’s new wines every year either. Best of all, he was able to meet new and interesting people every day, including a man who tried to hide behind a fake tree while wearing a colorful outfit that couldn’t have been missed in the dark from a mile away. Although, Lowen was fairly sure, even dressed in black, he would have noticed Blue.

But when Blue’s mother decides to butt into their budding relationship, thankfully, they both find that family is more than just about genetics. It’s about who is there for them when things get tough that matter most.