Realize: Men of Hidden Creek Season 4 Book 2, Susan Hawke

Life can certainly be unpredictable, but for Parker it tore his world apart.  If not for his children and best friend, he might not have had the strength to survive it.  It didn't take long for me to admire both men and root for something wonderful between them.  Thankfully, they didn't disappoint with the depth and rightness of their changing relationship.

I didn't get a great sense of Max right at the start, other than his heart and his willingness to support his best friend, but when we first get into his head we see right away that he's never second-guessed his role in the lives of those that matter most to him.  Parker needed him, Cindy and Tommy needed him, so he stepped in and took the burden happily.  I admired that about him quite a lot.

And then there's Parker.  He struck me as both caring and strong right in the beginning despite having the rug pulled out from under him.  But when we see him again, he felt so very young and a little on the immature side.  Not the immaturity that comes from irresponsibility or selfishness, but from youth and inexperience.  He didn't regain his maturity and solidness until much later as his relationship with Max became something more.  Maybe it was because all the pieces were slotting together as they should be, or maybe it was just because his reaction to those changes was so smooth.

Their relationship was very slow-burn, but the explanation for that is rooted in sexual identity and the focus being on building a family rather than a sexual connection.  Even with the "educational" aspect of the sexuality discussion, it all felt like a pretty natural transition.  With no angst at all, I was wondering how the story and the couple were both going to progress, what kind of conflict would be used to give us some sort of tension or literary climax.  To be honest, the whole thing felt tame and mild, and that wasn't necessarily bad, it was just a longer and fluffier story than I was expecting.

Overall it was a nice change of pace and I learned to love all the sweetness, the tender way their family found stability, security, and happiness in the aftermath of so much grief.  Overcoming those difficulties was a bit overly simplistic though, yet it fit the lighter feel of the story.  Max gained everything he could ever want and Parker gained everything he could ever need.  Once again we see that Hidden Creek is the town where love is love and love is all.

*$3.99 on Amazon

“What we have can’t be faked.”

Max Jackson’s life is pretty close to perfect—except that he’s secretly in love with his straight best friend and roommate. He’s got his dream job and a family he secretly pretends are his own. But they aren’t… no matter how much he might wish it were true.

After the tragic death of his wife, Parker Wilson didn’t have time to wallow in grief—not when he had two young children to raise. He’s not looking for romance or a new partner. He doesn’t need one anyway… he has his life-long buddy Max to help him through every struggle.

When Parker loses his job and can’t afford his daughter’s pricey insulin, Max suggests fake marriage for insurance coverage. Since he’s already a second parent to Parker’s cute kids, it should be easy… until the marriage becomes a little too real.