Homecoming, Rick R. Reed

A man discovers how to live again after suffering a devastating loss.

- Review by Cindi

Chase has just lost his long-term partner.  The way this happens is described up until the exact moment of that loss.  To say it was heartbreaking would be an understatement.  What was supposed to be a day of celebration ended with the death of Toby.  Two months later Chase is invited back to Chicago by Toby's best friend Mike to attend the International Mr. Leather Competition.  It has a been a few years since Chase has been to his hometown and the thought of going again without Toby terrifies him... will he see Toby at every corner?  Will he be overwhelmed by memories to the point of nothing else?  After a bit of persuasion Chase agrees to go if for nothing else to spend time with an old friend.

This book started off very emotional.  When I say the exact moment of Toby's death I literally mean the exact moment of Toby's death.  Without giving it away I can't say more than that.  Suffice it to say that it was a very emotional scene that I doubt anyone could read without getting atleast a little misty-eyed. 

Follow Chase's journey as he crosses the country and tries to start living again with the help of the old friend Mike.  There is an anonymous hook-up, lots and lots of leather, orgies.. .among other things.  But through it all Mike is always there in the background as a friend and maybe more.

I am a huge fan of friends-to-lovers books so this one was right up my alley.  I am also a huge fan of this author so I knew going in that I would enjoy this.  My only complaints are one, I wish it would have been longer (especially toward the end), and two, I kind of had an issue with how quickly Chase jumped right in (so to speak) after Toby's death.  I understand that people mourn differently but I personally felt that two months was a little too soon.  Of course, this in no way took away from the story as a whole.  Another good read by Rick R. Reed.

This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange for a fair and honest review.