Read my reviews of previous books in the Lost Boys series:
The Thief (#0.5) | The Skeptic (Lost Boys #1) | The Crush (#2) | The Punk (#3)
I often joke that it’s not a Kelly Fox book unless it makes me laugh so hard that I scare a cat at least once. While this story definitely includes moments of levity such as those I’ve come to expect from Fox’s work, even though they are never explicitly comedies, I also knew going in that I should have the tissues handy this time. After all, I almost cried just from reading the back cover text. Once I dove into the story itself, I definitely cried by chapter 2. Though this book is also not a tragedy (I promise it definitely qualifies as a romance), the storyline touches on difficult topics such as grief for a loved one…and giving love a second chance to flourish.
I’m fortunate to have never mourned the death of a spouse, but after meeting Mr. Paige earlier in this series and already mourning him through the perspective of his son and other members of his chosen family, I had no trouble connecting with Ren’s grief in this book. Fox once again manages to make a deceased love one as much an integral character in the story as those left behind. Each visceral moment made me ache along with Ren, and the indirect path of his healing brought a sense of realism to a story already complicated by the bonds of community and friendship tying Ren and Major together.
Though Fox hinted at elements of this story in the previous installment of this series, she fleshes out the initial arc by connecting the first essential, unplanned moments between Ren and Major with other important events from earlier books. Neither man is prepared for their explosive chemistry, but while emotions are complicated, love is not a finite resource; that both of these men will develop genuine feelings for each other is never in question. After all, they are each truly good men, which is why they work so well together…and also why the inevitable first break hurts so much. Time may not heal all wounds, but sometimes it is necessary. The time jump between the two acts of this book never disrupts the pacing, and Ren and Major’s reconnection in the second half is incredibly satisfying.
Fox tackles some pretty intense themes in this book, crafting an actual “reverse age-gap” romance that feels both incredibly real and still retains enough moments of escapism to make reading a genuine pleasure despite my tears. Mr. Paige can rest easy knowing that his family will continue to thrive and grow.
Disclaimer: I recieved a digital review copy of this book from the author.