Book Review: Legally Wed by Rick R. Reed

Title: Legally Wed
Author: Rick R. Reed
Genre: Contemporary Romance, M/M Romance
Sensuality Rating: Erotic
Source: review copy provided via NetGalley
Published: January 3, 2014 by Dreamspinner Press

Love comes along when you least expect it. That’s what Duncan Taylor’s sister, Scout, tells him. Scout has everything Duncan wants—a happy life with a wonderful husband. Now that Seattle has made gay marriage legal, Duncan knows he can have the same thing. But when he proposes to his boyfriend Tucker, he doesn’t get the answer he hoped for. Tucker’s refusal is another misstep in a long line of failed romances. Despairing, Duncan thinks of all the loving unions in his life—and how every one of them is straight. Maybe he could be happy, if not sexually compatible, with a woman. When zany, gay-man-loving Marilyn Samples waltzes into his life, he thinks he may have found his answer.

Determined to settle, Duncan forgets his sister’s wisdom about love and begins planning a wedding with Marilyn. But life throws Duncan a curveball. When he meets wedding planner Peter Dalrymple, unexpected sparks ignite. Neither man knows how long he can resist his powerful attraction to the other. For sure, there’s a wedding in the future. But whose?

Reviewed By: J9

In a Nutshell: Well written characters in an interesting story but lacked a developed romance in my opinion.

The Set Up: Duncan just wants to find “the one” and get married. He’s horribly hurt when his current boyfriend turns down his proposal so Duncan advertises for a woman who wants a platonic marriage. Zany and loving Marilyn answers the ad and the two become fast friends and decide to try a platonic marriage. But life has other plans when Duncan and his wedding planner, Peter, share an intense attraction.

Why I Read this Book: Synopsis caught my attention and though this is a new-to-me author I tried it.

What I Liked: This author has written lovely characters who felt like real people. Duncan’s home-body life and his desire for a committed partner are well developed as is quirky Marilyn’s character. I could nearly see these two paling around together and drinking brunch of bloody marys. Duncan’s sister Scout with her large and loving personality is also a charming character and provided the emotional punch for me near novel’s end. Though Peter is less well developed, in my opinion, his father is a great character. Peter and his father have phone conversations that were heartfelt and humorous. Peter’s father’s role in the book’s ending was a great layer on the novel’s HEA.

What I Also Liked: The plot revolves around Duncan and his female best friend, Marilyn, deciding to get platonically married. This was an interesting concept and though predictable, had plenty of humor and heart. Duncan’s relationship with his sister Scout has a small part in the plot’s conclusion and this was my favorite part of the entire book.

What I Didn’t Like: As much as I think this was good storytelling I didn’t think Peter and Duncan’s relationship was well developed AT ALL. They don’t meet until more than 50% into the book and to make it worse they only have 2 short scenes before the final emotional denouement scene. In contrast, Marilyn and Duncan spend most of the book together sharing their lives and dreams. Duncan and Peter’s connection was insta-forever-love and the relationship development happened at light speed. I read romance to watch the incremental progress of two people becoming a couple both emotionally and sexually and I didn’t get that here.

IMO: This was a good story but with a superficial romance that didn’t impress this avid romance reader.

 

J9’s Rating:

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