Book Review: Salvage by Con Riley

Title: Salvage
Author: Con Riley
Genre: Contemporary Romance, M/M Romance
Sensuality Rating: Erotic
Source: Review copy provided by publisher
Published: September 16, 2013 by Dreamspinner Press

Five years ago, an accident fractured Gabe Cooper’s family. Believing it was broken beyond repair, Gabe and his best friend Jamie Carlson left Minnesota behind for San Diego sunshine and college. Now another crisis brings Gabe home to help his ailing father, and he finally has to face the guilt that kept him away for so long.

Scott Stark also returns to Minnesota, with his young niece and nephew in tow, shouldering new family responsibilities. While Gabe comes to grips with his past, Scott struggles to accept his present role as a substitute parent, caring for two children, each with different needs. As Gabe and Scott get to know each other, reclaiming family life almost seems possible. Only two things stand in the way of love: Gabe’s unresolved relationship with Jamie, and Scott’s plan to leave Minnesota as soon as he can. Both men will have to accept past mistakes if they want to salvage a future together, and time is running out.

Reviewed By: J9

In a Nutshell: I greatly enjoyed this book which mixes romance with themes of gaining wisdom and developing meaningful relationships in life.

The Set Up: Gabe followed his best friend to college in California, leaving behind their Minnesota small town and his family. Now, five years later, Gabe has returned to care for his father after a heart attack and for the family salvage business. Gabe is overwhelmed with caring for both the business and his father with whom he has had a complicated relationship with since Gabe was involved in an accident that permanently injured his twin sister, Ariel. Gabe doesn’t need the complications of neighbor Scott who has returned to their town to care for his young niece and nephew. But life has a way of changing Gabe and Scott’s plans and how they respond determines who they are.

Why I Read this Book: I liked the synopsis set up.

What I Liked: This is a well-balanced story where all the elements perfectly match. The romance is the central relationship and but others are just as important: Gabe’s with his father, his sister, his sister’s boyfriend and his best friend, Jamie and Scott’s with his niece and nephew. These characters are all extremely well written so I felt like I knew them, from Gabe’s gruff, loving and imperfect father to Scott’s autistic nephew. How these characters interact is heartwarming to read, not just when things are easy and loving but also when they’re tough and imperfect.

The plot is nothing huge or mysterious but just how all these people grow and attempt to form meaningful relationships with each other. I liked the realism of the ending, especially in regard to Gabe’s best friend, Jamie which sort of surprised me with its more nuanced conclusion than I normally get in romance novels.

What I Also Liked: I love sexy times in MM romance but this novel successfully made the sex be unique to Gabe and Scott. To me this was because the romance was organic to the characters. Neither Scott nor Gabe are stock romance characters who have lots of money and no doubts in life but instead these are real men with fears, hopes, desires and good intentions. The romance develops believably and the sexual and emotional intimacy follows that. For instance, Scott’s niece and nephew don’t just disappear off stage when Gabe and Scott get horny, instead the couple must remember to lock their door and keep their voices low, just like in real life. This all totally works for me as it fit the romance and the book perfectly.

What I Didn’t Like: I like these characters so well that I would love to return in future books.

IMO: I recommend this gentle and heartwarming book that has a great romance but also wonderful themes and secondary characters.

J9’s Rating:


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