Of Sunlight and Stardust

2.5 stars

Bit too on the sappy side. I found it hard to imagine men actually having these conversations. Also, the journal read nothing like one. It was really just a mini 1st person POV historical m/m romance book masquerading as a journal, so it was completely not believable, and even less believable that the MCs would read it to one another as if it were simply a journal.

This was a lovely second chance at life story, with a hint of reincarnation/spirituality sprinkled throughout, but not clobbered over the reader's head. Nice. Very nice. Heartwarming and sad at once.

When Tanner Rowe and Cole Lachlan meet they're each at a crossroad in their respective lives: Tanner isn't quite moving on after his wife's death and Cole, without family or friends as a safety net, is finding it almost impossible to reenter society after a stint in prison. After kind-or -sort-of meeting at a bait-and-tackle shop, Tanner offers Cole room and board in exchange for repair work on the burnt-out barn on his property. From the first moment, each of the MCs, but particularly Tanner, feels an unexplained familiarity or comfort level with the other. A sense of ‘knowing' each other, in spite of being virtual strangers. Little by little, but not super belabored, Tanner and Cole forge a friendship, greatly aided by their reading of Tom Crawford's journal.

In the journal, Tom, the son of the previous occupants of Tanner's house, tells of his relationship with Charlie Myers. A relationship that morphs from friendship into more in the inhospitable climate of 1948 Red Bluff, Michigan. While reading the journal, and in everyday interactions, we become aware of the affinity between the two couples and the rest is just bittersweet.

I liked that the Tom & Charlie story wasn't sugar coated, reality is reality, but it's nice to think that their stardust selves get to have a second chance. And I really liked how Tanner's attraction to Cole, despite previously having thought of himself as straight, wasn't fraught with any inner turmoil. It wouldn't make sense for his character and especially having been married to someone like Emma. I liked that the love scenes evolved organically, and while sexy, were really more sensual. The townsfolk were a nice mix of busybodies and good people, which made the stetting realistic.

Overall I'd recommend it. What I couldn't get on-board with was the audio. Sorry. I love Kale Williams but couldn't warm up to the other narrator. I ended up just reading, so I'm not rating the audio.

Sad, sweet and a tad simplistic. These authors are good when you want a romance that won't challenge you.