I enjoy Felice Stevens’ writing. It’s character-driven and very real feeling like they could be the people you meet in your local pub.

Isaac is a famous former actor and a NY firefighter, openly gay and an ambassador for NYFD. He’s kind and loyal but doesn’t trust easily. Fame has made it hard to find people who like him for himself, they always want something…his money, connections, invites to parties. So he sticks to the firehouse, a couple of close friends, and one-night stands.

He meets Levi in Serenity where he’s been sent for 6 weeks to train up rural volunteer firefighters.

Levi is a really great guy, hardworking, running a bar with his brother, but his dream is to be a full-time firefighter. He’s also living a lie, pretending to be straight, worried in particular about how his brother will react.

These two find themselves together in a friends-with-benefits relationship, where Levi is forced to see what it could be like to live as his authentic self, and Isaac gets a glimpse of what it would be like to trust again.

It’s a lovely story of self-discovery and love.

4.5 Stars