Sometimes to find love, you must first learn forgiveness.
A dozen years, two thousand miles, and a law degree after high school, Rafi Steiner continues to harbor resentment toward Isaac Jones, his childhood bully turned NBA star. When Isaac appears at Rafi's favorite restaurant acting like a long-lost friend, Rafi bluntly dismisses him.
But Isaac is tenacious and he has his heart set on the grown-up version of the boy he always wanted and never forgot. The way Isaac sees it, he and Rafi are perfect for each other, if only he could sink the most important shot of his life: his one shot at forgiveness.
I hated him. Unequivocally, absolutely, and in every way possible. He was responsible for making my teen years a living hell—if not single-handedly, then at the very least, he held the starring role. Or, in terms he would have understood, he was the quarterback, the pitcher, the forward, the…fuck it, he led the “hey, faggot, nice hair” brigade. Not that it was always about my hair. Sometimes it was my clothes. Other times it was the way I walked or the way I talked. I lived in anticipation of the day he’d come up with some way to taunt me for breathing. Ass. Hole.
So you can imagine how thrilled I was when he walked in the door of my favorite restaurant, two thousand miles away from where we grew up, and had the nerve not only to recognize me, but to not pretend like he didn’t. I mean, who…
Robert M Clark did a good job narrating this story. I could connect with the characters through the voices and emotions he portrayed. Even though this is a book I have read it gave me a new connection to the story listening to him.
I love the way Cardeno C spins a tale. Even a short story like this one was so beautifully told.
The story was told from Rafi's point of view, and he was a great character with a sarcastic sense of humor. Rafi is intelligent, hard-working, and a bit lonely. Although he has some good friends, he hasn't fallen in love yet. Isaac might be a major star, but he wasn't arrogant. Instead, he was kind, loving, and a bit possessive. At first glance, it didn't make any sense that Isaac liked Rafi based on how he treated Rafi in high school. However, as Rafi starts to remember some of the nice things Isaac did for him, the story took on a different feel. It was almost like a reminder to the rest of us not to let negative feelings cloud our pasts and block the good memories. There were several extremely steamy sex scenes during which these two continued to grow their relationship. The conversations were wonderful, and I really felt like I got to know the characters. The story takes place over a reasonable period of time, and we get a glimpse into what their future would be like together. I really enjoyed this wonderful steamy relationship story with a great sense of humor and interesting characters!
Who knew that Isaac was sweet, kind and so vulnerable where Rafi was concerned. Seeing these two men together and seeing them working on understanding their past was a delight for me. To go on their journey with them I ended up adoring Isaac and was rooting for him to have his chance.