Read book #1 in the series about a month ago and found it startling. Ditto book #2. Weird and wonderful as Declan and Owen are, the dynamic between the two is fabulous, and a revelation to me.

Makes this series hugely interesting. So much so that I found the continuing "sidebar" of Owen's family a slightly boring distraction from Owen and Declan's story.

As in book #1, there's something magnetic about Gianni Holmes' romantic leads, Owen and Declan, with the inimitable aid of narrator John Solo.

John Solo does such a brilliant, brilliant job of Declan and Owen, as I mentioned in my review of book #1. In John Solo's hands, the guys are both accessible and gorgeous - such different life experiences, yet so complementary, so rawly honest and accepting of who they are and what they bring to each other.

I agree with the commentator below (Carol420), that it's hard to believe that society would be very accepting of them. Yet, somehow, what each brings to the relationship, Declan the dom, and Owen the submissive, provides a cocoon for the other. Despite all, we know they will be themselves and survive and thrive.

About the roles they play, ie dom and submissive, while I don't doubt they are authentic mantles for them both, they are also roles they play - and it is a kind of play ie playfulness, as much as role-playing. Owen, in particular, seems to hold on to his true self, and willingly play the role he is given, initially by Declan, and later inhabited at his own initiative.

The two are deeply in love by book #2, though Owen has to cross the rubicon and accept the idea they are forever - this isn't a temporary indulgence. It sounds so humdrum in commenting on a romance novel to say that they both have a huge capacity to love and care for each other - but it's like the living breathing third character in the story.

The contrast between Owen's first life, and his second life with Declan, is the stuff of romantic fiction - oh, that's right! that's what this is!

I love the depiction of Owen on the cover. Unfortunately, Declan was too much in shadow to recognise on the book #1 cover. However, I see them both clearly on the cover of book #3, where they stand together, and you do see the publisher's idea of Declan, and wow! that works!

Fortunately, Holmes has written 8 series and 58+ books, according to Library Thing. I'm curious to meet more of her characters. ( )

This is a different themed story and series...one that many people will find the entire theme various degrees of offensive. Declan is a multi-billionaire younger "Daddy Dom "and Owen is an older "Boy". They are both mature adults, that years ago, life events shaped who they are today. Owen and Declan’s story evolves over 3 books, and this is the second. The books really can't be read out of order since one continues from the last without much backstory. Owen has experienced the "empty nest feeling" ever since his 3 kids moved out to start their own lives. His wife...who is almost a story unto herself... left when the twins were babies, so he raised the children alone. To say that Owen and Declan don't run in the same circles of life, would be a major understatement, yet their paths crossed, when Declan knew from the first time he met him, that he wanted him. As with any relationship, they were tested. It had nothing to do with their sexual preferences, but more with how the world and those around them perceived them and their relationship. I believe they were accepted much more in the story than they would have been in the "real world", but it made for a much better story. I had several problems with Owens adult children. The daughter was rude and judgmental without any cause whatsoever...not from Owen or from Declan. Her lifestyle was with a woman that she was going to marry, so that her Dad was with a man shouldn't have been a problem for her...and she had nothing but total support from her dad and Declan. The twins had been sneaking around and contacting and meeting their absent mother who had been out of their lives for 20 years with no attempts to contact them. When one of the twins first met Declan, he accused him of taking advantage of Owen...even though he was assured by Owen that that wasn't true. I just hate stories where adult children try to run the lives of their adult parents. I already get an idea of what will be part of the issue in the next book, but I have full confidence in Declan and his way of dealing with things. I'm sure that Declan, and Owen will continue to share their love, joy, and fears...and that remember that age is truly "just a number". ( )

I really liked the continuation of Owen and Declan's story. There is so much happening and both men prove that they are there for each other, no matter what. It was great to see Owen's family be so accepting of their relationship. ( )