Very touching story. And I understood the message about forgiveness and letting go of the past, but I couldn't help but think that were I in James's shoes, I'd also have an incredibly hard time forgiving Caleb... Still, I was very glad for James and Charlie that they could move on, free from it all.

4.5 Stars Could have been five stars, if not for just one thing in the story that really bugged me. There were a few glaring typos as well, but I liked this story so much I'm going to overlook them. Also the blurb is kinda off, but again going to just go with it, because I really liked it.

Charlie is a widower, his partner died in an accident two years before, and he has just started dating. He's not too interested though. He likes his life as it is. He's been a high school teacher for twenty years, has been volunteering at the local prison helping inmates to get their GED. His own life history is very connected to that jail. His father was a convict who died there years ago.

Charlie has forgiven his father for what he did long ago, to him, to his mom, to the people he killed. As a way to find peace with what happened he tries to help the men in the prison. One day Caleb Farmer, a man who is serving a life sentence for killing his wife, approaches Charlie. Caleb is an elderly man, and he wants to write a letter to his son. He has not seen his son since he was a boy, and wants to make amends. The anger that Caleb has lived with, seeped away with the years and he does not want to die with such a regret.

So Charlie begins to help Caleb write the letter to his son Junior. The more Charlie works with Caleb the more he cares for the man, and wants to help find his son. He begins his search, and finally after so many dead ends finds James Marshall. James has changed his name and tried to distance himself from that past. From that horrific history that was his childhood.

This is where things gets complicated. For Charlie getting involved in this possible reunion, could cost him this new chance at love. James and Charlie, have a connection there is a possibility of something between them. A chance to start over. A second time for Charlie, and the very first for James. They are cautious, but they are open. They realize the amazing opportunity that life has given them.

There is so much baggage though, and James is not willing to forgive and forget. Charlie only hopes that when James finally is ready to listen to his father it won't be too late. Things are hard for these men, they stumble and they mess up, but they are so in love already.

This was a kind of wonderful story about second chances, forgiveness and just moving on. Finding peace with the bad stuff, and using it to make your future better. I REALLY cared for these two men. They were so great together, and pretty damn hot too. Well written story too. Emotional, but not exhausting, romantic but not instantly that HEA was well earned, erotic and sensual, but nothing gratuitous.


Really enjoyed reading this book, and would certainly recommend it.