I was definitely excited to hear that Con Riley had a new book in her Seattle Series coming out, but I was also nervous because I really, really enjoyed After Ben. Theo and Morgan pretty much owned my heart, but even as that book was coming to a close, I knew the next one would be about Peter. Talk about excited.

So, here I am, having just finished Saving Sean and feeling all sorts of warm fuzzies even amidst some sad and difficult times. One of the things I've noticed about Con Riley's writing is how well she handles the issue of grief. It's complex and irrational and yet as it plays out on the pages it just makes so much sense.

Saving Sean is Peter and Sean's story. It's a story of how two men, both searching and lost find each other in the most unlikely of places -- the woods -- and are forced to face their own demons of loss and guilt, while also learning to trust and fall in love with someone neither ever expected. This is so vague and probably meaningless, but there's a lot of layering and mystery (just like in After Ben) and I don't want to spoil anything.

Suffice it to say Sean and Peter are both awesome. From Peter's unedited, vocalized thoughts to Sean's freckles... there is just so much to love about these two. Plus, we get glimpses into Ben and Morgan's lives, as well as Evan and Joel. We also get introduced to some new characters, and I'm anxious to see if any of them come to play in Book 3.

I have really enjoyed both of Con Riley's books and cannot wait for the next one!!

So here is a thing/rule about me. I don’t traditionally read a series in order nor do I read an author back to back. Maybe it’s the OCD in me or some anxiety about getting burned out on characters or an author’s style to not like the other books as much as the first. Well, Con Riley broke that rule for me and threw it right out the window. She threw it out and ran it over with an remodeled RV driven by the cutest couple whose story I really need to read. Ugh. Sorry, got off on a tangent there for a minute. These books are messing with my thought process and taking up space where all I can think about it them.

Oh, another thing about me. I dig a good love triangle and the angst it creates. Usually the third wheel or the dude who doesn’t get the boy is never enough of a character to mean, well anything to me. That is SO NOT the case when it came and comes to Peter Morse. I adored Peter in After Ben and wanted him to be happy so much though I knew Theo was not the one for him. He broke my heart with his “I want” speech to Theo and I wanted that paramedic (what is it about Paramedics named Pete?) to find the love of his life and get what he so deserved. So yeah, in After Ben, the third in the triangle meant something, more than anyone in any other book I have ever read and I knew I had to read Peter's story.

Knowing a bit of Peter from the first book, I loved that it opens with a phone call from Theo asking Pete for help. Maggie is worried about her brother and since Pete is still traveling and teaching, he is just a few miles away from where Sean lives.  As Peter wrestles with his still very real feelings for Theo, he sees someone in need of help on the side of the road and Peter, being the damn swoony hero that he is, pulls over and runs across the street to help. This was the best meet cute I have read recently! It was just so perfect that the person who “needs” Pete’s help would be Sean and Sean would run away from it. Talk about foreshadowing and I loved it!

Sean, let me just say not only is he a kindred soul because he is a ginger, but the things he does and believes in, they hit close to home for me. I won’t get into the reasons why but I felt Sean on a deeper leveel and I fell head over heels in insta-love with him just as fast as Peter did. Yeah, this is total insta-love but insta-love done beautifully and with the utmost class.

So Peter meets Sean and he helps Sean and then he leaves Sean. That should not have hurt as much for any of us as it did. Yes, I am including myself in this because I know it hurt Peter to leave, I know it hurt Sean to tell him to leave and dammit, it hurt me to see them apart. Even the stupid fucking chickens couldn’t heal me or my heart until they were back together and what a reunion that was. Three simple breathless words, NO not those, but the ones Sean gives to Peter just shredded me. I though Morgan and Theo had ways with words but these two, they speak volumes even when they aren’t saying a damn thing. Or well, when Pete is running at the mouth and doesn’t realize it. Talk about endearing as all hell. Did I mention I adore Peter?

I loved that this was a romance between two lost souls finding one another, but I love that this was also another strong story about family. Not just the family that you are born into and what they give you – good and bad – but the family that you surround yourself with. The strangers who become friends and then become those you can’t live without. Also, this was simply about families. Peter wouldn’t have met Sean if his sister wasn’t worried and needed him and meeting Sean, gave Peter a chance to mend and heal with his father. Good lord! I loved Pete’s dad. He was amazing.

It was great to see more of Evan and Joel (I need their book!) and even Aiden. I liked how prickly Aiden is and yeah, I bought his book already and am starting it soon.

It was great to get bits of Morgan and Theo again as well, to see where they are now and that touch over Marco… Le sigh. It was also beautiful to see Peter’s reaction to that… his growth in this book was a joy to watch. Like I said, I liked Peter before but I loved him in this. I loved who he was and what he brings to the table with Sean. I love how he came to save Sean and got saved right back.

If you can’t tell, I have turned major fangirl for Con Riley and her writing. I can’t get enough of it or of these boys and those who breathe the same air they do. The writing is gorgeous, the romance is perfectly swoony and these stories stay with me. I can quote you scenes from this and After Ben and want to dive right back into the books and get lost again. The best books for me; the make me feel, the make me want to do nothing but read and they make me fall in love. Con Riley has hit all those points and then some for me and I am blessed.

**Note** - Yes, I am rating this again a 5 star. Books like this, don't come along for me everyday. As I said at the start, this book, this series has broken so many of my rules, it deserves the all the stars and then some. I am sure I could see all those stars I would give it on the roof of a Jeep with four chickens pecking their way around me.

Not quite as engaging as the first book, Maggie lost a lot of points and I got tired of Seans running real fast, but still a good read

What a great world being set up here. The introduction of new characters to an already established world can be precarious. I've always admired Con Riley's ability to add to build on lives. A few things carefully placed in After Ben come to fruition here.

So Peter. Oh, Peter. His mind is an interesting place to be. I love the little things - like his internal monologue spilling into his real life words. And how his type began to change almost without his realizing it.

And then Sean. What a beautiful soul. I wanted to hug him and hold him.

Looking forward to Aiden and Marco's story. Marco cracks me right up.

Also... needs more Morgan!

This had the potential to be as devastatingly good as the first one, even though the production was lacking in quality again and the narration was good but not great, BUT it was frustrating that no one could at least touch the why and what Sean and Maggie's father hoarded. I managed to figure it out, or close to it, and they hadn't even started speculating. I mean they needed a throw away comment from an outsider to piece it all together because till that moment they were just staring at the pieces but no one was making a move.

Then it was Peter's silence when he was listening to Maggie and Mike going on about Sean, a couple of instances that he opened his mouth when he should have kept it closed because he was judgemental and sanctimonious and do I need to even start on Maggie? She chose to believe that her brother left and left her behind and never asked why. Not to mention how she put her pain above her brother's. Seriously as much as I liked her in the first book I equally disliked her here.

Then it was Sean. I wondered if he has anxiety or his father's OCD tendencies. And WTF truly happened when he was 17? Did his father threw him out or he left on his own after the fight with his father? I totally lost the thread there.

Frankly the only bright points in this story was Joel and Evan and of course Peter's sweet father!!!

I did not like this book. I was definitely in the wrong place mentally to read something like this. Reading after ben was frustrating, but equally enjoyable and emotional. I cared about all the characters in the first book, except Patrick. He always rubbed me the wrong way.

In this books, I didn't understand his deep interest in Theo. And then I didn't get his connection to Sean. Near the 30% mark, I skimmed the book till the end. This one just wasn't for me.

The author keeps jumping timelines and that simply didn't work for me. Not in this book. And barely in the previous book. I do want to read the last book, because I really like Marco and Aiden. But I might give myself a little break from this Author.

I did not like this book. I was definitely in the wrong place mentally to read something like this. Reading after ben was frustrating, but equally enjoyable and emotional. I cared about all the characters in the first book, except Patrick. He always rubbed me the wrong way.

In this books, I didn't understand his deep interest in Theo. And then I didn't get his connection to Sean. Near the 30% mark, I skimmed the book till the end. This one just wasn't for me.

The author keeps jumping timelines and that simply didn't work for me. Not in this book. And barely in the previous book. I do want to read the last book, because I really like Marco and Aiden. But I might give myself a little break from this Author.

When Peter Morse is asked by his friend Theo to track down Theo's assistant's brother, Sean, he is hesitant at first. He's been on the road and just wants to get home and enjoy some downtime. But he ultimately finds himself agreeing, having no idea what's in store for him when he finally tracks down Sean. While things get off to a rocky start, Peter is quickly smitten with this new man and finds himself going to great lengths to help him get his life back together.

The story here is an interesting one. The layers of issues that Sean has to work through in the aftermath of his father's death are many and makes for a very fascinating set of circumstances. And it was great to see all of the major players from After Ben return in this installment.

One thing that really bothered me is the narration in relation to Peter. It's stated at the beginning that he often says what he's thinking out loud and doesn't realize he's doing it. This isn't clear in the text - his thoughts are presented as thoughts and sometimes the other characters respond as though they were said out loud and sometimes they don't. I found it very confusing and a bit distracting. But it's still a great story overall.