Review: Life, Some Assembly Required by Kaje Harper
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Publish Date: June 9, 2015
Reviewed by: Heller
How I got this book: E-Arc from Publisher
The Rebuilding Year #2
Finding love in the ashes was easy. Building a life together? Don’t make Fate laugh.
After spending the first part of his life chasing pretty girls, love has finally come to Ryan in the form of John, a tall, lanky, red-headed landscape architect with wide shoulders and a five-o’clock shadow.
For the first time in his life, love feels easy. Hell, he even ran into a burning building for John and his son, and he’d do it again if he had to. But telling his father and brothers “I’m gay. I’ve met a man”? That’s a bumpy ride he’s not looking forward to.
For John, loving Ryan is as natural as breathing. Now if only the rest of his life would fall into place. Dealing with his teen son is complicated enough, but with his ex-wife causing trouble and his daughter wanting to move in, John’s house—and his relationship with Ryan—threaten to split at the seams.
Would one month without a new surprise knocking him upside the heart be asking too much? If the sound of Fate’s laughter is any indication, the answer must be yes…
Product Warnings
Contains two formerly straight guys learning to navigate the gay-guy waters, sometimes without a paddle. Plus six kinds of family ensuring nothing comes easy.
I liked this read but I didn’t love it. For some reason I was expecting more of time break between this and first book but the story starts just minutes after end events of the previous. It is the rebuilding year so it makes sense to have the back to back but it did surprise me.
This is one heavy on the extended family dynamics and while I’m not saying that moving through that quagmire wasn’t needed it was a definite downer for a lot of the read. It just seemed like the men were constantly battling an overwhelming tide of disapproval and homophobia. Disheartening.
Ryan’s dad and John’s ex were especially dickish here. Still I did like how the men never wavered in their regard for each other and they strengthened their relationship throughout the story learning more and more about their likes and wants.
It was great to see the men together and working on their physical and emotional bonds. They’re very much a unit, a strong one. As both parents and lovers. This is definitely not a standalone. You need to read the first in the series or you’ll be pretty lost here. No hardship to read that one as it sets up the characters and their relationship beautifully.
I’m giving Life, Some Assembly Required a C+