Jay Hogan

I was immediately drawn to this when I saw it was about characters closer to my age - not often the MCs are in their 50s, or more. But now I've read this - why the hell not?! People are basically the same throughout their life. This book is hot! and the MCs are super attractive.

Jed describes himself in the blurb as a "family car". Nash, on the other hand, is what? a Lamborghini?! a Stinger?! he's a 53-year old gay man who plays the field - he keeps his body in excellent shape, never eats desert, and is extremely well groomed.
He's also a driven professional, as school principal, who is making a difference for LGBTQ kids. He's disciplined. He has warm brown eyes, and is self confident, intelligent, articulate - the list is long. There's a lot to admire. And Jed, a classic car mechanic, divorced with two grown-up kids, falls fast for Nash ... despite not exploring that side of his bi-sexuality since he was 15.

I really love the way Jed learns to put himself at the centre of his life. This is such a wonderful takeaway from this book - how important this is, and ultimately it is the way to give the best to your loved ones.

Nash is initially drawn to what a handsome man Jed is - and here the cover art gives us a great image to work with! He sets out to seduce Jed, and Jed is awed by this confident, attractive gay man. And once they've hooked each other, so to speak, they immediately work at getting to know each other. They are good at it, and it really is no time before they know they are in love, and appreciate each other deeply. Next Jed asks Nash to move in before the end of the summer holidays. It's impossibly soon given the type of alone, independent life Nash has lived for decades ... but he doesn't hesitate. They are really both so brave, especially Nash in my books.

Gary Furlong's adopted New Zealand accent - on display in Jay Hogan's books - is such a fantastic addition. And oh, to smell that jasmine in Jed's garden on the hillside above Wellington. And Nash's comment that he loves Wellington for its four distinct seasons - I want to experience that. I do know it is a beautiful windy city on the sea, from several visits.

It is odd to repeat the book's blurb, but it's got to be one of the best blurbs - it's a perfect window into the book.

FOXED: To be thrown into a state of uncertainty-flustered, bamboozled, bewildered, puzzled, vexed. AKA, me. Jed Marshall. 55-year-old successful classic car mechanic; divorced, mostly closeted, and whose wholly inexperienced bisexuality has suddenly awakened after one smouldering look and said, 'Damn, who's the hottie?' Or words to that effect. Cue, Nash Collingwood. 53-year-old scarily smart high school principal; out, gay, confident, and sexy as hell. He's also my daughter's boss. So, not complicated at all, right? Nash could ignite a bonfire with a single sultry look, comes fully accessorised with a charm offensive Churchill would be proud of, an easy-going flattery that thrills my heart far too effortlessly, and an impressive track record with men many decades my junior. In short, Nash is everything I'm not, and everything I've avoided for roughly my entire life. He's the hot rod to my sensible family car, that is if you like your family cars with a few dents, creaky suspension, unexpected backfires, and a dodgy stick. The last thing I need is a relationship-especially with a man. I buried that pipe dream a long time ago and a little loneliness is a small price to pay. The festive season and long summer vacation are on our doorstep. I'm finally getting things right with my family who mean everything to me, and I don't want to mess that up. But Nash doesn't care about my awkward inexperience, or clumsy excuses, or any of my insecurities. Nash only sees me. He wants me. For the first time in years, I feel alive and sexy and a whole lot more than just a good father and grandfather. I should walk away, but the closer Nash and I become, the more he fills my grey world with colour, and the promise of a second chance at love I never thought possible.… (meer)

Cameron and Reuben are one of the most amazing teams I've met in fiction. I say 'team' without any pun intended (Reuben is on the verge of joining a very famous sports team), because with all the outside obstacles that stand between them, they work as a team. While most of the obstacles must be removed by Reuben, Cameron pushes and motivates him to get the job done.

Cameron is asking Reuben to scale a mountain, but Cameron believes in Reuben - I love it. And Cameron really is a prize - he's so fierce, so sexy, so all in and passionate. There's a lot waiting for Reuben if he scales that mountain.

I don't know how it happened but I read Auckland Med #3 before #2, so I already knew these characters, which has predisposed me to embrace their unlikely liaison from the start of the novel.

Jay Hogan's trademark humour is on show occasionally, but is this a romantic comedy? I ask this because it has the worst wicked stepmother figure in Reuben's father - when he's in the picture, he's such an ugly human being, it's all one can do to get through those pages.… (meer)

What's new?! this was a lot of fun, just as I have come to expect from Jay Hogan. Her wicked humour shines through her stories, plot twists and characters.

At the core of this is the deliciously irreverent but serious relationship between a charge nurse, Cam, whose family is from the Solomon Islands as I recall, and an All Black rugby player, Reuben.

More serious is the injury that puts Reuben in hospital days before their wedding. It's exactly why I can't watch rugby no matter how exciting and skilful the play is.

I'm giving this an extra half star simply because I won't forget Cam in a hurry, nor Reuben's fierce devotion to him - not to mention! what a trailblazer! Despite the fun the author has with this, the relationship between the MCs felt so real and intense.

Carol420 below says it best: "...there was an emotional connection between them that was sometimes scary, but so very beautiful".… (meer)