After The Rain

18277992Title:
Author: Daisy Harris
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Buy Links: Amazon
Cover Art: Kanaxa
Genre: Contemporary m/m
Length: Novel (161 pdf pages)
Rating: 4 out of 5 rating stars

A Guest Review by Feliz

Summary Review: Opposites meet, attract and make a cute couple in this entertaining book.

The Blurb: They’re going to need a bigger tent…

Fire and Rain, Book 2

Henri’s list of bad exes is as long as his arm, but nothing prepared him for his latest, heart-stomping breakup. He thought he couldn’t feel more abandoned, until his ride for a group camping trip bails, leaving him stuck driving for hours with a guy who is absolutely not his type.

After breaking up with his girlfriend of five years, firefighter Logan is working up the nerve to explore his interest in men. He knows he’s gay. He just hasn’t had the guts to do anything about it…until now.

Henri’s big-city attitude and tight jeans push every last one of Logan’s buttons, and when he and Henri have to share a tent, Logan is thrilled. He should have realized Pacific Northwest weather would get wet—forcing them to strip naked.

Though the steam between them is thicker than coastal fog, Henri’s not sure he can let himself fall for another man. Not even the guy who finally treats him right.

Warning: Contains bad ex-boyfriends, even worse weather, and more than your average amount of sex in a tent. May not be suitable for those with germ phobias, outdoor aversions or fear of damp shoes.

The Review:

Twenty-year old Logan went through a number of important changes recently: moved from Texas to the Pacific Northwest, broke up with his girlfriend, became a firefighter and realized that he is gay. Since Logan is blessed with a generally rather relaxed personality, he simply accepts these things as facts and proceeds to make the best of it. His next goal? Finally actually having sex with a guy. Not so easy when you a) don’t have a guy, and b) don’t know how or even where to look for one.

By a fortunate coincidence, one of Logan’s fellow firefighters (Tomas from From The Ashes) is also gay. The two become friends, and Tomas and his partner Jesse invite Logan along on a group camping trip to Canada. This is how Logan first meets Henri, a friend of a friend of Tomas’s.

At first glance, Henri is Logan’s polar opposite. Where Logan is sweet-natured and patient, Henri is skittish and cynical. Where Logan is solidly built, fresh-faced and strong, Henri is skinny, delicate and beautiful. On top of that, they both come with their share of insecurities; Henri’s stemming from his bad experiences with former lovers, Logan’s from his inexperience and the novelty of embracing his gay identity. Can a naive virgin cowboy and a jaded cityboy learn to get on together?

It’s really entertaining to share both Henri’s and Logan’s thoughts through their first meeting, the ride to Canada, and the weekend spent in a shared tent. Henri’s initial dislike of the seemingly boorish Texan quickly turns into interest in view of Logan’s physical assets and appealing personality. Logan, who feels instantly attracted to Henri, overcomes his intial shyness and works his way into Henri’s pants, under Henri’s skin and eventually, into Henri’s heart.

I really liked both main characters. Contrary to the first impressions, they complemented each other well and made a perfect match. The outcome was quite predictable, of course, but it’s a sweet, romantic story, funny at times, and poignant at others, not too taxing but with enough depth to make it worthwhile.

This title will be released on Feb 11, 2014 by Samhain Publishing,fittingly in time for Valentine’s Day. After The Rain is a pleasant and enjoyable book, just right for a Valentine’s read. Recommended.