To Live Again (Ele’s Review)

Title: To Live Again (Distance Between Us #6)
Author: L.A.Witt
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Release Date: April 12th 2016
Genre(s): Contemporary
Page Count: 253
Reviewed by: Ele
Heat Level: 4 flames out of 5
Rating: 3.6 stars out of 5
Blurb:

The heart doesn’t take requests. It calls the tune.

Greg Douglas’s wife surprised him with an early 25th anniversary gift: a divorce. Staying with friends Ethan and Rhett seems like a good idea, just until he gets back on his feet. The guys have an even better idea to take his mind off his troubles—take him out to explore the other half of his bisexuality.

After a quarter century suppressing his hidden desires, he’s not waiting any longer. Especially not after laying eyes on the gorgeous deejay at Wilde’s.

Deejay and single dad Sailo Isaia isn’t looking for anything serious. He’s definitely not out to be a sexual teacher, never mind to a man almost two decades his senior. But as Greg gets the hang of having a male lover, Sailo can’t help himself. They both keep coming back for more. And more. And more.

But a few nagging questions hold Sailo back from giving his whole heart. Is this just Greg’s midlife crisis and rebound fling? Or a chance to fill that empty space—forever—for both Sailo and his beloved son?
Product Warnings

Contains an older guy who’s waited half his life for this, a younger guy who didn’t realize how lonely he was, and some very hot visits to the upstairs VIP lounge at Wilde’s. Author is not responsible for readers who can no longer look at a leather booth the same way again.

Distance Between Us is definately my favorite series by L.A.Witt. I ‘ve liked all the books, but some worked less than others. To Live again falls into the latter category.

First, let me say that up until 85%, I was really enjoying the story.

Both MCs are pretty mature and self-aware .(I have no idea why the blurb says that there is a 20-year age gap between the MCs; Greg is 47 and Sailo is 37.)

After getting a divorce from his wife of 25 years, Creg is ready to explore his bisexuality, and find out for the first time what it’s like to have sex with a man. Sailo, the gorgeous, Samoan deejay at Wilde’s, is the perfect choice, and the two of them, start a “relationship” of sorts.

For the most part of the story, it seems like nothing is really happening, but that is deceiving. Creg and Sailo get together, most times for sex, but it’s obvious that they ‘re not just fuck buddies. They, also, form a deep friendship and I loved the quiet and sexy times they spent together.

Both Creg and Sailo have kids, but they never take over the story. In fact, I loved Creg’s interactions with his three grown children. They are integral to the plot, drama-free and very real.

I absolutely loved that Creg’s divorce was handled in a very respectful, subtle, and realistic way. You can’t get over a marriage that lasted 25 years, just like that. Creg acknowledges that getting a divorce is the right way to go, but he’s hurting inside, and is not 100% ready to move on. Sailo is there for him, not only as a lover, but as a friend too.

So I was really enjoying this, until it all fell apart, at least for me. I’m not going to spoil what happened, since it’s pretty much the only conflict of the story, but it came out of left field. It felt contrived, and completely out of character for Sailo, considering how laid back he was during the whole story. I desperately needed Sailo’s POV, which I didn’t get. Not in the end, not throughout the book either.

The resolution didn’t feel satisfactory either.