Review: Second Place – G.R. Lyons

Second Place Book Cover Second Place
Matchmakers Book 3
G.R. Lyons
M/M Paranormal Romance
July 24, 2016
305

Danny Berringer lives up to the name of his nightclub. Ever since he cheated on Bryan, the love of his life, he's been making up for it by helping others find love. He even matched up Bryan with Eric Grant, except Bryan's perfect marriage seems to have fallen apart, and Danny is dying to know why. He doesn't get couples wrong. Ever.

Bryan Landry had his heart broken by Danny, then had it put back together by Eric, but he can't have Eric anymore, and it's all his fault. He spends his nights at Matchmakers having random tricks and trying to avoid Danny, but the meddlesome matchmaker won't leave him be.

Thrown together through guilt, death, and temptation, Bryan denies his feelings while Danny clings to dreams of Bryan's forgiveness. Will Danny always lose, or can he win second place in Bryan's heart?

(Note: This story takes place in a fictional world, the same as the Shifting Isles series. There are multiple gods, different names for the days of the week, etc. A glossary is included with the story for those interested in the little worldbuilding details.)

Reviewed by: Linda Tonis

Member of the Paranormal Romance Review Team

This completes the Matchmakers series and it also was my favorite. This is Danyal (Danny) Berringer’s story who if you read the first two books you are very familiar with. It was Danny that brought together Chance and Remy in book one and Shain and Elliden in book two and it was Danny who brought together Bryan Landry and his husband Eric. Bryan and Danny had a five year relationship which ended when Danny confessed to cheating on him and that was the day he lost the love of his life.

Although he suffered over the loss of Bryan he was determined to bring together Bryan and Eric who he knew was perfect for him and he was for all the years they were married until recently when suddenly Bryan would come to Matchmakers, Danny’s gay club, no wedding ring on his finger and a different trick each night. When Danny asked him about Eric all he got was that it was none of his business.

Something was wrong because Danny knew that Eric and Bryan were perfect for each other so what went wrong and why is Bryan acting like a whore when it is so out of character for him. One night Danny finds himself having to drive Bryan home after a frantic call from Eric and that was when he discovered the truth, Eric is ill but I will not go into more than that. At Eric’s request Danny is asked to move in with him and Bryan which Danny readily agrees to. He wants to be there for Bryan and Eric should they need him and he is tired of living at the club and sleeping on a couch.

I really want to reveal everything that happened between the three men, what has made Eric ill, why has Bryan been going to the club and having sex every night with a different man and why does he remove his wedding ring and then put it back on when he returns home. There is also the question of why Bryan sleeps in a different room and why Danny cheated on Bryan, but these questions are all answered and I don’t want to give anything away.

The story touched my heart, it was so sad and so full of surprises, shocking surprises and secrets and most of all a forever and ever love between Eric and Bryan and Danny and his never ending love for the man he knew he could never have again, Bryan.

I recommend reading this series in order even though they can easily be read as standalones but all the characters reappear in each book and we get to learn more about their lives.

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