Review: The Veranda – Rosalind Abel

The Veranda Book Cover The Veranda
Lavender Shores Book 3
Rosalind Abel
M/M Romance
August 25, 2017

Review by Gloria Lakritz

Sr Reviewer and Review Chair for the Paranormal Romance Guild

Wow, Just Wow! I knew this was going to be a story to end all stories; our author did NOT disappoint.  Now that I have finished the 3rd Book in the Lavender Shores Series, I can sit back and reflect.  At first glance our author made Lavender Shores a fairy tale town. It’s beauty, its ambiance draws souls to it not only for its beauty but the beauty of it’s people.

The GBLTQ Community flourishes here, with the town’s acceptance of it’s members. But after 3 books, humans are still human. The small knit group revolves around The Founding Families; who in 2017 make this sound like a case of Mean Girls. The Kelly’s, The Bryant’s, The Carlisle’s and The Epstein’s are a snooty group and hold themselves above the others in town.

In the first book we met Andrew Kelly, in the second Gilbert Bryant. Along with Gilbert we met his therapist Donovan Carlisle. This third book is all about Donovan. I never saw this coming after meeting the handsome self-assured doctor who was a bit older and had been treating Gilbert for most of his life; becoming Gilbert’s beloved friend.

This story was very emotional for me, painful at times. The plight of these two young men, meeting 10 years before, falling in love and never addressing their feelings to each other……. because Spencer was now married to Donovan’s sister and through the years was the beloved uncle to Spencer’s two children.

Spencer reason for moving to Lavender Falls was to define himself. A new beginning.  He spent years with his family trying to pray the gay out, thinking and hoping maybe he did. Donovan and Spencer met as he was introduced as his sister’s new fiancé. The heat was sizzling, flames quickly extinguished.

Ten years, ten years of Donovan searching for the one. Ten years of Spencer and Erica being married and not happy. Erica changed the game having an affair and divorcing Spencer. Now Spencer newly divorced,…. we ask, could these two re=ignite the flame?

So in San Francisco, at a Sexy Pride Masquerade Party fate steps in and oh baby what a loving, sexy, sweet story we got…

Best of the series yet !!!!

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