3.5 starsMan, look at that book summary. It was overhelming, wasn't it? *lol*M.L. Rhodes' writing fits me -- so I tend to love her stories more than average readers. This was another example (at the time I was writing this opinion, the average rating was 3.10). The story was 'darker' than Rhodes's other stories. The two men, Noah and Phoenix, reunited after twelve years of separation, both bringing baggages of the past. Phoenix more so than Noah (his story was heartbreaking *sniff*). Phoenix had stay away from Noah because of that past while Noah lived his years thinking that his best friend had died. I liked that the two men had 'connection'. The one-who-got-away is always one of my favorite themes in any romance. I liked how Noah, when he found out that Phoenix was still alive, then determined not to let him go again. I liked that there was this wonderful female character, who was able to knock some senses into Phoenix's head when Phoenix was about to run away again from his problem and botch his chance of being with the only man he ever loved.Having said that, I couldn't give put this on my 4-stars category yet. The thing is, for such heavy subject, and the fact that these two men had been separated for a dozen of years, the bulk of the story pretty much happened in two nights (they reunited, they acknowledged their attraction, Phoenix back-tracked because of his issues, Phoenix got an advice, they talked, they declared their love to one another, end scene). It was way too quick resolution for such heavy issues. While "love can heal everything" is a nice concept, I prefer it doesn't happen in such short time-span *shrugs*