Author: A.M. Arthur
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Pages/Word Count: 239 Pages
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Blurb: David Weller thought he had it all—a loving partner who gave him a ring, a steady job he didn’t hate, and so much hope for the future. But in the wake of a devastating diagnosis, everything he thought was solid and real lay in pieces at his feet.
Four years later, he’s still sifting through the rubble of his life. His catering partnership occupies his days, while his nights are filled with dangerous sexual hookups and very bad decisions. Then the last person he ever expected to see again walks back into his life.
Owen Hart’s single biggest regret is the way he was forced to leave David behind—no explanations, no chance to make it right. Until now. Finally free of eight years of lies, Owen’s back for the only man he’s ever loved.
An incendiary encounter in a club proves that time hasn’t weakened their physical connection, but David’s wounds run deeper than Owen’s deception. And if David can’t first forgive, Owen doesn’t have a second chance in hell.
Warning: This book contains an Australian transplant with a head full of secrets, a party planner with enough baggage to sink a battleship, and a surly teenager who just wants them both to get over themselves.
Review: I have loved every single book in this series, and I was JAZZED to read this one. The blurb had me ready for a gut wrenching journey toward forgiveness. I mean, how does a man forgive the unforgivable?
David and Owen were the perfect couple, or so David thought. They lived together, they both wore matching rings, and they were both involved with raising Owen’s son. One day their life was perfect, and the next day Owen and his son were gone…just gone. No explanation, no kiss my ass, no nothing.
Now, four years later, David is coping the only way he knows how, and he is getting by. Then, out of the blue, Owen is back. David wants nothing at all to do with Owen, and he doesn’t want to hear his excuses. Really, he doesn’t. But Owen isn’t going to give up without trying his best to explain and get his man back.
And this is where the story kind of bothered me. When Owen gives his explanation, he seems to expect David to just say, “Oh, okay,” and they would be all happy-happy family again. He couldn’t understand why David would need more than a few days to get over four years of heartbreak after being left the way he was. Owen even went on a date with another man and was ready to move on if David didn’t get over it soon.
I loved the concept of this book, but I really didn’t love Owen. That took away a lot of the HEA for me. I have loved this series from book one, but this one missed the mark for me. The writing was great and the smexy scenes were HAWT, but I just couldn’t let go of Owen’s sense of entitlement for forgiveness. There was a HEA and all worked out in the end, but it was rushed. If there are more books to this series I would definitely read them, and I would recommend giving this series a read if you haven’t already.
You can buy Foundation of Trust here:
I liked this book but it really bugged me that Owen didn’t grovel more. I couldn’t quite figure out how David ended up being the one apologizing for most of the book. Also, Owen just randomly spouted the word “mate” occasionally to remind us he was really Australian. It was kind of a suspend my disbelief book but overall I liked it a lot anyway.