Book Reviews

What East Wind Brought You? by Yolande Kleinn at Torquere Press

Genre Gay / Contemporary / Romance
Reviewed by Serena Yates on 29-July-2015

Book Blurb

Widowed author Daniel Stone hasn't written a single word in two years. Raising his two young daughters alone is a challenge, but he knows the real reason his work has stalled has more to do with his own broken heart. Single fatherhood is tough, and Daniel never intended to be doing this alone.

At his best friend's suggestion, Daniel hires live-in nanny, Corbin Bennet, to help with the heavy lifting. Meddlesome, charming, and excellent with children, Corbin is perfect for the job. He's also gorgeous, and stubbornly determined to find his way past Daniel's defenses.

Daniel isn't looking for romance. But now that Corbin is in his life, there's no denying the growing attraction between them. Despite Daniel's reservations, Corbin could be exactly what he needs.



This story is also included in Family Time Anthology.

 

Book Review

This is a great manny story, where the newly hired “help” comes flying in as if brought by the east wind, just like Mary Poppins. The one difference is that the widowed father knows who hired the unexpected support, but he and the children fall for the manny’s charms just as much as the family in the book by P.L. Travers does. This contemporary tale also has enough complications, hesitancy on both sides, and emotional obstacles to overcome to make it interestingly realistic. Both characters have their issues and flaws, and neither of them is willing to rush into anything.

Widower Daniel has lost his husband two years earlier, and he is not managing at all well. His two young daughters are doing okay, but Daniel doesn’t have the energy or headspace to write his next novel. When a friend “forces” a manny on him just so he has the time to write, Daniel is not happy at first. But gradually he can see things going back to more normal, and he is beginning to put the past behind him.

Corbin, an ex-baseball player, loves working with kids. He is also intensely curious about Daniel, and more than a little attracted. He knows better than to act on that attraction though, and focuses on getting Daniel to open up and deal with his grief and emotions. Corbin’s one attempt at more follows a major misstep on his part, and ends in total disaster. But reason prevails, and the real world of building a relationship can begin.

If you like stories about amazingly mature men who deal with their admittedly stupid mistakes in a sensible way, if a widower dealing with two young daughters and a manny sounds interesting, and if you’re looking for a sweet read that leaves no doubt where the main characters are heading without spelling it out, then you will probably like this short story.

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. The anthology this short story was published in has been provided by Torquere Press for the purpose of a review.

Additional Information

Format ebook
Length Short Story, 46 pages/12600 words
Heat Level
Publication Date 17-June-2015
Price $2.99 ebook
Buy Link http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=79_93&products_id=4424