Leaning Into the Fall (Leaning Into #2)

Lane Hayes

Pairing: Male/Male
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Release Date: March 10

Nick Jorgensen is a quirky genius. He's made a fortune in the competitive high tech field with his quick mind and attention to detail. He believes in hard work and trusting his gut. And he believes in karma. It’s the only thing that makes sense. People are difficult, but numbers never lie. In the disastrous wake of a broken engagement to an investor’s daughter, Nick is more certain than ever he isn’t relationship material.

Wes Conrad owns a thriving winery in Napa Valley. The relaxed atmosphere is a welcome departure from his former career as a high-rolling businessman. Wes’s laid-back nature is laced with a fierceness that appeals to Nick. In spite of his best intention to steer clear of complications, Nick can’t fight his growing attraction to the sexy older man who seems to understand him. Even the broken parts he doesn’t get himself. However, when Wes’s past collides with Nick’s present, both men will have to have to decide if they’re ready to lean into the ultimate fall.

We met Nick Jorgensen in Leaning into Love as he is CEO of a network security firm with his best friend and former lover, Eric. He is a quirky code genius who is unfiltered, impulsive, and socially awkward. He believe in numbers, cause and effect, karma, and connections. He has single-minded focus and the rest of the world can just be static. His tendency to get into things impulsively has left him now with a cancelled wedding and more enemies. Not to mention that he also hurt his friend and business partner. He is known for wanting things to go his way, and being concerned with his own needs.

Wes Conrad runs a winery in Napa now, but he used to be part of the tech world. He is older, funny, smart, laid back, but has an alpha edge. Circumstances bring them together a couple of times and their chemistry cannot be denied. Wes understands Nick's quirks and issues. He likes figuring him out. He provides a calm and balance, while also encouraging Nick to truly live life outside of the lab. While Nick makes Wes feel even more vibrant and needed.

But Nick is not easy to handle. He runs on the paranoid side and is always trying to find causes and connections. He has difficulty trusting, letting go, and believing in himself and others. It is hard for him to see the difference between coincidence and possible conspiracy. And with so many possible variables and connections it is easy to get caught up in possible outcomes.

It is told only in Nick's point of view and it was interesting delving into his mind. He just thinks differently than others. He thinks he is broken and has issues with self worth. But the people that truly know him, do understand him and have developed ways to deal with him. And Wes is trying to be one of those people, but they are an intense pairing with strong personalities. And their worlds seem to have multiple associations.

I liked Nick even though sometimes I wanted to shake sense into him. But it was easy to see how his thought processes worked. I felt like Wes' character was also well developed and I liked him despite not getting his point of view. 

Nick has trouble with emotions and concepts that are not concrete. Love is hard because it is felt and real and cannot be calculated. It involves trust, compromise, surrender and being willing to fall and hope that someone catches you. This is all foreign to Nick. And Wes is more mature and not interested in playing games. He is more of an all-or-nothing kind of guy.

Can Wes deal with all of Nick's drama, idiosyncracies, and reservations? And can Nick fully trust in Wes and be willing to take a leap of faith and risk falling?

This was a humorous, romantic, and passionate love story between two men with differences in personality, perception, and age. I really loved Nick and Wes together. They had the potential to be the perfect counterbalance. The story gradually built with tension and a bit of mystery.

I enjoyed getting more with Eric and Zane from  Leaning into Love, as well as their friends, Josh and Grant. Their dynamic group is fun and supportive. It also introduces some business associates adding some mystery and drama, and some new characters from Wes' world with Geordie being a big stand out. The scenery alone between the winery and San Francisco also added interest. I am looking forward to more from this series. I am hoping Josh is next because I really liked him in this one.

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review. 

Wes led me to a small room at the opposite end of the building filled with barrels. The temperature dipped at least ten degrees here and the strong scent of fermenting wine was offset by the smell of oak. I moved toward the round table in the middle and glanced up at the tower of barrels. Each was labeled and dated, but as far as I could tell, the order wasn’t chronological. I categorized and filed the numbers in my mind in an attempt to solve a mystery that probably wasn’t so mysterious after all.

“These are special reserve wines. The best of the best. Theoretically anyway,” Wes said, picking up the long-sleeved plaid shirt draped over one of the chairs at the table.

“What do the numbers mean?” I asked, running my fingers over the printed tag on the barrel.

“It’s an internal code that basically tells us exactly which vines yielded the harvest. Some have information about soil disruption or weather flux. Of course, once the wine is fermenting that information is no longer significant but—”

“Where are the dates on these labels? Isn’t timing everything in the wine business?”

“Some might argue timing is everything in every facet of life.” Wes regarded me curiously before pointing out the dates in the middle of the tag. “It’s all here. See?”

“I don’t understand your system,” I said, stuffing my hands in my back pocket and staring up at the barrels.

“It’s an internal system. You’re not meant to understand. It’s for us only. The same way you wouldn’t explain the science behind how an advanced operating system works to one of your clients. They might say they’re fascinated but they aren’t really interested in the details. Same goes for wine. People come to tour the winery every day. They want to know about grape varietals and blends and some even ask about topography, weather and the fermentation process. But the true science of wine making confounds them. At the end of the day, truth is in the bottle.”

“In vino veritas.”

Wes smiled as he pulled his shirt on. “’In wine, truth’,” he translated. “Different context, but yes… truth. Are you going to tell me why you’re here or do I have to break out a bottle of Pinot to get the real story?”

Wes’s wolfish grin spread slowly across his handsome face as he closed the distance between us. He tilted my chin with his forefinger and stared deep into my eyes as though he was trying to read my mind. Or devour me whole.

“You look like you want to eat me,” I said before I could stop myself.

“I do. I want to do lots of things to you. Is that why you’re here? You want me to eat you, Nicky?”

“You invited me.” My eyes drifted shut when he ran his fingers along my jaw then splayed his hand behind my head and tugged my hair.

“I did. I’m glad you came.”

“Well, we were in the middle of listing our all-time favorite bands or artists by decade. That’s not the kind of thing you can leave for a whole week. It’s important.”

“You’re right. What were we thinking?” He licked my bottom lip in a sensual line from one corner of my mouth to the other. “We’ll have to continue that discussion later. I want to do other things first.”

Eric Schuster is a successful guy. He’s part owner of a highly successful tech firm, he has a supportive family and a great group of close friends. But something is missing. Or maybe he’s reacting to his business partner and ex’s wedding news. He knows his former lover is making a big mistake but he also knows it’s time to move on. And hopefully avoid falling for another friend.

Zane Richards is an avid sailor and surfer with a laid-back approach to life. He firmly believes there’s a time and place for everything if you’re willing to take a chance. Like letting his best friend know he’s interested in being much more than friends. Eric has always been half in love with Zane but going from friends to lovers isn’t an easy sell for someone protecting his heart. Eric will have to decide if he’s willing to risk it all by leaning into love.

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