What if you had everything in the world you wanted…except the man you’d left behind?

Jackson Davenport, the charismatic, strait-laced heir to the Davenport fortune, has a secret. One he’s been hiding since he graduated from South Haven all-boys academy—and that secret’s name is Lucas.

When a work trip takes Jackson back to his old stomping grounds, memories of the year he shared with Lucas come crashing to the surface. With growing pressure from his father to settle down and take over the family business, Jackson knows he’s on borrowed time, and sets out to find the free-spirited daredevil he once knew.

But Lucas isn’t the same man he was eight years ago.

One night. A shattered heart. And an endless parade of nameless faces. Lucas Sullivan is South Haven’s ultimate playboy, a reputation he’s honed since the only boy he ever loved left without a trace. To the world, he’s brash and confident, an in-demand artist who spends his days designing one-of-a-kind pieces and his nights as king of the downtown scene.

Many have tried and failed to get past the barrier he’s carefully constructed, but it’s the shy, studious boy he once coaxed out of his shell who still haunts him.

Maybe it was a mistake. Maybe it was lust. Or maybe…it was a little bit like love.

Jackson Davenport is a serious, competitive, charismatic business man working for his father's company in Connecticut. Now he is returning to Georgia for a business deal...near the All Boys Academy he attended and where he first loved and lost. His life has always been controlled by his father to the point that he was left heartbroken and never really had feelings for anyone else. He works, he goes through the motions, and does what is expected.

He never really thought that his ghost from the past, Lucas Sullivan, would still be there. But he had to at least satisfy his curiosity. Lucas used to be kind of a lost boy, but was also strong and free-spirited. He was Jackson's best friend and first love. He gave Jackson his whole heart, but ended up hurt and alone. In the past eight years he has become a closed-off manwhore who has walls up to keep people out. His facade portrays him as untouchable, angry, selfish, stubborn, and arrogant. It hides the core of a broken man who is scared to let anyone in and have a chance to hurt or leave him. And he is also still sad and angry over events that transpired in the past. 

As they are face to face again it inevitably comes time for hard conversations about their history. But neither really had the full story. They have both been living in the shadows of secrets, lies, misunderstandings, and manipulation. But coming to terms with the past, does not make the present much easier. No matter what their unresolved feelings are, they still live separate lives and Jackson has obligations and some secrets. And Lucas' defense mechanism is to push people away for self protection and he is pretty good at self sabotage as well.

But at least temporarily they begin to enjoy a reprieve to their loss and loneliness and find friendship and feelings again. It is a time of reconnecting, mending hearts, healing from the truth, and the possibility of second chances.  This wealthy, straight-laced yankee and the artsy southern boy who does not mind getting his hands dirty made a great contrast, but something about their souls just fit together too. As walls started to break down, I enjoyed their flirty banter, innuendo, and chemistry. I could feel their connection, their shared disappointments and pain, and the intense longing they had for each other.

This is an emotional, heartfelt, sexy, angsty, and humorous second-chance love story. It is told in dual points of view and flashbacks (although a couple of times I felt the flashbacks took me a bit out of the story). But overall, it flowed well and kept me enthralled. The characters are well developed, likable, and I could understand their motivations and issues.  I thought the drama and even their sometimes strong reactions were believable based on the character's personalities and history. I was emotionally connected to them both even though there were times I wanted to shake them. I enjoyed their dynamics and rapport.

There are a few twists and surprises. There are issues to deal with from the past and the present, before they could even consider a possibility of a future. They both have demons and issues to face. They both have fears and insecurities. They are on borrowed time again and both are afraid to deal with the hard questions and decisions. They loved and lost once and barely survived, but the stakes are even higher now.

This is a great start to a new series from Brooke Blaine and I am hooked. The side characters are also intriguing and interesting. I am looking forward to more with the burly tattoo artist and bartender, Shaw, and the stylish, intuitive, and outgoing, Bash. 

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

Brooke Blaine is a USA Today Bestselling Author of contemporary romance that ranges from comedy to suspense to erotic. The latter has scarred her conservative Southern family for life, bless their hearts.

You could say Brooke was a book-a-holic from the time she knew how to read; she used to tell her mother that curling up with one at 4 a.m. before elementary school was her ‘quiet time.’ Not much has changed except for the espresso I.V. pump she now carries around and the size of her onesie pajamas.

If you’d like to get in touch with her, she’s easy to find - just keep an ear out for the Rick Astley ringtone that’s dominated her cell phone for ten years.