Title: One More Time (Thornwood #1)
Author: Caitlin Ricci
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: September 21, 2015
Genre(s): Contemporary/Law Enforcement
Page Count: 181
Reviewed by: Gigi
Heat Level: 2 flames out of 5
Rating: 1.5 stars out of 5
Blurb:
Wanting to start over after breaking off a relationship with his married boss, Caleb Robinson is happy to move from Los Angeles to Thornwood, Colorado. He can barely find the town on a map, which is just the kind of place Caleb needs. He’s not looking for a relationship, and Thornwood looks to be the perfect place to get lost in his art. But when Thornwood’s local police officer, Trent Williams, knocks on Caleb’s front door, both men have an instant attraction to each other, and Caleb’s plans for solitude might have to change.
But he soon learns that Trent is a legendary one-night-stand man for a very special reason. His boyfriend has been kept on life support for the past five years after a serious skiing accident. Even though Simon isn’t expected to wake up and Trent says he’s trying to get past him, he won’t entertain anything that comes close to commitment. As compelling as their attraction is, Caleb doesn’t want to be just another hook-up, and he won’t be the other man. But Trent isn’t sure he can risk the pain of losing someone else he cares about, no matter how intense the chemistry between him and Caleb.
This is a hard book for me to review. I just plain did NOT like One More Time. It is almost impossible to like a book when one of the main characters drives you nuts, but when BOTH main characters are unlikable, it is a double whammy.
Caleb Robinson is a new resident of Thornwood, Colorado. He moved to get as far away from his boyfriend of three years as possible. That boyfriend was not only his boss but married to a woman (yes, Caleb is aware of the wife) who runs Caleb over with her car when she finds out about the affair. Caleb receives a huge settlement with the insurance company after the “accident”, which is how he affords his new, luxurious ranch house with horse stables in Colorado.
Trent Williams is a police officer in the small town of Thornwood and seems to have a sex addiction. He uses men for sex to calm him down and relax him when the tension in his life gets to much to bear. He kicks them out after the deed is done and never hooks up with the same man twice. He is thrilled to meet Caleb, who he targets as his next bed-buddy, but Caleb is gun-shy after his affair and only wants to have sex with a man he is in a relationship with.
There is sexual tension, but not the fun, looking-forward-to-the-act kind. There is actually a scene in the book where Trent tries to seduce Caleb after a rough day at work and when Caleb shuts him down, he hooks up with another guy to ease his stress.
It turns out that Trent had a serious boyfriend named Simon five years ago but a freak skiing accident has left Simon in a vegetative coma. He is brain-dead but his family decides to keep him on life support. After five long years, they call Trent and ask him to come to the hospital to witness Simon’s death when they turn off the life support. Trent asks Caleb to go with him as a friend for support.
So, after Simon dies, Trent is especially upset and needs sex to calm him down and numb his feelings. Caleb feels obligated to provide that sex since if he refuses, Trent will just find a stranger to hook up worth. So, they have sex.
And the dancing around each other continues with Trent refusing to commit and Caleb falling into bed with him anyway.
Like I said, this is a hard review for me. Both characters rubbed me the wrong way. Also, there were a few side plots that were never resolved including one where Caleb was concerned about his sister and her kids’ relationship with their husband/father and another about rescue horses and a bullied friend’s son who comes to stay with him for a few weeks. He invites the family to stay and live it his huge house and, just like that, they agree. Also, Trent’s apparent sex addiction is never addressed. I suppose since this is a series, we’ll get resolution in future books?
I cannot recommend this one. There was just too much to dislike and a glaring lack of romance.
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