Title: Loving Samuel
Author: Martin Delacroix
Publisher: Noble Romance
Pages: 62
Characters: Nick, Samuel
POV: 1st
Sub-Genre: Contemporary Romance
Kisses: 5
Blurb:
Nick’s parents are lower-class. Domestic violence has plagued his Florida childhood. A closeted gay man, he vows he’ll avoid personal commitments as an adult. Nick tells himself, Who needs love? It’s all bullshit, anyway. But on a Costa Rican surfing trip, Nick meets Samuel, a beautiful California surfer who makes Nick’s heart race. Nick’s willing to reconsider his vow, but the two men are so different. And Samuel has psychological problems. Does love between Nick and Samuel stand a chance?
Review:
This is the first book I’ve read by Martin Delacroix and it won’t be my last! I loved his ability to really get into the heart and soul of his characters and I was immediately swept up into the intense and interesting storyline.
Nick is looking for a good time. He’s not interested in having a relationship. He would rather keep his hook-ups short and impersonal. As he’s enjoying his vacation in Costa Rica, he meets a very sweet and sexy surfer named Samuel. There is also something very mysterious about Samuel that intrigues Nick, and he finds himself wanting to spend as much time as he can with Samuel. As the two men continue to get to know each other, it becomes obvious that there is more to Samuel than meets the eye, and Nick begins to suspect that Samuel suffers from mental problems. Even though this bothers Nick, he becomes determined to be the light in Samuel’s life and to hopefully help bring him out of the dark thoughts that often plague his mind. Will they be able to work through the demons in Samuel’s mind and build a life together or will Nick’s fear of commitment keep them both from possibly obtaining the greatest love that either man have ever known?
I loved this book. It’s told through Nick’s eyes, but I thought the writer did an excellent job at still describing what he thought was going on in Samuel’s mind. I really liked Nick. I liked his determination to work through Samuel’s mental issues and still build a happy life together. Samuel too, was a great character. In the past, his mental problems have often gotten in the way of his life and building a successful relationship with someone. Both men had to work through their fears to make their relationship work, and I thought Mr. Delacroix did an excellent job of portraying that.
Another reason why I loved this book was: Samuel’s mental problems were not swept under the rug. As a reader, I appreciated the personal growth both of these characters go through as the novel progressed. At times, I wanted to weep for Samuel’s anxieties and depression, but in the end, I applauded his determination to get better and to have Nick in his life.
Loving Samuel is a well-written, fast paced book that I read in one setting. I quickly found myself becoming involved with these two amazing heroes and I loved the positive way it ended. My only gripe is: I wish the book had been longer because I loved the characters and the story so much. I’m definitely looking forward to reading more by Mr. Delacroix in the future and highly recommend this novel for those who love complicated, uniquely written heroes who fight for true love.
Reviewed By: Gabbi
