His Convenient Husband by J.L. Langley
When I started this book, I had the feeling to read one of my favorite old sweet romance. I confess, I was an avid reader of those old Harlequin Present series, above all the Long Tall Texan series by Diana Palmer. In those romance, the hero was always an handsome and wealthy Long Tall Texan rancher and the heroine was always some sweet virgin, and often it was some family friend's daughter, or a neighbor, or the foster child hosted on the ranch. A bit of age difference was requested, but not so much to be insurmountable. Usually the two lovers were aware of their feelings soon enough, but the wiser and older hero was reluctant to take advantage of someone he considered under his protection.
The Convenient Husband is all of this. Tucker is the oldest son of a Texan rancher; he built his life far from the ranch, but he was often back home to visit, at least until Micah reached his 18 years old. Micah was the nephew of the ranch's foreman, and he has always lived on the ranch since 4 years old. And he was always the shadow of Tucker. But on his 18 years old birthday Micah was suddenly the forbidden fruit and Tucker surrendered to temptation. A night of passion, Micah still a virgin, was enough to make Tucker run away; as usually in this story, Tucker thinks he is doing Micah a favor, he is too old and bitter for a young thing like Micah. Problem is that Tucker doesn't realize that, in a isolated ranch in Texas, there are not so many chance of hapinnes for a gay boy like Micah.
Four years later Micah needs Tucker to be back home: Tucker's grandfather is dying and he wants his nephew near him; plus the old man's will states that he will leave the ranch to the first of his nephews to marry... even if it's not a legal marriage in Texas. Being both Tucker than Micah gays, the obvious solution is for Tucker to marry Micah, so the young man will be able to remain forever on the ranch, and this time even as a real family member... But once Tucker tastes again the forbidden fruit, will he be able to walk away from him again?
The story is mostly funny and it doesn't last long in the life of the two main characters, only few days, but there is a nice Epilogue that let you have a glimpse in their future life. It also avoids almost all the angst usually linked to a gay relationship in a "unwelcoming" setting, only one man has something to say against Tucker and Micah's relationship, and inside their home, all other people around are supporting and happy, like it was the only thing they were expecting. So there is no really trouble among Tucker and Micah, if not only a bit of stubbornness from both side, exactly like on those old sweet romance I loved so many years ago. The Convenient Husband is a modern tale with an old sweet feeling. The only bittersweet feeling I had was for Tucker's grandfather, even if he has not really any scenes, he seemed a very interesting man, and it was very sad to see him gone. Also the other old man of the story, Micah's uncle, Juan, reserves a nice surprise to the reader and even to Micah's himself, and in the epilogue, the author hints to a story that I would really like to read, a love story where one of the characters is 69 years old and the other one 35... a may december relationship with plus a silver romance in it... really something the author should consider to write.
http://samhainpublishing.com/romance/his-convenient-husband
Amazon Kindle: His Convenient Husband: Innamorati, Book 1
Rainbow Awards, The Game is On!: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/807504.html