Absinthe Minded: M/M Daddy/Boy - Age-Gap - Hurt/Comfort Romance (On The Rocks)

This book was all the title suggested and more. Truly sorry to see the series go but the author did a very commendable job in tying up any loose ends especially in the Epilogue. Loved the author’s mention of characters from GEA-A from The Lonely Heroes series. This was a well-written and edited M/M romance with scary moments and people but more who want to help and protect. Cordon March is 45yo and resigning himself to bachelorhood when he meets newly released felon, 23yo Bailey Dempsey or Marsden Dempsey. Bailey is the name given to him by witness protection after he turned evidence on a despicable man, Beryl Rollings. Marsden comes to stay with his felon friend Tanner where most of the people know Mars’ back story at On The Rocks, a local beach hangout/bar. Mars had been so badly abused during his time in prison that it takes someone like Cord to know how to handle him. Having been a former Dom, he recognizes things about Mars that others had not. Cord also realizes that Mars needs a Daddy not a Dom but can he be that for this poor mistreated young man? He really wants to be. You’ll cry, you’ll smile, you may even do a mental fist-pump before this story ends. If you like age-gap M/M stories with love and respect highlighted by the many characters, you’ll want to read this book. I volunteered to review an ARC of this book and I highly recommend it.

I loved this series, and this is another addition to the expanding universe. I love the bar theme, the found family aspect of it, and the idea that everyone is worthy of love.

What a way to end a series is all I can say!!! I knew that it was going to be a high anguish book before I even opened the darn thing! But Mars and Cord was so darn worth all the pain! If you are not a fan of daddy- boy books but you will want to make an exception with this one!

I honestly felt this book was unnecessarily dark. That's your cup of tea fine. The writing was well done and editing was good. The characters were very likable. I did not read the 1st two books because they did not appeal to me. I like the daddy/boy and slightly hurt comfort, romance. Now I'm glad I didn't because I was honestly unprepared for the amount of graphic violent assault in this book. I don't think I'll read anything else from this author for that very reason because I don't think you need to be this dark to evoke sympathy for your characters. I don't think things like trafficking and assault is anything that should be used in any form of entertainment. It's one thing to allude to it, Which is plenty, it's another thing To put this much deprivity on paper. I'm sorry but I was really bothered. The stars are based on the actual quality of the book not on the Content.

Mars is such a broken yong man when he comes into Cord's life, it's heart wrenching to see. But, love and friendship and found family can heal so much! I'm sad for this series to be over but I loved reading it.