Honeymoon for One

What happens when you have devastating news the day before you’re supposed to get married? What if that betrayal cuts so deep that leaving is the only alternative? Ethan had every right to walk away from his impending nuptials, and I give him credit for opting to go on the honeymoon solo. It’s doubly brave because Ethan is hard of hearing. Things that most of us take for granted are challenging for him. He’s learned to deal but it doesn’t make things easier for him and without his fiancé, he struggles. He’s from New York City, although Buffalo originally. He’s been through some tough things, to be sure, but going on a solo trip to Australia ranks up with one of the biggest challenges. The tour he chose turns out to mostly be older people, couples in particular. He believes they are feeling sorry for him and perhaps at first some of them are. Others recognize the bravery it takes. The tour guide Shiv is friendly, but it’s the bus driver Clay who really makes an effort to help. He takes the time to get to know Ethan, way above and beyond any call of the job. But Clay sees Ethan in a way most people don’t. He sees beyond the hard of hearing aspect and into the lost soul Ethan is. He sees a bit of a kindred spirit. Clay’s twenty-something-year marriage ended recently and he also experienced loss, although it was gentler – if that kind of betrayal can be. He’s remained on good terms with his ex and has two children he adores. Children who are almost Ethan’s age. Something Clay…

But this book was great. I loved the relationship between the MCs. And I especially loved the MCs themselves. How different they were from the normal "young and hot boy" meets "older and more experienced silver fox" types you tend to find in May/December romances. The addition of Ethan's hard of hearing was also a very nice, refreshing twist. I haven't experienced anything like that, but I had a friend that was deaf of one ear and I could definitely see a lot of the little habits and gestures my friend had in Ethan. I love the way Keira is able to make us readers feel like the characters do and experience what they do. I had a complain about another book I read, where one of the MCs was supposed to be Scottish and the author thought that just because they threw the words "bloody" or "telley" in every seven chapters or so, we readers would buy that the character in fact was Scottish. But the answer is no. No, mate, we don't buy your bullcr*p. We need more than a couple of isolated words to locate ourselves and create the world you're setting up in our heads. Keira does this wonderfully. She has a way of making the reader believe and imagine the world and the characters she builds, that I really love. Two of her books are by far my favorites in Gay romance because of that. Here in this book I totally believed and didn't forget for a second that Clay was an ozzy man. Because KA used the slang, used the words and the expressions, not only when Clay was speaking, but also…

KA certainly knows how to make us fall in love, over and over again. Though I would not classify this as low angst, as the characters go through a lot (and I cried more than once), it is so wonderful and sweet I would recommend it to everyone. Ethan has been through serious emotional trauma, stemming from the early loss of his family, the drastic physical changes he's gone through with his hearing loss, and culminating in the destruction of the last of his support system. He takes a chance on going on a trip across the world alone, brave for anyone and particularly so for him. In Australia, he meets a kind, generous man who doesn't make him feel like a burden or great irritation due to the fact that his world functions a little differently from everyone else's. Clay is a teddy bear. He has experienced emotional distress of his own, both in the recent past with his divorce, and as a child. While it has hurt him, it has not made him bitter or jaded. He is kind for the sake of kindness, and when he sees the sadness and isolation Ethan is experiencing, he wants to make him smile again, full dimples. 😊 Their journey together is beautiful, and while I don't love an age gap, it was not at all the focus or a detriment. They have both found the person who makes their heart sing, and that's what matters most. Clay's family is great, and Sam is awesome; always a cheerleader for her dad, and wanting him to be happy and fulfilled. Highest recommendation (as with all KA books I have…

I loved, loved this book and the love story of Ethan and Clay. I really wish I could give it more than 5 stars. The story will give you all the big feels - laughing, crying, swooning, cringing, teeth gritting, and cheering. After discovering his fiancé cheating on him with his best friend, Ethan, who is hard of hearing, goes on his Australian honeymoon alone. Clay is an Australian tour bus driver. They become friends during the two week tour and the chemistry slowly ramps up. Clay and Ethan are real, relatable people who have flaws, but are really trying to just do their best as messy humans. The story included sweet moments, steamy scenes, chuckles, supportive families, messy families, painful pasts, and heart squeezing love. I especially love the way the story includes Ethan’s feelings and issues with his hearing loss. I love when romance books include real life issues as it makes for more three dimensional characters and more well rounded storylines.

I loved that this was set in Australia. Having gone there for uni, it feels like home away from home. So to “see” it again was all kinds of warm fuzzy feelings! But back to the story, Ethan and Clay were lovelyyyyy! I like it when characters aren’t perfect - both physically and emotionally. Ethan was dealing with hearing loss late in his life and Clay was unknowingly suffering repressed sexuality. And of course for Ethan, betrayal from two of the closest people in his life. I have to confess I don’t like the overdone cliche of cheating-right-before-the-wedding. It’s a trope that’s thrown into stories wayyyy too often. I’m honestly wondering how often that happens in real life? I suppose the “twist” here was not so common. But I still didn’t like that it was used. And then of course the natural progression of a cheating fiancé is then the solo honeymoon trip. Again, how often that it play out that way IRL? But I liked the story once Ethan went away on his honeymoon. And I liked both their characters, even though honestly, the two villains here were the standard cookie-cutter type - unkind, impatient, uncaring, etc etc. For once I’d like these tropes and these characters to be different from the norm. Please??? Anyways, it was interesting experiencing the world from a hard of hearing person’s point of view. I always thought hearing aids solved everything but they don’t. And it’s a little sad to know that the world we live in today really isn’t kind to people who have…