Review: A Simple Romance by J.H Knight

Reviewed by Fehu
A Simple Romance by J.H Knight
Dreamspinner Press
Novel: 217pgs
3.5 Pants Off

Blurb:
Skip thought he had it all: the fabulous husband, the great apartment, and the teaching job he’d always wanted. Even the cat was perfect. When his partner of eight years decides he wants something else—something that doesn’t involve Skip or the apartment or even the cat—Skip decides it’s time to go home to the other side of the country.

However, Skip’s hometown doesn’t just hold a loving meddling mother but also the memories of his awkward crush on a boy he met his senior year in high school. A boy he humiliated himself in front of just when it looked as if his fantasies might become reality. Finding out Paul Miller is now working at the same high school where Skip has just been hired flips his world upside down. After a heated night together, Skip is happy being friends with benefits. Paul will have to convince him love is worth the risk.

Review:
Skip was divorced by his husband and had to leave town and his work because he couldn't stand to be reminded everywhere of all that he had lost. Nearly 30 he is living with his mother in his old hometown. Not exactly the life he has imagined, but Skip needed time to heal and where is better than home?

His friends and sister, all try to cheer him up, but it's not after he meets his high school crush, Paul, who moved away, that Skip starts to come around. Paul wants commitment, a family, kids and pets, all the things Skip's ex didn't really want or was afraid of. While Paul lost his husband to an illness, he still believed in himself and love. Sadly Skips broken up marriage of eight years left him afraid to trust and afraid to be hurt. Still he cannot resist the great chemistry between himself and Paul, but his fear is still there and when Paul asks for a commitment, Skip manages to convince himself, that he is not ready.

For the most part this is a sweet, easy read, to feel good. Nothing wrong with that, it just felt a tad too easy. Skip said that it's easy to fall in love and have a relationship and I honestly think if it were so why were not a lot more of people happily in love? Of course this is a fantasy world and it shows. Skip moves to a small town and everyone is accepting that he is gay, gay kids at school didn't get teased, no homophobia, not even from Paul's catholic family! So mostly this is happy fantasy land and it bothered me a bit, because that felt constructed and unreal. Skip and Paul work at a school, but no colleagues or students are really a part of the story, it's more of a meeting setting and that's it then.

On the other hand it's a well written story, with likable heroes and secondary characters. Skips mother is funny and very progressive and his sister is great, what with her revenge on her brothers ex. It's a nice fun read with little drama.

Should You Read It? Sometimes you want an easy romance, without much angst, just a feel good read to pick you up and this story is perfect if one wants to read something sweet without it being saccharine.

3.5 Pants Off