Review: Northern Star by Ethan Day

Reviewed by Fehu
Northern Star by Ethan Day
Wilde City Press
Novel: 249pgs
4 Pants Off

Blurb:
Deacon Miller never had it all—he never really believed he could. Growing up in a broken home with an alcoholic mother and a revolving door of truly pathetic father figures taught him to keep his expectations low. Now at twenty-seven, on the night before Christmas Eve, his life is turned upside down yet again; his boyfriend has dumped him, he just fled the holiday family reunion from hell, and now to top it all off, a blizzard has left him stranded in an airport hotel.

Steve Steele has spent the better part of his forty-four years living a lie, ignoring his attraction to other men in an attempt to fit into the mold of the man he thought he should be, instead of living life as the man he knew himself to be. Recently divorced after coming home from work one day and coming out to his wife, Steve has floundered over the past year, desperately attempting to wade through the guilt and find the courage to start again.

That’s when a chance meeting in a hotel bar brings two lonely men together… and what should’ve been a one night stand turns into something much more than either one ever expected.

Review
Charming story with some serious undertones and very lovable characters. Deacon is having a bad day right before Christmas Eve: his boyfriend dumped him, he fought with his mother again and now he is spending Christmas Eve alone in the hotel bar. Meet Steel, Steve Steel, a car salesman who also comes to the bar and takes notice of the sweet sad guy, with big brown eyes. Sparks fly between them; of course something happens to disturb their intimate time. Ashley, Deacon's teenage sister calls him, only to tell him that their mother, has again been drunk driving and crashed and now she was not only in hospital, but facing jail time. Being a good big brother Deacon has to go back to the house he grew up and take care of his sister.

Steve cannot forget the guy he met, but Deacon hasn't called him back, but he approaches him, when he surprisingly finds him working in the gourmet grocery store, where Steve likes to shop. Of course Deacon has insecurities and his mother and his past are coming back to haunt him, when he finally has found some happiness.

I'm glad to say thankfully it wasn't all that dark and sad like it might have been. While this is not the fun and light story like Sno Ho, the book has enough light moments, that there was no dark or sad and oppressing atmosphere. Instead there were characters who had insecurities, were not perfect and might have been slightly damaged, but in no way broken. I like that most about this story, that hope was present all the way; something did turn up at the moment it was needed. You might say that it's not realistic, but I for one was very glad that this book focused on the good in the people and showed that everyone could get a happy ending. The characters are the very heart of this book.

Should You Read It? I would recommend it for people who like romance, but also don't mind some hurt/comfort in their romance. Also there is a more than 10 years age gap between the characters; it's not a problem for me, but not all people like that in their romance stories.

4 Pants Off