Review: Mirage by Tia Fielding

Reviewed by Whuppsy
Mirage by Tia Fielding
Dreamspinner Press
Novel: 200pgs
4 Pants Off

Blurb:
When forty-six-year-old washed-up country musician Jasper “Red” Blue looks at the past, all he sees is a series of failures. His one treasured success is six years battling alcoholism without the help of AA. To secure his children’s future, Jasper desperately wants to produce a new album, but he can’t write alone. And he won’t work with just anyone. 

Jasper's record company manages to secure the writer one of the biggest country music songs in recent history to help write the album. Cade Wallace is a long-haired former soul surfer, devastatingly handsome, talented, and willing to take a chance on the rugged musician. Jasper, on the other hand, is deep in the closet. 

With Jasper's career hanging in the balance, he can't promise Cade anything, and Cade eventually heads back to his full-time job as a truck driver, taking Jasper’s hopes of a relationship with him. If Jasper’s dream of a life together is ever to come true, he will have to take some big risks, putting both his career and his children’s security on the line.

Review
This is such a sweet, heartwarming story. To really find love and acceptance at any age. Going against your fear and coming out stronger on the other side.

Jasper “Red” Blue is a country singer who has struggled with alcoholism in the past. He’s always known that he’s gay, but country music isn’t known for being the most tolerant towards things that are different. Jasper sees his past and sees lots of failures. He’s got an ex-wife and 2 kids, JJ and Janey. Jasper is this really sweet, shy guy who even though he has issues that he must overcome; he’s got this great heart. He’s so scared of telling his children and the public finding out that he’s gay, he hides a part of himself. He’s this really kind and generous guy who loves his small circle of family and friends.

Cade Wallace lives his life as a truck driver and part-time song writer. He’s part Hawaiian and Maori. He’s lived his life as carefree as possible. He’s got a small circle of friends that he’s really close with. Cade is a kind, loving and so very generous guy. He has this wonderful capacity for giving so much of himself and loving life. Cade is just such a wonderfully giving man. Cade is just looking for the person who he can call “his home”.

The secondary characters in this story were so very supportive and loving to our MC’s. They showed such support to them. Giving them love and such honest and heartfelt advice. They stayed true to themselves and the guys with whom they loved and cherished. Jasper’s ex, Jolene and their kids, JJ and Janey, loved Jasper and only wanted the best for him. The kids were ok with their dad being gay and just wanted him to stay on the wagon. They were wonderful kids and even though they didn’t have much page time, when they did, you felt the love and support for their dad. Jet, was one of Cade’s best friends and he really helped Cade to see that Jasper really loved him and was doing what he could show him.

This book was sweet. Even though you read a bit about some lady bits in this story, there was actually no sex on the pages. So, if you like a good, sweet, tender romance with no sex on the pages, this is the story for you. I liked how it wasn’t really insta-love. It was more that they were attracted to each other and slowly getting to know each other. They were intimate, but that only helped them fall more in love.

Their time apart was actually what they needed in order to see that what the other truly wanted was each other. Cade, to see that Jasper was really his home the one that he’d been searching for so long. That his heart was safe in Jasper’s care. Jasper had to find the strength to be open with not only himself, but with everyone. That he didn’t have to hide who he loved and wanted to be with. It was good the way that they came back together. It was something that really showed the bond of love that was between them.

If you want a sweet, tender love story to while away some time, this is the book for you. Just a bit of angst, and it really wasn’t heartrending to read. A wonderful way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

4 Pants Off