***A spin-off from the Temptation Series*** It's time to come home, Finn.
It’s been seven years since Daniel Finley left his hometown in Florida for the hustle and bustle of Chicago’s city life.
Since then, he’s worked hard for his position at the prestigious law firm Leighton & Associates, even when it’s caused distance and isolation from his family and friends. But that’s all about to change.
On his thirtieth birthday, he receives the one thing he never dared hope for. Something that was promised to him years earlier—a note. One simple sentence from the man he’s never been able to forget.
Six words will forever change the course of their lives.
Brantley Hayes has it all. Or so he thinks. When he first made the decision to take a job down in Florida, his family thought he was crazy. But, after years of living in the quiet beach town, he finally feels a sense of community. He’s surrounded himself with friends who are like family, has a job he loves, and owns a spectacular beachfront property that is his sanctuary.
Yet he still feels unfulfilled, as if a piece of the puzzle is missing, and he knows exactly which piece it is. On an impulse, he follows through with a promise he made years earlier. A promise to call home the one he sent away.
Nothing is as simple as it seems.
After years of separation, the former lovers are reunited, but Brantley wasn’t expecting to encounter the high walls now guarding Daniel’s heart.
Daniel may not be the same person he was when he left, but he knows that the first step to healing is the note in his hand.
MELISSA'S REVIEW: 2 STARS
Unfortunately, this one fell flat for me.
I have enjoyed Ella's previous m/m contemporary romance works, and Finley was a highly anticipated read for me. I was so excited, waiting for teasers, reading advanced excerpts, etc., but when I finally had the story in my hands, I just could not find a connection.
It is my opinion that both of the male leads shared the same "voice" and neither character was distinctive over the other. I felt that the establishment of character and motives was underdeveloped and weak. The plot was boring and uninteresting and when I eventually got to the conflict I felt, meh.
I found that the past-present-alternating POV and overuse of male pronouns made the narrative difficult to follow and cumbersome.
And the sex? I skimmed it. SKIMMED. Who skims Ella Frank sex scenes?! Sigh, this one was just not for me. I'm pretty bummed, actually.
Although Finley was not my favorite, Ella did bring about a curiosity for a story that could possibly develop between two supporting characters in this story. I would continue with the series if she chose to write future installments.