Having grown up the son of a Southern Baptist preacher, James Gossett was expected to be one thing, and one thing only—a God-fearing, straight, Christian man. It didn’t help that from a young age, James knew he was different. He hid the truth about who he was from himself, and from his family, until a freak accident during a routine simulation right after basic training cost him both legs, and … nearly his life. Knowing what he almost lost, James decided to come out—and with that, lost the rest of the blood kin he had left alive. Settling in Fairfield, James rediscovered what it meant to be part of a family who loved him for who he was—but he still had one big secret kept close to his heart. In spite of his promiscuous reputation, James was a virgin, in every sense of the word, and he wasn’t sure that would ever change.
Rowan Balk was dedicated to one thing, and one thing alone—ensuring that no child would ever suffer what he did at the hands of a prejudiced system. Having been torn from his disabled adoptive mother shortly after her MS diagnosis, Rowan grew up with a fire in him to make sure no one ever felt his pain. But his determination came at the expense of ever finding love, and until he set foot in Fairfield, he was okay with that. Then he set eyes on the quiet, southern tattoo artist with secrets in his eyes and a mouth he could get lost in for days. But Rowan wasn’t the sort of person who was willing to turn his life upside down for one man, even if he knew deep down, James Gossett was probably the one. When it’s obvious James wants Rowan just as much, Rowan realizes he can’t say no. So he makes James a proposition—he’ll help James discover himself in the bedroom, no strings attached, until Rowan leaves the state.
But will that be enough for both lonely men? Or will they somehow find a way to come together, in spite of the distance between them?
Bio-Mechanical is the fourth book in the Irons and Works series. It contains no cheating and a HEA. Each book can be read as a stand-alone, though reading the previous books will help with some background context of other characters.
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BIO-MECHANICAL is Book 4 in the “Irons and Works” series. There are a LOT of secondary characters that play a vital role in this MC’s life and I strongly recommend reading the series in order. I believe that it will make fur a much more enjoyable read.
While this is a story of discovering one’s authentic self, I had a problem connecting with James. His confliction with his childhood religion screamed “HE NEEDS THERAPY” and made me feel so sad. I wish he had more support and honesty around it. I 100% understand that this is fiction.
This series has small town feel and it is such a pleasure to watch all of these characters grow. The stories tend to run concurrently with occasional time jumps. It is well planned and follows a very cohesive time line.
My intention is to read the whole series.
**Audio Review**
I love James and Rowan SO MUCH, and this audiobook brought them to life in the best way. James’s accent is exactly how I imagined it, and it added a whole new level to every interaction he has with Rowan.
Elaine’s writing really shines through in this audio. I could feel the depth of James’s and Rowan’s feelings as life tried to separate them and they fought to stay close to each other. Rowan’s a bit of a workaholic and doesn’t think he has time for romance, especially not with someone as special as James. James, on the other hand, is ready for a serious relationship and wants to find love. I don’t exactly consider this a second-chance romance, but James does date while Rowan is unavailable. I like how Rowan is so supportive of James and truly wants him to be happy, even if that means he’s with someone else. It made the moment they reconnected even more heartwarming. As an added bonus, the sex these two have is absolutely wonderful to listen to.
The only thing I really did not like about this audio is Wyatt. I don’t like the choices the narrator made for his voice. If Wyatt was just a side character, I probably could have lived with it, but I know his book is next. I can’t listen to an entire book with that voice, and I think it does him a disservice.
In summary, this book has first times, a lovely southern man who experiences sex in a visceral way, heartbreaking loss, and a strong emotional bond between the MCs. Elaine shows us with every word, every scene, and every interaction that the connection James and Rowan share is lasting and full of love, trust, and acceptance.
I loved all the difficult emotions this book touched! Both the MCs have heaps of feelings that were incredibly portrayed and as usual for this series, totally gut wrenching. As all the other titles, it left the best type of hangover.
There’s more to James Gossett than meets the eye. There’s a part of himself that he’s kept a secret, even from his friends. Rowan Balk is a dedicated lawyer trying to make a difference. Trying to keep others from going through what he’s gone through. I’ve gotten a little taste of James and Rowan’s characters from the previous books in this series, so, needless to say, I was very anxious to dive into this one. I love how gentle and patient Rowan was with James. It was wonderful. I loved James’s tattoos, especially the ones on his legs and near his stumps – hence, the title. I could picture them in my head. Being a little bit of a steampunk fan, it hit the spot for me. I enjoyed this book, and I love this series. I cannot wait to read Mat and Wyatt’s story next!