Ex-con, alcoholics weren’t exactly top tier dating prospects, right?
Matt knew that. He also knew Ryder had lied, cheated and stole.
He’d also fought with every breath he had to make sure his little sister with special needs had a home when both their parents bailed on them.
Maybe they both deserved a second chance.
Maybe.
Welcome to Rainbow Key – held together by love, family, and sticky tape.
Matt’s Rainbow (Rainbow Key Book 4)
By victoriasue
This was a perfect addition to the series. Love on a island off the coast of Florida is a perfect setting for this steamy, second chances romance.
Throw in an adorable younger sister, some kittens, a grandmother, a couple with nefarious intentions and a tropical storm, and you have all the elements for a wonderful story.
Just remember, all of us deserve do-overs in life. Especially Matt. He’s about to have love barrel into him full force! He won’t know what hits him and he won’t stand a chance.
Josh and Daniel have built an idyllic situation. We need more places like theirs.
This is a good addition to the series. I’ve looked forward to Matt’s story and I wasn’t disappointed. For me the ending seemed a little rushed after such a beautiful build up but that was my only little issue otherwise it was a good read.
Fourth and Final Visit (an audio review)
One night Ryder and Matt meet and it doesn’t end well. When they meet up again, Matt doesn’t trust Ryder, let alone want him in Rainbow Key. The island off the coast of Florida has been Matt’s home – his sanctuary – for years now. He’s protective of the other residents as well as the owners. I’ve watched him closely through the first three books of the series, waiting for him to get his happy ending. I didn’t foresee it happening with Ryder, a new character.
Ryder sees Rainbow Key as his second chance. He’s gained custody of his sister Lizzie who has Down’s Syndrome. Ryder wants to be the best guardian and big brother he can be, but it’s tough because he himself is uneducated with few marketable skills. Still, the courts have grated him the chance and finding the island is a godsend. Until he meets the man running the boat. Like I said, he and Matt didn’t get off to a great start, and now Ryder fears everything will be taken away before it even starts.
When Matt sees Ryder’s obvious love for Lizzie, he’s willing to give the young man another chance. Matt’s an ex-con, after all, and Rainbow Key was his second chance. But he plans to keep a close eye on the younger man and it’s clear Ryder is nervous. Slowly, though, step-by-step, Matt’s vigilance wanes and Ryder’s confidence grows. Until his past comes crashing into him at top speed. Suddenly everything he’s built is in jeopardy, and with a hurricane bearing down on the island, things become even more dire.
A great set-up if ever there was one. This book had a bit more action and angst than the previous ones and I loved it just as much. I might have turned to mush during the epilogue. If I did, though, I’ll never own up to it. Again, a lovely ending to a wonderful series.
There was a new narrator for this book and I understand why sometimes authors can’t keep the person who had previously helmed the series. I will say Jonathan David did a decent job but I have to say his Daniel was discordant for me. A minor thing to be sure, and only because I loved the precious three books so much. But never fear, it didn’t detract from my enjoyment of this book. I have plans to return to listen to the series again and am so glad I got the chance to enjoy the stories.
Edited December 2, 2020 to add my comments on the audiobook.
Audio Review:
Overall – 5
Performance – 5
Story – 5
This is such a good book and I love Jonathan David’s performance!
Jonathan David is new to audiobook narration and that is so hard to believe. He did a really wonderful job with this book in what is one of my favorite series by Victoria Sue. It’s not easy to take on the task of performing a book in a series that was previously performed by someone else. I can honestly say that I loved what he did with this book at least as much as I did the other books in this series that were performed by another excellent narrator. I hope that he continues to get the opportunity to perform MM audiobooks and I will be looking for his work.
Below is a copy of my review from when I read the book when it was first released. Other than my comments on Jonathan David’s performance there really isn’t anything else that I can add to my original review.
*****
This is such a good book!
Victoria Sue’s books always tug at my heartstrings and Matt’s Rainbow was no exception. I’d been waiting for Matt’s book and Victoria Sue didn’t disappoint me; it was worth the wait. While you can easily read this book as a standalone, you will miss three other fantastic books if you don’t read them.
Matt’s been working at Rainbow Key for a few years. He has a past that he’s ashamed of and it haunts him and makes him feel like he isn’t deserving of love. Ryder also has a past he’s not proud of but his parents kicked him out at age 14 when they found out he liked boys so he didn’t have a lot of options available to him.
Matt and Ryder are two men who are hurting but Rainbow Key has a way of bringing found family together in very special ways. There is 20-year age difference between Matt and Ryder and it bothers Matt a bit. He feels like Ryder could do so much better than to be stuck with someone like him.
I really could not put this book down once I started reading it. It has so many good elements going on: brother caring for his younger sister, forgiving past mistakes, evacuating for a hurricane, a baby and kittens!
Rainbow Key is a series that I really love and I hope that Victoria Sue writes more books about this amazing place.
A copy of this book was provided to me but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author.
***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***
I am a huge fan of this series, and every book on it, is better than the previous one. Now this story about second chances in life, about confronting our past mistakes and accept that we need to forgive ourselves first to be able to love and be loved and how at the end, that always is the answer for everything. This book is romantic and easy to read in spite some angst that made the story more interesting, and as the cherry on top, it has one of the sweetest epilogue I’d ever read. Simply wonderful!!
I received this book from Gay Romance Reviews and I am voluntarily leaving an honest opinion.
I loved Matt’s Rainbow. There’s something about slightly broken men and how they find their way to love. I love Matt and Ryder, they were both so sweet with strengths and weaknesses they brought to the relationship. I liked that although there were secrets, they didn’t become an opportunity for something worse. Their story was sweet, fast and sexy. I loved all of it. Plus their meet-cute and re-meet were great. I definitely recommend this book.
I’ve followed every one of the Rainbow Key books. The island where every perceived individuality is welcomed and throughout them all has been Matt, the stalwart loner, the guy who is there for everyone and I’ve looked forward to Matt getting his own HEA. He gets Ryder and his sister Lizzie. Despite a little conflict and angst, an intrusion from the past and the English person’s favourite, bad weather, it’s everything I wanted it to be.
Having read the weekly instalments, the epilogue was a lovely addition.
Recommended.