A weekend fling in Atlantic City couldn’t be more out of socially shy Zach Cohen’s comfort zone, but a bet with his best friends forces him to put aside the humiliation he’s hidden for years and step away from behind his computer screens and online world. When he meets Sam Stein, despite their spark, Zach expects nothing more than a night of passion and a kiss good-bye. Yet weeks later, he can’t … can’t keep the man out of his head.
After a split-second decision with tragic results ends his twenty-year police career at the same time as his relationship falls apart, Sam Stein is drifting through life. At his best friend’s urging, he agrees to a trip to Atlantic City to clear his head. What Sam doesn’t plan on is meeting Zach Cohen, whose sweet nature and honesty has him thinking maybe he could move forward, until Zach leaves him without explanation, reinforcing Sam’s belief that people can’t be trusted.
Well-meaning friends refuse to let Zach and Sam hide from each other, forcing them to realize their weekend was much more than a one-night stand. Before that can happen, Zach must come to terms with his past and stand up for his own independence, while Sam has to learn to take a chance and believe in himself and people again. All bets are off when dreams become reality, and forever doesn’t seem to be long enough.
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Another lovely story
Book 2 in the Breakfast Club series, I read this as part of the Breakfast Club Collection, which includes the three main books of the Breakfast Club series, plus four extras (novellas or short stories) that are wonderful follow-ups. Note that while this story could technically be read as a standalone, between the carryover of characters from book to book, and breadcrumbs dropped in the earlier stories to help set up the later ones, I recommend reading these together and in order.
Zach and Sam’s story, Zach had me intrigued in the first book; pairing him with a former first responder (Sam was a police officer) was just icing on the cake for hooking me into this one night stand that turns into something more story.
I related strongly to Zach, being on the geeky nerd side myself, and I loved Sam’s relationship with Henry—their banter added a lot of humor to the story. I did feel a little bad as both of Zach and Sam are continually pushed outside their comfort zone by their respective friends, but I had to laugh too, and those friends certainly had their best interests at heart. The two of them were really sweet together as they helped each other heal emotional wounds from their pasts.
I loved all the secondary characters of course, and I liked that Nick’s sister, Katie, had a nice little role here. We got a bit of follow up for Julian and Nick from the first book, while my heart broke a little for Marcus as we get a few more glimpses at the man behind the facade.
Great characters, more feels, another great ending, and another lovely story. 5+ stars
I adored this book. Zach and Sam’s story was charming and heartfelt.
Zach broke my heart, period. His low self-esteem, along with his notion that he’s invisible, led him to a life behind the safety and solitude of his computer. If it wasn’t for Marcus, Julian, and now Nick, he’d be utterly alone.
“Hiding away in his basement, talking to men online had become his norm. Zach knew he had a problem. Years of put-downs and humiliation will do that; when you’ve been told no one would want you, that you’re boring and nothing special, eventually you believe it.” Ugh!!!!
Sam was just as lost as Zach. Really, all he had was his best friend, Henry, who would come and get him out of his house to play ball once a week. Sam was an ex cop, forced into early retirement due to an unfortunate accident involving his partner. That situation, along with a bitter breakup with his live-in lover, helped send Sam down the same lonely road as Zach.
Luckily fate, a convention in Atlantic City, along with some help from their friends, had a different plan for these two. What a pleasure it was to actually feel how their love story unfolded; filled with so much honesty, insecurity, and want. The end result was beautiful.
Felice Stevens paints such a captivating and enchanting picture with her style of writing. She places her readers exactly where her characters are: Caruso’s bakery, Coney Island, or under the Verrazano Bridge flying a kite; the smell or the sight can be easily imagined. The supporting cast of characters are just as important and lovable, adding the perfect amount of humor, annoyance, unwanted opinions, unconditional friendship and love. I’m looking forward to seeing what will happen with Marcus! His story is going to be epic. This series is turning into one of my all time favorites, therefore, I wholeheartedly recommend it!