Two years after the death of his wife, Aubrey Hendricks is still weighed down by grief. He can’t focus on anything beyond working at the family farm, First Light. At the urging of a friend, he takes a step toward resuming a normal life and reopens the bakery his wife once ran. He places a Help Wanted ad in the local paper, and to his surprise, an applicant shows up the next day.When Oliver Hansen … Oliver Hansen gets a second chance at life, he grasps it with both hands. Leaving his stressful life in New York, he plans to enjoy the simpler things. Driving to Heartsville in the Pocono Mountains to thank his heart donor’s widower is a top priority. But the brusque man with the melancholy eyes strikes a chord in Oliver. So when Aubrey mistakenly believes he’s there to apply for the bakery job…Oliver takes him up on the offer.
As Oliver busies himself with the grand reopening, he and Aubrey establish a tentative friendship, which soon shifts to blazing attraction. Oliver falls hard for him, yet he can’t help but wonder if Aubrey’s feelings are an attempt to maintain a connection to the wife he’s still mourning. And Aubrey is unsure if Oliver will tire of the slow pace in Heartsville and go running back to the city he loves. The two must successfully navigate the stormy waters of grief, doubt, and their very different lifestyles, or they risk losing both their hearts—again.
*Please note: This is in the same world as our MMM, LAST CALL, except FIRST LIGHT is MM and a complete standalone.
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Oliver and Aubrey’s story is one of heartbreak becoming hope, loss becoming discovery, and loneliness becoming happiness. The reason for the positive changes for both men is their slow-growing friendship, which eventually turns to so much more. This love story isn’t always easy, but it is beautiful. There is never a doubt that there is so much possibility for these two strong yet vulnerable men.
This is book two of a series with characters I treasure. I hope to see more of Oliver and Aubrey, as well as the men of Last Call, in another Heartsville story. The authors have created a town and people I care about, and I am not nearly ready to say goodbye.
4.5*
I found First Light to be a really lovely love story of second chances and finding love after loss. It’s emotional and heartfelt, and features two very endearing characters. It’s a story that will make you believe in fate.
Aubrey is still dealing with the grief over the loss of his wife two years ago when Oliver shows up at Aubrey’s farm, intent on thanking him for his wife’s gift of life. Things don’t quite go as Oliver planned, and he finds himself in deeper than expected. But as the hesitant friendship that forms between Aubrey and Oliver slowly morphs into something much more than either of them had been looking for, there’s no turning back.
***While this is book 2 in the Heartsville series it can definitely be read as a standalone, although I do recommend reading Last Call- it’s a terrific mmm romance!
I admit, books where one character is keeping a secret from another are my LEAST favorite books. Thankfully this book cleared up the misunderstanding quickly and we could concentrate on the growing romance! A little bittersweet, and a lot lovely this book was a great read!
Felice Stevens and Christina Lee know how to grab your attention, emotions and heart strings right from page go, and First Light is no exception. What an absolutely beautifully written story about two people on an unlikely journey towards romance and happily ever after. The slow build up to the romantic relationship between Aubrey and Oliver was brilliantly executed, and made their journey all the more heartfelt and beautiful. It truly choked me up. I cannot express enough just how beautiful and tender their story is. Not only were Aubrey and Oliver wonderful characters, but so were the secondary characters, but of course there is always the exception!
Aubrey, who has lost his wife, has basically stopped living, is drowning in depression and despair. In walks Oliver, who has been given a second chance at life, and who knows that life is too precious to just let it all slip away. He is just the person to help Aubrey turn things around and to start living life again. OMG!! I love them together.
Second chances at love are always out there, and they just may come from truly unlikely sources. Never stop living or being afraid to love. Thank you, Felice and Christina, for giving us readers this absolutely beautiful story about two amazing men.
Another lovely story by these two wonderful authors. A story about second chances. A second chance at life and a second chance at love. Full of heartfelt emotions, love, sadness, forgiveness, and laughter.
First Light features two older men, Oliver and Aubrey, who meet under unique circumstances. Oliver has been given the heart of Aubrey’s late wife, Lisa. When he visits Aubrey to thank him for this life-altering gift, he never expected to fall in love with the small-town living and the man himself. It’s a sweet slow-burn romance of two men who are destined to be with each other. Aubrey and Oliver are great and likable characters. Grumpy as Aubrey is, you feel that the gruffness is just a façade to hide the hurt inside. Charming and lively Oliver is the one who brings back the light into his life. Of course, it’s not as easy as it sounds. Their feelings for each other are honest and real, but it’s only natural that doubts come creeping in.
This book could have gone into a sad and dark direction, considering the heart transplant subject, but it remained rather lighthearted and sweet. It certainly made me think about how I would react if I were in that situation. In that respect, I didn’t like Lisa’s family as I couldn’t understand their reactions. On the other hand, Cassie is an endearing and supporting friend. She doesn’t mince words but always has Aubrey’s interests at heart.
Another thing I want to mention is that I would have love to see more of Duke, Aubrey’s dog. I love stories with pets as they can have their own effect on the characters and could enhance the story. However, Duke is mentioned briefly once or twice, and that’s the choice the authors made, but I felt a bit disappointed.
First Light is the second installment in the Heartsville series but can be read as a standalone.