Will an alpha guy like Si willingly give his heart to Howie for a second chance at love?Si Raines thought his plans were set for the future. He’d marry his fiancé, the bar-owner Howie Gray, continue with his covert ops career, and when he was ready to retire from that, find a new job and settle down to life together. But a text from Howie throws all the plans into a maelstrom of chaos and hurt, … and hurt, and Si swears he’ll never return to J.T’s Bar again.
Two years later, when an injury ends his covert ops job against his will, he finds himself back at the bar, only to discover Howie is still around, and in danger from a stalker. When Howie begs him for help, Si has to decide if he’s willing to get involved. Apart from doubting whether he can protect anyone with his injury, is he really prepared to be around Howie again? The attraction between them is still electric, and Howie seems willing to explain his behaviour. But can Si forgive him? Faced with the resurrection of old wounds and imminent danger to them both, can Si find it in his heart to rebuild his relationship with Howie and take a second chance on love?
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Alpha Home is the third book in J.T.’s Bar series by author Sue Brown. I have not read this series in order. I did find some plot holes for me because of this, but overall, I got the basic love story just fine with starting with this book.
Si is an established character, or he feels like one and it is a given he is in love with Howie. Howie has a lot of growing to do in this story. I felt out of the two Howie needed to grow up and learn how to trust Si.
Si is a character I loved. He is not overly Alpha; he knows he works best in a team. I liked that he knew who he was and how he works best. He is a strong character and I was cheering for him from page one.
Howie, well sigh…Howie was not my favorite character. He had agreed to marry Si and be with him forever, then dear Johned him over text messaging. Then later does something else that makes me go haven’t we done this before? He really had to learn trust and communication besides the sexual kind.
I did love these two together it was just frustrating watching them get there. There is a ton going on, and I felt like there was a ton I missed by not reading the previous novels. So I would say read this series in order to enjoy it best.
Hot men and even hotter love await inside the pages of this book. I am very glad I got to meet Si and all his friends. I hope to meet them again in a future book.
Five Shooting Stars
I would rate this 3 stars.
Si and Howie became a couple in book one, but that was a side story so their romance was never explored. It’s mentioned in book two that they’ve had some issues and now we get to see what they are. Unlike Mitch, Si doesn’t leave the team so Howie is having to deal with weeks of separation at a time without knowing where Si is or if he’s okay. He doesn’t want to move to North Carolina, he’s happy in Wyoming. But again, there is no communication here. His mother is also a problem; his family doesn’t approve of his being gay and she’s here from Ohio. At one point, it’s only his aunt and cousins left alive, but then he is supposedly from a big family. He seems to not care what anyone thinks except his mom. In fact, he still dates when his mom is alive, just keeps it out of her face, but I have to assume his aunt or cousins are telling her anyway? Why couldn’t he have just done that with Si instead of other men? There is some repetition about how Howie is kind and gentle, not a warrior, but I was frustrated with him not standing up for himself. This plot frustrates me as much as what happened between Jake and Mitch, but two years later, Si and Howie finally get their second chance.
Si is a volatile character, not that he would ever be violent with Howie, but he seems to need calming influences. His friends tend to “manage” him. The dynamic of Mitch and Jake as team leaders, follows into their personal lives as well. I didn’t understand the inclusion of Mark, who is ex-agency and now a physical therapist that just happens to be in this small town in Wyoming. When someone has it out for Howie, the team tries to figure out who, and whether someone is trying to kill him or just scare him. Clearly, something needed to happen to set up the next book so that it makes sense for these men to keep doing military type scenarios when they are supposed to be civilians. There also needs to be some sort of connection to the bar, or it wouldn’t make sense to be part of the J.T.’s Bar series. Everything is sorted, but I still am not too attached to most of the characters except Mitch, and by extension Jake.