Nearing the end of a suspended jail sentence should unlock a brighter future for CJ Davis, only the chip on his shoulder is as hard to shift as his bad reputation. Born into a family of career criminals who live down Davis Road, an address the cops have dubbed Davis Row, his name alone is like a rap sheet that makes optimism impossible. Brand-new parole officer Noah Huxley is determined to see … determined to see the good in men like CJ. After all, he knows firsthand that bad things can happen to good people. His colleagues mock his doe-eyed optimism, but Noah soon sees CJ’s bad attitude and bravado are weapons he uses to keep people at a distance.
Both men know one simple mistake can change a life forever. At first glance, they might seem to be polar opposites. Yet underneath, they’re not that different at all.
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I loved this to pieces. Very unique setting and characters. I can’t recommend it enough.
I loved this book – the characters, the story, the location. I particularly love that it was set near where I live (in the Hunter Valley, Australia), something I don’t see often in the books I read.
I absolutely love this book. NR’s characters have depth, and CJ is no exception. I just want to give him a big hug. Noah is great, as an aggressive people helper! and Pops is sweet. One of my all-time favorites!
A hopeful read!
What could an ex-con and a parole officer possibly have in common?
Oh man, this book…this book will bring you to tears. You will be emotional. But in the end, it’s worth it. Gosh, at times, I just wanted to hug our hero when he spoke of what happened to him in his childhood. It was so hard to hear about it – it will make your heart ache.
Our other hero is…well, a hero, for what he is trying (and will) achieve. So proud of him as well though I also feel and grieve with him.
Full of emotions, hope, family, consequences, mistakes, hugs and love.
Perfect for readers of contemporary romances.
Pushing through hardship and tragedy is one of the hardest things a person can do, but both Noah and CJ manage to overcome their obstacles and find love with each other. This story was not what I expected at all, but in such a wonderful and delightful way. The plot was a wonderful story of overcoming demons, both external and internal, as well as a sweet, beautiful love story between Noah and CJ. I adored every minute I spent with the characters and I was sad to say goodbye to them by the end of the book.
The audiobook was just as delightful. Joel Leslie was the perfect narrator and his performance of this book was such a joy to listen to.
Loved this book on audio! Great story.
I’m not sure how I’m supposed to go on. I don’t think my heart has recovered, or if it will ever recover from this story. Pretty sure my heart was in my throat the entire time, just waiting on the other shoe to drop. Thank God what I thought was going to happen didn’t, because I don’t think I would have survived.
I don’t know how Ms. Walker does it, but she continuously creates these characters that will forever leave indelible marks on my heart. CJ and Noah, and Pops, are the newest residents. And let’s not forget Mr. Barese either, another of CJ’s angels.
CJ, oh my sweet darling CJ. CJ broke my heart, he was dealt such a shit hand in life. But he didn’t let it define him, he just needed someone to see him, to show him he was loved. And here comes Noah, who entered CJ’s life at just the right time. Noah, with his own heartbreaking revelations. God, I just can’t stop crying over these two. I loved their story.
“Oh, would my heart ever not hurt to hear his stories?” No, no it would not.
there’s hardly any sex which is fine but given the genera i just thought there would be more. but none the less good story
This book started out slowly which made it difficult to get into the story. After the 1st third of the book, I was totally hooked. When it ended. I was devastated! I want more and I want to follow the characters into the future. The final chapter wrapped up the story. Sadly, it seemed like the author was hurrying to complete the book and just skipped a major storyline. She chose to just summarize what the outcome of the final issues instead of gracefully closing the story. Overall, I loved the book and i am definitely a fan of this author!
Small town politics and jaded careerism in all their ugly glory, right here. If you were ever curious about how small towns think, here it is. Three dimensional characters that don’t hop into bed at the drop of the hat (or end of the first page) is a rarity for erotic m/m romances. I thought maybe Officer Huxley’s wide-eyed optimism might have been a tad overdone, but I still enjoyed watching the characters circle each other, and their flaws.
It was a good read
well written and hard too put down.