Beau James isn’t out, but he’s not fooling anyone. When he’s cornered by two bullies, he’s rescued by none other than the broody Wade Ritter, who he’s crushed on from afar. Despite their family connection, Wade has resisted all of Beau’s attempts at friendship — until now. His protective streak gives Beau an opportunity to get past Wade’s prickly exterior. Wade considers Beau to be a … quasi-cousin. He’s been careful to keep Beau in that box because he is too tempting to a gay boy determined to remain in the closet after his coming out went all wrong. But when Wade sees bullies harassing Beau, he offers to help. Little does he know this small crack in the walls around his heart is the opening Beau needs to move in and change Wade’s life.
After years off the rails, Wade realizes there’s room for recovery. If he can face hard truths about his sexuality and love himself, he might be able to love Beau too.
Room for Recovery is part of the Hearts and Health series. It contains cameo appearances by other characters in the series, but it can be read as a standalone.
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Room for Recovery is slightly different from the other books in the series, as it is more of a YA than the others are. Wade is still dealing with the aftermath of his father’s death, and while that was already discussed in the previous book in a manner, the prologue of the book tells much more about Wade.
So, the prologue…is heartbreaking. The book then picks up years later, after the Ritters have been living in Ashe for about three years, around four years after Wade’s father died. Wade is, in some sense, jock-like. He is not playing football (he has no interest in after-school activities), but he is popular with girls and does have a reputation.
When Beau is bullied, he steps in, supposedly because he ‘is like family’. While he is driving Beau around, his feelings for Beau do not want to stay hidden under the wraps.
I felt sorry for Wade pretty much the whole book, but Beau was the one I cared for most. He is dedicated to his family, a good student, and he tries to help. While his family thinks he’d go to medical school as he has good grades, Beau is more interested in following his Uncle Xavier’s footsteps and become a nurse.
It’s in some senses a difficut book, but it is not too glum and it has fewer difficult scenes than the nice one or the ‘normal’ ones.
This book may possibly be read as stand-alone but I really recommend reading at least the previous books as Trent, Xavier, and what happened to the Ritter family, is hard to understand with no previous knowledge of events.
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book 4 in the Hearts and Health series, but you don’t need to have read the others first, they are all stand alones.
I don’t usually much care for younger main characters; end of high school, beginning of college age; probably because I’m far older than that, but while I KNEW Beau and Wade were that age, it never really sunk in, you know?? I KNEW they were 18 and 19, but they did not SEEM that age.
Wade and Beau have crushed on each other for as long as they can remember, but Wade’s coming out led to disastrous consequences, and he doesn’t want to admit that he’s gay, not to himself, nor to anyone else. Beau, while not fully OUT, certainly aware of what and who he wants. When Beau is attacked, Wade goes all protective and the two get to really know each other.
I can’t quite file this book on the warm and fuzzies shelf, like Bedside Manner, because Wade carries a lot of guilt about one thing and another BUT it is a fantastic read. Watching Wade and Beau getting to know each other properly, after being around each other for years, watching Wade deal with his demons, and watching them both fall, and fall far is excellent reading.
Wade pops up in Urgent Care, he is Trent’s nephew and Wade is ANGRY at everything and everyone. We get just WHY he is so angry here and its painful reading, listening to Wade deal internally with everything, it really is.
An excellent addition to this series, and it introduces us to Dr Casper Rollins, who has his story next. I look forward to reading it.
5 not quite warm and fuzzie stars, but very nearly.
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
This fourth book in the series is a coming of age/coming out story and full of teenage angst. I did like the characters, even when they didn’t make the best choices, and Wade’s story certainly pulls at the heartstrings. This one is also a lot more serious than previous books, especially considering the topics covered, but in a series that has been more entertaining than angsty so far, it felt a bit out of place. The story is a lengthy one, but whether in spite of all the angst or because of it, my interest was held and I liked the characters enough to want to see their happy for now.
I loved these boys. Wade was a hard boy who needed love to find himself. Love all of this author books.