4.5 Smooches
Synopsis
Who would you become if you lost the only person who ever mattered?
For twenty-six year old Dylan Hopkins, the answer is easy. He’s become no one. Memories of the happier times are all he has left as he finds himself meandering numbly through his now dull life. Though he cares about his work and family dearly, he’s yet to let himself find love again. Afraid of letting go of what he once had, Dylan chooses to keep his heart buried, where it belongs, having died a long time ago.
Conner Michelson is about to change everything Dylan knows. He’s every bit the bad boy persona – tatted up, ex-MMA fighter, but after an injury leaves him unable to fight, he has to rethink his goals. Having just opened his own gym, Conner can cross his first major life accomplishment off his very short list. Next up: find a man he can settle down with and build a family. Seems simple enough – a dream most people have, but when he meets Dylan, his carefree, easy-going life is thrown into a tailspin.
Determined to keep Dylan in his life, Conner vows to resurrect Dylan’s long ago buried heart and let love live once more.
Review
“Where do I want to be? Eight years ago, most days, I felt like I was barely breathing.”
Let Love Live by Melissa Collins is book 5 in the Love series but can be read as a stand alone. I personally have not had the pleasure of reading the other books in the series but after reading this one I am definitely going to give it a try. This story was beautiful, sexy and just plain broke my heart and put it back together. Going in to a lot of m/m stories I expect them to be sexy but I do not expect them to have me bawling in the corner like someone just ripped my heart out. Be prepared and have some tissues ready.
“The story of their love is both inspiring and devastating. It’s one of finding out who you are by allowing yourself happiness in someone else.”
This book can be broken down into two parts, past and present. The past revolves around Dylan and Shane and takes place in their senior year of high school. Dylan and Shane are best friends who soon find themselves in love and as each others first boyfriends and lovers. While for Dylan this transition was easier and more natural for Shane it was anything but. He struggled with his sexuality and acceptance and pairing that with a terrible home life made for a ever emotional and heartbreaking story. Without giving too much away I will just say that by the time the first half of this book is over Dylan is heartbroken and will never be fully the same. When part two picks up Dylan is older and refuses to get into any serious monogamous relationship that has a chance of lasting. When he signs up to join a new gym he meets the owner, the super sexy and overly HOT ex-MMA fighter Conner. It is extremely clear from the beginning that these two are very attracted to each other. It becomes clear fast that their connection while very physical has the ability to go deeper if Dylan could just seek the help he needs to move past the scars that have been in place for years.
“You see, with you, the thing that scares me isn’t the thought of losing you. What scares the shit out of me is not having you in my life in the first place.”
Let Love Live was a very difficult story for me to read and to be honest I almost didn’t make it past part one, not because it was a great story that was very well written but because it touched on some very personal issues that have affected me and someone very close to me. I am so glad I pushed through to watch the relationship between Dylan and Conner develop. This book showed me that love isn’t something you have only once in a lifetime but instead something available to all when the right person appears. Whether you are a fan of m/m or have never read any before you will love this beautiful story and come out with an understanding that all love in beautiful and should be cherished.
~miranda
