Life, Some Assembly Required

Reading "The Rebuilding Year" first is recommended, as this book has the same main characters. The author is good about making books stand on their own, even in a series, but you'll still miss a lot about their history if you read out of order. I really loved The Rebuilding Year. Ryan was a former fireman, seriously injured and starting over in a new life with a bad leg and as a medical student. He meets John, who takes care of the college's grounds, and who is dealing with a selfish ex and lack of custody of his kids. To top it off, they have both previously considered themselves straight and there is some seriously creepy, dangerous stuff going on at campus. It's almost too much, but Kaje Harper manages to make it work, and the characters and their relationship are just too good and memorable to go wrong at any rate. This continuation is welcome because of those characters and that relationship. There is no extra bit of craziness--no murder and mayhem, but dealing with the aftermath, yes. And dealing with the continuing relationship between two men who formerly identified as straight and have other things in life to deal with. It's enough conflict. And thankfully it isn't over-blown into annoyingly fake major conflict! There are plenty of things in their lives that they need to sort out without creating silly sources of conflict. I love how there aren't any extreme personalities, and yet all the characters feel lively and engaging. There is a subtlety and depth to the writing that is more than enough to make this an exciting read without anything blowing up. Seriously, you know we read romances for the relationship (sure, sex scenes are good, too, and there are enough here, but if we wanted ONLY that, we'd just read erotica), and there needs to be a strong plot to go along with it, and it's all here. Read "The Rebuilding Year" first and I guarantee that if you liked it at all, you'll like this even better.

A well thought out story, with realistic attitudes and enjoyable characters. Although the story lacked the mystery element of the first book, I really enjoyed spending time with John and Ryan again. Torey's struggle with growing up was very touching. While the reoccurring theme of learning to trust each other did get a little too repetitive, it still rang true. Change takes time, something that is too easily forgotten in today's speedy world. On the downside, I did feel that some situations were rushed through or glossed over. However, they did not detract from my enjoyment. I hope that the author writes another book with these two men and the family they are trying so hard to hold together.

I adored this book. You do have to read The Rebuilding Year first -- don't skip it. I liked that book a lot, but not as much as this sequel. John and Ryan are a new gay couple finding their way in a complicated set of circumstances. They have communication issues like any couple, but instead of drowning the reader in endless angst over misunderstandings, Harper has them actually talk things out. The "villain" is subtle for the most part. I'll admit to thinking of her as the new Voldemort a few times, but Harper makes her complicated and human rather than a cartoon. (Carlisle is the one-dimensional stock figure in that regard. Like the mystery in the first book, he's a plot device to allow the heroes to react to their complicated lives, so I can overlook it.) I appreciate the range of experiences Ryan and John go through, from easy acceptance to tentative efforts at understanding to outright rejection. The point about how LGBT individuals don't come out just once but every single time we have a new interaction was handled well. John and Ryan are so well-drawn that their differing reactions make perfect sense. Mark and Torey are some of the best written children I've ever encountered in Romance; their completely individual personalities and conflicts are honest and fascinating. I teared up several times, particularly at the end. I can't wait to read Book 3!

This was a great continuation of the first book The Rebuilding Year! I'm not going to go into a description of it because the one provided already does a great job. When I saw this book was coming out, I bought it the first day and could barely put it down to get work done! You really learn so much more about John and Ryan and them learning how to be an out gay couple together along with balancing family and their relationship. I love how there was never crazy drama or over the top angst and Ryan and John stuck together through everything.. Sometimes John frustrated me because he was so laid back but that was even addressed by Ryan handled together, without John changing who he is as a person. Now of course Cynthia and Brandon are horrible and I would never be as nice as John (and Ryan) are in handling this situation. I really would love to have had Cynthia's ass handed to her but no such luck. This really was a fantastic addition and I would really love more. I love the life lessons series by Kaje Harper and I wish this would continue on more as well!

Finding love in the ashes was easy. Building a life together? Don’t make Fate laugh.The Rebuilding Year, Book 2After spending the first part of his life chasing pretty girls, love has finally come to Ryan in the form of John, a tall, lanky, red-headed landscape architect with wide shoulders and a five-o’clock shadow. For the first time in his life, love feels easy. Hell, he even ran into a burning building for John and his son, and he’d do it again if he had to. But telling his father and brothers “I’m gay. I’ve met a man”? That’s a bumpy ride he’s not looking forward to.For John, loving Ryan is as natural as breathing. Now if only the rest of his life would fall into place. Dealing with his teen son is complicated enough, but with his ex-wife causing trouble and his daughter wanting to move in, John’s house—and his relationship with Ryan—threaten to split at the seams.Would one month without a new surprise knocking him upside the heart be asking too much? If the sound of Fate’s laughter is any indication, the answer must be yes...Warning: Contains two formerly straight guys learning to navigate the gay-guy waters, sometimes without a paddle. Plus six kinds of family ensuring nothing comes easy.

This one surprised me by taking place right after the excellent and exquisite closing line of The Rebuilding Year, the first book in the series. The time frame of 2011 for a book that is published in 2015 threw me off because I expected the story to move forward to the present time. Glad it didn't because this relationship went on to explore virtually every aspect of John and Ryan's lives, and life, with each other and every member of both their families--and does it smoothly, beautifully, and as far as plot twists are concerned, brilliantly. There are too many potential spoilers for an in-depth review of what is an in-depth, but deftly played and almost light hearted, book. What I will say is that there is a seriously evil character here, some very bigoted, somewhat stereotypical, jerks as well, some open minded and sweet natured people, and some who still need to be worked on. Therefore, I would assume (and hope) that Ms. Harper has a third book in mind here, not only to allow John and Ryan to move into the real world as it exists now (even in Wisconsin), as well as move further into our hearts. If she does give us another, I would hope that the cover art would more resemble that in The Rebuilding Year, where John is definitely a ginger and Kyle is seriously beautiful, rather than this cover which makes John look like Mandy Potemkin and Ryan a bit like a clone of Alan Cumming. Not that those two are unattractive, it's just that IMHO, they are not the men I have fallen for.

This book takes off right after The Rebuilding Year and I don't recommend reading this if you haven't read that book. It is not a stand alone story. I loved 'The Rebuilding Year' and had been excited for this book to come out. But sorry to say this book is just blah.. If you really want to know what comes next this book is for you. But be prepared for a slow book and somewhat tedious book with the main characters asking themselves the same questions over & over. This book is a good example of why what comes next after happily ever after books rarely work. The book has no overall plot arc, just a seeming never ending little bumps in the road. The supposed tension implied in the blurb is only really there by force. Each chapter or so has it's own minor problems to overcome and then the story moves on. It's really entirely predictable. What did you expect to happen Ryan's brother wedding? Because John is so mellow the conflicts seem like nothing but bumps in the road. I almost put it down several times and only finished it because I loved the first book so much and did want to know how it ended. In addition this book got a lot of little details wrong enough to stop me reading. A better editor would have been helpful. Top example that's going to bug me for days the line "What county in LA?" from a character that supposedly used to live in LA. This makes no sense and bugs me to know end. LA is a county in California LA the city is part of that county, there are no counties within LA. I expect the author meant "What county in Southern California?" The book is riddled with this type of thing, including the characters not being consistent with themselves. I kept wondering why the kids and ex-wife seemed to know no one in town expect John despite having had lived there not that long ago. (The kids didn't recognize anyone from school?) This was a topic that was only introduced seemingly as an after thought at the end of the book. And also where did the money issues go? In the first book money was a big deal, but in this one the two seem to be able to afford anything that comes their way. Overall I wouldn't recommend unless you like me have an insatiable curiosity to see what happens with Ryan & John, and his teenagers AND the ex-wife Cynthia. But I doubt I'm likely to pick up any more in this series.

Loved how this book was all about families and all their possibilities. The drama was not all teenaged as adult sibling, relatives one step removed and a soon to be ex husband chimed in.

The book really captures their feelings. Love, discovery, rebuilding. Totally recommend it. Can’t wait to read the next one. :)

Loved this follow up on the first book. Supportive, genuine and loving in how they handle the families. The author brought in the judgemental dramas without hard angst: feels like this love story just keeps building and the quality of care in the writing never wavers. Thoroughly enjoyed.

The Rebuilding Year is one of my favourite m/m books. I love Kaje Harper's writing. She knows how to write about families, she understands the relationships & how they tick, plus she writes realistic dialogue & is an excellent story teller. So what stops me giving this 5*s? Well, whilst I loved the story & meeting up with John & Ry again, I did feel there were some loose ends still. I really wanted to see a little more progression with their story to a definitive HEA I suppose. I also felt Torey's tale was a little predictable, though I liked how it was done (& was relieved it wasn't Mark as that would have been too predictable). I felt Cynthia's story was very realistic, her manipulative streak showing itself again in a very realistic way. But again, there was that peeve that women seem to be all too often portrayed as the villain - in an unflattering light (another peeve is how girls - though not in this book, are always wearing & loving pink! Honestly, not all girls do like pink you know & it seems to be a stereotype that appears all too often... but I digress!). It was great to catch up with John & Ryan again. They are really lovely characters & their relationship was solid throughout. I loved their tenderness towards each other as they navigated their complicated lives. I got angry on their behalf at Cynthia (& Brandon's) treatment; at Brent & Ryan's dad & the way they treated Ryan & John; I smiled & laughed along with them & surely that's a sign of a well-written tale, when you feel for & with the characters. Overall though, whilst I thoroughly enjoyed the book & read it at great pace, I guess I just wanted that little bit more. Maybe it was because I love The Rebuilding Year so much, but I just felt a little unsatisfied. Perhaps another John & Ry installment would help?!

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, but I loved this sequel even more! It’s always such a treat diving into a book where you already know and love the characters, and the characters are already together at the beginning- it gives us more time to enjoy them! In a way this is a very simple book: a family drama. Well, step-family drama, perhaps? After all, by being together Ryan and John aren’t just building a relationship, they’re building a family, with step-children and ex’s and ex’s new partners and babies to worry about. Plus there’s the added drama of telling everyone in their lives that, by the way, they aren’t 100% straight. Not everyone in their extended families is okay with that, which naturally causes some tension as well. …maybe one day people will stop being offended when their friends or family “suddenly turn gay”, as they seem to put it, believing that said person has been “lying” to everyone their whole lives about who they’re attracted to (here I pause to roll my eyes). Well, that’s family drama for you. With this issue of “being gay”, however, I think the author has done a really good job by not having our main characters themselves be all that concerned with their sexual “orientation”. Ryan and John are with each other, ultimately, and that’s what matters- not that they’re both men. It doesn’t mean that fact isn’t important- homophobia of varying degrees certainly comes up in the book- but they aren’t wallowing in it. It’s that positivity which makes a difference and makes this book even more enjoyable, I feel. To me the heart of this book is smaller than all that, however: it’s John and Ryan learning to be together and how to best support each other, and about caring for themselves and John’s teenage son after the trauma that three of them went through in the first book. It’s good to see that this trauma- and other personal demons- are taken seriously, by both the author and the characters. They all have some new challenges to face, and they need to take care of each other as they face them. I feel like with this book, author Harper has allowed the plot to be a lot more internally-focused thank its predecessor, with the story stemming directly from the characters and their relationships- unlike in the first book of this series, which had quite a solid (if slightly frustrating: see my review) external plot in addition. That was a good move, I felt, and was just as entertaining and emotionally satisfying, if not more, than its much more traditionally-plotted and structured predecessor. Give this series a go- Ryan and John are precious, and I know you’ll love to spend time with them!

A continued book of the first one, the dramas follow on. The daily lives of the couple and two teenagers, with an ex-wife to complicate maters. never a dull moment.