Rebound by L. A. Witt

Rebound by L. A. Witt

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Buy Link: Amazon

Blurb:

A forty-something single dad, a twenty-something hockey star, and a whole lot of baggage. No, this couldn’t possibly blow up in their faces. 

Officer Geoff Logan has his plate full. His cop’s salary and Marine retirement aren’t enough to make ends meet. He’s got war wounds and demons that are in it for the long haul. His teenagers are, well, teenagers, plus they’re pissed that he left the boyfriend they loved. Can’t a guy catch a break? 

Seattle Steelheads center Asher Crowe has it all. A seven figure salary. A literal house on a hill. A stable, loving relationship with an amazing boyfriend. At least, that’s what the world sees. Behind closed doors, he’s been living in a private hell, and when he finally works up the courage to end things, his boyfriend refuses to go quietly. 

One call to the cops, and suddenly Geoff and Asher’s paths cross. But is the connection between them simple chemistry? Kindred spirits? Or just a pair of lonely hearts looking for a hot distraction? 

And even if it’s more than physical, is there really a future for two men from such vastly different worlds? Especially when the past comes knocking? 

This novel is approximately 89,000 words long. 
TW: abuse, combat PTSD (less)

Review:

I have to say, I was hesitant about this one at first. I shouldn’t have been, since I generally like Witt’s work. I guess I’ve seen a little too much of abuse being played for laughs in certain genre TV shows and now I’m mistrustful. Anyway, Witt handled the issue with grace and with taste, and my fears receded as I lost myself in the story.

One of the things Rebound deals with is the myriad forms which abuse takes, and the ways abuse can affect a survivor’s interactions with others even after they part ways. I appreciated seeing all the ways Geoff’s prior relationship affected his children, and how it affected his relationship with Asher. It was important to see Asher’s prior relationship and its effects too, of course, but people need to understand that abuse takes more forms than physical and there are long term affects from it.

I enjoyed the hockey aspect of the book, of course, and the law enforcement side. The jurisdictional issues were interesting to me. I also got a lot out of seeing the interaction between Geoff and his children’s mother.

The only complaint I have about this book is the lack of murder. Don’t get me wrong. There’s plenty of action, plenty of suspense, and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. But there’s one – arguably two but definitely one – character who needed to meet with an emotionally satisfying murderous end. Sadly, this was not a murder book. The ending was still emotionally satisfying, though, and our heroes get the ending they deserve.

This is my one of my Reviews of the Month for the review collection on LovelyAudiobooks.info