5 stars are not enough.

As I read this book I felt electrified with emotion. AND I experienced tears. I can’t remember the last book that had that effect on me. I felt humbled by the power of the love in this book. Maxim stole my breath. And I could not fault Derek for his internal struggle and outward denial of who he was. Family and societal acceptance is vital in our lives. I totally get it.

Overall, I loved this book but I have a complaint: I expected Derek to confront his greatest fear on his road to revealing his true self. I braced myself for the scene that would prove he is STRONG ENOUGH for Maxim. But disappointingly, it happened “off the page” and was referred to in the Epilogue. For me, the inclusion of that scene would make this book perfect. And yet, I won’t deduct stars because the whole story was powerful for me. It was also fairy-tale-like in some ways, but that’s why I read romance. I was completely swept away.

This was my first novel by either Melanie Harlow/David Romanov. I’ll be reading more.

I was attracted to this novel in part because the incomparable Joel Leslie co-narrates it. I was struck motionless and breathless when he performed Maxim’s point of view. So wonderful. I tend to agree with other reviewers that perhaps he should have voiced the whole novel. Narrator Bruce Cullen is good too, but I feel he was incorrectly cast here.