I would start by saying that I enjoyed Joel Leslie’s performance. His performing skills are incomparable specially with different accent variations.
As for the story, it’s given me mixed emotions. It does have a HEA but how and why they got a HEA is something I’m still struggling with. The story is being told in a very realistic progression. Boy meets boy during last term of college. They fell in love and fell out of it.
However, what bothered me the most is Vinnie. He is portrayed as this struggling but gifted artist with a gentle spirit. He is fiercely independent with a stubborn streak. He is also a bit reserved.
Ben is the hot catch, he is a musician with sharp business acumen, who used to be a player but got his act together once he got together with Vinnie. He’s moved at Vinnie’s pace when they finally got into a relationship.
The process of drifting apart from each other bothered me. Like any other romance stories, it all boiled down to miscommunication or the lack of it. That and quite possibly Vinnie’s emotional cheating.
I could not fathom why it was SO easy for Vinnie to walk out of Ben’s life and their relationship. He accused Ben of controlling him. Yet, he jumped straight into a worst relationship with James. Vinnie even admitted James was trying to take him away from Ben even when they were together. How had he kept being friends with James when he knew what his motivations were?
Ben is no perfect by any means. For example, he could have just asked. He could have talked it over with Vinnie, specially his reservations regarding James. But nope, kept it all in and hell broke lose when he couldn’t process his emotions properly. AND my pet peeve, he WAITED for the PERFECT TIMING. Waited for Vinnie to pick up his paintings, Waited for Vinnie to get in touch. He just waited and waited in agony
It was so heartbreaking to hear it from Ben’s perspective and understandably so. He took his time with Vinnie, earned his trust, he got Vinnie’s back. Yes, he really needed to communicate better. But that should not be a breaking point.
Vinnie made really bad choices, emotional decisions but was too stubborn to admit he made a mistake, even to apologize. Instead, he got himself into deeper ugly situation and his brothers AND Ben had to swoop in and save him from himself. He clearly learned a lesson or two.
I am glad, for Ben’s sake that he got his Vinnie back and they had the chance to start over. I am all for second chances. I just wish it highlighted the moment when Vinnie saw Ben’s tattoo. I wanted to see his reaction, how Ben got it in memory of their good times.
Like I said, the story is being told very realistically. It’s got me feeling all types of way. And yes, I will read more from Lily. She clearly knows how to get a reaction from me. Four stars, overall.