Review: Steal My Heart

STEAL MY HEART by Andrew Grey

Fiction, Contemporary Gay Romance

4****

Blurb: Hilliard Bauman’s life and his law practice are in Ohio, so when he inherits a home in California, his first instinct is to sell. Then again, his law partner is also his ex-partner, so maybe starting over wouldn’t be so bad. Either way, he needs someone to fix up the house first. That’s where Brian Mayer comes in. Brian Mayer will do whatever work he can get, whether that means dog walking or painting fences. But in a small town where everyone knows everything about everyone, finding jobs can be difficult—especially if you’ve been wrongly convicted of theft. When Hilliard hires him to fix up his great-aunt’s place, it’s a relief on Brian’s strained bank account… but tests Brian’s heart to its limits. As Hilliard digs into Brian’s case and the botched investigation of the original crime, things really start heating up—both between him and Brian and in what should’ve been a cold case. This time when cops try to lay the blame at Brian’s feet, he has Hilliard in his corner. Can they solve the mystery, put Brian’s past to rest, and find a new beginning together?

Thoughts: I enjoyed this story. The characters are realistic and there’s a bit of a mystery involved, along with the romance (and some heat!). Hill is an Ohio lawyer who inherited his great-aunt’s home in California. After going through a bad breakup, he moves there, but the house is in need of some work. He hires a neighbor—Brian—who does good work, but has a past—mistakenly convicted of a crime he didn’t commit. The two bond as Hill attempts to find out who really committed the crime. He’s also fighting with an uncle who believes the house should have come to him.

I liked both Hill and Brian. They’re both strong characters who have issues that they work on. The romance is perfect between the two of them and there’s a HEA that satisfies.

Recommended.