FEEL AT HOME by Elle Brownlee

Fiction, Contemporary M/M Romance, Level 4 heat

4****

Blurb: Solitary photojournalist Philip Conyers is out of money and out of time. One year after pausing his work chasing stories across the globe to buy and fix up his dream house, a series of events has him flat broke, creatively clogged, and out of options. Philip must sell—and then is stuck as months pass without any offers. Enter tech millionaire Zak Springer. He needs space and quiet away from New York City to think up the next big idea, and Philip’s upstate place is the perfect retreat. He wants to rent it for six months, price is no object, and oh yeah, Philip is welcome to stay. What can Philip do but agree? Living with easygoing Zak proves interesting for Philip, a dedicated loner. Despite their different circumstances, Zak understands him in a way no one ever has, and the attraction that simmers between them is undeniable. With their days together numbered, Philip decides it’s safe to indulge in a fling—until he realizes he never wants this life in his dream house with his dream man to end. Can Philip open his heart as well as his home, or is he doomed to lose them both?

Thoughts: I enjoyed this story even thought I thought it was a little slow at times. But the characters and the setting imagery were worth the time, as was their relationship. Philip and Zak don’t seem like they’d go together. Philip is a shy, quiet photojournalist who stays in the background while Zak is an ex-football star turned tech millionaire who doesn’t mind the limelight. But somehow, they work. There are several very hot love scenes that show how well they work together. But it is their work on the house together that shows how much they actually care for each other.

I will say this about some of the imagery – the part of the story during the storm and flood – very real and the emotions done well, but this might be a slight trigger for some readers in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Just be forewarned.

I’m glad things worked out for them in the end, though I had hoped that Philip’s earnings on several projects would have made him feel better about himself. But, there is a happily-ever-after ending that satisfies and that makes everything better.

Recommended.