Rating: 4
Steam: 3
PoV: dual, 1st person
Series: Second Chance School #3
Genre: contemporary romance, MM
Tropes / tags: second chance, hurt / comfort, single dad
I look directly into eyes filled with pain instead of starlight, and the title of that book I once gave to Lenny tells no lies. Every scar does tell a story, and from where I stand, Isaac can’t hide that his is nowhere close to healing.
Second Story was a gorgeous addition to Con Riley’s Cornwall stories!
Isaac and Joe’s story was a beautiful and compelling read, with so much hurt / comfort and tenderness. It was a bit of a second chance with a chance meeting; Joe used to be the keyworker of Isaac’s brother Lenny, but left after Isaac asked him for a kiss. There was obviously some unresolved tension between them, and their first accidental reunion in Cornwall didn’t end well.
Isaac and Joe’s path was far from straightforward, but they kept running into each other and even when they weren’t on the best terms, they were very drawn to each other. I loved the slow, simmering attraction between them and how they gradually started to build something together. Isaac was trying to do his best to keep everything together and taking care of Lenny, but he was really struggling. It was a relief to see them both get some room to breathe and land at Glynn Harber.
I loved Isaac’s storytelling and how he turned his and Lenny’s reality into an adventure and story. They had been through a lot, and were in desperate need of a safe space to process and start to heal. Joe ended up being a big part of that for both Isaac and Lenny, and they made such a cute little family together. It was lovely to see Isaac and Joe leaning on each other, finding the support and solace they both had been longing for.
Second Story was an emotional story full of complicated family situations, past mistakes, second chances and healing. I adored Isaac and Joe, and I loved to see them stealing moments together whenever they could. I really enjoyed being back at Glynn Harber – there’s something truly special about these stories and Con Riley’s writing that has me mesmerized every time.
Reading is life, but Joe melting the second I reach up to touch his face is even better.
Book links:
Amazon | Goodreads | BookBub | StoryGraph
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