Rating: 4 stars out of 5
Pierce Atwater used to think he was a knight in shining armor, but then his life fell to crap. Now he has no job, no wife, no life—and is so full of self-pity he can’t even be decent to the one family member he’s still speaking to. He heads for Florida, where he’s got a month to pull his head out of his ass before he ruins his little sister’s Christmas.
Harold Justice Lombard the Fifth is at his own crossroads—he can keep being Hal, massage therapist in training, flamboyant and irrepressible to the bones, or he can let his parents rule his life. Hal takes one look at Pierce and decides they’re fellow unicorns out to make the world a better place. Pierce can’t reject Hal’s overtures of friendship, in spite of his misgivings about being too old and too pissed off to make a good friend.
As they experience everything from existential Looney Tunes to eternal trips to Target, Pierce becomes more dependent on Hal’s optimism to get him through the day. When Hal starts getting him through the nights too, Pierce must look inside for the knight he used to be—before Christmas becomes a doomsday deadline of heartbreak instead of a celebration of love.
Take two damaged, hurting men meeting a month before Christmas, needing recovery and someone to help them heal, thrown in an age difference, toxic parents and you get another heartwarming winner of a romance from Amy Lane.
Pierce Atwater is recovering from a car accident, about to be divorced and jobless. He’s bitter, and sinking under the pain of his injuries and self-pity when sitting poolside, he meets Hal, a 23 year old college student, in the chair next to him. Hal is gorgeous, outgoing, downright irrepressible and wants to help Pierce it seems.
Amy Lane starts to build a unique friendship between the men that turns into something more as Pierce’s attitude turns from bitterness and self-pity back into the “unicorn” he’s been for most of his life. As he recovers, the story reveals more of Hal’s painful upbringing and current status. It’s an emotional seesaw with the balance tipping back and forth with each new revelation and sharing as they open up to each other.
The depth and authenticity that Amy Lane brings to her romances and storylines is something that I’ve always appreciated about her novels. Her characters have a certain human fragility, yet solidness about them. You wouldn’t be surprised to meet any of them walking down the road or sidewalk because their situations are easily ones that people you know could find themselves in.
The ending is a wonderful HFN with the promise of updates to come. I can hardly wait. I want to know more about Pierce and Hal’s adventures and what the future holds for them both. Are you listening, Amy? I hope so! Until then, I absolutely recommend Regret Me Not. A terrific read at this or any time of the year.
Cover artist: Reese Dante is wonderful. Great for the characters.
Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon
Book Details:
ebook, 119 pages
Expected publication: December 4th 2017 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781635339956
Edition LanguageEnglish
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 
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