Rating: 3.5🌈

Saxon James Accidental Love series is drawing to an end, with the penultimate book, Just Bromantically Invested.  As one by one the “lost boys” of Big Bertha are finding their partners and HEA, it’s time for Madden and Penn to get their own story.

Madden, with his free wheeling approach to life, aversion to clothes, and large heart, has been a challenging character for me to connect with.  For some reason I just haven’t found him as interesting as the others. This book does help give Madden the depth of character and background into why the nudity is so important to him that’s been lacking. 

James’ narrative has a number of other elements to bring to the table. It’s got a best friends to lovers relationship with one of them discovering that he’s not exactly straight but bisexual. I’m not sure the author makes the full  argument for this quick turnaround on Penn’s behalf. They may have been friends but based on the behavior seen Penn’s clueless mostly so it feels more importantly based on the needs of the plot line.  They work together fluidly as friends, lovers not so much. 

But probably because the romance needs more exploration as the other aspects of their lives and struggles that need so much clarification. That house dynamics is a mess, Madden’s inability to separate himself from the others to see a separate role for others is an issue that continues past that ending.  And has an impact on the rest of the characters, especially Penn.

I do love the support and communication that finally comes when Madden is able to convey what he needs going forward, including explaining why being naked is so important as a major part of that.  

Penn , anxiety prone and introvert that he is, however, is the one that is repeatedly given the reduced role here.  In Madden’s head, Penn comes in after his relationships with his found brothers/family members of Big Bertha.  Even at the end, that feeling that Penn is not as much of an embedded player in Madden’s life as he is in Penn’s seems clear.

So it left me tentatively connected to both and actually feeling irritated by the continuing drama with Xander, who’s still refusing help.   Xander has the last book and that’s the wrap.  Should be interesting.  

I enjoyed the earlier stories better than I have the recent ones . I look forward to seeing how James closes out the series.

Accidental Love:

• The Husband Hoax #1
• Not Dating Material #2
• The Revenge Agenda #3
• Just Bromantically Invested #4
• Not Catching Love #5 – Jan 30,2025

Buy link

        Just Bromantically Invested (Accidental Love Book 4)

    

Blurb

Madden

My best friend is uptight, gorgeous, the greatest person I know … and I might be a smidge in love with him. Just a small amount. Barely worth the mention. 

Which is a stupid choice on my part when the guy is straight. 

Starting a landscaping company with him was the perfect mix of doing what I love and an excuse to spend time with him, only it hasn’t completely taken off yet and now he’s telling me he’s lonely. 

Lonely. 

Apparently having one friend in your life isn’t enough.

So I’m determined to help him find love. With someone other than me. Maybe if I can pull that off, it’ll mean my heart will finally get the message and move on. 

Or finish breaking into a hundred pieces. 

Same thing, right?

Penn

Being besties with an overenthusiastic, gold-hearted, nudist of a man is a challenge sometimes. Madden makes everything sunshine when he’s around. 

The problem is that he hasn’t been around as much lately. We work together, sure, but he’s got his roommates and I have … no one. Just him. So I feel the distance acutely. 

My one reassurance is that we have work tying us together, but when an old client calls with a proposition for us, it feels like our once solid friendship is unraveling fast. 

He wants Madden to help him open a nudist resort, and if Madden’s doing that, he won’t be working with me. 

I’m trying not to panic over the thought of losing him, which is a typical, common best friend reaction. Nothing out of the ordinary. 

And neither is the way my body has been reacting to him lately. 

Everything is totally, completely normal between us. 

While there’s still an us at all.

• Publisher: May Books (October 17, 2024)
• Publication date: October 17, 2024
• Language: English
• Print length: 268 pages