Up-and-coming film producer Kyle Wakefield lives in the closet rather than risk the wrath of his influential, conservative parents. The only time he took a chance on love was a tempestuous teenage affair with Nathan Carnes. But when Nathan proved himself hell-bent on self-destruction and wound up in prison, Kyle closed off his heart.
Almost a decade later, Kyle’s production partner hires Nathan’s stunt company, Second Chances, to work on a big-budget action film in London. Nate is floored by his explosive reunion with Kyle. But he sure as hell isn’t surprised that Kyle still treats their mutual needs—and Nate—like dirty little secrets.
As the London holiday season casts its dazzling spell, the two men find themselves falling in love again. Kyle is one breathless kiss away from declaring himself to Nate—and to the world—but they cannot ignore secrets borne of youthful mistakes. To protect their bright new future, Kyle and Nathan will need all their passion and trust . . . and a little Christmas magic.
Came Upon a Midnight Clear is my favorite MM Romance story. I read it for the first time in 2013 and fell in love with Nate and Kyle after their very first scene together. For a couple of fictitious characters, their chemistry is palpable throughout the pages and the longing they have for each other makes their struggle to have a relationship real.
I re-read this book in 2016 and got a paperback copy as well. I loved rediscovering their love and all the scenes that made their relationship special. I’m not entirely sure why, but after reading over 1,500 MM books, this one still my favorite. And that’s why I just read it one more.
This is a re-edited version of this story, but the main events still the same. The only edits I noticed were related to technology and pop culture references. The sense of place, culture, and holiday spirit brings this story together. It’s not a traditional Christmas tale but a second chance love.
Since the start, it’s easy to see how good they’re together. Plus, how well they did without each other. They don’t need the other to be successful. Their relationship goes beyond that, to a friendship that stayed with them even after all the years apart. Their love is just an added bonus and the sex their way to connect.
And there’s a lot of sex in this story. Hard, raw, loving, but always as part of their developing story. This is definitely an erotic romance. Even so, the romance is as important as the plot itself. There’s a lot of angst too and Kyle’s and Nathan’s original relationship will pull your heartstrings, but it’s worth it.
This book is not perfect or a writing masterpiece but the authors did an excellent job developing the characters, creating an interesting supporting cast, and making Kyle’s and Nathan’s love believable. As a reader, we get to cheer for them until the very end. The epilogue is the perfect ending to the book. And yes, I’d read it again. 🙂
Also, Came Upon a Midnight Clear is now a 2017 Riptide Holiday Charity Novel benefiting The Russian LGBT network.
The cover by Natasha Snow is sweet and festive, just a bit too generic for this story. Other than the London Bridge, it doesn’t give the reader a feel for the story.
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ebook, 291 pages
Published: November 20, 2017, by Riptide Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-62649-673-6
Edition Language: English
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Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 