Genre: Contemporary
LGBTQ+ Category: Gay
Reviewer: Linda, Paranormal Romance Guild
Get It On Amazon | Universal Buy Link
About The Book
Noah is Griffin Colewater’s best friend and absolutely no one knows him better. Certainly not any of the parade of girlfriends he’s had over the years. Even his most recent, Lauren, whom he has been with the longest.
And just broke up with.
Does it make Noah a terrible friend if he’s just a little bit thrilled about that?
It doesn’t really matter, though. Griffin is the oldest son of the owners of Colewater Properties, a multi-gazillion dollar hotel conglomerate. He is also next in line to take over when his father retires which makes Griffin the most sought-after bachelor in the city. So, another girl is right around the corner.
The issue? Griffin’s mother claims to be desperately tired of his playboy antics. She is demanding Griffin settle down with a wife and family “or else”. Being that Griffin has never actually been able to please his mother in anything, Noah doesn’t understand Griffin’s continued hopeless mission to make that happen now.
Which makes the huge charity bash his parents are throwing a bit problematic. His mother is insisting on meeting Lauren. Yep. Griffin has yet to tell her he’s single again. And he insists he’s not going to. Instead, Griffin does something insane. He hires a fake girlfriend. Yah. A fake Lauren. Well ― not fake. She’s a ‘Lauren’, too. But that’s not the point. Griffin asked Noah to provide the “girlfriend for months” knowledge to Lauren number two so she could pull this whole ‘girlfriend’ thing off.
Honestly. What can go wrong with that?
Um… a lot.
Because Griffin is not only Noah’s very best friend in all the world, Noah is also so crazy in love with the man, he hurts. A stupid stunt like this could reveal that very thing and freak Griffin’s parents out so badly, they’re going to hire a hit on Noah. But the bigger problem in Noah’s mind? Griffin is totally not gay and if he ever found out Noah’s true feelings?
Damn.
It could ruin everything.
Warning: rough childhoods.
The Review
Two young men, Noah and Griffin, are best friends. Only Noah wants more. Noah loves Griffin and knows everything about him – his favorite drink, his favorite color, what kind of music he loves – the list goes on and on. Griffin counts on Noah and loves him like a brother.
Griffin is the oldest son of the owners of Colewater Properties, and the apparent heir to the throne, so to speak, so everything he does is under a microscope. Noah is gay and in love with his best friend, Griffin, who is without a doubt heterosexual – if you count the numerous girlfriends he has had. He’s totally out of reach.
Noah knows that there is no chance of anything happening between them, but hope is a very strong emotion, and he has it in spades. Noah, Griffin, Marcus and Genny are all friends and meet every Thursday night, a “friends date night.”
Griffin’s newest girlfriend Lauren is not happy with Griffin’s friendship with Noah, and demands that Griffin stop seeing him. Big mistake – Griffin always puts Noah first. She is shown the door.
Unfortunately, Griffin’s mother also hates his association with Noah, because she’s convinced that Noah is trying to change him. Being rich doesn’t make you smart. Griffin’s parents are constantly after him to marry, and they know about Lauren. What they don’t know is that she and Griffin are no longer together.
When his mother’s big birthday weekend comes up, Griffin’s parents insist on meeting Lauren and Marcus comes up with an idea – a fake Lauren. Noah is totally against it, but Griffin is desperate and “fake Lauren” seems to be the best solution.
But Fake Lauren turns out to be more than anyone could have imagined. She’s everything Griffin would look for in a girlfriend. and she is a huge hit with his parents. Fake Lauren makes it clear that she has no intention of ending the relationship after the weekend.
Noah decides he has to make a break with Griffin, for both their sakes.
This was a hard review to write without giving anything away because I was emotionally invested in Noah and Griffin, wanting both of them to find the love they seek, while wanting Griffin’s parents to stop throwing charity balls and practice that charity at home.
This was a beautiful book that evoked all kinds of emotions in me – including sadness, happiness and anger. As a parent, the author made me face the difficulties inherent with trying to do the best for our children while allowing them to live the life they want. Being gay is not contagious, and finding love – no matter whether it’s with a man or woman – is all that should matter.
Cosmo did such a wonderful job with the story, making me feel such strong emotions towards all the characters. She’s made a new fan.
Five stars.
The Reviewer
I am an avid reader the mother of 3 sons and grandmother to seven grandchildren. Since retiring I have been doing more reading while volunteering as a CASA worker. CASA is an organization that works with the family court system to ensure that children are in the best living situation. There are way too many children that get overlooked in the foster care system and I visit homes and make visits to the parents. I was born and raised in New York and my husband of 50 years and I live in Upstate New York.
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