Given my issues with cheating, I should have hated this book. However, I love the characters of Derek and Blue. I enjoyed this book in getting to know Derek's history better. Maybe because we have seen how young Blue is, how this is his first real relationship, he's 18-19 years old...while Derek is in his 30s and has done his playing around. Maybe because of that...I could accept Blue's temptation as something that a new couple could go through with the age gap they have and Blue's insecurities. Blue had significant doubts that Derek could possibly love him because, to Blue, Derek could have anyone he wanted and Blue was still learning that Derek's love was solely for him. Those doubts, I felt, pushed him toward Cameron who was someone Blue knew, at his save level, irregardless of their troublesome history.I liked how Derek handled things and at the end of the book, I felt much better about the future of Blue and Derek. This series has been a hot read with a decent amount of angst as well. Looking forward to the next book. It’s all Blue’s fault that this rating ended up as 3 stars. Part of me wanted to rate it lower because I was so disappointed in some of Blue’s actions in this second book, and part of me still recognized that the writing was better than 3 stars to make me care. I’m settling on 3 as a compromise. It was nice to learn much more history behind Blue and Derek’s lives in this installment. I enjoy the D/s aspect of their relationship and look forward to reading more in Book 3. As in Book 1, trouble seems to find Blue like a homing beacon. He gets into Trouble (with a capital “T”) on more than one front, and this time it’s hurtful to Derek. I realize Blue is relatively young, but young doesn’t have to mean stupid or incapable of restraint. Oh Blue, I really question whether you do love Derek – it seems he’s the one doing all the giving and you’re the one doing all the taking!I’ll give the boys another chance as I move on to Book 3, but I’m on my guard!!
What do You think about Close To Me (2008)?
Book 2 of the wonderful Blue Ruin series. Review to follow. :)
—Gurpreet
