Finding Finlay Hawthorne Bluff Book#1
Gay Fiction, LGBTQ Ficton, Gay Romance
Independent
June 6, 2023
Kindle
159
Amazon
When banker Finlay Reynolds learns that Clayton Bradley is back in town, he’s both excited and a little scared. It’s been six years since they last saw each other, and Finn never acted on the attraction he felt back then and still feels now. Would Clay give him a second thought now that he’s back?
Clay’s return to Hawthorne Bluff is a second chance for him. He ran away years ago and his life took a dark turn. When his grandmother, who had always stood by him, suffers a stroke, he comes back to support her and run his family’s bed and breakfast.
But his time in prison changed Clay and he’s not sure the town can forgive him. And then there’s a couple of unsavory characters from Clay’s past that just won’t leave him alone.
Can an ex-con and a banker find romance after all those years? Maybe finding Finlay is exactly why Clay is back in Hawthorne Bluff.
Reviewed by Linda Tonis
Member of the Paranormal Romance Guild Review Team
Six years ago, Clayton (Clay) Bradley left Hawthorne Bluff and ended up in Chicago. He ran from Hawthorne Bluff because of Sean Baker who wanted him to help with a robbery, something Clay did not want to do and didn’t know how to get out of. His decision was to run only, he wound up with the wrong crowd again and this time it led to him being behind bars. He served almost three and a half years of his sentence and was released early for good behavior.
Clay lived in a half-way house reported to his parole officer and did everything he could to keep out of trouble, jail was the one place he never intended to revisit. When his grandmother Emma had a stroke, he advised his parole office and headed home to the only person who ever cared for him and would never give up on him. While she is in a nursing home, he is running Bradley House, his grandmother’s B&B. He doesn’t expect to make this move permanent since he has not been welcomed by the town because of his past. Unfortunately, there are so many people who do not believe in second chances or that good people can find themselves doing the wrong thing then pay their debt and want to do better.
It is Finlay Reynolds that comes to Clay offering friendship. Finn always had a crush on Clay but because of their age difference he never acted on his feelings. Finn was six years older, and they were still in school which made that six years seem insurmountable, now it isn’t even an issue. The more time Finlay and Clay spend together the more they begin to care for each other and more than just as friends.
Clay sees a future in Hawthorne Bluff and a desire to bring in more business to the B&B and to hopefully realize a future with the man he is beginning to love. Just when things are finally going in an upward direction for Clay a voice from the past threatens to destroy everything. Sean Baker hasn’t forgotten Clay and plans on bringing him down. Sean’s threats could bring an end to the future Clay hoped for.
A beautiful story about a man who did the wrong thing and wants to make amends. I know that it is hard to overcome past mistakes when people will not give you a chance and in Clay’s case hopefully, he has the right people behind him.