He's The One Fate We Make Book #1
Gay Romance, LGBTQ Romance
Independent
June 25, 2023
Kinde
381
Amazon
Col’s world is falling apart. His relationship has been exposed as a sham, he’s lost his home, and been fired from his job as a stonemason. Who says bad luck doesn’t come in threes? With no option but to move back in with his parents, and with his efforts to find a new job hitting a brick wall, Col’s life is going nowhere.
Theo, unwilling heir to the ancient Asquith Hall estate, is desperate to gain some independence from his overbearing family. Despite his efforts to live up to the role he never wanted, he’s constantly battling to earn his family’s respect. Being made to feel lacking takes its toll, and sometimes, it’s hard to stay happy.
When a near fatal accident forces their paths to cross, Col and Theo discover in each other the connection both have been craving. As their love story unfolds, so do the secrets and sadness hidden at the heart of Asquith Hall. The past can’t be changed, but with Col’s stonemasonry skills and Theo’s determination, they might just be able to restore what’s broken and find happiness.
Warning – past child abuse of a secondary character (no on-page detail), descriptions of violence, horrible parents and lovely parents, wayward brothers, a man who mends stone and hearts, and a young man who never has an unspoken thought.
Reviewed by Linda Tonis
Member of the Paranormal Romance Guild Review Team
Two young men, Theo whose father is the Marquess of Farnstall and Col Hammond who grew up in foster care meet and it is life changing.
Theo grew up unloved, his mother and grandmother never hesitated to tell him he was worthless, and his father just always appeared to be indifferent. All of Theo’s ideas were called stupid and ignored and yet his father accepted the same ideas from his estate manager, Darnley. It was Darnley’s job to teach Theo everything necessary to run Asquith Hall and his treatment of him was appalling. Theo accepted his life and never fought back until he was told he would marry a woman, have children and keep his male lover a secret. Theo would not accept living a lie, but his mother was unwilling to accept his refusal. Life changed for Theo the day he almost died. His rescuer was a handsome man and rather than focusing on nearly dying his mind went to thoughts of this handsome men and all the things he wanted to do with him.
The handsome man is Col Hammond one of the stonemasons whose childhood was a nightmare and who went into foster care at the age of ten until he was blessed with foster parents who loved him and considered him their son. He also must live with the fact that his brother Dominic at the age of fifteen killed both their parents. Dominic suffered abuse by both parents but when their attention began to focus on his younger brother Col, he did the only thing he could think of and that was murder. He suffered through his childhood and now he is suffering as an adult, his boyfriend Robert has been lying to him his weekends were not spent with his ailing parents but with his wife and children. Now he has no boyfriend and no home and must move back with his parents. The cherry on top of his sad life is he is fired from his job. Saving Theo gave him hope for a change in his life but since he is fired, he will no longer be working at Asquith Hall and seeing Theo again is not in his future.
Fate and a show bring Col back to Asquith Hall and brings him and Theo together again. Theo is a young man who has absolutely no filter and he talks a mile a minute saying anything his brain thinks of at the moment. Although Theo is the opposite of what Col always thought he wanted in a boyfriend Theo is hard to ignore and his innocence and kindness makes him everything Col didn’t realize he needed and wanted. Theo’s responsibilities make a relationship difficult he must adhere to certain rules governing his family and what is expected of him.
As Theo and Col begin to build a relationship secrets, betrayals, lies and unexpected surprises threaten everything they hope for. Theo will learn secrets his parents have kept from him all his life, secrets that forced his older brother Piers to walk away from everything. Despite how he is treated he is unwilling to walk away from his responsibilities and with Col’s help they begin to dig into the secrets of Asquith Hall. What the two of them discover will change not only their lives but the lives of those around them.
I loved this story about two young men whose childhoods should have made them hateful but instead made them loving and caring. I couldn’t help but love this book and it was greatly because of the love I had for the two main characters, especially Theo.
