Tags

, ,

If you are looking for a slow build romance with very little drama for your next summer read, Anna Martin has you covered!

*****

The Color of Summer

by Anna Martin

Length: 71,000 words approx.

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Cover Design: Reese Dante

Blurb:

Tattoo artist Max Marshall rushes into his hometown of Sweetwater, West Virginia—and is promptly pulled over for speeding. Max’s luck isn’t all bad, though, because he recognizes the deputy, Tyler Reed, Max’s childhood best friend’s older brother.

Reconnecting with Tyler helps Max settle back in, and it also leads to attraction. But when he tries to explore that connection at the grand opening of his tattoo studio—by kissing Tyler—awkwardness ensues. Max wants more, but has he misread Tyler’s signals?

As a single father raising a six-year-old daughter, Tyler doesn’t have much time to date. He’s ignored his attraction to men for years, but he can’t stop thinking about the kiss he shared with Max. If he can handle the complications of dating in a small town and the possible consequences to his career, this romance could blossom with all the colors of summer.

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Dreamspinner | Universal Link

*****

Review:

This is my first Anna Martin book so I had no expectations going in.  Maybe that has something to do with why I enjoyed it so much while a lot of the Goodreads reviews are less than stellar.  I actually appreciated the low angst that she brings and how it’s a lot about finding your footing & finding love.

Max is back in his small hometown because his mom recently had a stroke and he realized he wanted to be closer to her.  Opening his own tattoo parlor is a big bonus and connecting with Tyler again (and maybe more) is just the icing on the cake.  Max is the fun-loving character who enjoys life and is comfortable with his sexuality.  He’s been out since school and has had a few romantic bumps along the way but overall he’s confident and assured.  (Although maybe not quite ready for a life-time commitment just yet.)

Tyler hasn’t ever really felt that sexual, even though he’s been married and had a kid, but with Max’s return he’s starting to figure out there may be a reason why.  Looking a bit deeper at himself and his desires, Tyler soon changes his mind about wanting just friendship between them.

Since his older brother is comfortable in a long-term, same-sex relationship, I think that helped Tyler with his decision.  There are a few complaints in reviews about how easy and quickly his mind was changed, but it actually worked for me.  The conversation he had with his brother & brother-in-law was awesome and I love how they described sexuality & helped him come to terms with things.

I think my only concern was how Tyler was worried about his standing in the community but that wasn’t really ever addressed.  I mean, we know from the epilogue that everything works out fine for them but I think a little bit of the reaction of the townsfolk accepting him as he is would have been nice.  Otherwise, I enjoyed pretty much everything else about this story.

The Color of Summer is a relaxed, easy read and the low drama factor makes it a fabulous summer read in my opinion.  Low key doesn’t have to mean boring and Martin’s latest is a perfect example.  With a cast of awesome characters and plenty of feels, there’s a lot to keep you reading.

*****

Author Info:

Anna Martin is from a picturesque seaside village in the southwest of England and now lives in the Bristol, a city that embraces her love for the arts. After spending most of her childhood making up stories, she studied English literature at university before attempting to turn her hand as a professional writer. 

Apart from being physically dependent on her laptop, Anna is enthusiastic about writing and producing local grassroots theater (especially at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where she can be found every summer), going to visit friends in other countries, and reading anything thatís put under her nose. 

Anna claims her entire career is due to the love, support, prereading, and creative ass kicking provided by her best friend Jennifer. Jennifer refuses to accept responsibility for anything Anna has written.


https://www.annamartin-fiction.com/

http://www.facebook.com/annamartinfiction

http://www.pinterest.com/annamartinficti/

http://instagram.com/missannamartin

http://www.twitter.com/missannamartin

*****

Giveaway:

Ebook of The Color of Summer

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/3e0e9a43613/

*****