3 Hearts

I’m very content with this last installment of the Art Series as it showcases original MC’s Dieter and Gerald, and also perpetuates the similar theme of gaining ownership of a family legacy - something I quite enjoyed the first go around.

Timothy has just inherited his late grandfather’s house, and as he contemplates what to do with it, he rekindles the friendship he had as a child with Dieter. Unfortunately, Timothy hasn’t had it easy, having had a very tumultuous relationship with his drug addicted mother, something that has brought and wrought a lot of personal pain. His grandfather was the steady force in his life, and when Timothy discovers some old coins, he feels he must honor “grampy” by officially claiming the controversial money.

Enter Joiner. He’s relatively a newbie at the law firm where Gerald and Brian (MC from book 2) work at, and he’s been tasked to help out on the case. Of course, he’s instantly smitten with the shy and timid Timothy, as his vulnerability pulls at Joiner to do whatever it takes to help him. However, Joiner discovers an unfortunate glitch in U.S. treasury history. One particular coin was never meant for distribution and is inherently the property of the government. Any previous coins claimed have always been instantly confiscated, and Joiner and Gerald must find that special loophole to prevent that from happening again.

Now I have no idea if this is really a true plausible situation or not. Regardless, this is still an interesting premise despite this being a romance. I have to say, it’s also a decent hurt comfort story, as Timothy struggles to trust Joiner and their growing feelings, trying to not to let his awful past come between them.

Overall, this was another audio win for John Solo, as I enjoyed listening to him just as much as the previous three stories. Grey doesn’t deviate from his formula, consistently bringing the sweet and sexy with a touch of good ole melodrama. Again, I appreciate this unique theme (minus the minimally connected tangent that was book 3) and I had a good time seeing these lawyers win their cases and find grand love in the process!

Thank you to the author/publisher for the audio in exchange for a honest review

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Legal Tender doesn’t go far from the other books in this series, cute young man with a bit of drama in his past meets another cute man, slightly older and with an aura of security that will give stability to their relationship. And so why I continue to read them? They are like peanuts! Or strawberries, or any other addictive food. You know how they will taste, but nevertheless you need to take another and another and another.

Legal Tender is sweet and comfortable; the same comfort Timothy so desperately needs in a relationship. Timothy is still young but he had a tragic experience in his past that is causing him trouble in his love life. He needs someone patient, passionate but not pushing, someone who can go to the slow pace Timothy needs to take. You would expect for the man to fit the bill to be maybe older and lived, but instead Joiner is just out of college, the younger lawyer in his firm. But the safety in Joiner lies in his attitude and in his quiet behavior.

Another nice aspect of this novel is the gay neighborhood that is basically colonizing a small city area: from the first novel to this one, we have artists, lawyers, shop owners (but of sophisticated businesses like wine shops and antique galleries), all of them buying and restoring Queen Victoria and Queen Anne houses. It’s almost like a fairy tale land, where the LGBT community can live happily ever after. And in most of those houses you can find treasures, like for Timothy who found a cash of gold coins in the attic. Fairy tale indeed you would say, but it’s not long that I have read of a woman who found a Renoir in her attic, so nothing is really impossible.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1613724373/?tag=elimyrevandra-20