Friday, July 21, 2017

House of Cards (Porthkennack #4) [Brix & Calum] by Garrett Leigh

Beautiful heart breaking story. Exactly what I expected from Garrett, and as usual she never fails me with a soul crushing yet endearing love story. Calum and Birx deserved better in life, but at least now, they are able to be there for one another and build a future together, one they can look forward to. They both been betrayed in the most devastating way, Brix had a few years to try and mend his pieces, but there are still parts of him that are broken. Calum is at his worst, can't believe his good luck when Brix offers him a home and a job when everything else in his life is in ruins. 



Calum Hardy and "Brix" Lusmoore met about 10 years ago in London. Caum starting his career as a Tattoo Artist, marveling at Brix's talent as well as good looks. It never occurred to him he might be "Bi" until he met the guy. Yet nothing happened between them back then, they were just friends until Brix disappeared never to return again. Calum thought of Brix and missed him til he met Rob. From then everything changed for him. Their relationship consumed all of his life until there was nothing left that was truly Calum's, including the manipulative Rob himself. 


Brix finds Calum on a train station's bench, totally drunk with nothing on him except for his wallet, not even a phone or a decent coat. Brix saves people (and chickens..) that's what he does apparently so he takes Calum in, offers him a bed to sleep, and a job at his Tattoo shop as long as he wants it, asking nothing in return. 


Calum was half in love with Brix back in London, and now he is there for him, helping him build his life back, but also his confidence. I was heart broken seeing how down Calum was, the horrible impact Rob had on him and his self esteem. It was really hard on Brix seeing the guy he remembered from London being a shadow of the guy he knew back then. Yet they are both reluctant to start something together. They each have his own reasons for that. 


I loved the setting of Porthkennack. A small seaside town, so very different than London even if they have the same occupation as Tattoo Artists. Brix shop is filled with wonderful people he helped out and are now more than just friends or co-workers, they are his family. He has a father and but their relationship is always strained somehow. Brix doesn't feel he belongs with them, but he DOES feel at home in his cottage with his rescued chickens and the friends he made and brought into his shop. I'm glad we'll have another installment (the 6th in the Porthkennack series) of Kim ("Junkyard Heart"). 


Both Calum and Brix have a hard time confessing their darkest secrets. Calum's in a way is more obvious, or it is obvious, for someone as attentive as Brix. Without knowing the details he understands more than Calum realizes. But he is not the only one holding back secrets, and not the only observant one. Brix is consumed with his past and present. It's funny that though I had no idea what it was, I somehow have. I recently got my new Kindle Voyage and so last weekend I was doing my best to organize the absolutely ridiculous amount of books on it. A few of them refused to be synced. Why is that important? because I was thinking about one of them this whole week. It had a heart crushing story, one with a forte I actually never read before. Well, up until THIS one. I loved the way it was handled, the little hints, the fact it was so close to the end of the book, keeping me on my toes, and yet the timing was perfect. Brix and Calum needed to re-build their friendship and connection before they could delve into what happened back then and the implication it had on his life. 


This book was a joy to read. I was drawn in from the first page not wanting to stop until I was finished (at 3 a.m.). I love Garrett's writing, the way she portrayed her characters who are flawed in the most human and realistic way. I loved the setting of the Tattoo shop, a tattooed lady myself :) I wish I could go visit Porthkennack and the people she created in this small picturistic town. Though unlike the residences I'll bring an umbrella. Everyone seems to get wet by the rain.. 


Perfection. Grab it now! and circle the 4th of December in your calendar as well, that's when "Junkyard Heart" will be coming out!



Rating:
E-Book
Edition
227
pages
Read on:
20 July 2017
     

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