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Review: Best Vacation that Never Was by Lynn Lorenz

Title: Best Vacation that Never Was
Author: Lynn Lorenz
Author’s website: www.lynnlorenz.com
Publisher: Loose Id, LLC
Release Date: August 2009
ISBN: 978-1-59632-998-0
Length: Novel
Format: Electronic
Genre: Contemporary GLBT
Sensuality Level: 3
Rating: 4.25

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

When Troy’s apartment building burns down, his life comes to a screeching halt, not to mention his vacation plans. He is left homeless and exhausted and coughing up soot, with no place to go and no money to get by on. At least he’s still alive, thanks to the Houston Fire Department and the gorgeous young firefighter who pulls him to safety from his window ledge, naked but for the wet towel around his waist. And as if saving Troy’s life isn’t heroic enough, that very same firefighter offers him both a place to stay for a week and assistance putting his life back together.

Jason’s not sure which was hotter – the apartment fire or the nearly naked dude he pulled off the side of the building. He does know that he wants to get to know Troy better in every possible way, and that means taking the man home with him. Together, Jason and Troy discover companionship, laughter, and the hottest sex either of them has ever had. But it’s only sex, right? No strings and no commitments, just fun. So why does the thought of Troy leaving at the end of the week hurt so much?

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Lynn Lorenz’s latest offering, Best Vacation that Never Was, is what I would consider the quintessential summertime read. It is quick and entertaining and sure to put a smile on a reader’s face as we follow the characters through a series of lighthearted adventures and watch them fall in love in spite of themselves.

There are a few things that I expect when I read one of Ms. Lorenz’s books, and the most central item is engaging and well-drawn characters. She seems to understand that the characters are what make a story. The best plot in the world would fall flat if the players were wooden stick figures or paper dolls, and in Best Vacation that Never Was, we are given two heroes who light up the entire story. Ms. Lorenz hooks our affections with these two young men, Troy and Jason, and she has imbued them with personalities that are rich and colorful and downright loveable.

Jason is very “surfer dude” and rowdy. Fun-loving, irrepressible, filled with life and laughter, he is a risk-taker and an adventure-seeker. With enough attitude to fill a room all by himself, he challenges Troy and woos him with adventure and romance. Troy is slightly more cautious but is more than willing to place those cautions aside and experiment a little bit. The interaction between these two characters is affectionate, sensual, and frequently humorous.

Besides the characters, another aspect of this story that caught my attention was the realism in their adventures. Whether they are jet skiing, deep sea fishing, or hot air ballooning, I truly felt as if I were experiencing these activities along with them. The sense of fun and the excitement the men feel as they reel in a game fish the size of a small horse, skip across the waves, or float over the countryside is infectious; I probably spent most of my time as I read this story with a grin on my face.

In all, I have to rate Best Vacation that Never Was as “just plain fun.” It is light-hearted and well-written, and I found reading it to be an enjoyable experience from beginning to end.