Review: Risk Taker by Lily Morton
SYNOPSIS:
Being in love with your best friend is hard.
Henry’s the odd man out. All his friends are settling down, and his reputation as the Hook-Up King of London seems more like a curse than a blessing these days. Especially when it keeps photojournalist Ivo, his best friend and the brilliant man he’s loved since they were fifteen, at arm’s length. But that’s where Ivo wants him, right? Putting aside his feelings, Henry decides to give up casual sex and look for the real deal. After all, he has no chance with Ivo – or does he?
Henry is everything to Ivo. Best friend, soul mate, the one person who has never let him down. The one person he is loyal to above everything and everyone. But Henry’s in a box marked best friend and that’s where Ivo’s kept him for nearly twenty years, despite steadily falling in love with the gentle man. And besides, why would Henry want to date Ivo? Burned out and injured, he’s the walking embodiment of damaged.
Distance has helped Henry and Ivo keep a lid on their attraction, but when they find themselves in the same city for a change—Ivo hurt and needing assistance, and Henry more than willing to provide it—the two best friends grow closer than ever, forcing a realization, and a decision. Risk their friendship for their hearts? Or can they have both?
From the bestselling author of Rule Breaker and Deal Maker comes a tender love story about two best friends who are perfect for each other, and always have been – if only they knew it.
REVIEW:
This book was just okay, which is usually my temperament when it comes to the friends to lovers troupe. Henry and Ivo have been a constant in each other’s lives for 20 years. It also appears both of them have their heads buried so far in the sand, they can’t even see how in love they truly are.
I loved the cover of this book, the picture is scorching hot and perfectly captures the image of Henry I had in my head. I also am obsessed with the name Ivo, so unique and creative, I’ve never come across it before in a book. The plot line, while predictable, was enjoyable. I loved how Gabe and Dylan are meddlesome and interfere to try to bring these two together. There were also a handful of truly hilarious scenes, such as Henry and Dylan getting drunk and high together.
So the friendships and camaraderie amongst the characters was delightful. After 3 books, I truly have a grasp on this tightly knit group. But my heart was physically hurting for Henry and I actually pitied him. He has been messing around with half of London while pining for Ivo for decades. In contrast, it seemed that Ivo’s attraction to Henry was a more recent development.
But I have a few pet-peeves…especially at the beginning of the book. First and foremost, for the love of all things holy, do your research as an author. Ivo has stitches in his side, was recently injured, and then he just jumps into the bath for a soak. Hello, breeding ground for infections. I don’t need my science degree to tell me this, any Google search will tell you the same.
Another issue I have was the time line in this story. If you read it as a series, things are kind of confusing. Do Gabe and Dylan get married? If so, when? Same thing with Jude and Asa. And I hate that the weddings are never mentioned or verified…each story just eludes to engagement and happily ever after, please spell it out for me. I want all the happily ever after details. So I am left kind of floating about wondering when in the timeline do Henry and Ivo get together.
LINKS:
