Review: Depth of Field by Riley Hart
SYNOPSIS:
Shane Wallace has made a decent life for himself in Last Chance. He built his own home on his mom’s property to take care of her, owns an automotive repair shop, and when he wants to get laid, Portland isn’t too far away. Not too shabby for the boy who spent his childhood getting bullied and feeling alone. Shane’s content to leave his past behind him…until one of his childhood tormentors comes back to town.
Maxwell Sullivan never planned to step foot in Last Chance again. Here, he was Maxwell, a teen who suffered in silence while everyone thought he had the perfect life. Now, he’s “Van,” the erotic artist and photographer. He’s only here to help his mom tie up some loose ends after his father’s death and to apologize to Shane. After that, he’s heading back to LA for good.
Shane never thought he’d have anything in common with Maxwell, but there’s a depth to Van that surprises him. Van knows what it feels like to be alone. He sees Shane in ways no one else does. There’s a shared connection neither can deny. Somehow, despite their rocky history, they get each other.
It’s not long before the two are so drawn to each other that they tumble into bed—sometimes with Van’s camera involved. Their chemistry in and out of the bedroom is undeniable. Except nothing is ever black and white. Shane can’t leave his mom and Van’s life is in LA. With two different lives pulling them in opposite directions, their picture-perfect ending might not be in the cards.
REVIEW:
I didn’t fall in love with this story but I did like it. Riley Hart managed to tackle a few tough topics while maintaining a light, sexy romance. In the end, the story left me with smile on my face.
Shane and Van are two complicated characters. Their teenage history has them as enemies and they stay that way for years. After Van returns, Shane realizes that all his anger and hatred is still brewing. But Van isn’t the boy he was in high school. So what I liked about this is that Shane and Van both acknowledged their past. They didn’t sweep it away. I would have liked them to spend a little more time reconnecting before they jumped into bed together. I think their relationship lacked a little fluidity in this aspect and they went from mortal enemies to hot and heavy within a few days.
Once things got started, they definitely didn’t slow down. Their sexual chemistry was off the charts. So. Much. Blushing. Wall sex, cameras, videos, dirty talk, these two are on a whole different level of steam. But there were a few cringey scenes…like licking armpits. Ew, no, gag, that should never be a thing, especially when said character is not freshly showered. But sex wasn’t the only thing that carried them. They ended up having a ton in common and this middle ground gave more substance to the relationship. But I just wish the talking came before what felt like insta-love.
And they still had to deal with all their family issues. Van trying to see if their is a salvageable relationship with his mother. While Shane struggles with care-giving for his mom. And I guess these issues are where I lost a little interest. The family issues sort of overshadowed the relationship development. Overall, I enjoyed the book but I don’t think I would pick it up again.
LINKS:
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
