Rainbow Reviews

BOOK BLURB:
Vic Bronsen has a problem. He's stuck in a rut, uninspired by his job, and in love with a man who has no clue. Thinking a change of scenery and company will do his aching heart some good, he goes off on a road trip with his best friend, only to find that the answers to his problems may have been right there in front of him all along.

BOOK REVIEW:
Love triangles are far from being an original plot device, but it’s one Ms. Roux handles well. The three main players are all stubborn, all keep their feelings to themselves, so no wonder this situation has gone on for five years.

Vic Bronson (more on that name in a moment), a state prosecutor, is in love with Owen, a cop who occasionally does court duty. Shane, a superior court judge, is in love with Vic. Vic doesn’t know Shane is in love with him, ditto for Owen knowing about Vic’s interest. I can believe macho pride has prevented each from speaking out, and their jobs are such that they’re used to keeping secrets.

Shane says of Owen, "’If he doesn't know you love him, then ... then he's a fool. And if he does, then he's a bastard.’" I don’t necessarily agree with this. Okay, Owen’s a hunky cop, and his actions toward Vic ~ having sex with him then never spending the night ~ couldn’t be described as romantic. But in Owen’s defense he doesn’t know of Vic’s interest in him. So I was prepared to cut him some slack. Okay, I admit it, part of the reason I’m so forgiving is that he is a hunky and handsome cop.

Vic Bronson. The name is distracting as it’s almost identical to Vic Braunson, a character in a series of stories by J.M. Snyder. I kept superimposing Ms. Snyder’s bald, tattooed and pierced city bus driver on Ms. Roux’s much more soberly put together lawyer.

We open with a courtroom scene, but that’s about the extent of the lawyer thing. For such dedicated professionals, the lack of legal talk strikes me as odd. Wouldn’t they discuss past cases, interesting legal concepts? Such would have added color to the narrative.

I did enjoy Shane and Vic’s travels across parts of the eastern USA. Their geographical discoveries went hand in hand with their personal ones. The “is he, isn’t he” about Vic’s view’s on Shane’s homosexuality felt realistic. I like how despite his unrequited love for Owen, Vic found himself able to consider a future with Shane. Even though I still rooted for Owen, remember, hunky, handsome cop. But as Owen didn’t return Vic’s feelings, I didn’t perceive Vic’s growing attraction to Shane as cheating.

The conclusion was wonderfully romantic and sweet. It’s what all good romance stories should aim to achieve.

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