Book Review: Legally Wed by Rick R. Reed

Reviewed by Susan65

Title:  Legally Wed
Author: Rick R. Reed
Heroes: Duncan Taylor and Peter Dalrymple
Genre: M/M Contemporary
Length: 216 Pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: January 3, 2014
Available at: Dreamspinner Press, Amazon, All Romance eBooks & Barnes and Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads & Booklikes

Blurb: Love comes along when you least expect it. That’s what Duncan Taylor’s sister, Scout, tells him. Scout has everything Duncan wants—a happy life with a wonderful husband. Now that Seattle has made gay marriage legal, Duncan knows he can have the same thing. But when he proposes to his boyfriend Tucker, he doesn’t get the answer he hoped for. Tucker’s refusal is another misstep in a long line of failed romances. Despairing, Duncan thinks of all the loving unions in his life—and how every one of them is straight. Maybe he could be happy, if not sexually compatible, with a woman. When zany, gay-man-loving Marilyn Samples waltzes into his life, he thinks he may have found his answer.

Determined to settle, Duncan forgets his sister’s wisdom about love and begins planning a wedding with Marilyn. But life throws Duncan a curveball. When he meets wedding planner Peter Dalrymple, unexpected sparks ignite. Neither man knows how long he can resist his powerful attraction to the other. For sure, there’s a wedding in the future. But whose?

Review:

Not what I was expecting. When I see Rick R Reed named as the author on a book I usually have to prepare myself for an ugly cry. This wasn’t the case here. I had myself all worked up, waiting for the ax to fall, but it never happened. Yes, bad stuff did happen but it wasn’t the gut wrenching pain that I usually associate with this author. This is different, and once I was finally able to wrap my mind around the fact that I wasn’t going to be gutted I was able to enjoy it.

I don’t think I’ve ever come across a story where a gay man has given up on men and decides to look for a woman to marry instead. Especially when he doesn’t even plan on having sex with the woman; talk about desperation. ..jeez. Unfortunately I didn’t like his choice, Marilyn, but then again I wasn’t the one marrying her. She was just too over the top for me. I could feel both of their pains at believing that their soul-mate didn’t exist but seriously, these two needed counseling more than a wedding.

My main wish was that there was more time spent with Peter and Duncan, after Duncan and Marilyn came to their senses and realized that the marriage wasn’t going to work. I knew it was going to happen and I wanted less Marilyn face time and more Peter. And honestly, if an overweight forty-something woman can find a dreamboat like she did at the end, then there is hope for all of us. I think my main issue was my inability to see the attraction of Marilyn to either guy. I had to go back and reread her description because she has something that draws men to her like flies, but I just didn’t get it.

So, my impression of this story, once I looked passed the issue above, and realized that it wasn’t a traditional gay romance, was that I really liked it. The main storyline is more focused on Duncan, his life, and his family drama and how in the end he meets and falls in love Peter. I believe if you go into this book understanding that it’s not boy meets boy at the beginning then you will really enjoy it.

Overall Impression: I really liked it

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in return for a fair and honest review.*