Guest Reviewed by Trish
Title: The Foster Family
Author: Jaime Samms
Heroes: Kerry Grey, Charlie Stone, Malcolm Holmes
Genre: M/M/M Contemporary
Length: 330 Pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: February 14, 2014
Available at: Dreamspinner Press, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, All Romance eBooks and Kobo
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads
Blurb: Growing up in foster care has left Kerry Grey with little self-esteem or hope for his future. A college dropout, Kerry scrapes by on a part-time job at a garden nursery. His friendship with his boss and working with the plants are the only high points in Kerry’s life. He’s been dating the man who bullied him at school, but when his boyfriend abandons him at a party, Kerry wanders down the beach to drown his sorrows in a bottle of scotch.
Malcolm Holmes and Charlie Stone have been together for fifteen years. Despite Charlie’s willingness to accept Malcolm’s unspoken domination in bed,something is missing from their relationship. Early one morning, they rescue a passed out Kerry from being washed away by the tide and Charlie immediately senses a kindred spirit in the lost younger man. When Kerry’s roommate kicks him out, Malcolm and Charlie invite him into their home. As Charlie and Kerry bond over Charlie’s garden, Malcolm sees Kerry may be just who they have been looking for to complete their lives. All they have to do is show Kerry, and each other, that Kerry’s submissive tendencies will fit their dynamic.
But someone is sabotaging Kerry at every turn. As he struggles to discover the culprit, he fears for the safety of his new friends. If Malcolm and Charlie cannot help, their lifelong search for their perfect third may not end with the happily ever after they imagined.
Review:
Kerry Grey is a 20 year old man, raised in the foster care system and determined to prove to everyone that he’s not a child but a young man who can take of himself. Unfortunately, that is not the first impression he makes on Charlie and Malcolm, established couple for 15 years. They find Kerry passed out on the beach near their house and ultimately take him home.
What I enjoyed most about this book is the multi layers that each MC reveals. Is Malcolm 100% comfortable as the Dominant? Is Charlie happy as the Submissive in the relationship? And Kerry, he’s not what he seems as first.
Kerry perplexed me. In some ways, he is smarter and stronger than his older lovers, but in others, he is insecure and lacking communication skills with everyone in his life. Then we have Mal and Charlie, who on the outside seem like a secure Dom/sub couple, but we soon learn there are cracks in their facade. They also have a habit of bringing a third into their bedroom and sometimes find a man who has the potential for more. They realize early on that Kerry has that potential, and this is where the story takes off.
The overall theme for this story is communication, both emotionally and physically. This story is not about miscommunication. It’s about communicating effectively. Even though the story focuses on Kerry as the lead, there is a significant amount of time exploring Mal and Charlie’s relationship. Trust me, it’s needed. Kerry, even though young in years, is mature beyond his years when it comes to the important things. He sees right away that all three men need to work on themselves before they can attempt to keep a relationship together. As part of the main storyline, there is a side mystery that is used to help move the relationships along. It’s not a huge leap to figure out what is going on, but that’s fine, this is love story, not a story about a mystery.
The writing was tight, dialogue with all the characters, main and secondary, was very enjoyable and heartfelt. The first chapter seemed slow to me. I worried that I may not enjoy the story because of the slow beginning, but once the characters started interacting, the story takes off and the pacing was perfect.
If you are looking for an erotica story with BDSM, then this one is not for you. However, if you are looking for a love story where BDSM is secondary and most scenes fade to black, then this will be right up your alley.
Overall Impression: I really liked it!
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in return for a fair and honest review.*
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