Reviewed by Heather C
Title: Mending Him
Authors: Summer Devon and Bonnie Dee
Heroes: Robbie Grayson and Charles Worthington
Genre: MM Historical Romance
Length: 200 pages
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Release Date: September 9, 2014
Available at: Samhain Publishing, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads
Blurb: As his world collapses, love opens his heart.
Robbie Grayson has always felt like a bit of an outsider in the Chester family, though he’s related by blood. An orphan taken in at a young age, he is further set apart by a limp inflicted by a childhood illness.
Nevertheless, he’s content enough with his quiet country life—until a mercurial wastrel named Charles Worthington explodes into it. And Robbie is assigned to play nursemaid to an invalid with an attitude.
Injured in a carriage accident, Charles arrives at the Chester estate drunk as a lord and with empty pockets. Despair consumes him as his broken body slowly heals, but the kindness of quiet, thoughtful Robbie saves him from drowning in self-pity.
Over chess matches and conversation, these polar opposites challenge each other to break out of old patterns, until desire burns through the thin veneer of pure friendship. Yet their passion could destroy the family bonds they value so highly. Especially when someone catches wind of their relationship—and threatens blackmail.
Product Warnings
This book contains hot man-on-man lovin’ between not-quite kissin’ cousins.
Review:
Robbie Grayson has lived as “almost” a son in the Chester family since he lost his parents at a very young age. Stricken with polio as a child, Robbie’s limp has hindered him from making his mark on the world and he has been happy to help the Chester’s run their country estate. When long-lost cousin Charles Worthington finds himself bankrupt after breaking both of his legs in a carriage accident, he is invited to to recover in the Chester home until he can get back on his feet…literally. Gentle, nurturing Robbie is tasked with overseeing Charles’s care and their tentative friendship quickly moves towards a relationship of an illicit nature. But will their relationship stand against the blackmail when threatened to be revealed?
This was a very sweet story. Not the sappy, disgustingly sweet that I hate, but the adorable, happy romance that put a huge smile on my face. Both characters are easily likable and their friendship and attraction to each other is very believable. Two lost souls coming together over disability and recovery. Don’t get me wrong, Robbie and Charles are “nothing” alike, but the men they become are totally in sync.
There were plenty of humorous moments too. The opening scene was absolutely hilarious!! A druken Charles arrives to the Chester estate singing and carrying-on and falling out of the carriage…onto Robbie!! Priceless!
The blackmail plot was a little annoying because it kinda fizzled out and didn’t really go anywhere. Yes, the blackmailer was brat and he did what was expected, but I didn’t feel betrayed by that fact because I was waiting for it to happen.
I think my biggest issue with the story is that Charles’s “mysterious illness” was never explained!! It was there for months and then all of a sudden its just GONE?? Or can he be afflicted again at any moment? I feel like that piece could have been taken out, because as it stands, it leaves a bit of a plot hole in my opinion. The nurse in me wants to KNOW…
Overall, the story was a bit predictable and not very exciting, hence the four star rating, but it perfectly hit all the right spots for what I was in the mood for at the time.
I definitely recommend this, especially if you are fan of this duo of writers.
Overall Impression: I Really Liked It
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in return for a fair and honest review.*
The Blogger Girls 
Thanks for the review! I don’t usually comment, but thought this might be kind of interesting for readers. Charles’s illness was one that wasn’t recognized until decades after the story took place. it was Guillain-Barre syndrome—named after the French physicians Georges Guillain and Jean Alexandre Barré, who described it in 1916. It’s an autoimmune disorder that affects the nerves.
From one of our research sources: “Most people with Guillain-Barre syndrome recover completely or have only minor, residual weakness or abnormal sensations, such as numbness or tingling. However, full recovery may be slow, often taking a year or longer….”
Ah! That prefectly explains it! I was going thorough every diagnosis I could think of and idk how I didn’t figure it out. Well done 🙂
Phew! You have no idea what a relief it is to have a nurse say that fits. (Maybe we should have put a note in the back.)
Lol. I note would have been helpful for sure… It was bugging me that it was never explained…which I understand how it couldn’t have been explained IN the story so that couldn’t be helped.