Book Review: All That Heaven Will Allow by D.W. Marchwell

Reviewed by Susan65

Title: All That Heaven Will Allow

Author: D.W. Marchwell

Heroes: Jimmy Campbell/Derek Roberts

Genre: MM Contemporary

Length: 200 Pages

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Release Date: November 21, 2014

Available at: Dreamspinner Press, Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Jimmy Campbell has owned his own bar for the past twenty years. While his past is troubled, his present and future make life worth living. He has good friends, more than enough money, and he volunteers—along with his Yorkie, Bozo, and his Maine coon cat, Miss Alicia—at the local hospital every Friday. He couldn’t ask for more. That is, until he meets Derek “Dizzy” Roberts.

Derek is a musician who tours the country with his band. He’s an ex-cop, was married once, and has the bitter ex-wife and two spoiled children to prove it. He’s finally living his dream, and that includes bedding all the groupies who think he’s every bit as good as his music. He doesn’t worry much about the future, until he meets Jimmy.

The two men begin a long-distance romance, sneaking weekends here and there, until a tragedy forces them to realize they might lose the only thing they both want–a future together. Now, they’re asking for everything heaven will allow.

Review: When I first started this story, I wasn’t expecting Derek to be such an annoying man. His arrogance and his slimy pick up lines were really bad, but Jimmy put him in his place immediately, and the real Derek turned out to be a really good man.

Derek and Jimmy are both older men and finally finding true love. Their romance required work on both sides, but they both realized that it was something special…and it was. I had a bit of difficulty seeing Derek as a fifty-two year old sex magnet, but the sexy scenes between him and Jimmy were well written, loving, sexy, and toooo short. I needed just a bit more.

Jimmy has a past and Derek has a past that both needed to bring to the forefront if they were to have any chance of a relationship. Fortunately, they don’t draw out any miscommunications issues. I guess the advantage of being in your forties and fifties is that you are no longer afraid to tell it like it is.

Derek’s ex wife and kids, what little we see of them, were awful. If that doesn’t turn a gay man away from a hetero marriage then nothing will. Jimmy was just a kind soul. His giving nature was just beautiful.

Jimmy and Derek’s story is really quite romantic. They put themselves out there for each other, and it was quite refreshing to read. Knowing that you’re firmly in your middle life years might turn a person away from a chance at love, thinking it’s too late to walk that path now, but these two bring hope for those who later in life finally get their chance to accept all that heaven will allow.

Overall Impression: I really liked it

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