Review: Bring Me Home by Annabeth Albert (Safe Harbor #1)


Note: An advance reader copy (ARC) was provided by the author.

Bring Me Home is the first book in Annabeth Albert's new M/M small-town romance series, Safe Harbor. Set in the fictional Oregonian town of the same name, this series starter features an age-gap, forbidden romance between Monroe (whose last name I cannot, for the life of me, remember being mentioned, but if it was, please feel free to let me know via the comments section!) and Knox Heinrich. The former is forty-one and retired naval investigator with the rank of lieutenant; the latter is a twenty-three-year-old recent college graduate and the eldest son of one of Monroe's closest friend. With Monroe back in Safe Harbor to get the house his beloved Aunt Henri left him ready to put on the market, his friend Rob decides it's a good idea to ask if his son, Knox, could stay with Monroe for the summer. With no available space in the Heinrich homestead and Knox with some free time before heading off to graduate school, Monroe is Rob's only hope. It would also work out well since Knox would be an extra pair of experienced hands to help with sprucing up Aunt Henri's house. It seems like a win-win situation, but that was before Monroe and Knox realized the attraction simmering between them, and the real possibility of losing their hearts to each other.

This was a really good start to a new series. Both Monroe and Knox were interesting characters, and the combination of the age gap and Knox being the son of a close friend of Monroe's added that bit of tension and complexity. While there wasn't a whole lot of waiting when it came to these two giving in to their attraction, nothing was simple about them making a go of a potential relationship. After all, Monroe never really saw Safe Harbor as his home, and Knox always considered it his. So, it looked like this was going to be nothing more than a summer fling for both, but then feelings came into play, and well, everything becomes complicated. It was a matter of Monroe getting out of his own way, and Knox being open about what and who it was he wanted and needed in his life when it came to his overly protective and somewhat obtuse father. But I quite liked the dynamic between our main characters, especially when it was clear that they were each other's comfort zone, where they could be the most honest versions of themselves. I also appreciated the idea of home not necessarily being a location but that feeling of love, trust, and security, and I'm really glad Monroe and Knox found it with each other. 4.5 stars easily go to Bring Me Home.

Release Date: 27 April 2023

Date Read: 26 April 2023

Learn more about Annabeth Albert.

Purchase Bring Me Home on Amazon.

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