Review – Red + Blue (Opposites Attract #1) by A.B. Gayle

Description:
An Opposites Attract novel

Fresh from backwoods Minnesota, actuarial student Ben Dutoit is ecstatic to land a job with Sydney Sutherland Family Insurance, one of the few companies that offers life insurance to people in the high-risk category. The fact that he gets to work in Gay Central, aka San Francisco, is just the icing on the rainbow-colored cake. Ben sets himself just three goals: be out and proud enough to participate in the Pride parade; seek out the company of like-minded souls in the clubs; and maybe, if he’s lucky, fall in love.

But the men Ben meets are everything he’s not: suave, confident, sophisticated, and sexy. Unlike redneck Ben, they’re blue bloods from blue states, born with status, wealth, and the responsibility that comes with the package.

Ben’s still wondering if red and blue can mix when he discovers what risk really means. The global economy tanks. The job he looked forward to is in jeopardy, and every dream Ben ever had is threatened, especially love, the biggest dream of all.

Red + Blue is the first book I’ve read by author AB Gayle, but I am sure there will be more in the future. This book is about two people finding their place in the world, figuring out how to use their individual voice, while also learning to ask for help along the way. The author chose an unusual style in writing this book, but it really worked for me. The book opens with first person from Ben’s perspective, then switches to Adrian’s first person perspective of the same amount of time, and then the book moves to third person where we get both Ben and Adrian’s point of view. It sounds confusing, but I promise it works and had me from the start.

I loved Ben’s character, he’s honest and straight forward and strives to be all that he can be, however he’s still only 24 and has some growing up to do because he can be a bit naïve. Adrian was once completely out and proud, but has let his responsibilities, guilt and his father’s prejudices wall him in and the closet is becoming very stuffy. I don’t want to give any more away, but this is a great story with two good guys just trying to find their way.

Ms. Gayle does a fabulous job capturing the life and energy of San Francisco as well the beauty and calm of nature found in Northern Minnesota and Ontario, Canada. There are great secondary characters found within this book, including both the MC’s family and friends. I can’t wait to hear their stories, especially Jason, Chris and Mick’s! If you like M/M stories about discovery, love and hard decisions, than this book is for you!