ARC Review & Giveaway – Change of Address by Jordan S. Brock

Intense, highly emotional, and beautifully told I loved Change of Address. ~ Slick, Guilty Pleasures 

Description:
Air Force sergeant Michael Baldwin wanted nothing more than to escape his family’s political ambitions, but his dream of freedom was shattered by an enemy bullet to the head. Two years later, he and his service dog, Kaylee, resist his father’s demand to join him on the campaign trail—where a photogenic “wounded warrior” is always an asset—and instead return to the family’s summer home on Hartsbridge Island.

There Michael and his beautiful German shepherd capture the attention of Josh Goldberg, co-owner of the local bagel shop. Josh has a knack for business and a killer repertoire of his bubbe’s recipes. But lack of education undermines his confidence, and Josh’s father doesn’t share his ambition for the restaurant’s future.

Chicken soup and bacon might be the way to Michael’s heart, but he and Josh need time to learn about everything that comes after—lessons that Governor Baldwin and his relentless ambition will do anything to thwart. Letting someone in is a tall order for two men who can’t trust themselves, but if they have any hope of a future together, that’s exactly what they’ll need to do.

Review copy provided for an honest review

Jordan S. Brock is a new to me author and I don’t think I could have picked a better book for an introduction to her work than Change of Address. This gay romance featured two men, both broken in their own way. While there was some sex in this book, there was a slow build up to it and it wasn’t the focus of this book. The focus was these two men finding a way to be together despite their issues, finding acceptance in one another, and for one finally being out in public despite his family retributions. Intense, highly emotional, and beautifully told I loved Change of Address.

Two years after a bullet shattered his brain and his Air Force career Michael Baldwin has escaped D.C. and his family’s expectations of using him for political gains and moved to the family’s summer home on Hartsbridge Island. Two years of rehab, two years of counseling and two years of trying to resume a normal life and Michael has made great strides, but he still has complications that thankfully his service dog, Kaylee is able to help him deal with. Even walking into a new place on the Island makes him nervous but the man working the counter puts him at ease and he soon looks forward to his daily visits to see Josh Goldberg.

I loved watching these two build friendship and trust throughout this book and the closer they grew the more Josh began to understand Michael’s problems and how to deal with him. I was really impressed at how easily Michael shared everything with Josh and Josh’s acceptance of Michael’s limitations. Josh had some body issues that Michaels picked up on, but in his eyes Josh was perfect and that led Josh to realize he was more than his outward appearance.

These two had a few moments of doubt most early on before Michael disclosed everything to Josh, but for the most part their relationship was even keel and they communicated well. Josh was the calming force that Michael needed when things got tough and he also knew when to back off and let Kaylee take care of her master. Michael’s acceptance and faith in everything Josh wanted to do gave Josh the courage to try despite his problems. While both men were strong on their own, together they were pretty unstoppable.

Heartwarming, full of emotion, and most of all hopeful, Change of Address was a thoroughly enjoyable.

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About Jordan S. Brock
Coffee-fueled author Jordan Brock writes engaging contemporary romance with a deliciously pan-romantic sensibility and an emphasis on consent, respect, and, of course, love. Her characters are constantly surprised by the way love’s slow burn sneaks up on them.

Jordan’s children are all four-legged and furry. They love to be oh-so-helpful with her writing. She can usually be found hiding from the sun with her service dog and her puppy-in-training. (She tried the training thing with cats first, since cats are so much smarter, but it was a no-go.)

Before she was published, Jordan worked as a tech writer in the semiconductor industry. She’s also created labs and learning materials for auto, diesel , and motorcycle mechanics. The technology was the easy part; the hard part was trying not to slip in pop-culture snark.
Jordan lives in the desert outside Phoenix, Arizona, despite the fact she turns into gray goo and blue hair dye when exposed to heat. For fun, she hunts scorpions in the backyard, with a blowtorch, and a crowbar. She’s chronically unavailable for at least a month after new game releases from Blizzard. She’s an unapologetic fangirl and has been known to write an occasional fanfic to prove Bucky Barnes is not a villain. Oh, and she crochets the cutest amigurumi ever.

If you’d like to learn more about Jordan, check out her blog and website at jordansbrock.com.

Connect with Jordan:

• Website: jordansbrock.com
• Twitter: @jordansbrock

Giveaway
To celebrate the release of Change of Address, one lucky winner will receive a stuffed United States Air Force bear and $15 in Riptide credit!