I’ll admit I like May-December romances so author Aimee Nicole Walker’s Beautiful Trauma was a good fit for me, but it was her masterful storytelling that made this book perfect. ~ Slick – Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
Synopsis:
Does trauma define or motivate a person?
Homeless and rejected, Henry Sullivan arrived on the doorstep of Ryan’s Place with nothing but the clothes on his back. Life as he knew it was over. Within those walls, Henry found the encouragement and love needed to turn hopeless into hopeful. Enrolling for summer classes at his community college was the first step toward achieving the dreams he thought were lost to him. There was just one little snag: the professor standing in the front of the room taught Henry the true meaning of human sexuality.
After a crushing breakup, Professor Ezra Meyer moved to the Queen City for a fresh start where everything was new—job, home, and friends. His first challenge: prove the benefits of his biology of human sexuality course outweighed the controversy. Ezra agreed to teach the class during the summer semester at a community college associated with his university to gauge interest. There was just one little problem: Ezra had personally demonstrated the unit on Sexual Technique and Behaviors with one of his students.
Random or Fate?
It was supposed to be a harmless hookup on a night when Henry was celebrating his birthday and Ezra was trying to ease his loneliness. Fast forward six months later, the attraction blazed hotter than ever, but acting on it could have dire consequences neither man was willing to risk. Or were they? Could true love be Henry and Ezra’s ultimate reward, or were they destined to become just another sad lesson learned?
I’ll admit I like May-December romances so author Aimee Nicole Walker’s Beautiful Trauma was a good fit for me, but it was her masterful storytelling that made this book perfect. A young man whose life was turned upside down when he admitted he was gay and HIV positive to his judgmental, Christian mother and a man whose life had been turned upside down by deceit find one another in crowded bar. One night was all it was suppose to be, but circumstances brought them back together in a completely inappropriate way and while they tried to keep their distance, the connection between them could not be denied. I loved this story with my whole heart, these were two good men who deserved to love and be loved and despite their age difference and their circumstances they belonged together. 
At age twenty Henry Sullivan was tossed out of his home for being gay and HIV positive, months later he’s on the road to owning his own life and celebrating his 21st birthday and meets a man who turns his life upside down in the best way. Six months later when returning to finish his college degree he is thrown for a loop when the man he spent an amazing night with walks in to teach his class on Human Sexuality.
Professor Ezra Meyer can’t believe it when he sees Henry in his class. He is determined to not let the man he can’t get out of his brain become a problem neither one of them needs.
Sometimes with age-gap romances the difference between the two main characters seems huge and while there is no doubt these men grew up in very different environments and are at different places in their lives, the really do complete on another (and with Henry and Ezra’s love of movie nights they will appreciate my “you complete me” reference). I liked that in Henry, Ezra saw innocence and light and the willingness to put himself out there despite their unique situation. I loved that Ezra made Henry not only see his worth, but made him feel worthy and loved. Their easy acceptance of one another was one of my favorite things about their relationship and the other was their insistence that they be up front and communicate from the start, oh how I wish this happened more often in books and life for that matter. Life for these two won’t always be easy; they’ll have obstacles to overcome with Henry’s health, with their age difference, and with judgmental people.
Sometimes you read a book and it gives you a warm, fuzzy feeling so much so that you not only want to re-read it the minute you finish, but you also hope you’ll continue to see this couple as the series continues and that’s exactly how I felt when I finished Beautiful Trauma. Now excuse me, while I begin my re-read.
5 stars
Purchase from
Amazon
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Ever since she was a little girl, Aimee Nicole Walker entertained herself with stories that popped into her head. Now she gets paid to tell those stories to other people. She wears many titles—wife, mom, and animal lover are just a few of them. Her absolute favorite title is champion of the happily ever after. Love inspires everything she does, music keeps her sane, and coffee is the magic elixir that fuels her day. I’d love to hear from you
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