ROBBY (Cooper Construction #3) by Jen Davis-Review, Guest Post & Giveaway
ROBBY
Cooper Construction #3
by Jen Davis
Release Date : June 4, 2019
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, M/M, romance
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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 4, 2019
No one knows me–not the true me shaped by my sordid past. I cover the scars on my soul as well as I hide the ones on my skin.
I’m living proof that only the strongest survive on these streets. But I paid a heavy price for my survival.
Now I’m ready to move on, to forget my past. In my dreams, I do it with Matt. I’ve had my eye on him ever since he joined Cooper Construction. Like me, he keeps his true self hidden, locked inside a shy and silent shell.
Somehow, I break through. Touch the untouchable. But when love strips us both naked, the truths we reveal may end up tearing us apart.
•••••••••
REVIEW: ROBBY is the third instalment in Jen Davis’ contemporary, adult COOPER CONSTRUCTION erotic, romance series focusing on the men and women who work for Cooper Construction. This is foreman’s assistant Robby Jordan, and construction worker /architect student / single father Matt York’s story line. ROBBY can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.
NOTE: ROBBY contains scenes of M/M sexual situations, as well as reference to abuse, drugs, alcohol and self-harm that may be triggers for more sensitive readers.
Told from dual third person perspectives (Robby and Matt) ROBBY follows the building relationship between co-workers foreman’s assistant Robby Jordan, and construction worker /architect student / single father Matt York. Robby Jordan has been attracted to his co-worker for close to a year but single father Matt York is oblivious to Robby’s attraction, as well as his own tempered sexuality. Having always considered himself asexual, but desperate to prove otherwise, Matt’s one and only sexual experience resulted in his now one year old son. Lonely and needing a friend, Matt accepts Robby’s offer for online gaming, an offer that brings the two co-workers closer together. What ensues is the building relationship, romance and love between Matt and Robby, and the potential fall-out as Robby’s past conflicts with potential custody arrangements between Matt and the mother of his child.
Robby’s past is mired in abuse and rejection; alcohol and drugs but our hero has struggled to move on with his life including helping those who are unable or unwilling to help themselves. Matt battles his direction in life including his attraction to a man when he, himself, had never considered himself bisexual or gay. Using their work relationship as a conduit towards friendship and love, Robby begins a slow seduction of the man he has lusted after for over a year.
The relationship between Robby and Matt is one of immediate attraction but Matt struggles with who he is, and what he wants. Robby’s past is dangerous and dark, but a past that continues to haunt him both day and night. The $ex sense are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.
There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including Brick and Olivia , Kane and Amanda; Matt’s friend and mother of his child Patty, and their son Jimmy, as well as a number of gay, lesbian, bi and transgendered youth who struggle for a place to live, and feel protected from life. The requisite evil has many faces.
ROBBY is a story of family, friendship, rejection and love; of finding where you belong no matter the path or choices that lie ahead. The premise is heart breaking, emotional and engaging; the romance is sensitive and provocative; the characters are broken, wounded but energetic and spirited.
Reading order and previous reviews
Brick
Kane
Robby
Pick up a FREE ebook copy of KANE: Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / amazon.uk / Amazon.au /
Copy supplied by Netgalley
Reviewed by Sandy
Thanks so much, Sandy, for hosting me today. I’m beyond excited to be here in support of my new release, Robby. This book is my first male/male romance and I had an amazing time writing it. As a longtime romance reader, I enjoy almost all subgenres and I’ve always held a special place in my heart for male-male romance. I loved, loved, loved the Cut & Run series by Abigail Roux, and some other early favorites for me included Zero at the Bone by Jane Seville and Shades of Gray by Brooke McKinley. (What can I say? I have a type.)
It never occurred to me not to have LGBTQ characters in the Cooper Construction series, though the first two installments were m-f. Robby was such an important part of the first book, Brick, because he was a soft, gentle spirit who contrasted so sharply with the title character, who was this big badass who beat people up and killed folks for a crime lord. Robby saw the human side of Brick when few others did and they built a deep friendship which included Kane, the title character of book two.
Once I got through Brick and Kane’s stories, I knew Robby needed an HEA. But there was so much we didn’t know about him. His book is about how he came to be the man Brick and Kane befriended in the earlier novels. He is gentle and kind, but he’s been through fire. And I feel like that history is what led these men to connect. They all lived through hell and came out the other side so very different.
Another fun thing to explore was finding the perfect match for this character I love so much. Matt is a demisexual single father who doesn’t really understand himself or see the possibility of love in his life. He’s always struggled to find his place and to make interpersonal connections. With Robby, he finds a beloved friendship and a romance that takes everyone by surprise.
I hope deeply that readers of the m-f books in this series will follow these characters over to a male-male love story. I know many readers like only straight or LGBTQ content exclusively. But love is love is love is love. And what grows between Matt and Robby is just beautiful. (If you haven’t read the other two books, don’t worry. These all hold up as standalones. You can follow along just fine.)
A word of warning, though, if you’re new to my work, the content is dark. Trigger warnings for references to abuse, drug use, and self-harm. But this book also includes themes of self-acceptance, found family, and happy ever after.
Tell me. If you enjoy LGBTQ romance, which authors were among your early favorites? Or which series have you enjoyed which include both straight and LGBTQ romances?
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Jen started her love affair with romance novels, first as a reader, then as a reviewer and blogger. She launched the Red Hot Books blog in 2010 and jumped into Book Twitter shortly after.
She wrote her first books, a YA/NA trilogy under another name back in 2016. But Brick is her first foray into Adult Contemporary Romance.
Jen is happily married to her high school sweetheart. Together, they’re raising two kids, a cat, and a dog who is afraid of his own shadow.
She spends her days working as television journalist and her nights curled up with a good book.
Jen Davis is graciously offering an ebook copy of any ONE book in her COOPER CONSTRUCTION series to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.
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