An Unexpected Kind of Love (When Snow Falls 1) by Hayden Stone-Review Tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date August 9, 2021.

Bookstore owner Aubrey Barnes likes his quiet, orderly London life, thank you very much. His shop may be struggling, his only employee is a menace, and his plumbing is one creaky pipe away from disaster, but he can handle it. Maybe. He cannot, however, handle the film company that’s thrown his Soho street into chaos.

And he definitely can’t handle the charismatic American actor Blake Sinclair.

Which is why he’s extremely reluctant to lease out his shop as a set for Blake’s film, but it’s his one opportunity to save his business. Now he can’t get away from the distractingly hot actor.

Then Aubrey finds himself alone with Blake in a trailer, and what happens next turns London’s heat wave into an inferno that leaves him breathless.

Aubrey is not cut out for the high-profile life of dating a celebrity, especially an American actor who’s not even out yet. Good thing their tryst is absolutely not going anywhere.

Of course, when you expect nothing, that’s exactly when it starts to mean everything.

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REVIEW:AN UNEXPECTED KIND OF LOVE by first time Hayden Stone is a contemporary, adult, LGBTQ, MM romance story line focusing on American actor Blake Sinclair, and twenty-three year old, London bookstore owner Aubrey Barnes.

NOTE: AN UNEXPECTED KIND OF LOVE focuses on a sexual relationship between two men that may not be suitable for some readers.

Told from first person perspective (Aubrey) AN UNEXPECTED KIND OF LOVE follows the building romance and relationship between American actor Blake Sinclair, and London bookstore owner Aubrey Barnes. Blake Sinclair is in London, England filming a movie, cast as the best friend to the leading star. A change of location to the streets of SoHo brings Blake up close and personal with bookstore owner Aubrey Barnes, when Aubrey’s store becomes a part of the story. Aubrey Barnes is in no position to turn down the cast and crew as he continues to struggle to make ends meet at the store, but the added bonus of catching the eye of American actor Blake Sinclair begins to place the focus on a new relationship that is about to implode when the truth is revealed. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Aubrey and Blake, and the potential fall-out as Blake’s time in London, comes to a close, and his relationship with Aubrey becomes the focus of the media and paparazzi back home.

Aubrey Barnes currently owns and operates his family’s struggling bookstore, a business in which Aubrey places all of his heart, soul and money , leaving nothing for himself. Meeting actor Blake Sinclair forces Aubrey to reconsider everything about his current situation, a situation in which he battles to make ends meet. Falling for Blake was completely unexpected but Aubrey will be blindsided when Blake pushes away the man with whom he is falling in love.

The relationship between Aubrey and Blake begins as a series of misadventures from an unhappy client to a coffee shop mishap, a mishap quite possibility orchestrated by one of our heroes. Aubrey’s ex Eli continues to meander in and out of Aubrey’s life, a meandering that threatens his relationship with Blake Sinclair. Although Blake’s time in London is temporary at best, our couple make plans for a long distance relationship, a relationship that may not survive the gossip and fodder. The $ex scenes are passionate and seductive without the use of over the top,sexually graphic lanaguage and text.

We are introduced to Aubrey’s ever-present employee Gemma; art curator and friend Lily; his ex Eli and his new boyfriend Ryan, as well as several members of the film crew.

AN UNEXPECTED KIND OF LOVE is a story of friendships, relationships, secrets and love. The premise is inviting but I did have a few issues with the overall presentation. As the story was told from a single point of view, I think it would have added a layer of interest with a dual perspective. We know little to nothing about Blake Sinclair, and in the aftermath of their fall out, we know even less about what happens back home. Also, the story line does leave a few of the ongoing plot points open ended- some conflict resolutions that would have been better, addressed.

Copy supplied by the publisher

Reviewed by Sandy