Title : Imitation of Life
Author : Felice Stevens
Series : Rock Bottom book two
Genre(s) : contemporary gay romance
Release Date : August 16, 2019
Rating : 5/5 Stars
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Benny DeMarco is the nicest guy you’ll ever meet. He works hard, takes care of his little sister, and pays the bills. Childhood bullies and an abusive stepfather invade his dreams, and at times he wishes life would grant him a do-over. Would he like a boyfriend? You bet. But Benny knows love isn’t for him. He’s been looked over, looked through, and looked past all his life. Even worse, the one guy he’s been in love with for almost two years is the biggest flirt who will sleep with anyone. Anyone except Benny.
Gino Acosta smiles to keep from crying. Everyone he meets tells him he’s beautiful and sexy, but Gino knows the truth. His outside may be perfect, but inside he feels dirty and unworthy. Bounced around as a child, he yearns for someone to love and a family to call his own. He hops from man to man, desperate to belong, believing the lies he’s told, but all he finds is a body for an hour or two. Things would be so different if only he knew—the man he’s searching for is waiting for him, right under his nose.
Benny starts dating the “perfect guy” and it’s okay if there’s no spark—that’ll happen eventually. Won’t it? Gino’s fast-paced modeling career has taken off, but once again, he’s trading his body for a dream. When Gino’s world explodes, Benny must fight for what and who he really wants. Gino must learn to trust what people tell him—that he’s got so much more to offer than a pretty face and a moment of pleasure.
If all your life you believe you’re nothing, how do you move past heartbreak and hardship to reach for everything?
“There’s a reason we have a past tense, to show the difference between what was and what is.”
Tears…
Tears…
More tears…
And more…more tears…
That what happen to me during the reading…
I’ve been curious and waiting for Gino and Benny’s story since I spot them on Felice’s others book. Deep down in my heart I always knew that both Gino and Benny have their own story that worth to tell. The story that will broke another heart and brought tears to many readers…
“You and me ain’t so different. We both got fucked over by people we trusted. But we went in different directions, neither of which is healthy. I cut myself off from people, and you—”
“Fucked everything in sight.”
Benny and Gino…
Two broken souls with traumatic past, being hurt by people they trust. One closed his life from the world while the other one grow up with very low self trust and need to learn how to value himself.
In their life, they desperately seeking for someone to accept and love them for who they are. Both Benny and Gino trying to imitated perfect lives because the reality was too harsh for them.
We’d both pretended to be happy, our lives a pale imitation of what we wanted but didn’t believe we deserved.
Deep down in their heart they love each other, but Benny always thought that Gino could never seen him because he’s too plain and ordinary…nothing.
And Gino, my poor Gino – always thought that the well educated Benny was out of his reach because with his past, he felt dirty and not worthy enough for Benny. So, keeping Benny at the friend zone area was his only way to stay close with the only person who didn’t fall for his look or body…
Will these two poor guys finally found their happiness?
The way the author woven their story and conflicts are amazing. Through her writing, she brought us to feels their dilemmas, traumatic past, anger, sadness and the biggest fear they felt…losing people they care the most and love…
The family values and friendships are the other things that made this reading could warmed your heart, very engaging and completely hard to put down.
RECOMMENDED!
Felice Stevens has always been a romantic at heart. She believes that while life is tough, there is always a happy ending around the corner, Her characters have to work for it, however. Like life in NYC, nothing comes easy and that includes love.
Felice has written over twenty books in the gay romance genre. Her books been translated into German, French and Italian. Her novel. One Call Away, part of her Soulmates series, was mentioned in Buzzfeed as one of the best “Out for You” gay romances of 2017.
Felice lives in New York City with her husband and two children. Her day begins with a lot of caffeine and ends with a glass or two of red wine. She recently retired from the practice law and now daydreams of a time when she can sit by a beach somewhere and write beautiful stories of men falling in love. Although there are bound to be a few bumps along the way, a Happily Ever After is always guaranteed.
