Three Little Words

Title: Three Little Words

Author: Allison Cassatta

Publisher: Amber Allure

Publisher URL: www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure

ISBN: 978-1-61124-406-9

Genre: {M/M} Contemporary

Rating: 4.5 Nymphs

Literary Nymphs Reviewer: Chocolate Minx 

A breakup with his live-in boyfriend of five years has Matt questioning whether he will ever have a death do us part relationship. The only constant connection Matt has other than his family, is his best friend Luke. Matt and Luke have been friends since high school, sharing everything except how they truly feel about each other.

Three Little Words is a well written heartwarming friend to lover romance. The convincing characters are engaging. The main setting is Memphis, Tennessee. Matt works construction, which requires traveling around the country to job sites. Being a good provider as well as a protector for his partner is an embedded trait of Matt’s personality. However, Matt’s former boyfriend did not appreciate having a hard working regularly absent partner, so he cowardly dumped Matt. The love Matt has for Luke is a deeper bond than just friendship, but since Luke had never shown any inclination of being gay, Matt cloaked his true feelings. Matt would never do anything that would jeopardize their comfortable friendship. Luke is a well respected kindhearted fireman. Luke has spent most of his life in the closet because he fears parental rejection. Traumatic events, along with the fear of permanently losing Matt, compelled Luke to come out as well as confess his love for Matt to his parents. As expected, this revelation broke Luke’s family ties.

 

Allison Cassatta has created a compassionate saga that I thoroughly enjoyed. What I found most intriguing is how the different family dynamics influences an individual’s behavior. Matt’s family understands plus supports Matt as well as his partner. Matt is loved for who he is; sexuality is a fact not a choice in his family, so Matt is content to be himself. Luke is made to feel like an outcast, unloved and unwanted by his family.