Review - Making Waves by Marie Sexton

Ward grew up in foster care, moving from one home to another. The one constant in his life was Dean, who remained his friend through high school, where they shared a love of cars. Years later, the two stay best friends and work at the same garage, where Dean has become one of the stars of a reality show while Ward does the “real” work of fixing cars for all the clients the show brings in. Then Dean gets his younger brother, Ash, hired to work with Ward. Ash is gay and still harbors a crush on “bi-ish” Ward. Ash comes on strong, and Ward can't deny his own attraction to the young man who was like a little brother to him. But both men have a good idea of what Dean's reaction will be.

“Making Waves” is a relatively short contemporary romance. The story spans just a few weeks as Ash flirts with Ward, who eventually stops resisting the persistent advances. The main drama comes from Dean's reaction to the potential relationship.

The narration is entirely from Ward's point of view. He seems like a really nice guy. Maybe he's a little too nice since he clearly lets Dean get his way a little too often. Ward's desire to do the right thing is admirable and a real conundrum.

Ash is remarkably self-aware for such a young man, but perhaps with a brother like Dean, that was inevitable. He seems a bit mature for his age, but then there are times when it's clear he's a few years younger than Ward. This is a sweet novella-length book that has enough drama to sustain the short length, even if the story isn't especially memorable.

“Making Waves” is available from Smashwords or Amazon (commissionable link).