Wednesday 11 May 2016

Review: Lollipop (Candy Man #3) by Amy Lane

****4 Stars****
 
 
I am a huge Amy Lane fan, loving her darker works, her lighter works and even her alternate universe stories. Having recently finished reading one of her newer darker contemporary stories, I was very excited to see Lollipop was out! Lollipop is the third book in Lane’s Candy Man series. It is one of her lighter series and involves a group of interconnected men and a special candy store in Sacramento named Candy Heaven. The owner of the store, Darrin, has dreams that tell him who will be showing up at his store looking for work and how he can help them fix what ails them in life and love.
Lollipop is about Ezra and Miguel (though previous series characters make appearances). Ezra is Rico’s ex and going into this book, I wasn’t sure how I would feel reading his story. I wasn’t a big fan of him based on what we learned about him in Bitter Taffy. I probably should not be surprised that Lane worked her magic and made me fall in love with him. He became a character I was rooting for by the end of the story. I especially loved his childlike joy as he discovered new things alongside Miguel. I also fell in love with Miguel’s mom and the way she immediately made Ezra feel like family. Sadly, I didn’t fall in love with Miguel as much as I would have liked. For much of the book it felt like Ezra and the other secondary characters overshadowed him. I still enjoyed the relationship between Ezra and Miguel and watching Ezra change from an obligation for Miguel into a friend and an eventual love interest, but I think I would have enjoyed it even more if I were more invested in Miguel as a character. I liked the fun little twist at the end involving Ezra and Candy Heaven and am especially looking forward to book four! Lollipop was an enjoyable four star read, but didn’t live up to the previous two books in the series for me.
 
Reviewed by Rosemary Feil
 
 
Ezra Kellerman flew across country to see if he had another chance with the man he let slip through his fingers. He didn't. Rico has moved on, but he doesn’t just leave his ex high and dry. Instead, Rico entrusts his family and friends with Ezra’s care. Ezra, confused, hurt, and lost, clings to Rico’s cousin and his boyfriend as the lifelines they are—but their friend Miguel is another story.

Miguel Rodriguez had great plans and ambition—but a hearty dose of real life crushed those flat. When Miguel finds himself partially in charge of the befuddled, dreamy, healing Ezra, he’s pretty resentful at first. But Ezra’s placid nature and sincere wonder at the simple life Miguel has taken for granted begin to soften Miguel’s hardened shell. Miguel starts to notice that Ezra isn't just amazingly sweet—he’s achingly beautiful as well. Suddenly Miguel is fending off every single man on the planet to give Ezra room to get over Rico—while fighting a burning suspicion that the best thing to help Ezra get over his broken heart is Miguel.
  
 
 
 
 


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