REVIEW: 'Depth of Field' by Riley Hart
Title: Depth of Field
Series: Last Chance #1
Author: Riley Hart
Published: July 12, 2017
Publisher: Self-Published
Cover Artist: X-Potion Designs
Genre: Erotic Romance; Contemporary Romance
Length: 230 Pages
Tags: Gay; M/M; Comfort/Hurt; Enemies to Lovers; Family Drama; HEA; CW: Bullying, Historical Physical and Emotional Child Abuse
About Depth of Field
Shane Wallace has made a decent life for himself in Last Chance. He built his own home on his mom’s property to take care of her, owns an automotive repair shop, and when he wants to get laid, Portland isn’t too far away. Not too shabby for the boy who spent his childhood getting bullied and feeling alone. Shane’s content to leave his past behind him...until one of his childhood tormentors comes back to town.
Maxwell Sullivan never planned to step foot in Last Chance again. Here, he was Maxwell, a teen who suffered in silence while everyone thought he had the perfect life. Now, he’s “Van,” the erotic artist and photographer. He’s only here to help his mom tie up some loose ends after his father’s death and to apologize to Shane. After that, he’s heading back to LA for good.
Shane never thought he’d have anything in common with Maxwell, but there’s a depth to Van that surprises him. Van knows what it feels like to be alone. He sees Shane in ways no one else does. There’s a shared connection neither can deny. Somehow, despite their rocky history, they get each other.
It’s not long before the two are so drawn to each other that they tumble into bed—sometimes with Van’s camera involved. Their chemistry in and out of the bedroom is undeniable. Except nothing is ever black and white. Shane can’t leave his mom and Van’s life is in LA. With two different lives pulling them in opposite directions, their picture-perfect ending might not be in the cards.
4 HEART READ
REVIEW: In Depth of Field, the first book in her new Last Chance series, Riley Hart explores the human desire to see ourselves as others do. She shows why we must sift through past visions of ourselves, along with those reflected by parents and community.
As a child, Shane Wallace was bullied both as the son of an agoraphobic, whose father left when his mother’s anxiety escalated, and for being gay.
Though Mrs. Wallace may be unable to live a full life herself, she longs to see her son do more than run the garage he now owns.
But she can’t manage without him, and loves him so fiercely, he could never abandon her. As the author states, “How could he hate her for something that wasn’t her fault? She was sick.”
Maxwell Sullivan appeared to be the perfect child, son of a powerful man in their small town, football hero, and head of a pack who tormented Shane.
After graduation, Maxwell left, not to be heard from for twelve years.
Upon his father’s death, Maxwell returns attempting a relationship with his mother, despite the terrible secret they keep. But now he identifies as Van, an openly gay photographer, who also paints homoerotic art. Mrs. Sullivan is not amused.
Van immediately tries to make amends to Shane. But has too much passed between them? Can he use his camera lens to help Shane see the man he’s grown into?
Riley makes me giggle. When Shane is skeptical about Van’s friendship, Van comes by his fishing hole. “'Hold my rod real quick. I need to take a piss,'” Shane asks Van. “'We know each other well enough for me to hold your dick while you piss?'”
Riley dispenses wisdom. “'If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that time doesn’t account for much… We don’t all run on the same internal schedule. We don’t fall in love or out of love in the same amount of time. People put too much stock into the right time. There’s no right time for anything.'”
And, Riley gives a new definition of love. “'You make me want to be someone better, yet make me proud of who I am, too.'”
But, here’s what I like best. We view photos third-hand. There’s us, the photographer, the camera, and the image. A good photographer removes these layers, so we feel we’re in the image.
Now imagine an author writing about a photographer and his subject. Yet as readers we experience the full immediacy and exquisite intimacy of both characters’ experiences.
This is why Depth of Field is a cut above.
A copy of Depth of Field was provided to Kimmers’ Erotic Book Banter, by Riley Hart, at no cost and with no expectations in return. We offer our fair and honest opinion on behalf of our readers.
Amazon/KU
Meet the Author
Riley Hart is the girl who wears her heart on her sleeve. She's a hopeless romantic. A lover of sexy stories, passionate men, and writing about all the trouble they can get into together. If she's not writing, you'll probably find her reading. Riley lives in California with her awesome family, who she is thankful for everyday.
For more from Riley be sure and visit her website.
