For twenty-six-year-old rent boy Chance Matthews, surviving day-to-day in San Francisco is difficult enough. Then an ill-fated road trip to Wyoming to search for his biological father throws his life into a tailspin. When a string of catastrophes leaves him stranded and desperate, help comes from the last person he'd expect. His knight in shining armor is everything he could want and then some, but Chance is sure a man like
Oh my goodness, the emotions that this book pulled out of me! Chance has never had it easy--a runaway at the age of fourteen, he left Wyoming for San Francisco and has been a prostitute to support himself ever since. He is also a photographer, a rather gifted one, although he doubts his own skills. He first meets Finn at Finn's brothers wedding where Chance is the official photographer. They meet again when Finn discovers Chance's other line of work causing Finn to gather up all his courage and arrange a regular meeting with Chance--Finn is tired of living in the closet and he wants Chance to teach him how to be with a man as well as allow him to just simply sleep with him.
Chance feels incredibly guilty taking Finn's money; he also breaks his own biggest rule and becomes emotionally involved. Chance has been planning a road trip to visit his mother to see if they can smooth out their rough relationship and he also plans to see if he can find his father. His mother told him the name of the bar where they met and he knows his name is Tony-something-Greek. Its not much, but Chance can't live without at least giving finding his father a try. The road trip also gives Chance the opportunity to break things off with Finn as Chance can't continue taking Finn's money when Chance is falling in love and Finn sees him as a whore.
When Chance arrives in Wyoming, he finds his younger brother, Colt, alone with his boyfriend in their home. Chance has been sending money for over ten years but he still feels guilt for missing out on so much of Colt's life. They are able to spend some time together but before long Chance leaves to seek out his father. The reception he receives at the bar is far from welcoming and while Chance takes a room in a motel to lick his emotional wounds his car is stolen. Missing his mother, feeling guilt over his brother, facing the fact that he might never find his father, and now being abandoned in Wyoming, the place where the worst thing to happen to him took place, is just too much on top of missing Finn and knowing that the best relationship he ever had was one-sided and now over. At Chance's lowest moment, Finn's phone call is a blessing. Finn is appalled to learn of what has happened and that Chance is planning to turn some tricks to get the money to return to California.
Finn drops everything to get to Wyoming to help Chance and he arrives at the perfect moment to keep Chance from being seriously hurt. Chance cannot believe that Finn is there, ready and willing--no wanting--to help him in any way Chance might need. Chance has never asked for help because he learned very early on that the only person he could trust was himself. He has only recently allowed others into his life but nothing prepared him for Finn Nolan. Finn, for his part, is relieved to see Chance as he has lots of things he wants to tell Chance about his feelings and his hopes for the future. Finn is ready to do anything he can and he proves it time and time again as Chance continues looking for his father and when he decides to go back to spend more time with his brother as well. Turns out that things are more complicated than Colt was willing to share, but when it becomes clear he needs help as well, Chance and Finn pack up Colt and Elijah and the entire new family travels back to San Francisco.
Watching Finn and Chance come together as a couple and Colt and Elijah join them as they create a family was beautiful. All four of them have suffered in various ways and they create the family together that none of them had growing up. They all find the love, support, and acceptance that was missing in their lives up to this point for various reasons. Finn and Chance are only ten(ish) years older than Colt and Elijah but they move into the father-figure roles naturally. And throughout it all, the ever growing family that includes the Nolans, the Dombrusos, Nana and her beloved gay homosexuals that she has taken under her wing were in the wings ready to help, support, hug, love, and throw one amazing kick-ass wedding when needed. Alexa Land also introduced us to Chance's neighbor and best friend, Zachary and I find him to be a character that I desperately want to know more about. How Alexa can continue to introduce characters who so easily make themselves at home in my heart is a mystery but she can do it like none other. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment spent reading this book and cannot wait to read Nico's story next!
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