A review by booksafety
Awakening the Sheriff by Nora Phoenix

5.0

Book safety, content warnings, and tropes & tags down below.

Ohh, I liked this even more than the first book in the series! There’s just something about men in their 40’s and 50’s finding love again that tickles my pickle. I freaking adore it. Two single dads as well? Take all of my money.

I loved my kids more than anything, but they could also cause me more pain than anything or anyone else.

The fact that Auden was so accepting and understanding about sexuality, and the fact that it transferred to his own sexual awakening was so endearing. Sure, he was a little shocked and surprised after 48 years as a straight man, but he was such a sweetheart about it. I gotta say I also love spicy scenes where the ‘bi awakened’ person experiences new things, and it was done really well in this one. Hot hot hot. The fact that Keaton is an english teacher, wears bow ties, doesn’t swear, loves poetry *and* loves getting pounded into the mattress (his words, not mine), definitely didn’t hurt.

Fifty years old, and I had a crush on a straight guy. Holy moly, when would I ever learn?

Most of the angst in this one comes from family matters/problems, both with Keaton’s (horrible) ex wife, and with one of his sons. I also appreciated how sensitively Nora wrote about Auden’s issues with fertility. I haven’t seen that in a book before. It’s often about a woman’s infertility, and I think normalizing and talking about the other side of things is important.

I would’ve loved to see more of Auden’s slow realization when he started getting feelings for Keaton. The change from good friends to having a crush (and being completely fine with it) felt the tiniest bit abrupt, but not so much that it was a problem. I guess I just wanted a bit more of the ‘butterflies stage’, if that makes any sense. The book was entirely charming and sweet, and I would definitely recommend it (especially if you read and loved You & Me by Tal Bauer).

Side note: I am so freaking curious about what was in the gift Ennio gave Auden for his birthday. Miss Nora, please tell us