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readfrenzy 's review for:
Finley
by Ella Frank
3.5 stars
I devoured Ella Frank’s Temptation series, so when I heard she was coming out with a new m/m series I was excited to jump on the Sunset Cove series train. Finley is the first book and it revolves around Daniel Finley, a lawyer who briefly appeared in the Temptation series. It’s not necessary to read the other series to enjoy this book though.
Daniel—or Finn as he likes to be called by friends—receives a note from his ex-boyfriend/love of his life, Brantley Hayes. It’s been radio silence between the two of them since Finn left his Florida beachfront hometown and moved to Chicago seven years ago. The note asks Finn to return to home, so he decides to take a vacation and confront the man who broke his heart.
It’s immediately apparent to Brantley how much Finn has changed from the laid back surfer he once knew. Ella Frank does an excellent job illustrating the differences between the old Finn and the confident, aggressive big city attorney he has become. Finn’s anger is palpable, and I loved the tension and chemistry between him and Brantley.
While I enjoyed the story, the plot is fairly thin and when we finally discover the reason for the breakup, it’s anticlimactic. Finn’s reaction also seems extreme. In addition, the pacing is a bit slow and the frequent mid-chapter flashbacks interrupt the story in a distracting way. I may fault the execution, but the author’s quality of writing is superb. I’m not a beach gal, yet she convincingly conveys the joys of life in a beach town and now I want to move to Sunset Cove.
Finn and Brantley couldn’t be more appealing. Ella Frank expertly delves into the hearts of these complex characters. Their friends are wonderfully entertaining as well. I’m really looking forward to reading Derek and Jordan’s story.
Finley is a satisfying book on the whole. It’s very sensual but less erotic than the Temptation series, so if you’re looking for a way to ease into the m/m genre I definitely recommend this.
I devoured Ella Frank’s Temptation series, so when I heard she was coming out with a new m/m series I was excited to jump on the Sunset Cove series train. Finley is the first book and it revolves around Daniel Finley, a lawyer who briefly appeared in the Temptation series. It’s not necessary to read the other series to enjoy this book though.
Daniel—or Finn as he likes to be called by friends—receives a note from his ex-boyfriend/love of his life, Brantley Hayes. It’s been radio silence between the two of them since Finn left his Florida beachfront hometown and moved to Chicago seven years ago. The note asks Finn to return to home, so he decides to take a vacation and confront the man who broke his heart.
It’s immediately apparent to Brantley how much Finn has changed from the laid back surfer he once knew. Ella Frank does an excellent job illustrating the differences between the old Finn and the confident, aggressive big city attorney he has become. Finn’s anger is palpable, and I loved the tension and chemistry between him and Brantley.
While I enjoyed the story, the plot is fairly thin and when we finally discover the reason for the breakup, it’s anticlimactic. Finn’s reaction also seems extreme.
Spoiler
Brantley “forced” Finn to go to Chicago for law school. I didn’t feel the breakup warranted Finn not visiting family and friends for seven years.Finn and Brantley couldn’t be more appealing. Ella Frank expertly delves into the hearts of these complex characters. Their friends are wonderfully entertaining as well. I’m really looking forward to reading Derek and Jordan’s story.
Finley is a satisfying book on the whole. It’s very sensual but less erotic than the Temptation series, so if you’re looking for a way to ease into the m/m genre I definitely recommend this.