Jeremy Rose works as the bodyguard for Anna Maxwell, one of the leading directors on the ridiculously popular TV show, Wolf’s Landing. He’s taken the job because that’s where he’s sent, not to escape his deteriorating relationship with his estranged children. Or at least, that’s what he tells himself. Jeremy’s always on guard, though his job isn’t particularly dangerous, and that’s why he’s with Anna on the early morning bus trip to go eagle watching. And how he first meets Scott Fletcher.

Jeremy is instantly attracted to Scott. He can tell Scott is in his forties, just like he is, and Jeremy is drawn to the sexy man. And it’s more than just Scott’s salt and pepper hair that grabs Jeremy’s attention. When he fails to make a move in time and Scott leaves at the end of the day, Jeremy is kicking himself. But then a chance meeting in the counselor’s office brings them together again. Immediately they admit their attraction to one another and that night they have insanely good sex. When Scott offers to meet again, Jeremy hesitates because he doesn’t want a relationship, but Scott explains he’s not looking for a relationship either. It’s easy for the men to settle into friends with benefits.

But they are spending more time together than they expect, and they miss each other when they are apart. Neither man really realizes that a relationship is building between them. They spend some time talking and Jeremy explains about the situation with his children and how he realized he was gay later in life. Scott, in turn, shares his baggage about losing the only man he loved, a cop who was shot in the line of duty. When Jeremy goes with Anna to Vegas for a Wolf’s Landing convention, a moment’s inattention has a fan getting too close and Jeremy taking an elbow to the face putting the threat down. When he gets back to Bluewater Bay, Scott gives Jeremy an ultimatum: he needs to get a counselor involved to fix things with his children, because Scott can’t just stand idly by and watch it tear Jeremy apart. Jeremy and his ex-wife tried counseling before and it didn’t work, so Jeremy is dead set against it. But if he wants Scott, and wants a relationship with his family, Jeremy has to reach out for help. And hopefully Scott will still be there after he does.

We’re back in Bluewater Bay for another installment of the series. I have to say, I really love visiting this town and getting to meet all sorts of characters. I like that each book works as a standalone, so if you’ve missed any do not worry. But I also like seeing cameos from characters we read about elsewhere. Rain Shadow was no exception and it’s another really nice addition to the series.

Jeremy is our narrator and I’ll be honest and say that I just loved him from the very beginning. He was real and relatable. I really felt like he had honest actions and reactions to his situations, and I loved that his flaws were believable. Jeremy was one of those guys that just felt like he could have stepped off the page and into real life. Though there were moments where I wanted to shake him, especially where he hung on to his convictions against using a therapist, the truth was this was absolutely consistent with his character. That being said, his big change of heart and growth felt just a little bit rushed to me. I would have liked to see it drawn out a little more.

I really liked that both Scott and Jeremy were a little bit older, both in their forties, and they felt and acted like it. Because of it, their leap into a relationship after both of them were certain that’s not what they wanted, really made sense. And talk about chemistry! These two guys sparked from the moment they met, and whenever they were together—whether having smoking hot sex or just talking—there was absolutely no doubt that they worked together on every level. I loved watching their relationship progress and it was absolutely believable.

So the romance here was fantastic, and Jeremy and Scott were consistent, well-drawn, and believable characters. Scott had a lot of baggage too, and that really played out well and made sense. However, I have to admit that when Scott suddenly issued an ultimatum, it felt a little sudden. After being so supportive, he was suddenly asking for all or nothing, at least that’s how it seemed. So I had trouble wrapping my head around his shift in thoughts. It was the catalyst that brought about Jeremy’s change of heart and the resolution of the story, so I would have liked to see it feel a little more solid. I had a couple of other small quibbles with the story and the plot, and especially with Jeremy’s daughter who felt younger than she was supposed to be and her actions, at times, simply a plot device. I also felt that there were some points that were a bit redundant and I could have done without the repetition. But these were small in comparison to the goodness that was this story as a whole.

Basically, yeah, I really liked this book. I thought it was another great addition to the world that is building in Bluewater Bay. I liked the ultimate conclusion of the story, and I really loved these guys together. This is one that I can definitely recommend.

Though part of the Bluewater Bay series, Rain Shadow is easily read as a stand alone title. I quickly fell in to the behind-the-scenes activities of the cast and crew of Wolf's Landing. There's as much drama off camera and off set as there is on screen, to be sure.

The secondary storyline of Anna and Leigh, though it played in to the primary story very well, just was depressing to me. I didn't think author Witt gave us anything to in this book to make us really care as it pulled us away from the main focus. After a while, it became tedious.

Jeremy and Scott are the main event. With all the baggage they bring to the table AND their current lives apart from one another, it is like oil and vinegar -- opposites attract as they say. Both find exactly what they don't want-- meaning that there are plenty of hot and steamy times-- and much more fort hem to explore.

What works with Jeremy and Scott's story (but not with Anna and Leigh) is that Witt carefully and fully lays out all that baggage in the open. The past is as important as the present in determining where things will go. This is the most important part of the plot that makes the book work in my opinion.

I enjoyed it. Well written with lots to think about-- plus hot guys that can't keep their hands off each other. Perfect M/M Romance material.

I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange fro an honest review.

Jeremy is a bodyguard for Anna, he left California a year ago to get away from the tension caused by divorcing his wife and coming out to his children. He has become cynical and doesn't believe that love exist anymore, he just wants to work and be left alone.

Scott is a marriage and family counselor at the same place that Anna and long time girlfriend Leigh are going to try and get help for their relationship. He has seen Jeremy in passing but nothing comes of it, until Jeremy is dragged along with Anna and Leigh on a Bald Eagle Tour. Scott and Jeremy hit it off and flirt briefly during the trip but never exchange numbers.

The agree to fuck buddies arrangement but not a relationship, they both have major issues that they need to overcome before either one can think about having a relationship again.

Scott and Jeremy are two broken men who have let life beat them down and change they way the look at the world.

Another Bluewater Bay book that was a great hit for me, it had a nice pace that allowed the reader to really get into the book and fly through it. While both Scott and Jeremy had some major issues that they had to overcome for most of the book they were able to help each other overcome smaller issues, but they also had to learn to stand on their own two feet to overcome the big issue for each of them.

Enjoyed the book. Have followed most of the books set in the town and look forward to them and the characters.