Partners (Equals #2) by Brigham Vaughn

Summary:
After a rocky first few months, Stephen Parker and Russ Bishop’s relationship is at a crossroads when the death of Stephen’s father forces them to visit Stephen's hometown in southern Georgia.

Estranged from his family, Stephen must find a way to come to terms with his past and say goodbye to the father whose expectations he could never live up to. The small, conservative town provides its own challenges as Russ realizes providing emotional support is one part of being a true partner for Stephen.

I can safely say I have never read a book as far ahead of a scheduled posting as I did Partners.  As soon as I received the ARC, I went right to reading it and have been chomping at the bit to tell my review.  AMAZING!!!  Stepehn and Russ touch your heart in every way possible.  To say I loved them is putting it mildly and, if I may add, stating the obvious.  There were a few times where I could have reached in and throttled Stephen though, usually when he put voice to his doubts over Russ "settling" for an older man.

I can't even begin to imagine what Stephen is feeling having to return to his hometown after his father's death considering how things had been between the two men, but Miss Vaughn handles is beautifully.  I'll admit that at times some of the characters were a bit on the preachy side but anything less and it wouldn't have been fitting of the story, the characters, or the author.  I look forward to see what the future has in store for both Stephen and Russ (I hope) and Miss Vaughn.


Rating:  

     Stephen felt bone-deep weariness sink in as they climbed the steps to Miss Esther’s porch. It wasn’t the long walk on the farm, or the oppressive heat and sunshine, but Stephen’s emotional state. He was utterly exhausted, and despite the pleasant interlude of swimming and making love to Russ, he felt on edge again. Memories of the last time he’d been at the farm haunted him, and he wasn’t sure he was ready to face them head-on. Russ knew the gist of what happened, but he didn’t know the details.
     Stephen wanted to tell him, he honestly did, but it would break open old wounds, much older than the ones about Jeremy’s accident. Was it possible for a man to live to be nearly fifty without emotional scars? Stephen didn’t know. His felt particularly raw at the moment though, and he needed some time to let it all settle.
     They took turns showering, and when Stephen stepped out of the bathroom, he saw the room was empty. He dressed in clean clothes and walked down the wooden staircase, following the sound of voices in the kitchen. He paused in the hallway outside.
     “What was Stephen like as a kid?”
     Miss Esther laughed. “An adult. Oh, Russ, he was so serious; such a little man. He was quiet, thoughtful. He’d look at you with those bright blue eyes and it was like he was trying to figure out what made you tick. Oh, he had his rambunctious moments, I suppose. But for the most part, he was a serious little boy. I remember one time, his daddy brought him in the hardware store my husband owned and he spent the time sorting all of the bolts and screws so they were in their proper spots.”
     Russ chuckled. “That sounds like him. Thankfully, we’re both pretty neat, so we don’t find much around the apartment to fight about.”
     “You’re good for him,” Miss Esther said, her tone thoughtful. “I wasn’t sure what to think of you two, but I see it now. The way he looks at you … well, it was the way my Reginald looked at me. Like he’d throw himself in front of a bullet for ya’.”
     “I certainly hope it never comes to that.” Russ’ laugh was uncomfortable. “Stephen seems to think the town is going to be against us. Is that true?”
     Stephen heard the elderly woman sigh, and he leaned his shoulder against the wall to listen. Her voice was gentle when she responded. “I don’t know, child. Some people will be. This town is better than it was when Stephen left, but it’s not Atlanta. It can’t hurt to be cautious.”

Author Bio:
Brigham Vaughn has always been a voracious reader with her own stories to tell.  After many years of abandoned plots, something finally clicked.  Now she's eating, sleeping, and breathing writing and is excited to have finally figured out what she wants to be when she grows up.  In the little time that isn't spent writing or reading, she loves cooking, yoga, photography, and remodeling her ninety-year old home.  Brigham lives in Michigan with her four cats and an amazing husband who has always been her biggest champion.

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Partners

Amazon US  /  Amazon UK  /  Barnes&Noble

Equals

Amazon US  /  Amazon UK  /  Barnes&Noble  /  All Romance eBooks

1 commenter at each stop will have their choice of backlist title from Brigham Vaughn (excludes Dr. Feelgood).

In addition 1 commenter in all the tour will win a $10 gift card from Amazon.  Grand prize giveaway ends October 4 @ 11:59pm CDT.  Winner will be drawn by random drawing among all entrants on October 5.

Must be 18 or older to enter.  Void where prohibited.

Blog Tour Stops:
9/19/2014 Prism Book Alliance
9/20/2014 GGR Review
9/21/2014 MM Good Book Review
9/23/2014 Smoocher's Voice
9/25/2014 Diverse Reader
9/27/2014 Love Bytes Reviews
9/28/2014 The Novel Approach
9/30/2014 Padme's Library
10/1/2014 JP Barnaby
10/3/2014 Rainbow Gold Reviews