Summary:
Love doesn’t always add up.
Russell Bishop is a rising star at Vantage Marketing.
Stephen Parker is the company’s CFO.
A spilled cup of coffee gives them an opportunity to act on the mutual attraction they’ve both been trying to ignore. But attraction isn’t enough with an almost twenty-year age gap and clashing expectations about their relationship.
Fiercely independent, Russ isn't sure he's ready for long-term commitment and Stephen is afraid history is repeating itself.
Their relationship reaches a crossroads when the death of Stephen’s father forces them to visit his hometown in southern Georgia. Estranged from his family, Stephen must 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 must find the strength to be the man Stephen desperately needs.
Love in the Balance #2Summary:
Love isn’t always enough.
Russ Bishop and Stephen Parker are in love. They’ve settled into their relationship and are both happy. But Russ wants more than what they have now, he wants forever.
To him that means marriage, but for Stephen that has never been an option. Marriage equality still isn't recognized in Georgia so why want what he can't have?
When Stephen’s ex re-appears, they’ll have to decide once and for all if they’re ready to commit to a lifetime together.
New Edition(reread) Review August 2020:
The things a cup of coffee can lead to and when it's an ill-timed spilled cup . . . well let's face it sometimes it's the inconveniences in life that lead to the most satisfying results.
When I was youn . . . well awhile ago the local PBS station use to run a British sitcom called May to December following the relationship between and older man and a younger woman. I loved it, it was funny, sincere, romantic but not soppy. I mention this because I rarely see the ages in fiction, long as it's well written with intriguing characters and said characters are consenting adults, age is truly just a number and the sitcom was no different, however, though I loved the show I can't say it made me "seek out" May/December romances in my reading and then Brigham Vaughn's Equals series was born. It may still not be a sub-genre of choice for me but when done well it's brilliant. Russ and Stephen are done brilliantly!
I wasn't going to do a re-read of the new edition prior to this post but I just couldn't deny myself any longer. So whether you read Russ and Stephen's journey as the Equals series a few years ago or you're reading it for the first time under Peachtree series, it's just as entertaining as the first time for me. I had equal parts rooting for them with Mama Bear Hugs waiting in the wings and whacking them upside the head moments to make them sit down and see what potential was in front of them.
A true gem that is re-readable heaven.
Original Editions Review:
Equals #1
Original Review July 2014:
We see how a seemingly insignificant clumsy annoyance can change the lives of two people. Everything happens for a reason and this time around, spilled coffee brings two men together, even if one has to get some minor injuries to do it. I love the dynamics between Russ and Stephen both as individual characters and as a couple. Even though there is a 20 year age gap between the two, they are surprisingly the same even if they are at different places in their lives. The author manages to bridge that gap with sincerity, passion, fight, and overdue communication.
Partners #2
Original Review September 2014:
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!!! Stephen 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 seeing what the future has in store for both Stephen and Russ (I hope) and Miss Vaughn.
Love in the Balance #2
New Edition(reread) Review August 2020:
As with the release of Off-Balance, I wasn't going to read Love in the Balance right now either because I'm so far behind on my 2020 reading list BUT once I read Off-Balance I couldn't deny reading the second installment either.
Russ and Stephen are just as yummy as they were 5 years ago(Holy Hannah Batman has it been 5 years since I finished their journey?). There is just so much goodness in this pair that makes them not only fun to read but realistic too. Considering the area I live in I doubt I'd meet them next door but I certainly feel like I could meet them for lunch at the local restaurant or pumping gas and I always love having that possible connection to a book character, it just helps me fall that much harder.
Now, if you are new to Peachtree and hadn't read Brigham Vaughn's original released Equals series, this is a journey that must be read in order. If you are like me and read Equals before, trust me you'll love Russ & Stephen even more the second time around.
Original Editions Review:
Family #3
Original Review April 2015:
This was a perfect addition to the Equals series and the love story of Russ and Stephen. I've been wondering about that box that Miss Esther gave Stephen from his father's things. I loved finally getting to meet Russ' family too. I won't lie, there was some dread I was fearing when faced with Addison meeting Stephen considering the way their aunt had raised her but it worked out even better than I expected. Such a lovely and beautifully written Christmas story. I look forward to more of Russ and Stephen, hint, hint Miss Vaughn.
Husbands #4
Original Review April 2015:
I don't even know where to begin. Russ and Stephen had me from their first spilled coffee and being able to see their relationship grow, mature, and evolve has been a joy and has earned a prominent spot in my personal library. Brigham Vaughn has a way with the written word, she conveys so much emotion and detail with a relatively limited number of words. I'll admit that there are moments that I would sit and imagine what was going on between the pages, yes they would have added to the story but truth is that there is nothing lacking from Russ and Stephen's story without those moments. Sometimes, readers need to read certain points and others you just need to imagine and for me, Miss Vaughn has given us a perfect blend of visual and imagined nuggets.
Husbands is a perfect conclusion to this couple's tale, I can't say "ending" because that elicits too much sadness but it definitely wraps this romance up in a neat little bow. Now, having said that, it's not a sugary sweet, no problems kind of ride, the bumps are there and one bump is Jeremy, Stephen's ex. I was glad that we finally got to meet Jeremy and his part is not the cliche "ex wants back in". Calling Jeremy a "bump" is not giving him the credit he deserves on my part but there are some tense moments, even if it's mostly inner monologue. Yep, if you have been following Russ and Stephen's story, you just can't miss Husbands. And if you haven't read the Equals series, well, what are you doing sitting here reading my review, check it out because you won't regret it. I can't wait to see what the mind of Brigham Vaughn brings next.
RATING:
Off-Balance #1
“Hopefully, I’m not keeping you from a hot date tonight or something.”
Stephen let out a small snort of amusement. “Russ, I can’t remember the last time I had a hot date. Frankly, it’s been months since I’ve had a date of any sort. And they were lukewarm at best. If you’re asking if I’m single, the answer is yes.”
Embarrassed, Russ cleared his throat. “I was curious.”
“Nothing wrong with curiosity.”
“I’m single too,” Russ said. He cringed internally. Jesus. He’d had game once. Okay, maybe not game because he’d never had time to really develop it, but he used to be at least slightly smooth. This … whatever this was, was truly pathetic.
But Stephen didn’t seem too put out by his awkwardness. “Haven’t met the right person or no time to date?”
“Maybe a little of both,” Russ admitted. “It can be hard to meet men when you’re working fifty, sixty hours a week.” There. He’d at least managed to work the fact that he was gay into the conversation without doing it in the most cringey way possible.
“Absolutely,” Stephen said. “Though, from what I hear, you’re doing very well at Vantage.”
Russ blinked. He had no idea Stephen had even known who he was, much less that he’d been paying attention to how he was doing. “I had no idea you’d noticed me at work.”
“Oh, I noticed.” Stephen gave him a slow smile. “You needn’t worry about proving your worth, if that’s why you’re working those kind of hours.”
“I like to be thorough,” Russ said.
“Thoroughness is good.”
Was it Russ’s imagination or was there a hint of heat in Stephen’s eyes now and a faint rasp to his voice? “I like to make sure I take my time and fully grasp a topic,” Russ countered. “Get a real grip on it.”
“Traits like that will certainly allow you to get far at whatever you choose to do.”
Including with you? Russ wondered. “I’m trying to get ahead.”
The corner of Stephen’s mouth curved up even further. “That much is clear.”
“Think I’ll succeed?”
“I suppose it depends on what you’re trying to succeed at.”
“You don’t know?”
“I try not to make any assumptions about anything until I’m sure.”
Goddamn it. They were talking in circles and getting nowhere. Maybe Russ needed to try a different approach.
“I appreciate all of your help today,” Russ said. “I seriously can’t thank you enough.”
Stephen looked away from the TV again and shook his head, glancing at Russ with a small smile. “It’s the least I could do. I feel responsible for what happened.”
Russ smiled back, Stephen’s earnestness relaxing him. “Let’s call it even then, I guess. Or we could be up all night with this.”
Stephen quirked an eyebrow up at him, eyes crinkling at the corners with amusement. Fuck, what a turn on. Why older men were such an attraction for him, Russ would never be sure, but he’d realized it in college. He’d had a brief fling with a professor named Jack Burns after the semester was over. It wasn’t the forbidden aspect of it—they’d both waited until after Russ was no longer his student—but he liked the age difference.
A man with a fit body, handsome face, graying hair, and a killer smile always got Russ going. Hell, his head and ankle ached and he was still thinking about what Stephen would be like in bed. And was he flirting? God, Russ hoped so. “Well, being up all night isn’t always a bad thing.”
Stephen’s lips turned up at the corners in amusement. “You don’t think so?”
Russ shrugged. “It depends on the reason, doesn’t it?”
“Yes, I suppose it does,” Stephen murmured. He shifted to face Russ. “I’m afraid all of the best reasons are off the table at the moment though, aren’t they?”
“Too bad.”
Love in the Balance #2
He reached out and squeezed his thigh. “Speaking of commitment, I know we’ve talked about this before, but I’d like to make an appointment with a lawyer to draw up all the power of attorney and living will paperwork soon. If something happened to you … Well, I don’t want to find myself in the position I was in with Jeremy. Alan is wonderful, so I know he wouldn’t keep me away, but we might as well have all of the legal protection in place.”
Russ nodded. “Yeah, you’re right. We should do that soon.”
They had essentially already made the commitment to each other, so why not formalize it? Even if Stephen lost every penny or became sick or injured, Russ wasn’t going anywhere, and he knew Stephen felt the same. There was no question in his mind that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Stephen. And after meeting his mom, he no longer had the smallest doubt that he was capable of serious commitment. He wasn’t her, and he never had been. He was in this relationship for the long haul with Stephen, and the law should recognize that.
It seemed so cold and soulless to go to a lawyer’s office to draw up paperwork though. It felt like too big a moment to treat that way. He knew some couples had parties after, to celebrate, but that didn’t seem right. No, what he wanted was to publicly declare his feelings for his partner and show the rest of the world how much Stephen mattered to him.
He didn’t want to sign a few sheets of paper and pretend as if it weren’t one of the biggest moments in his life. He wanted more than that. He wanted … Russ stilled as it hit him what he truly desired. He wanted marriage. He blinked, trying to absorb the enormity of that realization. For a guy who’d struggled with the idea of long-term commitment, he knew he had come a long way. Maybe it was time he showed Stephen how serious he was about their relationship. Hell, he wouldn’t be surprised if Stephen had wanted it for a while and had been hesitating because he was worried Russ wasn’t ready.
He glanced over at Stephen and pictured standing in front of an officiant, their friends, and family and telling all of them that he wanted to spend the rest of his life making Stephen happy. He could picture it so clearly, and it felt right.
Maybe Georgia was light-years behind other states when it came to marriage equality and all it would legally recognize was signatures on a power of attorney form. But there was no reason they couldn’t go out of state to get married. And someday, when Georgia finally recognized it, they’d be married there too.
Husband. Russ tested the word out in his head, and something about it felt so right. He felt a surge of giddy elation as he imagined sliding a ring onto Stephen’s finger as they promised to spend the rest of their lives together.
He was going to do this. He was going to ask Stephen to marry him.
“Hopefully, I’m not keeping you from a hot date tonight or something.”
Stephen let out a small snort of amusement. “Russ, I can’t remember the last time I had a hot date. Frankly, it’s been months since I’ve had a date of any sort. And they were lukewarm at best. If you’re asking if I’m single, the answer is yes.”
Embarrassed, Russ cleared his throat. “I was curious.”
“Nothing wrong with curiosity.”
“I’m single too,” Russ said. He cringed internally. Jesus. He’d had game once. Okay, maybe not game because he’d never had time to really develop it, but he used to be at least slightly smooth. This … whatever this was, was truly pathetic.
But Stephen didn’t seem too put out by his awkwardness. “Haven’t met the right person or no time to date?”
“Maybe a little of both,” Russ admitted. “It can be hard to meet men when you’re working fifty, sixty hours a week.” There. He’d at least managed to work the fact that he was gay into the conversation without doing it in the most cringey way possible.
“Absolutely,” Stephen said. “Though, from what I hear, you’re doing very well at Vantage.”
Russ blinked. He had no idea Stephen had even known who he was, much less that he’d been paying attention to how he was doing. “I had no idea you’d noticed me at work.”
“Oh, I noticed.” Stephen gave him a slow smile. “You needn’t worry about proving your worth, if that’s why you’re working those kind of hours.”
“I like to be thorough,” Russ said.
“Thoroughness is good.”
Was it Russ’s imagination or was there a hint of heat in Stephen’s eyes now and a faint rasp to his voice? “I like to make sure I take my time and fully grasp a topic,” Russ countered. “Get a real grip on it.”
“Traits like that will certainly allow you to get far at whatever you choose to do.”
Including with you? Russ wondered. “I’m trying to get ahead.”
The corner of Stephen’s mouth curved up even further. “That much is clear.”
“Think I’ll succeed?”
“I suppose it depends on what you’re trying to succeed at.”
“You don’t know?”
“I try not to make any assumptions about anything until I’m sure.”
Goddamn it. They were talking in circles and getting nowhere. Maybe Russ needed to try a different approach.
“I appreciate all of your help today,” Russ said. “I seriously can’t thank you enough.”
Stephen looked away from the TV again and shook his head, glancing at Russ with a small smile. “It’s the least I could do. I feel responsible for what happened.”
Russ smiled back, Stephen’s earnestness relaxing him. “Let’s call it even then, I guess. Or we could be up all night with this.”
Stephen quirked an eyebrow up at him, eyes crinkling at the corners with amusement. Fuck, what a turn on. Why older men were such an attraction for him, Russ would never be sure, but he’d realized it in college. He’d had a brief fling with a professor named Jack Burns after the semester was over. It wasn’t the forbidden aspect of it—they’d both waited until after Russ was no longer his student—but he liked the age difference.
A man with a fit body, handsome face, graying hair, and a killer smile always got Russ going. Hell, his head and ankle ached and he was still thinking about what Stephen would be like in bed. And was he flirting? God, Russ hoped so. “Well, being up all night isn’t always a bad thing.”
Stephen’s lips turned up at the corners in amusement. “You don’t think so?”
Russ shrugged. “It depends on the reason, doesn’t it?”
“Yes, I suppose it does,” Stephen murmured. He shifted to face Russ. “I’m afraid all of the best reasons are off the table at the moment though, aren’t they?”
“Too bad.”
Love in the Balance #2
He reached out and squeezed his thigh. “Speaking of commitment, I know we’ve talked about this before, but I’d like to make an appointment with a lawyer to draw up all the power of attorney and living will paperwork soon. If something happened to you … Well, I don’t want to find myself in the position I was in with Jeremy. Alan is wonderful, so I know he wouldn’t keep me away, but we might as well have all of the legal protection in place.”
Russ nodded. “Yeah, you’re right. We should do that soon.”
They had essentially already made the commitment to each other, so why not formalize it? Even if Stephen lost every penny or became sick or injured, Russ wasn’t going anywhere, and he knew Stephen felt the same. There was no question in his mind that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Stephen. And after meeting his mom, he no longer had the smallest doubt that he was capable of serious commitment. He wasn’t her, and he never had been. He was in this relationship for the long haul with Stephen, and the law should recognize that.
It seemed so cold and soulless to go to a lawyer’s office to draw up paperwork though. It felt like too big a moment to treat that way. He knew some couples had parties after, to celebrate, but that didn’t seem right. No, what he wanted was to publicly declare his feelings for his partner and show the rest of the world how much Stephen mattered to him.
He didn’t want to sign a few sheets of paper and pretend as if it weren’t one of the biggest moments in his life. He wanted more than that. He wanted … Russ stilled as it hit him what he truly desired. He wanted marriage. He blinked, trying to absorb the enormity of that realization. For a guy who’d struggled with the idea of long-term commitment, he knew he had come a long way. Maybe it was time he showed Stephen how serious he was about their relationship. Hell, he wouldn’t be surprised if Stephen had wanted it for a while and had been hesitating because he was worried Russ wasn’t ready.
He glanced over at Stephen and pictured standing in front of an officiant, their friends, and family and telling all of them that he wanted to spend the rest of his life making Stephen happy. He could picture it so clearly, and it felt right.
Maybe Georgia was light-years behind other states when it came to marriage equality and all it would legally recognize was signatures on a power of attorney form. But there was no reason they couldn’t go out of state to get married. And someday, when Georgia finally recognized it, they’d be married there too.
Husband. Russ tested the word out in his head, and something about it felt so right. He felt a surge of giddy elation as he imagined sliding a ring onto Stephen’s finger as they promised to spend the rest of their lives together.
He was going to do this. He was going to ask Stephen to marry him.
Brigham Vaughn is on the adventure of a lifetime as a full-time author. She devours books at an alarming rate and hasn’t let her short arms and long torso stop her from doing yoga. She makes a killer key lime pie, hates green peppers, and loves wine tasting tours. A collector of vintage Nancy Drew books and green glassware, she enjoys poking around in antique shops and refinishing thrift store furniture. An avid photographer, she dreams of traveling the world and she can’t wait to discover everything else life has to offer her.
Her books range from short stories to novellas to novels. They explore gay, bisexual, lesbian, and polyamorous romance in contemporary settings.
SMASHWORDS / PINTEREST / SCRIBd / B&N
EMAIL: brighamvaughn@gmail.com
Off-Balance #1
Love in the Balance #2
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