“Secrets, silent, stony sit in the dark palaces of both our hearts.” – James Joyce

BLURB: Jason Stockton and Blaze Shinozuka are looking forward to escaping their hectic rock and roll lifestyle for a relaxing holiday. Their plan seems promising, and the passion between them burns hotter than ever as they keep each other warm despite the icy temperatures.

When a surprise Stockton family get-together threatens to reveal what Jason would rather keep hidden, their budding relationship is put to the test and an impromptu trip to Hawaii makes the differences between them more obvious than ever.

Thanks to two chaotic family holidays and a lot of painful secrets, Christmas could end up being more than their new found love can endure.

And *NEW* The Journey Onward…

Getting back from paradise and being alone is exactly what Jason and Blaze need to build their relationship and break down the barriers between them, but nothing is ever that simple. Being in LA means back to work for Jason and Blaze gets a sample of what life will be like as Jason’s partner.

Can loving each other be enough to keep them together? Blaze is finding out how much work goes into keeping a relationship alive and in their darkest hour, they will have to stand united as partners to weather a storm that could devastate their future.

REVIEW: I was so excited when Lisa told me Lori had a new book out in The Replacement Guitarist series. I snatched this one up as soon as I could. I loved Blaze and Jason in the first book, and I couldn’t wait to see what was in store for them next. I didn’t think it could get any better, but boy was I wrong. In the first book, Jason and Blaze had a whirlwind zero to sixty romance. They met and were immediately hooked on one another. There was little time for them to really get to know one another, all they knew was that they wanted to be together. In this book they finally experienced the “getting to know each other” phase of their relationship.

When Blaze returned from touring with Cassie, he was looking forward to three weeks of just him and Jason heating up the sheets and finally starting the “dating” portion of their relationship. Of course, it couldn’t be that easy. Their two man party turned into Jason’s whole army of a family, from his Gram all the way down to the nine, yes nine, nieces and nephews, showing up for Christmas. Blaze found himself in the middle of a battle between brothers, star-struck by his boyfriends’ mother, and enamored of Gram. The only downside to any of this was every time something upset Jason, instead of turning to Blaze for support, he would shut Blaze out. Not wanting to rock the boat, Blaze just rolled with it. That is, until Jason’s family informed them they were all going to Hawaii for New Year’s. Blaze still wasn’t out to his Grandmother, and he hadn’t spoken to his parents since the falling out before his tour.

The trip to Hawaii was a make or break situation for Blaze and Jason. Jason kept pushing Blaze away, and Blaze finally let him. Enough was enough for Blaze, and Jason had to open up to him or lose this relationship before it ever really made it off the ground. There was a meeting with Blaze’s parents, a very upset Grandmother, and some serious misunderstandings. These two men had to find the balance between their very different lives if they were going to be able to move on together. This seems easier said than done when both Jason and Blaze were just waiting for the other to get tired of them and walk away. It would take some major talking and some compromises to build a foundation that would last.

When it seems things might be getting on the right track personally, their professional lives start to implode. Blaze knows Jason can support them financially, but he doesn’t want to be the “kept” man. So, they just add this to the list of things that are threatening their stability as a couple. This book ended way too soon for my taste, but then again, I could read about these two for days with no complaints. The good news is Lori Toland left plenty of room for more books in the series, and I for one can’t wait to see what happens next. This is a story of two men who are both so scarred by their pasts that it is hard for them to let anyone else in. They will have to find the strength to trust one another and when they do, it is going to be beautiful. I for one will be there cheering them on. I highly recommend this series, and I sure hope Lori writes fast because I can’t wait for the next book!

You can buy Home for the Holidays(The Replacement Guitarist #2) here: