Only Trick

by Jewel E. Ann (Goodreads Author)

“Don’t Look Back in Anger”

In one night, I lost five years of my life. Here’s what I know …

I was homeless.

I’m a recovering drug addict.

My inked skin crawls from lustful eyes.

I have a serious aversion to women.

My gay partner is a home wrecker.

I own a gun and I’m a damn good shot.

I’m a makeup artist, but it’s an insult to my talent.

I’ve never wanted to possess anything except my Ducati … until I met Darby.

Now here’s what I know since that day in the ER when she pieced me back together … nothing—but a few random thoughts.

My new “friend” is distracting, clingy, and obsessed with acronyms, emojis, and phrases like “breakfast soul mates.”

I didn’t want to like her, but she crawled under my skin and swallowed me whole. Now we’re best friends and she’s my new addiction. I'd drink her from a shot glass, snort her up my nose, or inject her into my veins if I could. What I won’t do … is ever tell her that.

She doesn’t know me … I don’t know me. When those missing years come back, I think she will hate me … I think I will hate me.

My parents named me Patrick Roth, and this is my story.

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Source: eARC for Honest Review Courtesy of Author via NetGalley

Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance

Standalone

My Only Trick Review ...

Damn you Jewel E. Ann. I just want to read a couple of chapters before bed but they I was HOOKED and I ended up staying up all night long because I could NOT put the book down. :)

I LOVED this book! It had intrigue, angst, humor, drama, passion and loads of love.

Darby Carmichael comes from a political family whom expects a lot out of her. Her mom has past leaving a void where her step monster never filled it. Could be because she's a superficial bitch or because they are close in age which makes it awkward. Thankfully she's still super close to her Nana. She's great at her job at the hospital she even loves it. But she's stuck. She's dating a family approved boyfriend but she really doesn't like him all that much. It's just easy.

Then one day she goes into an exam room and her whole world changes.

Patrick 'Trick' Roth is a make up artist and 'gay'. He doesn't like woman but he doesn't know why. All he knows his that he has a great 'partner' and best friend and that he loved his parents but lost them when he was a teenager so he's been on his own for a long time. He started with nothing but has made something of himself. Sadly he still feels like he is missing something but doesn't know what.

Then one day he cuts himself and needs stitches. He goes to the hospital and his whole world changes.

Fate is on their side and these two meet again but this time Trick isn't as friendly. After being a bit of a douche Darby has to set him straight for him to only get more intrigued by this woman. Eventually these two become fast friends. Because of Darby's upbringing she's never really had a best friend and with Trick being gay he's a safe bet. It just sucks that he's so gorgeous.

The closer they get the more complicated it gets between them especially when Darby falls in love with her 'gay' best friend.

"Because I no longer need a reminder of where I've been ... I have you to remind me of where I'm going, and when I'm with you I don't ever want to look back."

These two need each other but it's getting tricky and emotions are on the line. Then after the biggest bombshell Darby has to come to term with the truth and what it means.

" ... the gay masquerade has been a symbiotic relationship between Trick and him for years. So even if Trick decides he's ready to come out of the reverse gay closet, Grady still needs his decoy."

For Trick, its always been easy to hide under an assumption but with Darby he wants more. He wants everything.

"I'm not going to stop until I feel your soul take my last breathe."

As Darby and Trick get closer she brings him home to only have it all blow up in their faces and for Trick's past to start to creep to the forefront. Sadly Trick doesn't know his past to see it happen. No matter what anyone else thinks they know what they want and are willing to make it work.

"A book with blank pages, weathered edges, and eraser marks, that's what I am. I need you to paint my future, write my story in permanent marker, just like the mark you left on my heart the day we met. Your touch is the only thing I feel, your voice the only thing I hear, your face the only thing I see, but your love ... your love, my beauty, is the only thing I need."

Finally these two can have some happiness after suffering more tragedy but really the true heartache was just hiding around the corner and then their whole world blows apart. Trick knows what he wants but can Darby and himself get over his past.

"I know you can't forget, so if you're going to remember something, remember this. You fucking own Every. Single. Piece. Of . Me." His voice breaks, our mouths a breath away. "I love you. I live for you. I fucking breathe for you. That's what you need to remember ... only that."

Gah! This was a refreshing twist within this friends to lover genre. I loved it! I adored Trick! and even though you have a feeling of what's to come you keep crossing your fingers hoping it's not the case. When we finally find out the truth it ends up being so much more then we anticipated. Great book! This was my first Jewel E. Ann book but after this it will definitely won't be my last.

4.5 Trick loving Thumbs up!