3.5/4 Stars

I will be very up front and say that Lydia saved the last 15% of the book for me. Otherwise I might not have been as happy with this book.

The first 60-70% off this book is very much cute romantic wandering fluff as the romance developed between Garrett and Jesse. I loved it, it was dramaless candy that I needed. Jesse's HIV wasnt a huge issue, neither was the age gap, it was great. I loved it, loved them talking and working through things rather than everything blowing up in a firey ball of miscommunication and seperation like in All The Wrong Places.

Then the con crud hit. And as with any con crud the issues started but then were fixed. Then the sister and sister in law reared their heads and where Jesse and Garrett were working through their issues on their own at their own speed they cause shit to hit the fan. And turn everything on fire. This is the same issue I had with All The Wrong Places. Both mcs working things out at their own pace then a side character coming in and blowing shit up. I had hoped to avoid it with this book but we were thrust head first into it. I do not enjoy firey displays of communication gone wrong nor seperation of the mcs when there is 10% left in the book.

The saving grace of this being Scott and Lydia. Lydia especially because she is such a wonderful character both of them in their empathy allow Jesse and Garrett their space while speaking clearly. Space that the sisters did not allow them to have.

I really did enjoy the first half of the Seattle trip where they discussed Sean and were emotionally vulnerable together that wad amazing, beautiful and gorgeous. And I want to see more emotionally conscious dialogue like that in books but the blow up I could have done without.

The discussions of Seans last few months of life were especially heartbreaking for me as they reminded me of my mom. I felt that it was handled respectively and wasnt used garishly as can happen in books. So I was also really pleased by that and the copious amounts of Magic the Gathering.

Overall I do think this is a really nice way to end the Bluewater Universe

I avidly looked forward to grabbing this book as I’ve been a fan of the series from day one. Since this author penned the first in the series and I knew this would be the last of Bluewater Bay, I had high hopes of an outstanding story, sort of an e-book “wrap party,” so to speak.

Unfortunately, though it was good, neither of the two MCs worked on the Wolf’s Landing TV production, and to be honest, I never could figure out why the book was named New Hand. It was just one of those things that drove me a bit crazy with distraction. And now, as I’m writing this review, it dawns on me that the phrase may have something to do with the card game, Magic, that the MCs played with several of the key players from previous stories. Or maybe it’s a play on the fact that Garrett was dealt a “new hand” after the death of his beloved husband, Sean. In any event, it’s not a title that is descriptive of the story, IMHO.

Garrett Blaine moved to Bluewater Bay to get a new lease on life after his husband of three years died of cancer. Torn apart by grief, everything in Seattle reminded him of his sweet, affectionate husband, including his job, since they were coworkers. Taking on the new role of a bartender might be the best thing for him so he can hear other people’s problems and not focus on his own.

And in walks Jesse Connelly, the young shop assistant we met in Outside the Lines. Jesse’s friend-with-benefits date has just stood him up and he’s pretty upset because he recently shared his HIV positive status with the young man, and now the guy won’t even kiss him. Though he doesn’t share that with Garrett, the two do talk, and talk, and talk. Sexy Garrett is fifteen years older than Jesse and that pleases Jesse just fine. Immediately attracted, and yet knowing this conversation is not a hookup, Jesse fails to share his status. That turns out to be a mistake when the two bump into each other again and hit it off again. In fact, the sexual chemistry is flaming—this is L.A. Witt, remember!

To make a long story short, there is a big misunderstanding, as expected, but it’s mostly because Garrett goes right back to his loss of Sean when he hears Jesse’s story. In fact, much of the story deals with Garrett’s grief and loss. It’s very well done, sensitive, and respectful of the man who died less than a year ago. The author takes us into Garrett’s psyche as he works through his grief and acknowledges his love for Sean before slowly beginning to share photos and experiences with Jesse. Jesse is a wonderful partner for Garrett—totally accepting that Sean is a part of his life now and will be for quite some time. He offers the friendship, love, and support that Garrett needs.

Though the story is long, and there is indeed a great deal of focus on Sean’s loss, there’s also a lot of fun times—and sexy times—with Jesse, and there’s a few scenes with Levi and Carter, Hunter and Kevin, principal characters of the series, in which they all gather together to play Magic, a card game about which I am no longer clueless since the author spent quite a few pages explaining the game.

Jesse was a wonderful character with a bright, fun personality. And because of his status, there is a lot of information about HIV in this story, especially updated info on HIV treatment and partner risk as well as about partners taking Truvada.

In summary, there was a lot of page time devoted to grief recovery, and sometimes it got very depressingly bogged down. There was also lots of info on Sean, so much so, he was a virtual third MC. And though I loved Jesse, he sometimes felt too good to be true in how well he adapted to being with a grief-stricken Garrett. And—this is L.A. Witt!--there was honestly a lot of sex—in fact, almost too much. The sex scenes didn’t hold my interest after a while and I breezed through them.

Overall, I’m a bit disappointed in this last story of the series, and looking back, I realize that it’s primarily because I expected so much. It was good but It just wasn’t outstanding. Do I recommend it? Definitely, because many readers love this theme of grief-comfort, and of course, age gap romance. And the series? Not to be missed—written by various authors—some books were outstanding, some average, but all bound by the Bluewater Bay setting and the Wolf’s Landing TV production. I am definitely going to miss traveling to western Washington to get my fix of all these memorable characters.

This was actually a really good, but emotional at times, read. I loved the way Jesse and Garrett came together and supported one another, despite all that they were dealing with on their own.

Garrett is a bartender in Bluewater Bay, but was formerly an accountant while living in Seattle. His husband died of cancer less than a year ago and he's starting a new life now. He's still very much grieving for his husband, but when he lays eyes on Jesse at the bar one night, he felt instant attraction.

Jesse is the flamboyant comic book store employee we've met in previous books. He's over-the-top, but loyal and lovable. He's stood up by a friend and that's when he meets Garrett at the bar. Garrett is more than 10 years older than Jesse, but the two get along great and they have easy conversations at the bar that night. They don't make plans to see each other again, but Jesse shows up again to chat with Garrett since he finds the older guy equally attractive.

Eventually, Garrett agrees to go out with Jesse and it doesn't end well. But they sort things out and decide to give things a try. Garrett doesn't care that Jesse is HIV positive and Jesse doesn't care that Garrett is still grieving his husband. He's willing to give things a shot if Garrett is, so I liked that about the two. I did not see Jesse being the dominant one in the relationship though - that honestly shocked me, but once I kept reading, I got it.

Jesse was so supportive of Garrett and is really there for him when he's grieving his dead husband still. I honestly don't know if I could have done the same if I were in Jesse's shoes, so I had much respect for him. And Garrett didn't let the fact that Jesse had HIV keep him away. Jesse had been hurt by too many men over the years once they found out, so he really deserved happiness.

I will admit that I was a bit ignorant about what it's like to live with HIV these days since I too grew up in the 80's and 90's when it was a deadly disease. So to hear of how Jesse dealt with being HIV positive and how little effect it really had on him and his partner as long as he took his medicine, was quite surprising.

One thing that bothered me was how Garrett's former in-laws and even his own sister treated him as though he didn't know how he felt and that his own judgment shouldn't be trusted. I know they thought that maybe he moved on too fast or that he was trying to replace Sean with a look-alike, but they took things too far. The sister-in-law was a complete jerk and I strongly disliked her and the rant she went on Garrett when he was visiting the grave on anniversary of his husband's death. I do think the grief took center-stage in this book and it may have been a bit overdone, but it did add an emotional connection and draw to Garrett.

In the end, things work out for both men and it looks like they're truly happy, but still taking things at their own pace. I did enjoy the "Space Villager" reference at the end of the book. I was reading it and thought 'hey, pretty sure that was another author who had a character that was a programmer on that game' and then read the notes at the end to confirm it :-) Nice touch.

Jesse and Garrett are drawn to each other, in friendship and attraction and their love as it blooms is beautiful. I adored the story, I hurt for these two character's... for the pain and heart ache they have each endured. I don't think for one bit Garrett was using Jesse as a replacement for his husband, and I wished that those closest to him would have stopped with their own questions about his relationship which only caused him to question it.

New Hand, L.A. Witt

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre: LBGTQIA, Romance

I've loved the Bluewater books I've read, love LA Witt's writing style and expected to love this read. Sadly it was a decent read, but not a great one for me.

I really didn't feel the “pull” between Garrett and Jesse, and I needed that. I didn't even feel lust in particular, they felt to me more like just two very good friends.
Garrett's friend Scott puts it well when they are talking about whether its too soon after Sean's death to start a relationship. He says Garret hasn't just been grieving since he died, but since they knew he was terminally ill some 18 moths before, and in a way that made sense. Like others looking on I found it hard to see how he could fall in love with Jesse so soon.
I'm still kind of fence sitting on that. Grief is different for everyone, we all cope differently and I just can't imagine finding someone new so soon. That's just personal though, and of course this is fiction... ;-)

Jesse, I loved him. He'd had a tough time, scarily what happened to him is probably commoner than we think, in terms of STDs rather than full on HIV. Poor kid. It must be hard coming to terms with being sexually different to most of your peers without having that lumped on top. He copes really well, and I understood his anger at others actions. People are scared though of what they don't understand, and I liked that Garret took the trouble to look things up, ask professionals and not just give poor Jesse the elbow over something out of his control.

Its a interesting story, with the factors of grief and grieving family, HIV and all the issues that brings wrapped up so neatly. Age difference too, though I never felt that age was a factor with them, but others perceive it.
Odd isn't it, age gap of 15 years or more being seen as OK with man being older and woman younger, or as in this case when both are males, but make it a younger guy/older woman and there's sly insinuations and calls of Cougar...I wonder how F/F relationships are judged if there's an age gap?

Anyway, an educating read, gave me lots to think over, taught me stuff about HIV that I didn't know. I'm older than Garret and can recall the first rounds of it back in the 70's and 80's, when people didn't know much about it, and being positive was pretty much a death sentence.
I knew there had been forward movement, medical progress but not that it had advanced so much, great news to hear.


Stars: Three, an interesting read but not one of the best Bluewater or LA Witt novels for me.

ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers

May/December is one of my go to tropes in the MM genre, and L.A. Witt is a go to author. Not to mention, I adore this series.

Garrett has recently relocated to Bluewater Bay after the death of his husband. He needed a change, and his BF lives there so he figured it was the best place as any to get a fresh start. What he didn't bargain on his a cute kid named Jesse walking into disbar one night after being stood up.

Jesse is HIV positive, and for most of his adult, sexually active life...he has been crapped on by his partner's. The most recent was someone close to him who he counted as a friend.

Jesse and Garrett are drawn to each other, in friendship and attraction and their love as it blooms is beautiful. I adored the story, I hurt for these two character's... for the pain and heart ache they have each endured. I don't think for one bit Garrett was using Jesse as a replacement for his husband, and I wished that those closest to him would have stopped with their own questions about his relationship which only caused him to question it.

But otherwise, this was another excellent installment in the Bluewater Bay series!

Jesse Connelly is stood up by text whilst waiting at the bar by his friend who seems to have transformed from hot date to a coward since the revelation of his HIV status at their last meeting. His fail of an evening is rescued by the attention of the hot barman, Garrett Blaine. They hit it off immediately and slowly start to see where things go, however Jesse is scared about being rejected and Garrett has problems of his own. Everyone around him is shocked that he is dating again and their doubts is beginning to erode his confidence. This is the first Bluewater Bay book I’ve read and it makes me want to read more. Witt’s talent of describing emotions, particularly tenderness shines through. A definite must if your into gaming.