Book Review ~ Weight of the World by Riley Hart & Devon McCormack

Book Review ~ Weight of the World by Riley Hart & Devon McCormack 

Title: Weight of the World
Authors: Riley Hart, Devon McCormack 
Release Date: August 28, 2016
Pages: 241
GoodReads ~ Amazon


Blurb:

"The world’s an awfully big thing to carry by yourself."

Zack lost his job, his apartment, and his hope, which is why he ends up on the roof of a high rise, certain that one final step will solve his problems. But a mysterious stranger named Rob happens to be on the roof that night too. He talks Zack down, convincing him there's still hope left in the world. Zack thinks maybe he's right, which is why he's shocked when he turns on the news the next morning to find out Rob jumped himself. Disturbed and confused, he searches for answers, starting with Rob’s brother Tommy Rayburn.

It’s been Tommy’s job to take care of his brother since they were kids, taking the blows from their father so Rob wouldn’t have to. Tommy thought he could protect him, even if it meant carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. Considering Rob threw himself off a building, he obviously couldn't.

Then he meets Zack, a friend of Rob’s who’s suspiciously evasive about how they knew each other. But they’re both grieving and determined to find out why Rob jumped. Answers don’t come easily, and soon they’re soothing each other with sweat-slicked, passionate encounters. Hot as things get in the bedroom, it doesn’t take them long to realize there’s more between them than mind-blowing sex and their pain. But the heaviness is still there, threatening to pull them under, and if they can’t open up with each other to lighten the load, the weight just might be enough to crush them both. 

 4.5 Stars

Zack is at the end of his rope. Homeless and now jobless, he decides to end it all, but when he gets to the top of the roof he plans to jump from, he meets Rob, who convinces him he has so much to live for. The next day, Zack discovers that Rob met the same fate he was planning to by jumping off the roof to his death. Looking for answers as to why Rob would work so hard to save his life, and then take his own, he seeks out Rob's brother, Tommy. Together as Zack and Tommy look for answers, they find so much more. They find comfort in each other, but what will happen when Tommy discovers the last person to see his brother alive, is the man he's come to have feelings for. Will he fight for Zack or will he feel betrayed and walk away?

This was an emotional read. It deals with a very heavy subject matter, the aftermath of a suicide and who is left behind to ask why and what could I have done to help save this person, but it was handled very well. I loved that not only did we get Zack and Tommy's POV's, we also get a few chapters from Rob's POV, and this went a long way to making Rob feel like a true part of the book and not leaving him as just a part of the backdrop. Tommy and Zack were both likable characters. They had an amazing chemistry and the sex was explosively hot and plentiful.

The book is well-written, as a collaboration it seems maybe one POV was written by one author and the other POV by the other. One POV flowed better than the other. One POV was much more detail oriented and more "telly" rather than "showy", and it didn't flow as smoothly as the other. I've never read anything by Devon, but I've read all of Riley's books except the menage ones, and I'm pretty sure I know whose POV she wrote.

While the book was dark in places, it wasn't all doom and gloom. Zack and Tommy share some passion, tenderness, love and laughter along the way. Very enjoyable and highly recommended!!

About The Authors:

Riley:

Riley Hart is the girl who wears her heart on her sleeve. She's a hopeless romantic. A lover of sexy stories, passionate men, and writing about all the trouble they can get into together. If she's not writing, you'll probably find her reading. 

Riley lives in California with her awesome family, who she is thankful for everyday.

http://www.rileyhartwrites.blogspot.com

Devon:
Devon McCormack spends most of his time hiding in his lair, adventuring in paranormal worlds with his island of misfit characters. A good ole Southern boy, McCormack grew up in the Georgian suburbs with his two younger brothers and an older sister. At a very young age, he spun tales the old fashioned way, lying to anyone and everyone he encountered. He claimed he was an orphan. He claimed to be a king from another planet. He claimed to have supernatural powers. He has since harnessed this penchant for tall tales by crafting whole worlds where he can live out whatever fantasy he chooses.

A gay man himself, McCormack focuses on gay male characters, adding to the immense body of literature that chooses to represent and advocate gay men's presence in media. His body of work ranges from erotica to young adult, so readers should check the synopses of his books before purchasing so that they know what they're getting into.
http://www.devonmccormack.com