Review: Concious Decisions of the Heart (More Heat than the Sun #2) by John Wiltshire

Ben Rider and Nikolas Mikkelsen learn that danger comes in all shapes and sizes and often in places you least expect it. Nikolas's dark past calls to him, inexorably dragging him back into its seductive embrace. While he goes on an errand of mercy to Russia, Ben travels to Denmark to learn Nikolas's language. Convinced Russia's vastness will swallow Nikolas, Ben doesn't see the enemy much closer to home. Thinking he has lost Nikolas, Ben then makes a terrible decision that threatens to destroy everything they have together. Focused on this very personal horror, bound by a new level of commitment, they have no idea that a greater threat is coming. And when it arrives, it changes everything---even the definition of commitment. Warning: This story contains the violent death of a minor character and some graphic violence.

"I surrender. I give you permission to continue with your stubborn, unrealistic blind faith in my complete lovability. It's quite astounding to me no one else has ever noticed just how loveable I apparently am."

I noticed! Me! Me, Nik! And thank you for the permission. I will continue to love you.

I could write a review just about how much I love Nik and how that dude makes me swoon.

"[...] You need a heart to want someone, and I gave mine to you, Benjamin. Or did you forget?"

 *swoon*

Ben, Nikolas and Nikolas' lies are back. They're faced with Nik's past, yet again, and Nik is off to Russia, continuing to fight his demons. I actually really liked their time apart (which is not something I would usually say). It was nice to get to know Ben's character without Nik around. He's just... a good guy. Regardless of the things he's done, he really shines in this sequel. Not to mention, I thoroughly enjoy texts and such between characters and theirs were great. It allowed some great dialogue without it being too serious. Plus, we were able to hear from Nik even if he wasn't there. And then on Ben's birthday? Unf. There goes Nik again, making me swoon and he wasn't even there, FFS.

Ugh, but once Nik returned and the shenanigans that followed... broke my heart! But, they seem to thrive from these situations. If not for all the horrible things they've gone through, they definitely wouldn't be in the same place in their relationship that they are now. We truly see the depth of Ben's affection for Nik and what might (but, hopefully, wouldn't really) happen to Ben without him. We're constantly shown Nik's feelings by all his swoony words. 

"I need you, Benjamin. Everything else in this world I've discovered over the last few days is unnecessary to me. I need life, and I need you. Now, we're leaving. Make yourself more useful than you usually do and pack my bag."

He's got some seriously good words. I could quote him all day.

But with Ben you can just feel his complete love for Nik come through in everything he does. Eventually, Nik gets there, too. It takes some danger and one serious disaster, but I think he really (really) knows what he has now and I'm not sure he's willing to ever let it go.

Now, I just need 300 pages of HEA time with lots of lovey dialogue. But, judging by the blurb for book #3, that's not gonna happen. I think I'll be made to suffer a bit longer. For Ben and Nik? Heck, yes.

A copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review,

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