Review: Driving into the Sun by Dev Bentham

Bad choices. We all make them, some more than others. Dusty’s choices have left him unemployed, broke and practically homeless. Despite the major issues he has with his family, his only rational choice is to sell everything and move into his parents’ basement. At thirty. Looking for a ride west, he answers a phone ad. The voice at the other end of the line flows like dark, rich honey. Finally something to look forward to—listening to Joe’s voice all the way from Illinois to Idaho.

Rather than the hip crooner of Dusty’s fantasies, Joe turns out to look more like a panhandler. Is that because Joe dresses down, or are Dusty’s preconceptions about Native Americans clouding his vision? Joe is silent more often than not. He has a complicated past and still has amends to make. But he is ready to move on. Dusty feels trapped. Two damaged men, one small car driving two thousand miles into the sun—sometimes things need to break down before they can get fixed.

Dusty has to go back home. Back to the family that doesn't accept him. He has to go back because of the mistakes he's made. He's lost everything and has nowhere else to go. 

He's lost so much that he has to hitch a ride with a (hot, sexy, brooding) stranger, Joe, back to the other side of the country. Poor Dusty. 

The story is told from Dusty's POV and he was a really likeable, regular guy. He made some bad, bad choices. I think I may have been yelling at my kindle a few times. What made him even more relatable was his reaction after his bad choices. He wasn't all tough guy... he was scared. Shitless! And I just really liked that about him. He didn't have to be all macho about it, he was scared and called for help. I liked a guy who can admit that.

Their relationship was slow and thoughtful. As in, the author was thoughtful of how things progressed and it showed. Joe's feelings toward Dusty were obvious from the outside, but not to Dusty right away. He needed a few nudges to see what was in front of him. They were sweet, and again, very relatable. Well, as much as I can relate to two gay men, at least.

They really had no choice but to get to know each other better during their long trip across country, but even in their silences there was camaraderie building between them. I really can't stress enough how just... real and human these guys were. I like me some likeable guys. 

"'I'm over cowboys. I'm into Native Americans now.'
Joe raised one eyebrow, 'Native Americans, plural?'
'Not yet. It's a new phase.'"

They didn't have in your face & we're so funny, kind of banter. But natural & that made me chuckle and grin, kind of banter.

Through their journey they stopped at both their families homes. I liked that they did this together and the complete support they gave each other, since their visits were not easy ones.

I really enjoyed Joe and Dusty, they're characters and a great couple. There were a couple things that drew me out of the story over and over. One, the continued references to race. I felt like there were quite a few and it didn't seem necessary to me and would throw me for a second. Also, Dusty's inner-thoughts during the sex scenes or when he was thinking about sex, always went back to his ex. I get that his ex made him worrisome about his emotions, but it was brought up a lot. I get it, your ex gave you a complex, please stop thinking about it and let me enjoy your sex, thank you very much.

Overall, an enjoyable, low angst, slow burn romance. Just two very real guys, building a very real romance.

 

A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

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