Danny and Mike by Valentina Heart

Title: Danny and Mike

Author: Valentina Heart

Genre: Contemporary

Length: Novel Plus (361pgs)

Publisher: Silver publishing (29th September 2012)

Heat: Explicit

Heart: ♥♥♥♥♥4 ½Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: Danny emerges from a life of abuse to discover happiness with Mike. Then his nightmares return and he has to make a choice–to fight or to save the one who showed him life is worth living.

Sometimes love can be found in the most unlikely places, or so Danny discovers once he finds himself in a bar brawl. With a life of abuse behind him, he’s more than ready for a new, happier start, and Mike seems to be exactly what his damaged soul needs.

With a completely different background, Mike is close to a ray of sunshine. Always optimistic and happy, he anchors Danny and shows him life can be about love instead of hate.

But chapters of the past are rarely completely closed, and once Danny’s nightmares come back into his life he has to make a choice–to fight or to save the one who showed him life is worth living.

Purchase Link: https://spsilverpublishing.com/product_book_info/products_id/1211/

Warning: This book contains scenes that may cause distress to some readers. Rape and/or abuse.

Review: This book isn’t for the faint of heart or those who want a perfect happy ending. Danny starts a new life in Zadar, away from the abuse that he has suffered for years.  It’s a long journey but he is finally on his feet.  Stumbling into a bar fight, Danny finds love in the shape of Mike. Mike stumbles across the love of his life during a bar fight and couldn’t be more than happy, but when Danny’s past finds him, Mike wonders if their love will survive.

Valentina Heart has written a book that is filled with both joy and heartache, with new discoveries and old fears and love so great that nothing could break it. Danny has finally escaped to begin a life that he wants for himself, but it is a long road to feeling safe and secure. When he meets Mike in the middle of a bar fight and Mike is interested in him, he can’t help but wonder why Mike wants him. Mike is amazed at how quickly he falls for Danny and vows to be there for Danny no matter what.  but, when the past finds Danny Mike feels he has failed his love.

This isn’t an easy book to read as you discover the horrors that Danny lived through in his childhood up until he finally escaped.  There are some scenes, both in memory and real page time, that will turn your stomach and make you want to grab Danny and shelter him from all harm.  If there was one person that you felt safe leaving our poor Danny with, then it would be the gentle caring soul Mike. Mike is a wonderful beautiful person who has had a wonderful upbringing. He makes Danny feel safe and helps Danny through a lot of his fears. he is also there for him when he needs him most in the aftermath and both our MC’s struggle with the blow that has fallen.

This book switches between both Danny’s and Mike’s viewpoints, but they are clearly done so you never get confused. The emotional impact of this book is devastating.  Just when Danny and Mike find complete happiness, the horror strikes and by the end of the book your heart is aching with the devastation of what these two wonderful men go through.  The ending is heartbreakingly lovely with the seeds of new hope growing. please, please Valentina write us a sequel that is filled with pure happiness for these two men, even if it is just a short story showing us a glimpse of them in the future. (I will beg and plead!!)

I have to recommend that everyone read this book, but especially those who love two young men falling in love, dealing with traumatic events, supporting each other and being there for each other no matter what and two characters that are incredible strong in spirit and love.