The Luckiest by Piper Vaughn and M.J. O'Shea, 2nd edition

Title: The Luckiest (2nd Edition)
Series: Lucky Moon 02
Author: Piper Vaughn & M.J. O’Shea
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Super Novel (280pgs)
ISBN: 978-1-62798-975-6
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (8th September 2014)
Heat Rating: Explicit
Heart Level: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts
Reviewer: Pixie
Blurb: Rock star Nick Ventura has finally hit rock bottom. Jealous of his brother’s new love, he overindulges in his usual vices and winds up crashing his car into a department store in a drunken haze. Publicly humiliated and on the verge of jail time, he enters into a court-ordered rehabilitation program.

Nutritionist Luka Novak is flamboyant, effeminate, and the type of gay man bisexual Nick would normally sneer at. But his sunny nature hides a deep hurt caused by an unfaithful ex-boyfriend. As much as Luka knows he should be wary of Nick’s reputation, he’s drawn to Nick despite himself. Their tentative friendship turns into romance, but Luka soon comes to realize Nick’s fear of losing his bad boy reputation means he’ll probably never go public with their relationship.

Nick never needed anyone until Luka came into his life. Now he has to reconcile his carefree past with the future he suddenly wants more than anything. And the first lesson he must learn is how to become the man both he and Luka need him to be, rather than stay the boy he always was. Alone.

You can also get the free ebook Lucky Moon 1.5 – Beyond Moonlight (3 short stories) http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-beyondmoonlight-677693-145.html

Purchase Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5411

Review: This book is the 2nd edition and has had the editing cleaned-up but the storyline has not been changed. Nick is falling to rock bottom quickly and this latest incident of driving while high and drunk into Saks has forced the people around him to intervene, now forced into rehab and counselling he has no intention of changing his ways and he hasn’t any problems anyway. Luka is the nutritionist at the rehab centre and he quickly sees behind Nick’s shell, they become friends and then more when Nick is released but Nick’s fame comes at a price and Luka doesn’t believe that Nick will pay the price to be with him.

I didn’t like Nick in Moonlight Becomes You but now seeing things from his point of view I can totally understand why he acted like he did and why he still acts that way. Nick has only ever had one sure thing in his life and that’s his brother Shane but when Shane takes up with Jesse and then marries him Nick starts to do more drinking and drugs, he can’t cope with the desertion of his brother or Jesse for taking his brother away and it leads to him crashing his car. Luka cuts straight through to Nick’s core and sees what Nick has been missing and through friendship he helps Nick to get back on his own two feet without resorting to drink or drugs to block out how he feels.

I really liked this book. The relationship between Nick and Luka was slow. Even though they were attracted to each other, they became friends first and spent time together as just friends. And then they started dating before sex became involved. And yes, Nick is still a bit of a prick, but he does try to curb his impulses. Unfortunately, he still screws up with Luka a couple of times because of his image and what Nick thinks other people would think. When Nick and Luka are alone they are the perfect couple and get along great but even trying to get Nick to go out in public with him is hard and Luka won’t accept that or any excuses, Luka is very ridged in that respect as he won’t be hidden or go back in the closet for anyone.

The way that Nick was portrayed was good. He has relied on his brother to clean up his messes and to be there for him all the time. But, we have to remember that Nick was still quite young when the band got their contract and he has just followed in his brothers footsteps and done what he did. He has never really had to face responsibility for his actions, as everybody threw money at a problem and it just went away. I can understand why Nick felt abandoned by his brother and I admired the way that when he got out of rehab, he stayed away from the temptation of returning to the drink and drugs. Although his determination to keep the image he had was a silly one, considering how much he had changed.

This really is a book where Nick finds himself and finally grows up. He becomes a better person and some of that was for Luka. Because he wanted to be, the sort of man Luka wanted. But that doesn’t mean he has an easy time, far from it. He messes up quite a few times and yes, Luka forgives him. But, Luka has a core of steel and when Nick goes too far, Luka shows him just how steely he can be. Luka is the man for Nick. He can gauge Nick’s actions well, and he doesn’t let Nick get away with anything. The lovemaking between them is hot and erotic. And the revelation that Nick has about the difference between sex and lovemaking is really good.

With this book I am going to recommend it to those who want, a story where one of the MC’s finally faces up to taking responsibility, falling in love and accepting that things change. And who want a bit of angst, humour, and a relationship that is slow and sweet but with its ups and downs but with a happy ending.