Title: When One Door Opens
Author: JD Ruskin
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Narrator: K.C. Kelly
Length: 8 hours and 50 minutes
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (08-05-14)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts
Reviewer: Tams
Blurb: Logan Sellers’s parole officer has issued three commandments: stay sober, stay employed, and stay out of trouble. At first, Logan thought those three simple rules would be easy to follow. But that was before he accepted a side job assisting his boss’s housebound agoraphobic nephew, Caleb.
Caleb is deceptively normal for a guy who hasn’t left his apartment in three years, and his friendly, caring personality tugs on heartstrings Logan didn’t know he had. But hitting on his boss’s nephew is asking to be unemployed. Logan has enough problems with booze on every corner and a supervisor trying to jump into his bed. He doesn’t need to work out how to free Caleb from the anxiety that keeps him in his apartment; he needs to keep his nose clean, attend his AA meetings, and make a fresh start—alone.
If only his heart would get with the program.
Purchase Link: http://www.audible.com/pd/Fiction/When-One-Door-Opens-Audiobook/B00MEW2MCQ
Review: Caleb hasn’t left his apartment in over three years, aside from the occasional visit across the hall to his neighbor. Once the fire alarm went off and the building was evacuated. Caleb helped his elderly neighbor and her cat get down to the lobby, then went back upstairs and barricaded himself in his apartment. He doesn’t leave, and he doesn’t have friends. He does run a successful online website and graphics design company that keeps him afloat, so there is that.
Caleb’s uncle feels responsible for him for many reasons, and so he tries to make sure Caleb has someone to pick up his mail and groceries every few days and deliver them. It’s also a way for his uncle to keep tabs on him, as the person that delivers is required to stay a certain amount of time and always ask Caleb innate questions. Logan is somewhat puzzled as to why his new boss would hire a convicted felon to assist his obviously troubled nephew with even such mundane tasks as mail and groceries.
Logan just wants to go to work, go to his meetings, keep his nose clean and get on with his life. A recovering alcoholic with a very short fuse, Logan just spent a year of his life in Prison for damn near beating a man to death in a drunken rage, and breaking his best friend’s wrist when he tried to stop Logan from killing the man. Now he’s being given an opportunity to help someone, Caleb. The attraction is obvious from the first awkward meeting, but Logan doesn’t need any more complications in his life right now, especially a man who is scared of his own shadow, and would rather burn to a crisp than leave his apartment.
But Caleb trusts Logan, and the two begin an unlikely friendship. Logan forces Caleb out of his apartment. First to the roof of his building, then on walks to the store with Logan to pick up his groceries. Logan continues to battle with himself over his ever-growing attraction to Caleb, but once he realizes the feelings are mutual, all bets are off. Soon Logan begins working full-time at the warehouse and is no longer Caleb’s paid delivery boy, and the two begin a relationship out in the open.
Logan’s past, and unclear future coupled with Caleb’s disease aren’t their only obstacles though. Something strange is happening at the warehouse, and the someone involved will stop at nothing to keep it a secret, even if that includes threatening Caleb’s safety and Logan’s freedom.
What I loved about this story was how it captured my attention from the beginning, and held it throughout. That was a combination of a well-written story, and well delivered dialogue by Kelly. It was so interesting to me to listen as Logan brought Caleb out of his shell, and thus, freed himself of his own demons at the same time. He still thinks about drinking, longs to taste just one drop again, but he longs for Caleb more and that was a very interesting twist in the story for me.
At the end, all wasn’t right with the world per say. Logan was still an alcoholic, Caleb was still an agoraphobic, and the difference was they had a reason to strive everyday to deal with their problems and issues. Each other. Love is a very powerful weapon, as proven with this story.
This was my first book by Ruskin, and my first audible narrated by KC Kelly, won’t be my last for either of them. I really enjoyed the way the two characters played off each other, the way they were written as polar opposites, and yet, no one else could get through to the other quite the way each of them could individually. And Kelly’s narration was such a treat. He is really good with that New York twang. This is a great listen, but I’m certain the written format will be just as enjoyable. I recommend it for sure!
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *