Unforgotten (Forgiven #2) by Garrett Leigh

SYNOPSIS

Billy Daley hasn’t been home in years, and he likes it that way. He’s just fine on his own—he has a cash-in-hand job at a scrapyard, a half-feral cat to keep him company, and many miles between him, his hometown and all the baggage that comes with it.

Until the job goes sideways. Suddenly he’s back in Rushmere, working for none other than his brother’s best friend—a man whose kiss Billy can’t seem to forget.

Gus Amour’s memories of Billy Daley are all spiky edges, lips crushed against lips and a reckless streak that always ended in trouble. 

But when Billy needs a place to stay, Gus steps in. He’d do anything for the Daley family, including living, and working, side by side with a man who makes his heart beat too fast and his blood run too hot—two things he’s been running from for years.

It doesn’t take long before their easy banter, lingering touches and heated glances become a temptation too hard to resist. But falling into bed and falling in love are two different things, and love has never come easy to either Billy or Gus. Only when fate threatens to steal away their opportunity for a second chance will they realize they don’t need easy.

​They just need each other. 

Synopsis from Goodreads

---

PERSONAL REVIEW

Thank you to Carina Press for sending me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

​So I didn't love Forgiven (the first book in this series) but I really liked Gus as a character, so I was interested in reading more about him. It was lovely for him and Billy to have their time to shine! Fair warning with this book - there is a lot of swearing and intense sex scenes, but the development of this relationship is great to see. 

Classic "Bad Boy with a Fuzzy Heart" 
I'm a sucker for a "bad boy" who is actually a sweetheart and that's definitely what we get with Billy Daley. Although he and his brother absolutely suck at communicating (specifically with each other) Billy shows himself to be a caring guy, especially when it comes to animals. I love seeing him open up to Gus and learn how to trust someone, something that's incredibly hard for him to do. 

Intense Sex Scenes 
There is a slow burn between Gus and Billy, but when it ignites, stand back! Gus is the playboy of the two and definitely knows what he's doing in the bedroom, while Billy is definitely more shy. It's great to see LGBT+ characters represented and I really appreciated that Leigh doesn't shy away from giving their sex scenes the same attention that she gives cis sex scenes. I wasn't sure what to expect going into this both, but thought that Leigh did a great job showing the intimacy that comes before, during, and after sex with a partner you trust. 

Favourite of the Two
While I don't normally like to compare books, I have to say that I'm so happy I decided to read Unforgotten even though I didn't particularly love Forgiven. Gus and Billy grabbed my attention right away and they felt much more real than Mia and Luke did. Although it's nice to see Mia and Luke in this book, it's really their interactions with Billy and Gus that I enjoyed more than anything between the two of them alone. The relationships seem much more genuine in this book and it was great to read! 

Overall, this is a spicy romance between two men that aren't completely sure how to trust each other, even while they are incredibly attracted to the other. It's a light and easy read with characters that are easy to root for. I'd recommend this book for anyone looking for a sexy romance, an LGBT+ love story, or those who have enjoyed other Garrett Leigh novels. 

​FINAL RATING: 3.5/5

---