Stevie‘s review of American Love Story (Dreamers, Book 3) by Adriana Herrera
Contemporary Multicultural Gay Romance published by Carina Press 07 Oct 19
The various racial and societal tensions that have been bubbling in the background of this series finally come to the surface in this book, as our latest pairs of heroes face opposition from institutional biases, as well as from bigoted family members. Centre-stage are the third member of the friends group we have been following throughout the books so far, Haitian-born Patrice Denis, and the man he met while helping out his friend Nesto last summer, local resident and assistant district attorney Easton Archer. Now Patrice has accepted a post at Cornell, it’s inevitable that the pair will run into each other. However, Patrice’s political activism and long history of protecting the most vulnerable in society is likely to lead to clashes with privileged white boy Easton, no matter that Easton turned his back on his wealthy family to pursue a law career on his own merit. And that’s just the start of their problems…
Patrice has been staying with Nesto and Jude while an apartment becomes available, but is feeling like a bit of a gooseberry, as delays force him to stay ever longer. Having mentioned this to Easton when they bump into each other, Patrice is in two minds whether to take a look at an available apartment in the building where Easton lives, more so when it transpires that Easton owns the whole building. Eventually the pair become neighbours and soon resume their relationship from the previous year. Meanwhile, two of the young refugees whom Nesto is mentoring have begun a relationship of their own, but are having to sneak around due to the homophobia in one of their households.
When reports start reaching the pair separately that local police officers are stopping young black drivers disproportionately, they both take action in their own way, although Easton’s more placatory methods lead to him clashing with the passionately political Patrice. And then the police actions start to affect Patrice and his friends directly…
While I enjoyed this book a lot, it still didn’t hit the heights of the first in the series. I think I was a little blindsided by some of the US-centric aspects of the story: academia and law enforcement are very different over there than in the UK, and so I found it tricky at times to follow all the nuances of the subplots. That said, I loved the characters, especially the way Patrice was not at all a conventional professor, and Easton was more than just a rich boy rebelling against his background. Definitely looking forward to seeing how this series wraps up, although I’ll miss all the characters when we finally have to leave them to get on with their new lives without us.
Grade: B
Summary:
No one should have to choose between love and justice.
Haitian-born professor and activist Patrice Denis is not here for anything that will veer him off the path he’s worked so hard for. One particularly dangerous distraction: Easton Archer, the assistant district attorney who last summer gave Patrice some of the most intense nights of his life, and still makes him all but forget they’re from two completely different worlds.
All-around golden boy Easton forged his own path to success, choosing public service over the comforts of his family’s wealth. With local law enforcement unfairly targeting young men of color, and his career—and conscience—on the line, now is hardly the time to be thirsting after Patrice again. Even if their nights together have turned into so much more.
For the first time, Patrice is tempted to open up and embrace the happiness he’s always denied himself. But as tensions between the community and the sheriff’s office grow by the day, Easton’s personal and professional lives collide. And when the issue at hand hits closer to home than either could imagine, they’ll have to work to forge a path forward… together.
Read an excerpt.
Other books in this series:
