Tribute Act

A Porthkennack Contemporary novel

by Joanna Chambers

Nathan Bridges hadn’t intended to settle down in his hometown of Porthkennack—he just ended up staying after saving the family business from ruin. The truth is, Nathan can’t stop himself from stepping in when problems arise. He’s a fixer, the man everyone turns to. But even fixers can’t solve everything.

When Nathan’s sister needs an organ transplant, it’s his stepbrother, Mack, who the family turns to as Rosie’s only potential living donor. Nathan’s curiosity about the stepbrother he’s never met turns to shock when he realises that Mack is his latest—and hottest ever—one-night stand.

Nathan and Mack agree to forget their single night together, but that’s easier said than done. When Mack moves in to Nathan’s place to recuperate after surgery, it’s not just the sexual tension between them that keeps growing. Against all the odds, and despite Mack’s wariness of intimacy, the two men grow close enough that Nathan begins to wonder what it would take to mend the rift that’s kept Mack and his father estranged for over a decade . . . and whether Mack might consider staying with Nathan in Porthkennack for good.

I just had a terrible time putting this book down – I felt so much for both Nathan and Mack.  While Nathan had a good childhood, with a loving mother and father and later a supportive stepfather, his stepbrother wasn’t so lucky.  But he turned out pretty good anyway because he’s willing to step up for a half-sister that he doesn’t know when she needs a liver and he’s a match.  That doesn’t mean he’s forgiven his dad for his past … which makes things just all sorts of awkward.  Especially with Nathan and Mack’s recent past.

Nathan is a fixer by nature and he’s pretty much given up his life to help run the family business.  A night out to blow off some steam leads him to his only one-night-stand.  And his inability to fix his sister puts him face-to-face with the same guy.  In addition to be a fixer, Nathan is also pretty much a relationship only guy so having Mack around gives him a chance to get to know him better.  And as his feelings grown and he finds out more about Mack’s past all he wants to do is make things right.  Which means that Mack has to come to terms with what happened with his dad all those years ago.

Everything is from Nathan’s POV so we only get glimpses into what Mack is feeling but it’s enough to know how conflicted he is to be back.  There’s so much family drama mixed in with the couple’s deepening relationship that they are going to have to work at it if they want to have a future.  But that’s the ultimate question – does Mack have feelings for Nathan?  Is he willing to give up his nomad ways and settle down?  Can he find it in himself to talk to his dad and put the past behind him?  It’s a lot but if they are willing to try it could lead to something amazing for them both.