This book review was first posted at Dark Diva Reviews, but through the changing of websites and such, it appears to have been misplaced, so I'm reposting it here.

Title: Cover Boy

Author: Dan Skinner

Genre: M/M erotic romace

Buy: Dreamspinner Press 

Summary: Brock rocketed from obscure nobody to super model practically overnight, but it was a decaying orbit of fame, money and sex, and his re-entry was beyond crash and burn.  Now, he has no one, nothing, and must rely on the kindness of strangers.  This comes in the form of Casey, a man with his own secrets and a deep pain that might never heal.

Now Brock needs a purpose to prove to himself he's more than a burnt out has-been, and Casey needs someone to care about again. All they find is each other.
 
My review: The characters in this book are such lovely people, it's impossible not to care about them.  Sure, Brock screwed up, but the young and foolish screw up all the time.  Now he just needs a chance to turn things around.  Carey is a mystery right up to the end, but he's strong and caring, and obviously in pain, and you just want him to find happiness again.

Which brings up my main issue.  I will buy that very strong friendships will form under the circumstances these men find themselves in. Convincing me of the love they seem to fall into is another matter.  I like to really feel what the characters feel, and for me, that just didn't happen in this book.

The author spent so much time telling me how it can happen, how it makes sense, how I should just believe in love, he neglected to show me two people falling for each other.  I won't deny it can and does happen all the time.  I just didn't feel it here.

While the author's voice kept pulling me too far out of the story to really enjoy it on a visceral level, he did connect with my sense of love for love's sake. The story is an uplifting one, full of the idea that there is always a second chance if we're willing to look, and to take a chance on something new.

My recommendation: Don't expect to be immersed in character emotions, but read it because everyone needs a remember of what really matters