Anthony (Survivor Stories book #4) by @JPBarnaby | Cat's 5 Star Review w/Book & Series links #mmromance #LGBTReads @Dreamspinners #TheCatsMeow

Aaron Downing worshiped his mother. She saved his life. She did everything for him. But Anthony Downing has a different perspective. He sees the woman who tossed him into a basement for eight long years and forgot he existed. When Anthony decides he’s done being invisible, he packs up and heads for Detroit to stay with his Internet friend Jay, but fate intervenes.

Brendan Mears lost everything the day the man with a gun came into his father’s store. Now, he’s tethered to a business he can’t manage and a brother who resents him.

Different in all the ways that matter, Anthony and Brendan struggle to overcome their psychological obstacles, until a crushing betrayal sends them running for cover and each other.

Buy links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon
Series: Amazon

Cat gives this one 5 Meows with a 2 Purr heat index...

I have not read the first three books so I can assure you that you can enjoy this as a standalone, and love it.  From what I can gather it isn't as dark as the others. Here is a lot of angst and all the characters are broken.  

Anthony is almost 18 and fed up with being invisible by his family and mistreated by his friends. When the boy he has crushed on all through school has him blow him then outs him in front of the party, Anthony is mortified and decides not to graduate. He has an online gamer friend that asks him to come to Detroit and be with him so Anthony packs his worldly possessions and heads off. 

Fate seems to intervene as an accident and road construction puts him way off schedule, then his car breaks down in front of a liquor store.

Patrick and Bren have their own Problems from a tragic past. I can't decide who I liked the most. Each of these men had tortured pasts and was living with deep emotional problems. I loved how they bonded as friends and each one added something to the other. There were enough hints about Aaron's story that I wanted that one as well. 

The story is quite touching, there are some twists  and nail-biting suspense. If you like angst, broken characters, good character growth, an intriguing plot and just a little hot man-sex you will love this.  It is book 4 and I do suggest you read them in order for full impact (though it does stand alone ok).

Read the other books in this series...