The Handyman's Brother (Pine Ridge #2) by Shae Michaels

If you like cute and low angst with a good amount of steam, then I definitely recommend The Handyman's Brother for you.

From the blurb:

Mike

The only reason I moved to Pine Ridge was because of my fiancé. When he dumped me… I may have
lashed out in anger and accidentally broken my kitchen. When the contractor I hire ghosts me, it looks like I’m screwed. Until a handsome stranger in a bar approaches me and offers his brother’s assistance in fixing it. As Rooney and I spend more time together, I can’t help but be drawn to him. Just my luck that I crush on a straight, single dad. Rooney is straight… isn’t he?

Rooney

I don’t know what it is but, since the first time I saw him, something about Mike fascinated me. And when I overhear his tale of remodeling woe, I’m compelled to offer up my brother and his handyman skills. But what happens when I no longer have an excuse to spend all of my available time with Mike? Maybe we could still be the kind of friends that spend our free time together. Huh. That sounds an awful lot like… dating. But I’ve never been attracted to a man before… right? 

Jacqueleen the Reading Queen's Review:

I am just adoring these sweet romances author Shae Michaels has been writing. I admit I was totally intrigued by Finn's bestie Mike with his purple hair and hilarious antics when we met him in book 1 Finn's Fake Boyfriend. I had a feeling his mentioned fiancé wasn't going to be around much longer based on Mike's little snippets of conversation and it turns out I was spot on. That's okay though, because Mike's ex fiancé is a total douche and Rooney is anything but. A toy store owner and single father who shares amicable custody with his ex, Rooney is just about as sweet as can be. I loved him and Mike together. They were certainly hot between the sheets, and Rooney has a bit of a hidden dominant streak that totally worked for me (and *ahem* Mike of course), but in his day to day he's just a genuine good guy.

I liked how he was so honest about Mike with everyone. Even though Mike is his first male lover, Rooney never hides or makes him feel like a dirty secret. Hell, even his momma knows how the man lights up because of Mike. It was great not having to deal with any of that drama and kept the book in total low to no angst category. I also found it absolutely adorable when both Mike and Rooney would get nervous and sort of ramble/babble. Honestly cutest thing ever. River, Rooneys six AND A HALF year old daughter (can't forget that half, believe me as parent to a 7-year-old daughter myself the half is important!), was also as adorable as her father and I enjoyed the cute bonding scenes she has with Mike. I mean, who wouldn't love a grown man who throws dance parties?

I'm pretty sure, or that could just be wishful thinking, that Finn's twin Sawyer is going to be the MC in the next book. I also think I know who his love interest is going to be and if I am right? OMG, I cannot wait to see everyone's reactions. I also found myself wanting to know more about Nathan who is the 6th, and often forgotten about, child of Vita and John. I cannot imagine forgetting about any of my kids, so it made me laugh and want to know more. Vita is certainly a character, and it makes me wonder if there may be plans for Nathan in the future of the series.

Rating: 5 Stars

Angel's Review:

I want to start by saying I'm so looking forward to whomever's story is next in this series. I've enjoyed the first book in this series and I've enjoyed this one as well. 

Mike is having a really rough time. After moving to Wisconsin, switching jobs and buying a house, his now ex fiance calls him to break up with him. Now Mike lives in a big house in a small town all by himself and is now newly single. Not only that, but the handyman he originally hired to fix his kitchen just made things worse! 

That's where Rooney comes in. His brother Alden is a handyman and since Roo works with him, sometimes they both start helping repair Mike's kitchen. Spending all that time with one another makes feelings start to grow between Roo and Mike. What happened between them? Is Roo not as straight as Mike thinks? Will he reciprocate Mike's feelings? You have to read to find out! 

This book was really well done. The characters are adorable. I feel like Shar's characters always make me smile with their adorableness, and I really enjoyed how snarky and sarcastic Mike could be at times. Roo was just adorable and oh so sweet. I also think River was a key character in this story as well. She was just utterly adorable! All of the side characters belonged there to further along the storyline. 

Overall, a really good slow burn, small town romance, with silly drawing, dancing parties, cursing, and dealing with pesky sophomores. 

Rating: 5 Stars

Heather's Review:

It was nice to take a break from all the Christmas stories and just read something small town and sweet without the holiday trappings... Shae Michael's second story is just as sweet and low angst as the first one!  We meet Mike and Rooney in this book and we get a slow burn, bisexual awakening, a fair amount of snark, an adorable kid and lots of good old fashioned romance....

It's lovely to see Finn and Theo from the first book make an appearance, with Finn becoming fast friends with Mike... and there are so many characters stories left to tell - can't wait to find out who finds love in the next Pine Ridge Book!

Rating: 5 Stars

Red's Book Reads Review:

The bi-awakening in this story is really well done, and I loved how open Rooney was and how accepting his family was. River was just the most adorable kid, and I loved her easy approach to life. 

Mike and Rooney are just so perfect together. I adored them! And I can wait for the next book in this series - I’m totally hooked on the residents of Pine Ridge! 

Rating: 5 Stars

The Handyman's Brother is available to buy as an ebook, paperback, or to read with Kindle Unlimited subscription.