Starts With a Bang (A Redemption Ridge Novel) by Aimee Nicole Walker


Starts With a Bang is the perfect title for Dom and Sven's story, as it begins just as described. Can you spend two years courting someone, or perhaps edging them as Sven insists Dom has been doing to him?What follows is a years long love story between two men who met at the wrong time, but eventually got it right! 


From the blurb:

The best way to get over a cheating jerk is to get under someone new.


Dominic isn’t looking for love or salvation at the Thirsty Cowboy. He needs a temporary escape from the drudgery his life has become, and the universe provides him with the sexiest distraction he’s ever seen. Sven is a sucker for sad eyes, thick thighs, and a Royal Cosmopolitan. He scores the trifecta of trouble when a broody hunk buys him a drink. Sparks fly, passions flare, and a simple kiss becomes a four-alarm blaze until an untimely interruption douses the men with an icy reality, pitting loyalty against lust.

They shouldn’t... They couldn’t… Spoiler alert: they do!

It was supposed to be one and done but memories of their shared encounter won’t let go. A single text triggers two years of conversations, healing, and an endearing friendship that could blossom into something precious if Dom and Sven were brave enough to take a chance.

An unexpected invitation could provide the nudge their scarred hearts need. Exploring their reignited passion for two weeks in Vail would be a heavenly hideaway if not for a hellish houseguest’s resolve to cause trouble. Family rifts and uncomfortable confrontations abound, and embracing a future with Sven means Dom must face his past. Is their love strong enough to withstand the fire, or will they go down in flames?

Starts With a Bang is a standalone novel within the Redemption Ridge universe. It contains mature content and is intended for adults.


SNik's review:

Seventh in series (Redemption Ridge), can be read as a standalone, but might be more fun if read in order as Dom and Sven have shown up preciously in the series. Best friend’s brother. Slight fake relationship. Dual POV. 

Even when warned away by his stepbrother, hair stylist Sven has a memorable encounter with private investigator Dom that neither man can forget. Over a two year period they share pieces of their lives with each other but not much more until Sven decides that a holiday trip can finally help him seal the deal with Dom. 

Both Dom and Sven were likable characters, their chemistry sizzling off the chart, and their ease of falling into a relationship very lovely. I do wish there was a little more background on the characters besides just their previous break-ups, but I enjoyed every moment that they were on page together either texting or flirting. The fact that there wasn’t really anyone else for them once they knew each other was sweet, and the fact that there was no angst inside their relationship made this an enjoyable read.


Jacqueleen the Reading Queen's review:

"𝙸 πš–πšŽπš—πš πš‹πš›πš˜πš”πšŽπš— πš‘πšŽπšŠπš›πšπšœ. πšƒπš‘πšŠπš'𝚜 πš–πš’ πšœπšžπš™πšŽπš›πš™πš˜πš πšŽπš›. 𝙸 πšŠπšπšπš›πšŠπšŒπš πš–πšŽπš— πš πš‘πš˜'𝚟𝚎 πš‹πšŽπšŽπš— πšœπš‘πšŠπšπšπšŽπš›πšŽπš, πšŠπš—πš 𝙸 πš™πšžπš πšπš‘πšŽπš– πš‹πšŠπšŒπš” πšπš˜πšπšŽπšπš‘πšŽπš› - πš™πš’πšŽπšŒπšŽ πš‹πš’ πš™πš’πšŽπšŒπšŽ - πšžπš—πšπš’πš• πšπš‘πšŽπš’'πš›πšŽ πš πš‘πš˜πš•πšŽ πšŠπšπšŠπš’πš—. π™°πš—πš πšπš‘πšŽπš’ πšŠπš•πš πšŠπš’πšœ πšŽπš—πš πšžπš™ πšπš˜πš’πš—πš πš‹πšŠπšŒπš” 𝚝𝚘 πšπš‘πšŽ πš™πšŽπš›πšœπš˜πš— πš πš‘πš˜ πš‹πš›πš˜πš”πšŽ πšπš‘πšŽπš– πš’πš— πšπš‘πšŽ πšπš’πš›πšœπš πš™πš•πšŠπšŒπšŽ, πšŠπš—πš 𝙸'πš– πšπš‘πšŽ πš˜πš—πšŽ πš•πšŽπšπš πš’πš— πš™πš’πšŽπšŒπšŽπšœ πš’πš— πšπš‘πšŽ πšŽπš—πš."

I am so happy that Aimee decided to give us Sven and Dom's story! I'd been intrigued by their dynamic since it was first pointed out, but I never could have guessed what was truly going on behind closed doors for years. Their story was supposed to end as a one-night stand, but instead their hook-up was just the beginning.

"𝙸 πšπš‘πš’πš—πš” πšŽπšŸπšŽπš— 𝙸 πš”πš—πšŽπš  πšπš‘πšŽπš— πšπš‘πšŠπš 𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚜 πš‘πš˜πš•πšπš’πš—πš πš˜πš—πšπš˜ πšœπš˜πš–πšŽπšπš‘πš’πš—πš πš›πšŠπš›πšŽ πšŠπš—πš πš™πš›πšŽπšŒπš’πš˜πšžπšœ, πš‹πšžπš π™ΊπšŽπš›πš›πš’ πš‘πšŠπš πš‹πšŽπšŽπš— πš›πš’πšπš‘πš πšŠπš‹πš˜πšžπš πš–πš’ 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚘𝚏 πš–πš’πš—πš. 𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚜 πšπš‘πšŽ πšŽπš™πš’πšπš˜πš–πšŽ 𝚘𝚏 πšπš‘πšŽ πš πšŠπš•πš”πš’πš—πš πš πš˜πšžπš—πšπšŽπš, πšŠπš—πš πš‚πšŸπšŽπš— πšŠπš™πš™πšŠπš›πšŽπš—πšπš•πš’ πš‘πšŠπš 𝚊 πšœπš”πšŽπšπšŒπš‘πš’ πš‘πš’πšœπšπš˜πš›πš’ πš πš’πšπš‘ 𝚐𝚞𝚒𝚜 πš•πš’πš”πšŽ πš–πšŽ. π™·πšŽ πšπšŽπšœπšŽπš›πšŸπšŽπš πš‹πšŽπšπšπšŽπš›."

I loved seeing the friendship between Sven and Dom blossom through their text messages. Their communication started off sporadic, but eventually it led to more regular texts and even virtual movie nights. Their friendship was so freaking cute. It did make me sad whenever Dom wouldn't attend an event because he knew he wouldn't be able to keep away from Sven. But I had to give him credit because he knew himself best and he didn't think he was ready to open that can of worms just yet.

"π™±πšŽπš•πš’πšŽπšŸπš’πš—πš πš–πš’πšπš‘πš πš—πš˜πš πšŒπš˜πš–πšŽ πšŽπšŠπšœπš’πš•πš’, πš‹πšžπš πšœπš˜πš–πšŽπšπšŠπš’ 𝚒𝚘𝚞 πš πš’πš•πš• πšπš›πšžπšœπš πš–πšŽ πš πš’πšπš‘ πš’πš˜πšžπš› πš‘πšŽπšŠπš›πš. 𝙸 πš πš˜πš—'𝚝 πšŽπšŸπšŽπš› πš•πšŽπš 𝚒𝚘𝚞 πšπš˜πš πš—. "

If I hadn't already adored Keegan from reading his and Kelly's story I would have now. His little idea of having Sven tag along with Dom to his family holiday where his cheating ex was in attendance was the push in the right direction these two desperately needed. It had been two years. It was time for these two to get the HEA they both wanted with each other. It was even better with how much Dom's family loved Sven too. They were a cast of characters, especially his grandmother. My thoughts about his cousin Christian are still on the fence. What he did was horrible, but I hope his hindsight has brought him peace and that one day he will find someone who appreciates all the love he has to give. Who know, maybe Aimee has an idea!


Starts With a Bang is currently available as an e-book and can be read as part of your Kindle Unlimited Subscription

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