Worth Keeping

Loved this story! This story starts out stark and there are moments that broke my heart just living through them with Nick. Nick has a hard past to deal with. Owen starts out as just someone that needs help to really someone that connects with Nick. Just as there are sad moments, there are some really funny ones too: monkey mayhem and business transactions by the shore. Susan has a beautiful way of creating characters that are real and painting the rest as if I was sitting there watching it all take place. Wonderful story!

This is the first book of Susan Mac Nicol that I have read but I have a few more on my to-be-read-list. After finishing this one I can't wait to start reading the others because I am enthusiastic about this one.
Worth Keeping starts with both main characters struggling with their past and trying to terminate their lives. While Owen had lost one important Person in his live, Nick was the victim of child abuse and is struggling with his past ever since although he has supportive People in his life. The most important one is his adoptive father Don, who knows him since his abuse and fast becomes also an assistance for Owen. And there is Socks a little capuchin who lives with Nick in the lighthouse and keeps him busy and entertained.
Nick does his best to keep Owen out of his emotional life and push him away at every opportunity. Owen sometimes acts stubborn and selfish making sarcastic comments but he is able to deal with Nicks' "special needs" and the constraints regarding their sex life. When someone of Nick's past appears Owen already is an inherent part in his life.
From the beginning this book had me almost crying, laughing out loud and trying to push Nick to do the right thing. Every time real life interfered it was hard to put it down and it is definitely worth reading!

I loved this story, the beautiful setting and way the opening scene unfolded I could feel myself standing on the cliff with Nick, as he debates his future. Events pull him from making that decision, putting his own plans on hold to save the life of another. This totally selfless act brings them together, even though Owen might not seem immediately grateful.

Nick is a tortured soul, damaged by events in his past so badly that he loves the solitude of his lighthouse home, so inviting another man into his sanctuary is a big step for him.

Owen is running from his past, desperate to escape from pardon haunted him so badly he tried to take his own life.

Somehow these two manage to find each other and each brings out the best in each other. Each man trying to help heal the hurt they are hiding away, desperate to stop anyone seeing. They manage to heal each other. Nick is the one who has more demons hiding in his closet, and each one has it claws deeper in his flesh, tearing him apart. I feel for Owen as he battles to help exorcise them and bring a sense of peace to Nick’s life.

The emotions and passion are palpable; you can feel not only the tension but the passion between them as it burns up the pages. I was rooting for them to get through the challenges they faced and to overcome everything.

A great character was Socks, the monkey. He stole just about every scene he was in and I adored this little fella’s antics.

Another truly captivating read from an author whose work I really enjoy reading.

I love a good book filled with tons of angst but so loving. This book contained 2 hot gay men who were both suicidal and felt no other way to go on. Luckily they found each other and fell in love.