Original Review (1st edition release, April 11, 2010): 
 Sam and Mitch are one of my all-time favorite m/m couples, and this story instantly went on my short list of "must have in paperback". Sam's boyish charm meshes so well with Mitch's calm dominance. These two are totally electric together in every way, and the sex scenes are really, really steamy, with or without any extra hands being involved. 
 I consider one of the signs of a truly exceptional book one in which I believe I could run into these characters on the street and know them instantly. I would love to meet Sam in person; he's so much fun! 
 Second Review (2nd edition release, Jan 22, 2014): 
 God, I had forgotten how much I loved these two and the games with Randy. There are a few updates to the story, but as it's been nearly four years between readings, they were subtle enough I mostly didn't notice the updates. The core of the story is the same. 
 Sam initially views Mitch as an adventure and an escape from his going-nowhere-fast smalltown life. After a dressing down by his aunt, he hops in Mitch's cab, heading west, along for the ride and for some of the hottest, kinkiest sex of his life. Sam is very conflicted over his desires to be depraved, dominated, and even somewhat humiliated, but he finds a safe place to play with Mitch, to learn who he wants to be when not under his Aunt's controlling thumb. 
 Mitch has "a past," and it's one he wants to keep from Sam, because Sam is a good kid 21 year old who looks at Mitch like he can do no wrong. Mitch knows better. He's 33. He's made mistakes--lots of them--and he doesn't want to scare Sam with his desires or those past mistakes. 
 Mitch tries to pull back and take it slow, and Sam flounders thinking Mitch is already tiring of him. Once they figure out that Sam wants to play on the kinkier side of "safe, sane, and consentual", Mitch gives in to some heavier play. But when they start toward Vegas, things change. Mitch changes. That "past" of Mitch's catches up with them, named Randy, the trucking buddy Mitch used to pick up tricks with. 
 "Competitive" is more than just Randy's middle name. He and Mitch are used to sharing, and Randy's used to being able to steal Mitch's "pets", which is what caused their relationship to go south two years earlier. Mitch fears that he and Sam won't survive Randy's interference. But what he should really fear is what he's going to do when Sam decides it's finally time for him to go home and face up to his future. 
 So, yes, this is a story of an open relationship. Mitch does share Sam with Randy (with Sam's consent), though Sam is firmly Mitch's, and he'll tell you so himself. Part of the joy of this story is seeing how Sam manages to put Mitch and Randy's friendship back together again just by being himself. You really get a feel for the sweet kid that Sam is; the dominant, protective lover that Mitch is; and the competitor that Randy is. The dynamic really works together, though Randy is not a permanent fixture in the relationship. He's a friend they play with, not a lover. The only romantic relationship in this story is between Sam & Mitch. 
 The emotions they go through as the time for Mitch to take Sam back home draws nearer really tug at the heart, because you can see Sam and Mitch have totally fallen for each other, and they're not sure how to hold on to what they have. It's akin to falling in love with someone on a vacation, and then having to go back to "real life". 
 It's a beautiful story. The interactions are natural. The relationship is open and loving and trusting in a way that many real life couples will never know. (Open relationships are not for everyone. The level of trust and love involved is enormous.) But it's not perfect. There are flaws to be worked through and problems to be overcome. But they come out the other side as better people. 
 I said before that one of the highest compliments I can pay a story is that I feel like I could run into the characters on the street, they are so real to me. That hasn't changed. It's still true. Sam & Mitch are stil one of my most favorite M/M couples of all-time.