This review posted at Guilty Pleasures 
 CREME de la CREME Pick 
 The Rebuilding Year by Kaje Harper is wonderful! I truly did not want this book to end. Ms. Harper did a beautiful job of telling a story that is about love, family, vocation and the continuum on which all exist. 
 Our two main characters, John and Ryan, have considered themselves "straight" all their lives, but they don't let that stand in the way of the feelings they begin to develop for one another. Ryan is basically embarking on a second career after an injury stops him from being able to perform his job as a firefighter. As a first year medical student, Ryan almost literally falls into the lap of the groundskeeper of the college campus, John. John rights Ryan, gets him cleaned up and sends him on his way. However, as fate would have it, the two run into each other again and strike up a friendship. Ryan ends up moving in with John because his roommate is awful, and John could use a little extra cash to make ends meet in order to pay his astronomical child support payment. 
 Ryan and John find that the easy companionship between them is something they both need and after some twists and turns, figure out that they "work" together. As with all things in life, it's not a simple journey and the author does a great job pulling the reader into the story and making us care about all the characters. John's children, especially his son, play an important part in the development of this book, but I'll just leave it at that because I don't want to give anything away. 
 Kaje Harper creates a believable story about two men who struggle to put the pieces of their lives back together after life has thrown a curve ball. Both Ryan and John would probably never have imagined that the second chance they are given would be in the arms of another man, but they are willing to travel this path and see what comes of it. The story reminds me that family is not only found in those with whom you share blood, but often we are blessed with friends we choose to invite into our lives and make family together. Both are important and so is learning to be flexible enough to roll with the punches that life gives out. 
 As I said above, this is a fabulous book and I would encourage anyone to read this story about life and what happens when you're busy making other plans. 
 ARC Review