Four by Tia Fielding

When unlikely attraction blossoms between a twentysomething genderqueer tattoo artist and an older, small-town veterinarian, both are forced to face their pasts for a chance at a loving future.

Four years ago Padraig Donovan lost his husband, the only man he’d ever been with. Now his life consists of the work he loves, a big empty house, and the possibility of a lonely future.

Kaos’s experiments with makeup landed him in the hospital at the hands of his disapproving ex. With nowhere else to turn, he flees to Acker, Wisconsin… and runs into a sexy widower and the kindest man he’s ever met.

Padraig and Kaos know there’s something worth exploring between them, and as they raise a puppy and deal with the ups and downs of their respective jobs, they fit into each other’s lives in ways they never expected. Being with Kaos—who is so different than the guys he’s always been attracted to—opens up an exciting new world for Padraig. But can he convince Kaos to trust another man with his body… let alone his heart?

Book 2
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo
Dreamspinner Press

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Sarah – ☆☆☆☆
This is the story of the unlikely romance that develops between a young tattoo artist and a much older veterinarian in a small town. It is also a story about grief, loss, and fresh starts.

Genderqueer Kaos is a tattoo artist and an ex-con on the run from his abusive ex. Padraig is a small town vet who has become increasingly isolated since losing his husband of more than twenty years. Neither Kaos or Padraig expects the flash of attraction between them and there’s a whole lot of baggage (and a twenty-year age gap) to overcome before the attraction could ever become something more.

This isn’t a light or easy read. Padraig’s grief is overwhelming, and his emotions become even more complicated when he starts to reflect more honestly on his marriage. Kaos is still exploring his gender identity and he’s internalised some of the negative beliefs of his abusive ex. Neither Padraig nor Kaos is great with communication and there are times it’s left to their friends to help them understand each other’s perspectives. This also isn’t a sexy read. The relationship that develops between Kaos and Padraig is painfully slow and focuses much more on emotional intimacy than sexual intimacy.

The characters around Kaos and Padraig keep the story from becoming too dark. I’ve not read the previous book in the series but Makai and Emil from the first book provide huge support for Kaos. Similarly, Padraig’s best friend Francis (probably book three) adds humour and emotional support for Padraig. I love Padraig and Kaos’ dog (I’ve been googling Pitskys since I finished the story). I really enjoyed Acker as a town and I’m looking forward to seeing more of some of the characters.

Also Available in the Love by Numbers Series

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo
Dreamspinner Press

For reviews & more info, check out our Ten post.

TIA FIELDING is a thirtysomething Scandinavian who is a lover of witty people, words, cats, sarcasm, autumn, and the tiny beautiful things in life. Tia struggles with stubborn muses and depression, but both are things she has learned to live with.

Tia identifies as genderqueer, but isn’t strict about pronouns. Why? Because luckily, in her native language there aren’t gender-specific pronouns. Being a reclusive author living with her fur-babies is another fact of life for Tia, among the need to write that seems to be a part of her psyche by now.

In 2013 one of Tia’s novels was recognized by the industry’s Rainbow Awards in the Best LGBT Erotic Romance (Bobby Michaels Award) category..

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Four (Love by Numbers #2) by Tia Fielding to read and review.