Brief Encounters

Title: Accidentally His
Author: Shawn Lane
Length: 14,000 words (60 pdf pages)
Publisher: Amber Allure
Genre: m/m contemporary
Rating: B-

Blurb:

Kirk Matheson rides the bus to work several times a week, intrigued by the attractive and quiet bespectacled man he typically sits behind. One day when the bus crashes during a storm, Kirk finally meets the shy stranger, Elijah Cartwright, and stays with the seriously injured man until the rescuers arrive.

After Elijah’s recovery, Kirk makes a date with him. Though an unfortunate event brought the men together, can they find their way to happiness?

Review:

This author often writes characters who are everyday guys. They aren’t independently wealthy playboys, nor homeless waifs, just normal guys making a living and that is the case here, and it allows me to connect with the characters in a way that can be difficult with those outside your plane of existence. Kirk and Elijah are just regular guys brought together by irregular circumstance. When their bus crashes in a rain storm, it’s finally the chance Kirk has to talk to the guy he refers to as “My Nerd”. He stays with Elijah until he’s rescued making that connection. He’s mistakenly told that Elijah died in the crash but when he discovers him alive makes a promise that they’ll go out soon.

Elijah is a nerd and has not had much luck with relationships. It doesn’t help that his brother is a famous actor and he’s been used a time or two to get closer to his brother. He really doesn’t expect Kirk to call but when he does he can’t quite believe his luck. Neither character is perfect, I found Elijah’s constant questioning of Kirk’s motives and his expectation of the worst at every turn to be a bit trying, however you still want him to get his man. Kirk comes across as a bit pushy and oblivious. He pushes Elijah quite a bit in the relationship and causes a small misunderstanding, not because he was necessarily meaning to be callous, I got the impression it just never occurred to him that the situation could be construed as questionable. But still, he was a nice guy with a good heart, and you could forgive him foibles.

I understand this may turn into a series of sorts as there were a couple of characters including Elijah’s bisexual actor brother and Kirk’s best friend who would make interesting stories. I’ll definitely follow-up on more stories as I find the author’s style very easy to read and you come away satisfied when it’s over.