It felt authentic without being dramatized to create conflict, making it easy to empathize with Seb and Jason. I really enjoyed this romantic pairing and appreciated the complexities their different outlooks on being out had on the relationship. It’s a sweet, and in some ways, simple romance that deals with an out and proud gay man new to the area hooking up with a closeted local. Rainbow Place isn’t what I’d term fluff, but it’s also not overly angst filled or heavy.

Though the blurb for Rainbow Place grabbed my interest on its own, I was more intrigued to see a different side to this author and I’m oh so glad I picked this novella up. Northcote’s works prior to this, but they tended to be more along the hurt-comfort lines. When things escalate, Jason is forced to choose whether to hide in the shadows and let Seb down, or to openly support the man he’s fallen so hard for.Īlthough this book is part of a series, it has a satisfying happy ending and can be read as a standalone. With the grand opening of Rainbow Place approaching, tension is growing among some locals who object to Seb’s plans. But while Seb is out and proud, Jason is terrified of being exposed. The attraction between the two men is instant and impossible to ignore. He’s never had a relationship with another man–only allowing himself the occasional hook up with guys who are prepared to be discreet. Jason is also gay, but unlike Seb, he’s deep in the closet. Jason Dunn is the builder Seb hires to help renovate the rundown space where the cafe will be housed. He misses queer spaces and the sense of community he enjoyed when he was living in the city, and decides to open an LGBT-friendly cafe-bar.

When Seb Radcliffe relocates to a seaside town in Cornwall, he feels like a fish out of water. Genre(s): M/M Contemporary Romance, M/M Coming OutĬan Jason find the courage he needs to be the man Seb deserves?

Rainbow Place by Jay Northcote