Destination, Wedding!

We've read the entire series now, and I think this novel is a great ending. I enjoyed reading a substantial, meaty book, it took some time to read through it, and I enjoyed it very much.

I'm not an author or professional reviewer as many on this site are! Just an average down-to-earth, middle aged man who enjoys a great suspense or love story. Xavier is a great author. We've loved every one of his books. His characters are off the hook funny, and so true-to-life, I can see and hear them perfectly.

This conclusive story ended beautifully. A much awaited ending that sparked all of my expectations of excitement, drama, masculinity and love!

5 Stars!

Finally!! The wedding we've all been waiting for is finally here. Ethan and Gabriel are two weeks away from their big day and the countdown has begun. Too bad things aren't going according to plan thanks to an ill-timed Icelandic volcanic eruption. Now both men are forced to find a way to their European wedding separately. Planes, trains and cruise ships, these men are determined to find a way to England and the castle that awaits them.

Gabriel had no clue what kind of adventure he was in for when he meets Sandler Birkin in the first class lounge at the airport. Sandler is an international courier, leads an exciting yet lonely life traveling the world. His many connections allow him to assist in getting Gabriel to the waiting cruise ship after his flight is canceled. From there Sandler will accompany Gabriel on the cruise that Gabriel had expected to share with Ethan.

At the same time, Ethan and his new friend Kerry are traveling through Mexico and Europe using Kerry's connections trying to make it to where the ship will dock. Brandt is grateful for Kerry's company but is also struggling with the fact that he finds her attractive. He can't help but overthink the fact that he may love Gabriel with his whole heart but he can't deny that he still finds himself getting aroused by women. Sharing a hotel room with only one bed becomes a nightmare for him.

Miles away Bryce and Nestor are determined to be there for their favorite Troopers. Knowing that there is no way they'll get a flight going East, Bryce concocts a plan to head West and taking a flight in the opposite direction to get there. First, though, their journey begins relying on Virgil, a trucker who agrees to take them to California. Of course with this being Bryce and Nestor, it is a wild and crazy ride.

Funny! This book is so funny I couldn't help but love it. While the separate journeys are emotional in many ways for both Gabriel and Brandt, the more serious tone is broken by the comedic exploits of Bryce and Nestor and their new friend Virgil. I'm pretty sure I laughed more at the things that come out of Bryce's mouth than I have laughed at anything this year so far.

Ethan made me a little sad though because I felt like he was struggling with his decision to be with a man for the rest of his life. Not Gabriel because he doesn't doubt even for a second how he feels about him, but his contemplation of his sexuality at this point in the story is heartbreaking. I want him to be so devoted to Gabriel that he no longer struggles with his sexual identity. While yes, it's romantic in theory, to love someone so much that gender was not even a factor in it, it's also disconcerting because it leaves me with this tiny niggle of doubt that he'll be able to spend the rest of his life in a "gay marriage" (don't take this to mean that I think he'll cheat just because he's also attracted to women. I just mean that I feel like he will never be able to stop worrying about labels and it may lead to problems in the future).

Donnelly, on the other hand, is comfortable identifying as a gay man. His self-discoveries are more to do with the fact that he had never had the chance to live his life as a gay man without being in a committed relationship with Ethan. He needs to learn how to be an individual and not just one-half of a couple. Sandler is trying to give him that but Gabriel is having a hard time not feeling as if it's wrong without Ethan.

Basically, just like with the first book in the series, this one is full of the laughs. Bryce and Nestor are absolutely hilarious and need their own reality show because I can't get enough of them. Like the second and third books, we have the mystery and intrigue, we have to see the Troopers at work after all. Like the fourth book, we are introduced to an array of new characters that are easy to fall in love with while getting the sweet relationship between Ethan and Donnelly.

I highly recommend Destination Wedding and the entire series!