Color of Grace by AM Arthur
Cost of Repairs, Book 2
Samhain Publishing
Gay Contemporary
ISBN: 978-1-61921-325-8
Reviewed by Cassie




Barrett McCall is trying to get his life together.  In the past, he was a party boy who let drugs and alcohol lead him into bad decisions.  Now he cooks for Dixie’s Cup and focuses on staying sober.  Then a fire burns down his apartment building, taking his meager belongings with it.  He doesn’t have much choice when Dixie offers to let him stay in the apartment in her basement.  Thanks to Dixie’s offer, he meets her nephew, art teacher Schuyler Rhodes.

Schuyler’s not really in a good place to start a relationship.  The anniversary of his cousin Matty’s death is a horrible time for Schuyler, who hides a terrible secret about the night Matty drowned.  Still, Schuyler can’t deny his attraction to Barrett.

Can Schuyler get out from under the weight of his own guilt before it destroys him, and any chance he has with Barrett?

Color of Grace features Schuyler, who first appeared in Cost of Repairs.  His somewhat abrasive personality hides deep scars.  For years, a dark secret has been eating Schuyler up inside, leading him to binge drink and hold others at arms’ length.  He intends to stay away from Barrett, but after Barrett spends a night watching over him while he gets plastered, and Dixie conspires to throw them together, Schuyler gives in to the attraction.  Things seem to be going well, despite both their pasts, until Schuyler’s secret comes back to haunt him.

I wasn’t a big fan of Schuyler in Cost of Repairs, but after seeing what made him the man he became I understand him a lot more.  Secrets can weigh on a person, and Schuyler’s secret is more painful than most.  I really liked Barrett, who’s been through a lot of pain, some self-inflicted, some not, and come out a stronger man.  Barrett is patient enough to stand by Schuyler and wait for him to share his secrets rather than trying to pry them out of him.  The two men worked well together, and it was easy to root for them.

Once Schuyler’s past finally comes roaring back into his present, things get a lot more dramatic.  Fortunately, AM Arthur doesn’t go too dramatic, keeping the situation realistic.  With likable characters, realistic conflict, and a satisfying resolution, Color of Grace is well worth a read.