As The Sun Sets by R.J. Jones

This is the first book I have read by RJ jones and I enjoyed it very much.

Scott is a paediatric oncology consultant, but the toil of working with children who he often cannot save has left him burned out. His relationship ended as he used the sauna to numb his mind through frequent, nameless sex., and his partner Noah was not able to save Scott from himself. Scott decides he has to make a drastic change before it’s too late so he moves to Brighton and takes up a position in the children’s A&E department.

Ben lives in Brighton and can often be seen with his old faithful dog, Happy, running along the beach. He often sees a sad solitary figure and recognises him as the new doctor in the A&E where Ben works as a nurse.

Slowly, Scott and Ben become friends. When they discover they are both gay and single, the attraction builds and they become lovers. Sounds perfect but the reality is that Scott is lugging around an awful lot of baggage and is doubtful he will ever get past it enough to have a proper relationship with Ben. In his eyes Ben deserves the very best and Scott is rock bottom. In Ben’s opinion, however, Scott just needs an understanding partner who will love and support him through his anxieties.

This is a very sweet book that focuses solely on the two main characters, especially Scott. He is a man of many layers and as Ben peels them away, we are given hope that this sexy young couple may actually have a chance at happiness together. RJ Jones skilfully tackles many sensitive issues throughout and has clearly researched the medial stuff properly. I like this author’s style of writing which isn’t dumbed down at all but is still easy to follow and understand. The characters have a lot of depth and the sexy parts are relevant and definitely got my pulse racing nicely. I would recommend this book for a satisfying, romantic, engaging read, and I will certainly be checking out more of RJ Jones’s work.