He thinks they have more in common than the search for Rafe's vandals, and he's willing to taking a chance and find out. Officer Ben Morgan falls for Rafe's dog first, but it isn't long before he's giving her owner the eye. When his home is vandalized because of his perceived German ancestry, he can't even share the irony with friends. He has a nice home, a good job, and a wonderful dog. Waiting on Wednesday: Simply Scandalous by Kate Pe.Rafe Colman likes his life.Review: Unleashing the Receptionist by Juniper Bell.Review: Captain Gravenor's Airship Equinox by Heat.Waiting on Wednesday: Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers.Review: Mackenzie Family Christmas: The Perfect Gi.Note: My review was written for Romance Junkies and is cross-posted here with permission from Romance Junkies. That being said, I thought SECRET LIGHT was a lovely, well-written romance that will warm your heart. If I had one wish it would be for the ending to be a bit more fleshed out things did feel a bit rushed. She also does an exceptional job of transporting the reader to post-World War II Los Angeles.

Maxfield perfectly balances the darker aspects with moments of joy in SECRET LIGHT. I wanted to see them beat the odds and find happiness. Maxfield made it easy for me to become invested in not only Rafe and Ben as individuals, but as a couple. Ben’s sweetness and, well, pure goodness are like a beacon even in the darkest moments of SECRET LIGHT. It takes meeting Ben for Rafe’s inner spark to ignite and it was pure joy to see Ben bring the true Rafe to light over the course of the story. Rafe’s story broke my heart many times and it’s easy to see why he chooses to bury himself under layers of the persona he’s adapted. Maxfield takes on the challenge of delivering a powerful romance between two men set in a time where homophobia and anti-Semitism were commonplace even in Los Angeles. There’s plenty of beauty and sorrow to be found in SECRET LIGHT. Ben’s confident that he and Rafe can make their secret relationship work, but Rafe’s dire predictions might prove right when Ben’s partner threatens to ruin everything. But Rafe’s seen firsthand the true evil of prejudice and he fears his growing attachment to Ben could destroy them both. What starts out as a friendship becomes something much more. At least, he does until his home is vandalized and he’s thrown into the path of Officer Ben Morgan. Rafe - born Rolf Kohn - keeps his religion and his sexuality a secret from everyone. Only Rafe knows that his perfect life has come at a cost: hiding who he truly his. On the surface, everything’s going Rafe’s way. He’s a successful real estate agent, has a lovely home, an adoring dog, the ladies love him and he has casual friendships with his coworkers. It’s 1955 and life isn’t always easy for an Austrian immigrant, but Rafe Colman makes it work.

Secret Light by Z.A. Maxfield