Rene was my first everything. Best friend, first kiss, first love, first heartbreak.
Seven years after walking out of my life, they tear open old wounds with a single photo of a smiling little boy and the message they’re coming home.
Mo has my smile and Rene’s eyes. It kills me that I didn’t know about him sooner. As furious as the news Rene kept such a major secret makes me, I want a relationship with my son more than I want to rehash old arguments. Besides, Rene has more baggage than the 747 they flew in on, and I swore off love the first time they left me heartbroken.
When I learn Rene and Mo need a place to stay while they settle into life in Vancouver, it sounds like a perfect opportunity. I’ve got a spare room. What better way to figure out co-parenting than living together? It’s not like I’m going to fall for the ex who hurt me deeper than anyone else could. That would be ridiculous.
Saving Throw is the third M/NB romance in the Table Topped series. It features Errol, demisexual panromantic production coordinator who likes to be in control and his first love, Rene, a non-binary trans masc ex-hockey player turned coach.
CW: Past mentions of a physically abusive alcoholic parent and portrayals of trauma/PTSD related to that, secret teenage pregnancy and related gender dysphoria/difficulty with accessing medical care. Side characters struggle with infertility.
Seven years after walking out of my life, they tear open old wounds with a single photo of a smiling little boy and the message they’re coming home.
Mo has my smile and Rene’s eyes. It kills me that I didn’t know about him sooner. As furious as the news Rene kept such a major secret makes me, I want a relationship with my son more than I want to rehash old arguments. Besides, Rene has more baggage than the 747 they flew in on, and I swore off love the first time they left me heartbroken.
When I learn Rene and Mo need a place to stay while they settle into life in Vancouver, it sounds like a perfect opportunity. I’ve got a spare room. What better way to figure out co-parenting than living together? It’s not like I’m going to fall for the ex who hurt me deeper than anyone else could. That would be ridiculous.
Saving Throw is the third M/NB romance in the Table Topped series. It features Errol, demisexual panromantic production coordinator who likes to be in control and his first love, Rene, a non-binary trans masc ex-hockey player turned coach.
CW: Past mentions of a physically abusive alcoholic parent and portrayals of trauma/PTSD related to that, secret teenage pregnancy and related gender dysphoria/difficulty with accessing medical care. Side characters struggle with infertility.
My Rating - 4.5 Stars!
Saving Throw, the third book in the Table Topped series by Alex Silver is a wonderful, feel good read.
This is a second chance romance between Errol and Renee, who were childhood best friends and high school sweethearts. When Renee re-appears in Errol's life, it's with a surprise; their six year old son.
There's a lot going on in this story. At first, it's mostly the story of two people becoming friends again, blending their lives for the good of their son, and slowing falling back into being a couple. But later, things get heavier and more complicated.
First, I'm in awe of Errol's acceptance of the situation. He's truly a remarkable man. Most stories like this deal with the surprised parent's anger and feelings of betrayal. Instead, that is mentioned, but Errol never lets his feelings get in their way. He's fully able to look beyond his pain and spends time getting to know his son.
Then there's Renee, who I love. A non-binary character, former hockey player, who raised their son by themselves for six years. Renee was raised by an alcoholic and abusive father. Renee's father never cared to discuss Renee's gender with them, and it took Renee a long time to understand they had gender dysphoria. Their family issues are plentiful, having left them with some emotional baggage.
In addition, adding more layers to their relationship, is Errol's sexuality. Back in the day, he didn't have a name for what he is. But now he knows he's demisexual and panromantic. The only person that has ever turned him on is Renee. No matter what Renee's body looks like, Renee's the only one Errol wants to be physical with in any way, and I applaud Renee's acceptance of Errol's preferences. Awww, I love that cuddling is just as important to Errol as anything else.
The author handles all of these things in a fantastic manner. Renee's non-binary identity is a large part of who they are, and the author handles this with care. As well, the author explores Errol's sexuality in an amazing manner, writing it with knowledge and tact.
This is a story of finding out you're a dad to a six year old, a second chance with your ex, and a whole lot of impressive forgiveness. It's a story of learning to move forward with one's new found situation. It's truly beautiful. There are some obstacles later on of course, as there should be given the situation, but I love how they're handled. They're important issues to be discussed and although it's heavy-ish, their love and relationship is never in doubt.
Best of all, I enjoy the author's character diversity in this series, as they include a variety of sexual and gender identities. It's truly refreshing to find series like this, as there aren't a whole lot of them.
As far as the gaming scenes, I continue to not relate to those. There aren't many in this one, but it's easy to skim through them quickly.
Saving Throw is the perfect read when you're in the mood for a mostly low angst, tender read. This Alex Silver read is a impressive in it's depth, while also being a wonderful option for people to learn more about diversity and different lifestyles.
