I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review

Richard is a young (45 year old) grandfather to 9 year old Nick. Logan is an almost 50-ish year old guy who lives in town. He has a reputation with the kids in the neighborhood for being an intense guy who likes rules to be followed. Both men feel that they are beyond their prime and are not expecting that they will ever find love again. My first impression when reading this was that the guys were in their 60's or 70's. They are only in their 40's. Of course, Richard has his grandson to watch after and Logan feels that he already had his shot at love, so that reason is mainly why they aren't expecting to find someone and that reason makes a lot more sense than the fact that they are in their 40's, which is what it seemed to imply at first.

I loved reading a story about two guys finding each other when they know what they want and are settled in their lives. They had opposing views on many things, but the beauty of these characters is that they were older and wiser, and able to compromise and talk about things rather than be closed minded and rigid. They were so hot together, too. The passion was through the roof!

Nick was a great character. He was written into Richard's life with a purpose and you could tell he was Richard's whole world. I loved their relationship. He struggled with so much negativity in his life (and continued to deal with mixed messages and feelings of abandonment), and Richard was his rock.

One thing I did not like was how the "drama" unfolded-Nick's mom and her boyfriend kidnaps him with the help of her mom. The police do nothing to really help, despite legal papers stating that she is not to be with him unsupervised or without permission.. I would have liked to see a little more resolution to this rather than just assuming that all was well after the fact. Did the lawyer/Rick take steps to ensure this didn't happen again? Another thing that bothered me...Nick was beat up in school and did not fight back. Nick and his friend that tried to help him both got suspended from school. Seriously? I get that this was written a few years ago before bullying became a big issue in the schools, but that upset me. Good for Nick and good for his friend!

I know Richard, Logan, and Nick become a "Family Unit" (which I LOVE the title after hearing it explained in the story), but what exactly does that mean. Do they move in together? I would have liked just a little bit more.

I received a copy of the 2nd edition book with the new cover and I have to say that I love it and it seems (to me) to be a much better representative of the characters. It shows guys that appear a bit younger than the other cover, and honestly...45 is not old! :-)

Overall, this book was very enjoyable. It was on my TBR for a long time, and I am glad I finally got the opportunity and encouragement to read this. I liked it a lot. ( )

Disappointed compared to other Maxfield I just read and enjoyed. This one was just . . . boring. ( )

I really like Z A Maxfield but this is my least favorite book of hers so far (though I've loved the others so the bar is high!) One thing I really appreciate is how different all her books are, and how varied the dynamics between the lovers are. This is definitely not one author who is rewriting the same book endlessly. So huge points there.
But this book feels uneven, and while it's going on and on about how old the men are, actually they feel incredibly young and active, and certainly their bodies aren't showing any signs of age, each is extraordinarily fit and active. I liked Logan and felt the poignancy of him being able to express his feelings publically after years of don't ask, don't tell. And Iliked Richard's commitment to his grandson Nick. But the book didn't come alive for me like other Maxfield books have. That being said, it's still a keeper and a reread, it's just an A-, rather than an A+ ( )

Within a few pages, it's obvious where the story is going and how it'll get there. The writing is good, characterization is good, and the story is amusing, but there's nothing new or particularly exciting here. ( )

There is a subgenre of romance that not often is chosen by authors, the Silver Romance. Usually the characters are forty years old and plus and usually at the second chance at love. Both these characteristic are respected in Family Unit.

45 years old Richard is an not ordinary grandfather. When he was still a confused teenager he fathered a child who he has never had the chance to raise. At the time he thought it was better for the boy, above all when he decided to be true to himself and living as an out artist in an open gay relationship. But when his son died in a motorbike accident and Richard was the only relative able to raise his then 3 years old grandson, Nick, that time Richard had no doubt that it was the time to step in and do his due, even if it meant loosing his not-fatherly-type partner.

Six years later, Richard is the perfect June Cleaver type of parent, working at home to be always near Nick and practically not having any personal relationship other than with him. Richard is gay and no one question it, but there is nothing to question since no man has ever entered their life. This is the situation in which enters Logan, retired Marine colonel recently moved in the neighbourhood. Logan inherited his died lover’s home in the West Coast and to respect his lover’s love for it he decided to move from the East Coast.

Where Richard is all West Coast artistry type, rainbow flag and peace wave, Logan is all East Coast’s integrity, with a planned life that resembles very much a military mission. They are at the opposite, the only thing that links them being both gays and over 40.

What I like most of the book is the mix of stereotype characters with original development. Richard is the stereotype artist, peace and love and all, but he is not the perfect parent: he is totally unable to cook an entire meal, he continually makes mistakes like leaving his naked pictures sketches around the house when there is an underage kid living with him, but basically he is trying to do the right thing, and so he wins for the commitment rather than for the perfect result.

Maybe Logan is more inside the boundaries of the military man stereotype, but there is the nice oddity of him being an out gay man. Logan is not the tortured gay military man who has only bad memories of his period as a closeted Marine; he willingly and consciously chose to be a Marine, and to follow the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy. He didn’t question it, he wanted to be a Marine, and he had to do it. His previous partner was a Marine, one that retired before him, and when they were apart, they lived their life like any other ordinary “military” couple, made of long-distance relationship and letters and phone calls.

This is a very well planned balanced novel: it’s romantic enough without being too sugary, it’s funny enough without being too light, it’s angst enough without being too dramatic. And above all, it’s sexy enough without being unrealistic: these characters are more than 40 years old, and it means that they can be handsome, but the hair are going white, the flesh is not more so tight, and the skin is showing the first signs of age. This doesn’t mean that they can’t be sexy and enjoy it, each chance they have.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0035ROW7C/?tag=elimyrevandra-20