This series is like a cup of tea - relaxing, reliable, refreshing.

Derek, who had a crush on Cary in high school, meets him again when he returns to Sourwood. All sorts of lovely things evolve for both of them as they find a compatibility beyond their fantasies. These two laugh all the time, and it's exactly why Cary falls for Derek - he makes him laugh - and Cary didn't have much of that in his 15-year? relationship with his wife, for various reasons. And Derek hasn't had a lot of things to laugh about in that time, as he's built his business, and tried to distance himself from an unjust reputation as a weirdo in high school. For all that, he's kept his sharp wit and love of bright shirts, and he's just what Cary needs to find the 'home' in his hometown again.

Of course, this cup of tea wouldn't be nearly so soothing if it was made by the master narrator, Nick J. Russo. ( )