
Growing up gay in the White House hasn’t been easy for Rafael Castillo. Codenamed “Valor” by the Secret Service, Rafa feels anything but brave as he hides in the closet and tries to stay below the radar in his last year of college. His father’s presidency is almost over, and he just needs to stick to his carefully crafted plan. Once his family’s out of the spotlight, he can be honest with his conservative parents about his sexuality and his dream of being a chef.
It’s definitely not part of Rafa’s plan to get a new Secret Service agent who’s a walking wet dream, but he’s made it this long keeping his desires to himself. Besides, it’s not like Shane Kendrick would even look at him twice if it wasn’t his job.
Shane’s worked his way up through the Secret Service ranks, and while protecting the president’s shy, boring son isn’t his dream White House assignment, it’s an easy enough task since no one pays Rafa much attention. He discovers there’s a vibrant young man beneath the timid public shell, and while he knows Rafa has a crush on him, he assures himself it’s harmless. Shane’s never had room for romance in his life, and he’d certainly never cross that line with a protectee. Keeping Rafa safe at any cost is Shane’s mission.
But as Rafa gets under his skin, will they both put their hearts on the line?
Review: This was definitely an interesting story, and seems well researched. Rafa is the good boy among the president's children, and the one who has to hide himself from the world because his father is a part of the Republican party. Shane's part of the secret service, which holds no allegiance to either party. There's far more to the story than just Rafa being stuck in the closet and wanting to be a chef against his mother's wishes, and Shane fighting their developing attraction. Though we don't see it til later, there's a plot that endangers both of their lives in the end, one which you can almost sympathize with but I don't want to give spoilers. I like the build up to the happily ever after. It doesn't just happen. They have to work and overcome obstacles within themselves in order to reach their happily ever after.