I received Bending the Iron in exchange for a fair and honest review. This is the second book by Libby Drew that I’ve read. The first was 40 Souls to Keep and I fell in love with those characters. This one didn’t have the paranormal aspect that the other book did, but it still had characters that really pulled me into the story.Michael is dedicated, all be it strapped, to his family. He feels like he has no choice but to stick around and care for his grandfather. That’s not to say that he doesn’t do it grudgingly. Yes, he feels trapped, but it isn’t until he meets Eric that he is forced to face the fact that he may have trapped himself.Eric is adorable. I loved him from the time he was introduced. He’s smart, funny and has a personality that everyone loves. He’s also a little gun shy when it comes to relationships. Michael is at the other end of the spectrum when it comes to relationships though. He’s never had one and avoids them at all costs.Things do tie up rather conveniently to allow these two to become a viable couple, but that didn’t bother me so much. I loved Michael’s grandfather. He was down to earth and broken in his own way. His complete turn around wasn’t totally believable, but since it was the catalyst that brought Eric and Michael together, I’ll take it. No, Bending the Iron wasn’t perfect, but it reminded me of why I loved Libby Drew’s characters and made me want to read 40 Souls to Keep again and search for more of her books. I’d call that a win
