TCO Reviewer: Erin

Heart2Heart: A Charity Anthology (Collection), Volume 5 by Lucy Lennox , A.M. Arthur, Daryl Banner, Tal Bauer, S.E. Harmon, Riley Hart, Kate Hawthorne, E.M. Lindsey, Louisa Masters, Mia Monroe, Alice Winters, Jodi Payne, K. Webster, Neve Wilder, Spencer Spears: Release Day Reviews

February 1, 2022 by Denise

Once upon a time, a bunch of authors wondered… what would happen if Heart2Heart, the dating and community app responsible for bringing together couples from all over the world, encouraged people to do something they’d never done before?

#NeverHaveIEver is trending on H2H, and fourteen authors who’ve never before appeared in a Heart2Heart anthology (and one who’s never left) have come together to show how funny, hot, and heartwarming it can be when H2H app users challenge themselves to do something outside of their comfort zones–from singing in public, to skinny dipping, to getting their first real kiss–while they manage to fall in love along the way.

As always, all proceeds from this anthology will benefit LGBTQ+ charities to ensure that love in all its incarnations will be celebrated and protected every single day of the year!

Amazon

I love that authors do this every year. The amount of money raised is always jaw dropping. There are a lot of great authors in this one (ok, in all of them), some were new to me, some are favorites of mine and some were ones I’ve been wanting to read. All of them that I read (I missed 2 or 3 just because of time constraints for this review) except for one (side eyes Kate Hawthorne) are complete stories. So jump in, have fun and read some great stories! The stories all have the basis of Never Have I Ever… from the fictional Heart2Heart app.

AM Arthur
Never have I ever…cold called a stranger’s phone number

Roommates, 1 popular extrovert, the other a quiet bookish introvert. Jasper, the extrovert, is always trying to get Charlie to open up, have fun, go to parties, meet people. But he is quite happy in his world. He takes school very seriously and is fine with it. Until he answers the “Never have I ever” with…cold called a stranger’s phone AND when he is at the library the book he is looking at has a card fall out of it. On the card is a drawing of one of the characters from the book as well as a phone number and the words “For a good time call…” and the phone number. Made me giggle because isn’t that what is written on bathroom stalls? Or it was back in the day.

Charlie works up the nerve to do it but gets a voicemail. Skitch, owner of the card, texts him back and they set up a date. Unfortunately that requires his roommate to drive him because it is a bit far.

Ultimately, Charlie ends up getting stood up. More than once. Or did he?

I really liked this story. Out of the norm for this author’s current works yet well written. And maybe I was tired but it took me a minute to figure out who Skitch was before I was like DUH!

Super sweet, enough back story for both guys and a happily ever after.

Kate Hawthorne
Never have I ever…gone on vacation

I felt like this one was a really good never have I ever. Because I know people who have never been on vacation for a variety of reasons. Jermaine grew up with a single mom. Vacation wasn’t even in his vocabulary. And even as a flight attendant, he still kind of has that mindset to not spend money if you don’t have to.

Milo, on the other hand, is basically a professional vacationer. Writing for a travel blog, he goes everywhere and sees everything. His hook is finding a local to both hook up with and to hook him up with the greatest local favorites that a tourist may not know.

Flirting on the flight is all they have. Until Jermaine’s next flight is canceled and he has an unexpected wait in New Orleans. AND Milo pinged him on Grindr. Totally out of Milo’s norm of finding a local, but it was a sacrifice he was willing to make. LOL

Jermaine has a bestie he lives with who is also a lover, but they are not exclusive. At all. In fact, they are both polygamous. But could that polygamy turn into a throuple? YES IT CAN EXCEPT SHE LEFT ME HANGING!

Ok, the story was a really good read. And honestly, ending it where she did is fine. But in a short time I got invested in these guys and I want more!

Giving this anthology the elusive 5 pieces of eye candy! Loved the premise of all of the stories, the mix of types of stories and the great causes that will benefit from sales.

His Fresh Start Cowboy (Woods Ranch Book 1) by AM Arthur: Release Day Review

January 25, 2022 by Denise

Two cowboys will have to risk their hearts—again—to find a home on the ranch.

Hugo Turner’s boots haven’t touched Texas soil in almost a decade, and he’s not sure they should now. Being in the state is complicated, but Hugo can’t resist going back for a job working with his teenage crush. His best friend’s hot older brother is now the ranch’s foreman, so he’ll be Hugo’s boss. Inappropriate? Probably. Will it stop Hugo? Probably not.

Brand Woods isn’t ready for the return of Hugo Turner. He decided long ago to keep his bisexuality private and to focus his life on running the ranch. Working next to the most dangerously tempting man he’s ever known stirs up questions Brand thought he’d put to rest.

The sparks that send their hearts galloping lead to a deeper passion than either man expects. But by giving in to the chemistry without taking a risk and committing to each other—or, more importantly, to themselves and living the lives they’ve always wanted—Brand and Hugo might lose their second chance at true love.

Amazon

Audible

Carina Press/Harlequin

A spin off of the popular Clean Slate Ranch series, Woods Ranch is set in Texas at an actual working ranch. And as much as I enjoyed Clean Slate Ranch, the change of scenery is good.

We do start out at Clean Slate when Colt mentions that his family’s ranch can’t find good help. That gets the attention of Hugo, a guy who was best friends with Colt’s youngest brother while crushing on Colt’s middle brother. But Hugo never let him know the connection.

Hugo has been moving around for almost 10 years. When he finally turned 18 and had had enough abuse from his step brother while his mother and stepfather turned a blind eye. But he misses his mom, misses Texas, so he is ready to go back. And there’s also Brand. The guy he crushed on who is also his new boss.

There was good back story told that really showed how Hugo’s life was when his mother remarried without it overtaking the story. Hugo turned out not so much to be a loner, but just a guy looking for safety and love. He got that as a kid at the Woods Ranch and he would get it again.

Hugo also rented a trailer from a neighbor, an eccentric retired artist who the town loved to gossip about. He was interesting and I have a feeling he is the bridge to another story in the series.

My heart did absolutely break for Hugo at times. Without spoiling anything, I just wanted to hug him. Instead of letting life beat him down, he just keeps going, refusing to give up.

Back to the romance. Brand is the typical “must take over for my family and not let them down” guy. Which, fine, I get it. Especially on a ranch in Texas when the oldest son ran off instead of telling his family he was gay. Brand works too hard, plays too little and never seems happy. Luckily he has a best friend who smacks some sense into him.

Brand still runs hot and cold until he is really put to the test. Then the loyalty to who he loves comes barreling in.

This was a good story to start the next series. As I said, I liked the change of scenery, talking about the different things at the ranch and moving to grass fed organic. There was quite a bit of that and it almost had me giving up beef. Almost. But if I never have to hear slaughter again I will be just fine.

I would have liked more closure on some of the plot points. A couple of things were just left dangling that needed to be put to bed. But, nothing major.

Bring on book 2 who I think will be about this guy and…..that guy.

4 pieces of eye candy

Storm Warrior (Weavers Circle#5) by Jocelynn Drake & Rinda Elliott: Release Blitz, Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

January 19, 2022 by Denise

Hale Anderson

The Air Weaver.

He was the freaking Air Weaver. Not exactly what he expected when he got kidnapped by the pestilents, but Hale’s good rolling with the punches.

He can take a little time away from his pursuit of a doctorate in astrophysics to save the world.

Except that the final spell is poised to kill all the Weavers and their last hope lies with him finding his soul mate.

Hale doesn’t want a soul mate. He just wants Harrison.

Harrison William Davenport III

As the Keeper of the Heart of the Earth, Harrison must bring the final key to the Weavers if they’re to stop the pestilents.

He’s trained for this task his entire life. And he’s prepared to die just like his father did with the last generation of the Weavers.

But what if saving the world isn’t enough anymore?

What if the only thing that matters is saving Hale?

Storm Warrior is the final book in The Weavers Circle series. It includes fast-paced action, a dangerous cross-country roadtrip, dirty fun in tents, flying, bi-awakening sexy times, animal shenanigans, nerdy talk about the stars, jealousy, three crazy old ladies, magic, and a fight to save the world!

Title: Storm Warrior

Series: Weavers Circle#5

Author: Jocelynn Drake & Rinda Elliott

Publisher: Drake & Elliott Publishing LLC

Release Date: January 14, 2022

Heat Level: 4 – Lots of Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 80k

Genre: Romance, Fantasy

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Goodreads

Bullets whizzed through the air closer to him with two shots digging into a column not far from his head. He whipped the gun around to spot where two pestilents were running toward him with guns drawn. Hale gasped and backpedaled. He squeezed the trigger, but nothing happened. Shit. The safety.

He fumbled with the little switch, but it was the pounding of feet racing his way from the other end of the porch that caught his attention. A tall man in a suit with raven-black hair and a stern expression was racing to him. Wow. Gorgeous. He was simply gorgeous

So gorgeous in fact, that it took Hale an extra second to realize the man had a gun in each hand.

Fuck! He was only starting to swing the gun toward the man when he fired off several shots right past Hale. The Air Weaver spun to see the bullets hit their marks in three pestilents, killing them instantly.

The stranger saved him. What the—

“What are you doing out here if you don’t know how to protect yourself?” the gorgeous man shouted.

Hale took a breath to say something, but he wasn’t quite sure what. His brain wasn’t working, and his tongue was all tied up. He was overwhelmed. He generally wasn’t the type of person who got overwhelmed, but that described him in the middle of the bloody chaos.

Which was probably why it was so easy for the man to holster one of the guns, grab his wrist, and pull him back into the house.

Hale stumbled after him, trying to get his brain to process the events happening. The man turned toward the left but only glanced in the dining room before sneering at something and moving to the right. He made the same face when he peered into the library.

“Too many damn windows.” Twisting to face Hale, he jerked his arm as if trying to get his attention, but the stranger had all of Hale’s available brain capacity at this point. “What room doesn’t have a lot of doors or windows?”

Well, there was the downstairs half bath that had no windows, but there was no way he was getting shoved into that room, with or without the sexy man.

“The-the armory has no windows and only two doors,” he stammered at first, but finished, proud that he’d clearly remembered the room.

The stranger blinked, seeming surprised to hear the house had an honest-to-goddess armory, but he recovered fast enough. “Good. Take me there.”

Hale hesitated and sniffed the air. “You’re not a pestilent.”

The man gasped, looking appropriately horrified. “Of course not!” Well, that was a plus for him. Not only was he human, but he also knew what a pestilent was.

“Then who the hell are you?” Hale had already met all the Weavers, mates, and goddesses. He couldn’t even begin to guess who this handsome yet scary person was.

“A friend of the Weavers. The goddesses sent for me. Now, the armory? Where is it?”

Oh! That was much better. The guys had never mentioned the goddesses sending in more help, but they certainly needed it.

Hale took the lead, hurrying down the hall toward the armory. There was one main entrance to the room and a set of narrow French doors that connected to the front porch. That made the space much easier to protect.

The man’s quick dark eyes darted across the long table filled with weapons. He released Hale only when he had his back shoved against a bookcase in the far corner that gave him a good view of both doors. The man then moved to the French doors and peered out between the thin white curtains.

“Which of them are you?” the man inquired.

“Hale. Hale Anderson. I just arrived. I’m the Air Weaver.”

The stranger’s head slowly turned toward Hale. His eyes were wide, and his face had become incredibly pale. The bloodbath outside had not disturbed him, but something about what Hale had said had clearly shaken him.

“It’s true,” he whispered. “The Weavers Circle is finally complete.”

The final book in the Weavers Circle series. Yes, you must read the others or you will have no clue what is going on.

The final Weaver showed up at the end of the last book. And once he got his powers, all protections are gone. Which means we open the book with a big fight between the pestilents, the Weavers and a new guy who just kind of jumps in to help.

Turns out the new guy is the Keeper. He literally holds the final piece that is needed for the Weavers to cast the spell and close the rift.

The book was good, but it was sadly my least favorite. There wasn’t enough development of the relationship between Hale and Harrison because they were immediately thrust into the war and road trip to the rift.

Even the characters of Hale and Harrison were a bit underdeveloped for me. Harrison knew that he would end up in this position and figured he would die. But, what else? He lived a life before he met the Weavers. And Hale is literally an astrophysicist and it’s almost like a throw away comment. He turns out to be the Air Weaver and he doesn’t think about the physics of it? He is a SCIENTIST who just totally accepts magic without question?

And the final battle to close the rift was…meh?

Overall, all 5 books are very good. I just wish this last one was more.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

Jocelynn Drake and Rinda Elliott have teamed up to combine their evil genius to create intense gay romantic suspense stories that have car chases, shoot outs, explosions, scorching hot love scenes, and tender, tear-jerking moments. Their first joint books are in the Unbreakable Bonds series.

Author Links

Website: http://drakeandelliott.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drakeandelliott/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrakeandElliott

Email: drakeandelliott@gmail.com

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On A Midnight Clear by Lily Morton: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

January 7, 2022 by Denise

It can safely be said that Lord Barnaby Greenwood is not having the best of Christmases.

He’s penniless, up to his eyeballs in debt, and about to lose his estate. Therefore, it’s hardly surprising that when a local property developer offers a lot of money to buy King’s Wood from him, Barnaby is very tempted. But his father had always impressed on him that the green wood was sacred and must be protected at all costs, so he finds himself saying no.

He knows this will result in the loss of his home, but duty comes before everything. However, that fateful decision leads instead to a magical Christmas for Barnaby, complete with an old god who grants him a favour, and a beautiful statue that comes to life.

Cosmo is perfect for him. He’s funny and kind and completely enraptured with Barnaby, and for the first time in his life, Barnaby falls in love. But how can this lead to anything but heartache, when on the last stroke of midnight on Christmas Eve, Cosmo will go back to being a statue and take Barnaby’s heart with him?

From bestselling author Lily Morton comes a truly magical romantic comedy.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Goodreads

I shake my head. “This is real, isn’t it?”

He looks steadily at me. “This is magic, Barnaby Greenwood. It is the furthest thing from reality that can be.”

I bite my lip. “It’s incredible. Nothing like this ever happens to me.”

“Well, that is sad. Good people deserve good things.”

“How do you know I’m good?”

He throws his head back and laughs merrily. “Oh, Barnaby. Do you forget your youth so easily?”

I flush. “Oh my god, you were listening to me? You could hear me?”

He winks. “I was. Statues can hear and understand. Apart from one exception per day, we are marble and granite, bronze and alabaster, but we can still hear and understand. And nothing interested me so much as your tales of school woes and your terrible crush on the games teacher.”

I rub my nose awkwardly. “He was rather good-looking. That’s fairly mortifying and rather boring for you. I do apologise that you had to lie unable to move and just listen to my adolescent angst, although that does make you an ideal companion for a teenager.”

“Barnaby, I have lain in this house as a statue for hundreds of years. I have seen generations of your ancestors be born and die, and nothing has caught me as much as you. So many pass through this room and they look, but their glances are brief, and their eyes move on as quickly as bees to flowers. You would come and sit and talk to me as if I were human, and I found that extraordinarily pleasing. So, I kept an eye on you for that, and what I saw saddened me.”

“Why?”

His mouth turns down at the corners. “Because when you were young, you burnt bright as a flame. You were sweet and happy, and to see that youthful fire and energy dissipated by money problems and grief is saddening to me.”

I sigh. “There isn’t much that I can do about that, I’m afraid.”

He watches me for a long moment, his pale green eyes intent and warm. “There is a lot that we can do.” He stands up. “Let us go.”

“Go?” I echo, staring up at him. “Go where? Have you missed the fact that you’re bloody naked?”

“We have much to do,” he says, ignoring me. He clicks his fingers at the dog, and he jumps down, taking a position at his master’s foot, a pose similar to the one he adopted as a statue. “And very little time to accomplish things.”

I gape at him and then have to scurry to catch up with him as he sweeps out of the room, his canine shadow at his heels. “Wait. Where are you going?” I pant. “What do we have to do?”

He doesn’t reply, making his way down the long corridor instead.

To me at least, Christmas is the most magical holiday. Starting when we are kids and most of us grew up believing in Santa and the decorations and lights and food and family. So a book, set at Christmas with LITERAL magic in it? Yes, yes, yes.

This is not the first book that Lily Morton has written that is set at an old estate that was formerly owned by a duke or a something or other with great status. And as it is passed down through the generations, people no longer make money by status alone and the estate is starting to fall into disrepair.

But this estate is bordered by woods that are, apparently, filled with magic. And when Barnaby (owner of the estate) is being pushed into selling those woods, magic comes to light. In the form of Barnaby’s favorite statue. Who comes alive. He will only be alive until the stroke of midnight on Christmas and while Barnaby has no idea how a now living statue can help him financially, he was going to take advantage of his dream man being a living, breathing man.

Cosmo not only shows Barnaby magic, but also love. Being treasured and loved for who he is. And with Barnaby being in his early 40’s, it is a perfect example of how not everyone is a well built 20 something as a main character. 40 something, kind of broke and perhaps a bit soft in the middle are worthy of love.

Cosmo also helps Barnaby figure out how to save his estate.

This was such a fun, magical romp. Statues that come to life for an hour. Statues that come to life for more than an hour. History and secrets and Christmas. Townspeople and employees and…magic.

This is must read and I think it might be a reread for me next year at Christmas.

4 pieces of eye candy

Lily is a bestselling gay romance author. She writes love stories filled with heat and humour.

She lives in sunny England with her husband and two children, all of whom claim that they haven’t had a proper conversation with her since she got her Kindle.

Lily has spent her life with her head full of daydreams, and decided one day to just sit down and start writing about them. In the process she discovered that she actually loved writing, because how else would she get to spend her time with hot and funny men?

She loves chocolate and Baileys and the best of all creations – Chocolate Baileys.

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Playing Our Song by LA Bryce: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

December 29, 2021 by Denise

Jase is famous around the world, and Garrett’s well-known in his neighborhood. They’re two singers. One is living his dream, and the other is living his brother’s.

Jase’s boyfriend’s hostility has increased toward him, making their relationship toxic, but too focused on his band, Jase lets it slide, causing him to almost miss out on the kind of love that lives in his fantasies.

Garrett made a promise to his brother when he passed. But a mistake in its interpretation almost causes Garrett to live out his brother’s dream instead of reaching for his own.

Can these men spot and remove the obstacles stopping them from making beautiful music together before it’s too late?

Amazon

Jase tells Garrett about his writers block and suggests they write together

“Hey. What are you doing here?” Garrett’s smile told Jase he didn’t mind Jase just stopping over.

The knot in Jase’s stomach untied. “I grew stir crazy at home. Needed a fresh space.”

Jase handed Garrett a beer, then pulled a chair over.

Garrett took a swig of the beer, and his body relaxed. “How are things with the new album?”

Jase hesitated for a moment. Maybe he needed this. To talk to someone concerning the rut he’d been facing. Gain insight into what he was missing. He squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep breath, then opened his eyes. “Shitty,” spilled from his lips.

Garrett leaned forward, his brows furrowed, and a frown marred his face. “What do you mean?”

“I’m trying to come up with new material. In two months, we’re back in the studio, and I’m working with nothing.”

“What’s the problem?” The concern emanating from Garrett helped Jase share his fears.

“I don’t have a clue. I had a couple of decent days, and now I’m stuck. Everything I write turns into the same tune. There’s nothing else. I keep hitting a wall.” Jase’s shoulders sagged, and the usual nerves he’d been dealing with came crashing back, causing an ache in his stomach.

“What do you think’s holding you back?”

Jase scrubbed his eyes. “I have no idea.”

“Has this happened in the past?”

“No. Maybe.” Jase’s gaze moved to his fidgeting hands. “Back when I first started writing for the band. When I first started having deadlines—the stress would block my brain. But since then, no, I haven’t had a problem. I have no idea why whatever is happening is happening now.”

“I can see the stress being a problem,” Garrett said. “If I sit, ready to write, I have the hardest time. It’s once I’m busy doing something else that the ideas come to me. That’s the reason I’m always traveling with a notebook.”

“Me too,” Jase agreed. “But right now, the pages are blank. The flow’s dried up.” Jase took a drink. Both men sat silently—Jase with too many thoughts. Then one pushed forward, and with no filter, Jase blurted out, “We should do something together.”

Garrett twitched. “What?”

“Shit. Why didn’t that come to me sooner? We should write something together.”

“Yeah, right.” Garrett smiled and rolled his eyes.

“Yeah, right. It’s a wonderful idea.” Goosebumps covered Jase’s arms. “Your style is just what the band needs.”

“I’m sure something’ll come to you.” Garrett peeled pieces of the label from his beer, no longer looking at Jase. “I don’t think you need my help.”

“That’s exactly what I need,” Jase insisted. “You’re really good.”

“Thank you.” A flush swept across Garrett’s face.

“I’m serious. Your songs rock.” The urge to shake Garrett was strong. “Together, we could do something great.”

Garrett continued to pick at the beer label. “I’m sure whatever you write will end up awesome, but I’m not sure I could add anything to it.”

Jase fisted his hands and whispered, even though he wanted to shout. “Bull shit.” Jase had had enough.

“Your songs are as impressive as any I’ve written.”

Garrett’s laugh sounded hollow. “I’m not too sure about that, but thank you!”

“You need to cut yourself a break.”

Garrett just shook his head.

I’m a fan of rock star romances. I love seeing the behind the scenes stuff, how they live, etc. But this was just…boring. There was nothing really WRONG with it (except the whole lack of management, record companies, photo shoots…), it was a nice story, but there was no real heat or passion. It was just forgettable.

Jase, rock star extraordinaire, is with a crappy boyfriend who ignores him constantly, whines when they are together, doesn’t answer calls and blames everything on his career. HELLO! Red light dude! Jase just comes off as a doormat. Who puts up with that?

He meets Garrett when he stops into a restaurant and Garrett is the entertainment. Jace is immediately drawn to the music, and obviously to Garrett but somehow he doesn’t see it. They end up writing some music together but Jace is hot and cold. Mostly because of the stupid boyfriend.

I’m sure you can see where this is all going…

The book was fine. The story was fine. The sex scenes were fine. But just fine isn’t good enough for me.

2.5 pieces of eye candy

L.A. is a contemporary M/M romance author who loves her men to work hard, play hard, and love hard.

She’s always lived in the northeast and has recently stretched her boundaries and moved farther north — the more relaxed lifestyle giving her more time to write — in theory anyway.

Among the things she loves besides writing and her family are her friends, those she writes with and those she writes about, reading, games (the kind with boards, not in love), her dogs, Nutella and Bok Choy, and the men and women from the military, past and present, who keep us safe.

When she finds herself stuck at the keyboard, her fingers refusing to move, her characters refusing to talk, she likes to take a break, blast some music, and dance like no one is watching her or sing her heart out into her hairbrush microphone.

She’s living her happily ever after and wants the same for all her characters. L.A. believes love comes in all different packages and each should be wrapped in a ribbon and cherished.

Connect with LA:

https://labryce.com/

https://www.facebook.com/LABryceAuthor/

https://twitter.com/labryce_author

https://www.instagram.com/labryce_author/

https://www.pinterest.com/labryce_author/

To celebrate the release of Playing Our Song, LA Bryce is giving away a awesome Kindle Fire 10!!

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Find Me In July by Christie Gordon: New Release Review

December 20, 2021 by Denise

Troy lives to be a teacher. Jessie knows teachers can’t be gay. These facts could rip them apart.

It’s the summer of 1978. Troy Larson is only one university-year away from living his dream as an elementary school teacher. In the meantime, he’s heading to his family’s annual month-long vacation at a Northern Minnesota lake resort. He’s looking forward to time with his best friend, Jessie, and finding out what has happened to him. This year was odd. They hardly spoke on the phone, and Jessie didn’t come home for the usual breaks. When they meet, it’s clear something’s off with Jessie. One day in, Troy secretly stumbles upon Jessie in an illicit act with another man. The incident triggers questions about Jessie’s sexuality and confusion about his own.

Jessie Smith is set to take over his father’s Minneapolis foundry when he graduates from a New York university next year. But the time in New York has taught him how to accept his sexuality, and his newfound freedom is not something he’s willing to give up. As the families meet for their vacation, it’s clear that Jessie is different. After the first day, Jessie sees an abrupt change in Troy, and it’s baffling. The changes in Troy cause a lifetime of repressed feelings to surface in him.

Troy’s pursuit of the truth brings him closer to Jessie than he ever thought he would want to be. He struggles to understand what’s going on between them and how his best friend is turning into more, way more. With the gay rights movement facing legal challenges from Save our Children, can Troy convince Jessie he’s willing to fight alongside him and face any consequences together?

Amazon

This is a new to me author and honestly I chose to read it because it is set in 1978 and was marked historical. HISTORICAL! Don’t at me. I am not ok with this.

There is no way to NOT know that this book is set in 1978. You are smacked in the face at every turn with nostalgia and descriptions. Shag carpet. Orange counters. Trans Am with t tops. The music. And even with all of that there was one thing that was mentioned that wouldn’t be seen for another 11 years. I don’t know why I am like this, I’m sorry.

So it was a decent story. Best friends, one more year of college yet, spending a month at the lake with their respective families. Except last year Jessie didn’t come home at all. So this was the first time he and Troy were seeing each other in two years. Because Jessie has a secret. And in 1978, you kept that secret at risk of losing everything. But Troy finds out. And starts to explore with Jessie. But again, 1978 isn’t very kind to the gay community. Especially in Minnesota.

I wanted MORE story and less descriptive nostalgia. It was just overdone and not necessary. And the truth or dare and spin the bottle games with siblings involved. Just, ew.

All of the “Wanna beer?” “Wanna get high?” were too much. CONSTANTLY. Jessie and Troy each were ridiculously jealous of the other looking or even mentioning another man or ex.

I was hoping the “historical” nostalgia would make me smile at memories (btw, I was only 7 in 1978) but it all got to be very eye rolling.

2.5 pieces of eye candy