Grade: B+
Hotness Level: Inferno
Kink Level: No Kink
Genre: Contemporary, m/m
Published: 7/6/11
Reviewed by Anne
240 ebook pages

Ed is adjusting to his new life just fine, thank you very much!  His semi-pro football career may have been ended by an injury, but he’s just fine with his desk job and teaching weight lifting at the community center.  The only thing that bothers Ed is the obnoxiously loud music from the aerobics class that Laurie teaches.

Laurie’s career as an acclaimed dancer veered off track a few years ago, but he’s totally fine with the new life he’s built.  Despite his undeniable talent, he’s never appeared back on stage.  He’s very, very happy teaching dance to kids and aerobics at the community center.  If only Ed would stop bothering him about his music!

When Ed crashes Laurie’s class yet again complaining about the music, Laurie is surprised when Ed offers to do anything to get him to give it a rest.  Laurie surprises himself by asking for help with the ballroom dance class he’s teaching.  When the two of them start to enjoy each other’s company they start to realize they’ve been lying to themselves about how fine they are.  Together and separately they have to work through their issues.

I went into this story expecting something lighter.  Because it involved dance, and because I’d just read a couple lighter Cullinan books (Love Lessons & Fever Pitch) I just expected this to be a fun and simple read.  It turned out to be heavier and more complex, and I’m so glad it did!  This is definitely not just a love story, but almost a coming of age story for two men well past 20!

Ed was pretty unaware of himself and in denial about his injury and life changes.  Cullinan did such a good job writing this.  Ed’s also a pretty straight forward kind of guy, and that somehow makes the way he lies to himself more wrenching.  Laurie seems to be more prone to drama at the core, but is in a more emotionally stable place in his life.  They were very good together!

I really enjoyed this story!  I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys m/m romance!