no kink

Stand By You by A.M. Arthur

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

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Grade: B
Hotness Level: Blaze
Kink Level: No Kink
Genre: Contemporary, m/m
Series: Belonging #3
Published: 10/20/14
Reviewed by Anne
189  pages

Romy was in a terribly abusive relationship.  He finally got out and is living with some new friends and working in their coffee shop.  He’s still very skittish and trying not to panic over every little thing.  Brenden is the bright spot in Romy’s life.  Romy’s pretty sure Brenden is straight, but it doesn’t really matter because what he most needs is a friend, and that’s what Brenden is for him.   And even if Brenden was gay, Romy knows he deserves someone better than Romy.  He deserves someone who isn’t such an emotional mess and who hasn’t lived such a rough life.

Brenden knows he’s gay, but he’s not sure how his family would take it, so he’s not out to anyone.  He knows he’s falling for Romy, though.  He wants to protect Romy and build him up and make him smile.  He’s just a janitor who lost his football scholarship, though, and he knows Romy deserves more.  He’s happy being friends with Romy, though.

This whole story made me smile gooey happy smiles.  Well, ok, not the whole story, because Romy’s abuse history is just awful.  But I give the book bonus points for giving what I think is a realistic portrayal of how that abuse would affect a person, and also for giving a realistic view of what it would take to overcome that past.  But the parts not about the abuse, the parts where Romy and Brenden make each other happy as friends and inch their way toward more?  Those parts were delightful!

This book is third in a series.  I read the first one and enjoyed it, but it was long enough ago that I don’t remember it well at all.  So I essentially read this book as a stand alone.  There was a little confusion for me in the beginning of the book, because both couples from the first book have large supporting roles.  Keeping everyone straight got a little confusing, but it really wasn’t important.  The story was pretty focused on Romy and Brenden, and it worked fine for me to just consider everyone else as an interchangeable “friend” for the purposes of reading.

There is a bit of a suspense angle to the story, but I was ok with it, which means it was pretty light suspense.  I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys m/m, though it might be triggering for some due to Romy’s abuse history which is shared as a memory.

One in a Million by Jill Shalvis

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

19291332
Grade: A-
Hotness Level: Blaze
Kink Level: No Kink
Genre: Contemporary
Series: Lucky Harbor #12
Published: 10/14/14
Reviewed by Kate
368 pages

Tanner is the last of the Lucky Harbor Charters trio to pair up.  He’s happy being a loner, taking care of everyone in his life but not risking his heart.  Callie has been sent to Lucky Harbor, where she grew up, to determine if her grandma, Lucille, is crazy or not.  She’s was left at the alter years ago and is not willing to put her heart on the line again.  A very casual relationship between Tanner and Callie seems to be just what they both need.  Until they both start to want more.

Tanner is my new favorite Shalvis hero, although Anne would tell you that I say that about every Shalvis hero I read.  But seriously, when you read about the sucker valentine from high school you’ll completely understand why I melted for a fictional hero.  I think Tanner’s going to be my new book boyfriend (shh…don’t tell my husband).  Callie is such a wonderful, quirky character.  Her grandmother is Lucille, so can we expect anything else?  But behind her funny and klutzy exterior there’s such a genuine fragileness that you can’t help but root for her as she struggles to get over the pains and disappointments of her past.

We’ve reached the final Lucky Harbor book and I have to admit to being a little sad at seeing it come to an end.  However, Shalvis did such a marvelous job of finishing the series strong and I’m looking forward to seeing what she writes for us next.  If you haven’t read a Lucky Harbor book yet, you’re missing out on a funny and heartwarming small-town series.  Pick up any book in this series and you’ll find yourself going back to read the rest.  But I think this one’s my favorite of the bunch.

Dance With Me by Heidi Cullinan

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

11488260
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!