Nat's Top Ten of 2015

I can't believe it's that time of year again.  This is my 5th Top Ten list and, just like the first, second, third and fourth, it was difficult to decide.  As usual, I chose from all the books I read this year and not just books published in 2015.  While putting together this list, I decided to go through my previous lists.  It was fun to see what I had picked for favorites previously and it was entertaining to find that my love of romance has not abated one bit.  I am linking to previous lists just for the hell of it.  

2011  2012  2013  2014  

 And now, without further adieu, 2015

Cut & Run Series by Abigail Roux and Madeleine Urban

Much like Ty and Zane, this series and I had a rocky start to our relationship.  There is a significant amount of head hopping in the first book which is usually a deal breaker for me.  But Zane and Ty were so fascinating I kept on reading.  The issues I had with book 1 were worked out for book two and what you are left with is an amazing story of two  men as they try to forge a lasting relationship while dealing with dangerous jobs and unhealthy addictions.  Not only did I read one of the best love scenes I've ever read in a romance (Book 5 - Armed & Dangerous), I also added a new book boyfriend to my roster.  Let's just say that I will fight Ty to the death for his Zane.  And that's knowing that Ty will win.    If you are looking for lots of action, two alpha males, a little bit of angst and a really slow burn, I can't recommend this series enough.


Galgorithm by Aaron Karo

I didn't read a lot of YA this year but of the ones I did get to, this was, by far, my favorite.  Aaron Karo delivers a romcom with the quirky and awkward humor that I adore in romance.  And to top it off,  it included one of my favorite tropes - Friends to Lovers.  The only other thing I can say is, Amor y Cacahuetes.   Love and Peanuts.

Just Business by Anna Zabo

Every time someone asks me my favorite read of 2015, Just Business is the title I give them.   I read this in May and I STILL think about it.   Eli and Justin are wonderfully fun and complex characters and Anna Zabo's writing is stellar.   There is an office filing scene where there is zero nudity, touching or dirty talk and yet it was one of the hottest things I've ever read.  I'm not sure I'll be able to do office work ever again without blushing.

Lonely Hearts by Heidi Cullinan

This is a super hot new adult title that includes, per the warning on the book, sex in a Tesla and kinky anime role play.  But it's not all about the sex.  Not even close.  Heidi's endless understanding and empathy bring together two broken young men that work through their chronic health (mental and physical) issues  in ways that are not always healthy.  Between their friends, a pastor and his wife who have a whole lot of love to give, and their desire to live, Elijah and Baz have what they need to become healthier people.   There is no sugar coating in this book.  Their struggles are realistic and sometimes painful.  But never so painful you doubt they will get the happy ever after they both deserve.



Off Campus by Amy Jo Cousins

I read Five Dates (a freebie) on a whim.  That was my first taste of Amy Jo Cousins' writing and I think we all know that I am now a life long fan.  I read Off Campus in August and I have read it 3 more times since then.  This has obviously become a total comfort read for me.   Even with all his paranoia, Tom is insanely nice.  The things he does to make Reese feel safe made me melt.  And I'm not any less in love with Reese.  This kid is a survivor.  After experiencing a horrific and life damaging assault the year before, he still returned to campus.  He's a strong and scrappy guy that is determined to survive.



Delivered Fast by Annabeth Albert

Annabeth Albert is another new favorite author that I discovered this year.  This is the third book in the Portland Heat series.  I enjoyed the entire series but I really connected to this book.  Chris is surprised to find himself attracted to a guy that is 15 years younger than him .  And he almost fell over when said youngster hit on him and asked him out. What starts out as temporary and beneficial arrangment quickly becomes something more.  The problem?  Chris doesn't want to be the older guy that holds Lance back from pursuing his dreams.  Fortunately, Lance has his shit together and realizes he can pursue more than one dream at a time.  Now he just needs to convince Chris.



Burnt Toast B & B by Heidi Belleau and Rachel Haimowitz

So I picked this up on a whim when it was on a sale.  The humorous title was a total draw for me.  What I didn't expect was a beautiful and romantic story between a gay man afraid of getting close to anyone because he might lose them and a transgender man that has yet to find anyone that completely accepts him for who he is.  Belleau and Haimowitz's empathy and accuracy when it came to writing these two characters was nothing short of amazing.  I look forward to checking out more of their books in the future.





Nowhere But Here by Katie McGarry

I don't think Katie McGarry can write a bad book.  It just isn't in her.  And after meeting her a few months ago, I have a new appreciation for her dedication and attention to detail.  Spending a month with members of a motorcycle club gave her a level of insight that produced a book that is fascinating and romantic but not always attractive.  If you are looking for some angst with certain style of grit and honesty, definitely pick this one up.






Undressed by Shannon Richard

This is one of my favorites in the Country Roads series.  It's super sexy and lots of fun.  It hits the ground running with an unbelievably hot opening scene and it never loses its momentum.   Of course, there was just enough angst to make me happy and more than enough fun and hockey hotness to make non-angst lovers happy too.

No Parking at the End Times by Bryan Bliss

This is a story of a teen girl that is desparately grappling with the knowledge that her father's faith in a scheister televangelist and her mother's unhealthy desire to please her husband has led to them living in a van with no income and has put their family in a situation from which they might never recover.  She and her brother independently seek comfort and seek a way to escape the hopeless situation their parents have put them in.  Definitely not a happy book but it certainly is a book that I think a lot of people can relate to in one way or another.

That's What HE Said Thursday #52

Image courtesy of Kei at The Lovely Pages Review

That's What HE Said is a weekly meme hosted by the wonderful ladies at Chapter Break. It's a chance for us to spotlight and gush over a quote from our current book crush to the object of his desire. We like to pretend he's speaking to us ;)

What better way to celebrate our book boyfriends?

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Nat brings you this sweet interaction from Winter Wonderland by one of her favourites, Heidi Cullinan. You can read her 4-star review here. 

The set up: This is when Kyle realizes that no matter how much he loves Paul, it won't always be enough to protect him from bad experiences.

"I hate when you hurt.” Kyle wept now, drowning in all the rage and helplessness Paul was too numb to feel. “I want you to have your Christmas movies in real life. I want to help you find the plot device in the last ten minutes that fixes everything and makes what was horrible okay.” He choked on a sob before forging forward. “But I can’t. I can’t, because life isn’t a movie, and even men with money and power and abs like Dale Davidson can’t erase people who hate and families who disappoint. And I’m sorry. I’m so sorry I can’t be magic enough to give you that.”

Tears ran down Paul’s face, and he had to swallow a lump in his throat before he could continue. “I never asked you to do that.”

"I know.” The despair and frustration in Kyle cut Paul so he could bleed with his lover. “I know you didn’t. I asked me to."

~ Kyle to Paul

Winter Wonderland (Minnesota Christmas #3)

by Heidi Cullinan

   

     

    

Winter Wonderland by Heidi Cullinan

* * * *

Finding Mr. Right can be a snow lot of fun.

Paul Jansen was the only one of his friends who wanted a relationship. Naturally, he’s the last single man standing. No gay man within a fifty-mile radius wants more than casual sex.

No one, that is, except too-young, too-twinky Kyle Parks, who sends him suggestive texts and leaves X-rated snow sculptures on his front porch.

Kyle is tired of being the town’s resident Peter Pan. He’s twenty-five, not ten, and despite his effeminate appearance, he’s nothing but the boss in bed. He’s loved Paul since forever, and this Christmas, since they’re both working on the Winter Wonderland festival, he might finally get his chance for a holiday romance.

But Paul comes with baggage. His ultra-conservative family wants him paired up with a woman, not a man with Logan’s rainbow connection. When their anti-LGBT crusade spills beyond managing Paul’s love life and threatens the holiday festival, Kyle and Paul must fight for everyone’s happily ever after, including their own.


Warning: Contains erotic snow art, toppy twinks, and super-sweet holiday moments. Best savored with a mug of hot chocolate with a dash of spice.

Review:

I fully admit that “erotic snow art” is what drew me to this story.  It appealed to my inner 12 year old.  And the promise of humor absolutely delivered.   The story opens to Paul finding a 10 foot tall snow penis on his front steps.  Intricately detailed, it’s a real work of art.   At least it is in my head.  That isn’t the first phallic snow sculpture that Paul has opened his door to during the early snow season.   It’s the third. And when he catches Kyle Parks in the act of sculpting a fourth one, he’s a little turned on and a little embarrassed.  Because Kyle might be cute but Paul is almost 38 and Kyle was born in 1990.  No way would that relationship ever work.  Kyle is definitely not the Christmas romance Paul has been hoping for.

 Paul’s obsession with Kyle’s age is exactly what drives Kyle crazy about everyone in town.  His slight frame (in width not height) and delicate appearance makes everyone assume he is younger than he is.  But Kyle has had a crush on Paul for as long as he can remember and he isn’t going to give up just because Paul is concerned about their age difference and also thinks they might not be compatible in the bedroom.

 With the help of friends and family, Kyle inserts himself into Paul’s life by helping him and his friends plan a winter festival.  As they get to know each other, Kyle begins to realize that his crush was just that.  A crush.  He never actually KNEW Paul.  Kyle has to learn if a relationship between them is something that can be real or just something he wants because of their close proximity. In the meantime, Paul struggles with his desire/need for romance and a family that will love him and coming to terms with the fact those are things that they young Kyle can give him.

 Heidi Cullinan never fails to draw me into her stories.  The humor from the beginning won my immediate attention.  Paul’s secret love of Hallmark Christmas movies and his secret desire for his own Christmas romance kept me riveted.  And Kyle’s persistence and limitless amount of affection and love was icing on the cake.  Paul’s wants and needs and his willingness to admit them to himself (maybe not anyone else) is very sweet. The fact that such a sweet person had to deal with his crazy ass family was disheartening.  But it also drove home the reason WHY he wants/needs the things he does.  Kyle is rich in all the things Paul needs and he wants to share it all.  They really are a match made in Logan, MN.  They just need to figure it out.

 Of course, figuring it out means plenty of magic time.  Some on screen/page and some not.    And let me just say that Heidi really knows how to write the magic time .  Her New Adult titles are super sexy but her adult books could burn a house down.  The scenes in this book are no exception.  Christmas magic, indeed.

 I think you can guess that I loved this one.  Pair a favorite author with the Christmas romances I love to indulge in and it’s almost a guaranteed win in my book.  But confession time.  I haven’t read the first two books – Let it Snow and Sleigh Ride – in this series.     Trust me, I’ll be remedying that over the holidays. 

Nat

That's What HE Said Thursday #40

Image courtesy of Kei at The Lovely Pages Review

That's What HE Said is a weekly meme hosted by the wonderful ladies at Chapter Break. It's a chance for us to spotlight and gush over a quote from our current book crush to the object of his desire. We like to pretend it's us ;)

What better way to celebrate our book boyfriends?

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Meet Baz and Elijah from Lonely Hearts (Love Lessons #3), the latest from Heidi Cullinan which released just this week.  We couldn't decide between the three quotes because they're all so darn cute so we're sharing them all. Enjoy!

   

     

    

Lonely Hearts by Heidi Cullinan - RELEASE DAY BLITZ w/ EXCERPT and REVIEW

 It's here, it's here!  We are super excited to participate in the Lonely Hearts Release Day Blitz!  Heidi Cullinan is an out of this world author and her Love Lessons series are simply amazing.  The latest installment delivers one of the more painfully honest New Adult stories I've read.  I can't recommend it enough.  Scroll down for an excerpt and review!

* * * *

Even hot messes need a happily ever after.

With the quiet help of his wealthy family, Sebastian “Baz” Acker has successfully kept his painful past at bay. But as the end of college draws near, his friends—his buffer zone—are preparing to move on, while his own life is at a crippling standstill.With loneliness bearing down on him, Baz hooks up—then opens up—with Elijah Prince, the guy Baz took a bullet for last year. The aftershocks of their one-night stand leave giant cracks in Baz’s carefully constructed armor. For the first time, the prospect isn’t terrifying.

Accustomed to escaping his demons by withdrawing into his imagination, Elijah isn’t used to having a happy herd of friends. He’s even less comfortable as the object of a notorious playboy’s affections. Yet all signs seem to indicate this time happiness might be within his grasp. When Baz’s mother runs for a highly sought-after public office, the media hounds drag Baz’s and Elijah’s pasts into the light. In the blinding glare, Baz and Elijah face the ultimate test: discovering if they’re stronger together…or apart.

Warning: Contains sex in a Tesla, sex in a cupboard, sex under a piano, kinky role play, and a cappella RuPaul songs. Just a couple of boys groping, battling, then finally loving their way to becoming men.

Samhain • All Romance Ebooks • Amazon US • Amazon UK • Google Play • iTunes • Kobo • Nook

Excerpt - Why You?

“I don’t know. I think maybe this whole thing is a bad idea. I should stay, earn money.”

“Forget the money.”
Elijah glared at him. “Easy for you to say.”
A tic formed in Baz’s cheek. He shut the computer and glared right back, or ostensibly he did. Fucking sunglasses. He looked as if he wanted to say something but kept swallowing it.

Elijah gripped the mug so hard he thought he might break it. If he offers to pay me to be his date at the fundraiser, I’m throwing this coffee at his head.

Baz threw up his hands. “Fine. If you don’t want to go, say so.”

God, Elijah hated how this guy could tie him up inside. “I didn’t say I didn’t want to. I said I shouldn’t. I need to make money. Be responsible.”

“You have enough money in your fund for school. More than enough.”
“

Yes, and my fund makes me want to throw up.”


“Why?”


“Because it’s at two hundred and fifty thousand dollars and still rising. Somebody, one person, put twenty-five thousand in just the other day. I could go to school twice with what’s in that account. I don’t understand where it all came from. Who all these people are. I owe all of them. I don’t know what I owe them. Just that I do and have no way to ever pay them back.”

“You don’t need to pay anybody back. You certainly don’t owe penance in the school cafeteria.”

“What the fuck would you know about it?”


He snorted. “Penance? I know plenty.”


Elijah clutched his coffee to his belly, sloshing some on his pajama pants. He stared at the floor, feeling angry, anxious and hollow. “I don’t want it. The money. The help. But I don’t have any choice. I have to take it. But I don’t know what to do with it.” Tears pricked his eyes, and he shut them. Tight.

When he heard the scrape of Baz’s chair, his stomach flipped over. He tried to drink his coffee, but his hand shook. Fuck, fuck, fuck.

Baz’s bare feet appeared in front of his own. Hands took the coffee cup away.

Elijah wrapped his arms around his belly and kept staring at the floor, except now he stared at Baz’s groin and feet. “You don’t understand.”

“The fuck I don’t. Ever since that goddamned night when I was sixteen, I’ve had bubble wrap around me. Yeah, I was a privileged rich kid, but after I was the tragic rich kid. My whole family and all my friends live to wipe my ass. Poor Sebastian. Don’t upset him. But don’t let him hurt himself. Don’t let anything happen. You want to talk about feeling like you owe somebody? Every goddamn day they all remind me I’m the boy who lived. Then they want to know why I can’t move on.”

Baz was so close each breath Elijah drew was Baz-scented. Night sweat and coffee and a whisper of morning breath, lingering detergent and old deodorant not cutting the mustard anymore. How fucked up was he? Baz was baring his soul, and all Elijah wanted to do was lick him.

When Baz put a hand on Elijah’s hip, Elijah had to grip the counter to keep from leaning into him. Talk. Stop being such a fucking mopey tool. “Why...why do you...” want me? “Why...me?”

On Elijah’s hip, Baz’s thumb made a slow circle. “I don’t know.” Slower circles. Like a massage. Four inches from Elijah’s groin. “I don’t know.”

Elijah dug his fingernails into the Formica. “You’re going to be a jerk again. And then we’ll be in the middle of the fucking desert or something.”

“No deserts in Illinois.”

“Fine. You’ll leave me in a cornfield.”


“You’re the only one who can drive. You can leave me in the cornfield.”


“Like I would.”


“You would, actually. I think... I think that might be why. Why...you.”


Review:

Baz and Elijah are acquaintances of sorts.  Granted that acquaintance is limited to the two times Baz has saved Elijah’s life and nothing in between. Their strange, distant and tenuous relationship erupts into a hot and sexy evening, the night of Walter and Kelly’s wedding.  Elijah gets that the night is a one off since neither he nor Baz do relationships.  But what he doesn’t understand is why Baz completely ignores him afterwards.  For a young man already dealing with severe abandonment issues, Baz’s brush off hurts. 

Ever since Baz rescued a young teenage Elijah from a trick gone wrong, he’s been discreetly watching him and making sure he is ok.  To the extent of taking a bullet for him when Elijah’s dad loses his mind on campus.  The night they spend together during Walter and Kelly’s wedding was bound to happen but Baz doesn’t know how to handle the lingering emotions after the experience so he does what he does best and ignores Elijah.

When Baz’s mom decides to run for office, she insists he attend a function with a serious boyfriend in tow.  And if Baz doesn’t have one, she’ll hire one for him.  Regardless of his behavior, there is only one person he wants to have as a pretend boyfriend and that person is Elijah.  After some serious convincing, Elijah agrees.  Of course, they find that they both want more than a pretend relationship with the other.  As their relationship quickly grows to something neither were prepared before, they realize they each have to grow up in other ways as well.

As always, Heidi Cullinan introduces beautiful and realistic and slightly broken characters.  Elijah is recovering from a lifetime of dealing with his horrible bigoted and abusive parents.  After all he has been through and done, it is taking strength he never knew he had to help himself.  But with the help of all his friends (that he pretends he doesn’t want) and the school pastor who takes him so he has a safe haven, he finds that, just maybe, he can make it through life.  Baz has been “coasting” through college.   I only used that word because he has the wealth and privilege to draw out his college career.  But the reasons he has drawn it out have nothing to do with his financial situation and everything to do with the beating he endured as a teenager.  A beating that left him permanently disabled.  

Regardless of their pain, neither of these characters are written in a way to manipulate the reader into feeling sorry for them.  They are who they are.  Yes, Baz will always have serious vision issues and constant pain (both things that seriously impact his career options) and Elijah will probably always deal with depression and PTSD.  But they never feel sorry for one another.  It’s more of a, “okay, you have some issues, so do I, let’s just work with it” sort of attitude.  It’s refreshing to see people with their type of baggage portrayed as people who just ARE.  Because that’s real life.  Life keeps happening and Elijah and Baz are going to figure out how to make it happen together.

Many of the secondary characters in this story are people we’ve met in Love Lessons and Fever Pitch.  They provide a wonderfully large positive support system to Elijah and Baz.  There are new characters too.  The one that stands out the most is Lewis/Leila.  The secondary story of her transition is both heartbreaking and heartwarming.  And I was thrilled to see that she will be getting her own story in this series. 

I don’t often talk about triggers in stories but since this can sometimes be an issue for me, I thought I would mention it.  Both Elijah and Baz rely on alcohol and drugs to deal with their pain, depression and anxiety.  This isn’t a story about drug abuse but this is THEIR story and they do partake freely.  The author is shamelessly honest about this part of their lives.  Her portrayal of it and how they address it is informed, empathetic and beautifully sensitive.  I’m beginning to think there isn’t a subject that Heidi Cullinan can’t tackle with compassion and understanding.

I’ve been on a reading streak of great romances and Lonely Hearts is no exception.  If you are looking for a steamy, entertaining and thoughtful New Adult read then you should definitely pick up Lonely Hearts.  And if you haven’t read Love Lessons and Fever Pitch, I highly recommend those as well.

Nat

About the Author

Proud to be from the first Midwestern state with full marriage equality, Heidi writes positive-outcome romances for LGBT characters struggling against insurmountable odds because she believes there’s no such thing as too much happy ever after. A member of Romance Writers of America since 1999, Heidi has served as president of Rainbow Romance Writers, run local chapter newsletters, and volunteered for committees on the national level. In addition to teaching writing since 1993, she also served as the writer’s workshop coordinator for GayRomLit Retreat for 2013. Find out more about Heidi at heidicullinan.com. 

Twitter   Facebook: Author Profile   Facebook: Fan Page    Goodreads

Waiting on Wednesday (157)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that highlights future releases that we are excitedly anticipating.

By Alexandra Ivy
Publication Date: July 22, 2015

The Dragons of Eternity were once creatures of myth and legend. Now they’ve returned to the world, prepared to claim what’s rightfully theirs…

Tayla is desperate for a place to call home. After years on the run, the young imp impulsively buys a teahouse and is determined to build a new life. Unfortunately, she’s barely opened the doors when she’s tracked down by the dragon who purchased her from troll slave-traders. He demands she pay off her debts…in his harem.

Baine has devoted a quarter of a century to tracking down his beautiful concubine. And now that he has her in his grasp, he’s not about to let her go. But it’s soon apparent that he isn’t the only demon hunting her. He must uncover her secrets or risk losing her forever.






By Lia Riley
Publication Date: August 4, 2015

Sometimes two wrongs can make a right...

Bad boy wrangler, Archer Kane, lives fast and loose. Words like responsibility and commitment send him running in the opposite direction. Until a wild Vegas weekend puts him on a collision course with Eden Bankcroft-Kew, a New York heiress running away from her blackmailing fiancé…the morning of her wedding.

Eden has never understood the big attraction to cowboys. Give her a guy in a tailored suit any day of the week. But now all she can think about is Mr. Rugged Handsome, six-feet of sinfully sexy country charm with a pair of green eyes that keeps her tossing and turning all night long.

Archer might be the wrong guy for a woman like her, but she's not right in thinking he'll walk away without fighting for her heart. And maybe, just maybe, two wrongs can make a right.




By Heidi Cullinan
Publication Date: August 11, 2015

With the quiet help of his wealthy family, Sebastian “Baz” Acker has successfully kept his painful past at bay. But as the end of college draws near, his friends—his buffer zone—are preparing to move on, while his own life is at a crippling standstill.With loneliness bearing down on him, Baz hooks up—then opens up—with Elijah Prince, the guy Baz took a bullet for last year. The aftershocks of their one-night stand leave giant cracks in Baz’s carefully constructed armor. For the first time, the prospect isn’t terrifying.

Accustomed to escaping his demons by withdrawing into his imagination, Elijah isn’t used to having a happy herd of friends. He’s even less comfortable as the object of a notorious playboy’s affections. Yet all signs seem to indicate this time happiness might be within his grasp. When Baz’s mother runs for a highly sought-after public office, the media hounds drag Baz’s and Elijah’s pasts into the light. In the blinding glare, Baz and Elijah face the ultimate test: discovering if they’re stronger together…or apart.


Warning: Contains sex in a Tesla, sex in a cupboard, sex under a piano, kinky role play, and a cappella RuPaul songs. Just a couple of boys groping, battling, then finally loving their way to becoming men. 

Waiting on Wednesday (125)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that highlights future releases that we are excitedly anticipating.

By Renee Carlino
Publication Date: November 11, 2014

From the USA TODAY bestselling author of Sweet Thing and Nowhere But Here comes a deeply emotional contemporary romance about the second chances waiting beyond the shattered dreams of youth.

Under the bright arena lights of a rodeo show, young Avelina Belo falls for a handsome cowboy with a larger-than-life personality. After a whirlwind courtship, she happily moves away from her family in northern California and settles into married life with her cowboy on a seven-thousand-acre cattle ranch in Montana. One freak accident later, Avelina’s hopes for the future come to an end.

Nate Myers graduated from UCLA medical school at the top of his class, ready to follow in the footsteps of his father, a superstar cardiothoracic surgeon. Six years later, Nate’s career is being ruined by a malpractice suit. Questioning himself for the first time, he retreats to a Montana cattle ranch to visit his uncle and gain perspective. There, he meets a beautiful young woman named Avelina who teaches him more than he ever knew about matters of the heart.



By Heidi Cullinan
Publication Date: November 11, 2014

Minnesota Christmas, Book 2

Arthur Anderson doesn’t want anything to do with love and romance, and he certainly doesn’t want to play Santa in his mother’s library fundraising scheme. He knows full well what she really wants is to hook him up with the town’s lanky, prissy librarian.

It’s clear Gabriel Higgins doesn’t want him, either—as a Santa, as a boyfriend, as anyone at all. But when Arthur’s efforts to wiggle out of the fundraiser lead to getting to know the man behind the storytime idol, he can’t help but be charmed. The least he can do is be neighborly and help Gabriel find a few local friends.

As their fiery arguments strike hotter sparks, two men who insist they don’t date wind up doing an awful lot of dating. And it looks like the sleigh they both tried not to board could send them jingling all the way to happily ever after.


Warning: Contains a feisty librarian, a boorish bear, small town politics, deer sausage, and a boy who wants a doll.

Family Man by Heidi Cullinan and Marie Sexton

* * * *

Sometimes family chooses you.

How does a man get to be forty without knowing whether he’s gay? That’s a question Vince Fierro is almost afraid to answer. If he is gay, it’ll be a problem for his big, fat Italian family. Still, after three failed marriages, he can’t help but wonder if he’s been playing for the wrong team.

There’s only one way to settle it, once and for all—head for Chicago’s Boystown bars, far from anyone who knows him. Naturally, he runs smack into someone from the neighborhood.

Between working two jobs, going to school, taking care of his grandmother, and dealing with his mother’s ongoing substance abuse, Trey Giles has little time for fun, let alone dating someone who swears he’s straight. Yet after one night of dancing cheek-to-cheek to the sultry strains of Coltrane, Trey finds himself wanting to help Vinnie figure things out—no promises, and no sex.

It seems like a simple plan, until their “no-sex” night turns into the best date of their lives and forges a connection that complicates everything.

Warning:  This book deals with alcoholism, broken promises, and overbearing little sisters.

Review: 

I’ve read a string of crappy books lately.  It was getting so frustrating that I actually decided to not finish one.  I rarely do that.  Then after not finishing a book, I went on to experience the supreme downer of reading a craptastic book  that was recommended to me and that had over 1000 5* reviews on GoodReads.  I needed some sort of palate cleanser after that piece of drivel.  Something to remind me how amazing gay romances can truly be.  How to do that?  Hmmmm…Oh, I know! Maybe look on my TBR shelf...  And that’s where I found Family Man.

Let me tell you.  This book was the saving grace of my August reads.  I think it actually started an amazing upward climb in good reading karma because I read two more books after this and I loved them as well.

While working on a plumbing job for a gay couple in Lakeview, Vince Fierro realizes that the loving relationship these two men have with each other might be what’s wrong with his love life.   Vinnie experimented with a guy in college but never went any farther than that.  Because what would his family think?  And if he’s cool with girls why take the risk losing his big close Italian family’s acceptance?  But Vinnie is starting to have an idea of what’s been missing in his life and he makes the decision to slowly explore the possibilities. 

So many gay romances revolve around the struggle of familial acceptance.  And Family Man is no different.  What was different from other m/m romances I have read was Vinnie’s family dynamic.  He comes from a large Italian family.  The kind that is all up in each other’s business every minute of every day.  It reminded me greatly of My Big Fat Greek Wedding.  I was waiting any minute for Vinnie’s grandfather to pull out a bottle of Windex. 

One of the most important people in this family is Vinnie’s sister.  She is the one he goes to when he needs to talk and she is the one he first comes out to.  What I found fascinating was how in the beginning his sister yells at him for buying into gay stereotypes; forcing Vinnie to realize that being gay only means that he likes men and doesn’t necessarily mean he has to fit into a mold.   But as Vinnie slowly explores his sexuality and educates himself, his sister is the one that is challenged with reconciling her gay brother with her inherent expectation of macho Italian men. 

Then there is Trey.  Trey is busting his ass; working two jobs, going to school part time, helping his aging grandmother and tolerating/helping his substance amusing mother.  With everything he has going on, Trey doesn’t have time for pursuing a relationship.  But sometimes life doesn’t give us a choice.  Like when you see Vince Fierri sitting alone at a gay bar in Boystown.  After an unexpectedly romantic evening of dancing at a nearby jazz club, Trey’s plans for avoiding a relationship are completely thrown out the window. 

I felt that Trey was not only dangerously close to being a forever boy but he was also an emotionally complicated character.  Which is no surprise when you are dealing with a 25 year old man that has been dealing with his mother’s addiction for at least the past 15 years of his life.  I really appreciated the authors’ portrayal of Trey and his feelings towards his mom.  His mother is an alcoholic that has gone through multiple programs (programs that cost Trey his college fund and forced his grandmother to take a 2^nd mortgage on her home) but has never been sober for more than a few months.  Trey has a lot of anger and frustration and I liked how no punches were pulled when he was internalizing his feelings when his mom fell off the wagon yet again.

Trey has his grandmother and a small family of close friends.  But even though he is close to them he often feels he is isolated.   So when Vinnie offers the hope of more family, Trey isn’t sure if he should stay hidden in his bubble or embrace the gift of family that Vinnie is giving him.  Seeing Vinnie’s quiet and unobtrusive persistence when it comes to giving Trey the family he needs is wonderfully sweet. 

I highly recommend Family Man if you like a little bit of angst and whole lot of sweetness and romance.  It hit the spot for me and I hope it will for you too.

Nat