Adam Only by Roe Horvat
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The ability Roe Horvat has to take dirty, sexy words and deeds and turn them into sweet romance is just magical. Really. It boggles my mind.

I loved The Other Book and fangirled when I found out there were going to be more in the series and this addition just blew me away. We met Adam and Christopher in The Other Book and I love that Adam got his own story. He and Christopher needed to be heard and their story is just so bone crushingly powerful, gah. It's the perfect meshing of need and trust and freedom.

Adam has a history of falling hard and fast and for the wrong guy. He's been known to overstay his welcome and doesn't want to make the same mistake again. So, after spending a weekend with Christopher he leaves before he is told to leave. And Christopher is left wondering what he did wrong.

Both MC's were somewhat cocky at the the start when they met, but once they let themselves get carried away, they were both so vulnerable and young. There are very few authors that I've read that can get that sentiment out in their writing and do it well and this is one of them. My heart twisted for Christopher. It ached for Adam. I loved falling so hard for these characters.

And yes, for those all about the sex, there was a lot of it, but it was really beautiful. It was full of passion and need and oozed love.

I could go on and on but you should just read it for yourself. Buy a copy and treasure it.

*Galley copy generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. Cross posted to http://gaybook.reviews/ *

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Dirty Mind by Roe Horvat
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This one just really, really worked for me.

By day, Alex is a professor of writing. He's got a steady income, has good friends and a decent life at age 30. Oh, and he also is a successful writer of porn.

When he saves 18 year old Chris from being fondled by some seriously trashy guys in a bar, they start a friend/mentor/brother relationship that includes phone calls, emails and occasional visits.

When Chris gets accepted into college in Alex's hometown and they start seeing more and more of each other, it becomes obvious to Alex that his feelings have been shoved into a deep, dark corner and they come toppling out at the worst time.

The story gripped me in it's fist and just kept tightening it's hold. I couldn't stop reading, couldn't put it down until the end. There were so many times that I just really had to catch my breath, but then kept going. Roe Horvat has a way with making my insides gooey and I love/hate every second of it. I was burning during the entire story.

While the title and the whole 'porn writer' character sort of alludes to a descriptive, kinky, sex fueled story, this was not that. This was two people finding their way to each other and then finally getting their own love story.

So well done. I just can't say enough.

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The Other Book by Roe Horvat
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.5 Stars!

Oh. My. Holy. Hell.

I was seriously NOT expecting this much HEAT from Roe Horvat but I loved it!

This story comes with a preemptive note at the start, which I would recommend reading. Sometimes the insight of the author and where they were headspace wise when writing gives you more clarity and enjoyment and I for sure kept it in mind with this story. And here's my disclaimer... I'm not into more than one partner for love scenes and too much sex in a story and I skim. This book had a lot of sex and it did have a scene with a foursome, but knowing the origin of the story and the surrounding emotion with the scene, it didn't have a detrimental impact on me. In fact, it was one of the most pivotal moments of the story.

That being said, there was an actual story here and it was beautifully written. If you've read any of Roe Horvat's work, you know the writing is stellar. This was no exception. I loved that this started off as a enemies to lovers story as well as a naughty workplace romance.

The two MC's were perfect. They communicated effortlessly and I loved how the writer showed how much empathy and understanding both men had for each other. There were no misunderstandings here, which was a welcomed relief.

Do yourself a favor and read this book. It was heart-wrenching and heart-warming at the same time. Roe Horvat broke my heart and put it back together again and I enjoyed every minute.

*Galley copy generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. Cross posted to http://gaybook.reviews/ *

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Vanilla Clouds by Roe Horvat
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was such a great romance that started out online.

Magnus and Michal have been online friends for a couple of years now. They originally 'met' on a dating app after sharing a couple of revealing pictures. When Michal got sick hours before the date, he had to reschedule and then Magnus ended up moving out of the country. So, they stayed virtual friends, even though it seemed like more. But Michal was scared to meet in person.

When Michal unexpectedly meets a stranger named Bernard, he's instantly attracted and feels like coming home. But he has a nagging feeling that he's somehow cheating on Magnus.

The difference in reading and listening to a book is so vast. I was unaware of how much I would rely on the change in tones, subtle expressions and inflections in the narrator's voice. And as much as I enjoyed being read to, this one just wasn't everything I was hoping for.

Vance Bastian took me on a journey through Michal's world of chocolate and his fear of people with a somewhat reserved tone. At times it seemed almost monotone, if I'm honest. The difference in pitch between Michal and Magnus was almost non-existent at times, which got confusing.

Towards the end of the book I was more involved and heard the change in expressions more, which made the listening experience better for me. I'm not sure if it was just me finally used to their 'voices' or if Vance Bastian crossed a comfort threshold, but it definitely improved and I actually enjoyed it.

This is such a lovely book and I think the audio version kept the loving sentiment intact, without overstating or confusing the experience.

*Audio version generously provided in exchange for an honest review. Cross posted on http://gaybook.reviews/ *

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