Guest Reviewed by Morgan
Title: Hook, Line, & Sinker
Author: Piper Vaughn
Series: Hard Hats #2
Heroes: Castor McCormick/Blake Kowalski
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 181 Pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: November 19, 2014
Available at: Dreamspinner Press and Amazon
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads
Blurb: When they were teens, Castor McCormick was the bane of Blake Kowalski’s existence. Their mutual animosity led to summers filled with rivalry. Now, nearly two decades later, Cas is moving back into the neighborhood to live in his grandmother’s old house. Blake tells himself he isn’t interested in seeing how snarky little Cas grew up, but when his mother dupes him into visiting his former nemesis, he finds out “pretty” can evolve into “sexy as hell” on the right man.
Cas didn’t think he wanted to see Blake again. No one has ever pushed his buttons like the arrogant boy he remembers from their youth. Turns out, the adult version of Blake still gets him hot under the collar—and everywhere else. With Blake on leave from work to nurse an injured leg and Cas taking time to move and unpack, they form a tentative friendship that turns into a sexual affair neither man can deny. But when Cas’s job sends him out of state to deal with a difficult client, their new relationship will be tested, and if they fail, Blake’s broken leg might not be the only thing to end up scarred.
Review: Blake gets hurt and lives with his mother for 6 weeks recovering. Castor moves in to the house across the street. Blake and Castor were summer companions as kids but haven’t seen each other for a decade. Blake’s mother and Castor conspire together to get Blake, a contractor, into Castor’s house by arranging for them to work together on the remodeling of Castor’s house.
They were never friends, nor enemies as kids. More like convenient, competitive playmates. There is a little animosity (from the competitiveness) to work through, but mostly fond memories. When they meet as adults they are immediately attracted to one another and begin a relationship.
Things are going well, they’re getting pretty hot and heavy in fact, when Castor gets called out of town for business for several months. They try the long distance thing and that seems to be working, until Blake decides to surprise Castor with a visit and ends up suspecting Castor of cheating.
Castor doesn’t want to be in a relationship where he isn’t trusted, and Blake needs to trust his partner.
Fortunately, both are willing to listen to reason and it looks like, once they set their priorities straight, they’ll be able to be what the other needs.
**
I love Piper Vaughn books. Love them. This one underwhelmed me. The writing was good. The characters interesting. The sex was hot… super hot, actually. But there was essentially no tension. The two got along. No one was there telling them to hide in a closet. They didn’t fight. Everything was just … fine. There is a momentary blip in the relationship when the two are parted and must trust one another, but it really didn’t take much to “fix” that.
Overall I was just not that compelled by this story. I needed more struggle.
However, if you need a book with almost no angst/struggle/tension… a story about a new relationship forming, this will fit the bill.
Overall Impression: It was good!
*I received a copy of this book from the author in return for a fair and honest review.*
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