A Balls to the Wall RomanceThough only twenty-six, single father Theodore Walters lives with his head in the clouds and his feet firmly planted in reality. At the center of his life is Andy, his seven-year-old son, with whom he shares no DNA, though nobody—including his religious-fanatic in-laws—knows that, and Theodore will do anything to keep them from finding out. Theodore works hard to get his PhD and the tenure and salary that might follow to make a better life for Andy—but the head of his department thinks his dissertation on Jane Austen and romance novels is frivolous.
Theodore’s carefully planned life goes off the rails when he walks into a popular Laguna Beach bar and meets the bartender, “Snake” Erasmo, a pierced and tattooed biker who sends Theodore’s imagination—and libido—soaring. Snake has even more secrets than Theodore and couldn’t be a less “appropriate” match, but he might be the only guy with the skills to show Theodore that happily ever after is for real.
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Cat gives this one 5 Meows...
Cover Love - I can just see this young sweetie as Theodore.
Cover Love - I can just see this young sweetie as Theodore.
I love this series and each book stands alone though there are recurring characters from book to book.
Theodore is raising his young son Andy alone after his wife Esther has passed away from cancer. Andy goes once a month to his grandparents home for a visit but andy hates it coming home begging Theodore to not make him go again especially to the church, but Theodore is trying to do the right thing and keep peace with the in-laws.
Theodore is lonely but has sworn off men until Andy is grown. He doesn't want to be hurt or have Andy get attached and then the man leave so he chooses abstinence. He also has a big secret. He is studying for is PhD for better pay and tenure while teaching. One day running late he sees a man on a Harley and is taken in by is tattoos hair and body. One night stressed he stops in the Bay Bar and the hottie saves him from a pushy man.
Snake is not what he appears. Though he may be big, covered in tattoos he is also smart. He too has his secrets. When he sees the drunk hitting on the shy new man in his bar he comes to the rescue. He tells Theodore he wants a chance and will do what it takes.
I fell in love with both men. Theodore, sweet innocent and so hard working to keep Andy.
Snake, not what he seems also hard working and who doesn't love a knight in shining leather. Andy the cute 7-year-old is just as much a key character as the two main men. He is sweet and funny and who doesn't love cute kids.
This story is perfect in every way, fast-paced I couldn't put it down and stayed up late reading. If you love tattoos, bartenders, secrets, young teachers, adorable kids and some sweet hot man-sex this is for you. Plus you get to see the guys from the other books as well.
Excerpt...
Chapter One
“DID YOU remember to bring your homework?” Theodore Walters glanced over his shoulder at his son.
“Da-ad.” The word, as usual, had two syllables. “Being at Grandma and Grandpa Anderson’s is lame enough. I’ll finish it on Sunday night.”
Theodore frowned in the rearview mirror at Andy as he turned right off Pacific Coast Highway toward the guard gate. “You know how your grandpa likes to help you with it.”
Andy peered at him through dark eyes so much like his mom’s—and nothing like Theodore’s brilliant blue. He grinned. “Just kidding. I’d never do that to you—or me.”
Was this kid only seven? Theodore smiled. “Derp.”
“Da-ad.” Two syllables again.
He gave Andy a wink as they pulled up to the inspector general. Theodore nodded. “Hi. I’m dropping off Hanson Anderson’s grandson.” Pretty sure they never gave the guard my name.
“Oh, yes, sir.” The guard bent down to look in at Andy and gave him a wave. “Have a great weekend.”
Andy flashed his best phony grin. “Thanks.”
They drove into the not-at-all-Laguna-like Laguna neighborhood by the sea. Laguna defined eclectic—small cottages and near-shacks next to multimillion-dollar homes. But in Ruby Ridge—not so much. The Andersons lived in the less fashionable part of the elegant community on the uphill side of the highway, farther from the ocean. Still, they paid a bundle for their view and short walk to the beach. “If Grandpa likes your homework results, he’ll let you go in the ocean, right?”
Andy sighed. “Sometimes. But I can’t go alone, so if he doesn’t feel like going out, I can only go in the pool.”
“Terrible how you suffer.”
“Yeah.” He snorted. “But you’ll come and get me early on Sunday, right?”
Theodore turned onto the Andersons’ street and slowed as they approached the big house. “You know I can’t come until after church.”
“Dad!”
“Andy!”
“Crap, I hate that church.”
“Watch your language. One visit a month won’t kill you.”
“I’m not so sure about that.”
Theodore parked and turned to face Andy. “Your grandparents love you and are proud of you.”
Andy stared at the back of the passenger seat of the old Toyota. “I guess so. They just have all these things they want me to do.”
“Like what?”
“Like be good and be careful who I make friends with and stuff.”
Shit. Theodore looked up and saw Hanson Anderson waving from the front porch. Medium height, stocky, he was only in his early fifties. After all, if Esther had lived, she would just have been twenty-six now, a little older than Theodore. “We can talk more about this when you get home, okay? I think if you work at it, you might even have a good time. Grandma Anderson’s a lot better cook than I am, right?”
“True.” Andy laughed. “But she’s got to stop reading her romance novels long enough to cook something.”
Theodore barked an answering laugh. “Okay, grab your stuff.”
Theodore crawled out the driver’s side as Andy opened the rear passenger door, unfastened his belt, and pulled his backpack from the seat. Theodore grabbed Andy’s boogie board from the trunk and carried it around the car as Andy ran up the lawn toward Hanson. “Hi, Grandpa.”
Hanson Anderson leaned down and gave Andy a brief hug. Hanson had the dark hair and eyes of his grandson. Fortunately, Theodore’s blond hair and light eyes generally qualified as recessive, so the fact that Andy looked nothing like his father never came up. “Hey, Hanson.”
Hanson nodded. “Theodore.” He shook hands with that overly firm grip he maybe always used and maybe reserved for the gay guy. “Thanks for bringing Andrew. You’ll give us enough time for church on Sunday, right?”
Andy rolled his eyes behind Hanson’s back, but Theodore nodded gravely. “Of course.”
“You studying for your orals this weekend?”
“Yes.”
“It’ll be wonderful for you and Andrew when you get the PhD—a raise, tenure.”
Theodore smiled like he hadn’t heard those exact words fifty times before, and he only saw Hanson once a month at most. “Yes, sir. That’s why I’m working so hard at it.”
“Just don’t get sidetracked.”
“I try not to.” He forced a smile. When the fucking hell would he have time to get sidetracked? Of course, Hanson had very specific ideas about what “sidetracked” looked like.
“Sorry Grace isn’t here to greet you, but she has a new romance novel.” He sighed, then smiled. “Can’t get her away from her great literature.”
Theodore made a face that might say I know how that is.
“Well, thanks again.” Hanson shook Theodore’s hand and guided Andy toward the front door.
Theodore waved at Andy and walked slowly back to the car. Grace Anderson might have a new romance read, or her minister’s sermon might have focused on the evils of homosexuality that week. He released the breath he never seemed to be able to expel anywhere around the Andersons. In the almost eight years since that fateful day he’d spontaneously jumped in to help a friend—and radically altered every detail of his life—he’d become one damned practiced tightrope walker. Back then, the balancing act had been a fun challenge he and Esther shared.
Now his whole life depended on it.
Read the Beautiful Boys of Romance Tara Lain writes the Beautiful Boys of Romance in LGBT erotic romance novels that star her unique, charismatic heroes. Her first novel was published in January of 2011. Her best-selling novels have garnered awards for Best Series, Best Contemporary Romance, Best Ménage, Best LGBT Romance, Best Gay Characters, Best Erotic Romance, and Tara has been named Best Writer of the Year in the LRC Awards. In her other job, Tara owns an advertising and public relations firm. She often does workshops on both author promotion and writing craft. She lives with her soul-mate husband and her soul-mate dog in Laguna Beach, California, a pretty seaside town where she sets a lot of her books. Passionate about diversity, justice, and new experiences, Tara says on her tombstone it will say “Yes”!
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congrats and enjoyed the story and this series
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Thanks for the review & excerpt!
ReplyDeletelegacylandlisa at gmail dot com