Book 63, 2020

[chez_jae]

City Boy by A.E. Wasp

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I was up half an hour past bedtime last night to finish reading City Boy by A E Wasp. It's a male/male romance featuring main characters Bryce Lowery and Dakota Ryan, and it's the first part of her "Hot off the Ice" series.

Bryce has spent most of his life playing hockey. Now, at 34, he's rehabbing from knee surgery and trying to figure out what he wants out of life. He's tired and lonely, and his ex-wife swears he's gay. When he gets a flat tire in the middle of nowhere in Colorado, Bryce is helped by a motorcycle riding hottie named Dakota. Curious as to whether or not Nikki, his ex, is right, Bryce hooks up with Dakota and oh yeah! Definitely gay. Now he needs to decide if he wants to sign a new, multi-million dollar contract or retire and see where things with Dakota will lead. There's also the not-insignificant prospect of publicly coming out as gay.

For Dakota, he's always been a farm boy, living on an orchard and suffering one loss after another. Bryce offers him the world, but Dakota is afraid to put his trust in another man, and he's certainly not going to be anyone's dirty little secret again.

They're attracted to one another, comfortable with each other, and the chemistry between them is explosive, but is it enough when one of them is a world famous hockey player and the other is a humble country boy?

Color me smitten! I love hockey, and the setting on the orchard/farm was near and dear to my heart, as well. Bryce's big, crazy family reminded me of my own, and the intimacy between Bryce and Dakota was smokin' hot--all rough and rowr! Story was told in third person pov, alternating between Bryce and Dakota and giving the reader insight into each character's thoughts, feelings, and motivations. I loved the interactions between Bryce and his family, teammates, and even his ex-wife, who remains a good friend. It was fun to see how bewildered they all made Dakota, who at that time had only his sister left. If I have any complaint at all, it was how accepting everyone in Bryce's world was when he came out, from his mother, siblings, ex, teammates, and even some random guy at a hockey game. It was very sweet, but almost too Pollyanna and unrealistic. However, it didn't ruin my enjoyment of the book.

Favorite line: "Don't knock the nap. It's one of the great hockey traditions."

There are more books in this series, and I am eager to read more! This one gets five stars and two thumbs up!