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Hot as Heller by Lucy Lennox

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Since I didn't have to work today, I stayed up until the wee hours to finish reading Hot as Heller by Lucy Lennox. It's the third book in her "Aster Valley" series of male/male romances. Main characters are Sheriff Declan Stone and Hollywood star Finn Heller.

Declan moved to Aster Valley from LA to get away from the Hollywood crazy. Now Hollywood has come to Aster Valley in the form of a production crew. An action movie is being filmed in Aster Valley, disrupting the peace and quiet. Declan is particularly annoyed with Finn Heller, especially after Finn mistook him for a valet and instructed Declan to park his car. Still, there's something about Finn that brings all of Dec's protective instincts to the fore. He's both gorgeous and vulnerable, and Declan can't help but be drawn to him.

Finn got his start in acting as a child on a wildly popular TV series. Ever since then he's been trying to make it as a serious actor. He's only working on this film in hopes of landing a role in a Shakespeare adaptation. Finn is accustomed to people wanting a piece of him, using him for connections, and riding his coat tails. Sheriff Stone, however, is different. He seems to see right through Finn's front to the insecure young man he is. With Declan's encouragement, Finn may just learn how to stand up for himself and reach for what he really wants out of life.

A lovely, tender story. Humorous, although not laugh-out-loud funny. You couldn't help but feel sorry for Finn. It's as if there was no one in his life who truly cared about him as a person, rather than as a commodity, including his own mother. Spending time with Declan and his friends makes Finn feel like he belongs for the first time in his life. The drama was exciting, sexy times were delish, and characters were marvelous--even the ones I wanted to punt off the mountain.

Favorite lines:
♦ I was still busy backing up my salt truck over this latest outrage.
♦ "She comes in here with Pickles all the time and makes everyone laugh."
♦ "Everyone knows Scooby-Doo."
♦ "I swore to myself not to treat you like a piece of meat, and now here I am with my steak sauce out and my knife sharpened."
♦ "No matter what nefarious plans were afoot, our intrepid sheriff was all in."

I really liked this book. I'm hesitant to give it five stars, but it deserves more than four. Why can we not give halfsies?! As a nod to the author, I'll bump this from 4.5 to 5.

Right as Raine: An Aster Valley Novel by Lucy Lennox

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I spent a chunk of the weekend reading Right as Raine by Lucy Lennox. It's the first book in her "Aster Valley" series of male/male romance. Main characters are pro football player Tiller Raine and chef and nutritionist Mikey Vining.

Tiller is the first openly gay player in the NFL. As such, he knows he needs to remain above reproach. He's gotten by with a string of meaningless, discreet hook-ups until he finds himself falling for Mikey Vining--his live-in chef and nutritionist, personal assistant, and the coach's son. Mikey is off limits.

Mikey learned his lesson about hooking up with football players. He intends to stay focused on his job, save money, and pursue his ultimate dream, which is to publish a cookbook and/or run his own restaurant. However, the more time he spends with Tiller, the more Mikey longs for his employer. Tiller is off limits.

When Tiller ends up on injured reserve over the holidays, he and Mikey travel to Aster Valley, CO for some R&R. Away from the pressures of football, family expectations, and the media, Tiller and Mikey succumb to the heat that has been building between them for years. Both of them are reluctant to return to the status quo, and they'll need to decide how much they're willing to gamble and sacrifice to pursue their budding relationship.

This one hit all the feels. Tiller seemed to have it all, but he was lonely. You couldn't help but feel sorry for Mikey. His entire family was a shitty piece of work, from his father who treated him like an afterthought to his older brothers, all of whom were star athletes of one stripe or another, to his oblivious mother, who never once stepped up for him. Aster Valley, with its small town feel, queer-friendly populace, and welcoming vibe, was the perfect place for them. Although the story featured drama and angst, it was mostly sweet and lovely with plenty of humor sprinkled throughout. There was a 'blink and you'll miss it' reference to the author's "Licking Thicket" series, which amused me. I also appreciated that the author made Tiller a wide receiver, instead of the more glamorous quarterback.

Favorite lines:
♦ "Cry into your giant piles of money."
♦ "Is that Tiller Raine?" // I shook my head. "Bobby Simplethorn. You probably know him from that hemorrhoid commercial."
♦ "Golf isn't much different than glorified fly swatting."
♦ He was probably wondering how someone so dorky could possibly whack the dork meter even higher.
♦ Everything in my body wanted to curl up into a fragile ball of crybaby.
♦ "He looks at me like I'm a piping hot supreme pizza and he's spent days eating nothing but raw beetroot."
♦ I needed to get into the mindset of a pro football player with a giant ego. I also needed an iced coffee from Starbucks and possibly one of their cookies.

Very good story. You couldn't help but cheer for Tiller and Mikey and their HEA. Five stars.