Rating: 4.75 stars
Buy Links: Amazon | All Romance
Length: Novel
Christian Blake is on his way to becoming a Kindergarten teacher and he knows the standards are high. He needs to be dressed to the nines and not give anyone the opportunity to criticize his lifestyle. He’s a gay man who’s essentially been forced to go back into the closet in order to fulfill his desire to make something of his life and follow his lifelong dream to be a teacher.
Max is Christian’s new roommate, and he’s having none of this buttoned-up, completely false-seeming Christian. Max is everything Christian needs to avoid. He’s the bad boy, and he looks the part. Instead of avoiding him like he knows he should, however, Christian keeps finding himself drawn to Max.
On top of everything else, Christian’s aunt is dying of cancer, and her Rear Entrance Video store is going to go under unless Christian steps up to the plate. He wants to help his aunt, whom he loves more than anyone in the world, but Christian doesn’t know how to work at an adult video store yet maintain the squeaky-clean appearance he needs in order to be a teacher. And Max sitting on his shoulder telling him he’s doing it all wrong is not helping things. Turns out the Rear Entrance Video store needs a lot of help. Is Christian up to the task, or will he let it go bankrupt because he’s afraid he’ll be found out as less than perfect?
There is quite a bit to love in this book by Heidi Belleau. For one, Belleau creates wonderfully likeable characters, who are severely flawed, but who work their way into your heart. Christian is struggling with the image he needs to maintain in order to be a teacher and anyone who sees this is as unrealistic has never been a teacher. It’s very much a concern even in 2013 that parents or administrators would turn on a teacher because of his/her sexuality. So I understood Christian’s reluctance to be his true self before he’s had a chance to prove himself as a good teacher.
I loved Max as well. He’s kind of prickly and has a hard-edge. While they do feel an immediate connection, things are not smooth sailing for these two. When they get going, though, it is smoking hot! There’s definitely a bit of a power play going on between these two, both fighting for dominance, and this makes for some super hot sex scenes. Belleau always writes sex with an edge, and I love it.
My main problem with this book, however, was I wish Christian was allowed to be in the dominant role all of the time. He’s so in control in the bedroom, and Max is amazing as a submissive who gives over his own control, but for some reason, Belleau felt the need to have them switch it up at times. I’m all for versatility, but I think in this book, where Christian had so much spiraling out of control in his life other than the things that went on in the bedroom, it would’ve been even more engaging to see him in that dominant role 100% of the time.
I really enjoyed this book. It was the perfect combination of readability, great characters, and steamy sex. I look forward to the next book in this series. Christian had a whole house full of attractive roommates, so I’m hoping one of them will have their chance next. Definitely give this one a read until then.
