Rating: 4 stars
Buy Link: Amazon | iBooks | Amazon UK
Length: Novella

Gabe is stuck in traffic on his way to work one morning. It’s literally bumper to bumper, and he knows he’s going to be late. He opens his phone and checks Cruised, a popular hook-up app. Lately, he’s been a bit bored with that whole culture, but he sees no harm in just looking while he’s got nothing better to do. It’s there he gets contacted by a man calling himself SilverFoxxx, and they have a conversation. It happens again the next day, and it keeps on happening.

Soon enough, Gabe and SilverFoxxx, real name Mark, agree to meet at a Starbucks for a little fun in the restroom…and much fun is had. It happens again the next morning, and plans are made to meet again during the next week. However, nothing ever goes that smoothly and a misunderstanding nearly ends what is just beginning. Can Gabe get past his insecurities to actually make a go at things with Mark?

The blurb from Bumper to Bumper intrigued me. I’ve read lots of books with clandestine meetings, but meeting on a cruising app in traffic? Never! So, I grabbed it up. I wound up enjoying this little novella very much. It has the right amount of sweet mixed with the right amount of dirty (and oh yes…it’s pretty dirty). I liked the idea of Gabe taking a chance on meeting with Mark, even though he’s bored and disenchanted with hook-ups. Mark? I love his charm and the fact that he texts in full sentences with correct punctuation (I do the same thing, and it’s kind of a thing for me). I also like that he’s actually romantic while exchanging BJs with a relative stranger in a public restroom.

The plot only takes place within about two weeks, but the author skillfully makes it feel like a slow burn. Both men seem to begin to really long for one another, even if they didn’t meet that day. It’s obvious their relationship is becoming deeper than they anticipated. Speaking of what they anticipated…the sex scenes are smokin’ HOT! They’re short and feel almost desperate. There are only blow jobs and hand jobs, but Bumper to Bumper doesn’t need any more than that. It’s actually the promise of what may happen in the future.

Evans’ writing style is nice. The story is told in the third person, but from Gabe’s POV. That works for me. It’s not that I don’t enjoy dual POVs told in the first person, but sometimes it becomes confusing and feels muddled. Here, everything was perfectly clear and concise. The dialogue is great and gives off a very “real” vibe. There’s plenty of detail without being overwhelming. Since the story is short, I’m impressed with being able to “see” everything from how Gabe and Mark look, what their cars look like, what the coffee shop restrooms look like, etc. The writing is really well done.

I highly recommend this novella. It’s fun and sweet with a lot of charm. It left me with a feeling of hope for the future, and I think that may be the best part. Definitely pick this one up.