Christina Lee - The Hardest Fall

After licking his wounds from a painful relationship, Tate Sullivan is ready to move back home. He picks up where he left off as drag queen extraordinaire Frieda Love in a West Village bar in New York City. He doesn’t expect to be drawn to the mysterious man with the dark eyes who shows up to every single performance—flirtatiously eyeing Tate one second and disappearing on him the next. Why mess around with a guy who is clearly giving him mixed signals?
Sebastian Clark is on a mission the first night he shows up at Ruby Redd’s. He doesn’t anticipate his plan being flipped on its head by the charismatic drag queen and even more so by the mesmerizing man beneath the makeup. But the more he learns about the vibrant and brash Tate Sullivan the more intrigued he becomes. So he pushes aside his guilt about why he sought out the bar in the first place in order to get to know the guy behind the stilettos.
They’re opposites on many levels, but as Tate spends time volunteering with Sebastian at the shelter, he begins to feel good about himself in ways he hadn’t before. For Sebastian, Tate represents a sense of fun and freedom that is completely fresh and invigorating. Before they know it, their easy companionship catches fire, and Sebastian is kissing a man for the first time, while Tate is opening his heart to new possibilities. But Sebastian is still keeping a secret, and Tate will have to decide if he can trust again, or if the betrayal he feels from Sebastian’s confession is too much to overcome.

Comment: This is the third full length story in the Roadmap to Your Heart series by Christina Lee. I've read the previous two and liked one more than the other, but felt interested enough to finish the overall series.

In this third story we meet Tate, he is a young man trying to develop his art business and he also performs in a bar as drag queen Frieda Love. He is still recovering from a relationship where he had to hide himself but his feelings are now complicated, since the man who asked that of him has died. Recently, he has noticed a gorgeous man at the bar sometimes, and one day he decides to approach him. Although they don't seem to have much in common, they become friends...

Sebastian Clarke used to be friends with Alan and he knew his friend had had affairs but he was surprised to be asked to destroy some papers with proof of his relationship with Tate. At first, Sebastian goes to the bar just to understand what was it about Tate that seduced Alan, and he is intrigued. He is even more conflicted after realizing Tate, without the make up, is as amazing as himself... but will there be any future for them?

I did like how this was developed. As one can infer from the blurb, Sebastian doesn't immediately tell Tate why he is around but I must say I did like how they only become intimate after Sebastian tells Tate about being a friend of Alan. Things had progressed enough by them, emotionally speaking, between them, for this to be a hard task. In a way, I think the author managed the sentiments and the expectations between these two in a very appealing manner.

When the protagonists met, I thought the story would be about Sebastian accepting Tate's drag queen in ways that Alan never did, but I was positively surprised to see that this was actually more centered on Sebastian and Tate and not any type of fetish. In fact, most of the plot is about how they can be friends and share similar things, and how to go on to become more than just friends. In general, I felt this process was well done and I think the slow burn made what they ended up having more romantic and a little more believable.

Tate is a fascinating character, and his drag queen persona, in my opinion, is certainly not the most interesting thing about him. I liked how he was able to distinguish the two sides of him well, even though some people in his family (his father) could not accept him, but he has the support of many others. He is a dedicated person to his art and to do his share, not always as loud as one would imagine and I was quiet happy to read about him and see him go from just being attracted to Sebastian to be in love with him.

Nevertheless, for me, this story worked out mostly due to Sebastian. He wasn't OK with his friend's Alan behavior, although he and his wife had an open relationship, and he struggles with telling Tate or not about the request to not tell others about their affair. I liked how things weren't black and white and that he cared about how this would affect Tate, especially after getting to know him. I also loved how Sebastian carried on the shop and work of his adoptive father instead of continuing his studies. I say this because he had been homeless with his mother and then someone helped and loved him and he is paying that respect forward.

The romance is rather slow, they start going out together and they are quick friends, but like I said, they only go on to becoming intimate after the major conflict is solved. Towards the end of the story, the attention is mostly on them dealing with their newfound feelings, how can they cope with the other one's expectations and, closer to the end, a charity event brings in the last hurdle, which was a little too predictable and avoidable, in my opinion.

I enjoyed this book, but I will have to admit that there were moments where things seemed to drag, or when the plot choices didn't seem as clever as they could. Of course there are things I'd change as well, to better suit my preference, such as an even more romantic relationship, but it was all done well enough.

I might look for other work by the author, if it seems interesting.

Grade: 7/10

Christina Lee - The Deepest Blue

Rugged and conventional Callum Montgomery enjoys running Shady Pines hunting preserve, except for the secret that’s eating him alive. When his sister brings a date for a family wedding, he can’t stand the arrogant city slicker with the stick up his perfectly fine ass. He doesn’t understand his draw to Dean, who pushes his buttons at every turn, but he’d never dream of betraying his sibling over some lust fueled fantasy.
Handsome and conscientious Dean Abbott is a research assistant in his university’s biology lab. When his roommate, Cassie, begs him to be her pretend date in front of her meddling family, he begrudgingly agrees to help. He doesn’t anticipate being enchanted by the countryside, the colorful cast of characters, or her sexy and brooding straight brother.
When contempt turns to passion and leads to stolen moments in a sugar cane field, Callum can’t help longing for the kind of connection he believes he can never have. But not even the world’s most heart-melting kiss can bridge the vast philosophical differences between the men.
Dean’s return to his urban lifestyle leaves him restless, his mind continually wandering to the charming setting that spoke to something missing deep inside him. Because you can take the city boy out of the country but you can’t make him forget the intriguing man he left behind.

Comment: In 2020 I've read the first book of this Roadmap to Your Heart series and it wasn't as great as I imagined. Nevertheless, now that any remembrance of its plot is gone, I've decided to give the author another chance and started this second installment, which certainly appealed a lot more to me.

Dean is friends with a secondary character from the first book, he is finishing his biology degree and is the roommate of Cassie. There will be a wedding in Cassie's family soon and she asks Dean, who is gay, to pretend to be her date so that she doesn't have to interact with the neighbor's son, whom everyone hopes she will end up with and their proprieties could be linked in business. Dean accepts and then meets her siblings, especially Callum, with whom he can't help but butt heads. Under this initial animosity, of course, is attraction but Callum seems to be straight...

Callum is gay, actually, but not out to his family. He feels challenged by Dean but also likes to talk to him, even if they tease each other with different POVs. At first he feels bad because he likes his sister's date but when Dean tells him the truth, their connection seems to be even stronger...the problem is that they live in different states, have different goals in life and Callum isn't yet certain he is brave enough to tell his family about who he really is. Can there be any future for them?

The first thing I'd say I liked here is that the connection with the first book is very faint. Dean is friends with Felix ( I don't remember him at all) who knows Vaughn and Smoke (main couple from the first book) and there is one or two references to them in the whole book. This means that despite the series status, I didn't find much of a sequence to the plots nor the characters.

I don't mind it much, since I rarely like books with motorcycle clubs and Dean isn't in one, nor is Callum. Their story is a bit simpler, in the sense the angst and the conflicts come from the physical distance between them. This is indeed an issue for long distance only works in very specific circumstances I assume, and this didn't have the vibe of it being something likely for these two. There is also the fact Callum isn't out but this didn't worry me, for I just knew that at some point this would be addressed.

The story is quite cute at times and simple. This is basically the story of two guys falling in love and dealing with the obstacles to be together. I liked it that things aren't easily solved or fixed somehow. When the end comes, I felt this was more a HFN than a full on HEA. The guys still have things to deal with, probably some details to get right but there's an evident attempt to be together, to try to have a relationship that is more than physical or temporary.

Callum is a good guy, is helping his family's business and fears his coming out might affect his father and older brother's opinion on him but mainly, of what others might think of a place whose manager is gay, especially in a region where most people are still conservative. I liked the fact he doesn't have a quick solution for his doubts, that he takes time to process, to think but clearly meeting Dean and finding him special and liking him so much is the catalyst to make him want to have different possibilities.

Dean is a bit more aware of what it means to be out, and while his relationship with his parents isn't great, they know he is gay but their reaction is more one of not dealing with it than hate or accusations. He shares he had a brother who died of cancer and he decided to be himself for the time he has, not giving in to expectations, and he is keen on doing well in his degree and he plans on working with agricultural biology (if I remember correctly) and we even have some scenes with him working with sugar cane on Cassie's family propriety.

The guys hit it off after some initial animosity and I liked that we feel things progress quietly and slowly between them. Well, kind of, because they soon realize they like each other in the short weeks Dean is there for the wedding. However, I think the author did a good job making it seem as if what happens is gradual and debated by both of them. To me, there is always some element I feel could have been done better, but I liked reading this story, perhaps I'd have added more sexual tension scenes instead of sexual ones, because those I feel weren't as special as they could have.

The secondary characters are actually better than I thought, especially Billie, Callum and Cassie's younger 15 year old brother who is also gay and who has a disability. He was a real cutie and I'm curious about his own story, the last one of the series. 

There is another book after this and before Billie's but I must confess the blurb doesn't appeal to me, so I might skip it and just read Billie's when I can.

As for this one, all the important elements where there, but there is definitely something missing, which I cannot pinpoint...still, the reading itself was quite engaging.

Grade: 7/10

Christina Lee - The Darkest Flame

Vaughn O’Keefe has been part owner of the Hog’s Den for years. Privy to plenty of Disciples of the Road business, he’s never been more ruffled as when a new recruit named “Smoke” walks through the door. Something about the man gets his blood pumping, but he knows to keep his preferences under wraps around the club.
“Smoke” Callahan has done a couple of rehab stints and is finally clean, thanks to help from the Disciples. He’s on the right path and isn’t about to get sidetracked, no matter how much the guy who manages the bar gets beneath his skin. Besides, his last relationship with a man left him scared, alone, and with a nightmare of an addiction.
When the Hog’s Den becomes shorthanded, and Smoke is ordered to help out the one man he can’t have, his longing for the bartender reaches blistering proportions. Vaughn figures a night together should be enough to satisfy their mutual attraction. But neither banks on just how scorching hot it might be.
As Smoke’s past unravels and the one person he hopes never to lay eyes on again messes with all he holds sacred, it’s time to involve the Disciples. Problem is, he’ll have to risk his membership, his heart, and his own hide to keep everyone he cares about safe.

Comment: I got interested in this book because of book #2 in this Roadmap to Your Heart series. That was the title that caught my eye but since I do like to read things in order when possible, I had the opportunity to get the three books, I obviously started with this one.

In this book we meet Vaughn, a bartender/part owner of a bar which is mostly, but not completely, frequented by people linked to a motorcycle club. Recently, the members of the club have been trying to bring things to a respectable level, including how they deal with other clubs and some shady business so they no longer need to rely on that and can simply be a regular MC.

One of the newest members is "Smoke", a man with a past but who is on his own road to salvation, besides having been welcomed to a more stable club than where he was before.

Although neither man has said it, they are both bi and lately, their looks to one another and weird tension make them feel a little self aware, even if their relationship with the others is still pretty ordinary. The problem is when they decide to no longer pretend they don't check out each other and that they really want to be together...

Once I decided to add this book to my reading list of July, I read the blurb with a little bit more attention and realized the main characters were part of a MC environment. 

Now, I did read some books in this sub-theme, if we can call it that, and I've come to conclude I do not like this style of books because often the club is involved in or has connections with illegal stuff. Romance can arise in any place, that's true, but to my own preferences, it just doesn't seem romantic nor fascinating to read about drugs and weapons and whatever crime-relate detail the MC might be focused on.

Another element I tend to dislike based on the novels I've read is the usual dynamics one sees among the people in these groups. The submission to the leader or the main members of the group is not something I appreciate and if the stories are erotica, it's even less appealing for I don't like the idea some members need/want to "submit" sexually to others.

With these things in mind, it was with trepidation I started the book but thankfully, this part of the story wasn't too bad for the club is bent on being legal, on creating a good atmosphere for everyone and despite a little thing here and there, most members are likable guys and quite laid back.

There wasn't a lot of description nor inner monologues about the club's business except the necessary for plot advances and that was fine by me.

Of course, the more I went along, I've come to discover the whole story had a slight steady but superficial tone. There are tough themes addressed but not into levels that would be too depressing. The other side of the equation, though, was that everything was in the same tone, including the relationship between Vaughn and Smoke which means that for me their connection didn't have enough depth to make it memorable.

Of the two main characters, I'm not even certain if there was any I preferred. Vaughn is more confident, it seems, of who he is and of his place in life simply because Smoke has gone though more complicated obstacles and I can't help thinking he would always feel more fragile. 

Smoke has a past of drug addiction and it is known people with addictions need to have a strong will and capacity to known their own strengths and weakness and that means they can't simply not think of them, even if they become sober.

I really liked that Smoke did overcome his habits and that he goes to meetings and that he feels he was "saved" enough to carry on steadily. His relationship with Vaughn feels balanced because of this, he doesn't let his past interfere with his feelings and attraction now, even though he has had a bad past.

I suppose we have a better take on Smoke's personality and Vaughn does come across as being steadier, less notable in the broader sense but the chemistry between them is evident.

I guess this book had everything to not be enjoyable for me, personally, but it did offer more than what I expected. However, it wasn't written in a way that I would say was that special or significant to the point I couldn't out it down. It does help it isn't a big novel, so reading moves along pretty easily but yes, it wasn't outstanding.

I think I'll still read the other books in the series, since I already have them, but it won't be for right now.

Grade: 6/10