Review & Excerpt: Heartscape by Garrett Leigh and Headstrong by Eden Finley

Release Date: March 22, 2021
Cover Design: Christine Coffey

From award-winning author Garrett Leigh comes a gorgeous new romance in the True North world! Think: great food, burly men and good times. Beards are optional but encouraged.

I’m not the obvious choice to run Burlington’s coolest wine bar—quiet, brooding, clueless about tannin content, and always one wrong turn away from another downward spiral.

But no one seems to mind that I'm a wreck. Besides me. I just focus on getting through each shift until the night a beautiful stranger appears, looking as lost and damaged as I feel.

When a mutual friend calls in a favor, the sexy newcomer winds up crashing on my couch. I don't know if it's his melodic Cornish accent, or his ocean blue eyes, or the rock-hard body with the mysterious scars, but I get the feeling whatever happened to him runs far deeper than those wounds. 

Having Jax in my home makes my chest warm. Makes me shiver. Makes me want more. But I've got a pile of baggage and I don't want to be a burden on anyone let alone a man who seems to have enough demons of his own. 

Our chemistry is off the charts. His arms feel like home. The last thing I want is to screw this up. Is it wrong to hope we can heal each other? Or will one of us die trying?

HEARTSCAPE is a heartfelt MM friends-to-lovers romance in the True North world, with a brooding bartender, a rugged outdoorsman, sweet angst and lots of Shipley cider. Triggers: contains mentions of depression, suicidal ideation and PTSD recovery.

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What I thought about Heartscape

 Managing the wine bar adjacent to the bookstore is about all Tanner can handle. But when his brother's girlfriend asks for a favor for a friend, he doesn't turn her down.  Her friend Jax needs a place to stay and he's got a spare couch. 

Jax is recovering from some trauma himself, but he finds himself interested in the gruff Tanner.  I really liked how both of their stories are revealed slowly in this instead of one big dump.  It took some pages to get there, and by the time it's revealed, I had put most of it together, but I did like the gradual revealing of their past.

This is a story about two damaged people opening up to a new future for themselves.  There's not a huge amount of conflict, but there are plenty of uncertainty for both characters as they figure out what they want and how they are going to get there.

There's a very exciting ending that had me on the edge of my seat for a bit, and I just really liked these two characters.  Tanner may be gruff, but he is thoughtful of others, and Jax is so understanding when it comes to Tanner,

It all worked for me, especially the sensitive mental health topic, but mostly, I just liked reading these two characters getting their HEA.

 

Excerpt

Jax kisses me. In my wildest dreams I’m expecting it, but it still catches me off guard. His lips are soft, but demanding, and there’s nothing I don’t want to give him.

So I kiss him back.

I slide my hands under his layers of winter clothing and pull him close, and we kiss and kiss and kiss as if it isn’t the first time we’ve done it.

His lips feel like home.

His soft touch dances along my jaw.

I want to kiss him forever, but we run out of air.

Startled, I draw back and instantly find myself lost in Jax’s blazing stare. His gaze usually calms me—it really is like the deepest, bluest ocean. But right now, his eyes are stormy and hot. I want to dive back in headfirst, and for once what I want makes sense.

And it’s right here. I don’t need words. I stand, cup a hand around the back of his neck, and kiss him again. Jax makes another low sound, and the fact that he’s spent the night in my bed to babysit me stops mattering. Shadows fade. Heat draws us ever closer, and it’s easy to pretend we spent all night doing this. I can’t contemplate that it has to end.

But it does end.

Jax pulls back with a rueful smile, cheeks flushed, breathing hard. “I have to go. I promised Jerry I wouldn’t be late again.”

The mention of Jerry jars something in my brain enough to form a sentence that has nothing to do with how fast my heart is beating. “How did last night go?”

“Okay, I think.” Jax steps away. “Dude talked so much I stopped listening, but the apartment was all right. I can move in whenever I want.”

I should be happy for him. I am happy for him. He didn’t deserve to lose all his things in the hostel fire, and it sucks he had to take help from a stranger when he needed so badly to depend on himself. But I’m still dazed from his kiss. I say the first thing that comes into my head. Raw. No filter. “I’m gonna miss you.”

He gives me a soft grin. “I’ll miss you too.”

Then he leaves, and the reality that it might be the last time we do this hits me like a train. Jerry’s buddy’s apartment is probably outside of the city, closer to where Jax needs to be for his work. It isn’t a million miles away—nothing in Vermont ever is—but it’s not waking up to find Jax in my bed. It’s not drinking his weird tea together or eating dinner on the couch with him. It’s not opening my eyes every morning to feel the comforting hum of his presence.

It’s not being there to let him know, every day, that he fucking matters.

So tell him now.

I lurch from my bed and snag a T-shirt from the clean laundry pile I haven’t even thought about putting away. My shoes are by the front door. I stamp into them and fish my keys from the dish. Then I make a run for it down the stairs and out into the morning gloom.

The sidewalk is icy from the plummeting temperatures that are starting to move in from the mountains. But I’m a Vermonter; I know how to handle that shit. I dash to the parking lot where Jax is waiting for Jerry, his broad back to me as he contemplates the ground.

I grab his arm. “You don’t have to leave.”

  

 

 

 

 

Release Date: March 22, 2021
Cover Design: Christine Coffey

A straight guy gives gay hookup tips to a virgin. What could go wrong? 

When I first met Whit, I couldn’t get away from him fast enough. He’s a hockey player, and I hate everything to do with the sport that broke my heart.

But I can’t help feeling sorry for the guy. He’s newly out and desperate to meet someone, but his eagerness seems to scare potential hook-ups away.

Agreeing to be his wingman should’ve been simple. Watching him flirt with other guys made things complicated.

Whit challenges me in every aspect of my life, from my hatred of hockey to the new questions I’m asking myself. Like why a straight man suddenly can’t stop thinking about kissing another guy.

I think the answer lies somewhere on Whit’s lips...

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What I thought about Headstrong

Whit's on a mission -- he needs to lose his virginity before his upcoming birthday, but he doesn't have a clue about how to get what he wants. He ends up at Vino & Veritas where Rainn, the straight bartender takes pity on him.

A real friendship develops between these characters and Whit finds himself wanting more from his friend and knowing that's not in the cards.  Or is it? 

I did really like Rainn's character.  I struggled a little with his easy acceptance of his newly found bisexuality on the one hand, and at the same time liked that he didn't automatically eliminate it as a possibility. It's Rainn's discovery of himself and his future that really have me giving this 5 stars.  Don't get me wrong, I loved Whit -- he's solid and sweet. His dedication to the farm and family made me love him.

This is a classic friends to lovers romance that really kept me turning the pages. 

 

 

Excerpt

A steady stream of drink orders keeps me busy for a solid half hour, but that doesn’t stop me from noticing Whit moving around the room to flirt with guys. Ultimately, from what I can see, he strikes out and wanders back to me during a lull.
He sits at a stool and bangs his head on the countertop.
A laugh bubbles out of me. “I don’t know how hygienic that is.”
Whit’s lips turn down. “You work here.”
“Exactly.”
“Eww.” Whit wipes his forehead. “Is being gay always this hard?”
“I wouldn’t know.”
“I have to admit, this isn’t exactly what I was expecting.”
I lean my hip against the bar. “What were you expecting?”
“I dunno? For guys to see how hot I am and ask to blow me in the bathroom or something?”
A full-blown laugh falls from my lips this time. I have to admit, the dude is funny even if he’s not trying to be.
“So glad my misery is entertaining to you.”
“Sorry.”
“Where are all the easy men who want all the gay sex and no strings or names?”
I purse my lips. “Maybe it’s like that in big cities? The scene is low-key here. I mean, all bars by nature have that hookup culture, but if you’re looking for boys in booty shorts and orgies, you’re definitely in the wrong place. When Harrison opened V and V, he wanted to create a safe and queer-friendly environment that everyone could enjoy.”
“Is everything about gay people in mainstream media wrong?”
“Probably.”
He pushes his empty closer to me. “Can I get another cider?”
“Sure.” I switch them out.
The night isn’t super busy, but the work is steady. I leave him again to serve others but keep stealing glances at him. It’s confusing. Objectively speaking, he’s a good-looking guy. His intriguing eye color is a draw in itself, along with his dimples when he smiles. His suit doesn’t make him look like your typical college hockey player. It’s a mystery why he’s striking out.
Jake reappears at Whit’s side, and Whit’s face lights up. Then Whit’s mouth moves a hundred miles a minute, and Jake’s eyes gloss over.
I can’t hear what Whit’s saying, but I think I’ve found the reason why he’s not having any luck.
Jake turns his head toward me and mouths, “Help.”
Super-bartender to the rescue. Not all heroes wear capes. I give Jake a new drink. “Whit here’s too young for you.”
Jake gives me a grateful look and moves away quickly.
“Oh, age isn’t a big deal to me,” Whit calls after him.
If possible, Jake moves faster.
Whit slumps.
“You don’t want to date that guy anyway. He’s in here all the time trying to score.”
“Aww, that sounds perfect for what I need.”
I cock my head.
“I can’t be a virgin when I graduate in the spring. That’s sad. I mean, ideally, I won’t be a virgin by my next birthday which is in seven weeks, but I’m willing to be flexible.”
Oh dear.
“This has been your opening line to guys tonight, I’m guessing?”
“Well … I told myself not to talk, but then, I don’t know, isn’t that something you should disclose? It feels like something you should tell someone. Because, they have to be, like, gentle and shit, and it’s not like gay sex is something you jump into, right?”
“Again, I wouldn’t know. But has anyone ever told you that you talk a little too much and maybe say things you don’t need to put out there right away?”
“Really?”
“Well, we’ve only met twice, and oversharing and boundary crossing seems to be a common theme.”
Whit groans. “I’m fucking this up.”
“You really aren’t. You’re just coming on a little strong. You’re hot—I mean, I’m guessing. Everyone keeps staring at you and checking you out. It’s your mouth that’s holding you back.”
“So I just have to fill my mouth with something other than words.”
His words make my straight cock twitch a little. Ah, blowjobs. Oh, how I’ve missed thee. I point at him. “That. Right there. Lead with that.”
Whit glares at me, and I have to say his tough face is kind of laughable.
“Or every time you feel yourself rambling, take a drink,” I suggest.
Whit’s head falls to the bar again. “I’ll die of alcohol poisoning.”
It’s not my fault a laugh escapes. Seriously, I can’t tell if this guy is entertaining or plain sad.
He lifts his head. “You should be my wingman.”
I should do what now? “As tempting as that is, I kinda have a job to do already.”
“Yeah, but that’s why you’ll be good at it. You know people, and you’ve seen things.”
“I’m straight, remember? I know nothing about gay hookups. I’d tell you to go on dates and make them feel special before trying to get them into bed.”
“Is it against gay law to go on dates and make each other feel special?”
I throw up my hands. “I don’t know. Which is exactly why I shouldn’t be your wingman.”
“Worth a shot.” Whit finishes off his cider. He stands, and I think he’s going to go back to mingling, but he takes his coat off his chair and puts it on. “Thanks for the drinks.”