Novella Too Hot to Hold Gay Romance, New Adult College Romance, LGBTQ Fiction
Dreamspinner Press
April 11, 2023
kindle
101
Amazon
Gay burlesque performer, Noel West, had dreams of dancing professionally, but an injury sidelined him. He's wary of other people, largely because of his profession. When David offers him a ride in a blizzard, he cautiously accepts, expecting a come-on. David is a gentleman, however, and that quickly gets past Noel's defenses.
David Hunter is a trust-fund kid and a lawyer. Seeing Noel, he offers a ride because no one should be out on a frigid night. He has no idea what Noel does until he refers to it in a snappy comeback, which leads David to return and see the show. He’s captivated by Noel in a way he never thought possible and decides to try to get Noel's attention... the old-fashioned way: he woos him.
When Noel's club is raided on trumped-up charges, he calls for help, and David answers. But even as Noel starts to realize that David may be everything he appears to be, he's still skeptical. Especially when he learns David's father has political ambitions that Noel’s relationship with David seems to threaten. David will need to navigate family drama to prove to Noel that his feelings are true and that he really is his prince charming.
Reviewed by Linda Tonis
Member of the Paranormal Romance Guild Review Team
Noel West is a gay burlesque performer that makes enough money to pay his rent, food and his school tuition. He performs but unlike some of the other performers he does not give solo performances and doesn’t give himself to the men who vie for his attention. Noel dreamed of being a ballet dancer and he was good enough to attract attention until a knee injury put that dream away for good.
One night it was freezing and snowing, and Noel was walking home when a limo pulled up next to him with an offer for a ride home. So used to the constant pick up attempts he just took it for another one and did not hold back on his verbal assault at the man who tried to help him. Noel took a chance and accepted a ride home and would soon discover that there are good men in the world with no ulterior motives other than to help.
David Hunter was born with a silver spoon and when he offered Noel a ride, he had no idea who he was or what he did for a living but by the things Noel said to him he began to realize that he was a man with dignity and pride and then discovered where he worked. He could not resist going to see Noel at the club and he took another chance by asking him out for dinner, a dinner that would be the start of more to come.
Unlike so many gay men David’s father has no problem with it because he is was running for the Senate and his gay son was paraded around to gain votes. His father doesn’t mind the world knowing his son is gay for his own needs, but he minds finding his son with a man. His insults aimed at Noel should have made David and Noel shake but David stood up to his father and threw him out.
On his own most of his life Noel had only himself to lean on and he learned that if he wanted something it was up to him to go after it, no one would do it for him, then he met David. David and Noel, one with money, one without but both needing comfort and love and someone who puts them first. Noel really saw David for what kind of man he was when the club was raided because of a tip about prostitution, something that never happened. Noel thought of David dialed him and before the police could escort them out David was there and the only ones leaving were the police. An unsubstantiated tip was all the homophobic police needed to cause trouble.
So, I loved Noel and David I loved the gay burlesque storyline and so I am putting in my vote for this to be a series, a long series. All those in favor feel free to say yes in your reviews that should get Mr. Grey’s attention, I hope lol.