Title: Almost Heaven
Series: Exception to the Rule #1
Author: Kimberly Gardner
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Novella (90 pages)
Publisher: Loose Id (September 28th, 2010)
Heat Level: Low
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts
Blurb: When Chris meets Kevin at his brother’s school, he instantly gets hot for teacher. He can only hope that the sexy guy is gay. Later, when Kevin shows up at the gym where Chris works, Chris is sure he’s got him hooked. A shared kiss is absolutely electric but then Kevin turns tail and runs. What the hell? Maybe he’s in the closet.
Yes, in fact, Kevin is in the closet, Deep in the closet. He has to be. He’s going to be a priest. While he’s very attracted to Chris, he simply can’t pursue it. Giving in to that attraction would ruin his life. Still, he can’t deny what he feels so instead he vows to stay away from Chris.
But steering clear is not so easy when what you’ve found is Almost Heaven.
ISBN: 978-1-60737-873-0
Product Link: http://www.loose-id.com/almost-heaven.html
Reviewer: Prime
Review: This is the first book in the Exception to the Rule series. However, it is a stand-alone. In fact, I read and review book 3 of the series before going back to read the previous volumes. It certainly added a bit more insight when I think back on book 3, but the information was in no means vital.
This is the shortest book of the series, but it is still a fantastic read. For anyone who has a fetish for priests, this is the book for you (or rather brother/deacon – whatever the terminology, it’s been 10 years since high school religious education class). It puts an interesting twist on the common ploy of one experienced partner and one, well, virgin. It’s also a twist on the “deep in the closet” type story.
I absolutely love the two main characters, Chris and Kevin. Chris is a manly man, for lack of a better description. He has a red mustang, very nice indeed! But he is also the protective older brother, although it isn’t said in the book he seems to have helped his mother raise his younger brother as there is no father in the picture (explanation never given as to why). Chris meets Kevin when he goes to pick up his brother from school. Kevin is a teacher there, he just also happens to be training to be a priest.
Kevin may not be experienced or streetwise but he is far from naive. The poor guy is conflicted and has to put his priorities in order so that he can at least find contentment in his life. I like the spark between them, Kevin is all cuteness and sweetness, while Chris is a manly man.
However, I now come to the problem of actually knowing what’s going to happen because of book 3. This story ends rather abruptly and while we know what resolution Kevin comes to, we don’t actually know exactly what he is going to do. But that’s minor details and for anyone worried about this, take it from me, don’t get too concerned because we will get glimpses further down that track that tie together the tiny threads left behind in here!
I also find myself fond of the minor characters, including a memorable scene with a sister of Kevin’s, as well as Chris’s younger brother Mark and the boy’s mother, Carolyn. Mark sticks out in my mind because he was a prominent minor character in book 3 and the next book (also my next review), is his story. Kevin’s uncle is also a charming character.
I loved the simplicity of the storyline. It was easy to follow and we got straight to the point with no unnecessary drama, which is what makes it totally my kind of book. I may have said this before with Kimberly Gardner’s series, Playing for Keeps, but I find her writing style easy to read and enjoyable, which is probably helped by an editor, but you are sure to know what I mean.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *