Title: Between Loathing and Love
Series: N/A
Author: Andrew Grey
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length: Novel (200 pages)
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (October 12th 2015)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥5 Hearts
Blurb: Theatrical agent Payton Gowan meets with former classmate—and prospective client—Beckett Huntington with every intention of brushing him off. Beckett not only made high school a living hell for Payton, but he was also responsible for dashing Payton’s dreams of becoming a Broadway star.
Aspiring actor Beckett Huntington arrives in New York City on a wing and a prayer, struggling to land his first gig. He knows scoring Payton Gowan as an agent would be a great way to get his foot in the door, but with their history, getting the chance is going to be a tough sell.
Against Payton’s better judgment, he agrees to give Beckett a chance, only to discover—to his amazement—that Beckett actually does have talent.
Payton signs Beckett but can’t trust him—until Payton’s best friend, Val, is attacked. When Beckett is there for him, Payton begins to see another side to his former bully. Amidst attempts by a jealous agent to sabotage Beckett’s career and tear apart their blossoming love, Payton and Beckett must learn to let go of the past if they have any chance at playing out a future together.
ISBN: 978-1-63476-634-0
Product Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6946
Reviewer: Tams
Review: Payton Gowan is very far removed from the shy, awkward, overweight gay kid that was bullied and picked on in high school. He has a great life, a successful career and lives in the same building with his best friend. And then his childhood tormentor walks into his office looking for representation and throws Payton for a loop.
What Payton wants to do is tell Beckett to piss off and show him the door, but Beckett is very talented and at the end of the day, Payton realizes he needs to do his job and leave the past in the past.
Beckett Huntington doesn’t remember who Payton is at first. Payton has shortened his name to Pay, he’s lost weight and toned his body, gone is the acne, replaced with a very stunning man. Beckett is attracted and intrigued, until Payton reminds him of their shared past.
Once Beckett learns that he was wrong about Payton in high school, he sets out to make Payton his. And while the attraction is mutual, Payton has trouble letting go of the past, even if it is threatening to destroy his future.
Enemies to lover’s stories can be quite good, if conveyed the right way. Grey painted a pretty vivid image of the interaction between these two when they were in high school, and how things could have been perceived the way they were.
A decade later and Beckett has had to learn how to rely on his talent and skill instead of his size and good looks. Pay has worked his way up in a demanding, cut throat business, and still has a shark snipping at his heels. These two can be so much more together, if they can find a way to let go of the past and compromise to build a future.
This story showed Grey’s sexier side of writing. Beckett and Pay share an electric chemistry that jumps off the pages. Beckett is large and domineering, and yet, he is gentle with Pay when he needs to be.
I especially enjoyed that while Pay wasn’t a virgin, he had not had generous lovers… so the relationship with Beckett was different, new and more meaningful for both of them; a very passionate romance.
I have to say though; I sincerely hope that Grey brings the guy with PTSD back. I would love to see what Grey can bring to the table writing a love story for a man who suffers from the inflictions PTSD causes in someone’s life.
While Val was more of a secondary character, Pay’s best friend, I could tell even with the little page time with him that he just wants to be loved, and to love someone. I think they would be perfect together. We shall see!
Definitely a must read, especially if you are a fan of Grey’s work. As I said, the story is passionate and sexy with a bit of suspense and politics to mix things up. You can never go wrong with an Andrew Grey read.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *