Title: Nerdy Little Secret, (2nd Edition)
Series: Coconut Cove 02
Author: M.J. O’Shea
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Novella (82 Pages)
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (May 18, 2018)
Heat Level: Low
Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖 3 – 3 1/2 Hearts
Blurb: Will a reunion between high school friends lead to romance—or regret?
Key West local Blair Fletcher goes from wallflower to star overnight. One day he’s waiting tables, and the next he’s thrust into a different world—as an actor on the new gay teen drama Coconut Cove. Playing queen-bee Ryder quickly makes him friends—and enemies—but it’s the set carpenter who’s had his heart since they were kids.
Blair always assumed golden god Sander Johansen was completely unattainable… and straight. Now that Sander has returned to their hometown, it seems Blair’s assumptions might have been wrong. As things heat up on set and in the bedroom, Blair has to realize he’s no longer the shy kid who never moved away from home and maybe it’s finally time for him to have the life, and love, he’s always wanted.
ISBN: 978-1-64080-457-9
Product Link: Dreamspinner | Amazon US | Amazon UK
Reviewer: Lisa & Pixie
Lisa’s Review: 💖💖💖 3 Hearts
When Blair had been in high school he had had the most delicious crush on Sander. The problem was Sander was one of the popular boys with a girl always on his arm. Won’t he be surprised to find out that Sander was in fact gay. Now here Blair was working the main character in a gay drama, and wouldn’t you know it, Sanders is here too. He was the construction part of the business, and oh things are going to heat up.
First off this book was a bit odd to me. You have the story, then you have an announcer giving insight into the show, then back to the story. It spent more time on their acting characters then their actual selves. The story had such a slow pace to it that it felt like I could fall a sleep reading it.
Then there was the ending, it just stopped right at the strangest point. I hate to admit that the story was bland and a bit dry to me. The characters just didn’t seem to have the depth that they should have and like I said above, I saw more of their acting persona then them. Their romance was just no connection what so ever. I was a bit disappointed in it and I can also say that it just wasn’t for me.
Pixie’s Review: 💖💖💖💖 3 1/2 Hearts
This book is part of a series and is best read in order. We re-join the cast of Coconut Cove for a new exciting love story as Blair (Ryder) finds his happily ever after. Blair is still surprised that he has a role as Ryder in Coconut Cove, he’s nothing like his queen bee character and sometimes struggles getting into the role. Plus his secret crush from high school is back in town and he always clams up when Sander is around. Sander is back in Key West because his job fell through, getting a job working on the sets of Coconut Cove is a blessing and he connects with Blair his next door neighbor, and soon love blossoms.
Oh guys Blair is a complete sweetheart and you really don’t want to miss his story. Blair grew up in Key West and still lives with his mom, he was a quiet guy in school and crushed hard on his next door neighbor Sander. Now years later he is one of the stars on Coconut Cove but inside he is still the quiet guy who still crushes on Sander even though he doesn’t see him that often. Meeting up with Sander again he realises he never really knew Sander and the Sander he gets to know now captures his heart.
I really enjoyed this ‘episode’ of Coconut Cove, I loved getting to know more of the characters that I met in Life’s a Beach and getting to know the true person behind Ryder was a pure pleasure. For the first half of this story it’s mainly just Blair and how he’s coping with his role and the new friends he’s made, we don’t actually start to see progress of his friendship with Sander until the second half of the story and then it’s paced nicely so it seems like a nice length of time and not a jump into bed straight away relationship.
We don’t really get to see much of Sander but we do get to know him quite well as he opens himself up to Blair in order to help him with his character Ryder. Now the script to Coconut Cove seems to be moving along quickly and we see scenes at beginning of some chapters, and the other characters… oh I soooo want the stories of sweet Tony and of course bitchy Howie, I can’t wait for the next installment and have my fingers crossed that it will be coming soon.
I recommend this to those who love brilliant serials with a love story in each installment, wonderful characters who are both sweet and sexy, finding love with your high school crush and the beginning of a very happy ending.