Good As Gold by Susan Laine

Title: Good as Gold

Series: Heroes at Heart, #4

Author: Susan Laine

Genre: Contemporary/New adult

Length: 56 pages

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (6 July 2016)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥5 Hearts

Blurb: It’s been two and a half years since aspiring writer Yancy Bell met troubled jock Curt Donovan. Yancy works at the NY Public Library, and Curt is studying dance at Julliard. It’s summer in New York City, and the devoted couple couldn’t be happier together.

Yancy’s book is the story of Curt’s survival of depression and attempted suicide. When his former English professor, Hume, encourages him, Yancy is surprised and pleased—only to be devastated when Hume commits an unethical act. This adversity leads Yancy to a new understanding of depression as he spirals down to his lowest point ever.

It’s Curt’s turn to step up to the plate and become Yancy’s hero.

ISBN: 978-1-63477-144-3

Product Link: https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/good-as-gold-by-susan-laine-7247-b

Reviewer: Prime

Review: Good as Gold is the fourth book in Susan Laine’s series, Heroes at Heart.

Our main characters, Yancy and Curt, have come a long way since the first book where Curt’s fight with depression led him to attempting suicide in the opening pages.

Now the guys have been together for a few years. They are pretty well established in life, which why Yancy is putting more effort into the book that he is writing based on his and Curt’s experiences in an effort to highlight depression. Along the way Yancy bumps into his smarmy English Lit professor – who, straight off, you can tell there isn’t something quite right.

This is a pretty quick read but it was nice that the shoe was on the other foot, so to speak. Instead of Curt having problems with his own issues and depression, it is now Yancy that is facing the crises. I loved revisiting these guys. They are solid together, while at the same time dealing with their mental demons.

I like how Susan Laine delicately treats depression while at the same time not trivializing it. I think fans of the series will be more than satisfied by this installment of Yancy and Curtis’s story. I’m not sure if their story has ended or if there is more in store for them, but part of me hopes that this isn’t the last we see of the guys.

* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *

Code Yellow by Susan Laine

Title: Code Yellow

Series: Heroes at Heart, #3

Author: Susan Laine

Genre: New Adult Romance

Length: 75 pages

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (4 May 2016)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥5 Hearts

Blurb: Two years have passed since that long, dark, night of despair and near death when English-lit geek Yancy Bell met dancing jock Curt Donovan. Now a couple living in New York, they appear happy and well suited to one another.

But appearances can be deceptive.

Yancy feels Curt is growing distant, and they barely see each other. At Juilliard, Curt has bonded with a new friend, Greg. Yancy fears his relationship with Curt is coming to a head. Meanwhile, Curt harbors a secret that could spell the end of Yancy’s love for him.

Yet neither man dares to confront his fears—or the other.

Will their fate be a code yellow or a golden opportunity?

ISBN: 978-1-62380-752-8

Product Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=7702

Reviewer: Prime

Review: Code Yellow is the third book in Susan Laine’s series Heroes at Heart. I’m not sure how this would go as a standalone book as this one picks right up from the second book, Yellow Streak. Besides which, if you feel this is your type of book, you’d be doing yourself a great disservice by not reading the first two books.

We meet up with MCs, Yancy and Curt, as they are trying to make things work for them in NY, between school, jobs and their tiny apartment they share. We last left them moving to NY and Curt was on top of his depression and now starting at Julliard to study dance and works part-time as a bar tender.

Yancy on the other hand has now landed himself a full-time job at the New York Public Library. The plot line surrounds the horrible suspicion that came up by the end of the second book, is Curt cheating on Yancy? All the signs are there. Yancy is now trying to keep it together, even with thanksgiving coming up and the guys are hosting their friends and family in their apartment.

I am really in love with this series. While there was much less of Curt’s depression taking centre stage in this book, we actually see both Curt and Yancy develop a lot more depth. This is a relatively quick novella to read and the pace was nice and steady – I didn’t put it down until I finished it.

This is a wonderful addition to the series and those following Yancy and Curt’s journey will not be disappointed.

* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *

Yellowbelly Hero by Susan Laine

Title: Yellowbelly Hero
Series: Heroes at Heart, #1
Author: Susan Laine
Genre: New Adult Romance
Length: Novella (83 pages)
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (5 Aug 2015)
Heat Level: Low
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥5Hearts
Blurb: Yancy Bell was bullied in high school for being a yellowbelly, not because of any cowardice, but because of his nervous bladder condition. It’s Yancy’s first year in college, and he’s hoping to make a fresh start.

Three days before Christmas, the campus is empty. Having to pee on a midwinter night leads Yancy to meet Curt Donovan huddled in a dark shower stall. Curt’s a troubled jock whose coming out went badly, so he plans to end it all.

But Yancy adamantly refuses to let Curt go through with his irrevocable plan. With just one dark night to talk Curt around, Yancy has to win the trust of a stranger who only sees one way out.

ISBN: 978-1-63476-359-2

Product Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6700

Reviewer: Prime

Review: I am not a stranger to Susan Laine’s writing and Yellowbelly Hero has to be my favourite book that I’ve read so far from her.

The story line is fairly simple, exactly as you read in the blurb, but it is full of emotion and well paced. Yancy, who has a bladder disorder of some sort, finds jock, Curt contemplating suicide while he waits out the days until his parents pick him up from college for Christmas.

Yancy is a complete and utter sweetheart who immediately starts talking to Curt to find out what was happening that led him to hiding out in the bathroom stall in the boys’ dorms. Curt is a senior who is confused and has been sorting out his sexuality, while Yancy, who is a couple of years younger, is comfortable being different (let’s just add gay on top of his bladder issues) but he doesn’t particularly advertise from the roof tops.

These guys are two contrasting characters who just click. There isn’t a lot of angst, despite the thoughts of suicide from one character, but I like how the issues have been dealt with. However, I must add that the way this has been written, Laine has left a lot open the subsequent books. I think we have a lot to look forward to in the future in terms of getting to know both Curt and Yancy more.

Yellowbelly Hero only really just scratched at the surface.

The short of it is that I cannot wait for book two! There is a lot of space for these guys to develop more, both as young men and as a possible romantic couple. I read the sneak peek and – Sweet Jesus – I want to read it now!!!

This is a heartbreakingly familiar world where similar stories to that of Curt’s is all too common, but I loved the way in which the story has been told.

* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *

Tag: Heroes at Heart series

Good As Gold by Susan Laine

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Code Yellow by Susan Laine

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Yellowbelly Hero by Susan Laine

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