See Right Through by Sara Winters

????????????????????????????????????????Title: See Right Through

Series: Savannah, Book #1

Author: Sara Winters

Genre: Contemporary

Length: Novella (81 pages)

Publisher: Sara Winters (July 4th, 2012)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥3 Hearts

Reviewer: Thommie

Blurb: Devin Salvo has always remained three steps ahead: in chess, on the pitch, and in his love life. His every desire is within arm’s reach, except the one person Devin has always wished would be his in the end. All it takes is one conversation to open his eyes to a new possibility, one moment to change what Devin believes about friendship, love, and one person to change the rules of the game.

Sam Marshall has been fighting his feelings for his friend and roommate for two years. When an opportunity presents itself, he makes his move, only to be faced with the very real fear that what he sees in Devin, the potential waiting to be realized, may be more than their friendship can handle.

Product Link: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/178986

Review: Wow, this was a fun read, and the characters involved very, very interesting.

We have Devin and Michael who have been friends since kids, and are now roommates living in the same house along with their third friend Sam. Michael is the first person Dev came out to and after his family threw him out when he came out to them, Michael’s family became his. But Michael is straight and while he knows what Dev feels for him, there are some things that will never change. But Devin’s belief that one day Michael will see how good they could be together forces the latter to throw in the comment that maybe Devin’s been holding in unrealistic dreams and not seeing what’s in front of him for so long. And that is exactly how Dev’s world changes in the span of a heartbeat. The notion that he and Sammy would be good together has him reeling, but when Sam comes right out and makes his move with the most seductive way Dev could possibly think of, the fear that he might lose his best friend due to a failed relationship has him pushing Sam away and practically achieving what he so much fears; Sam feeling hurt from the rejection and moving away.

This little novella was quite fun and hilarious in its way. The main character goes from having complete control of every aspect of his life into losing it all in the span of days. Emotions going in a wild roller coaster of highs and lows and every line of the text had tension hidden in between. I enjoyed the most the fact that Sam is on his way to become a psychologist yet he loses his bearing as if he was a teenager when love and rejection take over.

I admit that there was a great amount of drama there toward the end that somehow pulled me back and the end itself was a bit hasty and easy, but the result was that I loved this story, enjoyed it a lot and I’d recommend it for those who love friends-to-lovers romantic stories.

Hooked by Sara Winters

TitleHooked

Author:  Sara Winters

Genre: GLBT Contemporary

Length:  Novel

Publisher:  Ravenous Romance

Heat Level:  Explicit

Heart Rating:  ♥♥♥3Hearts

Reviewer:  Astrid

Blurb:  Carlos Valendez has everything under control: his boxing career, his academic life and the string of men who never manage to encourage more than a passing interest. When his friend Michael Dywer moves into his dorm room, he never imagines how easily it could all change.

Michael is a distraction. A sexy, bewildering temptation who entices Carlos with the briefest of looks but refuses to act on, or even acknowledge, the tension between them. When Michael hints that his fantasies have the potential to be more, Carlos finds his priorities shifting to accommodate the unexpected complications of exploring a relationship he never knew he wanted and can’t easily control…

Review:  I’ve always enjoyed the “not so straight guy” stories. And Hooked is an example of good story with a nice range of emotion, conflict and character development.

Carlos is buried under with commitments – junior year in college, brutal training schedule for his boxing and an unrelenting crush on his dorm mate Michael. Can anyone say pressure cooker? Michael, the not so straight guy, is in a long-term relationship and there doesn’t seem to be any doubt of his straight guy status… until there is… doubt.

Once they realize that the attraction goes both ways you expect it to develop quickly but it actually became more emotionally fraught for Carlos. I had trouble accepting that Michael would see Carlos behind the girlfriends back. It just seemed dishonorable for a guy who holds himself back emotionally from Carlos until he can trust his commitment.

There are some parts where I had difficulty deciphering between Carlos’ fantasies and reality. But one thing that was crystal clear is that not everything was going to magically be rectified. Between the insightful dialogue and the internal mutterings of conscience the characters are realistic, honest and believable.