Reviewed by Kat

TITLE: Shifting Gears

SERIES: Crossroads (Book 2)

AUTHOR: Riley Hart

PUBLISHER: Self Publish

LENGTH: 270 pages

RELEASE DATE: February 8, 2016

BLURB:

Rod Nelson is used to being someone’s good time, and that’s fine with him. Spending his days at his adult toy store, Rods-N-Ends, he never knows who he’ll meet. The second Landon Harrison walks in, he has Rod’s full attention. It seems as if Landon wants him too, so why won’t the man jump in the sack with him already?

Landon never thought he’d return home to the town where memories lurk around every corner. He has to admit, Rod makes the adjustment a lot easier. He keeps Landon laughing. Despite the fierce attraction between them, he’s not willing to risk his newfound friendship to get laid.

Neither man wants something serious, but the more they’re together, the harder it is to keep their hands to themselves, until eventually they stop trying.

But flings between friends are never simple, and as they attempt to shift gears, diving into their first relationship, they’re slammed with setbacks. If they want to truly move forward, before they hit the open road together, they’re going to have to let go of a past that could make them crash and burn.

REVIEW:

When I heard that Riley Hart was going to do another book and make Crossroads a series I was so excited. Crossroads is the book that launched my “career” as a reviewer for Love Bytes. Just so you know, it wasn’t a path that I set out to conquer or even try. I had only just retired several weeks before and was excited become  a “Snow Bird” in Hawaii. But Crossroads grabbed hold of me and I had to write the review because the book spoke to me in so many ways. I was newer to the same-sex genre and had not even heard of gay-for-you! Then I heard we were not only going to get to see Nick and Bryce, whom I loved, but this book was going to be Rod’s story. Rod was the funny guy who worked at the sex-toy store that the guys went to to get the items needed for Bryce to finally “take Nick in”. (You have no idea how hard I struggled with the wording for that last sentence! I was probably even more embarrassed to write it than Nick was going into that store!)

Well, the story picks up in Rod’s store “Rods-N-Ends”. Rod has decided that he needed to make something more of himself so he bought and is running his own Sex-Toy shop. It is the perfect business because he does seem to be an expert on all things related to sex. There is a gorgeous man “Brown Eyes” that has been frequenting his shop lately and has caught his eye. Shifting Gears is the story of Rod and Landon (Brown Eyes).

This story captivated me from the start. The denial in them was so strong that it was breaking my heart. How scars from their youth could damage them so was raw and sobering. Boys need their fathers! This is a know fact! They idealize them and want to be like them. When their fathers do something so wrong, and hurtful, it is like sticking a knife into them and gutting them. Although their father issues are drastically different, the end result was the same! Both men lacked the ability to trust and try. Watching them learn to “shift gears” was a struggle at times and I wanted so badly to hit them up side the head and say “just try!!!” These are two men who have coped with their past in different yet similar ways. Rod is funny and just a “good time” gay boy. Landon is private and in control of his mind and heart at all times bisexual. I was fascinated with their journey and it’s many twist and turns on their road to a loving, trusting relationship. The author’s  use of motorcycle terms and their application to these men’s lives were great. And the title, Shifting Gears, was a perfect choice!

Getting to see and hear from Nick and Bryce was a huge bonus. I am still worried about Bryce and where he is with his family but loved seeing how “in love” they both still are. And, I love that these stories aren’t “totally finished” but we still get glimpses and insights into their lives as they progress is awesome. Plus the fact that I get my so needed HEA! I was also pleasantly surprised to hear that there might be more to come. That would be awesome. Oh, by the way, make sure you read the added bonus scene at the end! Wow!

RATING:

BUY LINK:

Amazon