Reviewed By Donna

TITLE: Hiding In Plain Sight

SERIES: Safe Harbor #2

AUTHOR: Cassandra Carr

PUBLISHER: Loose ID

LENGTH: 157 pages

BLURB: Vladimir Gusev exists in a living hell. A year ago in the Olympics he was forced to use a homophobic slur during a game, and guilt is eating him from the inside out. Not only is Vladimir not a homophobe, but in the aftermath of the Olympics, he was finally able to admit his true nature to himself. Yet he’s been taught homosexuality is a sin, so he tries to push away his feelings, but to no avail.

Joe Bufford is an out gay man and an ex-Delta Force member who was medically discharged after an injury to his hand leaves him no longer able to perform his duties. His job as a mechanic at the airport is hardly a long-term career choice, but Joe has no idea where he can utilize the skills he learned in the Army.

Vladimir and Joe meet, and Joe instantly recognizes Vladimir as a terrified closet case. Before he knows it, Joe is offering to help Vladimir figure out what he is and what he wants. As time goes on, Joe begins to hope more and more that the answers to those questions lie with him.

REVIEW: When we first, briefly, met Vladimir Gusev in See The Light I never suspected that one day he’d get his own story. I don’t know if Cassandra Carr always intended to write this book or if the chance to turn her Russian Olympian gay was just too topical an opportunity to pass up. Either way the premise of this story kept me entertained as throughout the book I continued to vacillate between thinking “take that Russian anti gay laws” and feeling so sorry for any gay Russian athletes who for certain have buried themselves deep in the safety of their closets.

Hiding In Plain Sight begins one year after See The Light ended. One year after Vlad was sent home from the Winter Olympics in disgrace after using a gay slur during an ice hockey match. In the aftermath of that debacle Vlad has finally admitted to himself that he’s gay and now he’s trying to find the courage to do something about it. Though he plays hockey for the Russian Olympic team, he actually resides full time in the US and plays for Pittsburgh in the NHL. One night he ventures out to a gay bar but is scared away by the hostile reception he receives.

Joe sees the fear in Vlad’s eyes before he runs away from the bar and decides to chase after him. An ex Delta Force soldier, he understands why Vlad feels the need to hide the fact he’s gay and offers to “help him explore”.

The book covers a four-month period as the men progress from uncertain friends with benefits to official boyfriends.

Usually the closeted jock storyline leaves the reader drowning in angst but thankfully, as with the previous book in this series, I found it to be completely angst free. To tell the truth I perhaps found this book to be more humorous than I should have because in my head, Vlad kept saying his lines with a really hokey Russian accent. Don’t worry the book isn’t written like that, that’s just the way my brain works.

The one complaint I have is the lack of hockey. Each time Vlad travelled for a game the story tended to remain in Pittsburgh with Joe. I would have preferred to spend more time with the team on the road. Having said that however, I realize that was easier to accomplish with the first book, as both of the main characters were part of the NHL and the Olympic team.

I really enjoyed the ending of this book. I don’t want to give away what happens but when the Russian’s recall Vlad to play for their national team again, I love the way he chooses to handle the problem.

It’s not necessary to read the first book in this series before reading Hiding In Plain Sight. The main characters from See The Light barely have a cameo appearance in this book and the two stories are only loosely connected. However, I do recommend reading See The Light at some point if you’ve yet to read it because it is a brilliant beginning to the series.

I hope Cassandra Carr continues this series with some more hockey players who find the courage and the inspiration they need to show the world who they love.

RATING:

BUY LINKS: Loose ID