Reviewed by Vicki
TITLE: Coming Clean
AUTHOR: Silvia Violet
PUBLISHER: Silvia Violet Books
LENGTH: 210 pages
BLURB:
An unexpected inheritance lands Jeremy a large house and plenty of money to take a sabbatical from his job teaching poetry at a small college. He intends to sell the house and take off on a new path to discover what he wants out of life. Then he meets Connor. The attraction he feels to a man so different from himself is no less shocking than his change in financial circumstances, but Connor is in the closet and Jeremy wants a life lived out in the sun.
Connor is a former Force Recon Marine who runs a housecleaning business. When he’s hired to get Jeremy’s house market-ready, he’s startled by how attracted he is to his client despite their many differences. But his past, especially his final mission, weighs heavily on him. He’s not certain he can be the man Jeremy needs, but no man has ever made him want to take a risk like Jeremy does.
REVIEW:
You know what Silvia Violet does really well? Writes a good sweet story. That is exactly what this is.
Jeremy inherits his Aunt and Uncles large house, the house that he grew up in, but didn’t really feel lots of love in. He also inherits some cash, allowing him to take a break from teaching and decide what he wants to do with his life. He’s a professor teaching classes on poetry, and is underwhelmed by his students focus and skill. He hates to lose his family, but the break comes at a really good time. He moves in the his new house, giving up his little cabin in the woods until he can sell the big house. But first he needs to get it cleaned and ready to list. His best friend David, gets a referral to a house cleaning business, and in to the picture comes Connor.
Connor has spent eight years as a Marine, but couldn’t do any more after his last year went so badly. He and his best friend Mario barely made it out of a scary situation, and Connor is done. Mario stays in, he’s so fucked up he figures he’s better where he is. Connor moves in with Mario’s younger sister Sabrina, until he can decide what to do next. While cleaning Sabrina’s apartment to repay her for letting him stay with her, he has the idea to start cleaning houses. This he can do! A year later, after successfully starting his business, hiring Sabrina and another woman, he is doing ok. Until he gets a call from a man that needs his house cleaned.
This is how we get Jeremy and Connor together. Now Jeremy has been out and proud his whole life, Connor not so much. Connor has known he was gay, he’s never been with a woman, but he’s never been comfortable enough to tell anyone. He’s only had quick and dirty sexual experiences, never kissing, never cuddling. There is instant attraction between the two men, but neither is the others type. Jeremy is educated, maybe a little nerdy, Connor barely finished high school, and has done nothing but the Marine Corps and cleaning houses. He doesn’t think he’s even in Jeremy’s class, even if he DID want to act on his attraction. Jeremy has never been in to the big, buff military type, and his only long-term relationship ended badly, so he’s a bit shy. And has no idea if Connor is interested.
But of course this is a romance, so we know there is attraction, and we get a nice, sweet romance, with a bit of angst and drama. Will they, won’t they? Will Connor come clean for Jeremy? Will Jeremy get over his reluctance to trust a lover? With David and Sabrina helping, can they get their shit together? You’ll have to read it to see!
I really enjoyed this book. No, it doesn’t have lots of action and loads of drama, I didn’t think they wouldn’t be together by the end of the book at any time. But it is a very good, simple romance. Boy meets boy, attraction, a bit of drama, some nice sex, and a happy ending. That totally worked for me. Plus the sex between them was very nice. Hot, but also sweet. Connor is remarkable shy and inexperienced, Jeremy has some dominance in him, and it all comes together very well.
I love big involved stories that make me cry, but those get exhausting to read all of the time. Sometimes what I want is a lovely romance, that I can trust to give me what I need. A good story, good characters, sex, warmth, and happiness. Silvia delivers all of that with Coming Clean. Give it a try!
RATING: 
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