REVIEWED by Jen B.
TITLE: City Boy
SERIES: Hot Off the Ice #1
AUTHOR: A.E. Wasp
PUBLISHER: A.E. Wasp
LENGTH: 280 Pages
RELEASE DATE: June 29, 2017
BLURB: Follow the money or follow your heart?
All Bryce Lowery knows how to do is play hockey. He’s been playing professionally since he was fifteen. Twenty years later, he’s rich, famous, tired, and alone. And possibly gay according to his ex-wife.
When a blown tire leads directly to mind-blowing sex with a motorcycle-riding white knight named Dakota, Bryce discovers he is most definitely gay. Now Bryce has a tough choice to make, follow the money to a new multimillion dollar contract, or follow his heart into the unknown?
All Dakota Ryan knows how to do is grow apples. Now at twenty-four, he faces losing both his home and his livelihood in one cruel twist of fate.
Then Bryce Lowery crashes into his life like the answer to all of Dakota’s prayers. He’s whispering promises to make all of Dakota’s wildest dreams come true. But Dakota knows better than to give his heart to someone who could leave, and if life has taught him anything, it’s that everyone leaves.
Dakota has a choice, sit back and wait for Bryce to decide his fate, or for the first time in his life, chose what he wants his future to be.
City Boy is a first time gay, fish out of water, May/December love story with a happy ending. It features snarky siblings, a dirty-talking farmer, lots of food, and big choices. (No poultry was harmed in the making of this book.)
Bryce and Dakota meet by chance when Dakota helps Bryce change a tire. Their immediate attraction leads them to a night of discovery as Dakota helps Bryce out in testing his gayness. Imagine their surprise when they run into each other the next day at the lawyers’ office to handle the turning over of the property!
Dakota has had a bit of a rough life with losing parents and now losing his long-time friend who took him in and shared the orchard with him. He was a simple guy with a big heart who just needed to be loved. Unfortunately, no one is able to find an updated will leaving it all to Dakota, so he must concede the loss of his home to Bryce. But Bryce has no intention of putting Dakota out of his home.
Bryce was one of the sweetest guys I’ve read about in a long time. He made a lot of money during is career as a pro hockey player, but he was very humble. He always put others before himself, including his team and his family. He was just an all-around good guy and just a big softie. I loved being on his journey of sexual discovery as he found love and a new meaning in life and loved that Dakota fit him so perfectly.
There was very little angst involved here, aside from Bryce and his big decisions on whether to retire or not, whether to be out or not, and whether he should stay with Dakota or ask him to move with him. On Dakota’s side, there was the issue of his low-life embezzling ex, Kyle, but that issue was taken care of in short order and the story ended on a very happy and satisfying note. There were some great side characters here on both sides, from Dakota’s friends and sister, to Bryce’s ex-wife, friends/teammates and the rest of his big family, all of whom were extremely supportive of the guys and their relationship.
This was my first book by this author, and I really enjoyed it. I’ll be looking forward to continuing this series and will definitely keep my eyes open for more from A.E. in the future.
