Reviewed by Sadonna
TITLE: Mr. Right Now
AUTHOR: Annabeth Albert
PUBLISHER: Self-published
LENGTH: 127 pages
RELEASE DATE: November 14, 2019
BLURB:
He’s Mr. Right Now, but for how long?
When Russ suffers a Thanksgiving disaster, his gorgeous neighbor Esteban is there to save the day. And after an innocent mix-up leads to the former Hollywood hottie playing the role of Russ’s date, Russ thinks scoring Esteban as his fake boyfriend is a huge win. The newly discharged marine is healing inside and out and could use some holiday cheer.
For his part, Esteban is intrigued by his big, bad neighbor. He likes how his matchmaking cat brings out an unexpected caring side of Russ. Desire flares as the reasons to continue their ruse pile up for both men.
And pretending feels so good. From chocolaty kisses to late night cuddles, their burgeoning friendship is getting cozier and cozier. But as the end date for their little deception looms, all the real feelings they’ve tried to ignore come tumbling in. Each must decide whether they have what it takes to ring in the New Year as a couple.
Mr. Right Now is a stand-alone holiday novella with sweet, low-angst feels, spicy love scenes, and foodie inspired, quirky Oregon romance with a military flavor. Happy ending guaranteed with no cliffhangers!
REVIEW:
Russ’s holidays are getting off to a fairly horrible start. His recently acquired boyfriend has dumped him just before Thanksgiving – which Russ is hosting for the first time for his sister and her family as well as his boss. His neighbor in his condo complex, Esteban, is there to rescue him. Russ only knows a little about his neighbor from the real estate agent and also from returning Esteban’s cat who routinely seems to get out and come to Russ’s condo 🙂 He knows he’s a super hot former actor who has moved to Portland from LA and he’s a bit older than Russ.
Esteban has noticed Russ, assumes he’s ex-military, but didn’t dare to hope that he might be gay. When he finds that out, but then learns he’s just been dumped, his enthusiasm is somewhat dampened, because Esteban does NOT do rebounds. Russ had only recently met and start dating his ex, so he hardly considers it a rebound, but rules are rules to Esteban. He’s happy to help Russ out with the holiday prep as he isn’t having his family get together until later.
When Russ’s family arrives and Esteban can’t make his escape before meeting them, the family jumps to the conclusion that Esteban is the new boyfriend they were supposed to be meeting. Esteban doesn’t want to put Russ in the position of having to admit he was dumped, so he just goes with the assumption. As the day continues though, it seems that a possibility for Russ to move up at his job might be dependent on being in a solid relationship. Russ’s boss also is interested in supporting Esteban’s fundraiser for his work at a NFP so neither of them wants to jeopardize that either. So they agree to be fake boyfriends for a bit longer and “break up” after the holidays or Russ’s boss makes her decision – whichever comes first.
As the holiday season continues, Russ and Esteban spend more time together – with Esteban’s fund raiser, shopping for holiday gifts, stocking Russ’s kitchen. They have developed a solid friendship although some others seem to see more. Russ and Esteban are definitely supportive of each other. They have dinners together quite a lot as Esteban loves to cook. Russ is also working on becoming a designer and is using Esteban’s kitchen as a model for showcasing his skills. Esteban loves the designs that Russ is coming up with. Although their styles are completely different, Russ enjoys spending time with Esteban in his colorful home.
As the holiday season is moving toward its conclusion, Esteban and Russ give in to their mutual attraction. After their first kiss, they really are inseparable. But Esteban still thinks there is an expiration date on this relationship, and Russ doesn’t have the same opinion. The question is, will Russ wait for Esteban to decide if what they have is worth risking his heart? Or is he content to move on and go back to being “friends” if Russ will have him?
What a lovely holiday treat 🙂 Russ at first appears to be a gruff sort, but he is really a perceptive teddy bear. Esteban appears to be jaded and somewhat cynical, but he’s not really – he’s just gun shy after a bad breakup. Both of these guys are so sweet – they love their families, their friends and are working at something they mostly enjoy. Their families support them – for the most part – and want them to be happy. Russ’s sister and her family especially want to support Russ post his military discharge and coming out. Esteban’s family keeps him hopping and he and his father are getting closer. The holiday traditions of both families are honored and Esteban and Russ enjoy them both separately and apart – which happens with most couples especially early on. I loved the way Russ was so brave! I also loved how Esteban was so gentle with him and so supportive and encouraging in all aspects of his life. I enjoyed the various holiday foods they shared and how Esteban was so at home with his family and also with Russ’s family, even though they were from different backgrounds. In fact, the food descriptions were making me hungry! It was great to see them come together. This is really just a delightful story that should leave you happy and smiling.
RATING: 
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