Book Title: Open Hearts, Stealing Hearts Book 3
Author: K. Evan Coles
Publisher: Wicked Fingers Press
Cover Artist: K. Evan Coles
Release Date: September 28, 2020
Genre/s: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, MM, Gay, GLBTQIA+
Trope/s: Age difference, best friend’s sibling, secret boyfriends, friends to lovers, hurt/comfort, true love, falling in love, found family, interracial relationship, May/December, meet cute, sex buddies become lovers
Themes: self-acceptance, trust issues, commitment, family conflict,
friendship, gay pride, food allergies
Length: 63 337 words/ 193 pages
It is a standalone story as well as the third book in a series.
Buy Links – Available on Kindle Unlimited
Some hearts are made to be opened.
Blurb
Jae-seong Bak has never been in love. He prefers to let his personal life take a backseat to his career as a nurse, especially since no-strings hookups with men he’s glad to call friends have always felt like more than enough.
After years of moving around the United States, Jae takes a job in his home city of Boston, arriving just in time to celebrate his brother Ty’s engagement. In reconnecting with friends and family, Jae befriends Emmett McNeil, a young chef and Ty’s future brother-in-law, whose own bad luck with love hasn’t dampened his enthusiasm for life.
As the summer passes and Jae and Emmett help their families plan the wedding, the spark between the two men ignites, though each agrees to keep their hookups under wraps in order to prevent potential drama. Taken off guard by the depth of his feelings, Jae backs away, only to find that going back to being just friends with Emmett is much harder than he ever could have predicted.
Now, standing with Emmett as their siblings make their vows, Jae must decide if he’s really content to hold the man he loves at arm’s-length or if taking a chance on more is in the cards.
“I’ve got soda, water, and IPA in the fridge,” he said on their way up the stairs that led into his unit. “There’s also a bottle of red wine on the counter but I opened it last Friday and I’m not sure how it’ll taste at this point.” He held a hand out for the bag of takeout.
“Beer sounds great.” After passing over the bag, Emmett glanced around the big, open room. “Nice place. Are you planning on staying?”
“For now, yes. Why?”
“No reason. I don’t know many people who keep a stack of moving boxes by their TV, though, and these walls, Jae—they’re totally naked. You need some plants or something to liven up the place.”
Jae snickered. “I couldn’t keep a cactus alive if you paid me. I do have some art to go on the walls, but I haven’t gotten around to hanging it. As for the boxes, well, they’re loaded with books. I don’t usually unpack them unless I’ve committed to staying in a city for more than a year.”
“Which you still haven’t done?” Emmett crossed the room to a set of glass patio doors that looked out past a narrow, wrought iron Juliet balcony onto the building’s small back garden.
“Not quite.” Jae carried the takeout bag to the counter. “I probably will because the job at the hospital is fantastic, but I like to take my time and get to know a place before I make a decision. Of course, I grew up here and have a bit of a head start with the getting-to-know-all-about-you phase. Maybe that’s why I’m dragging my feet about deciding.”
“Or maybe you feel like you have more time to make that decision.” Emmett turned his eyes on the garden below. “I like your view.”
“It is nice, yes. There’s no real space to stand on the balcony but the doors let in a lot of light.”
Jae stared around at the apartment, trying to see it as Emmett might. Apart from the stack of moving boxes, it was tidy and spartan, which was how Jae had liked things for a long time. His frequent moves over the years led him to decorate in simple palettes of blacks, dark blues, grays, and whites so anything he bought worked reasonably well, regardless of the style of apartment he rented.
A guy your age might want to consider sticking around one city for more than a couple of years.
“It’s a good place,” Jae said over that annoying little voice. “Quiet neighborhood and the residents are nice. Plus, hot water is included in the rent.”
“Heck, I’d never get out of the shower.” Turning, Emmett caught Jae’s eye. “Speaking of which, go do that while I unpack.”
“Thanks. I won’t be long.”
“Take your time. I’m going to change too, actually.” Emmett wiped a hand across his chest. “I stink like garlic and cheese, and no one needs that, especially you.”
Chuckling, Jae told the smart speaker on the counter to play a chill house mix, then grabbed a change of clothes from his bedroom. He hadn’t noticed food smells on Emmett as they’d walked but rather a combination of clean sweat and soap and those traces of citrus that always seemed to surround Emmett. Jae had also noticed the enjoyment in Emmett’s eyes and the flush in his cheeks, and the way his body filled out his black jeans and EP t-shirt very nicely.
Stop.
Jae shut himself in the bathroom. Turning on the shower, he stared at his reflection in the mirror while he waited for the water to heat. God, he needed to get past his interest in his friend. The guy was going to be a part of Jae’s extended family in just a matter of weeks.
So? the voice in Jae’s head asked. It’s not like Emmett’s the one marrying your brother—you won’t even truly be related.
Jae stepped into the shower with a sigh. While true, the sensible side of his brain still warned him away. Emmett was young, hot, and single for the first time in several years with a whole city at his feet. Even if he’d been a better match for Jae, he clearly wasn’t interested and why should he be?
Unfortunately, all of Jae’s practical thinking went up in smoke when he returned to the kitchen and found Emmett bustling about, dressed in a dark blue t-shirt and camo shorts that hugged his body just right.
Ugh, he’s cute.
K. Evan Coles writes diverse stories from the heart. She is a mother and tech pirate by day and a writer by night. She is a dreamer who, with a little hard work and a lot of good coffee, coaxes words out of her head and onto paper.
K. lives in the northeast United States, where she complains bitterly about the winters, but truly loves the region and its diverse, tenacious and deceptively compassionate people. You’ll usually find K. nerding out over books, movies and television with friends and family. She’s especially proud to be raising her son as part of a new generation of unabashed geeks.
K.’s books explore LGBTQ+ romance in contemporary settings.
Published Work:
Wicked Fingers Press (Self-Published)
Stealing Hearts Series
Thief of Hearts (Novella)
Healing Hearts (Novella)
Open Hearts (Novel)
Overexposed (Novella, 2020. Also included in the Working Stiffs COVID-19 Charity Anthology)
Moonlight (Short Story)
A Hometown Holiday (Short Story)
Pride Publishing (Totally Entwined Group)
Tidal Series w/ Brigham Vaughn (Novels)
Wake
Calm
The Speakeasy w/ Brigham Vaughn (Novels)
With a Twist
Extra Dirty
Behind the Stick
Straight Up
Boston Seasons (Novels)
Third Time’s the Charm
Off Topic Press (Self-Published)
Inked in Blood w/ Brigham Vaughn (Short Story)
Author Links
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