Reviewed by Sadonna
TITLE: Headstrong
SERIES: Vino & Veritas
AUTHOR: Eden Finley
NARRATORS: Tim Paige & Iggy Toma
PUBLISHER: Tantor Audio
LENGTH: 7 hours and 8 minutes
RELEASE DATE: June 8, 2021
BLURB:
A straight guy gives gay hookup tips to a virgin. What could go wrong?
When I first met Whit, I couldn’t get away from him fast enough. He’s a hockey player, and I hate everything to do with the sport that broke my heart.
But I can’t help feeling sorry for the guy. He’s newly out and desperate to meet someone, but his eagerness seems to scare potential hook-ups away.
Agreeing to be his wingman should’ve been simple. Watching him flirt with other guys made things complicated.
Whit challenges me in every aspect of my life, from my hatred of hockey to the new questions I’m asking myself. Like why a straight man suddenly can’t stop thinking about kissing another guy.
I think the answer lies somewhere on Whit’s lips….
Contains mature themes.
REVIEW:
Rain Richardson is working at Vino & Veritas after a career ending injury has derailed his life plan. He played hockey at the local university and was drafted by Boston, but when he was injured his senior year, he just couldn’t recover. He dropped out of school and he’s been drifting since. He’s not close with his family in Providence and he’s making do with shifts at the bookstore and winebar. He’s mortified and deeply unhappy when a customer, another Moo U hockey player, recognizes him.
Layton Whitaker is in his senior year at Moo U. Whit’s a good hockey player, but that’s not his future – it was just a means to an end with a free college education. He’s future is on his family’s farm. His brother’s future is there too. They both have their eyes on keeping the family farm going. But he’s recently come out to his team and he refuses to leave college as a virgin. His decision to try to find someone at Vino & Veritas does not go to plan. Rain, picking up a bartending shift, tried to help him when he is obviously misfiring with the clientele.
When they next see each other – out on blind dates that don’t go so well – Rain again tried to help Whit. He agrees to try to give him some pointers on meeting and connecting with someone, but they end up hanging out together and getting to be friends. And the more time they spend together, the less time Whit has for looking for someone to date. And the less Rain wants Whit to find someone. Could he be jealous? Could he want Whit for himself?
There are a lot of obstacles in Rain’s way – mostly of his own making. When Whit tried to help him see that, Rain gets defensive. When they move their relationship in another direction, Whit gets scared because he’s worried he’s just an experiment for Rain or that Rain is maybe not on the same page – because Whit really really likes Rain. Rain has to figure out what he really wants in life – or if he’s going to just settle for drifting along, unhappy, bitter and resentful of what happened to him. Whit has a plan and he is going to stick with it, but he’d sure like to have Rain along for the ride.
I really enjoyed this story so much 🙂 Rain’s life is in a rut/holding pattern. Whit is just what he needs to shake him out of it – even though he neither sees that nor wants that at first. Whit’s whole personality is so endearing. His oversharing and lack of boundaries when we first meet him are hilarious. No wonder he can’t get a date! I loved how Rain tried to help him despite his not having any experience with other guys. Rain’s slow realization that he maybe isn’t so excited to help Whit hook up with some other guy was really well written. Even though he hasn’t made up his mind that HE wants Whit, he is pretty certain he doesn’t want anybody else to have him 😉 And what does that really mean? He’s not freaked out by wanting Whit, although he’s not sure exactly what or how far he’s willing to go. Their feeling their way along to what is right for both of them rang true. The secondary characters in this story were really great also – particularly Whit’s family. I cringed through their first meal together and all the missteps that Whit didn’t expect but that he knew would really throw Rain. But both guys work hard to get past their own issues to figure out how they could support each other.
The narration of this particular story in the V&V series was soooo good. I LOVE Iggy Toma and paired here with Tim Paige, I thought the alternating POVs were superb. This is an extremely strong entry in this series and I think I will re-listen to this one for sure. If you’re a fan of New Adult, College athlete and bi-awakening stories, this one is a gem! Highly recommended.
RATING: 
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