Reviewed by Valerie
TITLE: Only for Ollie
SERIES: Star Crossed #3
AUTHOR: Lisa Henry
PUBLISHER: Self-Published
LENGTH: 282 pages
RELEASE DATE: March 4, 2022
BLURB:
Xander Finch is a top-ranked MotoGP rider, desperate to get back to the circuit after an injury. He’s going stir-crazy in his parents’ house in Ventura while he works on his recovery. Xander has tunnel vision when it comes to his sport—it’s all he’s ever wanted to do in life. When he hires a massage therapist to help speed up his recovery, he’s not expecting the guy to completely flip his universe on its head.
Ollie Baker is living in his car after a disastrous break-up, and jumps at the chance to earn some extra cash through massage. Xander Finch might be hot as hell, but Ollie’s not going there. He’s never going to let some rich guy screw him over again. Besides, Xander’s straight. Isn’t he?
When their friendship deepens into something more, Xander discovers that Ollie makes him feel a way that nobody ever has before, and maybe motorbikes aren’t his only passion after all. Navigating Xander’s newly discovered demisexuality isn’t the only challenge they’ll have to face if they’re going to be together, because Ollie’s been burned before. It’s hard for him to trust Xander, to believe that he’s really willing to make room in his life for Ollie as well as his racing—assuming he recovers enough to race at all.
REVIEW:
Only for Ollie is the third book – and my favorite – in Lisa Henry’s Star Crossed series. Although loosely connected, each book is standalone. This book occurs on a simultaneous timeline as Because of Ben. This is an opposites attract, strangers-to-friends-to-lovers romance between a world famous motorcycle racer on the MotoGP circuit and a younger, homeless student.
Xander is a shy, taciturn, straight guy who lives in the Netherlands and primarily races in Europe and Asia. Motorcycles are his life. Racing is all he’s ever wanted to do since he got his first motorbike at the age of nine. Two decades later, he’s living his dream, rising up to be one of the stars of his sport. That is, until he falls off a ladder and suffers a complex broken leg resulting in multiple surgeries and a rod to hold it together. He’s out of commission for months, living with his parents in California, missing the adrenaline rush, and enduring agonizing pain while he heals and begins physical therapy.
Ollie is a sweetie, a student working on his associate’s degree with hopes to become a physical therapist. But he’s in dire straights, living in his twelve year old Ford Focus. He has a part time job as a massage therapist (apparently licensing isn’t a thing) but he can’t save up to afford a place to live unless he quits school and gives up his dreams. When Xander hires him for twice weekly in-home massages, Ollie is at least making more money.
After spending so much time together, Xander and Ollie become friends and mutual interest begins to build. Xander’s never experienced sexual attraction before, even with past girlfriends. After being introduced to the idea of demisexuality, he does some research and realizes he’s never formed the kind of emotional connection needed to feel attraction. As he and Ollie build an intimate relationship, he can’t believe what he was missing before: “anticipation, breathlessness, excitement.” Finally, he understands all the fuss about sex.
I enjoyed the side characters, including Xander’s identical twin, Zane, his parents, and Ollie’s best friend, Maria. Zane provides unconditional love, advice, and understanding. Maria is a supportive, steadfast friend when Ollie needs it most. Both relationships are heartwarming.
The book continues to solve Ollie’s predicament, Xander’s healing, and their future with Xander’s return to MotoGP so uncertain. If you’re a fan of motorcycles and particularly MotoGP, you’ll enjoy the racing jargon. I’m a noob but found it interesting
This is a cute romance with good demisexual representation. I’m happy to recommend it.
RATING: 
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