Reviewed by Sadonna

TITLE: Defending the House

SERIES:  Watkins Glen Gladiators

AUTHOR: V.L. Locey

PUBLISHER: Self-published

LENGTH:  180 pages

RELEASE DATE: May 13, 2023

BLURB: 

It’s far from smooth sailing into love for this pair of polar opposites.

Carson Dries is the ultimate team captain. Seasoned, amiable, humble, understanding, outgoing, and good-looking. He’s also really darn lonely, but his searches for Mr. Right have all turned into producing Mr. Wrongs. Having just turned thirty, Carson isn’t sure if dating is even worth the hassle anymore. Maybe he should just devote his time to his team, his grandfather, and his Peke-a-Poo, Penelope. Feeling a little blue, he heads to a Gladiators’ fundraiser to while away another night alone when one of the cutest guys he has ever seen runs into him—literally. Pity the adorable ginger is carrying a bowl of piping hot soup. While the mortified server is trying to dry off Carson’s ruined tux, Carson is getting rather lost in a magical combination of freckles, bright eyes, and kissable pink lips.

Criswell Dobbs is so getting fired. Or beaten up. Or maybe both. One does not dump French onion soup down the front of a behemoth of a man—a hockey player at that—and not get punched in the nose. Losing his job would be terrible. He loves being a member of the waitstaff on the Seneca Starlight paddleboat. The tips are amazing, his coworkers are fabulous, and the free dinners are keeping him fed. Knowing he and his little brother relied on this job, he’s got to do whatever it takes to stay employed, so apologizing profusely while offering to pay for dry cleaning seems the right course. When the hulking hunk of a man in the soaking wet tux unexpectedly asks him out, Criswell is flabbergasted, to say the least. Shocked yes, but not too stunned to write the Gladiator captain’s seemingly sincere request off completely. There is something about a tall, dark, handsome man in a tux. Even if that tuxedo smelled of onions…

Defending the House is a low angst, opposites attract, gay hockey twink/jock romance starring a sexy team captain, a bubbly but clumsy waiter, lots of nautical nonsense, on-ice action, off-boat shenanigans, yo-ho-ho a few bottles of rum, and one fair weather happy ending.

REVIEW: 

Criswell Dobbs is a waiter on the paddleboat that cruises the local lake in the good weather months.  Carson Dries it the captain of the local hockey team, the Watkins Glen Galdiators.  They meet with the Gladiators are assisting with a local charity benefit.  It’s a bit of a different meeting in which Carson ends up wearing soup 🙂  Criswell’s annoying and persnickety boss is ready to tear Criswell a new one, but Carson managed to fend him off and take responsibility.  But what he really wants to take is Criswell out on a date 🙂  He settles for bringing his grandfather back another evening for dinner.  Where he manages to get Criswell’s deets and they do end up going out for a coffee date.

Criswell has been responsible for his younger brother Benji since their father had died several years before just after Criswell finished HS.  He managed to find a job and convince the authorities that he could handle being the guardian for his younger brother.  His younger genderfluid pansexual brother.  Unfortunately Benji has caught the eye of the local bullies and it’s a difficult thing for Criswell to deal with a Vice Principal who doesn’t seem to take it all that seriously and just wishes Benji would “conform” more with his dress.  Um, nope.  Not happening.

Carson lives in his parents old house next door to his grandfather and he is on duty to try to keep him in line – which is almost a full time job.  Grandpa likes to tangle with the neighbors on the other side of his house and he also watches Carson’s dog.  He’s a bit cantankerous at times but it’s clear he loves his grandson.  He doesn’t seem to have any problem with having a gay grandson and even teases him and Benji a bit 😉  Carson is so happy that he seems to really get along great with Criswell and they are crazy attracted to each other.

So things are going well.  Criswell and Benji meet the family and that’s all smooth.  But then Benji has another incident at school and it’s the Gladiators to the rescue.  And maybe things can’t get swept under the rug anymore.  With full support of Caron and his family, Criswell and Benji are moving on with their lives.  And Carson has never been happier 🙂

This is a super sweet and low angst story of two opposites attract.  Criswell is adorable – a sweet, ginger, twink.  Carson is a beefy burly hockey defenseman and he couldn’t adore Criswell more.  He’s super sweet with Benji and as an only child likes having a little brother to mentor and protect.  The rest of the Gladiators play a supporting role to both Caron and Criswell.  I am interested to see where the author takes the next book as there are no shortages of funny and quirky LGBTQIA+ characters on this hockey team and maybe in this town.  Some pairings are going to be surprises I’m sure.  Lots of lovely townsfolk as well.  This series I think is going to be just a feel good set of stories that give us a glimpse into how the world could be, if we’re lucky.  Recommended for fans of low angst with a very sweet HEA especially.

RATING:

BUY LINKS: 

Amazon