Reviewed by Kat
TITLE: Nerdy Dirty Valentine
AUTHOR: Skylar M. Cates
PUBLISHER: Skylar M. Cates
LENGTH: 175 pages
RELEASE DATE: February 13, 2024
BLURB:
A nerdy virgin professor wants a little dirty talk… but am I the right person to give it to him?
James assumed I was his bully in high school. In my drunken haze, I thought he was mine. We were both wrong. Starting over as tentative friends, I offer to help James with his dating techniques up until Valentine’s Day. I figure it can’t hurt. I’m sober and a proud firefighter, too busy to worry about romance. And James claims he only needs my help until he finds a real relationship. I don’t want to make a mistake or hurt him.
As February approaches, I find my long-buried crush on James resurfacing again. Only this time, I’m determined to do something about it. Will I have to let James go by Valentine’s Day or follow the feelings in my heart?
Note: Nerdy Dirty Valentine is sweet and naughty. It contains “practice dating” and friends-to-lovers tropes. For any mild triggers, please see a warning in the opening pages.
REVIEW:
What a wonderful Valentine treat!
Phin just wants to get through breakfast and head in for his shift at the firehouse. AA meetings days always take it out of him and today is no different. Starting a new year is hard too. But he can’t help hearing how the obvious awkward first date at the table across from him is going down in flames. Bored guy is starting to wear on his last nerve and his prank at the end made Phin rise to his full height. But what he didn’t expect was that the cute Miserable guy to be his first crush that literally crushed him back in high school. And James now is blaming him? WTH?
One of the things I really liked about this book was this was totally from only Phineas “Phin” Carey’s point of view. That’s rare for me because I typically like both MC’s side but, in this story, it really worked. It connected me to Phin’s mindset and why such a good looking, heroic fireman would have such self doubts about his worthiness. It made sense though. His father was his true parent and losing him at such a delicate age was crushing. But his mother’s lack of parent skills or apathy drove him literally into drinking at a very young age to dull the constant pain. He would never be good enough for her and always such a bother. Heck, he would never be good enough for anyone! Meeting James again and then having someone not only care about him but to grow to love him was so mind boggling for Phin to comprehend. Although we never are in James mind it wasn’t hard to figure that he had the hots for Phin too but was too shy to say it. These two were adorable and dirty at the same time and you just had to cheer for them to work it out. They were the perfect match the second time around. It never would have worked in HS but these two were the real deal ten years later.
This was a fast read that kept you turning the pages to see when both men would finally figure what we all knew…they simply belonged together!
RATING: 
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