Balls to the Wall Book Two
A passionate artist, a handsome firefighter, can the sex get any hotter?
Artist Rodney Mansfield is small and flamboyant…and a black belt in karate. Too bad the work of art he really wants is firefighter Hunter Fallon. The gorgeous “straight gay” guy could never want the Runtback of Notre Dame, so when Rodney’s handsome surfer friend develops an unexpected passion … develops an unexpected passion for the beautiful firefighter, Rodney does what’s best for everyone and helps Jerry land his man. And if that wasn’t enough to kill his chances, embarrassing Hunter by rescuing him from a firehouse bully seals the deal.
Hunter hates gay guys like Rodney…doesn’t he? Then why can’t he get his mind off the powerful pipsqueak’s face…and hands off his body? Isn’t it time for him to admit he’s not such an alpha male after all, and that he’s the property of the artist?
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Fire Balls is the second book in the Balls to the Wall series by author Tara Lain. This is a release. I did not read the book the first time. This is the first time I have read this series and I was not lost starting with this book. I loved this story. Lots of chemistry and love.
Rodney or Rod- renowned artist. He has six earrings in his ears, pink hair, and is a black belt. He really wants Hunter but knows he is not the type that Hunter goes for. He pushes a friend to him instead. He is a good soul. And he is a creative soul. I loved that about him.
Hunter- firefighter. He wanted to teach literature in college but went with what his dad wanted instead. He would rather read poetry in the sun. He is not into flamboyant men but cannot stop thinking about Rodney.
I loved this story about being your real authentic self. I think Rodney helps Hunter to see he can be whatever he wants. I like them both accepting who they are just as they are. Really great story. I cannot wait to read more from this series in the future.
Five Shooting Stars
This is the second in a series however it is a complete stand alone. I did not need book one to appreciate book two though the MC from book one does play a role here and I’m intrigued enough that I will go back and read his book.
The MCs here are Hunter, a gorgeous firefighter and Rodney a flamboyant artist. Rodney harbors a secret crush on Hunter but is sure he would never appeal to a “straight gay.” As a result, he helps his friend Jerry attract Hunter. Jerry, a gorgeous surfer dude has modeled for Rodney and convinces Hunter to pose for him. This is not something that Rodney wants to happen but happen it does and the die is cast. Rodney makes himself miserable with unrequited longing while Hunter struggles with his attraction to Rodney when he isn’t attracted to “those type of guys.”
There’s a lot of stereotype examination and dealing with a blatant homophobe at the fire station. In addition, Hunter is dealing with trying to impress his father and live up to the dreams his father had but couldn’t fulfill. There are a lot of moving parts to the story but the author juggles them nicely. The path of the MCs relationship is not smooth and it gets a little angsty. The come-to-jesus moment is a surprise and a fun read. The crisis moment does cause the heart to beat a bit faster and it makes for a nice conflict resolution. However the ending seems a bit abrupt given the buildup.
This was a quick, easy read. It’s a mostly light story that does give the reader pause to think about how our pre-conceived notions impact our decision making. I would have liked some more character development and background on each character. The history might have helped me get to understand the characters better especially Hunter. Simply saying he became a firefighter to appeal to his father seems a bit weak after telling us he has a Masters in Literature. Why would he go to college and spend that kind of money if he knew all along he wasn’t going to use the degrees? Explaining that would have been helpful for me. (Having gone through a Masters program I sure as heck wouldn’t have done it if I knew I was headed for an entirely unrelated career path!!) This however may be a personal gripe that won’t impact other readers. Overall I definitely enjoyed the story and would read more by this author.
It was a sweet story about heartbreak, acceptance, disappointment, friendship, expectations and trying to fit in a mould that’s not comfortable.
The characters are sweet and their feelings are complex.
Rodney is a happy gay man that thanks to his out appearance dresses flashy and paints his hair, but has a strong personality, can defend himself and has a heart of gold. For him friendship is very important and because of that he helps his friend to court the one person he loves.
Hunter is a gay man that is ashamed of his orientation and what people say. That is the reason he search for gay guys that “don’t scream gay” and seams to be attracted to Jerry but at the time goes feels that something is missing. He finds that part in Rodney but is not prepared to accept it.
All change when the fire takes place and he realises with his family help that Rodney is his happiness.
Great book and a good lesson to be more accepting and to value what live gives us.