REVIEW: 'Summer Stock' by Vanessa North
Title: Summer Stock
Author: Vanessa North
Published: May 15, 2017
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Cover Artist: L.C. Chase
Genre: Contemporary Romance; Erotic Romance
Length: 253 Pages
Tags: Gay; M/M; Bisexual; HEA
About Summer Stock
Tabloid scandals have driven TV star Ryan Hertzog to North Carolina’s Outer Banks, where he’s hiding out doing summer stock at his cousin’s seaside theater. When a hookup with local handyman Trey Donovan results in Ryan being photographed butt naked, he vows to keep his pants on and his hands off Trey. How was he supposed to know Trey would turn out to be the summer stock set builder?
Trey isn’t looking for a relationship; he’s still recovering from the emotional fallout of an abusive marriage. But Ryan’s laughter draws him in again and again, and he’s not about to say no to fooling around.
As the summer heats up, the paparazzi catch Ryan in increasingly compromising situations. Ryan might be too much drama for a summer fling—and Trey might be just an intermission from Ryan’s Hollywood life. But if they take their cues from Shakespeare, all’s well that ends well.
4 HEART READ
REVIEW:
Summer Stock by Vanessa North is a relatively mellow, often humorous, summertime fling that builds into so much more. Both our guys have “decorative” pasts and during this summer they grow, heal, and mature - together.
The story unfolds as Ryan Hertzog, aka Ryan Hart, faces scandals that could end his acting career. Banished back to his roots in North Carolina he is lying low for the summer at his cousin’s summer stock theater.
Summer stock set-builder/handyman Trey Donovan has gotten out of an abusive relationship and is slowly getting himself back in the game. He’s not ready for a relationship but he won’t say no to a fling here and there.
Ryan and Trey start out with a drunken hookup ending with Ryan’s underwear becoming a chew toy for Trey’s giant dog. Compounded further by Ryan’s fear of the animal - whoops - he exposes himself to the paparazzi. Just the kind of thing he is supposed to be avoiding this summer. Oh and let’s not forget running into each other again at summer stock.
The men quickly patch things up and settle on a summer fling.
Unbeknownst to them their fling is actually a slow building, relatively low angst relationship as they spend time together and share bits and pieces of themselves.
Sure they face bumps and obstacles and maybe even some misunderstandings, all believable. It was enjoyable watching them realize their feelings and form a healthy relationship.
Summer Stock not only flourishes with a realistic couple that we can easily connect with, but an important supporting cast including Ali (Ryan’s best friend), Caroline (Ryan’s cousin), Mason (Caroline’s partner) and Ferdinand (Trey’s gentle giant of a dog). Together these lives face challenges, grow, mature, create bonds, and manifest a summer of memories.
Go ahead and escape to Summer Stock. Enjoy the romance and antics created by the cast assembled by Vanessa North, you will not be disappointed that you did.
A copy of Summer Stock was provided to Kimmers’ Erotic Book Banter, by Riptide Publishing, at no cost and with no expectations in return. We offer our fair and honest opinion on behalf of our readers.
Meet the Author
Author of over a dozen novels, novellas, and short stories, Vanessa North delights in giving happy-ever-afters to characters who don’t think they deserve them. Relentless curiosity led her to take up knitting and run a few marathons “just to see if she could.” She started writing for the same reason. Her very patient husband pretends not to notice when her hobbies take over the house. Living and writing in Northwest Georgia, she finds her attempts to keep a quiet home are frequently thwarted by twin boy-children and a very, very large dog. Facebook; Goodreads; Twitter; Google+; Instagram; Amazon
For more from Vanessa be sure and visit her website!