LGBT Monday: Don't Twunk With My Heart

Author: Renae Kaye

Series: Loving You, #2

Released: August 26th 2016

Publisher: Dreamspinner

Length: 200 pages

Source: Publisher for review

Buy: Amazon

         Dreamspinner Press

Kee Smith isn’t sure who he is anymore. He knows who he used to be—the ignored gay son who chose a blue-collar job just because no one expected it, the submissive bottom who enjoyed large, masculine jocks who put him in his place, the sleek, fashionable twink who partied all night. But after his ex-boyfriend hit Kee and called him names, Kee retired from the social scene.

Back after a year’s hiatus, Kee still doesn’t know where he fits. His friends say he’s a twunk—a twink who put on muscle and turned into a hunk—but Kee is searching for somewhere to belong. Instead of going back to his usual type, Kee hooks up with twink Tate Stevens—a fashion-industry professional who works the image hard. It proves to be the best decision he’s ever made, and not just because he’s starting to regain his sexual confidence.

With Tate, Kee can open up about his fears and confusion without ridicule. Tate has his own fears about putting on weight and getting old. It will take work to make a relationship of opposites succeed, but they begin to realize the compromises will be worth it if they can be together. 

By now, Renae Kaye is a well known name in the gay romance genre. She writes light-hearted romances low on angst that leave her readers smiling and begging for more. To this day, her biggest success seems to be her debut, Loving Jay, a book that won readers over with fantastic characters, gentle and believable romance and just a spoonful of Aussie culture.

When you love characters as much as we’ve all loved Liam and Jay, it’s natural to want to check in with them down the road, peek into the life they’ve made for themselves and hopefully witness them making more decisions and crossing milestones. It can be addictive if you love them enough, but it can also be dangerous for the characters born in their shadow.

Unlike Jay, who was the brightest star from the get-go, Kee takes some warming up and a whole lot of understanding. Having spent a year in solitude after an abusive relationship, he is a bit socially awkward and not really ready to trust. Tate is more outgoing, but set in his ways. He is devoted to his career and suffers from issues that come with a job in fashion industry. The two are such an unlikely pair, but somehow they work, and in Kaye’s usual fashion, their romance progresses smoothly, with only a few bumps along the way.

Their romance would have been pleasant enough were it not for Jay and Liam’s overwhelming presence. They shine brightly even in this book and they steal every chapter in which they are mentioned. I’m sure fans won’t be able to resist revisiting them, but an update on their life is the best thing this book has to offer. Kee and Tate had potential, but they weren’t explored enough or strong enough to get out of Jay’s massive shadow.

Overall, though, this is a very pleasant, sometimes adorable book that has several laugh-out-loud moments. Just try reading it on the beach and see where that gets you. It’s no wonder my neighbors look at me funny.

A copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher for review purposes. No considerations, monetary or otherwise, have influenced the opinions expressed in this review.