Reviewer's Rating:
5
5.0Overall score
Sweet but oh so hot!
Candy Hearts By Erin McLellan
Genre: Contemporary Romance, GLBTQ
Released: February 3, 2020
Publisher: Self-Published
Series: So Over the Holidays, Book 2
Length: 50,000 words / 209 pages
Cover Design: Cate Ashwood
Mechanic Benji Holiday is so over Valentine’s Day and men who don’t get him. A weekend getaway with friends to escape the holiday hubbub is exactly what he needs. But William O’Dare—a stern and silent nightclub owner with “Be My Valentine” practically stamped on his forehead—throws a wrench into Benji’s plans.
William has spent years focused on his career, and it has cost him friendships and love. Inexperienced in the business of romance, he’s on the hunt for the perfect partner, and he’s armed with specific criteria to guide him. But William didn’t expect a hunky mechanic wrapped in satin and lace to show up on his doorstep.
Unable to resist their attraction, Benji and William agree to be secret fake valentines for the weekend, but secrets have a way of getting out. William gets struck by Cupid’s arrow, and as the weekend winds down, he doesn’t want fake or secret. He wants Benji to be his valentine for real and for keeps.
Candy Hearts is a male/male Valentine’s Day novella featuring a house party power outage, meddling friends and siblings, naughty lingerie and naughtier toys, homemade Valentine’s Day cards, and a happily ever after.
Reviewed by ButtonsMom2003
Sweet but oh so hot!
Candy Hearts is the first book I’ve read by Erin McLellan and what a great introduction to her writing. This book was all kinds of steamy, sexy, hot and yet really sweet. Both Benji and William have confidence problems and neither of them is really looking for a relationship.
Benji is a really great character (so is William) and I love all of his quirks and how unapologetic he is about what he likes. While he’s kept his love of naughty lingerie mostly to himself, he opens up to William about that and a lot of other things.
William is a self-confessed workaholic who is finally realizing what that has cost him in terms of friends and relationships. I loved how taken he was with Benji and how accepting of who Benji is and what he likes.
The heat between these two guys nearly set my ereader on fire. There are a few snags along the way in their budding relationship but this book is mostly low angst with a lot of sexy time. I loved that the author gave us an epilogue so we know how they are doing down the road.
While Candy Hearts is the second book in the So Over the Holidays series it can easily be read as a standalone. I missed the first book and wasn’t a bit lost while reading this one.
♥♥♥♥♥
O Factor: Scorcher
Available to borrow with Kindle Unlimited.
An idea popped into Benji’s head as if it had been placed there by Cupid himself. He imagined pulling one of those arrows with a plunger on the end off his chest.
“I have the best idea.”
“What is it?”
“So you know how Valentine’s Day sucks? Especially when you’re lonely as shit. And I am.”
“Okay.” William frowned.
That was not ideal. Benji wanted that unicorn smile back. He needed to lawyer the hell out of this proposition.
“I’m single. Are you single?”
William nodded. “I wouldn’t hit on you otherwise.”
Benji waved that comment away. He’d had plenty of non-single dudes hit on him. “Well, we’re all alone for a while. It’s Valentine’s Day in two days.”
“Okay.”
“I’ve never had a valentine. Want to be mine?”
William blinked a few times, his face blank.
Mayday. Mayday. Big mistake. Big, even for Benji.
“Fake valentines,” Benji said, in addendum.
“Why do you want to be fake valentines?” William asked, his face still scary neutral.
Well, Benji had been hoping for a “hell yes, let’s bang,” so this was super humiliating.
“Because! You’re hot, and it’ll be fun. We can be romantic and flirty without the pressure. Or, as romantic as is possible during a power outage in the middle of nowhere.”
Benji had never had a valentine. And yes, Sasha had invited him to this weird Valentine’s Day house party so he’d feel better about being single. This idea spit in the face of that, but Benji liked spitting in the face of things.
“I have the best idea.”
“What is it?”
“So you know how Valentine’s Day sucks? Especially when you’re lonely as shit. And I am.”
“Okay.” William frowned.
That was not ideal. Benji wanted that unicorn smile back. He needed to lawyer the hell out of this proposition.
“I’m single. Are you single?”
William nodded. “I wouldn’t hit on you otherwise.”
Benji waved that comment away. He’d had plenty of non-single dudes hit on him. “Well, we’re all alone for a while. It’s Valentine’s Day in two days.”
“Okay.”
“I’ve never had a valentine. Want to be mine?”
William blinked a few times, his face blank.
Mayday. Mayday. Big mistake. Big, even for Benji.
“Fake valentines,” Benji said, in addendum.
“Why do you want to be fake valentines?” William asked, his face still scary neutral.
Well, Benji had been hoping for a “hell yes, let’s bang,” so this was super humiliating.
“Because! You’re hot, and it’ll be fun. We can be romantic and flirty without the pressure. Or, as romantic as is possible during a power outage in the middle of nowhere.”
Benji had never had a valentine. And yes, Sasha had invited him to this weird Valentine’s Day house party so he’d feel better about being single. This idea spit in the face of that, but Benji liked spitting in the face of things.
Mini Q&A with Erin McLellan:
Book two in Erin McLellan’s phenomenal So Over the Holidays series is out on February 3 and it will feature a game of sexy Spin the Bottle, secret boyfriends, naughty toys and even naughtier lingerie combined with the magic of Valentine’s Day! Candy Hearts is already wowing readers and Erin is here to talk about the book to celebrate its release! Take it away, Erin!
Can you share with us something about the book that isn’t in the blurb?
One of the highlights of writing this book was being able to craft a tight queer friend group of people in their thirties. This friend group might not see each other all that often or even talk all the time, but they love each other and are there for each other. It was a joy to write.
Does one of the main characters hold a special place in your heart? If so, why?
Benji Holiday definitely has a special place in my heart. He has a history of allowing other people, especially romantic partners, to shape who he is rather than being his authentic self. This book is about him taking that control back. He’s complicated and complex and weird. It was great fun crafting a hero worthy of him.
What is the future for the characters? Will there be a sequel?
I already have Book 3 in the So Over the Holiday Series planned. It is titled Bottle Rocket and will be Rosie Holiday’ (the last Holiday sibling) book. Benji and William, as well as Sasha and Perry (from Stocking Stuffers) will make appearances. I’m sure Benji, Sasha, and Rosie will have an emergency brunch at some point.
Erin McLellan is the author of several contemporary romances, all of which have characters who are complex, goodhearted, and a little quirky. She likes her stories to have a sexy spark and a happily ever after. Originally from Oklahoma, she currently lives in Alaska and spends her time dreaming up love stories set in the Great Plains. She is a lover of chocolate, college sports, antiquing, Dr Pepper, and binge-worthy TV shows.
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