Hi there! Today I’m so excited to share a review for a brand new book in the Portland Heat contemporary M/M romance series from Annabeth Albert. I’ve really enjoyed other books in the series, including SERVED HOT, BAKED FRESH and DELIVERED FAST, so I jumped at the chance to review this one. KNIT TIGHT features an overburdened bisexual barista and the fussy knitter from whom he can’t tear himself away.
Check out the excerpt and be sure to enter the giveaway for a $20 gift card below.
About the book:
It’s no secret that Portland, Oregon, has some of best restaurants, shops, and cafés in the country. But it’s the hard-working men who serve it all up that keep us coming back for more…
One of Portland’s hottest young baristas, Brady is famous for his java-topping flair, turning a regular cup of joe into a work of art. Every Wednesday—aka “Knit Night”—hordes of women and their needles descend on the coffeehouse, and Brady’s feeling the heat. Into the fray walks a tall, dark, and distractingly handsome stranger from New York. His name is Evren, and he’s the sexy nephew of Brady’s sweetest customer, the owner of the yarn shop down the street. He’s also got a killer smile, confident air, and masculine charm that’s tying Brady’s stomach in knots.
The smitten barista can’t wait to see him at the next week’s gathering. But when he tries to ask Evren out, his plans unravel faster than an unfinished edge. If Brady hopes to warm up more than Evren’s coffee, he’ll have to find a way to untangle their feelings, get out of the friend zone, and form a close-knit bond that’s bound to last a lifetime…
How about a delicious taste?
The People’s Cup wasn’t huge by any means, and Knit Night tended to fill the joint up. The space was longer than it was wide, with couches in front of the plateglass window, the coffee bar running along one wall, tables in the middle of the room, and a long wooden farmhouse bench and table for communal seating in the back of the room. The Knit Night ladies liked to turn the couches around and group the center tables together, creating a setup conducive to conversation but a tripping hazard for the rest of the patrons. And the arrangement resulted in an unholy din really, especially on nights when their ranks swelled to thirty or more.
“Remember to keep the aisle clear,” I said to Violet and her minions. I’d warned them about creating tripping hazards with their knitting gear, but it was as futile as telling the twins and Jonas to keep their Legos in one area. Like my siblings, the ladies loved to spread out their projects.
“What’ll it be?” I swung back to the register, no closer to having the right banter for the stranger, but no longer in a position to care. However, he’d stepped aside for Violet and her herbal tea order.
“I’ll be back when the line clears,” he said with a wink. He had a leather messenger bag, the sort meant to look like something Indiana Jones would haul around, for which one paid for every crinkle in the distressed finish. He’d probably come in wanting a quiet place to work.
He had the look and accent of a displaced New Yorker—working some cushy freelance job, no doubt. I liked thinking up little stories about my customers, but I didn’t bother coming up with a lengthy one for him. He wouldn’t be back once he saw how loud Knit Night got. And the ladies were likely to pester him about his intricately knit scarf with its pattern of interwoven cables. One time, I’d made the mistake of wearing a wool beanie I’d found for a buck at the thrift store. Every single knitter needed to remark on its construction. Dude was so going to be beating feet once Knit Night got underway.
My Review:
This is the fourth book in the Portland Heat series and can be enjoyed as a standalone.
Brady is a bisexual barista who’s working hard to support his four younger siblings in the wake of the death of his mother and step-father. He’s stressed and barely coping when the Knit Night crowd arrives at his cafe in Portland. A beautiful man, Evren, shows up. Turns out Evren’s the nephew of Mira–the knitting store owner, and he’s gay. And he’s got a bi prejudice. His last two boyfriends were either cheaters or left him for a woman.
Brady’s frustrated, but still intrigued as Evren shows up every week, caring for Mira who’s dying of pancreatic cancer. They begin a friendship, which ends up leading to more, but a highly regualted more as Evren’s got some astounding hangups about messy, penetrative sex.
The book spans a few months time, during which Evren and Brady come to lean on each other in their mutual grief. Brady’s chaotic life is further frustrated by his adult sister who doesn’t want to be a surrogate mom, while Mira’s truly dying and Evren can’t cope.
I liked the tiny vignettes from Evren’s knitting blog. It showed the vulnerability that he didn’t want to reveal to Brady. I loved Brady. He’s a selfless guy who doesn’t know how to ask for help. The meshing of their families was really special, for me. Plus, I’m a bit of a sucker for handicrafts and Evren lavishes Brady with plenty of knit socks to keep his feet toasty. (Wondering if Evren’s next book will feature ball cozies…)
There are a little bit of sexytimes with some low-level dominance kink at play. I liked how Brady stood up for his needs, as Evren’s kind of aloof, and he also didn’t let Evren discount him for his bisexuality. The book has some serious down moments, due to Evren’s struggle with Mira and her illness, who is the mother he got when his own family disowned him as a teen. They are a special family, and addition of Brady’s motley crew was rather charming to me. I like when characters have real life issues that impair their ability to connect, and do so anyway.
interested? You can find KNIT TIGHT on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Kobo and Google Play. I received a copy of this book via NetGalley.
****GIVEAWAY****
Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win a $20 gift card to Amazon or Starbucks (winner’s choice!)
Good luck and keep reading my friends!
About the Author:
Annabeth Albert grew up sneaking romance novels under the bed covers. Now, she devours all subgenres of romance out in the open—no flashlights required! When she’s not adding to her keeper shelf, she’s a multi-published Pacific Northwest romance writer.
Emotionally complex, sexy, and funny stories are her favorites both to read and to write. Annabeth loves finding happy endings for a variety of pairings and is a passionate gay rights supporter. In between searching out dark heroes to redeem, she works a rewarding day job and wrangles two children. Represented by Saritza Hernandez of the Corvisiero Literary Agency.
Find Annabeth online on her website, Goodreads, twitter and Facebook.
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