Vanessa North

Rough Love ROLLER GIRL–A Review

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a new contemporary F/F romance from Vanessa North. ROLLER GIRL is the third book in her Lake Lovelace series, which includes DOUBLE UP and ROUGH ROAD. The book features a transwoman finding strength, love and community.

Roller Girl (Lake Lovelace, #3)About the book:
Recently divorced Tina Durham is trying to be self-sufficient, but her personal-training career is floundering, her closest friends are swept up in new relationships, and her washing machine has just flooded her kitchen. It’s enough to make a girl cry.

Instead, she calls a plumbing service, and Joanne “Joe Mama” Delario comes to the rescue. Joe is sweet, funny, and good at fixing things. She also sees something special in Tina and invites her to try out for the roller derby team she coaches.

Derby offers Tina an outlet for her frustrations, a chance to excel, and the female friendships she’s never had before. And as Tina starts to thrive at derby, the tension between her and Joe cranks up. Despite their player/coach relationship, they give in to their mutual attraction. Sex in secret is hot, but Tina can’t help but want more.

With work still on the rocks and her relationship in the closet, Tina is forced to reevaluate her life. Can she be content with a secret lover? Or with being dependent on someone else again? It’s time for Tina to tackle her fears, both on and off the track.

My Review:
This is the third book in the Lake Lovelace series and features a trans-female character and a F/F romance. It can be enjoyed on its own.

Tina Durham was a professional wakeboarder who married young, before she could articulate that she was really a woman. This came as a surprise to her wife, and ended their marriage once Tina’s transition became complete. Tina now works as a personal trainer, and struggles with social anxiety, afraid that she’ll be assailed by transphobic people.

Tina meets Joanne “Joe” Delario when she responds to Tina’s frantic call for a plumber. They hit it off, and Tina accepts Joe’s invitation for a drink. Tina’s a bit disappointed when Joe uses the meeting to ask Tina to try out for her roller derby team. Tina’s never played, but the idea of competing again is attractive, and the derby is trans-friendly. She agrees, even if it means not pursuing a relationship with Joe; Joe has a no-dating policy for her team, due to a previous problem with it all going bad. Tina likes the idea of a girl-bonding experience, and she does well at the first try-out.

Despite their intentions, Joe and Tina begin a physical relationship. They’re really too attracted to each other; and Tina hasn’t been with anyone since her divorce. Their interactions are steamy, and affirming. But Tina doesn’t want to be a secret, and doesn’t understand why she should be: other women on the team are dating. It’s Joe’s hang up, and it causes Tina a lot of pain, especially because she’s dealt with secrets most of her life.

I liked the story here. I’ve read a few lesbian romances, and a few trans ones, too. I love the diversity I saw on the page, and Tina’s positive experiences. As a transitioned former pro-athlete, she becomes a bit of a sensation for her team, garnering news coverage. It leads to some great experiences for her with fans in transition. That was really sweet. I also liked her professional persona, and how compassionate she was with her favorite training client, and all her uplifting moments with despairing teammates. That was great. On the flip side, the time frame didn’t match up with the pacing, for me, so the romance felt a bit rushed. Also, the “no dating”/secret dating policy didn’t work for me as a conflict. It felt like a false choice, and brought in unnecessary drama. There were likely other issues that could have kept Joe and Tina separate, that would have had more emotional punch, so that fell a little short, for me.

In all, I expected that Ms. North would write a F/F story that would be filled with heat and heart, and I wasn’t disappointed. I’m not a fan of roller derby, and have about zero interest in it, personally, but those scenes were clear enough that an ignorant reader like myself could follow along, and feel the tension of the team, and Tina’s emotional investment. When I consider adult recreational sports, most are co-ed. Roller derby initially seemed an odd choice, but I understood it, because it was an activity that was exclusively female, and accessible to novice non-athletes. Any other type of sport would have likely been closed-off for Tina, or her less athletic teammates. The friendships, and team dynamics, that Tina explores in the course of the story really helps to pull her loose from her social anxiety, as does her relationship with Joe. For a character who’s growth arc was already enormous before she appeared on the page, Tina still found ways to expand her life and find unexpected happiness.

Interested? You can find ROLLER GIRL on Goodreads, Riptide Publishing, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and AllRomance. I received a review copy via NetGalley.

Vanessa NorthAbout 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.

You can catch up with Vanessa on her website, Goodreads, and twitter.

Thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends!

Traveling a ROUGH ROAD-A Review

Today I’m sharing a review for Vanessa North’s ROUGH ROAD, a contemporary M/M BDSM romance. It the sequel to DOUBLE UP, which I greatly enjoyed. This time, it’s Ben’s best friend, Eddie, who is finding his perfect match. Perhaps…

Rough Road (Lake Lovelace, #2)About the Book:
Eddie Russell is many things: A wealthy pillar of the community. An outrageous flirt. A doting best friend. A masochist with a kink for brawling with his bedmates. But he is definitely not a man who invites intimacy. His friends are close but few, his lovers rarer still.

When Eddie runs his Mercedes off the road on a hot July afternoon, Wish Carver comes to his aid—and leaves his number in Eddie’s phone. Wish, a road crew worker half Eddie’s age and sexy as sin, seems fascinated by Eddie’s different sides. Mutual attraction and compatible kinks ignite the sheets, but it’s their connection outside the bedroom that Eddie begins to crave.

When the two come down on opposite sides of a local issue, Eddie finds his growing feelings for Wish at odds with his business interests and his devotion to his best friend, local wakeboarding legend Ben Warren. Torn between old loyalties and his new love, Eddie is reluctant to make a choice. But he knows he can’t make Wish wait too long to make up his mind.

My Review:
This is the second book in a series, and is probably best enjoyed if read in order. That said, it can be read as a standalone.

Eddie Russell is a 44 y/o flamboyant gay man. He’s been that way since he was unceremoniously outed in his teens, and he’s had a chip on his shoulder ever since. He’s wealthy, owning a boat dealership in Lake Lovelace, FL. He’s embarrased by his wealth, most of the time. Still, he knows having his money helps his friends, most notably Ben. Ben is currently engaged to Davis, and they are planning their wedding. So, why can’t Eddie be happy for them? Does Eddie’s love for Ben include attraction? Or, is it simply the deep love of a longtime friend?

This is a big issue for Eddie to contemplate, because–when he meets strapping, young, sexy “Wish”–Eddie’s not sure if he can see a future for himself. See, Wish is a 22 y/o road construction worker. He’s been staying near Lake Lovelace due to a current road improvement project and the recent relocation of his sick mother to his brother’s home. Wish likes Florida, and would like to stay–which can only happen if the new bridge project widening the access to Lake Lovelace gets funded. Unfortunately, the proposed site of the construction would take out Eddie’s boat dealership and Ben’s pro shop. Eddie’s opposed, and politically connected–which is a problem for his fledgling relationship with Wish. His campaign against the bridge has very real implications for Wish’s ability to stick around.

I loved the straight talk in this book. Wish has no compunctions with calling Eddie on his BS. Eddie has all sorts of reasons why he and Wish shouldn’t start anything, but the plain fact is, Wish is a strong Dom, one who can control a bossy sub, like Eddie. The sexytimes are often very physical, definitely pushing the edge of rough play. Eddie likes it VERY rough, and has no qualms about blood play and deep bruising. It was this need which kept Eddie from seeking a permanent relationship with Ben. I think Ben and Eddie have a very strong relationship, and their discussions only strengthen these emotional bonds, while still providing freedom for both men to find happiness.

Wish is a breath of fresh air for Eddie, who’d been in a serious rut. The end doesn’t turn out right without the candor and hopefulness that both Eddie and Wish share. I adored the deep rapport they build, and the fantastic sexytimes were a delicious bonus. HAWT!

Interested? You can find ROUGH ROAD on Goodreads, Riptide Publishing, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and AllRomance. I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.

Vanessa NorthAbout 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.

You can catch up with Vanessa on her website, Goodreads, and twitter.

Thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends!

He learns How to DOUBLE UP–A Review

Hi all! Today’s book is a contemporary M/M romance perfect for summer. Why? Because it takes place in sunny Florida and features wakeboarders. Oh, and I have to feature fellow “V” authors whenever possible…

Now, I’ll be perfectly honest here, I know zero about wakeboarding, but I still really enjoyed DOUBLE UP by Vanessa North. It’s quick read with a compelling lead character and a tender romance.

Double UpAbout the book:
Knowing he’s loved can make any man fly.

Fifteen years ago, Ben Warren was a wakeboarding champion: king of big air, ballsy tricks, and boned grabs. Until a career-ending injury left him broken in ways he still has no hope of fixing. Now he takes his thrills where he can get them, and tries not to let life hurt too much.

Then Davis Fox arrives in Ben’s sporting goods store with a plan to get in touch with his estranged brother by competing in the annual wakeboarding double-up contest. The catch? He’s never ridden before. It’s crazy, but Ben’s a sucker for the guy’s sob story—and for his dimples, too—so he agrees to coach Davis.

Davis is everything Ben isn’t: successful, confident, and in love with life. And he wants Ben to love life—and him—too. But before Ben can embrace a future with Davis, he needs to remember how to hope.

My Review:

First off, I’m going to say I read this book in nearly one evening. I got sucked into the voice of the book and had to let up in the wee hours before work. Ben is a fun narrator. He’s a 40 y/o “washed up” wakeboarding pro who now runs a surf shop in his hometown of Lake Lovelace, FLA. I say he’s washed up, mostly because that’s how Ben talks about himself. He had a serious accident in his last competition busting a bunch of lumbar vertebrae. Frankly, it’s a miracle that he’s walking, let alone giving private lessons.

Still, Ben suffers addiction issues–booze and prescription painkillers. He’s been sober the past 8 years, but he hasn’t gone back for his last corrective surgery too afraid that the post-op medicine will draw him into a pill-popping abyss.

One day a delicious specimen of man arrives in the surf shop–needing lessons. Well, Ben isn’t gonna turn down the money. Especially not when he recognizes Davis as being gay, too. See, Davis has been forbidden contact with his teenaged half-brother, Ridley, because his stepfather is homophobic.  While Ben attempts to teach Davis the basic skills of wakeboarding the heat builds between them. Out together socially, the connection is stronger than Ben has previously had–he’s mostly a hook-up type of guy.

This is perfect for Davis, the connection, that is. He’s a ‘One Man’ kinda guy, and their courtship has such a foreign dynamic for Ben–Davis is bossy and tender and flexible–that it completely unsettles him in the best way. For the first time he’s in a relationship. At least, until Davis finds out Ben’s hiding his back injury. Davis can’t really deal with Ben being one bad landing away from paralysis–but this isn’t why he pushes Ben away.

Fear not, however. Ben learns to face his biggest fears, and in the process reconnects Davis and Ridley in a way that makes estrangement impossible.

The writing is fun and the characters are flamboyant. Ben’s boss/bedbuddy/childhood BFF, Eddie, is a total hoot. Ben doesn’t take himself seriously, but he’s serious about Davis. The connection might have been a touch too quick to develop, but it was handled well. Smexytimes were well-written and steamy. In short, a quality summer read.

Interested? You can find DOUBLE UP on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble. I received a copy of this book from the published via NetGalley. This is my honest review.

Vanessa NorthAbout 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.

You can catch up with Vanessa on her website, Goodreads, and twitter.

Thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends!