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A review by charkinzie
Behind the Stick by K. Evan Coles, Brigham Vaughn
4.0
Kyle McKee, Co-owner of "Under" the speakeasy is one of the central characters in the third installment of this series. Kyle owns the club with Jesse who was the focus of book two. Jesse and Kyle have a solid friendship and business partnership and there is a sexual component to their relationship as well. But things have slowed down with Jess and Kyle since Jesse began dating Cam... and then Kyle decided to swear off dating. Then he met Luka.
Luka is a firefighter and pulls Kyle out of a fire at the local Burger Barn. They had met once before ... but neither of them pursued the other... the fire changes Kyle's mind. He invites the firefighters to "Under" and that's just the beginning.
The romance is fast and furious in this part of the series! Luka and Kyle have a great sexual intensity and they genuinely enjoy being with one another. Luka fits in well with the Speakeasy crew and before they know it, the two men are tangled up with one another. I know I'm making it sound as though this happens quickly... and I suppose it does... but it's really well written. The instant attraction is believable and sweet and very enjoyable.
Not everything is perfect for the new couple. Luka's family isn't as accepting as Luka wishes. Some of them are very welcoming, his sister and his brother in particular but Luka's mother isn't prepared to accept Kyle. It is revealed early on that Luka had a previous boyfriend who was white and he was ashamed of dating a black man. the scars of that relationship have left Luka a bit battered, but his mother and older sister judgemental and unwelcoming.
Kyle feels the resistance of Luka's family. And I really liked the way the authors approached this topic. Later in the novel, it's revealed that Kyle has some issues in his past that has left him a bit vulnerable when it comes to rejection. I like the way that family and/or friends are of great importance to the characters in this novel. The authors really explore the wider definition of what a family can be and I appreciated that.
Sadly, Luka and Kyle are the victims of a hate crime in the latter part of the book. They are attacked for being gay and an interracial couple. Both men fight to try and save one another and ultimately, Kyle buys them enough time that rescuers arrive. The damage is already done: Kyle has a terrible knife wound on his face and Luka is rattled to the core. The trauma and emotional fallout of the attack are really well-written. I could really feel how terrified both men were for each other and the frantic need to find out that the other was safe.
Things begin to crumble around the two men after the attack. This book really delves into the aftermath of a violent attack: guilt, fear, and anxiety. Both the main characters begin to question themselves and almost everything they say to one another. As their relationship unravels, they seem almost unable to stop it. It's frightening and I really could feel the inability to extract themselves from their thoughts and pain. I really commend the author with the way they dealt with such a sensitive and heavy subject!
Another installment in this series that I really enjoyed! and don't worry, there's a HFN ending in this one! I'm sure there will be more about all the characters in the fourth installment of the series which is scheduled to come out on June 9: "Straight Up." You've still got time to catch up on the series!
Luka is a firefighter and pulls Kyle out of a fire at the local Burger Barn. They had met once before ... but neither of them pursued the other... the fire changes Kyle's mind. He invites the firefighters to "Under" and that's just the beginning.
The romance is fast and furious in this part of the series! Luka and Kyle have a great sexual intensity and they genuinely enjoy being with one another. Luka fits in well with the Speakeasy crew and before they know it, the two men are tangled up with one another. I know I'm making it sound as though this happens quickly... and I suppose it does... but it's really well written. The instant attraction is believable and sweet and very enjoyable.
Not everything is perfect for the new couple. Luka's family isn't as accepting as Luka wishes. Some of them are very welcoming, his sister and his brother in particular but Luka's mother isn't prepared to accept Kyle. It is revealed early on that Luka had a previous boyfriend who was white and he was ashamed of dating a black man. the scars of that relationship have left Luka a bit battered, but his mother and older sister judgemental and unwelcoming.
Kyle feels the resistance of Luka's family. And I really liked the way the authors approached this topic. Later in the novel, it's revealed that Kyle has some issues in his past that has left him a bit vulnerable when it comes to rejection. I like the way that family and/or friends are of great importance to the characters in this novel. The authors really explore the wider definition of what a family can be and I appreciated that.
Sadly, Luka and Kyle are the victims of a hate crime in the latter part of the book. They are attacked for being gay and an interracial couple. Both men fight to try and save one another and ultimately, Kyle buys them enough time that rescuers arrive. The damage is already done: Kyle has a terrible knife wound on his face and Luka is rattled to the core. The trauma and emotional fallout of the attack are really well-written. I could really feel how terrified both men were for each other and the frantic need to find out that the other was safe.
Things begin to crumble around the two men after the attack. This book really delves into the aftermath of a violent attack: guilt, fear, and anxiety. Both the main characters begin to question themselves and almost everything they say to one another. As their relationship unravels, they seem almost unable to stop it. It's frightening and I really could feel the inability to extract themselves from their thoughts and pain. I really commend the author with the way they dealt with such a sensitive and heavy subject!
Another installment in this series that I really enjoyed! and don't worry, there's a HFN ending in this one! I'm sure there will be more about all the characters in the fourth installment of the series which is scheduled to come out on June 9: "Straight Up." You've still got time to catch up on the series!