Friday, August 21, 2015

[Review]: "Level Hands"

Level Hands by Amy Jo Cousins 
Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd. (August 25, 2015)
Series: Bend or Break, 4
Genre: M/M Romance

When it comes to love, there’s no such thing as smooth sailing.

Rafael Castro is so far out of his element he can’t even see it anymore. Carlisle College in Massachusetts is a long way from his Chicago home, even farther from his Dominican Republic roots. 

The only thing keeping him attached to his last nerve is the prospect of seeing Denny Winslow again. The first time they met, Denny taught Rafi to fly across the water, rowing hard in a knife-like boat. Now, two years later, on the wings of a rowing scholarship, Rafi is attending Denny’s elite college. 

Even before the excitement wears off, Rafi is struggling with classes and fending off rumors that Denny’s family, not Rafi’s talent, won him his spot. To quash the gossip, Rafi tries to steer clear of the man he wants. A plan that evaporates in the fire of renewed attraction.

But Carlisle’s academic pressure cooker has Rafi barely treading water. And when a family crisis hits, both Rafi and Denny must pull hard to keep their relationship from capsizing in rough waters.

Warning: Contains a surly Dominican-American guy determined to show no weakness, a golden boy who knows his soft spots, some seriously dirty bachata dancing, and an excellent excuse for voyeurism in the locker room.



Where to Buy*:
More Info:

Reviews of Cousins' Previous Novels:

Off Campus (#1) -- TBQ
Nothing Like Paris (#2) -- TBQ
The Girl Next Door (#3) -- TBQ


My Review:



When Rafi and Denny showed up in The Girl Next Door, I immediately needed to see them together. NEEDED IT. They were so damn cute together! Obviously I was very happy to see that Level Hands would be their story.


A lot has changed since Rafi and Denny first starting tip-toeing around each other in TGND. And they're still no closer to admitting that they want each other. This is a slow burn, and takes most of the book before they start to break down, bit by bit, and realize that there's something between them, and ignoring it will not fix the problem.


I felt for Rafi as he tried to balance everything – his feelings for Denny, college life (especially so far from his family), classes and practice and everything else. And when he started to buckle a bit under the weight of it all, I could sympathize with that feeling, too.



As always, Amy Jo Cousins writes a great story – there are a few laughs, emotions run high in parts of the book, and the sex, when it – finally! – starts, is hot. All in all, I really enjoyed seeing Rafi and Denny finally get their HEA. I can't wait to see what's next.


3 1/2 STARS! 


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I received an e-ARC of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

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Have you read Amy Jo Cousins yet? If not, you really should, this is a great series and I highly recommend it.



Enjoy!


Until Next Time,


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  *TBQ's Book Palace is a member of both the Amazon and Barnes and Nobles affiliates program. By using the links provided to buy products from either website, I receive a very small percentage of the order. To read my full disclosure on the matter, please see this post!

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