Book Reviews

Book Blurb

When opposite worlds collide, it’s anyone’s game.

Proud geek and comic book artist Morris Proctor wants nothing more than to live in semiseclusion with his devil cat and gamer friends. Despite what his well-meaning family thinks, he’s perfectly content with his status quo. The last thing he needs is to date another nongeek hell-bent on changing him.

Then he meets his adorkable new neighbor, Theo Boarman, who doesn’t know Star Trek from Star Wars, but who tempts him like no other.

Theo has spent the last year recovering from the loss of his parents and trying to play both roles for his teenage brother, while working to keep the family restaurant afloat. Dating is the last thing on the menu, especially with a man who thinks the height of dining is shoving a packaged meal into the microwave.

But if Morris gives him one more shy smile or flaunts that kilt he wears so well, Theo will be forced to convince him that a hot summer fling is just the recipe to let off a little steam.

When that fling gets serious fast, Morris has to decide if he’s willing to give his heart to Theo on the chance that they’re a perfect mix.

Book Review

Opposite worlds colliding usually produces sparks, and that is exactly what happens when Morris and Theo become neighbors and start talking to each other. On the surface they have very little in common, but once they get to know each other, it becomes clear they share more than being workaholics and being gay. Both are artists: Morris with drawing and Theo when cooking. Both are lonely and have no idea how to make a relationship work or if they even want one. And both enjoy their jobs – maybe a little too much. The story of how they get to know each other and decide to have a fling only to find out they want a lot more is very entertaining and between all the details about comics and great food, I had a great time reading it.

Morris is a comic book artist who likes his life quiet so he can work. He is all about drawing, going to various conventions, and spending time with his niece. He has a somewhat pushy family who keeps interfering with his life, but he loves them even though they make finding a special someone a challenge. Morris is a geek inside and out and the description of his fridge’s contents (or lack thereof) is only one of the many signs he takes his gaming more seriously than having a social life. Oh and his cat – she steals the show more than once! His attempts to find a nongeek to share his life with have crashed and burned, so is not keen on trying again.

Theo is a chef and passionate about cooking as well as making the family restaurant a success. He is a bit of a control freak, is raising his teenage brother after they lost their parents a year ago, and has absolutely no time for a social life. Except when he meets Morris he is intrigued enough to give the occasional date – and maybe a summer fling – a go. He is surprised how easy it is to talk to Morris and open-minded enough to keep coming back for more. But the restaurant and family issues with his siblings keep Theo hopping, and finding time to spend with Morris is a constant challenge.

Several secondary characters also play a key role in Morris and Theo’ story. I loved Morris’s niece and assorted family members, his friends (some of whom I suspect will have their own stories) were a hoot, Theo’s brother was a great sulky teenager, and while some of his other siblings annoyed me at times, the way they dealt with their parents’ loss was credible and added depth. The food descriptions were yummy and made me hungry, and all the geeky details were just perfect for me.

If you like romances where the main characters take their time to get to know each other, if you think shared interests are less important than discovering new activities a couple can engage in together, and if you’re looking for a read that has very little drama, lots of loving, fun details about comics and gaming, and some wonderful details about food and its preparation, then you will probably like this novel.

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review.

Additional Information

Format	ebook and print
Length	Novel, 306 pages/111065 words
Heat Level
Publication Date	22-May-2018
Price	$6.99 ebook, $17.99 paperback, $17.99 bundle
Buy Link	https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/a-little-side-of-geek-by-marguerite-labbe-9611-b