Book Reviews

Book Blurb

Closeted professional hockey player Eric Belanger is falling hard for an out-and-proud male model. He’s unable to resist Dorian’s charm and pushing personal boundaries he never thought he’d cross. But Dorian is the kind of guy who deserves someone who isn’t afraid to be himself. Eric’s fears about what coming out will do to his career clash with the future he hopes to build with Dorian. He knows he’ll eventually have to make a choice.

Dorian Carlisle knows better than to date a man who wants to keep him a secret, but there’s something about Eric he can’t ignore. So he’ll take the risk, and it’ll be all right, because this isn’t a forever romance. He’s happy to live in the moment. But somehow, at some point, feelings sneak up on him and he’s not okay anymore. At a breaking point, Dorian must also make a decision. Their time together will either be the start of something wonderful or nothing more than a happy memory.

First edition published by Dreamspinner Press, November 2016.

Book Review

The Carlisle brothers are at it again. This time it’s one of the twins’ turn and things are more complicated and less likely to lead to a happy ending than ever. In this series of seemingly diametrically opposed partners, the first two pairings were difficult enough. James, the food critic, has found happiness with Bastien, a restaurant owner. James’s brother Jackson is now together with his ex-pretend boyfriend, former escort Aaron. And now that it’s Dorian’s turn, he doesn’t pick an easy path to romance and love either: with Dorian a model and Eric a professional ice hockey player, they are heading for disaster of all kinds. The result is a story full of heartbreak, lots of errors in judgment, a few soul-searching moments, and more than one surprise.

Eric is about as deep in the closet as most professional gay athletes, feeling he has no choice if he wants to have a career. Two of his teammates know about him – they found out by accident when they walked in on him the one time he took a hookup home – but nobody else has a clue. Eric is determined to keep it that way, even when he meets Dorian at a photo shoot and they begin texting, then secretly date, and before he knows it, Eric is in far deeper than he thought possible. No matter – his career comes first! I could have strangled him at that point, but have to admit, I did sort of see it coming.

Dorian is out and proud, a successful model, and would have never thought he could fall for an athlete. One, he does not even like or follow any sports, and two, he knows it’s a risk when he does begin to date Eric, but he thinks he can handle it. Turns out he can’t, and when Eric wants to keep things a secret and Dorian has to decide if that is something he can live with, the consequences are dire. I felt for Dorian – even though he had his eyes at least half-open when he walked into the affair, I can’t blame him for not being able to control his feelings. Anyone who claims they can is either lying or not really invested in the first place, in my opinion.

Eric and Dorian do not have it easy, but they are not doing themselves any favors either. They can see the attraction, they both like having fun, but neither of them wants to consider that there might be more to what they are building together. Once they have to face the truth of their emotions, things come to a head and it takes time and honesty before they can fix it.
   
If you like opposites attracting each other only to find out there is more to life and love than they believed, if you want to watch a macho athlete and a good-looking model fall for each other and tear up the sheets, and if you’re looking for a read full of passion, desperation, and as much emotion as the first two books in this series, 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 the publisher for the purpose of a review.

Additional Information

Format	ebook
Length	Novel, 249 pages
Heat Level
Publication Date	12-November-2019
Price	$4.99 ebook
Buy Link	https://www.amazon.com/Checking-Twice-Carlisles-Novel-Book-ebook/dp/B07ZQCW58R