Kyle Edington built his life around clubs, alcohol, nameless sex, and turning a blind eye to his future, but having front row access to his best friend’s perfect relationship leaves him wanting something he doesn’t understand—the white picket fence. After an ankle injury hinders his plans for PrideFest and puts his day job selling furniture at risk, Kyle attends Pride anyway to cheer himself up. Leaving his crutches at home was a mistake, though, and he’s shoved off balance and hits his head.
A bike officer keeps him safe until the paramedics arrive. Kyle’s memory of the event is foggy. He doesn’t recall the name or face of his guardian angel, but he definitely remembers the finest polyester-covered ass in all of Albuquerque.
But when he goes in search of his polyester prince, Kyle realizes relationships take hard work. After he learns the name of that perfect ass, a lifetime of avoiding serious boyfriends leaves Kyle second-guessing himself and making difficult decisions about what he wants for his future.
Hayley B. James grew up living in her fantasies but never writing any down, but after she found M/M slash online she wanted to form her incoherent daydreams into something others could read and enjoy.
On holidays she can be seen taking gifts to the fire and sheriff departments by her house. Hayley is fascinated by law enforcement but is happy working inside of a small office and writing during her spare time.
Sex, booze, and sugared confections. It’s what Kyle Edington lives for, and he has no qualms about standing up for his right to enjoy all three–-preferably together. Kyle has no desire for picket fences…er, I mean boyfriends or a commitment that last longer than the afterglow of a boozy orgasms. His life is simple and fun…and he wants it to stay that way.
With Albuquerque’s Pride Parade coming up he plans to live life up to its fullest. And it would have been great…except he kinda got in a fight between gravity and a highly slippery pole…stripper pole, that is. How was he supposed to know they greased them up like a…well, like a gay boy at Pride? But Kyle’s not going to let a little thing like a busted ankle keep him down, so off he goes to show his pride and try not look too much like all he wants to do is crawl back home and snuggle on the nearest flat surface. Turns out he should have been a bit more specific as to which flat surface he was dreaming about, ‘cause knocking his head on concrete and taking a nap on the sidewalk wasn’t exactly what he was looking for.
But his fairy-godmother must love him, because after the falling and the bleeding, there were hazel eyes, a kind voice, and the most incredible, the most beautiful, the most perfect ass ever to have been created. Perfection wrapped in polyester…and in one hell of a mystery after he wakes up the next day not knowing the name of the most perfect ass in creation. Good thing he has connections (and the bake goods to bribe those connections with). Now all he has to do is find his Polyester Prince, convince him to shag him silly, and then…. Shoot. What does he do then? It’s not like he has much use for a picket fence, no matter how hot his ass is.
This story was an interesting mix of wanting something and knowing you want to stay as far away from it as humanly possible. Kyle makes it perfectly clear that he doesn’t want anything that smacks of commitment. He’s a bit of an asshole, when it comes to his one-night stands, I’ll admit–-and he’ll probably admit as well–-but it is not like he goes in there offering them anything more than a particularly great shag. Which probably makes his predicament with Isaac all the more fun. He goes from one-night stands to wanting Isaac…all the while knowing that the first sign Isaac makes towards the ‘B’ (boyfriend) or the ‘C’ (commitment) word, Kyle is likely to freak out, head to the hills, and make a mountain of bake goods to sooth his picket-fence fears. And yet…he stays anyways.
There is just something about this that should bug the living daylights out of me (this should I stay or should I go mentality), but it doesn’t. Maybe it is because I like Isaac so much, or that Isaac like Kyle so much, or maybe it is just the vain hope that Kyle will grow up. At least a little. I think Kyle was written is such a way that you genuinely understand why he felt the way he did. And that it wasn’t a horrible thing for him to feel that way. Even if at time I really really really wanted to shake some sense into him. It was probably a fine line between acceptable frustration and angry ranting, but I think this book pulled it off. Just barely, but still.
I really liked how Isaac and Kyle found their way through to a relationship. How neither of them were looking for white picket fences, or a ring on a finger, but how they simply found themselves not wanting to leave when the day was done. How the small things became as important as the mind-blowing sex.
I kinda wish that this story at started a bit later though. I enjoyed reading first fifth of this story-–I mean it was interesting and I’m pretty sure it set up nicely the next MC in the series (or who at least I have my bet on it being), but felt way longer than it needed to be. I had this problem with the first book as well, and I can’t help but feel that while all the information was useful for the rest of the story, that it could have easily been condensed into a more direct opening. It was just a tad too drawn out for my tastes.
This story never goes exactly where I thought it would go, and I loved that I was never quite sure where I would end up. It was really good to see all of Kyle’s layers, after reading the first novel in the series, and watching him pull those layers back (slowly) to show Isaac who he really is, made a great romance. It was, perhaps, not the romance I was expecting…but one that I am glad I got the chance to read. And if I now have a serious craving for cupcakes and odd cookies…well, I guess I know who to blame.
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Oh, it is impossible to say how close at home this book hit. I loved it, I loved so much perhaps because I related a lot with the main character Kyle. Plus it was the same lovely, easy writing style I expected to find from the sequel of Paid Leave and Hayley B. James.
In this book we follow Kyle. Remember Kyle, the funny, always-teasing friend of Neal. You know, the one who hit on Benji’s nerves all the time? Yeah! I loved Kyle at Paid Leave and I couldn’t wait to read his story. What I didn’t expect was to find myself thinking “I am Kyle” when I was halfway through the book...
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Kyle is a party boy. He likes to go out with his friends to drink and hook up. Kyle has no desire to be in a relationship or a “picket fence” to anyone as he might call it. He works a job he doesn’t particularly like but the hours are convenient and he’s good at it. After hurting his ankle trying to impress a trick on a stripper pole, he’s bound to his crutches for the Pride festival weekend. A skirmish knocks him out only to awaken to a man that stirs things in him. Problem is when wakes up again, he hash no idea who he is. Kyle manages to track him down with the help of, Benji from book one of this series. Kyle’s knight in shining armor is a bike cop named Isaac. He’s out and he’s very interested in finding Kyle, too. The two fall into bed and Kyle decides he could break his rule of no do, since the sex is so hot and he likes the guy. For the most part things go great and they both really like the arrangement but Kyle is so set on never falling into a committed relationship, he basically starts freaking out over normal things. Essentially pushing Isaac away. Isaac know he wants more with Kyle but he can’t make Kyle love him back.
I liked this book. The group of partying friends were sassy and weren’t afraid to say what they think. There were lots of little zingers to add a fun element to the story. I think putting the focus on his life in the clubs helped you transition with Kyle from the fact that he was a party boy in the beginning of the book and Kyle in love at the end. You really did get to go on the journey with him. Kyle wasn’t always likable. There were times when I couldn’t believe his reactions to Isaac for wanting to care for him, but getting in his head made me understand him better.
I hadn’t actually read the first book in this series and followed along just fine. Benji and Neal , the MCs from the first book, did play a role in this book but there was enough back story to catch me up. I did find it funny how Kyle liked making Benji feel uncomfortable when he said things sexual in front of him. The sex in this story was super hot. The connection between the MCs really bumped up the smexy IMO. So, overall a pretty good read. If you’re looking for a light, funny read with a tad of angst and NO closet characters, pick this one up.
After reading this book I decided I needed to know more gay men. This has been a recurring theme lately for me. I just wonder if I walked into a gay bar if in the room I would see men that fit these.
Kyle is seriously one messed up commitment phobic slut. He would have agreed wholeheartedly with me by the way, if he heard me say that. He has no intention of changing his life for any man. Ever. He calls his best friends husband, his picket fence. I tried not to lecture him the whole book but I confess, Kyle had to listen to a good twenty minutes from me about relationships.
The polyester prince, aka, Isaac wasn’t looking for anything other than a chance. He is out and proud and responsible. I liked how down to earth Isaac was but also that he gave Kyle every chance.
I was almost done with the book and still didn’t know how it was going to turn out. I liked all the different side characters in the story. J-roe and Jace along with Neil and Benji helped make the community complete. I hoped for everyone and felt invested even if I didn’t %100 believe they were realistic.
Solid, funny, interesting, with enough to keep you reading to find out what happens in the end.
Kyle was truly the star of this book. He is a fiercely independent, very strong man. At the beginning of the book he is convinced that he doesn’t need anyone to “complete” him. Over time, he realizes that no matter how well you take care of yourself sometimes it is nice to share the burden.
I liked this story here. The party boy Kyle from "Paid leave" finds his HEA here. Isaac, a Biker cop, and out and proud, comes to Kyles rescue at a Pride Festival. Not knowing Isaacs name at first, Kyle pester everyone to find him. As Kyle looses his job too, he think that he does not decerve his own HEA like his friends Benji and Neal, that are looking into getting a child... This is a sweet story, caring and loving, and a little panic angst mixed in... Very nice book.
Remember when I said I wanted to be BFF's with Kyle? Well, I changed my mind.
Ugh! I HATE Kyle. Like loathe. He's what? 32? Yeah, I think he's 32, yet he acts 18. Drinking ALL the time. I get it, he likes to be social, but there's other things to do with friends besides hang out at the bar, get wasted, and go home with a nameless guy. Kyle seriously doesn't do names, he calls them all endearments. His longest "relationship" was going to Vegas for a weekend with a guy that he didn't even the the name of. Seriously?!
He's so afraid of commitment and we don't even know why. Feeling trapped? Seriously? GROW THE FORK UP! It's what people do in their 30's, well most people. Kyle is seriously going to take relationship advice from J-Roe? Really? I would rather be Neal and Benji than J-Roe and Jace. I just didn't get it :(
You really know who your true friends are when you're in the party scene and get hurt. Who's going to be there? Yep, Neal! Where were J-Roe and Gareth? It makes me so mad that he doesn't see that.
Isaac was too good for him and I wanted him to just say EFF YOU, either commit or leave.
2 Stars for Neal talking with Kyle and keeping him in the right direction.
First of all I want to say, I have NOT read book 1 of this series. (I know, right? *gasp*) I wanted to, I really did… (and now that I have read book 2, I want to even more), but sometimes deadlines are more important than my obsessive need to read series in order. ABQ Heat is one of those that “can” be read as a stand alone, but I really want to know more about Neal and Benji, so I will go back and read Paid Leave.
Okay on the Kyle and Isaac. They meet during the Pride parade. Well, meet might be a strong word since Kyle’s bump on the head prevents him from clearly remembering this interaction. Kyle is a bit of a slut… okay a LOT of a slut. He lives his life in the moment and doesn’t want commitment, or even a morning after. Isaac is ready for “the one”. Through a little detective work, a little luck, and Isaac actually remembering more than the quality of Kyle’s rear end, they manage to come back together a few weeks later. One date, leads to two, and soon Kyle is both scared out of his mind, and drawn back to Isaac again and again.
Synopsis: Kyle has big plans for PrideFest that are hindered when he breaks his ankle. He attends anyway, only to be knocked unconscious when someone knocks in to him. Kyle sort of, vaguely remembers his white knight who saved him from being trampled. Isaac, who wasn't impaired that day, remembers more about Kyle, and seeks him out. Kyle has never been one who wants a steady boyfriend or the HEA that his friend has, so having Isaac be so serious about him has him acting a little like a spooky horse.
What I liked: I liked Kyle, and how he was upfront about not wanting that serious boyfriend or monogamy. I also liked Isaac, and how he understood Kyle, even though Kyle didn't really understand how much. I liked the two of them together and how they worked through whatever they came up against.
What I didn't like: how adamant Kyle was about not getting attached, even once he started to have feelings for Isaac.
I've read this book without having read the previous book from the series, so I had no prior impression of the characters.
I liked the characters and the writing itself read well to me. My problem with the book is that there did not seem to be a strong plot, instead there were many small sub-plots throughout the story (Kyle's job, his relationship with Issac, Neal and Benji, etc). This resulted in the book not able to hold my attention while reading it, and not much feel of satisfaction when I've finished reading it.
A nice story about making a relationship work when you don’t believe in commitments.
The thing is, this didn’t really deliver for me. I was expecting a lot of funny moments and a really cheeky Kyle, but can’t say I really got them......
I did like Isaac and admired his perseverance but I didn’t really get his attachment to Kyle or vice versa. I did not see the sparks, the chemistry, the love. But maybe someone else will :)
I didn't really like this one mainly because of the main character. Kyle was really annoying. I know there are people like him out there but he really rubbed me the wrong way. All in all this book was just ok. Benji also rubbed me the wrong way so I definitely will not go back and read the first one.
TAGS -- uniform/cop -- bi character -- liked the MCs... Kyle & Isaac -- no angst -- sweet -- made me chuckle -- had a few small niggles -- overall an enjoyable read -- not a stand-alone