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Tucker Springs #2
Second Hand
5 hrs 11 mins
Paul Hannon moved to Tucker Springs for his girlfriend, but she’s left him with a house he can’t afford and a pantry full of useless gadgets. All Paul wants is to get back to normal, even if he's not sure what that is anymore. When he wanders into Tucker Pawn for a gift to win her back, he meets El Rozal, pawn shop owner and all-around cynic.
El Rozal doesn’t do relationships, especially not with clueless straight boys still pining for their ex. El may make his living dealing in castoffs, but that doesn't apply to men. Still, when Paul starts clearing out his old life, pawning kitchen equipment he never wanted in the first place, El is drawn to Paul in spite of himself.
Paul and El have nothing in common except a past full of disappointments. There's no reason to believe the two of them could fit, but in El’s line of work, one man’s junk is another man’s treasure. When it comes to love, El and Paul may learn that secondhand doesn't mean second best.
Paul Hannon moved to Tucker Springs for his girlfriend, but she’s left him with a house he can’t afford and a pantry full of useless gadgets. All Paul wants is to get back to normal, even if he's not sure what that is anymore. When he wanders into Tucker Pawn for a gift to win her back, he meets El Rozal, pawn shop owner and all-around cynic.
El Rozal doesn’t do relationships, especially not with clueless straight boys still pining for their ex. El may make his living dealing in castoffs, but that doesn't apply to men. Still, when Paul starts clearing out his old life, pawning kitchen equipment he never wanted in the first place, El is drawn to Paul in spite of himself.
Paul and El have nothing in common except a past full of disappointments. There's no reason to believe the two of them could fit, but in El’s line of work, one man’s junk is another man’s treasure. When it comes to love, El and Paul may learn that secondhand doesn't mean second best.
6 pages, Audible Audio
First published September 1, 2012
50 people are currently reading
1098 people want to read
About the author
Heidi Cullinan
45 books2,880 followersAuthor of over thirty novels, Midwest-native Heidi Cullinan writes positive-outcome romances for LGBT characters struggling against insurmountable odds because they believe there’s no such thing as too much happy ever after. Heidi’s books have been recommended by Library Journal, USA Today, RT Magazine, and Publishers Weekly. When Heidi isn’t writing, they enjoy gaming, reading manga, manhua, and danmei, playing with cats, and watching too much anime.
Heidi goes by Jun when being spoken to in person or online, and Jun’s pronouns are they/them.
Heidi goes by Jun when being spoken to in person or online, and Jun’s pronouns are they/them.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 432 reviews
September 9, 2012
4.75 stars (rounded up)
The story is not without flaws. I do have itsy bitsy complaints. But when it counts, it is perfect read for what I need at the moment (yes -- rating can change in different situation :p). Because if the question is do I like this? My answer is without a doubt, yes, I am in love with it. I am gladly rounding up the rating even with the point deductions.
First, the alternating POVs ...
Both authors pull it off very well and I feel that it all makes sense. This story is Paul's journey, he needs to analyze his feelings towards El, and to see that he's not just a second hand choice. It is best to understand that from his inside perspective, to know what his thoughts, his issues, his hopes, his dreams, his insecurities, and his resolutions to that matter.
Meanwhile for El, he has no problem in that matter -- I mean, El is pretty confident about his sexual orientation. He has no problem being gay. El's issues (other than he is hopelessly loving Paul, who is clueless about this) are related to the "outside" relationship, notably his family -- his mother being a hoarder or his sister who always falls in love with the wrong guy. So it is best for us readers, to see it as observer, reading El's perspective written as 3rd person POV.
I truly have no problem with it what-so-ever, it doesn't disrupt my reading experience.
Second, the characters...
Both charm me in their own way -- but I have to admit that I love Paul a little bit more. He's so tadly hopeless when it comes to knowing what he is worth. He is surprised that El wants him as a lover. He is surprised that his boss wants him as vet tech. He is surprised that his Mother knows that he is (or has tendency being) gay and accepts him for who he is. Like Paul's boss said to him, clearly Paul needed a nudge to take the right direction. I find that adorable. I like clueless characters :)
El is cute too -- especially when he is clearly willing to do almost anything just to make Paul returns to his pawnshop more that once. Including adopting the dog, MoJo. When I got to that scene, my reaction was "Man, you're so whipped, El!" *lol*
Third, the romance and conflict...
I enjoy the romance. I like how everything moves in the right pace. El doesn't push Paul too much, he gives that space for Paul to understand that El wants him. I love the point to get there, with the going to the gay bar, with the dinner date, with the rollerblading ...
I admit that the conflict is resolved a bit too quickly. That there isn't a lot of angst or complicated issues that take a relationship towards a journey of hell and have love saves the day. Does it matter? Nope. For me it doesn't. Even with the ex-girlfriend plot, I am not complaining much. Yes, it's not "meaty" or gritty or edgy. But that works for me right now.
I do have to reduce points for one of my pet peeves though: 'baby' as terms of endearment (shudders). There ARE other endearments, authors. Really!! Luckily, for me, there's only 3-4 times that the word is used.
Fourth, MoJo the dog...
For the win. That's all.
I check out my 5-stars (romance) books and they are usually angsty or making me cry. This book might be less angsty, it might have quick resolution, it might not make me all teary-eyed or choked up ... but happiness is an emotion too, and what this book makes me feel is happy and satisfied. In fact, I can easily picture this as comfort rereads -- though I don't do much of that.
I'm going to end this rambling of a review with my favorite scene ... this is Paul and his mother, when Paul finally tells his mother that he might be gay but he still wonders whether it's the 'right' thing, especially after his ex-girlfriend calls him and begs him to come back to him.
...
“There, there, honey. Go ahead and breathe. I’m still here, and I still love you.”
I pushed her hands away. “That was Stacey on the phone. She wants to come back to me. She begged me.”
For the first time in the conversation, my mom frowned. “Have you tried porn, honey? I hear the Internet is full of it and that the gay stuff is really top notch.”
....
A mother who actually tells his son to try porn?! BEST MOTHER'S ADVICE, EVVVEEEER!!!!!
The story is not without flaws. I do have itsy bitsy complaints. But when it counts, it is perfect read for what I need at the moment (yes -- rating can change in different situation :p). Because if the question is do I like this? My answer is without a doubt, yes, I am in love with it. I am gladly rounding up the rating even with the point deductions.
First, the alternating POVs ...
Both authors pull it off very well and I feel that it all makes sense. This story is Paul's journey, he needs to analyze his feelings towards El, and to see that he's not just a second hand choice. It is best to understand that from his inside perspective, to know what his thoughts, his issues, his hopes, his dreams, his insecurities, and his resolutions to that matter.
Meanwhile for El, he has no problem in that matter -- I mean, El is pretty confident about his sexual orientation. He has no problem being gay. El's issues (other than he is hopelessly loving Paul, who is clueless about this) are related to the "outside" relationship, notably his family -- his mother being a hoarder or his sister who always falls in love with the wrong guy. So it is best for us readers, to see it as observer, reading El's perspective written as 3rd person POV.
I truly have no problem with it what-so-ever, it doesn't disrupt my reading experience.
Second, the characters...
Both charm me in their own way -- but I have to admit that I love Paul a little bit more. He's so tadly hopeless when it comes to knowing what he is worth. He is surprised that El wants him as a lover. He is surprised that his boss wants him as vet tech. He is surprised that his Mother knows that he is (or has tendency being) gay and accepts him for who he is. Like Paul's boss said to him, clearly Paul needed a nudge to take the right direction. I find that adorable. I like clueless characters :)
El is cute too -- especially when he is clearly willing to do almost anything just to make Paul returns to his pawnshop more that once. Including adopting the dog, MoJo. When I got to that scene, my reaction was "Man, you're so whipped, El!" *lol*
Third, the romance and conflict...
I enjoy the romance. I like how everything moves in the right pace. El doesn't push Paul too much, he gives that space for Paul to understand that El wants him. I love the point to get there, with the going to the gay bar, with the dinner date, with the rollerblading ...
I admit that the conflict is resolved a bit too quickly. That there isn't a lot of angst or complicated issues that take a relationship towards a journey of hell and have love saves the day. Does it matter? Nope. For me it doesn't. Even with the ex-girlfriend plot, I am not complaining much. Yes, it's not "meaty" or gritty or edgy. But that works for me right now.
I do have to reduce points for one of my pet peeves though: 'baby' as terms of endearment (shudders). There ARE other endearments, authors. Really!! Luckily, for me, there's only 3-4 times that the word is used.
Fourth, MoJo the dog...
For the win. That's all.
I check out my 5-stars (romance) books and they are usually angsty or making me cry. This book might be less angsty, it might have quick resolution, it might not make me all teary-eyed or choked up ... but happiness is an emotion too, and what this book makes me feel is happy and satisfied. In fact, I can easily picture this as comfort rereads -- though I don't do much of that.
I'm going to end this rambling of a review with my favorite scene ... this is Paul and his mother, when Paul finally tells his mother that he might be gay but he still wonders whether it's the 'right' thing, especially after his ex-girlfriend calls him and begs him to come back to him.
...
“There, there, honey. Go ahead and breathe. I’m still here, and I still love you.”
I pushed her hands away. “That was Stacey on the phone. She wants to come back to me. She begged me.”
For the first time in the conversation, my mom frowned. “Have you tried porn, honey? I hear the Internet is full of it and that the gay stuff is really top notch.”
....
A mother who actually tells his son to try porn?! BEST MOTHER'S ADVICE, EVVVEEEER!!!!!
January 25, 2013
Heidi Cullinan and Marie Sexton are fabulous authors in their own right, but the culmination of their talents in this book have notched it up a whole new level! Amazing... could not put it down until finished! 4.25 stars
I love my dark novels and I love plenty of smut and angst! But, you know what… Sometimes you just need a comfort read and Second Hand delivers just that. Don’t get me wrong, the sex is still HAWT and tummy tinglingley good, but this is a slow burner and our two MC’s, although drawn to each other are firmly cemented in friendship before we get to the naughties!
Paul Hannan is a Veterinary Receptionist in the town of Tucker Springs. He moved there with his girlfriend to help her establish herself within the art community, only now Stacey has left him for another man and he finds himself alone with no money, and desperate to have her back in his life. In a last ditch attempt to win her back he decides to buy her a gift for her birthday and ends up in the Local Pawn Shop where he meets the enigmatic Emanuel Mariano Rozal.
These two characters, although very different are so well developed you feel you know all about them. Both men are lonely and want more from life, something neither of them are aware of until they meet each other become friends and see what they are actually missing!
El has friends, and also a large and extremely volatile Latino family… yet his cynicism keeps him from having relationships preferring to throw himself into his business, thinking himself lucky that he is not attached. However, this dark, intense and extremely handsome man finds himself intrigued by Paul, knowing he is straight yet he is still attracted to him and finds his mind drifting to the man with red hair and freckles, his face is an open book of emotions and somehow he has found a way into his heart and instead of running away... El wants more!
Paul is such a likeable character, kind considerate and totally unselfish, he has put all his dreams and aspirations to one side, dedicated to giving Stacey the life she wanted by buying stuff that she simply must have totally neglecting himself and all to no avail. Stacey is a selfish, self centred Bitch! and yet Paul still lives in hope she will come back to him, partly because she keeps messing with his head!
I love the relationship between these two characters, watching them grow and develop into their relationship had me feeling warm all over. El see’s the vulnerability in Paul his lack of confidence in himself and just how innocent he is, Paul is thoughtful and caring without a deceptive bone in his body, they are all qualities he adores and cherishes, all the qualities that have previously been stomped on and taken for granted and all the qualities that were now chipping away at his hardened heart dispelling his disillusionment. Paul, apart from with Stacey has no experience with relationships and doesn't even know he is gay and can’t for the life of him figure out how someone like El, so confident and absolutely drop dead gorgeous could want him! So when they do get together I had the biggest smile on my face with all kinds of happy dances going on and the passion and intensity of it all was just sizzling!
I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Tucker Springs and not only do we have two great MC’s, but there are a whole host of well developed secondary characters each with great personalities of their own. I loved the crazy Rozal Clan and the link up between El’s sister and her babysitter. The Friday night Laundry meet with Denver had some hysterical dialog going on, the nutty neighbour Bill, Paul’s Mother again, what a woman! her comments regarding Gay Porn, she had me in hysterics and not forgetting the adorable and cute MoJo who stole my heart. There is not a minute wasted in this book, it is packed with funny and heart warming dialogue and character's, humour and a romance that will have you melting. Loved it!
Onto Dirty Laundry and it's about Denver, WooHoo! Would I recommend this series… Hell Yes!
This ARC was provided by Riptide Publishing via NetGalley
For more reviews, please visit...Sinfully Sexy Book Reviews
I love my dark novels and I love plenty of smut and angst! But, you know what… Sometimes you just need a comfort read and Second Hand delivers just that. Don’t get me wrong, the sex is still HAWT and tummy tinglingley good, but this is a slow burner and our two MC’s, although drawn to each other are firmly cemented in friendship before we get to the naughties!
Paul Hannan is a Veterinary Receptionist in the town of Tucker Springs. He moved there with his girlfriend to help her establish herself within the art community, only now Stacey has left him for another man and he finds himself alone with no money, and desperate to have her back in his life. In a last ditch attempt to win her back he decides to buy her a gift for her birthday and ends up in the Local Pawn Shop where he meets the enigmatic Emanuel Mariano Rozal.
These two characters, although very different are so well developed you feel you know all about them. Both men are lonely and want more from life, something neither of them are aware of until they meet each other become friends and see what they are actually missing!
El has friends, and also a large and extremely volatile Latino family… yet his cynicism keeps him from having relationships preferring to throw himself into his business, thinking himself lucky that he is not attached. However, this dark, intense and extremely handsome man finds himself intrigued by Paul, knowing he is straight yet he is still attracted to him and finds his mind drifting to the man with red hair and freckles, his face is an open book of emotions and somehow he has found a way into his heart and instead of running away... El wants more!
Paul is such a likeable character, kind considerate and totally unselfish, he has put all his dreams and aspirations to one side, dedicated to giving Stacey the life she wanted by buying stuff that she simply must have totally neglecting himself and all to no avail. Stacey is a selfish, self centred Bitch! and yet Paul still lives in hope she will come back to him, partly because she keeps messing with his head!
“I just want to be the first choice for someone for once, just once”
I love the relationship between these two characters, watching them grow and develop into their relationship had me feeling warm all over. El see’s the vulnerability in Paul his lack of confidence in himself and just how innocent he is, Paul is thoughtful and caring without a deceptive bone in his body, they are all qualities he adores and cherishes, all the qualities that have previously been stomped on and taken for granted and all the qualities that were now chipping away at his hardened heart dispelling his disillusionment. Paul, apart from with Stacey has no experience with relationships and doesn't even know he is gay and can’t for the life of him figure out how someone like El, so confident and absolutely drop dead gorgeous could want him! So when they do get together I had the biggest smile on my face with all kinds of happy dances going on and the passion and intensity of it all was just sizzling!
I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Tucker Springs and not only do we have two great MC’s, but there are a whole host of well developed secondary characters each with great personalities of their own. I loved the crazy Rozal Clan and the link up between El’s sister and her babysitter. The Friday night Laundry meet with Denver had some hysterical dialog going on, the nutty neighbour Bill, Paul’s Mother again, what a woman! her comments regarding Gay Porn, she had me in hysterics and not forgetting the adorable and cute MoJo who stole my heart. There is not a minute wasted in this book, it is packed with funny and heart warming dialogue and character's, humour and a romance that will have you melting. Loved it!
"You got a dog" Denver shook his head in disbelief. "And you are carrying it in a baby sling. Who are you, and what have you done with El"
"Here hold this. I need to put her down so I can have a cigarette"
"Seems like it'd be easier with her all tucked cozy like that"
"Yes, but I don't want to give her that close a dose of secondhand smoke"
Denver's eyes went wide and he held up his hands as he backed away. "Now you're freaking me out"
Onto Dirty Laundry and it's about Denver, WooHoo! Would I recommend this series… Hell Yes!
This ARC was provided by Riptide Publishing via NetGalley
For more reviews, please visit...Sinfully Sexy Book Reviews
December 26, 2021
Solid audiobook! *3.5 stars* Review soon
November 26, 2018
Audio - 3.5 stars
Story - 2.5 stars
Story - 2.5 stars
September 13, 2012
El was all right except for a kind of unappealing mini-character-arc toward the end, but I found Paul's naiveté to be trying after a while. He's thirty, or almost, but he acted more like a twenty-two year old. It was frankly past time for him to start growing up. Their relationship progressed in a standard fashion, but I couldn't quite figure out what El saw in Paul, especially at first. Did he just like the innocent demeanor? The text made it explicit that Paul wasn't El's type physically, and their first couple interactions didn't really seem to have much of a spark, so the progression from that to El thinking about Paul at night and trying to lure him back to the shop again and again seemed forced to me.
I didn't really like the first-person/third-person POV switches, but they weren't as jarring as I had been afraid they'd be. The whole thing bothered me as well, because it smacked of
So that's Paul and El. They're no couple-to-end-all-couples, but they're serviceable. Steady. They're not the ones that bring this book crashing catastrophically down. Instead, let's talk about the women in this story. Oh, boy, the women.
There are four principal female characters: Rosa, El's sister; his mother, Patti; Stacey, Paul's ex-girlfriend; and Lorraine, Paul's neighbor. More aptly summarized, there is:
Who's left? A flakey, unfriendly vet tech whose departure Paul looks forward to and whom neither Paul nor his male boss (story pending!) likes? El's wise Latina grandmother? The dog? There's Paul's mother, I guess, but she only appears at the end, plus she's not so much a character as she is a vehicle for Paul to come to terms with his sexuality. Double-plus, she's another authorial mouthpiece with which to cut Stacey to ribbons, so, uh.
The romance, therefore, took a backseat to the creepy portrayals of the female characters. I couldn't find it in myself to enjoy Paul and El's romance when I was constantly bracing myself for the next appearance of Stacey or Rosa or Patti or Lorraine. At the close of the book, I can't look back with pleasure on the romance; all I'm left with is seething discomfort and irritation.
I didn't really like the first-person/third-person POV switches, but they weren't as jarring as I had been afraid they'd be. The whole thing bothered me as well, because it smacked of
So that's Paul and El. They're no couple-to-end-all-couples, but they're serviceable. Steady. They're not the ones that bring this book crashing catastrophically down. Instead, let's talk about the women in this story. Oh, boy, the women.
There are four principal female characters: Rosa, El's sister; his mother, Patti; Stacey, Paul's ex-girlfriend; and Lorraine, Paul's neighbor. More aptly summarized, there is:
one (1) crazy, hysterical, fit-throwing mom;
one (1) trashy sister who gets slut-shamed a bunch, has a bunch of kids with different dads, fights cattily with other women, and doesn't appear to possess any control over her own life;
one (1) cliché-to-end-all-clichés ex-girlfriend: bitchy, "slutty" (or at least accused of being a slut, repeatedly), materialistic, spoiled, selfish, cold, gold-digging, conniving, manipulative, and heartless, plus, though ostensibly an artist, she's talentless, to boot;
one (1) cypher of a girl who exists only to pine after Paul and give him advice on garden management until she, surprise surprise, Oh, wait, I'm sorry, did I say "cypher of a girl?" I meant "dizzy bitch."
Who's left? A flakey, unfriendly vet tech whose departure Paul looks forward to and whom neither Paul nor his male boss (story pending!) likes? El's wise Latina grandmother? The dog? There's Paul's mother, I guess, but she only appears at the end, plus she's not so much a character as she is a vehicle for Paul to come to terms with his sexuality. Double-plus, she's another authorial mouthpiece with which to cut Stacey to ribbons, so, uh.
The romance, therefore, took a backseat to the creepy portrayals of the female characters. I couldn't find it in myself to enjoy Paul and El's romance when I was constantly bracing myself for the next appearance of Stacey or Rosa or Patti or Lorraine. At the close of the book, I can't look back with pleasure on the romance; all I'm left with is seething discomfort and irritation.
September 5, 2012
Review posted at The Armchair Reader.
4.5 stars
This is the second book in the Tucker Springs series, all set in the same town but with different, barely related, characters and written with different authors. The first book, Where Nerves End by LA Witt, was only okay for me. This one really excels and a lot of you will really love it, I know that without a doubt.
Paul is a mess. His girlfriend of seven years and fiancee has left him for another man and he'll do anything to get her back. He's looking for a gift for her in the only place he can afford one (a pawnshop) when he meets El, the owner and all around cool guy with his feet propped up and smoking a cigarette. When Paul is forced to return Stacey's gift the next day, El takes him out for drinks.
Their connection is immediate. While El is certain to deny the possibility of happiness, both in the world and his own life, Paul is finding old feelings for men returning. What was the real reason he was with Stacey? Because it was right, or easy?
Paul and El are the absolute winners with this story. It wouldn't be a story at all without them -- there isn't really anything more here than their friendship and later relationship. Their personalities are so different, yet harmonious right from their first meeting. They each have a lot of issues to work through and though some of them are quiet heavy I never felt as if they were overwhelming. Paul, of course, has never really had to face his own fundamental character head on. He's clueless about everything in his life, and he's clueless that he's clueless. Meeting Stacey so young and breezing through life comfortably meant that he never had to consider whether he was truly happy or only content. Never having to make choices combined with a deep seated self esteem issue (because no one could really want him) makes it safer to leave his curiosity smothered. When Stacey takes away the comfort, Paul flounders, unable to see any other way of living if it isn't to constantly curry Stacey's favor.
El is a different puzzle. He's convinced that there's no such thing as real happiness for anyone, so why try to look for it himself. He isn't maudlin about it, he simply accepts it as a fact of life, telling himself that he's a realist and is happier for never searching for an elusive prize that only ends in heartbreak. This is highlighted very well by his family troubles. He's portrayed as having a typical loud and obnoxious Latin family, but the focus is shifted to his mother's hoarding problem. This allowed his family to be real instead of stereotypical, and by showing the role that El plays (stern mediator) that while he loves his family he's constantly seeking to separate himself from them. After all, his sister is constantly dating a new man who screws her over and his mother seems to care for her possessions as living things. They are attachments to disappointment and superficiality, and even while El rants against them, his lonely life and his later actions to court Paul's favor (a straight man), betray those feelings as falsehoods -- a smokescreen for fear of disappointment. I wondered where this came from. We never hear of a failed relationship in his past that might have made El so jaded, so I could only assume that his feelings have grown in response to his family.
There is so much to recommend about this story and like I said earlier, this short novel is going to be a hit with most readers. I sometimes have a hard time getting into contemporary unless I'm not in the mood for any other genre. I didn't have that problem here because the writing was so superb and kept me interested from the beginning. I can only hope that Heidi and Marie continue to write together. Both of these authors are wonderful, to which their numerous fans will attest, but together their strengths compensated for the other's weaknesses.
I'm still not entirely sure what draws this series together. Obviously, the town of Tucker Springs which is the name of the series. Aside from that, I haven't noticed any overall thematic connections -- though perhaps I will have to wait for further installments. Definitely Recommended!
4.5 stars
This is the second book in the Tucker Springs series, all set in the same town but with different, barely related, characters and written with different authors. The first book, Where Nerves End by LA Witt, was only okay for me. This one really excels and a lot of you will really love it, I know that without a doubt.
Paul is a mess. His girlfriend of seven years and fiancee has left him for another man and he'll do anything to get her back. He's looking for a gift for her in the only place he can afford one (a pawnshop) when he meets El, the owner and all around cool guy with his feet propped up and smoking a cigarette. When Paul is forced to return Stacey's gift the next day, El takes him out for drinks.
Their connection is immediate. While El is certain to deny the possibility of happiness, both in the world and his own life, Paul is finding old feelings for men returning. What was the real reason he was with Stacey? Because it was right, or easy?
Paul and El are the absolute winners with this story. It wouldn't be a story at all without them -- there isn't really anything more here than their friendship and later relationship. Their personalities are so different, yet harmonious right from their first meeting. They each have a lot of issues to work through and though some of them are quiet heavy I never felt as if they were overwhelming. Paul, of course, has never really had to face his own fundamental character head on. He's clueless about everything in his life, and he's clueless that he's clueless. Meeting Stacey so young and breezing through life comfortably meant that he never had to consider whether he was truly happy or only content. Never having to make choices combined with a deep seated self esteem issue (because no one could really want him) makes it safer to leave his curiosity smothered. When Stacey takes away the comfort, Paul flounders, unable to see any other way of living if it isn't to constantly curry Stacey's favor.
El is a different puzzle. He's convinced that there's no such thing as real happiness for anyone, so why try to look for it himself. He isn't maudlin about it, he simply accepts it as a fact of life, telling himself that he's a realist and is happier for never searching for an elusive prize that only ends in heartbreak. This is highlighted very well by his family troubles. He's portrayed as having a typical loud and obnoxious Latin family, but the focus is shifted to his mother's hoarding problem. This allowed his family to be real instead of stereotypical, and by showing the role that El plays (stern mediator) that while he loves his family he's constantly seeking to separate himself from them. After all, his sister is constantly dating a new man who screws her over and his mother seems to care for her possessions as living things. They are attachments to disappointment and superficiality, and even while El rants against them, his lonely life and his later actions to court Paul's favor (a straight man), betray those feelings as falsehoods -- a smokescreen for fear of disappointment. I wondered where this came from. We never hear of a failed relationship in his past that might have made El so jaded, so I could only assume that his feelings have grown in response to his family.
There is so much to recommend about this story and like I said earlier, this short novel is going to be a hit with most readers. I sometimes have a hard time getting into contemporary unless I'm not in the mood for any other genre. I didn't have that problem here because the writing was so superb and kept me interested from the beginning. I can only hope that Heidi and Marie continue to write together. Both of these authors are wonderful, to which their numerous fans will attest, but together their strengths compensated for the other's weaknesses.
I'm still not entirely sure what draws this series together. Obviously, the town of Tucker Springs which is the name of the series. Aside from that, I haven't noticed any overall thematic connections -- though perhaps I will have to wait for further installments. Definitely Recommended!
February 5, 2013
2,5 stars
Although I enjoyed some parts,Second Hand didn't grab me mostly because I didn't manage to like Paul. I didn't dislike him but I didn't grow attached to him, so I didn't get invested in his story.
The chemistry between El and Paul as well as the chemistry between this story and its readers rely on finding Paul adorkable. He is clueless, self-depreciating and insecure to a point that I wondered, just like Denver : "Is he...you know, mentally challenged?"
Even if (or perhaps because) I felt the burnt of humiliation on his behalf, I grew very quickly tired of his little boy personality (the man is 30) that was a little too much in my opinion, grew tired that each decisive step in his life was taken for him by someone else.
Apart from that, Second Hand is a pleasantly sweet story that you will enjoy if, like El, you succumb to Paul's cuteness.
Although I enjoyed some parts,Second Hand didn't grab me mostly because I didn't manage to like Paul. I didn't dislike him but I didn't grow attached to him, so I didn't get invested in his story.
The chemistry between El and Paul as well as the chemistry between this story and its readers rely on finding Paul adorkable. He is clueless, self-depreciating and insecure to a point that I wondered, just like Denver : "Is he...you know, mentally challenged?"
Even if (or perhaps because) I felt the burnt of humiliation on his behalf, I grew very quickly tired of his little boy personality (the man is 30) that was a little too much in my opinion, grew tired that each decisive step in his life was taken for him by someone else.
Apart from that, Second Hand is a pleasantly sweet story that you will enjoy if, like El, you succumb to Paul's cuteness.
September 5, 2012
I absolutely adored Second Hand, a story about making choices, letting go of old fears, and learning to fly without a net. In a world of low expectations and always being second best, Paul “just wanted to be the first choice for someone for once, just once.” This story is told from Paul’s first person POV and Ed’s third person POV and their voices and perspectives are so different, and yet so similar, it was like a melody played with different instruments that blended perfectly.
Paul’s live-in girlfriend had dumped him 2 months ago, after six and a half years together, to move in with someone else but he couldn’t seem to accept her decision and kept asking her to come back. His life had been a series of hard knocks so far and everything he did seemed to fall apart. Meeting Ed added a huge complication to a plate already overburdened with issues he couldn’t handle.
El was Paul’s polar opposite in every way. He was both a philosopher and a cynic, as his business of being a pawn shop owner, trading in the remnants of other people’s lives, exposed him every day to human frailties and failures. He had no expectations of anyone but had a heart of gold which made him a soft touch for his crazy family, especially his sister Rosa, the eternal optimist about men. Meeting Paul required that he make a massive shift in the paradigm of his life and recognize that just because someone was second hand didn’t make them any less valuable. He was lonely but pretended he liked being alone, had no current boyfriend and couldn’t remember the last time he had sex. He didn’t do relationships and he wasn’t doing Paul; he wouldn’t admit how he felt about him at first even though he would set up the most elaborate schemes just so he could see Paul every day.
When Paul’s mother came to visit she made him realize that the feelings he had for males which he was trying to repress went way back, even before puberty, but he was afraid about not being “normal” (or what society considered normal). Then Stacey came along 7 years ago to “rescue” him from the life he really wanted, and his fears overcame his desires as he chose the easy way out by living with Stacey, even telling himself he loved her, but he still couldn’t control his desire for the male of the species. It wasn’t until he met El that he realized he had been bi all along but suppressed his sexual orientation through fear.
One of the most wonderful aspects of this book was the slow build-up of El’s and Paul’s love for each other – slow because although they knew they had a connection they were both afraid to explore it, which is why it was so delightful when their love bloomed. In the end Paul gave El confidence that what they had was real, while El cherished him and taught him about making choices in addition to living life without boundaries. Both MCs grew incredibly in this book as Paul learned that making the right choices would enrich his life, and he was able to let go of his fears. El was Mr. Cool until he fell for Paul and saw how barren his life would be if he let him go.
Part of the reason I love this book is also because of the secondary characters. El’s best friend Denver was the typical alpha male: he was a bouncer at a gay bar, and he poked fun at El and his feelings for “Strawberry Shortcake” as he called Paul. Some of the best dialogue was between Denver and El as Denver amused himself at El’s expense, especially about his love for Paul, a man who could get him to do anything, even adopt a stray dog. There were many facets to El’s personality and one of them was his great love for his family. Every character was multi dimensional even Stacey who was flawed and a user; she gave Paul what he persuaded himself he wanted at that time, a “normal” life. In the end they wanted different things.
This is a book you will re-read many times because you won’t get the full impact once or twice. The writing was among the best I have read recently and Paul and El were such wonderfully crafted, complex characters that I’m sure you will revisit them often as you won’t be able to get them out of your mind and heart.
As for the lovemaking, here is a quote from El:
“I want to lie in bed with you and listen to a rainstorm come in over the mountains. I want to find out what you have for breakfast…”
And from Paul:
“I just want to lick you all over.”
Even though I love a well plotted story, for me great characterizations trump the plot of a book. In Second Hand I got both as the characters rocked as well as the plot, and the only element that was better was the love between Paul and El. While there was sex in this book and it was hot, it definitely did not drive the story as the love between the MCs was clearly the most important aspect of the plot.
I think I will end my review with this quote from Paul:
“All I want is to be with you Emanuel. You aren’t my first choice or my second choice. You’re my only choice.”
Paul’s live-in girlfriend had dumped him 2 months ago, after six and a half years together, to move in with someone else but he couldn’t seem to accept her decision and kept asking her to come back. His life had been a series of hard knocks so far and everything he did seemed to fall apart. Meeting Ed added a huge complication to a plate already overburdened with issues he couldn’t handle.
El was Paul’s polar opposite in every way. He was both a philosopher and a cynic, as his business of being a pawn shop owner, trading in the remnants of other people’s lives, exposed him every day to human frailties and failures. He had no expectations of anyone but had a heart of gold which made him a soft touch for his crazy family, especially his sister Rosa, the eternal optimist about men. Meeting Paul required that he make a massive shift in the paradigm of his life and recognize that just because someone was second hand didn’t make them any less valuable. He was lonely but pretended he liked being alone, had no current boyfriend and couldn’t remember the last time he had sex. He didn’t do relationships and he wasn’t doing Paul; he wouldn’t admit how he felt about him at first even though he would set up the most elaborate schemes just so he could see Paul every day.
When Paul’s mother came to visit she made him realize that the feelings he had for males which he was trying to repress went way back, even before puberty, but he was afraid about not being “normal” (or what society considered normal). Then Stacey came along 7 years ago to “rescue” him from the life he really wanted, and his fears overcame his desires as he chose the easy way out by living with Stacey, even telling himself he loved her, but he still couldn’t control his desire for the male of the species. It wasn’t until he met El that he realized he had been bi all along but suppressed his sexual orientation through fear.
One of the most wonderful aspects of this book was the slow build-up of El’s and Paul’s love for each other – slow because although they knew they had a connection they were both afraid to explore it, which is why it was so delightful when their love bloomed. In the end Paul gave El confidence that what they had was real, while El cherished him and taught him about making choices in addition to living life without boundaries. Both MCs grew incredibly in this book as Paul learned that making the right choices would enrich his life, and he was able to let go of his fears. El was Mr. Cool until he fell for Paul and saw how barren his life would be if he let him go.
Part of the reason I love this book is also because of the secondary characters. El’s best friend Denver was the typical alpha male: he was a bouncer at a gay bar, and he poked fun at El and his feelings for “Strawberry Shortcake” as he called Paul. Some of the best dialogue was between Denver and El as Denver amused himself at El’s expense, especially about his love for Paul, a man who could get him to do anything, even adopt a stray dog. There were many facets to El’s personality and one of them was his great love for his family. Every character was multi dimensional even Stacey who was flawed and a user; she gave Paul what he persuaded himself he wanted at that time, a “normal” life. In the end they wanted different things.
This is a book you will re-read many times because you won’t get the full impact once or twice. The writing was among the best I have read recently and Paul and El were such wonderfully crafted, complex characters that I’m sure you will revisit them often as you won’t be able to get them out of your mind and heart.
As for the lovemaking, here is a quote from El:
“I want to lie in bed with you and listen to a rainstorm come in over the mountains. I want to find out what you have for breakfast…”
And from Paul:
“I just want to lick you all over.”
Even though I love a well plotted story, for me great characterizations trump the plot of a book. In Second Hand I got both as the characters rocked as well as the plot, and the only element that was better was the love between Paul and El. While there was sex in this book and it was hot, it definitely did not drive the story as the love between the MCs was clearly the most important aspect of the plot.
I think I will end my review with this quote from Paul:
“All I want is to be with you Emanuel. You aren’t my first choice or my second choice. You’re my only choice.”
September 13, 2012
Ohhhh, I had fun reading this book! I haven't giggled maniacally on the NY subway (where nobody cares cuz there's always someone crazier than you) like this in forever! But this book had me laughing and smiling and sighing (mostly in wonderment at the daftness that is Paul at times) and feeling sad at times, a little empathetic over El's self-imposed loneliness, and mystified that, despite the switch between first and third person p.o.v between characters and the dual authorship, this book kept me riveted.
Having read Cullinan's Dance With Me, which was fantastic, I was both hopeful and wary. Hopeful that she would be able to produce another story with similar depth, insight and emotional texture; wary that I would be able to recognise any signature characterisation and be able, as well, to anticipate the trajectory of her plot's arc. Some writers are as such. You read one book and you've read all their books. Not so with Cullinan, thus far. Though the author does have a thing for laundry mats :-) But this one obsession is fine. It lends relatability and realism to her work and to the worlds of her characters.
There is also, contained within this book, some of the emotional landscaping I was hoping for, but not in the same tenor as with Dance With Me. The register here is significantly lighter in tone, which is fine. Each book has its own ambitions and positioning on the emotional scale that it wishes to hold. While lighter, though, there are still real world issues here with which the characters must contend: hoarding as a psychological illness; alienation from authenticity, sexuality and self; manipulation and advantaging by one character over another; self-imposed isolation and shallowness in relationships with others; failure and disappointment; and my favourite (which I hope continues to be a trope of Cullinan's)-- adjustment when life posits you on a road that vastly differs from the plans you'd made and envisioned yourself fulfilling. The book culminates in the realisation and resolution of these issues (some better than others) and the thankful evolution of the characters.
This is my version of "happily ever after". Growth! Growth which produces tangible, credible, potentially-permanent happiness. By interaction with these issues and by successfully coming to terms with them and subsequently overcoming them, El (who sounded delicious) and Paul find greater happiness in their lives and with each other (note, no co-dependence to make them fulfilled...people need to resolve their own stuff to be happy, not imagine someone else can do that for them solely).
As mentioned, I think El is delish :-) But that isn't just his physical description. I like his maturity, though he had some growing to do, and the way he loves Paul. Paul on the other hand is hilarious and just this side of being ridiculous. I like clueless characters, those slightly slow like in Muscling Through but it needs to be done right. Here, it is. Any further though, and Paul would have been that annoying character with too-low confidence, self-awareness and intelligence to like. As it is, he is well-characterised. This is one of Cullinan's strengths, I believe, great, imperfect characters that make the books real and a real pleasure in which to be immersed.
My points off come from my belief that the issues in this book could have been pushed just that fraction further, the hoarding especially. I also wanted to know more about Paul's best friend. He sort of just drops out of sight along the way...unless there's gonna be a book 2, which I would definitely read.
Good collaboration on this book by authors I plan to partake of further :-)
Having read Cullinan's Dance With Me, which was fantastic, I was both hopeful and wary. Hopeful that she would be able to produce another story with similar depth, insight and emotional texture; wary that I would be able to recognise any signature characterisation and be able, as well, to anticipate the trajectory of her plot's arc. Some writers are as such. You read one book and you've read all their books. Not so with Cullinan, thus far. Though the author does have a thing for laundry mats :-) But this one obsession is fine. It lends relatability and realism to her work and to the worlds of her characters.
There is also, contained within this book, some of the emotional landscaping I was hoping for, but not in the same tenor as with Dance With Me. The register here is significantly lighter in tone, which is fine. Each book has its own ambitions and positioning on the emotional scale that it wishes to hold. While lighter, though, there are still real world issues here with which the characters must contend: hoarding as a psychological illness; alienation from authenticity, sexuality and self; manipulation and advantaging by one character over another; self-imposed isolation and shallowness in relationships with others; failure and disappointment; and my favourite (which I hope continues to be a trope of Cullinan's)-- adjustment when life posits you on a road that vastly differs from the plans you'd made and envisioned yourself fulfilling. The book culminates in the realisation and resolution of these issues (some better than others) and the thankful evolution of the characters.
This is my version of "happily ever after". Growth! Growth which produces tangible, credible, potentially-permanent happiness. By interaction with these issues and by successfully coming to terms with them and subsequently overcoming them, El (who sounded delicious) and Paul find greater happiness in their lives and with each other (note, no co-dependence to make them fulfilled...people need to resolve their own stuff to be happy, not imagine someone else can do that for them solely).
As mentioned, I think El is delish :-) But that isn't just his physical description. I like his maturity, though he had some growing to do, and the way he loves Paul. Paul on the other hand is hilarious and just this side of being ridiculous. I like clueless characters, those slightly slow like in Muscling Through but it needs to be done right. Here, it is. Any further though, and Paul would have been that annoying character with too-low confidence, self-awareness and intelligence to like. As it is, he is well-characterised. This is one of Cullinan's strengths, I believe, great, imperfect characters that make the books real and a real pleasure in which to be immersed.
My points off come from my belief that the issues in this book could have been pushed just that fraction further, the hoarding especially. I also wanted to know more about Paul's best friend. He sort of just drops out of sight along the way...unless there's gonna be a book 2, which I would definitely read.
Good collaboration on this book by authors I plan to partake of further :-)
May 11, 2022
While this BI-AWAKENING story is Ok, the narration by Iggy Toma made it a fun story to listen to.
Favorite parts:
The dog
Denver (from Dirty Laundry) cameos
Nicotine patches
Least Favorite:
Flat & bitchie ex
One MC is simply a doormat
Favorite parts:
The dog
Denver (from Dirty Laundry) cameos
Nicotine patches
Least Favorite:
Flat & bitchie ex
One MC is simply a doormat
September 13, 2012
This is a sweet, well-written romance about two men figuring out that what they thought they wanted out of life is not truly satisfying. As they get to know each other, they both realize they want something more.
Paul is very naive and clueless, about people particularly, and about his own motivations. He's sweet but not very bright, and was content to drift along with his fiancée calling the shots, until she left him for another man and he found himself adrift in a life he can't imagine satisfying him much longer. In taking the easy route with Stacey, he's ended up with a house he doesn't like and can barely afford, filled with the things she chose. Although he imagines he still wants her back, he slowly begins to make moves to free himself from the clutter of their combined past.
El has always claimed he doesn't want to date, and doesn't need a relationship. But his first encounter with Paul's sweet, clueless charm intrigues him. It doesn't take long before El is infatuated with the "straight guy" who is pawning off his ex's kitchen gadgets, and plotting ways to see more of Paul.
I liked the way the relationship developed. El was lovely to watch with Paul. And there is no doubt that Paul is bi, and his gradual interest in El is not some abrupt change but a willingness to take the harder path that he rejected for the ease represented by Stacey. The guys were really nice together.
Other than the ex-fiancee Stacey, the secondary characters in this book were fun. Paul's mother is the Mom any gay man would want, and the people around El, for all their interesting quirks and issues, are warm and caring.
The alternating first and third person POV's worked very well for me. I think using first person for Paul made me like him more and be less irritated by his cluelessness than I might have been in third. It brought out his essential sweetness.
Paul is very naive and clueless, about people particularly, and about his own motivations. He's sweet but not very bright, and was content to drift along with his fiancée calling the shots, until she left him for another man and he found himself adrift in a life he can't imagine satisfying him much longer. In taking the easy route with Stacey, he's ended up with a house he doesn't like and can barely afford, filled with the things she chose. Although he imagines he still wants her back, he slowly begins to make moves to free himself from the clutter of their combined past.
El has always claimed he doesn't want to date, and doesn't need a relationship. But his first encounter with Paul's sweet, clueless charm intrigues him. It doesn't take long before El is infatuated with the "straight guy" who is pawning off his ex's kitchen gadgets, and plotting ways to see more of Paul.
I liked the way the relationship developed. El was lovely to watch with Paul. And there is no doubt that Paul is bi, and his gradual interest in El is not some abrupt change but a willingness to take the harder path that he rejected for the ease represented by Stacey. The guys were really nice together.
Other than the ex-fiancee Stacey, the secondary characters in this book were fun. Paul's mother is the Mom any gay man would want, and the people around El, for all their interesting quirks and issues, are warm and caring.
The alternating first and third person POV's worked very well for me. I think using first person for Paul made me like him more and be less irritated by his cluelessness than I might have been in third. It brought out his essential sweetness.
June 29, 2013
4.25
I don't know why I waited so long to read this story, it is such a nice sweet read and left me all happy and smiley.
Paul, sweet, nice, clueless and doormatty kind of guy. Low self-esteem which I'm not quite sure where that came from cause his mom is awesomesauce.
Anyway, his girlfriend/fiancée left him high and dry after he moved for her, bought everything she wanted and tried his best to make her happy ( see, doormat). He meets El, the pawnshop owner and El totally falls for him, but of course Paul has no clue ( see, clueless).
It's cute, El does all these nice things, I mean he adopts a dog for heavens sake, because Paul can't keep her and can't stand to see her go to the pound.
But finally Paul sees the light, it's cute, sweet, happy. A few small bumps in the road, and I can't tell you how happy I was when Paul finally gave the ex a piece of his mind. All in all a really great feel good story.
I don't know why I waited so long to read this story, it is such a nice sweet read and left me all happy and smiley.
Paul, sweet, nice, clueless and doormatty kind of guy. Low self-esteem which I'm not quite sure where that came from cause his mom is awesomesauce.
Anyway, his girlfriend/fiancée left him high and dry after he moved for her, bought everything she wanted and tried his best to make her happy ( see, doormat). He meets El, the pawnshop owner and El totally falls for him, but of course Paul has no clue ( see, clueless).
It's cute, El does all these nice things, I mean he adopts a dog for heavens sake, because Paul can't keep her and can't stand to see her go to the pound.
But finally Paul sees the light, it's cute, sweet, happy. A few small bumps in the road, and I can't tell you how happy I was when Paul finally gave the ex a piece of his mind. All in all a really great feel good story.
September 8, 2012
Very good m/m romance about a guy whose girlfriend left him for someone who could give her more stuff. As he becomes friends with the pawnshop owner he meets in the course of trying to sort out everything his ex-girlfriend left behind, he's oblivious to the attraction simmering between them.
I must confess that I wanted this book to be one day longer, which will make sense after you read it. :)
I must confess that I wanted this book to be one day longer, which will make sense after you read it. :)
March 29, 2013
I liked this a bit more than the first Tucker Springs book.
I had a little trouble warming up to Paul. I couldn’t understand his thinking. But once I got more into the story he definitely grew on me.
El again I had trouble with at first, maybe because I had a different picture of him from book one. But I warmed up to him and by the end was pretty happy with the way this one went.
I had a little trouble warming up to Paul. I couldn’t understand his thinking. But once I got more into the story he definitely grew on me.
El again I had trouble with at first, maybe because I had a different picture of him from book one. But I warmed up to him and by the end was pretty happy with the way this one went.
April 5, 2019
Overall book rating: 3.5
Audio Book: Iggy Toma 3.5
Book Cover: 2
Absolutely clueless guy? Check
Hot pawnshop owner. Check
Paul is really something. You can’t help but either wanting to smack him upside the head to get with the program, or laugh out load about just how adorably ‘innocent’ he goes through life.
El just had loads of fun with the Strawberry Shortcake. I enjoyed the little things in this story. Eating frozen yogurt and pawning useless kitchen stuff.
This is a nice read. Nothing earth shattering or overly dramatic. Just a little something to enjoy.
I have to admit I would have liked a little bit more of the ‘relationship’ and a little less of the hoarding mom thing. But all in all an enjoyable little read.
Audio Book: Iggy Toma 3.5
Book Cover: 2
Absolutely clueless guy? Check
Hot pawnshop owner. Check
Paul is really something. You can’t help but either wanting to smack him upside the head to get with the program, or laugh out load about just how adorably ‘innocent’ he goes through life.
El just had loads of fun with the Strawberry Shortcake. I enjoyed the little things in this story. Eating frozen yogurt and pawning useless kitchen stuff.
This is a nice read. Nothing earth shattering or overly dramatic. Just a little something to enjoy.
I have to admit I would have liked a little bit more of the ‘relationship’ and a little less of the hoarding mom thing. But all in all an enjoyable little read.
Read
July 26, 2012Very sweet, gently humorous contemporary romance between a gay pawn shop owner and a doesn't-realize-he's-bisexual veterinary secretary in the midst of a major life shakeup. As beautifully written as you'd expect from these two ladies, and a deliciously satisfying emotional ride between two extremely lovable characters (with extremely loveable families, as well).
January 13, 2015
Another winner in the m/m romance department. El and Paul are so completely sweet and adorable and perfect for each other, and I really enjoyed the fact that the smoking bad boy was the leader in their romance.
December 6, 2023
This was so much better than I expected. This is a real slow burn and they are just friends for most part of the book. One of the MCs is not only straight but also somewhat clueless 🙄 Fun, sweet and eventually a hot read.
January 31, 2016
I really like Iggy Toma's narration in this - he gives a solid performance, I like most of his character voices, and he sucked me into the story making me ignore the outside world completely. Which is a good thing. No matter what my boss or co-workers might tell you.
Second Hand is one of those stories that has a slow build-up to the romance. Mainly because main character Paul is one of the most clueless characters I've seen portrayed in a long time. Paul is also what I call a downer dude or an Eeyore. He's constantly dragging about lamenting his life and the choices he's made. It's hard for me to like a character like that very much.
Conversely, El, for all his chain-smoking and brusque ways, was a delight to get to know. The problems he faces with his family situation felt real, and were, I thought, handled well.
I like that the story has a slow build up to their relationship. I like the time it takes Paul to realize, and then comes to terms with, liking El in a romantic way.
What I didn't like is the ex-girlfriend and the drama she brought to the story. Whenever she showed up I was livid while listening; practically boiling over with rage.
I also didn't like the POV. Paul's POV is in first person while El's is third person. It was weird. I'm not sure if the weirdness was lessened or exasperated by the narration. I just know I didn't particularly care for it. It wasn't a deal breaker, but it did feel like two different stories mashed up into one book. Which, I guess if the two authors were penning different portions that makes sense, but I would have though it would come together more cohesively.
At the end of the day, though, it was an enjoyable listen with a sweet HEA and fans of Tucker Springs shouldn't be disappointed with this installment of the series.
This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
May 4, 2013
3.5 Rounded up because it left me in a good place.
Generally sweet, and from my perspective, more enjoyable than Dirty Laundry and Covet Thy Neighbor, even with my excitement and waiting for the latter.
Paul was clueless and gullible. That made him endearing to a point, but I pitied him and couldn't really find him sexy.
El's fit about the ring was exasperating.
I half expected the fire to be .
Paul's mother knowing more than him about gay porn was hilarious. Their whole conversation in that scene was.
The book could have ended at 60% with Paul getting together with Lorraine and being best friends with El and it would have been totally okay on all accounts. :D Meaning the chemistry between the characters wasn't that (if at all) apparent up to this point.
Oh, yeah, the chipmunk. As with Phury's Wizard (BDB)
Generally sweet, and from my perspective, more enjoyable than Dirty Laundry and Covet Thy Neighbor, even with my excitement and waiting for the latter.
Paul was clueless and gullible. That made him endearing to a point, but I pitied him and couldn't really find him sexy.
El's fit about the ring was exasperating.
I half expected the fire to be .
Paul's mother knowing more than him about gay porn was hilarious. Their whole conversation in that scene was.
The book could have ended at 60% with Paul getting together with Lorraine and being best friends with El and it would have been totally okay on all accounts. :D Meaning the chemistry between the characters wasn't that (if at all) apparent up to this point.
Oh, yeah, the chipmunk. As with Phury's Wizard (BDB)
April 18, 2014
I must admit that whilst I skimmed a few pages, I did enjoy El & Paul in this GFY romance.
“The only thing wrong with you is that you’re so sure there’s something wrong with you.”
All Paul needed was El to make him realise that there really was nothing wrong with him!
“Paul’s gaze fixed on El, hesitant and heated at once. “Maybe . . . maybe I want to be pushed.”
3 stars.
“The only thing wrong with you is that you’re so sure there’s something wrong with you.”
All Paul needed was El to make him realise that there really was nothing wrong with him!
“Paul’s gaze fixed on El, hesitant and heated at once. “Maybe . . . maybe I want to be pushed.”
3 stars.
November 23, 2012
3.5 stars
This book was good, I liked it better than I did the first one about Tucker Springs. El and Paul were cute together, and there were parts that had me laughing, loved Mojo. I would have loved if the story had continued through to the 4th of July party.
This book was good, I liked it better than I did the first one about Tucker Springs. El and Paul were cute together, and there were parts that had me laughing, loved Mojo. I would have loved if the story had continued through to the 4th of July party.
September 10, 2012
Loved it! Couldn't stop reading, El and Paul were just too cute. And a dog, too? What a wonderful read.
October 27, 2012
4.5 stars
Such a lovely story. Paul was just adorable with his cluelessness.
Such a lovely story. Paul was just adorable with his cluelessness.
February 3, 2018
I love Heidi's writing and style. This story is totally character driven and puts the reader right in the middle of the action. Paul and El were great together. Stacey was written as a perfect foil to El which I appreciated. The diversity of the characters is what made this a five star read for me. Don't pass this one up.
January 16, 2019
I can always count on Marie Sexton and Heidi Cullinan, and combining forces they create a great one in Second Hand. If you’re in the mood for something sexy and sweet, a feel-good romance with humor and a great message, this is the novel for you.
Fans of the Tucker Springs series know these books can be read independently, but once you’ve read one you’ll see how addictive this series can be and you’ll want to read them all.
Poor Paul! After moving to Tucker Springs for his fiancée, she leaves him for another man. Now he’s stuck in a dead-end job, renting a home he can barely afford, and his self-esteem is at an all time low. Hoping to win her back with some bling, Paul figures the local pawn shop is the only store he can afford.
El’s life is busy, between running Tucker Pawn and taking care of his dysfunctional (but loving) family, he’s been standing on the sidelines for far too long. He’s starting to get the itch to get out there and find some happiness for himself.
From the moment Paul bumbles into his shop El is smitten, and the chase begins. This is one of the cutest courtships I can remember. Paul is oblivious to El’s advances, but when El finally gets his man? Marie Sexton and Heidi Cullinan deliver some scorching sex scenes for these two! Don’t forget this is Paul’s “first time” *wink*.
Though both of these characters are at pivotal places in their lives, Paul’s the one with the crisis here. The scenes from his point of view are done in the first person, and give a more intimate view of his emotions. Between standing up to his domineering ex-girlfriend, coming to grips with his sexual identity, and facing his own expectations and feelings of inadequacy, Paul has a lot on his plate.
One of my favorite parts of Second Hand is what the authors have to say about possessions. Our vision of the life we have is centered around our goods and our gear. Our memories of loved ones are tied up in their belongings. When these objects are gone, what’s left? Once the characters in this story can finally say goodbye to all their stuff they realize that it’s what’s in our hearts that matters - not what’s on the shelf.
Fans of the Tucker Springs series know these books can be read independently, but once you’ve read one you’ll see how addictive this series can be and you’ll want to read them all.
Poor Paul! After moving to Tucker Springs for his fiancée, she leaves him for another man. Now he’s stuck in a dead-end job, renting a home he can barely afford, and his self-esteem is at an all time low. Hoping to win her back with some bling, Paul figures the local pawn shop is the only store he can afford.
El’s life is busy, between running Tucker Pawn and taking care of his dysfunctional (but loving) family, he’s been standing on the sidelines for far too long. He’s starting to get the itch to get out there and find some happiness for himself.
From the moment Paul bumbles into his shop El is smitten, and the chase begins. This is one of the cutest courtships I can remember. Paul is oblivious to El’s advances, but when El finally gets his man? Marie Sexton and Heidi Cullinan deliver some scorching sex scenes for these two! Don’t forget this is Paul’s “first time” *wink*.
Though both of these characters are at pivotal places in their lives, Paul’s the one with the crisis here. The scenes from his point of view are done in the first person, and give a more intimate view of his emotions. Between standing up to his domineering ex-girlfriend, coming to grips with his sexual identity, and facing his own expectations and feelings of inadequacy, Paul has a lot on his plate.
One of my favorite parts of Second Hand is what the authors have to say about possessions. Our vision of the life we have is centered around our goods and our gear. Our memories of loved ones are tied up in their belongings. When these objects are gone, what’s left? Once the characters in this story can finally say goodbye to all their stuff they realize that it’s what’s in our hearts that matters - not what’s on the shelf.
September 16, 2012
Most of the time, my four-star reads don't much differ from my five-star reads. Some of the books I've given four stars to might have been technically better than my five-star choices, and the highest rated books on my shelf might be unforgivably flawed compared to those I've rated four or even three stars. The distinction - that one or half a star addition - usually lies in the undefinable oomph, subjective and changing.
In the case of Second Hand, that oomph was that I needed a pick-me-up, something that will steer me away from all the emo teenage angst of "what's the fucking point?" adults don't seem to know how to grow out of. I needed a light read and if that light read turned out to be written well with engaging characters and with an abundance of sweetness but not overflowing in it, then so much the better.
In other words, I had an itch and this book scratched it good. Most of the time, that's how something gets five stars from me.
Second Hand is light in angst, but is surprisingly deep in some places. The MCs are lovable in different ways but they're so complementary that to love one means you love the other. I loved Paul's thickness/innocence and sympathized with his confusion about whether he really needs to embrace the change in his sexual orientation. I loved El and his cautious optimism disguised as jaded nonchalance. I loved the dialogue, the family, the smartass friend, the interchanging narrative voice from Paul's first person and El's third person, and I adored that fucking dog.
I've always liked Marie Sexton ever since I read Promises, but this is my first Cullinan book. If this is representative of her other works, though, this won't definitely be the last one I pick up.
In the case of Second Hand, that oomph was that I needed a pick-me-up, something that will steer me away from all the emo teenage angst of "what's the fucking point?" adults don't seem to know how to grow out of. I needed a light read and if that light read turned out to be written well with engaging characters and with an abundance of sweetness but not overflowing in it, then so much the better.
In other words, I had an itch and this book scratched it good. Most of the time, that's how something gets five stars from me.
Second Hand is light in angst, but is surprisingly deep in some places. The MCs are lovable in different ways but they're so complementary that to love one means you love the other. I loved Paul's thickness/innocence and sympathized with his confusion about whether he really needs to embrace the change in his sexual orientation. I loved El and his cautious optimism disguised as jaded nonchalance. I loved the dialogue, the family, the smartass friend, the interchanging narrative voice from Paul's first person and El's third person, and I adored that fucking dog.
I've always liked Marie Sexton ever since I read Promises, but this is my first Cullinan book. If this is representative of her other works, though, this won't definitely be the last one I pick up.
October 9, 2012
I stayed up way to late finishing this book on a work night, and now am paying the price.
I am freaking tired, but it was worth it!
In a world that has been infected with 50 Shades of Shit, I am find myself drawn to a more realistic romance. Is it that I read my quota of money meets virgin in my teenage years, or maybe it’s just that the money today is usually an asshole.
My grandmother loved her Harlequin romances when she was alive, she especially loved the ones where they traveled, she called them her free vacations. Me being a broke teenager that loved to read, borrowed a lot of her books.
I could never get into her love of VC Andrews though, but I am getting side tracked.
The main characters in this book are quite normal, Paul works as a receptionist at a Veterinary clinic, and El owns a pawn shop. I have to admit that when I first met El I had some misgivings, I mean this is the first time that I have read a book where you were supposed to like the guy in the pawn shop.
Once I got to know him though I thought he was very sweet, and really needs to quit smoking!
Paul on the other hand did get on my nerves a few times, I liked him don’t get me wrong, but he was just so clueless sometimes.
The end was sweet, but it ended too soon, I really wanted to read about the barbeque dammit!
I hope in the next installment of this series you get to hear about them.
August 6, 2013
3.5 stars.
Second Hand is the second book in the Tucker Springs series.
It's about Paul, who is a bit lost, very much naïve, and has a heart big enough to get himself in trouble and used by others. One of those people is his ex-girlfriend Stacey. What a bitch!
El Rozal, pawn shop owner and all-around cynic doesn't do relationships, especially not with shy, straight boys. It seems that Paul and El have nothing in common. There's no reason to believe the two of them could fit...
The writing style was entertaining, the multiple POVs worked for me. Second Hand is a lovely, simple story, a feel-good story with lovable characters.
Seriously, a story with a one-legged chicken statue made out of metal and a guy who carries his dog in a dog carrier... trust me, that's crazy, funny and entertaining!
Second Hand is the second book in the Tucker Springs series.
It's about Paul, who is a bit lost, very much naïve, and has a heart big enough to get himself in trouble and used by others. One of those people is his ex-girlfriend Stacey. What a bitch!
El Rozal, pawn shop owner and all-around cynic doesn't do relationships, especially not with shy, straight boys. It seems that Paul and El have nothing in common. There's no reason to believe the two of them could fit...
The writing style was entertaining, the multiple POVs worked for me. Second Hand is a lovely, simple story, a feel-good story with lovable characters.
Seriously, a story with a one-legged chicken statue made out of metal and a guy who carries his dog in a dog carrier... trust me, that's crazy, funny and entertaining!
January 28, 2019
Grade: A
I have to do a One-Quote Review for this because anything longer would be nauseatingly sycophantic.
So, Heidi and Marie, just go ahead and push all my buttons, and THEN reach in and pull my guts out. You both seem to be good at that sort of thing.
ALSO: Hurry the hell up with your next books, so I can fling myself on the altar of your brilliance ALL OVER AGAIN.
I guess that last bit crossed the “sycophant” line, huh? Oh, well. I HAVE NO SHAME.
[NOTE: I read a digital ARC provided by the published via NetGalley.]
I have to do a One-Quote Review for this because anything longer would be nauseatingly sycophantic.
“I just want to be the first choice for someone for once. Just once.”
So, Heidi and Marie, just go ahead and push all my buttons, and THEN reach in and pull my guts out. You both seem to be good at that sort of thing.
ALSO: Hurry the hell up with your next books, so I can fling myself on the altar of your brilliance ALL OVER AGAIN.
I guess that last bit crossed the “sycophant” line, huh? Oh, well. I HAVE NO SHAME.
[NOTE: I read a digital ARC provided by the published via NetGalley.]
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