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Dirty Mind
Alexander Popescu is a university lecturer in a quiet German town. He’s a respectable man in his thirties who stays fit, has a decent career and travels alone—his only vice is an occasional greasy meal. And beer. And violent computer games. Nobody has to know about the other Alex—the acclaimed porn writer. His ingenious erotic fantasies earn him good money and keep his capricious mind harmlessly entertained.
When his young friend and protégé Christian transfers to Freiburg for medical school, Alex is overjoyed…and terrified that Christian will find out about Alex’s indecent alter ego. The time they spend together, as lovely as it is, could overturn Alex’s carefully balanced life. Suddenly, the writing is not good enough, his hair seems to be thinning, his careful hookups leave him unfulfilled, and his dreams are haunted by the innocent young man he’s vowed to protect.
However, Christian is not a boy any more. He’s a grown man of twenty-one, clever and deadly attractive. And he’s hiding some secrets of his own.
When his young friend and protégé Christian transfers to Freiburg for medical school, Alex is overjoyed…and terrified that Christian will find out about Alex’s indecent alter ego. The time they spend together, as lovely as it is, could overturn Alex’s carefully balanced life. Suddenly, the writing is not good enough, his hair seems to be thinning, his careful hookups leave him unfulfilled, and his dreams are haunted by the innocent young man he’s vowed to protect.
However, Christian is not a boy any more. He’s a grown man of twenty-one, clever and deadly attractive. And he’s hiding some secrets of his own.
164 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2017
105 people are currently reading
1105 people want to read
About the author
Roe Horvat
63 books1,756 followersQueer fiction author Roe Horvat was born in the former Czechoslovakia. Equipped with a dark sense of sarcasm and a penchant for Czech beer, Roe traveled Europe and finally settled in Sweden. He came out as transgender in 2017 and has been fabulous since. He loves Jane Austen, Douglas Adams, bad action movies, stand-up comedy, pale ale, and daiquiri, with equal passion. When not hiding in the studio doing graphics, he can be found trolling cafés in Gothenburg, writing, and people-watching.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 357 reviews
September 30, 2019
While Dirty Mind doesn't pack the same emotional punch as Horvat's first book, The Layover, it's still a worthy contender in the MM romance genre. Horvat has a lyrical writing style that never comes across as flowery. His words are stark; the descriptions, emotive.
Dirty Mind is set in Freiburg im Breisgau in Germany. Can I get an AMEN, please? It's so refreshing to have books set somewhere besides the English-speaking world. Horvat is European, so he pulls it off flawlessly.
When Alex, a creative writing professor cum gay erotica writer, meets the beautiful Christian, then 18, at a beach club in Spain, he notices that Christian's "sun-bleached mop of golden strands surrounded his head like a halo as if he'd descended directly from heaven to save our lost, dirty souls."
Alex becomes Christian's long-distance friend and mentor, but when Christian transfers to the university in Freiburg, boundaries blur. Alex is obsessed with keeping Christian at arm's length and terrified Christian will find out that he writes porn, even though Christian is now 21, hardly an innocent.
Alex is the first-person narrator of this story, so we are intimately aware of his self-delusions. The reader can see how badly Christian wants to be with Alex, but Alex is determined to self-sabotage himself and preserve Christian’s precious virginity.
His biggest concerns is the twelve year age difference between himself and Christian. He’s not willing to try, because he’s certain Christian will finally notice his receding hairline and leave. Alex’s stubbornness and insecurity were maddening! Christian wants inside Alex’s dirty mind, yet Alex pushes him away time and again.
The secondary characters in the story are pitch-perfect: Dieter, Christian’s dorm mate who is fascinated with all things gay and says exactly what he’s thinking; Christian’s controlling mother, who wants Alex to report on Christian’s comings and goings; Mattias, Alex’s one-time casual fuck buddy and also his best friend, who suffers from dark moods and has a backstory that was sadly never fully fleshed out.
I was hoping with a title like Dirty Mind, this would be a Dirty Book, but it wasn’t, not really. It takes a long time for the MCs to get together, although I’m not complaining. The slow burn was appropriate considering Alex’s neurotic nature. The included steamy scenes are sensual and erotic, but there was more sex in Alex’s dreams and fiction than on the page between the MCs.
The story ends with a fairly satisfying epilogue. Alex is still waiting for the other shoe to drop (“Christian, I’m terrified that one day, I’m not going to be enough for you”), but Christian holds firm. He branded himself Alex’s Squirrel, and he’s not letting go.
Dirty Mind is set in Freiburg im Breisgau in Germany. Can I get an AMEN, please? It's so refreshing to have books set somewhere besides the English-speaking world. Horvat is European, so he pulls it off flawlessly.
When Alex, a creative writing professor cum gay erotica writer, meets the beautiful Christian, then 18, at a beach club in Spain, he notices that Christian's "sun-bleached mop of golden strands surrounded his head like a halo as if he'd descended directly from heaven to save our lost, dirty souls."
Alex becomes Christian's long-distance friend and mentor, but when Christian transfers to the university in Freiburg, boundaries blur. Alex is obsessed with keeping Christian at arm's length and terrified Christian will find out that he writes porn, even though Christian is now 21, hardly an innocent.
Alex is the first-person narrator of this story, so we are intimately aware of his self-delusions. The reader can see how badly Christian wants to be with Alex, but Alex is determined to self-sabotage himself and preserve Christian’s precious virginity.
His biggest concerns is the twelve year age difference between himself and Christian. He’s not willing to try, because he’s certain Christian will finally notice his receding hairline and leave. Alex’s stubbornness and insecurity were maddening! Christian wants inside Alex’s dirty mind, yet Alex pushes him away time and again.
The secondary characters in the story are pitch-perfect: Dieter, Christian’s dorm mate who is fascinated with all things gay and says exactly what he’s thinking; Christian’s controlling mother, who wants Alex to report on Christian’s comings and goings; Mattias, Alex’s one-time casual fuck buddy and also his best friend, who suffers from dark moods and has a backstory that was sadly never fully fleshed out.
I was hoping with a title like Dirty Mind, this would be a Dirty Book, but it wasn’t, not really. It takes a long time for the MCs to get together, although I’m not complaining. The slow burn was appropriate considering Alex’s neurotic nature. The included steamy scenes are sensual and erotic, but there was more sex in Alex’s dreams and fiction than on the page between the MCs.
The story ends with a fairly satisfying epilogue. Alex is still waiting for the other shoe to drop (“Christian, I’m terrified that one day, I’m not going to be enough for you”), but Christian holds firm. He branded himself Alex’s Squirrel, and he’s not letting go.
August 26, 2017
4.5 Stars.
Alex is 30 and Christian is 18 when they first meet one evening in Stiges,a small town in Spain.Christian is beautiful and Alex is not the only man to be drawn to him that night,
Acting on impulse,Alex saves Christian from unwanted attention from other men and they begin an easy,comfortable conversation.Christian is from Berlin and Alex is living in Freiburg and over the coming years they stay in touch through emails and occasional visits.
Alex is more than a bit surprised when three years after they first met Christian transfers to study in Freiburg.
Alex teaches creative writing but also writes erotic books,something he definitely doesn't want Christian to find out.
Told only from Alex's pov I got fully immersed in his head.He's only in his thirties but cuts quite a melancholy,jaded figure at times...the one light in his life is Christian.He's trying to deny his attraction/connection to Christian, not least because of the 12 year age gap.
I adored Christian,he might appear innocent,and in many ways he was,but not where Alex is concerned.....he knew what he wanted and by Alex's own admission he didn't stand a chance when it came to Christian.
The writing drew me in right from the start here.The slow burn was beautiful as they go from friends to lovers and when they do become intimate I found it extremely sensual.
Highly Recommended.........
Review copy.
Alex is 30 and Christian is 18 when they first meet one evening in Stiges,a small town in Spain.Christian is beautiful and Alex is not the only man to be drawn to him that night,
He wasn’t too tall, maybe one seventy-five, and had the shiniest blond hair. The sun-bleached mop of golden strands surrounded his head like a halo as if he’d descended directly from heaven to save our lost, dirty souls. But angels probably wouldn’t come down to earth dressed in faded cut-off jeans and purple flip-flops.(...)
Acting on impulse,Alex saves Christian from unwanted attention from other men and they begin an easy,comfortable conversation.Christian is from Berlin and Alex is living in Freiburg and over the coming years they stay in touch through emails and occasional visits.
Alex is more than a bit surprised when three years after they first met Christian transfers to study in Freiburg.
Alex teaches creative writing but also writes erotic books,something he definitely doesn't want Christian to find out.
Told only from Alex's pov I got fully immersed in his head.He's only in his thirties but cuts quite a melancholy,jaded figure at times...the one light in his life is Christian.He's trying to deny his attraction/connection to Christian, not least because of the 12 year age gap.
I adored Christian,he might appear innocent,and in many ways he was,but not where Alex is concerned.....he knew what he wanted and by Alex's own admission he didn't stand a chance when it came to Christian.
The writing drew me in right from the start here.The slow burn was beautiful as they go from friends to lovers and when they do become intimate I found it extremely sensual.
Highly Recommended.........
Review copy.
October 13, 2018
There was a lot that I truly liked about this story, but also a few things I could have done without.
Alex met Christian on vacation in Spain, when they were 30 and 18, respectively. Christian was about to get eaten alive by some seriously skeezy Eurotrash, so Alex pretended to be his boyfriend to save him from that fate.
Then, after talking for hours, they exchanged contact information and remained friends for the next three years through constant communication and the occasional short visit.
I loved how this story played out at the beginning, as I got to know each character more in-depth. They were both great guys and very good friends, but that was all.
Then Christian transferred to medical school in Alex's remote hometown, which changed everything, including blurring some lines for Alex that he'd never even considered crossing.
All of this was great, UNTIL Alex started mentally harping on their twelve year age difference. Over and over and over again. Ad nauseam. That got extremely old, extremely quickly and I really wanted to reach on-page and bitch slap him. Also... over and over and over again.
But, as clueless, insecure MC's are prone to do, he finally pulled his head out of his arse, accepted the fact that they were inevitable and put in the work to make up for his previous, repeated, idiotic behavior.
“I never stood a chance,” I wheezed.
“Nope,” he murmured against my cheek.
Unlike Horvat's previous story, " The Layover ," this story did actually have a good bit of steam, once both MC's were on the same page relationship-wise, which was nice.
This story didn't have quite the same level of impact as his first book, which I suspect was in part due to the fact that "The Layover" had both MC's living out of one another's pockets.
In this book, we're mostly in Alex's head, but with Christian across town in medical school. Yes, Christian visits on occasion, but he isn't a constant presence.
Overall, I really enjoyed the story and would rate this one at around 3.75 stars and recommend it for anyone looking for a nice, contemporary, M/M romance with a *slight* -- but not immense -- age gap.
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My ARC copy of the book was provided by the publisher in exchange for a fair, unbiased review.
See All My Latest Reads (Review Quick-Links)
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October 7, 2019
Roe Horvat can do NO wrong, and Dirty Mind just proves it to me.
I've now read every full-length story from Roe Horvat, and I can now say, with authority, that he's a mother-forking-genius. He gets me, guys, he just... does.
Now, Dirty Mind wasn't quite A Love Song for the Sad Man in the White Coat-level of amazing, but I adored it all the same.
Sexy-sex? YES! Angst? YES! Age-gap? YES!
I mean... just *dreamy sigh.*
I got my fix, and I'm ready for another!
goodreads|instagram|twitter|blog
I've now read every full-length story from Roe Horvat, and I can now say, with authority, that he's a mother-forking-genius. He gets me, guys, he just... does.
Now, Dirty Mind wasn't quite A Love Song for the Sad Man in the White Coat-level of amazing, but I adored it all the same.
Sexy-sex? YES! Angst? YES! Age-gap? YES!
I mean... just *dreamy sigh.*
I got my fix, and I'm ready for another!
goodreads|instagram|twitter|blog
September 1, 2021
i didn’t quite know what to expect with a title like A Dirty Mind, but my god, this was so sweet and beautifully written.
every single character was so vividly realized i felt like
i actually knew them; Alex and Chris especially, but even the one scene, minor character felt like real people. Alex’s longing for Chris was so palpable it made my chest hurt. i cried at least four different times reading this - especially for pretty much the whole last third or so of the novella.
god, i really loved this. 5 stars.
every single character was so vividly realized i felt like
i actually knew them; Alex and Chris especially, but even the one scene, minor character felt like real people. Alex’s longing for Chris was so palpable it made my chest hurt. i cried at least four different times reading this - especially for pretty much the whole last third or so of the novella.
god, i really loved this. 5 stars.
March 16, 2020
4 Hearts
I’ve almost read every single Horvat book out there, and I’ve yet to be disappointed.
This story is a bit more light hearted, featuring Alex - professor and incognito porn writer - who while on vacation befriends a young lad named Christian, 12 years his junior and way out of his league. What ensues after that fateful night is a unique friendship carefully cultivated through correspondence over the next few years, and when Christian moves to where Alex lives to go to medical school, it sorta kinda definitely throws Alex a lot off kilter.
Hence, a push pull results as Alex struggles with his attraction to the vibrant Christian, trying to maintain boundaries but failing miserably at staunching his growing feelings. Being what Alex perceives as way too old (as well as keeping his erotic alter ego a secret) are just flimsy excuses for Alex to deny himself a chance at happiness. Luckily, Christian knows what he wants and takes the necessary steps needed to get Alex’s head out of his own ass...
Narrated by Vance Bastian, I felt that he was perfectly serviceable, and I’m positive that many have and would enjoy his performance. For me though, my perceived expectations as to how I wanted these characters to sound like just did not fully mesh with Bastian’s interpretation.
Regardless, this features a great slow burn, as friends become lovers and accept the age gap that isn’t and shouldn’t be a factor in their relationship (as well as that dirty little secret). Full of great UST and sexy, never shirking on the feels - that’s what I love about Horvat and this author thankfully, has yet to miss the mark!
Thank you to the publisher/author for the audio in exchange for a honest review
I’ve almost read every single Horvat book out there, and I’ve yet to be disappointed.
This story is a bit more light hearted, featuring Alex - professor and incognito porn writer - who while on vacation befriends a young lad named Christian, 12 years his junior and way out of his league. What ensues after that fateful night is a unique friendship carefully cultivated through correspondence over the next few years, and when Christian moves to where Alex lives to go to medical school, it sorta kinda definitely throws Alex a lot off kilter.
Hence, a push pull results as Alex struggles with his attraction to the vibrant Christian, trying to maintain boundaries but failing miserably at staunching his growing feelings. Being what Alex perceives as way too old (as well as keeping his erotic alter ego a secret) are just flimsy excuses for Alex to deny himself a chance at happiness. Luckily, Christian knows what he wants and takes the necessary steps needed to get Alex’s head out of his own ass...
Narrated by Vance Bastian, I felt that he was perfectly serviceable, and I’m positive that many have and would enjoy his performance. For me though, my perceived expectations as to how I wanted these characters to sound like just did not fully mesh with Bastian’s interpretation.
Regardless, this features a great slow burn, as friends become lovers and accept the age gap that isn’t and shouldn’t be a factor in their relationship (as well as that dirty little secret). Full of great UST and sexy, never shirking on the feels - that’s what I love about Horvat and this author thankfully, has yet to miss the mark!
Thank you to the publisher/author for the audio in exchange for a honest review
November 15, 2017
Oh, this book is something else. Just precious! *laughing at myself and everything surrounding me*
The book starts in your averagely normal way: nothing to suddenly make me feel that I am going to have the ride of my life, or nothing to say that I would get bored out of my mind. It was like a mist, slowly drifting into my mind, making me have mixed feelings.
On one hand, I was unsure about the type of character Aled would turn out to be, because the first part of the book is spent with him obsessed with his writing. And poor Christian did not have much of an active role for me to figure out where the plot will go and how.
And then comes the part when suddenly they end up getting together. That’s when the mist clears and you can clearly see the direction the book is taking. It certainly helped that Alex had then turned into this adorable, bumbling, shy character, who was busy sequestering his feeling for Chris so efficiently that he himself was not aware of them! It helped even more that Chris had gotten a more active role where we got to see him in action and were able to gather subtle cues which hinted at his feelings for Chris.
And that switching of roles was the catalyst the story needed to push it up from a routine story to a precious one. I am so happy I perservered and doggedly kept on reading, because I would have missed out on the great laughs I had later on.
And I loved Dieter! He was just the cherry on top of the cake. Such a good guy! ❤️
The book starts in your averagely normal way: nothing to suddenly make me feel that I am going to have the ride of my life, or nothing to say that I would get bored out of my mind. It was like a mist, slowly drifting into my mind, making me have mixed feelings.
On one hand, I was unsure about the type of character Aled would turn out to be, because the first part of the book is spent with him obsessed with his writing. And poor Christian did not have much of an active role for me to figure out where the plot will go and how.
And then comes the part when suddenly they end up getting together. That’s when the mist clears and you can clearly see the direction the book is taking. It certainly helped that Alex had then turned into this adorable, bumbling, shy character, who was busy sequestering his feeling for Chris so efficiently that he himself was not aware of them! It helped even more that Chris had gotten a more active role where we got to see him in action and were able to gather subtle cues which hinted at his feelings for Chris.
And that switching of roles was the catalyst the story needed to push it up from a routine story to a precious one. I am so happy I perservered and doggedly kept on reading, because I would have missed out on the great laughs I had later on.
And I loved Dieter! He was just the cherry on top of the cake. Such a good guy! ❤️
September 30, 2025
This book was so unexpectedly wholesome and lovely! And yet also emotional and sexy and just such a great time in such a little novella. Horvat is now 2 for 2 with writing some of my favourite contemporary romances in his older novella works.
Whilst on holiday in Spain, Alex, a 30 year old novelist and professor of creative writing, encounters the young and beautiful 18 year old Christian in a seaside gay club. Alex steps in to save Christian from being hassled by a number of unwanted and increasingly unsubtle suitors and this serendipitous meeting starts a friendship between the two that spans years into the future where feelings start to become increasingly complicated in their friendship with the potential for something more.
I am not usually a big fan of age gap romances (21 vs 32 at the time of the main plot), especially when the age gap itself is such a pivotal part of the dynamic and story but honestly, I really enjoyed how Horvat approached its incorporation here. It was real, messy and complicated and Alex and Christian were both a bit messy at times (although mostly Alex lol) but they felt all the more vibrant as a character as a result. Even the erotica writer/ virgin trope should have done nothing for me and yet here it just works and makes sense.
It’s worth noting for those that need to know, that Alex does have a FWB situation with Mattias initially during this, which they put an end to over the course of this book, but it does include one on page blow job between them and I know this may impact some people not just for this story but also the next story. I’ll admit I was glad when they put an end to this arrangement but I do genuinely love their friendship lol.
It was recommended to me to read this novella before reading ‘A Love Song for the Sad Man in the White Coat’ (the novella that I was originally interested in) and I am so glad I was steered this way cause it was so good to get the introduction to Simon and Mattias first here whilst also getting to read Alex and Christians story.
Bless Horvat and these little beautifully emotional contemporary romance novellas for breaking me out of that 3 star run (I was sitting on them as a break glass in case of emergency read and it certainly delivered lol)
Whilst on holiday in Spain, Alex, a 30 year old novelist and professor of creative writing, encounters the young and beautiful 18 year old Christian in a seaside gay club. Alex steps in to save Christian from being hassled by a number of unwanted and increasingly unsubtle suitors and this serendipitous meeting starts a friendship between the two that spans years into the future where feelings start to become increasingly complicated in their friendship with the potential for something more.
I am not usually a big fan of age gap romances (21 vs 32 at the time of the main plot), especially when the age gap itself is such a pivotal part of the dynamic and story but honestly, I really enjoyed how Horvat approached its incorporation here. It was real, messy and complicated and Alex and Christian were both a bit messy at times (although mostly Alex lol) but they felt all the more vibrant as a character as a result. Even the erotica writer/ virgin trope should have done nothing for me and yet here it just works and makes sense.
It’s worth noting for those that need to know, that Alex does have a FWB situation with Mattias initially during this, which they put an end to over the course of this book, but it does include one on page blow job between them and I know this may impact some people not just for this story but also the next story. I’ll admit I was glad when they put an end to this arrangement but I do genuinely love their friendship lol.
It was recommended to me to read this novella before reading ‘A Love Song for the Sad Man in the White Coat’ (the novella that I was originally interested in) and I am so glad I was steered this way cause it was so good to get the introduction to Simon and Mattias first here whilst also getting to read Alex and Christians story.
Bless Horvat and these little beautifully emotional contemporary romance novellas for breaking me out of that 3 star run (I was sitting on them as a break glass in case of emergency read and it certainly delivered lol)
August 29, 2019
I have always loved and am impressed with Roe Horvat’s lyrical, magical writing. 😍 And to combine that with with the talented and amazing narration of Vance Bastian, it was pure “eargasms”. 😉🔥 You are going to think you're going to get lots of sexy, erotic, scorching hot scenes from the title of this book. But actually, this book is really quite sweet and romantic. 🥰
Alexander is a 30 something professor who teaches creative writing in a university in Freiburg. However teaching is his day job and his main income comes from writing really dirty, erotic gay eroticas. Writing smut is not only a good way to fulfill his wildest, dirtiest imaginations but also a good way to earn real good money. As a result, he can do vacations very often and one of his favorite place is a nudist beach in Spain famous for its LGBT scene. There he met Christian who’s young, innocent, intelligent and as beautiful as a fallen angel from heaven above. And Alex found himself unexpectedly adopting Christian as his young protege and a beautiful friendship began to blossom between the two of them. Over time, Alex realized that he loved Alex more than as his protege and he has fallen hopelessly and madly in love with the young, innocent, virginal man. However, there’s a 12 years age difference between Christian and him. And he didn’t want to feel like he’s going to take advantage of the young, innocent Christian. But Christian is not a naive, innocent teen he used to be when he first met Alex. He might still be a virgin and he might have no experience when it comes to love and life. But Christian knows what he wants and what he wants is his mentor Alex who he’s been secretly loving since they first met. One is determined to protect his love by letting go of him and one is set to get his first love by all means. If only they realize they are hopelessly in love with each other.
I kind of love that we only get Alex’s POV in this book because it makes it even more lovely and mysterious. ❤️ And my god, being inside Alex’s head is fascinating and funny as hell. That man is quirky with capital Q. 😂👏 Being a successful writer and teacher aide, Alex is a really insecure man when it comes to his love and feelings. He was somehow convinced that him being 33 equals being a grandpa for Christian. And that man is really clueless about Christian’s antics to seduce him. 😅😂 And young, virginal Christian who doesn’t turn out to be as innocent as he looks. 😁😉 I loved that little minx. Anyhow, although this book is quite sexy when it comes to that, this is more about the relationship development between the two men who are clueless that they love each other. It was a beautiful love story to listen. 💜 And my, was Vance’s narration hot or what??? 🔥 I swear .. every time he says “baby”, I blush and my heart flutters. 😁😍 I can’t wait to listen another book of Roe+Vance duo. Highly recommended to anyone who wants a swoon-worthy romance with a seductive virgin! 😉
4.75 I’m going to tell you “I love you” for the rest of our lives stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟
Audio rating
Story - 4.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Narration - 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Performance - 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Overall - 4.75 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟
Disclaimer: An audio copy of this book was provided by the author for an honest and unbiased review.
Alexander is a 30 something professor who teaches creative writing in a university in Freiburg. However teaching is his day job and his main income comes from writing really dirty, erotic gay eroticas. Writing smut is not only a good way to fulfill his wildest, dirtiest imaginations but also a good way to earn real good money. As a result, he can do vacations very often and one of his favorite place is a nudist beach in Spain famous for its LGBT scene. There he met Christian who’s young, innocent, intelligent and as beautiful as a fallen angel from heaven above. And Alex found himself unexpectedly adopting Christian as his young protege and a beautiful friendship began to blossom between the two of them. Over time, Alex realized that he loved Alex more than as his protege and he has fallen hopelessly and madly in love with the young, innocent, virginal man. However, there’s a 12 years age difference between Christian and him. And he didn’t want to feel like he’s going to take advantage of the young, innocent Christian. But Christian is not a naive, innocent teen he used to be when he first met Alex. He might still be a virgin and he might have no experience when it comes to love and life. But Christian knows what he wants and what he wants is his mentor Alex who he’s been secretly loving since they first met. One is determined to protect his love by letting go of him and one is set to get his first love by all means. If only they realize they are hopelessly in love with each other.
I kind of love that we only get Alex’s POV in this book because it makes it even more lovely and mysterious. ❤️ And my god, being inside Alex’s head is fascinating and funny as hell. That man is quirky with capital Q. 😂👏 Being a successful writer and teacher aide, Alex is a really insecure man when it comes to his love and feelings. He was somehow convinced that him being 33 equals being a grandpa for Christian. And that man is really clueless about Christian’s antics to seduce him. 😅😂 And young, virginal Christian who doesn’t turn out to be as innocent as he looks. 😁😉 I loved that little minx. Anyhow, although this book is quite sexy when it comes to that, this is more about the relationship development between the two men who are clueless that they love each other. It was a beautiful love story to listen. 💜 And my, was Vance’s narration hot or what??? 🔥 I swear .. every time he says “baby”, I blush and my heart flutters. 😁😍 I can’t wait to listen another book of Roe+Vance duo. Highly recommended to anyone who wants a swoon-worthy romance with a seductive virgin! 😉
4.75 I’m going to tell you “I love you” for the rest of our lives stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟
Audio rating
Story - 4.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Narration - 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Performance - 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Overall - 4.75 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟
Disclaimer: An audio copy of this book was provided by the author for an honest and unbiased review.
September 8, 2017
It's not every day you encounter a new author that is impressive af. Roe Horvat is that author! I enjoyed the unusual setting of Freiburg, and the May-December aspect of the story. But mainly it's the writing that shines. There's considerably more depth of characterization and emotion in this slow burn romance, and the writing is far above the par. Welcome, Roe Horvat, to the m/m genre! I hope to read many more from you.
July 8, 2019
**** 4.5 Stars ****
So, this was the place I was in whilst reading this:
a cocoon of good feelings.
Seriously, what gorgeous writing! Charming, fluid, gracious and captivating. There was a kick of spice to shake things up a little bit here and there.
Besides, a touch of humour that I loved, witty slash snark slash wicked making Alex’s head a fun place to be when he wasn’t mopping around in self-pity. Not to mention Lena, her nasty and snarky personality added such a nice touch of dry humour to the story.
Summing up, Dirty mind hooked me from the first line.
So, this was the place I was in whilst reading this:
a cocoon of good feelings.
Seriously, what gorgeous writing! Charming, fluid, gracious and captivating. There was a kick of spice to shake things up a little bit here and there.
Besides, a touch of humour that I loved, witty slash snark slash wicked making Alex’s head a fun place to be when he wasn’t mopping around in self-pity. Not to mention Lena, her nasty and snarky personality added such a nice touch of dry humour to the story.
Summing up, Dirty mind hooked me from the first line.
September 20, 2017
Roe Horvat’s writing is really something. I loved it in The Layover and here, it was the same.
The blurb for this book caught my attention and it started very well. Alex and Christian meet while on vacation in Spain. Alex is 30, a teacher by day and a porn writer at night, a tad cynical, and Christian is 18, studying to become a doctor and sweetly exuberant. Being both from Germany, albeit not the same city, they exchange their emails and start a friendly correspondence. And then, Christian comes to study in the city where Alex lives, changing the dynamics of their relationships.
And that’s when it went down for me. Out of the blue, something went off for me : first, I couldn’t feel the switch in Alex’s feelings towards Christian and then I couldn’t relate to his less than “adult” behaviour.
I kept going until the end, because I enjoyed the writing, Christian as a character and wanted to have my HEA, but I never felt invested like I was with The Layover.
The blurb for this book caught my attention and it started very well. Alex and Christian meet while on vacation in Spain. Alex is 30, a teacher by day and a porn writer at night, a tad cynical, and Christian is 18, studying to become a doctor and sweetly exuberant. Being both from Germany, albeit not the same city, they exchange their emails and start a friendly correspondence. And then, Christian comes to study in the city where Alex lives, changing the dynamics of their relationships.
And that’s when it went down for me. Out of the blue, something went off for me : first, I couldn’t feel the switch in Alex’s feelings towards Christian and then I couldn’t relate to his less than “adult” behaviour.
I kept going until the end, because I enjoyed the writing, Christian as a character and wanted to have my HEA, but I never felt invested like I was with The Layover.
October 11, 2020
4 Irresistible Force Stars ⭐
Admittedly I was expecting more steam based on the tile and cover but Dirty Mind, yet it was pretty tame. This isn't a complaint because Roe Horvat is truly talented and one of my preferred authors when it comes to gay romances. His characters are real to life, the stories are always set in some magnificent European city and each book is filled with delicious eroticism. You can't go wrong in my opinion.
"The sun-bleached mop of golden strands surrounded his head like a halo as if he’d descended directly from Heaven to save our lost, dirty souls."
Their friendship was sealed three years prior when Alex played interference for a much younger Christian at a gay bar. These two became long distance friends until Christian did the unthinkable. He moved to Alex's hometown for University.
"Christian had become important to me. Like a bright splash of color in the dull patchwork of my existence in Freiburg, he made me feel warm, happy. I was a better person because of him."
Alex was not prepared. Only in his early thirties, he's practically experiencing a midlife crisis. He's single, his hairline is receding, and having Christian close is making him want things he shouldn't. Not to mention he's a closeted smut writer which seriously bothers him.
Christian has been good all his life. Moving to Freiburg is his opportunity for freedom and independence away from a controlling mother. Using University as an escape, it also brings him closer to Alex.
Months of friendship ensue until Christian can no longer stand being friend zoned. So, he risks it all by seducing Alex.
"This was the point of no return.
I had Christian, drugged with kisses, aroused, naked on my couch."
But with so many hang-ups it almost takes Alex to lose the best thing he's ever gained to come to his senses.
"I'm going to prove it. I'm going to spend the next forty years saying, 'I told you so,' every fucking morning just to make you crazy."
Dirty Mind is an age gap romance between two friends that could no longer contain their feelings, lust, love. It took a while for them to venture there, but it was sexy watching the transformation of each character. We saw real emotions, insecurities, humour and finally happiness that comes with getting the love of your life. This book was surprisingly romantic and certainly hot where expected. ♥️
Admittedly I was expecting more steam based on the tile and cover but Dirty Mind, yet it was pretty tame. This isn't a complaint because Roe Horvat is truly talented and one of my preferred authors when it comes to gay romances. His characters are real to life, the stories are always set in some magnificent European city and each book is filled with delicious eroticism. You can't go wrong in my opinion.
"The sun-bleached mop of golden strands surrounded his head like a halo as if he’d descended directly from Heaven to save our lost, dirty souls."
Their friendship was sealed three years prior when Alex played interference for a much younger Christian at a gay bar. These two became long distance friends until Christian did the unthinkable. He moved to Alex's hometown for University.
"Christian had become important to me. Like a bright splash of color in the dull patchwork of my existence in Freiburg, he made me feel warm, happy. I was a better person because of him."
Alex was not prepared. Only in his early thirties, he's practically experiencing a midlife crisis. He's single, his hairline is receding, and having Christian close is making him want things he shouldn't. Not to mention he's a closeted smut writer which seriously bothers him.
Christian has been good all his life. Moving to Freiburg is his opportunity for freedom and independence away from a controlling mother. Using University as an escape, it also brings him closer to Alex.
Months of friendship ensue until Christian can no longer stand being friend zoned. So, he risks it all by seducing Alex.
"This was the point of no return.
I had Christian, drugged with kisses, aroused, naked on my couch."
But with so many hang-ups it almost takes Alex to lose the best thing he's ever gained to come to his senses.
"I'm going to prove it. I'm going to spend the next forty years saying, 'I told you so,' every fucking morning just to make you crazy."
Dirty Mind is an age gap romance between two friends that could no longer contain their feelings, lust, love. It took a while for them to venture there, but it was sexy watching the transformation of each character. We saw real emotions, insecurities, humour and finally happiness that comes with getting the love of your life. This book was surprisingly romantic and certainly hot where expected. ♥️
June 18, 2024
reread 06/2024.
Yep. Still one of the best books by Roe Horvat.
I'm a sucker for his earlier contemporary romances.
Slowly building relationship, awesome character development, a deep emotional connection, and the few sex scenes are immensily gratifying.
Love everything about this book.
"It was November in Freiburg, a dark, rainy, and sickly time. The trams were overflowing with wet, sniffling people because no sane person rode a bike anymore. The thick mist from the mountains descended on us, and the town gained an inspiring noir quality. I was inspired, all right. Suddenly, I wrote a lot, though my publisher wouldn’t enjoy it. There was still no sex in my writing. Just loneliness and angst. I wrote for Christian, about longing, self-hatred, and sad endings. Very beatnik, all of it. Nothing he’d ever read. Nothing anyone would ever want to read. To be honest, it was just like doodling his name in my notebook, only a little more pretentious. I ran a lot and slept too little. I ate junk and drank too much beer. I was a train wreck. "
🥹
-------
reread 06/2023
5 stars.
An amazing comfort read.. love it so much. Everything, I felt reading it the first time, I felt again.
I'll continue with Alex' story in "Song for the sad man in the white coat".
---------------------
03/2023
Roe Horvat has the very rare ability to touch me deeply with his characters without needing much time (pages) to do so.
I love Vanilla Clouds, I love The Layover even more, and Dirty Mind is now close behind those two novellas.
These stories are all rather short (less than 150 pages) and told in first person with just one pov and I love it.
It's amazing how much I feel with Roe Horvat's main characters.
I like the fact that in these earlier books written around 2017 there are less sex scenes, and the focus is more on feelings (although sex does play a huge role).
I loved Alex and his insecurities, his need to protect Christian. Christian was precious, too. I especially loved how he acted in the last chapters. These last chapters were simply wonderful, heartwarming and felt like healing.
5 stars.
I just realised that Mattias' ex Simon is the protagonist in "Song for the sad man in the white coat" and I have to read it soon, obviously (but it seems to be a bit darker, so I'll have to decide wisely when to read it ☺️)
Yep. Still one of the best books by Roe Horvat.
I'm a sucker for his earlier contemporary romances.
Slowly building relationship, awesome character development, a deep emotional connection, and the few sex scenes are immensily gratifying.
Love everything about this book.
"It was November in Freiburg, a dark, rainy, and sickly time. The trams were overflowing with wet, sniffling people because no sane person rode a bike anymore. The thick mist from the mountains descended on us, and the town gained an inspiring noir quality. I was inspired, all right. Suddenly, I wrote a lot, though my publisher wouldn’t enjoy it. There was still no sex in my writing. Just loneliness and angst. I wrote for Christian, about longing, self-hatred, and sad endings. Very beatnik, all of it. Nothing he’d ever read. Nothing anyone would ever want to read. To be honest, it was just like doodling his name in my notebook, only a little more pretentious. I ran a lot and slept too little. I ate junk and drank too much beer. I was a train wreck. "
🥹
-------
reread 06/2023
5 stars.
An amazing comfort read.. love it so much. Everything, I felt reading it the first time, I felt again.
I'll continue with Alex' story in "Song for the sad man in the white coat".
---------------------
03/2023
Roe Horvat has the very rare ability to touch me deeply with his characters without needing much time (pages) to do so.
I love Vanilla Clouds, I love The Layover even more, and Dirty Mind is now close behind those two novellas.
These stories are all rather short (less than 150 pages) and told in first person with just one pov and I love it.
It's amazing how much I feel with Roe Horvat's main characters.
I like the fact that in these earlier books written around 2017 there are less sex scenes, and the focus is more on feelings (although sex does play a huge role).
I loved Alex and his insecurities, his need to protect Christian. Christian was precious, too. I especially loved how he acted in the last chapters. These last chapters were simply wonderful, heartwarming and felt like healing.
5 stars.
I just realised that Mattias' ex Simon is the protagonist in "Song for the sad man in the white coat" and I have to read it soon, obviously (but it seems to be a bit darker, so I'll have to decide wisely when to read it ☺️)
August 28, 2017
***3.75 Stars***
A wonderful sophomore book that has solidified my love for Roe Horvat and their books! You've got a serious fan in me!
Alex and Christian meet in Spain while both men are on vacation. When Alex spots Christian at a bar, he's immediately intrigued by him. Boyish good looks and an air of innocence make others take notice as well. When a couple of shady tourists won't stop hitting on Christian, Alex comes to his rescue...and so a friendship begins.
Fast forward three years later, and Christian has decided to transfer to medical school in the town that Alex lives in. Alex is both excited and torn. He's protective of Christian, but it's clear that he's also developed feelings for the guy. And Alex is all kinds of hung up on the age difference (Christian is 21 and Alex is 33).
As much as he wants Christian, his "I'm too old for him" insecurities keep him from acting on his feelings...but they certainly don't keep him from low key pining for Chris.
Told entirely from Alex's POV, I struggled with him at times. His obsession with his age grew a bit frustrating as the book wore on. I definitely understood his hesitations and insecurities, but it was a constant roadblock that kept him from seeing the bigger picture. Chris wasn't that innocent 18 year old that Alex kept him boxed in as.
But when Alex finally pulls his head out of his ass, it's an epic grovel that had me swooning and made my heart melt!
"I want you with me all the time, for dinners and breakfasts and trips to the mountains. I want you in my bed - you have no idea. I'm so starved for you it's like I have phantom pains at night, almost feeling you there."
I like that although Chris was younger, it wasn't a story about him having to prove his maturity...but rather Alex coming into his own. Feeling secure about where he is in his life, his work as an erotica author, and what it means to love someone.
"All the grand things you're going to do in your life, I want to be there on the sidelines. I want to be the one who gets to take care of you when you're sick. I want to be able to see inside your head, even if the workings of your brain intimidate the hell out of me most of the time. I want to know what you think , what you wish for. So I can try to get it for you."
I wish we would have had Christian's POV for a couple of scenes, but I can understand why this book is entirely from Alex's POV.
I can't wait to see what else Roe Horvat has up their sleeve....and I'm hoping it's a book for Mattias and Simon!!!!
**ARC received in exchange for an honest review**
I'm so excited for this!! The Layover has been one of my favorite reads of the year!!
August 4, 2021
4 'Sweet and dirty' stars
Despite the title Dirty Mind this book was actually more sweet than dirty but plenty hot as you can expect from Roe Horvat.
I adored both MCs. Alex was a complete mess but perfectly loveable and Christian was totally a sweetheart.
I got really intrigued by Matthias. His story screams 'painful' but I still want to know more. Plus this guy has such a good sense of humor.
Overall, this was a very enjoyable read, maybe a little bit too short, however, I liked it very much. And it was nice to read a book set in Europe for a change. I don't know what exactly, it might be the familiar setting or sth, I felt this story to be really genuine and real. Highly recommend!
And I'm so happy to have a lot of Horvat's books waiting for me on my tbr.
Despite the title Dirty Mind this book was actually more sweet than dirty but plenty hot as you can expect from Roe Horvat.
His hands circled my wrists, and he dragged my palms toward his ass and planted them there, anchoring himself. He pushed even closer, rocking his hips, held my head and tilted his own. We were no longer just kissing. This was something else. Something stronger, deeper, dirtier. Mouths wide open, our tongues tangled, his taste and scent were all I could comprehend.
I adored both MCs. Alex was a complete mess but perfectly loveable and Christian was totally a sweetheart.
“Why do you call me Squirrel?” he asked, finishing his second virgin mojito.
“I don’t know. It was the first thing that came to mind. Probably because you’re little, cute, and looked ready to bolt.”
I got really intrigued by Matthias. His story screams 'painful' but I still want to know more. Plus this guy has such a good sense of humor.
“Stop being prissy, Alex, and let the guy enjoy himself. You write some prime jerk-off material.”
I spluttered into the phone. “Jerk-off?”
“Seriously?” Mattias burst into laughter, and I had to hold the phone farther away from my stinging ear. It took a few seconds before he caught his breath and continued, still chuckling. “What do you think people do after they’ve read one of your scenes? Pedicure?”
Overall, this was a very enjoyable read, maybe a little bit too short, however, I liked it very much. And it was nice to read a book set in Europe for a change. I don't know what exactly, it might be the familiar setting or sth, I felt this story to be really genuine and real. Highly recommend!
I straddled his long, lean body, lowering myself as if sinking underwater, where there was no sound and no conscience, and kissed him again, long and deep and slow.
And I'm so happy to have a lot of Horvat's books waiting for me on my tbr.
“I’m so mad at you,” he growled, frowning ferociously, his canines showing. In an instant, I was bitch-slapped by arousal. He kissed me deeply, kissed me stupid.
October 15, 2021
This book was incredible. Lovely. Beautiful. Emotional. Definite proof of Roe Horvat’s beautiful gift. I wish Roe would go back to these beautiful love stories, I’m not as into the erotica he writes these days.
Did I want to shake Alex and tell him to wake up and stop torturing himself with guilt? Definitely. But I loved both Alex and Christian so much, I loved every minute of their story and just wish it was 100 pages longer.
The dreams. The longing. The jealousy. It was perfect.
Yesterday, I watched you dance. I think you knew; you saw me. Then I dreamed of you again. In my dream, you danced only for me, and when I sank to my knees in front of you, because that’s where I’m supposed to be, you kneeled with me.
Did I want to shake Alex and tell him to wake up and stop torturing himself with guilt? Definitely. But I loved both Alex and Christian so much, I loved every minute of their story and just wish it was 100 pages longer.
The dreams. The longing. The jealousy. It was perfect.
Yesterday, I watched you dance. I think you knew; you saw me. Then I dreamed of you again. In my dream, you danced only for me, and when I sank to my knees in front of you, because that’s where I’m supposed to be, you kneeled with me.
October 14, 2021
Reread-Oct 2021
This was one of my earliest books by Roe Horvat(2019) and I had even forgotten my rating for the book. So, yeah when I saw a GR friend reading it, I picked it for re-read and it's a pretty quick read too. Even though I realise that back then the author writing style and content used to be different.
I am so happy that I still feel the book deserve the 4-star rating, the characters are well-written and this is the perfect way to write an age-gap romance. I am also surprised that I didn't remember Matias. Now, I notice him and Simon from Love song for the sad man in a white coat. Another book from Roe Horvat early days when his stories had more romance than smut.😂😂😂 Not that I am complaining. I like both his earlier books and the new ones.
This was one of my earliest books by Roe Horvat(2019) and I had even forgotten my rating for the book. So, yeah when I saw a GR friend reading it, I picked it for re-read and it's a pretty quick read too. Even though I realise that back then the author writing style and content used to be different.
I am so happy that I still feel the book deserve the 4-star rating, the characters are well-written and this is the perfect way to write an age-gap romance. I am also surprised that I didn't remember Matias. Now, I notice him and Simon from Love song for the sad man in a white coat. Another book from Roe Horvat early days when his stories had more romance than smut.😂😂😂 Not that I am complaining. I like both his earlier books and the new ones.
April 11, 2020
Audiobook - 4 stars
Sorry - 3.5 stars
Sorry - 3.5 stars
February 3, 2021
4.5 Stars
Roe Horvat's second book, Dirty Mind was another winner for me! I'm so happy to get to read his words and go on the journey with his characters. So happy.
As with the last book I read, by this author, Dirty Mind is full of feelz and realness and even though it is short, it never felt lacking. Honestly, not many authors can accomplish this. All too often, books under 200 pages just feel incomplete or rushed. Either there isn't enough plot development or enough character development or enough relationship development. Roe Horvat manages to hit all three with such precision that I can hardly believe it is only his second book. It is clear that writing is something he's always done and he's taken the time to hone his skill into a finely crafted tool.
Dirty Mind is a story about learning to let go and learning to love. And sometimes, the older person is not necessarily the wiser one.
Alex Popescu teaches creative writing at university. He also writes gay erotica under a pseudonym. Alex always thought that he would be able to find someone to share his life with, but then he he found that life passed too quickly and here he was, 33 and still very much single. Luckily for him, life doesn't end at 30. But he worries. He worries about being alone. He worries about not being alone. He worries about getting old. And most of all, he worries about failing Christian.
Christian König was just 18 when he met Alex, and after three years, Alex is still the most important person in Christian's life. Christian has always been happy and a bit innocent and, at 21, is still a virgin -- by choice. Christian is a very determined young man. He has dated, but he never wanted to sleep with anyone that wasn't Alex -- so he didn't. But getting Alex to see him as anything other than that 18 year old kid he met three years ago is quite the challenge.
I enjoyed watching Alex spin. There is some angst in this story and it is all in the form of Alex's insecurities and fears. He tripped all over himself trying to keep Christian in the box marked "unattainable". I loved their relationship development. They're best friends, and though Alex does tend to keep part of himself locked away, Christian might as well be a locksmith because was a master at digging beneath the surface. Alex didn't stand a chance.
Dirty Mind didn't quite reach the same emotional level that The Layover did, but it was still pretty brilliant and I loved it. Roe Horvat writes characters that just feel real and that's often my favorite kind of story. Easily relatable characters in easily relatable situations trying their best to find their happy ending. Simply put, I loved it.
Recommended!
--------------------
ARC of Dirty Mind was generously provided by the author, in exchange for an honest review.
Roe Horvat's second book, Dirty Mind was another winner for me! I'm so happy to get to read his words and go on the journey with his characters. So happy.
As with the last book I read, by this author, Dirty Mind is full of feelz and realness and even though it is short, it never felt lacking. Honestly, not many authors can accomplish this. All too often, books under 200 pages just feel incomplete or rushed. Either there isn't enough plot development or enough character development or enough relationship development. Roe Horvat manages to hit all three with such precision that I can hardly believe it is only his second book. It is clear that writing is something he's always done and he's taken the time to hone his skill into a finely crafted tool.
Dirty Mind is a story about learning to let go and learning to love. And sometimes, the older person is not necessarily the wiser one.
Alex Popescu teaches creative writing at university. He also writes gay erotica under a pseudonym. Alex always thought that he would be able to find someone to share his life with, but then he he found that life passed too quickly and here he was, 33 and still very much single. Luckily for him, life doesn't end at 30. But he worries. He worries about being alone. He worries about not being alone. He worries about getting old. And most of all, he worries about failing Christian.
Christian König was just 18 when he met Alex, and after three years, Alex is still the most important person in Christian's life. Christian has always been happy and a bit innocent and, at 21, is still a virgin -- by choice. Christian is a very determined young man. He has dated, but he never wanted to sleep with anyone that wasn't Alex -- so he didn't. But getting Alex to see him as anything other than that 18 year old kid he met three years ago is quite the challenge.
I enjoyed watching Alex spin. There is some angst in this story and it is all in the form of Alex's insecurities and fears. He tripped all over himself trying to keep Christian in the box marked "unattainable". I loved their relationship development. They're best friends, and though Alex does tend to keep part of himself locked away, Christian might as well be a locksmith because was a master at digging beneath the surface. Alex didn't stand a chance.
Dirty Mind didn't quite reach the same emotional level that The Layover did, but it was still pretty brilliant and I loved it. Roe Horvat writes characters that just feel real and that's often my favorite kind of story. Easily relatable characters in easily relatable situations trying their best to find their happy ending. Simply put, I loved it.
Recommended!
--------------------
ARC of Dirty Mind was generously provided by the author, in exchange for an honest review.
August 25, 2017
Loved this one! There is definitely something different about Roe Horvat's books. The care Roe take to flesh out their characters is truly paying off. I fell in love with Alex and Chris.
This was an adorable and sweet slowburn and once again a story radiating with raw and real feelings.
And please, let there be a book for Mattias and Simon!
Full review to follow
Arc received in exchange for my review.
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May 5, 2018
5 stars
Loved this one SO much!!! I have no idea why I waited so long to read it.
It's my first book by this author and I am in love with the writing!!! This story felt so real. I highlighted a lot, and now that I finished it, I feel like rereading my highlights. That's how much I loved these characters. Extremely sweet and hot.
“Every man tastes different. How I hoped his taste would be my last. I wouldn’t ever need to try anything else. He owned me.”
I am looking forward to reading more from this author!
Loved this one SO much!!! I have no idea why I waited so long to read it.
It's my first book by this author and I am in love with the writing!!! This story felt so real. I highlighted a lot, and now that I finished it, I feel like rereading my highlights. That's how much I loved these characters. Extremely sweet and hot.
“Every man tastes different. How I hoped his taste would be my last. I wouldn’t ever need to try anything else. He owned me.”
I am looking forward to reading more from this author!
September 18, 2017
Me ha gustado muchísimo, tiene el mismo tono que The Layover, en el sentido de que profundiza en los distintos sentimientos que flotan en la novela y dentro de un marco europeo, parece algo superficial, pero la atmósfera europea convierte la historia en algo más próximo, real, y con un tono en ocasiones melancólico.
Alex y Christian se conocen en España cuando tienen 30 y 18 respectivamente y una relación de amistad se va conviertiendo poco a poco en una de amor en la que Alex tiene que afrontar todas las dudas que le invaden por la diferencia de edad. Hay amistad, tristeza, miedo y mucho mucho amor.
Le habría dado sin pestañear cinco estrellas, por la profundidad, por los personajes, por la originalidad. Pero, hay un error que me parece imperdonable y hace que le baje una estrella. Uno de los personajes secundarios es español, hay en todo el libro creo que cinco palabras en español (bien escritas) y el nombre de este personaje, se llama ANDRÉS pero en el libro escriben una y otra vez ANDRES, quizás para alguien que no es hispanohablante es algo irrelevante, pero para nosotros es una falta de ortografía grave, que lo peor es que denota falta de interés en hacerlo bien, o al menos esa es la sensasción que le queda a esta lectora hispana/española.
Un libro intimista, con una redacción muy bella. Un autor al que no hay que perder de vista, para mi un soplo de aire fresco en este mundo del MM donde lo que triunfa son siempre las mismas historias.
Alex y Christian se conocen en España cuando tienen 30 y 18 respectivamente y una relación de amistad se va conviertiendo poco a poco en una de amor en la que Alex tiene que afrontar todas las dudas que le invaden por la diferencia de edad. Hay amistad, tristeza, miedo y mucho mucho amor.
Le habría dado sin pestañear cinco estrellas, por la profundidad, por los personajes, por la originalidad. Pero, hay un error que me parece imperdonable y hace que le baje una estrella. Uno de los personajes secundarios es español, hay en todo el libro creo que cinco palabras en español (bien escritas) y el nombre de este personaje, se llama ANDRÉS pero en el libro escriben una y otra vez ANDRES, quizás para alguien que no es hispanohablante es algo irrelevante, pero para nosotros es una falta de ortografía grave, que lo peor es que denota falta de interés en hacerlo bien, o al menos esa es la sensasción que le queda a esta lectora hispana/española.
Un libro intimista, con una redacción muy bella. Un autor al que no hay que perder de vista, para mi un soplo de aire fresco en este mundo del MM donde lo que triunfa son siempre las mismas historias.
July 6, 2019
"An irresistible force meets an unmovable object. What happens next?"
What happens, indeed? Thus is the story of Alex and Christian.
Roe Horvat is officially on my autobuy list. I am so in love with his writing style. I think this author could even make the corniest MM story readable.
Alex met Christian three years ago in a Spanish bar. Christian, a "baby gay," was being eaten alive like a newby. Alex, feeling white knight-ish, befriends Christian and saves him from the sharks circling fresh blood. Even though there is a 12 year age difference, the two exchange numbers and spend the next three years building a solid friendship from afar.
The story is told exclusively from Alex's POV, and we see his growing attraction and love for Christian once Christian moves to Alex's city in Germany. He struggles, though. He doesn't think he has much to offer Christian because of the age span. He also thinks Christian will break his heart once he finds someone his own age later. It takes a while for Alex to realize that he doesn't get to make Christian's decisions for him.
"Yes, that's true," my friend said, nodding in all seriousness. "You are exactly that much older. And yet here we all are, still waiting for you to act like a grown-up."
I love this author's prose. I love his wit. I love every word on page. This was a simple story, lower on the angst scale, and yet I FELT it. On a deeper level.
This novella, in its simplicity, will be a reread for me in the future.
This author, with their skill, will be a reread always.
September 29, 2024
4.5 Stars
When reading his stories, Roe Horvat brings out in me a kaleidoscope of intense feelings. It’s all in the exquisite writing; in the language used and in the emotions elicited. I just adore every word.
This particular story features a strong friends-to-lovers romance between May-December couple Alexander and Christian.
I enjoyed every moment of their story. It had just enough romance to make it swoony, the perfect amount of (outstanding) sex scenes to make it hella steamy, and more than enough emotional oomph to make it memorable.
At this point, I doubt there is any theme or topic Horvat could explore that I wouldn’t want to experience post-haste.
When reading his stories, Roe Horvat brings out in me a kaleidoscope of intense feelings. It’s all in the exquisite writing; in the language used and in the emotions elicited. I just adore every word.
This particular story features a strong friends-to-lovers romance between May-December couple Alexander and Christian.
I enjoyed every moment of their story. It had just enough romance to make it swoony, the perfect amount of (outstanding) sex scenes to make it hella steamy, and more than enough emotional oomph to make it memorable.
At this point, I doubt there is any theme or topic Horvat could explore that I wouldn’t want to experience post-haste.
September 4, 2017
*4.5 stars*
Ok, this author's books have started to feel like home for more reasons than one.
First, the setting is so close to my heart, because it's always Europe. Just the fact that I don't have to convert dollars to euros, miles to kilometers and inches to centimeters is a huge plus!
Second, the prose is right up my alley. The writing, the self-sarcasm and the deadpan humour are top-notch.
I didn't love this as much as The Layover, but still a great book. Recommended!
Ok, this author's books have started to feel like home for more reasons than one.
First, the setting is so close to my heart, because it's always Europe. Just the fact that I don't have to convert dollars to euros, miles to kilometers and inches to centimeters is a huge plus!
Second, the prose is right up my alley. The writing, the self-sarcasm and the deadpan humour are top-notch.
I didn't love this as much as The Layover, but still a great book. Recommended!
August 25, 2017
3.5 stars
Alex is a 31 year old creative writing teacher on holiday in Spain when he meets 18 year old Christian. Christian needs a little help fending off suitors and admirers during his first venture into a gay bar, so Alex comes to the rescue.
Alex feels instantly protective of the young man and when he walks him to his hotel Christian doesn’t just want to let him go so they exchange phone numbers and email addresses.
In the following 3 years they become close friends. Christian, who lives in Berlin, visits Alex in Freiburg a couple of times a year and they call and write all the time. But it still shocks Alex to find out Christian is transferring to a school in Freiburg to continue medical school.
Now that they are both living in Freiburg they become even closer friends. Alex doesn’t want things to change between them. He is quite comfortable in their mentor/student relationship. But perhaps he is kidding himself since he has noticed his feelings for the young man have changed. But he also knows Christian deserves someone more than a 33 year old teacher with thinning hair who writes gay porn in his free time...
This had a serious tone throughout the entire book. Alex was quite the mess. He might have been older, but Christian was probably the more mature one between them. Alex was so afraid to get hurt that he was ready to let happiness slip right through his fingers. I sometimes had a hard time relating to him because of that.
I was expecting a real mentor/student relationship but I don’t think they ever had that. Alex was never the dominant older man, nor was Christian the young naive man you normally read in these kind of books. Even though he was still a virgin, Christian was anything but shy or in need of a keeper. I think Alex was more in need of a keeper than he was.
I do have to say I quite enjoyed the quiet feel of this book. This was set in Freiburg and although the city itself didn’t play a huge role in the story, this definitely had an ‘European feel’ to it. I really liked all the little German details sprinkled throughout the story that made this feel more real.
But….. this did have one of my major pet peeves. And that is Alex and Christian not talking to each other about their feelings. This of course leads to the big angsty misunderstanding and I really hated that. It wasn’t drawn out and I could understand where both Alex and Christian were coming from, but still, I wanted to smack both of them upside the head for assuming things about the other one.
Besides that niggle I really did enjoy this. It wasn’t quite as dirty as I’d hoped (meaning, not dirty at all), but we did get some lovely tender sexy times and that was really fitting for this couple.
I think I should try more books of this author. They write different than other M/M authors out there and that’s quite the accomplishment these days.
------------------------------
An ARC of Dirty Mind was generously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
Alex is a 31 year old creative writing teacher on holiday in Spain when he meets 18 year old Christian. Christian needs a little help fending off suitors and admirers during his first venture into a gay bar, so Alex comes to the rescue.
Alex feels instantly protective of the young man and when he walks him to his hotel Christian doesn’t just want to let him go so they exchange phone numbers and email addresses.
In the following 3 years they become close friends. Christian, who lives in Berlin, visits Alex in Freiburg a couple of times a year and they call and write all the time. But it still shocks Alex to find out Christian is transferring to a school in Freiburg to continue medical school.
Now that they are both living in Freiburg they become even closer friends. Alex doesn’t want things to change between them. He is quite comfortable in their mentor/student relationship. But perhaps he is kidding himself since he has noticed his feelings for the young man have changed. But he also knows Christian deserves someone more than a 33 year old teacher with thinning hair who writes gay porn in his free time...
This had a serious tone throughout the entire book. Alex was quite the mess. He might have been older, but Christian was probably the more mature one between them. Alex was so afraid to get hurt that he was ready to let happiness slip right through his fingers. I sometimes had a hard time relating to him because of that.
I was expecting a real mentor/student relationship but I don’t think they ever had that. Alex was never the dominant older man, nor was Christian the young naive man you normally read in these kind of books. Even though he was still a virgin, Christian was anything but shy or in need of a keeper. I think Alex was more in need of a keeper than he was.
I do have to say I quite enjoyed the quiet feel of this book. This was set in Freiburg and although the city itself didn’t play a huge role in the story, this definitely had an ‘European feel’ to it. I really liked all the little German details sprinkled throughout the story that made this feel more real.
But….. this did have one of my major pet peeves. And that is Alex and Christian not talking to each other about their feelings. This of course leads to the big angsty misunderstanding and I really hated that. It wasn’t drawn out and I could understand where both Alex and Christian were coming from, but still, I wanted to smack both of them upside the head for assuming things about the other one.
Besides that niggle I really did enjoy this. It wasn’t quite as dirty as I’d hoped (meaning, not dirty at all), but we did get some lovely tender sexy times and that was really fitting for this couple.
I think I should try more books of this author. They write different than other M/M authors out there and that’s quite the accomplishment these days.
------------------------------
An ARC of Dirty Mind was generously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
September 9, 2017
This is a great book! I was immediately drawn in to the story by Horvat's intriguing writing style. The voice of the narrator in this story is one that makes you chuckle to yourself while reading but also one that bleeds their feelings out on the pages.
Dirty Mind is a story that flows smoothly and quickly pulls the reader into the narrator and MC Alex's world. A world that is full of smut! While he may be a respectable professor by day, at night he sheds his suit jacket and gets dirty with the characters in his mind. It's his best kept secret!
Alex meets Christian while on a trip to Spain. They keep in touch over the years, even some visits, and lots of emails. Christian surprises Alex by announcing he is moving to Freiburg, the small German town where Alex lives; Alex has no idea his world is about to explode.
I found myself laughing at inner ramblings of Alex. I could totally believe someone would think that way, I mean we are all a little twisted in our own ways! Loved the support characters. Really enjoyed watching Christian go from sweet, angelic, young man to I-will-rock-your-world 21-year-old. I only wish we could have gotten in Christian's head. While it was obvious that he was in love with Alex, I would have loved to see how his inner ramblings matched with Alex's.
This was a great friends to lovers romance with the added boost of an age gap and time lapse, so we saw quite a bit of character growth in this short story. Don't let the shorter length make you think you are not going to have a well-developed story, because you would be flat wrong. The slow burn was fantastic. First kiss scene was perfect!
Overall, a great story and a recommendation from this dirty mind to another!!
Review Copy of Dirty Mind provided by Roe Horvat for an honest Review.
Dirty Mind is a story that flows smoothly and quickly pulls the reader into the narrator and MC Alex's world. A world that is full of smut! While he may be a respectable professor by day, at night he sheds his suit jacket and gets dirty with the characters in his mind. It's his best kept secret!
Alex meets Christian while on a trip to Spain. They keep in touch over the years, even some visits, and lots of emails. Christian surprises Alex by announcing he is moving to Freiburg, the small German town where Alex lives; Alex has no idea his world is about to explode.
I found myself laughing at inner ramblings of Alex. I could totally believe someone would think that way, I mean we are all a little twisted in our own ways! Loved the support characters. Really enjoyed watching Christian go from sweet, angelic, young man to I-will-rock-your-world 21-year-old. I only wish we could have gotten in Christian's head. While it was obvious that he was in love with Alex, I would have loved to see how his inner ramblings matched with Alex's.
This was a great friends to lovers romance with the added boost of an age gap and time lapse, so we saw quite a bit of character growth in this short story. Don't let the shorter length make you think you are not going to have a well-developed story, because you would be flat wrong. The slow burn was fantastic. First kiss scene was perfect!
Overall, a great story and a recommendation from this dirty mind to another!!
Review Copy of Dirty Mind provided by Roe Horvat for an honest Review.
September 18, 2017
La nota real son 4 estrellas, pero sintiéndolo mucho, hay una falta de ortografía en español que me ha tocado mucho los "lereles"
No estoy en modo "lectora de libros" últimamente, pero me apetecía volver a leer a Horvart y el blurb de éste sonaba apetecible, oye que empezó muy bien, enseguida conecté con Alex y Christian, el autor lo borda con ellos, los retrata en 2 pinceladas y ya te caen bien.
El que no se desarrolle en USA creo que le da un toque diferente, y es para mi gusto, un acierto. Nuestros personajes se conocen en Sitges y cuando encontré palabras en mi idioma bien escritas, me emocioné y todo. La historia sigue en Alemania, y hasta ese momento estaba disfrutando como una enana, porque es predecible a tope, pero está muy bien hecho
Ahhhh, que chasco me llevé, es aquí donde aparece Andres, sí, no Andrés, Andres... si es español es Andrés, señores autores, que respeten un idioma en todo menos en el nombre de un personaje: PFFFFFFFFFFFF pedorreta para ustedes y una estrella menos del cabreo que he cogido.
Si consigo obviar este detalle (no lo consigo desde que cerré el libro) os diría que es una novella maja dentro del MM, con una pareja muy mona y que me ha hecho pasar muy buen rato, pero como no puedo obviar lo mucho que me ha fastidiado, se queda con 3 estrellas :/
No estoy en modo "lectora de libros" últimamente, pero me apetecía volver a leer a Horvart y el blurb de éste sonaba apetecible, oye que empezó muy bien, enseguida conecté con Alex y Christian, el autor lo borda con ellos, los retrata en 2 pinceladas y ya te caen bien.
El que no se desarrolle en USA creo que le da un toque diferente, y es para mi gusto, un acierto. Nuestros personajes se conocen en Sitges y cuando encontré palabras en mi idioma bien escritas, me emocioné y todo. La historia sigue en Alemania, y hasta ese momento estaba disfrutando como una enana, porque es predecible a tope, pero está muy bien hecho
Ahhhh, que chasco me llevé, es aquí donde aparece Andres, sí, no Andrés, Andres... si es español es Andrés, señores autores, que respeten un idioma en todo menos en el nombre de un personaje: PFFFFFFFFFFFF pedorreta para ustedes y una estrella menos del cabreo que he cogido.
Si consigo obviar este detalle (no lo consigo desde que cerré el libro) os diría que es una novella maja dentro del MM, con una pareja muy mona y que me ha hecho pasar muy buen rato, pero como no puedo obviar lo mucho que me ha fastidiado, se queda con 3 estrellas :/
September 10, 2017
I'm in love with Roe's writing. Everything the author writes evokes so many feelings and I'm a sucker for that.
This was a delicious slow burn with age-gap and what I liked the most was that the story was developed in Germany and part in Spain. Different settings that I'm not used to read, it makes this author so unique and more appealing to me.
4 stars because I didn't find it as amazing as The Layover and because Chris annoyed the hell out of me going behind Alexander back to read his work when he clearly said 'no'. I know he meant well but that's a way of betraying someone's trust and I just can't accepted and let it go that easily.
*sigh* Anyway... I highly recommend it because it's a short story worth reading and what bothered me might be nothing for someone else, so don't mind me :-P.
This was a delicious slow burn with age-gap and what I liked the most was that the story was developed in Germany and part in Spain. Different settings that I'm not used to read, it makes this author so unique and more appealing to me.
4 stars because I didn't find it as amazing as The Layover and because Chris annoyed the hell out of me going behind Alexander back to read his work when he clearly said 'no'. I know he meant well but that's a way of betraying someone's trust and I just can't accepted and let it go that easily.
*sigh* Anyway... I highly recommend it because it's a short story worth reading and what bothered me might be nothing for someone else, so don't mind me :-P.
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