A Helping Hand

Tennessee Cops #2

by Shayla Kersten

Deputy Sheriff Rich Taylor has many secrets. His sexuality is only the top of the list. Even his best friend Dan doesn't know Rich is gay. For good reason. His feelings for Dan are more than friendship. When Dan's injured, the thought of losing him forces Rich to admit his years-long lust has turned to love. An accident turns State Trooper Dan Fletcher's life, and his car, upside down. With his right hand out of commission, he has to rely on his best friend for his basic—sometimes intimate—needs. After spending most of his life looking for the right woman, he begins to wonder if he's been looking at the wrong gender—an impossible concept in their small-minded world.

Genres: M M Romance, Contemporary, Romance, Friends To Lovers, Gay For You, Erotica, Gay

110 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 27, 2008

About the author

By day, multi-published Shayla Kersten is a mild-mannered accountant. By night, she’s a writer of sexy romances. Torn between genres, Shayla writes erotic stories about hot heroes and their sexy women, as well as hot men and their passionate heroes.

A native of Arkansas, Shayla spent four years in the Army as a missile specialist, stationed in Germany and Oklahoma. After her enlistment was up, she spent eleven years in New York City taking a bite out of the Big Apple. Even her love of theatre and the nightlife of the big city couldn’t cure terminal homesickness for the Natural State. In 1995, she returned to her roots in Arkansas.

Shayla divides her time between her mother, her spoiled rotten cats and dogs, her evil day job and her obsession—writing.

Reviews

[Gigi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I re-read this one in August 2013 as part of the Tennessee Cops series. This is a kicks-ass angst-o-rama! Two cops, best friends, one taking care of the other after a car accident, serious sexual tension. I mean, seriously? What else do you need for a fucking hot M/M romance romp? Love!

Highly recommended for all M/M romance fans. It's on my favorites shelf and was a blast to re-read.

[Lenore · Rating 2 out of 5]

All right. This is one of those rare cases where I end up hating (ok, "not liking" would have sounded more suave but I'm in bitch mode right now) EVERYONE in the book.

Rich - You're in love with your (ostensibly) straight best friend. That doesn't mean you should let him treat you like shit and keep going back to him for more humiliation, frustration and misery. Not to mention the gratuitous sex where he does nothing to reciprocate, either physically or emotionally. Get one of those blow up dolls. You'll get more out of that relationship.

Dan - I love you, I love you not. I'm gay, I'm not gay. I want you, I don't want you. I like women, I don't like women. I'm jealous, I'm not jealous. Hot, cold. Hot, cold. Hot, cold. Fuck you, Dan. So much.

Sharon - No comments. Horrible, horrible person.

Jeremy - The biggest fucking doormat ever!

Argh!

[Nic · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great story of friends to lovers. Rich is gay but his best friend does not know. Dan has been searching for 'the one' for years without luck. Both work in law enforcement. When Dan has an accident, Rich realises he could have lost him and realises his true feelings. Rich helps Dan while he recovers from his accident and this close contact leads to Dan feeling things for Rich that leave him very confused.

Jeremy, Rich's 'friends with benefits', makes an appearance in this story and seems a great guy. I haven't read the blurb for the next book in the series but I hope it gives Jeremy his happy ending.

[Gbook · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really don't know what to say. I was interest up to the point where Jeremy was brought in. I understand he was important for the story, but jeez, seriously! I don't understand why I have to read two scenes where they are intimate. I don't see the point. I was so turned off. I get that we have to see how it would be like if Rich had someone to want him, need him, love him, but come on.

I was so emotionally attached to the characters that I felt I was watching Rich cheat on Dan. Even though Dan and Rich weren't anything around that time, but man, I felt sick. For the first time, I actually wanted to skip reading this book or just skip this author all together.

I did, however, like the characters. I just would have rather the scenes between Jeremy and Rich not have been so graphic. I wanted to give this book a 3 but I won't do that just to satisfy others. I won't re-read this book again. Either way, I will continue to read the story about Jeremy, but who knows...

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

Some of the writing was actually done well, but the plot was so completely ludacris and cheesy. Not to mention the ex-girlfriend was beyond insane, over the top, and dubious as a character. 60% of the sex scenes were with one of the MC's friends with benefits, and I think they would have benefited from a severe editing. Not to mention no one is that nice after getting dumped from a 5 year relationship...no one.

Once again, a nice simple plot would have served this story much better than all the drama. Car accidents, evil exes, friends with benefits, GFY, homophobic beatings, etc. Just stop already, and take it down a notch.

However, lol, I enjoyed the writing most of the time. I just wish plot points had been adjusted.

[Jilrene · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.something I don't care stars

Yeah, I didn't like Dan at all. Rich was bordering on TSTL. These guys are cops? Oh, well. Could be my mood. It wasn't light enough to be fluff but no where near deep enough to be anything else.

[Janna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!! This novel is very, very hot, sweet, sexy, lovely, arousing, enjoyable and surprising. I really recommend this book if you like reading about M/M love, friends turning into lovers and handsome, straight guys discovering their attraction to a man with all the confusing feelings and doubts that go with that discovery. Because Shayla Kersten truly wrote a great story with all these ingredients. And luckily this novel is the first in a series of three, the other two titles are Hidden Force and Hidden Hands. All are M/M stories with policemen as heroes. I’m gonna read them for sure, because if they’re only half as good as this one… *gasp*

A Helping Hand is the story of best friends Rich and Dan, who live in a small town and work for the Sheriff’s Department. Dan is a lady’s man; he’s dating a lot in his search for the right woman to spend his future with. Rich is gay but quiet about it. And he’s in lust with his friend Dan for years now. When he witnesses Dan’s car take a spin and crash, he realizes that his feelings go much deeper. A period follows in which Rich has to take care of Dan because of his injuries. In this period the two men get to share intimate moments which lead to more. And this really shakes their worlds.
Not only are their dialogues and actions very well-written, their feelings, doubts and behavior are also believable and developed very well. The love scenes between the two men were scorching hot and a real joy to read.

[Ami · Rating 3 out of 5]

Goodreads summary is enough for the book, so I just go straight to my opinion this time ... I am never such a big fan of "gay-for-you" story. Why? Because I'm always worried that somewhere down the road, the person will think that it's just a phase rather than actual love. Though it doesn't necessarily means that I avoid books with this theme altogether. Some GFY stories are really good.

This one, however, doesn't really work well for me, especially how the problem is solved. I can feel how Rich -- who IS gay -- falls in love with his best friend, Dan. I'm invested enough in him, feeling the worry that the friendship will change and the pain of thinking that Dan can't love him back. It's the "resolution" of Dan, that I'm not satisfied with. The change from friends to lovers is too rushed. I just don't believe Dan will be able to accept that Rich is Mr. Right, simply because his girlfriend used to tease his ass, and then he dreams of Rich, and then feels jealous because Rich has certain someone in Memphis. I just don't buy it, not when Dan tells Rich that he wishes that Rich is a woman. Plus, Dan still fears of the outcome of him being gay.

AND, almost 1/4 of the book actually explores Rich being with Jeremy in Memphis, instead of working on changing the friendship to lover with Dan. In my heart, I sort of wish Rich moves to Memphis to be with Jeremy instead ...

BUT, I still give this 3 stars because I really, REALLY, like Rich.

[Amara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first book by this author, and I enjoyed it, sort of. It had some ok heat to it, which is always good, and some plot to go with it. I didn’t love the characters though. I had mixed feelings on both Rich and Dan. I felt Rich expected Dan to come around to being accepting and out pretty quickly for a guy who’d been straight all his life. I wasn’t all that jazzed about Rich getting frustrated and running off to Jeremy instead of fighting it out either. Jeremy was a good supporting character. I just plain felt sorry for him, but at least he took a risk and tried. I didn’t love Dan either. All his worrying about what everyone would think got a little tedious for me. I understand confused straight guy and all, but I would have liked to see him worry a little less about what everyone might think, confused or not. His attitude over Sharon just irritated me. He was supposed to despise her, but still thinks about them in bed, and seemed unable to really stand up to her. She was so infuriating I wanted to kill her myself! The biggest problem that I had was that after all the angst, the ending seemed unfinished. It needed something more to tie up all Dan’s worry over how the town may feel about he and Rich being gay.
All and all it was an ok book. I’ll probably give another one of Shayla Kersten’s book a try. Maybe Jeremy will get a HEA.

[Candice · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book, but not as much as the first one. Two main things kinda bothered me with this one. Dan's back and forth indecision, which was understandable and the whole storyline with Jeremy. I know that it wasn't technically cheating, but I felt that it really didn't add to the overall story and the same could have been accomplished without it. That being said, I still enjoyed the overall story and this author's writing.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good. Initial hot and heavy steamy scenes mellowed into a slow burner.

[laura cabezas · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 stars ❤️

[Elisa Rolle]

Rich and Dan are best friends in a small town USA. Both police officer, the most dangerous thing they face is a speed ticket. Dan is the womanizer of the town, but he is not despised by women: he is very clear with all the women he dates, he is searching for Miss Right, the one to share his life, and he is bent upon to "test" all the women available. Rich instead is the eternal friend, both for women than men: he is always there, always available to give an hand... Rich is gay, but he decided long time ago to not coming out in the small town he lives to avoid trouble; his boss knows that, and he has no problem with it, but no one else. Rich thinks that no one else in the town could be a possible partner for him, so why complicate his life? When he has "some" urges, he has a buddy f..k friend in the nearer city, and he takes a weekend off. Neither Dan knows about him, above all since Rich has feelings for Dan, feelings that he has no intention to reveal since there is no chance that Dan returns them.

But when Dan is injured in a car accident and he needs help at home, Rich offers to stay with him in the same house and the proximity unveil some of his feelings. Probably the realization that he could loose his friend, unlocks something in Rich, and he finds out that also Dan is not at all stranger to the idea. But for Dan is the first gay experience and he has never had before thoughts about men; the only man he desires is Rich, but he is not still ready to come out. I understand Dan: he all of sudden faces a very important decision and he is not given the time to metabolize the news; he is asked to choose and he is put in front of an hard choice, stay with Rich or see him go to his buddy friend Jeremy, and loose him forever.

This is the classical triangle: Jeremy loves Rich but Rich loves Dan and Dan is not sure of what he feels. Of all the three characters, I like Dan, I believe he is the one who risks everything for love. Don't know if I like Rich... true, Rich is a positive character, a good friend, but I believe he is not fighting spirit, he goes with the flow, and he doesn't try to change the thing around him. Poor Jeremy is a supporting character, but I like him: he risks and looses, but at least he tries.

The story is medium long, 145 pages, and it's a good mix of plot and sex. Maybe the sex is a bit too easy, and truth be told, I don't like very much the attitude of Dan who despises the behavior of his last girlfriend Sharon, but still he remembers with pleasure her bed skills, and of Rich, who thinks to be in love with Dan, but still turns to Jeremy for comfort sex. But probably I always see the world through pink glasses, and I said, all in all I like very much Dan and Jeremy... will Shayla Kersten write Jeremy's story?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002W83E24/?...

[Secretly Reading · Rating 2 out of 5]

Originally reviewed for The Book Vixen

In a Nutshell: This long novella had such promise with its friends-to-lovers and gay-for-you tropes but the execution was clumsy, unresolved, and bummed me out.

Why I Read this Book: One of my favorite MM tropes is friends to lovers so this was a no brainer to read.

What I Liked: I loved the tension between Rich and Dan. They’ve been friends for over a decade and they truly care for each other, with Rich’s morphing into unrequited love and lust. The author wrote gripping tension between what the men know about each other and what they need to learn to be sexual partners. The dance between Rich and Dan as the relationship slowly adds a sexual element is delicious anticipation at first that I really liked.

I also really loved Rich. He’s loyal, kind and brave. When things between he and Dan look to be ending he doesn’t crawl into his emotional cave but instead starts to plan a new life for himself. In all honesty, I kind of wanted Rich to go with the new life instead of Dan. This was a case of me watching a friend partner with the person they love that I don’t think is good for them. So this was a success on the author’s part that I felt this way about Rich.

What I Didn’t Like: But mostly this novella disappointed me. Dan spends most of the novella refusing to accept his changing feelings for Rich only to pull Rich in for mostly one-sided sexual experimentation which keeps Rich tethered to Dan. Dan is jealous but is still willing to give Rich up to Rich’s f#$k buddy all so that the townspeople don’t learn Dan is having gay feelings for Rich. By novella’s end I wanted Rich to leave Dan and go to Memphis and build a life with Jeremy, his f#$k buddy who cherished Rich, unlike selfish Dan. Even the novella’s resolution was superficial with how Dan felt about his changed relationship with Rich and lacked deeper resolution in my mind. Rich was such a great character and his loyalty and love so deep that I felt Dan was an emotional cheapskate and didn’t deserve Rich.

IMO: I loved this premise and how the romantic tension was initially laid out but the relationship development and resolution were big misses for me.
*review copy provided by publisher*

[Christina, but with tea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve read a few of Shayla Kersten’s M/M stories and I just have to say that I like her better and better each time. While I do sometimes have slight technical issues with her writing - it can be somewhat stilted in the beginning of some of her works, but always smooths out after the first chapter or so - overall I have never failed to enjoy her books. This one is no exception.

I found Rich and Dan to be very in-depth characters, both dealing (or not dealing) with issues in their lives, issues that really come to the forefront when Dan is injured on the job. Now, the basic plot device seems to be a pretty straight-forward “let’s get the gay guy and the straight guy into close proximity after a little dose of hurt/comfort and watch the sexing commence”, but it’s really not as cliched as all that. There’s angst, drama, unresolved sexual tension, a crazy southern gal, a small town, and two sexy cops you just want to cuff together and say “Enough with the emo, boys! Get it on!”

I’d recommend this to anyone who has a yen for angst-ridden, small-town cops and emotional plot lines.

http://iheartpaperbacks.wordpress.com

[Trix · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would give this story a 3.5 star rating.

[spoiler ahead]I liked the friendship between Rich and Dan. It had a long history and they got along really well. And the slow change from friends to lovers was rather nicely done. In the sense that there were no extremes reactions to the revelations made throughout the book, but rather thoughtful consideration. Also, the fact that Jeremy didn't turn out to be a jealous or horrible lover was a nice add to the story.

What bothered me was that the whole 'I'm gay, what will people think?' concept was used as a strong reason for Dan's reluctance only to be too easily discarded in the end, or at least it was made to seem like Dan could get it over fast. And Jeremy, despite being a great friend and lover... seemed a contrast towards the end. It was hard to believe Rich in love with Dan and willing to do anything to get him, while Jeremy accepted second place and just agreed to let Rich go.[end spoiler]

Overall, I think the story had a nice pace to the storyline, the characters were nicely drawn and were made real. And while 'finding out you're gay and what will the town think' are usually tricky to tell, this one came all right.

[DaisyGirl · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 Stars

So I hated
disliked
fuck it, call a spade a spade ...
hated Dan.

I am hard pressed to think of a more unappealing m/m MC. He embodies all of the traits I loathe: he's a self-centered, selfish, narcissistic bastard. Do you see a pattern? It's all about Dan. I don't dig characters that irk the shit out of me. And Dan irked the ever-living shit out of me. He was an ungrateful prick who didn't deserve Rich. By 57%, I was wholly rooting for a Rich-Jeremy HEA. I'm just sayin'. Part of the problem was that Dan was set up for failure from the get-go. A "womanizer" whom everyone - including all his exes - loves and adores. WTF?!? What kinda clown is that? No way was he getting far in my book. And, he didn't; he just went from bad to worse.

Rich, on the other hand, I actually liked. His one bad trait? He loved Dan. And, kept coming back to take more of Dan's shit. And, he threw away Jeremy.

Bottom line: the way this one should've gone --> Dan & Sharon (they deserved each other); Rich and Jeremy. There, I said it.

[Kavisha · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didnt like the MC's at all. I thought the story had potential in a The One That Got Away kind of way, but I was wrong.

1. If Rich was so in love with Dan, why did he have sex with Jeremy? I thought he just wanted to talk to someone. It was OK (Rich and Jer having sex) when Rich didnt think him and Dan stood a chance, but after.... hmm, it didnt agree with me.

2. How could Rich run back to Dan and have sex with that man after Jer admitted that he loved Rich and Rich gave Jer hope, saying that he is considering moving to Memphis?

3. Rich was quite unsympathetic towards Jer's emotions

I felt so bad for Jeremy that I wanted Rich to end up with him.

As for Dan, oh I didnt like him ONE BIT!

[Rhianon · Rating 3 out of 5]

[3.5 stars:]

Although Kersten's characters are likable, she lost marks with me for her less-than-authentic portrayal of a "gay-for-you" cop. The development felt rushed, poorly planned, and not nearly as visceral and organic as it could have been with a little more polish and effort.

I didn't really need to see every graphic detail of Rich's one sexual interaction with his fuck-buddy, Jeremy. Yes, I got that the character's need to feel wanted was raw and intense, but beyond that there was little in the scene that interested me or contributed to the overall story. It felt entirely gratuitous.

Overall, Rich's character seemed a little too polished, and Dan's a little too flawed. And the story a little too short to get them to their HEA without rushing things.

[Nile Princess · Rating 4 out of 5]

This would have been a five star read if the ending had felt more 'complete'. Did they decide to be lovers, but stay in the closet or what? Having said that, I LOVED this book. The gfy is perfect. We get the best friends angle, we get the hurt comfort, we get that one loved anal with his ex (girl); the other is gay. The crazy ex girlfriend was slightly annoying but she served her purpose and the other mature ex balanced her out. The sexual tension is tingle-your-stomach delicious. and the sex is HOT. Rich and Dan were just darling. Off to read jeremy's book now!

[Jodi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wish Rich and Jeremy had ended up together. Dan just annoyes me!
I know alot of persons are complaining about Rich and Jeremy sleeping together but I didn't have a problem with it. First of all it is unfair for Rich to put his life on hold waiting for Dan to work his shit out. Did y'all forget the part where Dan basically told Rich that "he wanted him with tits and a cunt".? Rich knew Dan was straight so he basically felt he had no choice but to move on. It's just a pity that he didn't end up with Jeremey.

[Dannielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been wanting to read this story for awhile.

I'm not sure why, but the story wasn't quite what I expected. I really liked Rich and Dan was decent. I had trouble with how conflicted Dan was about his feelings. I didn't feel like things were truly resolved by the end of the book and would really like a 2nd story with these 2 just to see how things are going for them a little bit down the road.

[Wendy❤Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoy both the friends to lovers trope as well as gay for you and this story combined both. Despite working together in a small town as cops, Dan is clueless about Rich’s sexuality (or interest for that matter). An ex-girlfriend and a friend with benefits complicate the path to togetherness for the MC’s, but they eventually get there and I liked their story!

[Tristan · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5/5

It was an alright quick read. The book didn't turn out as I expected, but it wasn't too bad.

Though I find that having 2 intimate scene between Rich and Jeremy were a bit excessive for the plot. It made it feels as if the author had a different plan for the book but couldn't go through with it.

It wasn't memorable, but it was fun while it last.

[orannia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three and three quarter stars. I liked how, when I thought I had figured out where the story was going, it went somewhere different :) I did, however, start to worry when I realised I would rather one of the main characters fall in love with a secondary character rather than his intended partner.

[Noor · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was an good stroy, the plot is one of my fav bestfriends to lovers but i was little sad about jeremy, also i liked how each of them got hurt and the other was able to come to terms with their love

[Daesy]

I almost finished reading this book and i must say WTF! Was really necessary For Rich to have sex with Jeremy after what happened btw him and Daniel and the fact that he understood is in love with him? Damn i was starting to like the book but that scene
... Sigh!

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This story of a closeted cop with a crush on his straight best friend was one of the earliest m/m romances I ever read, and I like to reread it periodically.

[Gavin Stephenson-Jackman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being in the closet is never easy, it gives dissenters too much control over your life. Finding yourself to be something that you didn't expect and facing being out is terrifying. This is the situation for Rich and Dan in this story. Rich is only out to his boss in small town Tennessee. He escapes to Memphis to get a dose of his gay life for a few days each month. Dan has been living a straight life, but has been fantasizing about Rich more and more. Now an accident has put them in close proximity, maybe too close and they are forced to face their attractions, and the repercussions of being exposed. A very good read. I would like to know what happens next, but am having difficulty finding the other titles in the series.

[Luis Fe Domínguez · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lenta, desabrida, con diálogos que repetían una y otra vez lo mismo. Escenas de amor flojas y ecuánimes. Sosa y pretenciosa.