Bus Stop

by Pepper Espinoza

What starts as a friendly gesture can lead two men to their destinies...with each other...

Patrick Curtis has been living in Rome for several months, but due to the stress at work and his own shyness, he’s never been able to connect with anybody. One rainy morning, however, a stranger interrupts Patrick's loneliness by graciously offering to share his umbrella at the bus stop.

Lealdo Fanucci is charming and gorgeous, and a smitten Patrick is left to wonder if there could be anything more between them than an innocent flirtation...

Genres: Gay / Contemporary

Genres: M M Romance, Contemporary

47 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 11, 2010

About the author

Pepper Espinoza has published several books with Liquid Silver Books, including The Zebra Wore Fishnets and The Zebra Wore Red Stockings, Amber Quill Press, Whiskey Creek Press, and Samhain Publishing. She currently lives in Utah with her husband and two cats. She hopes to complete her Masters degree in Literature in May, 2008.

Ms. Espinoza also collaborates with Vivien Dean, and they publish as Jamie Craig. Together they have Amber Quill Press bestseller The Master Chronicles, and The Silver Series with Juno Books
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...

Reviews

[Vio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rome and that lovely bus stop encounter in the rain. Lealdo is the gallant handsome Italian offering to share his umbrella with Patrick. Cute and shy Patrick is surprised and delighted with this gorgeous man who wouldn't be! A Sweetly romantic novella with two lovely men who compliment each other.

[Ami · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why can't LGBT romantic movies take scripts from M/M romance like this? *pout*. Sure this is nothing special, but I can imagine the setting very well. First meeting under the rain, first date, going through Rome, first kiss, first love making, then the promise for an HEA. I think this is one of my favorites from Pepper Espinoza, especially because it adds one of my most favorite things in the world: RAIN. There should be more stories with meetings under the rain *sigh*. Now come on, Richard Curtis, why don't you pen this one for a movie!

[Nick Pageant · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked this a lot. It's sweet, sexy, and very romantic. I would have gone for 4 stars had it been just a bit longer. Still, the story is complete and I enjoyed it very much. It was just what I was looking for. Give it a shot if you have half an hour to kill and want a smile.

P.S. It's about an American meeting a hot Italian in Rome! Maybe I should give it an extra star for that... Nah.

[Janna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet and sexy short read with a HFN ending about an American and Italian guy who meet at a bus stop in Rome. Nicely paced and well written with some hot scenes including very sexy kissing!

[Mandy*reads obsessively* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a sweet cute story, nothing new or really exciting, but just a nice quiet read about American Patrick living and hopefully working in Rome and gorgeous, charming Lealdo.
A follow up on their HFN would be great! :)
my only niggle was the missing lube and the barebacking on night one,I trust you -you trust me- well...not so cool IMO

[Bubbles Hunty Honest & Direct Opinions · Rating 4 out of 5]

sweet and simple i liked it

[Mercedes · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

A couple of small grammatical errors but entertaining anyway.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you're going to do insta-love/lust, do it with an Italian named Lealdo in the rain. It seems to work quite well.

[Elisa Rolle]

This is a sweet and nice romantic novella, something this author make me accustomed to expect. Lealdo and Patrick are probably not the most handsome men you can find around but they are for each other; Lealdo noticed Patrick, the American man who wait the bus at the stop near the coffee place Lealdo goes each morning, but he has never had the courage to talk to him: even if handsome, Lealdo is also shy, he is not really your typical Italian man (who have the reputation to be more straightforward). Then one day Lealdo notices that Patrick is waiting for the bus under the rain, without an umbrella, and that is the perfect haunch for him. Offering shelter to the man under his umbrella is little step to invite him to dinner and from that moment on the story smoothly flows towards a nice and happy romance.

Patrick is new to Rome and Italy, and he is, like Lealdo, a bit shy. He is fascinated by Italian men, but he has never had the courage to do a move. Truth be told, he has not noticed Lealdo before, and he is not exactly the classical darkhaired and intense Italian man that usually make Patrick’s heart flutters, but nevertheless, Lealdo is handsome, and to Patrick, he seems also straightforward, or at least more than Patrick’s himself. It’s probably love at first sight, and Lealdo kind and gentle courtship will conquer Patrick in less than one day.

I like both Patrick than Lealdo, they are probably average guys in an average situation, but they are really nice. It was a delight to read about their first meeting, the awkardness of two people who don’t know each other, but that they would really like to. Strange enough, there was not awkardness in understanding that both of them were gays, and that indead Lealdo was doing a pass on Patrick, a gentle and gallant one, but nevertheless it was clear that Lealdo was interested in Patrick not only in the sake of being gentle towards a stranger.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003WQAOZ0/?...

[Tam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Patrick is an American living in Italy (what’s with the AA Italy series?) and is caught in a downpour at the bus stop without an umbrella. Hottie Lealdo offers to share and they get to chatting. Although Patrick figures Lealdo is just out to bed an American he’s attracted and after another rainy morning of a shared umbrella they get together for a date. Eventually their date ends up at Patrick’s place and well, the usual ensues. It’s a cute little story about finding love in Rome, with some nice descriptions of the city and life there. My only niggle was their first night, first time, they do it with no lube. Yes, there is a condom which may have been lubricated but that’s it. Then in the morning they do it bareback (to my cries of “don’t be stupid” LOL) again, with no lube. Ooookay. I’m pretty sure they have lube in Italy. Hit a drug store people before Kris’ phrase “fucked raw” takes on a literal meaning. Friction burns. Ouch.

[Taya:) · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was very simple story of boy meets boy then boy has unprotected sex with a virtual stranger you met at a bus stop couple days ago. This story just didn't move me and I will forget all about it in couple hours. It was not worth the cost I paid and wouldn't recommend this book to anybody.

[Brandilyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

absolutely no angst. What is up with that? just a sweet story of two strangers meeting, hooking up, and deciding to start a relationship. I guess you could call it a HFN ending. IT was a quick read and counted for a number of challenges, so that was good AND it has a bus on the cover ;)

[Lily · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice story about an American and the sexy Italian guy he meets while waiting for the bus in Rome. It's sweet and sexy with a HFN ending.

[Meggie · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was short sweet read. Nothing special.

[Elizabeth H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, sweet, uncomplicated. A little confusing in the sex scene. I liked it enough to recommend it to a friend who was looking for something straightforward.

[Kiki · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 sweet, not much to it

[*Nan* · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars. Just couldn't get into this book and if it wasn't for I challenge I was doing, I don't know if I would have finished it.