The Backlot Gay Book Forum discussion

The Lineman (Heartstrings of Honor book 3)
By Casey Morales
3 Aussies Press, 2025
Four stars
A classic Casey Morales romance, charming and funny; strengthened by two real gut-punching moments that underscore the special appeal of the main characters.

Michael Albert is an introverted redhead who teaches high school literature in a suburb of Atlanta. His dog Homer is a Jack Russell terrier—and as a dog fan I can vouch for his authenticity. Mike makes the big “I’m a grownup” leap and buys a little house on a cul-de-sac outside of Atlanta. He starts a new job at the local high school. He’s a quiet, nerdy guy, and you can tell right away he’s got something good in him.

Right away, Mike meets one of his neighbors, a massive, muscled lineman for the electric company by the name of Elliot Hart. Embarrassing rom-com awkwardness ensues (helped by the aforesaid Homer). Elliot is the strong silent type, emotionally withdrawn to match his overscaled exterior. But his trio of crazy best friends suggests that there’s more to him than you might thing—and those friends are an important kind of Greek chorus for this story.

Add into the narrative a massive hurricane that devastates Florida and requires Elliot to travel there to repair damage to the power lines; and a shy teenager in Mike’s English class coming out of the closet, and you’ve got the makings for two major moments in the book that made me cry (against my will).