Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Tom Hannity is not boring, despite what his ex-boyfriend says. He loves his circle of family and friends and finds peace in the beauty of flower arranging. Still stinging from his recent breakup, Tom attends an Anti-Valentine’s Day “Ex-orcism,” hoping for some fun and forgetfulness.
Mario Tellez is tired of party boys, and he’s had his eye on Tom for a while. When they run into each other at the Ex-orcism, sparks fly, until an accidentally overheard conversation drives Tom to do something he normally doesn’t do.
What should have been a hot and fun night turns into Tom and Mario seeing each other at their absolute worst, although surprisingly, it brings out the best in them, too. Navigating around the toxic people in their lives isn’t easy, and after a small series of bumps in the road, they finally come around full circle… to Valentine’s Day and laying old demons to rest.
We meet Tom and his sister as soon as the story starts. It gives us the opportunity to learn about Tom’s past relationship, his job, and his family history. As well as his social life and some of his insecurities.
The exorcism part sounds childish, but we get to understand why it came about as it happens. Tom and Mario met during an odd confrontation during the party, but in the end, it worked for them. They are the kind of couple that would have a story to tell their grandkids when they ask how they met.
We get to see the worst of them just minutes after they talked for the first time, but their flirty demeanor creates a connection between them. Their one night stand is sensual until life happens, starting the chain of events that would eventually bring them together.
Their relationship develops off-page, and we move to a point in which they’re finding their footing as a couple. Like every short story, it moves quickly over time, until they start having some problems in their relationship. But as with any good romance, we get a delightful reconciliation and a fulfilling happily ever after.
Love and the Exorcism is a lovely Valentine’s short story. Perfect for a quick fix of romance between longer books. It’s sweet, easy, and it has a simple, but believable story line.
The main characters are cute and quirky together. They are happy and realistic. Most importantly, they have insecurities any young gay men could possess. Their background stories were not happy ones, but they learned to overcome them and became productive men. There’s no trauma dragging them down and making them miserable.
This book is all about their love story and how Mario and Tom get to know each other and move forward after their first problem as a couple.
My only complaint would be about what caused the problem on Mario’s side. I think the characterization of those involved was stereotypical and felt out of place in such a sweet story. It takes the reader completely out of the “feels zone.” Other than that, I believe the author delivered a nice romance.
A beautiful cover by Bree Archer. It goes well with the Valentine’s Day story and Tom’s job and character.
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Book Details:
ebook, 47 pages
Published: February 11, 2016, by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN: 9781634770439
Edition Language: English
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 