Tag: Delivered Fast (Portland Heat #3) by Annabeth Albert

A MelanieM Review: Delivered Fast (Portland Heat, #3)

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

DeliveredFast2Portland, Oregon, aka Hotlandia, where the coffee shops, restaurants, and bakeries are ready to serve everything piping hot, fresh, and ready to go—like the hard-working, hard-bodied men behind the counters—with no reservations…

Sure, Chris O’Neal has problems. His restaurant is still co-owned by his ex. His flannel-and-tattoos style is making him accidentally trendy. He can’t remember the last time he went out and had fun. But he’s not lonely, he’s driven. And the hot bakery delivery boy is not his problem, no matter how sweet his buns.

Chris is old enough to know Lance Degrassi’s sculpted good looks and clever double entendres spell nothing but trouble. Lance is still in college—he should be hitting the clubs and the books, chasing guys his own age, not pursuing some gruff motorcycle-riding workaholic. Especially when he’ll be leaving for grad school in a few months. But Lance keeps hanging around, lending a hand, charming Chris to distraction. Maybe some steaming hot no-strings indulgence won’t hurt.

Then again, maybe it will…

After finishing Baked Fresh, the 2nd book in the Portland Heat series, I was curious to see if  Annabeth Albert could maintain the light and lively tone and endearing characters that have been a staple of her other stories in this series, stories I absolutely enjoyed.  In Delivered Fast, the author answers that question with a “Hell yes!”.

I fell hard for the bald, courteous baker Vic in Baked Fresh.   I also fell in love with his large, boisterous family that supported him.  So I was thrilled to find out that one of the main characters, Lance Degrassi, is Vic’s cousin, and while he is certainly a lovely, vital person on his own, Albert has, not surprisingly, imbued him with many of the believable and ingratiating characteristics that made Vic so deeply lovable and memorable.  Lance is full of life, intelligent and he knows what he wants.  That would be the tatted, bearded, flannel-wearing chef,  Chris O’Neal.  Problem is that life and his ex have left Chris wounded and walled off from new relationships.

One of the things I so admire about Albert’s stories is that while they have an easy flow to them that makes them a quick read, her characters are complicated men getting through life as honestly and responsibly as possible.  In fact, Chris is bemused that while preoccupied in his self isolation, his personal (and unchanging) style of tats, beard, and flannel has become hip, making him and his restaurant the hippest (or is that hipster) things around. I think many people will be able to connect with Chris whose trust was broken by someone he loved and still has to work with as they are connected through the two restaurants they still own together.  He’s has an authentic feel in every way, from his conversations (or lack of) to his brusk manner with all around him.  Yep, I adored him.

Change arrives in the form of Lance, vivacious, aware, intelligent Lance.  He’s sexy and sparkling, and that attracts Chris no matter how hard he tries to ignore it.  What follows is a realistic journey towards a loving and giving relationship for both Chris and Lance.  At times frustrating, rewarding, sexy and painful, I loved this slow take towards a deeply moving and supportive relationship.   It may be a case of instant attraction but actual love is something that arrives slowly here, achieved in baby steps and maybe one final leap of faith.  I’m telling you that Annabeth Albert and her Portland Heat series has me completely and throughly hooked.

I have been reading these out of order, and that works just fine.  Characters from the other stories pop up but know who they are isn’t central to your understanding and enjoyment of the story you are reading at the moment.  Although, having just said that Albert gave those of us who loved Baked Fresh, a surprise peak into Vic and Robin’s current relationship status.  Loved that too!

Love contemporary M/M romance?  Need a new series or characters to fall in love with?  Pick up Delivered Fast from Annabeth Albert, then go on to read the rest.  I hope there are more stories coming in this Portland Heat series, I am ready for more…more complicated wonderful men in search of love in Portland.  I highly recommend this story as well as the rest.

Cover art by Fiona Jayde is light and fresh, perfect for the story within.

Sales Links: All Romance (ARe) – Amazon   Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook, 128 pages
Expected publication: May 26th 2015 by Kensington
original titleDelivered Fast
ISBN 1601833946 (ISBN13: 9781601833945)
edition languageEnglish
seriesPortland Heat

Books  in the Portland Heat Series are connected by location, and loosely by characters, All can be read as standalone stories.

 

 

Like Your Romance Served Up Fresh? Check Out Delivered Fast by Annabeth Albert (excerpt and giveaway)

DeliveredFast2

Delivered Fast (Portland Heat #3) by Annabeth Albert
Standalone  Story. Each book is connected by the city, and loosely by characters
Release Date: May 26, 2015

STRW In The Spotlight Header

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Kensington/Lyrical
Cover Artist: Fiona Jayde

Banner300x250

Sales Links:  Amazon  – Barnes and Noble

STRW Author BookSynopsis

Portland, Oregon, aka Hotlandia, where the coffee shops, restaurants, and bakeries are ready to serve everything piping hot, fresh, and ready to go—like the hard-working, hard-bodied men behind the counters—with no reservations…
 
Sure, Chris O’Neal has problems. His restaurant is still co-owned by his ex. His flannel-and-tattoos style is making him accidentally trendy. He can’t remember the last time he went out and had fun. But he’s not lonely, he’s driven. And the hot bakery delivery boy is not his problem, no matter how sweet his buns. 
 
Chris is old enough to know Lance Degrassi’s sculpted good looks and clever double entendres spell nothing but trouble. Lance is still in college—he should be hitting the clubs and the books, chasing guys his own age, not pursuing some gruff motorcycle-riding workaholic. Especially when he’ll be leaving for grad school in a few months. But Lance keeps hanging around, lending a hand, charming Chris to distraction. Maybe some steaming hot no-strings indulgence won’t hurt. 
 
Then again, maybe it will…

Pages or Words: 45,000 words

Categories: Contemporary, Erotica, Fiction, Gay fiction, M/M Romance, Romance

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

From Chapter One of Delivered Fast

The delivery boy had sweet buns. Not to mention prize-winning rolls. He wore a pair of those fancy over-the-ear headphones and shimmied around the white bakery truck, his hips and ass working in time to what was apparently a killer beat. Even the way he climbed into the back of the truck was a choreographed dance. I wasn’t usually one to get distracted by eye candy, but that ass . . .

I’d propped open the service door at the rear of my coffee shop about fifteen minutes earlier, hoping to coax a cool breeze into the stuffy storeroom where I’d been working. I leaned against the door frame, appreciating the unexpectedly fine view in the alley.

When the guy emerged from the truck—headphones around his neck, carrying a stack of pink boxes—I pushed away from the door and met him at the edge of the concrete steps. I tried to play it cool, like I hadn’t spent the last five minutes perving on his world-class bubble butt.

“You’re not Vic,” I said as I ushered him into the hallway that led back to the kitchen and storeroom.

“Nope. I’m Lance, Vic’s cousin. I’ll be handling your deliveries from here on out.” His smile—a wide, toothy grin—was almost as adorable as his butt. The only resemblance he had to my usual beefy delivery guy was in the chiseled facial features and light olive skin. He looked like he’d be right at home playing World Cup soccer for Italy with his wide shoulders, lean torso, muscular thighs and legs. And that ass.

Which I was going to stop thinking about right the hell now. He was too young—I could see that even more clearly under the fluorescent lights of my kitchen. Early twenties, if that. His gelled-up black hair fell across his forehead in artfully bleached strands. Too high maintenance for my taste.

“I’m Chris O’Neal. Here, let me help you with those.” Taking part of the stack from him, I showed him the metal racks where I stashed recent deliveries.

“Nice setup you’ve got here.” Lance looked around the cramped but efficient kitchen area.

“Thanks.” Most of The People’s Cup square footage was devoted to the coffee bar and seating area in the front, so I made do in the back with my organization system, which bordered on the obsessive. I’d installed floor-to-ceiling shelving on every wall, including over the cooktop and counters. The center prep table was where most of the action happened, and its broad expanse was covered with the beginnings of several dishes for tomorrow’s Sunday brunch.

“I’ve been here before with friends from PSU—for your Sunday thing. And during the week once or twice to study.”

I made a noncommittal noise. Great. A college kid. As if I needed to feel like more of an old, cranky perv.

“Let’s get the rest of the boxes.” I herded him back out to the alley. I was eager to get him and his distracting ass on his way. I had several more hours of staging work ahead of me to prepare for Sunday’s buffet. During the week we were just another coffeehouse, but we were known all over Portland for our Sunday brunch.

“So are you the owner? This all yours?” Lance asked as he got another load of boxes from the truck.

“Yeah. Mine and my partner’s. Business partner.” I fumbled the stack of boxes he handed me. Why had it felt so necessary to make that qualification? Like the kid would be in any way interested in my messed-up business relationship with my stubborn bastard of an ex.

Despite his pretty-boy looks, the kid was probably straight; he had a confident swagger girls his age likely found irresistible.

“I’ve been to your other place, too—the one in Northwest. Did the delivery there earlier. I like this location better.”

“Me too,” I said, my voice drier than gin. “Randy give you any issues?”

Randy had his location; I had mine. Our relationship had turned into something out of a bad chick flick, except there wasn’t any cute ending coming.

“Randy? Nah. It was some girl named Becky, with a nose ring and huge gauges.”

I nodded. That sounded about right for Randy’s taste. And I was not going to care whether he was banging her or how long she’d last as an employee. His shitty employee turnover wasn’t my problem. I’d washed my hands of what happened at the 23rd Street store.

“You want a cup of coffee for the road?” I asked before I could stop myself. It was the same courtesy I’d always extended to his cousin and to most of our other delivery people, but somehow my offer felt tinged with more than politeness.

“What do you have on offer today?” His grin was more than a little wicked.

Wouldn’t you like to know? I bit back the flirtatious retort. And what the hell was up with that? I did not flirt. Hell, anything other than bitter and grumpy hadn’t been my MO for months now.
*****
Can Lance bring out the softer side of this cranky chef? Find out in DELIVERED FAST!

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

Annabeth Albert grew up sneaking romance novels under the bed covers. Now, she devours all subgenres of romance out in the open—no flashlights required! When she’s not adding to her keeper shelf, she’s a multi-published Pacific Northwest romance writer.
Emotionally complex, sexy, and funny stories are her favorites both to read and to write. Annabeth loves finding happy endings for a variety of pairings and is a passionate gay rights supporter.  In between searching out dark heroes to redeem, she works a rewarding day job and wrangles two toddlers.

Represented by Saritza Hernandez of the Corvisiero Literary Agency




BannerTemplate

Tour Dates & Stops: May 26, 2015
Prism Book Alliance, Parker Williams, Multitasking Mommas, Bike Book Reviews, Cate Ashwood, MM Good Book Reviews, Divine Magazine, My Fiction Nook, BFD Book Blog, Inked Rainbow Reads, Bayou Book Junkie,
Dawn’s Reading Nook, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Molly Lolly, Tara Lain, 3 Chicks After Dark, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Carly’s Book Reviews, Foxylutely Book Reviews, Velvet Panic, Charley Descoteaux, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, The Hat Party

 

STRW Spotlight Contest Header

Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.   Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions. Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: $10 Amazon gift card
Rafflecopter Code:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Books in the Portland Heat Series to Date:

  • Served Hot (Portland Heat, #1)
  • Baked Fresh (Portland Heat, #2)
  • Delivered Fast (Portland Heat, #3)