Stroke of Luck by Posy Roberts

 

My best friend has an upcycling business. That means she takes sturdy, old furniture that is ugly as sin, because of dated finishes, and turns it into something fabulous that people fight over when she sells it. So this last September, I went to Goodwill with her to hunt down pieces with good bones. I found treasure of my own: dishes. As I was driving away, a woman crashed into the back end of my car. Bye-bye tail light and bumper.

Hello story!

That experience was the impetus for Stroke of Luck. That, and one of my fave holidays: Halloween. And fate. And small worlds. And destiny pushing people together over and over again to give them multiple chances to get it right.

Marc and Cas meet at Goodwill while Cas looks for Halloween costume ideas. It doesn’t go well since Marc laughs at Cas’s choice of jackets. Cas is a defensive sort, a guy who flies off the handle, and he’s a bit of a hothead. Marc, on the other hand, is laid back and cautious. He’s even more cautious than usual at the start of the story because everything he owned burned in a fire and he’s essentially living off the charity of others. That’s why Marc is at Goodwill, furnishing a kitchen on a scant one hundred dollars. And he comes up short.

Despite their attraction for each other, they don’t get it right the first time they meet. Or the second. But the world keeps shoving them back together with one unfortunate situation after the other, which ends up doing something wonderful. Both men learn a great deal about each other before they’re finally given a chance to get it right. Marc learns how loyal and protective Cas is about his best friend, Maisie, and Cas learns Marc is helpful and kind, with all the rough edges he’s used to in a man already worn away.

Can you tell I’m a little bit in love with both of these men? This was so fun to write. It was exciting to write about two bisexual men who also practice what I try to practice in my own life: never assuming a person’s sexuality. Being bi, myself, I’ve been labeled straight because I’m married to a man, and when I get together with other bi and pan people, we often talk about how frustrating this is. So to be able to write about two men who refused to have their sexuality defined by their bed partners and who are also unwilling to make those assumptions about each other… yeah, it was like coming home, which is why I dedicated it to those who refuse to make assumptions.

This is a feel-good book that should leave you smiling and ready to head for your local Goodwill to put together costumes for whatever Cosplay you’re into. But consider backing into your parking spot so when you leave, you don’t get your tail end bashed in.

For those of you who follow along with my flavor ratings on books, this is sweet with a little bit of kink involved.

You’re gonna fall in love with me. You’re already halfway there.

After everything Marc owned burned to a crisp, he’s living off the kindness of others. A model condo is his temporary home, and his last dime went to essentials. He doesn’t need another distraction, but the fates conspire against him, setting up a chain of encounters that bring him face to face with Cas.

Cas’s love life has been in limbo for years, lovers moving on as soon as they discover how close he is to his best friend, Maisie. Then he meets Marc. The attraction between the two men can’t be denied, but Cas isn’t sure he can risk his friendship for a guy who will only end up leaving when he sees how close he and Maisie are.

When Marc and Cas discover they live in the same building, it’s kismet. But Marc has to invite chaos into his life if he and Cas stand a chance, and Cas faces a choice between friendship and love. Luck may be on their side… if they’re willing to risk it all.

Genre: MM Romance, contemporary, bisexual, LGBT, Halloween, friendship, love, fate
Length: Novella, 25,000 words
Publisher: Labyrinth Bound Press
Buy Links (On KU for 90 days)

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M29RHHU
Universal Amazon: myBook.to/StrokeofLuck
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32790522-stroke-of-luck

Real. Genuine. Love.