Cover design by L.C. Chase
For a Good Time, Call…
A contemporary romance
A Bluewater Bay book
Thirty-seven-year-old Nate Albano’s second relationship ever ended three years ago, and since he’s grace—gray asexual—he doesn’t anticipate beating the odds to find a third. Still, he’s got his dog, his hobbies, and his job as a special effects technician on Wolf’s Landing, so he can’t complain—much.
Seth Larson, umpteenth generation Bluewater Bay, is the quintessential good-time guy, content with tending bar and being his grandmother’s handyman. The night they meet, Seth’s looking for some recreational sex to escape family drama. But for Nate, romantic attraction comes before sexual attraction, so while Seth thinks they’re hooking up, Nate just wants to talk . . . genealogy?
Dude. Seriously?
So they declare a “just friends” truce. Then Seth asks for Nate’s help investigating a sinister Larson family secret, and their feelings start edging way beyond platonic. But Nate may want more than Seth can give him, and Seth may not be able to leave his good-time image behind. Unless they can find a way to merge carefree with commitment, they could miss out on true love—the best time of all.
What I loved:
• The gray-ace representation was A+++++
• Amazing relationship and character building
• Steady story progression that hooked me from page one
• Tarkus. TARKUS.
• FAGTC fits seamlessly into the Bluewater Bay ‘verse
…
What I didn’t love:
• Nothing.
• Well, it ended, and I wasn’t ready to stop reading Nate and Seth’s story. I want more!
The romance was a slow burn, as is fitting for a-spec people, and it was friends to lovers, which is a favorite of mine. I loved the historical aspects and how Nate and Seth worked together to research Seth’s family, both for personal interest and to help his grandma out of a difficult situation with her sons. There was also a lot of character development in both main characters, as well as some of the side characters, which was really fun to watch even if I experienced secondhand embarrassment for some of it. Also, I loved watching their relationship develop from friendship to relationship. The progression of friendship to companionship and closeness to sexuality and intimacy was so beautiful, and it really resonated with me, as someone who is a-spec.
This book is part of the larger Bluewater Bay universe, but is enjoyable on its own. … I loved Tarkus, the one-eyed wonder dog. What a great companion that mutt is, and it was clear that Nate learned a lot about unconditional love from him, while Seth drew his strength from his grandma. This is a slow burn, not least because it’s a long novel. Lots of patience is exercised before their sexual connection is kindled, but I found it worth the wait.
More contemporary rom-com
