LEANING INTO THE LOOK
LEANING INTO
STORIES BOOK 6
LANE HAYES
M/M ROMANCE
RELEASE DATE: 03.23.18
COVER ARTIST: REESE DANTE
AMAZON US: https://amzn.to/2DSuOKZ
BLURB
Grant Kostas made a
career based on his looks before joining his family’s real estate firm. He may
not love his job but he’s better at sales than he thought. And when he’s poised
to bring in the biggest account of the company’s history, even his father is
impressed. Unfortunately, the extra attention highlights Grant’s personal life.
His parents accept that he’s gay. They just wish he’d meet a nice Greek man.
Miles Harrison is a
fabulous red head going through a rough patch. Between getting dumped by his
long-term boyfriend and finding a new place to live in the city, he’s nearing
his wits end. He’s not sure why he thought rooming with his boss’s friend was a
good idea. Miles has had a crush on Grant for years. However, he knows
attractive people aren’t always pretty on the inside. As the two men grapple
with external problems, they form an unexpected bond of friendship and trust
that feels like the real thing. The only way to know for certain is to let go
of fear and lean into the look.
Review
Have your friends ever
introduced you to someone that just absolutely annoys you? They think the person is cool, but you just
can’t see it. Everything they say,
everything they do, even the clothes they wear just grated on your nerves. The last thing you want to do is be nice to
them. Civil, yes. You don’t want to be rude, after all. But nice? Really? How can they expect that.
That’s the dilemma facing
Grant when he meets up with his friends at a party. Seems Miles, the secretary of one of his
besties, will be at the same event, and this guy gets under his skin.
But something kind of nice
and unexpected happens while at the party, and this leads to… well, that would
be telling.
Grant and Miles are two
totally opposite people who seemingly
have nothing in common other than their circle of friends. But as the story progresses, they find that
appearances can be deceiving and they just might
have more in common than they originally thought.
I loved both characters, but
Miles…if it were possible to put heart emojis in a review, I totally would for
him. He’s the perfect example of “don’t
judge a book by its cover.”
This is my favorite book in
the series. I loved the “family of
friends” slant. Even though characters
from earlier books in the series pop in, it can totally be read as a
stand-alone. Even if you have read the
other books, you really should read this
one.
EXCERPT
“You and I are opposites. You like quiet and order, and I thrive on chaos.
I want everything you have and more. The boisterous family with the ancient
traditions and food for days. I can’t even watch My Big Fat Greek Wedding
without getting jealous. And that’s your real life.”
“Times ten,” I agreed with a half laugh.
Miles chuckled. “Humans are a mystery. Why are we never happy with what we
have?”
I lowered my hand to his waist and hooked my fingers through his belt loop.
“We don’t see well. We don’t know when to speak and when to listen. We don’t
understand the nuances in taste and touch. Take your pick.”
“Mmm. Personally, I think we rely too heavily on looks. Physical
appearances and perceived appearances. It takes patience and effort to really
see the person under skin and bones. The scars and insecurities. To sift
through their baggage while they do the same to you and cross your fingers,
hoping like mad that you pass the test. It’s so…hard.”
“I’ve heard if you find the right partner it’s worth it,” I said softly.
Miles sighed and leaned heavily against my side. We fell silent for a
moment, letting the squawk of seagulls and the medley of tourists’ voices mix
with the occasional bark of a sea lion. We were part of a crowd and yet
separate enough to hear our own thoughts.
“Thank you for today,” he said after awhile.
“I didn’t do anything special.”
“Sure you did. You took me on a date.”
“It wasn’t a real date. I can do better,” I assured him with a wry grin.
“No complaints here. Oh, except you made me walk three miles and—”
“Hey, at least I avoided the steeper streets.”
Miles snickered. “You were probably afraid I’d get tired and demand a
piggyback ride.”
“Yeah, that did cross my mind,” I agreed sarcastically. “How about if I buy
you a coffee for the walk back to the car?”
“Make it a hot chocolate and promise to hold my hand the whole way, and
you’ve got yourself a deal,” he countered with a straight face.
My smile was so big it hurt. I enveloped him in a giant bear hug and pulled
back to kiss his forehead. “Deal.”
I laced my fingers with his and pulled him through the crowd to the
boardwalk. And I didn’t let go. Block after block through familiar city streets
and eclectic neighborhoods, I kept him close, marveling at how right it felt
just being with him. I noted his shy, pleased smile and cautioned myself not to
read too much into the look. I didn’t want to ruin the mood by saying too much.
But I knew it was a matter of time before I lost myself to Miles completely.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lane Hayes is grateful to finally be doing
what she loves best. Writing full-time! It’s no secret Lane loves a good
romance novel. An avid reader from an early age, she has always been drawn to
well-told love story with beautifully written characters. These days she
prefers the leading roles to both be men. Lane discovered the M/M genre a few
years ago and was instantly hooked. Her debut novel was a 2013 Rainbow Award
finalist and subsequent books have received Honorable Mentions, and were
winners in the 2016 Rainbow Awards. She loves red wine, chocolate and travel
(in no particular order). Lane lives in Southern California with her amazing
husband in an almost empty nest.
Website: https://lanehayes.wordpress.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LaneHayes3
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/LaneHayesauthor
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