Release Day Review: The Doctor's Orders by Heidi Cullinan #Review #Giveaway

Title: The Doctor's Orders
Series: Copper Point Medical #3
Author: Heidi Cullinan
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Kanaxa
Release Date: August 20, 2019
Length: 250 pages

Reviewed by Truus


Synopsis

Once upon a time Nicholas Beckert was the boy who stole kisses from Jared Kumpel beneath the bleachers. Now Jared’s a pediatrician and Nick is the hospital CEO who won’t glance his way. But everything changes when they’re stranded alone in a hospital elevator. Ten years of cold shoulders melt away, and old passions rekindle into hot flames. Once out of the elevator, Jared has no intention of letting Nick get away. He wants a full, open relationship, which is a step further than Nick is willing to go, and it looks like the same arguments that drove them apart in high school might resurface. Jared’s determined not to let it happen again. He won’t order Nick from his shell—he’ll listen to what he needs to feel safe. Maybe this time he can prescribe his lover a happily ever after.

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Review

What a journey, what an immensely loving, hurtful, and considerate story this was. My heart hurt, my jaws hurt, my eyes blurred.

To say it’s an easy event would be an understatement.

Nick can’t let his family down, ever. Period! Even when he has to let the love of his life go.

Nick is the CEO of the hospital where Jared is a well-respected pediatrician.

They avoid each other wherever possible, talk to everybody except to the other. Until they are stuck in an elevator, held by just one cord, together. The feelings were never gone they are even stronger.

Only it seems, after twenty years, nothing really changed. The attraction and love are deep-rooted but Nick still doesn’t want to come out, he feels obligated towards his family.

Besides the relationship stress, Nick has an awful lot of stress from his hospital. 

People around them have their doubts about a happy ending.

It’s a vastly written story, going into details about a lot of things. The main part was focused on the process of their relationship and the world around them. Some people did accept them, others were very opposed. It’s a cobblestone path they have to walk.

All the considerations, all the doubts, it was hard to watch. But there was never a doubt about their love for each other! 

Where Nick comes from a warm, quite conservative, family, Jared struggles with his racist and homophobic parents. Their hypocritical religious belief and racist attitude are unbelievably hurtful. The world around them is making a mess about everything. My heart hurt for Nick and Jared. Both were the kindest, sweetest, sensitive men ever. 

The writing was mind-blowing, I couldn’t put it down. It was captivating, intense, emotional, and it felt real, including the good and the bad parts. All the diverse people made this story even more real. The content was one of a kind, it was intelligent, layered, and intriguing. Their love-story, the families, beautiful friends, colleagues, the hospital, all the stress around that business, the undermining, all was extremely entertaining and emotional. Both men, their impossible love, the progression, it all spoke loudly to my heart. 

It was a beautiful story about deep-rooted love and second chances, two men fighting all the obstacles on their way to happiness. I cried my eyes out. What a beautiful gem this was. Deep bow!

Giveaway

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Contest ends August 31st

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New Release Review: Dirty Laundry by Heidi Cullinan #Review #Giveaway

Title: Dirty Laundry 2nd Edition
Author: Heidi Cullinan
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Reese Dante
Publication Date: March 29, 2019
Length: 199 pages

Reviewed by Erin


Synopsis

Sometimes you have to get dirty to come clean.
When muscle-bound Denver Rogers effortlessly dispatches the frat boys harassing grad student Adam Ellery at the Tucker Springs laundromat, Adam’s thank-you turns into impromptu sex over the laundry table. The problem comes when they exchange numbers. What if Adam wants to meet again and discovers Denver is a high-school dropout with a learning disability who works as a bouncer at a local gay bar? Or what if Denver calls Adam only to learn while he might be brilliant in the lab, outside of it he has crippling social anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder?
Either way, neither of them can shake the memory of their laundromat encounter. Despite their fears of what the other might think, they can only remember how good the other one feels. The more they get together, the kinkier things become. They’re both a little bent, but in just the right ways. 
Maybe the secret to staying together isn’t to keep things clean and proper. Maybe it’s best to keep their laundry just a little bit dirty.

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Dreamspinner Press

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Review

I am so happy that Dirty Laundry by Heidi Cullinan has found a new home at Dreamspinner Press and is back out into the world, updated and better than ever. And the new cover? So, so good! If you haven’t yet had a chance to read this great book, now is definitely the time to do so, and if you’ve read it in the past, I highly recommend a re-read because man, Denver and Adam are every bit as fantastic as I remember them being.

When Adam Ellery is kicked out of his apartment by his ex-boyfriend, he never could have imagined he’d find his perfect match at the Tucker Springs laundromat. And he sure never would have guessed he’d wear a tattered cowboy hat, talk with a drawl and have muscles on top of muscles. Oh, and that his sex life would have a kinky bend to it, but as Adam soon finds out there is much more to Denver Rogers than his size and prowess in bed … and out of bed as it happens.

Adam is riddled with anxiety, has quirks and idiosyncrasies that most find annoying, but somehow Denver manages them all with calm and a firm hand when necessary. Both are exactly what Adam needs to flourish, and boy does he ever. Oh, he’s still an endearing mess most of the time, but he’s able to handle the ups and downs of life thanks to Denver’s presence. Heidi Cullinan is a master at portraying characters with OCD and anxiety. She shows such care and though she doesn’t shy away from the problems they cause, she doesn’t ever overwhelm either.

Denver was such a gentle soul and though he’s not perfect and makes mistakes as he navigates his new relationship with Adam, you can’t help but fall in love with the big guy! There is a lot of sex in Dirty Laundry, but it never feels superfluous at all; in fact it’s a necessary part of the story. As with any Heidi Cullinan book, there are feels galore and this one will hit you in the heart more than a few times. Denver and Adam are perfect together and I am sure you will love them as much as I do! Be sure to check out Dirty Laundry if you haven’t already. And if you have, definitely give it a re-read, you won’t be sorry if you do!

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Release Day Review: Second Hand by Marie Sexton and Heidi Cullinan #Review #Giveaway

Authors: Marie Sexton & Heidi Cullinan
Title: Second Hand 2nd edition
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Reese Dante 
Publication Date: January 8, 2019
Length: 200 pages 

Reviewed by Jenn


Synopsis

A Tucker Springs Novel

Paul Hannon flunked out of vet school. His fiancée left him. He can barely afford his rent, and he hates his house. About the only things he has left are a pantry full of his ex’s kitchen gadgets and a lot of emotional baggage. He could really use a win—and that’s when he meets El.

Pawnbroker El Rozal is a cynic. His own family’s dysfunction has taught him that love and relationships lead to misery. Despite that belief, he keeps making up excuses to see Paul again. Paul, who doesn’t seem to realize that he’s talented and kind and worthy. Paul, who’s not over his ex-fiancée and is probably straight anyway. Paul, who’s so blind to El’s growing attraction, even asking him out on dates doesn’t seem to tip him off.

El may not do relationships, but something has to give. If he wants to keep Paul, he’ll have to convince him he’s worthy of love—and he’ll have to admit that attachment might not be so bad after all.

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Review

I love when these two authors write together, they always create something so special. With Second Hand, we find ourselves back in Tucker Springs. 

Paul Hannon walks through life feeling like he fails at everything, school, love..life. He doesn’t see anything special about himself and when his fiancée breaks up with him, he’s even more convinced he’s right.

El Rozal owns a pawn shop and is surrounded by things waiting for a second chance. El doesn’t believe in relationships, his family’s failures at love have left him incredibly cynical. When Paul comes into his shop, his cynical heart gets a jolt. El befriends the lonely and unsure Paul. He shows him how to have fun, he makes Paul question his feelings. Now the man who doesn’t believe in love and the man who doesn’t think he’s worthy of love both have some decisions to make. 

This was such a great book and El and Paul are wonderful together. Paul makes you want to wrap him up and assure him that he is special. El made me laugh and he also made me melt a bit. For someone who is so cynical, he is awfully romantic and sweet. There is an answer he gives to a question from Paul that left me speechless. I promise you’ll know what I mean as soon as you read it! It’s a definite “oh my” moment! I read the scene three times and my reaction was the same each time, it’s perfect! I loved this book and am so glad I got to spend time with El and Paul.

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Contest ends January 31st

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