Diverse Reader: Roe Horvat

Showing posts with label Roe Horvat. Show all posts

Sunday, December 29, 2019

Review Tour: The Layover by Roe Horvat #Review #Giveaway

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

Length: 115 pages

Blurb

Eight years ago, Ondro Smrek fled Slovakia and the bigotry that drove his first lover to take his own life, but the demons proved impossible to outrun. Desperate for somewhere to belong, Ondro is returning to start over.

During a layover in Basel, Switzerland, he meets Jamie, an American living in Scotland who is as brilliant as he is beautiful. Jaded Ondro never would have guessed he could fall in love during a brief layover—until now.

When he is put in a position to offer Jamie comfort without hope of recompense, Ondro doesn’t hesitate and soon catches a glimpse of the home he longs for. But with their separation looming, confessing his feelings can only lead to pain and humiliation. Life has taught Ondro not to hope, but then, he never believed in love at first sight either…

Review

Ondro has been running for a long time—eight years of meaningless work as an airline steward complete with rushed and empty couplings with men he never intended to fall in love with ever have left him jaded and lonely. Now it’s time to go home—home to Slovakia—home to a repressive religious run country that hates gays and makes their life intolerable. Ondro isn’t really sure why he’s going back but he’s sure that he must for it may only be there that he will truly feel at home. After all love will never find him—he doesn’t believe in it and so the idea that some man one day may be the home he so desperately seeks is impossible. Then he meets someone at the airport…and everything changes.

Author Roe Horvat is brilliant at creating characters that are so realistic you hunger to meet them and somehow comfort them as they tend to be rather near the breaking point when you see them in his stories. Even in The Layover, despite the short amount of page time we are given to understand Ondro, we are able to see what the weight of the guilt and loss he carries on his shoulders has done to him. Not only has it made him cynical about life, it has also assured him that love can never be his—that to confess such an emotion carries with it all the humiliation and pain from his past. Then he meets a stranger, Jamie, in a layover at the airport and everything he thought could never be his is suddenly dangled before him.

Can he trust what he is feeling? Does Jamie feel the same and, if he does, can it really last? So many doubts and worries consume Ondro who tries to embrace the joy he feels in Jamie’s arms. The Layover is a gorgeous story of comfort and love. In such a short time we learn all we need to know about Ondro, his former life, and the deepest desires of his soul. Don’t get me wrong, Mr. Horvat doesn’t sugar coat what kind of life Ondro will be returning to, nor does he make some pie in the sky acceptance by Ondro’s parents a reality. No they are a product of a conservative and repressive religion and, as such, cannot ever accept Ondro’s sexuality. The scene between he and his mother is absolutely heartbreaking. But the love he and Jamie have for each other, while still new and a bit tentative, is enough to cover all the dismal and bad realities of Ondro’s homeland and family.

The Layover is a different kind of holiday story—one that will stay with the reader well beyond the last page. It is raw and beautiful and perhaps the best story I have read this season.

About the Author

Queer fiction author Roe Horvat was born in the post-communist wasteland of former Czechoslovakia. Equipped with a dark sense of sarcasm, Roe traveled Europe and finally settled in Sweden. He came out as transgender in 2017 and has been fabulous since. He loves Jane Austen, Douglas Adams, bad action movies, stand-up comedy, pale ale, and daiquiri, with equal passion. When not hiding in the studio doing graphics, he can be found trolling cafés in Gothenburg, writing, and people-watching.

More about the author:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/roe.horvat.98
Twitter: @roehorvat
Website: roehorvat.com
Publisher: http://www.beatentrackpublishing.com/?n1=authors&id=107

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hosted By Signal Boost Promotions

Friday, June 7, 2019

Review Tour: Adam Only by Roe Horvat #Review #Excerpt #Giveaway

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

Length: 39,000 words

Cover Design: Roe Horvat

Publisher: Beaten Track Publishing

Those Other Books

The Other Book - Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

Blurb

On stage, Adam lets his passion drive him. All his secret desires, everything nasty, dirty, and beautiful flows freely through him, for once in harmony. His soul thrives when his body moves, but only on stage. Adam’s passionate nature makes him a great dancer…and a failure at life. He’s a lonely, emotional mess. Going home with a man far out of his reach is the last thing Adam should do. Christoffer represents everything Adam isn’t: strong, independent, educated, and rich. His kind eyes, at odds with his brutish form, make Adam’s knees and restraint buckle.

Once Christoffer sees Adam dancing, he’s lost. The young man is mesmerizing, otherworldly, and unpredictable. Whatever might happen between them, it will be transient, and Christoffer will most likely get hurt. The temptation is too great, however, and the sex explosive. He might as well enjoy every moment he’s given, even if it’s just one day, maybe two. If Christoffer treads carefully, Adam might stay until Monday.

Review

Adam Only is book two in Those Other Books series but takes place before the events in that first book. This is the story of Adam and Christoffer, who we meet as an established couple in book one. Now we get to see how it all began and it is awesome!!

Adam is a dancer with a dance company and with this full-time position, he has finally gained some independence. While dancing at a party one nigh,t he is so free, so sensual and sexy that he catches the eye of a man he believes is too good for him. Adam doesn’t see why Christoffer would want him, but he is going to enjoy every single minute of his time with this amazing man.

Christoffer feels over this whole party scene, he thinks he’s too old for all of it. Then he sees a young man dancing that makes everyone else disappear. He can’t look away and he doesn’t even want to try. He doesn’t see any reason why this sexy young guy would want him, but that doesn’t keep him from watching him all evening. When he runs into the dancer, Adam, they share a private moment and decide to leave together. It’s one night, why should either man deny themselves, right? What could possibly go wrong…or right?

I loved this book and these men so much! They intrigued me in the first book and mesmerized me in this one. I seriously could not look away from them. From the first look to the first touch, you know once will never be enough. The young man with very little and the man with maybe too much will find that together they can have everything! I so highly recommend both books and can’t wait to see what this author brings us next.

Excerpt

He didn’t have a clue what he was doing. Why was he still here? He should leave. Now.

The house was far away from any main roads, but he could walk for a bit and then get a taxi to the nearest train station back to the city. Maybe there was a bus stop somewhere close. His thoughts sharpened—the jerking off, swim, and caffeine had cleared his brain. Determined not to waste more time daydreaming about wealthy bears who never gave a damn, he finished his coffee. He’d need to sneak back to the bathroom to get his clothes. And his phone. He shouldn’t have lingered.

He found which cabinet door in the kitchen hid the built-in dishwasher and placed the cup inside. Then he climbed the stairs on tiptoes and peeked into the bedroom. Christoffer slept on his back, snoring softly.

Adam spotted his phone on the nightstand. Christoffer must have put it on charge after Adam had fallen asleep. He wouldn’t dwell on how considerate that was. He snatched up the phone and closed himself in the bathroom.

Eying the red thong with disgust, he threw it in the trash. What had he been thinking? He dragged the jeans up his naked body, pulled on his socks and slid into the T-shirt. His jacket was downstairs. He opened the door carefully, ready to bolt without looking at the sleeping man.

Except Christoffer was now sitting on the edge of the bed, naked, staring up at Adam with sleepy eyes.

Shit.

“Hi,” Christoffer murmured. His eyes slid up and down Adam’s body, noticing the clothes. His smile turned cautious.

“Hi.” Adam shifted from foot to foot. What now?

The moment dragged on until Adam’s heart was pounding. He needed to say something, quick, and get out of there before it could get any more awkward.

“I…” he began but closed his mouth again. He couldn’t decipher Christoffer’s expression. And all that skin on display was distracting.

Christoffer braced his hands on his knees and inhaled deeply, his Goliathan shoulders lifting. “You like eggs?”

“What?”

“For breakfast.”

“Yeah,” Adam blurted before he thought of the implications. He was staying for breakfast? He wanted to. Stupid! He absolutely shouldn’t! Seeing Christoffer now, those gentle gray eyes such a contrast to his brutish form, Adam ached to stay. You stupid, horny, clingy asshole. Get out of here!

He opened his mouth to say something else, to apologize and whisper goodbye, but Christoffer was faster.

“Good. Wait for me in the kitchen. I just need to…” He gestured to the bathroom door behind Adam’s back.

“Oh. Sure.”

Adam stepped aside, quivering, and the big man stood in all his naked glory. He bent down and kissed Adam’s cheek, lingering, his breath hot by Adam’s ear. Then he disappeared into the bathroom. “I’ll be just a minute,” he threw over his shoulder before the door snapped shut.

Adam stood there, stunned, and touched his tingling cheek.

About the Author

Queer fiction author Roe Horvat was born in the post-communist wasteland of former Czechoslovakia. Equipped with a dark sense of sarcasm, Roe traveled Europe and finally settled in Sweden. He came out as transgender in 2017 and has been fabulous since. He loves Jane Austen, Douglas Adams, bad action movies, stand-up comedy, pale ale, and daiquiri, with equal passion. When not hiding in the studio doing graphics, he can be found trolling cafés in Gothenburg, writing, and people-watching.

More about the author:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/roe.horvat.98
Twitter: @roehorvat
Website: roehorvat.com
Publisher: http://www.beatentrackpublishing.com/?n1=authors&id=107

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hosted By Signal Boost Promotions

Wednesday, January 30, 2019

Review Tour: The Other Book by Roe Horvat #Review #Giveaway

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK Exclusive to Amazon and Available to Borrow with Kindle Unlimited

Length: 42,000 words approx.

Cover Design: Roe Horvat

Publisher: Beaten Track Publishing

Blurb

It was supposed to be just sex... Famous last words.

Tyler doesn't overthink pleasure and avoids complications. He knows it might be stupid to get involved with his closeted boss, but the temptation is too great. At first, the cold and beautiful Joel Sandstrom seems to loathe Tyler's guts.

Except one late night at the office, his reasons become clear...and his control breaks.

Every time they touch, Joel's stony face comes alive, harsh lines smooth out, and for a minute, he looks serene. Happy, even. Just sex - dirty, intense, spectacular sex.

During their covert encounters, Tyler discovers the power he has over the lonesome man, and it's a heady feeling. What if he could set Joel free and give him peace of mind? When Tyler realizes how much Joel needs him, he doesn't regret breaking his own rules.

Review

I loved everything about this book, it’s something I’ve been waiting for! We meet Tyler and his boss Joel and right away and you can see Joel has a problem with Ty.

Once they’re alone, that problem becomes pretty clear...Joel wants Tyler. Joel isn’t out and seems to only want the hot sex that Tyler offers him.

One night they go a little further and some walls come down and holy cow...hot, hot, hot! Their chemistry and their sexual attraction is intense and undeniable, but there seems to be something else there. Tyler’s rules about relationships and Joel’s need to hide who he really is become less important. Joel and Tyler decide to give themselves a chance to be a couple and jump in.

As Tyler begins to understand just how sheltered Joel has been, he introduces him to the idea that even though they love each other, there is still some room to play.

Joel has to deal with a lot of pressure and a lot of loss. Tyler’s love and their physical relationship is like a balm to his soul. Seeing Joel come to life under the love and care Ty gives him, is remarkable.

I loved getting to know these two and watching them grow. This is an unapologetically erotic tale, but it’s so much more than that. This is a story about love and exploration and doing whatever your partner needs to help him feel alive! It’s really wonderful to see characters exploring their desires and their limits without shame, I loved it!