Hi there! I’m sharing another SMOKING HOT December review with a M/M+F romance from Anna Zabo. OUTSIDE THE LINES is one of the latest books in the Bluewater Bay series. It’s actually book 20, but totally enjoyable on it’s own. I’ve not read anything from Anna Zabo before, but I’ll be on the lookout for more. This story features a gay man who falls for the husband in a open, poly couple, and isn’t sure if he’s prepared for more.
Scroll down for my review and to catch the $25 GC giveaway link!
About the book:
Miniature artist Ian Meyers has one week to rebuild his damaged set. Needing help, he goes to End o’ Earth, the local comic and gaming shop. Owner Simon Derry pushes all of Ian’s buttons, and he also has steady hands and the skills Ian needs.
Before they can even grab a beer, Ian meets Lydia Derry, Simon’s wife. If Ian had any interest in women, he’d suggest a threesome, but then Simon explains that he and Lydia are polyamorous, and if Ian wants Simon, neither of them will complain. If anything, Lydia encourages the relationship.
Ian’s all in, and it’s fantastic working with Simon to piece together his set and then take each other apart at night. His friendship with Lydia grows too. The only problem is, the more time he spends with Simon, the more he wants everything Simon already has with Lydia: A house. A cat. A commitment. So Ian runs, and shatters the trust he has with them both—right when they need him the most. Piecing their relationships back together might prove harder than a smashed set.
My Review:
Ian Meyers builds sets, props and miniatures for Wolf’s Landing, and one of the key pieces–a model-miniature Sacred Grove was ready for the pyrotechnics…until a clumsy stuntman crashed into it. Now, Ian has a week to rebuild the model, and he’s low on supplies. So, he (reluctantly) heads into Bluewater Bay and End o’ Earth comics, which holds models and supplies for gamers in stock. Ian has kept a wide berth from the comics shop because it’s hard to keep his distance from townies and tourists, and there’s been some issues in the past. Also, the local Wolf’s Landing licensed shop Howling Moon is right next door, and that’s a place all the cast and crew avoids.
That said, he’s desperate, and once he steps foot inside End o’Earth Ian’s desperation takes a more personal turn. He’s deeply attracted to the owner and model painter, Simon Derry. Ian charms Simon, who’s willing to provide the space and supplies Ian needs, but they both feel the heat building between them. And, it’s a stunning disaster when Ian meets Simon’s beautiful and talented wife, Lydia. He’s frustrated that Simon was flirting with him, and thinking they both were on the same page, but Ian’s charmed by Lydia, and guilty that he wishes Simon was single. Simon’s a sweet man, and loves Lydia with his whole heart, but…they’re poly, and he’s always missed having a man pleasure him. They’ve been together ten years, and Lydia knows this is an issue. She encourages Ian to share her husband, and Ian doesn’t need a second invitation.
Ian and Simon work together on rebuilding the set, and they spend nights together burning up the sheets. Lydia’s happy to be a bystander who watches their love grow, but Ian’s sure he’s just a side piece…a fling for this swinging couple. Meantime, Simon’s fallen hard, and wants to bring Ian into their relationship permanently. Lack of communication causes some problems, and they have to be fully honest in order to keep their fledgling love growing. There’s lots of cameos from the cast and crew of the show, and I liked how they brought everyone into this book. Simon and Lydia are starry-eyed, seeing the actors and all, and Ian’s reminded about how he was so affected on his first meetings. I liked all the sweet and tender moments.
For people who like menage, this doesn’t really feel like that, because Ian and Lydia aren’t sexually intimate, but they do develop an emotional connection. This is reinforced when Lydia has a professional crisis and needs a solid shoulder to cry on. Ian has the connections to make it right, but he follows Lydia’s advice to not rock the boat. Simon’s not so docile about it, however, and it leads to deeper connections for all of them, both personally and professionally. For Simon and Ian expect hawt sexytimes that include some light elements of bondage, dominance and submission. The resolution is totally sweet and yummy.
Interested? You can find OUTSIDE THE LINES on Goodreads, Riptide Publishing, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes and Kobo. I read a review copy provided by NetGalley.
****GIVEAWAY****Click on this link to comment on the giveaway tour over at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words for a chance to win a $25 Riptide GC.
Good luck, and keep reading my friends.
About the Author:
Anna Zabo writes contemporary and paranormal romance for all colors of the rainbow. They live and work in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which isn’t nearly as boring as most people think.
Anna grew up in the wilds of suburban Philadelphia before returning to their ancestral homelands in Western Pennsylvania. As a child they were heartily disappointed to discover that they couldn’t grow up to be what they wanted (a boy, a cat, a dragon), so they settled on being themself whenever possible, which may be a combination of a boy, a cat, and a dragon. Or perhaps a girl, a knight, and a writer. Depends on whom you ask. They do have a penchant for colorful ties and may be hording a small collection of cufflinks.They can be easily plied with coffee.
Anna has an MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University, where they fell in with a roving band of romance writers and never looked back. They also have a BA in Creative Writing from Carnegie Mellon University.
Catch up with Ann on twitter.
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