Welcome to Cathia University, where school is in session! Nine of today's hottest gay romance authors have crafted brand-new interrelated novellas celebrating everything wonderful about college, including sophisticated professors, sexy teaching assistants, ambitious grad students, and spirited undergraduates, all looking for the same thing: an A+ in true love.
Annabeth Albert: Winning Bracket
Metrics and tournament brackets—who knew they were sexy? When competing dorm advisors Edwin and Ollie bet on a basketball tournament, neither expects he’s risking his heart. As the challenge becomes a hot bedroom battle to avoid real feelings, the two “frenemies” must change their definitions of losing to win a shot at lasting love.
Cassandra Carr: The Eloquent Jock
Hockey jock and English Lit major Brendan knows he’s gay, but hasn’t come out to anyone, fearing a possible backlash. Then he’s tapped to be a TA for a hot professor and feels an immediate connection. Now he must decide how much he’s willing to risk to score the ultimate goal.
Dalton Diaz: Lesson Learned
Adam Warren is counting down the days until he can put “Professor” next to his name—and his disastrous past with Tyler Ford behind him. When a fluke puts Tyler in Adam’s class, the graduate assistant faces some hard choices while Tyler faces an uphill battle for a second chance at first love.
Mia Downing: Switching Leads
Coach John Graham needs a new assistant for Cathia U's equestrian team. The last person he expects to get the job walks into the barn and stops his heart. How is he supposed to focus on the team when his ex-lover—sexy horse trainer Finn Parker—wants back into his life…and into his bed?
Whitley Gray: Artistic Endeavor
When friends ask one-night stand connoisseur Michael Esteban to introduce shy virgin Cobey Miller to the joys of sex, Michael balks—lust is his thing, not teaching. But Cobey’s problem meeting men fuels Michael’s decision to help Cobey become a gay-sex-loving guy. It’ll all be fun and games—unless someone falls in love.
Bianca Sommerland: Solid Education
Gage Tackett comes off as a bad boy—detached and maybe a little dangerous. Definitely not Vet Sciences Professor Derek Paulson’s type. When Gage arrives at Derek’s veterinary clinic with a frostbitten stray dog, Derek realizes his most difficult student has a few things to teach him. Things he’s more than willing to learn.
KyAnn Waters: Private Lessons
Ryan Kane could lose his scholarship and his position on the pitch. Jake Finely offers to help. Only Ryan and Jake discover their private lessons have more to do with sex ed than Business Ethics. When a tenured professor offers Ryan an indecent proposal to make the grade, will he choose soccer or Jake?
LA Witt: Did Somebody Order a Pizza?
Paul Switzer has been miserable ever since his childhood love, Cory Bowman, chose a fraternity over him. When a pizza delivery to the frat house lands the exes face to face for the first time in eighteen months, the wound is reopened... and so are Paul's feelings for the only man he's ever loved.
Sara York: The Dust Of Everyday Life
Cole only has the courage to lust after the swim team from afar. When Seever asks to share a table at the packed coffee house where Cole is studying, he’s sure it’s a joke. But after one touch and one scorching kiss, Cole thinks the chance meet could lead to something with substance.
Private Lessons by KyAnn Waters - 4 stars
I
don't recall the last time I was so frustrated for a character as I was for
Ryan. To be failing a class not because you don't understand the material, not
because you aren't doing the work, and not because you're not doing everything
you're supposed to, but rather because your professor is a prick on a power
trip with a bias against athletes. Thankfully his TA, Jake, was willing to
tutor Ryan to see if he could help Ryan improve his grade. Now for the dilemma,
Jake is out and Ryan is so far in the closet no one suspects he's gay –
although Jake does hope. I have to say I found Ryan's reason for being in the
closet one I haven't encountered before. While he had the expected worries
about how others would react, it had more to do with not making his teammates
uncomfortable in the locker room. I got the impression that Ryan knew he wanted
to be a professional soccer player long before he knew he was gay, so the drive
to protect the team dynamic actually made sense to me. I was disgusted by the
professor's stunt and hated that Ryan had to deal with it. I was devastated
when we learned that Jake had overheard part of the conversation. Fortunately
Ryan made Jake listen to him and was able to explain what happened and remedy
the situation. This was an enjoyable read and I look forward to checking out more
of Ms. Water's work.
The Dust of Everyday Life by Sara York - 4 stars
I
really enjoyed watching the blossoming of a relationship between Cole and
Seever. Cole was absolutely too cute in his reaction to Seever's interest in
him. He describes himself as a skinny nerd and goes so far as to ask Seever if
he actually got a good look at him when Seever calls him sexy ... I literally
laughed out loud. Seever is a sweetheart who is Cole's fantasy come to life –
hot, sweet, and a swimmer. They both had a great group of friends who served as
an enjoyable support system, especially when dealing with what Julia did to
them. The Dust of Everyday Life was a
great story, but I expected it to be as I've enjoyed everything of Ms. York's
that I've read.
Eloquent Jock by Cassandra Carr - 5 stars
Talk
about hot for teacher! I much prefer the student-teacher dynamic in this story
to that of Private Lessons. I loved
both Scott and Brendan's characters and couldn't help but feel bad for the
situation the found themselves in – trying to balance professional demands with
burgeoning feelings of love. What really pushed this story to a 5-star read for
me was Tyler, Brendan's best friend, roommate, and team captain. I loved how
supportive he was of Brendan. The only thing missing for me was that I would
like to have an update on Scott’s book during the Epilogue. Great story.
Switching Leads by Mia Downing - 5 stars
I
quite enjoyed this second chance romance between John, the equestrian coach,
and Finn, his ex-boyfriend and newly hired assistant coach. After learning why
their relationship dissolved a decade earlier, it was nice to see John open up
to Finn and give Finn a chance to prove that he had indeed changed. The
transformation that John undergoes from angry and bitter to happy and hopeful
is refreshing. That the two are well-matched and sexy as sin just makes the
read that much more enjoyable. This is one novella I would have really liked to
read as a full-length book so that I could have spent more time with John and
Finn.
Solid Education by Bianca Sommerland – 5 stars
As
a fan of Ms. Sommerland’s I was not surprised that I loved this novella. While
I don’t typically enjoy books in which a dog is the primary catalyst for a
relationship or a main character (which is odd as I am a huge dog lover with
two of my own), Gage’s military background and Derek’s career as a vet made
Matty the perfect way for these two to find common ground. I must say that for
a vet and adjunct college professor, Derek was a bit thick in accepting Gage’s
feelings for him – there are actions that Gage took early in the book that
clearly illustrated his interest in the man. Their chemistry together was
intense and the library scene was HOT! I absolutely loved the way in which the
story ended. It was perfect.
Did Somebody Order a Pizza? by L.A. Witt – 4 stars
This is by far
my least favorite of the stories so far. It has nothing to do with the author’s
style of writing because the story flows well and I enjoyed the writing. It’s
the subject matter of hazing that made it less enjoyable for me. The fear and
humiliation that pledges are subjected to by SOME fraternities is despicable
and Ms. Witt has done an excellent job in creating a story centered around this
reprehensible activity. That said, I really liked Paul and that he stood up for
himself several times as Cory tried to reconcile with him. His refusal to back
down from his firm disavowal of the Delta Sig fraternity was impressive,
especially when it cost him the reconciliation with Cory. I was relieved that
Cory did the right thing … eventually. Well done Ms. Witt.
Winning Bracket by Annabeth Albert – 4 stars
Super
cute story. I adore Edwin. I can’t remember which of the previous stories
mentioned him and relegated him to the position of the dorm’s noise police, so
it was “nice” to get to meet him and read his story. Of course, Ollie is just
as “cute” as can be. Watching the two of them together was certainly
entertaining as they learned to navigate their feelings for one another. And
once you read this story, you’ll understand the significance on the quoted
words in my review.
Artistic Endeavor by Whitley Gray – 5 stars
I
freaking loved Artistic Endeavor. I
absolutely adore Cobey. I cannot even imagine what it must have been like to
grow up gay in a fanatical religious family and have to hide who he was until
he finished college. Cobey had an amazing attitude of acceptance for himself.
I’ve known a couple of homosexual men who were raised Catholic and both
grappled with the guilt their religious upbringing instilled about their
homosexuality. As for Michael. Wow! Everyone deserves a first lover as patient
and understanding as Michael. The chemistry between the two was electric and
only intensified as they spent more time with one another. Another story with a
beautiful ending.
Lesson Learned by Dalton Diaz – 5 stars
Lesson Learned is another great second-chance romance in the
Campus Cravings collection. The flashbacks both Adam and Tyler have give you
all the information needed to understand why both men are so raw in their
reactions toward the other. Getting to watch them fall in love all over again,
despite some bumps along the way made for an enjoyable read (as did the final
bedroom scene). Also, I loved the way Tyler spoke up for Adam when the little
prick of student, Luke, mouthed off. I suppose it was fitting symmetry that the
first novella in the set included a professor who was a major prick and the
final story ended with a student whose behavior rivaled that of said professor.
What a great review! Thank you so much for your time.
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