Title: Hidden Hearts
Author: Lindsay Detwiler
Publication: September 29, 2018
Publisher: Hot Tree Publishing
Genre: LGBTQ, Romance
Pages: 135
SYNOPSIS: (From Goodreads)
Not all secrets can stay hidden when it comes to love.
Sexy entrepreneur Lysander Wyatt has always believed in happily-ever-after thanks to his picture-perfect family. Now orphaned, he’s made a family of his own at his popular beach bar, Midsummer Nights. There’s just one thing missing—the forever kind of love he’s been looking for.
Reed Wilder, a guarded corporate man from Philadelphia, is looking for himself when he moves to Ocean City, Maryland. However, a rocky childhood makes him afraid of commitment. When he walks into Midsummer Nights and meets the attractive bartender who owns it, he’ll have to decide if love might actually be worth the risk. Will Lysander and Reed get on the same page about commitment, or will they continue hiding the true desires and fears of their hearts?
REVIEW:
**A copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**
I was so excited when Hot Tree asked me to review the next two books written by Lindsay Detwiler. I was even more excited to learn it was a novella precursor to all the “Lines in the Sand” books that she has written recently.
This story revolves around Lysander Wyatt. He is the owner of the Midsummer Night bar in the ocean side town of Ocean City, Maryland. Lysander is rather jaded with love. All the men he has “dated” have been quick flings. Men who want nothing serious. He was raised in a loving and complete household and that is what he wants for himself. He begins to give up ever finding that for himself. That is until Reed Wilder walks into his bar. In his straight-laced, buttoned to the top, shirt. Lysander is immediately drawn to this man. However, he thinks that Reed is into his waitress Jodie. Jodie informs Lysander that Reed is gay and that Lysander’s gaydar needs some tuning. Lysander doesn’t believe her, so Jodie outright asks Reed if he is gay and he says that he is. One thing leads to another and they go out on a date. Lysander takes a chance and breaks one of his rules and kisses him on the first day. Sparks fly between the two. Will Reed be able to get over his broken family home baggage before its too late? Will Lysander be able to get over being pushed into the background whenever they are in public together?
I absolutely loved this novella. I read in a day flat. It gave me a backstory to Lysander that I wouldn’t have gotten otherwise, It also weaved in more of Jodie the waitress’s story. I loved the character of Lysander. He is one of my favorite characters in the series. He is flamboyant and says what is on his mind. The books flow easily and you could never tell it was written after the other novels were. It was so good that I am at a loss for words. It is no secret that I love anything written by Lindsay Detwiler and that I have gifted a few of her novels to family members. It, however, touched on something that is somewhat taboo. Gay love. It is a subject that I really haven’t seen much of in my normal course of reading. I don’t actively seek it out in books, but I read enough that I would have noticed something like that before. I found it refreshing and enjoyable.
STAR RATING: 5/5
Lindsay Detwiler’s Hidden Hearts is available for purchase on September 29, 2018. You can get it on Amazon or Barnes and Noble. Also make sure to add it to your To Reads list on Goodreads and leave feedback for the author when you are finished. Lindsay Detwiler has a slew of books available for reading and can all be found on her website here! Check out the rest of our site and read our reviews of many of her books.
