Series: Hearts on the Line
Volume: 1/?Publisher: Little Storm Press
Genre/s: MM Romance
Length: 76 000 words
Read in: English
Review copy format: epub
Rate:✮✮✮✮✮✰
Matt is an editor of a very popular magazine, who can't complain about the lack of work, and yet, as an artist, he doesn't have many opportunities to be fulfilled and his lack of faith in his own skills doesn't help. So when from one of his friends he receives a commission for a mural for a young millionaire, Matt needs some time to think it over. In the end, however, he makes the decision thanks to which Dieter – rich, extremely handsome and perfect in every possible way – appears in his life. From the very first meeting, it's impossible to hide their mutual attraction, unfortunately Matt has some secrets that he can't share with the object of his current erotic fantasies. One of them is about Matt's weakness that some people don't understand and can't accept, and only Zeke – his best friend and his other secret – knows. As the thing is that Matt has been hopelessly in love with his heterosexual friend for many years. However, when Zeke shows signs of jealousy of Matt's new lover, everything begins to change and the closed door leading to the wishes coming true starts to open.
"Unwrapping His Heart", the first volume of the newly created series "Hearts on the Line", from the very beginning raises many important topics that undoubtedly are the main advantage of this novel. And it's also worth noting that the author often shows each problem from at least two angles, which we should really appreciate. One of the themes presented in this way is hiding who we really are. In my opinion it's also the most important problem for the main character. I think that every reader should be able to understand this and often put himself/herself in Matt's place, because in the end there will always be something that is important to us, that is an integral part of our existence, and that some people won't understand if we tell them about it. With precisely this kind of hardship, Matt has to fight every day, and although his little secret doesn't suffocate him, he doesn't treat it as something unimportant. But what is important in this case, is that in his life there is someone who knows him well, fully accepts him and even encourages him to be himself. This is a clear contrast to what has happened to this man in the past, as well as to a situation in which Matt is respected, although he is not fully accepted. As it is all about preferences in the subject of clothing, I really like the fact that in this very context the author raised the problem of equality of the sexes. In the end, it is impossible not to notice that while women have the full right to wear male clothes, if we reverse the situation everything looks completely different. For sure it is a problem worth talking about, in the hope that people will understand it someday and something will change.
Friendship with its numerous ups and downs is another important subject raised in the novel. This topic is essential because in the large part the plot of "Unwrapping His Heart" revolves around it. Because Karrie George presented Matt as a person surrounded by various friends, we can find here a whole lot of problems related to them. For example, we have, among others, a theme of the transition from lovers to friends and from friends to lovers, a problem of a breakup of mates who until now have been a couple, or the already mentioned problem of full acceptance of who we are. And these are just a few of the major issues to which the author refers in this story. What's more, in the context of friendship, Karrie George also raised the problem of trust – building, rebuilding and undermining it. Note that this last aspect of the topic the author presented as a double-edged sword, because to some extent she showed us how even the unconscious lack of trust of one person can lead to the same from the other, and then the problem comes full circle, which is almost endless, until someone finally decides to stop it for good. With all this in mind, I admit that I really love the fact that the author presented friendship as something that brings not only joy but also worry.
Another serious problem presented in "Unwrapping His Heart" and at the same time another advantage of this novel is the juxtaposition of family violence caused by the lack of acceptance of the other person and his sexuality, the consequences of such a state of affairs and the salutary comfort of being fully accepted. Although this is not the main theme of the book, it undoubtedly occupies an important place in it, because that's what shaped the main character and caused that when we meet him for the first time, he is in this particular point on the timeline of his life. To a large extent it also has an impact on the events taking place in the novel and more clearly outlines Matt as a character. On the other hand, that's how the author gives the readers hope. First of all, she proves that even from a hopeless situation we can emerge victorious, if only we take matters into our own hands. Secondly, she shows that man's value is what he is at the moment, not what he must have done to survive, or the past that hunts him. Everyone has the right to be happy and loved.
Despite all these advantages, the novel has several cons, and one of them is the fact that our insight into the feelings of the main character seems to me a bit limited. As for the amount of shed tears, I would expect more emotional outpourings. And I'm not talking about conversations between Matt and other characters, but about the narrative, as sometimes it is not very detailed in terms of feelings. I also expected a little more from Zeke, who just started to discover himself, after he has considered himself heterosexual for years. When I was going through it, I was not much younger than him and having no one to talk to about it, I took some sheets of paper and I wrote everything down so that I would not go crazy from all the questions that were multiplying in my head. That's why it seems to me that Zeke should show some more emotions related to what is happening in his life. However, at least in my opinion, in "Unwrapping His Heart" we can find one subject that is too often discussed – food and drinks. Sometimes I had the impression that the characters are going through life from meal to meal, from tea to tea, from a glass of wine to a glass of wine. At one point I even thought with amusement: "and some say that Polish people drink a lot of alcohol!". For a novel that has nothing to do with cooking, there's really too much about food and drinks.
In conclusion, "Unwrapping His Heart" is a very good literary debut and a promising beginning of a really great series. Karrie George raises many difficult topics that are very important not only for the LGBT+ community, but generally for all of us, and tries to present them from many different angles. What's more, this novel has some great characters, sexual tension and big love. In short, this book is really worth reading.
Headcanon: Matt and Dieter give each other "friendly" gifts for every Valentine's Day.
Fanfiction idea: Matt, Zeke and Dieter go out together to the club, where all three of them get incredibly drunk. Returning home on foot, Zeke starts to be really jealous, which results in a fight with Dieter. Matt is terrified at first, but later he starts to think it's funny because the men are so drunk that their blows rarely reach their target.
AU idea: Matt discovers that he is a magical girl/boy, depending on the emotions that guide him during the transformation. Zeke is an ordinary, nonmagical guy, Matt's best friend, and the newly met Dieter also turns out to have magical abilities and to be a magical boy.
Here's some more about:
Book title: Unwrapping His Heart (Hearts on the Line, #1)
Author: Karrie George
Cover Artist: Madelynne Ellis
Release Date: August 23, 2018
Heat Rating: 3 flames
Add on Goodreads
Book title: Unwrapping His Heart (Hearts on the Line, #1)
Author: Karrie George
Cover Artist: Madelynne Ellis
Release Date: August 23, 2018
Heat Rating: 3 flames
Add on Goodreads
A standalone book, but the first in a series
Blurb
Matt is sexy, single, and fabulous. His career at a fancy magazine is going from strength to strength. He has great friends, a nice flat, and a healthy bank account. Life is wonderful.
In truth, Matt is unhappy. Convinced he’s not worthy of love, he flits from club to bar, in search of temporary amnesia from the demon on his shoulder that tells him he’s never going to find “the one”. Which is ironic, because his heart already belongs to the one man he knows he can never have—his straight best friend, Zeke.
Zeke has always dated women. He can’t fathom why he’s so upset about Matt’s latest lover, the wildly successful and attractive Dieter, but refuses to accept that he’s jealous, because to do that, he might have to do some soul-searching of his own.
Meeting Dieter turns Matt’s ordered life on its head, and opens Matt’s mind to the possibility that he can make a meaningful connection. However, to take a gamble on love, Matt has to learn to trust people with his secrets. And, more importantly, to overcome his shame regarding the one part of him he refuses to change. If he can’t – or won’t – learn to love himself, it’s doubtful anyone else will see the real man behind the mask.
The only question is whether he’s brave enough.
In truth, Matt is unhappy. Convinced he’s not worthy of love, he flits from club to bar, in search of temporary amnesia from the demon on his shoulder that tells him he’s never going to find “the one”. Which is ironic, because his heart already belongs to the one man he knows he can never have—his straight best friend, Zeke.
Zeke has always dated women. He can’t fathom why he’s so upset about Matt’s latest lover, the wildly successful and attractive Dieter, but refuses to accept that he’s jealous, because to do that, he might have to do some soul-searching of his own.
Meeting Dieter turns Matt’s ordered life on its head, and opens Matt’s mind to the possibility that he can make a meaningful connection. However, to take a gamble on love, Matt has to learn to trust people with his secrets. And, more importantly, to overcome his shame regarding the one part of him he refuses to change. If he can’t – or won’t – learn to love himself, it’s doubtful anyone else will see the real man behind the mask.
The only question is whether he’s brave enough.
Excerpt
The hairs on the back of his neck lifted; he was coming closer. The thick carpet muffled his steps, but Matt’s internal compass had apparently shifted and now only had one direction.
Sørensen didn’t speak as he approached, and Matt didn’t move from his position, concentrating furiously on a Porsche as it made several attempts to parallel park. Then his breathing hitched as a hand landed on his shoulder.
“I think you should call me Dieter.”
“Okay.” It was an effort to force the two syllables out. Still neither of them moved. The air between them crackled and Matt swallowed. He wasn’t imagining it now; Sørensen - Dieter- was interested. He raised his eyes a fraction and risked checking the reflection in the glass. Before he could process anything, he was suddenly moving, then his back was pressed against the window as a mouth came down on his and his vision blurred.
Dieter kissed without mercy, his lips hot and hard and insistent. Matt barely had time to register that he tasted of mint before a tongue demanded entry, forcing rather than coaxing, and any resistance he might have summoned crumbled under the assault. He moaned and his head fell back, at the same time as his hands rose to grip the lapels of Dieter’s suit jacket to tug him closer.
A hand grasped the back of his head and strong fingers raked through his hair. Matt responded by sliding his arms under Dieter’s jacket and clawing at the fine material of his shirt, desperate to find skin. Pulling back suddenly, Dieter tore off the offending jacket, letting it drop to the floor, then did the same with Matt’s leather one, before mashing their mouths together once more. He ground into Matt, every roll of his hips sparking nerve endings that screamed for release as the pressure grew.
Matt didn’t usually kiss much. Frantic gropes in the dark corners of clubs didn’t lend themselves to more than getting off as quickly as possible, and he wasn’t yet sure he was in the market for romance, but something about the way Dieter tried to consume him was addictive. He couldn’t get enough. Air wasn’t necessary; getting more of everything, was. He realised he’d moaned again, and the noise evidently pleased Dieter. “Let me get you off,” he murmured, “are you close?”
Matt was close, too close. He turned his head suddenly, smacking it against the cool glass. Releasing his hold on Dieter, he pressed the heel of one hand against his groin, then used the other as a shield, palm up against Dieter’s chest. He could feel the galloping heartbeat under his fingers and the thought that Dieter was similarly affected pleased him.
“Gissa moment,” he choked out, willing his erection to subside enough to allow him to think.
To his credit Dieter didn’t crowd him, but his eyes were puzzled. “You don’t want to come?”
Matt laughed, a small, pained sound. “Yeah, but not in my clothes.”
Dieter smiled. “We can rectify that simply. But I think perhaps we are the same size. It would have been no trouble to lend you something. Come to bed with me, Matt.” He tipped forward and pressed their foreheads together gently, a direct contrast to his previous full-on attack. “You do want to?”
“Fuck, yeah. But not tonight.”
“Because?”
Because if we do that, you’ll think I’m a fucking weirdo and ditch me before we get as far as the bed. “You took me by surprise. Also, it’s not very professional if I’m going to be working for you.”
About the Author
Karrie George considers caffeine the most important food group. She’d like to think of herself as delightfully eccentric, but has grudgingly accepted that “socially awkward weirdo” is nearer the mark. Books and music have been the backdrop to her life so far, and she sees no reason for this to ever change. Karrie lives in the wilds of Scotland with a long-suffering spouse and several children. The voices in her head are great at encouraging her to leave the dust bunnies in favour of playing with plot bunnies. Possibly unrelated, she owns a number of pristine dusters.
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