GRL 2018 SPOTLIGHT - Sam Burns - Straight From The Heart (Wilde Love Book #1)

In my attempt to cover some of the attending authors for this year's GRL,
I am reviewing 

Straight From The Heart by Sam Burns!

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Goodreads Link

BLURB

On the same night that Alex finds himself disowned and sleeping on his best friend's couch, he meets Liam, who saves him from being mugged. It's a strange time for him to be starting a relationship, but everything about being with Liam feels right. When it becomes apparent that Liam isn't exactly the prince charming he seems to be, Alex has to deal with some hard truths about not just his new boyfriend, but his own history as well.

Liam is just trying to do his job, but everything keeps getting in the way. First he gets assigned to watch some stranger, then somehow, he finds himself dating the guy. Even if it doesn't offend the boss, Liam knows the wrong thing to do when he does it. He finds himself wondering, though: is his job really the most important thing in his life, or can he walk away from it all for a brand new relationship?

Straight from the Heart contains sexual scenes, and is intended for an audience age 18 and up.

REVIEW

My Rating -  5 Stars!

Straight From The Heart is my first time reading a Sam Burns novel, thus I had no idea what to expect. Luckily for me, I enjoyed it from start to finish.

This book follows Liam and Alex, who meet during an attempted mugging of Alex. The sparks are there, but Alex is actually Liam's job, as Liam's been assigned to watch him. Suddenly he's Liam's boyfriend, both pretend and real, as his co-workers think it's fake but he really has feelings for the other man. What his co-workers also don't know is that Liam's an undercover cop.

What follows is a great mix of light suspense, deceptions, and action, in addition to the romantic relationship that develops. The author successfully intertwines the bad guy, undercover cop, and innocent young man plot into a sweet and light romance. 

Straight From The Heart is told in alternating points of view, making for a fun and detailed look into the emotions and actions of the men.  I am definitely happy to have discovered Sam Burns and will be looking to read the others in the series. 

Sam Burns

Sam lives in the Midwest with husband and cat, which is even less exciting than it sounds, so she's not sure why you're still reading this.

She specializes in LGBTQIA+ fiction, usually with a romantic element. There's sometimes intrigue and violence, usually a little sex, and almost always some swearing in her work. Her writing is light and happy, though, so if you're looking for a dark gritty reality, you've come to the wrong author.