Blog Tour: Fierce & Fabulous by Elizabeth Varlet (Reviews, Guest Post + Giveaway)
About Fierce and Fabulous
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- Series: Sassy Boyz Book 1
- Publication: June 27th 2016 by Carina Press
Fans of Heidi Cullinan will devour this scorching new male/male series by Elizabeth Varlet. Behind the Sassy Boyz's seductive smiles and sinful dance moves are desires that will leave readers breathless.
Fitch Donovan never thought a lap dance could change his life, but from the moment the gorgeous dancer's lips touch his, his world comes screeching to a halt. No matter how hard he tries, he can't shake the desire that rocks him to his core. He's longed for this passion all his life—he just never dreamed he'd find it with another man.
Sharing a soul-shaking kiss with a straight boy is the kind of drama Ansel Becke just doesn't need. Spotlights aren't made for two and Ansel prefers to keep things on a one-night-only basis. So when Fitch shows up asking for an encore, Ansel knows he should send his gorgeous ass packing.
Though Ansel tries to pretend that what's between him and Fitch is far from fabulous, there's something about the big, burly contractor that makes Ansel's world sparkle in a way no amount of glitter ever could. And Fitch will do whatever it takes to convince Ansel that when the thing you need most in the world falls right into your lap, you'd be a fool to let it go.
*** Copy provided to the reviewer via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. ***
Fitch's life is turned upside down after visiting a gay club for his sister's birthday and getting a lap dance and the hottest kiss of his life from the most gorgeous guy he's ever seen. Coming to terms with being attracted to a man is not easy, but trying to hang on to Ansel might be even more difficult.
Ansel has been running all his life. Running from his abusive mother, from feeling less than others, from forging a relationship with someone that might end up disappointing him. The kiss he shared with Fitch made him feel more than he is willing to admit, and even if he tries to avoid him, Fitch is relentless in his pursuit, and perhaps Ansel is starting to see he'd be crazy to pass on this chance at love.
I adored Fitch from the start. His attraction towards Ansel and the way he gradually gave into it were very realistic and he was just amazing, reliable, strong, loyal and very determined. Yes, he had a few hang-ups over telling everyone that he'd been dating a man, but that was perfectly understandable in his situation. I wasn't too sure about Ansel at first. I'm not overly fond of drug use in books, although I have to admit it wasn't much of an issue in Fierce & Fabulous, at least not past the first few chapters. And Ms. Varlet dealt with Ansel's other issue in a very informed manner. My heart broke so many times for him once I learned what was underneath that prickly exterior and I just wanted to cuddle him and make it better. I absolutely adored that Fitch in any way tried to make Ansel feel as if he knew better or tried to impose his views on him, he was there for him in every way he needed, though.
The chemistry between Fitch and Ansel was amazing, and their nicknames for each other were absolutely adorable and very fitting!
I also loved seeing them interact with Fitch's family and the rest of the Sassy Boyz, Lars and Ange, and I absolutely hated Ansel's parents (especially his bitch of a mother, grrrr!)
All in all, this was a book I'd most certainly read again and again. Very well-written, very detailed, fun, angsty, very hot, with lovable characters that I couldn't get enough of. Highly recommendable!
Rating: 5 Stars!!!
5 Fierce, Fabulous and Sassy Stars!
Is twenty-nine too old to be questioning one's sexuality? Fitch Donovan had no idea that a night out with his sister and her friends would lead to him finding someone he can't stop thinking about. Especially since that person is a gorgeous male stripper. Never had Fitch found a man attractive before but this dancer captivates him like no one ever has. A steamy lap dance may have started out as a joke but it quickly turned into something more and leaves both Fitch and Ansel questioning if they might crave more.
Ansel Becke has known his whole life that he wasn't worth much, his parents made sure to teach him that from a very young age. Now he tries his best to portray an air of overconfidence. Using his beautiful androgynous looks to get straight men into bed and hoping they don't kill him in the process, Ansel is slowly self-destructing. When he meets Fitch he feels an instant connection yet he tries to deny it knowing it will only end up hurting him.
Neither man can stop thinking about the other. Fitch might not be sure why he is suddenly lusting over a man but he knows one thing for sure, somehow Ansel belongs with him. Now he'll have to convince Ansel to give them a try.
"The kiss was too all consuming, too dangerous. If he forgot his head for one single breath he'd be lost forever. It was the edge he knew so well, the fine line he'd been walking his whole life. Everything he'd ever secretly desired, wished for, a he'd for, bled for, was all suddenly within reach. He just didn't know if he had the courage to reach out and grab it. "
This book was a bit of a surprise to me. When I first started reading it I wasn't at all sure if I was going to like Ansel, he was a hard pill to swallow. Somehow, though, as I continued to read and see what made him tick, I found myself beginning to connect with him.
Ansel truly broke my heart at times, his self-destructive behavior, the desperate need for someone to truly see him, it was sad. Once you got past that layer of "Diva" he shielded himself with, you saw someone who was vulnerable, insecure and in pain. Being rejected is hard but being rejected by your family has the devastating potential to destroy you. It was clear Ansel faced that demon at every turn.
Fitch was so adorably sweet, I loved him. His actions and thoughts about what was happening were portrayed well. There wasn't an abundance of angst surrounding his struggle with his sexuality and I liked that.
Together Fitch and Ansel just worked. Their personalities complimented each other and the chemistry was great. And boy oh boy, did they burn up the sheets. They were H-O-T Hot!
"The whole fucking thing had happened so fast he'd been unprepared for the strength of their chemistry, or the power of his own desire."
Fierce and Fabulous was not just a sweet, fluffy gay for you story. There are some really difficult issues addressed. Abuse, both physical and emotional. Alcohol and drug use, homophobia. I found myself laughing out loud and then later wiping away tears. There's a little bit of everything in this story and I definitely recommend it.
***A copy of this book was provided to Bayou Book Junkie via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.***
Hello! Thank you for having me here at Bayou Book Junkie. I’m going to share with you my top 5 most interesting facts about me and my Sassy Boyz series, mainly the first book, Fierce & Fabulous.
- The final version of Fierce & Fabulous is different from the story I had envisioned in ways I wouldn’t have predicted. Once I started writing, my plan changed, what I’d imagined no longer seemed logical so I needed to go with the flow. Then things changed more after critiques & beta reads, and again during edits.
- Once the Sassy Boyz invaded my imagination they wouldn’t let me go. I began experimenting with make-up and nail polish as research, but found that I actually liked wearing it sometimes. For a casual girl like me, that was a fun discovery.
- I still haven’t gotten the hang of walking in heels, though. I admire my fictional characters because they can do what I can’t.
- In the book, Ansel makes a special German Kase Spaetzle recipe which is actually a recipe that I’ve eaten in Germany. You should try it. It’s delicious.
- I consider Fitch to be pansexual, but that is not specifically stated in the books because of Ansel’s aversion to labels in general.
About Elizabeth Varlet
Elizabeth Varlet is a nerd at heart and spends way too many hours binging on episodes of her favorite television shows. If you love Doctor Who, Supernatural, Stargate, Star Trek, Sherlock, or Firefly you are already her best friend.
She started writing stories in high school and hasn’t stopped. Now, her characters like to get frisky under the covers – or the stars, they’re not picky. She’s a thirty-something, newly married, world traveler who devours books like they were candy.
Tour Schedule:
- Friday, June 24th - Blushing Reads
Giveaway:
Thanks to the team at Harlequin and Carina Press, one lucky winner will receive the following:
- $25 Amazon Gift Card
- eCopy of Fierce and Fabulous
Congratulations on your recent release Elizabeth the book sounds so good and thank you Bayou books for the review the book is going on my wish list.
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome! I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
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ReplyDeleteI love Heidi Cullinan and I'm eager to read this book. It's been getting such great reviews.
ReplyDeletecant wait to read this one...congrats
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