Release Day Review ~ The 12 Days of Hipster by Raine O'Tierney
Title: The 12 Days of Hipster
Series: The Avona Tales: Book Two
Author: Raine O'Tierney
Release Date: December 19, 2016
Category: Contemporary, Holiday
Pages: 240
Last Christmas, Tyler Lang accidentally accepted David Griffith’s invitation for dinner. Yes, it was an accident. See, hipster (don’t call him that!) Tyler doesn’t date guys, and even if he did, he certainly doesn’t date jocks. A rude and hasty exit right when the date was getting good left things awkward between them.
David Griffith isn’t really a jock. Well, he’s a former athlete who loves sports, but “jock” has a certain connotation that doesn’t quite fit the intelligent, hardworking store owner. A jock wouldn’t have given Tyler Lang the time of day. But even after that little, ahem, stunt with the fire escape, David can’t stop thinking about the hipster a year later. Which would be fine if fate didn’t keep butting her nose into their business, making it impossible for the jock and the hipster to avoid each other this Christmas.
A hilarious holiday romp, set to the music of the Winter Sounds.
5 Stars!
One of the funniest books I've read all year, I am in love with 12 Days of Hipster and, honestly, I was sad to see it end.
Tyler Lang hates to be called a hipster. So what if he only drinks microbrews, listens to indie music live or on vinyl, wears skinny jeans, suspenders and infinity scarves? It's cool and it's him. So, of course, it was an accident when he accepted a date with "Jock" David Griffith. For one thing, Tyler isn't gay (or at least he doesn't think he is) but more importantly, he doesn't do "Jock", no pun intended. One kiss from the football playing "Wall of Muscle" has Tyler making a hasty retreat down the fire escape, leaving David confused and a bit angry.
David Griffith doesn't exactly fit the label Tyler seems to want to plaster him with. He may have played football and loves sports but does that really make him a "Jock"? After all, he may like to watch a game but that isn't all he's about. He has a Masters, runs a successful Organic Market and works hard for everything in his life. And would a stereotypical jock really want a snarky hipster who felt insulted for receiving a Target gift card for Christmas?
A year after the disastrous date, David and Tyler find themselves thrown together once more. It seems that fate may be conspiring against Tyler and proving that the Hipster and the Jock might just be perfect for one another. Tyler has to finally get past the labels and realize that people can't be shoved into tiny little boxes all the time. His fear of change is keeping him from experiencing something wonderful, not only with David but with his twin brother, Averell, as well.
Wow! This book is hilarious, cute, sweet and heartwarming. There were a few moments that brought tears to my eyes but more than anything I found myself smiling and laughing out loud. I actually had people questioning my sanity as I laughed out loud in the middle of the grocery store while listening to my Kindle read the book to me (I didn't care, though, because nothing was going to ruin the high I got from reading about Tyler and David).
Tyler is so lovable, his snarky attitude combined with his vulnerability is so endearing I wanted to climb in my kindle and demand we be friends. He was funny even if he didn't know it and beyond anything else, he was loyal almost to a fault. Loyal to friends, to family and even to those who didn't deserve his loyalty. And above everything else I loved about him, it was the way he was with David. Yes, he could be mean at first, but overall, he treasured David. He made mistakes, some more annoying than others but he had a heart of gold.
David, lovable David. He is the absolute best. I wish I was Tyler so I could have David love me. He's smart, hardworking, funny and sweet. He's romantic and up for trying new things. More than anything, though, he really truly cares about Tyler and has a way of handling him better than even Tyler's own twin brother. He has patience that most would not have when dealing with Tyler's antics but that's what makes them so perfect for one another.
There are a whole slew of great characters in this book. Tyler's twin brother Rell and Rell's boyfriend Crowley (both are the MC's from the previous book Bowl Full of Cherries). Tyler's cousin Sondra who is a bit different but interesting. And even Eric, David's best friend and a huge P.I.T.A.
I really hope there will be more books in this series. I'd love to catch up with Tyler and David, Rell and Crowly. And see how both couples are doing. I'd also love to see some sort of restitution to Tyler from his good for nothing father (a story I don't want to spoil by giving details). So after all my ramblings all I have left to say is: you have to read this book. I highly recommend it and Raine O'Tierney.
*Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by Dreamspinner Press for my reading pleasure in hopes of an unbiased opinion, a review was not a requirement.*
Tyler is every personification of hipster that anyone has ever thought of, but he refuses to add gay or bisexual to that cliche. He's insulted that he's just seen as hipster and nothing else, but he works hard at being this stereotype. Tyler hates to be labeled, though there isn't a person that he knows or sees that he doesn't immediately label. And he HATES his twin. Every person that comes in contact with Tyler is labeled and found wanting. David is attracted to Tyler, but Tyler refuses to get to know him because he's already labeled him a dumb jock.
David doesn't have time in his life for his attraction to Tyler. He's busy trying to impress his father and spends all him time running the store his father put him in charge of. He wants to make a success of the store to prove to his father he can do it, and then wants to hire someone to run it for him. Once given the chance, he works hard to prove to Tyler that he's more than a label.
I didn't like Tyler in Book 1 and that didn't change much throughout this book. I did feel sorry for him, especially when we learned what he's done to get his father's approval. David was a great guy, really likable and I wanted him to get his HEA! This book was not solely their story though. There were four POV's included, and this was just as much a HEA conclusion for Crowley and Averell as it was for Tyler and David. I loved Crowley and Averell but I would have liked a little more to make me like Tyler, too.
Rating: 4.0 stars
Bowl Full of Cherries by Raine O'Tierney
Porker, Fatty, Tons-of-Fun: Crowley Fredericks has heard it all. He’s dropped a lot of weight since his high school days, but he’s still a big guy, and the painful words and bullying follow him. Rejected—again—because of his size, Crowley is starting to think that maybe love just isn’t meant for huskier men.
Averell Lang and his twin are so different they might as well not even be related. So when Rell’s brother brings his roommate home to snowy Susset for the holidays, Rell expects the worst—another uptight, pretentious hipster. What he discovers instead is Crowley. Nerdy, fascinating, attractive, Crowley. Rell never expected to look at a man this way, and what he sees in Crowley Fredericks is something he didn’t even know he was looking for. If both men can overcome their hang-ups, they might unwrap more than presents this holiday season.
*Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by Dreamspinner Press for my reading pleasure in hopes of an unbiased opinion, a review was not a requirement.*
Bowl Full of Cherries is Book 1 in Raine O'Tierney's The Avona Tales series. This was the first book I've read from this author and I really enjoyed her writing style and the humor she brings to the story.
Crowley is a young, single man living in Avona with his best friend Tyler. Crowley has never had a boyfriend, his size keeping men from seeing the real him. He's planning to spend Christmas with his mom, sister and niece just like he does every year when his mom lets him know he won't be welcome. Sad and upset he heads back to his apartment with plans of wallowing alone over the holidays. Tyler isn't having it though, and buys him a ticket to spend the holidays with his family, only Crowley is arriving a day earlier than Tyler. At the train station, Tyler is picked up by Tyler's twin brother, Averell. Averell is the complete opposite of Tyler and nothing like what Crowley expected.
Averell is not happy that he has to pick up his brother's best friend from the train station. Tyler's brought people home with him before and it's never been enjoyable. Averell is surprised by Crowley, who is nothing like Tyler. Though Averell has never been interested in men before, he's fascinated with Crowley and is attracted to him. Though both men are attracted, they both are going to have to work through big hang ups for each of them, plus deal with Tyler.
I really enjoyed Crowley and Averell's characters. Though they were both young, they were able to provide the support that they each needed and someone to see who they really were. I thought their interactions were sweet, fun and eventually hot! I really enjoyed Averell and Tyler's family, and thought they were the type of family you'd want to be on the sidelines to watch the craziness. I was not a fan of Tyler and found it him annoying throughout the book. Overall, this was fun and enjoyable story that's easy to read!
Rating: 4.0 stars
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