Bayou Book Junkie: Review Tour ~ Patience by Helena Stone ~ (Review + Giveaway)

Sunday, April 9, 2017

Review Tour ~ Patience by Helena Stone ~ (Review + Giveaway)

Buy Links: Pride Publishing | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Cover: Emmy Ellis

Length: 62,945 words

Publisher: Pride Publishing

Blurb

Patience is a virtue. But what if you wait too long?

While Xander Ekman’s dream of becoming a successful artist has come true, his love life has gone from bad to worse. Sick of the endless string of one-night stands, he accepts the challenge when his best friend, Erik, bets him that he can’t be celibate for a month. Now all he needs is a reminder to keep his distance in the heat of the moment.

Troy Moriarty doesn’t have time for love. He’s too busy trying to keep his recently opened tattoo parlor afloat. Besides, ever since the man who was supposed to be his business partner abandoned him to run the shop on his own, he has a hard time trusting others.

When Xander turns to Troy for a tattoo that will remind him to be patient, the attraction is instant. But faced with Xander’s month of celibacy, Troy’s trust issues, and a nemesis lurking in the background, their relationship may be doomed before it has a chance to begin.

3.75 Stars!

Patience is book 1 in the Dublin Virtues series and my first Helena Stone book.

Xander has fallen in a neverending routine of hooking up with different men and his friend Erik is fed up over this, so he challenges Xander to a month without sex. Xander agrees but needs something that will remind him why he's doing this and a tattoo seems to be a great way to do it.

Troy is a tattoo artist trying to keep his new business afloat after his prospective partner left him to take a job in Miami. He sold his apartment and is living at the back of his store so he can save up while the business takes off. It's slow going and he's bitter that he doesn't have much time for anything, let alone love.

When Xander enters Troy's shop to get a tattoo that reminds him he needs to be patient, they are instantly attracted to one another, but there might be something in their past that might put a stop to anything happening between them.

I really liked Xander and Troy, they worked pretty well together and had a great chemistry. I loved the progression and them having to take things slow because of the bet Xander made with Erik. Xander was perhaps my favorite of the two because he seemed more trusting overall, despite what he'd gone through with a past hook-up who'd crushed him. I really liked that he realized that he really needed the time off so he could develop a relationship with Troy that would turn into something more long-lasting than anything he'd had until then. I wanted to strangle Troy sometimes. I understood why he behaved like he did, he was trying to keep the shop afloat and after what Shane put him through, I couldn't really blame him for not fully trusting Xander. Still, it was a bit frustrating that even when Xander kept proving to him that he was there for him, he made Xander go through hoops and loops to let him help Troy.

I loved Erik and Lorcan and I'm looking forward to reading their story!

All in all, this was an enjoying read, a bit frustrating at times, but good nonetheless. It's well-written, nicely paced and engaging and I was left wanting to read more of all these characters, which is always a good thing considering this is the first book in the series. Recommendable!

*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement.***

Author Bio

Helena Stone can’t remember a life before words and reading. After growing up in a household where no holiday or festivity was complete without at least one new book, it’s hardly surprising she now owns more books than shelf space while her Kindle is about to explode.

The urge to write came as a surprise. The realisation that people might enjoy her words was a shock to say the least. Now that the writing bug has well and truly taken hold, Helena can no longer imagine not sharing the characters in her head and heart with the rest of the world.

Having left the hustle and bustle of Amsterdam for the peace and quiet of the Irish Country side she divides her time between reading, writing, long and often wet walks with the dog, her part-time job in a library, a grown-up daughter and her ever loving and patient husband.

Helena can be found in the following places: