Release Day Review: Coasting by Yvonne Trent (Giveaway)

Title: Coasting
Author: Yvonne Trent
Release Date: August 23, 2017
Category: Contemporary, States of Love
Pages: TBD (Novella)

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What happens when you need something but don’t know what it is? Why not look in a place you never heard of?

Out and proud elementary school teacher Cal Hamilton thought he was happy in Philadelphia, but after a breakup, he steps back to reassess his life and discovers something is missing. He gets in his car and drives south with no idea what he hopes to find. The flip of a coin leads him to a small town in Mississippi—practically a different world from the city where he grew up.

Police officer Billy Labarre keeps his sexuality mostly to himself, but he knows just what he needs to fill the hole in his quiet small-town life: the right man. Unfortunately attitudes toward gay men still leave a lot to be desired in the rural South, and it’s hard to meet someone. It’s not likely his perfect match is just going to show up out of the blue….

States of Love: Stories of romance that span every corner of the United States.

4 Stars!

Yvonne Trent is a new author to me but when I read the blurb to Coasting, I couldn't resist. I've always loved the idea of jumping in a car and randomly choosing a destination. It seems like it would be a fun and exciting adventure. Of course, I'm not sure if choose Mississippi as a destination but "to each his own", lol. Either way, Cal's adventure in Ocean Springs genuinely sparked my interest.

This is definitely a quick, easy read and can be dubbed as instalove. Cal meets Billy his first evening in town and there is an instant attraction followed by a fairytale like connection. Cal can't get a hotel room due to the town being in the height of tourist season but luckily, Billy, a local cop, has a guest room that Cal can stay in. He also agrees to be Cal's unofficial tour guide. Sparks fly, the two men realize they are the one and decisions have to be made since Cal lives in Philadelphia.

Basically, this is the kind of story that's made to make you feel good. You can read it during a quiet Sunday afternoon sitting on your patio or over your lunch break one day. It's sweet, the characters are sweet and there is very little angst. It's by no means perfect but it is an enjoyable book from a new author that I hope to see more of in the future.

***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.***

*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.*

Yvonne Trent's Coasting is a novella in the Dreamspinner Press' States of Love series. Philadelphia teacher Cal has decided to travel once school lets out for the year. While on the phone with his mom, he lets a coin flip determine the direction he's going to drive and ends up in a small, tourist town in Mississippi. He likes the look of town but because it's tourist season, he's unable to get a room, so after a dinner and some exploring, he plans to leave town. All of that changes when he bumps into Billy, who offers to let him stay in a spare room and give him a tour of the town. The men enjoy their time together and it doesn't take long for them to start wanting more. Both Cal and Billy were likable characters. They loved their families, had great friends, loved their jobs and were ready to have a partner for their future. It was nice to read a story of two men meeting, dating and falling in love.

Novellas are hard but I think the author did a great job with this story. I liked that she just allowed this to be a sweet, instalove story with no drama or angst to the mix. This story was focused on two men getting to know each other, spending time together and deciding how to have a future together. It was a whirlwind love story, all squeezed into 112 pages! Though I've never had an interest in going to Mississippi, the author did a great job describing the town and making it sound like a great place to vacation and explore. This is one of my favorite things about the States of Love stories, it allows you to see the beauty of areas you may not be familiar with.

Rating: 4 stars

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