BROKEN HALOS
Queen City Rogues, Book 1
AIMEE NICOLE WALKER
M/M ROMANCE
RELEASE DATE: 11.07.18
PHOTOGRAPHER: Wander Aguiar
COVER ARTIST: Jay Aheer/Simply Defined Art
MODEL: Bijan
BLURB
Oliver Knight’s past is shrouded by sorrow and tragedy, but instead of hiding from it, Ollie owns his truth and uses his experiences to uplift others. As an out and proud pastor, he provides a safe place for LGBTQ Christians to gather and worship, and as a recovering addict, he counsels those pursuing sobriety. Ollie’s life is fulfilling but also a little lonely. He may not have a hard time meeting men, but he does have a hard time getting them to stick around once they discover his vocation.
Archie White is a former drag queen who hung up his stilettos to start an HIV transition home in the memory of someone he held near and dear to his heart. All work and no play has made Archie a very dull man, but he thinks his luck is about to change when a friend introduces him to a dark-eyed stranger. That is until he learns the man is a pastor. Archie detests anything to do with religion, and for very good reasons.
Archie’s gut tells him to run, and Ollie’s heart tells him to pursue. What can a pastor and a sometimes-queen possibly have in common? A desire to find unconditional love with someone who truly sees them. What happens next is the poignant, sweet, and sexy journey for two resilient hearts. Ollie and Archie’s halos might be battered and a little tarnished, but they’re definitely not broken.
Broken Halos is a charming story with heart, heat, and humor.
Warning: these characters and their quirky sidekicks may take up permanent residence in your heart, so proceed with caution. Each book in the Queen City Rogues series can be read as part of the series or as a standalone novel. This book contains sexually explicit material and colorful language intended for adults 18 and older.
EXCERPT
Ollie’s team was easy to spot due to Andy’s enormous height. Their shirts were a silky black button-up with the name Broken Halos embroidered on the back in gold with a crooked halo hanging over the “o” in halo. I had no doubt Ollie came up with the team name and design. I had to admit it was adorable, but not more adorable than the pastor who filled it out so nicely. The silk shirt draped over his shoulders and caressed his pecs. The hem of it ended above the curve of his denim-covered ass. I should’ve turned around and left as soon as my mouth started watering, except Ollie turned just then and spotted me. The smile spreading across his face was equal parts welcoming and wolfish and too fucking hard to resist.
“Don’t get the wrong idea, Golden Boy,” I said in greeting. “I’m just here to offer Milo cuddles when he makes a fool of himself.”
The remark got a snort out of Ollie, an eye roll from Andy, and knee-slapping laughs out of the Frat Boys, as Milo called them. Milo himself just looked at me with disappointment for a few seconds before he crooked his finger for me to follow him. He only went far enough to get us out of earshot which wasn’t hard to do since there was more noise inside this bowling alley than the last Pride parade I attended in NYC.
“What are you doing here?”Milo asked firmly. “Don’t give me any bullshit about supporting me and my pitiful bowling because I’m most likely the best bowler in this building.”
“Milo, come now,” I said, smiling sweetly at him. “I love your confidence, but there are times it’s misplaced.”
“I guess you’ll watch and see won’t you,” he said cheekily. “Don’t fuck Ollie over, Archie. He’s missed you like fucking crazy this past month, but he’d eventually get over his attraction to you.”
3.5 Stars
A romance between a gay pastor and a drag queen… Yes, please, sign me up! I had to read this book for the potential of that dynamic alone.
This book is a spin-off of another series and through the first third of the book, I felt a little lost as I hadn’t read all of the books from the original series. All the characters had established relationships and rapport from the start of the book, including the MCs Ollie and Archie. So, I was a little lost from the get-go.
Ollie is a gay pastor who oversees a congregation serving the LGBTQ+ community. Archie is a former drag queen that runs a HIV transition home. They meet and the sparks fly before the start of the book. Unfortunately, due to trauma in his childhood, Archie resists the attraction to Ollie because Ollie is a pastor and this is where the book starts - Ollie’s pursuit of Archie. Over a few months of the MCs missing each other (which made no sense to me as they hadn’t had a previous romantic relationship), they finally come together. Once the two decide to try, the chemistry is hot and the romance is fast-paced.
I wasn’t completely sold on Ollie and Archie as a couple. Ollie was unconditionally accepting of Archie and his kinks, but he did not get that in return from Archie. I got the feeling Archie fell in love with Ollie despite him being a pastor, whereas Ollie loved Archie for all his lingerie-wearing, snarky, bad driving, drag queen diva ways…
This is a sweet, feel-good read, mostly about being yourself and your chosen family. I think there were unnecessary elements in the book around ex-boyfriends and an art heist. And, while this is billed as a standalone romance, it really isn’t. The reader misses the Ollie/Archie origin story in this book alone.
*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***
I am a wife and mother to three kids, three dogs, and a cat. When I’m not dreaming up stories, I like to lose myself in a good book, cook or bake. I'm a girly tomboy
who paints her fingernails while watching sports and yelling at the referees.
I will always choose the book over the movie. I believe in happily-ever-after. Love inspires everything that I do. Music keeps me sane.
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