Unguarded by Jay Hogan

Posted May 3, 2021 by lenoreo in Reviews / 2 Comments

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Title: Unguarded
Author: Jay Hogan
Series: Vino and Veritas #10
Published by: Heart Eyes Press
Release Date: May 6, 2021
Format: eARC
Pages: 333
Genres: Romance, LGBT, Contemporary
Potential Triggers: View Spoiler »
Source: Heart Eyes Press
Reading Challenges: Lenoreo's 2021 COYER Spring, Lenoreo's 2021 Diversity Reading Challenge
Find it: Goodreads ✩ Amazon
My rating:

Blurb:
Another rollicking Vermont romance is coming your way!

I fled Boston, and my cheating jerk of an ex, with three hundred dollars and a lip gloss in my pocket. Waking up the next day in Burlington, Vermont, with a crick in my back and a frozen ass hadn’t exactly been my plan. If there was one. Which there wasn’t. Story of my life.

Three hours later, I’ve somehow got myself hired as temporary help in the local veterinary and grooming clinic. I might know zip about animals—but I do know I’m crushing on the sexy, absent-minded vet I work for.

My life is a hot mess, and the last thing I need is another relationship. Emmett pushes all my buttons, but he isn’t out. He's overwhelmed with a business to run and a son to look after and the kind of domestic life I never thought I wanted.

I should walk away. But Emmett believes in me, and I'm beginning to believe in myself. As different as we are, is it possible we're exactly what the other needs?

My Review:

I received a free copy through Heart Eyes Press in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion.

4.5 stars — Well boy howdy, that sucked me in and spit out a happy little reader. I was entranced almost from the very first line. I wasn’t expecting these two characters, but I LOVED them. I felt so much for them, and I really appreciated how different they were to many other couples I read about.

Tai was his own brand of awesomesauce. He was out and proud and over the top gay, and I loved it. He was sassy and snarky, but omg he had the biggest heart. And *my* heart hurt for all his insecurities. I didn’t even get *too* frustrated with him and how long it took for him to get over those hurts, b/c they were kind of big. And because I could see him making little steps forward along the way, even as he clung to his beliefs. Like an inner part of him knew he was wrong and was trying to help push him along the path.

And then we have Emmett. OMG Emmett was adorable. I loved his bi story, I can imagine it’s a familiar bi story. And while he struggled a bit with coming out, he wasn’t ashamed of being bi and I loved that. His story was just complex, with a lot of moving parts that needed to be thought about. I really felt for his grief, and his struggle back to normality. I appreciated his own insecurities, but he was just so loveable.

And they were SO GOOD together! Gah! Like, not perfect, but they balanced. Sometimes Emmett would push too much, and I would cheer when Tai would take a stand. They just gave each other what the other needed. And you could feel their chemistry from a mile away.

Lots of great secondary characters in this one as well, from the adorably loveable Leo (who felt realistic in his reactions along the way) to the super sassy Ivy. And even glimpses of V&V characters from other books (either in the past, or to come). I loved seeing Briar again, and having read his story, I loved seeing him paying it forward so to speak. And I’m so glad I have Jasper’s book to look forward to next.

So yeah. This was EXACTLY the story I was looking for in the V&V series, it hit ALL my buttons.