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Head #1
Hot Head
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Romance (2011)Where there’s smoke, there’s fire...
Since 9/11, Brooklyn firefighter Griff Muir has wrestled with impossible feelings for his best friend and partner at Ladder 181, Dante Anastagio. Unfortunately, Dante is strictly a ladies’ man, and the FDNY isn’t exactly gay-friendly. For ten years, Griff has hidden his heart in a half-life of public heroics and private anguish.
Griff’s caution and Dante’s cockiness make them an unbeatable team. To protect his buddy, there’s nothing Griff wouldn’t do… until a nearly bankrupt Dante proposes the worst possible solution: HotHead.com, a gay porn website where uniformed hunks get down and dirty. And Dante wants them to appear there—together. Griff may have to guard his heart and live out his darkest fantasies on camera. Can he rescue the man he loves without wrecking their careers, their families, or their friendship?
Since 9/11, Brooklyn firefighter Griff Muir has wrestled with impossible feelings for his best friend and partner at Ladder 181, Dante Anastagio. Unfortunately, Dante is strictly a ladies’ man, and the FDNY isn’t exactly gay-friendly. For ten years, Griff has hidden his heart in a half-life of public heroics and private anguish.
Griff’s caution and Dante’s cockiness make them an unbeatable team. To protect his buddy, there’s nothing Griff wouldn’t do… until a nearly bankrupt Dante proposes the worst possible solution: HotHead.com, a gay porn website where uniformed hunks get down and dirty. And Dante wants them to appear there—together. Griff may have to guard his heart and live out his darkest fantasies on camera. Can he rescue the man he loves without wrecking their careers, their families, or their friendship?
320 pages, ebook
First published June 15, 2011
About the author
Damon Suede
19 books2,173 followersDamon Suede grew up out-n-proud deep in the anus of right-wing America, and escaped as soon as it was legal. He has lived all over and along the way, he’s earned his crust as a model, a messenger, a promoter, a programmer, a sculptor, a singer, a stripper, a bookkeeper, a bartender, a techie, a teacher, a director... but writing has ever been his bread and butter. He has been happily partnered for over a decade with the most loving, handsome, shrewd, hilarious, noble man to walk this planet.
Though new to gay romance, Damon is an award-winning author who has been writing for print, stage, and screen for two decades, which is both more and less glamorous than you might imagine. He's won some awards, but he counts his blessings more often: his amazing friends, his demented family, his beautiful husband, his loyal fans, and his silly, stern, seductive Muse who keeps whispering in his ear, year after year.
Damon would love to hear from you... you can get in touch with him here.
DamonSuede.com
Dreamspinner Press
Amazon
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February 29, 2016
5 eternally burning stars. Review edited February 29, 2016
Where there's smoke, there's fire.
Thoughtful. Passionate. Emotional. Evocative. Raw. Just…beautiful.
I read Hot Head for the first time back in 2012 and distinctly remember that a certain part of the blurb put me off. It's the part about the HotHead.com gay porn website. However, don't let this little detail deter you from reading this fabulous story. Besides, the porn-formance part is bloody amazing and off the charts hot! And since I was so absorbed by the smexylicious Dante and Griff, there was simply no time to ponder over possible porn vibes anyway. On the other hand, it's quite possible that the steamy sex scenes will melt your panties. Ahem…do you have a fire extinguisher stashed somewhere at your home? That tool might come in handy because Damon's writing might melt more than your girlie bits. Also, I must say that Alek was the opposite of a sleazy scumbag. To my surprise, he turned out to be an honest and very likable guy.
Since Dante was in serious financial distress I get it that he wanted to take the easy way out to deal with his money problem. Then again, I was really pleased when Dante told Griff why he wanted to work for Alex in the first place, and why he wanted Griff to come along with him.
I love the jealous hothead and sinfully sexy Dante to pieces!
The cocky stud of a man was nothing but sweet when he was playing and cuddling with his little niece, Nicole. Dante (and Griff) would make wonderful parents. *melts* Even though I loved Dante's bold mouth, seeing his vulnerable and somewhat shy side made me swoon even more. And then I couldn't help but root for the oh-so sweetly blushing Griff who's an adorable huge bear. A very sexy and strong bear, that is. And to top it off, Griff is a highly loyal, generous and kindhearted soul, and he'd do anything for his best friend.
It was pure satisfaction to see their struggle to achieve the ultimate goal: being a couple who was crazy madly deeply in love with each other. I loved Griff's endearing inner monologue, and it goes without saying that Griff marked a solid presence in Dante's life and his who-gives-a-shit attitude.
While Griff's dad is another homophobic prick, Dante's family is truly wonderful. I especially adored Dante's lovable, caring and open-minded mom. She wants only the best for her kids; she wants them to be happy. Thus, I loved their family dynamics, their banter and laughter and their easy-going way of interacting with one another. Dante's family welcomed Griff with open arms, and when he was a little boy they flat out adopted him in every sense of the word. He was a member of this gorgeous family and they loved him unconditionally. Honestly, the scene between Dante's mom and Griff got me all teary-eyed. There was so much emotion and love packed into that specific scene. Sometimes it's not just about acceptance, it's knowing and feeling that love comes in many different forms and shapes and at the most unexpected moments. So bloody amazing and beautiful.
What I also loved was the way Damon intertwined Dante and Griff's story with the 9/11 tragedy. The flashback illustrated with merciless candor how intense, dangerous and deadly that act of terror had been. So this made it even more obvious that firemen are true and selfless heroes and deserve our utmost respect.
Seeing Dante and Griff together was quite a revelation. Their journey from being insecure, shy and somewhat anxious to this full-blossoming love…so, so freakin' good. Their first long kiss? Holy Hotness Batman! That first kiss is still among my favorites. It was lush, sensual, passionate and highly erotic. And their lovemaking was incredibly fierce and so sizzling hawt, it left me hot and bothered and yearning for more. Damon really knows how to write great and palpable chemistry. And, more importantly, he bloody masters how to make 'em wait. To me, waiting has rarely been that terrific and I enjoyed every minute of it and was drawn to their irresistible sparks like a moth to a flame.
I'm not a huge fan of too much narrative. Having said this, Damon's narrative is undoubtedly fantastic and totally mesmerizing. The plot was very good too and I was so hooked from the very beginning. Hot Head is one of those books that I did not want to end. Honestly, there was never a dull moment to be found. I love Damon's voice and his writing is fresh, engrossing, and very authentic.
I'm so glad that Tommy's story will be told. I felt with him and hurt for him. I was close to tears when I had to read about That stocky and short man needs someone loving in his life. Can't wait to discover who's going to be his love interest.
What I didn't like
I wanted Griff to talk about his feelings rather sooner than later. He was just too gun-shy for too long, hence there was too much room for misunderstandings. Granted, Dante acted the same way. My fingers were twitching several times, and I just wanted to nudge Griff over the edge and tell him to spill the beans. Something else that bugged me: there was a special emphasis on Dante's perfect handsomeness. I get it. He's a very beautiful Italian stud, but sometimes less is more. Being a bit more subtle wouldn't have hurt at all.
Was I ever glad when these two came out of their closet and finally did admit what they felt for each other.
Never be ashamed of your feelings. Be proud of who and what you are and what you feel and even more so when it feels so damn right.
Some memorable expressions:
blush-a-palooza
per-fucking-fection
porn-formance
cock webs
Overall verdict
Damon Suede has written an exceptionally good m-m story that totally resonated with me. Hot Head provides drama and action, heartfelt romance, humor and great family dynamics. The dialogue is honest, candid and fresh, the characters are well-drawn and complex. They are flawed, for sure, but that makes them authentic and very interesting. It's a beautiful and unforgettable story about two great and endearing men and something that everyone is looking for: unconditional love. Read this story. Satisfaction guaranteed…pun intended.
Re-reading Hot Head only increased my anticipation for Tommy's story Hard Head. I'm sure it will be well worth the wait!
And last but not least, a thank-you goes to my friend Astrid who buddy read Hot Head with me. <333
I need to think about it. How good are you at convincing me?
Highly recommended.
P.S. Blows kiss to Damon…
Where there's smoke, there's fire.
Thoughtful. Passionate. Emotional. Evocative. Raw. Just…beautiful.
I read Hot Head for the first time back in 2012 and distinctly remember that a certain part of the blurb put me off. It's the part about the HotHead.com gay porn website. However, don't let this little detail deter you from reading this fabulous story. Besides, the porn-formance part is bloody amazing and off the charts hot! And since I was so absorbed by the smexylicious Dante and Griff, there was simply no time to ponder over possible porn vibes anyway. On the other hand, it's quite possible that the steamy sex scenes will melt your panties. Ahem…do you have a fire extinguisher stashed somewhere at your home? That tool might come in handy because Damon's writing might melt more than your girlie bits. Also, I must say that Alek was the opposite of a sleazy scumbag. To my surprise, he turned out to be an honest and very likable guy.
Since Dante was in serious financial distress I get it that he wanted to take the easy way out to deal with his money problem. Then again, I was really pleased when Dante told Griff why he wanted to work for Alex in the first place, and why he wanted Griff to come along with him.
I love the jealous hothead and sinfully sexy Dante to pieces!
"Manscaped?" Dante smiled. "I'm fucking Italian; I been mowing my lawn since I was thirteen. My brothers taught me."
The cocky stud of a man was nothing but sweet when he was playing and cuddling with his little niece, Nicole. Dante (and Griff) would make wonderful parents. *melts* Even though I loved Dante's bold mouth, seeing his vulnerable and somewhat shy side made me swoon even more. And then I couldn't help but root for the oh-so sweetly blushing Griff who's an adorable huge bear. A very sexy and strong bear, that is. And to top it off, Griff is a highly loyal, generous and kindhearted soul, and he'd do anything for his best friend.
Dante chuckled low. "There's my blush."
"You're wearing a f@cking skirt! (…)"
"It's a kilt, dumbass." (…)
"It's only a skirt if I wear underwear."
"Your life needs an airbag. I swear, Anastagio, you should have come equipped when you were born."
Just then Dante leaned against him, brow between his shoulder blades for a moment, so tentatively Griff held his breath. His voice was almost sheepish. "Nah. Everyone knows I was born defective. They didn't install you until later."
It was pure satisfaction to see their struggle to achieve the ultimate goal: being a couple who was crazy madly deeply in love with each other. I loved Griff's endearing inner monologue, and it goes without saying that Griff marked a solid presence in Dante's life and his who-gives-a-shit attitude.
While Griff's dad is another homophobic prick, Dante's family is truly wonderful. I especially adored Dante's lovable, caring and open-minded mom. She wants only the best for her kids; she wants them to be happy. Thus, I loved their family dynamics, their banter and laughter and their easy-going way of interacting with one another. Dante's family welcomed Griff with open arms, and when he was a little boy they flat out adopted him in every sense of the word. He was a member of this gorgeous family and they loved him unconditionally. Honestly, the scene between Dante's mom and Griff got me all teary-eyed. There was so much emotion and love packed into that specific scene. Sometimes it's not just about acceptance, it's knowing and feeling that love comes in many different forms and shapes and at the most unexpected moments. So bloody amazing and beautiful.
The smile on her face was almost Dante's. Tears pricked his eyes, then hers, while all those impossible things passed between them. While the truth was sending down roots and throwing out branches until it filled the silent room with impossible blossoms.
I love him.
What I also loved was the way Damon intertwined Dante and Griff's story with the 9/11 tragedy. The flashback illustrated with merciless candor how intense, dangerous and deadly that act of terror had been. So this made it even more obvious that firemen are true and selfless heroes and deserve our utmost respect.
Seeing Dante and Griff together was quite a revelation. Their journey from being insecure, shy and somewhat anxious to this full-blossoming love…so, so freakin' good. Their first long kiss? Holy Hotness Batman! That first kiss is still among my favorites. It was lush, sensual, passionate and highly erotic. And their lovemaking was incredibly fierce and so sizzling hawt, it left me hot and bothered and yearning for more. Damon really knows how to write great and palpable chemistry. And, more importantly, he bloody masters how to make 'em wait. To me, waiting has rarely been that terrific and I enjoyed every minute of it and was drawn to their irresistible sparks like a moth to a flame.
I'm not a huge fan of too much narrative. Having said this, Damon's narrative is undoubtedly fantastic and totally mesmerizing. The plot was very good too and I was so hooked from the very beginning. Hot Head is one of those books that I did not want to end. Honestly, there was never a dull moment to be found. I love Damon's voice and his writing is fresh, engrossing, and very authentic.
I'm so glad that Tommy's story will be told. I felt with him and hurt for him. I was close to tears when I had to read about That stocky and short man needs someone loving in his life. Can't wait to discover who's going to be his love interest.
What I didn't like
I wanted Griff to talk about his feelings rather sooner than later. He was just too gun-shy for too long, hence there was too much room for misunderstandings. Granted, Dante acted the same way. My fingers were twitching several times, and I just wanted to nudge Griff over the edge and tell him to spill the beans. Something else that bugged me: there was a special emphasis on Dante's perfect handsomeness. I get it. He's a very beautiful Italian stud, but sometimes less is more. Being a bit more subtle wouldn't have hurt at all.
"Don't wait for your ship to come in. Swim out to it."
Was I ever glad when these two came out of their closet and finally did admit what they felt for each other.
Never be ashamed of your feelings. Be proud of who and what you are and what you feel and even more so when it feels so damn right.
The lying is awful. The hiding.
Some memorable expressions:
blush-a-palooza
per-fucking-fection
porn-formance
cock webs
Overall verdict
Damon Suede has written an exceptionally good m-m story that totally resonated with me. Hot Head provides drama and action, heartfelt romance, humor and great family dynamics. The dialogue is honest, candid and fresh, the characters are well-drawn and complex. They are flawed, for sure, but that makes them authentic and very interesting. It's a beautiful and unforgettable story about two great and endearing men and something that everyone is looking for: unconditional love. Read this story. Satisfaction guaranteed…pun intended.
"This belongs to me. Only me. No one else can have it. Not even you. It's mine. You're mine."
"Your spit is mine. Your skin. The way you smell."
"Feel that?"
That's how much I love you.
Re-reading Hot Head only increased my anticipation for Tommy's story Hard Head. I'm sure it will be well worth the wait!
And last but not least, a thank-you goes to my friend Astrid who buddy read Hot Head with me. <333
I'll take Classic 69 and semen-swapping for $300.
I need to think about it. How good are you at convincing me?
Highly recommended.
P.S. Blows kiss to Damon…
October 3, 2013
FULL REVIEW NOW POSTED :)
***I LOVE GRIFFIN MUIR*** That is all :)
I know he's got red hair but that picture was just perfect!
I have a HUGE stupid grin in my face every time I think about this book. Why did it end? :(
Griff & Dante are besties, they work together as firemen, madre mia, we don’t have those firemen in Spain!. From the beginning of their story we know Griff is confused about his feelings for Dante. He doesn’t know if he is gay but he knows he gets a boner every time Dante is close.
”He’is got lousy taste about women. Eventually you lose the taste”
Dante is a womanizer, he is a hot guy, typical Italian, you know, a Casanova!
”My fuckin’ hero”
Yeah, that’s Dante, he flirts with everyone, Griff included.
And one night, after a silly fight between them Dante kissed Griff on his cheek and CLICK , something happened inside Griff.
The thing is, Dante is having cash problems and needs money to pay his mortgage. If he doesn’t get money PRONTO he will lose his house. So he has a great idea! He gets an ‘extra job’ as a “model” on a gay porn website. At the beginning he just needs to touch himself and talk dirty in front of the camera…
”Everyone knows I was born defective. They didn’t install you until later”
Awwwww, don’t tell me that’s not sweet!!!
Griff wants to avoid watching Dante on that website, he is like denying what he really feels but he finally succumbs to temptation and boy, what a hand job!
"Sometimes I get so horny I have to get off three or four times a day. Ya know? Even when I'm fucking chicks regular,I gotta beat the bone just to take the edge off, so I don't squirt in my shorts riding in the rig"
Yeah, you are right, you are going to need a few COLD showers while reading this!
”Awwww,G…. I loved this! I seriously LOVED this!!! .
Dante is still struggling with payments so he has another great idea! He asks Griff to join him so they can have great incomes. And the fun starts!!!
”No one deserves to be punished for loving with an open heart”
I love you, Dante Inigo Anastagio. You’ll never know how much
I loved every time Dante was flirting with him. Griff did not realize or did not want to and it was really funny:
"I got your sprout right here, Muir. We can't all be redwoods. And you may not be a fan, but my sprout here gets planted plenty. Keys?"
Without warning, Dante stepped close and thrust his hand into Griff's pockets, digging around right there on the street.
"Agh!"
"There's my blush"
Seriously I got goosebumps reading this, it was great! I loved the slow pace between them because it was worth it *SIGH*
***If you keep reading now you might see some spoilers, not much but just in case pls be aware***
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”It’s just us. It’s you. You could never be weird. I love you, Griffin. You know that”
OMG, at that moment my heart was going to jump outside my body, I think I was more nervous than Griff when Dante kissed him, I loved that kiss!!! I cannot remember a kiss like this one in any of the books I’ve read, it was P-E-R-F-E-C-T!
Griff obviously accepts as he will do ANYTHING for Dante…
So they go to Alek, the Russian who runs the website, and do their first performance together. And the chemistry between them is just too much, I could say is one of the best sex scenes I’ve read and there is not even “sex”. BEST. BLOW. JOB. EVER.!
”Per-fucking-fection”
I can’t continue talking about their story without spoiling everything but I can ask you guys, actually I BEG YOU to read this amazing book. I read Baba’s review and I loved it so much that I decided to give it a try so pls pls pls go and read it, you won’t regret it!
”You hit your head and you’re not thinking straight.
“I am definitely not thinking straight, man”
”So damn jealous! LIKE I CAN SEE ANYONE BUT YOU.”
November 3, 2016
"I love you,Dante Inigo Anastagio.You'll never know how much."
Yes,I was so,so afraid that Dante will never know how much Griff loved him.I was afraid that Dante will never know what he meant to Griff.
Readers let me introduce you to Griffin and Dante---
The world's greatest idiots who are AMAZING, ADORABLE,extremely HOT firemen and just plain BEAUTIFUL!!Polar opposites of each other and yet linked together in an intangible way.
Griff had been brought up by his Dad,who had all the warmth of a Siberian winter.Dante has a huge and boisterous family full of warmth and love.Dante's family sort of adopted Griff and he is like a son to them.Griff and Dante are BROTHERS,BEST FRIENDS,and CHAMPIONS of each other.Griff's the fire and Dante's the smoke.One is responsible and the other reckless.
They had grown up together and were a family.But Griff had not realized that Dante was his other half,his soulmate until--
9/11
Insanity in the streets.Smoke everywhere.Ash falling.Jumpers.Carnage.Streets muffled under shredded paper,shin deep.People wandering dazed,covered in grit,stumbling in thick grey blizzard.
There were victims everywhere.Some barely alive and some dead.And Dante,no one knew where he was.No one had seen Dante since a call from the second tower.
And Griff.... he kept asking and looking and listening for that one name,day and night and day.
He kept looking for thirty-seven hours with no sleep.He tore his hand open,but didn't realize.He couldn't feel anything.
He was told to go home but instead he went looking through Hell for Dante.
At last he found him in a hospital banged up but safe.
"Thank you,God.Thank you,God."
He leaned over that tired face just to hear him breathing,the exact music of Dante's breath.
It was then Griff knew that everything would be all right.
Dante became his axis after that.A vital organ necessary for his survival.
Griff's wife left him,but he couldn't blame her.Because after that he truly felt alive when Dante was with him.
"Even though they were two guys the thought of losing him felt like amputation using a fork with no anesthesia."
And so for ten years Griff struggled with his feelings for Dante,which had also taken a sexual turn.
He loved Dante and Dante would never know.Because he was afraid of losing his job,he was afraid of losing the respect of a narrow minded society and....he was terrified of losing his best friend.
But unbeknownst to Griff,Dante was also struggling with his feelings for Griff.
And then came their salvation--Hothead.com
What is Hothead.com?
Oh,it's a porn site for gay men.
How can a porn site be their salvation?
I've already told too much....and you need to grab this book.
But let me tell you that whatever comes next...is SIZZLING HOT!!And more than that it's BEAUTIFUL!!(I'm sorry,I can't stop using these adjectives!!)
Theirs is a love which will leave you breathless.You'll feel stunning pleasure in seeing these two IMPERFECT men become one PERFECT couple.
And of course during their 1st kiss--
I was begging them not to stop!!**sigh**
-----------------------------------------------
There were so many lovable and amazing characters in this book.The author has so nicely and simply put up the struggle of an ordinary man trying to accept who he is.The author has so amazingly put up the cheap,dirty mentality of the people who use terms like 'queer' or 'fag'.
And of course I can't help being amazed by the fact that even though I am a 20 year-old hetero girl from a completely different background,I became Griff,a 31 year-old homo man!!His struggles,his grief,his anger....and even his Dante,they all became mine.
Thank you Mr.Suede for this amazing story and Blacky for recommending it to me and Purplegirl549 for introducing me to this wonderful genre!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 6, 2016
I don't know where to start with this review...
First - In my country there are NO hot firemen. Nope. They don't do calenders cause most of them are old lol if there were hotties like Griff and Dante, I'd set my own tree on fire just to have them come to the rescue
Second - Before I start with the story and all, I have to say the writing style was something new for me. I mean, I'm pretty good at english, have no problems reading books written in it, but here, swear to God, I sometimes had no idea what some expressions meant, and most of them were related to sex, masturbation, and all kinds of different names for a penis lol my dictionary just got bigger
and the sex scenes... very very intense, also not what I'm used to, they were not bad, just different :) Maybe it's because the book is written by a man, so it's a totally different perspective (and I kinda trust he knows better than female M/M writers XD)
The story - I actually had no idea what was waiting for me, I remember reading lots of reviews about it some time ago, but I guess I forgot cause all I thought was that this is going to be about some firemen, and a guy in love with his best friend. Well. The porn website got me by surprise. And the stuff they filmed. But ok, I got over it lol
The characters - Griff and Dante were amazing! Just wow. In the beginning, Griff was comming to terms with his attraction to Dante, and constantly hiding it. I felt really bad for him, he was under pressure for being in love with his best friend and the fact that he was gay, and keeping it a secret from everyone. Dante was adorable, a real goof
I wish there were some chapters from Dante's perspective, but I guess that wasn't supposed to be. Griff was hurting through most of the book, some scenes got me a stomach ache, they were so intense. LOVE the way it all ended, won't write any spoilers, just that there was a perfect happy end
They deserved it :)
Best scenes:
- Griff finds Dante in the hospital after the towers fell (I cried at that one
)
- the dinner with Dante's sister and her kid, and Griff imagining what their kid would look like <3
- their first kiss in the shower
HOT!
- when Griff overhears Dante's conversation with his dad
- Griff and Alex talk in the studio
- the morning after their first sex
- the ending of course :)
First - In my country there are NO hot firemen. Nope. They don't do calenders cause most of them are old lol if there were hotties like Griff and Dante, I'd set my own tree on fire just to have them come to the rescue
Second - Before I start with the story and all, I have to say the writing style was something new for me. I mean, I'm pretty good at english, have no problems reading books written in it, but here, swear to God, I sometimes had no idea what some expressions meant, and most of them were related to sex, masturbation, and all kinds of different names for a penis lol my dictionary just got bigger
and the sex scenes... very very intense, also not what I'm used to, they were not bad, just different :) Maybe it's because the book is written by a man, so it's a totally different perspective (and I kinda trust he knows better than female M/M writers XD)The story - I actually had no idea what was waiting for me, I remember reading lots of reviews about it some time ago, but I guess I forgot cause all I thought was that this is going to be about some firemen, and a guy in love with his best friend. Well. The porn website got me by surprise. And the stuff they filmed. But ok, I got over it lol
The characters - Griff and Dante were amazing! Just wow. In the beginning, Griff was comming to terms with his attraction to Dante, and constantly hiding it. I felt really bad for him, he was under pressure for being in love with his best friend and the fact that he was gay, and keeping it a secret from everyone. Dante was adorable, a real goof
I wish there were some chapters from Dante's perspective, but I guess that wasn't supposed to be. Griff was hurting through most of the book, some scenes got me a stomach ache, they were so intense. LOVE the way it all ended, won't write any spoilers, just that there was a perfect happy end
They deserved it :)Best scenes:
- Griff finds Dante in the hospital after the towers fell (I cried at that one
)- the dinner with Dante's sister and her kid, and Griff imagining what their kid would look like <3
- their first kiss in the shower
HOT!- when Griff overhears Dante's conversation with his dad
- Griff and Alex talk in the studio
- the morning after their first sex
- the ending of course :)
Read
January 11, 2023dork
swollen cannon
thick crank
piglet between your legs
i could go on but i’ll spare you. this was wildly graphic for a book that didn’t have that many sex scenes. hats off to the author for the creativity with the language usage?
wanted it to be a little more romantic. 2 seemingly straight dudes confess their love after doing porn together and after only 1 conversation about it seems a little far fetched imo. not the worst thing i’ve ever read and i def appreciate a MM romance written by a dude. but not a slam dunk for me.
also WAY too much use of the m-slur w/ regards to little people. this was written in 2011 but cmon.
swollen cannon
thick crank
piglet between your legs
i could go on but i’ll spare you. this was wildly graphic for a book that didn’t have that many sex scenes. hats off to the author for the creativity with the language usage?
wanted it to be a little more romantic. 2 seemingly straight dudes confess their love after doing porn together and after only 1 conversation about it seems a little far fetched imo. not the worst thing i’ve ever read and i def appreciate a MM romance written by a dude. but not a slam dunk for me.
also WAY too much use of the m-slur w/ regards to little people. this was written in 2011 but cmon.
October 31, 2013
”It's impossible to be your own hero, yes?”
4.5 Stars
My not so interesting M/M history
I remember about a year ago when I started noticing many of my GR friends latching onto the M/M fanclub, I mentioned it to my husband and said something to the effect of, "I wonder what all of these women get from two guys together?" And after wrinkling his nose in disgust, he replied, "Well, guys fantasize about two girls together..." to which I wrinkled up my nose in disgust. Vaginas? Eeeww...maybe I'm like...a half gay man?
Well, after seeing the interest and popularity of this subgenre go a little bit cray cray, and after reading mainstream series such as Suzanne Brockmann's Troubleshooter's series (Jules and Robin, SWOON!) and J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brother hood (Qhuinn and Blay, SWOON, SWOON!!), I realized...ahem...yeah, two guys together is kinda hot! **blushing** Add in some angst and romance? Now just what is keeping me from jumping on the bandwagon? Why, nothing, actually. So, my lovely friend V and I decided to do our M/M cherry popping together...(eewww, V...are we that friendly?) and randomly polled our penis loving friends. After much deliberation (okay, one convo...it wasn't that hard to choose,) Hot Head was chosen as a great intro to the mysteries of all that is Male/Male romance.
The Book:
First we meet Griffin Muir:
A ginger haired, six foot four inch, KILT WEARING firefighter in New York City, Griff is a tender, lost soul living a normal life. And while I never got the sense that Griff is totally fucked up in the head, this author did an amazing job of delving into the psyche of a conflicted soul. Griff has led a tough kind of life, mainly due to his lack of family and support system that are so important to the human spirit. Thank God that he's had Dante Anastagio, his best friend, and the entire Anastagio family to step in and give him love and support for all of his life's moments. Griff tried the marriage route, but after the brutal effects that 9/11 had on his mental state, his marriage failed and he's back to being a powerhouse of one. Except that he's not just one. Because Dante is there for him and with him every day, endlessly supportive in his own BIG, LOUD, Italian, obnoxious way.
Dante, aside from being the best friend that Griff could ever ask for, is a big time skirt chaser. This Italian Stallion sure lives up to the stereotype. Being a firefighter in New York City after the sensationalism surrounding firefighters became so prevalent makes women easy pickings, and Dante takes advantage of his God-hood. In fact, in their younger days, Griff and Dante occasionally dabbled with women together because why not?
Only, for some time now, Dante's big Italian hugs and gorgeous black eyes have had more of an effect on Griff than any woman ever had. And tactile as Dante is, it's becoming hard to hide the effect he has on his friend.
"He needed to sit down and talk about everything and nothing with the only person who turned him inside out without even trying."
My Thoughts:
So, V and I decided on this one because we had heard that it was a little sexier than the other choice we were considering...the more penis the better, is that right, V? But I really was blown away by the romance that was within these pages. Griff just broke my heart, over and over again. He didn't just pine for his best friend. He longed for Dante. But the thought that Dante would ever reciprocate wasn't even a remote possibility in his mind. So Griff tries to tentatively explore the feelings that he's only now admitting to himself...he's attracted to men. Is he gay? But what if he's only attracted to that ONE person? The one person he could never admit these feelings to? Not only will he lose Dante, but the only family that he's ever known...really, his only people in all the world.
"Mr. Muir, loving your Dante is not a bad thing. He certainly loves you...although I don't know if he can love you in the way you wish. Or I wish, for that matter. Only he knows. You understand? Life is very rarely romantic."
When has a moment of revelation about the state of his finances and his half-baked idea to save himself, Griff is fairly stunned. And for good reason. Because this idea includes Griff...and Dante...and lots of naked skin. It's more than Griff ever dreamed he'd get from Dante, and yet he still has to hold back, because losing Dante for good would destroy him. Dante's openness with his sexuality and his "best buds will do anything for each other" mentality don't mean that Griff can reveal his feelings. They just mean that he'll get a fantasy come to life, and he plans on rolling with it!!
Now, this story is loaded...and I do mean LOADED with sexual tension! After all, men think about sex every four minutes, or something like that?! I'm a healthy American female, but good grief! So seeing as how this was written by a man and is about TWO men, the lotsa sexy times should be a foregone conclusion. But I was wrong there. That is not to say that there isn't a good amount of sexy times...there are quite a few fantasy inducing scenes...masturbation and voyeuristic and yummy like that. But the actual sex is reserved for one of the hottest, most beautifully romantic, hottest, sweetest, hottest, intense, and oh yeah, did I mention HOTTEST love scenes ever! It almost makes me wish Damon Suede would lower himself enough to write a hetero book, because I could totally use his kind of loving in some of my other romances!!!
The big difference that I noticed when it comes to the sex is how dirty it is...while still retaining romance, somehow. But the amount of fluid and lack of fastidiousness and the utter raw, animal lust that is involved was staggering. This is sex at the most primal level, a need that goes beyond lust. Simply put: It. Was. Awesome! Although why can you not do that to a woman, Griff? No excuses, buddy...women are not fragile creatures, and I felt like he was patting women on their little heads as an excuse to treat them as such.
I had a couple of issues with some things: mainly, don't excuse your homosexuality, Griff! So you didn't lust after your wife like you lust after Dante. She wanted rough, passionate sex and you didn't. That's not because you wanted to be gentle, that's because you're gay. Maybe that lesson was learned for him later in the book, idk. Another: pigeonholing all Republicans as gay bashing budget cutters is the same as any other stereotyping, so I wish that people would be careful with that. (Granted, this was one tiny comment, but it's a sensitive subject for me) Last thing: the CHEATING! Holy crap, does every married firefighter cheat in this book? From page one, at the ten year anniversary of 9/11, husband infidelity is rampant in this book, and it got to be a bit of a downer. Anniversary for the death of hundreds of your comrades? Go fuck a new girl!! Having problems at work/home/life? Pick a hoochie, any hoochie!! Even the newly out setup for Suede's next book was cheating on his wife. I'm not one to forgive that slip up very easily, and despite Tommy's heartbreaking story, he's still a cheater. How can I get behind that? We'll see.
So my apologies for this ridiculously long review...I'm so glad that I finally took the plunge. Many thanks to those who encouraged me, even after my wishy-washiness. Griff and Dante are such a memorable couple, and I'm anxiously awaiting more by this awesome author!!
My favorite quote:
No one deserves to be punished for loving with an open heart."
January 18, 2020
Turns out the author's writing isn't the only thing I find disgusting about him.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/09/bo...
https://twitter.com/RomancingNope/sta...
******
49% could not finish. I found the writing style to choppy and chaotic to understand what was going on in the story.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/09/bo...
https://twitter.com/RomancingNope/sta...
******
49% could not finish. I found the writing style to choppy and chaotic to understand what was going on in the story.
July 26, 2012
This is my first foray into the male/male romance genre. One of my GR friends has long been trying to convince me to try this so I told her to choose me a book and this is one she selected. I like to think that I’m an open minded reader and reviewer and I’ve been looking forward to stepping onto pastures new.
I told my husband I was about to read a gay romance between two New York firefighters and he gave me a look of unmitigated horror. “Why on earth would you want to read that?” he asked. I asked him how he would feel if me and Angelina Jolie were to get naked and make out in front of him. He developed a misty-eyed faraway look – point made, I feel.
So, onto Griff and Dante – both firefighters in New York. We join them on the 10th anniversary of 9-11 – firefighters drink for free on this night apparently. They’ve been friends since childhood, Griff has a failed marriage behind him and Dante is a serial monogamist moving from one fiancé to the next in rapid succession, a trail of broken hearts in his wake. Turns out the most broken heart belongs to Griff who is harbouring a major league crush on Dante. In fact he is in love with him but it’s his deep, dark secret as the fire service world is predominantly heterosexual and gay men are just ‘faggots’. How hard for Griff to hold Dante so dear in his heart but yet be unable to hold him in his arms.
We relive their horrific 911 experiences through Griff’s recollections and it’s a pretty harrowing account – I really felt like I was there in the choking dust with them, the horror of the day coming through loud and clear, the fear for their loved ones, the not knowing what was happening, who was still alive, who had been lost. It’s incredibly visual and I felt totally transported and felt their pain. This day casts a lengthy shadow over their lives.
Dante gets himself into financial difficulties but can make an easy buck by wanking on the web for a sleazy website called Hothead. He can make even more money if Griff does it with him and they participate in a few 'extra-curricular activities’ and talks him into it. So they both go through the motions, ostensibly to make a fast buck, but they are both seriously getting off on it, just unable to give words to their growing feelings.
Their first kiss was a real shocker for me. Could I find two men kissing erotic? Well, short answer. Hell Yeah!! They first lock lips in the firehouse and almost get caught but, holy hell is it ever hot!!
Their antics on the website prompt their eventual experimentation with each other in real life and this is finally when I started to like Dante – up until this point I’d thought he was just a cocky, brash player. They are in fact polar opposites. Griff is stoic, steady, thoughtful – Dante wears his heart on his sleeve, a jealous possessive Italian. Griff grew up with a cold homophobic father who had merely existed rather than lived since his wife died – Dante grew up in the heart of a big, noisy but very loving Italian family.
Together they make a stunning couple – perfect for each other. What the rest of the world will think of them together really does remain to be seen. So for my first m-m romance this was a great place to start – there is a real intensity to their passion that I hadn’t really expected. An eye opener for sure.
So I read my first m-m romance and very much enjoyed their passion and I'm definitely going to read more m-m. Seems romance is romance and it doesn't matter if it's m-f, m-m, f-f or a whopping great and smexy menage. So long as the passion is there, it's definitely for me
I told my husband I was about to read a gay romance between two New York firefighters and he gave me a look of unmitigated horror. “Why on earth would you want to read that?” he asked. I asked him how he would feel if me and Angelina Jolie were to get naked and make out in front of him. He developed a misty-eyed faraway look – point made, I feel.
So, onto Griff and Dante – both firefighters in New York. We join them on the 10th anniversary of 9-11 – firefighters drink for free on this night apparently. They’ve been friends since childhood, Griff has a failed marriage behind him and Dante is a serial monogamist moving from one fiancé to the next in rapid succession, a trail of broken hearts in his wake. Turns out the most broken heart belongs to Griff who is harbouring a major league crush on Dante. In fact he is in love with him but it’s his deep, dark secret as the fire service world is predominantly heterosexual and gay men are just ‘faggots’. How hard for Griff to hold Dante so dear in his heart but yet be unable to hold him in his arms.
We relive their horrific 911 experiences through Griff’s recollections and it’s a pretty harrowing account – I really felt like I was there in the choking dust with them, the horror of the day coming through loud and clear, the fear for their loved ones, the not knowing what was happening, who was still alive, who had been lost. It’s incredibly visual and I felt totally transported and felt their pain. This day casts a lengthy shadow over their lives.
Dante gets himself into financial difficulties but can make an easy buck by wanking on the web for a sleazy website called Hothead. He can make even more money if Griff does it with him and they participate in a few 'extra-curricular activities’ and talks him into it. So they both go through the motions, ostensibly to make a fast buck, but they are both seriously getting off on it, just unable to give words to their growing feelings.
Their first kiss was a real shocker for me. Could I find two men kissing erotic? Well, short answer. Hell Yeah!! They first lock lips in the firehouse and almost get caught but, holy hell is it ever hot!!
Their antics on the website prompt their eventual experimentation with each other in real life and this is finally when I started to like Dante – up until this point I’d thought he was just a cocky, brash player. They are in fact polar opposites. Griff is stoic, steady, thoughtful – Dante wears his heart on his sleeve, a jealous possessive Italian. Griff grew up with a cold homophobic father who had merely existed rather than lived since his wife died – Dante grew up in the heart of a big, noisy but very loving Italian family.
Together they make a stunning couple – perfect for each other. What the rest of the world will think of them together really does remain to be seen. So for my first m-m romance this was a great place to start – there is a real intensity to their passion that I hadn’t really expected. An eye opener for sure.
So I read my first m-m romance and very much enjoyed their passion and I'm definitely going to read more m-m. Seems romance is romance and it doesn't matter if it's m-f, m-m, f-f or a whopping great and smexy menage. So long as the passion is there, it's definitely for me
March 24, 2014
Unapologetically sentimental.
By turns elegiac and blunt—with the occasional breathtakingly beautiful turn of phrase. By no means a perfect novel, it's still rich with symbolism, and compassion, and searingly hot sex.
It's pretty silly, but in that fun way you can really get into when the mood's right.
Above all, it is at its heart a very, very romantic story, and one whose imagery will stay with me for some time.
Also: hot firemen. So—y'know—that.
By turns elegiac and blunt—with the occasional breathtakingly beautiful turn of phrase. By no means a perfect novel, it's still rich with symbolism, and compassion, and searingly hot sex.
It's pretty silly, but in that fun way you can really get into when the mood's right.
Above all, it is at its heart a very, very romantic story, and one whose imagery will stay with me for some time.
Also: hot firemen. So—y'know—that.
July 5, 2019
Reread July 2019 (Audio)
Narration: 4.5 Pants Off
Charlie David has become another fave. He made me feel like a voyeur listening in on something private and intimate. I love Hot Head so much and he unequivocally brought Griff and Dante to life.
Love ❤️
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
^^GETTING HEAD HAS NEVER BEEN THIS HOT!^^
Still a 5 ⭐️ read in 2018
More of my reviews and thoughts on my blog PANTS OFF REVIEWS
Hot Head is critically acclaimed (by me), this book was the Kool-Aid, and by Kool-Aid, I mean the shit. I loved every fecking minute of it. It’s rough, raw and ready (wait a sec is that, not some other book). Well those words describe this book perfectly; stuffs on fire, feelings are blazing hot. The men like it rough, and they are always ready. Forget it; this is starting to sound extremely cheesy.
So the setting is New York, years after the September 11th attacks on the Trade Centres. It’s a big celebration within the city. Honouring, the firefighters, and cops who died and worked hard to rescue people. Therefore, they had overcome, and tragedy led to unity. Fun side! It’s a big dick and pussy fest, horny for firemen, women come out to play and firefighters and other city workers know they be getting their dicks wet (man this book makes me wanna type all dirty).
So Griff the firefighter is having strong feelings for his best friend where that sounds totally cliché, this cliché works. This is no sappy I have feelings for you, and as I confess my undying love we have the most amazing sex. Griff emotions are realistic, his love stems from a long friendship. Not just a close friendship, but it borderlines brotherhood, Griff, the adopted member of Dante’s family. They know him, they love him and he’s dying to fuck (there I go again) their son, their brother, their uncle and his best friend.
Dante is having some money troubles, so he hits up making a little porn. What’s wrong with a little whack fest to make some quick money? Not a damn thing Dante, not a darn thing. Well Griff has a problem with it, but that won’t stop him from a little whack fest of his own. When push comes to shove though Griff has Dante’s back, in more ways than one. A little porn experiment might lead to some big things, some *real big* things.
Alright lets get serious. I love this book, the characters are strong and the story though not romantic is captivating. This is a man struggling with his feelings for another man, in a profession and life where being gay is a death sentence. Because nothing makes you less of a man, like loving another man (or so those bigoted bitches say). For a long time Griff has struggled with his feelings, and what you realize is the heart wants what the heart wants. Though the outside world might hate them when their together, first they must figure out the whole ‘I am in love with best friend’ before they can worry about anyone else.
However, some readers might find the whole porn thing questionable. Who hasn’t risked their job for a little porn? I risk my job as a perfect parent with the amount of man love I watch, read, and think about. I think if anything it made the book stronger, because what we know is that nothing brings two people closer than making porn.
Loved Dante, he was my sexy Italian hottie I wanted to eat him up. Griff was adorable and sweet and you just want him to get his HEA. How can you not fall in love with someone who is willing to do anything for the person he loves. It’s a great GFY (gay for you), and I hope I get more from my HotHead boys. So many wonderful things in this book *HOT MAN SEX*, and that other stuff about feelings ‘winks’.
Narration: 4.5 Pants Off
Charlie David has become another fave. He made me feel like a voyeur listening in on something private and intimate. I love Hot Head so much and he unequivocally brought Griff and Dante to life.
Love ❤️
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
^^GETTING HEAD HAS NEVER BEEN THIS HOT!^^
Still a 5 ⭐️ read in 2018
More of my reviews and thoughts on my blog PANTS OFF REVIEWS
Hot Head is critically acclaimed (by me), this book was the Kool-Aid, and by Kool-Aid, I mean the shit. I loved every fecking minute of it. It’s rough, raw and ready (wait a sec is that, not some other book). Well those words describe this book perfectly; stuffs on fire, feelings are blazing hot. The men like it rough, and they are always ready. Forget it; this is starting to sound extremely cheesy.
So the setting is New York, years after the September 11th attacks on the Trade Centres. It’s a big celebration within the city. Honouring, the firefighters, and cops who died and worked hard to rescue people. Therefore, they had overcome, and tragedy led to unity. Fun side! It’s a big dick and pussy fest, horny for firemen, women come out to play and firefighters and other city workers know they be getting their dicks wet (man this book makes me wanna type all dirty).
So Griff the firefighter is having strong feelings for his best friend where that sounds totally cliché, this cliché works. This is no sappy I have feelings for you, and as I confess my undying love we have the most amazing sex. Griff emotions are realistic, his love stems from a long friendship. Not just a close friendship, but it borderlines brotherhood, Griff, the adopted member of Dante’s family. They know him, they love him and he’s dying to fuck (there I go again) their son, their brother, their uncle and his best friend.
Dante is having some money troubles, so he hits up making a little porn. What’s wrong with a little whack fest to make some quick money? Not a damn thing Dante, not a darn thing. Well Griff has a problem with it, but that won’t stop him from a little whack fest of his own. When push comes to shove though Griff has Dante’s back, in more ways than one. A little porn experiment might lead to some big things, some *real big* things.
Alright lets get serious. I love this book, the characters are strong and the story though not romantic is captivating. This is a man struggling with his feelings for another man, in a profession and life where being gay is a death sentence. Because nothing makes you less of a man, like loving another man (or so those bigoted bitches say). For a long time Griff has struggled with his feelings, and what you realize is the heart wants what the heart wants. Though the outside world might hate them when their together, first they must figure out the whole ‘I am in love with best friend’ before they can worry about anyone else.
However, some readers might find the whole porn thing questionable. Who hasn’t risked their job for a little porn? I risk my job as a perfect parent with the amount of man love I watch, read, and think about. I think if anything it made the book stronger, because what we know is that nothing brings two people closer than making porn.
Loved Dante, he was my sexy Italian hottie I wanted to eat him up. Griff was adorable and sweet and you just want him to get his HEA. How can you not fall in love with someone who is willing to do anything for the person he loves. It’s a great GFY (gay for you), and I hope I get more from my HotHead boys. So many wonderful things in this book *HOT MAN SEX*, and that other stuff about feelings ‘winks’.
July 6, 2012
I want a special button to give books more than five stars!!!
I have had to really sit down and think about writing this review, as I don't know if my words could ever do this book or Damon Suede's writing justice.......and HELL YES, it really is that good. In fact it is the best m/m book I have read so far.
When he wrote this book, he must have been feeling it from the heart...I know because I felt every emotion, from raw and deep, to sweet and endearing right along with the characters, it is either ripping your heart out or you are laughing out loud!!!!. You can tell that a man wrote this book, it was true to the characters, their way of thinking, conversation structures, the language, it was all very male and masculine....real men, rough and rugged!!!!
This is the story of two best friends, Fire fighters Griff and Dante and their love and friendship that transcends from childhood. How the tragedy of 9/11 moulded and shaped their lives and how they deal with and understand their feelings for each other and the stigma in this bigoted world of being Gay.
Griff is a darling.....totally unassuming and and unaware of just how endearing and gorgeous he is at 6ft 5", cinnamon red hair, grey eyes and a peaches and cream complexion who blushes at the slightest embarrassment....Oh, and he wears a kilt....HOT!!!! Griff's mother died when he was 9 and Dante's family the Anasagio's, nutty Italian family with 6 kids, practically adopted him, as his father was always working and never had time for his only son. The Anasagio's however adored him and threw a warm blanket of love and affection over him as though he were their own.
Dante.....OMG, this man is a crazy ass, cocky, mouthy, hot headed, loose cannon with an infectious grin, a bit loose with the ladies (man whore!!!) with a hard body coiled like rope and totally not fazed by life!!! After 9/11 he is the only one left sane and in a manner that can only be Dante, puts every one back together, including his best friend. Despite outward appearances, Dante is almost child like in his need to be protected by Griff, kind of naive in a way that you just want to engulf him in your arms and give him a big hug.
As it was told from Griff's point of view, you only really get an insight to his thoughts and emotions, projected so well to the reader through out the book, that I too went through that spectrum with him, seeing the world through his eyes and believe me it was a cacophony of every single one...it had me exhausted!!!! The confused conversations he had with himself, deliberating the fact that he might be gay and in love with his best friend had me chuckling, then there were the times When his inner voice had me jumping up and down on the spot like a child that can't get their own way shouting, 'Tell him already', 'Say something', 'WTF...Do something'.....Oh boy, I was having a right to do with him!!!!
The worst by far was when I felt like my heart was in a vice, being squeezed to the point of bursting!!! The pain in my chest was unbearable, I had snot nosed tears and was gulping for breath I was so emotionally involved in this couple they were killing me from the inside.
How many book's can you say evoke that kind of emotion?!?!
I have had to really sit down and think about writing this review, as I don't know if my words could ever do this book or Damon Suede's writing justice.......and HELL YES, it really is that good. In fact it is the best m/m book I have read so far.
When he wrote this book, he must have been feeling it from the heart...I know because I felt every emotion, from raw and deep, to sweet and endearing right along with the characters, it is either ripping your heart out or you are laughing out loud!!!!. You can tell that a man wrote this book, it was true to the characters, their way of thinking, conversation structures, the language, it was all very male and masculine....real men, rough and rugged!!!!
This is the story of two best friends, Fire fighters Griff and Dante and their love and friendship that transcends from childhood. How the tragedy of 9/11 moulded and shaped their lives and how they deal with and understand their feelings for each other and the stigma in this bigoted world of being Gay.
Griff is a darling.....totally unassuming and and unaware of just how endearing and gorgeous he is at 6ft 5", cinnamon red hair, grey eyes and a peaches and cream complexion who blushes at the slightest embarrassment....Oh, and he wears a kilt....HOT!!!! Griff's mother died when he was 9 and Dante's family the Anasagio's, nutty Italian family with 6 kids, practically adopted him, as his father was always working and never had time for his only son. The Anasagio's however adored him and threw a warm blanket of love and affection over him as though he were their own.
Dante.....OMG, this man is a crazy ass, cocky, mouthy, hot headed, loose cannon with an infectious grin, a bit loose with the ladies (man whore!!!) with a hard body coiled like rope and totally not fazed by life!!! After 9/11 he is the only one left sane and in a manner that can only be Dante, puts every one back together, including his best friend. Despite outward appearances, Dante is almost child like in his need to be protected by Griff, kind of naive in a way that you just want to engulf him in your arms and give him a big hug.
As it was told from Griff's point of view, you only really get an insight to his thoughts and emotions, projected so well to the reader through out the book, that I too went through that spectrum with him, seeing the world through his eyes and believe me it was a cacophony of every single one...it had me exhausted!!!! The confused conversations he had with himself, deliberating the fact that he might be gay and in love with his best friend had me chuckling, then there were the times When his inner voice had me jumping up and down on the spot like a child that can't get their own way shouting, 'Tell him already', 'Say something', 'WTF...Do something'.....Oh boy, I was having a right to do with him!!!!
The worst by far was when I felt like my heart was in a vice, being squeezed to the point of bursting!!! The pain in my chest was unbearable, I had snot nosed tears and was gulping for breath I was so emotionally involved in this couple they were killing me from the inside.
How many book's can you say evoke that kind of emotion?!?!
November 7, 2012
I think I'm gonna make a new shelf called:
"awesome-breathless-could-not-put-down-5stars-pure-perfection-books-recommended-by-the-mighty-blacky"...
I must admit that this was my first M/M romance book and I didn't know anything about it when I started reading it, I didn't know how would I feel but after reading it there is only one word for it:
“PER-FUCKING-FECTION!”
THE STORY
From blurb: Dante is strictly a ladies' man, and the FDNY isn't exactly gay-friendly. For ten years, Griff has hidden his heart in a half-life of public heroics and private anguish.
Two best friends,practically brothers, both secretly yearning for each other, not saying anything, fearing they would ruin their friendship if it comes out... do i need to say more?!?!?!?
GRIFF
“Have you ever been in love? Horrible isn't it? It makes you so vulnerable. It opens your chest and it opens up your heart and it means that someone can get inside you and mess you up.”
― Neil Gaiman
Honestly, Griff won my heart, my undying love from the very beginning!
The way he thought about Dante, the way he watched his every move when they were together, the way he put distance every once in a while so he wouldn't do anything stupid and loose his best friend, the way he wasn't sure is it just lust only for Dante or is he really gay, the way he pretended to be with girls because of their environment... I can't even imagine how does that feel... not being able to be free, to be who you really are, to express your feelings that are being a burden to your soul to the only person that matters everything to you...
I believe that's the reason why I cried couple of times while I was reading, I wanted to hug him so many times...
"He did not watch Dante’s smooth oliveskinned hand brushing off tonight’s piece of ass so they could escape. He did not watch Dante’s strong back and legs cutting through the crowd toward him like a dark knife. He did not watch the way Dante’s square jaw and seal-black hair caught the light when he reached the entrance to smile in relief and wink. Mostly he did not."
I could feel his sexual tension toward Dante all the time,his love, his blush every time Dante winked at him,the way he imagined what would their future be like if they were together and it was so beautiful and so pure and so f***ing wright!
“I love that.” Dante’s teasing voice was a little husky. Griff looked up, confused. “When you blush like that. The way it moves across you. It’s like I can see what you’re feeling right where you’re feeling it. ’S’cool. Relax, G.” “I just feel stupid.” “Nah. It’s like cloud shadows from an airplane. These shapes moving over your skin and you’re not afraid of anything.”“The fuck I’m not. It feels like being electrocuted slowly.” “At least you can stil feel things, G. Stay with me.”
And their first kiss!!!! OH MY GOOOD! It was so perfect! I cried when they first kissed in shower/locker room, yeah it was hot, but I cried out of pure happiness because of Griff!
"...and it wasn’t his heart that stopped; it was time. I knew he would feel like this. I knew he would taste like this... make it last..."
Their first filming together at studio of hothead.com:
Their first sex:
“His fingers roamed over Dante,marking his skin with handprints, memorizing it.This belongs to me. Only me. No one else can have it. Not even you. It’s
mine. You’re mine.Your spit is mine. Your skin. The way you smell.Those sounds are mine. Your cum. You can’t give it to anyone else.”
Their first morning after pillow talk... OH MY GOD... I was beaming, I was so happy, they were so perfect, perfect for each other, so FUCKING ADORABLE!!!!
I can not even express how glad I am that I read this story, there are no words to describe how beautiful their love was, how HOT their sex was... pure lust.. pure love... pure friendship...
I just can't because it's beyond any words...
"awesome-breathless-could-not-put-down-5stars-pure-perfection-books-recommended-by-the-mighty-blacky"...
I must admit that this was my first M/M romance book and I didn't know anything about it when I started reading it, I didn't know how would I feel but after reading it there is only one word for it:
“PER-FUCKING-FECTION!”
THE STORY
From blurb: Dante is strictly a ladies' man, and the FDNY isn't exactly gay-friendly. For ten years, Griff has hidden his heart in a half-life of public heroics and private anguish.
Two best friends,practically brothers, both secretly yearning for each other, not saying anything, fearing they would ruin their friendship if it comes out... do i need to say more?!?!?!?
GRIFF
“Have you ever been in love? Horrible isn't it? It makes you so vulnerable. It opens your chest and it opens up your heart and it means that someone can get inside you and mess you up.”
― Neil Gaiman
Honestly, Griff won my heart, my undying love from the very beginning!
The way he thought about Dante, the way he watched his every move when they were together, the way he put distance every once in a while so he wouldn't do anything stupid and loose his best friend, the way he wasn't sure is it just lust only for Dante or is he really gay, the way he pretended to be with girls because of their environment... I can't even imagine how does that feel... not being able to be free, to be who you really are, to express your feelings that are being a burden to your soul to the only person that matters everything to you...
I believe that's the reason why I cried couple of times while I was reading, I wanted to hug him so many times...
"He did not watch Dante’s smooth oliveskinned hand brushing off tonight’s piece of ass so they could escape. He did not watch Dante’s strong back and legs cutting through the crowd toward him like a dark knife. He did not watch the way Dante’s square jaw and seal-black hair caught the light when he reached the entrance to smile in relief and wink. Mostly he did not."
I could feel his sexual tension toward Dante all the time,his love, his blush every time Dante winked at him,the way he imagined what would their future be like if they were together and it was so beautiful and so pure and so f***ing wright!
“I love that.” Dante’s teasing voice was a little husky. Griff looked up, confused. “When you blush like that. The way it moves across you. It’s like I can see what you’re feeling right where you’re feeling it. ’S’cool. Relax, G.” “I just feel stupid.” “Nah. It’s like cloud shadows from an airplane. These shapes moving over your skin and you’re not afraid of anything.”“The fuck I’m not. It feels like being electrocuted slowly.” “At least you can stil feel things, G. Stay with me.”
And their first kiss!!!! OH MY GOOOD! It was so perfect! I cried when they first kissed in shower/locker room, yeah it was hot, but I cried out of pure happiness because of Griff!
"...and it wasn’t his heart that stopped; it was time. I knew he would feel like this. I knew he would taste like this... make it last..."
Their first filming together at studio of hothead.com:
Their first sex:
“His fingers roamed over Dante,marking his skin with handprints, memorizing it.This belongs to me. Only me. No one else can have it. Not even you. It’s
mine. You’re mine.Your spit is mine. Your skin. The way you smell.Those sounds are mine. Your cum. You can’t give it to anyone else.”
Their first morning after pillow talk... OH MY GOD... I was beaming, I was so happy, they were so perfect, perfect for each other, so FUCKING ADORABLE!!!!
I can not even express how glad I am that I read this story, there are no words to describe how beautiful their love was, how HOT their sex was... pure lust.. pure love... pure friendship...
I just can't because it's beyond any words...
March 1, 2023
His fingers roamed over Dante, marking his skin with handprints, memorizing it. “This belongs to me. Only me. No one else can have it. Not even you. It’s mine. You’re mine.”
This one stands up well to rereading. I wasn’t sure it would, the story is a little dated, and full of terms that will piss everyone off.
I loved it.
Original review:
All the smoke and fire stars!
I can't. My heart. This story!! I'm overwhelmed with the most joyously happy feeling. This is a torturous slow burner, but once it gets going, hang on, it's SMOKIN! This is M/M romance, but has some short moments of M/F and group sex but not described in detail.
It took me a few chapters to get used to the author's writing style, but the set up for this story was SO GOOD. The background of the MC's, the families, their firefighting jobs, and the horrors of 9/11 were written in such meticulous detail.
Griff and Dante have been best friends since childhood.
Every picture from his senior year showed Griff smiling- a thick thatch of fiery hair, shoulders like a refrigerator, standing huge and pale and shy surrounded by semi-adopted Sicilian siblings:their dark features and hard laughter…Every photo was like the Sesame Street song: one of these things is not like the other.
Griff is confused about his feelings toward his friend and co-worker, and Dante is a complete womanizer. This was the only part of the book I have any complaints about. There is an overall feeling of the author using women as props. They are described as being either hot, or fat, chubby or a bean pole. Dante's manwhore ways really made me dislike him at first.
All firefighters played around, but Dante’s appetite was legendary - food, fucking, fun…any order, any combo.
So Dante is running short on funds and tells his bestie Griff that he is going to masturbate on camera for cash. Poor Griff thinks this is a terrible idea.
“Porn is forever, Dante. When you realize that you’ve made a huge f*cking mistake and want to undo it, your c*mshot is going to be everywhere, and that jam is not gonna get back in your jar.”
Griff is such a gentle and loving giant. He tries so hard to not feel the overwhelming emotions he feels for Griff. It's not that he has a problem with being gay, but he doesn't know if admitting these feelings will ruin their friendship. I had to laugh at how many times Griff watches Dante’s performance!
I could FEEL their love and awareness of each other as the chapters continued, and it made me so happy to watch them fall in love. And that first kiss in the firehouse?!! My kindle melted a bit.
Dante's jealously is perfect after his years of sheet jumping.
He couldn't take his eyes off Griff and muttered under his breath, "I hate other people looking at you."
One of my favorite lines comes from Alek, a side character, but also a beautiful mirror for Griff.
"Because people should not be punished for loving and hoping and holding their hearts open."
There are a few parts in this story that absolutely gutted my heart to read. It is a beautiful love story, but it’s also a story of the struggles gay men have consistently faced.
TW for on-page physical abuse.
This one stands up well to rereading. I wasn’t sure it would, the story is a little dated, and full of terms that will piss everyone off.
I loved it.
Original review:
All the smoke and fire stars!
I can't. My heart. This story!! I'm overwhelmed with the most joyously happy feeling. This is a torturous slow burner, but once it gets going, hang on, it's SMOKIN! This is M/M romance, but has some short moments of M/F and group sex but not described in detail.
It took me a few chapters to get used to the author's writing style, but the set up for this story was SO GOOD. The background of the MC's, the families, their firefighting jobs, and the horrors of 9/11 were written in such meticulous detail.
Griff and Dante have been best friends since childhood.
Every picture from his senior year showed Griff smiling- a thick thatch of fiery hair, shoulders like a refrigerator, standing huge and pale and shy surrounded by semi-adopted Sicilian siblings:their dark features and hard laughter…Every photo was like the Sesame Street song: one of these things is not like the other.
Griff is confused about his feelings toward his friend and co-worker, and Dante is a complete womanizer. This was the only part of the book I have any complaints about. There is an overall feeling of the author using women as props. They are described as being either hot, or fat, chubby or a bean pole. Dante's manwhore ways really made me dislike him at first.
All firefighters played around, but Dante’s appetite was legendary - food, fucking, fun…any order, any combo.
So Dante is running short on funds and tells his bestie Griff that he is going to masturbate on camera for cash. Poor Griff thinks this is a terrible idea.
“Porn is forever, Dante. When you realize that you’ve made a huge f*cking mistake and want to undo it, your c*mshot is going to be everywhere, and that jam is not gonna get back in your jar.”
Griff is such a gentle and loving giant. He tries so hard to not feel the overwhelming emotions he feels for Griff. It's not that he has a problem with being gay, but he doesn't know if admitting these feelings will ruin their friendship. I had to laugh at how many times Griff watches Dante’s performance!
I could FEEL their love and awareness of each other as the chapters continued, and it made me so happy to watch them fall in love. And that first kiss in the firehouse?!! My kindle melted a bit.
Dante's jealously is perfect after his years of sheet jumping.
He couldn't take his eyes off Griff and muttered under his breath, "I hate other people looking at you."
One of my favorite lines comes from Alek, a side character, but also a beautiful mirror for Griff.
"Because people should not be punished for loving and hoping and holding their hearts open."
There are a few parts in this story that absolutely gutted my heart to read. It is a beautiful love story, but it’s also a story of the struggles gay men have consistently faced.
TW for on-page physical abuse.
March 8, 2016
FOUR VERY HOT HOT HOT STARS!
WOW! This book was just as hot as it was promised to be. I had my kindle glued to my hand so I could read this all day long! The chemistry and the vibe were just scorching.
Don't even get me started on my giant Scottish man fetish. It is like Damon Suede jumped in my head and stole my thoughts! Hot DAMN! Now if Griff just had an accent...
Why not 5 stars? I found the fact that neither of them knew the other was into them very far-fetched, given all the blaring clues and circumstances. I was moaning in frustration at their stupidity. It also just was missing that extra umph that makes a book a 5 star read to me. This was a very strong 4 star book though. VERY SEXY! Did i say that already?? WOW!
WOW! This book was just as hot as it was promised to be. I had my kindle glued to my hand so I could read this all day long! The chemistry and the vibe were just scorching.
Don't even get me started on my giant Scottish man fetish. It is like Damon Suede jumped in my head and stole my thoughts! Hot DAMN! Now if Griff just had an accent...
Why not 5 stars? I found the fact that neither of them knew the other was into them very far-fetched, given all the blaring clues and circumstances. I was moaning in frustration at their stupidity. It also just was missing that extra umph that makes a book a 5 star read to me. This was a very strong 4 star book though. VERY SEXY! Did i say that already?? WOW!
February 3, 2015
This was a really beautiful love story to me... The classic best friends to lovers (which I love) with a twist. Griff was awesome! I really loved him. I wasn't so sure about Dante in the beginning he seemed a little cocky (which he was a little) but by the end I loved him as much as Griff. Their story was really touching I also loved Dante's parents, they were the best! This was a great read, it was funny, sweet, sexy and and times heartbreaking but a wonderful hea!!!
July 15, 2016
My FIRST M/M romance and a MUST READ for gay romance fans. 1 America dollar! There is no excuse not to read this. http://goo.gl/SGR8c3 BESTEST!
ORIGINAL REVIEW
This is the FIRST M/M romance I read. I read it because it had a huge rating at Amazon.com and I figured it had to be pretty good. Well, it has a huge rating for a reason and got me desperately hooked on the M/MN romance genre.
I haven't looked back since.
ORIGINAL REVIEW
This is the FIRST M/M romance I read. I read it because it had a huge rating at Amazon.com and I figured it had to be pretty good. Well, it has a huge rating for a reason and got me desperately hooked on the M/MN romance genre.
I haven't looked back since.
August 9, 2016
Griff you big cutie!
He fiddled with the pleats of his kilt and strangled on his cowardice.
Griff and Dante have been friends for years, and then, eventually, worked together in the same fire-station and truck. Griff starts having some strange feelings for Dante, he starts pulling away because he doesn't know how Dante would act if he knew...
Griff has been part of the Anastagio family for years, being drawn in because of his fathers unaffectionate behaviour. Griff spends a lot of time with Dante, in his job, and out- Heck they've even had sex at the same time, in the same bed. They're close as they can be. Griff begins to have thoughts about Dante, ones where he imagines them kissing... among other things. Dante is having money troubles, he's going to lose his house, he comes up with an idea; masturbate for a gay porn site- easy money. Alek, the owner of HotHead.com asks him if he would bring a friend- he would pay him more money. So Dante asks and Griff can't help but say “yes.” he would, after all, be able to kiss Dante, and he would never know that his real motivation wasn't the money...
I hadn't actually read the blurb, I wanted to start reading without knowing what it was about. And I'm happy as a bumble bee that I didn't read it. The porn website came as an absolute shock to me... But I loved it anyway!
Hot Head (the audio-book) was incredibly hard to rate. It was really hard to focus on what the narrator was saying if you were doing something else. It was hard to tell who was talking and whether it was inner monologue or actually being spoken- although the narrator did a top notch job. And it was hard to tell whether the story had jumped a little or whether you just missed that part. Which all, unfortunately reduced my rating slightly. (Maybe would have been 4.5-4.75 if I had read it myself)
We are first(ish) introduced to the Dante and Griff, and I burst out laughing- it may have been because of the narrator singing, or it may have been to do with what other things he was saying...
The one thing that I was getting annoyed with was that Griff was so unsure of himself, and constantly I just wanted him to stop doubting and kiss him! It really annoyed me because that was a large proportion of the book. I think, without that, it would have been a 5.
I thought that the single POV was great, it meant that the story was fully developed, and we learnt a whole lot about his personality. We also had no idea whether it was going to work out with Dante, as we couldn't read (or hear) what Dante was thinking. This kept us wondering “What if they don’t have mutual feelings?” which I think kept me interested in the story.
Loved the plot! Although, expanding my point from above, I would have made it a little shorter, so that there was less angst for me waiting for him to make a move.
I can't really say whether it was written well... because it was an audio-book... HAHA. You so funny!
Just kidding, it was clearly well written, I particularly loved the foul language.
Do I recommend? Are meerkats cute little bundles of fur?
4.25 “It’s a kilt, dumbass.” stars.
He fiddled with the pleats of his kilt and strangled on his cowardice.
Griff and Dante have been friends for years, and then, eventually, worked together in the same fire-station and truck. Griff starts having some strange feelings for Dante, he starts pulling away because he doesn't know how Dante would act if he knew...
Griff has been part of the Anastagio family for years, being drawn in because of his fathers unaffectionate behaviour. Griff spends a lot of time with Dante, in his job, and out- Heck they've even had sex at the same time, in the same bed. They're close as they can be. Griff begins to have thoughts about Dante, ones where he imagines them kissing... among other things. Dante is having money troubles, he's going to lose his house, he comes up with an idea; masturbate for a gay porn site- easy money. Alek, the owner of HotHead.com asks him if he would bring a friend- he would pay him more money. So Dante asks and Griff can't help but say “yes.” he would, after all, be able to kiss Dante, and he would never know that his real motivation wasn't the money...
I hadn't actually read the blurb, I wanted to start reading without knowing what it was about. And I'm happy as a bumble bee that I didn't read it. The porn website came as an absolute shock to me... But I loved it anyway!
Hot Head (the audio-book) was incredibly hard to rate. It was really hard to focus on what the narrator was saying if you were doing something else. It was hard to tell who was talking and whether it was inner monologue or actually being spoken- although the narrator did a top notch job. And it was hard to tell whether the story had jumped a little or whether you just missed that part. Which all, unfortunately reduced my rating slightly. (Maybe would have been 4.5-4.75 if I had read it myself)
We are first(ish) introduced to the Dante and Griff, and I burst out laughing- it may have been because of the narrator singing, or it may have been to do with what other things he was saying...
Griff snuck a glance, and sure enough, a clump of frisky bedbunnies was drifting toward his best friend—hippety-hoppity, pussy on its way.I really enjoyed the slow development of their relationship, (I absolutely hate insta-love) albeit a little too slow... But he was also coming to terms with being gay himself...
Tommy likes dudes. And I think maybe I like dudes. Definitely one dude, at least.And when Dante and Griff were doing the hothead.com scenes, I could tell they were so into each other! It was cute, in a smoking hot kind of way.
The one thing that I was getting annoyed with was that Griff was so unsure of himself, and constantly I just wanted him to stop doubting and kiss him! It really annoyed me because that was a large proportion of the book. I think, without that, it would have been a 5.
I thought that the single POV was great, it meant that the story was fully developed, and we learnt a whole lot about his personality. We also had no idea whether it was going to work out with Dante, as we couldn't read (or hear) what Dante was thinking. This kept us wondering “What if they don’t have mutual feelings?” which I think kept me interested in the story.
Loved the plot! Although, expanding my point from above, I would have made it a little shorter, so that there was less angst for me waiting for him to make a move.
I can't really say whether it was written well... because it was an audio-book... HAHA. You so funny!
Just kidding, it was clearly well written, I particularly loved the foul language.
Do I recommend? Are meerkats cute little bundles of fur?
March 1, 2023
Reread Dec 27, 2019
***** OH MY GOSH !!! This incredible story is amazing !! ***** You must read it ! It's not your ordinary M/M romance, it's GFY, and it is much MORE !
Beautifully written by Damon Suede, with deeply thought filled characters, an engaging unusual tale, and super hot sexy loving. Loved, Loved, Loved these men and all of the ancillary characters, too.
This beautiful novel is rated
"One of the Top Romance Novels of ALL Time", and it certainly is.
We have Firefighter Dante, Italian, longish black hair and dark eyes, a walking dreamboat.
Griff is his fellow Firefighter, a kilt wearing, tall, muscled, handsome ginger, who loves his best friend.
The story begins on the anniversary of 9/11, the groups have gathered to pay tribute to the 343 FDNY firefighters who died at Ground Zero.
Then, we get Griff rescuing Dante, a crazy plan to earn extra money, tenderness shown to a "gay-bashed" friend, and Dante's terrific family.
Amazing, exciting, enthralling, delightful, sad, happy, tearful, engaging, and simply fabulous !!
There aren't enough words for me to tell you how great this story is !!
I HIGHLY recommend this tale !! E N J O Y !!!
==================
***** OH MY GOSH !!! This incredible story is amazing !! ***** You must read it ! It's not your ordinary M/M romance, it's GFY, and it is much MORE !
Beautifully written by Damon Suede, with deeply thought filled characters, an engaging unusual tale, and super hot sexy loving. Loved, Loved, Loved these men and all of the ancillary characters, too.
This beautiful novel is rated
"One of the Top Romance Novels of ALL Time", and it certainly is.
We have Firefighter Dante, Italian, longish black hair and dark eyes, a walking dreamboat.
Griff is his fellow Firefighter, a kilt wearing, tall, muscled, handsome ginger, who loves his best friend.
The story begins on the anniversary of 9/11, the groups have gathered to pay tribute to the 343 FDNY firefighters who died at Ground Zero.
Then, we get Griff rescuing Dante, a crazy plan to earn extra money, tenderness shown to a "gay-bashed" friend, and Dante's terrific family.
Amazing, exciting, enthralling, delightful, sad, happy, tearful, engaging, and simply fabulous !!
There aren't enough words for me to tell you how great this story is !!
I HIGHLY recommend this tale !! E N J O Y !!!
==================
October 30, 2016
4 stars!
This book?
Like oh my god you guys. If the gifs didn't make it clear this book was on FIRE. I love GFY stories, and this was a double GFY. For some reason this MM story had never come my way, until a friend recommended it to me. This book was a fun escape from reality, the beginning was a little bit too slow for me, but by the end I couldn't put the kindle down.
I may have also been using the fire emoji a lot when discussing this book.
Overall a fun break from reality! Just don't read it in public :P
This book?
Like oh my god you guys. If the gifs didn't make it clear this book was on FIRE. I love GFY stories, and this was a double GFY. For some reason this MM story had never come my way, until a friend recommended it to me. This book was a fun escape from reality, the beginning was a little bit too slow for me, but by the end I couldn't put the kindle down.
I may have also been using the fire emoji a lot when discussing this book.
Overall a fun break from reality! Just don't read it in public :P
September 14, 2013
What can I say about this awesome book, that hasn't already been said in all the amazing reviews posted by my GR mates? Well nothing much, just that it's all very true...so I'll keep this simple.
It will BLOW YOU AWAY...with its smexy scenes.
Keep you reading...
Till you drop...
Might even be some pantie changing...
Let's not forget the most important...the hot ginger man in a kilt....
Who has dirty thoughts about his cocky Italian best friend...
Ohhh and their firefighters...like that isn't enough to suck you in.
Then mix in some gay porn...YES you read it PORN!
Who would have thought porn could be so sexy, HAH!
Which led to curiosity and YES people I googled HotHead.com...I blame Damon for that! So heads up, you'll get the urge to do the same.
All those goodies mixed in with a beautiful love shared between two sexy babes. What more could you ask for? My opinion is, if you haven't read this yet, then...
Bev you're an absolute darlz for this rec xx
It will BLOW YOU AWAY...with its smexy scenes.
Keep you reading...
Till you drop...
Might even be some pantie changing...
Let's not forget the most important...the hot ginger man in a kilt....
Who has dirty thoughts about his cocky Italian best friend...
Ohhh and their firefighters...like that isn't enough to suck you in.
Then mix in some gay porn...YES you read it PORN!
Who would have thought porn could be so sexy, HAH!
Which led to curiosity and YES people I googled HotHead.com...I blame Damon for that! So heads up, you'll get the urge to do the same.
All those goodies mixed in with a beautiful love shared between two sexy babes. What more could you ask for? My opinion is, if you haven't read this yet, then...
Bev you're an absolute darlz for this rec xx
April 6, 2019
4.5 Love is Love Stars
Dante is an arrogant womaniser manwhore. Well that's what he wants everyone to think including his best friend Griff, he has a massive secret that he wants to hide.
Griff is a HOT, big ginger scotsman with a heart of gold and he is absolutely infatuated with his best friend. He thinks nothing can come of it as gay men + firehouses = a no go, plus Griffs never been with a man, he's unsure if he's into other men of if it's just Dante.
Griff and Dante are New York firefighters and best friends who became even closer after 911.
Dante finds himself in financial trouble and finds this man that offers him great money to 'spank the monkey' in front of a camera for a gay website. The first scene Dante does was seriously hot!
Things get a little complicated when Dante begs Griff to do a scene with him for the site. You can feel the love these two have for each other and it's a little frustrating at times while both Griff and Dante hide and deny their feelings.
Man when these two come together (pun intended) away from the camera, it leads to one of the hottest M/M scenes I've read!!
I wasmajorly a little bummed that we didn't get a repeat performance though.
A touching best friends to lovers romance with a good plot that keep me flying through the pages, my only negative is that I would have loved more!!
Dante is an arrogant womaniser manwhore. Well that's what he wants everyone to think including his best friend Griff, he has a massive secret that he wants to hide.
Griff is a HOT, big ginger scotsman with a heart of gold and he is absolutely infatuated with his best friend. He thinks nothing can come of it as gay men + firehouses = a no go, plus Griffs never been with a man, he's unsure if he's into other men of if it's just Dante.
Griff and Dante are New York firefighters and best friends who became even closer after 911.
Dante finds himself in financial trouble and finds this man that offers him great money to 'spank the monkey' in front of a camera for a gay website. The first scene Dante does was seriously hot!
Things get a little complicated when Dante begs Griff to do a scene with him for the site. You can feel the love these two have for each other and it's a little frustrating at times while both Griff and Dante hide and deny their feelings.
Man when these two come together (pun intended) away from the camera, it leads to one of the hottest M/M scenes I've read!!
I was
A touching best friends to lovers romance with a good plot that keep me flying through the pages, my only negative is that I would have loved more!!
November 26, 2016
So I've been reading this again...and again...and again... Well, from Chapter 15 onwards only.
This is one of my MOST FAVORITE M/M ROMANCE BOOK TO DATE.
Dante & Griff is one of my MOST FAVORITE M/M ROMANCE COUPLE TO DATE too!
Griff is one of my favorite MCs. I love how he pines for Dante and his inner struggle with his feelings. He's this big, really hot guy but doesn't think of himself that way. He's humble and has a big heart.
Warning: NSFW pic quote
What I don't like about this book is that it's loooooooong. And frustrating. Their romance was kind of slow burn. And if you're not patient, then BE PATIENT. XD
Gladly the final chapters made up to all the frustration.
Btw, Griff & Dante together on that
This is a MUST READ if you're a M/M Romance fan.
Just read it.
Enjoy! :D
*first read November 2013
June 18, 2011
I've had Mr. Suede on my radar for some time now—well, I'll be honest. After he gave a glowing review of Double Blind, calling it better than Special Delivery, he had Randy's attention, because Randy has a soft spot for people who like his book better. Now that I knew his name, I kept seeing it on lists and in various corners of the Internet. Then I saw him give an interview, and I saw he had a book.
Randy was intrigued. Especially when he saw the cover and read the blurb.
So the other night, I bought it, and I read it, all in one sitting. This alone from me is high praise, because I like nothing more than a book I can wolf down like a pack of Ding Dongs. Hands down for me the best part of Suede is his voice. It's strong and intense and deliciously manic. If you want to know if you'll like the voice, just read the excerpt. You will or you won't, and he begins as he means to go on. He was full of one-liners and banter and Mutant Enemy-esque quips. It was a very good time. And pacing—I'm not sure I want to ride in a car with Suede without sedation, because if he drives like he writes, he must not dip the needle below sixty very often even in town. Love that in a book, though, so I was entertained. Highly.
Like a good human, Suede has his flaws. I would like to sit with him and a fifth of Jameson's and discuss arcs and flashbacks (NO!) and above all, that only Tolkien gets to have that many endings, and it didn't even work when he did it. (Didn't work when I did it either, and I'm looking at you, Miles.) But in my opinion, his strengths compensate for these niggles in a big way, so I'm cool. But man alive, I'd like to be his beta reader.
Now, I'm also going to discuss one point I can see others calling a flaw which I'd like to defend in advance: the relationship he describes between the boys. I can hear "it's been done" or "the porn setup is too cute" and a million other dismissals. In my mind that's not a flaw. That's called embracing the genre. The whole point of picking up a romance is to feel comfortable. It's okay if an author wants to introduce twists or step outside the box, but it's also perfectly okay to say, "You're going to see this coming a mile away." And for a first novel? Good play by Suede. I would say, in fact, that using the best-friends-turn-gay trope plus the plot setup we KNOW will lead to delicious trouble was a brilliant way to give himself a rock.
So the takeaway is that I loved this book, and I recommend it. You might want to peek at the excerpt to make sure his mania is going to delight you not drive you up a wall. But if you want to watch two very Noo Yawk men and a big fat Italian family (plus one of the best fucking dykes I've ever seen) romp around for several hundred pages while love blooms in the middle of some deliciously hot fucking—then I say go for it.
Randy was intrigued. Especially when he saw the cover and read the blurb.
So the other night, I bought it, and I read it, all in one sitting. This alone from me is high praise, because I like nothing more than a book I can wolf down like a pack of Ding Dongs. Hands down for me the best part of Suede is his voice. It's strong and intense and deliciously manic. If you want to know if you'll like the voice, just read the excerpt. You will or you won't, and he begins as he means to go on. He was full of one-liners and banter and Mutant Enemy-esque quips. It was a very good time. And pacing—I'm not sure I want to ride in a car with Suede without sedation, because if he drives like he writes, he must not dip the needle below sixty very often even in town. Love that in a book, though, so I was entertained. Highly.
Like a good human, Suede has his flaws. I would like to sit with him and a fifth of Jameson's and discuss arcs and flashbacks (NO!) and above all, that only Tolkien gets to have that many endings, and it didn't even work when he did it. (Didn't work when I did it either, and I'm looking at you, Miles.) But in my opinion, his strengths compensate for these niggles in a big way, so I'm cool. But man alive, I'd like to be his beta reader.
Now, I'm also going to discuss one point I can see others calling a flaw which I'd like to defend in advance: the relationship he describes between the boys. I can hear "it's been done" or "the porn setup is too cute" and a million other dismissals. In my mind that's not a flaw. That's called embracing the genre. The whole point of picking up a romance is to feel comfortable. It's okay if an author wants to introduce twists or step outside the box, but it's also perfectly okay to say, "You're going to see this coming a mile away." And for a first novel? Good play by Suede. I would say, in fact, that using the best-friends-turn-gay trope plus the plot setup we KNOW will lead to delicious trouble was a brilliant way to give himself a rock.
So the takeaway is that I loved this book, and I recommend it. You might want to peek at the excerpt to make sure his mania is going to delight you not drive you up a wall. But if you want to watch two very Noo Yawk men and a big fat Italian family (plus one of the best fucking dykes I've ever seen) romp around for several hundred pages while love blooms in the middle of some deliciously hot fucking—then I say go for it.
September 17, 2018
Wow, how my tastes have changed. I read this book years ago and did the audio some time later. I now tried the audio again and I can honestly say I kind of hated it.... I thought about leaving my original rating, but I just can't.... I would now rate it around 2 stars, so that's what I'll do.
My main problem with this book is that it felt tacky. Like this book uses words like meat to describe a cock. And this is just one example. Now, meat is not a sexy word for cock in my book. But I could be wrong here..
It is said that basically every firefighter is a manwhore and a serialcheater. Dante is one of the worst. Now I can do a converted manwhore just fine, but it is mentioned he had a fiancée, a girlfriend, and several friends-with-benefits on the side. This did not endear me to his character. I also got really annoyed when I had to read (listen) to Griff seeing Dante with his hand up a girls… uhm, private area, in the middle of a bar.
And I got pretty tired of how sexual everything had to be. I mean, Griff beats off in the toilet of a bar because he can’t get rid of his hard on. I found that to be very sad, not hot. I felt as if basically everything revolved around sex in this. It was like these guys didn’t have a lot of other feelings besides being horny.
I’m quite disappointed my re-read was such a bust. But it happens….
My main problem with this book is that it felt tacky. Like this book uses words like meat to describe a cock. And this is just one example. Now, meat is not a sexy word for cock in my book. But I could be wrong here..
It is said that basically every firefighter is a manwhore and a serialcheater. Dante is one of the worst. Now I can do a converted manwhore just fine, but it is mentioned he had a fiancée, a girlfriend, and several friends-with-benefits on the side. This did not endear me to his character. I also got really annoyed when I had to read (listen) to Griff seeing Dante with his hand up a girls… uhm, private area, in the middle of a bar.
And I got pretty tired of how sexual everything had to be. I mean, Griff beats off in the toilet of a bar because he can’t get rid of his hard on. I found that to be very sad, not hot. I felt as if basically everything revolved around sex in this. It was like these guys didn’t have a lot of other feelings besides being horny.
I’m quite disappointed my re-read was such a bust. But it happens….
September 24, 2011
This story varied between 3 stars and 2 stars. And towards the end, almost dropped to 1 star but for the benefit of the whole book, I chose 2 stars.
Griff seemed to me a most unbelievable character. Who in their right mind would think their best friend would jerk off and blow you for money? Despite numerous evidence to the contrary, Griff had only one tune: 'He doesn't love me. It's wrong to have these feelings for him. How can I stop myself?' And while that was cute and endearing in the beginning, it became tiresome and annoying after the 5th time it happened. Not to mention all the 'wonderful' metaphors Griff used in regards to his own body *rolls eyes*
Dante was a little bit hard to read at first. All evidence (seen by Griff) made him seem the stereotypical heterosexual, banging any girl that crossed his path. And the sudden switch to gay pornography was just that, as well as surprising. Though, in his defense, I could argue that Griff's obtuseness hid some of the other hints Dante left regarding his feelings for his best friend.
I remember reading a member's review where it said that this book contained a glossary of metaphors and synonyms for masturbation. I couldn't agree more! And while I appreciate the lexical lesson, sometimes less is better.
The ending of the book was more appropriate for a fairy tale. After mopping about Tommy's run-in with gay bashers, both Griff and Dante are embraced by everyone upon hearing they're together. Happy, happy, joy, joy. By the way... does the sentence before remind you of anything?! Repetitions after repetitions, writing every sound (when you could very well imagine it) that just drove me crazy (I won't even bring up the repetitions written together...)!! Took up space and did nothing to enrich or bring the story into focus. The same with Beth, the photographer. Other than show Dante a little weepy and way too possessive, I didn't see the point of 10-20 pages of detailing that scene.
I am pretty disappointed by this story. I tried to reason what it lacked... one thought was that the author was gay and pictured life as he saw it but if that is how gay men really feel and think... it just seems a bit too unromantic, crude and simple-minded.
Griff seemed to me a most unbelievable character. Who in their right mind would think their best friend would jerk off and blow you for money? Despite numerous evidence to the contrary, Griff had only one tune: 'He doesn't love me. It's wrong to have these feelings for him. How can I stop myself?' And while that was cute and endearing in the beginning, it became tiresome and annoying after the 5th time it happened. Not to mention all the 'wonderful' metaphors Griff used in regards to his own body *rolls eyes*
Dante was a little bit hard to read at first. All evidence (seen by Griff) made him seem the stereotypical heterosexual, banging any girl that crossed his path. And the sudden switch to gay pornography was just that, as well as surprising. Though, in his defense, I could argue that Griff's obtuseness hid some of the other hints Dante left regarding his feelings for his best friend.
I remember reading a member's review where it said that this book contained a glossary of metaphors and synonyms for masturbation. I couldn't agree more! And while I appreciate the lexical lesson, sometimes less is better.
The ending of the book was more appropriate for a fairy tale. After mopping about Tommy's run-in with gay bashers, both Griff and Dante are embraced by everyone upon hearing they're together. Happy, happy, joy, joy. By the way... does the sentence before remind you of anything?! Repetitions after repetitions, writing every sound (when you could very well imagine it) that just drove me crazy (I won't even bring up the repetitions written together...)!! Took up space and did nothing to enrich or bring the story into focus. The same with Beth, the photographer. Other than show Dante a little weepy and way too possessive, I didn't see the point of 10-20 pages of detailing that scene.
I am pretty disappointed by this story. I tried to reason what it lacked... one thought was that the author was gay and pictured life as he saw it but if that is how gay men really feel and think... it just seems a bit too unromantic, crude and simple-minded.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 19, 2012
This book was so fuckin' HOT...and SWEET!!
I have no idea why the hell I waited so long to read this! Maybe I heard too many mixed opinions? Or maybe I thought it was all porn because the MCs involved themselves in porn? Wow, how surprised am I?!! This was a LOVE STORY! Not porn!! A love story between two best friends, Griff and Dante.
I wouldn't even say there was a lot of sex. Every scene was important to the progression of the story. And when they finally did have sex...real sex, Oh. My. Fuck! was it HOT!!!! Fuck Monday Night Football! Give me Griff and Dante!!
What did I love about Griff? He was the big, quiet Scottish guy secretly in love with his best friend. I loved his devotion to Dante; Griff would do anything for him even when it wasn't exactly the wisest thing to do. He was mostly clueless and self-deprecating. How could I not love him?!
What did I love about Dante? He was the loud, Italian ladies man secretly in love with his best friend. I loved how possessive he was of Griff...and also of his family. His insecurities were touching and his jealousy was so cute. I would love to re-read this story from his POV.
What did I love about Griff and Dante together? I already said they were fuckin' hot! I loved the self discovery and the tenderness between them! So many sweet moments. Plus, they complemented each other perfectly.
What else did I love? The secondary characters: Dante's family, Alek, Tommy, and even Beth. Dante's family was so supportive of them both. I'm glad that Alek turned out to be a good guy and the pornography wasn't portrayed as skeevy, but as a business opportunity for real people. I liked how Beth put Dante in his place; she needs her own story! Tommy kept breaking my heart...over and over again. So I hope his story is next, but I'm just scared his will be too sad for me to read. Also, I'm glad this story wasn't too heavily focused on 9/11.
Why did I give it 4.5 Stars instead of 5? I didn't understand a lot of the phrases and wording used. Made me feel a bit dumb and a lot of it just went way too far over my head. Also, the beginning was a bit shaky with the info dump and timeline jumps. But after the first 2 chapters it evened out; I was hooked and found myself hiding in the bathroom so I could read without interruption.
Damon, please hurry up and finish the sequel. I want it NOW!
I was forced to ETA this: "Thank you, Gyn, for making me read this. You are so smart and always right"
I have no idea why the hell I waited so long to read this! Maybe I heard too many mixed opinions? Or maybe I thought it was all porn because the MCs involved themselves in porn? Wow, how surprised am I?!! This was a LOVE STORY! Not porn!! A love story between two best friends, Griff and Dante.
I wouldn't even say there was a lot of sex. Every scene was important to the progression of the story. And when they finally did have sex...real sex, Oh. My. Fuck! was it HOT!!!! Fuck Monday Night Football! Give me Griff and Dante!!
What did I love about Griff? He was the big, quiet Scottish guy secretly in love with his best friend. I loved his devotion to Dante; Griff would do anything for him even when it wasn't exactly the wisest thing to do. He was mostly clueless and self-deprecating. How could I not love him?!
What did I love about Dante? He was the loud, Italian ladies man secretly in love with his best friend. I loved how possessive he was of Griff...and also of his family. His insecurities were touching and his jealousy was so cute. I would love to re-read this story from his POV.
What did I love about Griff and Dante together? I already said they were fuckin' hot! I loved the self discovery and the tenderness between them! So many sweet moments. Plus, they complemented each other perfectly.
What else did I love? The secondary characters: Dante's family, Alek, Tommy, and even Beth. Dante's family was so supportive of them both. I'm glad that Alek turned out to be a good guy and the pornography wasn't portrayed as skeevy, but as a business opportunity for real people. I liked how Beth put Dante in his place; she needs her own story! Tommy kept breaking my heart...over and over again. So I hope his story is next, but I'm just scared his will be too sad for me to read. Also, I'm glad this story wasn't too heavily focused on 9/11.
Why did I give it 4.5 Stars instead of 5? I didn't understand a lot of the phrases and wording used. Made me feel a bit dumb and a lot of it just went way too far over my head. Also, the beginning was a bit shaky with the info dump and timeline jumps. But after the first 2 chapters it evened out; I was hooked and found myself hiding in the bathroom so I could read without interruption.
Damon, please hurry up and finish the sequel. I want it NOW!
I was forced to ETA this: "Thank you, Gyn, for making me read this. You are so smart and always right"
April 3, 2017
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
I haven’t read a lot of M/M – mainly because the porny librarian must be the straightest straight that ever straighted and doesn’t have a lot of them up for request. Hot Head was always available for request, but I avoided it so I wouldn’t get drawn and quartered in the town square if I ended up disagreeing with all of my GR friends. But guess what??????
I read the shit out of this thing right!
The story here is about Dante and Griffin, two firemen in Red Hook post 9/11. The two have been friends for as long as they can remember and Griff was practically adopted by Dante’s family when his mother passed away and his emotionally unavailble father became even more distant. Since Griffin’s wife divorced him, he’s noticed his feelings for Dante haven’t been quite as brotherly as they used to be. When Dante finds himself in a jam and in need of some quick cash before he loses his house he signs up on the local porn site “Hot Heads” where he will be paid to pull the pud or burp the worm or pump the stump or spank his crank or whatever wordsmithery is of your choosing. Dante discovers he can make even more money if he brings a friend to the shoot. Between Griff’s loyalty to his friend and his own curiosity regarding his feelings, he agrees to uhhhhh lend a hand *wink*. And then?????? This girl was on fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrreeeeeee . . . . .
I did have a couple of obstacles to overcome, so this will show you just how good Hot Head really was.
#1. Dante. Italian stallion fireman. So easy to picture . . . . .
Then I was told Griffin was a giant ginger and being the mother of white-trashy types of male humans I could only imagine Sheamus from WWE fame. I guess it could have been worse . . . .
#2. There were also some sexytimes things that just don’t appeal to me at all . . . .
But once I got past that everything else was good. REEEEEEEL GUD . . . . .
Color me surprised when it ended up being so adorably sweet in addition to being wicked hot. If you’re a pornohead who believes that . . . .
And wants to experience all the feely feels you haven’t felt since back when Jesus was a toddler and this gem was released . . . .
I highly recommend this one.
I haven’t read a lot of M/M – mainly because the porny librarian must be the straightest straight that ever straighted and doesn’t have a lot of them up for request. Hot Head was always available for request, but I avoided it so I wouldn’t get drawn and quartered in the town square if I ended up disagreeing with all of my GR friends. But guess what??????
I read the shit out of this thing right!
The story here is about Dante and Griffin, two firemen in Red Hook post 9/11. The two have been friends for as long as they can remember and Griff was practically adopted by Dante’s family when his mother passed away and his emotionally unavailble father became even more distant. Since Griffin’s wife divorced him, he’s noticed his feelings for Dante haven’t been quite as brotherly as they used to be. When Dante finds himself in a jam and in need of some quick cash before he loses his house he signs up on the local porn site “Hot Heads” where he will be paid to pull the pud or burp the worm or pump the stump or spank his crank or whatever wordsmithery is of your choosing. Dante discovers he can make even more money if he brings a friend to the shoot. Between Griff’s loyalty to his friend and his own curiosity regarding his feelings, he agrees to uhhhhh lend a hand *wink*. And then?????? This girl was on fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrreeeeeee . . . . .
I did have a couple of obstacles to overcome, so this will show you just how good Hot Head really was.
#1. Dante. Italian stallion fireman. So easy to picture . . . . .
Then I was told Griffin was a giant ginger and being the mother of white-trashy types of male humans I could only imagine Sheamus from WWE fame. I guess it could have been worse . . . .
#2. There were also some sexytimes things that just don’t appeal to me at all . . . .
But once I got past that everything else was good. REEEEEEEL GUD . . . . .
Color me surprised when it ended up being so adorably sweet in addition to being wicked hot. If you’re a pornohead who believes that . . . .
And wants to experience all the feely feels you haven’t felt since back when Jesus was a toddler and this gem was released . . . .
I highly recommend this one.
May 29, 2012
I'm gunna be honest. That picture above has nothing to do with any of the scenes in Hot Head, but has a whole heap to do with how I felt while reading it.
HAWT DAMN did I love this story. Loved it, loved it, loved it.
I'm relatively new to the m/m genre, but I've read a couple and I am not ashamed to admit that the guy on guy scene really cranks my chain. But this book went above and beyond my expectations. Holy sex on a stick Batman, these guys had me panting like a dog in heat. Just call me Randy, cause that's all I've been the entire time I read this book.
I haven't read anything by Damon Suede before but his writing truly blew me away. He is funny as shit. I was literally laughing out loud. I found myself letting out a bark of laughter at the most random times because Griff has the funniest internal dialogue I have ever heard. And not only was it funny, but it was romantic, the firemen aspects were realistic (my hubby is a fireman) and it was also sweet.
Oh, and don't forget a learning experience. Do guys really eat their own spoof?? Seriously?! Cool beans, whatever floats your boat I suppose. Honestly didn't do a thing to dampen the blood burning through my veins, if anything it made me giggle like a little girl.
A totally perfect combination.
Griff and Dante's story had me flicking pages like there was no tomorrow. I wanted to finish reading, yet I wanted it to last forever. And guess what...I have the monopoly on unrequited love. Not only am I lusting over a fictional character, but he's gay. Total buzz kill on all fronts.
So to all the fans of man on man action out there - I am standing on my soap box to announce this as a MUST READ and I don't do that very often. Do yourself a favour and pick up this book...and if you are home alone - stock up on batteries first.
High five Damon Suede- high five.
January 28, 2022
***9/7/15. This is still my favourite M/M story, and I just wanted to say that the audio book for this story is superb. Charlie David's narration isn't quite so mono-tonous as some other narrators I've listened to, and he makes the sex scenes between Griff and Dante come alive.....let's just say if you were a fly on the wall, you'd have swooned and fainted, the visuals and imagery were puddle of goo making.***
I really loved this book.
All of the characters were really cool
(except Griff's dad who was awful - yuk!). The Anastagio family were a sheer delight, and Sticky can come and serve in our local any day!.
Dante was really, really hot and funny to boot and Griff, well what can you say about him?
Kind, generous, protective, too sexy for his shirt, all of the nice things women (and some men) want to say about men applied to him. I'm so glad they realised that they were meant for each other in the end. 
Perfect book for me, sexy, funny, romantic, heartwarming, and of course, a happy ending!
I really loved this book.
All of the characters were really cool
(except Griff's dad who was awful - yuk!). The Anastagio family were a sheer delight, and Sticky can come and serve in our local any day!. Dante was really, really hot and funny to boot and Griff, well what can you say about him?
Kind, generous, protective, too sexy for his shirt, all of the nice things women (and some men) want to say about men applied to him. I'm so glad they realised that they were meant for each other in the end. Perfect book for me, sexy, funny, romantic, heartwarming, and of course, a happy ending!
January 1, 2020
Downgrading from 2.5 stars to 1 star because reasons.
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