Hardwood
Four Bears Construction Series, Book Three
KM Neuhold
Release Date: 07.01.20
M/M Contemporary Romance
Blurb
I’ve spent forty-four years of my life telling the world I’m a carpet man. Is it too late to admit to myself and everyone else that deep down I’m really all about the Hardwood?
It took me over thirty-five years to admit to myself that I’m gay, another seven to find the courage to say it out loud to anyone else, and exactly thirty seconds to develop a massive crush on my daughter’s music teacher. It’s really not my fault, have you even seen those cute bowties he wears?
After everything it’s taken to get here, am I going to work up the nerve to come out to my ex-wife and my best friends? Am I ready to shake up my comfortable, simple life and take a chance on Watson? Or am I going to throw a wrench in my own chance for happily ever after?
***Hardwood is a steamy, seriously so much delicious tension, single-dad, gay awakening, low angst story, which happens to be the third in the Four Bears Construction Series. It CAN be read as a stand-alone. There are NO shifters in this series, only the OTHER kind of bears.
Excerpt
“Welcome then. I’ve been coming here for years, and it’s a great bar. Lots of nice people, and the drinks aren’t overpriced, not much more you could ask for out of a bar,” I ramble, taking another sip from my drink to shut my stupid mouth up.
The corner of his lip quirks up in an uncertain sort of half smile. “Thanks. I’m not sure I’ll become a regular, I’m kind of…trying it out,” he confesses.
“I get it.”
I glance over my shoulder to make sure my friends aren’t terribly bereft without me, and I’m unsurprised to find them both making vulgar gestures in my direction. Sometimes it’s hard to remember why I love them. I give them the finger and turn my attention back to Everett.
“So, what do you do for a living?”
“You don’t have to do that,” he says.
“Do what?” I cock my head curiously, pulling my eyebrows together.
“You saw me acting nervous in the parking lot and now you think I need a friend, right?” he guesses. “I appreciate it, but you don’t need to worry about me. I really am just here for a drink.”
“Wow, I clearly need to work on my flirting if it’s coming off as pity,” I joke. Yes, I figured he could use a friendly welcome after seeing how nervous he was outside. Would I also like to take him home and lick his abs, among other things? Also, yes.
“Sorry,” he says, giving me another one of those cute half-smiles. “I am so far outside of my comfort zone right now it’s not even funny.”
“Fuck comfort zones. When was the last time something memorable happened inside of a comfort zone?” I challenge.
A surprised laugh escapes his lips, and his half smile is cranked up to a full smile, and damn is he even more gorgeous when he smiles for real.
“You have a point there,” he agrees.
“I’m a genius,” I agree. “Listen, I won’t bug you if you’d rather be alone.”
He looks down at his glass, swirling it absently. “Construction,” he says.
“What?”
“You asked what I do for a living,” he explains. “I own a construction company.”
“Yeah, I can see that.” I nod and drain the rest of my drink, gesturing to Van for one more. “Now, when you’re all hot and sweaty, using your big, hard hammer to pound something, are you usually shirtless, or is that only how it works in porn?”
He snorts into his drink, sputtering a cough as he sets his glass down and reaches for a napkin. “I don’t think OSHA would approve of being shirtless on a work site,” he answers once he stops coughing.
I sigh dramatically. “I feel so lied to. If you can’t trust porn, who can you trust?”
“The eternal question,” he agrees solemnly.
4 of 5 Stars
First I need to say this cover is my favorite!!
While this probably could be read as a standalone, I think it is best enjoyed if the series is read in order. Both books one and two are good and you get a better picture of all the characters.
I’m usually not a fan of closeted characters because of the hurt factor for one of the characters and I never like the lack of or miscommunication. While there is a bit of hurt and some lack of communication it’s not too unbearable. I did get a bit upset with Everett as he continued to innocently hurt Watson with his secrets and lies and I think I did say one time to just “spit it out” when Everett debated coming clean about his sexuality.
These guys are pretty great together – perfect for each other and Watson is extremely patient while Everett figures his way. Their banter is entertaining and their sexual chemistry is off the charts.
Everett’s ex-wife is pretty amazing and I, of course, love seeing all the other ‘bears’ and their significant others.
While I liked seeing into the future with the epilogue, I was a bit upset we missed a couple of huge scenes and am hoping they surface somewhere in the future.
This is definitely another must-read in the series and I am anxiously awaiting Ollie’s story. He definitely deserves a phenomenal HEA.
About the Author
Author K.M.Neuhold is a complete romance junkie, a total sap in every way. She started her journey as an author in new adult, MF romance, but after a chance reading of an MM book she was completely hooked on everything about lovely- and sometimes damaged- men finding their Happily Ever After together. She has a strong passion for writing characters with a lot of heart and soul, and a bit of humor as well. And she fully admits that her OCD tendencies of making sure every side character has a full backstory will likely always lead to every book having a spin-off or series. When she’s not writing she’s a lion tamer, an astronaut, and a superhero…just kidding, she’s likely watching Netflix and snuggling with her husky while her amazing husband brings her coffee.