Title: Love Me Tenor (Perfect Harmony #2)
Author: Annabeth Albert
Publisher: Kensington Books
Release Date: February 16, 2016
Genre(s): Contemporary/YA
Page Count: 320
Reviewed by: Renée
Heat Level: 3 flames out of 5
Rating: 4.4 stars out of 5
Blurb:
There’s no way he’ll shake this off…
Trevor Daniels is feeling aimless. A recent college grad, he’s not sure what to do with his useless degree, and his family all but abandoned him after he revealed the truth about himself. But a friend’s suggestion that he take his chances on a reality show aimed at finding the next big boy band strikes a chord with him—until the show’s producers convince him to act like he’s in a relationship with a guy who’s not at all his type. It isn’t exactly love at first sight for Jalen Smith either—but lust just might push them in an unexpected direction. If only their secrets weren’t even more twisted than their sheets, threatening to cost them the win—and each other…
This book really delivered for me. Trevor is a graduating college student who is about a month away from homelessness. He recently came out to his ultra-religious conservative family and was turned away. He won’t be welcome into the family business where his post-college plans had been as well. He gets a call about a reality singing competition that includes 24/7 cameras…..and housing. DONE!
It’s there he meets his “boyfriend” Jalen, who is “jacked like a Chevy with a lift kit.” You see, the producers plan to have each group of singers competing have a different image. Their group of 4? They’re the gays who are coupled off and in luuurve. But is it really such a hardship, Trevor?
“I’m bringing you African American, Mexican, and Hawaiian all in one hot package.”
Can you picture THAT? Jalen, come to mama. Alas, these two don’t get along at first. They snipe all the time. But that does eventually, deliciously, turn into sizzling flirting since they have to have it “turned on” for the cameras.
And the kink? There are some mild, but HAWT, kinks on display here. And one of my personal favorites if I do say so. Pretend hold-me-down-I’m-trying-to-get-away-but-I’m-really-not-you’re-gonna-leave-a-bruise-fuck-that’s-hot kink.
Trevor’s been in that super-religious environment for a long time. So he has some, hmmmmm, issues about sex. Self-hatred issues. And Jalen is this awesome balance between supportive and not letting him walk over him. But even Jalen (along with me) takes a while to understand the true depth of Trevor’s internal struggle.
He’d let dirty, dirty things happen to him, again because he was weak. There was nothing left to do except ride out the tidal wave of shame.
And once Jalen and Trevor begin spending hour upon hour, day upon day, together. The friendship builds. The trust builds. They have each others backs. Against the initially snarky other couple within their group Carson/Carter (still can barely tell them apart) and then against the invasive show’s personnel.
The reality show did NOT take up too much page time. This was a beautifully written story about Jalen and Trevor, with side characters who you will actually grow to love. Even stupid Carson/Carter.
It’s not often I give a high rating to a YA story, but this one is very much worth it. Recommended!!!
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