| Title | : | Covet Thy Neighbor (Tucker Springs, #4) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1640809058 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781640809055 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 153 |
| Publication | : | First published March 23, 2013 |
| Awards | : | Lambda Literary Award Gay Romance (2014) |
When tattoo artist Seth Wheeler meets his new neighbor, it’s like a revelation. Darren Romero is everything Seth wants in a hot, clever, single, and interested. For a minute he seems perfect. Then Darren drops the he moved to Tucker Springs to be a pastor at the New Light Church.
As a gay man whose parents threw him out, Seth has a strict policy of keeping believers at arm’s length for self-preservation. But Darren’s perseverance and the chemistry bubbling between them steadily wear down his defenses.
In a small town like Tucker Springs, Seth can’t avoid Darren—or how much he wants him. Which means he needs to decide what’s more protecting himself, or his feelings for his neighbor.
Covet Thy Neighbor (Tucker Springs, #4) Reviews
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What I love about
L.A. Witt is that she isn't afraid to try new things. Where most other authors don't want to go there and write a M/M romance with religion in it,
L.A. Witt dives right in. In fact, I think she is one of the most fearless authors out there, trying her hand in all sorts of genres, all sorts of pairing, all sorts of genders, all sorts of races, and just going for it!
I've read about two dozen (!!)
L.A. Witt books, if you count all of her other pen names, and it is always a mixed bag of good and bad for me. I liked this story, but I really had conflicted feelings about it in the end.
I'll start by talking about the narrator,
Charlie David, who is very popular in the world of M/M. Now, I enjoy Charlie David a lot, and I think he does a fabulous job with his emotions and timing while reading, but it drives me UP A WALL when a narrator doesn't change his voice when reading two MCs. It literally makes me crazy. I really, really need my narrator to have very separate voices for both MCs, and really for all side characters too, and I'm not particularly happy with anything less. I found this narration to be a bit frustrating because, while I loved Charlie's acting skills, I had a hard time following who was talking some of the time.
Now, in terms of the plot, this book also has me divided. I'm always interested in reading stories with religion in them because, well, I'm fascinated by really religious people. Some of my closest friends in the past have been orthodox Jews, and I've learned so much about what really believing in something intangible means (interesting lessons for a mostly secular Jew like myself). I personally am friends with three different ministers/rabbis, the two ministers both being lesbians (what are the odds??), and only one of them can I picture dating a non-believer. Mixed religion relationships are very difficult things to navigate, as I know well, having dated a devout Catholic and then marrying an atheist.
Honestly, I had a hard time imaging someone who is a pastor marrying a non-Christian. I really struggled with it. Even if Darren decided that he didn't mind having open discussions with someone who didn't share his beliefs, it is hard to forget that Darren's whole JOB requires him to give sermons and spend lots of time at the church. There are also many holidays to observe, traditions to preform, and speeches to make. It was just unfathomable to me that these two men would be able to be together and not participate in these events as a unit.
My husband is an atheist who was raised Christian, and the only way it has managed to work out so well between us is because he is totally cool with us doing the Jewish holidays and traditions. If my husband really believed that Jesus was his lord and savior and wanted our kids to believe too? Yeah, it would never work between us. It is one of those things that I tried to wrap my brain around in the story, and I'm still not sure if it made total sense to me, even knowing that Darren's religious beliefs are only one facet of his life and not even close to the whole thing.
Much of this book (most, I'd even venture to say), focuses around sex and discussions of religion. Seth and Darren both have baggage from past relationships and past religious experiences, and it was really interesting to read about that, even if it wasn't new ground for me. In terms of sex, these guys had a lot of it, and I thought that scenes were really hot and well done. I liked the chemistry between these two guys, and though I wish I had Darren's POV, I thought that the story was well-told.
This whole review is a jumble of mixed emotions. It was an easy listen, with some good and some not so good, but it made me think so I guess we can call it a win.
**Copy provided in exchange for an honest review** -
L.A. Witt is a hit-or-miss author for me. This latest story from Tucker Springs world, though, was a 'hit' ...
While the blurb made me a bit weary at first -- I tried to stay away from anything religious-based because they could be downright preachy OR stereotypical, like all people with certain faith and beliefs would always be hateful towards homosexuality (kinda tired of that set-up) -- this one did it 'right'. I enjoyed the discussion between Seth and Darren. It was never down to the border of annoying and preachy.
Another thing that made this worked was that the perspective was written from Seth, the atheist one. Usually, when the story was related to religion, it would be from the person who questions his faith or 'suffers' because of his religion. While Seth was, in some way, became atheist because of the treatment he got from his religious family -- but it was his problem of liking 'the enemy' so to speak, that was the main issue here.
Although, I have to say that for someone who claimed to be an atheist, Seth surely brought up beliefs A LOT when he was contemplating of pursuing the relationship with Darren (instead of the other way around ^^)
I enjoyed Seth's internal monologue. I enjoyed Darren's perspective about being gay and having faith. So yep, I loved it...
PS: This is an example of story, in which I desperately want an "Epilogue" of. It will be nice if there's an epilogue, like several months into the future, just to see that Seth and Darren are able to work things out and get a complete HEA. -
The church and sexuality; a potentially explosive combination and boy did this book start with a bang. Wham bam thank you ma'am to be exact!
Seth - is a tattoo artist who was thrown out of and cut off from his family as a young man after telling them he is gay. This this was too much for his family being ultra-conservative Christians and couldn't reconcile their beliefs with Seth's revelation about his sexuality. He was left to fend for himself from a very early age and subsequently loses all faith in religion.
Darren - is a minister and has suffered the narrow mindedness of people too in his own life, but he never gave up his beliefs or faith. However, at least Darren's family could reconcile their differences eventually loving him and supporting him as a family should.
You couldn't get two characters who are more apart on ideals and beliefs if you tried and yet when Darren moves into the apartment next to Seth's both their worlds collide and they are thrown for a loop. After Darren arrives, Seth takes Darren out for an evening to show him around town. The chemistry is there and the evening ends up with them having sizzling sex. The traditional one-night stand with all the recriminations the morning after. Despite all this Seth can't get Darren out of his mind and they still can't keep their hands off each other.
"If there was anything worse than an awkward morning after, it was two awkward mornings after in a row."
I found this was great writing from the author, you could feel the MCs awkwardness and yet their longing for each other. At the beginning the first couple of times both sides try to ignore what is so obvious, just having stress relieving gratifying sex, but no commitment or strings. Yeah, right!
As the plot unfolds you can feel Seth's internal struggle is heart is split in two. On the one hand he finds Darren the best thing that has happened to him in ages, on the other he can't accept what he had experienced as a child, the church represents everything that went wrong with his life. So there's no way he could fall for a minister.
I loved the character of Darren, patient and non-demanding on Seth. A minister who smokes pot gets a tattoo done and has no problems about his sexuality. Wow - not your stereotypical minister, quite the opposite in fact.
"I wasn't sure what to make of a gay minister who smoked pot, had the occasional one-night stand, and now had a tattoo"
However, you are never left in any doubt about the conviction in Darren's faith.
These two guys play a merry dance around each other until Seth finds out that Darren is responsible for a hostel which shelters and looks after LGBT teenagers who have been thrown out of their families due to their sexuality. He goes one evening and meets a young girl who is a loner and always sits to one side. As she tells her story, Seth can totally relate to his own history and gains the trust of the youngster. This was such a beautiful part of the story. Sadly this also happens all too often in real life too.
However, even though Darren realises he is in love, it's the one thing that Seth is still defensive about. After the subject is broached Seth goes on the defensive and shuns Darren away and ends up making himself totally miserable. His excuse being that after what happened to him he couldn't possibly have a relationship with a minister. The real truth being he doesn't want to take the risk of being hurt like that again should things not work out. After being miserable for quite a while he plucks up the courage to speak to Darren and then one of the most beautiful kiss and make-up stories I have ever read transpires.
OK, it can be argued that the plot of this story is very simplistic, however for me the plot was not the defining fact here. I loved the way the author got real feeling and emotion into her writing. You could feel the internal anguish Seth was going through, Darren confident in everything, these two constantly going around in circles until they find the common understanding that they need to accept each other and give the relationship a go.
When I first thought about reading this book my main apprehension was the religious theme. Again all too dangerous for any author to fall into the stereotypical trope of Church (bad guys) and outcast son (guy to be pitied upon). This was not the case. Once again L.A. Witt deals with this theme superbly. Giving a non-discriminatory view by presenting both sides of the coin. Seth had suffered as a young man due to his family being super religious, but Darren is a mirrored opposite who despite himself having experienced rejection even within the church itself, has never given up on his faith. This was handled by the author absolutely beautifully and it is this, the opposing views that find their common ground in the end is the substance for me that rocks this book!
While I was reading this book I thought it was quite fitting to hear the latest news headline about what Pope Francis had said, "If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?"
Then L.A. Witt writes in her book, "But I realised who I was, and God wouldn't reject me for that."
Another great buddy read with Tina, Bev and Gina
~ A copy of this book was provided by Riptide Publishing for a fair and honest review ~
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I really like the Tucker Srings Series so I was looking forward to this one very much even though I'm not a great fan of religious undertones in books. So as soon as I got notification that it was downloadable I had it on my Kindle like a shot! Any disappointment? Not a one... I've thoroughly enjoyed Seth and Darren's story and I'm sad its finished.
The thing that made it 5 stars for myself was the chemistry between the two guys and the sizzling sexual tension ( and hot love scenes! ) that's generated between them whenever they're together... Its really palpable, the unbreakable eye contact, the lingering handshakes and the heated atmosphere that surrounds them whenever they meet in the corridor of their apartments. They where feeling it, and so was I.....and its very tastefully handled!
Now getting to the religious aspects. I wondered how LA would handle it but I didn't have to worry at all. Obviously there are discussions about religious points of view but don't worry there is definitely no preaching or prating. Darren is nothing like the expectations we shouldn't but do sometimes have about people of faith, for one thing he's gay and out - and a lot more of his actions are in fact the COMPLETE opposite of what's generally expected! At the same time though, he still holds to his beliefs and is a caring christian man who has also had moments of doubt and this is also why he comes across as a real person and not a holier than thou stereotype. Its this side of him that Seth cant get his head around, leading to the confusing feelings he has for Darren that he keeps trying to push away!
Seth is his complete opposite, made so by the callous rejection of his family who themselves where fundamental Christians and anti -gay...so you have these two men, madly attracted to each other but with a big sword hanging over their heads, stopping them from taking that final plunge. Most of the rejection in the book comes from Seth who can't understand why he's drawn to someone so different in faith and he is the one who fights against it the most and there are some moments when you want to shake him, but overall I was totally engrossed and rooting for the HEA which again didn't disappoint at all! After a while even though the religious thread is always there it became more about the growing love and the dancing around each other that kept me glued to this m/m romance. Oh and you get to meet some of the past characters again which is aways great in a series. I loved it. Keeper! -
2.5 stars
I found this one to be extremely undeveloped and simplistic. Seth is an atheist and a tattoo artist. Darren is a Christian and a minister. They become neighbors and immediately have sex. Then Seth freaks that he can't possibly be with a Christian, because his Christian family disowned him for his homosexuality.
The bottom line is Christianity and atheism are NOT compatible belief systems. This goes beyond just believing in god on some kind of philosophical level; it's about world-views, political affiliations, actions. That's not to say Christians can't be fabulous, open-minded people, but, let's face it, most Christian churches don't teach tolerance and open-mindedness; most faith is built on control and following along.
None of the deeper issues are addressed in this book, and everything is resolved too easily. We only get Seth's POV, not Darren's. Darren's character was so undeveloped, I kind of forgot his name. And Seth just comes across as angry and insecure, like he's 18 instead of 30.
There was potential here, but it was wasted. Even the sex here (the foundation of Seth's and Darren's relationship) was formulaic: hot guy screws another hot guy, blah, blah, blah.
It's too bad, because I typically love L.A. Witt's books. This one just didn't work for me. It was the weakest in the Tucker Springs series, IMO. -
Full review to come after the wedding (my sister's that is)
Pre-Review
I want to read this because I really like Seth, and was really looking forward to him getting his own book, but I have major reservations about this one. I'm really not looking forward to the romance with the Youth Pastor. Call me judgmental, but that is not appealing to me in the slightest. In fact a small petulant part of me is stomping her feet, and whining about it.
I hope I am proven wrong, but it still leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I think he deserves better than some Youth Pastor (please don’t let him be preachy, I really HATE preachy, and if he tries to convert Seth I will not be held responsible for the fit I will throw.). I am more than a bit biased though.
We shall see.
This is my own very opinionated opinion and shouldn’t be taken as an assault or judgment of anyone in particular. -
If this hadn't been part of the Tucker Springs series, I don't think I would have read Covet Thy Neighbor. Although religious beliefs have a huge impact on people and how they live their lives, I usually find religion a topic I choose to avoid in my reading. Particularly if it forms a significant part of the story which I expected in this case due to one of the lead characters being a minister.
However I was pleasantly surprised!
The religious discussions and opinions were handled beautifully. Darren, the minister, was well portrayed and a very likable character with a great sense of humour. "I'm from Oklahoma. I get a bloody nose stepping onto a curb.". With his forwardness towards Seth and his roof-top activities, he was not the stereotypical minister by any means!
It was great to see the immediate attraction between the characters of Seth and Daniel and the level of hotness! They related beautifully together and made a great couple. Both men had such wonderful and caring hearts.
It was interesting to see Seth's confusion played out as he struggled with his feelings. "I just wanted to be in the same room with him. And I also wanted to be on the opposite side of the planet from him. I wanted Monday to get here so I could go hiking, and I hoped to hell a meteor landed in Tucker Springs on Sunday night so I wouldn't have to face a trial and a full day alone with him."
I thought Seth's automatic dismissal of anyone Christian was a bit overdone or perhaps I just didn't absorb the level of impact his family's actions had on him. I also didn't think that Seth's admission of the treatment he had experienced at his old church was needed for the story. But neither of these things detracted from my overall enjoyment. -
4.5 stars!
When I started reading m/m, the Tucker Springs series has been one of the first I started and while I liked the three previous parts quite well, I didn't fall in love with the characters, they seemed all a little too underdeveloped, but I am very happy that I gave Covet Thy Neighbor a try. It has been a very entertaining read despite the often difficult topic of religion in an m/m romance.
Tattoo-artist Seth and youth paster Darren are made for each other despite the difficulties they have to overcome in the beginning. I loved the growing attraction between them and the fact that they weren't able to keep their fingers from each other. They fit so perfectly together and I am very happy that they were willing to take the risk of getting hurt. I can't wait to read the other installments in the series and I hope that I might be able to catch a glimps at Seth and Darren from time to time.
A very entertaining read! -
Sweet story about a tattoo artist and a minister and lots of aggressive fucking.
I really wanted to scream at Seth most of the book because he was the one being the hypocrite about religion...not Darren!! I'm not really convinced that these two guys will make it in a relationship, but I still enjoyed their story. -
Being an atheist myself and coming from a devout Christian background I had every sympathy with Seth in this story. Luckily for me my parents way of thinking is more like that of the other main character in this book, Darren the minister. At least I have a Mother & Father that fight the religious/gay battles with their own vicar on my behalf. Love 'em.
Great story and great writing. Seth is a wonderful character, so very well drawn.
Hot sex, angst and a lovely story. I wish these characters the very best of luck. -
I was hesitant to read this installment given the religious theme. But when my lovely GR friends asked me to buddy read the book I gave in and haven't regretted it.
Anyone who has read the previews books of the Tucker Springs series will immediately recognize Seth, the openly gay, laid back tattoo artist. Seth comes from an ultra religious family. When he came out he was thrown out and permanently disowned. The loss of family is a wound that never fully heals, and being attracted to Darren, his new neighbor and a youth minister, is like going in the past and living his trauma again. Seth wants to protect himself and that means distance from Darren and distance from the religion that hurt him so deeply.
Darren moves to Tucker Spring to make a new life for himself. Living across the hall makes it hard for Seth to avoid the minister but Darren refuses to give up on their friendship and possible relationship even as Seth fights the growing attraction between them. Darren blew me away with his presence and open-mindedness. I fell in love with him from the start. He is a very positive character, the most non-judgmental person ever.
Another element of this story that grabbed me was Darren's work with the GLBT youth shelter. The scene with Seth and the trans girl is heart-wrenching. It reminds of all the children out there living this awful fate.
Lori Witt has created an entertaining story. Great dialogues transport an intensely important underlying message into the storyline. The religious aspect was well done showing how Christian faith can exist without bigotry and homophobia .
Hopefully we will see many more stories from Tucker Springs, a brilliant series with a great caste of characters.
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Buddy read with the FF-gang. Thanks, my friends. It was a pleasure reading it with you. As always. :) -
I loved this book. So far I've only read books 3 & 4 but this was definitely the one I preferred. Loved Seth, I adored him and even when he was being harsh, I loved him. It was interesting to read his views as an Atheist. I have always had a spot for books where Religion is questioned and not just preached about. This one did that well.
Darren and Seth together was an interesting combination. I always find the differences between characters in books can be one of the best parts of a story. It's a lot like real life to be honest. Opposites attract, but Seth and Darren were not as opposite as people would have presumed. That instantly drew me in.
The story was really hot at times. The MC's chemistry jumped out at me several times and for me I was glad. I loved both MC's as individuals, but when it all boiled down to it I enjoyed them as a couple. Nothing really irked me when they were together and that was good, they talked a lot and it helped me.
The scenes at the church with the teenagers was sweet. If I am being honest it could have been my favourite scene. I loved Seth's interaction while he was there and the way he helped the girl was lovely. He even managed to shock Darren, that was a nice surprise to see.
I'm not sure everyone will love this book. It goes into religion a lot which can irritate people, but it depends if you are against religion in books or not. I liked it in this case because it was part of the MC's and their troubled past. It opened the story a lot for me and connected the MC's.
Highly recommend this book! -
Seth Wheeler has been an atheist and has kept clear of anything or anyone religious since his family disowned him and his church excommunicated him. He has settled his life in Tucker Springs where he owns his own business, counts his friends as his family and hooks up hen the mood strikes him. His world is turn upside down as soon as he meets and befriends Darren Romero. Especially since his attraction to the minister is instant and his conviction that all Christians are against his sexuality and his beliefs is put to the test as soon as they start getting to know each other.
Darren moved to Tucker Spring to make a new life for himself. Although he finds Seth extremely attractive and their chemistry is explosive, he isn't a one-night stand kind of guy and he won't settle for anything less than Seth's honesty regarding their relationship. Friends or lovers, he wants Seth in his life without secrets, hang-ups or awkwardness standing between them.
I have been waiting for Seth's story ever since I met him in Where Nerves End where he caught my attention, tempting me to want to know more about him. As I started reading this title I was so happy to see that what I assumed about Seth was mostly true. Although he stays away from establishing long-lasting romantic relationships, Seth has a good heart with an adorable, vulnerable side to him that tugged at my heart strings.
L.A. Witt delivered a heart-felt romantic story where emotions ranged from frustration, disbelief and pain all through acceptance, lust and ultimately love. Mostly I appreciated the doubts and hesitations each character displayed regarding the relationship that was developing between them. If those were not to in place, my rating would have been completely different because it was while Seth analyzed and questioned that his true-self came to light and for me that was the highlight of my reading experience. Seth's developing throughout the story was a treat to read, especially how he came to accept a lot of things that he once would have never considered before meeting Darren.
I enjoyed how Seth and Darren finally came together and how their chemistry felt palpable from the start. Through their banter and flirtatious dialogue I could see how their connection could lead to more than a sexual relationship. Their honesty about their beliefs and their easy acceptance of each other was the first step in revealing how great Seth and Darren were for each other. The author did a great job of developing that bond between them throughout the story by having them share their past, their doubts and their lust.
Although Covet Thy Neighbor is the fourth book in the Tucker Springs series it can be read as a stand alone. I am looking forward to Never a Hero, the next book in the series, scheduled for a May release.
I received this title from Riptide Publishing through NetGalley in exchange of my honest opinion. -
This story gives us one MC who is a Christian minister, trying to live his life and keep his faith according to the New Testament and not the Old. Darren doesn't see being gay as incompatible with his belief in God or in the words of Jesus. He tries to be positive, do good work, and enjoy the world as it has been created in all its diversity.
Seth, however, was rejected and exiled by a family and faith community who held by the harsher Old-Testament views of homosexuality. He's bitter and burned, and unable to reconcile any kind of Christianity and gay. Darren appeals to him, in every way, except for his stubborn insistence on the value of his church and his faith. Seth can't help wanting Darren, but, given their conflicting views, he has no trust that they can have more than one hot night together. Or two. Or three.
I enjoyed this story a lot, particularly the beginning and the end. For a while in the middle, I thought Seth was being implausibly difficult, but as more of his background was revealed, his actions seemed more understandable. Darren was a bit perfect, but I liked him enough that I didn't care, and the presence of religion as a bone of contention on the opposite side from usual made this an interesting and very enjoyable read. -
3.5 stars rounding up to 4
First off let me say that I DID really enjoy this book - it was very thought provoking in a sneaky kinda way. It was also very sexy too. I liked the characters and I have to say "Tucker Springs" is really growing on me.
The only thing that kept me from loving this one is So again it's not you book, it's me, that has the problem here.
It's a good story and I am glad I bought it, and I am glad I read it - I just wish it had been about 100 pages longer. -
Buddy read with Tina, Gina and Mark...thank you my lovelies, and here's to many more!! Good story, but religion and insta-lust (and you a pastor too Darren tut, tut!!) are two of my pet peeves, and that knocked a star off. 4 stars
I have to say the religious overtones were handled very sensitively by the author, but I just hate it when religion gets involved in gay stories, and as one of the MC's is a pastor, it was quite difficult for me to get more invested in the characters sorry, but nicely written as usual by LA. -
I have to gather my thoughts
This is book 4 in the Tucker Springs series, which I'm reading in order, and though you don't have to, I feel that it's a good idea as previous characters are visited, even if briefly, and others are set up for future books. Having said that mouthful it kind of pains me to say that this one didn't work for me.
***This might get spoilerish***
The whole premise of this book is an "opposites attract", dynamic to which end we have Seth, Micheal & Jason's tattooist friend from Where Nerves End and he also appears in the other books. He co-owns a tattoo parlor and lives in an apartment above the shop. He grew up in a family of Christian extremists who disowned him once he came out as both gay and a non-beleiver, so of course his polar opposite is Darren, a Christian youth pastor, who has just moved in next door.
On paper this has the makings of a 'red meat' romance. One where we're going to roll up our sleeves and get into some maybe unpleasant corners. I live for these things and having come off the high of Dirty Laundry I rubbed my hands and hunkered down. Pretty soon it was clear that I would be disappointed. Every good Space Opera, one-handed smut fest, or fantastical shifter romp has one important thing going for it: a foundation of truth. This doesn't have that.
Seth is supposed to be an atheist and also someone who has been deeply hurt by his family's rejection due to his sexual orientation. I believe the latter but not the former. Atheism is in itself a form of belief, not just saying "I don't believe because my parents rejected me". Presumably Seth started doubting in childhood and later in college, but this is never fleshed out other than in a throwaway sentence. Seth's atheism seems at worst a conceit for the plot or at best a bratty boy's reaction to having been hurt.
Darren is a Youth Pastor who rents the apartment next door to Seth's. I'm all about sex positivity but damn is Darren quick to jump Seth's bones! I get insta-attraction and insta-lust but for better or worse people in the Pastoring business tend to be a tad more circumspect when it comes to romantic attachments, or at least they should be. Whatever. The insta-boning didn't throw me off, though it also didn't do much for me. In general the attraction between Darren & Seth felt like ... meh? What had me shaking my head NO, NO, NO, was turning this pretty HUGE difference of opinion/belief into a Lifetime movie where love overcomes everything in 90 pat minutes.
My problem: I don't believe these two can last if they are who they say they are or believe what they believe, which for Darren amounts to the same thing. Let's face it, Seth really just has to overcome seeing Darren in the same light as his horrible family and to be honest Darren is far from that stripe of zealot. He seems, at least in his own beliefs, to fall within modern Christian churches that zero in on social work and outreach as opposed to the fire and brimstone preaching. Amen brother! Cool! But ... yep, Darren still is a Christian pastor. Though he eschews most of the Old Testament as parable (yeah!) and the New Testament is all about LOVE and that's AWESOME but ... there's a niggle. Among all of this love there're also those bits about living in God's Grace & resurrection and let's not forget that another part of being a pastor is to EVANGELIZE and bring people to live the righteous path. Nothing wrong with that but also something I don't think can be brushed under the rug and the final resolution to the detente between Seth & Darren is "do your thing, I'll do mine, and I won't ever try to bring you to my side of the aisle". ... See what I mean? Either Darren won't be long for the pastoring life or he won't be a very good one or he doesn't truly love Seth. We don't know, and here's another problem, it was never very clear, at least not to me, why or what he believes. The only thing that was obvious to me was that he had the hots for Seth and is a bossy bottom. No judgement. On the other hand Seth seems like he can be brought back to the Church with two beers and one good blow job. So there's that. Maybe this will be HEA after all.
I'll stop now. I've said enough or maybe I haven't explained well enough. I dunno. *sigh*
The writing is fine and Seth's inner monologue is pretty funny. We get to visit with some of the guys and there's a pretty subtle set-up for one of the MCs in the next book. And if you're not riled up, like I evidently was, by what seems a contrived antagonism for the MCs, you may enjoy this as a harmless trifle or a bridge within the series. Also it's pretty short.
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Review posted at
The Armchair Reader.
3.5 stars
I was quasi-curious about this one because the books in the series before this have been luke-warm, in my opinion. They weren't bad, not at all, but none of them really affected me either. And I'm naturally curious, yet likewise nervous about reading a book where a character is a priest, or if religion is a heavy topic. I know that a lot of you are as well. But even though it came into play pretty heavily in this book, it wasn't dogmatic in any way. In fact, religion wasn't the issue really. Put anything in place of religion in this case and it would have served the same purpose. Religion in this book is simply a placeholder for any issue that affects Seth in a way to impede his romantic life and serve as a road-block in developing relationships. The fact that Darren is a youth pastor just forces him to face his demons head-first. Though he tries pretty hard not to ;)
A shitty childhood in a right-wing fundamentalist family leaves Seth with a lot of emotional damage as an adult. He's made his own life, but only by running away and putting the past behind him. And the past firmly consists of anything associated with religion. When Darren moves to Tucker Springs and into the apartment across from him, it's like he's been smacked in the face with the world's best attempt at hotness. Darren is gorgeous, and even more he's … nice. Not exactly what Seth was expecting.
The two don't waste time jumping into bed, and though they catalogue their relationship as friends, their chemistry keeps pulling them together for hot one-offs that leave them awkwardly shuffling across the hall in the morning. When Seth finds out that Darren is a youth pastor, it turns everything on it's head. Only, he's already somewhat attached. And the rest of him can't say no when confronted with the perfect male specimen.
I wouldn't call this book angsty, really. But that's really only because it didn't bother me. And I'm entirely angst-phobic -- so you can trust me, I swear. But this story does have a fair amount of it. It's more of a character journey with a side of romance, because the person that is really changing and growing (that we see front and center) is Seth, who has to face his issues in order to have a relationship with Darren. In that sense, we get to know Seth quite a bit better than Darren, though that didn't bother me so much. It is natural when we get the point of view of only one character.
I think the most important thing that you, as a reader needs to know in making your decision about whether to buy/read this book, is how the religion aspect comes across, and I think I explained that pretty well. There's really no reason to discount this book because of such a sticky subject. Otherwise, I found this novella to be well in line with the other stories in this series, and if you've enjoyed them, then you should definitely go for this one. For me, like the others, it was good, but not great. -
This is such a refreshing book. Just like all the others in the Tucker Springs series this was engaging and totally drew me in from the first word. Having had glimpses of Seth from the first book in the series it is great to have his story. There are very few m/m books that deal with the Christian faith and it is quite novel to see a main character who is a minister and gay. Generally in m/m books ministers/priests/pastors are normally homophobic baddies and so this is refreshing and also realistic. The story doesnt skip over difficult issues either and grapples with some quite complex theology in a way that is well thought out and reasoned. I really enjoyed reading this.
Who doesn't have questions about religion? And who has the right answers? The story is a very realistic and concrete portrayal of the issue of faith, sexuality and romance. I thought the way the book addressed some of these complexities was spot on but also it is just so nice to see a gay minister portrayed in a m/m romance because yes, they do exist and they just get on with life without agonising about their sexuality, just like Darren. They love and accept who they are but we don't always see this reflected in our m/m romances. As a priest I was 'well chuffed' to read this story although I wasn't sure about some of Darrens' theological arguments (junking the OT for one) I thought he was great (other than the spliff smoking)
It was an enjoyable story with real passion/lust, but also all the other emotions that can be experienced when a person meets another and a relationship begins, the doubts, the questions the emerging love, the passion. I appreciated the way Seth explored his hurts from the past, turning this pain into a source of encouragement for others, but I also enjoyed his day to day relationships and the descriptions of work in his tattoo shop. It was so realistic in its depiction and this made it come alive for me. In a very real way Tucker Springs could be any small town and the tattoo shop could be on any high street.
I hope that we will see many more stories from Tucker Springs. A brilliant contemporary series with a great caste of characters. -
3.5 Stars
I love the Tucker Springs series but, honestly, I was hesitant to read this installment given the religious slant. (Eww. Generally. Not. A. Fan.) However, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that I really liked a lot about this book. First, I abso ADORE Seth. Love, love, love him. Second, and to my surprise, I liked Darren too. I felt that the Christian/LGBT controversy was well done. There were a number sexy, smexy love scenes and a good dose of angst so I was in pig heaven. My only gripe: the ending. I would have liked to see more development there. I'm sweet on Seth and Darren as all get out but ... come on ... a Christian minister and an atheist? I want to believe in their HEA but I needed more convincing.
Bottom line: a riveting and entertaining sequel to the Tucker Springs series. -
Rating and review removed
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Can't do the religious thing.
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I LOVE. L.A.WITT. And when I say that, I mean it with my whole heart so when I read the blurb for this book, I thought oh no, where is she going with this book? A gay minister and a tattoo artist couldn’t be a more unlikely pair, but you see, Witt has a way of surpassing your expectations and giving readers something to talk and rave about. I ended up loving COVET THY NEIGHBOR!
In the fourth book of the multi-author Tucker Springs series, Witt introduces Seth Wheeler, a fun and loveable tattoo artist who thinks the best thing that has ever happened to him is the moving in of a hot new guy next door. Darren Romero is all that Seth loves in a guy. Funny, flirty, a little aggressive and gorgeous! What’s more is that Darren has displayed an immediate interest in Seth as well. What could be better, right?
It isn’t until Seth asks what Darren does for a living that he freezes for a moment. A minister? As in he preaches the word of God? The notion seems unbelievable especially after they have the hottest round of sex I’ve read in a long time. But it is what it is, and it only creates conflict within Seth has he tries to come to grips about this.
Witt infuses the book with her trademark humor and it is honestly one of the best things I love about her books. Each page is littered with sarcastic quips and hilarious remarks that make the book flew by so quickly. Readers immediately fall in love with the heroes because of the easy-going nature of Witt’s writing. You are just drawn to them as characters and want to know more.
Another thing I love about this book and Witt’s overall writing is the dialogue. Upbeat and perfectly paced, Witt keeps things moving with her unique way of evoking and expressing emotion. You definitely sense the effort that Darren and Seth put in to make their relationship work. Sometimes, it’s not easy and the fact that they communicate to get around these obstacles makes for a very believable romance.
If you haven’t read any of Witt’s work yet, then I strongly suggest you try any one of her books. She’s become one of my most recent auto-buy authors and has not disappointed me yet!
*ARC provided by Netgalley -
Though I thoroughly enjoyed this the first time I read it, the religious overtones really stood out too much for me in the audio. Charlie David did a wonderful job with the narration (as usual), but for some reason the story didn't work as well on the re-read (first time listen). Don't let my opinion stop you from giving this a try. If don't mind religion being a backdrop in your romance, this could work for you.
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This was such a delicious and animated story.
Seth is a tattoo artist and loves to play music. He has the look of a rough guy with his appearance. Seth has a new neighbor and oh is he stunning and irresistible!!
Darren is new in the neighborhood and when he sees Seth the attraction between them is heavy. They laugh and flirt and drink together. That’s where he tells Seth he got a job as a minister at the church. It’s kind of a shock for Seth being an atheist. This doesn’t stop them from having a passionate night together. But there is the awkward morning after. The realization he had a night with a religious man sinks in, he can’t get involved. His religious parents, with their extreme church, threw him out and disowned him. Even when he knows Darren is not an average minister he can’t get involved. Only, his heart yearns for Darren.
What a great story this was. It had a strong storyline, humorous and excellent conversations about life and religion. They spent a lot of time together and the variety of it was captivating. Behind bedroom doors they are hot, steamy, and passionate moments. Both men are very engaging, warm, sensitive, and endearing.
They both have their baggage from a painful past. The emotional part was one that hit right into my heart. Overall a very balanced story with two passionate personalities.
It had a good, strong plot and the whole story together felt as one solid piece. Excellently done!!
Read and reviewed for Diverse Reader -
3.5 Stars!
I am really enjoying the Tucker Springs Series which are by different authors and I am a fan of LA Witt's
Everything in this book I really like. The love story is sexy and the conflict is interestingly explored and I care for each of the heroes.
What I want more of is exploration of the clergy hero's work life and less of annoying stuff from Seth and lusher resolve.
Good stuff all around! -
Voto: 4,75/5
“Desidera il prossimo tuo” di L.A. Witt è stato per me una piacevole sorpresa. Quella tra Seth e Darren, infatti, non è solo una storia ricca di dolcezza ed erotismo, ma anche un momento di riflessione e un modo per trasmettere un messaggio importante.
Avevamo già conosciuto Seth Wheeler nel primo volume “Farsi forza”: il proprietario del negozio di tatuaggi di Tucker Springs, grande amico di Jason e Michael (la coppia protagonista del citato primo volume), si è subito mostrato come un personaggio sarcastico e sfrontato, ma indubbiamente sempre pronto a sostenere e consigliare gli amici. Il suo doloroso passato, in cui è stato rinnegato per la sua omosessualità dalla bigotta e fondamentalista famiglia, lo ha portato non solo a diventare un ateo convinto, ma anche ad evitare di intrattenere qualsiasi relazione con chi professa la fede cristiana.
Darren Romero si è appena trasferito da Tulsa a Tucker Springs, nell'appartamento di fronte a quello di Seth. È un uomo molto attraente, interessante, con uno spiccato senso dell'umorismo. Il tatuatore non riesce a credere alla propria fortuna, inizia subito a frequentarlo e a flirtare con lui, per poi scoprire che Darren è un sacerdote, giunto per svolgere le sue funzioni pastorali in una delle chiese della città. Nonostante ciò, i due uomini finiscono per cedere subito alla passione e trascorrono la notte insieme. E Darren continua a essere una presenza fissa nella vita di Seth.
Ho amato molto questo romanzo, soprattutto per la caratterizzazione del personaggio di Darren - che traspare attraverso il P.O.V. in prima persona di Seth - una figura che si rivela sempre più interessante e ricca di sfumature. È un uomo che ha avuto, pur tra tante difficoltà e problemi di accettazione, la capacità e la forza di conciliare la propria omosessualità con la propria fede, che diviene per lui una vera e propria missione. Non è un religioso aggrappato a un'interpretazione severa, letterale ed eccessivamente rigorosa della Bibbia, riuscendo piuttosto a trarne il messaggio fondamentale, “ama il prossimo tuo come te stesso”, con cui costruisce tutta la sua attività di sacerdote, rivolta soprattutto ai giovani omosessuali in difficoltà, abbandonati dalle proprie famiglie. È un sacerdote che non giudica e non condanna, come fanno molti altri, accoglie Seth senza criticarlo per il suo ateismo, ma discutendo e confrontandosi con lui. È, soprattutto, un uomo che ammette di non essere un santo e di non ambire alla perfezione (non essendo, d'altronde, tenuto al celibato secondo le regole della sua chiesa). E Seth non può che rimanerne affascinato e sconvolto: «Ogni volta che gli ero vicino, il mondo aveva sempre meno senso. Non sapevo cosa pensare di un sacerdote gay che fumava erba, aveva avventure occasionali, e che adesso si era fatto tatuare. Sfidava qualsiasi cosa mi avesse incasinato la vita qualche anno prima, e contraddiceva tutte le ragioni per cui mi ero mantenuto a distanza dai cristiani. Tutte le ragioni per cui mi ero mantenuto a distanza da lui».
Ho ammirato molto il modo con cui l'autrice è riuscita a mostrare i tormenti interiori di Seth, un personaggio che sa farsi amare pur con la sua testardaggine, che non può fare a meno di cedere ai sentimenti che prova per Darren, che impara a comprendere come la fede non si esprima solo attraverso l'atteggiamento retrogrado, bigotto e ipocrita dei suoi genitori, ma anche e soprattutto mediante un autentico modo di vivere cristiano, fatto di generosità, sostegno e comprensione. E il tatuatore deve imparare a scavare dentro di sé e a capire cosa davvero gli impedisce di amare Darren, per potersi poi lasciare andare: «Deglutii, sentendo le farfalle nello stomaco e un nodo in gola. Il semplice fatto che lui avesse ancora fiducia in me dopo che l'avevo ferito a quel modo era incredibile, Sentirmi chiedere di avere fede in lui – e domandandomi come avessi potuto non averne – era … più di quanto riuscissi a gestire.
“Parlami, Seth,” disse.
“Non sono bravo ad avere fede in qualcosa.” Gli toccai il viso e lo attirai a me. “Ma penso di poter fare un'eccezione per te”»
La storia tra Darren e Seth ha uno sviluppo davvero emozionante, ricco non solo di passione ed erotismo (l'attrazione tra i due è innegabile e ineluttabile), ma anche di momenti intensi e toccanti, di confidenze sul proprio passato e di tranquille discussioni teologiche ed evoluzionistiche.
Posso, dunque, concludere affermando che “Desidera il prossimo tuo” si colloca a buon diritto tra le mie letture preferite, soprattutto per il bellissimo messaggio di accettazione e inclusione che andrebbe diffuso tra molte persone. -
The fourth book of the Tucker Springs series and I really seem to be a sucker for these. I just... like them. All of them. They're not absolutely exceptional or going to stay in my mind for a long while or anything like that. But I really really like them, nevertheless.
I think, what I love the most about this series is, that you get to know the characters in multiple ways: you love them in the novels that are written for them and then you see them again through the eyes of other characters in other novels where they appear as the side characters, you see how they're doing and how things are working out. And that's awesome!!
This one in particular I was a bit cautious about. On the one hand you have tattoo artist Seth Wheeler - and I just love tattoo artists. Actually I simply love tattoos, full stop. So, Seth equals major turn on. On the other hand, you have Darren, the youth pastor. YOUTH PASTOR. Now, most people would think that there is nothing wrong with that, and there really isn't. But see, I'm a full-blooded atheist, and it's taken me a while and a lot of sweat and a lot of thorough and deep thinking to get where I am now, completely comfortable with my non-spirituality - so for me this topic is a BIG THING. A very big and important thing that, yes, defines me to a certain degree. And it seems that whenever the main cast involves an atheist (yay, Seth!) and a very religious person, the happy ending often leads to a conversion of some sort of the poor non-believer, not necessarily according to the bible or any narrow-minded views, but there seems to be a need to make sure any happy person kind of believes that there is something out there to happily guide us in our life. And I hate that happy ending. Because the reason I am (and I assume that applies to others as well) an atheist isn't that I'm dumb, or unenlightened or that I haven't thought about it enough. It's the opposite really, the more I think about it, the surer I am in my non-belief. So, why not simply leave your non-believers happy like that?
... so, I know, major monologue here. I was cautious, as I said, and I was so PLEASANTLY SURPRISED!!! Yes, Darren was a youth pastor, but he was an incredibly open-minded one. He didn't try to convince Seth or turn him over to the good side (or the dark side as I see it ;-D), and he just took him exactly the way he was. It was really Seth who was a bit more close-minded here, although understandably I think, and who had a hard time to accept Darren's faith and profession. The easy acceptance Darren shows made it so very easy for me to accept him as well and to actually really LIKE him, seeing the good he does as a youth pastor and simply agree to disagree on a few matters. And that's saying a lot.
I was just glad that the chemistry between Seth and Darren was so great that it span past their own misconceptions of what a deal-breaker is and why. This was a very interesting, unusual pairing and I loved reading about them!! Of course, during their discussions, I had so much to say myself and wanted to yell it into the book. Which didn't really work, so I just yelled. Which made other people slightly uneasy, I guess. But... well, who cares?
Four enthusiastic stars and I'm really looking forward to the last one in this series!! -
This review can be found at
The Blogger Girls review site.
When Seth meets his new neighbor, Darren, he’s not sure what to think. Darren is attractive with a sarcastic mouth… but he’s also a minister. Thankfully, he’s way different from the usual minister and even with Seth’s dislike of Christians, he can’t seem to get Darren off his mind. Unfortunately, Seth can’t stop thinking of how Darren’s religion will destroy anything they might have but when push comes to shove, the real truth of why Seth won’t pursue anything with Darren comes to light. Can Seth get over his aversion to Darren’s profession or will he lose the best thing that ever happened to him?
I was pleasantly surprised by these characters. Seth owns a tattoo parlor while Darren is a minister. Darren’s religion makes Seth extremely uncomfortable because of his past but Darren is nothing like the ministers Seth used to know. In fact, Darren is openly gay, he drinks, he smokes pot and he never judges. He’s also sarcastic and has a dry sense of humor but he still has his faith and he’s come to accept who he is and believes that God accepts him as well. Seth seemed more laid-back but it’s very obvious that he still has some emotional scars when it comes to his family. I really liked the struggle Seth had with wanting Darren but not wanting him.
My biggest issue with this one is that it took about a third of the story for me to really get invested in it. In fact, I had actually started the book months ago and put it down because it wasn’t grabbing my attention. When I picked it back up, though, after a few chapters I was able to get back into the story and really enjoyed it even if there was just a tad too much sex for my liking.
In the end, this is a nice story about acceptance and overcoming one’s fears. Seth and Darren are intriguing characters and it was interesting to see the chemistry between them and the struggle of being ‘just friends’ but not really just friends. If you’re looking for a story that has just a hint of angst but a quick read, give this one a try. -
From an atheist point of view, I’m always surprised to see how much more atheist people seem to follow the original concept of the Christian teachings than many of the current churches. I still remember the priest who was teaching in my midterm school, how he was glad someone was listening to his lessons (religion was still a mandatory matter in school till 10/15 years ago); the ordinary kids were so bored because they had to hear the same story also afterschool, while for me everything was new and moreover I was listening it from an external point of view and so more critical.
That was the feeling I had about the two main characters in this novel, Darren the minister and Seth the tattoo artist; truth be told, Seth is an atheist since he was kicked out from his ultra-conservative and Christian family, who apparently didn’t remember that Jesus Christ has never kicked out people (well, he did for those who were using the sacred place as a market but that is another story…), but exactly the opposite. And it’s not the hateful love the sinner but hate the sin, it’s really an unconditionally love. This is what Darren is trying to convey, but this is also what Seth is struggling to accept.
It’s really difficult for me to believe there are places where a minister can be gay, and where he has a church and a place where he can do good things, but luckily, it’s not the first time I read of true stories like this, so while reading about Darren, I was imagining him like a real person, and hoping someone as good as him was out there.
The story between Darren and Seth is hot too, lot of sex, and strange as it sounds, Darren wasn’t questioning the fact he was having a not-committed relationship. In a very simple answer he gave to Seth, he explained that, minister can marry and have kids, he cannot marry and so… well, he has to do in some other way.
I’m reading this series in bit and pieces, so I don’t have the full picture, but I’m starting to like this Tucker Springs setting, with its gay neighborhood and college town feeling.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1626490015/?...
