Crush: A Sweet, Full-Bodied Queer Romance
L. Dreamer. L. Dreamer, $14.99 trade paper (232p) ISBN 979-8-2180-2099-6
This gratifying slice-of-life romance from Dreamer (The Burden of Happiness) follows California winery owner and recent widow Mia Torwood and her new vineyard manager, Cal Sanders. The winery was Mia’s husband’s dream, and she’ll be in dire financial straits if she can’t make it profitable. Cal, a trans man, comes from a family of vintners, but he’s eager to find success on his own, outside of his transphobic hometown. The pair feel a powerful mutual attraction, but neither rushes to trade their professional relationship for a personal one, both putting the winery first. They bond as Mia learns more about winemaking with Cal’s guidance, and as they dig into the mystery behind queer love letters Cal discovers that belonged to a previous inhabitant of the winery in the 1940s. This parallel love story adds depth and intrigue while escalating threats from Samuel Hastings, a jealous winemaker who believes he is entitled to both Cal’s job and Mia’s affections, provide necessary conflict, finally forcing Cal and Mia to acknowledge their affection for each other. It’s gratifying to watch these characters grow, both as a couple and separately, as Mia heals from grief and Cal learns to trust himself. This is a guaranteed mood lifter.
Creed is, in fact, a vampire whose bite provides healing energy and who uses pheromones to “lure people close.” When a series of bizarre attacks rock the community, Roman, who is doing his dissertation on modern cult crimes, is asked to consult with the police on the case. The ongoing mystery causes tensions in the guys’ relationship, especially as Creed, who’s been on a decades-long quest for revenge against the cult who turned him into a vampire, worries for Roman’s safety from the supernatural. The sultry romance—Roman’s scent makes Creed’s “canines ache with desire”—takes a bit of a backseat to the supernatural story line, which is jampacked with action and mysticism. Still, genre fans will be hungry for the next installment. strong friendship carry the day. This cozy tale offers much to enjoy