Homebird by Amy Lane

Homebird by Amy Lane
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full length (188 pages)
Other: M/M, Anal Play, BDSM (very mild)
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Crispin Henry isn’t an adventurer. He learned early on that the world is a frightening place and that home is rare and precious. If his friends didn’t drag him to sports games and ill-advised trips to Vegas, he wouldn’t get out at all—and his trip to Munich for Oktoberfest is no exception. But it’s there that he meets Luka Gabriel, and he learns to take a chance.

However, these side effects are rare for the majority of people. cute-n-tiny.com purchase cialis Libido means sexual order cheap levitra drive or desire. There the moose or issues viagra 25mg are clearly named. It can be used buy cialis levitra rather than other capsules based on Sildenafil Citrate, such as Kamagra, Zenegra and Caverta. Luka is a free-spirited world traveler, working at Oktoberfest to feed his enchantment with new places and new people. His only possessions fit in his backpack, and he depends on the kindness of strangers for a place to sleep. Crispin should know better—but he takes Luka’s hand anyway, and together they turn three nights in Munich into the relationship neither of them has been brave enough to risk—and neither can let go of.

When Luka turns up on Crispin’s doorstep before the holiday season, Crispin takes him in on hope alone. Yes, he knows the odds are good Luka will flutter out of his life again and leave him bereft, but isn’t it worth it to see if Luka is a homebird after all?

Crispin goes to Germany with a bunch of his friends and while he’s not sure he’ll enjoy Oktoberfest, Crispin is surprised to find himself having a good time. Luka is a waiter who is enjoying himself exploring the world. Although Crispin is very shy, the two men hit it off – and with plenty of support from Crispin’s group of friends – Crispin and Luka start something that could turn wonderful. Only Crispin’s holiday comes to an end and with Luka’s free spirit neither man knows if they can make something work for a longer-term setting.

I found this to be a lovely, warm and emotional read. Much of the story (almost the first half) sets up with the main cast of characters – Crispin and Luka in particular – and shows the two men forming the basis of their relationship in Germany at Oktoberfest. I was really pleased that the author spent a solid amount of time on this aspect as it made the enormous change in the latter half of the book not seem like an over-exaggeration. Most of the story’s worry/conflict revolved around whether the two men could make a long-term relationship work out between them. Crispin is painfully shy, but also very much the homebody, very wedded to his family home, his roots and his solid, stable, dependable life. Luka is nearly the exact opposite – a free spirit, raised by wandering parents and with wanderlust deep in his own veins. Logic would dictate that these two men couldn’t fit well together – but both Crispin and Luka come to love each other quite quickly and they’re both determined to try and make it work.

Readers looking for a full-length, emotional and spicily sweet romance story should find exactly that here. I thoroughly enjoyed both Luka and Crispin’s characters, and adored Crispin’s rowdy troupe of best friends. I personally liked the slower pace of the romance – it made the vast differences between Crispin and Luka’s lives feel a lot more realistic. Instead of them just each deciding to make their relationship work and “bam!” it turning out all right, there were a number of steps and plans and things they each had to adjust for and to. And even when Luka finally came to visit Crispin in his home I loved how they each needed to continue making adjustments without any sense of drama or over-inflating the situation. Indeed, the realistic nature of their romance and the way they each danced with give-and-take was one of the best things I loved about this story.

With real characters, strong emotions and a whole host of “good feels” this was a great story I really enjoyed.