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Lovestrong #3
How Not to Sin
One regular guy who happens to be a preacher…
Reverend Dr. Gabe Samson doesn’t think he’s better than any of the people in his church, so please don’t put him on a pedestal. While he’s never hidden the fact that he identifies as bisexual, he’s never acted on it either. Gabe isn’t happy to learn that the sole reason he was hired to pastor the LGBT-friendly church was that the ruling elders wanted a safe poster child for inclusivity—in other words, they wanted the rainbow flag without letting it fly.
Plus one easygoing, new age kinda guy…
Seth Thomas owns Holistic Healing, a metaphysical shop and yoga studio. He’s never really been a relationship kinda guy, but only because he hasn’t met the right man yet. Seth is laid back and goes with the flow. When fate drops a hot preacher in his lap, why wouldn’t he accept the gift?
Equals a pair of men who click from the start.
The two men find it almost too easy to get together, especially Gabe, who is fully embracing his bi side for the first time. Nothing in life is simple though. While Gabe and Seth are busy falling in love, they face an anti-gay hate group, a divided church, and a ruling elder who is hell-bent on sowing discord. Between Gabe’s patient wisdom and Seth’s snark, the pair fight the growing drama with the strongest weapons in their arsenal: love and humor.
This is the third book in the LOVESTRONG series about finding love and being yourself in a small town, and the third in series. Intended only for 18+ readers, this is an mm romance full of all the fun, fluff, and feels you’d want from an S. Hawke book.
Note: This isn’t a trigger warning, but please be prepared for a few instances of ignorance and hate speech, and mentions of violence. This is a romance, not a sermon—but please keep in mind that the main character is a pastor dealing with real-life issues in his church and these truths are reflected in Gabe.
Reverend Dr. Gabe Samson doesn’t think he’s better than any of the people in his church, so please don’t put him on a pedestal. While he’s never hidden the fact that he identifies as bisexual, he’s never acted on it either. Gabe isn’t happy to learn that the sole reason he was hired to pastor the LGBT-friendly church was that the ruling elders wanted a safe poster child for inclusivity—in other words, they wanted the rainbow flag without letting it fly.
Plus one easygoing, new age kinda guy…
Seth Thomas owns Holistic Healing, a metaphysical shop and yoga studio. He’s never really been a relationship kinda guy, but only because he hasn’t met the right man yet. Seth is laid back and goes with the flow. When fate drops a hot preacher in his lap, why wouldn’t he accept the gift?
Equals a pair of men who click from the start.
The two men find it almost too easy to get together, especially Gabe, who is fully embracing his bi side for the first time. Nothing in life is simple though. While Gabe and Seth are busy falling in love, they face an anti-gay hate group, a divided church, and a ruling elder who is hell-bent on sowing discord. Between Gabe’s patient wisdom and Seth’s snark, the pair fight the growing drama with the strongest weapons in their arsenal: love and humor.
This is the third book in the LOVESTRONG series about finding love and being yourself in a small town, and the third in series. Intended only for 18+ readers, this is an mm romance full of all the fun, fluff, and feels you’d want from an S. Hawke book.
Note: This isn’t a trigger warning, but please be prepared for a few instances of ignorance and hate speech, and mentions of violence. This is a romance, not a sermon—but please keep in mind that the main character is a pastor dealing with real-life issues in his church and these truths are reflected in Gabe.
228 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 19, 2019
About the author
Susan Hawke
35 books363 followersSusan Hawke is more widely known for her mpreg writings as Susi Hawke; this new name is a departure from that. Whether written by Susan or Susi, the books are filled with that all-important love, laughter, and family; the only difference is that this name has no male pregnancy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
November 16, 2020
I really enjoyed this one. Nora Phoenix's comments about religion are very well done. Her references, and how they apply to the storyline, are very impressive.
Audio by Michael Dean who does a wonderful job!
Audio by Michael Dean who does a wonderful job!
March 2, 2019
I really enjoyed the chemistry between Seth and Gabe. They clicked right away and you could feel their connection. They are well matched.
This story is full of humor, heart and love. There is some angst but it's more from outside influences and not between these two men. I found this to be a very enjoyable book to spend an afternoon with.
This story is full of humor, heart and love. There is some angst but it's more from outside influences and not between these two men. I found this to be a very enjoyable book to spend an afternoon with.
March 29, 2019
🌟🌟🌟🌟 4.5 stars
🔥🔥🔥 Heat Level: 3.5
🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧 Narration: 5
I'm loving this series!!
I loved Susan approach to an openly bisexual reverend! She's taken great care to craft this story and it shows in these great characters and how they face the hatred, bigotry and homophobia poising their town, Gabe's church, and their lives.
Gabe happens to be bisexual and happens to be a pastor. He finds himself hired as a poster boy for inclusivity in the LGBTQ community of his small town but is 'encouraged' not to act on his bisexuality or he may no longer be the pastor. After this ridiculous shock, an adorable kismet of events happens and Gabe finds himself quickly falling for Seth. Seth's a fun and cheeky yoga teacher and Gabe and Seth are great together! I loved their banter, sexy times and strength and they stand together to face the new bigotry that has risen in town.
I really enjoyed seeing familiar faces around town and learning more about the other awesome characters. I'm loving this series and look forward to many more stories in the Lovestrong series!
As ever Micheal's narration is perfection!! Brilliant dialects, characterizations and story flow. Although I must his voice for Larry is a bit painful to listen to. It's so different from all other voices I've heard Micheal bring to life that I can't imagine how he managed such a deep throaty voice without hurting himself. I'm interested to see if he kept up this voice for the entirety of Larry story, as I think that would be an extraordinary feet!!
Susan and Micheal are a perfect match and this series in a winner for me!!
Thanks for reading! For great stories, reviews and more please visit https://bookstattoosandtea.wordpress.com 📚
🔥🔥🔥 Heat Level: 3.5
🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧 Narration: 5
I'm loving this series!!
I loved Susan approach to an openly bisexual reverend! She's taken great care to craft this story and it shows in these great characters and how they face the hatred, bigotry and homophobia poising their town, Gabe's church, and their lives.
Gabe happens to be bisexual and happens to be a pastor. He finds himself hired as a poster boy for inclusivity in the LGBTQ community of his small town but is 'encouraged' not to act on his bisexuality or he may no longer be the pastor. After this ridiculous shock, an adorable kismet of events happens and Gabe finds himself quickly falling for Seth. Seth's a fun and cheeky yoga teacher and Gabe and Seth are great together! I loved their banter, sexy times and strength and they stand together to face the new bigotry that has risen in town.
I really enjoyed seeing familiar faces around town and learning more about the other awesome characters. I'm loving this series and look forward to many more stories in the Lovestrong series!
As ever Micheal's narration is perfection!! Brilliant dialects, characterizations and story flow. Although I must his voice for Larry is a bit painful to listen to. It's so different from all other voices I've heard Micheal bring to life that I can't imagine how he managed such a deep throaty voice without hurting himself. I'm interested to see if he kept up this voice for the entirety of Larry story, as I think that would be an extraordinary feet!!
Susan and Micheal are a perfect match and this series in a winner for me!!
Thanks for reading! For great stories, reviews and more please visit https://bookstattoosandtea.wordpress.com 📚
March 1, 2019
4 Stars
Both Seth and Gabe were extremely likable guys that you could really root for and they fit well together. The progression of their relationship moves pretty fast, but because they had both been liking one another from afar, it was more believable.
The story was sweet, there was angst, but it’s from outside sources, so Seth and Gabe’s relationship is solid throughout. They had great chemistry and the love they shared shone through on each and every page.
The book is well-written and although somewhat cheesy at times, the story also had me chuckling as these guys both had a great sense of humor. An enjoyable and recommendable read!
*copy provided by author/publisher in exchange for an honest review*
Both Seth and Gabe were extremely likable guys that you could really root for and they fit well together. The progression of their relationship moves pretty fast, but because they had both been liking one another from afar, it was more believable.
The story was sweet, there was angst, but it’s from outside sources, so Seth and Gabe’s relationship is solid throughout. They had great chemistry and the love they shared shone through on each and every page.
The book is well-written and although somewhat cheesy at times, the story also had me chuckling as these guys both had a great sense of humor. An enjoyable and recommendable read!
*copy provided by author/publisher in exchange for an honest review*
April 29, 2019
I loved this book!
The amount of Christianity in this one means it won't be for everyone, but I adored the way it was done. I grew up in the church, and everything about the meetings and the church secretary and the congregation politics was spot-on and nailed my nostalgia. I absolutely loved how the commonly anti-LGBT-interpreted scripture verses were addressed without it just being dry and preachy (even when he was actually preaching!). Like many LGBT people, I have a complicated relationship with current Christianity... it's rather bittersweet to think that this is exactly where the churches I grew up in could be with the right information and leadership and embracing of love. I am soooooo tempted to buy a paper copy of this and ship it off to my sister... but she'd have to have a remotely open mind to benefit, sadly.
The actual relationship was all but drama-free, with the two guys just calmly dealing with the outside adversity and warmly coming together; real respect for each other. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
The amount of Christianity in this one means it won't be for everyone, but I adored the way it was done. I grew up in the church, and everything about the meetings and the church secretary and the congregation politics was spot-on and nailed my nostalgia. I absolutely loved how the commonly anti-LGBT-interpreted scripture verses were addressed without it just being dry and preachy (even when he was actually preaching!). Like many LGBT people, I have a complicated relationship with current Christianity... it's rather bittersweet to think that this is exactly where the churches I grew up in could be with the right information and leadership and embracing of love. I am soooooo tempted to buy a paper copy of this and ship it off to my sister... but she'd have to have a remotely open mind to benefit, sadly.
The actual relationship was all but drama-free, with the two guys just calmly dealing with the outside adversity and warmly coming together; real respect for each other. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
November 1, 2020
The story happening around the romance was more interesting than the romance itself and the ending was a bit long. I really enjoyed all the characters though.
March 5, 2019
Before I get started, I want to make note of the add on at the end of the blurb. There are some spots with hate filled speech and its not pretty. There is some violence. It doesn't go into too much details, but I know sometimes it doesn't take much for a trigger, so please have a care.
“He was laughing as I got in. I shot him a playful glare before bending my head to buckle my seatbelt. “I can’t believe you just kissed me with those testicle-eating lips.”
Now you’ll notice the line above. I had to put it in here because it is one of the funniest lines in the book. And believe you me, there's a ton. When you have a group that involve Andy, his Gams, and Larry alone….well, you should know by now how it's going to go. If you don't know, get your butt off here and go find out lol.
This book hit a personal note with me so much. Long story short, I was raised in church. Baptists and Pentecostals. So yes, I believe in God and am a Christian. But I was always the outcast or black sheep, because I didn't and don't believe in some of the things the rest of my family did. I'm very much like Gabe. And it hit me hard. This book was a lot like so!e conversations I've been having lately and I was so glad to see this written. Especially at a time like this in the world. Now I don't want anyone to be discouraged from reading this because it's a pastor and there are Bible verses quoted and such. I know there are people out there who don't believe the same and that's perfectly ok. Even though you don't need me to tell you that.
My point is this. Gabe is a pastor, yes. There are scriptures and 'debates’. I use that term loosely. But most importantly, this book is a book of showing true acceptance of anyone who is different and showing what is believed as the most important thing God wants is love. Period. It gets more into detail, but Gabe is struggling in this church with religious believers. Not true Christians. People who use the church or God to spout hate and bigotry. Something people are severely fighting today.
I love Gabe. From the moment I started reading him and how he believed and searched for answers instead of being a sheep, I adored him. He's such a good man with a heart of a lion. He's kind, compassion and stands up for what is right. His fights for his people. He's the kind of man more people should be like in real life. He makes you want to be a better person. But he's also the first to admit, he's just a man. He makes mistakes.
And there couldn't be anyone more perfect for him then Seth. Running a yoga studio and dealing with healing crystals, he also has a side to him most people don't know. Even though it's shown in plain sight. He's the best partner for Gabe. He’s sassy and fun, bit stands up for beliefs as well. He believes in trying to make people the best they can be. Just like Gabe.
Of course, I was also happy to see Gams again with Andy and the rest of the crew. There are quite a few surprises in this book as well. One I was so happy to see. Someone finally gets liberated and on a better path. That's all I can say on that. Heehee. This was one hell of a book. It's been one hell of a series. And I'm super excited to see where it goes next. I really hope you all give this a book a try. It's exceptional.
I also want to say I hope no one thinks I was preaching at you or anyone. This book just hit me on a very personal level with things I struggled with myself. So if I come across that way. Please forgive me. It's not my intention.
http://lovebytesreviews.com
“He was laughing as I got in. I shot him a playful glare before bending my head to buckle my seatbelt. “I can’t believe you just kissed me with those testicle-eating lips.”
Now you’ll notice the line above. I had to put it in here because it is one of the funniest lines in the book. And believe you me, there's a ton. When you have a group that involve Andy, his Gams, and Larry alone….well, you should know by now how it's going to go. If you don't know, get your butt off here and go find out lol.
This book hit a personal note with me so much. Long story short, I was raised in church. Baptists and Pentecostals. So yes, I believe in God and am a Christian. But I was always the outcast or black sheep, because I didn't and don't believe in some of the things the rest of my family did. I'm very much like Gabe. And it hit me hard. This book was a lot like so!e conversations I've been having lately and I was so glad to see this written. Especially at a time like this in the world. Now I don't want anyone to be discouraged from reading this because it's a pastor and there are Bible verses quoted and such. I know there are people out there who don't believe the same and that's perfectly ok. Even though you don't need me to tell you that.
My point is this. Gabe is a pastor, yes. There are scriptures and 'debates’. I use that term loosely. But most importantly, this book is a book of showing true acceptance of anyone who is different and showing what is believed as the most important thing God wants is love. Period. It gets more into detail, but Gabe is struggling in this church with religious believers. Not true Christians. People who use the church or God to spout hate and bigotry. Something people are severely fighting today.
I love Gabe. From the moment I started reading him and how he believed and searched for answers instead of being a sheep, I adored him. He's such a good man with a heart of a lion. He's kind, compassion and stands up for what is right. His fights for his people. He's the kind of man more people should be like in real life. He makes you want to be a better person. But he's also the first to admit, he's just a man. He makes mistakes.
And there couldn't be anyone more perfect for him then Seth. Running a yoga studio and dealing with healing crystals, he also has a side to him most people don't know. Even though it's shown in plain sight. He's the best partner for Gabe. He’s sassy and fun, bit stands up for beliefs as well. He believes in trying to make people the best they can be. Just like Gabe.
Of course, I was also happy to see Gams again with Andy and the rest of the crew. There are quite a few surprises in this book as well. One I was so happy to see. Someone finally gets liberated and on a better path. That's all I can say on that. Heehee. This was one hell of a book. It's been one hell of a series. And I'm super excited to see where it goes next. I really hope you all give this a book a try. It's exceptional.
I also want to say I hope no one thinks I was preaching at you or anyone. This book just hit me on a very personal level with things I struggled with myself. So if I come across that way. Please forgive me. It's not my intention.
http://lovebytesreviews.com
March 18, 2019
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.5 stars
How Not to Sin is the third book in Susan Hawke’s Lovestrong series and I think the best thus far. The story focuses on Pastor Gabe and his ongoing battle with a homophobic deacon. Gabe discovers that even though it was understood he was bisexual upon his being hired, the church elders never thought he would start a relationship with a man since he hadn’t before now. Gabe is rather upset that they wanted little more than a “poster boy” for inclusivity, and he fights against a small but vocal movement to move the church from the current more liberal sect into one much more oppressive.
Things only get more complicated when Gabe meets Seth Thomas and their instant attraction means Gabe is diving into the deep end of dating a male for the first time ever. With Gabe wooing Seth, it opens a whole new can of worms, including his role as Pastor and whether he should be engaging in sex outside the marriage vows—male or female partner making no difference.
Read Sammy’s review in its entirety here.
4.5 stars
How Not to Sin is the third book in Susan Hawke’s Lovestrong series and I think the best thus far. The story focuses on Pastor Gabe and his ongoing battle with a homophobic deacon. Gabe discovers that even though it was understood he was bisexual upon his being hired, the church elders never thought he would start a relationship with a man since he hadn’t before now. Gabe is rather upset that they wanted little more than a “poster boy” for inclusivity, and he fights against a small but vocal movement to move the church from the current more liberal sect into one much more oppressive.
Things only get more complicated when Gabe meets Seth Thomas and their instant attraction means Gabe is diving into the deep end of dating a male for the first time ever. With Gabe wooing Seth, it opens a whole new can of worms, including his role as Pastor and whether he should be engaging in sex outside the marriage vows—male or female partner making no difference.
Read Sammy’s review in its entirety here.
May 14, 2023
Really a 3.5 rounded to 4, because I thought 3 was to little for the book.
Anyway, the read was a good one... Not great ..
Sometimes, the characters felt forced to me... Forced to be witty forced to be funny. Maybe a little superficial? Idk... One thing that i was really weirded about was... I have no idea how any of the characters looks like... Like, nothing... It's kinda of weird trying to imagine the scenes while I'm reading, and not really know what to imagine...
I felt that characterization was lacking in the book, not only for the MCs, but for all the characters.
Anyway, the read was a good one... Not great ..
Sometimes, the characters felt forced to me... Forced to be witty forced to be funny. Maybe a little superficial? Idk... One thing that i was really weirded about was... I have no idea how any of the characters looks like... Like, nothing... It's kinda of weird trying to imagine the scenes while I'm reading, and not really know what to imagine...
I felt that characterization was lacking in the book, not only for the MCs, but for all the characters.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 21, 2019
I'm apparently alone with my opinion, but I'm really not found of this book.
I knew there'd be a bunch of church-drama from the blurb, but I expected it more in conjuncture with the romance. What I did not expect was that the romance was ultra-fast and pretty much just a backdrop for all the church conflict, which took center stage. But Seth and Gage where pretty much trading banter and flirting the second they saw each other, had a date by the next day and where married by the end of the book, not 6 month after they met (I think, time is a bit hazy in this book).
But the romance is about as unimportant as it's flawless (I don't think there was one fight, misunderstanding or disagreement in the whole book, unless you count the playful and sometimes rather stilted banter they trade), instead it's mostly about idea of one elder to make the church less LGBT-friendly and the following division of the parish, picketing and other assorted hate-crimes.
The thing is, the villain is so obvious, one-dimensional and plain unapologetically bad and the comeuppance so thorough and absolute, whereas everyone else is immediately repentant and forgiven that it pretty much reads like the Mary-Sue of church fan-fiction.
I'm not at all religious, and have especially very little idea about American Christian denominations, so the whole thing did nothing for me. Maybe for someone actually religious it's interesting to hear them debate bible quotes?
I just wanted them to get to the juicy parts, but while there was a bunch of sex scenes, I was missing the actual good stuff, that is a believable romance between multi-dimensional characters.
I knew there'd be a bunch of church-drama from the blurb, but I expected it more in conjuncture with the romance. What I did not expect was that the romance was ultra-fast and pretty much just a backdrop for all the church conflict, which took center stage. But Seth and Gage where pretty much trading banter and flirting the second they saw each other, had a date by the next day and where married by the end of the book, not 6 month after they met (I think, time is a bit hazy in this book).
But the romance is about as unimportant as it's flawless (I don't think there was one fight, misunderstanding or disagreement in the whole book, unless you count the playful and sometimes rather stilted banter they trade), instead it's mostly about idea of one elder to make the church less LGBT-friendly and the following division of the parish, picketing and other assorted hate-crimes.
The thing is, the villain is so obvious, one-dimensional and plain unapologetically bad and the comeuppance so thorough and absolute, whereas everyone else is immediately repentant and forgiven that it pretty much reads like the Mary-Sue of church fan-fiction.
I'm not at all religious, and have especially very little idea about American Christian denominations, so the whole thing did nothing for me. Maybe for someone actually religious it's interesting to hear them debate bible quotes?
I just wanted them to get to the juicy parts, but while there was a bunch of sex scenes, I was missing the actual good stuff, that is a believable romance between multi-dimensional characters.
March 25, 2020
Was given this by Leslie Copeland from Lescourt group.
#mm #firsttime # chancemeeting #instaattraction #instalust #instalove #instachemistry
Bi pastor meets gay yoga instructor. A snow storm brings them together when they are forced to have a sleep over. The pastor had never actually been with a man before but knew he wanted to. They had great chemistry right from the start and it was sweet at first but then they seemed to fall too quickly and the pastor was all too eager to go full speed ahead on having sex for the first time. Didn't seem very realistic. Even if he was eager, one would think he would still be nervous but he wasn't at all. 🙄
Having to listen to bigots repeatedly use their religious beliefs to be total asses got sickening. There were whole sections where they were just ping ponging bible verses at each other and various hate crimes. The romance seemed to play a very small background part of a story mostly just about a prejudiced town spewing hatred the whole time. 🙄 2 stars is being generous.
#mm #firsttime # chancemeeting #instaattraction #instalust #instalove #instachemistry
Bi pastor meets gay yoga instructor. A snow storm brings them together when they are forced to have a sleep over. The pastor had never actually been with a man before but knew he wanted to. They had great chemistry right from the start and it was sweet at first but then they seemed to fall too quickly and the pastor was all too eager to go full speed ahead on having sex for the first time. Didn't seem very realistic. Even if he was eager, one would think he would still be nervous but he wasn't at all. 🙄
Having to listen to bigots repeatedly use their religious beliefs to be total asses got sickening. There were whole sections where they were just ping ponging bible verses at each other and various hate crimes. The romance seemed to play a very small background part of a story mostly just about a prejudiced town spewing hatred the whole time. 🙄 2 stars is being generous.
March 11, 2019
I like the characters in the Lovestrong books, but this one was so cheesy. Banter is good, corny is bad. Plus there was a whole lot of preaching, which, okay, Gabe's a preacher. It was too much, though. Also I would have liked to know the outcome of Harold's jailing and Gabe meeting with his sister. Perhaps we'll get a mention about Harold in Shaw's book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 22, 2019
FR - Alors alors... alors je suis vraiment super contente d'avoir découvert cette auteure. Alors je sais que ça fait longtemps qu'elle écrit . Mais jusqu'à présent , elle n'écrivait que du Mpreg et même si je commence à en lire , ça reste rare.
Du coup , pour l'instant je ne lis que ses romans contemporains et qu'est ce que je me régale!! J'avais adoré How not to Blend qui était vraiment très drôle tout en abordant des sujets très forts. J'étais tombée sous le charme de How Not to Wait, la nouvelle préquelle sur Shaw et Nick et j'ai encore à lire How Not to Tuck , la nouvelle sur Larry qu'on découvre dans le premier tome. (D'ailleurs je vous conseille de lire How Not to Tuck avant de lire How not to Sin parce qu'on voit plusieurs fois Larry et son amoureux)
Pour en revenir à How Not to Sin, je dois avouer que j'avais juste envie d'avoir l'histoire de Shaw et de Nick et que quand j'ai vu que ce n'était pas pour ce tome là, j'ai hésité à le lire. Pour autant je ne regrette pas du tout de l'avoir fait parce qu'une fois de plus j'ai complètement adoré ce tome.
Alors il est peut être un peu moins flamboyant que le tome précédent mais je pense que j'ai autant ris. (Je ne me remet toujours pas de Pastor Babe!)
J'ai beaucoup aimé les thèmes abordés dans ce tome. J'aime beaucoup les romans qui parlent de religion et particulièrement les romans avec des pasteurs.
On savait déjà , depuis le premier tome, que "Pastor Babe"est bisexuel du coup je savais déjà plus ou moins à quoi m'attendre à son propos et l'auteure évite du coup les clichés sur le pasteur qui doute de sa foi et blablabla (ce que je déteste) .
Cependant, la religion reste au centre de ce roman et j'aime énormément la vision que l'auteure nous en propose. Ça donne presque envie de retourner à l'église (mais pas sûre qu'en France on ai ce genre d’églises)
La relation entre Gabe et Seth est vraiment super mignonne. Je l'ai trouvée très attachante et très naturelle, ce qui est vraiment top dans le contexte du roman. J'ai aimé qu'il n'y ai pas de difficultés entre eux et que leur relation reste forte malgré les obstacles jetés sur leur route.
J'ai adoré retrouver les autres personnages, en découvrir de nouveaux et j'espère que l'auteur prévoit encore beaucoup de tomes de cette série.
En résumé encore un très bon tome d'une série qui allie humour et sujets beaucoup plus sérieux. L'auteure réussit à balancer les deux aspects , bien qu'opposés, de son roman sans que l'un empiète sur l'autre et en conservant une justesse dans ces sujets.
Une très très bonne série, aux personnages hauts en couleur et parfaitement maîtrisés. Des sujets forts abordés avec justesse et sans faux semblant, bref une série et une auteure à suivre.
ENG- So well well well.. well I'm really happy to have discovered this author. So I know it's been a long time since she star writting. But until now, she wrote only Mpreg and even if I start to read some, it's still rare.
So, for now I only read her contemporary novels and I love them so much! I loved How not to Blend, which was really funny while tackling very strong topics. I fell in love with How Not to Wait, the prequel novella about Shaw and Nick and I still have to read How Not to Tuck, the novella about Larry that we discover in the first volume. (By the way, I advise you to read How Not to Tuck before reading How not to Sin because we see Larry and his lover several times)
To go back to How Not to Sin, I must admit that I just wanted to have Shaw and Nick's story and that when I saw that it was not for this volume, I hesitated to read it. However, I do not regret doing it because once again I completely loved this volume.
So it may be a little less flamboyant than the previous one but I think I laugh so much. (I still do not recover from Pastor Babe!) I really liked the topics covered in this volume. I really like novels that talk about religion and especially novels with pastors.
We already knew, since the first volume, that "Pastor Babe" is bisexual so I already knew more or less what to expect from him and the author avoids all the clichés about the pastor who doubts his faith and blah blah (which I hate).
However, religion remains at the center of this novel and I like very much the vision that the author offers us. It almost makes me want to go back to church (but not sure that in France we have this kind of churches)
The relationship between Gabe and Seth is really cute. I found it very endearing and very natural, which is really great in the context of the novel. I liked that there are no difficulties between them and that their relationship remains strong despite the obstacles thrown on their way.
I loved finding the other characters, discovering new ones and I hope that the author still plans a lot of volumes of this series.
In summary , a very good volume of a series that combines humor and much more serious subjects. The author succeeds in balancing the two aspects, although opposed, of her novel without one encroaching on the other and preserving a correctness in these subjects.
A very good series, with colorful characters and perfectly mastered. Strong topics addressed with accuracy and without pretense, in short a series and an author to follow.
Du coup , pour l'instant je ne lis que ses romans contemporains et qu'est ce que je me régale!! J'avais adoré How not to Blend qui était vraiment très drôle tout en abordant des sujets très forts. J'étais tombée sous le charme de How Not to Wait, la nouvelle préquelle sur Shaw et Nick et j'ai encore à lire How Not to Tuck , la nouvelle sur Larry qu'on découvre dans le premier tome. (D'ailleurs je vous conseille de lire How Not to Tuck avant de lire How not to Sin parce qu'on voit plusieurs fois Larry et son amoureux)
Pour en revenir à How Not to Sin, je dois avouer que j'avais juste envie d'avoir l'histoire de Shaw et de Nick et que quand j'ai vu que ce n'était pas pour ce tome là, j'ai hésité à le lire. Pour autant je ne regrette pas du tout de l'avoir fait parce qu'une fois de plus j'ai complètement adoré ce tome.
Alors il est peut être un peu moins flamboyant que le tome précédent mais je pense que j'ai autant ris. (Je ne me remet toujours pas de Pastor Babe!)
J'ai beaucoup aimé les thèmes abordés dans ce tome. J'aime beaucoup les romans qui parlent de religion et particulièrement les romans avec des pasteurs.
On savait déjà , depuis le premier tome, que "Pastor Babe"est bisexuel du coup je savais déjà plus ou moins à quoi m'attendre à son propos et l'auteure évite du coup les clichés sur le pasteur qui doute de sa foi et blablabla (ce que je déteste) .
Cependant, la religion reste au centre de ce roman et j'aime énormément la vision que l'auteure nous en propose. Ça donne presque envie de retourner à l'église (mais pas sûre qu'en France on ai ce genre d’églises)
La relation entre Gabe et Seth est vraiment super mignonne. Je l'ai trouvée très attachante et très naturelle, ce qui est vraiment top dans le contexte du roman. J'ai aimé qu'il n'y ai pas de difficultés entre eux et que leur relation reste forte malgré les obstacles jetés sur leur route.
J'ai adoré retrouver les autres personnages, en découvrir de nouveaux et j'espère que l'auteur prévoit encore beaucoup de tomes de cette série.
En résumé encore un très bon tome d'une série qui allie humour et sujets beaucoup plus sérieux. L'auteure réussit à balancer les deux aspects , bien qu'opposés, de son roman sans que l'un empiète sur l'autre et en conservant une justesse dans ces sujets.
Une très très bonne série, aux personnages hauts en couleur et parfaitement maîtrisés. Des sujets forts abordés avec justesse et sans faux semblant, bref une série et une auteure à suivre.
ENG- So well well well.. well I'm really happy to have discovered this author. So I know it's been a long time since she star writting. But until now, she wrote only Mpreg and even if I start to read some, it's still rare.
So, for now I only read her contemporary novels and I love them so much! I loved How not to Blend, which was really funny while tackling very strong topics. I fell in love with How Not to Wait, the prequel novella about Shaw and Nick and I still have to read How Not to Tuck, the novella about Larry that we discover in the first volume. (By the way, I advise you to read How Not to Tuck before reading How not to Sin because we see Larry and his lover several times)
To go back to How Not to Sin, I must admit that I just wanted to have Shaw and Nick's story and that when I saw that it was not for this volume, I hesitated to read it. However, I do not regret doing it because once again I completely loved this volume.
So it may be a little less flamboyant than the previous one but I think I laugh so much. (I still do not recover from Pastor Babe!) I really liked the topics covered in this volume. I really like novels that talk about religion and especially novels with pastors.
We already knew, since the first volume, that "Pastor Babe" is bisexual so I already knew more or less what to expect from him and the author avoids all the clichés about the pastor who doubts his faith and blah blah (which I hate).
However, religion remains at the center of this novel and I like very much the vision that the author offers us. It almost makes me want to go back to church (but not sure that in France we have this kind of churches)
The relationship between Gabe and Seth is really cute. I found it very endearing and very natural, which is really great in the context of the novel. I liked that there are no difficulties between them and that their relationship remains strong despite the obstacles thrown on their way.
I loved finding the other characters, discovering new ones and I hope that the author still plans a lot of volumes of this series.
In summary , a very good volume of a series that combines humor and much more serious subjects. The author succeeds in balancing the two aspects, although opposed, of her novel without one encroaching on the other and preserving a correctness in these subjects.
A very good series, with colorful characters and perfectly mastered. Strong topics addressed with accuracy and without pretense, in short a series and an author to follow.
May 17, 2020
NOTE: This book was provided by the author for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Book number three in the ‘Lovestrong’ series is filled with sweet, effortless, and conflict-free romance, a solid pinch of sermons and good vibes, some serious sass, and a satisfying end to a subplot started in book number one. The main characters were no complete strangers to me as they already had made brief appearances in the two previous installments of this series, but I didn’t expect to read a gay romance including a man of the cloth. This came as a welcome surprise, but it also resulted in a bit too many homily-like conversations for my taste… I’ll say more about that aspect a bit later.
The story, like the two previous ones, is told in the first person alternately by one of the two main characters. The first one is Presbyterian pastor Gabe Samson, a young and learned man, openly bisexual even though he has never lived out his “homo side” so far. One day while driving home in heavy snowfall, he has a benign car accident and is almost literally picked up by Seth Thomas, who runs a Holistic yoga studio and shop in the little town where the whole series takes place. Seth gets them safely to his own place, where they spend a nice and easygoing evening with a fire in the chimney, candle light, red wine, and some slightly flirtatious conversation. A very romantic scene I liked for its schmoozy setting and the natural flow of two strangers getting to know each other and realizing they like what they see. No precipitated insta-love, but really a gradual falling-for-the-other-guy-thing just as I love them.
Needless to say that after that evening, they start to date with just as much ease, finding out more and more about each other… and still liking it. But of course there is someone who does not like it—one of the church Elders, in fact, gets wind of the pastor’s pastimes and is not amused. During a meeting of all the Elders, he asks Gabe to explain what is going on and informs him that the church’s promoted inclusiveness, which has prompted them to choose a bisexual pastor in the first place, is nothing more than hypocrite lip service; they hoped said bisexual pastor would only date women, marry one of them, and never really ever act out his homosexuality. A major conflict within the assembly of Elders, within the church as a whole ensues, with people taking sides and jeopardizing the church’s unity… and both Gabe and Seth need all their strength and their emotional bond to overcome the obstacle.
What I liked about this book was the moral force of both characters. They knew who they were, they knew what they wanted, they knew how to fight for their rights without ever hurting anybody else in the process. They were both genuinely good guys, warm-hearted, caring, loyal, loving, intelligent, thoughtful, mature in their actions and reactions—almost too good to be true, but it’s lovely to read about lovely people, especially in these times. No one needs to worry, however—everybody is not as lovely in this book, otherwise I would have dubbed it a fairy tale of old. But the good ones and the bad ones are clearly recognizable, white and black, with the odd gray ones caught in-between and quickly labelled as ‘redeemable’ (which is true for most people we think of as bad). The love story is nice to follow, the main plot made me turn the pages, maybe not with bated breath, but still with keen interest.
As I’ve said at the beginning, some parts were a tad too sanctimonious for my tastes, which do not tend towards organized religion (I’m pretty much like Seth for that matter, albeit less easily seduced by a handsome priest, pastor, reverend, guru, whatever…). But I understood that it was necessary for the plot development as well as the characterization of Gabe and Seth: the readers need to know where both characters stand, and it’s perfectly good writing to show them doing their jobs. Alas, the sanctimoniousness sometimes crept into the guys’ private conversations, too, and made them a bit less believable than the dialogs I was offered in the previous two books. To be honest, and maybe the weirdo is I and not Gabe and Seth, I never ever planned the right moment when to take a new paramour to bed; more importantly, I would certainly never have discussed such plans had they arisen. Meaning the two characters sometimes discuss things I can’t believe anybody would think necessary to discuss.
Apart from that minor niggle, which didn’t prevent me from enjoying the whole story, I can only repeat that it was a lovely read, easygoing, nonviolent, with love and romantic things galore, a bit of well-paced suspense that kept me going, and of course, what I expected: a nice and cozy happy ending. Looking forward to the next installment now…
Book number three in the ‘Lovestrong’ series is filled with sweet, effortless, and conflict-free romance, a solid pinch of sermons and good vibes, some serious sass, and a satisfying end to a subplot started in book number one. The main characters were no complete strangers to me as they already had made brief appearances in the two previous installments of this series, but I didn’t expect to read a gay romance including a man of the cloth. This came as a welcome surprise, but it also resulted in a bit too many homily-like conversations for my taste… I’ll say more about that aspect a bit later.
The story, like the two previous ones, is told in the first person alternately by one of the two main characters. The first one is Presbyterian pastor Gabe Samson, a young and learned man, openly bisexual even though he has never lived out his “homo side” so far. One day while driving home in heavy snowfall, he has a benign car accident and is almost literally picked up by Seth Thomas, who runs a Holistic yoga studio and shop in the little town where the whole series takes place. Seth gets them safely to his own place, where they spend a nice and easygoing evening with a fire in the chimney, candle light, red wine, and some slightly flirtatious conversation. A very romantic scene I liked for its schmoozy setting and the natural flow of two strangers getting to know each other and realizing they like what they see. No precipitated insta-love, but really a gradual falling-for-the-other-guy-thing just as I love them.
Needless to say that after that evening, they start to date with just as much ease, finding out more and more about each other… and still liking it. But of course there is someone who does not like it—one of the church Elders, in fact, gets wind of the pastor’s pastimes and is not amused. During a meeting of all the Elders, he asks Gabe to explain what is going on and informs him that the church’s promoted inclusiveness, which has prompted them to choose a bisexual pastor in the first place, is nothing more than hypocrite lip service; they hoped said bisexual pastor would only date women, marry one of them, and never really ever act out his homosexuality. A major conflict within the assembly of Elders, within the church as a whole ensues, with people taking sides and jeopardizing the church’s unity… and both Gabe and Seth need all their strength and their emotional bond to overcome the obstacle.
What I liked about this book was the moral force of both characters. They knew who they were, they knew what they wanted, they knew how to fight for their rights without ever hurting anybody else in the process. They were both genuinely good guys, warm-hearted, caring, loyal, loving, intelligent, thoughtful, mature in their actions and reactions—almost too good to be true, but it’s lovely to read about lovely people, especially in these times. No one needs to worry, however—everybody is not as lovely in this book, otherwise I would have dubbed it a fairy tale of old. But the good ones and the bad ones are clearly recognizable, white and black, with the odd gray ones caught in-between and quickly labelled as ‘redeemable’ (which is true for most people we think of as bad). The love story is nice to follow, the main plot made me turn the pages, maybe not with bated breath, but still with keen interest.
As I’ve said at the beginning, some parts were a tad too sanctimonious for my tastes, which do not tend towards organized religion (I’m pretty much like Seth for that matter, albeit less easily seduced by a handsome priest, pastor, reverend, guru, whatever…). But I understood that it was necessary for the plot development as well as the characterization of Gabe and Seth: the readers need to know where both characters stand, and it’s perfectly good writing to show them doing their jobs. Alas, the sanctimoniousness sometimes crept into the guys’ private conversations, too, and made them a bit less believable than the dialogs I was offered in the previous two books. To be honest, and maybe the weirdo is I and not Gabe and Seth, I never ever planned the right moment when to take a new paramour to bed; more importantly, I would certainly never have discussed such plans had they arisen. Meaning the two characters sometimes discuss things I can’t believe anybody would think necessary to discuss.
Apart from that minor niggle, which didn’t prevent me from enjoying the whole story, I can only repeat that it was a lovely read, easygoing, nonviolent, with love and romantic things galore, a bit of well-paced suspense that kept me going, and of course, what I expected: a nice and cozy happy ending. Looking forward to the next installment now…
February 28, 2019
So much to love in this story. And yet, for many who read without truly considering the subject matter or one of the protagonist's description, you'll probably find a mix of opinions. A bit of a disclaimer that seems like it would be common sense given the synopsis, but you never know these days. This features a preacher...a PREACHer. So is this a little preachy? Uh, yeah. Does it work? Definitely. The struggle of the individual that happens to be a leader of a Presbyterian church speaks his heart during scenes of him doing his job, sharing himself with the object of his affections, and in the course of dealing with the drama that is going on with his congregation. So, yes, there's preaching. I think it fits and don't think I'm being preached to, mostly because many of his thoughts echo those of my own heart.
Removing the more philosophical debating, this is a story of self-acceptance and struggling against those that would persecute based on hypocritical views. I liked Gabe's portrayal as a "regular guy" because I was able to separate the religious debate from the man. His job was religious by nature, but he knew himself and his path of self-discovery was pretty well described. The relationship he was building with Seth was amusing, heartfelt, and definitely all kinds of steamy. Both men had views that differed in some places and were compatible in others.
By focusing the story on the church drama that affected their relationship kept it about accepting themselves for who they are rather than trying to change the person into who and what you think you want in a partner to match your preconceived notions of "ideal". Sometimes the partner that matches our pictures isn't the best choice. The antagonist was prejudice in the form of one super hateful hypocrite that plagued the characters in the first book. Seeing him get his comeuppance was pretty great since he really was a terrible human.
Things were resolved a bit simply, but I didn't mind that too much since they had to face quite a bit to get to their happy ending. As for the familial reconciliation/closure, that was left a bit open-ended and gave both hope and sadness. It was the reaction of Seth that proved their partnership is one born of love and understanding. While I'm not sure I would have ended that bit with a couch-breaking scene, there's no denying that their solid emotional foundation was enhanced by incredible chemistry. This was a couple I believed in and was glad to get to know. From the intimations surrounding Shaw, the next installment in the series is bound to have more angst than we've previously experienced, but I'm definitely in to see him get his HEA too.
Removing the more philosophical debating, this is a story of self-acceptance and struggling against those that would persecute based on hypocritical views. I liked Gabe's portrayal as a "regular guy" because I was able to separate the religious debate from the man. His job was religious by nature, but he knew himself and his path of self-discovery was pretty well described. The relationship he was building with Seth was amusing, heartfelt, and definitely all kinds of steamy. Both men had views that differed in some places and were compatible in others.
By focusing the story on the church drama that affected their relationship kept it about accepting themselves for who they are rather than trying to change the person into who and what you think you want in a partner to match your preconceived notions of "ideal". Sometimes the partner that matches our pictures isn't the best choice. The antagonist was prejudice in the form of one super hateful hypocrite that plagued the characters in the first book. Seeing him get his comeuppance was pretty great since he really was a terrible human.
Things were resolved a bit simply, but I didn't mind that too much since they had to face quite a bit to get to their happy ending. As for the familial reconciliation/closure, that was left a bit open-ended and gave both hope and sadness. It was the reaction of Seth that proved their partnership is one born of love and understanding. While I'm not sure I would have ended that bit with a couch-breaking scene, there's no denying that their solid emotional foundation was enhanced by incredible chemistry. This was a couple I believed in and was glad to get to know. From the intimations surrounding Shaw, the next installment in the series is bound to have more angst than we've previously experienced, but I'm definitely in to see him get his HEA too.
March 1, 2019
Okay, I have to go get the first book in this series, because I was loving this one!
I wasn't sure how this one was going to work, a bisexual preacher? How unheard of, right?
Growing up Pentecost myself, literally every church I went to told me how wrong any of those letters were.
My parents weren't hateful like the Danvers in this story, but they believed very much the same thing, so I heard it a lot in lifetime. My father used to call me a "sympathizer" because I didn't say the bad words against minority groups or people who believed differently than we were supposed to. He'd sneer as he said it, and often make fun of me for it, but, now, as a 33-year-old mom with a gay 13-year-old.... I only wish my family would've had a church to belong to like Gabe's.
Other than being a love story, which it very much was between Pastor Babe and crystal healing, hippie, yoga instructor, Seth... I enjoyed everything else about it just as much. When Gabe was hired into a LGBT friendly church, they kind of thought he'd just represent the lgbt members but not actually practice it... stupid right?
So, when he meets and falls for Seth, he runs into some trouble from one man who is set to ruin the church and their love and acceptance of the LGBT community and church family.
The guy will make you sick. His antics and all the hatefulness he spreads, it made me sick because I've seen it first hand, and I know it's not just something I'm reading about in a book. It happens all the time, where people hide behind their religion to spew such ignorance. I mean, we see it way too often. Turn on the news at any given point in a day, and you'll see something to do with this very topic. It's sickening, and sadening, and I was so glad to read a story where it was brought to light and had such a big impact on all involved. It was real and sometimes hard, but with love and strength and faith and friends.... love will always win. Period.
Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
I love love love that quote, and it sums this story up perfectly.
I cannot wait to go back and read Andy and Corbin's story.... hello single dad, why haven't I read about you yet?
I love Gam's, and Gray, and Dottie, and Shaw and his crazy love triangle, and Larry.... I want stories from them all!
And if you read any of my reviews, you'll know that I love when the bad guy gets his dose of karmic justice. I am proud to say that Mr. Danvers gets his in this one, so fear not and keep reading!! I'll admit that I almost gave up a time or two myself but I'm glad I didn't.
And of course we get our HEA.
Such an amazing story, I'm so glad I read it. Definitely recommend...
4 stars from me
I wasn't sure how this one was going to work, a bisexual preacher? How unheard of, right?
Growing up Pentecost myself, literally every church I went to told me how wrong any of those letters were.
My parents weren't hateful like the Danvers in this story, but they believed very much the same thing, so I heard it a lot in lifetime. My father used to call me a "sympathizer" because I didn't say the bad words against minority groups or people who believed differently than we were supposed to. He'd sneer as he said it, and often make fun of me for it, but, now, as a 33-year-old mom with a gay 13-year-old.... I only wish my family would've had a church to belong to like Gabe's.
Other than being a love story, which it very much was between Pastor Babe and crystal healing, hippie, yoga instructor, Seth... I enjoyed everything else about it just as much. When Gabe was hired into a LGBT friendly church, they kind of thought he'd just represent the lgbt members but not actually practice it... stupid right?
So, when he meets and falls for Seth, he runs into some trouble from one man who is set to ruin the church and their love and acceptance of the LGBT community and church family.
The guy will make you sick. His antics and all the hatefulness he spreads, it made me sick because I've seen it first hand, and I know it's not just something I'm reading about in a book. It happens all the time, where people hide behind their religion to spew such ignorance. I mean, we see it way too often. Turn on the news at any given point in a day, and you'll see something to do with this very topic. It's sickening, and sadening, and I was so glad to read a story where it was brought to light and had such a big impact on all involved. It was real and sometimes hard, but with love and strength and faith and friends.... love will always win. Period.
Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
I love love love that quote, and it sums this story up perfectly.
I cannot wait to go back and read Andy and Corbin's story.... hello single dad, why haven't I read about you yet?
I love Gam's, and Gray, and Dottie, and Shaw and his crazy love triangle, and Larry.... I want stories from them all!
And if you read any of my reviews, you'll know that I love when the bad guy gets his dose of karmic justice. I am proud to say that Mr. Danvers gets his in this one, so fear not and keep reading!! I'll admit that I almost gave up a time or two myself but I'm glad I didn't.
And of course we get our HEA.
Such an amazing story, I'm so glad I read it. Definitely recommend...
4 stars from me
June 20, 2020
With the first 2 books of this series, (How Not to Blend and How Not to Tuck), I felt that my 3 stars was a matter of taste & that others might love it. For this book, I think my 4-star might be a 3-star for others, depending on personal taste.
I enjoyed Gabe and Seth's relationship, their banter, general conversations and getting to know one another. They had a sort of whirlwind relationship, but even though they still probably had a lot more to learn about one another, their love and respect for each other felt totally believable. I was also totally sucked into the portion of the plot involving a bigoted church member and his family, (one member being involved in a previous book and the main character of a future book).
Some might find this book a bit preachy, not just because one of the characters is literally a preacher, but because there's a LOT said about this character's feelings about religion, interpretation of the Bible & Christianity in general, along with multiple discussions between characters. However, although I can appreciate that the sermonizing might be a turnoff for some, I feel that it was important for the story, to understand Gabe & other characters in the book, (not to mention that part of what was being said was the idea that we need more love and less hate, less using religion as a weapon). One way that I think helps to deal with mentions of religion in books & characters, if you're not into real life religions like Christianity, is to imagine that the characters are living in a paranormal world & that this is that world's religion. (As a side note, I did find it relatively unrealistic that so many side characters, who were past or future main characters of the series, were also associated with Gabe's church. It does take place in a fictional small town though, so there's that).
Onto the narration - I enjoyed the narration throughout this book - there were a couple side characters whose voices didn't do it for me, but they weren't in it enough to detract from my overall enjoyment of the narration for me.
I enjoyed Gabe and Seth's relationship, their banter, general conversations and getting to know one another. They had a sort of whirlwind relationship, but even though they still probably had a lot more to learn about one another, their love and respect for each other felt totally believable. I was also totally sucked into the portion of the plot involving a bigoted church member and his family, (one member being involved in a previous book and the main character of a future book).
Some might find this book a bit preachy, not just because one of the characters is literally a preacher, but because there's a LOT said about this character's feelings about religion, interpretation of the Bible & Christianity in general, along with multiple discussions between characters. However, although I can appreciate that the sermonizing might be a turnoff for some, I feel that it was important for the story, to understand Gabe & other characters in the book, (not to mention that part of what was being said was the idea that we need more love and less hate, less using religion as a weapon). One way that I think helps to deal with mentions of religion in books & characters, if you're not into real life religions like Christianity, is to imagine that the characters are living in a paranormal world & that this is that world's religion. (As a side note, I did find it relatively unrealistic that so many side characters, who were past or future main characters of the series, were also associated with Gabe's church. It does take place in a fictional small town though, so there's that).
Onto the narration - I enjoyed the narration throughout this book - there were a couple side characters whose voices didn't do it for me, but they weren't in it enough to detract from my overall enjoyment of the narration for me.
October 5, 2019
I liked the Reverend Gabe, who quickly got the nickname "Pastor Babe" in this book. I also liked Seth, who was generally pretty even-keeled, especially compared to some of his friends. Andy, Andy's grandmother, Corbin, Larry and others return in this book. Once again, Andy's grandmother stole a few scenes.
I hadn't thought of the Presbyterian church as being a liberal church, at all. Gabe was rather naive to think so, but he was seeing the best in people. During the course of the book, he sees some of the worst, as one particular elder in Gabe's church is viciously homophobic himself, and also invites viciously homophobic and organized protest groups into town to harass the LGBT congregants of the church and LGBT townspeople.
There wasn't a particularly easy resolution, but the more responsible church elders and Gabe work through church channels. Seth was not a fan of organized religion, but said that he had his own relationship with God. I didn't find the book especially preachy, though there was actual preaching from Gabe in it. I didn't have a bad reaction to the religiosity as such. It's depressing to see the homophobia stirred up by "religious" people who use religion as a flimsy cover for their hatred, but I thought that was fairly realistic.
I was surprised that Gabe had decided to become a pastor, when his own very religious parents had rejected him. Seth was, too. Gabe had resolved his own issues about it, but Seth had Feelings on the matter. Anyway, things didn't turn out perfectly for everyone, but there were fair resolutions to several issues.
I hadn't thought of the Presbyterian church as being a liberal church, at all. Gabe was rather naive to think so, but he was seeing the best in people. During the course of the book, he sees some of the worst, as one particular elder in Gabe's church is viciously homophobic himself, and also invites viciously homophobic and organized protest groups into town to harass the LGBT congregants of the church and LGBT townspeople.
There wasn't a particularly easy resolution, but the more responsible church elders and Gabe work through church channels. Seth was not a fan of organized religion, but said that he had his own relationship with God. I didn't find the book especially preachy, though there was actual preaching from Gabe in it. I didn't have a bad reaction to the religiosity as such. It's depressing to see the homophobia stirred up by "religious" people who use religion as a flimsy cover for their hatred, but I thought that was fairly realistic.
I was surprised that Gabe had decided to become a pastor, when his own very religious parents had rejected him. Seth was, too. Gabe had resolved his own issues about it, but Seth had Feelings on the matter. Anyway, things didn't turn out perfectly for everyone, but there were fair resolutions to several issues.
June 16, 2020
Gabe and Seth's story touches on a lot of heavy subjects. Religion, homophobia, and abuse just to name a few. With all of this it would be easy for the story to become depressing or dark, but the author does an amazing job injecting humor and lightness to help balance things out. Gabe is exactly the kind of preacher more people need. He preaches about Gods love and is open and forgiving while being firm in his beliefs. He is also human and not afraid to show it. Many times religious leaders are put on a pedestal and expected to be perfect, but they are sinners just like the rest of us. Seth sees him for what he is and I love how playful and funny the two are together.
One thing I want to mention is Clark. His character brought out so many emotions in me. On one hand I wanted to hate him for the bullying and attack on Gray, but the toxic environment he lived in and the self hate pouring off of him softened my heart a lot. You look to your parents for guidance and acceptance and he had neither of those. His father was physically and emotionally abusive and his mother had let his father brain wash her to the point that she wasn't thinking for herself. It took a horrible act to get her to step up. While it would have been great to see Clark and Gray wind up as friends I have to say I'm kind of glad that didn't happen. The fact that Gray is still afraid of him and uncomfortable around him is more honest and realistic, at least at this point. I would hope that one day they could be though.
One thing I want to mention is Clark. His character brought out so many emotions in me. On one hand I wanted to hate him for the bullying and attack on Gray, but the toxic environment he lived in and the self hate pouring off of him softened my heart a lot. You look to your parents for guidance and acceptance and he had neither of those. His father was physically and emotionally abusive and his mother had let his father brain wash her to the point that she wasn't thinking for herself. It took a horrible act to get her to step up. While it would have been great to see Clark and Gray wind up as friends I have to say I'm kind of glad that didn't happen. The fact that Gray is still afraid of him and uncomfortable around him is more honest and realistic, at least at this point. I would hope that one day they could be though.
February 22, 2019
Sinfully sexy and perfectly sweet!
I really enjoyed this a lot (and have the whole series so far!). Aside from being sweet, sexy, and emotional, this correlates with “real life” in several timely ways-but never in a pushy way-and is very human and relatable. I also love how the authors characters are unique and individual, with love and humor, strengths and flaws.
Gabe and Shaw are a perfect match, definitely a bit of opposites attract in a few ways! Their encounter was great right from the start. Tangible chemistry but enjoyed them getting to know each other and letting it build a bit, but then it moves rapidly to a growing relationship and very satisfying conclusion, with challenges and victories along the way.
I also enjoyed seeing this community and previous characters, plus getting hints of those I hope to see more of in the future! I will definitely be watching out for more Lovestrong!
[Also wanted to say-I sometimes shy away from books with a religious/religion related characters or scenes, but I did not have any issue with that at all here. Although one MC is a Reverend, he is definitely not holier-than-thou or pious, and he doesn’t stand for it when a member of his church acts with horrid bigotry (and thats an understatement, but you just need to read it!). His challenge fits and flows well in the book but even while being integral the religious aspects are preachy and do not overpower the story at all.]
I really enjoyed this a lot (and have the whole series so far!). Aside from being sweet, sexy, and emotional, this correlates with “real life” in several timely ways-but never in a pushy way-and is very human and relatable. I also love how the authors characters are unique and individual, with love and humor, strengths and flaws.
Gabe and Shaw are a perfect match, definitely a bit of opposites attract in a few ways! Their encounter was great right from the start. Tangible chemistry but enjoyed them getting to know each other and letting it build a bit, but then it moves rapidly to a growing relationship and very satisfying conclusion, with challenges and victories along the way.
I also enjoyed seeing this community and previous characters, plus getting hints of those I hope to see more of in the future! I will definitely be watching out for more Lovestrong!
[Also wanted to say-I sometimes shy away from books with a religious/religion related characters or scenes, but I did not have any issue with that at all here. Although one MC is a Reverend, he is definitely not holier-than-thou or pious, and he doesn’t stand for it when a member of his church acts with horrid bigotry (and thats an understatement, but you just need to read it!). His challenge fits and flows well in the book but even while being integral the religious aspects are preachy and do not overpower the story at all.]
March 4, 2019
This is a great addition to the LOVESTRONG series. Yoga teacher Seth and reverend Gabe should be an odd match, but they are actually perfect for each other. Gabe's sense of humor lets him appreciate Seth's snark, and the way they care so deeply for each other almost immediately is heartwarming. This story features a fun, supportive, and sexy romance growing in the midst of a hate being stirred up by a horrible person in Gabe's church. Harold Danvers first appeared in How Not to Blend, and his evil homophobia is even worse here. He goes to great lengths to spread his agenda of hate and intolerance. Luckily, Gabe and Seth have a great group of supporters, and many of them are members of the church.
There are some scenes when I feel like the teasing goes on a bit long when a serious conversation needs to happen, but that doesn't detract from a very good story. I love the way the author, through Gabe, offers so many strong arguments against those attempting to use a few verses from the Bible as an excuse to condemn others. This storyline is handled well, without making the reader feel preached at. I appreciated this book, and I am excited that the next installment will be out soon. This is a series I really love!
There are some scenes when I feel like the teasing goes on a bit long when a serious conversation needs to happen, but that doesn't detract from a very good story. I love the way the author, through Gabe, offers so many strong arguments against those attempting to use a few verses from the Bible as an excuse to condemn others. This storyline is handled well, without making the reader feel preached at. I appreciated this book, and I am excited that the next installment will be out soon. This is a series I really love!
February 27, 2019
This is such a great series and I'm really enjoying it so far! Susan Hawke has given us some truly wonderful characters covering a wide array of personalities and a huge family/community feel.
Whilst this story includes a pastor and services on a Sunday, I didn't feel overwhelmed by religion and Gabe is a fantastic example of religious leaders we'd love to have everywhere - loving and accepting of all regardless of gender, race, sexuality, physical/mental ability etc. Susan's writing fully draws you into the story and everything going on for both MC's. The main plot line affects them both and there's a lot of negative emotion going around. It's something that I think is just as relevant today as it has been in the past and it's heart warming to read a community pulling together. Family, friends and the congregations are a great source of support for them both and it was great reading Andy and Corbin pop in. Gabe and Seth are heartwarming characters to read and their attractions jumps off the page right from the start.
I definitely recommend this book and all in the series so far and I'm excited for the next!
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.
Whilst this story includes a pastor and services on a Sunday, I didn't feel overwhelmed by religion and Gabe is a fantastic example of religious leaders we'd love to have everywhere - loving and accepting of all regardless of gender, race, sexuality, physical/mental ability etc. Susan's writing fully draws you into the story and everything going on for both MC's. The main plot line affects them both and there's a lot of negative emotion going around. It's something that I think is just as relevant today as it has been in the past and it's heart warming to read a community pulling together. Family, friends and the congregations are a great source of support for them both and it was great reading Andy and Corbin pop in. Gabe and Seth are heartwarming characters to read and their attractions jumps off the page right from the start.
I definitely recommend this book and all in the series so far and I'm excited for the next!
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.
February 22, 2019
How Not To Sin is the second book in Susan Hawke's Lovestrong series. And it's as great as I hoped it would be.
Gabe's a bisexual pastor, who's never been with a guy before. When he falls for the yoga teacher, Seth, his life is set on a new course. Their relationship is sweet and tender, and they are wonderful as a couple, with some fun teasing.
I enjoy the religion versus Christianity conversations. This is so damn relevant right not that it makes for a good read. Gabe's views on religion are very refreshing, as he's loving and accepting, instead of being judgemental.
In typical fashion for this author, there's a whole lot of humor. My favorite scene is Loretta at the sex shop. Hysterical!
How Not To Sin is fantastic and riveting, with a great group of characters. It's hot and sexy, and am all around enjoyable read. I'm definitely loving this series so far and am excited to see what's next.
Note - If you don't like books that deal with religious homophobia, skip this one.
February 22, 2019
I don't care what name Susan Hawke is writing under, I will read whatever she writes. That being said, I totally adore this series. It's a lot of fun even while it deals with some serious issues.
Pastor Gabe, AKA Babe, is bi and he came to work at the church he did because they were inclusive and looking for a way to be even more exclusive and to bring in more of the LGBT+ community.
Seth is a yoga teacher and is into the whole metaphysical thing. But when he turns into Pastor Babe's guardian angel, it turns more physical and less meta.
I love the way that Susan Hawke handles the balancing act between Gabe and Seth being in love in private and then Pastor Gabe and his boyfriend in public. She also dealt with the horrible things that happen really well. It isn't an easy thing, especially in light of some of the really hateful things that happen, but she handled it well.
Not only are we getting a great love story, we're also getting a story about how hard it can be to live your truth.
Pastor Gabe, AKA Babe, is bi and he came to work at the church he did because they were inclusive and looking for a way to be even more exclusive and to bring in more of the LGBT+ community.
Seth is a yoga teacher and is into the whole metaphysical thing. But when he turns into Pastor Babe's guardian angel, it turns more physical and less meta.
I love the way that Susan Hawke handles the balancing act between Gabe and Seth being in love in private and then Pastor Gabe and his boyfriend in public. She also dealt with the horrible things that happen really well. It isn't an easy thing, especially in light of some of the really hateful things that happen, but she handled it well.
Not only are we getting a great love story, we're also getting a story about how hard it can be to live your truth.
February 22, 2019
Gabe is a bisexual pastor. Given the impression when he was hired, that the congregation was in support of his sexual identity. Finding out that some of the people he ministers to are bigots really disappoints him.
When he goes off the road in a snow storm, he is rescued by Seth. Who teaches yoga and has a new age kind of shop. They hit it off and are very comfortable with each other. They begin a relationship and both men readily accept each other at face value. Not realizing that their being together will spark all kinds of hatred.
The intricacies of religion have always baffled me. I’ve never understood how something that is supposed to be good can create such hate. I liked Gabe’s approach to his belief in a higher power. I thought the author did a very nice job of depicting a true man of faith who was very human and caring. This book at times was sad, funny, and endearing. I enjoyed meeting these guys.
Review Copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMGReads.
When he goes off the road in a snow storm, he is rescued by Seth. Who teaches yoga and has a new age kind of shop. They hit it off and are very comfortable with each other. They begin a relationship and both men readily accept each other at face value. Not realizing that their being together will spark all kinds of hatred.
The intricacies of religion have always baffled me. I’ve never understood how something that is supposed to be good can create such hate. I liked Gabe’s approach to his belief in a higher power. I thought the author did a very nice job of depicting a true man of faith who was very human and caring. This book at times was sad, funny, and endearing. I enjoyed meeting these guys.
Review Copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMGReads.
February 22, 2019
I love this book! It is beautifully written, sweet, hilarious, thought-provoking, emotional, sad, deals well with very difficult issues, has an intriguing storyline, the characters are amazing and I could not put it down. I love how different Seth and Gabe are from each other but they are perfect together. Their relationship is beautiful and I love how they take the time to get to know each other. Gabe is an amazing pastor as he loves and cares for everyone without any judgement or bias. He and Seth have an incredible connection and great chemistry. Unfortunately the bigotry and violence they have to deal with is all too common. The author does an excellent job of showing the worst and the best of this town. I love seeing the couples from the previous stories and the ending is perfect. I can't wait to read the next book in this wonderful series.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book.
June 18, 2022
When Rev Dr Gabe Samson dares to act on his bisexuality by dating Seth Thomas, a gay yoga instructor, it starts a battle for the hearts and minds of his mostly LGBT-friendly congregation. Seth is more new-age than old-religion, but he’s attracted to the handsome pastor and willing to help him fight for an inclusive church. The Lovestrong series is about living your authentic life in a small town and this 3rd book is a corker! It tackles the tension between often-censorious views of conservative Christianity with more modern readings of the Bible … lots of verses and arguments are examined by the characters. The story has two nice-guy leads, an arch-villain, and a swoony romance. Despite the fire and brimstone, there’s loads of trademark Susan Hawke sass and humour - all highly enjoyable. Audio narrator Michael Dean is sinfully good, totally at ease with the accents, emotions, and humour.
February 21, 2019
“Tell me, is the preacher kinky in the bedroom? He's gotta be, right? Please don't tell me that I've been lied to by p*rn—I'm not sure my heart could take it."
EVERYTHING about Gabe was pretty unexpected. I feel like the author could have went a lot of different ways with this MC, but she made him completely relatable. I loved Gabe and Seth’s chemistry from their first scene together.
If you’re worried about this being extra heavy on the angst fret not. Susan Hawke is proving to be excellent at giving you just enough angst to invokep the right feels but not drown you in it at the same time. This book deals with a lot of heavy topics, mainly hate, but the overall theme of the book is Love.
One of the best parts of this series are all the secondary characters. We got to see past couples continue their HEA as well as get a taste for what’s to come. I’m so excited for the next release!
EVERYTHING about Gabe was pretty unexpected. I feel like the author could have went a lot of different ways with this MC, but she made him completely relatable. I loved Gabe and Seth’s chemistry from their first scene together.
If you’re worried about this being extra heavy on the angst fret not. Susan Hawke is proving to be excellent at giving you just enough angst to invokep the right feels but not drown you in it at the same time. This book deals with a lot of heavy topics, mainly hate, but the overall theme of the book is Love.
One of the best parts of this series are all the secondary characters. We got to see past couples continue their HEA as well as get a taste for what’s to come. I’m so excited for the next release!
April 8, 2019
You're MY Penguin 💖🌈💖
The 3rd story, or 4th (if you read the little novie that introduces us to Shaw & St. Nick) is a little more serious as the two MCs are much different in personality than those in the previous books.
This book touched my soul on so many levels because of the person I am, and I cannot thank S. Hawke enough for bringing these characters and their story to life.
If you have ever dealt with issues of hate because of narrow-mindedness, and/or religion, either in your own upbringing (family) or from outside sources, you need to read this book.
Love holds the power to drive out all hate. Bring on the mushy gushy love cliches, Lady Gaga, friendships, snark, and southern sass, as only S. Hawke can do. "How Not to Sin," is jam packed and jelly tight. 😂
I love this series so soooo hard!💋
Enjoy!
The 3rd story, or 4th (if you read the little novie that introduces us to Shaw & St. Nick) is a little more serious as the two MCs are much different in personality than those in the previous books.
This book touched my soul on so many levels because of the person I am, and I cannot thank S. Hawke enough for bringing these characters and their story to life.
If you have ever dealt with issues of hate because of narrow-mindedness, and/or religion, either in your own upbringing (family) or from outside sources, you need to read this book.
Love holds the power to drive out all hate. Bring on the mushy gushy love cliches, Lady Gaga, friendships, snark, and southern sass, as only S. Hawke can do. "How Not to Sin," is jam packed and jelly tight. 😂
I love this series so soooo hard!💋
Enjoy!
June 15, 2020
I really enjoyed this story.
It’s sweet and full of humour; I loved both characters a lot: Gabe is a bi pastor fighting with some homophobic turmoil inside his church (mainly stirred by one single a**hole), and Seth is the laid back owner of an holistic shop and yoga studio. On paper this may seem a recipe for disaster, instead the two man match really well and their relationship evolves pretty fast and seamlessly.
For me it’s always a bit weird reading books with any form of religious leaders. I am not religious myself, but having been raised in a country where the main religion is Catholicism, where priest are not allowed to marry, it always takes me a while to get into the story. But this is done really well, in my opinion, Gabe does not just ignore some rules to the benefit of his relationship, and his concerns are faced and studied with logic.
It’s sweet and full of humour; I loved both characters a lot: Gabe is a bi pastor fighting with some homophobic turmoil inside his church (mainly stirred by one single a**hole), and Seth is the laid back owner of an holistic shop and yoga studio. On paper this may seem a recipe for disaster, instead the two man match really well and their relationship evolves pretty fast and seamlessly.
For me it’s always a bit weird reading books with any form of religious leaders. I am not religious myself, but having been raised in a country where the main religion is Catholicism, where priest are not allowed to marry, it always takes me a while to get into the story. But this is done really well, in my opinion, Gabe does not just ignore some rules to the benefit of his relationship, and his concerns are faced and studied with logic.
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