A Hearts On Fire Review

3.25 HEARTS--"Another Believer" is a new adult novella that takes place in one day on train traveling from California to Oregon. College student David Sato is geeky, snarky, vertically challenged and gay. He knows who he is and who he is not. So when jock athlete Jonah Simpson sits next to him on the train, he can't help but stare and have wicked fantasies in his head. It's not like it will go anywhere.

But what he doesn't expect is that the auburn haired jock sitting next to him is actually gay as well and totally interested in David. He's not just a jock and like his men to have something going on upstairs as well as downstairs.

The two strangers get to know each other, have minor struggles (David is insecure) and fall into lust all within 24 hours. It was light, a little sexy and easy to read.

The Good

Alternating point of view - I do like being in the head of each main character when possible.

The sex scenes were sexy - What's not to like about impromptu train sex? I wished some of the acts that David mentioned being done to him were described a little more in detail. But overall, David and Jonah can steam up a room.

The ending-the ending made me rate slightly higher than my original 3 Hearts rating. It might have been a little cliche but it was romantic and a little realistic at the same time. Plus, adorbs.

The Not as Good

There weer a few minor editing issues, it did not detract from the story. I like to get a sense of the main characters whenever I am reading a book. Jonah I mostly got - he's 24, a basketball college athlete (though at 24 I questioned why he was still in college-no info was ever provided) and well off. Not much depth but enough to keep the story interesting. David was geeky, slobbered all over Jonah from the moment he met him and was in a state of semi shock Jonah even looked his way...even after mutual blowjobs. David- I was on the fence with because his thought process was a little loopy. I could just brush it off as he's young (though his age was never mentioned) and still learning but I wanted to shake him him a bit. I'm not totally convinced about David's insecurity disappearing.

Also David claimed he was very shy and introverted...he never came across as shy or socially awkward. He had a few bumbling moments here and there but nothing that proved he was as shy as he told the reader he was. He slept with a virtual stranger in a few hours. Practices of the shy, socially inept? Not really. So I questioned his character altogether. Jonah didn't have to work that hard to get in David's pants in my opinion. I'm not saying all nerds are shy but don't claim to be something you're not.

The story is not exactly memorable and is a definitely a member of the tried and true trope' of geek vs. jock romance. But there was something about the ending, the last 5% that just worked nicely and made me smile.

Was it insta-love? Yep.
Did I believe the HFN/HEA? Eh...I can see them as a couple who could spend a couple of years together after their whirlwind one day hook-up.

The story is cute, not overly sweet with a few steamy moments. It might have been better if we got to learn more about the main characters and see them out of the magical train ride/ dickmatized atmosphere." ( )