Rating: 4
Steam: 3
PoV: dual, 1st person
Series: Mount Hope #2
Genre: contemporary romance, MM
Tropes / tags: co-workers, age gap, small town
We’d cracked open a box we both knew better than to mess with, but could either of us keep our hands to ourselves now that we knew exactly how good this could be?
Tons of chemistry and a little bit of a forbidden workplace romance in this second book in the Mount Hope series!
There’s something about romances where the MC returns back to their home towns after years away – and I really liked seeing Tony getting back to Mount Hope, trying to settle into civilian life after spending most of his life in the army. He quickly found a connection with Caleb, his younger co-worker and also the one responsible for showing Tony the ropes.
Caleb and Tony’s romance was quite frustrating at times, but it was also kind of what kept it intriguing. Tony hadn’t had a chance to explore his bisexuality until now, and while he was pretty sure he wasn’t looking for something serious, he hadn’t been expecting the way Caleb made him feel. Caleb was known for having unrequited crushes on people, and seeing how he felt kind of defeated about his crush on Tony made my heart ache. He was such a sweetheart and just wanted to find someone to love, and it was sad to see how he’d been let down in the past.
I liked the self discovering that Tony did here, and while it might be hard, sometimes you just have to realise that old dreams aren’t always meant to be your future. I was happy that Tony had the sense to reconsider what he wanted to do for his civilian career, to me it was clear from the start that the fire station wasn’t the right place for him, but I can understand him feeling lost after spending that many years in the army and wanting to give his old dream an honest chance.
Off the Clock was a story that kept me intrigued until the end, and even if Caleb and Tony was frustrating at times, it was also a sweet read and I loved how explosive their attraction was. If you’re looking for a cosy small town romance with minimum angst and a little bit of forbidden and secret romance, I recommend giving this one a chance!
“I’m hooked on you.” I pulled him close to me again and kissed his temple. “It’s entirely possible you’ve ruined me for all others.”
“I like that thought.”
Book links:
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