Review: Nachos & Hash by Brandon Witt

Title: Nachos & Hash by Brandon Witt
Mary’s Boys Series Book One
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Genre: Contemporary, M/M, Erotic, Romance
Length: 105 pages/Word Count:33,908
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by the Author

Summary:

A Mary’s Boys Novella

Darwin Michaels is living his dreams in the Mile High City. While Denver offers the perfect job, scrumptious dining, and whirlwind dating options, Darwin is losing hope he’ll find the right man to spark his interest for more than a one-night stand—until he sets eyes on Cody Russell.

Cody has just accomplished his life’s goal—get the hell out of Kansas. In one fell swoop, he lands a job at Hamburger Mary’s and gets a newfound family and the chance to be with other gay people! All that’s missing is someone special. But when Darwin shows his interest, Cody is sure it’s too good to be true. After all, what can Darwin possibly see in the high school dropout serving him nachos?

As Darwin falls in love, Cody struggles to realize his worth. When his past threatens the fragile life he is building, Cody spirals into a moment of dark desperation. But Darwin is determined to show Cody that love and family and home are there for him… will Cody accept what is offered?

Review:

Nachos & Hash is an emotional yet sensual beginning to Brandon Witt’s Mary’s Boys series.  This first outing pairs up Darwin Michaels with Cody Russell and the resulting love story is guaranteed to warm readers’ hearts.

Although he is only in his mid twenties, Darwin Michaels is at the point in his life where he is ready to settle down.  His latest date is another in a long line of disappointments and he has decided to temporarily stop dating when Cody Russell catches his eye.  Darwin is rather smitten with Cody, but when Cody disappears after they spend a very hot night together, he is not quite certain what his next move should be.  Luckily for him, he has two good friends who push him out of his comfort zone just long enough for him to arrange another date with Cody.  Although their sweet romance has a bit of a rocky start, things are going well until someone from Cody’s past reappears and threatens to destroy the happy life he has begun to piece together.

Darwin is at a good place in his life.  He knows what he wants and although a relationship seems to be just beyond his reach, he is willing to wait until the right person comes along.  He has a good relationship with his parents and they are quite supportive of him.  However, Darwin has not always be as self-assured as he is now so it does not take long for him to realize that Cody is struggling with the same insecurities that once plagued him.

Cody has achieved his dream of leaving his family and small town behind and he is quite happy with the new life he is building.  While he has plenty of sexual experience,  Cody is a total stranger to emotional intimacy so he initially does not understand that Darwin wants a real relationship with him.   He has low self-esteem which leads to a few misunderstandings between him and Darwin. His low self-worth makes him particularly vulnerable to his family’s disapproval so it is not too surprising that his reaction to his father’s vitriol is so extreme.

Nachos & Hash is a novella so a lot of Cody and Darwin’s relationship takes place off scene. Readers see a nice compilation of moments from their romance including some of their sexy times, cute dates and miscommunications. The chapters alternate between the two men’s perspectives which provides an in-depth view of their thoughts, expectations and insecurities. The story moves at a fast pace and while this does not have a negative impact on Darwin and Cody’s romance, some elements late in the story do feel a little glossed over.

Nachos & Hash by Brandon Witt is a quick read with lovable characters and a sweet but steamy romance.  A very enjoyable first installment in the Mary’s Boys series which will leave readers eagerly awaiting the release of the next book in the series.