When Love Flue In is a short and sweet novella with a Christmas twist.  5 years of stolen glances and private fantasies turn into the start of a beautiful new relationship.  I received a copy of this book at no charge from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

When Love Flue In by Lillian Francis

Title:  When Love Flue In
Series:  N/A
Author:  Lillian Francis
ISBN: 9781784303129
Publisher/Date: Expected publication: December 5th 2014 by Totally Bound
Format/Length:   Novella 24671 words
Genre:  M/M contemporary
Heat Rating: 3
Star Rating: 4

Purchase Link: Totally Bound Publishing

Blurb:

Dominic is celebrating his first Christmas since his divorce, and although he’s spending it on his own, he’s determined to have a traditional Christmas morning, including a roaring fire. Unfortunately, Dominic’s chimney is blocked, which is why Reagan, a soot-haired chimney sweep, is head and shoulders up Dominic’s flue. Dominic is just lucky the man had a cancellation on Christmas Eve.

Unable to take his eyes off Reagan’s low-slung jeans and enticing arse while Reagan sets about the hearth with rods and brushes, Dominic knows five years is a long time to be obsessed with the man who sweeps his chimney every Christmas. This year there’s nothing to stop Dominic from acting on his desires—except his own insecurities.

An exploding flue provides the opportunity for more than just polite conversation and could be the catalyst for a perfect Christmas. But Dominic will need to stop hiding who he really is before a special sweep can light a fire in his heart.

My Review:  When Love Flue In had me smiling about half way through the book.  I always know I am going to love a story when it actually makes me FEEL something!

Dominic married to please his father but when his fantasy lover’s name slipped past his lips while he was in bed with his wife, his marriage fell apart.  Dominic is surprisingly okay with that and is determined not to hide his true self any longer.  He comes out to his father (who takes it badly) and his sister (who is totally okay with his new orientation) and makes a few fumbling foray’s into exploring his new found sexuality.  Despite his very limited experience, he has no trouble imagining the hot and sexy things he wants to do to his chimney sweep!

Reagan has been Dominic’s chimney sweep for almost 6 years and while he definitely thought Dominic was hot, there was always a Mrs. in the picture.  Until now.  A drunken 3 AM phone call clues Reagan in to the fact that Dominic may be more interested in him than he dared to hope. When he heads over there on Christmas day to check on Dominic, things take a very hot and sexy turn for the better!  Dominic’s shy but determined fumbling and Reagan’s patient experience make for a wonderfully drawn out and perfectly scripted exploration on the rug in front of the fire. They are both determined that this marks the beginning of a very beautiful new relationship and while there is no ‘happy forever’ guarantee, there is definitely a ‘happy for now’ at the end of this book.

When Love Flue In  is short and sweet with very little angst other than the normal stress of an almost first time gay experience for Dominic.  I loved the details that the author provided and the wonderful character development.  The story takes place over a 2 day period so there is plenty of detail provided about the main characters, the setting, the secondary characters, etc.  Dominic is a lawyer and a is naturally dominant and a bit aggressive but his newness and hesitance are totally understandable when it comes to dealing with Reagan.  I get the feeling that Reagan is not usually the kind of guy to take the bull by the horns and run but he does a great job leading Dominic where he wants to go!  And Reagan’s mom is just awesome and not the least bit embarrassed about the details of her son’s sex life!

If you are looking for a short and sweet romance to get you in the Christmas spirit, When Love Flue In is a great choice!  There is a sweet and gentle buildup to Dominic and Reagan’s relationship and when they finally give in to temptation, the heat is phenomenal.  After years of longing glances and private fantasies, they finally get what they have wanted for so very long!