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Nicci

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I might have a current fascination for M/M Romance, but I do read across genres, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, History, Contemporary, Murder Mysteries, Thrillers, and those other romance novels. 

Currently reading

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Kindle Alexander
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Bullet by Garrett Leigh

Bullet - Garrett Leigh

Review posted at TWLIB Reviews

 

Bullet is a hard-hitting story set in the background of the Porn industry.  The narrative is told by and centers on twenty-six years old Levi Ramone, an old timer according to the industry’s standards.  He is a ruthless top and maintains a strong hold over his reputation of not bottoming for anyone.  He goes by the rules of getting laid and getting paid.  His boss, one day, makes Levi an offer he can barely refuse as it will help pay his mother’s medical bills.  But the problems are he has this hardcore reputation he must maintain and then there is Sonny who will participate in the scene with Levi.  Considering his life in general, and his thoughts on Sonny, Levi finds himself in a state of quandary and despite what is on the surface of the story there is something going on much more than deeper than creating scenes of dubious pleasure.

Of course, Bullet is different in context from the book, Slide.  While Slide is an emotional journey, Bullet is almost devoid of explicit emotions.  To understand this story is a matter of looking under the surface of wordings and events.  It is there though for the detailing, of how Levi goes about compartmentalizing the activities and events in his life.  He doesn’t commingle his porn industry life with his auto mechanic business with his taking care of his mother.  What isn’t so clear is the relationship between Levi and Sonny.



This is what I love about this story, the teasing out the details on why Sonny, who intensively dislike Levi, offers Levi a service to help him perform the big money act.  Why does Levi knowing the disdain Sonny feel for him would allow Sonny into his personal space when he wouldn’t dare allow people to get close to him.      

My one quibble about Bullet is voice/characterization.  When you read books, back-to-back, by the same author, it’s easy to pick up the similarity between characters.  Think the word “Sugar” used by Levi in Bullet, and Pete in Slide. 

Is Bullet a romance?  How do you define romance these days?  Is it about love?  Sure, it is even though the characters don’t quite know it yet.  My thought reading the story was “It’s a thin line between love and hate.”  Levi and Sonny getting together is well-drawn, hot, and steamy intimacy that helps further to characterize another aspect of Levi Ramone.   

Bullet is tightly written, limits the point of view to Levi, allows me the reader to access limit detail that keep me fully engaged with interest and curiosity.    

To Garrett Leigh, kudos for another successful book.      

For those that have read Bullet, did you get the sense Levi is much older than 26 years old?

Highly Recommended

Source: http://twlibreviews.com/2013/11/review-bullet-by-garrett-leigh