With A Kick is a café in London’s trendy SoHo district. They serve ice cream mixed with alcohol. In other words, dreamy treats with a kick. Each dessert has a special name and is created either by owner Patrick or server extraordinaire Lee. The names and concoctions from the first collection were cute so I was curious what would be dreamed up this time.
The first story, Pluck and Play, features Curtis and a mysterious cowboy. Curtis is a go-to guy in SoHo. He knows where you can get just about anything and he’s turned that knowledge into a business. He has a nice little concern and although he’s not wealthy, he does have a good thing going including friends and flatmates who don’t drive him bonkers. Well, perhaps Phiz does drive him a little nuts, but listeners from the first collection will remember the adorable guy whose mouth tends to run ahead of his brain. He’s as sweet as ever and his patient boyfriend Brian is also back in this story.
Curtis is out on a run when he encounters a nasty man who threatens him. Riley steps in to help him and Curtis notices immediately the man’s boots, cowboy hat, and Texas drawl. When Riley later sets up his guitar and amp in front of With A Kick, Curtis can’t help but be curious about this very attractive man. They enjoy each other’s company and even go out on a date. All very sweet.
Or it would be, but Curtis’ abusive ex-lover comes back into the picture, making his life miserable. As someone who had a nasty ex, I completely related to Curtis’ angst over dealing with someone who hurt him emotionally as well as physically. I also understood Riley’s desire to handle the situation with his fists because sometimes bullies only understand violence. In the end, a very creative solution dispatched the ex forever and the two men got their happy ending.
The second story, Double Scoop, is about Patrick the owner and Lee the loyal employee. While the first story was told entirely in Curtis’ point of view, this story was entirely from Patrick’s. He loves his shop and it has become his pride and joy. He also is quick to realize that Lee is a big part of that success. Patrick can even admit, to himself, that he cares deeply for Lee. As far as he’s concerned, though, he’s too old for the much younger man, so he watches and pines from afar.
Only a disaster involving the shop and Lee brings his feelings to the fore. Lee appears to reciprocate his feelings, but his insecurities hold him back. Only intervention from their friends forces the men to confront their feelings and put their hearts on the line.
I enjoyed this story because in the first collection Lee and Patrick had caught my eye. I’m a sucker for a good story where both men want the other but are too afraid to lose what they have. Friends to lovers, as it were. This story also brought back all my favorite characters from the previous stories so that was the cherry on the top, so to speak.
Finally, I have to mention the narrator, Joel Leslie. I’m a huge fan and he did not disappoint in this book. I loved how he had the London accent down but was able to throw in Riley’s Texas twang. Another great job and I highly recommend the collection.