Eternal Hoptimist by Lee Blair (Tap That Brewery book 2)

 

The second book in the Tap That Brewery series, Eternal Hoptimist follows Ethan as he swears off relationships and has a New Years Eve meet-cute with Parker, an up-and-coming lawyer who he doesn't think he'll ever see again...

From the blurb:

Ethan

I’ve got a reputation as too quick to fall in love among the merry band of misfits I co-own Tap That Brewery with. Relationships are all rainbows and unicorns until I inevitably get dumped. I’ve had enough of being kicked to the curb, so I make a dating hiatus my New Year’s resolution.

My resolve is challenged when I keep bumping into a gorgeous guy whose “date me” vibes are as potent as his pheromones. Resolution aside, I don’t even have time for romance because I’ve got to help my great-aunt save her house—the one place I felt safe in as a kid. But when I discover the gorgeous guy is not only hot but an attorney who might be able to help me? I get an idea that just might put my resolution to the test…

Parker

I’m on the cusp of being named the youngest partner in my law firm’s history. Except for the pesky detail that I’m unattached, and no single attorney has been promoted to partner. I never fail when I set my mind to something. If only I had a boyfriend to help me seal the deal.

But how am I going to find a boyfriend when I can barely manage to sleep with my workload? When a cute guy with an addictive smile proposes an arrangement that might get me the promotion of my dreams, there’s a chance I could have it all. As long as he doesn’t object first.

Eternal Hoptimist is a low angst, steamy, and sweet MM contemporary romance about two men who fake date their way to love. It’s book two in the Tap That Brewery series, which features four best friends who co-own a queer brewery together. It’s full of teasing as a love language, found family, spicy education, and a small town you'll wish you could visit. Each book can be read as a standalone, though you may find it most enjoyable to read the series in order. The jokes hit better that way. Happily ever afters are guaranteed, and no cliffhangers!

Heather's Review:

Eternal Hoptimist is a sweet, steamy and slightly kinky story with lots of great tropes to explore - the meet-cute, fake dating, kink exploration, found family, family drama, work-life balance and more... 

As with other Lee Blair stories, this book is a low angst look at the budding relationship between Ethan and Parker and takes us through a year of their lives... the one miss for me is that the timeline jumps a bit to make the book more event based and focuses on them out and doing things more than them exploring their kinks or the relationship  I would have loved to see more development of the kink relationship and more steam, even if the book had to be a little longer.  

It was great to see the other guys from Tap That interspersed in the book and Hector was a lovely side character who needs his own HEA in Dahlia Springs!  I look forward to both Tyler and Nate's books, as well as Seth and Hector finding their people!

This is a lovely weekend read and a great book if you are looking for a low angst romance

Rating: 4 Stars

Angel's Review:

I was looking forward to Ethan's character. His love for love caught my eye in the first book, so I was excited about seeing who he would fall for. This book was definitely different from what I expected. I honestly thought this one was going to be more full of fluff, just given how Ethan's character was portrayed in the first book. It wasn't full of fluff; it was different and unexpected, which I can appreciate. 

Ethan is tired of falling too hard and too fast for people, only to get his heart broken. So, he swore off of relationships for a year. Too bad the year he decided to take a hiatus from a relationship is the year he meets a man that would be worth risking his heart. 

I enjoyed the buildup of Ethan and Parker's relationship. It was a slow burn with a dash of friends with benefits mixed in. A situationship, if you will. The pacing of the story was nice. I liked that both Ethan and Parker's character grew and developed throughout the story. 

I really adored getting more banter between the tight-knit group of friends. I can't help but smile when I read their bantering. I was surprised by how steamy this book was. I wasn't expecting it after the first book was not so full of steam, but it worked for these characters.

I loved seeing more characters get introduced, and how the friend dynamic just keeps growing! It made me get all sorts of feels. 

I'm on to book 3!! I can't wait to see who's story is next! Will it be Dom, Ty, Seth, or Hector? I guess I'll find out soon! 

Rating: 4.25 Stars

Eternal Hoptimist is available in paperback and ebook editions and can be read as part of your Kindle Unlimited subscription