Review: Heat Wave: Tuscaloosa by Jeff Adams

Ethan is a grad student stuck in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, for the summer. Though he’s thrilled about his teaching assistant position at the university, he’s not at all excited about the record-breaking heat wave plaguing the area. 

In the midst of an oppressively hot summer night, Ethan meets fellow grad student Marcus. While their initial encounters are scorching, can two busy students have more than a heated seasonal fling? Or could it be the beginning of something that will last beyond the stormy southern nights?

Two grad students and one impossibly hot summer, let me tell you, the temperature wasn't the only thing that was heating up in this novel! This book was a pleasant, and oft times steamy, read. Taking place over one summer, we see the development of the relationship between Ethan and Marcus. From mutual balcony masturbation (public sex kink - tick), to some damn hot sex scenes, the story was full of serious sexy times... but more than that, it showed how Ethan and Marcus developed a relationship beyond the physical.

Though there were a couple of minor editing errors, I enjoyed this story. It was a pleasant summer read. I liked the odd references to pop culture:

"I wished really hard for a either a polar vortex to miraculously blow in, or for Elsa to get pissed off and unleash the cold."

I also felt for these guys; I HATE being too hot and the word humid makes me want to cry. The author did an excellent job of writing how uncomfortably hot the summer was, and the subsequent effect it had on the guys relationship. In fact, without the heat, the relationship might never have happened.The MC's were fun, they were great to read about; they laughed together and made me laugh at several points. When they needed to be there for each other they were.

To be honest, I'm finding it hard to know exactly how to review this book. Not because it was badly written, or boring, but because it really was a middling book. The kind that is perfect when you're a bit tired and just want to fall into bed with an easy, enjoyable read. So often middling, easy, nice, etc, etc seem like insults, but I'm here to say that is not the case. Sometimes all these things are exactly what it needed in a read. It wasn't overly sweet and schmultzy, nor too angsty, it was just a nice blend of pleasant with just enough steam.

A recommended read for those times when something easy, fun and just a touch steamy is what you're looking for.

For more information check out Goodreads.

A copy of this story was given in exchange for an honest review.