“Our doubts are traitors,
and make us lose the good we oft might win,
by fearing to attempt.” ― William Shakespeare
Author: Mathew Ortiz
Publisher: Self-Published
Pages/Word Count: 157 Pages
Rating: 5 Stars
Blurb: When most guys looked at Seth Okuda all they saw was pretty and girly. He hated the fact that guys wouldn’t look past his exterior and look further. After ending his last relationship, in which he let the guy change so much about him for the guy, Seth swore he would only date men who wanted him just the way he was, even if that came with a household of quirky, protective roommates, a hideously overbearing mother and a ghost. Yeah like that wasn’t instant birth control!
Levi Gaither was the quiet and the youngest of his parent’s brood of six. All his siblings managed to escape his parent’s abuse and he almost did…almost. Battered emotionally and physically, Levi wasn’t sure if he would ever be able to love or much less be touched by another man. He even resigned himself to being alone. Until he set eyes on Seth Okuda; now all bets were off. Delicate and beautiful, Seth made Levi’s Levis get tight! If only he could figure out why rooms in Seth’s house kept getting cold and why the lights flickered at times. Weird!
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Review: Skin Tight Levi’s is a continuation of the story that started with Loving Emmett and it, like the previous one, delivers! Levi’s is a sweet and funny book, which I enjoyed tremendously!
This installment re-introduces us to Levi Gaither, a cousin to Emmett and Bumper, and nephew to Oscar. Like all our Gaither men, he is a redneck who loves antiques and furniture restoration. He’s not as big and brawny as his relatives, but manual labor has been very kind to him. But more importantly he’s a good man, despite growing up in a hell hole, who wants to love and be loved! Don’t we all? On one of his out-of-town drop offs for the store, he meets “china doll” Seth Okuda. Seth briefly made an appearance in one of the earlier books. He owns the Vicks Mansion, and Emily, Levi’s cousin, rents a room from him. Levi’s visit to Emily sets up our pair’s adventures.
At first sight the boys are in lust! Neither is looking but fate brings them together. Doesn’t she always? Seth recently came out of a bad relationship, and Levi has never had any real sexual experiences beyond teenage fumblings. Coupled with his tragic past, getting intimate with another man is a big issue, but Seth is more than willing to help. And does he ever.
There is a subplot of an annoying ghost and Seth’s mother. The ghost is a voyeur and likes to watch Seth and Levi have sex. And Seth’s mother, who is homophobic, doesn’t approve of his lifestyle choice, but he finally gets the courage to tell her off. I love how Mr. Ortiz always shows versions of how families can be, from the Gaither’s unconditional love to Seth’s uncaring and homophobic mother. The ghost gets dealt with, and the ghost hunters are the setup for the next story. I’m excited to see what happens next.
As always, there are great supporting characters. Our beloved boys from Gaither Antiques make a brief appearance. Emily has a greater role in this book. New characters are introduced. Seth’s housekeeper, Gabe, and tenant, Pear, round out the adopted family that Seth creates. They are believable characters that make you want to have them in your life. It just proves that family is not always made by blood.
I am a huge fan of the Love and Salvage series and Skin Tight Levi’s is a great addition. Can’t wait for the next book!
You can buy Love and Salvage: Skin Tight Levi’s here:
