Dirty Mind by Roe Horvat
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
*~~*ARC kindly provided by the author to me in exchange for an honest review *~~*
Alexander Popescu is a university lecturer in a quiet German town. He’s a respectable man in his thirties who stays fit, has a decent career and travels alone—his only vice is an occasional greasy meal. And beer. And violent computer games. Nobody has to know about the other Alex—the acclaimed porn writer. His ingenious erotic fantasies earn him good money and keep his capricious mind harmlessly entertained.
When his young friend and protégé Christian transfers to Freiburg for medical school, Alex is overjoyed…and terrified that Christian will find out about Alex’s indecent alter ego. The time they spend together, as lovely as it is, could overturn Alex’s carefully balanced life. Suddenly, the writing is not good enough, his hair seems to be thinning, his careful hookups leave him unfulfilled, and his dreams are haunted by the innocent young man he’s vowed to protect.
However, Christian is not a boy any more. He’s a grown man of twenty-one, clever and deadly attractive. And he’s hiding some secrets of his own.
When I first read The Layover by Roe Horvat I was captivated by their writing. I was so touched and so I had high expectations on this book. And I wasn’t disappointed.
Roe’s writing is marvelous as always and this time the book is about Alex, short for Alexander who teaches on daily basis writing, but is writing porn under a pseudonym. This side is well hidden from his protegée Christian, a young student he met on his vacation in Spain, he kept in contact with and soon their friendship is bond. And for a long time, Christian is nothing more than a younger friend, until Alex is aware that he develops feelings. What the heck?!
I really liked how Roe wrote about the May/December story, how slow the relationship was set, how Alex is struggeling, not only because he sees himself as a “father figure”, a helpful older friend but also because of his secret writing porn.
Christian is soon behaving not like an indifferent protegée should, he is braver in his actions and tension is there, the sparks are flying. But not only the feelings are deepening, the reader is aware that Chrisitian is carrying different burdens; an indicator of this is the relationship with his mother and how Alex is acting towards her.
When you expect a fast development you are wrong but although it’s a slow burn, the moment both guys are aware what the other wants, it’s getting hotter and hotter. The book is written in Alex’ POV, this way we only get his emotions, his relections, his actions and only observations of Chrisitan.
It is really interesting to be involved in his stuggle, in his thinking, and especially in this writing. It’s not tame in the description of his sex scenes he is writing in the books.
Although it’s mixed with a porn/erotica theme, the book is extremely innocent in some ways, a major reason for this is Christian’s characterization by Alex. Alex is seeing his protegée as an innocent young adult, though he respects him incandescently.
Roe’s writing was pretty graphic, a scene where I had to laugh and shudder was the one in the kitchen when Alex and Christian met Dieter, Christian’s roommade in the student dorm. 😀 I was also grinning like a lunatic about the fact that the book is taking place in Germany and some sentences were spoken in German. 🙂 I liked it and sometimes it was mixed in funny scenes. 🙂 Roe did a sweet job in using a German city for their story. 🙂
This book is different than The Layover but it is incredible great written, the slow burn, the doubts and the tension are there and gives the thrill. 5 out of 5 stars for this. ❤
I am so excited to read the next book by them. 🙂
The cover reveal of the book was done last week. See this cool post for an excerpt and all the necessary info where to buy. 🙂
Many thanks to Roe, they asked me if I wanted to do the cover reveal. :3 ❤
Mikku-chan 
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