Sexy, seductive and hiding dark secrets, the Sassy Boyz return to the stage in Brave & Beautiful

There’s only one relationship that matters to Tameron "Tam" Kis—his love affair with dance. Life’s been pretty shitty, but dance got him through it and now he’s ready to focus on what he loves. He doesn’t have the bandwidth for any distractions—especially not his sexy, not-quite-straight new neighbor.

Driver Ellis doesn’t need anything but his bike and the open road. He wouldn’t trade his drifter lifestyle for anything…until his friend calls in a favor and Driver suddenly finds himself pet-sitting. Driver isn’t thrilled being stuck in one place, though things start to look up when he sets eyes on the gorgeous girl next door. 

There’s just one problem… She isn’t a girl at all.

All it takes is one spontaneous dance to turn both Driver's and Tam’s worlds upside down. They might not have been looking for love, but as things heat up between them, it’s clear life has very different plans.

Tameron  Kis lives for dancing as his escape from his past and his lack of fulfillment in his present life. He is fearful, cautious, quiet, and just getting his life together and living on his own. His looks and manner of dress make him appear more feminine. He has not really been interested in sex or relationships, due to some personal issues from his past. His dance group the Sassy Boyz are still looking for a new place to dance after their previous club closed down, but they are still an important part of his daily life. 

Driver Ellis is  a rambling man that would rather ride away from bad memories or problems. All he needs is his bike and the open road. But he is now back in his hometown for a bit and living across the hall from Tam. He initially thinks Tam is a gorgeous girl, but also does not mind that he is actually a male. He swings any way he wants, but does not make promises.

These two have an unexpected attraction and connection. And soon both are feeling temptation and desire. Driver is not shy with trying to drag Tam out of his shell. He makes Tam want to be braver and more adventurous. But they both have baggage, fears, insecurities, guilt, anger, and shame that have haunted them and affected how they live their lives.

Companionship and a sense of peace is something they both need. And they really both need more than that, but are afraid of it. Besides Tam is the guy who stays in one place and is predictable, and Driver is already ready to move on to new experiences and is afraid of getting stuck somewhere. He tends to run when things get complicated or too serious. But he cannot actually run from things in his own head.

This centers around sharing, hope, healing, finding safety and acceptance, and fighting demons. I could empathize more with the sweet and vulnerable Tam and understood his issues more. And Tam was at least willing to work on his issues and try to move forward. I could see how Driver was affected by his past, but his extreme avoidance tendencies and continued self punishment were frustrating. He was so stuck in his own head that I seriously wanted to smack sense into him. Both really needed to trust, share, and release themselves of shame and guilt to move on. But it will only work if they both are willing to take the risk.

This was an emotional story of two broken men finding an unexpected connection, but not sure if they will be able to really keep it. There were a few things that I wanted to know more about or to see more of. Overall, I liked this book, but not quite as much as the last two. The other Sassy Boyz and significant others Ansel and Fitch, Z and Connelly, Jae, Hop, and Lirim are all present in this installment and are really Tam's pseudo family. Driver had his two best friends, Harrison and Brandon, and his grandparents that cared about him. A couple of new characters with potential were also briefly introduced. Lirim is really struggling in this one and I anticipate he might be the subject of the next book, but there are always Hop and Jae too.

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.

The first book in a scorching new male/male series by Elizabeth Varlet. Behind the Sassy Boyz's seductive smiles and sinful dance moves are desires that will leave readers breathless.

Fitch Donovan never thought a lap dance could change his life, but from the moment the gorgeous dancer’s lips touch his, his world comes screeching to a halt. No matter how hard he tries, he can’t shake the desire that rocks him to his core. He’s longed for this passion all his life—he just never dreamed he’d find it with another man.

Sharing a soul-shaking kiss with a straight boy is the kind of drama Ansel Becke just doesn't need. Spotlights aren't made for two and Ansel prefers to keep things on a one-night-only basis. So when Fitch shows up asking for an encore, Ansel knows he should send his gorgeous ass packing.

Though Ansel tries to pretend that what's between him and Fitch is far from fabulous, there's something about the big, burly contractor that makes Ansel's world sparkle in a way no amount of glitter ever could. And Fitch will do whatever it takes to convince Ansel that when the thing you need most in the world falls right into your lap, you’d be a fool to let it go.