Bottle Rocket (So Over the Holidays, #3)

by Erin McLellan

• ISBN10: 173500491X
• ISBN13: 9781735004914
• Publish Date: 15 June 2020
• Publish Status: Active
• Imprint: Erin McLellan
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 234
• Language: English

Reviews

[jamiereadthis]

Tenderness and kink!
Wholesome friendship orgies!
Self-discovery without angst!
An m/f with a BI GUY on page!

So much fun, and I’m only grumpy because wholesome friendship orgies could be a more common thing.

[Sarah Says]

WARNING: this is an adult read and there are graphic depictions of female with male and male with male sex. There is also an orgy at a sex party (m/f/f/m), but that is not delved into all that descriptively. All sexual encounters are respectful and consensual.

Bottle Rocket is the third book in the So Over the Holidays series, but each can be read as a standalone. While there are cross over characters, each book has a different main character and a different Holiday is celebrated. The first book focuses on Middle sister Sasha and Christmas, the second book being about baby brother Benji and Valentine’s day. Then this the third book focuses on the eldest sister Rosie and the fourth of July.

I enjoyed meeting Benji and William, and experiencing their romance in Candy Hearts, so I jumped at the chance to read Bottle Rocket. I went in with high expectations and I’m pleased to say that I wasn’t disappointed. Now I just need Erin McLellan to write a queer holiday romance that has some leading lesbians, or a lesbian and a bisexual, and then this series would be real winner for me.

STORY SUMMARY: Rosie divorced and down on herself, runs into ex Leo at a painting class – Leo unexpectedly is the naked male model. After 13 years the two reconnect via a six day no strings attached sex pact. Throughout their weeklong fuck fest, both keep battling their old resurfacing emotions.

Happily, by the end of the story, Rosie has found herself again – Yes, the story isn’t all about sex, there are important messages of finding fulfillment within one’s self, the importance of family and friendship and balance.

I really appreciated the Epilogue of two years later, checking in on the characters and how their relationship has progressed – it made for a happy and heart-warming ending.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is after a super cute romantic pick-me-up type read – if you can handle the heat.
All in all, Bottle Rocket is a super cute, hot, humorous, and fun second chance at love story.
A happily-ever-after read, that I thoroughly enjoyed.

[llamareads]

Content warnings: drug use (in the past, off-page), gaslighting (in the past, off-page)

Every time I read another one of Erin McLellan’s novellas, I keep saying that this one is my favorite, and that holds true for this Independence Day-themed one. It’s ridiculously sexy, hilarious and perfect, and a good blend of the second chance and opposites attract tropes.

“I’m so tired of being …”
“Being what?”
“Boring.”
He frowned, looking fierce and angry, and she wanted to wipe that scowl off his face with her tits.
“Try again. You are not boring.”
“Scared. I’m tired of being scared. I want to experience life, rather than letting it pass me by.”

After a bitter divorce, Rosie, a kindergarten teacher, has embarked on the “Summer of Rosie” to relearn how to live her life. She thinks what she needs is a new hobby, so after several false starts, she signs up for what she thinks is a still-life class – only it turns out to be a nude drawing class, and the model this week is her ex-boyfriend, Leo. Rosie and Leo were high school sweethearts who broke up when Leo escaped out west as soon as he turned 18, and though it’s been thirteen years, it only takes a few minutes before they realize there’s still sparks between them and the Summer of Rosie takes a definitely steamy turn. But with Leo in town for less than week, will this just lead to more heartbreak for them both?

“You’re not running away from anything. You’re running toward it. Toward experiences. Toward love. Toward adventure. Toward inspiration. I’ve always believed that.”
He’d tried, through the years, to fully explain his impulse to move, to not put down roots, to travel, and he’d usually failed. She’d summed it up in ten seconds flat.

Rosie is the eldest of the Holiday siblings (the younger ones were featured in the previous novellas) and, along with her grandma, spent a good chunk of her childhood raising them. She’s prim, proper, and reserved – she learned to bottle up her feelings during her marriage, and even after it ended, she worked hard at presenting an unaffected front to everyone, even her siblings. Frankly, between her lists and need for control, she considers herself to be a bit boring. Leo is her complete opposite – the traditional bad boy, rebelling against the expectations of his wealthy parents. He’s allergic to routines and is more likely to follow his gut than stick to a plan. Unlike Rosie’s picket fence dreams, Leo lives in an Airstream and travels around the country selling his erotic art – in this case, he’s in town for a pop-up at the adult novelty shop Rosie’s sister works at. Despite their successful lives, they’re both lonely. Leo knows that his need to be on the road – the fact that he’s constantly leaving – hurts his friends, and he’s especially torn up about leaving Rosie, though she keeps reassuring him that she’ll be fine.

“What do you need long term?”
A beat of silence passed between them. Finally, she said, “Security. Independence … Respect.”
He could give her all those things.
“Love?” he asked.
“No.” Her voice was starting to fade with sleep. “Love hasn’t ever given me anything but pain.”

The theming on these novellas is always excellent, and this one doesn’t disappoint. There’s a plethora of fireworks jokes and sex in a fireworks stand. The part that really grabbed me, though, is the focus on each character’s independence and how they molded their relationship to work without infringing on that for either of them. It’s an unconventional HEA, for sure, but it worked for me. This is solidly an erotic romance, with a bit of light femdom, plus pegging and even an orgy thrown in. After agreeing to the fling with Leo, Rosie makes a sex bucket list, and it’s super steamy. I especially loved how Leo’s bisexuality was included. There’s also plenty of sweet moments to go with the high heat – they hold hands at a farmer’s market and I just about melted.

Overall, this is a perfect steamy summer romance, and I can’t wait to see what holiday Erin McLellan picks next!

I received an advance review copy of this book from the author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.