Heteroflexible

Spruce Texas #3

by Daryl Banner

BOBBY
Jimmy Strong is one devastating son of a gun.
He's a dancer, gorgeous, stubborn, fiercely protective of his loved ones - and as hetero as they make them.
He also happens to be my best friend.

I want to have another long, amazing summer with Jimmy, but something is different this time.
Jimmy is clingy and extra emotional, since he just broke things off with his latest lady-squeeze from college.
And the more time he spends with me, the more I'm realizing a troubling fact of my own.

I have feelings for him, and I can't keep them bottled up any longer.

Jimmy accepts and loves me for who I am and proudly defends me against the world.
We have been close pals since high school and endured everything together, good and bad.
But can our friendship survive the truth if I dare to let it out?

JIMMY
All I want to do this summer is kick back with my best buddy Bobby.
But something seems off about him. He's touchy and restless.
When I tease him and wrestle him to the ground as usual, he gets red-faced mad at me.
What's going on with him?

Everything comes to a head when my nosy mom sets Bobby up on a blind date with a guy from one town over.
I can't explain it, but I just know that guy isn't right for my best friend.
And the more I think about it, the angrier I get.

Why am I so possessive over Bobby? I'm just protecting his heart, right?

But sometimes, you have to take things into your own hands to find out the truth.
And after one daring night out on the town, Bobby makes a reckless, unthinkable move,
and our friendship changes forever.

If that's what it can even be called anymore.

✔️ M/M bi-awakening romance
✔️ Friends-to-lovers
✔️ Small-town

Have you read all the books in the Spruce Texas series?
Football Sundae
Born Again Sinner
Heteroflexible ◄◄
Wrangled
Rebel At Spruce High
Summer Sweat
Hopeful Romantic
Mr. Picture Perfect
Hot Mess Express
(with more to come!)

What about the Texas Beach Town spin-off series?
In Too Deep
Crusher
Far From Paradise
(more on the way!)

Genres: Friends To Lovers, M M Romance, Romance, Audiobook, Contemporary, College, LGBT

342 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 17, 2019

About the author

Daryl Banner is a USA Today Bestselling author, composer, and performer. He graduated magna cum laude from the University of Houston Honors College with a degree in Theatre and Psychology. He is happily married to his piano. Theory suggests this is why he writes romance.

During Daryl Banner's time in college, he wrote, composed, and produced a musical under Tony Award-winning musical and Theatre producer Stuart Ostrow, as well as two original plays produced under the mentorship of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lanford Wilson, who also mentored Daryl through the writing of his very first novel. In addition to new adult and M/M romance, Daryl also writes post-apocalyptic fantasy as well as dystopian.

Join his mailing list here to be the first to hear about his new releases! He awards an Amazon gift card every newsletter:
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Fun facts about Daryl Banner:

- He is an obsessive self-taught pianist.

- He is a huge video game enthusiast.

- He left his day job of 10 years to tour with a 2-woman-1-man original musical.

- He's been remixing video game music for over 20 years. One of his remixes is featured in the major motion picture "The Spy Who Dumped Me". Check out his work here: http://www.youtube.com/DarylBanner

- He composes original soundtracks that accompany his books and series, including The Beautiful Dead and OUTLIER. He is also the award-winning composer of the audio drama Janus Descending, as well as several films, games, podcasts, and other media. You can enjoy his music here: http://darylbanner.bandcamp.com

Reviews

[Shile (Hazard's Version) on-hiatus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audiobook - 4.5 stars Kirt Graves replaces Sean Crisden in this one.

Story - 3.35 stars

Part of Daryl foreword reads:

If you know me as an author at all, I’m all about telling stories, not pushing messages. Just set aside your stresses for a while, grab a glass of sweet tea, and come back with me to the small town of Spruce in the dead middle of a hot and sweaty summer, where my other novels Football Sundae and Born Again Sinner took place.

I guess that is why i am enjoying these stories so much. Little Spruce town is a fun place to be.

I liked this one, the first 3/4 was so good even though Jimmy frustrated the hell out of me, at around 75% he really got on my nerves. That is why this gets 3.35 stars.

This one focuses on Jimmy and Bobby, his best friend. Jimmy is Turner's brother, we met Jimmy in book 1 and i loved him immediately.

Jimmy is straight, Bobby is gay, they are best friends. What could possibly go wrong? Mhhh!



Jimmy and Bobby's relationship was so special and warm. I loved that Jimmy was the Dancer and Bobby was the Football/Soccer player. They had a very strong chemistry and the fact that they were best friends amplified that to 100%. I loved and enjoyed their tender moments.

Lawd! Jimmy was clueless and frustrating at times. This guy was about to make me lose my freaking cool. I love him.

Bobby, sweet Bobby, i am tempted to believe that he deserved better, especially when Jimmy was being Jimmy, but that will be unfair to Jimmy. They deserved each other.

The writing was good. The banter and humor was on point.

Overall, it was a good addition to this series. I enjoyed it.

[Jilly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Do you ever find a book on your shelf, think you never read it, then start reading it, only to realize you did actually read it but never reviewed it or anything?

Yeah, that's what happened here. I think I liked this book. I don't know why I didn't review it. What's not to like about Rednecks in love?

[Gustaf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my god, I love the boys in Spruce, Texas. This story was pure magic. Pure, pure magic.

Jimmy and Bobby had a chemistry that flew out of my kindle and made me all swoony, happy and frustrated. And then there’s the epilogue. I cried big, ugly happy tears.

[~Mindy Lynn~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars!

While Bobby is out and proud he barely dates and hasn't had a serious relationship. Jimmy on the other hand is his very straight best friend who goes through more girls than he can count. Bobby sits on the side lines of the fast moving relationships that his friend Jimmy goes through while feeling jealous of the girls he gives his attention to. Jimmy wants Bobby to find the right guy that will worship his friend but has a hard time not running any man that shows any interest in his best friend off. After disappointing Bobby at the gay club Jimmy takes him to, to find a man, Jimmy decides he would be Bobby's guy for the night and lands a steaming kiss on his bestie and then proceeds to cuddle him all through the night. Bobby of course is completely confused that Jimmy can make out with him and cuddle him all night long and then act like they haven't crossed a line. Although Jimmy wants to believe he was trying to make his best friend feel better he's starting to question his real feelings towards Bobby. No straight guy kisses their best friend, more than once, just because he wants him to feel better. Right?
The relationship was a slow comforting burn. I liked them together and enjoyed their banter. It was a sweet romance. It felt effortless for these two to just fall into each other and to fall into a love they already shared but just needed to nurture a bit.
This is one of those reads I needed after reading the new guns' n boys book. It lacks a lot of drama and had a sweet romance with some humor thrown in. If you want easy and breezy than pick this one up.

Happy reading dolls! xx

[Cat the bookworm (semi hiatus ish)]

A shame to dnf a perfectly narrated audiobook, but

I. Just. Can’t. Stand. Jimmy.

Honestly. No idea what Bobby sees in him. He’s an entitled asshat if you ask me. Maybe there’s a redemption arc somewhere in the future, but even though I LOVE the narration, I don’t see myself suddenly liking him. And I love to at least like my MCs.

Bobby and Jimmy are best friends, and they’re back home in their small Texan town on summer vacation. Bobby is a football player, from a poor(ish) family, and he’s gay. Jimmy is a dancer, well off, and straight, with an endless string of girlfriends over the years.

Jimmy wants to see Bobby in a happy relationship, which - ofc - is nice of him. He then more or less forces him on a night out in a gay club, where he then scares off all potential suitors, claiming they’re not good enough, only to kiss Bobby when they’re back in the hotel, “to make him feel better”. I mean - earlier in the club he even sneered at an older guy who wanted to “take care of both boys”, telling him to look around for people of his own age.

Jerk.

After a few days, when Bobby calls him out on his behaviour, Jimmy doesn’t understand the problem (why kissing his gay best friend might be a bit much for Bobby, especially as Bobby hasn’t thought about him “that” way yet), and to prove his point, he kisses Bubbly again, despite Bobby’s protests.

And that, my dear friends, was when I stopped reading. I just can’t with him. At this point I think that every strange guy from the gay bar would have been a better choice for Bobby.

A shame, because after the author’s words at the start, I was really prepared to love the book, and both narrators (one of them Kirt Graves) did an excellent job.

Some books are just not meant to be for me, obviously. I won’t rate it, because - again - I really get what the author was trying to do, but it doesn’t work for me.

[Eugenia · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF@70%...because despite Kirt Graves heavenly Texan twang, I found myself caring about these characters less and less.

Jimmy was controlling.
He and Bobby had a strange dynamic.
While he constantly said how much he loved his best friend, he was more obsessed with him than anything. I never felt the love, I was just told about it.

It had decent bones, but when even KG can’t keep me in a story it’s time to call it.

[Mug · Rating 3 out of 5]

idk what was so heteroflexible about this lmao bro was literally bi🤣🤣🤣 anyway, don’t have much to say about this bc it was just ehh

[Michael S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’ve read some of Banner’s similar romantic works, you know what you’re in for. If you’re craving grit and realism and aren’t in the mood to suspend your disbelief very far, then this probably isn’t going to work for you.

For my part, I can’t help but grin and enjoy myself. Once in a while I need a book like this. It’s fun, hot, more than a little preposterous, and absurdly sweet.

[Aricka Decker · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I’ve got two gay sons now? When were you gonna tell me?? Why am I bein’ denied over and over again the opportunity for a fabulous comin’ out party?? Why do my sons hate me so friggin’ much??”

I didnt know what to expect coming back to Spruce Texas. Football Sundae was an interesting experience to say the least. I dont know if its me or Daryl Banner but sometimes his writing doesnt hit right with me, some pretty cringe shit happens in his books. But I had to bypass the religious book in this series because Im not up for internalized homophobia from religious upbringing. So here I am reading friends to lovers, my favorite trope. I enjoyed this much more than the 1st book in this series, and its interesting to come back and see people from the last book and going into a story of someone we met in the 1st book as well. Jimmy Strong is no longer the 16 year old kid brother who wants ot dance. He's now in college with his BFF and a proud dancer and the proud best friend of a gay man. You can see where this leads. Anyways, I had a pretty good time, and I enjoyed the story. However there wasnt enough pining for Jimmy on Bobby's side. I got he liked him, but I wanted more. I got Bobby liked Jimmy but I wanted to see more of why and how he felt for him. I needed more of that. I needed Jimmy and him to have more romantic or emotional moments together while figuring out their new dynamic. I mean you dont gotta be like oh god im gay blah blah blah, but more like how does this relationship work now. How does it change or not change things. How it feels to be together in this way, there was too little of that for me. But either way, I didnt find this book as cringe as the 1st. Expect every time Jimmy danced, I couldnt take it seriously. Like I was thinking of Raygun from the Olympics. Girl no.

[Denise H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Friends since childhood, one is a soccer player, and the other a dancer, BFFs, and now two years into college, they are home in Spruce, TX for the summer break. Generally inseparable, our 20 yr. olds, get tugged by family and friends wanting their time. This is a sweet, fun, exciting and home spun, small town goodness.
Jimmy Strong is from a rich family, a hot hunk who dances.


His friend for life is Bobby, a soccer player

who needs a summer job to help with his tuition.
The cast of characters is wide and diverse, meddling, yet nice.
Our MCs want to spend every day with each other having fun, just relaxing from the college stresses.
The town has some events they must attend, and Bobby's job has some ass-hats.
So, we move along as Jimmy begins to see Bobby differently and wants more.

After the first kiss, it's a slow burn,

and we get their first times together, plus Jimmy's first M/M sexy times. Their time is hot and passionate and real. Both guys know it's forever.



We get some bumps along the way and later a scene right out of the "Dirty Dancing" movie.
Loved this BFFs to lovers tale.
ENJOY !

======

[Gaby · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m usually all about best friends to lovers, but Jimmy was just too annoying and self-centered. I liked that Bobby stood his ground, but honestly, this had so much potential and ended up just being okay.

[Susan]

DNF at 15%

I can’t get used to the ‘bro-feeling’ of this book. And not just between the MCs, but with every other character too.

[Miriam still reading! HIATUS from GR]

4 stars audio

DNF story at 70%. This story had all my favorite elements. friends to lovers, gfy and slow burn. But this author's execution just didn't work for me. One MC was a conceited idiot the other one was somewhat of a doormat. And don't get me started on their annoying mothers! Hard pass.

[Hugo #freepalestine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love their friendship together and also I love their supportive southern mamas, both Jimmy and Bobby I loved their shenanigans, most of the story focuses on some of the unimportant things like characters always talk about things that happened in town or other side characters being the main focus I don't quite enjoy that in fact that bores me, I would like to enjoy if it's focuses more on Jimmy and Bobby because they are truly a team together.

[Renae Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun light-hearted friend to lovers romance that I could not put down. Both main characters were great friends and even better lovers. An amazing story that was a blast seeing the natural progression between the two main characters.

[Rielle]

DNF @ 7%

Oh man I just can’t. Can’t keep the characters straight. Can’t get past the language. Can’t get invested in the weird family drama. It’s a lot.

[Ben Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series so so gosh darn enjoyable.

Read this if you want some best friends-to-lovers goodness.

[S Bryan Bkht · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being a native from Texas myself and recently moving to New Hampshire, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this book. They say never judge a book by its cover, but let’s get real for a minute; this book cover screams “READ ME, ALL OF ME”. The book took me on an emotional journey as I laughed, got heated up, tense, hope, joy, and all those great feelings a good book brings.

Daryl Banner perfectly took us to a place in the world where we are more than our lifestyle and just down right good people. Jimmy is a dream come true and Daryl does a perfect job of making his character vividly come to life from each page. Bobby is that gay guy most of us gay guys have fantasies of being....the best friend to the hottest straight guy.

The rest of the characters really hit home as some of them really represent Texans to the tea! As you can see by my picture, I enjoyed this well-written book on my kindle while hearing the waves splash. Before I knew it, the sun was setting and I was caught up in the world with Jimmy and Bobby!

I highly recommend the book. My only wish is that Kindle had color photos cuz this cover is roaring with Texas Heat! Daryl, thank you for this journey!

[Starr (AKA Starrfish) Rivers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmmm... skipped a lot of this one, not a fave.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been waiting for Daryl to write a GFY or str8 to gay romance for some time now...and he did not disappoint with Jimmy Strong and Bobby Parker's story. We met Jimmy in a previous Spruce TX book as he is the younger brother of football hero Tanner from Football Sundae. He was a womanizing player who slept with more girls than he could count...but he always had a very close and loving friendship with his gay bestie Bobby. This book explores their friendship and tells the story of what happens when two best friends figure out there's more than just friendship between them. Just beautiful...funny and crazy but sweet as all heck!

***** 5 ***** "heteroflexible is the word of the day" stars

[Mariah · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up because I'm a sucker for steamy soft best friends to lovers.

[MoodyJess · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars
Super cute and lovely.
Makes me happy when family supports one another.

[Lizzie · Rating 2 out of 5]

There will be some spoilers throughout...

This is my 4th book by Daryl Banner that I've read. The first two I really liked (Born Again Sinner and Hard for My Boss). The 3rd wasn't really my kinda story (Getting Lucky).

BUT in all of those three I remember something (unless I'm totally forgetting??)...the sex scenes were hot. Like H-O-T.

Someone tell me, please, am I not not remembering correctly? It was about a year ago that I read them. 🤔

I mention this because...the sex scenes just weren't there in this book! 🤦🏻‍♀️ There is like one described scene. Maybe another "half described" one, but nothing to set your pants on fire.

Yes, I was disappointed. I just remembered MORE from his other books.

And then...dare I say it? My pet peeve people...lack of description! 😫

Yes, that's right. We don't get to hear how Bobby looks. Other than his "warm brown eyes". 😠 And apparently they both have "warm brown eyes".

That's another thing I thought Daryl Banner did - give his readers the physical descriptions of the characters. Again, am I remembering incorrectly from the other 3 I read?? Of course that's possible. I'm not Miss Perfect Memory over here.

The story was a good one, but the first half of the book I didn't like so much. Jimmy got on my nerves with the way he acted at times. It seemed like he didn't take into consideration Bobby's feelings. And then he's cock blocking every guy that comes up to Bobby once they're in the gay club. Normally I like those kinda possessive acts, but it didn't come off that way because Jimmy didn't seem to have a reason for it. Maybe if we had more of a look into Jimmy's mind - even if he didn't understand it himself - I would have been okay with it. Frankly, he just came off as a selfish person.

I did like them as a couple though, once they got together. I didn't have any problem with that. I liked them dancing together at the end, I liked the proposal at the end of the book. There were things I liked. Just not LOVED.

I was disappointed with this one, because I LOVE the whole gay-for-you or the best friends to lovers. The whole I love you because no-one-gets-me-like-you-do-and-I-can't-imagine-my-life-without-you thing. 💝

Because I wasn't %100 feeling this story (again, that's disappointing), I have to give it a low rating😭.

Damn, I seriously feel like I need to apologize for not liking what the majority of reading peeps like.

But I won't.

Because I'll be the first to admit I'm EXTREMELY picky when it comes to what I love and look for in novels.

Sorry, authors. I know I don't make it easy.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the first 20% of this book while it introduced the characters and set up the story, I did a lot of skimming. BUT I’m glad I didn’t quit because THEN Jimmy decides to take Bobby to a gay nightclub in the next town over and things get interesting! Very interesting, indeed. Jimmy doesn’t seem to like any of the guys who approach Bobby...THEN, later that night in a hotel room, things get just a tiny bit confusing between them...

After that I didn’t skim a thing and I really enjoyed the rest of the story. I’m certain I’ll be back to read more by this author.

[~BookNeeds~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorable!! I loved this so much. Omg, there’s a scene towards the end of the book that gave me all the feels!!! The MC’s relationship has a perfect balance of chemistry and bond. Daryl Banner wrote a brilliant romance (sigh) without it being corny. (Insert giggle)

“Nobody puts Bobby in the corner!” Loved it!

[❥ Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Friends to lovers with lots of pining and “just friendly” touching 💜 Jimmy is one spoiled brat! I see-sawed between finding it endearing and annoying af. This story was cute and funny at times and I had a lot of fun reading it

[gracie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I understand what the author was going for but I just couldn't find it in me to care about Jimmy and Bobby, especially because I didn't like Jimmy lol

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book with two great characters who fall in love. I love how Daryl depicted the friendship between Jimmy, a notorious womanizer, and his gay best friend, Bobby. Although they grew up in a small town, the two men are as close as two friends can be. The story takes you through their friendship and throughout their summer break, Jimmy realizes there is more to his friendship with Bobby.

Like his other books, Daryl develops characters you love from the first moment you read about them and Jimmy and Bobby are no exception. This was a sweet read that made me smile more than once. Highly recommended!!!

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read the whole book because the plot was good. I like both MC's and their relationship and the chemistry is good. That being said this book gets two stars because the dialogue is horrendous. I'm sure there are people out there who talk like this, but I've never met one in my 37 years. There is really nothing wrong with the book if you can get passed that. I had a really hard time staying focussed and enjoying it when I couldnt get passed the dialogue.

Objectively speaking it's a decent bff to lovers book just not good for me.

[Zoe · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn’t enjoy the book at all. I absolutely loathed Jimmy’s character in this book and I almost liked Bobby but he was kind of doormat-y. Jimmy barely had any character development- even though he needed it - badly! He was so awful and he didn’t seem to have any real remorse for anything he did, and his consideration of Bobby’s feelings were almost nonexistent. This book literally made my stomach hurt, and not at all in a good way.