Hot Head

By: Damon Suede

Narrated by: Charlie David

Length: 10 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's Summary

Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.... Since 9/11, Brooklyn firefighter Griff Muir has wrestled with impossible feelings for his best friend and partner at Ladder 181, Dante Anastagio. Unfortunately, Dante is strictly a ladies’ man, and the FDNY isn’t exactly gay-friendly. For ten years, Griff has hidden his heart in a half-life of public heroics and private anguish. Griff’s caution and Dante’s cockiness make them an unbeatable team. To protect his buddy, there’s nothing Griff wouldn’t do…until a nearly bankrupt Dante proposes the worst possible solution: HotHead.com, a gay porn website where uniformed hunks get down and dirty. And Dante wants them to appear there - together. Griff may have to guard his heart and live out his darkest fantasies on camera. Can he rescue the man he loves without wrecking their careers, their families, or their friendship?

©2011 Damon Suede (P)2011 Damon Suede

Damon Suede is a hit!

What did you love best about Hot Head?

I read the book when it came out. It was awesome! Down to earth, sexy and a plain great read...

What was one of the most memorable moments of Hot Head?

The extras scene in hothead.. Whoa.. That was hott! The morning after in bed was a touching scene too.

Which character – as performed by Charlie David – was your favorite?

Since I read it before I had my own "voices" so was a bit afraid to listen. Charlie David did a great job. Not exactly what I had in mind but it became Dante and Griffin as the story began.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes but alas, life gets in the way

Any additional comments?

I love you too. Like, I thought I'd die from it..
Awwww

12 of 12 people found this review helpful

Both Fun and Emotionally Touching

The emotional struggle that almost becomes tiresome is saved by moments of lighthearted banter and very hot sex scenes. Overall that performance was very good and the story is great. Worth buying.

8 of 8 people found this review helpful

Hot Head

I was in the mood for something different, and I thought to myself I haven’t listened to an MM romance in a while so let’s see what comes up. Pun intended. Hahaha
Because of my irrational fear of fire, I have seen this cover before but never thought I could dive in. But I just finished a firefighter book and though it weirds me out a little I was confident I could handle this book. So glad I choose to give it a try.

I love when two Alpha males come together like this. The story is really sweet. They are just best friends who are more like brothers but not.

Griff is sweet and he starts to have feelings and he isn’t sure if it’s just toward his best bud or if he has become gay. So he tests his theory. Nope, it is just Dante who seems to turn his crank... Haha, I had to come on people, that was funny.

Dante finds himself in some debt and might lose his house if he doesn’t find a way to make some money pretty quickly and he gets set up with this fella who wants to film him doing some stuff for the male audience.

He doesn’t a shoot and it’s pretty profitable but if he can get a friend to come along he can really make the money he will need. Who better to ask they his best friend Griff?

It really is a great story and I loved how it happens, I don’t want to give too much away but it is HOT. I mean hella HOT. The love between these two shines through the book, they truly respect each other and want to protect the other one in equal measure.

Narration: Well I haven’t listened to anything by Charlie before so I had nothing to compare him to, but I loved it. I loved how Griff’s voice was deep and Dante’s was just Dante. You hear his good ole boy accent come through I didn’t find it hard to follow along at all. I felt like he gave each character a voice and I enjoyed it very much.

6 of 6 people found this review helpful

Awesome Performance!!

Would you listen to Hot Head again? Why?

No, but I really enjoyed it the first time.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Both Griff and Dante are awesome characters. I really wanted their story to continue.

Which character – as performed by Charlie David – was your favorite?

He did the Brooklyn accent fabulously. He also did a great Russian accent. He really made all the characters come to life.

If you could rename Hot Head, what would you call it?

I would call it "Smoke and Fire" I actually didn't like Hot Head as a title.

Any additional comments?

This was a great story. The only thing that annoyed me is that the angst goes on a little to long. At one point I just wanted to slap both MCs. But the payoff is worth it!

6 of 6 people found this review helpful

One of the hottest audiobooks ever made!

Griff is a big Irish firefighter in NYC in the days after 9/11. He’s always been best friends with fellow firefighter Dante, but what nobody else knows is that he’s also been in love with him, for years.

Griff doesn’t act on his feelings, finding ways to either be with women or be alone, but every day he sees and yearns for Dante.

Dante, meanwhile, seems to have no problem finding a new woman every night, slowly killing Griff with jealousy.

One day Dante – whose known for his crazy schemes – comes to Griff with a money making proposition. Gay for pay porn. There’s this list of activities – from kissing to jerking off to blow jobs – each with a dollar value. Dante needs the money for the house he’s bought that is sucking up all his money in repairs. Griff knows it’s a special form of torture to get involved with this, knowing how much he wishes it were real, but he can’t say no to his best friend.

What they find out is they have some serious chemistry together. They are HOT! Griff finds himself wondering just where the lines have gone, they seem so blurry now. He feels tremendous guilt at deriving such pleasure from the activities that he just knows Dante is only doing for the cash.

After the shooting is done, the guys find their relationship at a cross-roads: in one direction denial and friendship at the other something amazing and more and very, very scary.

**

There are not enough words for me to tell you how exceedingly hot this story is. The chemistry in this is OFF THE CHARTS! Griff and Dante are scorching! But they are also tremendously sweet, tender and hysterical all at the same time. Dante is a hoot! There is nothing he won’t say or do and the stoic Griff is the perfect counterbalance to his hot-blooded craziness.

There isn’t just one part that was amazing because all of it was fantastic. From the original jerk off scene, to the gay bashing of their friend, to the way the families handled their relationship to the lesbian photographer. It’s such a rich and deep story. So carefully crafted and sensuous. It just feels so real with the language and the emotion and the way they talked with one another.

The Audiobook is done by Charlie David and to me his voice will always be Griff and Dante. He gives them subtle accents and scorching hot physical scenes, sweet emotional discussions and all in all is an amazing listening experience.

I can’t recommend this enough to you. It was one of my first m/m reads and the first m/m audiobook I purchased. It’s simply fantastic and a story I’ve read and listened to numerous times and will do so again.

6 of 5 stars

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

✫✫ 3.5 Stars ✫✫

This book was 50/50 for me, I loved the first half of this story. The sexual tension is off the charts before they finally get together. I also really liked that they were so close from the beginning. These hot firefighters are great but I'll admit the reason they come together was a little silly to me. But even with that the steamy scenes were super hot.
Now the other half that I didn't love so much... Once Dante & Griff are finally together Dante turns into a serious jealous queen. His character changed so much and I wasn't on board with that. I liked him as the manly hot firefighter who was close to his family and his friend. The "new" Dante was jealous of EVERYONE from every man in the bar to the lesbian photographer. It was just way to over the top for me and pulled me out of the love story completely.

The narration was good, he did a great job of giving each character their own voice.
#HotFirefighters #MMRomance #FriendsToLovers #Tagsgiving #Sweepstakes

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Perfect story and fabulous narration!

I read this book and loved it but then bought the audio version because I heard rave things about Charlie David's narration and I wanted to check it out!

I still love the story - two tough and gorgeous firefighters and Griff's secret love for his best friend Dante. It has it all - heroics, heartache, hot porn, passion, Griff in a kilt and sexy Dante!

And Charlie David's narration definitely does complement the telling of the story beautifully. At first I was worried that the story would be somehow diminished if the narration did not live up the expectations set by my own reading, but I was not disappointed at all. I loved the sexiness of Charlie's voice, his accents, tone and pace, all of which captured the character and spirit of the book perfectly.

If you are looking for a good book to read, particularly if you are after an audiobook, then Hot Head is highly recommended!

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

really enjoy this book !

What did you love best about Hot Head?

i thought it was well writing and you really get to know the main characters , plus its a very steamy read !!

Who was your favorite character and why?

Dante and Griff are both great characters but i thnk i dante a lil better the italian stallion lol and loved the Anastagio family .. classic !

What about Charlie David’s performance did you like?

loved it! he did a fantasitc job with every character very very easy to follow and listen to!

If you could take any character from Hot Head out to dinner, who would it be and why?

dante :P

Any additional comments?

defferenty would recomend this book to readers if you don't mind gay sex scenes , becuase its a great story !

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Perfect

This is a gay man's romance. It has the right balance of sweet story, erotic detail and endearing characters. Many "gay" romances are straight romances with the gender of the characters changed. This is not!

Suede has member interests of men in mind. The descriptions are perfect. I can see and feel Griff and Dante. The development of the situation is so tantalizing and the families so real. I want to be a part of the Anestazio family. Best friends become... well you must read this book!

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Sizzling fun

Any additional comments?

Very good read. Coud not put it down and finished this book in a day. For me to do that three things have to come together 1. Well written story 2. Good narration 3. Strong likeable characters

Where to start…
I did not expect much going into this book. Sure I expected it to be hot and easy which is what I was looking for but I was not prepared for how well this book was written. The characters are well developed and the story flows easily and seamlessly. No part of this read felt like a filler or an afterthought. Both characters were strong and flawed in their own way. I do not understand why most of the hot romance books out there have a pushover, whiney weak heroine. I am a woman and finding it harder and harder to relate with these heroines which is why I decided to try the m/m romance genre and boy oh boy did this book deliver. It is hot with a capital H. It is a contemporary story and the dialogue reflects this very well without sounding juvenile.

As for the characters I don’t even know who is my favourite, they work so well together. They are both alpha male and sexy as sin. It’s the best two for one offer. The chemistry is sizzling and the smexy scenes are scorching.

One thing that absolutely sealed it for this book was the narrator. It is my first time to hear a book narrated by Charlie David and it will not be my last. In fact I have gone back and searched for all books narrated by him and already bought my next one. Charlie does not just read, he performs. He draws you in and includes you making you feel almost as if the characters are right there with you. Superb work on this one. I have to say this one performance has put him right up there with my other two all-time favourites, Sean Crisden and Sebastian York. Sigh!

If you are looking for a fun no brains hot m/m romance that is written well, you will not go wrong with this book.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Hot and heartwarming!

I really enjoyed this book, practically finished it in one go (although with ten hours of narration that actually meant over two days).
The detail around 9/11 was kinda heartbreaking, and there’s also stuff here around hate crimes - don’t read this if you don’t want any seriousness in your life at all. The warmth of Griff and the sass and scrappiness of Dante, plus the fabulous other members of his family, just makes this such a lovely story.
The narrative was done well, good differentiation between characters, although there are a couple of bits that I found difficult to follow whether something was being said out loud or an internal narrative. I think this was probably something that was due to how it was written though - with interspersed bits - so not sure the narrator could have done anything differently.
Funny, sexy and warm. Loved it.

A brilliant story made EVEN better....

Where does Hot Head rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One, and it's all down to Charlie David's narration. I'm consciously looking out for stories he has narrated now....

What was one of the most memorable moments of Hot Head?

Dante's jealous hissy fits towards the end of the story where Beth is snapping pictures of Griff for the Hot Head calendar.

Which scene did you most enjoy?

Rather not say **blushes**, but the kissing scene at the fire station, sooo hot, the two making out scenes at the porn studio, and of course, the first time Griffin and Dante say their 'I love you's' and proceed to do what comes naturally at Dante's house, sighs.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Both. I have the kindle version, a paperback signed by the author himself and now the audio book. There are laughs/giggles a plenty, hot tender scenes between the two guys (plenty of tears), Dante's family is amazing and the scene where Griff rescues Tommy from his hate-filled attackers is very touching.

Any additional comments?

In the three years I've been reading M/M, this is STILL my number one story. It has everything you could want in a book....superb!!

Worth listening a second time

Would you listen to Hot Head again? Why?

Despite the slow start ( I actually returned this book some time ago, being too bored by the bar scene at the beginning) this is a book I would listen again. Just because it feels good.

Who was your favorite character and why?

This is a difficult one. Can't choose. Really can't. Please don't make me.

What does Charlie David bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

I may sound like many other readers but Charlie David really breathes life into the characters and transports your right there next to them.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

There were quite a few moments that moved me in different ways but I suppose the Thanksgiving dinner is one of my favourites.

Any additional comments?

I wish there are more books available by Damon Suede.

The Heat Is On

Where does Hot Head rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of my favourites, certainly enhanced by the excellent narration

Who was your favorite character and why?

I liked both main characters, but for me it has to be Griff! He came across as a really likeable and genuine guy and who anyone would love to have as a friend

Which scene did you most enjoy?

With a book this good it is hard to pick just one - so I can't pick one!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

It certainly was, but just not possible to do

Any additional comments?

A great story with excellent narration by Charlie David

Hot head indeed !!!

What did you like best about this story?

They were best friends and In love with each other but they didn't know how the other felt

What about Charlie David’s performance did you like?

Made the characters individuals

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Yes , when they finally realised they were meant to be together

Any additional comments?

Loved this book from page one

Too hot to handle at times!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This is a wonderful story of two men trying not to let the other one know how they feel.Best friends and soul brothers - They can't be gay - two butch fireman- can they?

What was one of the most memorable moments of Hot Head?

The kiss at the firestation- OMG - one of the most erotic kisses I have ever listened too!

What does Charlie David bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

I really liked Dante and Griffin at the Hot Head studio- something different I had never read before! The narrator really made those scenes when the two guys were bringing one another off!

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The scene where Griff found Tommy after his bashing - very moving :-(

Any additional comments?

Totally adored this book! I listened to it at work where I do a very boring data entry job - and have to admit it got me very hot under the collar at times! It was interesting hearing a bit about 9/11 also from fireman's POV. I will definitely watch out more from Damon and hope Charlie David is the narrator.Louise

Excruciatingly bad!

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

One of the worst stories I've come across. The narrator does a great job with the material, but the story is entirely contrived, characters one-dimensional and all uniformly idiotic -especially the lead characters, and the setting is so far-fetched the writer hasn't even bothered to try and make it realistic.

Would you ever listen to anything by Damon Suede again?

No

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

Great Narrator - especially given the material.

0 of 1 people found this review helpful