This is the second gay romance I’ve read about competitive divers in as many days, so lithe, muscle-y diver love must be in the air. Or water, as it were. And Heels Over Head is unexpectedly deep.

The romantic arc of Heels Over Head is deliberate and a little bit prickly, like the character who sets that pace. Jeremy is at odds with his sexuality, and reacting to his attraction to Brandon comes at a snail’s pace. The rather slow romantic pacing—frustrating at first, but it ultimately pays off big time—gives us time to fall in love with all of the characters and their personal struggles, and with diving as a sport. When Jeremy won at an important competition, I felt it right along with him and Brandon. When Brandon’s personal situation got desperate, I ached for him and the increased pressure it put on all of them. I loved it so much, I tweeted the author about ruining my review schedule. *snicker*

It’s hard to describe just how powerful this story is or explain why I couldn’t drag myself away from it. Heels Over Head is brimming with feels, all across the spectrum of emotion: excitement, disappointment, fear, nervousness, attraction, love, hatred, loneliness, the quiet of intense focus and the soul-deep satisfaction of spending time with people you truly care about. It brings singular clarity to the rigors and challenges of professional diving, and shines a spotlight on just how challenging, mentally, physically, and emotionally, it is to perform at the top level on the world stage.

I love little things about the story, like how the chapter headers peek inside the characters’ psyches. Reading Heels Over Head was like reading Selfie for the first time all over again. Pressure in my chest, bursts of emotion that stuttered my breath, tears that made it really hard to see the words on my Kindle screen, a lingering feeling of happiness and fullness and satisfaction when it ended. My only disappointment with this book was that there’s a scene missing at the end. I get why the story ended where it did, but I REALLY wanted the satisfaction of that final closure.

Excitement, disappointment, fear, nervousness, attraction, love, hatred, loneliness, the quiet of intense focus and the soul-deep satisfaction of spending time with people you truly care about.

Heels Over Head is a MUST READ gay romance. If you like intense emotions, close bonds of friendship, and hot and hard bodies in tiny swim trunks (oh yeah, I totally went there. Because, OLYMPIC PLATFORM DIVERS), this is the romance for you! Take a dip into Elyse Springer’s world of diving. Be patient with Jeremy—he takes some time to really warm up to—laugh along with Brandon’s carefree spirit, and chase that special feeling these guys do all the training for: the platform dive.

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For the sheer strength of the emotional arc, and the young-ish age of the heroes, you might also enjoy Amy Lane’s Selfie. Set in the Bluewater Bay story world, this book BLEW ME AWAY. I sobbed so hard, and I loved it. I loved it so much, I made it the 2016 Book of the Year. Definitely worth your time and purchase! Check out Selfie on Amazon below:

If you like focused athletes and high stakes romance, you’ll love Leigh Carman’s Two-Man Advantage. A stubborn, edgy hockey player faces off with a slick, controlled PR fixer, and sparks fly…in more ways than one! This book is kinky and intense and ohholyshitSOGOOD. I recently reviewed it, so click here to see memorable quotes and my thoughts on why it’s so awesome, or you could just go straight to Amazon and download your copy!

This review copy was provided by the Publisher. No compensation was received for this review.

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Jeremy Reeve is one of the best divers in the world, and he’s worked hard to get where he is. He intends to keep pushing himself with one very clear goal in mind: winning gold at the summer Olympics in two years. That medal might be the only way to earn his father’s respect as an athlete.
Brandon Evans is everything Jeremy isn’t: carefree, outgoing, and openly gay. With his bright-blue eyes and dramatic tattoos, he’s a temptation that Jeremy refuses to acknowledge. But Jeremy can’t ignore how talented Brandon is—or that Brandon has no interest in using his diving skills to compete.
They’re opposites who are forced to work together as teammates, but Jeremy’s fear of his own sexuality and Brandon’s disinterest in anything “not fun” may end their partnership before it begins. Until a single moment changes everything, and they help each other discover that “team” can also mean family and love.

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