Dirty Laundry: A Tucker Springs Novel

Written by Heidi Cullinan

Narrated by Iggy Toma

The course of true love doesn’t always run clean. But sometimes getting dirty is half the fun....

Entomology grad student Adam Ellery meets Denver Rogers, a muscle-bound hunk of sexy, when Denver effortlessly dispatches the drunken frat boys harassing Adam at the Tucker Springs laundromat. Thanking him turns into flirting, and then, much to Adam’s delight, hot sex over the laundry table.

Though Denver’s job as a bouncer at a gay bar means he gets his pick of geek-sexy college twinks, he can’t get Adam out of his head. Adam seems to need the same rough play Denver does, and it’s damn hard to say no to such a perfect fit.

Trouble is, Adam isn’t just shy: he has obsessive compulsive disorder and clinical anxiety, conditions which have ruined past relationships. And while Denver might be able to bench-press a pile of grad students, he comes from a history of abuse and is terrified of getting his GED. Neither Denver nor Adam want to face their dirty laundry, but to stay together, they’re going to have to come clean.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Riptide Publishing
• Release date: Mar 30, 2016
• ISBN: 9781626497320

Heidi Cullinan

Author of over thirty novels, Midwest-native Heidi Cullinan writes positive-outcome romances for LGBT characters struggling against insurmountable odds because they believe there’s no such thing as too much happy ever after. Heidi’s books have been recommended by Library Journal, USA Today, RT Magazine, and Publishers Weekly. When Heidi isn’t writing, they enjoy gaming, reading manga, manhua, and danmei, playing with cats, and watching too much anime.  Heidi goes by Jun when being spoken to in person or online, and Jun’s pronouns are they/them. Visit Heidi’s website at www.heidicullinan.com. You can contact her at [e-mail].

Reviews for Dirty Laundry

[crankypants16 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

so much in heat so little time - loved

[NeosoulNoona · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Dirty Laundry is my favorite in the series so far.

[tuusannuuska-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Four stars is being a teensy bit generous, but three stars would be even less accurate.

I didn't expect much from this, to be honest, so i was pleasantly surprised by the consent heavy d/s dynamic as well as the mental health representation (even though I have no clue as to how accurate said representation was.)

Honestly, this kinda redeemed Cullinan as a romance author a little bit (for me.)

[shazov-133293 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Once again I'm left with a feeling as if I know the characters in a book. They feel like real people, men I would love to get to know even better.

This series really just keeps growing. Adam is a nerdy grad student who lives with OCD that could become crippling. Denver is a man who, burdened by secrets and insecurities about himself, has turned to the gym and chasing twinks. When Denver rescues Adam from harassing frat boys on night, the impossible seems to happen and the sparks start to fly.

The path towards happiness for these two damaged men is an easy one though. But, in a style typical of this author, it's not all about the angst and the drama, but about finding solutions. And, let's face it, it's fiction. So maybe things go a little easier than they would in real life, but that why we read fiction isn't it?

So thank you Ms Cullinan for another great escape!

[nannyogg13 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

AMAzing. Read it in one go (food-making and bathroom breaks not included).

[drez-3 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I didn't feel the chemistry between Denver and Adam, and the BDSM didn't work for me. It felt like a forced, unnecessary part of the book. I didn't really get the feeling that Denver knew what he was doing and had done it before. He didn't come across as a Dom to me. And I get Adam's anxieties and OCD get in the way, but he drove me nuts with his not being able to go to other people's houses and vice versa. And OMG Brad needed to get a beat down! He knew all about Adam's OCD and anxiety yet he kept badgering him into panic attacks, then couldn't understand why the guy didn't want to get back together with him?!

Oh and I hate the guys on the cover. Adam didn't seem as nerdy as the guy on the cover, and the cowboy on the cover made me think of Denver as the big, dumb, jock guy.

[penny01-2 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

3.5 stars. Enjoyable. A good read for a sunny day.

[vampkiss · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Hot sex scenes, but reading Adams anxieties, insecurities, and issues over and over again took a lot of my enjoyment out of the book. I understand that the author was portraying someone who lived with OCD everyday, so that makes sense, but it just wasn't for me.

[sharrow_3 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Maybe I am just crabby today, but could not get past first chapter. Didn't gel with characters, didn't get it. Just not one for me I think.

[bea_writer · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

**Updated review. Full review on my webpage.

I read a lot of romances that contain BDSM. I suppose one reason is that a relationship that contains BDSM is one that includes everything that a vanilla one does — plus a lot more complexity and nuances. For example, some relationships might live without trust, but a BDSM one cannot. I love reading about the dynamics within the lifestyle, how individuals who find their life, physically and psychologically better because of it.

Which brings me to Dirty Laundry , by Heidi Cullinan. The novel focuses on the issues of Depression, Anxiety, and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and how that affects one’s life, friends, family, career, and sexual relationships. I have no idea whether there are any significant benefits between BDSM lifestylers and these disorders, I certainly am not a doctor or psychologist. Yet, by how this author lays out the two main characters I must conclude that it works for them.

Basic Plot:

Adam (nerdy dude) is saved by a hunky cowboy named Denver when accosted in the laundromat by some drunk frat boys. Hot sex ensues and a relationship develops, but both men bring a lot of “dirty laundry” to the table. Can they overcome their own problems and accept that the other is just the right support they need?

What I liked:

The first strong point within this book is Heidi Cullinan’s writing. I have not read many of her books, but I will certainly look up more now. It is often difficult to understand a disorder until you can get into “the mind” of the person. Remember all of those cop shows where they always talk about “getting into the mind of the killer”? Yes, it sounds cheesy, but in this case, we really do need to get into the mind of Adam, so that we can experience what he experiences. I am not sure how Heidi has knowledge of panic attacks, but having suffered from them before myself, she nailed them on the head.

The second strong point within this book is the writing of the BDSM scenes. They seemed realistic and intense. I hate when I read a book that has a “50 Shades” lipstick view of BDSM that is too slick and too glossy. The scenes within Dirty Laundry allow us to see how both characters eventually open up, show honest emotion and need without any shame for it. Cullinan does such a good job of showing how the structure and control of submission actually could help Adam calm his anxiety, as well as fulfill the need that Denver had within himself to be dominant and in control. The urge to submit to Denver begins to overtake the need to submit to the voice of his OCD.

She also shows how some outsiders see the bruises and marks, not as badges of courage and marks of possession, but rather as abuse. She shows how responsible Adam and Denver are in discussing the relationship and play in a safe and consensual manner.

Conclusion: In life, very little things are perfect. When we want to read a book for escapism, we often search for topics that are foreign to our own lives. So reading a book where the characters are fallible and have their own issues on the surface seems counterintuitive. After all, why would reading about two men with mental disorders cheer the reader?

Obviously I am not saying that BDSM will save anyone from OCD and cure them, certainly that is not what Cullinan is suggesting. For example, Adam is still on medicine, he has supportive friends, a supportive partner, and he continues to go to therapy. However, there is no doubt to me, that the dominant/submissive nature of Adam and Denver’s relationship helps Adam rather than the destructive nature of his previous relationship with Brad.

This book is really about how each individual can prevail over their own problems, and still find a healthy relationship that supports them, not tear them down. And if these guys, with their such heavy burdens can make it work, well hell, we certainly can find happiness and love.

I adore this book, it provided just enough sex and kink to make it interesting, but it also provided quality writing and substance so that my intellect could sink her teeth in and come away with a message. This book is more than just a kinky romance book. I admire the author for her ability to write about a complex disorder and about a lifestyle that most would find disturbing and demonstrate how powerfully positive it can be.

Great book!



Bea

[.riley. · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

One of many lately that's just kind of... meh. Didn't hate it, didn't love it. It had everything I generally like, so my 'chooser' was right in picking it for me. Something about it though never really drew me in and I never really felt very connected to the characters. There were some sweet parts here and there, but it was just an okay read for me.

[rtb_3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Reviewed by: MarissaBook provided by: NetGalleyReview originally posted at Romancing the BookAfter reading Second Hand I knew I had to read Dirty Laundry, the story of how Denver finds his true love in the Laundromat. (If you read Second Hand, you realize that finding love in the Laundromat is a sort of joke about how love can happen where you least expect it.) While this is book three in the Tucker Springs series and they don’t need to be read in order, I have to admit that picking up this book was like visiting a place I know, a Mayberry-esque town where perhaps I spent a few days one summer.The book begins with Adam attempting to avoid a group of frat boys who have stolen his underwear from the Laundromat dryer. Adam has many OCD issues which make him lovable in a geeky, quirky sort of way. It would have been easy to overplay these issues which would have made Adam more of a whiner, but he sees his problems and makes attempts to overcome them. In fact, I loved his inner dialogues as he tries talking himself into or out of various situations.Denver is muscle and brawn with the street smarts to back it up. I realized early on that Denver is just as flawed as Adam albeit in a different way but I liked that he is not confident in anything but his physical strength and sexual appeal. I also liked that he takes Adam’s OCD seriously and strives to work around it rather than try to conform Adam to “normal”.While Dirty Laundry is essentially Denver’s book, I thought it was Adam who made the story. His neurosis became a focal point for me and I found myself wondering how Denver would deal with such-and-such an issue or how Adam would overcome his personal space issues long enough to have sex in Denver’s apartment. But it’s how they deal with all the issues – both Adam’s and Denver’s – that make this such a great love story.

[fangirlmom · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Really great book. Both MC's have their own issues, though Adam's are much more severe. The sex is smokin' hot, too. I really enjoyed this one.

[jyl22075 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really have to commend Heidi Cullinan on showing how difficult severe OCD can be. This is a condition that I live with and have never read a book before that really seems to "get" it. This one does.

I felt a strong connection to Adam because I understood him. All of his quirks and thoughts and worries reminded me of myself. Sometimes it was comforting to me and other times it touched a little too close to home. I also appreciated that the author didn't have Adam "cured" by the end of the book. While Denver and therapy are helping him, it's still something he has to live and cope with and I felt like that was very true for a lot of people with mental illness.

Denver was really accepting of Adam's quirks, which I found rather charming. He also had his own issues he had to work through and I feel like both characters had to learn to see themselves in a different light.

I also wanted to note that the BDSM in this book was probably the most intense I've read personally. It's not something I seek out in books, but I don't let it keep me from reading a book either. That being said, there was one scene in this book that was a bit much for me. This didn't affect my rating or enjoyment of the book, but it was definitely well out of my comfort zone.

This is the 3rd book in the Tucker Springs series, but the first that I have read. I will probably go back and read the books I've missed, El's in particular.

[steelwhisper · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I adored the short story, but this started failing me halfway through. I liked the first half of it, but when BDSM came into play, and in such a manner, alongside with psychobabble and shrinks galore the book lost me. Completely. It's also as if BDSM was a one-trick-pony. Here as everywhere the same kind of play, the same kind of activities, the same old variants without originality, which really dragged me down right there. I keep stating that there is so much more to BDSM than what is completely boring me by now, that always similarly written D/s-Daddy/boy scenario, without even the notion or possibility that people might be more inventive than that. It's a pity, because from the short and from the first half this had so much potential in my opinion.

First half 5*, second half 1* (including the to me overly sweet happy ending) = 3*

[kaetrin_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

free short available on author's site. Very sexy kinky short about a scared student and a sexy Dom cowboy in a laundromat. Really good.