I admit, I have no idea, at the moment, how to actually review this book. It's certainly different than what I would have expected from just reading tI admit, I have no idea, at the moment, how to actually review this book. It's certainly different than what I would have expected from just reading the blurb, and even with Todd's amazing review, it took me by surprise. But I'm not sure yet how to review it. I'll give it some thought.
Edited to add: I really wanted to write an actual review for this book, but I just can't do it without giving anything away. All the things I would love to talk about and rail about would spoil the story and I'm not going to do it, even with spoiler tags. It's a very different read than my usual, in pretty much every way. The story structure, the nature of the HEA... it's different. Good, but different. I am among the hopeful in hoping that the author will continue the story in some fashion.
Merged review:
I admit, I have no idea, at the moment, how to actually review this book. It's certainly different than what I would have expected from just reading the blurb, and even with Todd's amazing review, it took me by surprise. But I'm not sure yet how to review it. I'll give it some thought.
Edited to add: I really wanted to write an actual review for this book, but I just can't do it without giving anything away. All the things I would love to talk about and rail about would spoil the story and I'm not going to do it, even with spoiler tags. It's a very different read than my usual, in pretty much every way. The story structure, the nature of the HEA... it's different. Good, but different. I am among the hopeful in hoping that the author will continue the story in some fashion....more
This short story is the sequel to Chapter Five and the Axe-Wielding Maniac. If you're interested in reading this book, you're going to want to read ChThis short story is the sequel to Chapter Five and the Axe-Wielding Maniac. If you're interested in reading this book, you're going to want to read Chapter Five first. It's free, though.
While this is not a steamy read at all, I do like the writing style. The characters are quirky and Joshua's voice is vivid.
Joshua is the older man in the story. He's sixteen years senior to Rad, who is only 26. Rad likes older men, though, and doesn't at all have a problem with Joshua's age. Josh, however, is a mite insecure about the age gap. His previous long term relationship ended when his partner left him for a much younger man, so he's rather conscious of the fact that Rad could decide that someone closer to his own age would be better. Apartment 14 rather revolves around Josh trying to wade through his insecurities in the relationship while loving the adventure he has found himself in.
We meet some of Rad's friends in Utah, including Wren, an occasional 'friend with benefits', aka 'the devil next door'. Wren is conniving and manipulative and is doing his damndest to get rid of Josh so he can have Rad all to himself.
So, the story is short, but it doesn't feel lacking. I certainly enjoyed it.
Merged review:
This short story is the sequel to Chapter Five and the Axe-Wielding Maniac. If you're interested in reading this book, you're going to want to read Chapter Five first. It's free, though.
While this is not a steamy read at all, I do like the writing style. The characters are quirky and Joshua's voice is vivid.
Joshua is the older man in the story. He's sixteen years senior to Rad, who is only 26. Rad likes older men, though, and doesn't at all have a problem with Joshua's age. Josh, however, is a mite insecure about the age gap. His previous long term relationship ended when his partner left him for a much younger man, so he's rather conscious of the fact that Rad could decide that someone closer to his own age would be better. Apartment 14 rather revolves around Josh trying to wade through his insecurities in the relationship while loving the adventure he has found himself in.
We meet some of Rad's friends in Utah, including Wren, an occasional 'friend with benefits', aka 'the devil next door'. Wren is conniving and manipulative and is doing his damndest to get rid of Josh so he can have Rad all to himself.
So, the story is short, but it doesn't feel lacking. I certainly enjoyed it....more
~BR with Renee, Ele and Karen. We're all nervous about this one... ~
Me and my fellow buddy readers were quite nervous about reading the conclusion to ~BR with Renee, Ele and Karen. We're all nervous about this one... ~
Me and my fellow buddy readers were quite nervous about reading the conclusion to the Never Too Early series. We're all fans of Jake & Tor and of Chance & Tucker from their individual series and we were worried that mixing them would take away some of their magic.
For me, I am happy with the result! I found Never Too Early: Full Circle to be a strong finish for our four men and I'm happy with where they ended up.
Without giving too much away (I hope), the insecurities and doubts of one of our guys actually made the whole stronger, because it forced everyone to talk things out and be honest and open. Communication is key in any relationship and the more people you add, the more important it becomes. Jake and Tor know from experience that it is imperative to talk things out, so they were instrumental in keeping focus and keeping the lines of communication open for everyone.
Never Too Early: Full Circle just worked for me. It wasn't all about the sex (though, holy hell was it hot) and it did focus on the relationships as our men figured out this new dynamic.
So, I say, well done!
Merged review:
~BR with Renee, Ele and Karen. We're all nervous about this one... ~
Me and my fellow buddy readers were quite nervous about reading the conclusion to the Never Too Early series. We're all fans of Jake & Tor and of Chance & Tucker from their individual series and we were worried that mixing them would take away some of their magic.
For me, I am happy with the result! I found Never Too Early: Full Circle to be a strong finish for our four men and I'm happy with where they ended up.
Without giving too much away (I hope), the insecurities and doubts of one of our guys actually made the whole stronger, because it forced everyone to talk things out and be honest and open. Communication is key in any relationship and the more people you add, the more important it becomes. Jake and Tor know from experience that it is imperative to talk things out, so they were instrumental in keeping focus and keeping the lines of communication open for everyone.
Never Too Early: Full Circle just worked for me. It wasn't all about the sex (though, holy hell was it hot) and it did focus on the relationships as our men figured out this new dynamic.
Keeping Faith picks up a few months after Playing for Keeps leaves off. Trent is now playing for the Miami Dolphins and so the trio has moved3.5 Stars
Keeping Faith picks up a few months after Playing for Keeps leaves off. Trent is now playing for the Miami Dolphins and so the trio has moved to Miami. The book takes place around Christmas time and starts out with what has become a tradition for the three -- hiding gifts for each other to find in the days leading up to Christmas. I kind of like that. Puts a little adventure into an otherwise staid holiday.
Of course, their holiday becomes a bit more of an adventure than any of them bargained for when Brock gets kidnapped in a plot to flesh out Trent's waste of oxygen dad.
While I did enjoy the story, I didn't like it quite as much as the first book. I thought the author was trying to do too many things for such a short book. The whole side story with Sammy, particularly struck me as out of place. So while I liked the first one better, I did enjoy this one as well. I found it worth the read.
Merged review:
3.5 Stars
Keeping Faith picks up a few months after Playing for Keeps leaves off. Trent is now playing for the Miami Dolphins and so the trio has moved to Miami. The book takes place around Christmas time and starts out with what has become a tradition for the three -- hiding gifts for each other to find in the days leading up to Christmas. I kind of like that. Puts a little adventure into an otherwise staid holiday.
Of course, their holiday becomes a bit more of an adventure than any of them bargained for when Brock gets kidnapped in a plot to flesh out Trent's waste of oxygen dad.
While I did enjoy the story, I didn't like it quite as much as the first book. I thought the author was trying to do too many things for such a short book. The whole side story with Sammy, particularly struck me as out of place. So while I liked the first one better, I did enjoy this one as well. I found it worth the read....more
I really enjoyed this story! Tork just broke my heart with his rules and self harm. And Adam...it took him a while to learn how to be a human being. BI really enjoyed this story! Tork just broke my heart with his rules and self harm. And Adam...it took him a while to learn how to be a human being. But the journey was something they both needed and it was worth it. I'm glad book 2 is out now :)
Merged review:
I really enjoyed this story! Tork just broke my heart with his rules and self harm. And Adam...it took him a while to learn how to be a human being. But the journey was something they both needed and it was worth it. I'm glad book 2 is out now :)...more
Jeff White is a very very closeted man. He's not gay, no sir. Nope. He's a "man's man" (tm) ...hmmm.. that phrase sounds deliciously gay, no4.5 Stars.
Jeff White is a very very closeted man. He's not gay, no sir. Nope. He's a "man's man" (tm) ...hmmm.. that phrase sounds deliciously gay, now that I think about it. Anyway, nope, Jeff is a man. And men shouldn't have to be polite, or courteous, or - heaven forbid - romantic. Nope. A man should be able to walk up to whomever they are interested in (female, of course), and knock her on the head and drag her back to his cave by her hair. Hahahahaha.. and that, ladies and gentlemen, is why Jeff is single at the beginning of this book.
Ok, I exaggerate a little. Jeff spends so much time trying to prove to himself, and those around him, that he's a straight man (using every straight stereotype known to humanity), that he completely overlooks the fact that if you can manage to just be yourself, love might just find you. Of course, Jeff isn't looking for someone to love, he just wants someone to spank.
At the beginning of the story, Jeff is rather an ass. He's rude, and thoughtless, and pretty much miserable. Jeff is also a sexually sadistic Dominant man and he has been looking for the perfect masochistic submissive woman to complete him. The problem is, not many he's encountered (or any, really), want or like pain. He's lived a vanilla life forever and ever since his friend Niall introduced him to BDSM, he's really wanted to let loose. But he's inexperienced and, well, he's managed to chase off every woman he has tried to dominate.
Eddie, a friend of Niall's sub Maddy, has the perfect solution. Eddie is a masochist submissive. He's been looking for the perfect Top and why let a little thing like the fact that Jeff is straight get in the way? He proposes a deal where he will teach Jeff how to be the perfect Top, no sex required (not that he had any intention of not trying to provoke sex). Just five easy lessons so Jeff then has the skills to find his perfect sub.
After initially turning down Eddie's offer, he decides to at least get together to talk. And that leads to a demonstration, which leads to sex and a happy Eddie and a mildly confused Jeff. Jeff really warms to Eddie, though, and he's having the best sex of his life, and so is Eddie.
I loved Jeff and Eddie. And I really liked Jeff, once we get to see his actual soft interior. He's really kind of a sweet guy. It took Jeff a while to get his head out of his own ass and admit his bisexuality, but when he finally did, he made me proud. And Eddie was great, too. The perfect masochist submissive to complete Jeff's sadistic streak. I thought How to Train Your Dom in Five Easy Steps was absolutely delightful and I definitely recommend it.
Merged review:
4.5 Stars.
Jeff White is a very very closeted man. He's not gay, no sir. Nope. He's a "man's man" (tm) ...hmmm.. that phrase sounds deliciously gay, now that I think about it. Anyway, nope, Jeff is a man. And men shouldn't have to be polite, or courteous, or - heaven forbid - romantic. Nope. A man should be able to walk up to whomever they are interested in (female, of course), and knock her on the head and drag her back to his cave by her hair. Hahahahaha.. and that, ladies and gentlemen, is why Jeff is single at the beginning of this book.
Ok, I exaggerate a little. Jeff spends so much time trying to prove to himself, and those around him, that he's a straight man (using every straight stereotype known to humanity), that he completely overlooks the fact that if you can manage to just be yourself, love might just find you. Of course, Jeff isn't looking for someone to love, he just wants someone to spank.
At the beginning of the story, Jeff is rather an ass. He's rude, and thoughtless, and pretty much miserable. Jeff is also a sexually sadistic Dominant man and he has been looking for the perfect masochistic submissive woman to complete him. The problem is, not many he's encountered (or any, really), want or like pain. He's lived a vanilla life forever and ever since his friend Niall introduced him to BDSM, he's really wanted to let loose. But he's inexperienced and, well, he's managed to chase off every woman he has tried to dominate.
Eddie, a friend of Niall's sub Maddy, has the perfect solution. Eddie is a masochist submissive. He's been looking for the perfect Top and why let a little thing like the fact that Jeff is straight get in the way? He proposes a deal where he will teach Jeff how to be the perfect Top, no sex required (not that he had any intention of not trying to provoke sex). Just five easy lessons so Jeff then has the skills to find his perfect sub.
After initially turning down Eddie's offer, he decides to at least get together to talk. And that leads to a demonstration, which leads to sex and a happy Eddie and a mildly confused Jeff. Jeff really warms to Eddie, though, and he's having the best sex of his life, and so is Eddie.
I loved Jeff and Eddie. And I really liked Jeff, once we get to see his actual soft interior. He's really kind of a sweet guy. It took Jeff a while to get his head out of his own ass and admit his bisexuality, but when he finally did, he made me proud. And Eddie was great, too. The perfect masochist submissive to complete Jeff's sadistic streak. I thought How to Train Your Dom in Five Easy Steps was absolutely delightful and I definitely recommend it....more
I've been waiting (mostly patiently) for the Pulp Friction 2014 finale, and I think it was worth the wait. I enjoyed the wrap up and the revisiting ofI've been waiting (mostly patiently) for the Pulp Friction 2014 finale, and I think it was worth the wait. I enjoyed the wrap up and the revisiting of all our happy couples. If you're a fan of this series, I don't think you will be disappointed at all. This book does not work well as a stand alone, however, so if you want to read it, you'd be better served by reading the whole series in the order in which each installment was published.
Can't wait for PF2015!
Merged review:
I've been waiting (mostly patiently) for the Pulp Friction 2014 finale, and I think it was worth the wait. I enjoyed the wrap up and the revisiting of all our happy couples. If you're a fan of this series, I don't think you will be disappointed at all. This book does not work well as a stand alone, however, so if you want to read it, you'd be better served by reading the whole series in the order in which each installment was published.
I love this particular trope - the jock and the really out and proud gay man. I guess I love seeing examples of people so determined to be exactly whoI love this particular trope - the jock and the really out and proud gay man. I guess I love seeing examples of people so determined to be exactly who they are, without apology and finding that one person who fits with them.
Danny lives his life out loud, just as the blurb says. He doesn't "blend". He's colorful and flamboyant and proud of who he is. He's comfortable in his own skin, I guess, and I love that quality in a person. Lance, on the other hand, is a pretty typical jock. He wants to fit in and be accepted, but unlike Danny, Lance is willing to compromise his own identity to achieve that. Lance wants to play in the NFL and he has no plan B.
Lance is so much in denial for a good portion of the book, it doesn't shock me that it took him so long to catch on to the fact that he's gay. He spends most of his time around other jock's and he's not really attracted to other jock types. In his case, he is attracted to Danny's more feminine side.
Their inevitable breakup made me sad, and I wanted to be mad at Danny for not giving Lance more of a chance, but, Lance really wasn't ready and I don't think he would have been ready for a long time. And being Lance's dirty little secret really wasn't fair to Danny. Danny was the strong one and he did what needed to be done, even though it hurt like hell.
When they came back together again, I was at the edge of my seat waiting for them to realize that what they feel for each other doesn't come along every day and to seize that chance. The ending made me happy.
Merged review:
I love this particular trope - the jock and the really out and proud gay man. I guess I love seeing examples of people so determined to be exactly who they are, without apology and finding that one person who fits with them.
Danny lives his life out loud, just as the blurb says. He doesn't "blend". He's colorful and flamboyant and proud of who he is. He's comfortable in his own skin, I guess, and I love that quality in a person. Lance, on the other hand, is a pretty typical jock. He wants to fit in and be accepted, but unlike Danny, Lance is willing to compromise his own identity to achieve that. Lance wants to play in the NFL and he has no plan B.
Lance is so much in denial for a good portion of the book, it doesn't shock me that it took him so long to catch on to the fact that he's gay. He spends most of his time around other jock's and he's not really attracted to other jock types. In his case, he is attracted to Danny's more feminine side.
Their inevitable breakup made me sad, and I wanted to be mad at Danny for not giving Lance more of a chance, but, Lance really wasn't ready and I don't think he would have been ready for a long time. And being Lance's dirty little secret really wasn't fair to Danny. Danny was the strong one and he did what needed to be done, even though it hurt like hell.
When they came back together again, I was at the edge of my seat waiting for them to realize that what they feel for each other doesn't come along every day and to seize that chance. The ending made me happy....more
Ok, this book definitely won't be for everyone. Twincest is rather taboo, of course, so if that's a limit for you, do yourself a favor an3.5 Stars
Ok, this book definitely won't be for everyone. Twincest is rather taboo, of course, so if that's a limit for you, do yourself a favor and keep on walking. If twincest trips your trigger, however, I can definitely recommend this one.
Hot doesn't even come close to describing the sex in this book. But there is story and character development too. Lynn Kelling does a really good job at portraying damaged characters. And, though the story isn't really believable, I was able to suspend my disbelief enough to enjoy it.
Evan and Brennan are eighteen years old and identical. They were separated as babies when their parents divorced and neither one knew about the other until very recently. They have different socio-economic backgrounds, but both of them are a bit damaged in their own way. Brennan because he watched his mother die from cancer and Evan because life is just plain old harsh. Evan had to learn early on to keep part of himself locked away in order to survive. They each start out mildly resenting the other, but more so, their father, who orchestrated throwing them together.
They each meet and start dating (separately and unknown to each other) another set of twins, Alek and Luka. Akek and Luka are a bit older, 25, and they've had a sexual relationship with each other for years. They've always been there for each other during their awful upbringing and that developed into a more physical relationship when they were in a heavy drug use phase. The drugs are a thing of the past, now, but the sex has stuck around.
The story revolves around the twins building a relationship with their counterpart in the other set of twins and then, later, merging the relationships somewhat. They don't become a true foursome, but they definitely intermingle.
All in all, I enjoyed the book.
Merged review:
3.5 Stars
Ok, this book definitely won't be for everyone. Twincest is rather taboo, of course, so if that's a limit for you, do yourself a favor and keep on walking. If twincest trips your trigger, however, I can definitely recommend this one.
Hot doesn't even come close to describing the sex in this book. But there is story and character development too. Lynn Kelling does a really good job at portraying damaged characters. And, though the story isn't really believable, I was able to suspend my disbelief enough to enjoy it.
Evan and Brennan are eighteen years old and identical. They were separated as babies when their parents divorced and neither one knew about the other until very recently. They have different socio-economic backgrounds, but both of them are a bit damaged in their own way. Brennan because he watched his mother die from cancer and Evan because life is just plain old harsh. Evan had to learn early on to keep part of himself locked away in order to survive. They each start out mildly resenting the other, but more so, their father, who orchestrated throwing them together.
They each meet and start dating (separately and unknown to each other) another set of twins, Alek and Luka. Akek and Luka are a bit older, 25, and they've had a sexual relationship with each other for years. They've always been there for each other during their awful upbringing and that developed into a more physical relationship when they were in a heavy drug use phase. The drugs are a thing of the past, now, but the sex has stuck around.
The story revolves around the twins building a relationship with their counterpart in the other set of twins and then, later, merging the relationships somewhat. They don't become a true foursome, but they definitely intermingle.
This was a sweet read that fans of this series are sure to enjoy. I loved getting to visit with the characters from the previous books and the setup fThis was a sweet read that fans of this series are sure to enjoy. I loved getting to visit with the characters from the previous books and the setup from what I hope will be the next one! A nice, low angst, holiday read.
Merged review:
This was a sweet read that fans of this series are sure to enjoy. I loved getting to visit with the characters from the previous books and the setup from what I hope will be the next one! A nice, low angst, holiday read....more
----Original Review April 2015----- In spite of the reactions my friends here said they had to this book (that it wrecked them inStill a gorgeous read.
----Original Review April 2015----- In spite of the reactions my friends here said they had to this book (that it wrecked them in the best of ways, that it really stayed with them, etc) Chase the Storm took me by surprise. I cannot believe I have never run across this book on my own and I am very very happy my friend Eleftheria recommended it to me. Once I started reading it, I was hard pressed to stop until I hit the last page. Indeed, it consumed me, and once I came to the end, I wanted nothing more than to start all over again.
Chase the Storm is told from Elijah's POV. Elijah is nineteen and just finished his freshman year of college and he is miserable. He comes from a wealthy family who have certain expectations that are just not a good fit with Elijah at all. He doesn't care about the wealth his family has or the business degree he is supposed to be getting. He has no desire to own the trendiest anything nor to follow in his father's footsteps. He just feels trapped by everyone else's expectations. On his last day of classes, a 'for sale' sign on an old, beat-up pickup truck catches his eye and on that day, Elijah buys himself a little piece of freedom. That summer, instead of going home to intern at his father's company, Elijah takes another path.
Chase is a man in mourning. Still grieving the loss of his husband, Chase cannot imagine ever letting anyone else in. He stays isolated and is doing his best to make a living on his farm. Chase is in his early thirty's, but he stopped living the day that Owen died. Maybe it was fate that brought Elijah to his farm in search of a summer job. Maybe it was just chance. But there's no doubt that the day Elijah showed up is the day that Chase discovered that not all hope was lost. Chase fights his attraction to Elijah with everything he has. He feels all kinds of guilt over it, feeling like he is betraying Owen, but he cannot deny there is something there.
Their love story grabbed a hold of my heart and squeezed tight. It was beautiful and heart breaking, and I cried through the last two chapters and the epilogue. I don't actually recall another book where I was moved so much that I cried through the happy ending. There were so many feels, they had no where else to go except to make me a weepy mess. And I'd do it all again, and very likely will soon.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone that enjoys m/m stories that really make you feel. It is angsty, but in the best of ways....more
ARC of What No One Else Can Hear provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This review has been cross posted at Reviews by JesseWaveARC of What No One Else Can Hear provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This review has been cross posted at Reviews by JesseWave. 2.4 Stars
What No One Else Can Hear was a book with a lot of potential. I loved the premise, that Stevie was an empath who just couldn't block other peoples emotions and they overwhelmed him, manifesting in a very similar way to Autism. I found it fresh and intriguing. And for the first half of the book, or so, I really enjoyed it. The pacing was pretty good and I loved the interactions between Stevie and Jesse. Stevie really came alive when Jesse finally found him. The second half of the book just fell apart for me, however. Frankly, the story kept going and going, when it should have been resolving. And Chuck was used over and over as a plot device, when he really should have been in jail for fabricating evidence, perjury, assault, and a few other things.
The editing in this ARC was also not very good. There were numerous instances where there would be a partial sentence that didn't seem to belong, and punctuation and spelling errors galore. It was enough to take me out of the story. It is my hope that these issues are corrected in the final version of the book. Unfortunately, I had to work with what I was given.
One thing I found disappointing throughout the book, was the lack of romance between Jesse and Drew. They become best friends over the course of several months and sort of hint to each other that they might want more, but they didn't really engage in taking their relationship past the friends stage for way too long. And, once they did, I didn't really feel it. There were only a couple sex scenes that weren't completely fade-to-black and they weren't described very well and it seemed more like Jesse and Drew were just being silly together rather than making love. It just felt awkward. Their relationship felt like it was a minor part of the story, and maybe that was the intention. I would have preferred it to be more prominent, but maybe that's just me.
Where the book seemed to fall apart for me was with the overuse of Chuck - the bad guy. He's an employee at the children's center where Stevie is a patient and Chuck takes an immediate and irrational dislike to Jesse. And everyone at the center seems to just put up with him. One of the big things, for me, that set off alarms in my head, was that at the center, five reprimands were needed to fire someone. Say, what? These people are responsible for special needs children and they are giving that much leeway? Chuck had no business caring for children at all, much less kids with special needs. He was impatient, rude, and he verbally abused them and was way too rough with them physically. And once he does get fired, finally, he's used several more times to move the plot along. And it became tedious.
After Chuck's dismissal, he fabricates evidence suggesting that Stevie was being abused by Jesse and he conspires with Stevie's father, who is running for a political office. And they decide to embark on a witch hunt and ruin Jesse, which, in turn, sets Stevie's progress back months. Stevie's father has had nothing to do with his son in the six years he has been at the center, but he makes it sound like he visits every week. None of that BS is ever publicly refuted. But, ok, he's a politician running for office and they will often say whatever they think will get them the most votes - sympathy or otherwise. So, that was believable enough. But even when it was clear and obvious that he didn't know the first thing about his son, he tried to play it off that Stevie was just mentally handicapped. Ugh.
Allegations of sexual abuse, as I'm sure you can imagine, are very serious. Even when they are not true, the accusation can thoroughly ruin a person's reputation, as well as their life. So Jesse is devastated that he's being taken away from Stevie. And Stevie is inconsolable. He wants his Bear, his nickname for Jesse, and he doesn't understand why Bear is being taken away. It's so obvious, to anyone observing Jesse and Stevie, that Stevie is not afraid of Jesse and, in fact, responds in a positive way to him. A child that is being abused just does not make that kind of a ruckus when his/her abuser is being removed. Stevie was angry, and not at Jesse. It really should have been easy to disprove any inappropriate behavior in this case. And, frankly, the story would have benefited from not drawing this out as much as it did.
There were several things about how the case was handled that I just could not believe were happening. The DA certainly didn't have enough to get a conviction, but Jesse's attorney, whom someone at the children's center referred, encourages him to take a plea deal, where he pleads guilty, but won't serve any jail time. Seriously? He really thinks the best option - for a case where the evidence is that shaky - is for someone to plead to a charge which will land them on the child sex offenders list for the rest of his life? Really? I might have fired my lawyer for trying to pull that. And that wasn't the last time I wanted that lawyer fired. Jesse fights it and insists on a trial, thank FSM.
So it goes on, and they go to trial, which of course is resolved quickly, in Jesse's favor. And the story should have wrapped it up soon after. But it didn't. There was this complicated cat and mouse game between Jesse's lawyer and Stevie's father and Chuck, of course. And that is where the story completely lost me as a reader. The way the story finally resolved was too little, too late and left me with a very bad taste. (view spoiler)[Not the part where Jesse, Drew and Stevie live happily ever after, of course, but the part where there is evidence and admission of a felony on the part of Stevie's father that never goes to the authorities. And I'm not talking about lying on the witness stand or to the constituents or anything like that, but a serious crime that resulted in injuries and seriously endangered the lives of children. And he got away with it! (hide spoiler)]
I really wanted to enjoy this book, but unfortunately was an overall miss for me.
Merged review:
ARC of What No One Else Can Hear provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This review has been cross posted at Reviews by JesseWave. 2.4 Stars
What No One Else Can Hear was a book with a lot of potential. I loved the premise, that Stevie was an empath who just couldn't block other peoples emotions and they overwhelmed him, manifesting in a very similar way to Autism. I found it fresh and intriguing. And for the first half of the book, or so, I really enjoyed it. The pacing was pretty good and I loved the interactions between Stevie and Jesse. Stevie really came alive when Jesse finally found him. The second half of the book just fell apart for me, however. Frankly, the story kept going and going, when it should have been resolving. And Chuck was used over and over as a plot device, when he really should have been in jail for fabricating evidence, perjury, assault, and a few other things.
The editing in this ARC was also not very good. There were numerous instances where there would be a partial sentence that didn't seem to belong, and punctuation and spelling errors galore. It was enough to take me out of the story. It is my hope that these issues are corrected in the final version of the book. Unfortunately, I had to work with what I was given.
One thing I found disappointing throughout the book, was the lack of romance between Jesse and Drew. They become best friends over the course of several months and sort of hint to each other that they might want more, but they didn't really engage in taking their relationship past the friends stage for way too long. And, once they did, I didn't really feel it. There were only a couple sex scenes that weren't completely fade-to-black and they weren't described very well and it seemed more like Jesse and Drew were just being silly together rather than making love. It just felt awkward. Their relationship felt like it was a minor part of the story, and maybe that was the intention. I would have preferred it to be more prominent, but maybe that's just me.
Where the book seemed to fall apart for me was with the overuse of Chuck - the bad guy. He's an employee at the children's center where Stevie is a patient and Chuck takes an immediate and irrational dislike to Jesse. And everyone at the center seems to just put up with him. One of the big things, for me, that set off alarms in my head, was that at the center, five reprimands were needed to fire someone. Say, what? These people are responsible for special needs children and they are giving that much leeway? Chuck had no business caring for children at all, much less kids with special needs. He was impatient, rude, and he verbally abused them and was way too rough with them physically. And once he does get fired, finally, he's used several more times to move the plot along. And it became tedious.
After Chuck's dismissal, he fabricates evidence suggesting that Stevie was being abused by Jesse and he conspires with Stevie's father, who is running for a political office. And they decide to embark on a witch hunt and ruin Jesse, which, in turn, sets Stevie's progress back months. Stevie's father has had nothing to do with his son in the six years he has been at the center, but he makes it sound like he visits every week. None of that BS is ever publicly refuted. But, ok, he's a politician running for office and they will often say whatever they think will get them the most votes - sympathy or otherwise. So, that was believable enough. But even when it was clear and obvious that he didn't know the first thing about his son, he tried to play it off that Stevie was just mentally handicapped. Ugh.
Allegations of sexual abuse, as I'm sure you can imagine, are very serious. Even when they are not true, the accusation can thoroughly ruin a person's reputation, as well as their life. So Jesse is devastated that he's being taken away from Stevie. And Stevie is inconsolable. He wants his Bear, his nickname for Jesse, and he doesn't understand why Bear is being taken away. It's so obvious, to anyone observing Jesse and Stevie, that Stevie is not afraid of Jesse and, in fact, responds in a positive way to him. A child that is being abused just does not make that kind of a ruckus when his/her abuser is being removed. Stevie was angry, and not at Jesse. It really should have been easy to disprove any inappropriate behavior in this case. And, frankly, the story would have benefited from not drawing this out as much as it did.
There were several things about how the case was handled that I just could not believe were happening. The DA certainly didn't have enough to get a conviction, but Jesse's attorney, whom someone at the children's center referred, encourages him to take a plea deal, where he pleads guilty, but won't serve any jail time. Seriously? He really thinks the best option - for a case where the evidence is that shaky - is for someone to plead to a charge which will land them on the child sex offenders list for the rest of his life? Really? I might have fired my lawyer for trying to pull that. And that wasn't the last time I wanted that lawyer fired. Jesse fights it and insists on a trial, thank FSM.
So it goes on, and they go to trial, which of course is resolved quickly, in Jesse's favor. And the story should have wrapped it up soon after. But it didn't. There was this complicated cat and mouse game between Jesse's lawyer and Stevie's father and Chuck, of course. And that is where the story completely lost me as a reader. The way the story finally resolved was too little, too late and left me with a very bad taste. (view spoiler)[Not the part where Jesse, Drew and Stevie live happily ever after, of course, but the part where there is evidence and admission of a felony on the part of Stevie's father that never goes to the authorities. And I'm not talking about lying on the witness stand or to the constituents or anything like that, but a serious crime that resulted in injuries and seriously endangered the lives of children. And he got away with it! (hide spoiler)]
I really wanted to enjoy this book, but unfortunately was an overall miss for me....more
Reaping Havoc was a rather fun story, considering we're dealing with reapers, here. I found the story fresh and entertaining, even if it was 4.5 Stars
Reaping Havoc was a rather fun story, considering we're dealing with reapers, here. I found the story fresh and entertaining, even if it was sad at times. And I fully approve of the HEA.
Nate knows all about loss and he's figured out that the only way to live life is to actually live it. And even though he's been warned away from Mitch by the residents of the little Colorado ski town he just moved to, he can't help but want to actually get to know Mitch and make up his own mind.
Mitch is what you would call a 'reluctant reaper'. He doesn't have a problem with the reaping, per se, but reapers are very long lived and their aging stops when they reach the age of 24 (that's also when their reaping contract starts) until they are about 250 years old, or so, then they age normally and die, like everyone else. But that 200+ years in between? Youth and health. That doesn't sound so bad, except when you consider that everyone around you will still age and die. So, Mitch thinks he would rather spend his bit of eternity all alone so as to not have to go through that. Ah, Mitch, you silly silly reaper.
But you know what? You can't always control how you feel or whom you fall for. Our boys discover that well enough. I don't want to say more because the fun really was in the journey of the story. There were a few things I didn't expect and a few things I did, of course. And Mitch was a bonehead once or twice, but he eventually found his way. And so did Nate.
The steam level is pretty low, unfortunately, but I loved the story and I had a hard time putting it down and I would love to read more about these boys....more
I loved this series and the finish! Carter Quinn gives us a suspense story that is engaging and will keep you on the edge of your seat. All the questiI loved this series and the finish! Carter Quinn gives us a suspense story that is engaging and will keep you on the edge of your seat. All the questions are answered and everything wraps up nicely in this final book. Well done!!!...more