What do you think?
Rate this book
1Night Stand #28
Starting Over
A virgin gay man, Corbin is ready to ease into his new lifestyle, still, making the move scares him shitless. He’s spent years fantasizing about embracing his true self, but what possessed him to agree to a 1 NightStand? As he nears the long, lean man with shaggy, graying hair, a hard on pushing at the front of his swim trunks, and a sexy-as-hell grin, the dreams pale in comparison, and easing in takes on a whole new meaning.
Though tired of being lonely, Matt considers changing his mind about the one-night arrangement until a tall, well-built man strolls across the pool area toward him, then all thoughts of leaving flee. Those broad shoulders, the amazing pecs, the spattering of dark hair on his chest…all of it calls to Matt. He wants to touch it, play with it. He forces himself to calm down. Matt will be his date’s first male lover, and he intends to find the inner strength to take his time.
Intense physical attraction and Madame Eve’s magic ignite a sexual fire, but will it be enough for two men starting over?
Though tired of being lonely, Matt considers changing his mind about the one-night arrangement until a tall, well-built man strolls across the pool area toward him, then all thoughts of leaving flee. Those broad shoulders, the amazing pecs, the spattering of dark hair on his chest…all of it calls to Matt. He wants to touch it, play with it. He forces himself to calm down. Matt will be his date’s first male lover, and he intends to find the inner strength to take his time.
Intense physical attraction and Madame Eve’s magic ignite a sexual fire, but will it be enough for two men starting over?
33 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 14, 2011
About the author
Starla Kaye
84 books95 followersStarla often tends to see things and life through the rose-colored eyes of a romantic. She grew up in a loving family, something for which she will always be grateful. Today she is surrounded by a loving family and many wonderful friends who support her in all of her craziness.
Starla is working toward being a full-time writer of romance, everything from sweet to erotic to naughty, and is multi-published at this time. She is a member of RWA (Romance Writers of America), the current Vice-President/Secretary of Kansas Writers Association, the past president of WARA (Wichita Area Romance Authors), and an affiliate memeber of OWFI (Oklahoma Writers Federation Inc.).
Starla writes in a number of romantic sub-genres including contemporary and Old West cowboys, sci-fi, paranormal, Regency and Medieval. When not writing or dreaming up another plotline and a new set of characters, she might be off traveling somewhere. Well, even when she travels to places like Maui, the U.K., France, Italy, or even spots in the good old USA, she's dreaming and plotting. And taking oodles of pictures wherever she goes.
Starla is working toward being a full-time writer of romance, everything from sweet to erotic to naughty, and is multi-published at this time. She is a member of RWA (Romance Writers of America), the current Vice-President/Secretary of Kansas Writers Association, the past president of WARA (Wichita Area Romance Authors), and an affiliate memeber of OWFI (Oklahoma Writers Federation Inc.).
Starla writes in a number of romantic sub-genres including contemporary and Old West cowboys, sci-fi, paranormal, Regency and Medieval. When not writing or dreaming up another plotline and a new set of characters, she might be off traveling somewhere. Well, even when she travels to places like Maui, the U.K., France, Italy, or even spots in the good old USA, she's dreaming and plotting. And taking oodles of pictures wherever she goes.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
March 26, 2012
I had some issues with this story, not the premise, a newly gay workaholic businessman is convinced by his ex to try the 1Night Stand dating service to lose his gay-virginity. The other guy is a landscaper whose lover died a couple of years ago. Things are wild right from the start but they just spend the one night and return home, neither contacting the other until much later and assuming they have no interest, until the landscaper shows up at his office to reconnect.
My issues, I felt like the author kept coming up with reasons why the dead ex wasn't THAT great and this guy was better. The ex didn't like it rough, the new guy does, therefore he must be the more suitable mate. And the landscaper gets back and has to race off to France to see his ex's dying Grandmother to make amends since they basically tossed the ex out when he told them, and he "can't find the time to contact the guy he really likes". Hello. You are flying from California to France. I travel a fair bit and I'm thinking he probably spent 20 hours there and back just in airports waiting for connections and checking in. You had nothing BUT time to send a freaking and e-mail, send him a tweet, call him. That is the lamest excuse for why you didn't get in touch, and I'd call bullshit if someone came to me and said, I was too busy to send you an e-mail. So there you have it. A few things just didn't come across as legit in this completely wired age.
Also the author used very technical terms, anus, rectum, etc. which threw me off. No one says "I'm going to put my dick in your rectum". Ass, yes. But the repeated usage was off-putting to me. Don't say anything. "I'm going to put my dick in you" is good. We all know where he's putting it, not in his ear. So it wasn't that I didn't like the characters, I actually did like them a great deal, there were just too many plot points that I didn't care for. But that's me.
My issues, I felt like the author kept coming up with reasons why the dead ex wasn't THAT great and this guy was better. The ex didn't like it rough, the new guy does, therefore he must be the more suitable mate. And the landscaper gets back and has to race off to France to see his ex's dying Grandmother to make amends since they basically tossed the ex out when he told them, and he "can't find the time to contact the guy he really likes". Hello. You are flying from California to France. I travel a fair bit and I'm thinking he probably spent 20 hours there and back just in airports waiting for connections and checking in. You had nothing BUT time to send a freaking and e-mail, send him a tweet, call him. That is the lamest excuse for why you didn't get in touch, and I'd call bullshit if someone came to me and said, I was too busy to send you an e-mail. So there you have it. A few things just didn't come across as legit in this completely wired age.
Also the author used very technical terms, anus, rectum, etc. which threw me off. No one says "I'm going to put my dick in your rectum". Ass, yes. But the repeated usage was off-putting to me. Don't say anything. "I'm going to put my dick in you" is good. We all know where he's putting it, not in his ear. So it wasn't that I didn't like the characters, I actually did like them a great deal, there were just too many plot points that I didn't care for. But that's me.
August 31, 2011
This is a great story with a message of hope and a new beginning. It’s subtle at first, as we are introduced to the two characters and their pasts, explaining what it is that’s missing in their lives. Like Madam Eve, who arranges all these mystery matches in the 1 Night Stand series, it was immediately obvious to me that Corbin and Matt are a great match. It took the two of them a little longer – which is a good thing or we wouldn’t have this wonderful story to read.
Corbin is a recently divorced man who struggles with the transition to being an active gay man. He has come out, but is afraid of taking the next step. He figures dating men won’t be the same as dating women and his fear paralyses him. Luckily he has enough courage to go for a 1 Night Stand, in effect ‘forcing’ himself to jump in the deep end.
Matt is devastated by his lover’s death in an accident and in dire need of moving on. He has no idea how to do that, but figures a 1 Night Stand might kick start him into action. And, boy, does it ever. For different reasons, the physical bonding that ensues over some very hot sex is exactly what each of these men needs. The sex is more ‘educational’ in the beginning, so Corbin can learn, but it quickly involves a lot more than the men’s bodies.
If you like stories with characters who have a past, hot sex that has a purpose in the development of the plot and the characters’ relationship, and a happy ending, this book may be for you.
NOTE: This book was provided by Decedent Pubishing for the purpose of a review on Queer Magazine Online.
Corbin is a recently divorced man who struggles with the transition to being an active gay man. He has come out, but is afraid of taking the next step. He figures dating men won’t be the same as dating women and his fear paralyses him. Luckily he has enough courage to go for a 1 Night Stand, in effect ‘forcing’ himself to jump in the deep end.
Matt is devastated by his lover’s death in an accident and in dire need of moving on. He has no idea how to do that, but figures a 1 Night Stand might kick start him into action. And, boy, does it ever. For different reasons, the physical bonding that ensues over some very hot sex is exactly what each of these men needs. The sex is more ‘educational’ in the beginning, so Corbin can learn, but it quickly involves a lot more than the men’s bodies.
If you like stories with characters who have a past, hot sex that has a purpose in the development of the plot and the characters’ relationship, and a happy ending, this book may be for you.
NOTE: This book was provided by Decedent Pubishing for the purpose of a review on Queer Magazine Online.
August 24, 2011
This was an OK read for me. I liked the idea of the story itself, but the sex scenes were not appealing to me...too clinical? in its word usage or something.
June 15, 2013
A lovely story wish it had been longer. Loved how concerned Matt was about Corbin.
May 31, 2015
4.5 stars...
May 10, 2013
My Review:
I've read a lot of the 1NS series books and they are always short and pretty to the point...the night of sex. They always feature a happily-ever-after or a happily-for-now ending, but you don't get to see too much of how that actually evolves. I liked this one even better than most because it gave the reader a tiny bit more, going past the 1NS into a month later and showing these guys have a real chance at an HEA when they return to their real lives.
I'm a big fan of the straight guy discovering he's gay story line. This one had a slightly different twist on that because it was Corbin's wife who pointed out that he's truly gay...a wife always knows. They're divorced and she's the one who urged him to go to Madame Eve's service since he has no idea how to even approach the gay lifestyle. This is a guy totally lost about what he needs to do.
Matt lost his partner to a plane crash six months ago, but he isn't so sure about this either. He likes his sex pretty rough and that's not usually the best for a virgin, but he's willing to help Corbin out as best as possible. Be warned, Matt talks Corbin through a lot of the process using fairly technical terms while doing so. The phrasing is a little disconcerting at times.
Obviously neither man expects to make a life-connection in this single night but that's exactly what happens. I liked the book. I thought the story set-up was great and the month interim after the night was a good amount. I think the ending was a bit rushed and the events of that night could have been done a tiny bit better just for believability, but overall it was great installment to this great series.
I've read a lot of the 1NS series books and they are always short and pretty to the point...the night of sex. They always feature a happily-ever-after or a happily-for-now ending, but you don't get to see too much of how that actually evolves. I liked this one even better than most because it gave the reader a tiny bit more, going past the 1NS into a month later and showing these guys have a real chance at an HEA when they return to their real lives.
I'm a big fan of the straight guy discovering he's gay story line. This one had a slightly different twist on that because it was Corbin's wife who pointed out that he's truly gay...a wife always knows. They're divorced and she's the one who urged him to go to Madame Eve's service since he has no idea how to even approach the gay lifestyle. This is a guy totally lost about what he needs to do.
Matt lost his partner to a plane crash six months ago, but he isn't so sure about this either. He likes his sex pretty rough and that's not usually the best for a virgin, but he's willing to help Corbin out as best as possible. Be warned, Matt talks Corbin through a lot of the process using fairly technical terms while doing so. The phrasing is a little disconcerting at times.
Obviously neither man expects to make a life-connection in this single night but that's exactly what happens. I liked the book. I thought the story set-up was great and the month interim after the night was a good amount. I think the ending was a bit rushed and the events of that night could have been done a tiny bit better just for believability, but overall it was great installment to this great series.
September 4, 2011
Review from Queer Magazine Online
Commented by Serena Yates August 31, 2011
Starting Over (A 1 Night Stand Story) by Starla Kaye
This is a great story with a message of hope and a new beginning. It’s subtle at first, as we are introduced to the two characters and their pasts, explaining what it is that’s missing in their lives. Like Madam Eve, who arranges all these mystery matches in the 1 Night Stand series, it was immediately obvious to me that Corbin and Matt are a great match. It took the two of them a little longer – which is a good thing or we wouldn’t have this wonderful story to read.
Corbin is a recently divorced man who struggles with the transition to being an active gay man. He has come out, but is afraid of taking the next step. He figures dating men won’t be the same as dating women and his fear paralyses him. Luckily he has enough courage to go for a 1 Night Stand, in effect ‘forcing’ himself to jump in the deep end.
Matt is devastated by his lover’s death in an accident and in dire need of moving on. He has no idea how to do that, but figures a 1 Night Stand might kick start him into action. And, boy, does it ever. For different reasons, the physical bonding that ensues over some very hot sex is exactly what each of these men needs. The sex is more ‘educational’ in the beginning, so Corbin can learn, but it quickly involves a lot more than the men’s bodies.
If you like stories with characters who have a past, hot sex that has a purpose in the development of the plot and the characters’ relationship, and a happy ending, this book may be for you.
Commented by Serena Yates August 31, 2011
Starting Over (A 1 Night Stand Story) by Starla Kaye
This is a great story with a message of hope and a new beginning. It’s subtle at first, as we are introduced to the two characters and their pasts, explaining what it is that’s missing in their lives. Like Madam Eve, who arranges all these mystery matches in the 1 Night Stand series, it was immediately obvious to me that Corbin and Matt are a great match. It took the two of them a little longer – which is a good thing or we wouldn’t have this wonderful story to read.
Corbin is a recently divorced man who struggles with the transition to being an active gay man. He has come out, but is afraid of taking the next step. He figures dating men won’t be the same as dating women and his fear paralyses him. Luckily he has enough courage to go for a 1 Night Stand, in effect ‘forcing’ himself to jump in the deep end.
Matt is devastated by his lover’s death in an accident and in dire need of moving on. He has no idea how to do that, but figures a 1 Night Stand might kick start him into action. And, boy, does it ever. For different reasons, the physical bonding that ensues over some very hot sex is exactly what each of these men needs. The sex is more ‘educational’ in the beginning, so Corbin can learn, but it quickly involves a lot more than the men’s bodies.
If you like stories with characters who have a past, hot sex that has a purpose in the development of the plot and the characters’ relationship, and a happy ending, this book may be for you.
February 6, 2012
Two men starting over--Corbin after a divorce, Matt after the death of his lover--meet through Madame Evengelina's service. It should be only a one night stand but neither can forget the other. I liked both men. The sex was hot and neither backed away from the sex or each other. They were comfortable with each other and realize they could have something more but their lives are in different areas of the country and their businesses are thriving and they are busy. Enjoyable read.
February 19, 2012
So-so short m/m romance about a divorced guy who knows he's gay, but isn't exactly sure how to hook up with another man so decides to go through the 1 Night Stand dating service. Apparently unclear pronoun references are a constant with this publisher.
December 24, 2014
I just wanted to drop a line here recommending this book to you. It's a MM, very well written love story. Short, hot, and romantic, as are the other 1 Night Stand stories. I've just discovered this author, and will be reading more of her work very soon.
August 21, 2011
this was really good
February 5, 2012
Full review at Man Oh Man Reviews http://manohmanreviews.blogspot.com/
February 10, 2012
Review located at: http://manohmanreviews.blogspot.com/2...
October 10, 2012
A new-to-me author - liking your stuff, girl!
August 16, 2018
3.25 stars
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews