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A New Normal
You never forget your first love, but what if your first love never forgot you…and orchestrated an unconventional reunion?
Less than a year after the death of his wife, musician Charlie Foster agreed to perform at a convention in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He thought getting away from New York for a few days would be good for him, but he didn’t expect to see the first person he’d ever fallen in love with.
Jake Pierson gave his heart to Charlie when he was barely fifteen years old. As best friends, Jake believed he and Charlie would be together forever, but when Charlie took the easier path in life, Jake was left to deal with a future without the man he loved.
Jake knew tricking Charlie into performing at a conference he’d helped organise was low-handed, but he had a promise to keep and a future to build.
Reader Advisory: This story has been previously released as part of the Unconventional At Best anthology by Total-E-Bound
Less than a year after the death of his wife, musician Charlie Foster agreed to perform at a convention in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He thought getting away from New York for a few days would be good for him, but he didn’t expect to see the first person he’d ever fallen in love with.
Jake Pierson gave his heart to Charlie when he was barely fifteen years old. As best friends, Jake believed he and Charlie would be together forever, but when Charlie took the easier path in life, Jake was left to deal with a future without the man he loved.
Jake knew tricking Charlie into performing at a conference he’d helped organise was low-handed, but he had a promise to keep and a future to build.
Reader Advisory: This story has been previously released as part of the Unconventional At Best anthology by Total-E-Bound
32 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 31, 2012
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78 people want to read
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Carol Lynne
251 books1,196 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
January 9, 2013
Charlie and Jake were lovers and friends since childhood ( we don't see it, but it's inferred).
Charlie turns his back on Jake as a lover and marries Jen because he wants 'normal'.
The story and the way they get back together is actually very sweet, I just had an issue with how the whole Jen/Charlie thing was handled.
I did think Jake was close to saintly to wait years for Charlie? Years and go to all the effort to get him back!
Charlie turns his back on Jake as a lover and marries Jen because he wants 'normal'.
The story and the way they get back together is actually very sweet, I just had an issue with how the whole Jen/Charlie thing was handled.
I did think Jake was close to saintly to wait years for Charlie? Years and go to all the effort to get him back!
January 22, 2013
Originally read in Unconventional At Best Anthology
What killed this story for me was the wife. I understand she was gone by the time this story takes place but what she did to Charlie was beyond wrong. Just because you had a bad experience doesn't give you the right to intentionally break up a couple because you want to be with one of the MCs. To intentionally boast and manipulate someone's fears just ticks me off. She knew his fears and doubts and used them to get what she wanted. She wrote it all in a letter and claimed to feel guilty of robbing them of their happy life together but continued to do so. I don't like females who do that. She was a complete BITCH!!!!! I don't like cheating in my stories but I couldn't even get mad at it in this one.
I think Jake had the best line in the story when he said to Charlie who was mad because she tricked him into marriage, “There’s no way in hell I’ll stand here and defend what she did, but you need to take responsibility for your part of it. You wanted what she was selling and you bought it because being perceived as normal was more important to you than I was.”
This story was not my cup of tea in any way, shape or form. 1 star.
What killed this story for me was the wife. I understand she was gone by the time this story takes place but what she did to Charlie was beyond wrong. Just because you had a bad experience doesn't give you the right to intentionally break up a couple because you want to be with one of the MCs. To intentionally boast and manipulate someone's fears just ticks me off. She knew his fears and doubts and used them to get what she wanted. She wrote it all in a letter and claimed to feel guilty of robbing them of their happy life together but continued to do so. I don't like females who do that. She was a complete BITCH!!!!! I don't like cheating in my stories but I couldn't even get mad at it in this one.
I think Jake had the best line in the story when he said to Charlie who was mad because she tricked him into marriage, “There’s no way in hell I’ll stand here and defend what she did, but you need to take responsibility for your part of it. You wanted what she was selling and you bought it because being perceived as normal was more important to you than I was.”
This story was not my cup of tea in any way, shape or form. 1 star.
January 8, 2013
I am so unsure of what I think about this book. I’m not even sure if I like the characters. No, that’s not right. I like Jake, yet I feel he’s a doormat and that tinges it a little. Jake and Charlie were a childhood buddies, happy as best friends and then happier still being in love. Charlie already had a little paranoia about how he was perceived and friend Jen (who had demons in her past) built on that. That made me lose respect for Jen yet gain it at the same time, since she didn’t have to admit to it (she could have died with her secret intact), yet she did. She misses Jake being their friend, even though she is the reason he isn’t.
The stumbling block is Charlie. He comes across as a coward to me, from start to finish. He tries to blame Jake for his cheating (with Jake). You know this man loves you, you have a nearly sexless marriage even though you love your wife, you need to take responsibility. He hides from his wife, his best friend/ex-lover, the world and himself.
The backdrop of the romance convention (hello GRL!) was fun and I liked Natalie a lot. Trustworthy online friends are important and I was glad Jake has some. Even all the dissection after the two are a couple seemed real to me. You see so often people just waiting for others to fail.
The story is sweet in terms of their reconnection and I felt Jake’s conniving was really the only way to do it. I wish it had been longer to get a better feel for them. My favorite piece of the whole book (and maybe my whole month) was Charlie asking Jake, “Why didn’t you fight for me?” Jake’s answer, “Because I knew how much you wanted a normal life”, well, summed up unconditional true love. Worth it just for that.
The stumbling block is Charlie. He comes across as a coward to me, from start to finish. He tries to blame Jake for his cheating (with Jake). You know this man loves you, you have a nearly sexless marriage even though you love your wife, you need to take responsibility. He hides from his wife, his best friend/ex-lover, the world and himself.
The backdrop of the romance convention (hello GRL!) was fun and I liked Natalie a lot. Trustworthy online friends are important and I was glad Jake has some. Even all the dissection after the two are a couple seemed real to me. You see so often people just waiting for others to fail.
The story is sweet in terms of their reconnection and I felt Jake’s conniving was really the only way to do it. I wish it had been longer to get a better feel for them. My favorite piece of the whole book (and maybe my whole month) was Charlie asking Jake, “Why didn’t you fight for me?” Jake’s answer, “Because I knew how much you wanted a normal life”, well, summed up unconditional true love. Worth it just for that.
January 22, 2013
A New Normal is an interesting concept that carries a lot of appeal to anyone who has ever been frowned upon as not "fitting the mold", "being different", or plain not fitting in. In this story, "normal" is being straight, and one of the main characters needs to learn how to redefine his "normal" so that it fits the fact that he is gay.
Charlie has been running from the fact he is gay and in love with his best friend, Jake, ever since he fell in love with Jen in college, Yes, it wasn't as easy or quick as that, but you'll have to read the story to find out the details. The twist is connected to what and how that happened, but the result is that Charlie turns away from Jake. He is a musician, and playing music is his emotional outlet.
Jake has never forgotten Charlie, or stopped loving him. He has tried to contact him many times after Jen's death, but Charlie thinks he isn't ready. Jake pours his love into writing romance novels, but the moment he sees an opportunity to get Charlie to perform his music at a romance novel convention, he grabs it with both hands.
Charlie is angry. Jake reveals the truth, risking everything. But at least the two are talking again... If you like stories with a twist, if you enjoy characters who feel deeply for each other, yet lost touch, and if you're looking for a short read about a reunion, you may like this book.
NOTE: This book was provided by Total-E-Bound for the purpose of a review.
Charlie has been running from the fact he is gay and in love with his best friend, Jake, ever since he fell in love with Jen in college, Yes, it wasn't as easy or quick as that, but you'll have to read the story to find out the details. The twist is connected to what and how that happened, but the result is that Charlie turns away from Jake. He is a musician, and playing music is his emotional outlet.
Jake has never forgotten Charlie, or stopped loving him. He has tried to contact him many times after Jen's death, but Charlie thinks he isn't ready. Jake pours his love into writing romance novels, but the moment he sees an opportunity to get Charlie to perform his music at a romance novel convention, he grabs it with both hands.
Charlie is angry. Jake reveals the truth, risking everything. But at least the two are talking again... If you like stories with a twist, if you enjoy characters who feel deeply for each other, yet lost touch, and if you're looking for a short read about a reunion, you may like this book.
NOTE: This book was provided by Total-E-Bound for the purpose of a review.
March 13, 2017
A great premise for a story but way too short for the issues brought up.
March 26, 2017
Thank you to my Ultimate Challenge teammate "Addicted2M/M" for lending this book to me.
NTS: MMRG Ultimate Challenge February 1, 2017 - January 31, 2017. February/March Bonus, state, New Mexico.
NTS: MMRG Ultimate Challenge February 1, 2017 - January 31, 2017. February/March Bonus, state, New Mexico.
February 12, 2016
Sacrificing one's own happiness may seem like a noble gesture, but it is not necessarily the prudent thing to do. Jake Pierson, in Carol Lynne's book 'A New Normal', gave up the man he loved because he thought that Charlie would never be happy in a relationship with a man. The thing is, the whole premise of the sacrifice was a farce. It wasn't what Charlie should have chosen; he was lying to himself. By letting him 'go', it was Jake, not Charlie, who made the decision. Even though Jake has never stopped loving Charlie, now that Charlie is free, is it right for Jake to want a life with him? Is he just being selfish; or is he actually setting things right?
Charlie is like so many people who strive for a normal life; when, in truth, there is no such thing. Charlie, though, is very stubborn. Instead of following his heart, he lets his life be dictated by those around him, not realizing that one of them has ulterior motives that are less than pure. He's blinded to the truth by his desire to please everyone, so he fools himself into thinking that normal is best. In doing so, he leads a life of lies and deception, which becomes disappointing and hurtful to himself and those close to him. The sense of normalcy Charlie seeks ends up causing disappointment and despair. In essence, no one is happy and they are forced to lead a life that is anything but normal. When circumstances bring Jake and Charlie into a position where they should have been all along, the guilt is unbearable for Charlie and he clamps down on those feelings and tries to force himself back into his life of lies. It doesn't work. Again, he's put himself, his wife, and Jake back into the insanity of their situations and causes even more pain. It takes a tragic event and a lot of juggling to set things right.
Jake, if nothing else, is persistent and persuasive. His devotion and love for Charlie is amazing and sometimes mislead. Even though he wants Charlie for himself, he steps aside, becoming his best friend instead of his lover, and lets Charlie make his own decision to marry a woman, even though he suspects it might be a mistake. Jake is also respectful of Charlie's feelings and waits until the best time to make his move to win Charlie back. Although he knows it might backfire, he has to take the chance and what a place to do so—at a Gay Romance Writer's conference, a place where they are bound to receive the support and encouragement that Jake and Charlie need.
Although short, this is a very satisfying book. Carol does an excellent job of filling us in on the necessary details of her characters' lives. She explains how each are feeling and why they made the choices that lead to the difficult situations in their lives. Although I couldn't quite fathom why Jake and Charlie sometimes acted as they did, I was easily able to sympathize with them and cheer them on. I recommend this brief, but succinct love story which has a great deal of heart and a wonderful, happy ending. Thank you, Carol, for reminding us that normal doesn't always mean good.
NOTE: This book was provided by Pride Publishing for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Charlie is like so many people who strive for a normal life; when, in truth, there is no such thing. Charlie, though, is very stubborn. Instead of following his heart, he lets his life be dictated by those around him, not realizing that one of them has ulterior motives that are less than pure. He's blinded to the truth by his desire to please everyone, so he fools himself into thinking that normal is best. In doing so, he leads a life of lies and deception, which becomes disappointing and hurtful to himself and those close to him. The sense of normalcy Charlie seeks ends up causing disappointment and despair. In essence, no one is happy and they are forced to lead a life that is anything but normal. When circumstances bring Jake and Charlie into a position where they should have been all along, the guilt is unbearable for Charlie and he clamps down on those feelings and tries to force himself back into his life of lies. It doesn't work. Again, he's put himself, his wife, and Jake back into the insanity of their situations and causes even more pain. It takes a tragic event and a lot of juggling to set things right.
Jake, if nothing else, is persistent and persuasive. His devotion and love for Charlie is amazing and sometimes mislead. Even though he wants Charlie for himself, he steps aside, becoming his best friend instead of his lover, and lets Charlie make his own decision to marry a woman, even though he suspects it might be a mistake. Jake is also respectful of Charlie's feelings and waits until the best time to make his move to win Charlie back. Although he knows it might backfire, he has to take the chance and what a place to do so—at a Gay Romance Writer's conference, a place where they are bound to receive the support and encouragement that Jake and Charlie need.
Although short, this is a very satisfying book. Carol does an excellent job of filling us in on the necessary details of her characters' lives. She explains how each are feeling and why they made the choices that lead to the difficult situations in their lives. Although I couldn't quite fathom why Jake and Charlie sometimes acted as they did, I was easily able to sympathize with them and cheer them on. I recommend this brief, but succinct love story which has a great deal of heart and a wonderful, happy ending. Thank you, Carol, for reminding us that normal doesn't always mean good.
NOTE: This book was provided by Pride Publishing for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
January 10, 2013
Read this in about thirty minutes-- it's that short. There is a lot of backstory that the author more or less skims through, and the story would have been far more enjoyable if she hadn't. Charlie and Jake have a lot of history... most of which sounded more interesting than the story itself. Lots of telling, not too much showing going on here.
I do have to mention the cover, at least to say that it has nothing to do with the story in any way. I'm not sure that the semi-naked guy looks like Charlie, and the trees/woods at the bottom don't appear anywhere in the story. It's a bit confusing.
Charlie goes from weeping (loudly enough to be heard in the next room) in his hotel room to a public declaration of love in no time flat, and Jake is blandly perfect despite the hints that he wasn't always so nice and accepting. The whole tragically-dead-wife plotline has been done before, and the supposed twist revealed in a letter doesn't do anything to redeem it.
The sex is just meh. The language is overblown for how vanilla their encounters are, and honestly? I found myself skimming the sex scenes-- which I rarely do. The sex didn't add to my understanding of the characters or give me insights into their relationship.
One thing that made no sense to me was that Charlie and Jake were hot-and-heavy lovers before college, in their hometown, but when they went away to college together, Charlie was self-conscious about being perceived as gay. (Don't people usually use college as a place to reinvent themselves?) This was used as a big part of the justification for Charlie getting married, and I didn't belive it. At all.
The author uses U.K. spellings (favour, realise, organise), which is kind of confusing, since the story takes place in the USA.
This story was orginally released as part of an anthology, which probably explains the condensed story-line. I just felt the HEA ending was rushed, with no real build-up in terms of characterisation-- other than the backstory.
I do have to mention the cover, at least to say that it has nothing to do with the story in any way. I'm not sure that the semi-naked guy looks like Charlie, and the trees/woods at the bottom don't appear anywhere in the story. It's a bit confusing.
Charlie goes from weeping (loudly enough to be heard in the next room) in his hotel room to a public declaration of love in no time flat, and Jake is blandly perfect despite the hints that he wasn't always so nice and accepting. The whole tragically-dead-wife plotline has been done before, and the supposed twist revealed in a letter doesn't do anything to redeem it.
The sex is just meh. The language is overblown for how vanilla their encounters are, and honestly? I found myself skimming the sex scenes-- which I rarely do. The sex didn't add to my understanding of the characters or give me insights into their relationship.
One thing that made no sense to me was that Charlie and Jake were hot-and-heavy lovers before college, in their hometown, but when they went away to college together, Charlie was self-conscious about being perceived as gay. (Don't people usually use college as a place to reinvent themselves?) This was used as a big part of the justification for Charlie getting married, and I didn't belive it. At all.
The author uses U.K. spellings (favour, realise, organise), which is kind of confusing, since the story takes place in the USA.
This story was orginally released as part of an anthology, which probably explains the condensed story-line. I just felt the HEA ending was rushed, with no real build-up in terms of characterisation-- other than the backstory.
January 22, 2013
A NEW NORMAL is a not-so-classic tale of first love found, lost, and then found again.
Charlie craves normalcy, and he knows he cannot get that if he is in a relationship with another man. So, despite his love for Jake, he is drawn away by Jen, whom he marries and spends many contented years with. Charlie and Jake remain friends, but after a fast, one night, sexual reunion with Jake, Charlie is so upset with himself that he break all ties with Jake. Now that Jen has died, Jake wants to try to find his way back into Charlie's life, so he tricks him into playing at a conference that Jake is organizing.
Charlie and Jake's reunion is an emotional roller coaster�sad, angry, heated, happy, confused. Charlie is forced to deal with his sexuality, his repressed feelings for Jake, and some new information about his life with Jen.
My only complaint about this story, as with so many other short stories, is that it felt rushed. The reunion between these two characters could have been more emotional if it had been more slowly developed. I would have enjoyed getting to know the characters separately before they were thrown together. All of the emotions Charlie is forced to deal with happens in the span of a few hours. But the reunion is hot, the emotions are real and honest, and the characters are enjoyable. A great, quick read.
Reviewed at The Romance Reviews
Charlie craves normalcy, and he knows he cannot get that if he is in a relationship with another man. So, despite his love for Jake, he is drawn away by Jen, whom he marries and spends many contented years with. Charlie and Jake remain friends, but after a fast, one night, sexual reunion with Jake, Charlie is so upset with himself that he break all ties with Jake. Now that Jen has died, Jake wants to try to find his way back into Charlie's life, so he tricks him into playing at a conference that Jake is organizing.
Charlie and Jake's reunion is an emotional roller coaster�sad, angry, heated, happy, confused. Charlie is forced to deal with his sexuality, his repressed feelings for Jake, and some new information about his life with Jen.
My only complaint about this story, as with so many other short stories, is that it felt rushed. The reunion between these two characters could have been more emotional if it had been more slowly developed. I would have enjoyed getting to know the characters separately before they were thrown together. All of the emotions Charlie is forced to deal with happens in the span of a few hours. But the reunion is hot, the emotions are real and honest, and the characters are enjoyable. A great, quick read.
Reviewed at The Romance Reviews
January 12, 2013
This is the story of former lovers and best friends Charlie and Jake, who broke it off years ago because Charlie wanted a "normal" life and broke up with Jake to marry a woman. She is now dead and Jake, who's still in love with Charlie (for reasons I can't understand) orchestrates a piano-playing gig for Charlie at an M/M Romance convention so they can meet again. Jake is now, unbeknownst to Charlie, a successful M/M Romance writer, who's biggest seller is a book based on Jake's and Charlie's relationship.
Anyway, Charlie's dead wife is revealed to have been a manipulating b**ch and in the loving and accepting setting of an M/M convention, Charlie begins to feel that gay realtionships are indeed "normal" and gets back with Jake again.
Okay, this was a short story, only 32 pages, but come on! After living for 30 years thinking that being gay is "abnormal", spending two days with M/M-fans won't turn your entire outlook on life around. But, hey, congratulations to Charlie and Jake who got their super-easy HEA!
Anyway, Charlie's dead wife is revealed to have been a manipulating b**ch and in the loving and accepting setting of an M/M convention, Charlie begins to feel that gay realtionships are indeed "normal" and gets back with Jake again.
Okay, this was a short story, only 32 pages, but come on! After living for 30 years thinking that being gay is "abnormal", spending two days with M/M-fans won't turn your entire outlook on life around. But, hey, congratulations to Charlie and Jake who got their super-easy HEA!
December 11, 2012
Pretty good story about two former lovers and best friends getting a second chance at love. I found it difficult to empathize with Charlie, beyond the death of his wife, because he treated Jake so badly. Jake was a likable character and I enjoyed the fact that he was a gay erotica writer.
January 24, 2014
A fine example of a what could have been a decent novel squeezed into a short story. The result is a tale with a few nice moments but the bulk of the actually interesting story compressed into summary format, robbing the work of most of its dramatic effect.
I see so many short stories and novellas with this problem. Too many authors just don't know how to write a shorter work and just end up either writing a summery for a novel or just write a beginning and end and leave out everything in between.
Read as part of: Unconventional at Best Anthology
I see so many short stories and novellas with this problem. Too many authors just don't know how to write a shorter work and just end up either writing a summery for a novel or just write a beginning and end and leave out everything in between.
Read as part of: Unconventional at Best Anthology
October 8, 2014
Let me start by saying I really liked Jake, and feel he could do so much better than whiney crybaby Charlie. I don't find their romance realistic at all. Then we have the concept of a wife who manipulated our poor MC into marriage. Really? So I can add pathetic and weak-willed to his less than stellar list of characteristics? As I said, Jake deserved better!
Liked the idea of a mm romance convention, (and would love to attend one! ) so i give Jake one star and the setting another, meaning I give this short a lukewarm 2 stars
Liked the idea of a mm romance convention, (and would love to attend one! ) so i give Jake one star and the setting another, meaning I give this short a lukewarm 2 stars
June 16, 2014
Oh i loved Charlie and Jake.....Seems weird to hate someone who's not in the story but omg how could Jen do that .....I'm glad it ended like it did x
December 2, 2012
3,5* Read in the Unconventional At Best Anthology
March 28, 2013
nice "SHORT" story...
story does not start till page 6, soo... 32-6=26...
this short story 26 pages.
I don't know why publishers think we can't figure this out.
story does not start till page 6, soo... 32-6=26...
this short story 26 pages.
I don't know why publishers think we can't figure this out.
January 7, 2013
Rating 3.5
Loved the references to GRL :)
Loved the references to GRL :)
May 17, 2015
2.5 stars
Read as part of Unconventional At Best Anthology.
Read as part of Unconventional At Best Anthology.
March 31, 2017
3.5 stars
Read
March 29, 2018Inside "Unconventional At Best Anthology" by Carol Lynne, et al.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews