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Three Little Words
After Matt’s “perfect” life comes crashing down around him and the man he plans to marry leaves him, he has it in his mind he’s going to make an escape, take an adventure up to New England and get away on the open seas with the big brother with whom he needs to reconnect after too many years apart. He plans to spend months away from home, clearing his mind and experiencing a different way of life, but undying feelings and a catastrophe with Luke, his lifelong best friend, causes him to go running back home, only to be met with the ignorance and hatred of the people dearest to Luke.
Will an old love be the key to unlocking Matt’s heart and sending him on the right path, or do some secrets and feelings need to remain locked away for the comfort and security of everyone involved?
Gay / Contemporary
252 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 31, 2013
2 people are currently reading
79 people want to read
About the author
Allison Cassatta
42 books187 followersI am a married, 33 year old, female, with no children. By trade I am a network engineer with far too many years under my belt. My first book was published in 2010 by Kerlak Publishing, followed by a short story in 2011 through Dreamspinner Press. I don't have any formal training, I simply write what I feel. I have a vivid imagination and love building dream worlds for my readers to escape to.
I recently discovered that I am a hopeless romantic and that usually makes for some very turbulent stories. As most know, love is a mountain and at its peak there's infinite beauty, but it's best appreciated after a difficult climb... that's how I write. The world would be a boring place if we didn't have to fight a little for what we wanted, now wouldn't it.
I recently discovered that I am a hopeless romantic and that usually makes for some very turbulent stories. As most know, love is a mountain and at its peak there's infinite beauty, but it's best appreciated after a difficult climb... that's how I write. The world would be a boring place if we didn't have to fight a little for what we wanted, now wouldn't it.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
April 24, 2019
I liked it...
Yep, those are my 3 little words I was hoping for something more but 'I liked it' is as good as it got for me on this one.
After spending 3 weeks working out of town Matt returns to the home that he's shared with Brandon the man he loves, shares his life with and hopes to marry one day only to discover his dog, Zeus out in the back yard and a 'Dear John' letter on the dresser...ok, can we just stop here so I can say 'Brandon, really? A Dear John letter? You've been with this man for 5ish years and he goes out of town to work so he can give you all the nice things he thinks you deserve and this is how you end it with him with a pitiful letter written on paper from a legal pad, not even nice stationary and the last thing you tell him in your letter is 'I love you, I'll always love you.' Can I just say 'dude you have got one hell of a way of showing love.
Anyways, at this point I like Matt. I felt really bad for him. He seemed like a really sweet guy and damn, he just did not deserve this. But go Matt, he pulls on his big boy pants and decides to head out to New England do some lobster fishing for his brother, get his head on straight. Ok so now I'm maybe crushing on Matt a little because hey, sweet guy adores his mom, always brownie points for that with me. Puts everything into storage and his best friend Luke (remember this name, it's important) offers to take care of Zeus so that he'll have a yard to play in...did I mention that Zeus is a pit bull that Matt rescued from the animal shelter, yep, Matt's racking up those brownie points like nobodies business with me.
Every thing is done, taken care of so it's time to hit the road. Easy, peasy right? Well it would have been if Luke hadn't decided to kiss Matt good-bye only Luke was hoping it would turn into a 'hell yeah, I'll stay' because unbeknownst to Matt, Luke's been in love with him for years. Now, is anybody besides me totally on board for this? It's going to be awesome right? Oh, I forgot to mention Luke's a firefighter...yep, I'm hooked sign me up.
Ok, so here's where things detoured for me. Somewhere on the ride to New England Matt shifted from this adorable but heartbroken guy, who walked away from his best friend because he knew he had to get his head on straight before getting involved with anyone else, especially the one person he'd loved for the past 20 years. So far so good still because while he loved Luke in his heart he'd always believed this to be unrequited because Luke was straight as far as he knew so he truly loved Brandon and and was committed to making a life for with him. Anyways, somewhere along the line Matt seemed to change for me. He became wishy, washy and self-absorbed with a bit of whiny thrown in. I was really starting to not like him. Add in the fact that he'd barely arrived in New England and he's calling a guy who gave him his business card when they met very briefly at the hotel where Matt stopped to get some rest for a night. This for me was so not cool and I just couldn't rectify it with someone who's trying to get over the end of a 5 year long relationship while finding out that the person he's crushed on and ultimately loved for 20 years isn't beyond his reach and they could have a chance at a life together...nope, just not seeing it.
But skipping ahead a bit, Matt goes out lobster fishing on his brother's boat and honestly this part of the story was pretty good. I liked it and Matt seemed to be getting back on track a bit. They've barely returned to shore when Matt's mom phones to let him know that Luke has been hurt. Needless to say Matt goes home ASAP and things start to improve for me. I like Matt and Luke together, they really work. While the relationship moved a bit faster than I would have liked. I was still ok with it and I liked the ending that Matt and Luke were given.
Matt was loving and supportive and he adored Luke always had and was determined to make things work for them and Luke loves Matt every bit as much. He was mostly afraid of how his parents would react to finding out their son was gay because of course they were oober religious. But in the end it was his love for Matt and his desire to be with him that won out so for the most part I liked what the author did with this part of the story, it worked for me.
While the main story was about Matt and Luke there was also a lot of stuff happening on the periphery and none of it really got resolved, in fact some of it just seemed to vanish leaving me wondering why it was ever included to begin with and in the end this also took away from my overall enjoyment of the book.
In the end 'Three Little Words' was an ok read for me and I liked it well enough but it just didn't quite have what I needed to make it an 'I love it' book.
Note: The copy of this book that I received to review is a second edition and while I didn't read the first release based on reviews done by those who did it seemed to me that some of the inconsistencies mentioned as part of the first edition appeared to have been corrected so kudos to the author for this and for the lovely new cover.
********************
A copy of this book was graciously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Yep, those are my 3 little words I was hoping for something more but 'I liked it' is as good as it got for me on this one.
After spending 3 weeks working out of town Matt returns to the home that he's shared with Brandon the man he loves, shares his life with and hopes to marry one day only to discover his dog, Zeus out in the back yard and a 'Dear John' letter on the dresser...ok, can we just stop here so I can say 'Brandon, really? A Dear John letter? You've been with this man for 5ish years and he goes out of town to work so he can give you all the nice things he thinks you deserve and this is how you end it with him with a pitiful letter written on paper from a legal pad, not even nice stationary and the last thing you tell him in your letter is 'I love you, I'll always love you.' Can I just say 'dude you have got one hell of a way of showing love.
Anyways, at this point I like Matt. I felt really bad for him. He seemed like a really sweet guy and damn, he just did not deserve this. But go Matt, he pulls on his big boy pants and decides to head out to New England do some lobster fishing for his brother, get his head on straight. Ok so now I'm maybe crushing on Matt a little because hey, sweet guy adores his mom, always brownie points for that with me. Puts everything into storage and his best friend Luke (remember this name, it's important) offers to take care of Zeus so that he'll have a yard to play in...did I mention that Zeus is a pit bull that Matt rescued from the animal shelter, yep, Matt's racking up those brownie points like nobodies business with me.
Every thing is done, taken care of so it's time to hit the road. Easy, peasy right? Well it would have been if Luke hadn't decided to kiss Matt good-bye only Luke was hoping it would turn into a 'hell yeah, I'll stay' because unbeknownst to Matt, Luke's been in love with him for years. Now, is anybody besides me totally on board for this? It's going to be awesome right? Oh, I forgot to mention Luke's a firefighter...yep, I'm hooked sign me up.
Ok, so here's where things detoured for me. Somewhere on the ride to New England Matt shifted from this adorable but heartbroken guy, who walked away from his best friend because he knew he had to get his head on straight before getting involved with anyone else, especially the one person he'd loved for the past 20 years. So far so good still because while he loved Luke in his heart he'd always believed this to be unrequited because Luke was straight as far as he knew so he truly loved Brandon and and was committed to making a life for with him. Anyways, somewhere along the line Matt seemed to change for me. He became wishy, washy and self-absorbed with a bit of whiny thrown in. I was really starting to not like him. Add in the fact that he'd barely arrived in New England and he's calling a guy who gave him his business card when they met very briefly at the hotel where Matt stopped to get some rest for a night. This for me was so not cool and I just couldn't rectify it with someone who's trying to get over the end of a 5 year long relationship while finding out that the person he's crushed on and ultimately loved for 20 years isn't beyond his reach and they could have a chance at a life together...nope, just not seeing it.
But skipping ahead a bit, Matt goes out lobster fishing on his brother's boat and honestly this part of the story was pretty good. I liked it and Matt seemed to be getting back on track a bit. They've barely returned to shore when Matt's mom phones to let him know that Luke has been hurt. Needless to say Matt goes home ASAP and things start to improve for me. I like Matt and Luke together, they really work. While the relationship moved a bit faster than I would have liked. I was still ok with it and I liked the ending that Matt and Luke were given.
Matt was loving and supportive and he adored Luke always had and was determined to make things work for them and Luke loves Matt every bit as much. He was mostly afraid of how his parents would react to finding out their son was gay because of course they were oober religious. But in the end it was his love for Matt and his desire to be with him that won out so for the most part I liked what the author did with this part of the story, it worked for me.
While the main story was about Matt and Luke there was also a lot of stuff happening on the periphery and none of it really got resolved, in fact some of it just seemed to vanish leaving me wondering why it was ever included to begin with and in the end this also took away from my overall enjoyment of the book.
In the end 'Three Little Words' was an ok read for me and I liked it well enough but it just didn't quite have what I needed to make it an 'I love it' book.
Note: The copy of this book that I received to review is a second edition and while I didn't read the first release based on reviews done by those who did it seemed to me that some of the inconsistencies mentioned as part of the first edition appeared to have been corrected so kudos to the author for this and for the lovely new cover.
********************
A copy of this book was graciously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
January 15, 2020
Briefly, Matt and Brandon have been together for five years and when Matt returns from a business trip to find Brandon gone, leaving only a brief Dear John note, he turns to Luke, his best friend since high school. An unexpected passionate kiss from Luke shocks Matt since he had always assumed Luke was straight, and throughout the course of the book, Matt tries to come to terms with this revelation as well as putting his life back together.
"Three Little Words" is told exclusively from Matt's POV, and I felt the book suffered for it, mostly because I did not find Matt an appealing character. Matt thinks:
As the book continues, there are just too many small details and happenings that have little to do with the main plot.
Finally, Matt continually describes sex in terms of his own performance:
"...but to know that Matt had driven him to that level of pleasure was the best ego stroking Matt could've asked for."
"It was a huge stroke to his ego just knowing he could turn his lover on the way he had."
"He'd made Luke come, and that alone made Matt so incredibly proud of his prowess. It excited him."
And on a related note, Matt tells Aric "... people don't normally catch on ... you know, to me being gay. I mean, I don't fit the stereotypes, I guess."
In between Matt's constant overthinking and ego-stroking and all the minutiae of his life, there is little time for character development or anything else.
"Three Little Words"? Not.For.Me.
I received an ARC of this book from Dreamspinner Press in exchange for an honest review.
Visit my blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews
"Three Little Words" is told exclusively from Matt's POV, and I felt the book suffered for it, mostly because I did not find Matt an appealing character. Matt thinks:
He wasn't the kind who held a grudge and cursed someone for leaving. He wasn't the guy who had one-night stands and left with uncaring good-byes. He wasn't the guy who ran away from everything because it was too much to deal with. Brandon turned him into that guy. (my emphasis)... yet this is exactly what Matt does through the course of the book and as an adult, he bears sole responsibility for his actions.
As the book continues, there are just too many small details and happenings that have little to do with the main plot.
Finally, Matt continually describes sex in terms of his own performance:
"...but to know that Matt had driven him to that level of pleasure was the best ego stroking Matt could've asked for."
"It was a huge stroke to his ego just knowing he could turn his lover on the way he had."
"He'd made Luke come, and that alone made Matt so incredibly proud of his prowess. It excited him."
And on a related note, Matt tells Aric "... people don't normally catch on ... you know, to me being gay. I mean, I don't fit the stereotypes, I guess."
In between Matt's constant overthinking and ego-stroking and all the minutiae of his life, there is little time for character development or anything else.
"Three Little Words"? Not.For.Me.
I received an ARC of this book from Dreamspinner Press in exchange for an honest review.
Visit my blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews
August 26, 2016
The meaning of 'Three Little Words' can be profound, and speaking them or not speaking them can change entire lives. At the very least, they can determine someone's happiness or plunge them into utter desperation. Both main characters in this story have some truths to face, but it is mainly Matt who needs to finally be honest with himself and figure out how to say those 'three little words' to the man he has loved for a very long time. The emotions he goes through before he finally gets there are heart-wrenching, and I was glued to the pages as I silently cheered him on to get himself together.
Matt has a problem. When he returns from one of his many trips for work, the lover he has lived with, and intended to marry, has moved out and left him a rather impersonal letter informing him that he needs more. Matt is devastated. He loved Brandon deeply, and even wanted to marry him, yet, as the days pass and he tries to come to grips with the new situation, he slowly begins to realize that not all was as it should be. There is another man, his best friend Luke, whom he loves more deeply, but he has never dared to admit it, not even to himself. On top of which Luke has never come out, fearing his super-conservative parents' reaction. And although they kiss before Matt runs away to spend time with his brother, Matt isn’t ready to risk his one true friendship.
Yes, Matt is confused. His thoughts and actions as he comes to terms with his situations do not run in a straight line, nor would they in real life. In the end, he does admit that he loves Luke, that he is the man he wants to spend the rest of his life with. But it is almost too late. Catastrophe strikes Luke, and Matt runs back home to help and support him. Even then he cannot get himself to utter the 'three little words' that will tell Luke how much he means to Matt. Even then there is more suffering to go through for Matt before he finally sees the whole truth.
This book is packed with drama, self-doubt on all sides, and pulled me in from the very start. Even now that I have finished the story, Matt and Luke are still with me, and I suspect they will be for a long time. Yes, they are flawed, and didn’t always make the right decisions, but they are also utterly human and very likeable because of it. If you like stories with characters that won’t let you go, if you enjoy reading about men trying to deal with the mistakes they made in the past, and if you're looking for a spellbinding, emotional read that packs quite a punch, give this book a try. I'm pretty sure you'll find it as fascinating and ultimately rewarding as I did.
NOTE: This book was provided by Amber Allure for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Matt has a problem. When he returns from one of his many trips for work, the lover he has lived with, and intended to marry, has moved out and left him a rather impersonal letter informing him that he needs more. Matt is devastated. He loved Brandon deeply, and even wanted to marry him, yet, as the days pass and he tries to come to grips with the new situation, he slowly begins to realize that not all was as it should be. There is another man, his best friend Luke, whom he loves more deeply, but he has never dared to admit it, not even to himself. On top of which Luke has never come out, fearing his super-conservative parents' reaction. And although they kiss before Matt runs away to spend time with his brother, Matt isn’t ready to risk his one true friendship.
Yes, Matt is confused. His thoughts and actions as he comes to terms with his situations do not run in a straight line, nor would they in real life. In the end, he does admit that he loves Luke, that he is the man he wants to spend the rest of his life with. But it is almost too late. Catastrophe strikes Luke, and Matt runs back home to help and support him. Even then he cannot get himself to utter the 'three little words' that will tell Luke how much he means to Matt. Even then there is more suffering to go through for Matt before he finally sees the whole truth.
This book is packed with drama, self-doubt on all sides, and pulled me in from the very start. Even now that I have finished the story, Matt and Luke are still with me, and I suspect they will be for a long time. Yes, they are flawed, and didn’t always make the right decisions, but they are also utterly human and very likeable because of it. If you like stories with characters that won’t let you go, if you enjoy reading about men trying to deal with the mistakes they made in the past, and if you're looking for a spellbinding, emotional read that packs quite a punch, give this book a try. I'm pretty sure you'll find it as fascinating and ultimately rewarding as I did.
NOTE: This book was provided by Amber Allure for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
August 26, 2016
A Joyfully Jay review.
4 stars
I picked up this book because I’m a sucker for friends to lovers. It’s one of my very favorite tropes, and this one sounded like it had a lot of promise. While I did enjoy the story, it also had its problems and parts of it left me wanting. All in all, it was a nice story, even if I wanted a bit more from it.
The book is told solely through Matt’s third person POV. And this is really his story. He comes home to find the man he thought he loved, the one he thought he was going to grow old with, has moved out. And it’s the stark truth that Brandon left behind that has Matt reevaluating his relationship. Now Matt can see the holes and where it went wrong, and it hurts. He’s determined to heal himself and thinks the best way to do it is to get out of town for a while. Matt is a really introspective character and he spends a lot of time in his head. On the one hand, this worked really well and there was never any issue knowing exactly what he was thinking. I really liked seeing him work through things, have his doubts, second guess his decisions, and really move forward. On the other hand, though, there was also a bit of a disconnect from the character for me. I felt a bit removed, spending so much time in his head. Seeing as how he’s the narrator character, that worked against the story from time to time.
Read Kris’ review in its entirety here.
4 stars
I picked up this book because I’m a sucker for friends to lovers. It’s one of my very favorite tropes, and this one sounded like it had a lot of promise. While I did enjoy the story, it also had its problems and parts of it left me wanting. All in all, it was a nice story, even if I wanted a bit more from it.
The book is told solely through Matt’s third person POV. And this is really his story. He comes home to find the man he thought he loved, the one he thought he was going to grow old with, has moved out. And it’s the stark truth that Brandon left behind that has Matt reevaluating his relationship. Now Matt can see the holes and where it went wrong, and it hurts. He’s determined to heal himself and thinks the best way to do it is to get out of town for a while. Matt is a really introspective character and he spends a lot of time in his head. On the one hand, this worked really well and there was never any issue knowing exactly what he was thinking. I really liked seeing him work through things, have his doubts, second guess his decisions, and really move forward. On the other hand, though, there was also a bit of a disconnect from the character for me. I felt a bit removed, spending so much time in his head. Seeing as how he’s the narrator character, that worked against the story from time to time.
Read Kris’ review in its entirety here.
April 6, 2013
I really wanted to love this book, I liked the blurb and I really liked the other books by this author. I don't know whether it's my mood or whether I'm just nitpicking, but there were several things disturbing me, e.g.:
The murdered brother of Matt and Mark, mentioned the first and only time at about 25% into the story, that alone is not the problem, but Matt got to know about him when he was 15 and then only because he accidentally found a photo? Then the timeline regarding their ages got out of order.
There was a name mix-up of the brothers, but I guess that can happen with both named Matt and Mark (and then the ex-wife was Ellen, I think, and the new love interest Emma). Yes, I'm one of those not in favor of similar names/names starting with the same letters.
There were kids mentioned, but nothing about their ages, let alone how many.
There was the Harley Matt drove to New England, then he had to return home to Memphis via plane to get ASAP to the injured Luke, only to then drive around on that Harley in Memphis!
Other than that the story was nice, so let's blame it on the editing.
2.5 stars.
The murdered brother of Matt and Mark, mentioned the first and only time at about 25% into the story, that alone is not the problem, but Matt got to know about him when he was 15 and then only because he accidentally found a photo? Then the timeline regarding their ages got out of order.
There was a name mix-up of the brothers, but I guess that can happen with both named Matt and Mark (and then the ex-wife was Ellen, I think, and the new love interest Emma). Yes, I'm one of those not in favor of similar names/names starting with the same letters.
There were kids mentioned, but nothing about their ages, let alone how many.
There was the Harley Matt drove to New England, then he had to return home to Memphis via plane to get ASAP to the injured Luke, only to then drive around on that Harley in Memphis!
Other than that the story was nice, so let's blame it on the editing.
2.5 stars.
August 26, 2016
The meaning of 'Three Little Words' can be profound, and speaking them or not speaking them can change entire lives. At the very least, they can determine someone's happiness or plunge them into utter desperation. Both main characters in this story have some truths to face, but it is mainly Matt who needs to finally be honest with himself and figure out how to say those 'three little words' to the man he has loved for a very long time. The emotions Matt goes through before he finally gets there are heart-wrenching, and I was glued to the pages as I silently cheered him on to get himself together.
Matt has a problem. When he returns from one of his many trips for work, the lover he has lived with and intended to marry, has moved out and left him a rather impersonal letter informing him that he needs more. Matt is devastated. He loved Brandon deeply, and even wanted to marry him, yet, as the days pass and he tries to come to grips with the new situation, he slowly begins to realize that not all was as it should have been. There is another man, his best friend Luke, whom he loves more deeply, but he has never dared to admit it, not even to himself. On top of which Luke has never come out, fearing his super-conservative parents' reaction. And although they kiss before Matt runs away to spend time with his brother, Matt isn’t ready to risk his one true friendship.
Yes, Matt is confused. His thoughts and actions as he comes to terms with his situations do not run in a straight line, nor would they in real life. In the end, he does admit that he loves Luke, that he is the man he wants to spend the rest of his life with. But it is almost too late. Catastrophe strikes Luke, and Matt runs back home to help and support him. Even then he cannot get himself to utter the 'three little words' that will tell Luke how much he means to Matt. Even then there is more suffering to go through for Matt before he finally sees the whole truth.
This book is packed with drama, self-doubt on all sides, and pulled me in from the very start. Even now that I have finished the story, Matt and Luke are still with me, and I suspect they will be for a long time. Yes, they are flawed and didn’t always make the right decisions, but they are also utterly human and very likable because of it. If you like stories with characters that won’t let you go, if you enjoy reading about men trying to deal with the mistakes they made in the past, and if you're looking for a spellbinding, emotional read that packs quite a punch, give this novel a try. I'm pretty sure you'll find it as fascinating and ultimately rewarding as I did.
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Matt has a problem. When he returns from one of his many trips for work, the lover he has lived with and intended to marry, has moved out and left him a rather impersonal letter informing him that he needs more. Matt is devastated. He loved Brandon deeply, and even wanted to marry him, yet, as the days pass and he tries to come to grips with the new situation, he slowly begins to realize that not all was as it should have been. There is another man, his best friend Luke, whom he loves more deeply, but he has never dared to admit it, not even to himself. On top of which Luke has never come out, fearing his super-conservative parents' reaction. And although they kiss before Matt runs away to spend time with his brother, Matt isn’t ready to risk his one true friendship.
Yes, Matt is confused. His thoughts and actions as he comes to terms with his situations do not run in a straight line, nor would they in real life. In the end, he does admit that he loves Luke, that he is the man he wants to spend the rest of his life with. But it is almost too late. Catastrophe strikes Luke, and Matt runs back home to help and support him. Even then he cannot get himself to utter the 'three little words' that will tell Luke how much he means to Matt. Even then there is more suffering to go through for Matt before he finally sees the whole truth.
This book is packed with drama, self-doubt on all sides, and pulled me in from the very start. Even now that I have finished the story, Matt and Luke are still with me, and I suspect they will be for a long time. Yes, they are flawed and didn’t always make the right decisions, but they are also utterly human and very likable because of it. If you like stories with characters that won’t let you go, if you enjoy reading about men trying to deal with the mistakes they made in the past, and if you're looking for a spellbinding, emotional read that packs quite a punch, give this novel a try. I'm pretty sure you'll find it as fascinating and ultimately rewarding as I did.
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
August 26, 2016
This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I have to thank the publisher for giving me a copy of it in exchange for an honest review via: Jessie G Book Blogs.
In this story, first we have Matt; the whole thing is from his point of view. He’s home from a business trip to find his partner of 5 years gone, leaving only a note and Matt’s dog. He broke Matt’s heart even though I think, if Matt really thinks about it; he probably didn’t care about him as much as he wanted to.
Yes, being betrayed hurts and I feel like Matt felt blindsided by Brandon’s leaving but a trip to New England to spend time on his brother’s lobster boat sounded like the perfect way to get his head together. His bestie Luke helped him move all his stuff out and into storage and we see a little something go on between Matt and Luke. See, Matt has been in love with Luke since he met him 20 some years back… Now; there’s a lot going on in this story, so bare with me. I found myself really gunning for Luke right off, what better way to start a relationship than having a 20 year friendship as a foundation… Genius right? I was also glad that Matt put a stop to it and wanted to do better by Luke than just some moment of weakness and curiosity. He wanted to be over Brandon first and he wanted to make sure this wasn’t something that could hurt their friendship… Responsible and I liked how that played out. So, Matt still takes the trip to see his brother and tries to get his head right.
Enter Aric; someone he met at on a pitstop while driving his new motorcycle from Tennessee to New England. They meet for a casual hookup and I think it goes a long way in helping Matt get over Brandon; or least get him off his mind… He was a good rebound and I’m glad he had that, but I felt bad for Aric, he was really there for Matt when he had a seriously much needed break down. He said that he wasn’t looking for anything serious; but I find myself hoping for him to have a story; I’d like to read more about Aric.
Now, normally, I’m not big on someone hooking up with someone else while pining for someone else…. BUT, I didn’t feel as though it was cheating, even though Luke made it clear that he was back at home waiting on Matt. I felt like Matt needed the “rebound” (for lack of a better term), to make sure Luke was what he wanted….. He was….. Still, he made some good friends on the trip I was glad to read about.
I also loved Matt’s family… His mom and brother were so supportive and loved him so much. I wish Luke had that, his parents were the complete opposite. I also adored Emma, I was glad to see Matt’s brother Mark find someone like her.
The parts I didn’t like….. What happened to Matt’s motorcycle when he hopped a plane to get back to Luke when he heard of the emergency? We never heard anything about it…. I know as much as he called it his “baby” and worried about it while he was with Mark on the open sea, I’d think he’d be worried about it once he got home.
Secondly, whatever happened with Mark’s kids? I know he’s having a baby with Emma, but what happened to fighting to get his kids back? Did he just forget them now that he’s having a new baby? I didn’t like that and I wouldn’t mind reading more about Emma and Mark either.
I was however, glad to see Luke’s mom come to her senses at the end and I absolutely adored the ending between Matt and Luke…Overall, I was really glad I read this one and I appreciate being given the chance! 4 stars from me!
In this story, first we have Matt; the whole thing is from his point of view. He’s home from a business trip to find his partner of 5 years gone, leaving only a note and Matt’s dog. He broke Matt’s heart even though I think, if Matt really thinks about it; he probably didn’t care about him as much as he wanted to.
Yes, being betrayed hurts and I feel like Matt felt blindsided by Brandon’s leaving but a trip to New England to spend time on his brother’s lobster boat sounded like the perfect way to get his head together. His bestie Luke helped him move all his stuff out and into storage and we see a little something go on between Matt and Luke. See, Matt has been in love with Luke since he met him 20 some years back… Now; there’s a lot going on in this story, so bare with me. I found myself really gunning for Luke right off, what better way to start a relationship than having a 20 year friendship as a foundation… Genius right? I was also glad that Matt put a stop to it and wanted to do better by Luke than just some moment of weakness and curiosity. He wanted to be over Brandon first and he wanted to make sure this wasn’t something that could hurt their friendship… Responsible and I liked how that played out. So, Matt still takes the trip to see his brother and tries to get his head right.
Enter Aric; someone he met at on a pitstop while driving his new motorcycle from Tennessee to New England. They meet for a casual hookup and I think it goes a long way in helping Matt get over Brandon; or least get him off his mind… He was a good rebound and I’m glad he had that, but I felt bad for Aric, he was really there for Matt when he had a seriously much needed break down. He said that he wasn’t looking for anything serious; but I find myself hoping for him to have a story; I’d like to read more about Aric.
Now, normally, I’m not big on someone hooking up with someone else while pining for someone else…. BUT, I didn’t feel as though it was cheating, even though Luke made it clear that he was back at home waiting on Matt. I felt like Matt needed the “rebound” (for lack of a better term), to make sure Luke was what he wanted….. He was….. Still, he made some good friends on the trip I was glad to read about.
I also loved Matt’s family… His mom and brother were so supportive and loved him so much. I wish Luke had that, his parents were the complete opposite. I also adored Emma, I was glad to see Matt’s brother Mark find someone like her.
The parts I didn’t like….. What happened to Matt’s motorcycle when he hopped a plane to get back to Luke when he heard of the emergency? We never heard anything about it…. I know as much as he called it his “baby” and worried about it while he was with Mark on the open sea, I’d think he’d be worried about it once he got home.
Secondly, whatever happened with Mark’s kids? I know he’s having a baby with Emma, but what happened to fighting to get his kids back? Did he just forget them now that he’s having a new baby? I didn’t like that and I wouldn’t mind reading more about Emma and Mark either.
I was however, glad to see Luke’s mom come to her senses at the end and I absolutely adored the ending between Matt and Luke…Overall, I was really glad I read this one and I appreciate being given the chance! 4 stars from me!
August 21, 2016
I was given a copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads
I loved the blurb and really wanted to enjoy this story, but there is just way too much going on in this book. The story tracks Matt as he reestablishes his life after a Dear John letter from his long term partner.
I really failed to warm to Matt. All the pieces of a great character are sketched in, but he never came alive for me. Luke is a more interesting character, but this is told from Matt’s POV and Luke never felt like a fully developed character.
I struggled with the lack of a coherent plot right from the beginning. The rapid fire series of events at the start of the story lead to a long, slow hospital/invalid story during the second half of the book. In the first half, readers are treated to a series of very detailed mundane moments in Matt’s life. A grotty hotel is described in detail, banal conversations never seem to end and there is something a little Forrest Gump about the series of vaguely related moments during the first half of the story.
I found the subplots somewhat bewildering. This is very much a telling story rather than a showing story and the pace just isn’t very consistent. Readers are told about Matt’s very complicated family history, but we never understand how the family history impacts the present. Luke’s family adds more conflict near the end but I had to re-read the conversations Luke has with his mum before realising that it wasn’t me - there are definitely some continuity errors by the end of this story.
Again, I love a friends to lovers story, but the execution of this story left my head spinning.
I loved the blurb and really wanted to enjoy this story, but there is just way too much going on in this book. The story tracks Matt as he reestablishes his life after a Dear John letter from his long term partner.
I really failed to warm to Matt. All the pieces of a great character are sketched in, but he never came alive for me. Luke is a more interesting character, but this is told from Matt’s POV and Luke never felt like a fully developed character.
I struggled with the lack of a coherent plot right from the beginning. The rapid fire series of events at the start of the story lead to a long, slow hospital/invalid story during the second half of the book. In the first half, readers are treated to a series of very detailed mundane moments in Matt’s life. A grotty hotel is described in detail, banal conversations never seem to end and there is something a little Forrest Gump about the series of vaguely related moments during the first half of the story.
I found the subplots somewhat bewildering. This is very much a telling story rather than a showing story and the pace just isn’t very consistent. Readers are told about Matt’s very complicated family history, but we never understand how the family history impacts the present. Luke’s family adds more conflict near the end but I had to re-read the conversations Luke has with his mum before realising that it wasn’t me - there are definitely some continuity errors by the end of this story.
Again, I love a friends to lovers story, but the execution of this story left my head spinning.
August 19, 2016
~I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads Review Team~
The blurb for the book drew me in, I was so excited to read this book and then it just sort of flopped for me. Matt’s boyfriend leaves him a Dear John letter, his best friend Luke helps him pack up his stuff so he can go to New England and work on his brothers lobster boat. Matt and Luke kiss, it was a hot kiss, but then Matt leaves and everything is left hanging. Matt meets a guy at a hotel when he was grabbing breakfast to finish the last leg of his trip to New England. Matt ends up hooking up with said guy a few days later. The chemistry between them was smoking hot and so was the sex scene. Matt knows he loves Luke though and doesn’t want anything more. Luke is hurt in an accident and Matt rushes to his side. Things happen with Luke’s family but Matt is right there by his side. These two have loved each other for over 20 years but never told each other, you would think the chemistry would be off the charts but honestly it wasn’t. I know Luke was hurt and when they finally did have sex it was just ok. Everyone got their HEA but it was just an ok book for me.
Characters: well written
Sex: yes
Religious: no
Would I recommend to others: yes
More than one book in the series: not sure
Genre: M/M Romance
Would I read more by this author: yes
~Wicked Reads Review Team~
The blurb for the book drew me in, I was so excited to read this book and then it just sort of flopped for me. Matt’s boyfriend leaves him a Dear John letter, his best friend Luke helps him pack up his stuff so he can go to New England and work on his brothers lobster boat. Matt and Luke kiss, it was a hot kiss, but then Matt leaves and everything is left hanging. Matt meets a guy at a hotel when he was grabbing breakfast to finish the last leg of his trip to New England. Matt ends up hooking up with said guy a few days later. The chemistry between them was smoking hot and so was the sex scene. Matt knows he loves Luke though and doesn’t want anything more. Luke is hurt in an accident and Matt rushes to his side. Things happen with Luke’s family but Matt is right there by his side. These two have loved each other for over 20 years but never told each other, you would think the chemistry would be off the charts but honestly it wasn’t. I know Luke was hurt and when they finally did have sex it was just ok. Everyone got their HEA but it was just an ok book for me.
Characters: well written
Sex: yes
Religious: no
Would I recommend to others: yes
More than one book in the series: not sure
Genre: M/M Romance
Would I read more by this author: yes
~Wicked Reads Review Team~
August 26, 2016
I love a good friends to lover story so I grabbed this one up quick when I read the blurb, while it was good it wasn't great.
Matt comes home from a three week stint out of town to find his partner of five years has left him, with a Dear John letter at that. Needing to come to terms with his new life his friend Luke,who Matt has secretly been in love with for years helps him pack his stuff and offers to keep his dog while he goes to Connecticut to work on his brother's lobster boat.
Luke has loved Matt since almost the first moment he met him, over twenty years ago. He knows his family wouldn't be accepting of a gay son, so he has buried himself so deep in the closet he isn't sure he will ever come out. A moment of desperation has Luke kissing Matt before he runs off to Connecticut to lick his wounds. Matt leaves even more confused than ever.
Along his trip up the coast he meets a man names Aric and ends up having a one night stand. The next morning all he feels is guilt and shame, and all his unresolved feelings for both his ex and Luke. Matt knows heading out on his brother's lobster boat is the only thing that will clear his head.
A week's worth of back breaking, exhausting work leaves Matt with a clear head. He knows he needs to see where this thing with Luke will take him. In twenty years Luke has never hurt him or let him down, he needs to trust that Luke won't hurt him now. As soon as he gets off the fishing boat he receives a call that Luke has been hurt while on the job as a firefighter. He's currently in a coma in Tennessee.
Matt rushes to be at Luke's side, but has to play it safe because he doesn't want to out Luke to his family without his permission. This accident has made both Luke and Matt realize what they could have missed out on if Luke hadn't been so lucky. The shit hits the fan when Luke tells his parents that he is in love with Matt.
Luke's parents disown him, leaving Matt to help Luke with his rehab. The two opt for a fresh start and along with Matt's mom, move to Connecticut to be closer to Matt's brother. Matt and Luke will need to work together to get through Luke's rehab and family drama and come out happier and closer that ever on the other side.
I really wanted to love this book, but it just didn't happen. I loved Luke and Matt together, it seemed effortless and easy. Just like it should be.
There were a few secondary story lines that didn't work with the story or just gave the story the wrong vibe. One was the mention of an older brother that passed away. It didn't add anything to the story and I was pulled out of the story a few times wondering how that factored into everything else. The other was Aric. I don't see the added value to Aric's character. I am one of those that only likes the MC's to have sex with each other, not with anyone else. I kept expecting Aric to pop back up, especially when they moved back to Connecticut.
I did like the closure Luke got with his family and that Matt's family was so accepting. There was a great cast of supporting characters, Emma was my favorite.
While this story wasn't what I expected it was an entertaining, quick read.
ARC provided by author or publisher in exchange for an honest review by Two Chicks Obsessed.
Matt comes home from a three week stint out of town to find his partner of five years has left him, with a Dear John letter at that. Needing to come to terms with his new life his friend Luke,who Matt has secretly been in love with for years helps him pack his stuff and offers to keep his dog while he goes to Connecticut to work on his brother's lobster boat.
Luke has loved Matt since almost the first moment he met him, over twenty years ago. He knows his family wouldn't be accepting of a gay son, so he has buried himself so deep in the closet he isn't sure he will ever come out. A moment of desperation has Luke kissing Matt before he runs off to Connecticut to lick his wounds. Matt leaves even more confused than ever.
Along his trip up the coast he meets a man names Aric and ends up having a one night stand. The next morning all he feels is guilt and shame, and all his unresolved feelings for both his ex and Luke. Matt knows heading out on his brother's lobster boat is the only thing that will clear his head.
A week's worth of back breaking, exhausting work leaves Matt with a clear head. He knows he needs to see where this thing with Luke will take him. In twenty years Luke has never hurt him or let him down, he needs to trust that Luke won't hurt him now. As soon as he gets off the fishing boat he receives a call that Luke has been hurt while on the job as a firefighter. He's currently in a coma in Tennessee.
Matt rushes to be at Luke's side, but has to play it safe because he doesn't want to out Luke to his family without his permission. This accident has made both Luke and Matt realize what they could have missed out on if Luke hadn't been so lucky. The shit hits the fan when Luke tells his parents that he is in love with Matt.
Luke's parents disown him, leaving Matt to help Luke with his rehab. The two opt for a fresh start and along with Matt's mom, move to Connecticut to be closer to Matt's brother. Matt and Luke will need to work together to get through Luke's rehab and family drama and come out happier and closer that ever on the other side.
I really wanted to love this book, but it just didn't happen. I loved Luke and Matt together, it seemed effortless and easy. Just like it should be.
There were a few secondary story lines that didn't work with the story or just gave the story the wrong vibe. One was the mention of an older brother that passed away. It didn't add anything to the story and I was pulled out of the story a few times wondering how that factored into everything else. The other was Aric. I don't see the added value to Aric's character. I am one of those that only likes the MC's to have sex with each other, not with anyone else. I kept expecting Aric to pop back up, especially when they moved back to Connecticut.
I did like the closure Luke got with his family and that Matt's family was so accepting. There was a great cast of supporting characters, Emma was my favorite.
While this story wasn't what I expected it was an entertaining, quick read.
ARC provided by author or publisher in exchange for an honest review by Two Chicks Obsessed.
August 31, 2016
***2.5 Stars for Three Little Words***
Matt comes home to an empty house and a dear John letter. He boxes up everything that he and his ex ever had and ships it off to storage, then decides he needs to escape Tennessee and visit his brother for a few weeks on his lobster boat.
Luke has been in love with Matt since they were kids. When he finally makes his move and kisses his best friend, it stuns Matt, who has also been in love with Luke since they were kids. Luke sends Matt on his way with extreme levels of awkwardness, but when he’s hurt fighting a fire, will Matt make it back in time?
This is a seriously hit and miss book. The hits: Matt and Luke finally getting past themselves and their fears to work on getting together; Zeus the puppy - the poor thing keeps getting handed off from person to person and still manages to be adorable; the aftermath - I’m not clarifying that, because it will spoil the book, but I liked how that was handled.
The misses: Matt’s constant inner dialogue of how amazing he is in bed and how the breakup of his and Brandon’s relationship is all Brandon’s fault; Arik - one incredibly sweet and hot encounter and then there are tons of inner thoughts, but he never actually surfaces again. It felt contrived.
The plot had a great premise. The execution left something to be desired. I liked Luke and I was able to empathize with him, but Matt was, quite frankly, a twat. I never connected with him, and since the entire book is told from his point of view, that really posed problems for me. The peripheral characters were awesome! From the crew on the boat to Mark’s lovely girlfriend, to Matt’s rock of Gibraltar in the form of his mother, I enjoyed them all. The character growth in Luke is minimal because it really wasn’t needed, but it was also minimal in Matt, who desperately needed some. The ending was lovely and I was happy to see Luke happy and things working out with his own issues. However, there were subplots that got started but never resolved, and that makes me wonder why they were included at all. In the end, I am rating this at two and a half stars, rounding up for sites that don't accept halves. If you like angst-ridden wishy-waffley main characters, you’ll enjoy this.
Review copy of Three Little Words provided by the publisher, Dreamspinner Press, for an honest review.
Matt comes home to an empty house and a dear John letter. He boxes up everything that he and his ex ever had and ships it off to storage, then decides he needs to escape Tennessee and visit his brother for a few weeks on his lobster boat.
Luke has been in love with Matt since they were kids. When he finally makes his move and kisses his best friend, it stuns Matt, who has also been in love with Luke since they were kids. Luke sends Matt on his way with extreme levels of awkwardness, but when he’s hurt fighting a fire, will Matt make it back in time?
This is a seriously hit and miss book. The hits: Matt and Luke finally getting past themselves and their fears to work on getting together; Zeus the puppy - the poor thing keeps getting handed off from person to person and still manages to be adorable; the aftermath - I’m not clarifying that, because it will spoil the book, but I liked how that was handled.
The misses: Matt’s constant inner dialogue of how amazing he is in bed and how the breakup of his and Brandon’s relationship is all Brandon’s fault; Arik - one incredibly sweet and hot encounter and then there are tons of inner thoughts, but he never actually surfaces again. It felt contrived.
The plot had a great premise. The execution left something to be desired. I liked Luke and I was able to empathize with him, but Matt was, quite frankly, a twat. I never connected with him, and since the entire book is told from his point of view, that really posed problems for me. The peripheral characters were awesome! From the crew on the boat to Mark’s lovely girlfriend, to Matt’s rock of Gibraltar in the form of his mother, I enjoyed them all. The character growth in Luke is minimal because it really wasn’t needed, but it was also minimal in Matt, who desperately needed some. The ending was lovely and I was happy to see Luke happy and things working out with his own issues. However, there were subplots that got started but never resolved, and that makes me wonder why they were included at all. In the end, I am rating this at two and a half stars, rounding up for sites that don't accept halves. If you like angst-ridden wishy-waffley main characters, you’ll enjoy this.
Review copy of Three Little Words provided by the publisher, Dreamspinner Press, for an honest review.
August 26, 2016
**Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie in exchange for a fair and honest review**
Matt comes home from a work trip to find a Dear John letter from his boyfriend of five years. In an effort to start fresh, he decides to take a break from his life and spend some time with his brother who owns a fishing boat on the east coast. Before Matt leaves, his best friend Luke decides to tell him how he feels for him, adding to Matt's confusion.
Matt has crushed on and been in love with his best friend for years, but was unaware of Luke's sexuality since he didn't seem to date. Luke is a firefighter and sees his chance to show Matt how he feels now that he's single. He encourages Matt to go to his brother's home and to figure things about for himself and then to come back to Luke so they can explore their feelings together.
While Matt is hanging out with his brother Mark, he works on Mark's fishing crew and works on figuring out what comes next. And he spends the time learning about this brother's life as they don't seem to know a lot about the other. It's also revealed during this time that Matt and Mark have an older brother who died before Matt was born and that he was never told about this brother until he discovered a picture of him when he was a child. I thought this was an odd story line as it didn't seem to serve a purpose. In addition, I thought it was weird that Matt would have been given his dead brother's name for a middle name, but the family never mentioned he existed.
When Luke is hospitalized with a work injury, Matt rushes back home to be by his side and to take care of him and he realizes what has been in front of him all along. But things do not continue easily, as the reason Luke has never shared his feelings before is because he knew how his parents would react. Luke's father is a homophobe and immediately refuses to have anything to do with his son. My one thought about Luke's father being such a homophobe is that I couldn't imagine him allowing a friendship between Luke and Matt through school.
This book is entirely in Matt's POV and about how he deals with the breakup and the changes that are happening in his life. Break-ups are hard and having minute by minute access to Matt's head while he's dealing with the break-up is a lot and quite depressing, but I imagine it's typically how people feel when going through these life changes.
I enjoyed the second half of this book more than the first half and the book wrapped up with HEA's all around.
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Matt comes home from a work trip to find a Dear John letter from his boyfriend of five years. In an effort to start fresh, he decides to take a break from his life and spend some time with his brother who owns a fishing boat on the east coast. Before Matt leaves, his best friend Luke decides to tell him how he feels for him, adding to Matt's confusion.
Matt has crushed on and been in love with his best friend for years, but was unaware of Luke's sexuality since he didn't seem to date. Luke is a firefighter and sees his chance to show Matt how he feels now that he's single. He encourages Matt to go to his brother's home and to figure things about for himself and then to come back to Luke so they can explore their feelings together.
While Matt is hanging out with his brother Mark, he works on Mark's fishing crew and works on figuring out what comes next. And he spends the time learning about this brother's life as they don't seem to know a lot about the other. It's also revealed during this time that Matt and Mark have an older brother who died before Matt was born and that he was never told about this brother until he discovered a picture of him when he was a child. I thought this was an odd story line as it didn't seem to serve a purpose. In addition, I thought it was weird that Matt would have been given his dead brother's name for a middle name, but the family never mentioned he existed.
When Luke is hospitalized with a work injury, Matt rushes back home to be by his side and to take care of him and he realizes what has been in front of him all along. But things do not continue easily, as the reason Luke has never shared his feelings before is because he knew how his parents would react. Luke's father is a homophobe and immediately refuses to have anything to do with his son. My one thought about Luke's father being such a homophobe is that I couldn't imagine him allowing a friendship between Luke and Matt through school.
This book is entirely in Matt's POV and about how he deals with the breakup and the changes that are happening in his life. Break-ups are hard and having minute by minute access to Matt's head while he's dealing with the break-up is a lot and quite depressing, but I imagine it's typically how people feel when going through these life changes.
I enjoyed the second half of this book more than the first half and the book wrapped up with HEA's all around.
Rating: 3.5 Stars
August 24, 2016
Okay, this book moved a little fast for me, and had a lot of unnecessary scenes. I fully expected this story to start with Matt working for his brother Mark, and when It didn't I was okay with it, because it set up the break up and heart ache. I then thought that it was going to time skip to him working for his brother, but it didn't, instead we got all this filler that the story 100% did not need. It gave nothing to the story what so ever.
It then took incredibly long for Matt to come back. I was almost 50% into the novel when he finally came back and I felt like he was exactly the same person he had been when he had left, there was no really change or healing, which was the point of him leaving. I was frustrated reading it, and now knew that there was only going to be half of the book for Matt and Luke to work out their individual bullshit and their bullshit as a "couple" before the happily ever after. It was so not enough time.
It jumped right into insta-love (granted Matt had long standing feelings for Luke), but I couldn't understand how Matt who had been in love with Brandon for six years, prepared to marry him, and was devastated when he left, could just jump right into something with Luke. It was too soon, they really hadn't talked and discussed moving forward, but nope suddenly (***SPOILERS***) they're in love, Luke has come out to his parents, they're engaged and moving across the country together. WTF???!!!
Oh and Matt, did he really give Luke the ring he had bought with the intentions of marrying Brandon? No. No. No. That's bad. I can not believe that Matt who was in love with Brandon for six years, set up a life with him, planned to grow old with him, and marry him, could in a matter of weeks since getting together with Luke, could just propose to him. What? Six years vs. two weeks? I just didn't get it.
I have one more issue with this, when Matt finally did hear from Brandon, and told him off (good for him), he said that he would talk to him later. I thought that was great, because they both really needed to have a talk with each other and move on, because just hurting each other and leaving it at that didn't seem realistic the way it set up and didn't seem like what Matt needed. I kept waiting for them to talk again, either by phone call or Brandon just showing up (that would have been great conflict), but it didn't happen.
It then took incredibly long for Matt to come back. I was almost 50% into the novel when he finally came back and I felt like he was exactly the same person he had been when he had left, there was no really change or healing, which was the point of him leaving. I was frustrated reading it, and now knew that there was only going to be half of the book for Matt and Luke to work out their individual bullshit and their bullshit as a "couple" before the happily ever after. It was so not enough time.
It jumped right into insta-love (granted Matt had long standing feelings for Luke), but I couldn't understand how Matt who had been in love with Brandon for six years, prepared to marry him, and was devastated when he left, could just jump right into something with Luke. It was too soon, they really hadn't talked and discussed moving forward, but nope suddenly (***SPOILERS***) they're in love, Luke has come out to his parents, they're engaged and moving across the country together. WTF???!!!
Oh and Matt, did he really give Luke the ring he had bought with the intentions of marrying Brandon? No. No. No. That's bad. I can not believe that Matt who was in love with Brandon for six years, set up a life with him, planned to grow old with him, and marry him, could in a matter of weeks since getting together with Luke, could just propose to him. What? Six years vs. two weeks? I just didn't get it.
I have one more issue with this, when Matt finally did hear from Brandon, and told him off (good for him), he said that he would talk to him later. I thought that was great, because they both really needed to have a talk with each other and move on, because just hurting each other and leaving it at that didn't seem realistic the way it set up and didn't seem like what Matt needed. I kept waiting for them to talk again, either by phone call or Brandon just showing up (that would have been great conflict), but it didn't happen.
August 26, 2016
This book basically revolves around Matt. In the beginning, Matt comes home to find a “Dear John” letter from his boyfriend of several years, Brandon. Heartbroken and very impulsively, Matt decides to pack up the home they shared, sell it and visit his brother in New England to help on his fishing boat while he decides what his heart wants. Matt calls his best friend of many years, Luke to help him pack up the house and to watch his dog while he’s in New England.
While getting ready to leave, Matt and Luke kiss. Matt’s confused because he didn’t know Luke’s sexuality and also because he’s been in love with him since they were teens. Luke tells Matt to go and come back when he knows what he wants.
During his drive from Tennessee to New England, Matt meets Aric who invites him to look him up while he’s in New England. Coincidentally, Aric lives close to where Matt is going to be staying with his brother, Mark. So, after Matt’s been with his brother for a day or two, he hooks up with Aric for a one night stand.
Matt goes out on the fishing boat with Mark for a week and when he returns he learns that Luke has been severely injured while on the job as a fireman. He races back to Tennessee to be with Luke. When it’s time for Luke to be released from the hospital, Matt asks Luke to let him take care of him and Luke agrees. They declare their love for each other and move in together. There is some other family drama that takes place, a few hurtles they have to overcome, but I won’t spoil the whole book.
I was not fond of this book. I thought Matt was incredibly immature. He bought rings for him and Brandon and was heartbroken when Brandon left, but was kissing Luke within a few days of it. Then he jumps into bed with Aric all the while pining away for Luke and wondering what went wrong with Brandon. Aric was a completely unnecessary piece to this story and frankly was too coincidental to be believable. How is it even possible that Matt and Luke had been friends since they were kids, but Matt had no idea what Luke’s sexual preference was? That is just another unbelievable piece to this book. I grew irritated with Matt early in the book and just couldn’t get past my irritation. Matt was selfish and wishy washy and really only thought of himself.
While getting ready to leave, Matt and Luke kiss. Matt’s confused because he didn’t know Luke’s sexuality and also because he’s been in love with him since they were teens. Luke tells Matt to go and come back when he knows what he wants.
During his drive from Tennessee to New England, Matt meets Aric who invites him to look him up while he’s in New England. Coincidentally, Aric lives close to where Matt is going to be staying with his brother, Mark. So, after Matt’s been with his brother for a day or two, he hooks up with Aric for a one night stand.
Matt goes out on the fishing boat with Mark for a week and when he returns he learns that Luke has been severely injured while on the job as a fireman. He races back to Tennessee to be with Luke. When it’s time for Luke to be released from the hospital, Matt asks Luke to let him take care of him and Luke agrees. They declare their love for each other and move in together. There is some other family drama that takes place, a few hurtles they have to overcome, but I won’t spoil the whole book.
I was not fond of this book. I thought Matt was incredibly immature. He bought rings for him and Brandon and was heartbroken when Brandon left, but was kissing Luke within a few days of it. Then he jumps into bed with Aric all the while pining away for Luke and wondering what went wrong with Brandon. Aric was a completely unnecessary piece to this story and frankly was too coincidental to be believable. How is it even possible that Matt and Luke had been friends since they were kids, but Matt had no idea what Luke’s sexual preference was? That is just another unbelievable piece to this book. I grew irritated with Matt early in the book and just couldn’t get past my irritation. Matt was selfish and wishy washy and really only thought of himself.
September 8, 2016
This book just didn’t work for me.
First, Luke jumps into a kiss with Matt with no warning and Matt - who has supposed loved him for 20 years - just runs away. When Luke asks him about this Matt tells him he was freaked out about the sudden change in Luke's feelings and he's upset still about his ex. But that doesn't stop Matt from immediately getting involved with another guy, Aric, and then - for some reason - telling Luke about the one night stand "in case something happens to me" while Matt's out on a boat. It just wasn't logical. I wanted more from Luke's POV. Why did he suddenly feel like he could kiss Matt and how did he feel when Matt treated him so poorly.
I didn’t appreciate that Matt's one night stand took up several chapters of the book. This and the fact that Matt's dithering about his ex and Aric lasts up until nearly the last page. At one point Matt wonders if Aric might be missing him or expecting something more, but then it's forgotten again. I'm just not sure what Aric's role was in this story.
Matt wasn’t likable as a MC and I didn’t find myself “rooting” for him because he felt a bit distant and self-centered. He tells Aric no, but then just goes for it. He feels guilty so he tells Luke about the experience but I'm not sure why. He "selflessly" wants to take care of Luke, but wonders about Aric and still worries about his ex.
There were several other plot twists and turns that led this book astray and took away from the emphasis of the main love story. I just don't think this is the best work from this author. I think that the author’s later works are a better example of her writing prowess. (This is a reprint of a 2013 Amber Allure title.) I recommend Beast by the author as a much better representation.
Others might find this to their taste, but it just didn’t appeal to my “sappy” sensibilities. I needed to understand Luke better, to have Matt apologize more and give himself more to Luke and I didn't want to read any on page sex between the MC and another character once our two MCs had "begun" their courtship.
2 of 5 stars
First, Luke jumps into a kiss with Matt with no warning and Matt - who has supposed loved him for 20 years - just runs away. When Luke asks him about this Matt tells him he was freaked out about the sudden change in Luke's feelings and he's upset still about his ex. But that doesn't stop Matt from immediately getting involved with another guy, Aric, and then - for some reason - telling Luke about the one night stand "in case something happens to me" while Matt's out on a boat. It just wasn't logical. I wanted more from Luke's POV. Why did he suddenly feel like he could kiss Matt and how did he feel when Matt treated him so poorly.
I didn’t appreciate that Matt's one night stand took up several chapters of the book. This and the fact that Matt's dithering about his ex and Aric lasts up until nearly the last page. At one point Matt wonders if Aric might be missing him or expecting something more, but then it's forgotten again. I'm just not sure what Aric's role was in this story.
Matt wasn’t likable as a MC and I didn’t find myself “rooting” for him because he felt a bit distant and self-centered. He tells Aric no, but then just goes for it. He feels guilty so he tells Luke about the experience but I'm not sure why. He "selflessly" wants to take care of Luke, but wonders about Aric and still worries about his ex.
There were several other plot twists and turns that led this book astray and took away from the emphasis of the main love story. I just don't think this is the best work from this author. I think that the author’s later works are a better example of her writing prowess. (This is a reprint of a 2013 Amber Allure title.) I recommend Beast by the author as a much better representation.
Others might find this to their taste, but it just didn’t appeal to my “sappy” sensibilities. I needed to understand Luke better, to have Matt apologize more and give himself more to Luke and I didn't want to read any on page sex between the MC and another character once our two MCs had "begun" their courtship.
2 of 5 stars
August 17, 2016
Three Little Words is a book that I would describe as a best friends to lovers book.
Matt has been in love with his best for well over twenty years but he never thought that Luke would ever return his feelings. As a matter of fact Matt was not ever really sure what Luke's sexuality was cause he never seen him date neither woman or men. Like was just always about his work as a firefighter. Matt decided 5 years before that it was time to move on and get over his crush or whatever it was that he had on his best friend Luke. So he met Brandon and moved on.
Matt was happy with Brandon and had even decided that after five years together that it was time to ask Brandon to marry him. The problem is that Brandon was not that happy with Matt. When Matt returns home from a business trip he finds a dear John letter from Brandon and his world is turned upside down.
Then you throw in the fact that Luke decides it is time to let Matt in on the secret that he has been keeping from Matt and Matt feels like his whole world has imploded. Luke enlightened Matt by kissing him for the first time. It was everything hat Matt has always wanted but the timing of it really was not great.
Matt needed time to wrap his head around all of his pain over losing Brandon and his head around his feelings returning full force for Luke. So Matt takes time to get himself together and goes to New Hampshire to help his brother Mark out. While there Matt realizes that the one place he should be is with Luke and that is the place he truly wants to be. The question is, will Matt be too late????
I really enjoyed this read. I love reading a book about two best friends who know everything about one another come together and realize they are the ones for each other. It was not an easy journey and both had a lot of emotional baggage to deal with but the journey that Allison wrote about was truly an amazing read. Allison made me feel like I was along for the ride. Great book and look forward to reading more by Allison in the future.
Was given this galley arc for free for an honest review.
Matt has been in love with his best for well over twenty years but he never thought that Luke would ever return his feelings. As a matter of fact Matt was not ever really sure what Luke's sexuality was cause he never seen him date neither woman or men. Like was just always about his work as a firefighter. Matt decided 5 years before that it was time to move on and get over his crush or whatever it was that he had on his best friend Luke. So he met Brandon and moved on.
Matt was happy with Brandon and had even decided that after five years together that it was time to ask Brandon to marry him. The problem is that Brandon was not that happy with Matt. When Matt returns home from a business trip he finds a dear John letter from Brandon and his world is turned upside down.
Then you throw in the fact that Luke decides it is time to let Matt in on the secret that he has been keeping from Matt and Matt feels like his whole world has imploded. Luke enlightened Matt by kissing him for the first time. It was everything hat Matt has always wanted but the timing of it really was not great.
Matt needed time to wrap his head around all of his pain over losing Brandon and his head around his feelings returning full force for Luke. So Matt takes time to get himself together and goes to New Hampshire to help his brother Mark out. While there Matt realizes that the one place he should be is with Luke and that is the place he truly wants to be. The question is, will Matt be too late????
I really enjoyed this read. I love reading a book about two best friends who know everything about one another come together and realize they are the ones for each other. It was not an easy journey and both had a lot of emotional baggage to deal with but the journey that Allison wrote about was truly an amazing read. Allison made me feel like I was along for the ride. Great book and look forward to reading more by Allison in the future.
Was given this galley arc for free for an honest review.
April 30, 2013
A breakup with his live-in boyfriend of five years has Matt questioning whether he will ever have a death do us part relationship. The only constant connection Matt has other than his family, is his best friend Luke. Matt and Luke have been friends since high school, sharing everything except how they truly feel about each other.
Three Little Words is a well written heartwarming friend to lover romance. The convincing characters are engaging. The main setting is Memphis, Tennessee. Matt works construction, which requires traveling around the country to job sites. Being a good provider as well as a protector for his partner is an embedded trait of Matt’s personality. However, Matt’s former boyfriend did not appreciate having a hard working regularly absent partner, so he cowardly dumped Matt. The love Matt has for Luke is a deeper bond than just friendship, but since Luke had never shown any inclination of being gay, Matt cloaked his true feelings. Matt would never do anything that would jeopardize their comfortable friendship. Luke is a well respected kindhearted fireman. Luke has spent most of his life in the closet because he fears parental rejection. Traumatic events, along with the fear of permanently losing Matt, compelled Luke to come out as well as confess his love for Matt to his parents. As expected, this revelation broke Luke’s family ties.
Allison Cassatta has created a compassionate saga that I thoroughly enjoyed. What I found most intriguing is how the different family dynamics influences an individual’s behavior. Matt’s family understands plus supports Matt as well as his partner. Matt is loved for who he is; sexuality is a fact not a choice in his family, so Matt is content to be himself. Luke is made to feel like an outcast, unloved and unwanted by his family.
Three Little Words is a well written heartwarming friend to lover romance. The convincing characters are engaging. The main setting is Memphis, Tennessee. Matt works construction, which requires traveling around the country to job sites. Being a good provider as well as a protector for his partner is an embedded trait of Matt’s personality. However, Matt’s former boyfriend did not appreciate having a hard working regularly absent partner, so he cowardly dumped Matt. The love Matt has for Luke is a deeper bond than just friendship, but since Luke had never shown any inclination of being gay, Matt cloaked his true feelings. Matt would never do anything that would jeopardize their comfortable friendship. Luke is a well respected kindhearted fireman. Luke has spent most of his life in the closet because he fears parental rejection. Traumatic events, along with the fear of permanently losing Matt, compelled Luke to come out as well as confess his love for Matt to his parents. As expected, this revelation broke Luke’s family ties.
Allison Cassatta has created a compassionate saga that I thoroughly enjoyed. What I found most intriguing is how the different family dynamics influences an individual’s behavior. Matt’s family understands plus supports Matt as well as his partner. Matt is loved for who he is; sexuality is a fact not a choice in his family, so Matt is content to be himself. Luke is made to feel like an outcast, unloved and unwanted by his family.
August 27, 2016
Normally a best friends to lovers book is one of my favorites. The blurb for Allison Cassatta's novel, Three Little Words, hit all my buttons. We've got the best friends, a bit of hurt/comfort, a firefighter, and a secret crush that's lasted for more than 20 years. Throw in a cute dog and a broken heart, and this one piqued my interest big time. Unfortunately, the book did not live up to my expectations. This book suffers from many faults: a main character who isn't all that likable or sympathetic, a disjointed plot, over the top drama for drama's sake, and choppy writing just to name a few. I wanted to love this book, I really did. The beginning chapter opened up strong and gave me hope but then went downhill from there. It took until at least 65% of the book for Matt and Luke to get together. There was a one night stand for Matt that somehow wound up having the potential to be something serious. Matt's flip flopping between being angry at his ex, Brandon, which I'm still not quite on board with, to his long lived unrequited love for Luke that didn't stop him from sleeping with someone else ... I just couldn't get behind any of Matt's motivations. Throw in a bizarre and unnecessary mention of a murdered brother which is never brought up again by Matt or his mother or his brother, and this book felt like it was all over the place. I did like Matt's brother, Mark, and Matt's time on the lobster boat was entertaining and different from the norm. However this wasn't quite enough to save the book and unfortunately, this was a miss for me. But this definitely might be a case of it's me not the book, so if hurt/comfort and best friends to lovers is your thing, give this one a try and see what you think.
August 28, 2016
Over all I liked the book. It has a good premise and was thought out. There were some things that baffled me. I did not get the internal monologue about Aric, it made no sense to me why it wa there, then to keep rehashing back to their one night. Hen he is being intimate kissing another, why would you rehash old hurts. I get why Matt was not completely forthcoming with his friend Luke, that may be why Brandon wasn’t pleased with that friendship. Brandon felt threatened because Matty had a crush on Luke forever, and never spoke about it. Brandon and Luke had been best friends. Brandon was a jerk. He handles it all wrong, I don't blame Matt for the way he reacted. Matt leaves to go join his brother on his lobster boat, then he gets a call upon his return that changes everything. From here the book gets back on track for me anyway, with the exception of Aric and that monologue again. Luke was a great guy and a good best friend. He gets nastiness and hatred from the people that matter most to him. He has Matt and Matt’s mom, brother Mark and Emma. I loved Mark as well he was a great big brother and Emma was a truly sweet woman. *ARC provided by Author in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by JoAnna from Alpha Book Club
Reviewed by JoAnna from Alpha Book Club
May 17, 2013
Just too much going on. There were too many story lines that I kept writing entire scenes in my head instead of focusing on the story at hand.
Yes Matt's lover left him because he was always working, but why were we never introduced to Brandon except through what Matt had to say. Then he was so outraged, which I felt had Brandon at a disadvantage. Yes, I am all for chewing out the person leaving, but he had due cause. He made himself heard. He could care less about it all, he just wanted Matt.
Then the Alric situation. Poor fella. He had so much going for him, and though he was trying to play it down, you knew feelings were there on both parts. Please give him his HEA. And I hated how Matt wasn't man enough to at, least say, I am sorry but I am in love with my best friend. Who knows, a friendship could have been borne.
Okay, should I get into the whole Matt, Mark and dead brother situation? No... I would never end.
The synopsis pulled me in, but if it wasn't for my OCD of finishing a book, I might have put it aside for a while.
Yes Matt's lover left him because he was always working, but why were we never introduced to Brandon except through what Matt had to say. Then he was so outraged, which I felt had Brandon at a disadvantage. Yes, I am all for chewing out the person leaving, but he had due cause. He made himself heard. He could care less about it all, he just wanted Matt.
Then the Alric situation. Poor fella. He had so much going for him, and though he was trying to play it down, you knew feelings were there on both parts. Please give him his HEA. And I hated how Matt wasn't man enough to at, least say, I am sorry but I am in love with my best friend. Who knows, a friendship could have been borne.
Okay, should I get into the whole Matt, Mark and dead brother situation? No... I would never end.
The synopsis pulled me in, but if it wasn't for my OCD of finishing a book, I might have put it aside for a while.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 24, 2013
Along the way Matt meets Aric. The two of them spend a very hot night together before Matt heads out to sea. When they return, Matt finds messages on his phone telling him that Luke needs him. Rushing home, Matt finds Luke in the hospital and comes to realize what’s important to him.
It seems like a great story, but unfortunately Aric is never seen or heard from again. What happened with him? Why was the sex scene between the two of them necessary in the first place? If Matt was so truly in love with his best friend, why did he sleep with Aric in the first place? And through it, Matt talks about how he finds Aric attractive, and intimates that he might be willing to stick around.
Lucky had a hard time rating this book and finally settled on 3 3/4 sweet peas. Please see his complete review on April 25, 2013 at http://mrsconditreadsbooks.com/index..... Let us know what you think.
It seems like a great story, but unfortunately Aric is never seen or heard from again. What happened with him? Why was the sex scene between the two of them necessary in the first place? If Matt was so truly in love with his best friend, why did he sleep with Aric in the first place? And through it, Matt talks about how he finds Aric attractive, and intimates that he might be willing to stick around.
Lucky had a hard time rating this book and finally settled on 3 3/4 sweet peas. Please see his complete review on April 25, 2013 at http://mrsconditreadsbooks.com/index..... Let us know what you think.
May 8, 2013
I wanted to give this a higher rating but I can't.
The story was told in Matt's POV and the readers are taken along an emotional roller coaster ride - well, more on the downs than the ups - of Matt's heartbreak, finding himself again and finally finding love at last with his best friend. The author didn't skimp on the details as Matt coped with the changes in his life and it felt like the story moved in a snail pace and I found it depressing to read. All the self doubt and the ruminations of where it went wrong became old--fast.
I'm not trying to be nit-picky but where the hell did Matt get his bike when he went back to Tennessee via plane? Didn't he leave it in New Hampshire?
I loved the ending though. The novel was aptly titled and seeing Luke and Matt together at last made me smile.
The story was told in Matt's POV and the readers are taken along an emotional roller coaster ride - well, more on the downs than the ups - of Matt's heartbreak, finding himself again and finally finding love at last with his best friend. The author didn't skimp on the details as Matt coped with the changes in his life and it felt like the story moved in a snail pace and I found it depressing to read. All the self doubt and the ruminations of where it went wrong became old--fast.
I'm not trying to be nit-picky but where the hell did Matt get his bike when he went back to Tennessee via plane? Didn't he leave it in New Hampshire?
I loved the ending though. The novel was aptly titled and seeing Luke and Matt together at last made me smile.
December 6, 2016
So this is my second time reading it ( well, 3-4 times)
And once again I loved it.
This is a story that shows us sometimes waiting is the best medicine.
We’ve got several players, Matt and Brandon start the story,showing us that doing everything to make our partner happy is not the way to go. All the while the best friend, the guy you’ve loved and pined for is waiting, hoping, scared.
Next we’ve Matt on his journey of self, and Aric. Things are going fine until tragedy strikes. And Matt goes home to rediscover what he thought he lost.
I love this journey for these two. Matt and Luke have known each other for so long, but can’t seem to get life and destiny in line to start a life together.
And when they finally do, fireworks, dog, family, it all works. Matt and Luke the way the meld together, they ‘look’ at each other you can feel it coming off the pages. They both want Happy ever After and we GET IT!!
And once again I loved it.
This is a story that shows us sometimes waiting is the best medicine.
We’ve got several players, Matt and Brandon start the story,showing us that doing everything to make our partner happy is not the way to go. All the while the best friend, the guy you’ve loved and pined for is waiting, hoping, scared.
Next we’ve Matt on his journey of self, and Aric. Things are going fine until tragedy strikes. And Matt goes home to rediscover what he thought he lost.
I love this journey for these two. Matt and Luke have known each other for so long, but can’t seem to get life and destiny in line to start a life together.
And when they finally do, fireworks, dog, family, it all works. Matt and Luke the way the meld together, they ‘look’ at each other you can feel it coming off the pages. They both want Happy ever After and we GET IT!!
April 2, 2013
Just incredible! This is a story we can ALL relate to.... Running from the heartbreak into full blown love...
Matt is just heart broken when his fiancé leaves....he decided to jump ship to clear his head only to find a secret love under his nose the WHOLE time!!!! I found myself rooting for Luke even tho Matt had a sensual case of wonder lust along the way!!!
I cried, laughed, was angry and even shocked in places in this story. This is the visceral read I always look for! I felt like I was in Matt's pocket for the entire journey.
Well written page turner that makes me want to follow Matt through a million more stories!! :).
Matt is just heart broken when his fiancé leaves....he decided to jump ship to clear his head only to find a secret love under his nose the WHOLE time!!!! I found myself rooting for Luke even tho Matt had a sensual case of wonder lust along the way!!!
I cried, laughed, was angry and even shocked in places in this story. This is the visceral read I always look for! I felt like I was in Matt's pocket for the entire journey.
Well written page turner that makes me want to follow Matt through a million more stories!! :).
July 4, 2018
I should have been able to like this more than i did - somewhere between 2.5/3*.
I found it a bit jumpy around, though it did keep my interest and read fairly quickly.
Probably the stereotypes were far too stereotypical maybe - Luke’s parents, Matt’s mum, Emma, Scotty.
The messages being delivered were perhaps done too heavy, rather than subtly shown.
Matt and his ‘meaty hands’ wasn’t the sympathetic character at first, I found him a bit too impulsive and unfocussed. Not sure the bit with Aric was necessary (but he deserves a good man!).
Luke deserves a medal for waiting so long to get his man.
I found it a bit jumpy around, though it did keep my interest and read fairly quickly.
Probably the stereotypes were far too stereotypical maybe - Luke’s parents, Matt’s mum, Emma, Scotty.
The messages being delivered were perhaps done too heavy, rather than subtly shown.
Matt and his ‘meaty hands’ wasn’t the sympathetic character at first, I found him a bit too impulsive and unfocussed. Not sure the bit with Aric was necessary (but he deserves a good man!).
Luke deserves a medal for waiting so long to get his man.
September 3, 2016
I didn't like this.
Too little time with the main characters. I think it was around the 50% mark when it happened? They were separated and didn't even talk for the first half.
Sex on page with someone else.
Matt turned whiny and self-absorbed.
THIS right here:
So no thanks.
Too little time with the main characters. I think it was around the 50% mark when it happened? They were separated and didn't even talk for the first half.
Sex on page with someone else.
Matt turned whiny and self-absorbed.
THIS right here:
So no thanks.
June 4, 2014
Not as engaging as I thought. I didn't feel much for the MCs. I did like Matt. I kinda had hoped for more between Luke's parents and Brandon. Both were like sprinkles and could have been left out if there was going to be nothing added to the story from it.
April 8, 2013
The beginning kinda dragged for me a bit, but I loved when Matt came back home to Luke, it really picked up for me after that. Sweet story and I loved the ending!
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June 14, 2013Full review will be available soon at The Armchair Reader
April 28, 2013
3.5 stars
I am happy that I tried this author again :)and I got exactly what I expected and enjoyed it very much.
I am happy that I tried this author again :)and I got exactly what I expected and enjoyed it very much.
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