What do you think?
Rate this book
Jem & Carlton #1
The Stranger
Jem suffers from intense anxiety—he can keep his fears under control as long as he stays on familiar territory. Then Carlton walks into the bookstore where Jem works. Carlton is dangerously handsome, irresistibly charming and hell-bent on getting Jem into bed. Best of all, he makes Jem feel safe. If Jem can take a risk on this unpredictable stranger, the rewards could be spectacular.
5600-word MM erotic romance.
5600-word MM erotic romance.
18 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 9, 2013
19 people are currently reading
93 people want to read
About the author
Alex Jace
38 books22 followersAlex Jace is a UK erotic romance writer. Sign up for new release updates.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
September 17, 2013
I got a copy of this story while it was priced at FREE but I definitely would have paid 99 cents for this story. I have no clue if it's part of a serialized novel or meant to be a standalone in a series of standalone stories.
I notice the last page of the ebook file has a listing of 7 different "Jem and Carlton" stories so I had to wonder. If it's a serialization, then the abrupt "ending" to this section is all right--like a chapter ending abruptly while the book goes on. If, however, this was intended to be one of seven related stories in a series, each a story unto itself, then there's an issue here that is hopefully not propagated to the other 6 stories. Any story, unless a chapter in a larger book, should always have a beginning, middle and end. There needs to be an arc. I felt this story had a fantastic lead in, a good and solid middle but then lacked an ending.
Other than that structural issue, it had a few grammar problems (see below for more) but I'd say this story is 110% entertainment. The characters are vibrant and charming. Jem is adorable and I liked him right away. The chemistry between them is good and I have no clue who Carlton is or how/why he's shown up in Jem's life but I am immediately intrigued and want to know more about these guys. I had a little issue with credibility about Jem's dysfunction (see my statuses on Goodreads for more on that - http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...) but really, it was such a trivial issue to me that I don't feel it's worth detracting anything from the star rating. It was enough to jerk me out of the story--never good--but the story was already so engaging that I found it easy to move on and get back to reading. I simply couldn't wait to see where the characters were going next!
Carlton has a simply delicious edge to him without coming off as a buffoon or abusively rough around the edges. The mystery that is Carlton, hopefully, gets explained in later installments of this presumed serialization. If not, then I guess that's another gripe about this but only because I soooo enjoyed Carlton I definitely wanted to get to know him better! Who wouldn't? Roowwwrrrrrr
All in all, it's a fantastic little vignette by an author I have never read before. Now the issues. I had a few issues right from the first screen with the grammar and sentence structure. It wasn't a matter of British versus American English; it was a straightforward grammatical issue--verb tense and such. I've read a lot worse so I'm mentioning this but would only say it loses 1/2 a star for that and then, only because it was a pervasive issue throughout the entire story. Not all the time, but an outside editorial reader (i.e., "fresh eyes") could have caught these issues and fixed them. If this is a serialization that will ultimately become a novel, I'd suggest the author get all of the piece-parts to an editorial reader (could just be a free group of beta readers on Goodreads!) and have those grammatical glitches corrected before piecing the story together into a collection for sale as a novel.
I've taken another 1/2 star off because the story ends so abruptly. In fact, the story ends with the big sex scene and that is abruptly cut short (if one can actually still be abrupt after coming 3 times in short succession! LOL). It was a hawt enough sex scene and did go on for a bit but then it just felt as though I were reading and *bam* the author decided to make that the end of the book. Not quite in the middle of a sentence but it nearly felt that way. I had no sense of closure at "The End." Even if this is a serialization, I should have a sense of closure--just of the scene if not the book!
Despite the glitches, I thought Alex Jace did a great job here! I would definitely read more by this Author and I am interested in these characters enough (without qualifications) to read future stories about them. I highly recommend this story to anyone who can download and read :) It's fun, lighthearted and engaging. Get it and decide for yourself. It reads so quickly and entertains so easily, you won't regret it!
I notice the last page of the ebook file has a listing of 7 different "Jem and Carlton" stories so I had to wonder. If it's a serialization, then the abrupt "ending" to this section is all right--like a chapter ending abruptly while the book goes on. If, however, this was intended to be one of seven related stories in a series, each a story unto itself, then there's an issue here that is hopefully not propagated to the other 6 stories. Any story, unless a chapter in a larger book, should always have a beginning, middle and end. There needs to be an arc. I felt this story had a fantastic lead in, a good and solid middle but then lacked an ending.
Other than that structural issue, it had a few grammar problems (see below for more) but I'd say this story is 110% entertainment. The characters are vibrant and charming. Jem is adorable and I liked him right away. The chemistry between them is good and I have no clue who Carlton is or how/why he's shown up in Jem's life but I am immediately intrigued and want to know more about these guys. I had a little issue with credibility about Jem's dysfunction (see my statuses on Goodreads for more on that - http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...) but really, it was such a trivial issue to me that I don't feel it's worth detracting anything from the star rating. It was enough to jerk me out of the story--never good--but the story was already so engaging that I found it easy to move on and get back to reading. I simply couldn't wait to see where the characters were going next!
Carlton has a simply delicious edge to him without coming off as a buffoon or abusively rough around the edges. The mystery that is Carlton, hopefully, gets explained in later installments of this presumed serialization. If not, then I guess that's another gripe about this but only because I soooo enjoyed Carlton I definitely wanted to get to know him better! Who wouldn't? Roowwwrrrrrr
All in all, it's a fantastic little vignette by an author I have never read before. Now the issues. I had a few issues right from the first screen with the grammar and sentence structure. It wasn't a matter of British versus American English; it was a straightforward grammatical issue--verb tense and such. I've read a lot worse so I'm mentioning this but would only say it loses 1/2 a star for that and then, only because it was a pervasive issue throughout the entire story. Not all the time, but an outside editorial reader (i.e., "fresh eyes") could have caught these issues and fixed them. If this is a serialization that will ultimately become a novel, I'd suggest the author get all of the piece-parts to an editorial reader (could just be a free group of beta readers on Goodreads!) and have those grammatical glitches corrected before piecing the story together into a collection for sale as a novel.
I've taken another 1/2 star off because the story ends so abruptly. In fact, the story ends with the big sex scene and that is abruptly cut short (if one can actually still be abrupt after coming 3 times in short succession! LOL). It was a hawt enough sex scene and did go on for a bit but then it just felt as though I were reading and *bam* the author decided to make that the end of the book. Not quite in the middle of a sentence but it nearly felt that way. I had no sense of closure at "The End." Even if this is a serialization, I should have a sense of closure--just of the scene if not the book!
Despite the glitches, I thought Alex Jace did a great job here! I would definitely read more by this Author and I am interested in these characters enough (without qualifications) to read future stories about them. I highly recommend this story to anyone who can download and read :) It's fun, lighthearted and engaging. Get it and decide for yourself. It reads so quickly and entertains so easily, you won't regret it!
October 23, 2013
This was awesome. I want more and apparently there is but each very short story is way too expensive.
January 5, 2022
2,5/5 ⭐
December 30, 2013
This story was well written, I liked the characters and even though it was short, it worked rather well. Why the low rating? Unprotected sex. Yeah it happens, and I'm not naive enough to think that it doesn't, but in this situation it totally ruined the story for me. Carlton seemed caring and genuinely concerned about Jem up until that point. The fact that protection wasn't even considered and Jem didn't even question it when hours before he cringed when someone even invaded his space - even to merely touch his hand - didn't fit his character at all. That one aspect made me lose respect for both characters. It was still a great story and I'm sure other people can probably overlook that one aspect, I just wasn't one of them.
September 29, 2013
Read on 9-29-13
I didn't buy Jem's anxiety. He basically just let this stranger take him places with hardly any freak out. He doesn't like to be touched, but yet grabbed the stranger's hand. He has to be on familiar ground, but allows the stranger to take him to somewhere unknown. I could have dealt with all of that though. What I couldn't deal with and this may not be an issue for most people, but the unprotected sex. Jem JUST met the guy that day (several hours before) and he's going to let this practical stranger have unprotected sex with him? Not cool.
I realize this is part of a series but I am not sure if I will continue on.
I didn't buy Jem's anxiety. He basically just let this stranger take him places with hardly any freak out. He doesn't like to be touched, but yet grabbed the stranger's hand. He has to be on familiar ground, but allows the stranger to take him to somewhere unknown. I could have dealt with all of that though. What I couldn't deal with and this may not be an issue for most people, but the unprotected sex. Jem JUST met the guy that day (several hours before) and he's going to let this practical stranger have unprotected sex with him? Not cool.
I realize this is part of a series but I am not sure if I will continue on.
January 23, 2017
2.5*
not one for me, didn't feel connected to the characters at all. I do enjoy short reads and I dont think the size was an issue, the story advanced and got to a closure OK.
I think I would have liked more, like book 0.5, just setting up Jem and Carlton. As it is a series of 7, I think reading all as 1 story will give best results.
not one for me, didn't feel connected to the characters at all. I do enjoy short reads and I dont think the size was an issue, the story advanced and got to a closure OK.
I think I would have liked more, like book 0.5, just setting up Jem and Carlton. As it is a series of 7, I think reading all as 1 story will give best results.
November 19, 2013
For someone who suffers from extreme anxiety and avoids unfamiliar people, places, and things that you let a perfect stranger sweep you off your feet, have dinner with them and then have sex, it is hard to believe. But then this is only a short story.
August 23, 2013
it was a very sweet book with some edification thrown in. it also deals with a mental illness / phobia. it was a short read but worth it.
September 7, 2013
3.5 stars
September 16, 2013
Intriguing enough to make me want to read the others in the series.
o-maybe-r
July 22, 2016Note to self: look for the complete story here: Jem & Carlton
owned-to-read
January 1, 2014*downloaded free on ARE
November 12, 2013
Got this for free and I would love to read the rest of the story, but $2.99 each? Think I'll pass. Maybe I'll pick up the bundle when I get my next ARE free ebook.
November 28, 2013
Very short, very sweet mm 1st date.
November 29, 2013
Very, very short read....the title says it all. But it wasn't what I thought it would be, very surprising! Very sexy. Well done IMHO, for such a short story. Good writing, good job!!
September 6, 2016
Sexy short and I would love to learn more about these two but find that much as I'd like to continue with the series I feel that $3 for only 15 pages would stretch my budget tooo far.
May 24, 2014
Meh. And not just because it's too short to get to know the characters AT ALL. Whiny-ass, pathetic Jem is just NOT my idea of a good time.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews