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All Corked Up #1
Syrah
All Corked Book One All Shawn Neale is looking for when he stumbles into All Corked Up on Christmas Eve is some wine recommendations. What he finds is an instant attraction to Royce Wilkinson, the shop’s owner. After a few weeks of flirting during shopping and some semi-dates at Royce’s wine tastings, they decide on a real date. It goes well, but life isn’t that simple. Shawn wants to buy Delicto, the local pub he manages. He’s been planning his life around this for years, but when the owner, who believes being gay is an illness, discovers Shawn went out with Royce, he gives Shawn an stop dating guys or he won’t get to buy Delicto. It’s a heartbreaking Can Royce and Shawn be happy with a secret relationship until Shawn buys Delicto or is Shawn going to have to choose between his dream job and his dream guy?
200 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 6, 2013
43 people want to read
About the author
Nessa L. Warin
11 books46 followersNessa L. Warin lives in southwestern Ohio with a cat who graciously allows her to pay all the bills and demands pampering on a regular basis. She enjoys wine tastings and travel, and can easily get lost in science fiction or fantasy stories. She's a true geek, enjoys costuming, and can be found dressed up at at least one Renaissance festival and fantasy convention each year. When she's not having fun, Nessa works in Corporate America coordinating the production and mailing of marketing materials and wishing she had more time to write.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
November 12, 2019
the beginning of the book is what captured me .It was so warm and sweet that made me feel happy inside.
Royce began All Corked Up with hi inheritance. Royce worked hard to make it. he had frequent wine tastings which was a huge success. he never had time for romance. His best friend Clint works in the shop.And guess what he likes him.
Enter Shawn who rushes into Royce's wine shop on Christmas eve for wine.Clint plays matchmaker for them along with his friend.
Shawn dreams to take up the challenge of running the restaurant he works in and dating Royce does not fit well into his plans .so the decide to secretly date.
Royce began All Corked Up with hi inheritance. Royce worked hard to make it. he had frequent wine tastings which was a huge success. he never had time for romance. His best friend Clint works in the shop.And guess what he likes him.
Enter Shawn who rushes into Royce's wine shop on Christmas eve for wine.Clint plays matchmaker for them along with his friend.
Shawn dreams to take up the challenge of running the restaurant he works in and dating Royce does not fit well into his plans .so the decide to secretly date.
August 5, 2013
I am pretty clueless when it comes to wine. I was a little apprehensive when I asked to review this book. It sounded like a sweet romance and I could wing it if I did not understand the wine terminology.
When I started the book, I immediately related to Shawn. I loved the way the author explained the wines, how the taste changes when you pair it with food, how we all have our favorites and that's OK. :-)
It did turn out to be a sweet romance but also touched issues that were serious and at times frustrating.
To read the full review please click the link below:
http://liveyourlifebuythebook.wordpre...
When I started the book, I immediately related to Shawn. I loved the way the author explained the wines, how the taste changes when you pair it with food, how we all have our favorites and that's OK. :-)
It did turn out to be a sweet romance but also touched issues that were serious and at times frustrating.
To read the full review please click the link below:
http://liveyourlifebuythebook.wordpre...
August 5, 2013
4 Stars
A "Live Your Life, Buy The Book" Review
Royce Wilkinson is contemplating closing his wine shop, All Corked Up, early. Most of the shops have already closed for the evening. There is an unusually heavy amount of snow falling, it is Christmas eve and he has had no customers in hours, then in walks Shawn Neale. Shawn has been given the task of bringing wine to the family dinner that evening. Shawn admits he enjoys wine but really does not know enough to make a decision on what to buy. There is a subtle but instant attraction between the men but Royce is a business man and decides he would rather keep Shawn coming back as a customer than possibly scare him away with flirting. Royce helps Shawn find the perfect wines and in the process Shawn is the one who initiates the flirting.
One week later Shawn decides to return to All Corked Up hoping to see Royce again but instead is greeted by an employee named Clint, who tells Shawn that Royce is unavailable but he can help him with whatever he needs. Clint seems intent on flirting with Shawn until Shawn mentions his name and Clint immediately realizes this is “The” Shawn that his boss and best friend Royce told him about. Clint abruptly leaves to go tell Royce there is someone there he will want to see. When Royce opens his door a streak of flying fur named Kirra dashes out and into the store. After some kitty hijinks, Royce helps Shawn select wine for the New Years Eve celebration Shawn’s family is having. Shawn continues to come into All Corked up and finally after some less than subtle encouragement from Clint, asks Royce out to dinner.
Things are going well until Shawn shows up to work the next day to find his boss, Henry, waiting for him outside the restaurant and pub, Delicto. It is usually a bad sign when Henry shows up early and this is no exception. Somehow Henry has found out that Shawn was on a date – with a man. Henry is eighty three years old and considers Shawn being gay a disease, one that can be cured if Shawn will just stay away from men and find the right woman. Shawn is the manager and plans to buy Delicto when Henry retires. Henry has said he would sell it to Shawn as long as his he did not “flaunt his unnatural activities”. Henry gives Shawn an ultimatum either quit dating men or he will not sell him the pub. Shawn has been saving for the down payment for years, this is his dream and he is conflicted as to what he should do.
Enter Shawn’s best friend, Anastasia, home from the Navy and wondering what has been happening with her best friend since he suddenly has not been behaving like himself. Stasia is just the person to help Shawn evaluate his life and options. Shawn not only has aspirations as a restaurant owner, he is also an artist. Although he is a talented artist who paints in the fantasy genre he doesn’t consider it a career alternative if the pub deal falls through. He wants painting to be something he loves to do, not a job. His artistic abilities are mentioned several times in the book but were not developed in the storyline; although I could see several instances where they could have come into play.
I loved Clint and Anastasia as the two meddling best friends of Royce and Shawn. They are entertaining and really cared about seeing their friends happy. At first I was upset that Shawn would even consider putting his life on hold because of Henry’s demands but I could see how much he had planned his life around the eventual owning of Delicto’s. Once Anastasia points out that Henry may never sell the pub to him anyway, Shawn realizes he may actually lose something more important, his chance at happiness.
All Corked up is a lovely story. I enjoyed the detailed descriptions of the wine and food pairings. I liked Royce and Shawn’s characters individually and as a couple. I thought the romance moved at a realistic pace and the fact that the characters were taking it slow was nice. These were two men that were at different points in their life but both wanting to achieve the same thing. Royce had achieved his goal with opening All Corked Up, Shawn was working toward his with his dream of buying Delicto. They are not young twenty somethings and there are serious considerations being made in the story about achieving ones long term goals. This does not overshadow the story at all but adds depth. I suspected where the story was leading but even so, I had fun getting there. This is the first book in the All Corked Up series and I enjoyed it very much. I am looking forward to the next book, maybe one about Clint?
A "Live Your Life, Buy The Book" Review
Royce Wilkinson is contemplating closing his wine shop, All Corked Up, early. Most of the shops have already closed for the evening. There is an unusually heavy amount of snow falling, it is Christmas eve and he has had no customers in hours, then in walks Shawn Neale. Shawn has been given the task of bringing wine to the family dinner that evening. Shawn admits he enjoys wine but really does not know enough to make a decision on what to buy. There is a subtle but instant attraction between the men but Royce is a business man and decides he would rather keep Shawn coming back as a customer than possibly scare him away with flirting. Royce helps Shawn find the perfect wines and in the process Shawn is the one who initiates the flirting.
One week later Shawn decides to return to All Corked Up hoping to see Royce again but instead is greeted by an employee named Clint, who tells Shawn that Royce is unavailable but he can help him with whatever he needs. Clint seems intent on flirting with Shawn until Shawn mentions his name and Clint immediately realizes this is “The” Shawn that his boss and best friend Royce told him about. Clint abruptly leaves to go tell Royce there is someone there he will want to see. When Royce opens his door a streak of flying fur named Kirra dashes out and into the store. After some kitty hijinks, Royce helps Shawn select wine for the New Years Eve celebration Shawn’s family is having. Shawn continues to come into All Corked up and finally after some less than subtle encouragement from Clint, asks Royce out to dinner.
Things are going well until Shawn shows up to work the next day to find his boss, Henry, waiting for him outside the restaurant and pub, Delicto. It is usually a bad sign when Henry shows up early and this is no exception. Somehow Henry has found out that Shawn was on a date – with a man. Henry is eighty three years old and considers Shawn being gay a disease, one that can be cured if Shawn will just stay away from men and find the right woman. Shawn is the manager and plans to buy Delicto when Henry retires. Henry has said he would sell it to Shawn as long as his he did not “flaunt his unnatural activities”. Henry gives Shawn an ultimatum either quit dating men or he will not sell him the pub. Shawn has been saving for the down payment for years, this is his dream and he is conflicted as to what he should do.
Enter Shawn’s best friend, Anastasia, home from the Navy and wondering what has been happening with her best friend since he suddenly has not been behaving like himself. Stasia is just the person to help Shawn evaluate his life and options. Shawn not only has aspirations as a restaurant owner, he is also an artist. Although he is a talented artist who paints in the fantasy genre he doesn’t consider it a career alternative if the pub deal falls through. He wants painting to be something he loves to do, not a job. His artistic abilities are mentioned several times in the book but were not developed in the storyline; although I could see several instances where they could have come into play.
I loved Clint and Anastasia as the two meddling best friends of Royce and Shawn. They are entertaining and really cared about seeing their friends happy. At first I was upset that Shawn would even consider putting his life on hold because of Henry’s demands but I could see how much he had planned his life around the eventual owning of Delicto’s. Once Anastasia points out that Henry may never sell the pub to him anyway, Shawn realizes he may actually lose something more important, his chance at happiness.
All Corked up is a lovely story. I enjoyed the detailed descriptions of the wine and food pairings. I liked Royce and Shawn’s characters individually and as a couple. I thought the romance moved at a realistic pace and the fact that the characters were taking it slow was nice. These were two men that were at different points in their life but both wanting to achieve the same thing. Royce had achieved his goal with opening All Corked Up, Shawn was working toward his with his dream of buying Delicto. They are not young twenty somethings and there are serious considerations being made in the story about achieving ones long term goals. This does not overshadow the story at all but adds depth. I suspected where the story was leading but even so, I had fun getting there. This is the first book in the All Corked Up series and I enjoyed it very much. I am looking forward to the next book, maybe one about Clint?
October 11, 2013
This story is a wonderful, warm story of two men, who are very different, falling in love.
Royce owns a wine shop, and he has built it from the ground up, thanks to money he inherited. Shawn is a chef who wants to own the restaurant where he works but, not only is he still missing the funds to do so, the owner is a homophobic man who orders Shawn to choose between buying the restaurant or dating a man. Tough call.
Here’s where it got interesting, where Royce and Shawn parted ways, where their paths diverged significantly. Royce tells Shawn to be true to himself and shift dreams if need be, but Shawn can’t do that, so for the sake of the restaurant he lets Royce go. This twist in the plot was not unforeseen, of course, but it gave so much depth to the characters. I loved it. Letting go of a long-time dream isn’t easy, and Shawn isn’t willing to do so. Not even for Royce.
This story has a lot of wonderful side characters: Clint, Royce’s cocky friend and colleague; Anastasia, Shawn’s best friend on leave from the Navy; Henry, Shawn’s boss, the bigoted old coot; and last but not least, Kirra, Royce’s energetic kitten. All of them are fully developed and offer great insight into the main heroes, and deepen the realism of the tale.
The writing is excellent, immersive, and the overall tone is sweet and romantic, but with enough dark realism to see that though GLBT rights have gone a long way, there’s still ways to go. The thing about Henry is that, yes, he is the product of his time, but that is no excuse. Get with the times, man. Hate is hate, no matter what the time. The plot cultivates the relationship between Royce and Shawn slowly, showing how they struggle to be themselves and yet compromise in order to be true to themselves while trying to forge a relationship with another.
I have nothing bad to say. This is a good contemporary love story that will pull at your heart strings and shows you how loving someone isn’t always so easy when you have responsibilities to yourself and your own dreams. But I do think Royce is right: Sometimes dreams change, because the person dreaming them changes. Recommended.
Royce owns a wine shop, and he has built it from the ground up, thanks to money he inherited. Shawn is a chef who wants to own the restaurant where he works but, not only is he still missing the funds to do so, the owner is a homophobic man who orders Shawn to choose between buying the restaurant or dating a man. Tough call.
Here’s where it got interesting, where Royce and Shawn parted ways, where their paths diverged significantly. Royce tells Shawn to be true to himself and shift dreams if need be, but Shawn can’t do that, so for the sake of the restaurant he lets Royce go. This twist in the plot was not unforeseen, of course, but it gave so much depth to the characters. I loved it. Letting go of a long-time dream isn’t easy, and Shawn isn’t willing to do so. Not even for Royce.
This story has a lot of wonderful side characters: Clint, Royce’s cocky friend and colleague; Anastasia, Shawn’s best friend on leave from the Navy; Henry, Shawn’s boss, the bigoted old coot; and last but not least, Kirra, Royce’s energetic kitten. All of them are fully developed and offer great insight into the main heroes, and deepen the realism of the tale.
The writing is excellent, immersive, and the overall tone is sweet and romantic, but with enough dark realism to see that though GLBT rights have gone a long way, there’s still ways to go. The thing about Henry is that, yes, he is the product of his time, but that is no excuse. Get with the times, man. Hate is hate, no matter what the time. The plot cultivates the relationship between Royce and Shawn slowly, showing how they struggle to be themselves and yet compromise in order to be true to themselves while trying to forge a relationship with another.
I have nothing bad to say. This is a good contemporary love story that will pull at your heart strings and shows you how loving someone isn’t always so easy when you have responsibilities to yourself and your own dreams. But I do think Royce is right: Sometimes dreams change, because the person dreaming them changes. Recommended.
December 1, 2016
I really didn't get into this story. Nothing felt right to me. I can't really pick one thing that made me rise my hackles. I just felt indifferent to the characters, the plot and I actually fell asleep reading this. I NEVER fall asleep reading!
September 14, 2013
2.5 stars
Syrah by Nessa L. Warin marks the first time I’ve had the opportunity to read work by this author. The writing itself was solid and I could see telltale signs that this was someone who had the potential to develop into a writer of note. However, this particular offering had some problems that could not be overlooked and,unfortunately, weakened the novel overall.
The story, itself, was interesting, Here were two men, obviously attracted to each other, both with varying degrees of hesitancy about revealing their desires too early. Interestingly the older of the two, Shawn, was the more reluctant, often feeling as though Royce was way out of his league and much more together and successful than he ever would be. Royce, on the other hand, was the more assertive but only to a point. He guarded his emotions, keeping them under wraps in order to not get hurt.
Consequently, this shyness around each other made the men seem much younger than they were at the ages of 40 and 33, respectively. Shawn’s age, being the older and less secure, could have made for an interesting dynamic, if it had been played up. However, it was their mature ages that threw the first monkey wrench into this story for me. Frankly, the way the two men thought, particularly Shawn, made me think they were both much younger, just starting out in business rather than fairly established. In fact, the way the inner dialogue played out in this novel, I really thought I might have been reading more of a YA novel.
And that led to the second issue that gave me pause. I felt a decided lack of sophisticated writing when it came to exposing the inner turmoil of both men. While I understood the author was trying to get across the point that both her characters lacked a certain self-assuredness, she was also asking us to believe that both were managers of either their own business or in a position to buy the business from its owner. Royce had made a successful venture in his wine shop, All Corked Up, starting it from the ground up and running it for eight years. Shawn had been manager of Delicto for several years and was within a year’s reach of financially being able to buy the business outright. Yet, these two fumbled about each other for three fourths of this novel, failing to really understand the dynamics of a relationship, while both having been in long standing relationships before.
The way in which they interacted with one another juxtaposed with their obvious business acumen and former love affairs did not mesh. Consequently, there was little spark–romance between the two. I often felt that the slow growth of desire for each other was stilted and unemotional. I kept finding myself wondering when this almost 40-year old Shawn was going to stand up to his aged pub owner, Henry, and tell him he had no right to monitor Shawn’s sex life. Coupled with Henry’s nearly ludicrous assertion that Shawn was “diseased and sick” and that a girl could cure him, I really had a difficult time believing this story line. I kept thinking that this was blatant workplace discrimination and that no one would stand for it. So why did Shawn?
This dynamic then led to the need for Shawn and Royce to hide their affair. Going on dates outside their living area so as to remain undetected. A point was made early on about someone turning Shawn in to Henry–otherwise how would this aging feeble man know about Shawn dating Royce at all? But much like the idea that Shawn was an artist in his private life, this little plot point was left untapped, leading me to wonder why it was given any attention to begin with early on in the story. And then there was the idea that Shawn was some sort of artist and obviously good enough for a friend of his to bring a commission for a piece of his artwork his way should he want to paint it. Again, other than a minor reference here and there and a rather awkward scene where both men were nude and discussing Shawn’s art, this point was also fairly glossed over. Yet, it was brought up again and again, with no resolution. I still can’t tell you whether or not he ever finished painting that piece for the friend’s buddy.
Finally the way in which most problems that arose in the story line were resolved seemed way too easy. For instance, after chapters and chapters of Shawn angsting over whether or not he could even consider giving up his dream of owning the pub, Delicto, the situation turned on a dime. Suddenly his best friend was telling him to man up and fight for himself and Royce and just as suddenly he decided his almost life-long dream was no longer important. While I silently cheered his final resolve to stand up for his rights to date whomever he desired, I felt his capitulation was too sudden and made without a real thought about the future–something he had been previously so worried about. Following that decision was Royce’s reluctance to be happy over Shawn’s finally fighting for them and their relationship. Instead, Royce was worried that Shawn would want to go back into hiding and poor Shawn was momentarily bewildered over Royce��s lack of joy at the huge step Shawn was about to take. I know how he felt–by this time, I was more than bewildered myself.
The overriding issues with Syrah stemmed from its disjointed feel, its rather shallow characters and its tendency to gloss over the idea that these men had real life issues that should have had them scrambling for purchase rather than seemingly taking a walk in the park together. I felt this story never really got going. I kept waiting for that spark, the passion, the fighting spirit to emerge with both characters. Indeed I waited so long that when it finally did appear near the end of the novel, the story itself had not been compelling enough for me to feel any real satisfaction in the neat way the whole thing tied up.
Syrah by Nessa L. Warin, had real potential. Unfortunately, it was a good idea that never really came to fruit. I do believe that this author has good stories to tell. I want to read more by her and get a feel for her writing style overall.
Syrah by Nessa L. Warin marks the first time I’ve had the opportunity to read work by this author. The writing itself was solid and I could see telltale signs that this was someone who had the potential to develop into a writer of note. However, this particular offering had some problems that could not be overlooked and,unfortunately, weakened the novel overall.
The story, itself, was interesting, Here were two men, obviously attracted to each other, both with varying degrees of hesitancy about revealing their desires too early. Interestingly the older of the two, Shawn, was the more reluctant, often feeling as though Royce was way out of his league and much more together and successful than he ever would be. Royce, on the other hand, was the more assertive but only to a point. He guarded his emotions, keeping them under wraps in order to not get hurt.
Consequently, this shyness around each other made the men seem much younger than they were at the ages of 40 and 33, respectively. Shawn’s age, being the older and less secure, could have made for an interesting dynamic, if it had been played up. However, it was their mature ages that threw the first monkey wrench into this story for me. Frankly, the way the two men thought, particularly Shawn, made me think they were both much younger, just starting out in business rather than fairly established. In fact, the way the inner dialogue played out in this novel, I really thought I might have been reading more of a YA novel.
And that led to the second issue that gave me pause. I felt a decided lack of sophisticated writing when it came to exposing the inner turmoil of both men. While I understood the author was trying to get across the point that both her characters lacked a certain self-assuredness, she was also asking us to believe that both were managers of either their own business or in a position to buy the business from its owner. Royce had made a successful venture in his wine shop, All Corked Up, starting it from the ground up and running it for eight years. Shawn had been manager of Delicto for several years and was within a year’s reach of financially being able to buy the business outright. Yet, these two fumbled about each other for three fourths of this novel, failing to really understand the dynamics of a relationship, while both having been in long standing relationships before.
The way in which they interacted with one another juxtaposed with their obvious business acumen and former love affairs did not mesh. Consequently, there was little spark–romance between the two. I often felt that the slow growth of desire for each other was stilted and unemotional. I kept finding myself wondering when this almost 40-year old Shawn was going to stand up to his aged pub owner, Henry, and tell him he had no right to monitor Shawn’s sex life. Coupled with Henry’s nearly ludicrous assertion that Shawn was “diseased and sick” and that a girl could cure him, I really had a difficult time believing this story line. I kept thinking that this was blatant workplace discrimination and that no one would stand for it. So why did Shawn?
This dynamic then led to the need for Shawn and Royce to hide their affair. Going on dates outside their living area so as to remain undetected. A point was made early on about someone turning Shawn in to Henry–otherwise how would this aging feeble man know about Shawn dating Royce at all? But much like the idea that Shawn was an artist in his private life, this little plot point was left untapped, leading me to wonder why it was given any attention to begin with early on in the story. And then there was the idea that Shawn was some sort of artist and obviously good enough for a friend of his to bring a commission for a piece of his artwork his way should he want to paint it. Again, other than a minor reference here and there and a rather awkward scene where both men were nude and discussing Shawn’s art, this point was also fairly glossed over. Yet, it was brought up again and again, with no resolution. I still can’t tell you whether or not he ever finished painting that piece for the friend’s buddy.
Finally the way in which most problems that arose in the story line were resolved seemed way too easy. For instance, after chapters and chapters of Shawn angsting over whether or not he could even consider giving up his dream of owning the pub, Delicto, the situation turned on a dime. Suddenly his best friend was telling him to man up and fight for himself and Royce and just as suddenly he decided his almost life-long dream was no longer important. While I silently cheered his final resolve to stand up for his rights to date whomever he desired, I felt his capitulation was too sudden and made without a real thought about the future–something he had been previously so worried about. Following that decision was Royce’s reluctance to be happy over Shawn’s finally fighting for them and their relationship. Instead, Royce was worried that Shawn would want to go back into hiding and poor Shawn was momentarily bewildered over Royce��s lack of joy at the huge step Shawn was about to take. I know how he felt–by this time, I was more than bewildered myself.
The overriding issues with Syrah stemmed from its disjointed feel, its rather shallow characters and its tendency to gloss over the idea that these men had real life issues that should have had them scrambling for purchase rather than seemingly taking a walk in the park together. I felt this story never really got going. I kept waiting for that spark, the passion, the fighting spirit to emerge with both characters. Indeed I waited so long that when it finally did appear near the end of the novel, the story itself had not been compelling enough for me to feel any real satisfaction in the neat way the whole thing tied up.
Syrah by Nessa L. Warin, had real potential. Unfortunately, it was a good idea that never really came to fruit. I do believe that this author has good stories to tell. I want to read more by her and get a feel for her writing style overall.
August 18, 2013
2 Hearts
Review written for MM Good Book Reviews
http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com/
As I start reading this book I feel warm and all excited. It has a very nice beginning what with Shawn showing up at Royce’s shop and wanting rec for wine as he’s clueless; all this on Christmas Eve and chemistry flaring up with flirtation hit the heat in a heartbeat…
All lead to a very good read until Henry (Shawn’s boss) came in view and we got to see the MC’s real character. I did NOT like Shawn at all. As in “what the hell just happened?” and “how did this read got screwed up like this?”.
Shawn has been working for years in a restaurant. He has been saving to buy that restaurant from his boss when he retires. His boss knows Shawn is gay and believes he’s sick, thus while he doesn’t fire him insists that Shawn should not “flaunt” his sickness and if he does so he will not sell the place to him… And of course buying the place has been Shawn’s dream so he lets a homophobic prick interfere with his personal life. Ok, I get it, having a prick for a boss is not easy, but Shawn - his behavior and personality – was so weird that I couldn’t like him at all. All good impression I had from the beginning of the book was immediately lost and never ecovered.
As for Royce he is yet another flat character that had no appeal to me whatsoever. He seemed a bit charming as the story started and I was eager to get to know him, but he failed to exhibit anything from that point on. Al least for me.
And the rest of the crew – yeah I mean Anastasia and Clint – good God, what on earth were they and where did they come from? I can’t even begin to imagine the horror of having such friends. Perhaps it’s because my own experiences are void of such meddling and awfully prying people, but I despised them both with a passion. Honey I love you and care for you, but for the love of everything sacred know your boundaries. I kept shuddering and cringing in horror every time those characters were mentioned.
Romance-wise this fell flat for me. Nothing, zero, zip! It was one of the most awkward things I’ve read on the romantic and erotic part. When the guys finally – finally – came together I was left feeling nothing. They simply didn’t take me with them. Perhaps it was because their first interaction happened in an alley, perhaps it was because it followed the scene when Shawn “stood up” to his boss and I kept thinking “is that how people stand up for themselves?” and constantly going back to that scene, recalling it even as I was reading the pair’s rutting. Bottom end they didn’t inspire any hot thoughts or emotions for me.
As a conclusion, while this book was not bad, it definitely didn’t do it for me.
Thommie
Review written for MM Good Book Reviews
http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com/
As I start reading this book I feel warm and all excited. It has a very nice beginning what with Shawn showing up at Royce’s shop and wanting rec for wine as he’s clueless; all this on Christmas Eve and chemistry flaring up with flirtation hit the heat in a heartbeat…
All lead to a very good read until Henry (Shawn’s boss) came in view and we got to see the MC’s real character. I did NOT like Shawn at all. As in “what the hell just happened?” and “how did this read got screwed up like this?”.
Shawn has been working for years in a restaurant. He has been saving to buy that restaurant from his boss when he retires. His boss knows Shawn is gay and believes he’s sick, thus while he doesn’t fire him insists that Shawn should not “flaunt” his sickness and if he does so he will not sell the place to him… And of course buying the place has been Shawn’s dream so he lets a homophobic prick interfere with his personal life. Ok, I get it, having a prick for a boss is not easy, but Shawn - his behavior and personality – was so weird that I couldn’t like him at all. All good impression I had from the beginning of the book was immediately lost and never ecovered.
As for Royce he is yet another flat character that had no appeal to me whatsoever. He seemed a bit charming as the story started and I was eager to get to know him, but he failed to exhibit anything from that point on. Al least for me.
And the rest of the crew – yeah I mean Anastasia and Clint – good God, what on earth were they and where did they come from? I can’t even begin to imagine the horror of having such friends. Perhaps it’s because my own experiences are void of such meddling and awfully prying people, but I despised them both with a passion. Honey I love you and care for you, but for the love of everything sacred know your boundaries. I kept shuddering and cringing in horror every time those characters were mentioned.
Romance-wise this fell flat for me. Nothing, zero, zip! It was one of the most awkward things I’ve read on the romantic and erotic part. When the guys finally – finally – came together I was left feeling nothing. They simply didn’t take me with them. Perhaps it was because their first interaction happened in an alley, perhaps it was because it followed the scene when Shawn “stood up” to his boss and I kept thinking “is that how people stand up for themselves?” and constantly going back to that scene, recalling it even as I was reading the pair’s rutting. Bottom end they didn’t inspire any hot thoughts or emotions for me.
As a conclusion, while this book was not bad, it definitely didn’t do it for me.
Thommie
October 19, 2013
When Shawn races into Royce's Portland wine shop on Christmas eve to grab a couple of bottles of wine for the family dinner, little does either one know that this bump on a snowy winter night will be the start of something big. At least it's the start of a gentle gay romance with only a few hiccups along the way.
Royce has started All Corked Up with money he inherited from his grandfather who used the term when he was ready to go home from a bar. Royce has worked hard to make the shop with its periodic wine tastings a success, so he's had little time for romance, instead making his employees his friends and nearly family. His best friend Clint who works in the shop wants much more for Royce.
So when Shawn comes in and Royce feels a spark between them, Clint's ready to play matchmaker, as is Shawn's best friend Anastasia, who must often leave Shawn alone when she ships out for her Navy job. Learning that Shawn is interested in Royce, however, she's ready to attend wine tastings with him.
Shawn's life dream is to buy Henry, the restaurant in which he works, from its 80-something owner when the man retires. He's been saving for the down payment and has gotten a verbal promise from Henry that the eatery will be Shawn's soon.
But when Henry learns that Shawn is dating a man, Henry confronts Shawn and says he can't sell to a man who flaunts his sinful sexuality because it will disgrace the restaurant and drive away the loyal customers. It's not that Henry didn't know Shawn was gay, but rather, it's that Henry doesn't want to look as if he condones it. Reluctantly Shawn decides to date Royce in secret in order to keep his dream alive.
Read the rest of my review at AAR (All About Romance): http://www.likesbooks.com/cgi-bin/boo...
Royce has started All Corked Up with money he inherited from his grandfather who used the term when he was ready to go home from a bar. Royce has worked hard to make the shop with its periodic wine tastings a success, so he's had little time for romance, instead making his employees his friends and nearly family. His best friend Clint who works in the shop wants much more for Royce.
So when Shawn comes in and Royce feels a spark between them, Clint's ready to play matchmaker, as is Shawn's best friend Anastasia, who must often leave Shawn alone when she ships out for her Navy job. Learning that Shawn is interested in Royce, however, she's ready to attend wine tastings with him.
Shawn's life dream is to buy Henry, the restaurant in which he works, from its 80-something owner when the man retires. He's been saving for the down payment and has gotten a verbal promise from Henry that the eatery will be Shawn's soon.
But when Henry learns that Shawn is dating a man, Henry confronts Shawn and says he can't sell to a man who flaunts his sinful sexuality because it will disgrace the restaurant and drive away the loyal customers. It's not that Henry didn't know Shawn was gay, but rather, it's that Henry doesn't want to look as if he condones it. Reluctantly Shawn decides to date Royce in secret in order to keep his dream alive.
Read the rest of my review at AAR (All About Romance): http://www.likesbooks.com/cgi-bin/boo...
January 2, 2014
To read my full review, please visit http://onsilverwingz.blogspot.com/201...
Shawn meets Royce at All Corked Up, a wine shop, and they have instant chemistry. They go out on a date but somehow, Shawn's homophobic boss finds out. His boss refuses to sell Shawn Delicto, a restaurant where Shawn works as a manager, unless he quits dating Royce. Royce has to make a decision between his dream of owning Delicto or his potential HEA with Royce.
I really dislike Shawn's character and how he succumb to his homophobic boss' demands to quit dating Royce. I can understand why he act the he way he did, but that doesn't make his character more likeable for me. It takes multiple people, multiple tries to get him to see reason and go after his happiness instead of his dream. The choice he has to make is hard for everybody but Shawn's salvation comes from his friends, not from deep within him.
I don't like how the problems with Shawn's job is so easily solved. The HEA ending is too perfect and simplistic that it's not worth the trouble these characters went through for the majority of the book to reach that conclusion.
I love the descriptions on the wines, wine tasting, and what wine goes with what food. That certainty adds to the charm of this book. The romance is okay even though I didn't like Shawn's character. Overall, this is a charming story about two men in a relationship at different points in their lives, both trying to achieve their dreams and finding the love of their lives.
Shawn meets Royce at All Corked Up, a wine shop, and they have instant chemistry. They go out on a date but somehow, Shawn's homophobic boss finds out. His boss refuses to sell Shawn Delicto, a restaurant where Shawn works as a manager, unless he quits dating Royce. Royce has to make a decision between his dream of owning Delicto or his potential HEA with Royce.
I really dislike Shawn's character and how he succumb to his homophobic boss' demands to quit dating Royce. I can understand why he act the he way he did, but that doesn't make his character more likeable for me. It takes multiple people, multiple tries to get him to see reason and go after his happiness instead of his dream. The choice he has to make is hard for everybody but Shawn's salvation comes from his friends, not from deep within him.
I don't like how the problems with Shawn's job is so easily solved. The HEA ending is too perfect and simplistic that it's not worth the trouble these characters went through for the majority of the book to reach that conclusion.
I love the descriptions on the wines, wine tasting, and what wine goes with what food. That certainty adds to the charm of this book. The romance is okay even though I didn't like Shawn's character. Overall, this is a charming story about two men in a relationship at different points in their lives, both trying to achieve their dreams and finding the love of their lives.
September 16, 2016
This book was a really hard one for me to get interested in. It took me almost the first 100 pages before I finally found myself liking what I was reading. There was just way too much getting to know you and build up to dating. I found the writing to be well done and it wasn’t a confusing read even with all the types of wine mentioned. I just usually tend to go for books that have some sort of suspense and this one just didn’t fit my personality.
I also found myself getting really annoyed with Shawn. He was too focused on one goal and unwilling to think about anything else. Life throws changes into your path all the time. Sometimes you have to be willing to change goals and not throw a fit.
I did like Royce though. He would be the kind of person I would find interesting to talk to. He just seemed like an all-around nice guy with a good sense of humor.
Overall, the book was slow to get going for me. It picked up about half way through and I enjoyed the end. I just wish it had peaked my interest earlier on.
I also found myself getting really annoyed with Shawn. He was too focused on one goal and unwilling to think about anything else. Life throws changes into your path all the time. Sometimes you have to be willing to change goals and not throw a fit.
I did like Royce though. He would be the kind of person I would find interesting to talk to. He just seemed like an all-around nice guy with a good sense of humor.
Overall, the book was slow to get going for me. It picked up about half way through and I enjoyed the end. I just wish it had peaked my interest earlier on.
November 23, 2014
A wine merchant in Portland gets a late customer on Christmas Eve and gives the friendly man, Shawn, sound advice on picking wines including Grenache and Syrah, which is another name for Shiraz. Shawn returns for bottles for a New Year's party. Royce is pleased to see him but doesn't know if Shawn would want to be chatted up even if he's gay. At a wine tasting event in the store however Shawn shows up again. Could the quiet merchant be about to get his New Year wish?
This is a story for the wider community as it deals with the business lives of the characters and there are many interesting and useful snips of information about tasting wines. Royce has adopted a calico kitten which appears a lot and keeps us amused. Shawn works for an elderly man with old-fashioned attitudes, who is tolerant of a gay man working in his firm but refuses to sell his business to someone who dates other men. While this is an adult romance story it will be enjoyed by a wide variety of people.
This is a story for the wider community as it deals with the business lives of the characters and there are many interesting and useful snips of information about tasting wines. Royce has adopted a calico kitten which appears a lot and keeps us amused. Shawn works for an elderly man with old-fashioned attitudes, who is tolerant of a gay man working in his firm but refuses to sell his business to someone who dates other men. While this is an adult romance story it will be enjoyed by a wide variety of people.
August 14, 2013
I am definitely not a wine expert, but the way the author explains the wines is interesting and doesn’t sound like a lecture. I found myself wanting to go to a wine tasting to experience what I was reading about. I liked Shawn and Royce and it was a joy to watch their relationship grow. Clint and Anastasia were wonderful secondary characters and I hope Clint gets his own story, he seems to be lonely and I would love to see him happy.
I would happily read more books from this author, this was my first experience with Nessa Warin’s books and I hope to have many more.
You can read the rest of Jackie's review at The Novel Approach
I would happily read more books from this author, this was my first experience with Nessa Warin’s books and I hope to have many more.
You can read the rest of Jackie's review at The Novel Approach
September 20, 2016
I really didn't enjoy this. It wasn't terrible, there was no big thing that made it not for me. I just don't get it. I don't understand why after two dates and angst galore they're suddenly dropping ILY bombs. I don't understand WHY they "love" each other. I don't understand why Royce would put up wtih Shawn's calling it quits and then APOLOGIZE TO HIM, when they'd had one date and ZERO investment in a relationship. It's so ridiculous. I don't understand why Shawn wasn't with Anastasia and why Royce wasn't with Curtis since we saw them spend more time with them than with each other. Just bleh.
July 10, 2016
I enjoyed the story, it was quite light but didn't quite grab me as I'd hoped. It is more about the development of the relationship between Royce and Shawn, rather than between the sheets action, so those needing hot and heavy be warned! I didn't feel I was missing anything but it being written this way.
However, whilst it did keep me engaged and it read and flowed well, it just didn't seem full bodied enough for me! I wanted a bit more umpf in the story, even the bigoted Henry didn't seem such a threat really.
However, whilst it did keep me engaged and it read and flowed well, it just didn't seem full bodied enough for me! I wanted a bit more umpf in the story, even the bigoted Henry didn't seem such a threat really.
October 23, 2013
I'm not usually a big fan of contemporaries but this story was sweet and well written. The characters were relatable and the situations they found themselves in we're realistic without being boring. It wasn't bogged down with tons of waffling inner monologue as so many of these stories often fall back on to create false tension. Royce and Shawn felt like actual gay men rather than 14 year old girls trapped in men's bodies. Definitely worth the read.
April 4, 2016
This started off pretty well. I was interested...up until Shawn's boss laid down the law.
It wasn't the boss that turned me off, it was Shawn's reaction. He was so cold.
After that, I never could warm up to Shawn again. I tried.
Normally when I stay up late to finish a book, it's because it is so good, I can't bring myself to go to sleep. This time, I stayed up late, so that I wouldn't have to finish it the next day...like I didn't want the feeling to carry over to the next day.
It wasn't the boss that turned me off, it was Shawn's reaction. He was so cold.
After that, I never could warm up to Shawn again. I tried.
Normally when I stay up late to finish a book, it's because it is so good, I can't bring myself to go to sleep. This time, I stayed up late, so that I wouldn't have to finish it the next day...like I didn't want the feeling to carry over to the next day.
August 19, 2013
2.5 stars. The secondary characters - including the cat - had more personality than the MCs. I've noticed this trait in some of Warin's other books too. It's great to find a book with a strong cast but I have to like the MCs as well and they were just too bland and boring and were definitely overshadowed by their best friends. And the cat.
August 9, 2013
This is a solid, well written romance between Royce, a successful wine shop’s owner and Shawn, who has a dream to buy the local pub Delicto, where he works as a Manager. The main getting together romance is pulling and enjoyable. I liked both MC's and their HEA, too.
August 9, 2013
The way Nessa L. Warin writes is not for me. At the beginning you are pulled in and its really interesting but then everything is turn upside down. Its get boring, passive and annoying.
September 7, 2016
A sweet enjoyable yet predictable plot. I really enjoyed Royce, his love of cats and wine, and I got a big kick out of his friend Clint.
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