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Zero, Ohio #1
Rumpling Riley
Riley Gold likes things neat. He appreciates order, organization. Sure, he wants to find love but he sticks to the kitchen, loving his life as a chef, where he can carefully measure, time, and control every situation.
Basil Culver grew up alone. An orphan, he got bounced from home to home and learned at a young age to keep people at a distance. Attachment meant eventual agony—when the person unfailingly abandoned him. Better to live every moment, allow for the chaos of the universe, and keep rolling.
When these opposites clash, sparks fly. Can Basil manage to rumple Riley’s carefully tucked sheets?
Basil Culver grew up alone. An orphan, he got bounced from home to home and learned at a young age to keep people at a distance. Attachment meant eventual agony—when the person unfailingly abandoned him. Better to live every moment, allow for the chaos of the universe, and keep rolling.
When these opposites clash, sparks fly. Can Basil manage to rumple Riley’s carefully tucked sheets?
59 pages, ebook
First published August 22, 2013
2 people are currently reading
64 people want to read
About the author
Virginia Nelson
79 books344 followersVirginia Nelson believed them when they said, “Write what you know.” Small town girl writing small town romance, her characters are as full of flaws, misunderstandings, and flat out mistakes as Virginia herself. When she’s not writing or plotting to take over the world, she likes to hang out with the greatest kids in history, play in the mud, drive far too fast, and scream at inanimate objects. Virginia likes knights in rusted and dinged up armor, heroes that snarl instead of croon, and heroines who can’t remember to say the right thing even with an author writing their dialogue. Her books are full of snark, sex, and random acts of ineptitude—not always in that order.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
September 1, 2013
Reviewed for Hearts On Fire Reviews
This is the story of two sort of damaged men who come together by accident. One is so fearful of being out of control that he is basically a prisoner of his phobias and the other so damaged from the foster care system that he keeps everyone at arm’s length and then pushes them even farther. The result is Riley basically communicates with no one and Basil has one off hook ups that now have resulted in impotence.
They meet at a cooking class that Riley is teaching (he’s a chef) and Basil is taking (in an effort to do things differently) . The two actually hit it off immediately as friends and take to seeing each other in a friendly way, having long talks on the phone, taking walks, generally getting to know each other.
I liked what was here but it felt rushed, especially Riley dealing with his OCD symptoms. The man is so obsessive that he can’t masturbate without first cleaning off his own dick with wet wipes (because dark, warm undies promote germs) yet his move from there to masturbating in his bed and having cum all over him was pretty painless. This is a time when a more fleshed out story would have made it more believeable.
There’s really very little angst for such a angsty couple. Their path is much more smooth than you’d think it would be with the issues they both have but they are both likeable and together will make a sweet couple. (Just ask Basile’s sister!)
This is the story of two sort of damaged men who come together by accident. One is so fearful of being out of control that he is basically a prisoner of his phobias and the other so damaged from the foster care system that he keeps everyone at arm’s length and then pushes them even farther. The result is Riley basically communicates with no one and Basil has one off hook ups that now have resulted in impotence.
They meet at a cooking class that Riley is teaching (he’s a chef) and Basil is taking (in an effort to do things differently) . The two actually hit it off immediately as friends and take to seeing each other in a friendly way, having long talks on the phone, taking walks, generally getting to know each other.
I liked what was here but it felt rushed, especially Riley dealing with his OCD symptoms. The man is so obsessive that he can’t masturbate without first cleaning off his own dick with wet wipes (because dark, warm undies promote germs) yet his move from there to masturbating in his bed and having cum all over him was pretty painless. This is a time when a more fleshed out story would have made it more believeable.
There’s really very little angst for such a angsty couple. Their path is much more smooth than you’d think it would be with the issues they both have but they are both likeable and together will make a sweet couple. (Just ask Basile’s sister!)
August 31, 2016
Opposites attract is a well-known principle, but the two opposites" in this story turn out to have one major similarity: the need to change their lives. Riley and Basil may come form opposite ends of the "neatness" spectrum , but they both feel they are missing out on life, both need to deal with some major issues, and both want some real change. It was fascinating to watch these two realize what was wrong and then attempt to fix I, only to realize they couldn't do it without the other. What I liked even more, incurable romantic that I am, was that they didn't want to do it on their own once they had met.
Riley is the proverbial neat freak. He hates disorder, needs to have everything in its place, and would never dream of just dropping his clothes on the floor before getting a shower. No, he'd neatly fold everything to go in the laundry hamper, maybe even straight into the washing machine. He also hates dirt and bacteria, and it's gotten to the pint where he has to sanitize himself before he masturbates. Ridiculous, right? Well, not to Riley. He wants a relationship but has no clue if anyone would even tolerate all his phobias so he can get past them.
Basil is an orphan who may have grown up as part of a family, but it was a different one too often for him to ever feel connected. Of course, he also feels unwanted, and decides to push men away before they can even think the word relationship. That way he can never be disappointed when yet another person rejects him. Stupid, isn’t it? Not to Basil. He has no idea how to get out of the situation and into a meaningful relationship. He desperately wants to, and with the help of a therapist he got just far enough in his self-realization to recognize that Riley may be the man for him.
As is usual for two opposites, when they do get together the results are explosive. These two men are magic in bed, and Riley made me laugh when he kept reporting that he wasn't 'feeling phobic' despite the fact Basil was touching him all over. Very cute! If you like reading about the unlikeliest of partners meeting and discovering how well they fir together, if you enjoy stories about slightly phobic men, and if you're looking for a fun read which will probably make you smile, then you are likely to enjoy this short story.
NOTE: This book was provided by Decadent Publishing for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Riley is the proverbial neat freak. He hates disorder, needs to have everything in its place, and would never dream of just dropping his clothes on the floor before getting a shower. No, he'd neatly fold everything to go in the laundry hamper, maybe even straight into the washing machine. He also hates dirt and bacteria, and it's gotten to the pint where he has to sanitize himself before he masturbates. Ridiculous, right? Well, not to Riley. He wants a relationship but has no clue if anyone would even tolerate all his phobias so he can get past them.
Basil is an orphan who may have grown up as part of a family, but it was a different one too often for him to ever feel connected. Of course, he also feels unwanted, and decides to push men away before they can even think the word relationship. That way he can never be disappointed when yet another person rejects him. Stupid, isn’t it? Not to Basil. He has no idea how to get out of the situation and into a meaningful relationship. He desperately wants to, and with the help of a therapist he got just far enough in his self-realization to recognize that Riley may be the man for him.
As is usual for two opposites, when they do get together the results are explosive. These two men are magic in bed, and Riley made me laugh when he kept reporting that he wasn't 'feeling phobic' despite the fact Basil was touching him all over. Very cute! If you like reading about the unlikeliest of partners meeting and discovering how well they fir together, if you enjoy stories about slightly phobic men, and if you're looking for a fun read which will probably make you smile, then you are likely to enjoy this short story.
NOTE: This book was provided by Decadent Publishing for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
September 10, 2013
My Quickie Review:
This is a new series set in the small town of Zero, Ohio. Overall, this first book was a pleasant read. I liked how Riley is struggling with OCD and knows that he has to overcome it to get what he wants most...a normal relationship. Basil wants the same thing and was written really well in how he dealt with giving Riley the space he needed with his phobia. I enjoyed both men's characters and their interactions.
It was a nice, quick little read and worth the $1 I spent on it. In the future, I'd like to see a bit more of the town since that's how the series has been built up, but this gave a decent taste of things to come.
This is a new series set in the small town of Zero, Ohio. Overall, this first book was a pleasant read. I liked how Riley is struggling with OCD and knows that he has to overcome it to get what he wants most...a normal relationship. Basil wants the same thing and was written really well in how he dealt with giving Riley the space he needed with his phobia. I enjoyed both men's characters and their interactions.
It was a nice, quick little read and worth the $1 I spent on it. In the future, I'd like to see a bit more of the town since that's how the series has been built up, but this gave a decent taste of things to come.
October 7, 2013
Original Blogspot: http://headouttheoven.blogspot.com/20...
I would call Rumpling Riley a book with a whole lot of potential. It came out okay by the end of the read, it was entertaining, there were the usual romance, drama, angst and a bit of mystery on the side. The word that comes to mind is "okay" meaning, yes, it was an okay read, but it could have gone further.
Take for example Riley's phobias. I had a bit of a hard time with this one. His type of phobia was described as something paralyzing so imagine my surprise when things went up to speed and boom! we get some bit of man on man loving which was at the center of the phobia's focus. This left me with a whole lot of questions that won't fit in this one page.
What about Basil's phobias or problems of the limp kind? How was he able to get over these? These types of problems are not something that can be dealt with speedily. Yes, there was the mention of therapy but it was too vague to make an impact. Again, many questions came up and no way to fit them in.
Finally, how on earth did they go from being friends to lovers to husbands at the turn of the page? This is where I am really having some trouble with. I had to check the publisher again on the number of pages just to make sure.
As I said before, this story had a lot of potential and am sorry to say the author missed out on it - and this is the big surprise really. I have seen and read some of this author's works and have enjoyed them. This came out rushed, too rushed and it could have been made better with an added chapter or two to round it out.
All things aside, now I am curious as to who is moving in next door. So I will keep track of this series and hope the next installments would be less rushed and a bit more complex than this one.
I would call Rumpling Riley a book with a whole lot of potential. It came out okay by the end of the read, it was entertaining, there were the usual romance, drama, angst and a bit of mystery on the side. The word that comes to mind is "okay" meaning, yes, it was an okay read, but it could have gone further.
Take for example Riley's phobias. I had a bit of a hard time with this one. His type of phobia was described as something paralyzing so imagine my surprise when things went up to speed and boom! we get some bit of man on man loving which was at the center of the phobia's focus. This left me with a whole lot of questions that won't fit in this one page.
What about Basil's phobias or problems of the limp kind? How was he able to get over these? These types of problems are not something that can be dealt with speedily. Yes, there was the mention of therapy but it was too vague to make an impact. Again, many questions came up and no way to fit them in.
Finally, how on earth did they go from being friends to lovers to husbands at the turn of the page? This is where I am really having some trouble with. I had to check the publisher again on the number of pages just to make sure.
As I said before, this story had a lot of potential and am sorry to say the author missed out on it - and this is the big surprise really. I have seen and read some of this author's works and have enjoyed them. This came out rushed, too rushed and it could have been made better with an added chapter or two to round it out.
All things aside, now I am curious as to who is moving in next door. So I will keep track of this series and hope the next installments would be less rushed and a bit more complex than this one.
September 29, 2013
Riley is tired of his OCD taking over his life, but he doesn't see any other way to deal with it, until he finds motivation in the form of Basil.
Basil avoids forming attachment with his hook-ups to the point that every encounter has left him empty and impotent. He knows he wants to find something more but doesn't know how to go about it. But then he meets Riley and he wants so much to have a successful relationship with him that he decides to follow his therapist's advice and take it slow.
I really enjoyed this story, but I can't help but feel that it felt rushed. I would have appreciated a little more fact-to-face interaction and seeing the both Riley and Basil deal with their issues. I think it would have gone a long way in making this a more enjoyable read for me.
Virginia Nelson did a great job in bringing these character's need for something more to the page, but it would have been great to see how their connection grew over time, instead of over a few pages.
I liked Basil and adored Riley. I think they made a great pair although their insta-love was a bit on the unbelievable side.
All in all, Rumpling Riley was a sweet, angst-free story about two men overcoming their issues and finding each other along the way.
I received this title from the publisher through Manic Reader in exchange of my honest opinion.
Basil avoids forming attachment with his hook-ups to the point that every encounter has left him empty and impotent. He knows he wants to find something more but doesn't know how to go about it. But then he meets Riley and he wants so much to have a successful relationship with him that he decides to follow his therapist's advice and take it slow.
I really enjoyed this story, but I can't help but feel that it felt rushed. I would have appreciated a little more fact-to-face interaction and seeing the both Riley and Basil deal with their issues. I think it would have gone a long way in making this a more enjoyable read for me.
Virginia Nelson did a great job in bringing these character's need for something more to the page, but it would have been great to see how their connection grew over time, instead of over a few pages.
I liked Basil and adored Riley. I think they made a great pair although their insta-love was a bit on the unbelievable side.
All in all, Rumpling Riley was a sweet, angst-free story about two men overcoming their issues and finding each other along the way.
I received this title from the publisher through Manic Reader in exchange of my honest opinion.
December 12, 2013
Rumpling Riley is a great new M/M from Virginia Nelson with some fun and unique elements. A sexy romance, filled with heroes with quirks that learn to overcome their quirks for each other, throw in a bit of a foodie romance vibe and I was instantly hooked.
Riley Gold is a man who loves control and I could definitely understand where his issues would be a barrier to a relationship but Basil Culver easily overcomes those barriers with an amazing ease.
I adored Basil, mostly because of the way he instantly fell for and cared for Riley all while battling his own issues. Ms. Nelson does an amazing job blending these two men into a seamless relationship. She writes a quick hot read that I will gladly read again and shout about to all of my friends.
I received a book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated for my review.
Riley Gold is a man who loves control and I could definitely understand where his issues would be a barrier to a relationship but Basil Culver easily overcomes those barriers with an amazing ease.
I adored Basil, mostly because of the way he instantly fell for and cared for Riley all while battling his own issues. Ms. Nelson does an amazing job blending these two men into a seamless relationship. She writes a quick hot read that I will gladly read again and shout about to all of my friends.
I received a book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated for my review.
September 10, 2013
Read on 9-9-13
Sorry :( This one just didn't work for me. Felt like it was very choppy. Hard to tell who was speaking. POV's constantly changing. I thought there were mess ups with names at certain points--had to reread a lot several times.
Good concept, just didn't work for me :(
Sorry :( This one just didn't work for me. Felt like it was very choppy. Hard to tell who was speaking. POV's constantly changing. I thought there were mess ups with names at certain points--had to reread a lot several times.
Good concept, just didn't work for me :(
October 17, 2013
this had so much potential to be better than it was. It felt rushed and choppy. Shame really cos the blurb made it sound great. Also, the names seemed mixed up in places which made it confusing.
December 3, 2013
I wanted so much more from this, the potential was there and I was expecting great things but it never happened. Heartbreakingly disappointing. Bummer.
September 3, 2013
2.5 stars.
April 12, 2017
m/m
Riley Gold is so phobic he can’t even self-pleasure without antiseptic wipes. Basil Culver is a man whore who dips it in a different well every night. Till he can’t. Both these guys need to let go and learn to love themselves. Which over the course of the book they start to do with the help of therapy. They also find and start to love each other.
The story was great. The flow was a bit herky jerky and not a smooth as I am used to from this author but still a fun story.
Riley Gold is so phobic he can’t even self-pleasure without antiseptic wipes. Basil Culver is a man whore who dips it in a different well every night. Till he can’t. Both these guys need to let go and learn to love themselves. Which over the course of the book they start to do with the help of therapy. They also find and start to love each other.
The story was great. The flow was a bit herky jerky and not a smooth as I am used to from this author but still a fun story.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews