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Wide Awake #1
Wide Awake
27 year old Tyler Marcus has always done the right thing. He's intelligent, quiet, made good grades and went on to become a celebrated civil rights attorney. But the one thing he has always wanted was the one man he should not.
Mark Riley realized at 33 that his life was not what it should have been. He'd been in a marriage of responsibility, raising his son that was a teenage mistake, taken the job his father had pushed on him on the police force and had been miserably drifting along, until one night his teenage son's friend was visiting from college and woke him from his miserable slumber. Tyler Marcus changed Mark's life with a simple act of kindness and with one chance meeting 5 years later may also end up giving him the world.
**This is the 2nd Edition and has been fully re-edited and the content extended**
Mark Riley realized at 33 that his life was not what it should have been. He'd been in a marriage of responsibility, raising his son that was a teenage mistake, taken the job his father had pushed on him on the police force and had been miserably drifting along, until one night his teenage son's friend was visiting from college and woke him from his miserable slumber. Tyler Marcus changed Mark's life with a simple act of kindness and with one chance meeting 5 years later may also end up giving him the world.
**This is the 2nd Edition and has been fully re-edited and the content extended**
160 pages, ebook
First published January 24, 2013
30 people are currently reading
431 people want to read
About the author
Kade Boehme
37 books1,045 followersKade Boehme is the epitome of dorkdom, only watching TV when Rachel Maddow or one of his sports teams is on. Most of his free time is spent dancing, arguing politics or with his nose in a book. He is also a hardcore Britney Spears fangirl and has an addiction to glitter.
It was after writing a short story about boys who loved each other for a less than reputable adult website that he found his true calling, and hopefully a bit more class. He hopes to write about all the romance that he personally finds himself allergic to but that others can fall in love with. He maintains that life is real and the stories should be, as well.
It was after writing a short story about boys who loved each other for a less than reputable adult website that he found his true calling, and hopefully a bit more class. He hopes to write about all the romance that he personally finds himself allergic to but that others can fall in love with. He maintains that life is real and the stories should be, as well.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews
June 11, 2013
My second read by Kade and, I have to say, I preferred On the Dock more. I know Kade has the potential for greatness but this one didn't quite hit the mark for me.
One of my main issues, as others have mentioned, was the lack of proper editing. It really did make this book seem amateurish, which is too bad because the storyline had a lot of potential. Little things like repeating the same adjective too many times in a row (a pet peeve of mine) and grammar mistakes really took me out of the story. I'm no editor (my reviews are rife with typos and the like!) but even I could spot lots of errors.
The other thing that I didn't love was the "movie of the week" vibe from the story. How was it that whenever Tyler and Mark were doing something incriminating, someone that they cared about just happened to be watching? And . Also, for a prominent and successful attorney, Tyler sure says things out loud a lot that he means to say in his head! That wouldn't be a great trait for a lawyer to have!
While it could have been better, I think that the basic storyline was very sweet and I liked the ideas behind it. I just think that the execution could have used a bit more finesse.
One of my main issues, as others have mentioned, was the lack of proper editing. It really did make this book seem amateurish, which is too bad because the storyline had a lot of potential. Little things like repeating the same adjective too many times in a row (a pet peeve of mine) and grammar mistakes really took me out of the story. I'm no editor (my reviews are rife with typos and the like!) but even I could spot lots of errors.
The other thing that I didn't love was the "movie of the week" vibe from the story. How was it that whenever Tyler and Mark were doing something incriminating, someone that they cared about just happened to be watching? And . Also, for a prominent and successful attorney, Tyler sure says things out loud a lot that he means to say in his head! That wouldn't be a great trait for a lawyer to have!
While it could have been better, I think that the basic storyline was very sweet and I liked the ideas behind it. I just think that the execution could have used a bit more finesse.
February 5, 2015
**First I want to note that this review is for the 2nd Edition that has been fully re-edited and the content extended**
This was such a sweet story. This story contained one of my favorite tropes: May/December romance. Add to that a forbidden factor and bingo I was sold.
What I loved:
*I loved Tyler and Mark, the main characters. I think their feelings for each other clearly came across and I was rooting for things to work out between. Though I admit there were a couple instances I wanted to tell Mark-
*Loved the build to their relationship. I like that they took things slow and didn't rush it.
*Great secondary characters- even the ones I wanted to throttle.
*It was emotionally satisfying. I laughed, I got angry, I cried. Love stories that make me emotional.
Overall, I think this is a goodie. Although somewhat predictable, I couldn't help but fall in love with the story and it's characters. This is a 4.5 Star read for me.
January 29, 2013
*3.5* contains what may be thought of as spoilers
After reading On the deck, which was an emotional gut puncher ( I sobbed like a baby ) I was really looking forward to reading this . Good premise, not a bad length and well priced and for the most part I enjoyed it but there where odd times when I found myself phasing out a bit, then something emotional would happen and I'd get pulled back in. So it was a bit of an up and down read for me. The story has a slightly predictable ' film of the week' feel about it - secretive and slightly inappropriate love affair involving younger guy and his BFF's father, leads to family/ friend upset, then comes the requisite 'shock' that unites everybody, leading to the emotional reuniting of the main couple and satisfying HEA! I thought some of the best scenes were when he had his characters confronting each other, the anger and betrayal was palpable at times and very well portrayed.
The angst is there but as each conflict occurs it seems to get resolved fairly quickly and cleanly - that's probably due to the shortness of the book, if it had been more novel length I think he could have stretched out the conflicts and made the situations more gripping which would involve the reader and their emotions more.
Overall I liked the story and the romance and I reckon Kade will be putting out some really good stuff but of his two up to now, On The Deck is the one that will stay with me longer! :)
After reading On the deck, which was an emotional gut puncher ( I sobbed like a baby ) I was really looking forward to reading this . Good premise, not a bad length and well priced and for the most part I enjoyed it but there where odd times when I found myself phasing out a bit, then something emotional would happen and I'd get pulled back in. So it was a bit of an up and down read for me. The story has a slightly predictable ' film of the week' feel about it - secretive and slightly inappropriate love affair involving younger guy and his BFF's father, leads to family/ friend upset, then comes the requisite 'shock' that unites everybody, leading to the emotional reuniting of the main couple and satisfying HEA! I thought some of the best scenes were when he had his characters confronting each other, the anger and betrayal was palpable at times and very well portrayed.
The angst is there but as each conflict occurs it seems to get resolved fairly quickly and cleanly - that's probably due to the shortness of the book, if it had been more novel length I think he could have stretched out the conflicts and made the situations more gripping which would involve the reader and their emotions more.
Overall I liked the story and the romance and I reckon Kade will be putting out some really good stuff but of his two up to now, On The Deck is the one that will stay with me longer! :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 5, 2015
3.5 stars. My second Kade Boehme story, and the 2nd one I've liked, but...
There were lots of errors in this book, spelling, grammar, punctuation. I'd volunteer to beta read for you Kade any day, at no extra cost
!!
The story was a nice one, and one which has been covered by other reviews, so I won't go into to it here, but I have to say that I was absolutely gobsmacked
by 'On the Dock' and so am probably a little biased, but I did prefer that to this.
There were lots of errors in this book, spelling, grammar, punctuation. I'd volunteer to beta read for you Kade any day, at no extra cost
!!The story was a nice one, and one which has been covered by other reviews, so I won't go into to it here, but I have to say that I was absolutely gobsmacked
by 'On the Dock' and so am probably a little biased, but I did prefer that to this.
February 16, 2013
I enjoyed this read and it was an interesting idea if not maybe a little predictable. I liked the idea of giving the two MCs alternating chapters so we get a balanced view of both sides. This is the second book from Kade and although I found his first short story On The Docks packed more of a punch than this story, I believe there is potential here in the making. The only thing that really bothered me slightly was the math with the ages, didn't always add up. There were also a number of spelling, grammar and syntax errors which a thorough proof reading or editing should have avoided.
After all is said and done, I really enjoyed the read and will definitely be reading more stories from Kade in the future.
After all is said and done, I really enjoyed the read and will definitely be reading more stories from Kade in the future.
May 31, 2016
What a sweet love story. My heart was breaking for both Mark and Tyler. I wanted, no needed, them both to have a happy ending.
While I may not agree with the way Mark ended his marriage, I can understand it. I can't imagine how hard it would be to pretend to be someone you're not. I have a couple of friends who also married women and had children when all they wanted was to be themselves, gay. Most of the time, like Mark, they were just going through the motions, not truly living.
I have to say, I wanted to throat punch Tyler's mom. If she had just taken the time to calmly sit and talk to her son, she would have seen the man he truly is. I was glad to see Jackie come around as well as Andy.
Overall, it was a pretty decent read. 3.5 Stars.
While I may not agree with the way Mark ended his marriage, I can understand it. I can't imagine how hard it would be to pretend to be someone you're not. I have a couple of friends who also married women and had children when all they wanted was to be themselves, gay. Most of the time, like Mark, they were just going through the motions, not truly living.
I have to say, I wanted to throat punch Tyler's mom. If she had just taken the time to calmly sit and talk to her son, she would have seen the man he truly is. I was glad to see Jackie come around as well as Andy.
Overall, it was a pretty decent read. 3.5 Stars.
January 3, 2017
This book is not without flaws, but I enjoyed the hell out of it.
I feel that this is Kade's area of expertise somehow; mature men that reach self-acceptance after trying -and failing- to live someone else's life.
Add the "my best friend's dad" trope, the dual POV and the delicious angst towards the end, and there you have it. The ending might be a little abrupt, but very real nonetheless.
I'll definitely be reading the second book in the series.
I feel that this is Kade's area of expertise somehow; mature men that reach self-acceptance after trying -and failing- to live someone else's life.
Add the "my best friend's dad" trope, the dual POV and the delicious angst towards the end, and there you have it. The ending might be a little abrupt, but very real nonetheless.
I'll definitely be reading the second book in the series.
February 2, 2013
I absolutely loved Wide Awake!
A novella/short usually leaves me wanting more and it was true here as well. Will there be a sequel?
I was laughing, crying, had a few OMG moments, and did I say crying. I love Tyler a lot but Mark was/is my favorite MC. I could really feel for what he went through and how he got where he is. I just want to hug the guy.
Tyler has a strength that even he doesn't know he has. The supporting characters were great, especially Alicia and Keri. The mom’s (and ex) well they acted typically and annoyed me. Andy, I would have liked to have seen more from him.
All in all a really great story. I will definitely be on the look out for more from Kade Boehme.
A novella/short usually leaves me wanting more and it was true here as well. Will there be a sequel?
I was laughing, crying, had a few OMG moments, and did I say crying. I love Tyler a lot but Mark was/is my favorite MC. I could really feel for what he went through and how he got where he is. I just want to hug the guy.
Tyler has a strength that even he doesn't know he has. The supporting characters were great, especially Alicia and Keri. The mom’s (and ex) well they acted typically and annoyed me. Andy, I would have liked to have seen more from him.
All in all a really great story. I will definitely be on the look out for more from Kade Boehme.
February 8, 2013
Wide Awake is a beautiful love story with really great MC’s, I love Mark and Tyler, especially Tyler, surprisingly it has a couple of women I actually liked but of course there are a couple I didn’t. I had concerns about Mark and Tyler’s relationship, I’m not a fan of story lines that have a father having a relationship with his son’s best friend. Kade handled this topic with sensitivity and maturity explaining the non-relationship Mark has with Tyler in his teen years, Tyler being 4 years older than Andy and Mark having Andy when he was 16 it makes it impossible to look at this as a relationship that shouldn’t happen. It may be weird but it worked for me.
There is some angst, things that made me cry, a couple of women I could just throttle a mother I didn’t expect to react the way she does when she finds out what her son has been up to and an ex that goes crazy which is understandable but does something that infuriates me. There is a sister and a co-worker that are great the kind of women anyone would love to call a friend.
Wide Awake is quick and easy, something that’s great to read after an emotionally draining story, now I just need more I need to find out what happens with Andy.
Editing was a problem with this book but in no way did it ruin the story for me at $7.99 I would have been screaming but for .99 it’s easy for me to over look.
Love this story!
May 27, 2016
3.75 stars. This was a decent m/m read. I actually really liked both MCs. Their ages weren't realistic with how the story was told. Just needed someone to do the math right. Other than that though they were really sweet and you could feel their love.
February 3, 2013
First of all- cheers to Kade as he puts himself out there in his writing. yay!
So....I struggle with this one. Wide Awake is an Interesting story of a young lawyer and his new (or older, unrequited love interest. Unfortunately his new romance is with Mark, the father of his best friend. Mark is a gay man who accidentally got a woman pregnant at the age of 16. Practically forced into a marriage And a career he didn't want, Mark is a responsible man who could not see to leave his marriage until a chance discussion showed him it was time to look time to Live his own life. As you may imagine the romance is hindered by the opinions and reactions of both main characters families (With some dramatic stuff thrown in there for kicks). I found the story to be from the heart, Interesting and endearing.
That being said I sometimes struggled reading the story and almost gave up at times. While I went into it knowing that this was published independently, and I purchased it at a low price, The lack of quality Editing sometimes made it difficult to read. I fully understood that I would likely run into some of these issues, but the casual language and sentence structure often resulted in confusion and required me to read paragraphs again. Still, there was an honest story at the heart of it and I look forward to reading more from this author. Hopefully the writing tightens up and or the author is able to obtain a quality editor or beta reader.
If your a stickler for grammar though, I'd probably wait for the next story from this author....
So....I struggle with this one. Wide Awake is an Interesting story of a young lawyer and his new (or older, unrequited love interest. Unfortunately his new romance is with Mark, the father of his best friend. Mark is a gay man who accidentally got a woman pregnant at the age of 16. Practically forced into a marriage And a career he didn't want, Mark is a responsible man who could not see to leave his marriage until a chance discussion showed him it was time to look time to Live his own life. As you may imagine the romance is hindered by the opinions and reactions of both main characters families (With some dramatic stuff thrown in there for kicks). I found the story to be from the heart, Interesting and endearing.
That being said I sometimes struggled reading the story and almost gave up at times. While I went into it knowing that this was published independently, and I purchased it at a low price, The lack of quality Editing sometimes made it difficult to read. I fully understood that I would likely run into some of these issues, but the casual language and sentence structure often resulted in confusion and required me to read paragraphs again. Still, there was an honest story at the heart of it and I look forward to reading more from this author. Hopefully the writing tightens up and or the author is able to obtain a quality editor or beta reader.
If your a stickler for grammar though, I'd probably wait for the next story from this author....
February 14, 2013
Such a wonderful story. I loved both Mark and Tyler and really didn't feel the age difference too much with them and I didn't find that he was Andy's best friend a problem. I felt so bad for Mark for hiding for so long and then pretty much being dumped on by everyone even though he sacrificed so much for them. This was not a complex story, pretty simple plot with just the right amount of angst for me. Tyler's mother was just a huge annoyance for me and I could have done without her, he is an adult, not a child. I would love a follow up to this couple because I want to see what the outcome with Andy will finally be.
March 7, 2013
Sooo much potential - good story idea....and unfortunately not really well executed. I would have given it probably 3,5 stars - I'm not sure because the really bad writing - wrong tenses, grammer errors, strange sentence structures - distracted a lot. I have to assume it is self-pubbed and the auther didn't invest in editor and proofreader (if he did...he should ask for his money back). Sentences like: "I reached under the bed and pulled up and condom and lube." didn't make sense for me. The use of Past Tense instead of Past Perfect in recollections of what had happened the night before made it difficult to differentiate between actual action and memory. And why there had been sentences in Present Tense in between is still a mystery to me.
What annoyed me even more was that the timelines didn't fit. For example: 21 plus 5 equals 26, not 27. And at Tyler's 21st birthday Andy is supposed to be 17. Three years after that Mark left the force, a year later his wife...which would make Andy 21 at this point. But Mark refers to a 20 year marriage...despite they had married before Andy was born, so there marriage probably was even closer to 22 years. Sorry, something like that irritates and distracts me.
So - now I have ranted enough. I liked the idea though and partially it was sweet and even emotionally good. And well, it was cheap...and a nice story. As said before, I would have given it 3,5 stars for the story but sorry, the other things just don't make it happen.
What annoyed me even more was that the timelines didn't fit. For example: 21 plus 5 equals 26, not 27. And at Tyler's 21st birthday Andy is supposed to be 17. Three years after that Mark left the force, a year later his wife...which would make Andy 21 at this point. But Mark refers to a 20 year marriage...despite they had married before Andy was born, so there marriage probably was even closer to 22 years. Sorry, something like that irritates and distracts me.
So - now I have ranted enough. I liked the idea though and partially it was sweet and even emotionally good. And well, it was cheap...and a nice story. As said before, I would have given it 3,5 stars for the story but sorry, the other things just don't make it happen.
February 10, 2013
I Love this book. Sweet,sexy, romantic, sad and a little angsty, but totally awesome. I did notice the grammar after so many people went on and on in reviews about how bad it was and how that ruined this lovely book for them! Well, I'm not a grammar Nazi... give the author a break. After all it was a well-told mm story! I will be reading more from this author!
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January 24, 2023This is the story of Tyler, a young lawyer, and Mark, father of his best friend. Although only 11 years separate them and they are both grown men, their relationship is not supported by their families.
Told in alternating POVs, this story explains the reasons Mark, a gay man, became trapped in an unwanted marriage, his meeting Tyler again after many years and the relationship they build together. His relationship with Tyler (who is 27 years old) begins after his divorce and is one based on love and when the relationship is exposed, Tyler is willing to stand by his man.
"You won't do this alone. I will not deny you, dumbass. I fucking love you. I will be here for you and that's that."
There is an emotional element to this book but the first half was stronger. After a particular event, , the pace of the story changes. Tyler loses the assertiveness he showed in the beginning of the book and Mark seems to make decisions about what is best for the relationship that are not thought out properly. These changes in character may be as a result of the events happening but seem in direct contrast to the strong, supportive men established earlier in the book.
I have read comments from other readers regarding the grammar and spelling in this book. Yes there are some issues but they don't detract too badly from the story.
Told in alternating POVs, this story explains the reasons Mark, a gay man, became trapped in an unwanted marriage, his meeting Tyler again after many years and the relationship they build together. His relationship with Tyler (who is 27 years old) begins after his divorce and is one based on love and when the relationship is exposed, Tyler is willing to stand by his man.
"You won't do this alone. I will not deny you, dumbass. I fucking love you. I will be here for you and that's that."
There is an emotional element to this book but the first half was stronger. After a particular event, , the pace of the story changes. Tyler loses the assertiveness he showed in the beginning of the book and Mark seems to make decisions about what is best for the relationship that are not thought out properly. These changes in character may be as a result of the events happening but seem in direct contrast to the strong, supportive men established earlier in the book.
I have read comments from other readers regarding the grammar and spelling in this book. Yes there are some issues but they don't detract too badly from the story.
November 29, 2014
I seldom DNF books but I just couldn’t read further than 14% (one chapter) in this one.
The grammatical errors, syntax issues, time hopping, and awkward dialogue just made it wearisome. The serious editing issues in this didn’t help the lackluster voice, either.
Ok, here’s an example:
”It’s very hard to bite your tongue when you want to defend someone, but I always did since I didn’t know anything other than I’d seen a need to fly in those eyes that one night when I fell head over heels for my best friend’s fucking father. Ugh.”
Ugh is right.
I see that this book is well-liked, so I'm calling the 'it must be me' card. I just wasn't having any fun.
(I liked the author's short story On The Dock. That one worked much better for me.)
March 16, 2013
'You took my life and shined this huge light through the fog. I felt like I was asleep, floating, with no clue what was going on. Then there you were. You came out of fucking nowhere. It's like, thanks to you I'm wide awake and I'm finally ready for life. I'm definitely ready for life with you.'
Congratulations Kade Boehme, I am now a sobbing wreck. Mark and Tyler, I swoon over your adorableness, I wanna be your hag.
This novella is absolutely beautiful, breath taking even. The relationship between Mark and Tyler, and all the chaos and drama that it causes, is amazing. Nothing quite like banging your son's best friend for a little family rift, eh Mark? I'm amazed how emotionally invested I became in the characters, it's no mean feat endearing a reader to your characters in about four pages. Yes there are errors, but more often than not I'm finding myself saying 'so what?!' - powerful, emotive story lines and wonderful characters will always matter more to me than correct grammar, and Boehme totally slayed me with these guys.
I'm a reluctant hopeless romantic and this story had my heart and head going back, forth, up, down and around in circles, everything about it felt so very real, so in the moment that I felt like I experienced everything alongside Mark and Tyler, and let me tell you, it was one hell of a ride; my blood ran cold when Tyler was shot and I couldn't read fast enough to find out if he was going to be okay. I championed their relationship from the beginning and I don't even know what kind of shit storm my mind would have descended into if they hadn't gotten back on track in the end. Love is love, people are people, and if you do so happen to fall in love with your son's best friend, well, that's just the way life goes sometimes.
Even with some shudder inducing cliches and errors this is hands down one of the best M/M romance's I've read (and I read fanfiction, so you know, high standards) and that's what I love about the internet, inexpensive ebooks and, sometimes, self publishing - occasionally you will find something that really speaks to you and makes you feel a little bit better about the often crappy world we live in.
Congratulations Kade Boehme, I am now a sobbing wreck. Mark and Tyler, I swoon over your adorableness, I wanna be your hag.
This novella is absolutely beautiful, breath taking even. The relationship between Mark and Tyler, and all the chaos and drama that it causes, is amazing. Nothing quite like banging your son's best friend for a little family rift, eh Mark? I'm amazed how emotionally invested I became in the characters, it's no mean feat endearing a reader to your characters in about four pages. Yes there are errors, but more often than not I'm finding myself saying 'so what?!' - powerful, emotive story lines and wonderful characters will always matter more to me than correct grammar, and Boehme totally slayed me with these guys.
I'm a reluctant hopeless romantic and this story had my heart and head going back, forth, up, down and around in circles, everything about it felt so very real, so in the moment that I felt like I experienced everything alongside Mark and Tyler, and let me tell you, it was one hell of a ride; my blood ran cold when Tyler was shot and I couldn't read fast enough to find out if he was going to be okay. I championed their relationship from the beginning and I don't even know what kind of shit storm my mind would have descended into if they hadn't gotten back on track in the end. Love is love, people are people, and if you do so happen to fall in love with your son's best friend, well, that's just the way life goes sometimes.
Even with some shudder inducing cliches and errors this is hands down one of the best M/M romance's I've read (and I read fanfiction, so you know, high standards) and that's what I love about the internet, inexpensive ebooks and, sometimes, self publishing - occasionally you will find something that really speaks to you and makes you feel a little bit better about the often crappy world we live in.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 5, 2014
I read the newer version of this one, so the editing wasn't terrible. Some sentences were still awkward, but I've read worse.
Tyler has been best friends with Andy since they were kids. Tyler is several years older than Andy, and Andy's parents had him at a very young age, just 16, so there isn't much of a difference between Tyler and Andy's dad, Mark. You see where I'm going with this, right?
Mark was a cop, and he was gay, and he was unhappy, so he wasn't around much when Tyler was visiting Andy. They never really had that "BFF's dad/ son's BFF" relationship. But it was something that Tyler said at his own 21st birthday to Mark that cause Mark to finally wake up and change his life. He left his wife, quit his job, and now, years later, they run into each other again, and start a relationship.
I thought Mark and Tyler were cute together, but I don't know that I felt connected to them. They seemed to fall in love very quickly, and I didn't feel I was shown enough, just told they were in love. I also felt that their families were just a bit over the top in their reactions, even though they did have a right to be a bit upset. But eventually, everyone got over it (hey, it's a romance!) and they all lived happily ever after.
I have to say that after reading Don't Trust The Cut, I expected a bit more, but I'll still be reading more from this author.
Oh and one more thing- can you romance authors, especially M/M romance authors do a bit better about your character names? This book featured Tyler Marcus and Mark Riley, and I spent the prologue and first chapter trying to remember who was who.
Tyler has been best friends with Andy since they were kids. Tyler is several years older than Andy, and Andy's parents had him at a very young age, just 16, so there isn't much of a difference between Tyler and Andy's dad, Mark. You see where I'm going with this, right?
Mark was a cop, and he was gay, and he was unhappy, so he wasn't around much when Tyler was visiting Andy. They never really had that "BFF's dad/ son's BFF" relationship. But it was something that Tyler said at his own 21st birthday to Mark that cause Mark to finally wake up and change his life. He left his wife, quit his job, and now, years later, they run into each other again, and start a relationship.
I thought Mark and Tyler were cute together, but I don't know that I felt connected to them. They seemed to fall in love very quickly, and I didn't feel I was shown enough, just told they were in love. I also felt that their families were just a bit over the top in their reactions, even though they did have a right to be a bit upset. But eventually, everyone got over it (hey, it's a romance!) and they all lived happily ever after.
I have to say that after reading Don't Trust The Cut, I expected a bit more, but I'll still be reading more from this author.
Oh and one more thing- can you romance authors, especially M/M romance authors do a bit better about your character names? This book featured Tyler Marcus and Mark Riley, and I spent the prologue and first chapter trying to remember who was who.
October 22, 2015
I think me and K.B. might be incompatible. This was….something. If someone had presented me with this story as a one page idea I would have been so into it. This had potential. The idea was so good. But, a lot of telling that just nosedived into being so over the top it wasn’t funny. Plus Mark was an old guy (my age) and he’d already taken the steps to live the life he was meant to have. He was three years into living his life post-divorce. Also Tyler was way too old to be hanging out having lunches with his mom and her bff who just so happened to be Mark’s ex. Like where do these people live? I live 20 minutes from my mom and while her bff is my god mother I haven’t been to an actual meal with the both of them in years (because I don’t have the patience for that and I’m an adult who refuses to be told what to do…take a note Tyler).
Someone got shot in this and we still ended on the condom less sex, moving in together after a long separation, happily ever after that’s so typical. Sometimes I just wish if someone did you epically wrong in an M/M book the wronged party would tell them to go fuck themselves rather than deciding the reunion is the moment to take it to the next level sex wise (unprotected). If I ever have a gay son I think I will sit him down and say “honey remember these books are fairy tales…no unprotected sex until he’s married you and successfully maxed out his 401k contribution for a solid 10 years”.
Someone got shot in this and we still ended on the condom less sex, moving in together after a long separation, happily ever after that’s so typical. Sometimes I just wish if someone did you epically wrong in an M/M book the wronged party would tell them to go fuck themselves rather than deciding the reunion is the moment to take it to the next level sex wise (unprotected). If I ever have a gay son I think I will sit him down and say “honey remember these books are fairy tales…no unprotected sex until he’s married you and successfully maxed out his 401k contribution for a solid 10 years”.
March 9, 2013
At first, i really liked most early parts of the book. But when the part where they broke up and stubborn Mark refused to see Tyler even after he is shot and he even tried to date other people even though he wasn't intimate with them that's what made me turn off. The writing was great but i just don't like this kind of situation.
February 10, 2013
I wasn't able to finish this one. I found the typos and grammatical errors annoying and I also found the immaturity of the dialogue exasperating...I'll try to read it again in a few months, but I think it needs work to improve it's readability.
June 6, 2013
I really liked this. Perfect reading on the plane today.
May 21, 2013
Why did I wait so long to read this little gem?
Prologue. LOVED! I can honestly say I loved how this started out. Tyler who is 27 and a lawyer is at a bar when he spots his best friends dad, Mark, and they are not at any bar but a GAY BAR! Tyler has had a crush on Mark for YEARS, but he was married and again his best friends dad. But, he wakes up the next day...in his bed! Holy sheep!!!
They know it's going to be a long road ahead of them, but they want to see where it goes. Tyler opened Mark up to a new life...a second chance.
Things I didn't like?
At first I was concerned because the blurb says Mark is 33, which in fact he's 38. So it makes him 11 years older than Tyler and not 6. Then I started doing math in my head and well, at 38 and you have a 23 year old kid you'd be 15 when you had him.
The years were kind of messed up for me. Like Mark and Tyler on the swings was at Tyler's 21st birthday party. Now, he's 27, but says it was 5 years ago. Wouldn't that make him 26? Then there were others in there too, but I can't remember specific timelines. I had to do math in my head, but whatever...
I will also say this:
I wished this was longer! I wanted more. I didn't want this to end.
Prologue. LOVED! I can honestly say I loved how this started out. Tyler who is 27 and a lawyer is at a bar when he spots his best friends dad, Mark, and they are not at any bar but a GAY BAR! Tyler has had a crush on Mark for YEARS, but he was married and again his best friends dad. But, he wakes up the next day...in his bed! Holy sheep!!!
They know it's going to be a long road ahead of them, but they want to see where it goes. Tyler opened Mark up to a new life...a second chance.
Things I didn't like?
At first I was concerned because the blurb says Mark is 33, which in fact he's 38. So it makes him 11 years older than Tyler and not 6. Then I started doing math in my head and well, at 38 and you have a 23 year old kid you'd be 15 when you had him.
The years were kind of messed up for me. Like Mark and Tyler on the swings was at Tyler's 21st birthday party. Now, he's 27, but says it was 5 years ago. Wouldn't that make him 26? Then there were others in there too, but I can't remember specific timelines. I had to do math in my head, but whatever...
I will also say this:
I wished this was longer! I wanted more. I didn't want this to end.
Read
March 29, 2013Interesting approach for an erotic romance novel: instead of starting it off with the firecrackers of a night of sex, when the novel opens it’s the morning after, Tyler and Mark in bed together with Tyler remembering how this was a dream comes true, him in bed with his best friend’s dad. Now Mark was a teenager dad, 15 years old, and Tyler is 4 years older than Mark’s son, so in the end there are little more than 10 years between them, but in any case it’s not easy for them, considering all the collateral ties they have.
In any case, there is no more sex between them, on the contrary they decide to take it slow and going back to dating and trying to understand if there is something true between them. I was almost used to think to this as a sweet romance, no sex allowed, when it suddenly turned into hot steamy sex and innuendos all around. It was unexpected but in a way the main reason why I liked this story: if they had continued with sex, sex, sex from page one, the reader would have been distracted from the plot. In this way, I could appreciate Mark’s struggle to finally grasp his life.
The novel is not perfect, it’s self-published and sometime there were some minor wrong typing (like and instead of an, or some double words before and after the verb), but considering this is little more than 1 dollar, and above all, considering I found Mark’s character to be good and original, and Tyler an adorable puppy who is ready to display his strength when needed, it was quite a good debut, good enough to make me want to read more by this author.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B5P2476/?...
In any case, there is no more sex between them, on the contrary they decide to take it slow and going back to dating and trying to understand if there is something true between them. I was almost used to think to this as a sweet romance, no sex allowed, when it suddenly turned into hot steamy sex and innuendos all around. It was unexpected but in a way the main reason why I liked this story: if they had continued with sex, sex, sex from page one, the reader would have been distracted from the plot. In this way, I could appreciate Mark’s struggle to finally grasp his life.
The novel is not perfect, it’s self-published and sometime there were some minor wrong typing (like and instead of an, or some double words before and after the verb), but considering this is little more than 1 dollar, and above all, considering I found Mark’s character to be good and original, and Tyler an adorable puppy who is ready to display his strength when needed, it was quite a good debut, good enough to make me want to read more by this author.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B5P2476/?...
September 9, 2013
2.25 stars. I bought the original version which had many many many editing issues. Unfortunately it distracted me quite a bit from the story at times.
The story was OK, but somehow I didn't really connect with the characters. I'm not sure what was missing for me, but I liked the parts with Tyler and Mark and Alicia, but really didn't like the other characters. Both Marks' ex-wife and Tyler's mom just weren't very believable to me. I know plenty of people who have stayed in bad marriages until their kids were grown and guess who heaved the BIGGEST sigh of relief when everybody was put out of their misery? The kids! They certainly don't like living in a house full of tension and bitterness. I found that part of the story pretty unbelievable that somehow Andy thought that everything was great and his dad just walked away. That isn't how the scenario is described in the book and especially for an only child, generally that is a burden.
A mom butting into her 27 year old established son's life like that is pretty off the wall too - thinking she had ANY say in his life is pretty ludicrous. Believe me my mom wasn't thrilled with my choice of partners either, but she knew enough to keep her trap shut or risk not hearing from/seeing me. The sister was a brat although she did kind of redeem herself towards the end. Where was the dad in all this? We never find out. Maybe he could have been the voice of reason.
I'll try another story by this author and see if I like it better.
The story was OK, but somehow I didn't really connect with the characters. I'm not sure what was missing for me, but I liked the parts with Tyler and Mark and Alicia, but really didn't like the other characters. Both Marks' ex-wife and Tyler's mom just weren't very believable to me. I know plenty of people who have stayed in bad marriages until their kids were grown and guess who heaved the BIGGEST sigh of relief when everybody was put out of their misery? The kids! They certainly don't like living in a house full of tension and bitterness. I found that part of the story pretty unbelievable that somehow Andy thought that everything was great and his dad just walked away. That isn't how the scenario is described in the book and especially for an only child, generally that is a burden.
A mom butting into her 27 year old established son's life like that is pretty off the wall too - thinking she had ANY say in his life is pretty ludicrous. Believe me my mom wasn't thrilled with my choice of partners either, but she knew enough to keep her trap shut or risk not hearing from/seeing me. The sister was a brat although she did kind of redeem herself towards the end. Where was the dad in all this? We never find out. Maybe he could have been the voice of reason.
I'll try another story by this author and see if I like it better.
November 6, 2013
I really liked it. Ok, this is the first Kade Boehme I've actually read, but overall it was a nice read. Yeah, there are a few issues with sentence construction and grammar, but I took this to be colloquialism, so it didn't offend me, just made me re-read the sentence again until I got the gist.
Sweet story, angsty but all the angst is quickly resolved (probably because this is a short novel and there isn't time to pad out the angst).
Overall a 3.5 to 4, and I will purchase more by this author.
Sweet story, angsty but all the angst is quickly resolved (probably because this is a short novel and there isn't time to pad out the angst).
Overall a 3.5 to 4, and I will purchase more by this author.
March 22, 2013
3.5 really. I loved the plot, story line. Like others had said, a pre- reader or two, and an editor probably would have got it 4.5 or maybe 5! I struggled most with that in the beginning, but once I was into the story, I didn't notice so much. Honestly, it just needed cleaned up a bit.
It's a sweet story, worth the read.
I can't wait to read something else from this author. I think he's really going to be something. :)
It's a sweet story, worth the read.
I can't wait to read something else from this author. I think he's really going to be something. :)
August 30, 2013
Although I did enjoy this, I feel that with a bit more time it could of been great. The ending felt a little premature, as I still had questions, and would of liked to see a bit of the happily ever after.
March 16, 2013
Lovely quick read. Yes some errors but not so bad that I was shaking the kindle in aggravation or anything. I thought it was a great heart warming story.
April 9, 2013
Had to get past the whole "best-friends-dad" ick factor which didnt take that long, after that it was a sweet read. Wish it was longer to where we see the son accept the relationship.
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