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Rags to Riches #2
Close the Distance
Being in love isn't always roses and sunshine.
Ion Vasile and Adrien Bellamy start dating and fall in love quickly. As their relationship grows stronger, Ion discovers the fragility of his family ties. As his mother turns against him and his brother seems to be supporting her, Ion begins to lean more and more on Adrien.
Adrien wants nothing more than to be strong for Ion and share his own family with him. Yet he's afraid they're moving too fast. He doesn't want to scare the most marvellous man he's ever met away.
When tragedy strikes, they both realise life is too short to let fear rule their choices.
Ion Vasile and Adrien Bellamy start dating and fall in love quickly. As their relationship grows stronger, Ion discovers the fragility of his family ties. As his mother turns against him and his brother seems to be supporting her, Ion begins to lean more and more on Adrien.
Adrien wants nothing more than to be strong for Ion and share his own family with him. Yet he's afraid they're moving too fast. He doesn't want to scare the most marvellous man he's ever met away.
When tragedy strikes, they both realise life is too short to let fear rule their choices.
107 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 27, 2014
3 people are currently reading
112 people want to read
About the author
T.A. Chase
161 books893 followersThere is beauty in every kind of love, so why not live a life without boundaries? Experiencing everything the world offers fascinates me and writing about the things that make each of us unique is how I share those insights. I live in the Midwest with a wonderful partner of thirteen years. When not writing, I’m watching movies, reading and living life to the fullest.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 9, 2015
Ion und Adrien sind Hals über Kopf verliebt und Adriens reiche Familie akzeptiert Ion, der aus der Arbeiterklasse kommt. Jedoch hat Ions Mutter ein sehr großes Problem mit Ions Neigung. Noch immer glaubt sie, dass Ion einfach nur nicht die richtige Frau gefunden hat. Ion nimmt die Reaktion seiner Mutter schlecht auf und bricht mit der Familie. Denn es scheint, dass auch sein Bruder und sein Vater nichts mit ihm zu tun haben wollen.
Adrien ist in dieser schweren Zeit ein Rückhalt und Felsen für Ion, der sehr gekränkt und unglücklich ist. Gleichzeitig vertieft sich ihre Beziehung. Ja, sie haben sich schnell und intensiv ineinander verliebt. Doch der Fall kommt ..... nicht. Sie passen zusammen und ergänzen sich gut. Wäre da nicht die Familie. Doch dann erleidet ein Familienmitglied Ions einen schweren Unfall und wieder steht Adrien für ihn ein.
Teil zwei schliesst nun die Geschichte von Ion und Adrien ab. Wieso es zwei Teile sein mussten - ich weiss es nicht. Jedoch hat mir dieser Teil noch besser gefallen. Ion und Adrien sind wirklich tolle und sympathische Protagonisten. Ion hat es wirklich nicht leicht mit seiner Sippe. Aber zum Glück hat er seinen Freund Patrick und eben Adrien. Dessen Familie ist überraschend tolerant und vor allem herzlich. Das hatten weder Ion, noch Adrien erwartet. Und auch nicht der Leser.
Doch der tragische Unfall hat auch etwas Gutes. Denn Ion, aber auch Adrien begreifen wie kurz das Leben sein kann. Und dass man keinen Tag davon verschwenden darf, sondern sich daran erfreuen muss was man hat. Sehr romantisch und cozy, wenn auch nicht zu tiefgründig.
Adrien ist in dieser schweren Zeit ein Rückhalt und Felsen für Ion, der sehr gekränkt und unglücklich ist. Gleichzeitig vertieft sich ihre Beziehung. Ja, sie haben sich schnell und intensiv ineinander verliebt. Doch der Fall kommt ..... nicht. Sie passen zusammen und ergänzen sich gut. Wäre da nicht die Familie. Doch dann erleidet ein Familienmitglied Ions einen schweren Unfall und wieder steht Adrien für ihn ein.
Teil zwei schliesst nun die Geschichte von Ion und Adrien ab. Wieso es zwei Teile sein mussten - ich weiss es nicht. Jedoch hat mir dieser Teil noch besser gefallen. Ion und Adrien sind wirklich tolle und sympathische Protagonisten. Ion hat es wirklich nicht leicht mit seiner Sippe. Aber zum Glück hat er seinen Freund Patrick und eben Adrien. Dessen Familie ist überraschend tolerant und vor allem herzlich. Das hatten weder Ion, noch Adrien erwartet. Und auch nicht der Leser.
Doch der tragische Unfall hat auch etwas Gutes. Denn Ion, aber auch Adrien begreifen wie kurz das Leben sein kann. Und dass man keinen Tag davon verschwenden darf, sondern sich daran erfreuen muss was man hat. Sehr romantisch und cozy, wenn auch nicht zu tiefgründig.
December 4, 2014
This one picked back up where the 1st book left off. I really enjoyed it. I love both Ion and Adrien together. I'm enjoying this series so far. Onto the 3rd book...
May 13, 2017
Similar to the first story, Adrien and Ion continue to express their love with sex-- lots of it. I'm not a fan of so much sex in a story. It becomes gratuitous. I love you? Never mind words, let me bang you to death. Not my thing.
Nevertheless, the couple is sweet together and in this installment they face Ion's mother's homophobia, lack of acceptance, and lack of understanding of what it means to be gay. Thankfully, Adrien's family is accepting and loves Ion. A tragedy in Ion's family brings partial closure and the story ends on a high note, a definite HEA.
In this one again, slopping editing pulled me out of the story. There's a passage at the 33% mark about Adrien coming to Ion's home late and night, waking him because he forgot the key Ion gave him: "Sorry to wake you. I haven't put your key on my ring yet and forgot it at my place." At the 47% mark, Adrien knocks on Ion's door and decides he's going to ask for a spare key that night. He does and Ion replies: "I meant to give it to you this morning before we left, but I forgot. It makes sense. I have a key to your place and you need one to mine so we don't have to wait until the other is home before we come over." More is said-- so much more, that one wonders how both these scenes could end up in a final product published years ago and no one has ever revised the book. It detracts enough from my enjoyment I can't go higher than a three on this.
Nevertheless, the couple is sweet together and in this installment they face Ion's mother's homophobia, lack of acceptance, and lack of understanding of what it means to be gay. Thankfully, Adrien's family is accepting and loves Ion. A tragedy in Ion's family brings partial closure and the story ends on a high note, a definite HEA.
In this one again, slopping editing pulled me out of the story. There's a passage at the 33% mark about Adrien coming to Ion's home late and night, waking him because he forgot the key Ion gave him: "Sorry to wake you. I haven't put your key on my ring yet and forgot it at my place." At the 47% mark, Adrien knocks on Ion's door and decides he's going to ask for a spare key that night. He does and Ion replies: "I meant to give it to you this morning before we left, but I forgot. It makes sense. I have a key to your place and you need one to mine so we don't have to wait until the other is home before we come over." More is said-- so much more, that one wonders how both these scenes could end up in a final product published years ago and no one has ever revised the book. It detracts enough from my enjoyment I can't go higher than a three on this.
May 5, 2014
Original Blog Post: http://headouttheoven.blogspot.com/20...
Book Series Review: Rags to Riches Books 1, 2, 3 by T.A. Chase
My Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
I am so excited about this series written by author T.A. Chase. I just stumbled on this by accident and I actually started with Following His Footsteps because a friend mentioned loving it but when I started reading about Winston's best friends and their impending marriage, I just had to stop and get my hands on the first two books. This way, I thought, I could enjoy it all the more.
Boy, did I enjoy these three books!
A word of warning though: this series is far from over. Although I have read these three books, the story of the third best friend, Sidney Richardson, has not been told yet so we have to wait it out a bit longer. Needless to say, I am really looking forward for what's next to come with this series.
The first installment, Remove The Empty Spaces, should not really be read without going on to the second installment, Close The Distance, immediately. These are a continuing story between Adrien Bellamy and Ion Vasile and if it is just the first book read, there is a huge hanging thingy going on that can be frustrating. The need to read book two is a must. Fortunately, although their story does continue onto book three, Following His Footsteps, they are now just side characters. The main focus of that particular installment is on Winston Tennant and Patrick Gaverson. Both men are in the first two installments so they are not really curious insertions. In fact, Patrick plays quite a huge role on Adrien's and Ion's relationship.
The first two books, as I already mentioned, tells how Adrien finally found the impetus to ask Ion out. Ion had been working in the main office's mail room and been seen by the boss from afar, seen and admired, but given their roles in the office, they hardly saw each other. It was one bright day when Adrien loses his cool over the lack of solution regarding the employment of thousands, that Ion finds his opportunity to strike.
Ion is on his last semester before he finally gets his MBA degree and is really a brilliant young man. The thousands at stake involved his own family and so he knew he needed to do something that would save them their jobs. Well, he did. Only problem is, how to get said solution into the hands of the boss man himself. This is where Patrick comes in.
Patrick is the Personal Assistant to said boss and so had all the means to get those files on the table. He did it. The board read. The solution was simple and implementable. Now to find the brilliant mind who thought it up.
That, as they say, is when the story of Ion and Adrien really began. When two brilliant minds meet, they can either clash or merge. In this case, the minds merged. Along with their bodies and their hearts.
This is a real fairy tale romance - just look at the series title. As fairy tales go, there can be times when things get dark, sometimes it could get adventurous, and then it could go oh so romantic and cheesy. Then again, that is what I am looking for in a fairy tale and this series did not disappoint.
As the drama unfolds in the life of both Ion and Adrien, so does the drama in the life of Patrick unfold. In comes, finally, a man Patrick could hold on to and give up his heart for. Winston Tennant did not have a good life while growing up. Yes, there were a lot of silver and golden spoons, but emotionally, he was a starved little boy who just wanted to feel some bit of encouragement from his parents, one that did not involve bloodlines and social status. When he came out to his parents after deciding to divorce his wife, he was disowned. Thanks to his best friend and that friend's father, Winston found his feet within the Bellamy empire and soon rose through the rank and file and is now heading the European division. Unfortunately, being in that position did not make his personal life any happier. It was just as bad as when he first came out. Again, the one that connects the stories is Patrick.
Patrick had had a crush on Winston since he first met him five years ago. Unfortunately, the man was straighter as straight and so shrugged it off as fate. When Winston turns his focus on Patrick after being solidly punched with a not-too-subtle setup by Adrien and company, Patrick decides to live life a little and just enjoy. Never did both men expect their relationship would go the path it did. But they worked it out and so begins, and ends the third book.
This was a very light and incredibly enjoyable, fast read and cannot recommend this enough.
But here I am, impatiently awaiting the fourth installment. I don't think I can stand the wait, frankly, so will just have to stalk this author more, I guess. I really need that fourth installment, I need to know what happens next between Patrick and Winston, and then of course, Sidney.
So yeah, 'impatient' is not the mild word that comes to mind. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
Book Series Review: Rags to Riches Books 1, 2, 3 by T.A. Chase
My Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
I am so excited about this series written by author T.A. Chase. I just stumbled on this by accident and I actually started with Following His Footsteps because a friend mentioned loving it but when I started reading about Winston's best friends and their impending marriage, I just had to stop and get my hands on the first two books. This way, I thought, I could enjoy it all the more.
Boy, did I enjoy these three books!
A word of warning though: this series is far from over. Although I have read these three books, the story of the third best friend, Sidney Richardson, has not been told yet so we have to wait it out a bit longer. Needless to say, I am really looking forward for what's next to come with this series.
The first installment, Remove The Empty Spaces, should not really be read without going on to the second installment, Close The Distance, immediately. These are a continuing story between Adrien Bellamy and Ion Vasile and if it is just the first book read, there is a huge hanging thingy going on that can be frustrating. The need to read book two is a must. Fortunately, although their story does continue onto book three, Following His Footsteps, they are now just side characters. The main focus of that particular installment is on Winston Tennant and Patrick Gaverson. Both men are in the first two installments so they are not really curious insertions. In fact, Patrick plays quite a huge role on Adrien's and Ion's relationship.
The first two books, as I already mentioned, tells how Adrien finally found the impetus to ask Ion out. Ion had been working in the main office's mail room and been seen by the boss from afar, seen and admired, but given their roles in the office, they hardly saw each other. It was one bright day when Adrien loses his cool over the lack of solution regarding the employment of thousands, that Ion finds his opportunity to strike.
Ion is on his last semester before he finally gets his MBA degree and is really a brilliant young man. The thousands at stake involved his own family and so he knew he needed to do something that would save them their jobs. Well, he did. Only problem is, how to get said solution into the hands of the boss man himself. This is where Patrick comes in.
Patrick is the Personal Assistant to said boss and so had all the means to get those files on the table. He did it. The board read. The solution was simple and implementable. Now to find the brilliant mind who thought it up.
That, as they say, is when the story of Ion and Adrien really began. When two brilliant minds meet, they can either clash or merge. In this case, the minds merged. Along with their bodies and their hearts.
This is a real fairy tale romance - just look at the series title. As fairy tales go, there can be times when things get dark, sometimes it could get adventurous, and then it could go oh so romantic and cheesy. Then again, that is what I am looking for in a fairy tale and this series did not disappoint.
As the drama unfolds in the life of both Ion and Adrien, so does the drama in the life of Patrick unfold. In comes, finally, a man Patrick could hold on to and give up his heart for. Winston Tennant did not have a good life while growing up. Yes, there were a lot of silver and golden spoons, but emotionally, he was a starved little boy who just wanted to feel some bit of encouragement from his parents, one that did not involve bloodlines and social status. When he came out to his parents after deciding to divorce his wife, he was disowned. Thanks to his best friend and that friend's father, Winston found his feet within the Bellamy empire and soon rose through the rank and file and is now heading the European division. Unfortunately, being in that position did not make his personal life any happier. It was just as bad as when he first came out. Again, the one that connects the stories is Patrick.
Patrick had had a crush on Winston since he first met him five years ago. Unfortunately, the man was straighter as straight and so shrugged it off as fate. When Winston turns his focus on Patrick after being solidly punched with a not-too-subtle setup by Adrien and company, Patrick decides to live life a little and just enjoy. Never did both men expect their relationship would go the path it did. But they worked it out and so begins, and ends the third book.
This was a very light and incredibly enjoyable, fast read and cannot recommend this enough.
But here I am, impatiently awaiting the fourth installment. I don't think I can stand the wait, frankly, so will just have to stalk this author more, I guess. I really need that fourth installment, I need to know what happens next between Patrick and Winston, and then of course, Sidney.
So yeah, 'impatient' is not the mild word that comes to mind. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
May 14, 2014
This book takes up exactly where the last book Remove the Empty Spaces left off so it really needs to be read in order. I actually liked this one even better than the first.
Something arises at Adrien’s house about his younger brother Alain so he has to stay and deal with the situation and Ion heads on to his parent’s house. He is kinda glad because he knows it won’t go as well as it did with Adrien’s parents. Though Ion’s parents know he is gay they don’t accept it they live in the belief he can meet a girl and change.
Things seem to be moving so fast between Ion and Adrien and both men wonder if its too fast, but tragedy strikes making them see that life can change things just as fast as they found each other.
I liked the drama that was injected in this story and felt that made it feel more real. I was deeply upset at Ion’s mom. I also liked the support Adrien gave Ion through all that arised. I loved the addition of the surgeon and the hint of Sidney being at least Bi. I adored that Patrick was brought in more and hope there is a next story.
I will say that I wished we found out more about Alain’s meeting with his brother. Perhaps that is coming in another book. I hope!
If you like hot millionaires, loving relationships, dedicated partners, family drama, tragic twists and some hot mansex this is for you!
I received a free copy from MMgoodbookreviews for an honest review.. http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com/
Something arises at Adrien’s house about his younger brother Alain so he has to stay and deal with the situation and Ion heads on to his parent’s house. He is kinda glad because he knows it won’t go as well as it did with Adrien’s parents. Though Ion’s parents know he is gay they don’t accept it they live in the belief he can meet a girl and change.
Things seem to be moving so fast between Ion and Adrien and both men wonder if its too fast, but tragedy strikes making them see that life can change things just as fast as they found each other.
I liked the drama that was injected in this story and felt that made it feel more real. I was deeply upset at Ion’s mom. I also liked the support Adrien gave Ion through all that arised. I loved the addition of the surgeon and the hint of Sidney being at least Bi. I adored that Patrick was brought in more and hope there is a next story.
I will say that I wished we found out more about Alain’s meeting with his brother. Perhaps that is coming in another book. I hope!
If you like hot millionaires, loving relationships, dedicated partners, family drama, tragic twists and some hot mansex this is for you!
I received a free copy from MMgoodbookreviews for an honest review.. http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com/
April 4, 2014
If you can't handle instalove, this series is not for you. Seriously - book 2 is instalove on steroids. We get to see Adrien and Ion less than a month into their relationship and it's all hearts and flowers. Even with that said, it wasn't necessarily bad. If you're looking for something sweet and light that you can plow through quickly you may enjoy this. Although the books should really be read in order.
Some random thoughts that stuck out:
Interesting that the Mom is the bigot here. Refreshing change since it seems in many stories we have the Dad being the parent that can't accept a gay child.
Ditching condoms after a few weeks? Even if they did get tested... yikes.
I want to know about Sidney NOW damn it! I hope his story will be told soon.
Some random thoughts that stuck out:
Interesting that the Mom is the bigot here. Refreshing change since it seems in many stories we have the Dad being the parent that can't accept a gay child.
Ditching condoms after a few weeks? Even if they did get tested... yikes.
I want to know about Sidney NOW damn it! I hope his story will be told soon.
July 5, 2014
3.25 stars
July 17, 2014
3.5 stars
December 1, 2014
This finished the story of Adrien and Ion :) Even if their relationship was on the fast track, I still liked it.
February 27, 2016
This book was far better written than the first one. The book has more depth and the characters have time to grow a lil bit.
May 6, 2014
3.5 stars
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews