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Portland Heat #3
Snel bezorgd
Ja, Chris O’Neal heeft problemen. Zijn restaurant is nog steeds voor de helft van zijn ex. Zijn flanel-met-tattoos-stijl maakt hem per ongeluk ineens trendy. Hij kan zich niet herinneren wanneer hij voor het laatst uit is geweest. Maar hij is niet eenzaam, hij is gewoon gedreven. En de knappe bezorger van de bakker is niet zijn probleem, hoe zoet die zijn broodjes ook bakt.
Chris is oud genoeg om in te zien dat de gebeeldhouwde looks en dubbelzinnige opmerkingen van Lance Degrassi voor problemen gaan zorgen. Lance studeert nog – hij zou zich op het nachtleven en zijn boeken moeten storten, en achter jongens van zijn eigen leeftijd moeten aangaan. Vooral omdat hij over een paar maanden naar een andere universiteit vertrekt. Maar Lance laat Chris niet met rust, biedt een helpende hand, weet hem met zijn charmes op te vrolijken. Misschien kan wat steamy vermaak ook geen kwaad. Of wel…?
Chris is oud genoeg om in te zien dat de gebeeldhouwde looks en dubbelzinnige opmerkingen van Lance Degrassi voor problemen gaan zorgen. Lance studeert nog – hij zou zich op het nachtleven en zijn boeken moeten storten, en achter jongens van zijn eigen leeftijd moeten aangaan. Vooral omdat hij over een paar maanden naar een andere universiteit vertrekt. Maar Lance laat Chris niet met rust, biedt een helpende hand, weet hem met zijn charmes op te vrolijken. Misschien kan wat steamy vermaak ook geen kwaad. Of wel…?
163 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 26, 2015
92 people are currently reading
805 people want to read
About the author
Annabeth Albert
110 books3,753 followersFrequent tweeter, professional grammar nerd, and obsessive reader, Annabeth Albert is also a Pacific Northwest romance writer in a variety of subgenres.
Emotionally complex, sexy, and funny stories are her favorites both to read and to write. In between searching out dark heroes to redeem, she works a rewarding day job and wrangles two toddlers.
Emotionally complex, sexy, and funny stories are her favorites both to read and to write. In between searching out dark heroes to redeem, she works a rewarding day job and wrangles two toddlers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 270 reviews
July 19, 2015
2 stars. Review posted May 3, 2015. I thought it was the tofu…
Then came the dog…
But, wait, we've had an analogy about beans…
…and last but not least the wash. The real winner.
Maybe he'd been washed too hot? Poor sod. The program should include a delicate cycle. Er....if one isn't careful, one can hit the wrong program. Baba, what are you talking about? Lance doesn't fit in a washer.
Dear Authors,
I want originality but certainly not that kind of originality.
Thank you.
Best,
Baba
I don't know why I finished a book I didn't like. Maybe to prove that I can struggle through an entire story and not add another DNF to my ever-growing pile? I haven't much to say about Delivered Fast, so let me make this fast.
It was an improvement to my previous read. Still, I can't intone a hymn of praise. Neither the storyline nor the characters could hold my attention because I really didn't care for the main protagonists and the plot wasn't engaging enough. As a consequence thereof, I was bored fast. It was a quick read yet it says something that I needed a lot of time to achieve my goal and I must say that the writing was worse during the second half. While the excitement was lacking, I was annoyed with Chris being a crank.
"I wouldn't want to ruin your…blah blah blah"
It was incredibly exasperating that Chris was so hung up on the age difference. Get the hell over it already. Thank you.
Also, the corny melodrama that climaxed was predictable and annoying. After his Et voilà! I could have done without all the sugary interaction that made my teeth hurt. Thank you very much.
I've had a brief flashback when I read...
My heart was still galloping along and my brain was way too fuzzy.
My heart started galloping, like I'd chugged two of his favorite extra sweet mochas.
Lance did lighting-fast work of putting the dishes in the sink and the pizza in the fridge, then galloped toward my room.
All my careful reasons galloped away in the face of his sadness.
I was hoping I could gallop away too. Well, at least it wasn't a galloping cock. Thanks for small favors because we've had one of those in Outing the Quarterback.
The plot provided a strange ass and eyes fixation as well as plenty of body appreciation in general. This is the very first sentence of the story:
The delivery boy had sweet buns.
Other quotes for your perusal:
My own attention was riveted on the masterpiece of his chest.
Lance rolled those chocolaty eyes and sighed like a burdened fifteen-year-old.
His brown eyes held all the sinful promise of hot fudge.
He laughed that warm, deep, hot fudge chuckle.
Every time his thick thighs brushed mine or his muscular back rubbed against my front, little drops of sunshine rained down on me.
God, he looked good spread out on my blue and green quilt, like a treasure washed up on my shore--all gleaming skin and rippling muscles and an inviting grin that made me rip the rest of my clothes off.
Oh, and let's not forget the monster cock. *eye roll*
His halogen-bright smile was worth shaking up the brunch a bit for.
But it was the smile that did me in--the I've-got-your-number grin that made my insides flop around like a fish in a net.
The endearment beautiful didn't resonate well with me.
"I will, beautiful."
Our eyes linked, heat brewing for later.
He looked up, his brown eyes murkier than a February puddle.
The kiss was a rough, living thing between us, consuming all the strange simmering emotion.
He tasted like fruit and rum and like mine.
Please elaborate. How does it taste? Mine?
His eyes were like a puddle I'd encountered once at a truck stop in rural Washington--looked all harmless and almost cute until I stepped in it and found myself up to my pits in deep mud.
I feel you. I find myself in a huge puddle of mediocre and bad books all the time.
My heart cowered behind my ribs, its shaky rhythm rattling my chest.
My voice was thick as oatmeal and about as enthusiastic.
Love glimmered off every touch, every glance, every thrust.
He held himself so tight he might shatter if the edge of a table hit him wrong.
He kept looking down at his battered red backpack, his eyes wide, wary, like the red nylon was holding a bomb or something equally horrible that might explode in his face.
I smiled so wide it hurt. Pride, this lovely, lush emotion, anesthetized my nerve endings.
The fish tank I'd felt trapped in exploded, glass nicking every nerve ending I had, icy water gushing over my heart. All the emotions I'd been trying to keep at bay came rushing in.
My ribs ached, tired of holding my throbbing heart.
(…) my bones accepted its truth.
Heat spread up my face and down my limbs, chasing away the chill of doubt. I wanted to trust him, but my brain still wobbled.
His eyes sprung open wide.
But my heart clattered like a loose valve bucket on a motorcycle.
Without the poor analogies and the weird and unbelievable male POV, the writing wouldn't have been that bad. Overall a rather disappointing read.
All quotes are taken from the pre-published copy and may be altered or omitted in the final copy
**ARC courtesy of Kensington Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
Then came the dog…
But, wait, we've had an analogy about beans…
…and last but not least the wash. The real winner.
Maybe he'd been washed too hot? Poor sod. The program should include a delicate cycle. Er....if one isn't careful, one can hit the wrong program. Baba, what are you talking about? Lance doesn't fit in a washer.
Dear Authors,
I want originality but certainly not that kind of originality.
Thank you.
Best,
Baba
I don't know why I finished a book I didn't like. Maybe to prove that I can struggle through an entire story and not add another DNF to my ever-growing pile? I haven't much to say about Delivered Fast, so let me make this fast.
It was an improvement to my previous read. Still, I can't intone a hymn of praise. Neither the storyline nor the characters could hold my attention because I really didn't care for the main protagonists and the plot wasn't engaging enough. As a consequence thereof, I was bored fast. It was a quick read yet it says something that I needed a lot of time to achieve my goal and I must say that the writing was worse during the second half. While the excitement was lacking, I was annoyed with Chris being a crank.
"I wouldn't want to ruin your…blah blah blah"
It was incredibly exasperating that Chris was so hung up on the age difference. Get the hell over it already. Thank you.
Also, the corny melodrama that climaxed was predictable and annoying. After his Et voilà! I could have done without all the sugary interaction that made my teeth hurt. Thank you very much.
I've had a brief flashback when I read...
My heart was still galloping along and my brain was way too fuzzy.
My heart started galloping, like I'd chugged two of his favorite extra sweet mochas.
Lance did lighting-fast work of putting the dishes in the sink and the pizza in the fridge, then galloped toward my room.
All my careful reasons galloped away in the face of his sadness.
I was hoping I could gallop away too. Well, at least it wasn't a galloping cock. Thanks for small favors because we've had one of those in Outing the Quarterback.
The plot provided a strange ass and eyes fixation as well as plenty of body appreciation in general. This is the very first sentence of the story:
The delivery boy had sweet buns.
Other quotes for your perusal:
My own attention was riveted on the masterpiece of his chest.
Lance rolled those chocolaty eyes and sighed like a burdened fifteen-year-old.
His brown eyes held all the sinful promise of hot fudge.
He laughed that warm, deep, hot fudge chuckle.
Every time his thick thighs brushed mine or his muscular back rubbed against my front, little drops of sunshine rained down on me.
God, he looked good spread out on my blue and green quilt, like a treasure washed up on my shore--all gleaming skin and rippling muscles and an inviting grin that made me rip the rest of my clothes off.
Oh, and let's not forget the monster cock. *eye roll*
His halogen-bright smile was worth shaking up the brunch a bit for.
But it was the smile that did me in--the I've-got-your-number grin that made my insides flop around like a fish in a net.
The endearment beautiful didn't resonate well with me.
"I will, beautiful."
Our eyes linked, heat brewing for later.
He looked up, his brown eyes murkier than a February puddle.
The kiss was a rough, living thing between us, consuming all the strange simmering emotion.
He tasted like fruit and rum and like mine.
Please elaborate. How does it taste? Mine?
His eyes were like a puddle I'd encountered once at a truck stop in rural Washington--looked all harmless and almost cute until I stepped in it and found myself up to my pits in deep mud.
I feel you. I find myself in a huge puddle of mediocre and bad books all the time.
My heart cowered behind my ribs, its shaky rhythm rattling my chest.
My voice was thick as oatmeal and about as enthusiastic.
Love glimmered off every touch, every glance, every thrust.
He held himself so tight he might shatter if the edge of a table hit him wrong.
He kept looking down at his battered red backpack, his eyes wide, wary, like the red nylon was holding a bomb or something equally horrible that might explode in his face.
I smiled so wide it hurt. Pride, this lovely, lush emotion, anesthetized my nerve endings.
The fish tank I'd felt trapped in exploded, glass nicking every nerve ending I had, icy water gushing over my heart. All the emotions I'd been trying to keep at bay came rushing in.
My ribs ached, tired of holding my throbbing heart.
(…) my bones accepted its truth.
Heat spread up my face and down my limbs, chasing away the chill of doubt. I wanted to trust him, but my brain still wobbled.
His eyes sprung open wide.
But my heart clattered like a loose valve bucket on a motorcycle.
Without the poor analogies and the weird and unbelievable male POV, the writing wouldn't have been that bad. Overall a rather disappointing read.
All quotes are taken from the pre-published copy and may be altered or omitted in the final copy
**ARC courtesy of Kensington Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
May 6, 2015
~4.25~
I was expecting an easy, sexy read, and I got it. Annabeth Albert's writing is so accessible that before I know it the book was over. I want more!
I've loved this series since book 1, and I think the stories keep getting better.
In Delivered Fast, I also discovered that the stories are somewhat connected: Robby, the sexy, geeky coffee cart guy from Served Hot, used to work for Chris, and Vic, the beefy, bald-by-choice baker from Baked Fresh, is Lance's older cousin.
Chris and Lance have great chemistry here.
Lance, who is "sunshine and dancing to Katy Perry and sips of cherry soda" (I LOVE that!) is young and vibrant.
Lance knows what he wants: to belong to a family, to become a physical therapist, and CHRIS.
Lance shakes his perfect bubble butt as he delivers baked goods to Chris's coffee shop.
And Chris, hip despite himself with his tattoos and plaid and beard, is a GONER.
But Chris thinks he's too old for Lance, too boring for Lance, too ... blah, blah, blah.
EXCUSES, all of them.
Really, Chris is scared.
The sex is hot, and I ADORED Lance, who is much more mature than Chris gives him credit for.
But Chris? Yeah, I wanted to smack him upside the head. Wake up and smell the roses, man! Here's this AMAZING, beautiful guy, and he wants YOU. Embrace it.
Chris does see the light, never you fear. The ending is delightful!
There is a wedding (Whose? Read this and find out!) and fish and fish TATS, COFFEE and a Harley, dancing and dirty talk (go, Chris!), and lots and lots of kissing.
I was expecting an easy, sexy read, and I got it. Annabeth Albert's writing is so accessible that before I know it the book was over. I want more!
I've loved this series since book 1, and I think the stories keep getting better.
In Delivered Fast, I also discovered that the stories are somewhat connected: Robby, the sexy, geeky coffee cart guy from Served Hot, used to work for Chris, and Vic, the beefy, bald-by-choice baker from Baked Fresh, is Lance's older cousin.
Chris and Lance have great chemistry here.
Lance, who is "sunshine and dancing to Katy Perry and sips of cherry soda" (I LOVE that!) is young and vibrant.
Lance knows what he wants: to belong to a family, to become a physical therapist, and CHRIS.
Lance shakes his perfect bubble butt as he delivers baked goods to Chris's coffee shop.
And Chris, hip despite himself with his tattoos and plaid and beard, is a GONER.
But Chris thinks he's too old for Lance, too boring for Lance, too ... blah, blah, blah.
EXCUSES, all of them.
Really, Chris is scared.
The sex is hot, and I ADORED Lance, who is much more mature than Chris gives him credit for.
But Chris? Yeah, I wanted to smack him upside the head. Wake up and smell the roses, man! Here's this AMAZING, beautiful guy, and he wants YOU. Embrace it.
Chris does see the light, never you fear. The ending is delightful!
There is a wedding (Whose? Read this and find out!) and fish and fish TATS, COFFEE and a Harley, dancing and dirty talk (go, Chris!), and lots and lots of kissing.
Me on top of him ... each sensation felt new, felt pure, distilled down to the essence of what it meant to be humans sharing skin and kisses. The kissing ... it was everything. Everything ... all the joy and trust and adoration we shared ....
I don't wanna wait a second longer!
May 3, 2015
3.5 Stars!
I really wavered on whether to fill 3 or 4 stars with this one. I liked it, but I didn't love it!
For some reason, it seems at least one of the MCs in this series has self-esteem issues!
In this book they came from Chris, who was 10+ years older than Lance!
I got annoyed with how Chris kept Lance at arm lengths. He was too old for Lance. Lance deserved better than him. Why would Lance want to be with someone like him?
Lance and Chris start out as a one night thing (never works) and then become friends. But their attraction for each other lands them as friends with benefits (which really never works).
It was so damn obvious they both liked each other but neither one would say anything.
I get why Lance wouldn't.....after all Chris constantly made it a point to remind Lance they were only just a fling.
Sadly this one was told completely from Chris' POV. And I loved Lance. He was definitely my favorite part of the book! He was fun, sweet, honest, caring!
I was glad that once Chris and Lance were forced to make a decision about their feelings, the drama and angst wasn't drawn out.
And the ending was sweet!
I'll give credit where credit is due. One thing Chris did have going for him was the dirty talk!
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
I really wavered on whether to fill 3 or 4 stars with this one. I liked it, but I didn't love it!
For some reason, it seems at least one of the MCs in this series has self-esteem issues!
In this book they came from Chris, who was 10+ years older than Lance!
I got annoyed with how Chris kept Lance at arm lengths. He was too old for Lance. Lance deserved better than him. Why would Lance want to be with someone like him?
Lance and Chris start out as a one night thing (never works) and then become friends. But their attraction for each other lands them as friends with benefits (which really never works).
It was so damn obvious they both liked each other but neither one would say anything.
I get why Lance wouldn't.....after all Chris constantly made it a point to remind Lance they were only just a fling.
Sadly this one was told completely from Chris' POV. And I loved Lance. He was definitely my favorite part of the book! He was fun, sweet, honest, caring!
I was glad that once Chris and Lance were forced to make a decision about their feelings, the drama and angst wasn't drawn out.
And the ending was sweet!
I'll give credit where credit is due. One thing Chris did have going for him was the dirty talk!
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
January 4, 2016
***4 Stars***
Although I had some issues with Chris, this was another winner and great ending to this series! Annabeth Albert has solidified a fan in me! She does a great job of writing sweet, low angst, hot steam and all heart stories!
Since the blurb does a great job of summarizing the plot, I won't touch on that, but focus on my thoughts.
I absolutely LOVED Lance! He was a lighthearted, insightful, sweet, Katy Perry dancing fool that completely stole the show for me.
I looked at him; really looked at him in the dim light of the room, the single bulb catching the highlights in his hair, the world still dark outside the window. He was the brightest thing in my life at that moment.
Chris....Chris on the other hand was a bit harder for me to fully get on board with. I understood his hangups with their age difference, different places in their lives, different goals, future prospects, past burns...but after a while the redundancy of his negativity began to annoy and frustrate me.
For every sweet moment or step forward, he would put an asterisk of pessimism after it. At first I understood why...it was his way of keeping his growing feelings for Lance at arm's length, but after a while it started to feel whiney. However, I will say that he does make up for that in the end....which, of course, left a big ol' cheesy grin on my face!
He smelled like my shampoo and tasted like my beer and felt like mine.
Lance and Chris were a great balance for each other and even though I was frustrated at times, I absolutely loved the simplicity and ease of how they grew together and fell in love (even when Chris was denial).
Overall, this is a series that I would definitely recommend for when you're looking for a sweet, steamy and quick read with endearing characters and cheesy-grin HEA's.
**ARC courtesy of author, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review**
April 27, 2015
THIS BOOK! While I was reading I just thought-
What a great May/December romance! Talk about making a familiar story line your own. Even though I'd never read the author before, I knew I wanted to read this once I'd read the blurb. Then when the opportunity to read an ARC came up I was on it like white on rice!
This book was everything I love:
*Low angst
*Feel good
*Hot
*Great characters
*Character growth
*A book that totally had me grinning while reading
*It made me tear up
*Very smooth story flow
Also, wanted to add that despite not having read the previous books in the series- I didn't feel lost or feel like I missed out on anything. It can be read alone.
I know I gave it 4.5 stars in my status update, but I'm raising it to 5 Stars. It's going in my favorite of 2015 and my re-read pile.
**ARC kindly provided by the author via Netgalley for an honest review**
May 19, 2015
*4.5 stars*
Woah, I SERIOUSLY adored this one! Low drama, lots of emotion, hot sex... what's there not to love?? Very nicely done, Annabeth Albert!
I think books with an age gap between characters have a special place in my heart because they remind me of my relationship with my husband. We have 9 years between us, and when we started dating I was just a teenager that was a BIG gap. Now that we are older and have kids, it seems like small potatoes, but then... it was like, OMG (x 100!).
When it comes to insecurities about age differences, maturity levels, and all of those issues. I get it. And I loved how Annabeth Albert handled the topic. I read the bulk of this story over a long lunch break, and I just could NOT put it down until the very last page. My heart was squeezing SO hard during the final parts of the story. The author managed to get some very real emotions out of me, and she did it with a very natural plot flow, characters that spoke to me, and did I mention the hot sex???
And for readers that are concerned that this is book 3 of a series, I skipped book 2 and I still had no issues following along. I think this story works perfectly as a standalone.
If you are looking for a simple story that is focused on a relationship and its development rather than a lot of extraneous plot details, then this story is for you. It is a simple, charming novella, and I enjoyed it a crazy amount!
**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
Woah, I SERIOUSLY adored this one! Low drama, lots of emotion, hot sex... what's there not to love?? Very nicely done, Annabeth Albert!
I think books with an age gap between characters have a special place in my heart because they remind me of my relationship with my husband. We have 9 years between us, and when we started dating I was just a teenager that was a BIG gap. Now that we are older and have kids, it seems like small potatoes, but then... it was like, OMG (x 100!).
When it comes to insecurities about age differences, maturity levels, and all of those issues. I get it. And I loved how Annabeth Albert handled the topic. I read the bulk of this story over a long lunch break, and I just could NOT put it down until the very last page. My heart was squeezing SO hard during the final parts of the story. The author managed to get some very real emotions out of me, and she did it with a very natural plot flow, characters that spoke to me, and did I mention the hot sex???
And for readers that are concerned that this is book 3 of a series, I skipped book 2 and I still had no issues following along. I think this story works perfectly as a standalone.
If you are looking for a simple story that is focused on a relationship and its development rather than a lot of extraneous plot details, then this story is for you. It is a simple, charming novella, and I enjoyed it a crazy amount!
**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
May 25, 2015
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life
4 Stars!
I have to say that this novella is my favorite in the series so far. I just loved Chris and Lances story. I am amazed by just how much story Annabeth Albert is able to pack into these short novellas. It is just so nice to be able to sit down and read such a fulfilling story in such a short amount of time.
This is the third story in the Portland Heat series but there is very little crossover and each story can be read as a stand alone. This story is told from Chris's point of view. Chris is in his mid 30s and lives in the apartment above the restaurant that he runs but still owns along with his ex. Chris just takes life one day at a time but he can't help by notice the new delivery man, Lance. Lance is in his early 20s. He isn't easily intimidated and has no problems going for what he wants. He is interested in Chris and one thing leads to another and suddenly a one night stand turns into so much more.
I loved the chemistry between these two characters. Some of the scenes were more than a little hot but I also loved the times when they just spent time with each other. There was a lot of focus on the age difference between the couple but I just don't think 13 years is really that big of an age gap. My parents had a 10 year age gap which has always seemed perfectly normal to me so what do I know.
I did inwardly groan when this couple had their major conflict in the story. Any time one person starts making decisions for the other person's best interest without asking what they actually want, things also seem to go wrong.
I would recommend this story to fans of M/M romance. I thought it was a sweet and sexy quick read. I definitely plan to read more of Annabeth Albert's work in the future.
I received a copy of this book from Kensington Books via NetGalley for the purpose of providing an honest review.
4 Stars!
I have to say that this novella is my favorite in the series so far. I just loved Chris and Lances story. I am amazed by just how much story Annabeth Albert is able to pack into these short novellas. It is just so nice to be able to sit down and read such a fulfilling story in such a short amount of time.
This is the third story in the Portland Heat series but there is very little crossover and each story can be read as a stand alone. This story is told from Chris's point of view. Chris is in his mid 30s and lives in the apartment above the restaurant that he runs but still owns along with his ex. Chris just takes life one day at a time but he can't help by notice the new delivery man, Lance. Lance is in his early 20s. He isn't easily intimidated and has no problems going for what he wants. He is interested in Chris and one thing leads to another and suddenly a one night stand turns into so much more.
I loved the chemistry between these two characters. Some of the scenes were more than a little hot but I also loved the times when they just spent time with each other. There was a lot of focus on the age difference between the couple but I just don't think 13 years is really that big of an age gap. My parents had a 10 year age gap which has always seemed perfectly normal to me so what do I know.
I did inwardly groan when this couple had their major conflict in the story. Any time one person starts making decisions for the other person's best interest without asking what they actually want, things also seem to go wrong.
I would recommend this story to fans of M/M romance. I thought it was a sweet and sexy quick read. I definitely plan to read more of Annabeth Albert's work in the future.
I received a copy of this book from Kensington Books via NetGalley for the purpose of providing an honest review.
May 29, 2015
*4.5 stars*
Hot ginger tattooed biker
Sweet
Sandwitches
Nuff said
May 14, 2022
3.5 Stars
Take one older, tatted, & cantankerous coffee shop owner who has sworn off relationships (let alone one 13 years his junior) and mix it with a flirty, confident & fun (but grounded) young guy, and you've got quite the nice setup. Chris and Lance take friends with benefits to a whole new level, and they're absolutely ridiculous in thinking any such arrangement will remain casual.
Though totally understandable, Chris's reasons for keeping himself from getting attached drove me a bit batty. Loved Lance. I could completely see his appeal; his easy going manner and friendly nature drawing Chris in despite Chris's best efforts at resisting. For me, this was not as emotionally heavy as the previous installments, but be reassured that the high steam factor continues, and a wholly satisfying ending awaits the reader.
Take one older, tatted, & cantankerous coffee shop owner who has sworn off relationships (let alone one 13 years his junior) and mix it with a flirty, confident & fun (but grounded) young guy, and you've got quite the nice setup. Chris and Lance take friends with benefits to a whole new level, and they're absolutely ridiculous in thinking any such arrangement will remain casual.
Though totally understandable, Chris's reasons for keeping himself from getting attached drove me a bit batty. Loved Lance. I could completely see his appeal; his easy going manner and friendly nature drawing Chris in despite Chris's best efforts at resisting. For me, this was not as emotionally heavy as the previous installments, but be reassured that the high steam factor continues, and a wholly satisfying ending awaits the reader.
May 13, 2022
This was IMHO bland, unoriginal and lacked depth. It was supposed to be grumpy/sunshine and we are told that numerous times but I didn't see it. Chris (whose name we learn about half way through) is the only POV character and could be sum up as "woe is me, I'm so old" at 35 🤦♀️. The other MC is cool but also lacked depth. It was short but I've read WAY better from this author.
October 18, 2016
Delivered Fast is the third installment of Annabeth Albert’s Portland Heat series and my favorite among the three. I loved the couple and somehow, the conflict (despite it being rooted from a cliché theme) just ‘clicked’ with me, I liked the complexity of reasoning behind it. Before we get to that, though, let me just listed out things that made me fussy first...
When the author tweeted that Delivered Fast would feature May/December couple, my excitement increased. I thought this genre didn’t offer enough of silver-fox guys as their main characters. Well, imagine my slight disappointment when the main character, Chris O’Neal, was only 35 years old (a year younger than me!).
Sure, there was a 13-years old gap between Chris and his early-twenties love interest, but I wouldn’t call this a May/December romance! This kind of age gap was abundant in romance (especially in those Harlequin books I read during my teenager and early twenties), it was not infrequent, and not exactly what I had in mind.
But, I carried on and swallowed my inner grumbling – although I must say that it also became rather hard when I had to face Chris’s drama queen behavior over his age. Seriously, guys in my MM books need to STOP thinking that being in their early or mid-thirty as OLD!
There is no reason for not being able to enjoy what the ‘current’ generation is offering. There is no reason for being fuddy-duddy when 30’s is considered the ‘prime’ age. I’m in my mid-thirties and I still enjoy listening to Katy Perry or Taylor Swift, heck even OneDirection … although those musicians are targeted for the younger market.
Okay, I’m rambling – what I was going to say that Chris’ lament on how he was older than Lance, and Lance needed to ‘embrace his young age and be out there, dipping his toes on life's delicacies, not being stuck with the old-me’ was not attractive.
Having said that ... I did say that it was my favorite of the whole series, right? Right... because Chris and Lance had that wonderful chemistry and they really connected. Despite, his younger age, Lance was more mature than Chris visioning him to be. He could enjoy the quietness of the domestic situation: eat in, watching movies, or simply observing Chris’s fish pets.
Lance was smart and grounded – probably because he had a lot of love in his life. His family didn’t have problem with sexuality. It didn’t mean that Lance couldn’t enjoy a party, dancing, let his hair down once in a while. He just knew what he liked, didn’t like, and what he wanted to be.
But the thing that ‘clicked’ to me the most was because I thought the whole story, in the core of it, was about dream, how to reach it, and how to adapt to it. Chris loved fish and marine biology but he couldn’t live his dream because he easily got seasick. When he was at Lance’s age, he latched his dream to his lover instead.
Basically Chris was living someone else’s dream and even that one crashed and burned when Chris and his lover separated. So Chris was afraid that he would destroy Lance’s dream and made Lance regretful about it, ten years down the road, because that was Chris was feeling at the moment.
Somehow I found that conflict to be emotionally compelling. I could grasp the idea of bitterness of not living one’s dream, which made the story moved me more than the previous two. I definitely loved this quote by Lance because I thought it sum up things perfectly.
Because who’s to say that our dreams couldn’t be reached by letting it expanded or reshaped? I guess one just needs to see that, rather than being unhappy in life :)
The ARC is provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.
When the author tweeted that Delivered Fast would feature May/December couple, my excitement increased. I thought this genre didn’t offer enough of silver-fox guys as their main characters. Well, imagine my slight disappointment when the main character, Chris O’Neal, was only 35 years old (a year younger than me!).
Sure, there was a 13-years old gap between Chris and his early-twenties love interest, but I wouldn’t call this a May/December romance! This kind of age gap was abundant in romance (especially in those Harlequin books I read during my teenager and early twenties), it was not infrequent, and not exactly what I had in mind.
But, I carried on and swallowed my inner grumbling – although I must say that it also became rather hard when I had to face Chris’s drama queen behavior over his age. Seriously, guys in my MM books need to STOP thinking that being in their early or mid-thirty as OLD!
There is no reason for not being able to enjoy what the ‘current’ generation is offering. There is no reason for being fuddy-duddy when 30’s is considered the ‘prime’ age. I’m in my mid-thirties and I still enjoy listening to Katy Perry or Taylor Swift, heck even OneDirection … although those musicians are targeted for the younger market.
Okay, I’m rambling – what I was going to say that Chris’ lament on how he was older than Lance, and Lance needed to ‘embrace his young age and be out there, dipping his toes on life's delicacies, not being stuck with the old-me’ was not attractive.
Having said that ... I did say that it was my favorite of the whole series, right? Right... because Chris and Lance had that wonderful chemistry and they really connected. Despite, his younger age, Lance was more mature than Chris visioning him to be. He could enjoy the quietness of the domestic situation: eat in, watching movies, or simply observing Chris’s fish pets.
Lance was smart and grounded – probably because he had a lot of love in his life. His family didn’t have problem with sexuality. It didn’t mean that Lance couldn’t enjoy a party, dancing, let his hair down once in a while. He just knew what he liked, didn’t like, and what he wanted to be.
But the thing that ‘clicked’ to me the most was because I thought the whole story, in the core of it, was about dream, how to reach it, and how to adapt to it. Chris loved fish and marine biology but he couldn’t live his dream because he easily got seasick. When he was at Lance’s age, he latched his dream to his lover instead.
Basically Chris was living someone else’s dream and even that one crashed and burned when Chris and his lover separated. So Chris was afraid that he would destroy Lance’s dream and made Lance regretful about it, ten years down the road, because that was Chris was feeling at the moment.
Somehow I found that conflict to be emotionally compelling. I could grasp the idea of bitterness of not living one’s dream, which made the story moved me more than the previous two. I definitely loved this quote by Lance because I thought it sum up things perfectly.
“That’s what you don’t seem to get. My dream has expanded to include you.”
Because who’s to say that our dreams couldn’t be reached by letting it expanded or reshaped? I guess one just needs to see that, rather than being unhappy in life :)
The ARC is provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.
May 16, 2015
Chris O’Neal runs a trendy coffee shop in Portland, Oregon. He's in his mid-thirties, doesn't have many friends, has to constantly put up with his douchebag ex, and he's just a tad bitter. Lance Degrassi is the hot young delivery guy. He's on his way to a top graduate school, is very popular, and has confidence in spades.
Cranky older guy and a hot young college student? Score! Though I wouldn't call this a May/December romance. There's a thirteen year age gap between Chris and Lance, but I think May/December romances usually have a greater age difference, and one of the MCs is usually over 40.
Even so, the age difference does play a part in the story, especially for Chris. Chris thinks that he's too old for Lance, and that Lance should be with someone his own age. This belief drives a lot of the angst, which really made me want to his Chris over the head a few times. But I get it, Chris didn't want Lance to make the same mistakes he'd made when he was in his early twenties.
I really liked the incorporation of family, or the need for a family, in to the story. Lance couldn't live without his family, and Chris yearns for one of his own. Lance's family are in the background for most of the book, but it's clear that a lot of Lance's confidence and self-awareness comes from being from a loving family. It's always good to see accepting and loving families in MM romance, where too often the families are just homophobic jerks.
The sex? It's hot, and just a bit kinky. Lance prefers to bottom, and Chris likes to top. There's a hint of domination there. And there's dirty talking. It wasn't the best I'd ever read, but it was still good.
Overall this is a sweet and sexy novella. It's a good read for someone looking for something short and feel-good, and it can be read as a stand-alone.
ARC provided through NetGalley.
Cranky older guy and a hot young college student? Score! Though I wouldn't call this a May/December romance. There's a thirteen year age gap between Chris and Lance, but I think May/December romances usually have a greater age difference, and one of the MCs is usually over 40.
Even so, the age difference does play a part in the story, especially for Chris. Chris thinks that he's too old for Lance, and that Lance should be with someone his own age. This belief drives a lot of the angst, which really made me want to his Chris over the head a few times. But I get it, Chris didn't want Lance to make the same mistakes he'd made when he was in his early twenties.
I really liked the incorporation of family, or the need for a family, in to the story. Lance couldn't live without his family, and Chris yearns for one of his own. Lance's family are in the background for most of the book, but it's clear that a lot of Lance's confidence and self-awareness comes from being from a loving family. It's always good to see accepting and loving families in MM romance, where too often the families are just homophobic jerks.
The sex? It's hot, and just a bit kinky. Lance prefers to bottom, and Chris likes to top. There's a hint of domination there. And there's dirty talking. It wasn't the best I'd ever read, but it was still good.
Overall this is a sweet and sexy novella. It's a good read for someone looking for something short and feel-good, and it can be read as a stand-alone.
ARC provided through NetGalley.
November 16, 2021
4.25 stars. A lot of feels packed into this novella. Best of the three!
January 30, 2016
This was cute, except for one thing, that drove me crazy. Chris kept calling himself old, and an old hippy.
My mom is an old hippy. She's 60. Chris was 35. I'm 42,and I'm perfectly aware of who Katy Perry is. So yeah, the age thing bugged the shit out of me. Not the 12 year age difference, but the idea that 35 is so old.
But other than that, I really enjoyed this book. I thought Lance was really adorable, and he and Chris went together really well.
My mom is an old hippy. She's 60. Chris was 35. I'm 42,and I'm perfectly aware of who Katy Perry is. So yeah, the age thing bugged the shit out of me. Not the 12 year age difference, but the idea that 35 is so old.
But other than that, I really enjoyed this book. I thought Lance was really adorable, and he and Chris went together really well.
August 17, 2024
Vermakelijk! Gay, age gap, cute omgeving. Maar wel behoorlijk spicy!
September 4, 2017
The third book in Portland Heat series, Delivered Fast, is probably one of the most vulnerable and genuine love stories I’ve read by Albert so far. The tone is back to lighter, no heavy issues apart from fear of being hurt and fear of hurting the one you love. There’s an age difference (about ten years), which has been becoming my favorite kind of romance lately, and it’s more pronounced than in the previous story (where the age difference was also ten years, but both MC’s were kinda on the same page. If it weren’t clearly stated, I wouldn’t even guess it). Here, Chris is obviously more mature and Lance is flirty and playful, but as the story progresses, those characteristics start to blur together. Also, Chris is the cuddlier one, which is totally sweet and a nice contrast with his usual cranky mood.
The message that you should do big choices for yourself is still present. The protagonist is trying so hard to do what’s best for his love interest. Or, more accurately, what he believes is best for him. He’s so consumed by the fear he would let him down the same way he was once let down, he doesn’t allow himself to really think about his own wishes. Or about Lance’s for that matter, still viewing him as a kid who doesn’t know what he wants. The important thing for him is what’s “morally right”, but he’s promptly called out on this by multiple people. Albert doesn’t sugarcoat what that is - it doesn’t matter what your motives are, you don’t have the right to choose for other people, no matter how much you love them. People need to make their choices and they sometimes need to make their own mistakes. In the end, this whole dynamic is flipped over, so it’s the protagonist who needs to make his own choice and who needs to make it for himself. And as much as I wanted them to go the other way, they still got their happy ending and I believe it is for the best.
In this story, Albert is clearly having fun with metaphors, as both MC’s are very fond of using them to better understand each other and themselves. Most of them work, some are really sweet, some are funny (Ducati? Really?).
The flirtation in the beginning was great and sparkly, but didn’t last that long. But the MC’s had really good chemistry, so I didn’t mind their hasty start. I would really love to see Chris’ tats, they sound amazing and their backstory is the best tattoo story ever. Seriously, Chris is so sweet. My heart ached for Chris’ family situation (mainly because, yeah, I know how you feel, bro) and seeing Lance’s family was painfully bittersweet - a feeling I bet Chris shares with me. But they welcomed him amongst them and this time, it will work, it must. Because I don’t think Chris would manage having a glimpse of loving family and having it taken away from him again. I so understand his reluctance about the whole dating thing after reading how things went with his ex. And it’s so inspiring to see where he got once he took a leap of faith.
Lance’s caring nature was heartwarming and he was so functional he made my head spin round. I was in awe of how organized and capable he was. Also, pragmatic, but at the same time, romantic as hell. It was so grown up of him to not be ashamed to live with his parents, knowing he chose so to save money for school.
Vic from Baked Fresh came back, this time not just for a brief cameo, but to give the protagonist “What the hell, hero” speech, and was also very important in the final chapter (although he didn’t appear personally), which I loved as always. I’m still waiting for characters from other Albert’s series to make an appearance.
Sex scenes are back to fun and laughing and most of them are amazingly playful, and I absolutely adored how Chris called Lance “beautiful” - not as in “beautiful boy”, but as in “come here, beautiful”. I don’t know why this work so much for me, maybe because Apollo used to call Dylan the same in At Attention and Apollo is kinda fictional love of my life. More of this, please. But through all that fun, it’s also very easy to see how important it is for both of MC’s to be close and their sex is establishing, especially the last sex scene. It’s a very balanced and beautiful mix of careless and caring. And cuddling is important from the beginning, which is awww.
I hope I will see those two in upcoming books, or maybe even a little extra story. But next book features Brady, so I’m really excited. Also, is anyone straight in Albert’s universe? Or bi?
The message that you should do big choices for yourself is still present. The protagonist is trying so hard to do what’s best for his love interest. Or, more accurately, what he believes is best for him. He’s so consumed by the fear he would let him down the same way he was once let down, he doesn’t allow himself to really think about his own wishes. Or about Lance’s for that matter, still viewing him as a kid who doesn’t know what he wants. The important thing for him is what’s “morally right”, but he’s promptly called out on this by multiple people. Albert doesn’t sugarcoat what that is - it doesn’t matter what your motives are, you don’t have the right to choose for other people, no matter how much you love them. People need to make their choices and they sometimes need to make their own mistakes. In the end, this whole dynamic is flipped over, so it’s the protagonist who needs to make his own choice and who needs to make it for himself. And as much as I wanted them to go the other way, they still got their happy ending and I believe it is for the best.
In this story, Albert is clearly having fun with metaphors, as both MC’s are very fond of using them to better understand each other and themselves. Most of them work, some are really sweet, some are funny (Ducati? Really?).
The flirtation in the beginning was great and sparkly, but didn’t last that long. But the MC’s had really good chemistry, so I didn’t mind their hasty start. I would really love to see Chris’ tats, they sound amazing and their backstory is the best tattoo story ever. Seriously, Chris is so sweet. My heart ached for Chris’ family situation (mainly because, yeah, I know how you feel, bro) and seeing Lance’s family was painfully bittersweet - a feeling I bet Chris shares with me. But they welcomed him amongst them and this time, it will work, it must. Because I don’t think Chris would manage having a glimpse of loving family and having it taken away from him again. I so understand his reluctance about the whole dating thing after reading how things went with his ex. And it’s so inspiring to see where he got once he took a leap of faith.
Lance’s caring nature was heartwarming and he was so functional he made my head spin round. I was in awe of how organized and capable he was. Also, pragmatic, but at the same time, romantic as hell. It was so grown up of him to not be ashamed to live with his parents, knowing he chose so to save money for school.
Vic from Baked Fresh came back, this time not just for a brief cameo, but to give the protagonist “What the hell, hero” speech, and was also very important in the final chapter (although he didn’t appear personally), which I loved as always. I’m still waiting for characters from other Albert’s series to make an appearance.
Sex scenes are back to fun and laughing and most of them are amazingly playful, and I absolutely adored how Chris called Lance “beautiful” - not as in “beautiful boy”, but as in “come here, beautiful”. I don’t know why this work so much for me, maybe because Apollo used to call Dylan the same in At Attention and Apollo is kinda fictional love of my life. More of this, please. But through all that fun, it’s also very easy to see how important it is for both of MC’s to be close and their sex is establishing, especially the last sex scene. It’s a very balanced and beautiful mix of careless and caring. And cuddling is important from the beginning, which is awww.
I hope I will see those two in upcoming books, or maybe even a little extra story. But next book features Brady, so I’m really excited. Also, is anyone straight in Albert’s universe? Or bi?
June 6, 2015
Review soon.
July 20, 2015
4 STARS
Well that was a really good one.
This third book from Portland Heat series was my favourite (so far. Which means I'm hoping there's more to come?) I really loved the story and how it flowed. I also loved that it was still connected to the other two (more of the second book and less of the first one). It was very interesting and the characters were really good.
Okay first of all, redhead. I mean UNF. Then tattoos. UNF. Especially tattoo sleeves. UNF UNF UNF.
Chris was just a really great MC. I thought that he was a round character. His progress in this story was really good. He was full of doubt and all 'woe is me' but he finally thought about things and he decided to go for it. Go and get what he wanted and that was Lance.
Oh Lance. You're such a hot stuff too.
Lance was the perfect fit for Chris. He just brought out the best in him. I thought he was reasonable and not pushy. He tried his best to show Chris that things would work out for them with all the obstacles that were coming. I just loved how they were made for each other.
I loved a lot of things in this book. One thing I hated was that one scene near the end. I wish something was done to resolved that little hitch. I also loved the secondary characters. I loved Vic in here too. He's so confident. And I was so happy with what happened here for Vic.
The chemistry was off the charts. The sex was so hot. I really loved the one time they switched positions. That was fucking hot. I wished it happened more than once.
The ending was really heartwarming. Finally, they were starting their new adventure together. Together!
Overall, a great read.
Well that was a really good one.
This third book from Portland Heat series was my favourite (so far. Which means I'm hoping there's more to come?) I really loved the story and how it flowed. I also loved that it was still connected to the other two (more of the second book and less of the first one). It was very interesting and the characters were really good.
Okay first of all, redhead. I mean UNF. Then tattoos. UNF. Especially tattoo sleeves. UNF UNF UNF.
( I know he has more tattoos but whatever)
Chris was just a really great MC. I thought that he was a round character. His progress in this story was really good. He was full of doubt and all 'woe is me' but he finally thought about things and he decided to go for it. Go and get what he wanted and that was Lance.
Oh Lance. You're such a hot stuff too.
Lance was the perfect fit for Chris. He just brought out the best in him. I thought he was reasonable and not pushy. He tried his best to show Chris that things would work out for them with all the obstacles that were coming. I just loved how they were made for each other.
I loved a lot of things in this book. One thing I hated was that one scene near the end. I wish something was done to resolved that little hitch. I also loved the secondary characters. I loved Vic in here too. He's so confident. And I was so happy with what happened here for Vic.
The chemistry was off the charts. The sex was so hot. I really loved the one time they switched positions. That was fucking hot. I wished it happened more than once.
The ending was really heartwarming. Finally, they were starting their new adventure together. Together!
Overall, a great read.
March 8, 2017
"People want to believe life is full of second chances. But that's not really the case. Sometimes we only get one shot to get it right."
Can't stop won't stop the binge is real.
"Dude, if I had your ink, I'd be taking a selfie every day just because."
"Dude, if I were still nineteen, I'd find a better use for my phone than putting pictures of myself all over the Internet."
"Twenty-two. I'm twenty-two." [..] From the cute blush on his cheeks, I figured the good people of Instagram and whatnot had been treated to more than a few pics of his stellar bod.
Thou shalt not Google the hot twink.
Oh my god Albert slayed me with this one. So much for assuming every story would be sad. DELIVERED FAST had all the feels but sans tragic backstory or loss. We had another delightfully sinful age difference and all the hangups that accompany it (usually for the older guy and so it went here) but.. I don't know! I almost can't explain why this one hit all my buttons. It was just brilliant. Book three in the Portland Heat series is a friends with benefits that became so much more story but the chemistry was electric, the dialogue and banter was laugh out loud and adorable. I loved this whole thing.
"You want weed?"
"You have weed?"
"I own a vegan coffee shop in Portland. I'm pretty sure it's required by my union."
I could've read endless more pages about this one. But like all these novellas, they feel like fully fleshed out novels. These stories contain so much but for this one I feel greedy. I want so much more. Definitely my favourite of the series so far.
4.5 "he was a disco ball in human form, and I was happy to let him hypnotize me" stars
Can't stop won't stop the binge is real.
"Dude, if I had your ink, I'd be taking a selfie every day just because."
"Dude, if I were still nineteen, I'd find a better use for my phone than putting pictures of myself all over the Internet."
"Twenty-two. I'm twenty-two." [..] From the cute blush on his cheeks, I figured the good people of Instagram and whatnot had been treated to more than a few pics of his stellar bod.
Thou shalt not Google the hot twink.
Oh my god Albert slayed me with this one. So much for assuming every story would be sad. DELIVERED FAST had all the feels but sans tragic backstory or loss. We had another delightfully sinful age difference and all the hangups that accompany it (usually for the older guy and so it went here) but.. I don't know! I almost can't explain why this one hit all my buttons. It was just brilliant. Book three in the Portland Heat series is a friends with benefits that became so much more story but the chemistry was electric, the dialogue and banter was laugh out loud and adorable. I loved this whole thing.
"You want weed?"
"You have weed?"
"I own a vegan coffee shop in Portland. I'm pretty sure it's required by my union."
I could've read endless more pages about this one. But like all these novellas, they feel like fully fleshed out novels. These stories contain so much but for this one I feel greedy. I want so much more. Definitely my favourite of the series so far.
4.5 "he was a disco ball in human form, and I was happy to let him hypnotize me" stars
November 22, 2017
*** 4 stars ! ***
This is definitely my favorite of the series. And I adored Lance so much! He's perfect for that grumpy old Chris.
Young, vibrant, cheerful and always happy Lance and a gloomy grumpy but hot biker Chris.
They're a perfect couple, and I know Lance can make Chris happy forever. That's why what Chris gave up in his life for him, worth it.
Lance and Chris are sexy together, I couldn't ask for more perfect couple in this series. Lance and Chris are the best!
I'm not a fan of Vic and Robin's story, but I'm sure I won't forget that lovely Lance and Chris for a long time.
And Chris with a kilt? Hmmm...yum!
Well done!
*Lance*
*Chris*
This is definitely my favorite of the series. And I adored Lance so much! He's perfect for that grumpy old Chris.
Young, vibrant, cheerful and always happy Lance and a gloomy grumpy but hot biker Chris.
They're a perfect couple, and I know Lance can make Chris happy forever. That's why what Chris gave up in his life for him, worth it.
Lance and Chris are sexy together, I couldn't ask for more perfect couple in this series. Lance and Chris are the best!
I'm not a fan of Vic and Robin's story, but I'm sure I won't forget that lovely Lance and Chris for a long time.
And Chris with a kilt? Hmmm...yum!
Well done!
*Lance*
*Chris*
May 6, 2015
4 stars
I have fallen in love with Annabeth Albert's writing. She has the ability to write the most sincerest guys ever. Gah, I love her writing, and her guys. This book was no different. I was expecting an easy breezy love story. I got feelings as usual, I didn't expect Lance to be so smart when it came professing his feelings. I liked Chris, I understood his reservations being in a younger relationship. I liked that he took his time with letting Lance know his feelings. I hated when they broke up but I loved that they had time to things through.
I wish one of these books was a full length novel. I love this series. I can't wait for more.
I have fallen in love with Annabeth Albert's writing. She has the ability to write the most sincerest guys ever. Gah, I love her writing, and her guys. This book was no different. I was expecting an easy breezy love story. I got feelings as usual, I didn't expect Lance to be so smart when it came professing his feelings. I liked Chris, I understood his reservations being in a younger relationship. I liked that he took his time with letting Lance know his feelings. I hated when they broke up but I loved that they had time to things through.
I wish one of these books was a full length novel. I love this series. I can't wait for more.
June 8, 2015
The banter, the sexy times, the beautiful boys and the feels made this story such a win for me. I will auto buy and devour any words that Annabeth Albert writes. I think this story was my favorite in the series. I loved the chemistry between Chris and Lance SO much. The angst wasn't manufactured but instead any drama was just a natural part of the progression in their relationship and Chris' old demons working their way out of his system. Lance understood Chris and Chris really didn't know what to do with that at first, but reading about them falling in love just made me all kinds of happy.
January 2, 2016
A one night stand that turns into friends with benefits that turns into love.
It's a little on the lighter side of sexy, and I had one big problem with it... But, other than that it's a sweet, quick read.
Every story so far can be read as a standalone, including this one.
It's a little on the lighter side of sexy, and I had one big problem with it... But, other than that it's a sweet, quick read.
Every story so far can be read as a standalone, including this one.
June 16, 2015
This is my all time favourite type of romance right here. No subplots, no whodunnits, no backstory drama, nada, nyet, nothing. Just two guys falling in love and making a relationship happen. I could read a story like this over and over and over without EVER being bored. Especially when the writing is excellent, the characters are actually well developed, the sex is hot, and the plot is nicely cruising along. I would have really enjoyed a little more info about the lovely HEA the boys got but I'm satisfied as is.
If you enjoy simple romances, I highly recommend this!
If you enjoy simple romances, I highly recommend this!
October 23, 2019
Enjoyable story, enjoyable characters. I liked the age gap in this story - just enough angst but not too much that it became repetitive or too much.
September 18, 2020
Standard issue- older guy thinks younger guy shouldn't throw his life away on him, subsequently pushes younger guy away despite mutual love and a great connection. The whole Portland hipster food scene worked in felt... awkward? Like Albert was attempting to write to a specific crowd or trend. There was a checklist of: flannel, tats, craft beer, weed, more tats, coffee, vegan food, and recyclable packaging. Okay.
Lance didn't have a single flaw to his personality, just candy sweet and very sure of himself. Which is, of course, nice... but let the guy have bad breath or something, eh?
Lance didn't have a single flaw to his personality, just candy sweet and very sure of himself. Which is, of course, nice... but let the guy have bad breath or something, eh?
August 20, 2020
A Chance to Dream, Again!
Adorable, bakery driver/college student Lance delivers more than baked goods to cranky, coffee shop owner Chris. A sweet May-Dec romance. Good storytelling, interesting MCs, light on the angst. Enjoyable!
Adorable, bakery driver/college student Lance delivers more than baked goods to cranky, coffee shop owner Chris. A sweet May-Dec romance. Good storytelling, interesting MCs, light on the angst. Enjoyable!
did-not-finish
April 23, 2017Dnf (sample). Between Ducatis, hot fudge, and "my favorite coconut ice cream", I was constantly being pulled out of this story. Not for me.
February 2, 2021
Absolutely loved this one. Lance just might be my favorite character ever.
April 30, 2015
The blurb hinted age gap in this book, and it was actually more than what's between the characters of Baked Fresh. However, I don't consider this a May/December love story. Yes, there's 13 year difference; but it's about a couple of guys in their 20s and 30s. Which was not uncommon, I'm sure (May/December to me was more like 40/50-ish silver fox with a tween or more than 20 year age gap, but... never mind).
For all the MC's sighing, thinking and worrying about AGE gap though, I think - in a nutshell - this book was about DREAM.
It went like this: When you resented your fallen-apart dream and projected it to someone else's (dream and life), you're bound to wrecked your life together.
That's what's played havoc on Chris O'Neal's head throughout the pages.
The story line was actually pretty straightforward albeit rather slow pacing. At first I was amused by Chris and Lance interactions. One so determined to keep the distance, the other purposefully finding a way to get close.
Lance, especially, was an endearing character with his cheerful personalities; as Chris noted: "a human mobile hotspot to people around him." He was mature for his age, balanced between smart, focus and responsible young man who could liven up a party.
Chris, on the other hand...(pausing to take a deep breath) for a 35 year old he acted and felt eighty. He regarded Lance as kid, keep mulling over their age gap and generally being an old coot. And it became tiring to me. His dream might have been altered, and the ex was a bit of a jerk. But he didn't even have an excuse of his ex making his love life trouble. All the anxiety was ALL his own making! I'm older than Chris and even I could still enjoy a Katy Perry or two. Stop making old as boring, morose and pathetic!!
Self-fuming aside, there were a couple of things, other than Lance, that grabbed me to still liking this book. One was a quote from Lance and Chris conversation.
That's the younger one with wiser comeback, if you haven't guessed already.
The other was the last chapter; which could be too trying-to-summ-up-everything from the time they reconciled and built another dream. But there Lance got Chris to wear KILT! to go to a wedding. The imagination alone made me happy! :D
Note: ARC was kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
For all the MC's sighing, thinking and worrying about AGE gap though, I think - in a nutshell - this book was about DREAM.
It went like this: When you resented your fallen-apart dream and projected it to someone else's (dream and life), you're bound to wrecked your life together.
That's what's played havoc on Chris O'Neal's head throughout the pages.
The story line was actually pretty straightforward albeit rather slow pacing. At first I was amused by Chris and Lance interactions. One so determined to keep the distance, the other purposefully finding a way to get close.
Lance, especially, was an endearing character with his cheerful personalities; as Chris noted: "a human mobile hotspot to people around him." He was mature for his age, balanced between smart, focus and responsible young man who could liven up a party.
Chris, on the other hand...(pausing to take a deep breath) for a 35 year old he acted and felt eighty. He regarded Lance as kid, keep mulling over their age gap and generally being an old coot. And it became tiring to me. His dream might have been altered, and the ex was a bit of a jerk. But he didn't even have an excuse of his ex making his love life trouble. All the anxiety was ALL his own making! I'm older than Chris and even I could still enjoy a Katy Perry or two. Stop making old as boring, morose and pathetic!!
Self-fuming aside, there were a couple of things, other than Lance, that grabbed me to still liking this book. One was a quote from Lance and Chris conversation.
"I want you to have everything you've wanted."
"That includes you. That's what you don't seem to get. My dream has expanded to include you!"
That's the younger one with wiser comeback, if you haven't guessed already.
The other was the last chapter; which could be too trying-to-summ-up-everything from the time they reconciled and built another dream. But there Lance got Chris to wear KILT! to go to a wedding. The imagination alone made me happy! :D
Note: ARC was kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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