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Rebuild
After a traumatic car accident and subsequent break-up with Dylan, his overly entitled boyfriend, Sam returns to his hometown to recover from his injuries. He rents space in Alex’s garage to work on his car. Alex acts on a long ago crush and offers his aid to Sam once he sees how much help Sam needs. Sam’s decision to rebuild the old Mustang instead of scrapping it might lead to rebuilding his life and finding a love he thought impossible after Dylan’s betrayal.
50 pages, ebook
First published May 31, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
June 8, 2014
If you appreciate romance and intimacy in your romance novels (or short stories as the case may be), this probably isn't for you. I liked both Sam and Alex, and I loved the direction the story was going with their relationship and then... Nothing. The story just ended, fizzling out with only a mildly sweet sentiment instead of the gooey declarations and the soul-melting kisses that I was hoping for. It was basically 50 pages of well-written build up with very little payoff.
July 29, 2016
This is a very quiet, gentle story that perfectly reflects not only Sam’s character but his slow struggle back toward life after his accident. I loved the gradual reveal of what happened, and treasured the few things he said to help Alex (and me)understand what was going on inside his head. They were like little breadcrumbs scattered in a seemingly random pattern – but once I got the picture it became clear they hadn’t been placed randomly at all.
Sam is a quiet guy. I bet lots of people think he goes along with their plans and ideas just because he doesn’t object. Nothing could be further from the truth, especially in the case of his ex-boyfriend. Sam just thinks things through very carefully, and many people took that for acquiescence. After the accident, Sam has a hard time readjusting physically, after all he almost died, and mentally. He just knows that Alex is good for him, never mind that he’s his total opposite in the how-much-is-said-out-loud department. But since Sam is slow and methodical in the way he appraises people, and he is not a vocal guy, the understanding of what Alex means to him sinks in slowly.
Alex is a chatterbox. He also used to have a crush on Sam when they were in school, and I don’t think that crush is over yet. Or it gets revived. Whatever the case may be, Alex is determined to get closer to Sam, and he has the patience to stick it out. Maybe it’s the fact that Alex likes to talk, and Sam likes to listen. Maybe it’s because they share an interest in cars. Whatever it is, I loved watching their romance develop slowly over the weeks it takes to restore Sam’s car.
If you like your romances to simmer as they slowly come to a boil rather than flare up and explode in your face, if you enjoy stories about opposites who definitely attract, and if you’re looking for a quiet read that speaks through what isn’t said as much as through the characters’ words, then you will probably like this short story.
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Sam is a quiet guy. I bet lots of people think he goes along with their plans and ideas just because he doesn’t object. Nothing could be further from the truth, especially in the case of his ex-boyfriend. Sam just thinks things through very carefully, and many people took that for acquiescence. After the accident, Sam has a hard time readjusting physically, after all he almost died, and mentally. He just knows that Alex is good for him, never mind that he’s his total opposite in the how-much-is-said-out-loud department. But since Sam is slow and methodical in the way he appraises people, and he is not a vocal guy, the understanding of what Alex means to him sinks in slowly.
Alex is a chatterbox. He also used to have a crush on Sam when they were in school, and I don’t think that crush is over yet. Or it gets revived. Whatever the case may be, Alex is determined to get closer to Sam, and he has the patience to stick it out. Maybe it’s the fact that Alex likes to talk, and Sam likes to listen. Maybe it’s because they share an interest in cars. Whatever it is, I loved watching their romance develop slowly over the weeks it takes to restore Sam’s car.
If you like your romances to simmer as they slowly come to a boil rather than flare up and explode in your face, if you enjoy stories about opposites who definitely attract, and if you’re looking for a quiet read that speaks through what isn’t said as much as through the characters’ words, then you will probably like this short story.
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
June 21, 2014
More like 4.5 stars
I really loved this story. It was more the following along Sam coming to terms with his accident, what really happened, while working on restauring his car and finding love in the end. A very quiet, understated way of writing, fitting the story perfectly. Yes, I liked it a lot.
I really loved this story. It was more the following along Sam coming to terms with his accident, what really happened, while working on restauring his car and finding love in the end. A very quiet, understated way of writing, fitting the story perfectly. Yes, I liked it a lot.
June 6, 2014
This was fluttering along beautifully but hit a brick wall with the ending and crashed and burned. Cannot recommend.
June 28, 2014
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.25 stars
Alex and Sam begin to bond over the shared experience of bringing the car back to life and Alex’s non-stop chatter becomes soothing to Sam’s soul. One plot issue was that Alex’s mother knows Alex and his sister very well, she helped them through a family crisis, and allows the car to be stored at the garage free of charge. It is never made clear how she knows them so well and yet Sam does not remember the family initially. Overall, however, it was a well paced story of two men finding friendship and the possibility of love.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
4.25 stars
Alex and Sam begin to bond over the shared experience of bringing the car back to life and Alex’s non-stop chatter becomes soothing to Sam’s soul. One plot issue was that Alex’s mother knows Alex and his sister very well, she helped them through a family crisis, and allows the car to be stored at the garage free of charge. It is never made clear how she knows them so well and yet Sam does not remember the family initially. Overall, however, it was a well paced story of two men finding friendship and the possibility of love.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
March 14, 2015
3.5*
Sam and Alex make an interesting and sweet couple. Alex just wants to be helpful and Sam just wants to be left alone. Of course that isn’t allowed to happen. There is a lot of back story between them that we never really fully understand, but we do get a good idea about Sam’s back story. I would just liked to have known a little more about Alex and this crush he had been harboring for so long. In the end though, for the length, the story was well written and enjoyable.
Find the Full review at Prism Book Alliance http://www.prismbookalliance.com/?pos...
Sam and Alex make an interesting and sweet couple. Alex just wants to be helpful and Sam just wants to be left alone. Of course that isn’t allowed to happen. There is a lot of back story between them that we never really fully understand, but we do get a good idea about Sam’s back story. I would just liked to have known a little more about Alex and this crush he had been harboring for so long. In the end though, for the length, the story was well written and enjoyable.
Find the Full review at Prism Book Alliance http://www.prismbookalliance.com/?pos...
June 13, 2014
This is a prologue to a love story that never gets started. Sam is recovering from a car crash and rebuilding the car he was in at the time of his accident. Alex owns the garage where Sam is doing this work. They strike up a strange friendship... To me it didn't feel more than that, the chemistry was non existent and the emotions were pretty remote.
If this hadn't been a part of the Daily Dose package, I would have put it on my gay themed shelf instead of my m/m romance one, the romance was just missing from it.
If this hadn't been a part of the Daily Dose package, I would have put it on my gay themed shelf instead of my m/m romance one, the romance was just missing from it.
June 19, 2014
I want more of quiet and intense Sam and effervescent Alex. I'm bummed the short story ended when it did--I wanted to see Sam & Alex begin a relationship.
June 21, 2014
Would have been 4 stars if it was finished.
June 14, 2014
Really enjoyed the story and liked the interaction between Sam and Alex. Would love to see their story continue.
June 26, 2014
This shorty is beautiful, but definitely to short. I wish there was a longer sequel. It would be awesome to read how they got together for real.
June 11, 2015
This were 4 stars for me...until I hit the end.
No, I don't need sex in my stories but it all felt like a great build-up to a romance and first kisses but instead then came nothing. Out. The End.
No, I don't need sex in my stories but it all felt like a great build-up to a romance and first kisses but instead then came nothing. Out. The End.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews