When He Woke

by Taylor Brooks

Matt Caynor's whole world turned upside down two years ago when a car accident left his partner, Aaron Mayburn, in a coma. For months he remained vigil by his bedside, hoping for a miracle the doctors told him would never come.

Steve Pierce met Matt three months ago and took an instant liking to him. After a whirlwind romance the two find themselves falling in love and planning for a future together until a phone call comes in from the hospital that changes everything.

When Aaron wakes from his coma, Matt is forced to let go of the man he's falling in love with to be with the one he thought he'd lost. With each passing day he finds himself walking a tightrope between gratitude and despair, not knowing that he might just be given everything he wants. If only he's brave enough to take it.

[Siren Menage Everlasting: Erotic Alternative Menage a Trois Romance, M/M/M, HEA]
** A Siren Erotic Romance

Genres: Menage, M M Romance, Romance, Erotica

140 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 31, 2014

About the author

Exclusive Author at Siren Publishing specializing in the Gay Erotic Romance genre of Man Love.

Huge supporter of equality!

⚣ ♡ Ⓖ Ⓑ Ⓛ Ⓣ ♡ ⚣

authortaylorbrooks.blogspot.com

Reviews

[Marleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received my copy from the publisher through Love Romances and More

It’s been two years since the accident that left Aaron in a coma the doctors say he would never come out of. For most of those two years Aaron’s partner Matt has been holding a vigil by his bedside while fighting the medical staff who urge him to turn life support off.

Three months ago Matt met Steve and from the very first moment something special existed between the two men. They’ve spent little time apart over those three months although Matt does occasionally disappear for a few hours without explaining why or where he goes.

When Aaron wakes up from his coma it is the miracle Matt has been waiting for. It is also the moment he has to say goodbye to Steve, the man who didn’t know Aaron existed, the man he’s fallen in love with and the man who now feels betrayed and abandoned.

Aaron’s awakening leaves three man less than happy. Matt is delighted to have the love of his life back while a part of him yearns for Steve. Steve is heartbroken and feels betrayed. And Aaron, while delighted to be back home with the man he loves, knows Matt is hiding something from him.

Something will have to give.


I’m not sure what to say about this book. I liked the idea behind the story. It must be a terrible dilemma for those who have partners in a coma; when do you allow yourself to move on even though the person you love is technically still alive? What do you then when you fall for someone while the person you’ll always love is in hospital, unable to respond to you? And if this book had gone a little bit deeper into that issue I would probably have ended up loving it.

As it is the story, while touching on Matt’s dilemma, seemed to almost gloss over it. In fact, the story seemed to gloss over almost everything except the sex. Please don’t get me wrong. I liked reading the sex scenes and they were hot. But I can’t help feeling that this was too weighty a theme to use as a vehicle for steamy encounters.

I also didn’t get any real insight into those three men. I felt there was very little to distinguish them from each other. Matt gets a bit more attention than the other two men and is therefore a bit easier to identify but not well enough for me to be able to picture him in my head.

Matt. I disliked him. First he kept secrets from Steve and when that spectacularly backfired and left both of them hurt he turned around and did the exact same thing to Aaron. In fact, this may be one of the few books were the happy ending didn’t feel right because I just couldn’t convince myself Matt deserved it.

I can’t help feeling that this novella would have made a great novel. If it had been longer, with more character background and growth, more time for situations to be created and resolved and more insight into Matt’s turmoil during the two years Aaron was in his coma this could have been one of those books that break your heart only to leave you uplifted and happy in the end. Instead this was an enjoyable and hot but rather superficial story. There was nothing wrong with the writing and it was a very easy read. I just didn’t like the disappointed feeling the book left me with.

[Cocktails and Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I wasn't too sure at first. Yes, I do love menage stories, but I only like ones with two men and one woman, and I FOR SURE prefer M/M/F. I want everyone to touch and love each other. So, I took a chance on "When He Woke" from Taylor Brooks. She's the writer who turned me on (literally, hehe) to M/M erotica.

This particular story is an all male menage. The plot is rather simple. Matt and Aaron are in love. A terrible accident leaves Aaron in a coma that has lasted for nearly two years. Matt never really gives up hope, but after so long, he begins to live his life once again. Enter Steve. He and Matt begin a relationship, and it's still in its fledgling stage when all of a sudden, Matt gets the phone call he never thought he'd get.

I found the concept of the story to be very interesting and quite emotional as well. For a minute, imagine what it would like to be Matt...facing a terrible tragedy and then, finally, after a really long time, starting to feel happy again, and all of a sudden your world is blown up yet again. This book is well thought out, beautifully written, and contains enough detail to let you understand what's going on in the three mens' lives without being overwhelming. The chemistry between Matt, Aaron, and Steve is great. There's tension and a bit of angst, but it doesn't go on for chapter after chapter until we're all ready to curl up in our bed, watch chick flicks, eat Ben and Jerry's, and cry all night long. The sex? Off the charts! Just so hot!

"When He Awoke" is relatively short read. I read through it in one sitting. Of course, I was completely drawn in and didn't want to go to bed until I'd finished. It was also rather uplifting to read a story about three people who overcame extreme circumstances, and they still wind up happy. I highly recommend it.

Reviewed by Kenna for Cocktails and Books

[CJ - Sensuous Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by: Eloreen Moon
For Sensuous Reviews


I am a big fan of M/M romances. I like ménage more so than M/M sometimes. But it is hard to write them and have it work. Taylor Brooks has made it work, and done it well, with When He Woke. We initially meet Aaron Mayburn; Matt Caynor’s comatose boyfriend, who wakes after 2 years following a car accident. Then we meet Matt Caynor and his new boyfriend, Steve Pierce, whom have been dating for about three months as Matt was finally letting go of the man he loved when he gets the call from the hospital. From here, you have the complicated interweaving of these three lives as they come to grips with two people loving Matt and Matt loving both of them. They all have to make tough decisions, have their trials and angst, and decide what they are going to do about their situation; but, there is a happy ending is in sight. This is one of the better ménage interactions I’ve seen and I give it a 5 stars out of 5.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great storyline could have been better if the end hadn't felt rushed. If there had been more interaction between the three of them it would have made the ending awesome instead of feeling incomplete.

[Rachel Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

This had potential for me, but fell flat. I think that more with Matt, Steve, and Aaron together all three of them would have been more interesting than just Matt and Steve and Matt and Aaron and Steve and Aaron.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Would love to see more of these three together in the future.