Falling For You

by Matthias Williamson

Dear Author,
Due to a very embarrassing accident I am stuck at home. Broken leg. My profession requires a lot of exercise, so not being able to move around freely drives me crazy. One morning while sipping my coffee and browsing the internet on my tablet, I spotted the most gorgeous guy just outside my balcony. He was so engrossed in talking to the dog he’d been walking that day, that he hadn’t noticed me watching. In hope of seeing him again and maybe for a chance to get to talking I had every breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack and dinner on my balcony. Every day. I knew it was crazy but I just had to see him again. I did. For days I had been watching him and his dog play at the park across the street. One day, when he actually noticed me, it was everything I could have hoped for and more.

The only problem: his dog is his entire world. Unfortunately I’ve been suffering from Cynophobia (terrible dog phobia) ever since I can remember. How can we find our HEA? He would never choose me over his dog…

Photo Description:
One man is leaning over a balcony, having his knuckles of his hand kissed by another man who is rising up to meet the challenge.

This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love’s Landscapes" event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story.

This story may contain sexually explicit content and is intended for adult readers. It may contain content that is disagreeable or distressing to some readers. The M/M Romance Group strongly recommends that each reader review the General Information section before each story for story tags as well as for content warnings.

Genres: M M Romance, Contemporary, Romance, Short Stories, Gay, Sports, LGBT

41 pages, ebook

First published June 22, 2014

Reviews

[~✡~Dαni(ela) ♥ ♂♂ love & semi-colons~✡~ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lovely image prompt, but sadly the book is only loosely based on the prompt. Awkward dual POVs, with the focus being more on the MCs' background information than a relationship; indeed, Noah and March don't meet until 90 percent into the book and then we get a summary of how great they are together. The dog phobia isn't really explored and there's zero steam.

[AliciaJ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really short cute story that could have used a bit more work. It would have been nice to know more about March on a personal level, like does the dude have any friends..like at all? I mean, besides the obligatory straight female best friend of course. And what about his family, do they not give a shit about him? And what the hell was up with that little old lady? That was just bizarre. So yeah, there was a good beginning of a story here, I just don't think it was fleshed out enough. Hopefully the author's next book will be more complete.

[Debbie McGowan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this story. It is so beautifully romantic, following that wonderfully magic process of falling for someone - that thing that creeps up on us, where we speculate and make life stories for the object of our infatuation, often getting it completely wrong.

Joe's writing is quirky and enticing, and the switching points of view, whilst not something I am generally a fan of, work really well in this story. Indeed, it is perfect for letting the reader get an insight into what the two main characters are actually thinking.

I was going to knock off a star, because of needing more of the happy ending (spoiler-free version). This story is all about the actual falling for someone part of it, and when all is said and done, that's where most of the wonder of a relationship can be found. It's the part we all reminisce for years to come. However, I would really have loved more of what came after, perhaps a mini part two, with a little more drama - not too much, as that's not what the story's about, and they did fall in love from afar, so I can't really complain that it's "insta-love". For all of this, I may be imposing my expectations, so it's a 4.5 star read, rounded up.

A lovely, sweet romantic story, well worth a read.

[Amy Spector · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very cute story about falling for someone from a distance. I am a massive Rear Window fan and it has as bit of that going on and also has a little of old Hollywood comedy going on as well. In that, it is a bit reminiscent of Amy Lane's Going Up.

It has a wonderful, quirky, first person POV that I love, and cheats just a little with journal entries for MC2, giving us some insight into the other side of the story.

Super fun read.

Favorite line ...

'Don't look for the artist Fin Huck. He's shit.'

[melek · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a sweetest way to fall in love even though the guys didnt meet until the end but it was still the sweetest. March is house bound with a broken ankle and everyday at his balcony he sees an guy named noah which who doesn't no yet walking a dog and just cant help fall in love.

The writing was different from both guys point of view.

[Elizabetta · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This unfolds quite differently with our getting to know one of the characters, Noah, by his journal entries to his sister. The use of a journal feels a bit awkward at first, especially in terms of trying to figure out what’s going on between Noah and his sister, but it made sense, reading on. It’s an unconventional, very personal way of looking into Noah’s motivation, and his relationship with his sister, who never appears in the story.

The other MC, March (Marcello), is laid up with a broken ankle, watching his own personal reality show unfold from the balcony of his Gramercy park home. Recuperating, ankle elevated, he has nothing much going on save peeping on the doings of his colorful neighbors. So, a little dash of Rear Window, in that respect, but without the mystery, and add in a humorous, slightly absurd feel to the story... Ok, well, March did remind me of the charming, slightly awkward Jimmy Stewart.

March has just kicked out an erstwhile lover and has moved onto his next interest, the handsome Noah, the (he thinks) blind dog walker who is part of the regulars who populate the neighborhood. Noah, just might be interested too, it seems…

There is an interesting quirkiness at work here, and some humorous scenes (For one, when March breaks his ankle on national TV while refereeing a professional football game and fighting with his ex by phone. All at the same time.) I hope this author continues to bring us his own special look at men in love, and especially March and Noah’s story… they only just get started here.

(I have to add that I’m so impressed with the wonderful Love’s Landscapes event which not only promotes established authors, but allows newer and emerging authors a chance to hone their skills— making their efforts available for FREE to readers. Where else can you get that?)

For this and other great reviews, author interviews, and general fabulousness, visit Love Bytes:

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw this when it came up as a prompt and thought the picture was sooo pretty. That Joe got it made me happy. I don’t know Joe, haven’t read his story from last year, been snooping around a little on his webpage, but not much--I’ll try to change that, though. I’ve seen some comments here and there by Joe and, I don’t know, but when I see his thumbnail in some threads I usually stop and read what he has to say. So I was a little disappointed when I went into the author page and didn’t see him there, thought maybe I’d gotten the wrong Joe, but no, some more snooping and there he was. :) So, enough swooning over a man I know nothing about.
The story… I liked it. I see that some of you are complaining about the MCs not meeting until the very end, I thought that was sweet. Though I’m not a fan of love at first sight, so I would have preferred that there weren’t any thoughts about love before they’d talked to each other, but eh, you can’t have everything your way, can you?
I loved the tackling/broken ankle scene and the one where Noah climbed the balcony. In the beginning I was little confused about Noah’s writing to his sister, and when I realized that she wasn’t dead, which was my first though, I kept thinking--how does she read it--which has nothing to do with the story at all. I would have liked a little more on the dog phobia, and maybe a little more time with MCs actually communicating. But I’m not completely sure of that, the feeling is that I would have wanted more, but if there had been the story would have been a different one… I’m not making any sense, I know. Loved that the sexscene wasn’t described in detail. When they are in such short stories it’s like the focus shifts to just that, but here the story of the MCs remained the most important one. Oh, I hadn’t planned on jabbering this much. Great story!

[S.M. Franklin · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Twinkling Stars.



I picked this up as I needed something quick and light to read after my fingers were cramping so bad.

Anyway, what I wasn't expecting with this book was the intense, but not over the top sweetness that it came with. There were plenty of aww moments that made me either sigh out loud or smile at whether it be:



or



or even Annie and her:


Best part of the whole book? "I'm Noah Wright, and I think I'm falling for you."

Loved March and really disliked "JS"

Overall, sweet/no sex book with soft moments but also laugh-out-loud ones. I really liked this author's writing style and am with this review, elbowing him, subtly asking him what he's writing next :D

[K]

Contemporary short story.
Marcello, a sports reported, breaks up with his NHL playing closeted boyfriend after a refusal to come out. They later get into a texting argument, which is caught on camera, and ends with Marcello tripping and breaking his leg. Aided by long term friend Annie, he is set up on the balcony of his apartment with instructions to rest. While he does he observes those that come and go in the private park opposite, one of those is Noah, a guide dog puppy walker, who has just split up from his own boyfriend. From a distance the pair become infatuated with each other. Unfortunately, I really never felt the connection between the two characters, who for about 80% of the story don't speak to each other.

(I also have major problems with anyone - fictional or not - taking dog training advice from Ceaser Milan, but that's a wholly personal thing!)

[Gabi Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thats a really enjoyable story, just wish it was a bit longer, would love to see more of Marcelo and Noah together! Joe's writing is addicting and the way he structure the story it's really amusing with the journals entries. Really a great story!

[Riina Y.T. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Joe, for that lovely story !! :)

[Kelly (Maybedog) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up because of the service dogs.

[Al · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful, sweet story that had me gulping.
Thank you Joe.

[GlamLawyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked that story. The writing between 2 POVs was challenging at the beginning. But after a short while I actually liked it. Sweet story.

[Linda ~ they got the mustard out! ~]

DNF - This story goes from standard 1st person POV for one MC to blog posts for the other MC. I couldn't get into the story at all. I was somewhere around 50% and the MCs still hadn't met.

[m. ✨ On Hiatus ✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this short story, Marcello accidentally breaks his ankle after having an argument with his closeted athlete boyfriend. During his recovery, he watches a man who walks his dog from his balcony. He's enamored, but is also afraid deathly afraid of dogs. Noah, a veterinarian who also trains seeing eye dogs, notices the gorgeous man watching him and is instantly curious.

I liked the premise of the story, but I wish I could have seen more interaction between Marcello and Noah. So much of the story consisted of the background of the characters and Marcello and Noah gazing at each other from afar. When they finally spoke to one another, the story seemed to go from zero to 75 in the blink of an eye. The ending was extremely rushed. While I was happy that Noah and Marcello found happiness with each other, their connection just didn't resonate with me. The author's writing was engaging and held my interest, but after making it through all of the exposition and lead up, only to have a few paragraphs of actual interaction between the couple, I was left wanting much more.

[Jenny Wood · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute little short story about a sports reporter who gets hurt and is challenged by his bestie to write in a journal about the people of his neighborhood... That's where he see's a veterinarian/dog trainer/dog walker named Noah...Noah notices him just as much as he notices Noah... They don't ever talk but through the weeks of watching each other, they think they fall for each other... now I think this is a bit of a stretch but the way they come together and finally talk to each other is cute. I liked it.
Everything after that was just cute, I wish it was longer cuz it kinda just ended.... and I kinda wish that the closeted ex boyfriend would have gotten some karmatic justice, cuz really.... he was rude and unnessesarily hateful... but, meh, whatever.... I can dream up somethin in my head for him lol
Overall it was cute

[Jessa Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm rather biased since I was one of the author's betas while he wrote this.

Okay, I came back later and reread so I could give Lees biased review. :)

I really loved how this story didn't follow the same formula I've read over and over again in romance. It was fresh, creative and romantic. The whole Rear Window feel to it was fun and at times humorous with the way March viewed all the little side characters in the park. I could find only one complaint and that was that I'd like to see more of the guys now that they're together.

[Serena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the characters, and their world and hope I get the chance to read the story again and/or to read more within the series.

My Rating System:
* couldn't finish, ** wouldn't recommend, *** would recommend, **** would read again, ***** have read again.

[Sandra]

Offered for FREE from the M/M Romance Group's Love's Landscapes event. Thank you too all the amazing authors who participated!

[Cassie Richards · Rating 1 out of 5]

There was way, way too much backstory in this book. Most of it irrelevant. And the relationship felt more like an epilogue.

There was a good story in there, but it needs a lot more editing and more time spent on the relationship.

[Maddox · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars.

[Melanie~~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

[NOTE: I rate most writing event stories (free reads) 4 or 5 stars because of my appreciation of the author's participation and gift.]

[Verity · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to come

[Penny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny...Thanks.

[Love Bytes Reviews]

This book was reviewed by Love Bytes Reviews!