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See You Smile
Jake is forty five and has lived alone for some time. He's happy. He's not really in the market for any kind of romance, so why has his new neighbour set his heart racing and his stomach churning with butterflies?
Jake has watched this neighbour with interest over the last few weeks, telling himself that writing down this guy's every move in a special note book whilst observing him from behind his ivy on his deck is perfectly normal, but he is actually beginning to think he's turning into a creep. He can't help himself though. He's addicted. This new neighbour is quite simply the most beautiful creature Jake has ever set eyes on. He is also young enough to be Jake's son.
How is Jake ever going to get to know this guy without everyone, including the neighbour, thinking he is just a dirty old man? And how is he ever going to reconcile the fact that he is at least twenty years older?
The age gap is the least of his problems though, because this guy is elusive to say the least. Jake has a plan, but even the best laid plans go astray. After some disastrous attempts to meet his enigmatic neighbour something happens to bring them together and then Jake faces the possibility that he may have fallen for this guy, but how is someone young enough to be his son going to look at him as anything other than a friend?
Jake has watched this neighbour with interest over the last few weeks, telling himself that writing down this guy's every move in a special note book whilst observing him from behind his ivy on his deck is perfectly normal, but he is actually beginning to think he's turning into a creep. He can't help himself though. He's addicted. This new neighbour is quite simply the most beautiful creature Jake has ever set eyes on. He is also young enough to be Jake's son.
How is Jake ever going to get to know this guy without everyone, including the neighbour, thinking he is just a dirty old man? And how is he ever going to reconcile the fact that he is at least twenty years older?
The age gap is the least of his problems though, because this guy is elusive to say the least. Jake has a plan, but even the best laid plans go astray. After some disastrous attempts to meet his enigmatic neighbour something happens to bring them together and then Jake faces the possibility that he may have fallen for this guy, but how is someone young enough to be his son going to look at him as anything other than a friend?
191 pages, ebook
First published July 5, 2014
5 people are currently reading
194 people want to read
About the author
Dawn Sister
15 books73 followersDawn is from the North East of England. Her life is spent juggling. The juggling balls are: children, husband, work (occasionally), voluntary work, professional knitting (notice she doesn't class this as work), and writing. When she has time she actually sleeps.
The whole point of writing for Dawn is just to get it all off her chest and out of her head. If she doesn't write it down then she ends up having long conversations with the characters out loud and her husband thinks she's crazy.
I like chocolate, coffee and donuts, sometimes all at the same time.
I love evenings around a campfire singing in the company of good friends.
I like listening to the dawn chorus even if I’ve been awake all night.
I like reading stories with characters that are filled with hope even in their darkest hours.
I like happy endings.
I write LGBTQ+ Romance (with happy endings of course).
Read my blog for insights into my stories, updates on WIPs and some exclusive excerpts.
The whole point of writing for Dawn is just to get it all off her chest and out of her head. If she doesn't write it down then she ends up having long conversations with the characters out loud and her husband thinks she's crazy.
I like chocolate, coffee and donuts, sometimes all at the same time.
I love evenings around a campfire singing in the company of good friends.
I like listening to the dawn chorus even if I’ve been awake all night.
I like reading stories with characters that are filled with hope even in their darkest hours.
I like happy endings.
I write LGBTQ+ Romance (with happy endings of course).
Read my blog for insights into my stories, updates on WIPs and some exclusive excerpts.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
September 15, 2014
Anyone else love that song "When I See You Smile" by Bad English? I have no idea if Dawn Sister used part of the title for her story or not, but I like to imagine so. Let me give you a taste of the greatness:
Hello? *tap tap tap* Is this thing on? Ahem.
♪ When I see you smile, I can face the world
♪ Oh, oh
♪ You know I can do anything
♪ When I see you smile, I see a ray of light
♪ Oh, oh
♪ I see it shining right through the rain
♪ When I see you smile
♪ Baby when I see you smile at me
♪ Oh, yeah
OH MY GAWD, I LOVE THAT SONG. Something about big hair band songs from the 80s just makes me so freakin' happy I actually wanna leave my abode to hug strangers on the street.
So it was with that delighted feeling I started this story and, for the most part, that delighted feeling continued. I'm really not fond of the use of the present tense in fiction (it rarely works out well), there are a severe lack of contractions that make sentences awkward and the baddie is beyond eeeevil but the slow burning relationship between 45 yr old Jake and 21 yr old Cal really makes the novel. (And it is a novel - almost 200 pages, I think.) They're so sweet together it makes for an enjoyable read.
So,
You should give it a try.
3.5 stars
September 10, 2016
3.5 stars
Very sweet story about two unlikely MCs: a 45-year-old well-known writer who's a bit of a recluse and a 21-year-old surfer who seems lonely and weary.
I really liked the age gab in this story, and even though the first-person present-tense narration usually feels jarring, it was done fairly successfully here. I noticed a few grammar and punctuation issues, but overall this was an enjoyable book with some fun secondary characters, a few smexy times, and a nice, slow burn.
The drama at the end was a little much and probably not necessary, but I'm not going to complain too much.
This was a perfect read for a summer day. I'm impressed (and appreciative) that this author wrote nearly 200 pages for a free event!
Very sweet story about two unlikely MCs: a 45-year-old well-known writer who's a bit of a recluse and a 21-year-old surfer who seems lonely and weary.
I really liked the age gab in this story, and even though the first-person present-tense narration usually feels jarring, it was done fairly successfully here. I noticed a few grammar and punctuation issues, but overall this was an enjoyable book with some fun secondary characters, a few smexy times, and a nice, slow burn.
The drama at the end was a little much and probably not necessary, but I'm not going to complain too much.
This was a perfect read for a summer day. I'm impressed (and appreciative) that this author wrote nearly 200 pages for a free event!
July 25, 2016
Surfer boy and writer in this major age difference suspense.
Great setting and charming secondary characters. If you've ever lived in a cozy, small town place then you'll get this one. There were some beautiful lines that just sang as you read them. .
Sweet and charming with a bit of drama and humor. Would have been stronger with more conflict and dialed back the vitriolic, evil villain.
Great setting and charming secondary characters. If you've ever lived in a cozy, small town place then you'll get this one. There were some beautiful lines that just sang as you read them. .
“I’d like to make every part of you smile like that,” I whisper softly.
Sweet and charming with a bit of drama and humor. Would have been stronger with more conflict and dialed back the vitriolic, evil villain.
““I don’t know about you, but I just can’t rule out finding the love of my life simply because he’s twenty-four years older than me. I’m only sorry you had to wait so long for me to reach the right age to come looking for you.”
November 18, 2016
2.5
Relato corto, muy interesante el salto de edad entre los dos protagonistas, y el problema congénito que arrastra el más joven. La autora debería haberse ceñido a explorar eso, introduce una trauma policial, que además de no tener mucho sentido, le resta interés. Muchas repeticiones.
Relato corto, muy interesante el salto de edad entre los dos protagonistas, y el problema congénito que arrastra el más joven. La autora debería haberse ceñido a explorar eso, introduce una trauma policial, que además de no tener mucho sentido, le resta interés. Muchas repeticiones.
dnf
June 26, 2015I'm really impressed the author wrote such a long story for a time-limited free event, major kudos for that.
The story is told in first person, present tense; not my favourite story-telling and here it felt awkward and a little jumbled.
Jake the narrator is forty-five a neurotic writer type. To me he read as younger and female. The narration and chapter titles make a joke of him being a 'creep' and 'stalking' but his behaviour went that bit too far and WAS actually over-the-top stalking.
Cal a young new neighbour who is beautiful and deaf. It's a long story and I'm guessing there's a suitably angsty back-story for him. I know differently abled people face prejudice but I've also worked with deaf people and they're not all the vulnerable victims portrayed here. His 'Oh My God' gasping dialogue didn't feel right to me.
And characters smirk, a lot - 35times according to kindle, I wished for a simple smile! Really liked the line;
The story is told in first person, present tense; not my favourite story-telling and here it felt awkward and a little jumbled.
Jake the narrator is forty-five a neurotic writer type. To me he read as younger and female. The narration and chapter titles make a joke of him being a 'creep' and 'stalking' but his behaviour went that bit too far and WAS actually over-the-top stalking.
Cal a young new neighbour who is beautiful and deaf. It's a long story and I'm guessing there's a suitably angsty back-story for him. I know differently abled people face prejudice but I've also worked with deaf people and they're not all the vulnerable victims portrayed here. His 'Oh My God' gasping dialogue didn't feel right to me.
And characters smirk, a lot - 35times according to kindle, I wished for a simple smile! Really liked the line;
'I’d like to make every part of you smile like that'
Read
July 10, 2014Not rated, as I DNFed very early on because this never drew me in.
Kudos to the author for writing such a long story for the event.
Kudos to the author for writing such a long story for the event.
July 26, 2015
Enjoyable & really funny! Was it perfect? Probably not for everyone, but I certainly loved it. It's quite fluffy with a little angst.
July 7, 2014
3.5 Stars
Wow, that was a lot of story, the author really put a lot into this one and it shows. I was completely hooked on the charm of the characters and the slow buildup and UST was well done.
It did seem to go from a character driven story to a plot driven one as the villains were introduced, but it did bring the MC's together and finally forced them to be honest, so it worked. The characters were strong enough to carry the story even without that aspect, but either way I loved their dynamic, especially towards the end. They finally started really seeing each other in the context of a relationship and not just a wish so their true selves came out and I liked them both even more.
Wow, that was a lot of story, the author really put a lot into this one and it shows. I was completely hooked on the charm of the characters and the slow buildup and UST was well done.
It did seem to go from a character driven story to a plot driven one as the villains were introduced, but it did bring the MC's together and finally forced them to be honest, so it worked. The characters were strong enough to carry the story even without that aspect, but either way I loved their dynamic, especially towards the end. They finally started really seeing each other in the context of a relationship and not just a wish so their true selves came out and I liked them both even more.
July 17, 2016
A sweet story about Jake, a 45 year old writer, and Cal, a 21 year old surfer dude. Cal is deaf, Jake is neurotic, and yet they made it work. Very romantic, with a bit of plot, a beach house, and a caring, involved community.
July 10, 2014
This was my prompt - and I freely admit, I had no idea what to expect. Posting the prompt was an impulsive decision, I saw the pic, I had this idea and I posted. Afterwards I felt a bit unsure...no, it's not like giving away a puppy but...well, it is like giving away a bunny :)
I wanted humor. And to be honest - I think humor is the most difficult thing to write. Cheesy love declarations are easy but humor? Seriously...not easy at all - I know, I try it myself.
I haven't read anything written by Dawn Sister before and when she snatched my promt - I refrained from doing it. What if I don't like her writing style?
Now I've read her story. So this is to you, Dawn Sister:
Thank you very much. You did great. I laughed my a** off several times, I grinned and chuckled a lot, I fell in love with Jake's constant rambling (okay...a bit less later on might have been a bit better but hey, I'm really not complaining), I enjoyed reading it a lot. I absolutely loved that you created some situations when I really thought "oh, no, not this stereotypical moment" and then *bam* you did something completely different. You let them act like people, right and wrong, funny and sullen, intelligent and stupid. It comes with an entertaining lightness. You even wrote a novel, not something short, nooo, you had to go big :) (good idea *thumbs up*)
So - thanks a lot, you did something really wonderful with my prompt and I'm very happy that you snatched it.
To every inclined reader:
This is a free read that will entertain you a lot, it's perfect for when you need something light and funny and you don't mind a bit sterotypical bad guy...read it. I really recommend it.
4,5 stars.
I wanted humor. And to be honest - I think humor is the most difficult thing to write. Cheesy love declarations are easy but humor? Seriously...not easy at all - I know, I try it myself.
I haven't read anything written by Dawn Sister before and when she snatched my promt - I refrained from doing it. What if I don't like her writing style?
Now I've read her story. So this is to you, Dawn Sister:
Thank you very much. You did great. I laughed my a** off several times, I grinned and chuckled a lot, I fell in love with Jake's constant rambling (okay...a bit less later on might have been a bit better but hey, I'm really not complaining), I enjoyed reading it a lot. I absolutely loved that you created some situations when I really thought "oh, no, not this stereotypical moment" and then *bam* you did something completely different. You let them act like people, right and wrong, funny and sullen, intelligent and stupid. It comes with an entertaining lightness. You even wrote a novel, not something short, nooo, you had to go big :) (good idea *thumbs up*)
So - thanks a lot, you did something really wonderful with my prompt and I'm very happy that you snatched it.
To every inclined reader:
This is a free read that will entertain you a lot, it's perfect for when you need something light and funny and you don't mind a bit sterotypical bad guy...read it. I really recommend it.
4,5 stars.
July 9, 2014
Offered for FREE from the M/M Romance Group's Love's Landscapes event. Thank you too all the amazing authors who participated!
2.5 stars This started out so promising! Jake was so sweet and I loved his rambling and calling himself out for being a stalker. But the insecure I'm-too-old-for-you got really annoying, really fast. The way Cal acted seemed almost PTSD-ish, too much with the vulnerability. And then when we find out why, I just don't think it justified his reactions .
And I'm never a fan of a one-dimensional villains. It was bad enough initially , but then they unnecessarily pushed it over the top . Too much.
So yeah, could have been edited down some I think.
March 21, 2015
After the emotional wrecking ball that was Violence Begets..., I was super glad to come across this book in the Love's landscapes bonus volumes.
This book is just my type of thing, it's fluff, and sweet, and laugh out loud funny at some parts. I loved the narrator's tone, even though I don't really like first person narratives all that much. I loved this guy's voice, his humor, everything about him was so entertaining to read.
Chapter 1
Stalking is Addictive (and Creepy)
I'm Jake and I'm a creep.
This is the first thing in this book. And it had me hook, line, and sinker.
I mean really, how can one resist? Especially when the MC is a forty five year old man completely smitten with his next door neighbour, who happens to be half as old as he is.
Jacob is immediately likable, and I loved his family, his friends, his witty comments and his tongue tied reaction to his neighbour. And yes, stalking is creepy (I was glad it got addressed later on). I was a little miffed with the extent of his stalking, but it stopped. And he admitted to it sooo... um.
Cal was a darling, especially to read about in Jacob's POV. He's shy, and yet he's sassy and assertive when he wants to be. He's deaf, and he wants to hide it because he doesn't want to be treated differently. And there's something going on with him...
It was a pleasure to read these two men (who are both such dorks, Jacob more so than Cal), and their slow build up to friends, and then flirtation, and then more. Things start moving fast three quarters into the book, but then things smooth out again, and issues are addressed as they are supposed to be. HEA yaaayy!!
I had a smile on my face the whole time I read this, and I might have teared up once or twice (they were good tears!) at the sappy, cheesy stuff, but that's all good because I love it when that happens. Romances are meant to move you with emotion, and this book did that for me. And I love a good, long romance filled with good banter and substance. Jacob's relationship with his sister and his friends were fleshed out well, and I thoroughly enjoyed every exchange that happened between them.
Even though I used up my assignment writing time to finish this book, I'll remember these solid gold moments in this book as I sit up till three in the morning as I slog away to finish them.
Certainly, time well spent.
deewrites.blogspot.in
This book is just my type of thing, it's fluff, and sweet, and laugh out loud funny at some parts. I loved the narrator's tone, even though I don't really like first person narratives all that much. I loved this guy's voice, his humor, everything about him was so entertaining to read.
Chapter 1
Stalking is Addictive (and Creepy)
I'm Jake and I'm a creep.
This is the first thing in this book. And it had me hook, line, and sinker.
I mean really, how can one resist? Especially when the MC is a forty five year old man completely smitten with his next door neighbour, who happens to be half as old as he is.
Jacob is immediately likable, and I loved his family, his friends, his witty comments and his tongue tied reaction to his neighbour. And yes, stalking is creepy (I was glad it got addressed later on). I was a little miffed with the extent of his stalking, but it stopped. And he admitted to it sooo... um.
Cal was a darling, especially to read about in Jacob's POV. He's shy, and yet he's sassy and assertive when he wants to be. He's deaf, and he wants to hide it because he doesn't want to be treated differently. And there's something going on with him...
It was a pleasure to read these two men (who are both such dorks, Jacob more so than Cal), and their slow build up to friends, and then flirtation, and then more. Things start moving fast three quarters into the book, but then things smooth out again, and issues are addressed as they are supposed to be. HEA yaaayy!!
I had a smile on my face the whole time I read this, and I might have teared up once or twice (they were good tears!) at the sappy, cheesy stuff, but that's all good because I love it when that happens. Romances are meant to move you with emotion, and this book did that for me. And I love a good, long romance filled with good banter and substance. Jacob's relationship with his sister and his friends were fleshed out well, and I thoroughly enjoyed every exchange that happened between them.
Even though I used up my assignment writing time to finish this book, I'll remember these solid gold moments in this book as I sit up till three in the morning as I slog away to finish them.
Certainly, time well spent.
deewrites.blogspot.in
February 5, 2016
Okay, so I'm rating my own book with five stars. Yeah, yeah, you say, but I can hardly expect others to read and review if I'm not willing to read and review my own work. I can hardly comment on the story though. I know it and the characters inside out. I can simply tell you that I had fun writing it. That's about as much as any writer can say. I hope you will be able to tell this through my writing. I had fun writing it, and hope you have fun reading it.
I read it so many times during the writing period that sometimes I went cross eyed, and lost sight of the story so many times it seemed I would never get it finished. But I would do it all again in a flash.
I enjoyed the entire process from picking up the original prompt to seeing the finished, polished article in actual print available for everyone to read.
Thank you to all who helped me, especially my editor Reavyn, and my ever present personal motivator Suki. I also thank those who proof read. I don't know your names, but thank you anyway. You all offered your time for free so that all of Loves Landscapes stories could be published. What an amazing opportunity you have given all us humble authors.
Thank you.
I read it so many times during the writing period that sometimes I went cross eyed, and lost sight of the story so many times it seemed I would never get it finished. But I would do it all again in a flash.
I enjoyed the entire process from picking up the original prompt to seeing the finished, polished article in actual print available for everyone to read.
Thank you to all who helped me, especially my editor Reavyn, and my ever present personal motivator Suki. I also thank those who proof read. I don't know your names, but thank you anyway. You all offered your time for free so that all of Loves Landscapes stories could be published. What an amazing opportunity you have given all us humble authors.
Thank you.
August 10, 2014
Sadly I can't give more than 5 stars to this story... I loved it so much, I wish I could!
This freebie is NOT a short story. 191 pages! And a freebie! When I read the blurb I almost ignore it because I saw it was from a widower point of view... I'm soooo glad I read it! Jake is a widower, true, but there is no long and sad chapters about it... It's sad, but Jake is also ready to fall in love again. And he did... But he is I love with a 21 years old guy!
That's the plot... Jake, a 45 old writer, in love with his neighbor, Cal.
This book is fantastic. Romantic, funny ... No wait... Not fair say it's funny, it's hilarious!!!. Jake is the only narrator and his humor crack me up!
“Did you come on your own?” bear guy asks me, and I can feel the panic rising. Is he coming onto me? His knee just moved closer and pressed against mine. Eww!
I’m sure he’s a nice enough guy, but he’s just not my type. All that hair would give my entire body a beard rash, and how the hell would I even find his mouth to kiss him? I’d need a comb and a couple of barrettes; I’d need a degree in hair dressing just to find the guy’s eyes.”
That's Jake...
So yeah, I really wish I could give more stars... Because I can't it's a 5 stars
This freebie is NOT a short story. 191 pages! And a freebie! When I read the blurb I almost ignore it because I saw it was from a widower point of view... I'm soooo glad I read it! Jake is a widower, true, but there is no long and sad chapters about it... It's sad, but Jake is also ready to fall in love again. And he did... But he is I love with a 21 years old guy!
That's the plot... Jake, a 45 old writer, in love with his neighbor, Cal.
This book is fantastic. Romantic, funny ... No wait... Not fair say it's funny, it's hilarious!!!. Jake is the only narrator and his humor crack me up!
“Did you come on your own?” bear guy asks me, and I can feel the panic rising. Is he coming onto me? His knee just moved closer and pressed against mine. Eww!
I’m sure he’s a nice enough guy, but he’s just not my type. All that hair would give my entire body a beard rash, and how the hell would I even find his mouth to kiss him? I’d need a comb and a couple of barrettes; I’d need a degree in hair dressing just to find the guy’s eyes.”
That's Jake...
So yeah, I really wish I could give more stars... Because I can't it's a 5 stars
July 16, 2014
This is a wonderful story. It's sweet and funny and these characters have stolen my heart.
The prompt was a great one and Dawn has more than done it justice with this story. She has created a beautiful novel. I am in awe that this was written in such a short space of time--as it's certainly something I could never do! Dawn writes with such warmth you cannot help but be drawn in. I always find her stories a great comforting read.
These characters really came to life for me. Cal is my favourite. He is such a beautiful character and you cannot help but feel for him and everything he goes through. He deserves something really special. And Jake is perfect for him.
This is one story I am going to tuck myself away and reread again.
Recommended.
The prompt was a great one and Dawn has more than done it justice with this story. She has created a beautiful novel. I am in awe that this was written in such a short space of time--as it's certainly something I could never do! Dawn writes with such warmth you cannot help but be drawn in. I always find her stories a great comforting read.
These characters really came to life for me. Cal is my favourite. He is such a beautiful character and you cannot help but feel for him and everything he goes through. He deserves something really special. And Jake is perfect for him.
This is one story I am going to tuck myself away and reread again.
Recommended.
July 7, 2023
rep; jake (mc) is gay. cal (li) is gay and deaf.
oh. hell. no. where to fucking start. oh, right; the ableism. there’s a fuck ton of ableism, especially regarding deafness. some shitty comments about addiction. disabled characters experiencing unnecessary and unchallenged self hatred and bigotry. next up, hmmm. oh, yeah! the stalking!
the main character literally stalks the love interest for a month, and then sporadically after that. he hides behind things and in dark rooms so the love interest wont know he’s being watched. he even keeps track of the love interest’s schedule in a notebook. what. the. fuck. when the main character is planning on staging a run in, he literally tracks the love interest’s every fucking move. not just how he goes for a run and comes back and then goes to the store, no, he tracks every little detail, like how he “always” checks if he has his keys before shutting his door, “always” checks if he has his wallet and looks inside it before leaving. he mentions many times that the love interest “always” does something, letting us know he’s followed him around multiple times.
he then waits in a coffee shop for the bus to arrive and the love interest to get off and then follows him to the market and watches him from behind various objects. the love interest is described as “unnerved” because he realizes someone is watching him, as he keeps glancing around and in the main character’s direction and then dashes out of the market so fast he forget his wallet. the main character doesn’t seem to grasp why the love interest is so damn jumpy and defensive. it’s not like he’s being stalked or anything, right? then when the main character returns the love interest’s wallet, he’s put out that he didn’t get a thank you. as if his stalking wasn’t the only reason he was able to return it to him. after the awful reaction the main character gets from the love interest at the market and with the wallet, he continues to stalk him. he follows him to the drugstore and fills a basket with random crap to look “authentic” and “legitimate” and even refers to the love interest as his “target,” super cute and romantic, right? the main character even admits that what he’s doing is stalking. but it doesn’t stop him. neither does his sister yelling at him about it. he continues to watch and track the love interests movement, even after they finally meet. he keeps a tally of how many showers he takes in a day.
at the 13% mark, the follow-you-around stalking ends. but by the 21% mark, the main character is still watching and keeping a mental tally of the love interest’s schedule. and at the 44% mark, the stalking is back, the main character starts spying on the love interest when he’s out with is friends and mentions that if his sister hadn’t been over, he would have gotten out his binoculars to see better. then at the 83% mark, the main character falls back into his watching habit, and watches love interest with his friends from across a coffee shop.
and then it gets worse. it’s revealed that love interest knew about the stalking all along and it kept him safe from his uncle who wanted to kidnap/kill him. so all is well! stalking is okay and romantic (the main character is referred to, by the love interest, as a guardian angel because of his stalking) because there’s a chance you’re protecting your victim from someone else who is stalking them and wants to harm them. are you fucking kidding me with this shit?
other issues: the erasure of multi identities. some toxic masculinity shit. main character never shuts up about how old he is. abled main character can’t seem to take care of himself. the term “politically correct.” the main character denied his interest in the love interest for so long that it became annoying, like you’re fucking forty five, not a teenager. the couple didn’t really communicate well at all. “just friends/more than friends” is used and this nasty fucking piece of advice “you could always accept friendship at first and hope for more later” what kind of manipulative, toxic shit is this? the main character gets drunk and starts trying to give his straight, married guy friend a hickey and then makes a joke about how they can let his straight wife watch. hm, i wonder the gender of this author. gracious use of gasping. when asking about the love interests dating life, “he/she/it” was used, and i mean, really? you’ll put “it” before you fucking put “them”? main characters mocks young people and makes assumptions about the love interest based on his age, but then is offended when the love interest says, “oldies are such hypochondriacs.” the forty five year old main character refers to sex as the horizontal tango, in his own thoughts. lots of making decisions for each other and manipulating each other into doing something. the love interest says someone being drunk is “not a good enough excuse” to not have sex with them. seems...false. the main character says he fell in love the moment he saw love interest, which makes this insta love or erasure of their development, but either way it’s a nope from me. the love interest uncle tries to use the main character’s sexuality to blackmail him and threatens to out him.
just...everything about this is terrible.
oh. hell. no. where to fucking start. oh, right; the ableism. there’s a fuck ton of ableism, especially regarding deafness. some shitty comments about addiction. disabled characters experiencing unnecessary and unchallenged self hatred and bigotry. next up, hmmm. oh, yeah! the stalking!
the main character literally stalks the love interest for a month, and then sporadically after that. he hides behind things and in dark rooms so the love interest wont know he’s being watched. he even keeps track of the love interest’s schedule in a notebook. what. the. fuck. when the main character is planning on staging a run in, he literally tracks the love interest’s every fucking move. not just how he goes for a run and comes back and then goes to the store, no, he tracks every little detail, like how he “always” checks if he has his keys before shutting his door, “always” checks if he has his wallet and looks inside it before leaving. he mentions many times that the love interest “always” does something, letting us know he’s followed him around multiple times.
he then waits in a coffee shop for the bus to arrive and the love interest to get off and then follows him to the market and watches him from behind various objects. the love interest is described as “unnerved” because he realizes someone is watching him, as he keeps glancing around and in the main character’s direction and then dashes out of the market so fast he forget his wallet. the main character doesn’t seem to grasp why the love interest is so damn jumpy and defensive. it’s not like he’s being stalked or anything, right? then when the main character returns the love interest’s wallet, he’s put out that he didn’t get a thank you. as if his stalking wasn’t the only reason he was able to return it to him. after the awful reaction the main character gets from the love interest at the market and with the wallet, he continues to stalk him. he follows him to the drugstore and fills a basket with random crap to look “authentic” and “legitimate” and even refers to the love interest as his “target,” super cute and romantic, right? the main character even admits that what he’s doing is stalking. but it doesn’t stop him. neither does his sister yelling at him about it. he continues to watch and track the love interests movement, even after they finally meet. he keeps a tally of how many showers he takes in a day.
at the 13% mark, the follow-you-around stalking ends. but by the 21% mark, the main character is still watching and keeping a mental tally of the love interest’s schedule. and at the 44% mark, the stalking is back, the main character starts spying on the love interest when he’s out with is friends and mentions that if his sister hadn’t been over, he would have gotten out his binoculars to see better. then at the 83% mark, the main character falls back into his watching habit, and watches love interest with his friends from across a coffee shop.
and then it gets worse. it’s revealed that love interest knew about the stalking all along and it kept him safe from his uncle who wanted to kidnap/kill him. so all is well! stalking is okay and romantic (the main character is referred to, by the love interest, as a guardian angel because of his stalking) because there’s a chance you’re protecting your victim from someone else who is stalking them and wants to harm them. are you fucking kidding me with this shit?
other issues: the erasure of multi identities. some toxic masculinity shit. main character never shuts up about how old he is. abled main character can’t seem to take care of himself. the term “politically correct.” the main character denied his interest in the love interest for so long that it became annoying, like you’re fucking forty five, not a teenager. the couple didn’t really communicate well at all. “just friends/more than friends” is used and this nasty fucking piece of advice “you could always accept friendship at first and hope for more later” what kind of manipulative, toxic shit is this? the main character gets drunk and starts trying to give his straight, married guy friend a hickey and then makes a joke about how they can let his straight wife watch. hm, i wonder the gender of this author. gracious use of gasping. when asking about the love interests dating life, “he/she/it” was used, and i mean, really? you’ll put “it” before you fucking put “them”? main characters mocks young people and makes assumptions about the love interest based on his age, but then is offended when the love interest says, “oldies are such hypochondriacs.” the forty five year old main character refers to sex as the horizontal tango, in his own thoughts. lots of making decisions for each other and manipulating each other into doing something. the love interest says someone being drunk is “not a good enough excuse” to not have sex with them. seems...false. the main character says he fell in love the moment he saw love interest, which makes this insta love or erasure of their development, but either way it’s a nope from me. the love interest uncle tries to use the main character’s sexuality to blackmail him and threatens to out him.
just...everything about this is terrible.
July 25, 2015
This is probably my favorite out of a hundred stories featured in Love’s Landscapes sponsored by the Goodreads MM Romance Group. It’s a May – December love story between a 45-year-old bestselling author living in a small community and his 21 year-old deaf neighbor who apparently lives on his own.
It was cute how Jake started “stalking” young Cal – it was cute and funny. I loved how the story developed from the time Jake tried to introduce himself and second-guessing how his attraction to his young neighbor wasn’t a good idea at all. The only critique I have about it, though not necessarily a bad critique is that it was all too perfect and ideal. I thought Cal’s inner struggle to fit in and be independent was a very nice addition to the “major conflict” and I just loved the sexual tension between him and Jake.
I’ve totally no problem with this kind of theme [May-December relationship], I just had this random thought about their age difference physically after 10 or 15 years. It was just a thought, though, really. So there people, do download the free copy now cuz’ you won’t wanna miss this!
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
February 4, 2015
★★★☆☆
I like stories where characters are overcoming disabilities and are just like everyman (or woman).
I liked the slow burn with Cal and Jake but, Jake was only 45 not a hundred, so I got a little tired with his pity party and he did seem to be a little over the top with the stalking, (but hey, Edward's a total stalker in Twilight and he's considered sooooo romantic, what do I know?).
Anyway, I did laugh at the Wookie scene in the bar and the vampire discussion (does it make me old that I remember when Kiefer was cute and didn't look like his dad?) and the author gave a pretty long story for a free event and I was entertained enough to finish it although I was ready for it to be done.
I like stories where characters are overcoming disabilities and are just like everyman (or woman).
I liked the slow burn with Cal and Jake but, Jake was only 45 not a hundred, so I got a little tired with his pity party and he did seem to be a little over the top with the stalking, (but hey, Edward's a total stalker in Twilight and he's considered sooooo romantic, what do I know?).
Anyway, I did laugh at the Wookie scene in the bar and the vampire discussion (does it make me old that I remember when Kiefer was cute and didn't look like his dad?) and the author gave a pretty long story for a free event and I was entertained enough to finish it although I was ready for it to be done.
March 27, 2018
First read July 30th 2014.
Admittedly, it took me a while to write a review for this amazing book. But it didn't keep me from re-reading the book over and over in the meantime. And every time I read it, you can see me smile.
This is the kind of heartwarming, cute, funny, adorable romance with quirky yet endearing characters that makes you wish the book would never end.
So if you like heartwarming romances that make you smile and laugh, you should go and get it...oh and the best: it's free!
Admittedly, it took me a while to write a review for this amazing book. But it didn't keep me from re-reading the book over and over in the meantime. And every time I read it, you can see me smile.
This is the kind of heartwarming, cute, funny, adorable romance with quirky yet endearing characters that makes you wish the book would never end.
So if you like heartwarming romances that make you smile and laugh, you should go and get it...oh and the best: it's free!
July 6, 2014
** 4.5 Stars **
I really enjoyed all aspects of this story ; Cal and Jake absolutely stole my heart
Beautifully done, thank you
July 8, 2014
Cal and Jake were so perfect together, you could just feel it through the authors words. I loved that this wasn't a 20 page story, it was so detailed and filled with so many emotions. I also enjoy not only an age gap between the main characters, I like when there is a disability involved. Cal was such a beautiful young man and so full of life and Jake was a middle aged man with a huge heart and would have done anything for Cal.
July 9, 2014
A rambling, slightly neurotic narrator. A cute, deaf, much younger man. Throw in some drunken confessions and an overzealous sheriff and this story is my brand of crack. There's a whole lot of cute going on in these pages.
July 6, 2014
This was such a great read! I think the author did a wonderful job with the prompt. It was well written and the voice of Jake was hilarious. I loved that the characters were not perfect and the secondary characters were also fun to read.
July 7, 2014
Lovely story!
April 29, 2025
More a 3.5
Some good things, others not as great... also, too bad the first person narrator... I think a dual POV would have added flavor to this novel.
Some good things, others not as great... also, too bad the first person narrator... I think a dual POV would have added flavor to this novel.
July 12, 2014
3.5 stars
This was such a pleasure to read. I'm such a sucker for men with disabilities and adding a man over the age of 40 to the mix was so refreshing.
I really loved reading the story from Jake's POV. His narration is funny and snarky and completely neurotic. I liked how he kept doubting himself but never let that get in the way of being there for Cal. There are times when he gets repetitive, but when I put it into the context that he's repeating something to himself over and over, it's understandable.
The story would be complete in itself, watching the romance between Cal and Jake grow, without the family drama during the 1/4. It wasn't necessary to their story and it was something I wanted to skim over.
I really enjoyed reading this story, and I'm completely impressed by its length. It was very well written and the characters were great. I'll be sure to read more of Dawn's work in the future.
This is a wonderful addition to the Loves Landscapes event.
This was such a pleasure to read. I'm such a sucker for men with disabilities and adding a man over the age of 40 to the mix was so refreshing.
I really loved reading the story from Jake's POV. His narration is funny and snarky and completely neurotic. I liked how he kept doubting himself but never let that get in the way of being there for Cal. There are times when he gets repetitive, but when I put it into the context that he's repeating something to himself over and over, it's understandable.
The story would be complete in itself, watching the romance between Cal and Jake grow, without the family drama during the 1/4. It wasn't necessary to their story and it was something I wanted to skim over.
I really enjoyed reading this story, and I'm completely impressed by its length. It was very well written and the characters were great. I'll be sure to read more of Dawn's work in the future.
This is a wonderful addition to the Loves Landscapes event.
July 18, 2014
This was a sweet story. The only major criticism I have is the alarming abuse of exclamation points. They interrupted the flow of the story quite a bit because most of them were inappropriate for the scene they were used in. Tender, soft moments should not have exclamation points, or even casual conversations. You see them and think someone is shouting, or at the very least amped up, and then the dialogue tag says a whisper or a murmur and completely contradicts what you're trying to picture in your mind. It makes it hard to stay in the moment you're trying to create. And while present tense is not my favorite way to tell a story, I still found the story enjoyable and the characters likable. Jake was a bit neurotic, but it became almost endearing, and Cal was sweet; a little bruised, but not broken.
Aside from that, I applaud the author for giving us such a long story for free as part of Love's Landscapes. I enjoyed getting to know Cal & Jake.
Aside from that, I applaud the author for giving us such a long story for free as part of Love's Landscapes. I enjoyed getting to know Cal & Jake.
August 18, 2014
First oft all: bonus for the author to write such a long story for free. And I really enjoyed reading it.
The first part is really funny and describes the 'stalking' Jake did. The writing style is great and I was really laughing loud at some situations.
There are also sweet and tender moments and angst and drama and... just everything. It was all very balanced. And that age gap thing was interesting...
Towards the end it was a bit too fluffy for my usual taste but it fit and it didn't annoy or stop me. I wanted to read on and on...
The first part is really funny and describes the 'stalking' Jake did. The writing style is great and I was really laughing loud at some situations.
There are also sweet and tender moments and angst and drama and... just everything. It was all very balanced. And that age gap thing was interesting...
Towards the end it was a bit too fluffy for my usual taste but it fit and it didn't annoy or stop me. I wanted to read on and on...
June 30, 2017
Uh, let's see... Stalker. Peeping Tom. Drunkard. What's more? =/
But aside that, this story was kinda funny, and I had plenty of laughters. I can put aside the stalker-ish behavior of the mc but the age gap is still bothering me (One has 45 the other 21). =/
So, overall -I wouldn't have thought so but- I enjoyed this story.
I also like the writing skills of the author, so kudos to her (and thanks for the story).
This is how I imagine, more or less, the main character:
But aside that, this story was kinda funny, and I had plenty of laughters. I can put aside the stalker-ish behavior of the mc but the age gap is still bothering me (One has 45 the other 21). =/
So, overall -I wouldn't have thought so but- I enjoyed this story.
I also like the writing skills of the author, so kudos to her (and thanks for the story).
This is how I imagine, more or less, the main character:
September 3, 2014
Thank you, this was the perfect read on a cold & lazy, Saturday. I really enjoyed watching Jake & Cal's story unfold (after I got over the son & nephew name association!). I liked both characters & the storyline. At first I thought it was going to be creepy...but it wasn't. It was very enjoyable. A sweet romance and fun, free read.
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