Late Bloomer

by Bru Baker

If not for his family and his Christmas tree farm, David Rochester would be a recluse. And Erik Shriver wouldn’t know a quiet moment if it smacked him in the face. But now David’s farm has brought them together. When Erik’s flurry of bad jokes and frenetic energy sets David off kilter, his family notices and begins conspiring. They push David and a very willing Erik together again and again until David stops denying his attraction. But an almost-hermit and a soon-to-be-former club boy each bring baggage into a relationship. They’ll have to take things slowly to find the middle ground between David's taciturn silence and Eric's boundless chatter.

Genres: M M Romance, Holiday, Contemporary, Romance, Christmas, Short Stories, LGBT

64 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 10, 2014

About the author

Bru Baker writes sophisticated gay romantic fiction with strong characters, real-world problems, and plenty of humor.

Bru spent fifteen years writing for newspapers before making the jump to fiction. She now balances her time between writing and working at a Midwestern library in the reference department. Whether it’s creating her own characters or getting caught up in someone else’s, there’s no denying that Bru is happiest when she’s engrossed in a story. She and her husband have two children, which means a lot of her books get written from the sidelines of various sports practices.

Reviews

[Sun · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmmm...didn't love it, didn't hate it. It was a pretty strong "ok" in my book, but not much more. And I hate to be so blase about a story, but really...it's lands firmly in the "meh" category.

The blurb says that David works on a Christmas tree farm. But I *think* his family's store/farm sells all kinds of plants throughout the year. It just happens to be a Christmas tree farm during the holidays and this is all insignificant. Why I'm spending lines of this review over this one detail is beyond me...but probably speaks volumes about this book. There just wasn't much going on.

The first big chunk of the book was back and forth descriptions of David interacting with Erik, the guy he went to high school with, the town player, who works on his farm, and someone way too chipper for his reclusive self's liking. And all of this could've been an interesting enough story, except, well, it didn't GO anywhere. And when it finally did, when they finally went out on a date and got together, I was already bored with the book and borderline annoyed at David's cruelty under the guise of being solitary.

There were some sweet moments and some moments, as they started to open up and really talk to each other, that felt like a glimmer of possibility, but those were just blips on the screen and ultimately, I pretty much forgot the book as soon as I finished it.

I didn't hate it. There was nothing offensive. There was nothing that turned me off. But there was nothing that wow'd me either. And very little that captured my attention.

For a holiday read, it's fast and decent-enough.

[atmatos · Rating 2 out of 5]

Smut free when I wanted sexcapades, weird banter, and unlikable main character. Nope. Just nope.

[Sheri · Rating 2 out of 5]

This did not work for me.
I couldn't enjoy it because I couldn't enjoy David.
Eric was way too good for him.
I didn't like the way David treated Eric.
There's grumpy and been burned before and then there's just...what a jerk! David was the latter.


*2 stars*

[Meep · Rating 1 out of 5]

Kindle-Sort-ReRead

What a horrid main character!
I skimmed a bit but no, he's horrid. The more we learn of Erik the worse David looks.

Erik - Former club boy, bad jokes.. - oh and gave up everything to look after his mother with dementia...

[Ami · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Another cute holiday-themed novella.

I liked that Erik was lively while David was a little bit grumpy. David has been burned when he had a relationship with someone who was his 'opposite'. David knew Erik of being more out-going and talkative and had reputation of being with different guys often. While David described himself as someone who "watch Netflix movies on the couch and eat Chinese takeouts".

I liked that Erik was persistent without being pushy and it was joy when David finally saw that sharing same traits didn't make Erik completely similar like his cheating ex.

Warning, the story totally lacks smutty moments, but that was just fine for me. In fact, I think my rating was influenced by the non-smuttiness. I tend to skip sex scenes in MM anyway these days.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute story, and just a couple of little niggles kept me liking instead of loving it. David was a little too grumpy for a little too long. It made it harder for me to reconcile his more open personality at the end vs. how he was throughout. Secondly, I didn't like Erik being slut shamed considering he wasn't even especially slutty. If it doesn't appeal, fine, but the scene in the bar irritated me. I wanted better for Erik and a little extra sweetness from David for a longer period of time would have helped.

[Serena Yates · Rating 4 out of 5]

With two men who have opposite intentions, this is quite a tension-filled not-quite-romance, until it is. David has absolutely no interest in Erik, or so he keeps telling himself to avoid getting his heart broken again. Erik is totally interested in David and does his best to figure out how to get closer. Both David and Erik are making assumptions about each other, and my guess is that it is only because of David’s family pushing him toward opening up that leads to a first reluctant date – just because it is Erik’s birthday and David sort of feels sorry for him. Well, that and Erik’s persistence.


Please find my full review on Rainbow Book Reviews.

[Heller · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a lot of frustration with how David judged Erik’s actions. I didn’t feel that Erik needed to apologize for how he lived his life but David and then later, Quinn, for reasons known only to him felt they should both harangue Erik. Get off the smug train boys. No one is perfect and you have faults as well.

I liked Erik, quite a bit. To me, this is his story so having it be from David’s POV it only held my attention when Erik was on the page. Which sadly, wasn’t as much as I would have liked.

**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**

[Anjali · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute and funny story .I really enjoyed reading it.

[Kristie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh.

[Monika · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was a sweet holiday story. One grumpy character and one that couldn't stop talking or moving made for an interesting and sometimes funny romance.

TAGS
-- Holiday/Christmas -- quick easy read -- sweet moments -- made me laugh -- second chance with the high school crush -- likeable MCs... David & Erik -- ended too abruptly -- left me feeling a little unsatisfied -- was looking for more -- less than 75 pages

[Penumbra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Late Bloomer is told in third person through the eyes of David Rochester. He runs a Christmas Tree Farm with his family. Erik Shriver works on the farm for the holiday season and is interested in David but David doesn’t want to be involved with Erik or so he tells himself.

2.5 Stars



This is a short, fast holiday read that revolves around Thanksgiving and Christmas, along with Erik’s birthday. I was expecting a more intense story with more of a feel of the holidays but this doesn’t have that, and it was slow paced and didn’t have any angst. Nothing much happens for most of the story. There’s a lot of monologue for the first half of the book with David’s repetitive thoughts. These amounted to:

1) How David didn’t like people.
2) How David didn’t want to be involved with someone like Erik even though he was attracted to him.
3) How all David wanted was to work with his plants.
4) How all what customers wanted, was to buy the popular plants instead of the unique ones.

Those were the same thoughts rewritten different ways for the first half of the book. Gradually the dialogue between David and Erik increased. About the last ten pages of the story, they finally kissed. If you’re looking for on page sex, there is none.

David, in his early thirties, is very closed off. He prefers his plants and working alone on the Christmas farm. He was hurt by a cheating boyfriend and doesn’t want to have a relationship, especially with someone like Erik who has a reputation. Erik, who is in his late twenties, is interested in David and makes overtures, but is constantly shot down by David. In fact I found David rather rude and unkind and don’t know why Erik continued to pursue him. Erik has a good sense of humor and is friendly. He did have a reputation when he returned from college. In fact at one point in the story when David and Erik go to the local bar, the bartender made rude comments about his cruising in the bar. I felt that there was slut-shamming of Erik in this story, by David and the bartender, and I didn’t like it. One other thing about the MCs was that both guys are older, but act more like they’re in their early twenties.

There isn’t much else I can say about the book. It’s very low-keyed, the pace is slow, I didn’t care for David, but Erik was nice. I didn’t really feel the connection between the characters. The book doesn’t have a holiday feel all that much which I expected. If you’re looking for a book to pass the time with no angst you might like it. I give Late Bloomer, 3 Stars

[Nik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed at The Blogger Girls.

David may be part owner of a successful Christmas tree farm but he prefers the solitude and quiet of his plants and trees than being around others. When David’s sister suspects David is attracted to Erik, one of the seasonal workers who never seems to stop talking, she takes it upon herself to push the two of them together. Unfortunately, David’s been burned by someone like Erik before and he’s not willing to get his heart broken a second time. But when push comes to shove, will Erik be able to prove to David he’s much different than his ex?

Omg, I ADORED this story! It was just so sweet and cute! I loved that David and Erik were exact opposites where David was the quiet, gruff mountain of a man and Erik was the chatty, exuberant, lithe guy. I also liked that Erik’s life hasn’t exactly been great to him and that David tried so hard to be his friend. Plus, I loved that David was an ‘all or nothing’ type of guy and when he finally caves, he jumps into the relationship with both feet.

This was an adorably cute story but I wanted it to be so much deeper! I would have loved to see more of David and Erik, more of their time spent together and getting to know each other and see how their relationship develops from here.

All in all, this was another lovely story by Ms. Baker. I adore her stories so much and this one was no different. It’s a feel-good type of story, that’s very sweet and I just loved the characters. I hope there’s more to come of these boys because it’d be interesting to see where they are in a few months!

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5* stars

Seasonal offering with potential. David was a.grumpy git for two-thirds of the story and then becomes sweet and thoughtful in action and deed - I wasn't really buying this sudden character change. Erik, I just wanted to hug him. He went all out for a smidgen of affection from David, covering his loneliness with quips and banter.

I'm not sure the story found its footing, it bounced along a fair bit with David's avoidance of the human kind and his need for isolation and plants! Very light on the affection, a few sparse kisses and then a HFN ending. Sadly, not enough seasonal fluff and hugs for me.

[Lila Hunter · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story was okay. I didn't get into the characters or their romance. David tried so hard to keep Erik away that, as a narrator, ends keeping the reader away. He passed too much time sulking and misunderstanding Erick that we don't get to see their relationship take off. By the time they get together everything is brush over.

[Morgan Skye · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a short sweet holiday read about a shy “late bloomer” who is compelled to open up by a more gregarious teacher.

I enjoyed the MCs but wished for more smexy times and more developing relationship.

For a short, holiday story it was nice.

Overall, I enjoyed it 3 of 5 hearts.

[GlamLawyer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked some parts of the story. But to put it in David's words to Eric: The half of the things you're saying make no sense. It was really awkward at parts. Sadly also too much telling instead of showing.

[Grace · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a bad book, but not particularly great either. Just sort of okay. I got it for free, so it wasn't a terrible way to spend an hour, but I'm not sure I'd have been happy to spend money on it. Nothing glaring wrong, but it wasn't all that captivating or memorable.

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Yrisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was ok read, but ending didn't feel like HEA.
No sex on page and no sex off page.

[Sakuko · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was just pretty bored with the book. David is a grump, but not even a fun or funny one. Erik seems an entirely normal guy, even though the book tries to paint him as a player and party animal, or something. He doesn't act like that throughout the book though. At all.
David has somehow decided Erik is "bad for him"™ even though he's attracted to him and Erik gets him to open up, because of some cheating ex-boyfriend.

Quite frankly, all the conflict feels pointless and fabricated and it bored me. I had no idea why Erik would stick around, since David certainly isn't even trying to be nice, even though he later calls himself his friend. Then there's this weird scene where the bar owner lays into Erik on Davids behalf, because, I think, he had some hookups at the bar!? That's when I understood this book just operates on a very different reality from mine, because I couldn't not figure out any of the characters thought processes.
Then, in a sudden and unexpected 180, David just decides, fuck it, and suddenly all his reservation are 0 and void and they have a cute date. The End.

The thing is, I don't even hate the book, even though I don't get the character motivations at all. It just slogged along and was written just fine, but it is bland and it really stretches for a book that short and I just felt kinda annoyed with that unmotivated ending.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a bit yes and no all at the same time, but as an overall I did enjoy it. There is quite the changes in the characters through the books, but they seem to be the type that once they decide something they stick to it, so you can see where the changes come. The bar scene and the 'big disagreement' felt a bit contrived to me- especially the bar scene. Almost as though there just had to be this big conflict or it wouldn't be good enough. I honestly think the two men were well on their way to figuring out what they wanted and whether they fit when the bartender shoved in and made it a whole thing. I did enjoy the characters themselves though, and watching them come together over the holiday season was very nice.

[Jenn (not Lily) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 stars?
I think I enjoyed it, but David seemed to change personalities halfway through -- for the better, but still... I might have to look for something a little longer by this author to make my mind out about the writing.

[Kim Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

New to me author. Contemporary M/M set in a plant nursery. Loved the main characters. HFN with opposites attract. I'll read more from this author.

[Wax · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked Erik, but David was a little too much of a Grinch for me. If the story had been longer, maybe we could have seen David change and grow a bit.

[Shawna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I quite liked this former high school classmates romance. Not second chance, just we've grown and one of us has some misconceptions about the other. More affecting than I thought it would be.

[Curtis · Rating 3 out of 5]

David Rochester is perfectly content just keeping to himself. He's a bit reserved, and maybe even closed off, but that works for him. Erik Shriver, an employee at David's family's tree farm, seems exactly the opposite. He's outgoing and talkative, and there's something about Erik that just gets right under David's skin. This isn't so bad on it's own, but when David's sister notices the effect Erik has on him, the whole family decides to play matchmaker. Even as David starts to reluctantly wear down and give in, he knows it's unlikely this could amount to anything. Both David and Erik have a fair amount of baggage--albeit different kinds--and it's hard to build a relationship when there's so much of it there's no room for the two people involved.

The story of David and Erik is definitely a charming one. These two just can't help but get in their own way, even after they start to admit there might be an attraction between them. David's meddling family isn't nearly as scheming as David makes them out to be, and the supporting cast of characters serve as such a great support system for them both. If you're looking for something sweet with a dash of angst, this is it.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story was nice enough but there really wasn’t any depth to it. I realize that sixty-four pages don’t allow for a whole lot of complexity, but I still expect to feel a connection between the main characters. There needs to be some intensity to their feelings or at least an obvious potential for emotional depth. Usually in these short stories I prefer it when there’s no on page sex but I think that this book may have benefitted from at least some heavy make out sessions. I think that seeing the two men together like that might have made the attraction between them more tangible because it wasn’t just an emotional connection that I felt was missing. I also didn’t feel their physical attraction to each other.

My full review of Late Bloomer can be found at Love Bytes
http://lovebytesreviews.com/2015/01/1...

[Brandilyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reviewed for Prism Book Alliance

Late Bloomer by Bru Baker is a sweet and lovable holiday story. The title is a play on the horticultural profession of one of the reclusive David. In contrast, Erik is out there in your face and generally louder and more jubilant than the taciturn David. They shouldn't work, but David's family is sure that they will.For full review see http://www.prismbookalliance.com/?pos...

[Suze · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice Christmassy pride and prejudice sort of read.
David has closed off his heart and find Erik's up beat attitude annoying. He also feels Erik plays the field. Erik wants David.
Erik's reputation seems to be ill-gotten and other than being constantly optomistic, he deserves better. If I was him I'd have made David and Quinn grovel!
However, once David gives into his lust for Erik, he's all in.