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Coffee Cake #1
Coffee Cake
Bran Kendrick never expected to fall in love. He’s asexual, after all. What chance does he have of finding someone who’ll see past that? So when Malachi Warren catches his eye, Bran tells himself his crush will pass. Malachi disagrees. He has been attracted to Bran for some time, something he is delighted to find Bran reciprocating. They begin to date and feel their way through an intimate relationship that meets both their needs.
Suddenly Bran finds himself juggling a new boyfriend, a demanding job, and a college degree he’s not sure he wants, but he couldn’t be happier—until a series of seemingly random accidents befall Malachi. When they escalate, Bran realizes someone is trying to take away the best thing that ever happened to him, and he must scramble to keep Malachi safe while they search for the would-be killer.
Suddenly Bran finds himself juggling a new boyfriend, a demanding job, and a college degree he’s not sure he wants, but he couldn’t be happier—until a series of seemingly random accidents befall Malachi. When they escalate, Bran realizes someone is trying to take away the best thing that ever happened to him, and he must scramble to keep Malachi safe while they search for the would-be killer.
220 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 11, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
October 19, 2015
This review was originally posted on Just Love
.
I know that "asexuality" means different things to different people, and that my asexual experience does not define the term for anyone else. But this book had way too many erotic scenes in it for me to be comfortable. I had to stop reading only a few pages in to the novel and readjust my mindset for an m/m erotic romance, rather than an ace romance like I was expecting.
Bran is ace, and believes that he'll never find anyone who accepts him for who he is. He has a crush on Malachi Warren, the handsome and popular boy on campus, and Mal just so happens to return it. Miraculously enough, Mal also has zero problems with Bran being ace, and knows more about the subject than Bran himself does!
But there is a LOT of sex in this book! Bran has no problem bringing Mal off in every way he can imagine. He himself isn't interested in sex, never gets aroused, nothing, and that's fine. I'm not judging the character, or saying that he's "not ace", because like I said before asexuality can be defined a thousand different ways. But I was not expecting that much one-sided sex in a novel that puts so much emphasis on the asexuality of one of its characters.
One huge pet peeve? At one point, Bran states that he's "kind of textbook" when it comes to asexuality. UH NO. First of all, there's no such thing. Asexuality is, at the base level, simply a lack of sexual attraction, but even that is a flawed definition. Saying that a guy who does not get aroused, who thinks orgasms are like "being electrocuted", is textbook ace? That upsets me. It makes me feel like my asexual experience is invalidated.
And I understand from the dedication that the author is also asexual. So I assume she's writing based on her experience, which is awesome. But her experience is not The Definitive Experience, and neither is Bran's. And I don't think she was intending it to be read that way, but that's still how I read it.
End rant.
The rest of the book was pretty interesting, though. After the first sex scene (on page 25, no joke), I started reading it as an m/m romance, since that personally made me more comfortable. The romance itself is very fast-paced; Mal and Bran get together in the first few pages, fall in love rapidly, and reach a scary level of co-dependence by the 50% point. But they're super sweet together, and I love that Mal never pressures Bran beyond his comfort level.
There's also a mystery, as Bran, Mal, and their friends work to figure out who's trying to kill Mal. It was less a mystery, though, and more a series of incidents that left everyone reeling, but no reactions or trying to solve anything until the very, very end. What I liked more was how the various attacks affected everyone; Bran stars to realize that he's not doing what he loves, Mal's relationship with his family changes and improves, and all of the characters grow a lot closer.
I just didn't enjoy this novel a lot. It's okay, but not great. But maybe it's my feelings for the ace aspect that are souring my opinion? I wish the Dreamspinner Press website had a "heat meter" like other sites do, so I would have known going in that there was a considerable amount of erotic scenes.
I think you should try this book for yourself. It's worth taking a shot, and I think other people who don't have as much invested in the ace character and relationship may enjoy it a lot more.
(Also, I really adore the cover art!)
This review was originally posted on Just Love .
I know that "asexuality" means different things to different people, and that my asexual experience does not define the term for anyone else. But this book had way too many erotic scenes in it for me to be comfortable. I had to stop reading only a few pages in to the novel and readjust my mindset for an m/m erotic romance, rather than an ace romance like I was expecting.
Bran is ace, and believes that he'll never find anyone who accepts him for who he is. He has a crush on Malachi Warren, the handsome and popular boy on campus, and Mal just so happens to return it. Miraculously enough, Mal also has zero problems with Bran being ace, and knows more about the subject than Bran himself does!
"Nothing to be ashamed of, kiddo. So you're ace?"
Brand nodded jerkily.
Malachi smiled at him. "Are you aromatic too?"
"I, uh..." Bran floundered for words.
"Haven't gotten that far in your research yet?" Malachi winked at him. "Look it up. We can talk about it when we get together to study tomorrow."
But there is a LOT of sex in this book! Bran has no problem bringing Mal off in every way he can imagine. He himself isn't interested in sex, never gets aroused, nothing, and that's fine. I'm not judging the character, or saying that he's "not ace", because like I said before asexuality can be defined a thousand different ways. But I was not expecting that much one-sided sex in a novel that puts so much emphasis on the asexuality of one of its characters.
"I want to give you this," he said. "I may not want it for myself, but I want to give you pleasure. I like making you feel good."
One huge pet peeve? At one point, Bran states that he's "kind of textbook" when it comes to asexuality. UH NO. First of all, there's no such thing. Asexuality is, at the base level, simply a lack of sexual attraction, but even that is a flawed definition. Saying that a guy who does not get aroused, who thinks orgasms are like "being electrocuted", is textbook ace? That upsets me. It makes me feel like my asexual experience is invalidated.
And I understand from the dedication that the author is also asexual. So I assume she's writing based on her experience, which is awesome. But her experience is not The Definitive Experience, and neither is Bran's. And I don't think she was intending it to be read that way, but that's still how I read it.
End rant.
The rest of the book was pretty interesting, though. After the first sex scene (on page 25, no joke), I started reading it as an m/m romance, since that personally made me more comfortable. The romance itself is very fast-paced; Mal and Bran get together in the first few pages, fall in love rapidly, and reach a scary level of co-dependence by the 50% point. But they're super sweet together, and I love that Mal never pressures Bran beyond his comfort level.
There's also a mystery, as Bran, Mal, and their friends work to figure out who's trying to kill Mal. It was less a mystery, though, and more a series of incidents that left everyone reeling, but no reactions or trying to solve anything until the very, very end. What I liked more was how the various attacks affected everyone; Bran stars to realize that he's not doing what he loves, Mal's relationship with his family changes and improves, and all of the characters grow a lot closer.
I just didn't enjoy this novel a lot. It's okay, but not great. But maybe it's my feelings for the ace aspect that are souring my opinion? I wish the Dreamspinner Press website had a "heat meter" like other sites do, so I would have known going in that there was a considerable amount of erotic scenes.
I think you should try this book for yourself. It's worth taking a shot, and I think other people who don't have as much invested in the ace character and relationship may enjoy it a lot more.
(Also, I really adore the cover art!)
This review was originally posted on Just Love .
January 21, 2020
The thing that bothers me about this book is the consistent use of "kiddo" and "young man" peppered throughout. Like... they're both under 25. No one that age is calling their boyfriend "kiddo".
**~~**~~**
I enjoyed this, from the positive portrayal of an ace romantic relationship that still had hot, sexy times to the mystery (even if I figured out pretty early on who the culprit was - though I never guessed why).
The story flowed well, I liked all the characters, but most of all? I loved that the characters all talked things out. There was no miscommunication or dumbass misunderstandings, just beautiful communication.
I will definitely be checking out the next book in the series!
This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
**~~**~~**
I enjoyed this, from the positive portrayal of an ace romantic relationship that still had hot, sexy times to the mystery (even if I figured out pretty early on who the culprit was - though I never guessed why).
The story flowed well, I liked all the characters, but most of all? I loved that the characters all talked things out. There was no miscommunication or dumbass misunderstandings, just beautiful communication.
I will definitely be checking out the next book in the series!
This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
October 12, 2015
This is a special book in more than one way. It’s an intriguing mystery with some good tension around Malachi, one of the main characters, having to fend off several attempts on his life. It’s also informative and fascinating, because the romance between Malachi and Bran is definitely sweet, but they have an unusual situation to deal with: Bran is asexual. In the course of the story, as Bran learns more about himself now that he has an incentive for trying to make things right for Malachi as well as himself, I learned right along with him. It is rare to find stories about the less known sexualities in the LGBTQ+ continuum, and this is definitely one that held my attention!
Bran is a junior in college and works at a small coffee shop as a baker. When he meets Malachi, a senior, who is clearly interested in him, Bran begins a journey of discovery into exactly what it means for him to be asexual. He has never had any interest in sex, but what if Malachi wants to become intimate - how will Bran deal with that? What is the difference between romance and sex, and can he have one without the other? I loved the way all of these unfold as Bran and Malachi begin to date and start defining their relationship. The romance between Bran and Malachi is super sweet! Their emotions are described well and made me feel for both of them. Malachi with his understated way of living, rather than displaying his wealth, is very likeable, as is Bran with his shyness, curiosity, and eagerness to discover what romance means to him.
The secondary characters deserve a mention as well. Tristan is Malachi’s somewhat overbearing brother, and I learned to love him as he opens up to Bran. Bran’s friends are very supportive, and Malachi’s father – well, he doesn’t deserve the air he breathes as far as I am concerned. Add to that the suspense and real mystery of who is behind the attempts on Malachi’s life, and I was fascinated. There are little well-placed clues throughout, but the final revelation was still a bit of a surprise. Very well done!
If you like unusual, intriguing stories with a twist or two, if men outside the “traditional” confines of romance and relationships pique your interest, and if you’re looking for a read that is as emotional and sweet as it is mysteriously suspenseful, then you will probably like this novel. I couldn’t get enough of Bran and Malachi!
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Bran is a junior in college and works at a small coffee shop as a baker. When he meets Malachi, a senior, who is clearly interested in him, Bran begins a journey of discovery into exactly what it means for him to be asexual. He has never had any interest in sex, but what if Malachi wants to become intimate - how will Bran deal with that? What is the difference between romance and sex, and can he have one without the other? I loved the way all of these unfold as Bran and Malachi begin to date and start defining their relationship. The romance between Bran and Malachi is super sweet! Their emotions are described well and made me feel for both of them. Malachi with his understated way of living, rather than displaying his wealth, is very likeable, as is Bran with his shyness, curiosity, and eagerness to discover what romance means to him.
The secondary characters deserve a mention as well. Tristan is Malachi’s somewhat overbearing brother, and I learned to love him as he opens up to Bran. Bran’s friends are very supportive, and Malachi’s father – well, he doesn’t deserve the air he breathes as far as I am concerned. Add to that the suspense and real mystery of who is behind the attempts on Malachi’s life, and I was fascinated. There are little well-placed clues throughout, but the final revelation was still a bit of a surprise. Very well done!
If you like unusual, intriguing stories with a twist or two, if men outside the “traditional” confines of romance and relationships pique your interest, and if you’re looking for a read that is as emotional and sweet as it is mysteriously suspenseful, then you will probably like this novel. I couldn’t get enough of Bran and Malachi!
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Read
December 13, 2016DNF at 16%. (Attempted to read in April 2016)
Bran is asexual. He's also got a steady crush on a fellow student. Thinking that his sexuality makes him undesirable, Bran chooses to pine away. The last thing he'd ever imagine happening would be that Malachi, the guy he's crushing on, could ever return his feelings...
I was v. pumped to read a romance book in which one of the MCs was asexual. Once I learned that the author herself is asexual, I snagged me a copy of this novel like my life depended on it. In my haste to buy this book, I ended up barely skimming the blurb. Looking back, that might've been a mistake.
Ways in which this book failed:
- Bad writing
It's true that I didn't get too far into the meat of the story and yet, in that short while, I saw Bran and Mal meet, have a couple of dates, and get into a super-serious relationship. The pacing was about 3x faster than in other books (especially for one that isn't a novella) including time jumping way forward without any kind of signifier.
The dialogue reminded me of a generic comedy show.
From what I understand, there was a larger storyline focusing on someone trying to harm Mal, but I could barely make it past the first attempt. The idea of getting deeper into the book was met with a strong NOPE from my brain.
I'm sure there was an engaging novel somewhere underneath this book. It's sad to think that I never got to catch even a glimpse of that. :(
-Poor character development.
Bran spent most of the time being clumsy and feeling tremendously self-conscious, pushing the reader to feel a kind of force empathy. We didn't learn more about him aside from the fact that he was asexual, worked in a cafe, and was in college. I have no idea what he (or anyone else for that matter) looked like.
Meanwhile, Mal was set up to be Bran's opposite: outgoing and aggressive. Although he didn't use any labels, he stated that he was "attracted in people of any gender". To me, Mal was the male version of the Manic Pixie Dream Girl (the Swoon-worthy Alpha Hunk?). He also kept calling Bran variations of kid and kiddo--which sounded pretentious considering they had, based on the fact that Mal was a a college senior, about 2 - 3 years difference.
There was an out-of-nowhere reveal in which we
- Boring romance
Initially, I liked the fact that Mal understood Bran's sexuality, letting Bran set the mood and rules. It was cool that he wasn't a jerk. However, Mal was good-looking, charming, popular, sweet, etc. Between his OTT "I'm the perfect guy" thing and Bran's "I'm totally unlovable (even though there isn't anything wrong with me)" routine, I began to feel less invested in their relationship v. quickly. The story needed some kind counterbalance any from both of them, but there was none to be found.
Few things are as tedious as a dull romance.
About the one neat thing was seeing Bran explain to Mal why he found enjoyment in being intimate with Mal in addition to cuddling and kissing him.
TL;DR: This book was so poorly written I opted to bounce rather than endure it. Can't recommend.
Bran is asexual. He's also got a steady crush on a fellow student. Thinking that his sexuality makes him undesirable, Bran chooses to pine away. The last thing he'd ever imagine happening would be that Malachi, the guy he's crushing on, could ever return his feelings...
I was v. pumped to read a romance book in which one of the MCs was asexual. Once I learned that the author herself is asexual, I snagged me a copy of this novel like my life depended on it. In my haste to buy this book, I ended up barely skimming the blurb. Looking back, that might've been a mistake.
Ways in which this book failed:
- Bad writing
It's true that I didn't get too far into the meat of the story and yet, in that short while, I saw Bran and Mal meet, have a couple of dates, and get into a super-serious relationship. The pacing was about 3x faster than in other books (especially for one that isn't a novella) including time jumping way forward without any kind of signifier.
The dialogue reminded me of a generic comedy show.
From what I understand, there was a larger storyline focusing on someone trying to harm Mal, but I could barely make it past the first attempt. The idea of getting deeper into the book was met with a strong NOPE from my brain.
I'm sure there was an engaging novel somewhere underneath this book. It's sad to think that I never got to catch even a glimpse of that. :(
-Poor character development.
Bran spent most of the time being clumsy and feeling tremendously self-conscious, pushing the reader to feel a kind of force empathy. We didn't learn more about him aside from the fact that he was asexual, worked in a cafe, and was in college. I have no idea what he (or anyone else for that matter) looked like.
Meanwhile, Mal was set up to be Bran's opposite: outgoing and aggressive. Although he didn't use any labels, he stated that he was "attracted in people of any gender". To me, Mal was the male version of the Manic Pixie Dream Girl (the Swoon-worthy Alpha Hunk?). He also kept calling Bran variations of kid and kiddo--which sounded pretentious considering they had, based on the fact that Mal was a a college senior, about 2 - 3 years difference.
There was an out-of-nowhere reveal in which we
- Boring romance
Initially, I liked the fact that Mal understood Bran's sexuality, letting Bran set the mood and rules. It was cool that he wasn't a jerk. However, Mal was good-looking, charming, popular, sweet, etc. Between his OTT "I'm the perfect guy" thing and Bran's "I'm totally unlovable (even though there isn't anything wrong with me)" routine, I began to feel less invested in their relationship v. quickly. The story needed some kind counterbalance any from both of them, but there was none to be found.
Few things are as tedious as a dull romance.
About the one neat thing was seeing Bran explain to Mal why he found enjoyment in being intimate with Mal in addition to cuddling and kissing him.
TL;DR: This book was so poorly written I opted to bounce rather than endure it. Can't recommend.
March 20, 2016
Set in Vermont
I wanted to give to Michaela Grey a chance for a couple of reasons. First of all the cover. Congrats to Aaron Anderson that, albeit unknowingly, the artist has put in my favorite color and everything food related is a winner to me. Reading the blurb of Coffee Cake I was soon curious about the asexuality aspect. I’m pretty sure this book was my first one with an asexual MC and I can say that I really, really liked how it was shown to me. Being pretty ignorant about this specific subject, I wasn’t sure what to expect, as a matter of fact I was expecting no sex at all. I was so wrong, the sex scenes were interesting too, not just the book. I loved the author’s note at the beginning of the book, I found it beautiful.
“Asexuality is something that is sorely misrepresented by the media, and as a result, many asexuals grow up feeling they are broken or “freaks.” It is my goal to show these people that they can live a wholly satisfying, fulfilling life without ever wanting sex, and it’s not something to ever be ashamed of or feel guilty over.”
The plot is simple. Bran is an asexual young man who has a crush on Malachi, the popular college guy. What Bran doesn’t know is that the crush goes both way. Malachi is interested too and so they start seeing each other. When he has an accident, Bran starts taking care of Malachi. But when he gets hurt for a second time, they began wondering about coincidences or attempts at Malachi’s life.
Coffee Cake hit one of my weaknesses, the sweetness. Malachi and Bran are cute together, in their everyday life and in their intimate moments. I liked the way the author put Bran in a journey to the discovery of his sex life, letting him free to explore and to understand what he needed. We learn more about asexuality as Bran learns more about himself. It was lovely and instructive too.
“Um. I’m not… I’m not aromantic,” he said in a rush.
“Yeah? That’s cool. Do you know which way you swing in that regard?”
“I guess… gay,” Bran said. “Not that it matters.”
“Why wouldn’t it matter?” There was honest curiosity in Malachi’s voice.
Bran shrugged. “Because no one’s going to want me,” he said, and he couldn’t help the pain in his voice.
“That’s bullshit,” Malachi said flatly, and Bran jerked his head up. Malachi’s eyes were angry as they met Bran’s. “You’re an amazing guy, Bran. You have so much to offer. So what if you don’t want sex? It’s not as rare as you might think, and any guy would be lucky to have you.”
The writing was good and delicate and the combination with a mystery brought the story to an engaging level. Unfortunately there were some parts too stereotypical to my tastes, as the scene whereor all the “I-leave-you-because-I-don’t-want-you-to-be-hurt” drama. These clichés curbed a little of my enthusiasm for Coffee Cake. Nonetheless I want to recommend this book and I’m still curious about this author and her coming works. I really hope she will talk about asexuality again.
Cover art by Aaron Anderson I love this cover! It’s different and cute, and the colors simply perfect. It’s what caught my attention and then reading the blurb I decided to read the book.
I wanted to give to Michaela Grey a chance for a couple of reasons. First of all the cover. Congrats to Aaron Anderson that, albeit unknowingly, the artist has put in my favorite color and everything food related is a winner to me. Reading the blurb of Coffee Cake I was soon curious about the asexuality aspect. I’m pretty sure this book was my first one with an asexual MC and I can say that I really, really liked how it was shown to me. Being pretty ignorant about this specific subject, I wasn’t sure what to expect, as a matter of fact I was expecting no sex at all. I was so wrong, the sex scenes were interesting too, not just the book. I loved the author’s note at the beginning of the book, I found it beautiful.
“Asexuality is something that is sorely misrepresented by the media, and as a result, many asexuals grow up feeling they are broken or “freaks.” It is my goal to show these people that they can live a wholly satisfying, fulfilling life without ever wanting sex, and it’s not something to ever be ashamed of or feel guilty over.”
The plot is simple. Bran is an asexual young man who has a crush on Malachi, the popular college guy. What Bran doesn’t know is that the crush goes both way. Malachi is interested too and so they start seeing each other. When he has an accident, Bran starts taking care of Malachi. But when he gets hurt for a second time, they began wondering about coincidences or attempts at Malachi’s life.
Coffee Cake hit one of my weaknesses, the sweetness. Malachi and Bran are cute together, in their everyday life and in their intimate moments. I liked the way the author put Bran in a journey to the discovery of his sex life, letting him free to explore and to understand what he needed. We learn more about asexuality as Bran learns more about himself. It was lovely and instructive too.
“Um. I’m not… I’m not aromantic,” he said in a rush.
“Yeah? That’s cool. Do you know which way you swing in that regard?”
“I guess… gay,” Bran said. “Not that it matters.”
“Why wouldn’t it matter?” There was honest curiosity in Malachi’s voice.
Bran shrugged. “Because no one’s going to want me,” he said, and he couldn’t help the pain in his voice.
“That’s bullshit,” Malachi said flatly, and Bran jerked his head up. Malachi’s eyes were angry as they met Bran’s. “You’re an amazing guy, Bran. You have so much to offer. So what if you don’t want sex? It’s not as rare as you might think, and any guy would be lucky to have you.”
The writing was good and delicate and the combination with a mystery brought the story to an engaging level. Unfortunately there were some parts too stereotypical to my tastes, as the scene whereor all the “I-leave-you-because-I-don’t-want-you-to-be-hurt” drama. These clichés curbed a little of my enthusiasm for Coffee Cake. Nonetheless I want to recommend this book and I’m still curious about this author and her coming works. I really hope she will talk about asexuality again.
Cover art by Aaron Anderson I love this cover! It’s different and cute, and the colors simply perfect. It’s what caught my attention and then reading the blurb I decided to read the book.
June 23, 2015
(Deep sigh) Did we all read the same book? I’ll just cut to the chase…the asexual aspect, complete garbage and the only reason I can think that it was thrown into the book was to grab people’s attention. I don’t know any asexuals but these two had A TON of sex (no dick to ass but yes finger did penetrate) for one of them not having any interest in personal orgasms & not being able to get an erection. For every orgasm Bran (muffin) didn’t have he made sure to give his boyfriend two…
Also these two spent like 60% either in a hospital or a bed room, typically with Mal groaning about how Bran must be in bed with him. Mal….lord the kid was whiny and got on my nerves. Brat…I believe that’s the term. I also figured out who the trouble maker was mid-way through at which point I just started skimming, skimming (fuck this book is long) and more damn skimming.
Was this YA? Felt very PG-13 to me. Like I know what you did last summer…
Also these two spent like 60% either in a hospital or a bed room, typically with Mal groaning about how Bran must be in bed with him. Mal….lord the kid was whiny and got on my nerves. Brat…I believe that’s the term. I also figured out who the trouble maker was mid-way through at which point I just started skimming, skimming (fuck this book is long) and more damn skimming.
Was this YA? Felt very PG-13 to me. Like I know what you did last summer…
September 4, 2015
I enjoyed this one, and actually learned a lot about asexuality and aromantics in the process. I'd give it a 3.5 to 4 out of 5. Nice original concepts. I had to look up the terminology, and it was all very enlightening! A new nice YA or New Adult book. Will watch for more from this author!
Author's note in the preface:
“Asexuality is something that is sorely misrepresented by the media, and as a result, many asexuals grow up feeling they are broken or “freaks.” It is my goal to show these people that they can live a wholly satisfying, fulfilling life without ever wanting sex, and it’s not something to ever be ashamed of or feel guilty over.”
Author's note in the preface:
“Asexuality is something that is sorely misrepresented by the media, and as a result, many asexuals grow up feeling they are broken or “freaks.” It is my goal to show these people that they can live a wholly satisfying, fulfilling life without ever wanting sex, and it’s not something to ever be ashamed of or feel guilty over.”
March 15, 2016
Cute and sweet.
I really did enjoy this but it got a little repetitive in places (as in they spend about 80% of the book in and out of hospital) and Mal, who started out as this lovely sweet guy, started to grate on me by being a bit of a brat.
Bran and Mal are very lovely together and I like how their relationship worked. I will absolutely read the next book but I do get the feeling we've not seen the last of bratty Mal.
Thanks to my GR secret santa for gifting me this.
March 10, 2017
This book was garbage. I didn't like one single character, though I may have liked the attempted murderer if he wasn't so incompetent and had actually killed the MCs. For someone who spends the first few chapters whining about how no one would ever want to date him because he is ace and could never give them sex (which is what relationships are clearly all about), he goes on to participate in a whole slew of sexual activities in the short time he and Mal have been dating....at least 1/2 of it during the multitude of times Mal ends up in the hospital. I also found it funny that considering Bran and Mal respect each others feelings on sex, it irked me that Bran was like, "PDA makes my brother uncomfortable, so don't mind him and just keep grinding up on me and swallowing my face."
Not only is this just written poorly, it clearly wasn't overly well thought out. Mal was so in love with his deceased ex that he was going to propose to her; yet, he hadn't so much as seen a picture of her brother, that she was so very close to that it drove her brother to attempt homicide, so that when he popped into Mal's life, Mal didn't know who he was? Really? Not that that is actually addressed by the author....I mean, I guess he could have gotten a bunch of plastic surgery to disguise himself....
And Bran's whole coming-out scene to his brother bothered me too. First he says he isn't interested in dating (isn't that what he is doing with Malachi). Then he goes on to say asexuals don't feel sexual desire, which isn't really accurate, they don't feel asexual attraction, which I feel is different. He describes himself as a textbook ace....the asexual spectrum is so large that one can hardly call anyone a "textbook asexual". I feel like calling him a textbook misrepresent asexuals so much, and we already have enough of that going on as is.
This book just disappointed me on so many different levels. I'm glad I'm finally done it, as I'm done with it.
Not only is this just written poorly, it clearly wasn't overly well thought out. Mal was so in love with his deceased ex that he was going to propose to her; yet, he hadn't so much as seen a picture of her brother, that she was so very close to that it drove her brother to attempt homicide, so that when he popped into Mal's life, Mal didn't know who he was? Really? Not that that is actually addressed by the author....I mean, I guess he could have gotten a bunch of plastic surgery to disguise himself....
And Bran's whole coming-out scene to his brother bothered me too. First he says he isn't interested in dating (isn't that what he is doing with Malachi). Then he goes on to say asexuals don't feel sexual desire, which isn't really accurate, they don't feel asexual attraction, which I feel is different. He describes himself as a textbook ace....the asexual spectrum is so large that one can hardly call anyone a "textbook asexual". I feel like calling him a textbook misrepresent asexuals so much, and we already have enough of that going on as is.
This book just disappointed me on so many different levels. I'm glad I'm finally done it, as I'm done with it.
July 18, 2015
Please take this review with a grain of salt, as I only read a sample of 3 chapters long, and I decided I was not satisfied enough with the story to buy the book. And these reasons are applicable to the whole story, so I decided to write this review.
I really wanted to like this book. An homoromantic Ace character, combined with mystery and baking, it seemed like a recipe for a perfect book. In the first three chapters I thought that the relationship had many adorable moments. But... the writing style is simple and almost juvenile, with no details beyond a physical description of characters. The writing lacks dimension.
The book was also poorly paced, the dialogue being too perfect and sudden. Mal always said the perfect thing, and while the author did this to give him a confident, breezy manner, it comes across as fabricated.
Additionally, there was no build up. 1st chapter; crush, 2nd chapter; first meeting, 3rd chapter; first date, first kiss and some in the pants action. There was no proper emotional build or chemistry between the meeting and the confession. And for an ace character, Bran took almost no time giving Mal a hand job. I dunno, I know all asexuals are different, and evidently Bran was not a sex-disgusted ace, but as an asexual myself, I would need to get to know my partner a lot better before actually taking that step.
I had a lot of hope for this book, but the simplistic writing style and the poor pacing of the story prevented me from enjoying the story. And those are things that don't improve as a book goes on, so I just couldn't invest in it.
I really wanted to like this book. An homoromantic Ace character, combined with mystery and baking, it seemed like a recipe for a perfect book. In the first three chapters I thought that the relationship had many adorable moments. But... the writing style is simple and almost juvenile, with no details beyond a physical description of characters. The writing lacks dimension.
The book was also poorly paced, the dialogue being too perfect and sudden. Mal always said the perfect thing, and while the author did this to give him a confident, breezy manner, it comes across as fabricated.
Additionally, there was no build up. 1st chapter; crush, 2nd chapter; first meeting, 3rd chapter; first date, first kiss and some in the pants action. There was no proper emotional build or chemistry between the meeting and the confession. And for an ace character, Bran took almost no time giving Mal a hand job. I dunno, I know all asexuals are different, and evidently Bran was not a sex-disgusted ace, but as an asexual myself, I would need to get to know my partner a lot better before actually taking that step.
I had a lot of hope for this book, but the simplistic writing style and the poor pacing of the story prevented me from enjoying the story. And those are things that don't improve as a book goes on, so I just couldn't invest in it.
August 1, 2018
Stopped reading after chapter seven.
I was so exited to have an asexual MC and a story about finding and navigating a relationship. I wanted to read about the ups and downs, the doubts, the discovering about what everyone is comfortable with...but there is none of that. They get together in (approximately) chapter three and before that, we have the one paragraph (that is also on the blurb) about Bran's doubts. That's it. There is no tension at all. They both fall in love with each other at first sight and as soon as Malachi makes a move on Bran, *poof* they are now boyfriends and everthing goes smothly, immediately.
I continued reading past that because I waited for the (hopefully) exiting story about Mal's accidents and I thought, okay maybe I understood the premis wrong. Maybe this is not supposed to be focused on the ups and downs of an asexual relationship but on a thriller-like plot. So I read a few chapters about how perfect their relationship is and finally something happens. But it just gets worse from this point. The story feels so constructed, so unnatural. I couldn't empathize with any of the characters enough to care what happend to them. I don't even want to know who wants to murder a college student. So I stopped.
TL;DR: Characters and story are boring, the writing feels flat and maybe I've had too high hopes for this book. They were crushed. I seriously regret spending money on this book.
I was so exited to have an asexual MC and a story about finding and navigating a relationship. I wanted to read about the ups and downs, the doubts, the discovering about what everyone is comfortable with...but there is none of that. They get together in (approximately) chapter three and before that, we have the one paragraph (that is also on the blurb) about Bran's doubts. That's it. There is no tension at all. They both fall in love with each other at first sight and as soon as Malachi makes a move on Bran, *poof* they are now boyfriends and everthing goes smothly, immediately.
I continued reading past that because I waited for the (hopefully) exiting story about Mal's accidents and I thought, okay maybe I understood the premis wrong. Maybe this is not supposed to be focused on the ups and downs of an asexual relationship but on a thriller-like plot. So I read a few chapters about how perfect their relationship is and finally something happens. But it just gets worse from this point. The story feels so constructed, so unnatural. I couldn't empathize with any of the characters enough to care what happend to them. I don't even want to know who wants to murder a college student. So I stopped.
TL;DR: Characters and story are boring, the writing feels flat and maybe I've had too high hopes for this book. They were crushed. I seriously regret spending money on this book.
nope
May 26, 2015Don't know - there's something with this blurb that calls to me, but then I suspect the asexual aspect is just to catch the eye, other than that it's not much new. I'll wait for some reviews.
Just read the excerpt and now I think I'll pass this unless there are glowing 5* reviews. All this 'young man' and 'kid/kiddo' business among two same-aged guys already got on my nerves.
Just read the excerpt and now I think I'll pass this unless there are glowing 5* reviews. All this 'young man' and 'kid/kiddo' business among two same-aged guys already got on my nerves.
April 23, 2019
Okay, so let me start off by saying that I myself am asexual and hungry for some good representation. Add a title like "Coffee Cake" and my hope to break out of my reading slump with a low pressure romance, that doesnt end in sex every chapter, and I thought I was golden.
WELP. If you're asexual, sex-repulsed, or looking for a light read....yeah you'll probably want to look somewhere else first...
WELP. If you're asexual, sex-repulsed, or looking for a light read....yeah you'll probably want to look somewhere else first...
May 14, 2015
4 out of 5 stars
Description ~
Bran Kendrick never expected to fall in love. He’s asexual, after all. What chance does he have of finding someone who’ll see past that? So when Malachi Warren catches his eye, Bran tells himself his crush will pass. Malachi disagrees. He has been attracted to Bran for some time, something he is delighted to find Bran reciprocating. They begin to date and feel their way through an intimate relationship that meets both their needs.
Suddenly Bran finds himself juggling a new boyfriend, a demanding job, and a college degree he’s not sure he wants, but he couldn’t be happier—until a series of seemingly random accidents befall Malachi. When they escalate, Bran realizes someone is trying to take away the best thing that ever happened to him, and he must scramble to keep Malachi safe while they search for the would-be killer.
My Review ~
I'll admit I was sucked into this one from the first chapter and pretty much didn't put it down until I finished the book.
Bran and Malachi both go to the same university, and see each other in passing most days as they go to and from classes. Both are secretly, well not so secretly attracted to the other. Bran is an introvert and has absolutely no clue that Malachi is or could even be attracted to him. While Bran doesn't have self-esteem issues he's just not aware of himself as sexually attractive to someone. So he really can't imagine outgoing Malachi as even able to see him. Mal has absolutely no problem seeing Bran, in fact he wants to see more and more of Bran but isn't exactly sure how to go about it.
Finally things happen to get Malachi and Bran together and it goes on it's path from there even with Bran's being unsure of his own sexuality. It's not so much that he's unsure, it's that he's not aware of the differences and variety of asexualism because he's not really had to learn about it before meeting Malachi. Mal figures out Bran is ace and sets him on his own discovery of what interests Bran. While Bran is asexual, he is not completely uninterested because he enjoys giving his partner pleasure and he, Bran, craves another's person's touch, just not in a sexual way.
This was my first book with a character that identified as asexual and seeing how the author showcased Bran was well-done. I enjoyed reading Bran's self discovery and his interaction with Malachi and eventually the others around them in Mal's circle of friends. I also completely adored Malachi, he's a bit of a scene stealer and a total heartbreaker! You can imagine that boyish grin as he pulls pranks on all his friends, and it will make you laugh. It was interesting to see, when things got heavier toward the middle and end of the story, how Bran shores up Malachi's self-confidence. While you think Mal's an extrovert, he should be rocking the self confidence, he actually suffers huge self doubt in a very introverted kind of way.
The only detractor to the story for me was kind of the whole mystery around what was happening to Malachi. While it was a secondary plot, I would have rather had more time for Mal and Bran to explore their relationship and boundaries while not dealing with heavy situations. I know adversity can make a relationship stronger and bring feelings to the fore quicker, there's something to be said for exploration and slow burn.
Coffee Cake was a really good story with well-written extremely likable characters and I almost hated hitting that end note on my Kindle. I truly wasn't ready to say goodbye to Malachi, Bran, Tristan, Callan, and all the others. I hope the author plans on doing a book for Tristan or Callan. And yes I know...Callan wasn't labeled as gay or bi in the story, but a reader can dream after all.
This is one newer author to watch readers and definitely one to pick up and discover.
Description ~
Bran Kendrick never expected to fall in love. He’s asexual, after all. What chance does he have of finding someone who’ll see past that? So when Malachi Warren catches his eye, Bran tells himself his crush will pass. Malachi disagrees. He has been attracted to Bran for some time, something he is delighted to find Bran reciprocating. They begin to date and feel their way through an intimate relationship that meets both their needs.
Suddenly Bran finds himself juggling a new boyfriend, a demanding job, and a college degree he’s not sure he wants, but he couldn’t be happier—until a series of seemingly random accidents befall Malachi. When they escalate, Bran realizes someone is trying to take away the best thing that ever happened to him, and he must scramble to keep Malachi safe while they search for the would-be killer.
My Review ~
I'll admit I was sucked into this one from the first chapter and pretty much didn't put it down until I finished the book.
Bran and Malachi both go to the same university, and see each other in passing most days as they go to and from classes. Both are secretly, well not so secretly attracted to the other. Bran is an introvert and has absolutely no clue that Malachi is or could even be attracted to him. While Bran doesn't have self-esteem issues he's just not aware of himself as sexually attractive to someone. So he really can't imagine outgoing Malachi as even able to see him. Mal has absolutely no problem seeing Bran, in fact he wants to see more and more of Bran but isn't exactly sure how to go about it.
Finally things happen to get Malachi and Bran together and it goes on it's path from there even with Bran's being unsure of his own sexuality. It's not so much that he's unsure, it's that he's not aware of the differences and variety of asexualism because he's not really had to learn about it before meeting Malachi. Mal figures out Bran is ace and sets him on his own discovery of what interests Bran. While Bran is asexual, he is not completely uninterested because he enjoys giving his partner pleasure and he, Bran, craves another's person's touch, just not in a sexual way.
This was my first book with a character that identified as asexual and seeing how the author showcased Bran was well-done. I enjoyed reading Bran's self discovery and his interaction with Malachi and eventually the others around them in Mal's circle of friends. I also completely adored Malachi, he's a bit of a scene stealer and a total heartbreaker! You can imagine that boyish grin as he pulls pranks on all his friends, and it will make you laugh. It was interesting to see, when things got heavier toward the middle and end of the story, how Bran shores up Malachi's self-confidence. While you think Mal's an extrovert, he should be rocking the self confidence, he actually suffers huge self doubt in a very introverted kind of way.
The only detractor to the story for me was kind of the whole mystery around what was happening to Malachi. While it was a secondary plot, I would have rather had more time for Mal and Bran to explore their relationship and boundaries while not dealing with heavy situations. I know adversity can make a relationship stronger and bring feelings to the fore quicker, there's something to be said for exploration and slow burn.
Coffee Cake was a really good story with well-written extremely likable characters and I almost hated hitting that end note on my Kindle. I truly wasn't ready to say goodbye to Malachi, Bran, Tristan, Callan, and all the others. I hope the author plans on doing a book for Tristan or Callan. And yes I know...Callan wasn't labeled as gay or bi in the story, but a reader can dream after all.
This is one newer author to watch readers and definitely one to pick up and discover.
June 30, 2015
Another one I read ages ago and then never found the time to review.
This read as a new adult book, kids in college, learning how to grow up, find themselves, and making new friends.
Mal and Bran are very different people, but they complement each other well. Both brothers, Tristan and Callan (respectively) are interesting secondary characters, both very committed to their younger siblings.
It did seem sometimes, as if, this was a perfect world, but the inclusion of a possible stalker of Mal's, added a layer of mystery and tension. Poor Mal, being almost killed a couple of times can take it out of a boy.
The asexual component, of course, made this even more interesting for me. I like diverse characters and the idea of breaking down stereotypes. All in all, an absorbing read, full of lovely romance and a dash of suspense.
This read as a new adult book, kids in college, learning how to grow up, find themselves, and making new friends.
Mal and Bran are very different people, but they complement each other well. Both brothers, Tristan and Callan (respectively) are interesting secondary characters, both very committed to their younger siblings.
It did seem sometimes, as if, this was a perfect world, but the inclusion of a possible stalker of Mal's, added a layer of mystery and tension. Poor Mal, being almost killed a couple of times can take it out of a boy.
The asexual component, of course, made this even more interesting for me. I like diverse characters and the idea of breaking down stereotypes. All in all, an absorbing read, full of lovely romance and a dash of suspense.
May 27, 2015
You know when you read the first chapter of a book and know you're going to love it? That's how I felt about this book. It never, slowed down or got boring to me, I enjoyed the book from the beginning to the end. What made it great was Bran and Malachi, once they got together the book got even better. I also enjoyed their family and friends and the mystery. I also learned something about people who are asexual, I feel I have a better understanding and I feel it never hurts to educate yourself it helps you understand better. Just a great book to me...
June 11, 2015
Okay... my review posted today. I gave this 3.5 Stars... Here's the link if you'd like to take a look.
August 11, 2017
Coffee Cake is not your typical romance novel.
Bran and Malachi become a couple before just 10% of the book pass - the rest of the plot mainly revolves around the series of seemingly random accidents involving Malachi, and the drama they ensure.
There are several smaller subplots: each of the young men's families and their relationships, Malachi's struggle with self esteem regarding an event in his past and the way Bran and Malachi's relationship develops sexually. The revolving key point for the latter is Bran's asexuality.
Being ace myself, I both liked and disliked the way asexuality was handled in this book: the way Bran described the asexuality theoretically to other people really didn't line up with what I personally think it means. But at the same time, I could relate a lot to how Bran felt and how it influenced what he wanted.
The writing was quite nice, and while I wouldn't say the dialogue was stilted or unnatural, it also didn't feel real. The way the characters treated each other, how they reacted verbally and what they said... it just didn't feel like how real people treat each other.
The characters themselves were very likeable though, I enjoyed reading about the main characters Bran and Malachi, as well as the various side characters.
Bran and Malachi become a couple before just 10% of the book pass - the rest of the plot mainly revolves around the series of seemingly random accidents involving Malachi, and the drama they ensure.
There are several smaller subplots: each of the young men's families and their relationships, Malachi's struggle with self esteem regarding an event in his past and the way Bran and Malachi's relationship develops sexually. The revolving key point for the latter is Bran's asexuality.
Being ace myself, I both liked and disliked the way asexuality was handled in this book: the way Bran described the asexuality theoretically to other people really didn't line up with what I personally think it means. But at the same time, I could relate a lot to how Bran felt and how it influenced what he wanted.
The writing was quite nice, and while I wouldn't say the dialogue was stilted or unnatural, it also didn't feel real. The way the characters treated each other, how they reacted verbally and what they said... it just didn't feel like how real people treat each other.
The characters themselves were very likeable though, I enjoyed reading about the main characters Bran and Malachi, as well as the various side characters.
nope
October 27, 2021Nope, nearly no way in hell, because I've heard there's a ton of sex in this or smut at least, and also parts of it have made some people feel suffocated...and I sometimes feel like that in other romance books, so I'm certainly not going to read it.
I was so interested about this because it has an ace MC *sighs in disappointment*
I was so interested about this because it has an ace MC *sighs in disappointment*
August 8, 2016
Bran has been crushing on Malachi since he first laid eyes on the man. But having been burned in the past when he revealed that he was asexual, Bran can’t really see someone as popular and “normal” as Malachi bothering with someone like him. But he severely underestimates just how much Malachi is gone on him, or how far he is willing to go to prove it to Bran. Which would be all great and everything, but for some reason, Malachi keeps getting himself almost killed, and that is bound to put a damper on any relationship.
I’ve been trying to increase my reading of asexual and transgender stories lately, and someone suggested I might wanna check this out. And after seeing that the blog hadn’t done a review of it yet, I figured I would ask to see if I couldn’t do one for the blog. I’m always happy to boost the more queer side of the spectrum into the light, and I figured this would be a good chance.
For a book that is mostly about the repeated attempts on Malachi’s life, I found this to be a very lighthearted book. Bran and Malachi don’t really struggle much in their relationship–well other than a few stupid attempt on Malachi’s side to send Bran away–so when the two’s lives were not in active danger the story seemed to just coast right along. This is perhaps a bit to the books detriment, though. I liked the lighthearted feel, but the mystery was kinda pushed to the background for the lot of the book, so their relationship bore the brunt of the plot…and without that tension it just fell a little flat.
There was also a lot of sex, which is something I was more than a little surprised by. I have nothing against Bran or anyone who identifies with the many shades of asexuality engaging in sex in some form or another…I just didn’t expect it to take up nearly half of the book. And the fact is that there wasn’t a lot of chemistry to balance it out, so it felt a bit off. I wish the book had taken more time to build up the relationship, if only to let the reader get to the point where they truly felt this crazy love that was being played out on the page. It is well enough for the characters to declare their love, but if I can’t feel it, then I start to lose interest.
The pros and cons on this book seemed to basically offset themselves in my opinion. It wasn’t a great book, but neither was it all that bad. If you are looking for something light, this might just be your ticket. Just don’t expect the love, or the mystery, of the century and you should be find.
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
I’ve been trying to increase my reading of asexual and transgender stories lately, and someone suggested I might wanna check this out. And after seeing that the blog hadn’t done a review of it yet, I figured I would ask to see if I couldn’t do one for the blog. I’m always happy to boost the more queer side of the spectrum into the light, and I figured this would be a good chance.
For a book that is mostly about the repeated attempts on Malachi’s life, I found this to be a very lighthearted book. Bran and Malachi don’t really struggle much in their relationship–well other than a few stupid attempt on Malachi’s side to send Bran away–so when the two’s lives were not in active danger the story seemed to just coast right along. This is perhaps a bit to the books detriment, though. I liked the lighthearted feel, but the mystery was kinda pushed to the background for the lot of the book, so their relationship bore the brunt of the plot…and without that tension it just fell a little flat.
There was also a lot of sex, which is something I was more than a little surprised by. I have nothing against Bran or anyone who identifies with the many shades of asexuality engaging in sex in some form or another…I just didn’t expect it to take up nearly half of the book. And the fact is that there wasn’t a lot of chemistry to balance it out, so it felt a bit off. I wish the book had taken more time to build up the relationship, if only to let the reader get to the point where they truly felt this crazy love that was being played out on the page. It is well enough for the characters to declare their love, but if I can’t feel it, then I start to lose interest.
The pros and cons on this book seemed to basically offset themselves in my opinion. It wasn’t a great book, but neither was it all that bad. If you are looking for something light, this might just be your ticket. Just don’t expect the love, or the mystery, of the century and you should be find.
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
January 7, 2019
I really wanted to like this book. It sounded like the perfect mix of story ideas! An asexual MC, a cute romance, baking and coffee, and a bit of mystery thrown in too. But... I just didn't always enjoy the execution. The author's characterisation was often not believable enough for me - everything that everyone did just seemed too convenient. Okay, yes, I'm willing to believe that an unrequited crush could actually be a requited crush. But then, immediately getting together, and then the way the author just skipped over the first few months of their relationship? And I'm suddenly supposed to believe they're perfectly in love etc? I just. I can't believe it if you haven't SHOWN it to me; you're just TELLING me. The other thing that seemed too perfect was the way that whenever the author introduced some actual conflict, that made me think okay, NOW something's gonna happen and everything's going to go wrong - it's instantly fixed, or conveniently forgotten. Any fights that Malachi and Bran had were immediately resolved, often in a very saccharine way. Tristian, initially portrayed as the cold, nasty older brother, quickly turns a new leaf and becomes the concerned, loving older brother. Even Malachi's Dad, who rushes into the book insulting everyone - almost unforgivably, I would've thought - gets redemption. EVEN THE ACTUAL VILLAIN WHO TRIED TO MURDER PEOPLE is "forgiven". I just... I'm sorry, I found myself rolling my eyes a lot. And I'm normally willing to forgive a few moments of convenience in a book. But this book unfortunately tipped over the edge.
One last thing that bothered me was the portrayal of asexuality. I know that there are many, many different types and experiences of asexuality, but I felt that this one wasn't handled in the best way. Since the author skipped over the part where their relationship grew in the first few months, of course it's more unbelievable that an asexual character could quickly jump into bed with someone, VERY early on in the book. And the fact that he jumped into bed at all... I dunno, I feel like in order to justify Bran's actions and POV, the author had to EXPLAIN his thoughts on asexuality better. Yes, okay, some asexuals do engage in sex, but this particular portrayal of it didn't ring true to me. And for Bran to say that's he's "kind of textbook"? I'm sorry. Please don't. Actually, there kind of isn't a textbook version of asexuality. I'm just worried that people are going to read this book, and made all sorts of judgments based entirely on this portrayal of asexuality. Hopefully that won't happen, I'm sure people are more intelligent, but it still concerns me.
Anyway. Just had to get all these feelings out. I see there's a sequel - the OCD in me is half tempted to read it, because I just want to know what happens, if the author gets better. However, I feel like I've got plenty of other books waiting to be read, that are more deserving of my attention.
One last thing that bothered me was the portrayal of asexuality. I know that there are many, many different types and experiences of asexuality, but I felt that this one wasn't handled in the best way. Since the author skipped over the part where their relationship grew in the first few months, of course it's more unbelievable that an asexual character could quickly jump into bed with someone, VERY early on in the book. And the fact that he jumped into bed at all... I dunno, I feel like in order to justify Bran's actions and POV, the author had to EXPLAIN his thoughts on asexuality better. Yes, okay, some asexuals do engage in sex, but this particular portrayal of it didn't ring true to me. And for Bran to say that's he's "kind of textbook"? I'm sorry. Please don't. Actually, there kind of isn't a textbook version of asexuality. I'm just worried that people are going to read this book, and made all sorts of judgments based entirely on this portrayal of asexuality. Hopefully that won't happen, I'm sure people are more intelligent, but it still concerns me.
Anyway. Just had to get all these feelings out. I see there's a sequel - the OCD in me is half tempted to read it, because I just want to know what happens, if the author gets better. However, I feel like I've got plenty of other books waiting to be read, that are more deserving of my attention.
May 25, 2015
So…was this originally SPN RPS fanfic? Once I read the dedication, that's all I could think of haha
But anyway, back to the review…I thought this was sweet, and I especially enjoyed the first half of this story with Bran and Malachi. I loved that Malachi kept calling him like "Bran flake," and "Bran muffin" was my favorite. However, towards the end and especially the last third of the story, I did feel like things got a bit overdramatic and just…not how 21/22 year old guys would typically talk. I thought the very end was sweet and I'm glad the boys got their HEA, and I liked that the conflict did surprise me a little bit, I wasn't expecting who it was. So I think if you're looking for minimal angst and sweet boys, it's still worth giving a try!
But anyway, back to the review…I thought this was sweet, and I especially enjoyed the first half of this story with Bran and Malachi. I loved that Malachi kept calling him like "Bran flake," and "Bran muffin" was my favorite. However, towards the end and especially the last third of the story, I did feel like things got a bit overdramatic and just…not how 21/22 year old guys would typically talk. I thought the very end was sweet and I'm glad the boys got their HEA, and I liked that the conflict did surprise me a little bit, I wasn't expecting who it was. So I think if you're looking for minimal angst and sweet boys, it's still worth giving a try!
July 16, 2015
An uncomplicated, charming romance that is a delight on the senses.
Bran and Malachi make an adorable couple. I quite enjoyed watching them grow closer as their story progresses.
The intrigue portion of the story was a little bit jarring, but the whole story appealed to me and left me smiling.
The cast of characters around the two men were entertaining. They have such lovely family members and I like that not everyone is painted as black as they seem at first.
It's unfortunate though that most of the book seems to take place in the hospital. Poor boys.
Bran and Malachi make an adorable couple. I quite enjoyed watching them grow closer as their story progresses.
The intrigue portion of the story was a little bit jarring, but the whole story appealed to me and left me smiling.
The cast of characters around the two men were entertaining. They have such lovely family members and I like that not everyone is painted as black as they seem at first.
It's unfortunate though that most of the book seems to take place in the hospital. Poor boys.
August 20, 2015
I honestly loved this book, it had it all, from comic lines to downright dire situations. Each character made me fuzzy inside and the different types of love expressed in this book were just overwhelming. TRISTAN and Callan, I especially love you guys for supporting your complicated brothers.
misc-recs
June 7, 2015Imagine browsing a whole page of m/m romances and this gorgeous unicorn of a book cover sitting right there between one waxed chest and another flexing abdominal. Well played, dreamspinner, well played.
Want to read
April 14, 2015Looking forward to checking this one out.
May 25, 2015
3.5 stars
May 11, 2015
3.5 stars. Review coming soon to www.thenovelapproachreviews.com
Read
February 19, 2022A little warning: I chose this book at part of the Read Harder 2022 challenge as the book about an asexual or aromatic character. But just so you know, it is filled with a multitude of sex scenes between two loving kind people but the sex scenes are graphic with almost instructional details.
Other than that it was fun light reading.
It was helpful to help me understand the definition of asexual.
Other than that it was fun light reading.
It was helpful to help me understand the definition of asexual.
April 26, 2022
I had to give up reading this after the “hospital scene.” The characters’ dialogue and romance was so unrealistic and stilted, it was like reading a college’s orientation training for consent. I know I didn’t even get to the mystery part, but there was no foundation for me to care about what happened.
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