Bobby Gugino realized he may have met the man of his dreams in Jody Olsen, only neither of them were gay, so far as Bobby knew. But when Jody came out and ended his marriage, Bobby's entire worldview was skewed, and his own health issues lead to his own coming out. Fast forward four years and Bobby runs into Jody again, but Bobby may be too busy making up for lost time to see how great they are together.
Jody Olsen's got guilt and mommy issues, but his coming out was smooth and his life had settled into a mundane pattern of kissing frogs while waiting for prince charming and helping run his mother's book store in New York's East Village. When Bobby comes bumbling back into his life with a surprising shared passion for the written word and an endearing love for sugary Frappuccinos, Jody can't help but be quickly swept up by the man.
The struggle to be patient with Bobby and his being unsure about being committed to someone is not an easy one. Does Jody hope for his happy ever after with Bobby, or is the lure of chasing the rainbow too much to fight against?
Includes a fresh-faced divorcee with his nose in romance novels and his heart in the clouds, a thirty-something fresh out of the closet, chasing a missed youth and trying to find his place in the big gay world he'd missed out on... and a little dirty suit sex.
Kade Boehme is the epitome of dorkdom, only watching TV when Rachel Maddow or one of his sports teams is on. Most of his free time is spent dancing, arguing politics or with his nose in a book. He is also a hardcore Britney Spears fangirl and has an addiction to glitter.
It was after writing a short story about boys who loved each other for a less than reputable adult website that he found his true calling, and hopefully a bit more class. He hopes to write about all the romance that he personally finds himself allergic to but that others can fall in love with. He maintains that life is real and the stories should be, as well.
Chasing the Rainbow is a FEEL-GOOD book all the way with two likable MCs navigating love and lust in New York City.
Jody is divorced and works as a book store manager. He is cultured and wears khakis that show off his tight ass.
Bobby falls for that ass immediately, and it doesn't take him long to fall for Jody too.
But Bobby feels like he's out of Jody's league. Jody has money after all, and Bobby is just a contractor who doesn't want a relationship after being in one with a woman for more than ten years.
Important: Bobby is Italian.
Mild drama occurs early on as Bobby pulls away from Jody. Leaving after their first sexy time is a major dick move on Bobby's part, but the dual POV helped me understand Bobby's fears.
The secondary characters, including Bobby's brother Carlos and Jody's cougar mother DeDe, are all kinds of awesome. DeDe is a gem!
The MCs learn to lean on one another, and when the possibility of a tragedy looms over them, they bond together. The scene at Bobby's house where Bobby breaks down slayed me.
I also liked how Bobby became braver by degrees. The family situation (Bobby's mom is old-fashioned and insists on inviting Bobby's ex to every family dinner) didn't create undue angst.
This is a sexy, enjoyable read, and the HEA is outstanding.
“Chasing the Rainbow” was a sweet, a little cheesy at times, for the most part light read, with just a little bit of drama and angst about two men who try to find love, acceptance and their way to each other.
What was interesting about this novel is the fact the both main characters thought all their lives they were straight. Both men have gotten out of relationships with women and both of them now try to find themselves. Jody is a 20…something, he’s divorce and he works as a manager at McNamara Books. He is a sweet and a little shy man who just want to find someone. He wants a serious relationship, not only a fling, but he realizes is more difficult than he thought finding his prince charming.
Bobby is in his 30s and only his brother knows about his coming out. He knows his Catholic mother never will accept his ‘real’ sexuality, so decides to stay in the closet, for now. He’s a contractor, he loves his job, but he also loves to read. He doesn’t want to be in a serious relationship since he recently broke up with a woman with whom he had a 12 years relationship.
Jody and Bobby knew each other from before, but when they meet again and Booby confesses that he’s gay as well and they start…something. Bobby is scared and he’s kind of an asshole at first, but eventually he comes around and they start dating.
Like I mentioned there’s some drama, but nothing overwhelming. The story and the romance is fast paced. For the most part I liked it, even if at times everything felt a little too rushed for my liking. Anyway...both man are likeable characters and I really felt they were good for each other. Jody was a great character. He’s sweet and supportive, thoughtful and gentle and I loved the fact he knows what he wants. Bobby was great as well, even if at first he was a douche. I liked that in the end confesses to his mother that he’s gay and he chooses to be with Jody despite his mother’s protests. I also enjoyed the dual POV and I have to say I really liked Bobby’s brother, Carlo.
What a cute slice of life story! Here we have two men who have both gotten out of relationships with women, and after years of not having seen each other they meet again.
Boy was this story was just what I needed. I've been really ill and this was a lovely story to get me out of my sick funk.
What I loved: * Jody. I just loved everything about him. He was such a gentle soul, but also strong. He knew what he wanted and stood his ground. * Bobby. Even though he was a bit hardheaded he was willing to put in the work to make their relationship work. * Jody & Bobby together. Just adorable! * Story flow. Nice easy, steady pace. * It's told from an alternating POV. * Character growth. * Although light, the story still had moments that pulled at my heartstrings.
Overall this was a 4.5 Star read for me. Like always Kade Boehme made me fall in love with his characters and had me rooting for them all the way. ♥
"...I was chasing this rainbow. And everyone saw it... But now. Now I found you and fuck the rainbow. It’s like I’m walking into the sun..."
For a man who, according to his bio, is allergic to romance, Kade Boehme nailed this one. Because this is what this book is about. Good, plain old romance. No mobsters or serial killers, no cops or bikers. Just two men, finding their way to each other. And while I love me some drama and angst,I really needed a good love story right now.
Jody
Since his divorce and his coming out Jody has been trying to find his one and only. But finding his Prince Charming in a sea of frogs is not an easy thing to do. I loved Jody, he was a sweetheart. Shy and kinda nerdy, but strong and determined on the inside....What I really liked about him : he didn't back down. He knew what he wanted and settled for nothing less. Even when less was all Bobby had to offer. Oh and don't let him fool you...he has the dirtiest mouth in the bedroom.
Bobby
Bobby came out (to some people) later in life too. He had a steady girlfriend for many years but a life altering event gave him the final push to embrace his sexuality.Since then, he has been trying to make up for the lost time, he's been chasing the rainbow...which means sleeping around and never commit to a relationship. But Jody isn't like the others and if Bobby wants to keep him he will have to try harder.
Bobby is kind of an asshole at some point, but I couldn't really hold it against him after the explanation he offered to Jody. We watch Bobby mature and become a new man as the story goes on and their relationship grows and becomes more solid.Like I said this is focused on the romance, there are no "what the hell happened" moments but the story is well paced and holds your interest.
And my favourite part of the story : Both the MC like reading and their favourite moments together are these spent curled up on the couch with their books. Isn't this amazing?
Overall, I enjoyed this immensely. I feel that the author's writing gets better and matures with every book. And this is a beautiful thing to see.
P.S Ok I'm a sucker for dedications in books, I always read them. This one almost made me tear up for some reason...
This was a kind of story that I expected I'll love, and it did. It had wonderful, REAL, characters, a good story with some angst but light-hearted and fluffy all throughout, and a nice setting.
And I gotta mention, what I loved about Mr. Boehme's writing is the dialogue are REAL. It's what you expected to hear from a real person rather than a "prince charming". Which I appreciated very much because I really like close to real life contemporary stories.
The only thing that hold back my perfect rating was because I'm not sure if the book was memorable enough.
But overall, it was awesome. And I know you guys will love it. RECOMMENDED!
For some reason, I seem to be drawn towards fluffy stories lately. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love my angst, but these past few days I just needed to read feel-good books. Chasing the Rainbow definitely falls into that category.
Jody is a manager at the bookstore he owns together with his mother. He loves to read gay romance, and at first glance, he seems to be a shy bookish guy, but the man has one dirty mouth. Jody is waiting for his Prince Charming and is ready to kiss some frogs in the process.
Bobby is an Italian contractor with a sweet tooth, who's not looking for a relationship. Because he lets his fears and insecurities get the best of him, Bobby acts like a dick at one point. But I forgave him quickly, because he had a legit reason for it.
As the story progresses, Bobby breaks down his walls and tells Jody all his secrets, allowing himself to lean on Jody. They get through everything together, and "It's me and you." becomes their mantra.
Important note! There is one particular off-the-fucking-charts hot suit scene!!!
Two secondary characters stood out, specifically DeDe, Jody's mom, and Carlo, Bobby's brother. DeDe is a good mom, in her own way, supporting her son without fail. And Carlo is a big macho sweetheart, always helping Bobby out and standing up for him in front of their family.
Oh, and one more thing: I'm in love with this cover!!! It gives me the warm fuzzies.
Another feel-good, low angst read from one of my go-to authors, who is a real cutie himself. I liked this story of two guys Bobby and Jody, both of whom had been in a relationship with a woman, but who were finally honest enough to come out of that closet and be true to who they really were. 4 stars from me, thanks Kade.
Mr. Boehme, thank you for writing romance. A real, everyday, feel good, bad days, good days, ok days, insecurity, strength, fear, REAL LIFE, companionship, no communication, real communication romance.
It is really pretty and refreshing to just read a love story sometimes.
First of all, this cover! Love. Reese Dante did a fabulous job.
All of Kade's books hit me
Chasing the Rainbow though? Chasing the Rainbow was some sweet sugary goodness, like Bobby's coffee drinks :) I thought I made it through with no tears. Then BAM!
What I loved about Jody was that he stuck to his guns. He knew what he wanted and didn't settle. I admire that. I want more of Alex, can we please. Pretty please.
I loved Bobby's relationship with his brother, Carlo. I loved how he thought stuff out. I loved how when he made a mistake he corrected it.
Jody and Bobby together?
Davy and Gavin will always have my heart as far as favorite couples, but Jody and Bobby are definitely up there!
I love the smiles on the cover, it gives me the butterflies! Can't wait..it's gonna be fabulous! ====================
Gimmie Gimmie...Grabby Hands!
Got it...yay!! ====================
Kade is one authors that I'll buy up anything that he puts out there. Hell, he could probably write something about the weather and i'd be like.."I NEED that now!" lol. His story telling is fabulous!
Anyway back on track shall we....
I loved Jody right from the start. How he would 'compare' their relationship to a romance novel was awesome. We all know about that 70% mark. :)
Bobby took me a minute to warm up to (I really really wanted to knock some sense into him at one point..yep, you know what scene i'm talkin about!) but once I did I was so routing for him! We get angst in all the right spots and that makes me happy! I like how some things worked out and yet some didn't. Not everything was wrapped up with a neat little bow.
Bobby is a 37 year old Italian construction worker who is living half way in and out of the closet. Only a few people know of his sexuality as he is still coming to to terms with his need for men. The only relationship he has had was with his ex-girlfriend Angie for 12 years. The one person he is having a hard time coming out to is his very strong willed mother.
Jody is a 29 year old book store manager who is gay and has been all his life even though he just recently went through a divorce from his wife. Only getting married to make "others" happy. He know being with his ex was not who he was. Divorcing Izzy was hard and he was blamed by many for being so deceptive and he was not like by many, including Bobby's family.
As Bobby and Jody begin a friendship after a chance meeting, their connection is the cutest thing I have read. They are two sexy, strong men, feeling out each other....LITERALLY....but what each wants is different, they think.
Jody doesn't want to be a one night stand and Bobby doesn't want to settle down. As they go back and forth for a bit, they know they want each other and they cannot deny how good they are together.
"If you want more, you know where to find me. I won't wait around, but I'd like to think I wasn't just kissing another frog."
Bobby finally realizes, a relationship with Jody is what he needs and desires, they work things out and their relationship blossoms even though Bobby never gets the support of his mother.
Their relationship is put to a little test when Bobby receives some news that could be life changing. Jody never falters in his love for Bobby and surprises him by never leaving Bobby's side.
"Now I found you and fuck the rainbow. It's like I'm walking into the sun. The sun makes the rainbow so the way I see it, that's better."
I´m a bit worried, to be honest, because it looks like I´m on the boat of those who liked this book, but didn´t quite love it. :(
This is a very sweet story. It has practically zero angst, and any complications you may find in it are fixed quite quickly. This is good, actually. If you are looking for a feel-good book, this one works out perfectly well.
Bobby is the no strings attached kind of man. He sleeps around, enjoys his life, embraces his sexuality, but he doesn´t date. I LOVED this. It´s a thing I have, you see - give me a guy who is reluctant to fall in love and yet show him to me falling despite his efforts of not doing so, and well, you practically got me ;). With this, of course, comes the "he´s-a-bit-of-an-asshole" part, and boy if I wanted to slap Bobby hard. Many times. Deep down, way underneath his confident facade, Bobby is actually a bit insecure, and those insecurities come out when he meets Jody.
Jody is the manager and part owner of a bookshop. As opposed to Bobby, Jody doesn´t want to fool around. He´s kinda tired of it, and he knows that he wants something more stable than just... a fuck buddy, and he´s not afraid to say this out loud, which is great. I really liked him. Jody has money. He doesn't flaunt about it, but knowing this makes Bobby feel like he´s not good enough for Jody.
Both men had just come out (well, not just, but maybe like a few years back) of long term relationship with women. Jody had been married for a few years, and Bobby had spent about many years with a girl that his family adored. This is important because in some way the fact that they spent so many years in a relationship that somehow made them feel trapped was what made them finally come out and start living again. In this respect I think it´s important to higlight that there was no "that bitch" moment when it came to the ex´es, and that is really appreciated.
When Jody and Bobby meet again it´s obvious they are attracted to each other. Neither of them knows that the other is gay, and it takes them a bit to figure it out. They see each other constantly at Jody´s bookstore, but they don´t really go out until after a couple of weeks/months have passed. Then shit happens - Bobby doesn´t date, remember? and Jody doesn´t do one night stands, so they have to find some sort of common ground, and after some talking, they do.
But then, something else happens - Bobby has... a secret? I don´t want to call it that, because if I put myself in his place I know I would have probably acted the same way: hiding, not knowing what to do, or how to talk about it, and fearful of becoming a burden, or of feeling rejected if the person I´m with decides he can´t stand by me. There is also that of feeling like maybe you are keeping someone from enjoying their life if they stand by you and fight your battles beside you. We all have demons, and I think Bobby´s showed here. I´m probably making this look way worse than it really is: do not fret. It´s not that bad, I´m just saying what I think could have gone through Bobby´s mind.
Things work out for them, and they find their HEA.
So, if this was that sweet and nice, why not a higher rating? I think it has more to do with my personal taste than with the book itself. There were a couple of things that were a bit of a turn off for me So, there´s that. There was also another thing that made me feel a bit uneasy? But the most important thing for me is that I struggled to connect with the MCs, both individually and as a couple. At this point I need to say, that it looks like I´m in the minority on this. I see that lots of people connected very well with both guys.
There are good secondary characters. There´s DeeDee, and there´s Carlo. I liked Carlo, Bobby´s brother. He was a pain in the ass sometimes, but the good kind. I was glad when he stood up to support Bobby and defend him from his mom. I had a bit of a problem with Angie, Bobby´s ex because after reading about her being in every single family thing that Bobby attended to, it seemed too easy that she just decided to leave. I didn't quite buy her sudden change of heart, but I think the reason for this is because I did not really see it happen, I was mostly told about it. And then we have DeeDee, well, I kinda liked her too.
I honestly don´t know what happened to me here. I truly believe this is a kind of "It´s me, not you" kind of situation with ... A book. It was good, and sweet, but, yea... :(
Sweet emotions in this romance !! This big city tale of two gay men searching for a meaningful connection is interesting, sexy, feeling, and has deeply thought filled characters. Jody, successful manager of a high end book shop, likes Bobby, who works in his family renovations business. Bobby is looking for something he can't explain, and Jody wants a true deep feeling relationship, and knows what he wants. They both had been in long relationships with women before "coming out". Together they are sweet, sexy, realistic, and caring. They are so good for each other. Kade Boehme is a new author for me, and writes a well done romance. You will be pleased and will be smiling. Highly recommend. ENJOY !!!
I loved this book! Kade is a gifted author with a talent for drawing his readers in and making them fall hard for his boys! I absolutely loved Bobby and Jody! I have a huge soft spot for books based in NYC and this one did not disappoint. I'm looking forward to my next Kade book!
So here I go being that one person who doesn't have all positive things to say. I know most reviews are glowing and as much as I wish mine was as well, it's not happening.
Chasing the Rainbow is not as good as the previous books, but still a pretty enjoyable read. For some reason, this book fell a little short for me, it wasn't as intense as the previous books and the writing seemed a bit rushed.
I liked Jody, but I didn't love him. I don't know why, but he seemed washed out to me; not a strong personality but not a weak one either, there just wasn't anything about him that made him stand out to me. One thing I did like about him was his certainty that sex with no commitment was not for him, and his unwillingness to give in just because he liked Bobby so much.
Bobby didn't grow on me at all; I rather loved his brother Carlos a lot more. Bobby's character shows some personal growth but he didn't touch my heart in any way.
By all means this would've been a solid 4 stars novella; however, I think this book needs a second round of editing, because there are many minor spelling errors that all together bothered me.
The sentence structure and use of correct punctuation could also need a little work. This wasn't a BIG issue, and there are not that many instances, but there's enough for me to be picky. I had to go re-read some paragraphs because they didn't make much sense the first time around, to realize that a coma could have been used instead of a semicolon for a better flow of ideas. I know this kind of stuff is not something most people care about, but for some reason, I did this time around.
I'm going to continue reading Kade's books because he's a very talented author, and just because this wasn't my favorite, it doesn't mean I'm not going to love the crap out of the next book.
This one had the same editing issues I usually see in this author's books. Not terrible, but noticeable. Once a character was called by the other character's name, and there was even a crossed out word, like they meant to edit it later, but forgot.
It took me a bit to warm to Bobby. I thought the way he did Jody in the beginning was just gross. You don't hang out, flirting with some guy, ask them for a date, then treat them like a trick you picked up at a bar.
Fortunately, Bobby figured that out fairly, and then I liked him. This was a sweet book, light on angst.
Sorry, I really really don’t like this guy, so I won’t be finishing this book. And after reading some reviews I expected something fluffier than this. When something is called fluffy I don’t expect my MC to treat the guy he’s got a crush on like shit.
3.5 stars. This was a sweet story, but lacking that "umph" similar to the last couple of books that Boehme has written. And there was more than one time that one MC's name was swapped for another, which was off-putting. The story itself was sweet though, and I was invested in the outcome.
I have to admit this was not my favorite. It was slow, I never got fully invested in the characters, mainly because I didn't like the way Bobby treated Jody for most of the story.
Even putting it down and coming back to it didn't help.
*************
@53%
I'm not going to mark this as DNF...but I'm going to put it on indefinite hold. I am just not into this story at all.
Kade has done another brilliant job on this amazing story. The story line is strong and very believable. The characters are well developed, loveable, and true to life. Kade puts you right into the middle of their lives from the point of their meeting, through the development of their relationship as the struggles of life try to get in the way, to their real understanding what each one means to the other. These two gay men go from relationships with women, to the realization of who they really were and who they wanted. Jody and Bobby are two gorgeous men with hearts of gold. The Sex between them is Hot, but that is not all they had between them. A deep friendship and relationship that brought in the components that make up what is real....Love. This is a beautiful love story that weathers the storms that life can throw at you. If you love MM Romance, Sex, and Love, you will love this one. Very well written by a man who knows how to put it all into words. Highly Recommend this one. Loved it.
I have fast become a real fan of Kade Boehme. I love his stories. I love his post on facebook. Both show he is a good teller of stories that hit my heart. Both show his sense of humor and his sense of himself.
Jody was a man comfortable in his own skin. He had a beautiful outlook on life and a wonderful sense of humor. He was not a twink. He was a confident man who knew his own mind. If you only looked at Bobby's outer shell you would never know the real him. Jody looked inside, finally. Bobby had patience. He knew he wanted Jody and was not afraid to work for what he wanted.
Kade, please edit. There were a number of errors that should have been caught. So it's was my hideout and that she was trying to hiding the fact she was were just two examples.
Loved this story. Loved the characters. Wonderful read.
Look at that gorgeous cover. I was tempted to read this just because Kade and the cover alone. The story was good, even I had an urged to slap Bobby, on the head, hard, with chair after their first date! I liked Jody, but there's something missing in his personality. He forgive too fast. I think I would like to see Jody gave Bobby a little harder time after Bobby being an idiot.
So far, it's a fun read, just the way I like it. Not too hard, no stomach churning kinda twist, which was good, for me. Sweet, but not overly sweet. I loved Carlo, I think he should be gay someday, maybe with Alex?. Wink. I loved DeeDee, she's genuine, a true cougar, hahahaha.
I loved the Epilogue. It was perfect. Recommended. Hey! This is Kade Boehme after all !
This book has it all; sweet men, a well crafted love story, good writing, and of course, some sexy times. I love Jody and Bobby G. I'm a sucker for stories set in NYC and since I love Kade's books, this was a total five star read for me. A perfect book to curl up with on a weekend-you'll end up with a smile on your face for certain.
This was enjoyable and fairly low angst. In a way, it's a relatively simple story -- two guys who came out late in life getting to know each other and falling in love -- but it worked well. I particularly liked that the MCs were both big readers!! Lovely HEA too.