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Checking Him Out #3
Checking In
Freelance engineer Sol Brooks is in hot demand. He's landed a couple of big contracts and is all set for a business trip back to the other side of the pond. The last thing he needs is an unexpected visitor to complicate his departure.
Especially when that visitor puts his relationship with Adam on rocky ground.
Determined to fulfil his contractual obligations, Sol goes ahead with the trip. It's a great opportunity and a chance to catch up with old friends. And he's going to check in regularly.
What could possibly go wrong?
* * * * *
NOTE: this novel follows on from previous stories, and coincides with Taking Him On, but can also be read as a stand-alone.
WARNING: this story contains sex acts between consenting male adults.
Especially when that visitor puts his relationship with Adam on rocky ground.
Determined to fulfil his contractual obligations, Sol goes ahead with the trip. It's a great opportunity and a chance to catch up with old friends. And he's going to check in regularly.
What could possibly go wrong?
* * * * *
NOTE: this novel follows on from previous stories, and coincides with Taking Him On, but can also be read as a stand-alone.
WARNING: this story contains sex acts between consenting male adults.
202 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 15, 2015
6 people are currently reading
87 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
July 23, 2016
Oh, I love Adam and Sol just so. They are just too cute together. This is a great story to fill in the blanks about what happened during Noah and Matty's adventure trip.
But, as I've already confessed that I'm greedy, I would have loved to have some small section in Adam's POV. It would be fun to be in his head for a while. I never would have known Adam was suffering from depression if this book hadn't been written. They say that the person who has the most brilliant smile is the one who is hiding the worst of scars. This book was a good example for that. Behind his cheery attitude and funny demeanor, he was hiding a plethora of pain.
I loved this one line in the beginning, it has just been worded beautifully :-
“What Adam did, essentially, was rip the door off my closet, sling me over his shoulder and cart me off while I kicked and screamed blue murder.”
I also loved the Acknowledgements by the author, and the funny bit in the Disclaimer section. These little things were really sweet.
An A-MAZ-ING read. :-)
But, as I've already confessed that I'm greedy, I would have loved to have some small section in Adam's POV. It would be fun to be in his head for a while. I never would have known Adam was suffering from depression if this book hadn't been written. They say that the person who has the most brilliant smile is the one who is hiding the worst of scars. This book was a good example for that. Behind his cheery attitude and funny demeanor, he was hiding a plethora of pain.
I loved this one line in the beginning, it has just been worded beautifully :-
“What Adam did, essentially, was rip the door off my closet, sling me over his shoulder and cart me off while I kicked and screamed blue murder.”
I also loved the Acknowledgements by the author, and the funny bit in the Disclaimer section. These little things were really sweet.
An A-MAZ-ING read. :-)
December 16, 2015
This is the continuing story of Adam and Sol;, with appearances from the other well known characters of this series such as Matty and Noah, who are so gorgeous they make me want to snuggle and coo.
In this story they have to deal with someone from their past- someone important -
and find out whether theirs is the kind of love that endures or crumbles when under attack.
It is quite a fruity account ( sex kebabs for dinner) and has SHOWER activity, which obviously means you have to read it several times cause the soap is so slippery :D
There are some dramatic life- changing events, but somehow it reads very much like the dreaded real life, and as always there are many moments of the nitty gritty.
Another wonderful story from the lady Ga Ga of the MM literary world, Debbie McGowan. As always, her writing is flawlessly good. If only we could say the same for my sock drawer.
I do apologise for my lack of spoilers both in this review and RL. I did try a few times but then I thought fuck it, :D
In this story they have to deal with someone from their past- someone important -
and find out whether theirs is the kind of love that endures or crumbles when under attack.It is quite a fruity account ( sex kebabs for dinner) and has SHOWER activity, which obviously means you have to read it several times cause the soap is so slippery :D
There are some dramatic life- changing events, but somehow it reads very much like the dreaded real life, and as always there are many moments of the nitty gritty.Another wonderful story from the lady Ga Ga of the MM literary world, Debbie McGowan. As always, her writing is flawlessly good. If only we could say the same for my sock drawer.
I do apologise for my lack of spoilers both in this review and RL. I did try a few times but then I thought fuck it, :D
Read
December 15, 2015I wrote this, so no rating.
But I will use this space to clarify the reading order... in a moment.
This book follows the story of Sol and Adam, first seen in Checking Him Out. By this point they're a well-established couple, but they're feisty, so don't expect sunshine and roses. You CAN expect a fair bit of, er, combat between the sheets, and a smattering of dry Northern English humour.
The reading order:
Amazon only allows whole numbers when numbering a series. Thus, any stories that fall in between main instalments can either be numbered consecutively, or not numbered.
Checking Him Out (Book #1)
Checking Him Out For the Holidays (Novella - #1.1)
Hiding Out (Novella - #1.2)
Taking Him On (Book #2)
Checking In (Book #3)
You could, potentially, read any one of these stories as a stand-alone, but there will be spoilers for earlier stories in later ones. Book #1 is free - it was written as part of the Love's Landscapes event (DRitC 2014, MMRomance Group). The three books are full-length novels (60-78k); the novellas are 20-25k each.
I love answering questions and talking to readers - I appreciate you all tremendously!
https://www.facebook.com/checkinghimout
https://www.facebook.com/DebbieMcGowa...
Thanks for reading. :)
Deb x
But I will use this space to clarify the reading order... in a moment.
This book follows the story of Sol and Adam, first seen in Checking Him Out. By this point they're a well-established couple, but they're feisty, so don't expect sunshine and roses. You CAN expect a fair bit of, er, combat between the sheets, and a smattering of dry Northern English humour.
The reading order:
Amazon only allows whole numbers when numbering a series. Thus, any stories that fall in between main instalments can either be numbered consecutively, or not numbered.
Checking Him Out (Book #1)
Checking Him Out For the Holidays (Novella - #1.1)
Hiding Out (Novella - #1.2)
Taking Him On (Book #2)
Checking In (Book #3)
You could, potentially, read any one of these stories as a stand-alone, but there will be spoilers for earlier stories in later ones. Book #1 is free - it was written as part of the Love's Landscapes event (DRitC 2014, MMRomance Group). The three books are full-length novels (60-78k); the novellas are 20-25k each.
I love answering questions and talking to readers - I appreciate you all tremendously!
https://www.facebook.com/checkinghimout
https://www.facebook.com/DebbieMcGowa...
Thanks for reading. :)
Deb x
December 15, 2015
This most wonderful of books is the best early Christmas present I've been given, by the most wonderful of friends.
Debbie McGowan painstakingly weaves words so intricately that the precision with which they are chosen is barely perceptible to the reader. That kinda sounds like a criticism but it's anything but. Once again she has knocked out a fantastic story that the eye just rolls over with a fluidity and ease that can only be conjured by the master wordsmith. And she is indeed that.
So on to the story itself. I remember Deb thinking I'd hate Checking Him Out, but like the other fans I've been eagerly awaiting seeing how Sol and Adam are getting on. I had teasers in Taking Him On, which does run concurrently with this novel - cleverly done, I must say - but this is what we've all been waiting for. The drama, the passion, the miscommunication, the prevailing of an unbreakable love. And boy does she test these two, this time.
A delightful read, read in one sitting, leaving me with just one comment:
MORE, PLEASE!!!
Debbie McGowan painstakingly weaves words so intricately that the precision with which they are chosen is barely perceptible to the reader. That kinda sounds like a criticism but it's anything but. Once again she has knocked out a fantastic story that the eye just rolls over with a fluidity and ease that can only be conjured by the master wordsmith. And she is indeed that.
So on to the story itself. I remember Deb thinking I'd hate Checking Him Out, but like the other fans I've been eagerly awaiting seeing how Sol and Adam are getting on. I had teasers in Taking Him On, which does run concurrently with this novel - cleverly done, I must say - but this is what we've all been waiting for. The drama, the passion, the miscommunication, the prevailing of an unbreakable love. And boy does she test these two, this time.
A delightful read, read in one sitting, leaving me with just one comment:
MORE, PLEASE!!!
December 20, 2015
I just love the Sol & Adam universe, and hate dropping out of it at the end of a book!
I have a thing for alpha-males, and to have two very attractive and well-built ones who have great sex is just heaven!
I also like that despite all the love between them it's not always plain sailing -mostly because of communication problems- so there's often a sense of impending doom.
As always with Debbie McGowan, there are some big issues that are sensitively dealt with, but above all, it all feels very real, and very sexy!
Highly recommended!
I have a thing for alpha-males, and to have two very attractive and well-built ones who have great sex is just heaven!
I also like that despite all the love between them it's not always plain sailing -mostly because of communication problems- so there's often a sense of impending doom.
As always with Debbie McGowan, there are some big issues that are sensitively dealt with, but above all, it all feels very real, and very sexy!
Highly recommended!
January 9, 2016
I love this series. I hope Debbie McGowan will do others. I'd love to know more about Leigh and Jesse relationship. And I hope we'll get another one about Sol and Adam. It's very rare for me to like to read about a couple after the HEA but I can't get enough of them...
August 10, 2016
Note: Though this is part of a series, they can all easily be read as stand-alones. I read them out of order except for this one, and it did not spoil my enjoyment.
I can’t believe it took me over seven months to get around to reading this. It’s probably my favorite in the series. Sol is such a great narrator, and I love his sense of humor which I will call “politely snarky.” He always seems just this side of exasperated by the chaos around him and oblivious to how much of it he’s helped create. Fortunately for us, that makes a good story. And he really does learn how his actions and reactions have ripple effects, so he gets a gold star.
This is pretty much what I look for in a story. The writing is excellent, the pacing is good, and while there is a romantic relationship, the focus is not exclusively on the two of them. There’s also a good balance between the heavy, difficult things and the more lighthearted ones, keeping it from becoming either too weighted down by or too cheerfully dismissive of real-world challenges.
There’s some romance of the loving married couple variety, which includes some delightfully steamy parts, if that’s what you’re into. On at least one occasion, that means you might want to tell Sol to stop thinking and get on with it already, very much like real life. I’m generally non-committal on sex in a book; I don’t care if it’s there or not. In this case, I thought it worked well, matching the mood of the moment nicely. There is quite a bit of explicit fooling around, so you’ve been warned.
As in life, this isn’t a tidy summary of two lost souls finding each other and living happily ever after. Adam and Sol have a complicated existence, often messy and unpredictable. What makes them good is the way they fit together, both as a couple and with the people around them. They start off this story with a lot to learn about how to communicate effectively, and the way they both grow is wonderfully satisfying.
One of the themes here, and which I see a lot in many of the author’s works, is making a home with those who know and love us best. They may be family of origin or by choice, but whoever they are, these are the people we come back to no matter how far we’ve wandered. I can’t say for sure this is intentional, but I suspect it is because virtually nothing in these stories is accidental. In this case, Sol and Adam don’t start out seeing themselves as the center, but they are, and by the end, they’re in process of figuring out how that works.
The whole story is a bit of an emotional ride. Sometimes I was crying with laughter, and other times just plain crying—often on the same page. The plot itself matters very little here (though it’s quite good) because it’s all about what’s going on in the heads and hearts of Sol and Adam and the people they love. So many of the things they express are painfully (or awkwardly or frustratingly) familiar. Many of us can recognize our own failures in Sol’s flawed narrative. Hopefully we can also see our redemption in the actions he takes to make it right in the end. Guaranteed we see our potential to love and be loved through it all.
For a deeply emotional journey home, a narrator who’s imperfect but likable, and a stellar supporting cast of characters, this gets 5 stars.
I can’t believe it took me over seven months to get around to reading this. It’s probably my favorite in the series. Sol is such a great narrator, and I love his sense of humor which I will call “politely snarky.” He always seems just this side of exasperated by the chaos around him and oblivious to how much of it he’s helped create. Fortunately for us, that makes a good story. And he really does learn how his actions and reactions have ripple effects, so he gets a gold star.
This is pretty much what I look for in a story. The writing is excellent, the pacing is good, and while there is a romantic relationship, the focus is not exclusively on the two of them. There’s also a good balance between the heavy, difficult things and the more lighthearted ones, keeping it from becoming either too weighted down by or too cheerfully dismissive of real-world challenges.
There’s some romance of the loving married couple variety, which includes some delightfully steamy parts, if that’s what you’re into. On at least one occasion, that means you might want to tell Sol to stop thinking and get on with it already, very much like real life. I’m generally non-committal on sex in a book; I don’t care if it’s there or not. In this case, I thought it worked well, matching the mood of the moment nicely. There is quite a bit of explicit fooling around, so you’ve been warned.
As in life, this isn’t a tidy summary of two lost souls finding each other and living happily ever after. Adam and Sol have a complicated existence, often messy and unpredictable. What makes them good is the way they fit together, both as a couple and with the people around them. They start off this story with a lot to learn about how to communicate effectively, and the way they both grow is wonderfully satisfying.
One of the themes here, and which I see a lot in many of the author’s works, is making a home with those who know and love us best. They may be family of origin or by choice, but whoever they are, these are the people we come back to no matter how far we’ve wandered. I can’t say for sure this is intentional, but I suspect it is because virtually nothing in these stories is accidental. In this case, Sol and Adam don’t start out seeing themselves as the center, but they are, and by the end, they’re in process of figuring out how that works.
The whole story is a bit of an emotional ride. Sometimes I was crying with laughter, and other times just plain crying—often on the same page. The plot itself matters very little here (though it’s quite good) because it’s all about what’s going on in the heads and hearts of Sol and Adam and the people they love. So many of the things they express are painfully (or awkwardly or frustratingly) familiar. Many of us can recognize our own failures in Sol’s flawed narrative. Hopefully we can also see our redemption in the actions he takes to make it right in the end. Guaranteed we see our potential to love and be loved through it all.
For a deeply emotional journey home, a narrator who’s imperfect but likable, and a stellar supporting cast of characters, this gets 5 stars.
December 30, 2015
Three For the Money
This review will cover the three books in the Checking Him Out series that focus on Sol and Adam (Checking Him Out, Checking Him Out for the Holidays, Checking In). I found Noah ands Matty's relationship not that interesting, but both Sol and Adam extremely frustrating and difficult to come to like.
But, in the end, I did.
I thought Sol's relationship with Elise to be too superficial to be true, and her bitchiness and eventual freak out to be ridiculous. I thought Calvin's situation was sorry, but the reaction both Sol and Adam had to the real reason behind his distress to be too reactionary.
I loved Adam's family, well a bit more than Sol's, but I also found the Christmas story to be exceptionally beautiful, especially considering the Hanukkah connection. But I liked James' family better.
I thought Sol was one of the most self-centered, shallow and down-deep frightened gay man I've run across and Adam to be a bit too pushy and headstrong for a relationship to develop. The way Sol finally came to grips with James' story, however, turned the whole thing around for me.
In the end it was the sex that brought Sol and Adam together and kept them together (and will keep you reading), and eventually broke down the barriers to emotional satisfaction both of them craved. I read the series on vacation so I had no pressure to wander away.
My deepest complaint is that not once did the publisher think to put Adam on a cover--it was, after all is said and done, his story, and he deserved better.
This review will cover the three books in the Checking Him Out series that focus on Sol and Adam (Checking Him Out, Checking Him Out for the Holidays, Checking In). I found Noah ands Matty's relationship not that interesting, but both Sol and Adam extremely frustrating and difficult to come to like.
But, in the end, I did.
I thought Sol's relationship with Elise to be too superficial to be true, and her bitchiness and eventual freak out to be ridiculous. I thought Calvin's situation was sorry, but the reaction both Sol and Adam had to the real reason behind his distress to be too reactionary.
I loved Adam's family, well a bit more than Sol's, but I also found the Christmas story to be exceptionally beautiful, especially considering the Hanukkah connection. But I liked James' family better.
I thought Sol was one of the most self-centered, shallow and down-deep frightened gay man I've run across and Adam to be a bit too pushy and headstrong for a relationship to develop. The way Sol finally came to grips with James' story, however, turned the whole thing around for me.
In the end it was the sex that brought Sol and Adam together and kept them together (and will keep you reading), and eventually broke down the barriers to emotional satisfaction both of them craved. I read the series on vacation so I had no pressure to wander away.
My deepest complaint is that not once did the publisher think to put Adam on a cover--it was, after all is said and done, his story, and he deserved better.
December 20, 2015
I think I need a break for a while, as I have read three books in this series just recently. I am a bit overloaded. I also noticed that I enjoyed reading more about Matty, Noah, and their friends than the older folks. (I say older but they're still younger than me LOL). Matty in particular has become my favorite character.
This particular installment wasn't as fun to read because it had a lot of conflict and a lot of filler (what I call the sex scenes). It's not fun to read about people arguing and sniping at each other. Although, now that I think about it, there has been a lot of conflict in all of these stories.
I also sometimes feel when reading these books that I've accidentally picked up a psychology case study.
Many of the events here were covered in the last book, but this time it's from Sol's point of view. In fact I think the last book advanced the timeline further than this one. Either that or Matty and Noah haven't shared their post-university plans with the grownups yet.
I do like visiting with these characters but I think I'll take a little break.
BTW, they have inspired me to add Norwich to my itinerary in my trip to England this week. Maybe I'll run into them.
This particular installment wasn't as fun to read because it had a lot of conflict and a lot of filler (what I call the sex scenes). It's not fun to read about people arguing and sniping at each other. Although, now that I think about it, there has been a lot of conflict in all of these stories.
I also sometimes feel when reading these books that I've accidentally picked up a psychology case study.
Many of the events here were covered in the last book, but this time it's from Sol's point of view. In fact I think the last book advanced the timeline further than this one. Either that or Matty and Noah haven't shared their post-university plans with the grownups yet.
I do like visiting with these characters but I think I'll take a little break.
BTW, they have inspired me to add Norwich to my itinerary in my trip to England this week. Maybe I'll run into them.
January 5, 2016
Debbie McGowen is a goddess!
Love love love this series! I fell in love with Sol and Adam! beautifully written. Looking forward to reading more of your wonderful work!!!
Love love love this series! I fell in love with Sol and Adam! beautifully written. Looking forward to reading more of your wonderful work!!!
August 12, 2016
3.5 stars. It is nice to Sol and Adam once again and to see Adam be a bit lost, but it seemed a little flat. It was good and an enjoyable storey but no wow couldn't put it down.
February 19, 2025
3.25 stars
This is one of the books I've had on Mount TBR the longest, and I'm glad I finally read it, but... It's not amazing. Yes, it was good. Trees, I mostly remembered the people. BUT the fact that the author can actually write accurate dialog? I'm pretty sure that means I'll read the last book of the series.
This is one of the books I've had on Mount TBR the longest, and I'm glad I finally read it, but... It's not amazing. Yes, it was good. Trees, I mostly remembered the people. BUT the fact that the author can actually write accurate dialog? I'm pretty sure that means I'll read the last book of the series.
May 28, 2022
This series have really surprised me... Sol and Adam story is real and warming and has all the good and the bad of a real relationship... In this book I had mixed feelings about Cal's story but overall it was a really nice read.
July 22, 2017
I wasn't expecting part of the previous story, just presented from a different perspective and a few more details. It was okay, though. It was nice to revisit a previously enjoyed couple. And I look forward to reading about the new character.
March 5, 2016
3.5 stars
June 18, 2016
3.5 stars
June 23, 2017
Am I seriously the only one who didn’t like this one??
I’ve finished the book but I’m still wondering what the point of it was??
There was nothing new to the story, at all. Most of it was told in the previous book with Matt and Noah, I did not need to rehash that one more time, but with a different perspective. It was not *that* interesting the first time around..
And the whole ex-factor… unnecessary. As was another book staring Sol and Adam. I mean I don’t want to read about daily lives and tiffs. I read to get away from the mundane life so I don’t want that in my books to. And with that I don’t mean that something important has to happen on every single page of a book, but there needs to be a point to it. Something that keeps your interest, some diversity or other to overcome. But that was sadly lacking in this book.
If you are looking for something to put you to sleep, this is the book, otherwise skip this one and be happy about it.
I’ve finished the book but I’m still wondering what the point of it was??
There was nothing new to the story, at all. Most of it was told in the previous book with Matt and Noah, I did not need to rehash that one more time, but with a different perspective. It was not *that* interesting the first time around..
And the whole ex-factor… unnecessary. As was another book staring Sol and Adam. I mean I don’t want to read about daily lives and tiffs. I read to get away from the mundane life so I don’t want that in my books to. And with that I don’t mean that something important has to happen on every single page of a book, but there needs to be a point to it. Something that keeps your interest, some diversity or other to overcome. But that was sadly lacking in this book.
If you are looking for something to put you to sleep, this is the book, otherwise skip this one and be happy about it.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews