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Love in Laguna #4
Lord of a Thousand Steps
To architecture student Ian Carney, family means everything. Taken in by his brother, Jim, when his father threw him out at eighteen for being gay, Ian yearns to create his own family with his boyfriend, Rico. But Rico’s in Mexico caring for a sick father, Ian hasn’t had sex in a month and a half, and his gorgeous boss, Braden Lord, CEO of the architectural firm Ian interns for, is looking better and better.
Braden’s life is chaos. Just out of the closet and going through an ugly divorce from his wife of fifteen years who’s trying to take custody of his two children, he desperately resolves not to succumb to a completely inappropriate attraction to Ian—even though his kids adore both the man and his crazy cat.
When Rico proves to be a snake in the grass and Ian exercises his powers of seduction, what starts as a “friends with benefits” fling turns into real life real fast. Can Ian give up his romantic dreams for an “old guy” who didn’t come out until he carried a mountain of baggage? It’ll only take a thousand steps.
Braden’s life is chaos. Just out of the closet and going through an ugly divorce from his wife of fifteen years who’s trying to take custody of his two children, he desperately resolves not to succumb to a completely inappropriate attraction to Ian—even though his kids adore both the man and his crazy cat.
When Rico proves to be a snake in the grass and Ian exercises his powers of seduction, what starts as a “friends with benefits” fling turns into real life real fast. Can Ian give up his romantic dreams for an “old guy” who didn’t come out until he carried a mountain of baggage? It’ll only take a thousand steps.
220 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 31, 2016
70 people are currently reading
616 people want to read
About the author
Tara Lain
97 books1,387 followersTara Lain believes in happy ever afters - and magic. Same thing. In fact, she says, she doesn't believe, she knows. Tara shares this passion in her stories that star her unique, charismatic heroes and adventurous heroines. Quarterbacks and cops, werewolves and witches, blue collar or billionaires, Tara's characters, readers say, love deeply, resolve seemingly insurmountable differences, and ultimately live their lives authentically. After many years living in southern California, Tara, her soulmate honey and her soulmate dog decided they wanted less cars and more trees, prompting a move to Ashland, Oregon where Tara's creating new stories and loving living in a small town with big culture. Likely a Gryffindor or maybe a Ravensclaw but possessed of Parseltongue, Tara loves animals of all kinds, diversity, open minds, coconut crunch ice cream from Zoeys, and her readers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 180 reviews
August 19, 2016
~4.5~
I read the first book in the Love in Laguna series:
and LOVED it.
But I skipped books 2 and 3 because the blurbs didn't grab me. Now I wish I'd read at least book 2, as Jim and Ken, the MCs from
are very present in this story. Jim is Ian's older brother, the one who took him in when their wealthy, homophobic father kicked Ian out after Ian told him he was gay.
Ian is only 21 and has been dating Rico for three years. At the beginning of the book, Rico returns to Mexico City to support his ailing father. Ian, an architecture student, pines for Rico, even as he feels drawn to his hot-as-sin boss Braden Lord, who's fifteen years his senior.
When Rico turns out to be a supreme tosser, Ian is shattered, but he realizes he's more upset about losing the IDEA of a perfect relationship than the relationship itself.
I loved Ian. He really just wanted to belong to a family and have the kind of love he saw between Jim and Ken, who were amazing at making Ian feel included.
Braden is going through the divorce from hell. After fifteen years of being trapped in a loveless marriage with a vile, money-hungry woman, he's finally come out of the metaphorical closet and is ready to live his life. He just doesn't want to lose custody of his children: 14-year-old Jo-Jo (short for Joseph) and 5-year-old Mireille.
I am not a fan of kids in stories, but I liked Jo-Jo and Mireille, even if Mireille was a bit too precocious. (I know a lot of bright 5-year-olds, and none of them talk like a 50-year-old proper British dame.) But Mireille falls in love with Anderson Cooper, and then with Ian.
Anderson Cooper?
Why, YES, Anderson is a feline: a fat, white cat who rules Ian with an iron fist (not really, but he does like to hang at the beach and roll in the sand).
This book is exceedingly readable and full of cute moments. Braden and Ian don't really get together until the halfway mark (when Ian literally pounces on Braden), but they work together and talk, and Ian proves to be a fantastic listener.
Thankfully, Ian isn't a chuffer but a talented designer who becomes a favorite of Braden's new client (a woman who knows her mind and sees the good Ian can do, in more ways than one).
There are no crazy plot twists; the divorce melodrama isn't overwhelming, even though I did want to throttle Braden's ex-wife; and the relationship angst is fairly minimal.
Mostly, Ian feels he's out of Braden's league, and Braden think he's too old and used up for Ian. Fortunately, Braden realizes he can't let Ian go, and Ian tells Rico the Rat where he can shove it.
My one complaint is that the steamy moments were brief and slightly rote; I wanted more teasing and sensual play, especially since Braden was new to man-on-man lovin'. There is talk of Braden bottoming, but it never happens, which. WHY? It's an outrage, I tell ya, an OUTRAGE.
The HEA is pretty great, though. The sense of friendship and family made my heart melt, and when Mireille mentioned Anderson being an usher, well . . . I was a GONER.
P.S. This book can be read as a standalone.
I read the first book in the Love in Laguna series:
and LOVED it.
But I skipped books 2 and 3 because the blurbs didn't grab me. Now I wish I'd read at least book 2, as Jim and Ken, the MCs from
are very present in this story. Jim is Ian's older brother, the one who took him in when their wealthy, homophobic father kicked Ian out after Ian told him he was gay.
Ian is only 21 and has been dating Rico for three years. At the beginning of the book, Rico returns to Mexico City to support his ailing father. Ian, an architecture student, pines for Rico, even as he feels drawn to his hot-as-sin boss Braden Lord, who's fifteen years his senior.
When Rico turns out to be a supreme tosser, Ian is shattered, but he realizes he's more upset about losing the IDEA of a perfect relationship than the relationship itself.
I loved Ian. He really just wanted to belong to a family and have the kind of love he saw between Jim and Ken, who were amazing at making Ian feel included.
Braden is going through the divorce from hell. After fifteen years of being trapped in a loveless marriage with a vile, money-hungry woman, he's finally come out of the metaphorical closet and is ready to live his life. He just doesn't want to lose custody of his children: 14-year-old Jo-Jo (short for Joseph) and 5-year-old Mireille.
I am not a fan of kids in stories, but I liked Jo-Jo and Mireille, even if Mireille was a bit too precocious. (I know a lot of bright 5-year-olds, and none of them talk like a 50-year-old proper British dame.) But Mireille falls in love with Anderson Cooper, and then with Ian.
Anderson Cooper?
Why, YES, Anderson is a feline: a fat, white cat who rules Ian with an iron fist (not really, but he does like to hang at the beach and roll in the sand).
This book is exceedingly readable and full of cute moments. Braden and Ian don't really get together until the halfway mark (when Ian literally pounces on Braden), but they work together and talk, and Ian proves to be a fantastic listener.
Thankfully, Ian isn't a chuffer but a talented designer who becomes a favorite of Braden's new client (a woman who knows her mind and sees the good Ian can do, in more ways than one).
There are no crazy plot twists; the divorce melodrama isn't overwhelming, even though I did want to throttle Braden's ex-wife; and the relationship angst is fairly minimal.
Mostly, Ian feels he's out of Braden's league, and Braden think he's too old and used up for Ian. Fortunately, Braden realizes he can't let Ian go, and Ian tells Rico the Rat where he can shove it.
My one complaint is that the steamy moments were brief and slightly rote; I wanted more teasing and sensual play, especially since Braden was new to man-on-man lovin'. There is talk of Braden bottoming, but it never happens, which. WHY? It's an outrage, I tell ya, an OUTRAGE.
The HEA is pretty great, though. The sense of friendship and family made my heart melt, and when Mireille mentioned Anderson being an usher, well . . . I was a GONER.
P.S. This book can be read as a standalone.
November 3, 2018
⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱*Meh/alright*⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱
The book centers around architecture student Ian Carney (21) and his boss, CEO of the architectural firm (one of the top-rated architectural firms in southern California) Ian interns, Braden ‘Bray’ Lord (36). Braden is in the middle of a bad divorce; he wants custody of his two kids, the mother refuses to let a gay man have them. Ian is missing his boyfriend who is at his sick father's side in Mexico. That does stop both men to feel attraction towards one another. Overall, it was a cute book, a little - okay, more than a little - boring; not much happened, predictable, but still a cute read, and the kids were adorable.
“You waited, my darling, and I came.”
My problem was the timeline and the main characters. I get that Ian is young and horny, but going without sex for a month isn't much and I didn't like how he continued to use that excuse for being attracted to someone other than his boyfriend who wasn't around. There's also the timeline of the relationship between Ian and Braden; was it only a short few weeks? As for the characters, none of them stood out, except maybe Ken. Both main characters were pretty plain; I like my men dominant and controlling, powerful and smart. Though Bray's a CEO, he didn't strike me as a alpha male. Far from it. He was a bit mellow? Shy and uncertain. Ian was... a little naive, cute and kind. I felt more connection between Ian and Braden's kids, than Ian and Braden themselves....... But it wasn't a awful read; it was a nice read to get the time to pass.
“Oh shit, that does get the nooks and crannies.” Knees firmly planted, he began to ride. “I picture this as a great way to have lovely conversations at the end of the day.” He raised up until Braden almost slipped out—but only almost. “How was your day, dear?”
Braden gasped, “It was great, honey. How was yours?” The s came out on a long hiss.
“I’m so glad. What’s for dinner, darling?” He took a deep breath and wiggled his butt on descent, finding new adventures in prostate stimulation.
“Oh Jesus! Yes. Just like that.”
Other Characters:
→ Jim Carney (29?), Ian's brother. Ken Tanaka, his partner and a respected cardiologist.
→ Rico Gonzalez, Ian's boyfriend of three years who's in Mexico caring for a sick father.
→ Max Flynn, Braden's managing director and right arm. Daisy Flynn, his wife, an employment consultant, aka a headhunter. Hayley, Max’s admin.
→ Dougall ‘Doug’ Kendrick, Braden’s business partner, who brought the economic sense and contract negotiation skills (chief operating officer), but the heart of what clients from across the world bought lived in Braden's head. Sophia Kendrick, his wife, no job; apparently being a wife is a full-time job..
→ Joseph ‘Jo-Jo’ Lord (14) and Mireille ‘Mir’ Lord (5 and a half.), Braden's kids.
→ Shirin, Braden's CDO, or goddess of design as they called her.
→ Audrey Romign, a client of Braden.
→ Anderson Cooper, Ian's cat.
→ Yancey Hardesty, the head of the ad agency for Reading Foods and client of Braden.
→ Taylor Lord, Braden's wife of fifteen years, who he is divorcing.
→ Ted Miller, one of the other gay guys in the office. Ted was an architect—a favorite of Doug Kendrick—who seldom deigned to talk to a mere intern.
→ Mrs. ‘Mama-san’ Tanaka, Ken's mother.
→ Billy Ballew and his husband, Chase ‘Shaz’ Phillips. Billy is Jim’s business partner (construction; a design/build shop).
→ Ru Maitland, a brilliant fashion designer who shared offices with Shaz. Married to Gray Anson, one of the biggest movie stars in the world.
→ Elena, Brayden's kids babysitter/nanny.
“Jesus, I love you. It’s like I was just marking time in my life until you were old enough for me.”
Quick basic facts:
Genre: - (Adult) Contemporary Romance (M/M).
Series: - Series (Can Be Read As A Standalone), Book Four.
Love triangle? -
Cheating? -
HEA? -
Favorite character? - Ken Tanaka.
Would I read more by this author/or of series? - Unsure.
Would I recommend this book/series? - No.
Will I read this again in the future? - No.
Rating - 2.5/3 stars.
September 2, 2016
3.5 stars rounded down because age gap was too much for me and still no 1/2 stars here on GR.
Damned age gaps they get me every time...
I'm going to start with the elephant in the room here...that's right we have an age gap and for me it's outside of my comfort zone. I'm ok with anything between 5 and 10 years more than that and I start to squirm. This one comes in at around 14/15 years and maybe if the younger MC was 25 or older it wouldn't have bothered me as much but we've got a 21 year old while our other MC is in the 34/35 range. Yeah that's me squirming in my chair but dammit, this is book 4 and I've read the first 3 books so what's a girl to do? You guessed it I squirmed in my chair as I dove in and read this one.
What really saved this one for me was that I ended up liking both of the MCs a lot. Ian Carney is the younger brother of Jim Carney from book #2 so we have met him before along with his rather interesting cat, Anderson Cooper and his p-o-s boyfriend who wanders off to Mexico so fortunately for all concerned Rico doesn't get much in the way of page time.
Braden for me is a new character as I don't remember him from any of the previous books. He's 35 and ending a marriage of 15 years after finally acknowledging that he's gay. Braden has two children 14 year old JoJo (short for Joseph) and the very adorable and overly precocious 5 year old Mireille. Braden adores his kids and they mean the world to him, there's nothing he wouldn't do to keep them safe and be with them...you guessed it big time brownie points being awarded here. Braden is also very drawn to Ian and because of his own situation and the fact that Ian is considerably younger he tries not to act on his attraction to the younger man.
At first both Braden and Ian try to ignore their growing attraction to one another by attempting to build a friendship but time and circumstances conspire to break down barriers and resistance until eventually neither of these men are able to pretend that they don't want what they truly want and that's each other and as in real life just wanting something doesn't mean we get it. There are misunderstandings and obstacles...such as ex-wives who should have never been. Interestingly I found that the fact that it was Ian who initiated the intimacy between him and Braden made a huge difference for me in my changing perception of the relationship and the fact that towards the end I was mostly ok with this pairing.
I'm pretty sure that somewhere in all this I really wanted to hook Ian's ex up with Braden's ex. I care not that Rico was gay these two so called human beings deserved each other. I believe it's called getting your just deserts.
While there were some new characters in this story none of them really caught my attention or interest. However, it was fun to see Jim and Ken and even Shaz, Billy, Ru and Gray put in an appearance. I love reading series where MCs from previous books show up it especially when they are all friends it seems more natural and adds to the believe-ability of the overall story line.
I was more than a little surprised by the end of this story to realize that I liked Braden and Ian as a couple and that in spite of the age difference I could see the relationship working. Was I still bothered by the age difference...a little bit but not nearly as much as I had been originally. Overall this was a really sweet feel good book with some adorable and heartwarming moments and in spite of my age difference issue I enjoyed it and definitely recommend it to anyone wanting to read a nice, surprisingly low angst romance story.
********************
An ARC of "Lord of a Thousand Steps" was graciously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Damned age gaps they get me every time...
I'm going to start with the elephant in the room here...that's right we have an age gap and for me it's outside of my comfort zone. I'm ok with anything between 5 and 10 years more than that and I start to squirm. This one comes in at around 14/15 years and maybe if the younger MC was 25 or older it wouldn't have bothered me as much but we've got a 21 year old while our other MC is in the 34/35 range. Yeah that's me squirming in my chair but dammit, this is book 4 and I've read the first 3 books so what's a girl to do? You guessed it I squirmed in my chair as I dove in and read this one.
What really saved this one for me was that I ended up liking both of the MCs a lot. Ian Carney is the younger brother of Jim Carney from book #2 so we have met him before along with his rather interesting cat, Anderson Cooper and his p-o-s boyfriend who wanders off to Mexico so fortunately for all concerned Rico doesn't get much in the way of page time.
Braden for me is a new character as I don't remember him from any of the previous books. He's 35 and ending a marriage of 15 years after finally acknowledging that he's gay. Braden has two children 14 year old JoJo (short for Joseph) and the very adorable and overly precocious 5 year old Mireille. Braden adores his kids and they mean the world to him, there's nothing he wouldn't do to keep them safe and be with them...you guessed it big time brownie points being awarded here. Braden is also very drawn to Ian and because of his own situation and the fact that Ian is considerably younger he tries not to act on his attraction to the younger man.
At first both Braden and Ian try to ignore their growing attraction to one another by attempting to build a friendship but time and circumstances conspire to break down barriers and resistance until eventually neither of these men are able to pretend that they don't want what they truly want and that's each other and as in real life just wanting something doesn't mean we get it. There are misunderstandings and obstacles...such as ex-wives who should have never been. Interestingly I found that the fact that it was Ian who initiated the intimacy between him and Braden made a huge difference for me in my changing perception of the relationship and the fact that towards the end I was mostly ok with this pairing.
I'm pretty sure that somewhere in all this I really wanted to hook Ian's ex up with Braden's ex. I care not that Rico was gay these two so called human beings deserved each other. I believe it's called getting your just deserts.
While there were some new characters in this story none of them really caught my attention or interest. However, it was fun to see Jim and Ken and even Shaz, Billy, Ru and Gray put in an appearance. I love reading series where MCs from previous books show up it especially when they are all friends it seems more natural and adds to the believe-ability of the overall story line.
I was more than a little surprised by the end of this story to realize that I liked Braden and Ian as a couple and that in spite of the age difference I could see the relationship working. Was I still bothered by the age difference...a little bit but not nearly as much as I had been originally. Overall this was a really sweet feel good book with some adorable and heartwarming moments and in spite of my age difference issue I enjoyed it and definitely recommend it to anyone wanting to read a nice, surprisingly low angst romance story.
********************
An ARC of "Lord of a Thousand Steps" was graciously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
March 9, 2024
Again, more cynical less able to accept the fluff. The 18yr whose both gay yoda and child expert while being very young in his behaviour.
The evil messed-up ex/almost ex wife to make him coming out after a fifteen year marriage sympathetic.
Odd casual racism. Asian knowledge derived solely from yaoi comics!?!?!? German/Swedish/blond character refered to as SS! Ms Lain's view of possible Germans is problematic. As much luggage as a Saudi Arabian!
Hmm....
-- --
Pure fluff with a layer of luxury cat fur to make it ultra fluffy. *side-eyes Karen* I enjoyed it!
To be honest I occasionally rolled my eyes and laughed at and not with the book, but in the end the fluffiness got to me; it was light sweet and exactly what I was in the mood for.
There's kids who are remarkablnd caring in the face of their parents divorce, which didn't seem realistic but was never annoying. I liked that the girl's preciousness read like a little girl trying to be grown-up it was actually quite endearing.
The age gap didn't bother me, while Ian did at times act young the dynamic between the men was a good balance with neither holding all the power. It never had me doing the maths, I could accept them as well suited.
The ex-wife was cartoon villain number one, but never on page enough for it to be an issue.
Only let down would be the steam factor, don't be hoping for fireworks, despite 'surges of sex lightning' (I liked that one!) and some 'bored into piss slits' (that, not so much) the few sexy-time scenes generally made me giggle. I'm mature like that.
Did raise a brow at the atrium concept for the women's building, knitting and crochet supplies because women multi-task. Yeeeees and we all like to knit! But mostly I was thinking, how do I get a job there? I'll bring my own crochet hook! So....you got me!
The evil messed-up ex/almost ex wife to make him coming out after a fifteen year marriage sympathetic.
Odd casual racism. Asian knowledge derived solely from yaoi comics!?!?!? German/Swedish/blond character refered to as SS! Ms Lain's view of possible Germans is problematic. As much luggage as a Saudi Arabian!
Hmm....
-- --
Pure fluff with a layer of luxury cat fur to make it ultra fluffy. *side-eyes Karen* I enjoyed it!
To be honest I occasionally rolled my eyes and laughed at and not with the book, but in the end the fluffiness got to me; it was light sweet and exactly what I was in the mood for.
There's kids who are remarkablnd caring in the face of their parents divorce, which didn't seem realistic but was never annoying. I liked that the girl's preciousness read like a little girl trying to be grown-up it was actually quite endearing.
The age gap didn't bother me, while Ian did at times act young the dynamic between the men was a good balance with neither holding all the power. It never had me doing the maths, I could accept them as well suited.
The ex-wife was cartoon villain number one, but never on page enough for it to be an issue.
Only let down would be the steam factor, don't be hoping for fireworks, despite 'surges of sex lightning' (I liked that one!) and some 'bored into piss slits' (that, not so much) the few sexy-time scenes generally made me giggle. I'm mature like that.
Did raise a brow at the atrium concept for the women's building, knitting and crochet supplies because women multi-task. Yeeeees and we all like to knit! But mostly I was thinking, how do I get a job there? I'll bring my own crochet hook! So....you got me!
October 23, 2016
This book was really good - nearly as good as the first in this series (and waaaaaaaay better than Books 2 & 3).
November 17, 2016
4.5 stars
When I first started this book I was little bit nervous because i've only read the first one in the series and the first thing I thought was "cute boy has an asshole boyfriend while he falls for the sexy new guy?" and I was afraid the stories were going to be too much alike, happy surprise, they are not.
I really enjoyed this story, both Ian and Braden were really good characters and I really liked Braden's kids. i really liked the fact that this story was a stand slone because i didn't felt lost even thought Ian's brother and his fiancee are mentioned a lot.
I almost forgot about Anderson!! and I love that cat, in fact, I want a cat now!
When I first started this book I was little bit nervous because i've only read the first one in the series and the first thing I thought was "cute boy has an asshole boyfriend while he falls for the sexy new guy?" and I was afraid the stories were going to be too much alike, happy surprise, they are not.
I really enjoyed this story, both Ian and Braden were really good characters and I really liked Braden's kids. i really liked the fact that this story was a stand slone because i didn't felt lost even thought Ian's brother and his fiancee are mentioned a lot.
I almost forgot about Anderson!! and I love that cat, in fact, I want a cat now!
August 26, 2021
Laguna, CA. Intern, Ian, calculated the parking structure spaces on CAD, Computer Aided Design. He's showing Lord & Kendrick Building that he has value. Thousand Steps Beach, is where he lives with his brother, Jim, and his fiancé Ken Tenaka, because Ian's dad threw him out four years ago for being gay.
Ian, 21, is in college, tall, lean muscled,
dirty blonde hair, green eyed and full of boyish charm, and he's interning for the company of Braden Lord.
Braden, 36, respected Architect, is handsome,
has dark auburn highlights in his brown hair, has two kids, questioning JoJo, 14, and delightfully perceptive Mireille (Mir-ray) 5 1/2, and he's in mid-divorce.
We see our guys meet on the beach on day, with Ian's big, leashed cat, Anderson,
and Braden's kids.
The journey begins with close quarters, getting to know about each other, interacting with work projects and at home.
Braden is new to being out as gay, and Ian has experience to give advice, plus the two are attracted.
They finally act on it with incredible sexy times.
The divorce brings trouble from the ex-wife, and later we get to see the turn of events.
Meanwhile, Ian has found out his boyfriend Rico has rejected him, which shakes Ian up, because he's been rejected enough in his life already.
I loved the characters, all of them, even the kids, plus the inner thoughts, the struggles and the joys. We have tearful times, and many heartwarming, touching moments.
Well written with lots of heart.
ENJOY !
=====
Ian, 21, is in college, tall, lean muscled,
dirty blonde hair, green eyed and full of boyish charm, and he's interning for the company of Braden Lord.
Braden, 36, respected Architect, is handsome,
has dark auburn highlights in his brown hair, has two kids, questioning JoJo, 14, and delightfully perceptive Mireille (Mir-ray) 5 1/2, and he's in mid-divorce.
We see our guys meet on the beach on day, with Ian's big, leashed cat, Anderson,
and Braden's kids.
The journey begins with close quarters, getting to know about each other, interacting with work projects and at home.
Braden is new to being out as gay, and Ian has experience to give advice, plus the two are attracted.
They finally act on it with incredible sexy times.
The divorce brings trouble from the ex-wife, and later we get to see the turn of events.
Meanwhile, Ian has found out his boyfriend Rico has rejected him, which shakes Ian up, because he's been rejected enough in his life already.
I loved the characters, all of them, even the kids, plus the inner thoughts, the struggles and the joys. We have tearful times, and many heartwarming, touching moments.
Well written with lots of heart.
ENJOY !
=====
August 12, 2021
First, I think Lord of a Thousand Steps, which is the fourth story in the Love in Laguna series, could absolutely be read as a standalone. I haven't read the third book in the series and I wasn't lost at all.
There was quite a bit I liked in the story, including a lot of the secondary characters. But what can I say? Mostly, I just love a well done age gap story and with Ian at twenty one years old and Braden at thirty-five this certainly delivers.
I liked Ian, and have since he first showed up in Knave of Broken Hearts (Love in Laguna #2). I was looking forward to his story, and Lain delivers - with Ian going through his first real heartbreak, becoming more mature, and finally learning to love again.
I also liked Braden, and how he struggled with what was the right thing to do about being with Ian. Not only because of the age gap, but because of the office politics, etc. as well.
I liked that Ian and Braden develop a friendship before they begin a relationship. And I liked that Jim and Ken were still together and we get to see them well loved and their happy ending.
Braden grabbed Ian. "Jesus, I love you. It's like I was just marking time in my life until you were old enough for me." The thought dove straight to Ian's heart.
While it's true that I liked a lot about the story: the flow, the romance, the characters...I did have two niggles that kept me from totally swooning. The first, is that I found five and half year old Mireille way too precocious for that age. Sure, I'm basing that off my family and friend's children, but I don't know any who speak and behave that way at that age (and yes, there's even a genius kid in that group - and even he doesn't speak like Mireille). The second, is I didn't buy the housekeeper/nanny was unaware of what was happening, and since she was technically on Braden's payroll I had a very hard time believing that she wouldn't talk to him.
As for the narration, K.C. Kelly is a distinctive voice actor. His voice, his pacing - they're very recognizable. And while I enjoyed the narration on the whole, especially with Kelly's character voices, there were some problems with sound quality in a few places. Not enough to ruin a good time, but definitely enough to be noticeable.
Bottom line, this is a fun, sweet, sexy, and entertaining romance with good narration and only a few niggles. Definitely worth a look see and listen.
Audio copy of Lord of a Thousand Steps provided by the publisher in exchange of an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
September 6, 2016
I have to tell you that I loved the first book in this series, Knight of Ocean Avenue, and gave it 5 stars, stating that it doesn't get much better than this. Ha! The author has outdone herself with this wonderful May/December romance. I couldn't put it down and actually took it with me while I walked my dog this afternoon.
Ian is such a lovable character. He lives with his older brother and his partner after his family turned him out on learning he was gay. So, right there you're in his corner. He also has a boyfriend that is jerking him around, but Ian so wants a family of his own he clings to hope. Enter Braden Lord, who makes Ian drool, but knows that the man is so far out of his league it's just a fantasy. The trouble is Ian is a college student and part-time intern for the firm Braden owns half of. Yeah, what are the chances? Turns out, better than you might think when Ian befriends Braden's two kids on the beach when he brings his cat with him.
Ian's cat was such a great "character" in this story and Braden's kids just make you want to hug them. The story is full of angst, love and laughter with a very happy ending. My advice is grab this book as soon as you can! It stands alone just fine in this series. You'll be glad you did.
Ian is such a lovable character. He lives with his older brother and his partner after his family turned him out on learning he was gay. So, right there you're in his corner. He also has a boyfriend that is jerking him around, but Ian so wants a family of his own he clings to hope. Enter Braden Lord, who makes Ian drool, but knows that the man is so far out of his league it's just a fantasy. The trouble is Ian is a college student and part-time intern for the firm Braden owns half of. Yeah, what are the chances? Turns out, better than you might think when Ian befriends Braden's two kids on the beach when he brings his cat with him.
Ian's cat was such a great "character" in this story and Braden's kids just make you want to hug them. The story is full of angst, love and laughter with a very happy ending. My advice is grab this book as soon as you can! It stands alone just fine in this series. You'll be glad you did.
September 6, 2016
4.5 stars... I really enjoyed Ian's story. I thought Braden was perfect for him. Braden's wife was a piece of work.I also enjoyed Braden's children. It was also great to see other couples from the earlier books. Great series.
December 7, 2017
I finished this book with a happy smile in my face.
What a relieved! Along with Billy and Shaz's book, this one has become my favorite in the series.
I have met Ian Carney in Jim and Ken's story and wondered if Ian will have his own book with Rico?
Well he is. But Rico, the nice guy, turned up as a disappointment after there years of relationship with Ian. Then Ian met his new boss, Braden Lord. I didn't mind. At all.
Because Braden has a complete package that Ian longed to have. A family.
We knew Ian's story before, with his parents, and how Jim took him and Anderson Cooper (Um, yes...him. I mean the cat) into his home and live with him and Ken from that moment on.
But Ian still craved his own family he thought he will have with Rico, the asshole.
No.
Instead, he became seriously involved with his boss's boss boss boss life after all. With Anderson and two kids in tow, the life that he dreamed for, for so long. But it's not that easy it seemed.
There's some drama of course, but not over the top like Jim and Ken's story. That alone made me happy. The divorce, the sneaking and gotten caught, the Rico thing, the work. But I also met again with a determined Mama-san and her wedding plan for Jim and Ken.
The interaction between Mirielle and Anderson made me smile even laugh all the time. I really enjoying this book. Braden have great kids with him.
There's also tears here and there. I cried a bit after Ian's speech at the wedding ceremony. Pictured how lonely he was before he lived with his brother.
But he still need his own family.
This is a story, mostly about family. And I'm glad I read this book first, and can't wait for another stories from this series. Jo-Jo, maybe?
Overall, I loved this book. If you loved Billy and Shaz story, you'll definitely adore this one.
Highly recommended.
*ARC was given by Publisher for a fair and unbiased review. No high rating required.*
What a relieved! Along with Billy and Shaz's book, this one has become my favorite in the series.
I have met Ian Carney in Jim and Ken's story and wondered if Ian will have his own book with Rico?
Well he is. But Rico, the nice guy, turned up as a disappointment after there years of relationship with Ian. Then Ian met his new boss, Braden Lord. I didn't mind. At all.
Because Braden has a complete package that Ian longed to have. A family.
We knew Ian's story before, with his parents, and how Jim took him and Anderson Cooper (Um, yes...him. I mean the cat) into his home and live with him and Ken from that moment on.
But Ian still craved his own family he thought he will have with Rico, the asshole.
No.
Instead, he became seriously involved with his boss's boss boss boss life after all. With Anderson and two kids in tow, the life that he dreamed for, for so long. But it's not that easy it seemed.
There's some drama of course, but not over the top like Jim and Ken's story. That alone made me happy. The divorce, the sneaking and gotten caught, the Rico thing, the work. But I also met again with a determined Mama-san and her wedding plan for Jim and Ken.
The interaction between Mirielle and Anderson made me smile even laugh all the time. I really enjoying this book. Braden have great kids with him.
There's also tears here and there. I cried a bit after Ian's speech at the wedding ceremony. Pictured how lonely he was before he lived with his brother.
But he still need his own family.
This is a story, mostly about family. And I'm glad I read this book first, and can't wait for another stories from this series. Jo-Jo, maybe?
Overall, I loved this book. If you loved Billy and Shaz story, you'll definitely adore this one.
Highly recommended.
*ARC was given by Publisher for a fair and unbiased review. No high rating required.*
August 27, 2016
**)
.•.•*) .•*)
(.• (.•`*A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
From the first book I have obsessed over the Love in Luguna series. I enjoyed Jim and Ken's story and was eagerly awaiting Ian's.
We first met twenty one year old Ian in Knaves of Broken Hearts when he was left to fend for himself after coming out to his father. He ended up making a home with his brother and his brother's partner, bringing a cat, aptly named Anderson Cooper into the mix.
Flash forward three years later and Ian is still and Architecture student with an internship with his dream firm Lord & Kendrick. When his boyfriend gets called home, Ian is left floundering, not knowing where he stood. But his time is spent making a name for himself when a client targets him to work on her contract and Ian finds himself in the orbit of his very older and attractive, father of two, boss Braden, thirty six.
Imbalance of power.
In the midst of a nasty divorce from his wife, after coming out, Braden was caught up in so much drama, with his ex and trying to navigate living as a gay man. But Ian seemed to be the one moon that kept him grounded. Braden became Ian's mentor and they younger man was loved by his children, proving time and again that they were destined for each other. Ian also proved fundamental when it came to helping him get custody of his kids and getting Braden on even footing with his life.
I devoured this book in one sitting and would do it again. To hear almost six year old precocious Mireille speak or to to see Joseph (JoJo) have a ruckus while playing video games with Ian. There was a decent amount of getting to know you, the attraction and chemistry was strong and the theme on family was just perfect. Enough angst to soothe, enough romance to burn and the whole age and boss/employee relationship to make me happy.
A definite one click to not only this book but to the whole series.
ARC provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Cee from Alpha Book Club
.•.•*) .•*)
(.• (.•`*A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
From the first book I have obsessed over the Love in Luguna series. I enjoyed Jim and Ken's story and was eagerly awaiting Ian's.
We first met twenty one year old Ian in Knaves of Broken Hearts when he was left to fend for himself after coming out to his father. He ended up making a home with his brother and his brother's partner, bringing a cat, aptly named Anderson Cooper into the mix.
Flash forward three years later and Ian is still and Architecture student with an internship with his dream firm Lord & Kendrick. When his boyfriend gets called home, Ian is left floundering, not knowing where he stood. But his time is spent making a name for himself when a client targets him to work on her contract and Ian finds himself in the orbit of his very older and attractive, father of two, boss Braden, thirty six.
Imbalance of power.
In the midst of a nasty divorce from his wife, after coming out, Braden was caught up in so much drama, with his ex and trying to navigate living as a gay man. But Ian seemed to be the one moon that kept him grounded. Braden became Ian's mentor and they younger man was loved by his children, proving time and again that they were destined for each other. Ian also proved fundamental when it came to helping him get custody of his kids and getting Braden on even footing with his life.
I devoured this book in one sitting and would do it again. To hear almost six year old precocious Mireille speak or to to see Joseph (JoJo) have a ruckus while playing video games with Ian. There was a decent amount of getting to know you, the attraction and chemistry was strong and the theme on family was just perfect. Enough angst to soothe, enough romance to burn and the whole age and boss/employee relationship to make me happy.
A definite one click to not only this book but to the whole series.
ARC provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Cee from Alpha Book Club
June 14, 2021
First half: 3 stars
I enjoyed the first half.
After reading and loving Knight of Ocean Avenue and getting disappointed with Knave of Broken Hearts & Prince of the Playhouse, I was sure this one was finally up to the standards the first book set.
There were some comments Ian made in the book that made me uncomfortable eg. "If I were just a tiny bit gayer, I'd cry" - and it was repeated enough times throughout the book that it stopped passing as a joke (at least to me).
Also, it's really hard to believe a 5 year old kid speaks like the girl in this book does. Even though I'm not a native English speaker, come from a different culture, and the only idea I have of how a kid in USA should speak is from various movies and TV shows. But it seemed kind of over the top to me *shrugs*
But there was also a promise of slow romance (which I love), friends to lovers romance (which is my personal favorite), the kids were great and there was a general air of sweetness and unicorns and rainbows and diabetes. Which I was in the mood for.
And then comes the second half. *dun dun duuun*
Second half: 1 star
In which Ian walked in on Brayden jerking off in a public place, decided he just couldn't stand the sexual tension anymore (because OMG, he didn't have sex for a month!) and proceeded to give Brayden a surprise blowjob. As in, he just jumped on him mid-jerk and glomped his cock right up. The consent in that situation seemed questionable and it made me feel icky.
After they started having sex, everything else seemed over the top.
There was also a lot of cock anthropomorphism (yaay I learned a new word!) which is my personal pet peeve.
So yeah, no.
I can't remember the last time I rolled my eyes so much while reading.
I'm probably gonna re-read the first book and see if it's me that changed, or if that book was just a fluke T_T
Meanwhile, no more Tara Lain for me.
I enjoyed the first half.
After reading and loving Knight of Ocean Avenue and getting disappointed with Knave of Broken Hearts & Prince of the Playhouse, I was sure this one was finally up to the standards the first book set.
There were some comments Ian made in the book that made me uncomfortable eg. "If I were just a tiny bit gayer, I'd cry" - and it was repeated enough times throughout the book that it stopped passing as a joke (at least to me).
Also, it's really hard to believe a 5 year old kid speaks like the girl in this book does. Even though I'm not a native English speaker, come from a different culture, and the only idea I have of how a kid in USA should speak is from various movies and TV shows. But it seemed kind of over the top to me *shrugs*
But there was also a promise of slow romance (which I love), friends to lovers romance (which is my personal favorite), the kids were great and there was a general air of sweetness and unicorns and rainbows and diabetes. Which I was in the mood for.
And then comes the second half. *dun dun duuun*
Second half: 1 star
In which Ian walked in on Brayden jerking off in a public place, decided he just couldn't stand the sexual tension anymore (because OMG, he didn't have sex for a month!) and proceeded to give Brayden a surprise blowjob. As in, he just jumped on him mid-jerk and glomped his cock right up. The consent in that situation seemed questionable and it made me feel icky.
After they started having sex, everything else seemed over the top.
There was also a lot of cock anthropomorphism (yaay I learned a new word!) which is my personal pet peeve.
So yeah, no.
I can't remember the last time I rolled my eyes so much while reading.
I'm probably gonna re-read the first book and see if it's me that changed, or if that book was just a fluke T_T
Meanwhile, no more Tara Lain for me.
June 13, 2018
3.5 Stars
Read
August 10, 2021WTH just happened at 49%. I’m debating on whether I’m going to finish this or not.
August 29, 2016
“Lord of a Thousand Steps” is the new addition to Tara Lain’s “Love in Laguna” series. The MCs of the second book were very much involved in this story but don’t worry if you have skipped it. This story can be read as a standalone. The story had a very realistic plotline involving family and love and the ending left me with a smile.
Ian Carney is the 21 year old intern in the architectural firm “Lord and Kendrick”. He is an exceptionally talented architect with a bright future. His work quickly garners the attention of Braden Lord, the sexy co-owner of the company. Ian is in a committed relationship but with his no- good, absentee boyfriend almost out of the picture, he can’t help but being attracted to the sex on legs Braden, Ian’s living and breathing wet dream.
Braden Lord has recently come out and has an ongoing, nasty child custody battle with his hateful ex-wife. Life is too bleak for him to enjoy being gay and celebrate his new life as an out and proud man. Ian is like a forbidden fruit he can’t have but longs for him nonetheless. He knows he can never start anything with Ian but as circumstances bring them together more and more, Braden can’t help but fall in love. And the upside is both of Braden’s children adore Ian. They make a pretty beautiful family but there are hurdles that need to be crossed for them to be together.
Ian was sweet and shy and friendly and totally adorable. I enjoyed his time with Braden’s kids more than the romance, and that’s saying something. He was kicked out by his father at eighteen when he came out to him as gay and his brother, Jim takes him in. He longs for a family, to belong with someone and to feel love of the forever kind like his brother. His life experiences had matured him far more quickly than a guy for his age. He was compassionate with a big and tender heart. I wanted to drop kick that Loser Rico (Ian’s sleazy boyfriend) when he breaks Ian’s heart. I was kind of praying from the start for Rico to turn out as a total sleazeball, so that he can get together with Braden and get the real deal. My prayers were answered, YAY!!!
Braden Lord is an amazing dad and his kids are his first priority. He had lived most of his life hiding an important part of him and now when he is finally out, his ex-wife is determined to take him to the cleaners financially and deprive him of his kids. I hated that bitch with a passion. There are sacrifices that parents have to make for their children and I admired Braden for his efforts to spare his children of all the crap going on with their mother. Ian and his age difference was a huge issue with Braden which was so true and realistic. To work in the same profession and in the same office and having relationship can be looked down upon by anyone, especially when Ian is an intern and Braden is his boss’s boss’s boss’s etcetra boss. The CEO having a relationship with the intern painted Ian in a bad light but thankfully Ian deserved everything that came his way.
The romance was rocky. It starts off with an intense attraction and then leads to some pretty heavy passion then regrets and self-doubt and finally LOVE. So yeah it had every emotion that makes up for a delightful romance. I just wanted more romance between the couple when they were “In Love” rather than being fuck buddies. A little more about their life after they officially get together would have been fantastic.
Another character who completely stole my heart is Anderson Cooper Carney. Don’t be surprised, he is a cat. He is huge and a total sand whore. Anderson is a very important part of the story. I will say that he single-handedly brought Braden and Ian together. If not for his totally cuddly and vivacious personality, Braden’s children would never have met Ian. So Anderson definitely gets max credit for the HEA.
All in all, this a great read with a sweet family oriented romance. It was fun and at times a little angsty with a great HEA at the end. The plot showcases the struggle of a father trying to juggle a new and budding romance while fighting to keep his kids. Ian and Braden were perfect together despite their huge age difference. I loved both of them. After reading this book, I now have to read the second book because Jim and Ken made an awesome couple and I want to read how they got started on their journey. Great writing with very real and lovable characters, this book was a solid 4 star read for me.
Ian Carney is the 21 year old intern in the architectural firm “Lord and Kendrick”. He is an exceptionally talented architect with a bright future. His work quickly garners the attention of Braden Lord, the sexy co-owner of the company. Ian is in a committed relationship but with his no- good, absentee boyfriend almost out of the picture, he can’t help but being attracted to the sex on legs Braden, Ian’s living and breathing wet dream.
Braden Lord has recently come out and has an ongoing, nasty child custody battle with his hateful ex-wife. Life is too bleak for him to enjoy being gay and celebrate his new life as an out and proud man. Ian is like a forbidden fruit he can’t have but longs for him nonetheless. He knows he can never start anything with Ian but as circumstances bring them together more and more, Braden can’t help but fall in love. And the upside is both of Braden’s children adore Ian. They make a pretty beautiful family but there are hurdles that need to be crossed for them to be together.
Ian was sweet and shy and friendly and totally adorable. I enjoyed his time with Braden’s kids more than the romance, and that’s saying something. He was kicked out by his father at eighteen when he came out to him as gay and his brother, Jim takes him in. He longs for a family, to belong with someone and to feel love of the forever kind like his brother. His life experiences had matured him far more quickly than a guy for his age. He was compassionate with a big and tender heart. I wanted to drop kick that Loser Rico (Ian’s sleazy boyfriend) when he breaks Ian’s heart. I was kind of praying from the start for Rico to turn out as a total sleazeball, so that he can get together with Braden and get the real deal. My prayers were answered, YAY!!!
Braden Lord is an amazing dad and his kids are his first priority. He had lived most of his life hiding an important part of him and now when he is finally out, his ex-wife is determined to take him to the cleaners financially and deprive him of his kids. I hated that bitch with a passion. There are sacrifices that parents have to make for their children and I admired Braden for his efforts to spare his children of all the crap going on with their mother. Ian and his age difference was a huge issue with Braden which was so true and realistic. To work in the same profession and in the same office and having relationship can be looked down upon by anyone, especially when Ian is an intern and Braden is his boss’s boss’s boss’s etcetra boss. The CEO having a relationship with the intern painted Ian in a bad light but thankfully Ian deserved everything that came his way.
The romance was rocky. It starts off with an intense attraction and then leads to some pretty heavy passion then regrets and self-doubt and finally LOVE. So yeah it had every emotion that makes up for a delightful romance. I just wanted more romance between the couple when they were “In Love” rather than being fuck buddies. A little more about their life after they officially get together would have been fantastic.
Another character who completely stole my heart is Anderson Cooper Carney. Don’t be surprised, he is a cat. He is huge and a total sand whore. Anderson is a very important part of the story. I will say that he single-handedly brought Braden and Ian together. If not for his totally cuddly and vivacious personality, Braden’s children would never have met Ian. So Anderson definitely gets max credit for the HEA.
All in all, this a great read with a sweet family oriented romance. It was fun and at times a little angsty with a great HEA at the end. The plot showcases the struggle of a father trying to juggle a new and budding romance while fighting to keep his kids. Ian and Braden were perfect together despite their huge age difference. I loved both of them. After reading this book, I now have to read the second book because Jim and Ken made an awesome couple and I want to read how they got started on their journey. Great writing with very real and lovable characters, this book was a solid 4 star read for me.
August 29, 2016
4.5 Stars. This is the fourth book in the contemporary M/M romance Love in Laguna series, but can be enjoyed on its own.
Ian is a 21 year old architecture student with a prime internship at Lord & Kendrick, a well-regarded firm. His boyfriend of the past three years, Rico, has returned to Mexico to visit his ailing father, and has promised to return so he and Ian can get an apartment together. Currently, Ian lives with his brother Jim and Jim's fiance, Ken. Their courtship was the topic of Book 2 in this series. Jima nd Ken have a deep love, and are getting ready for their wedding. It's a great example of the kind of loving bond Ian wants, and the family he's desperate to build, after his wealthy father cut him off for being gay three years before.
Braden Lord is a 37 year old man, top of his game in architecture, yet struggling to hold onto custody of his two kids now that he's coming out and divorcing his wife. He deeply loves his children and feels he's been the emotional connection in their lives--as his wife is a bit bitter and might be more interested in new shoes than caring for her offspring. Braden feels bad about his subterfuge, but he didn't feel like he had a choice once he accidentally helped conceive Jo-Jo, his 14 y/o son. And 5 year old Mireille is a treasure he'll never regret...but, Braden's not had a lot of experience being gay. He was generally abstinent, and he doesn't know how to be out. Plus, he hasn't actually come out, exactly. He's shamefully attracted to young Ian, who is fun and attentive, and a little starry-eyed over Mr. Lord, the famous architect. Add that they live near each other, and Braden's kids meet and adore both Ian and his cat, Anderson Cooper, and it's a muddle.
As the weeks go by, Ian's upset that he rarely hears from Rico, and that he's attracted to sexy silver fox Braden Lord. It doesn't help that Rico strings him along for over a month before texting Ian that he won't be coming back at all. While Ian digs into that mess for understanding and closure, he's also drawn into a close connection with Braden, due to a client request. Gotta love assertive women! Braden's uncomfortable spending so much time with Ian, but he can't get out of the agreement he made with the client for this new design,. That Ian's actually helpful in the initial concept and CAD drawings makes Braden more uncomfortable in lusting after his new assistant.
Thing is, once Rico cut the cord, Ian's a free man, and he's eager to help Braden learn all there is to being a gay single man--plus, the rapport with the kids is deepening, too. I liked the kid dynamic, though I felt Mireille's speech was (oddly) more formal than a Brit ex-pat at a tea shop. I've got precocious kids, and her diction was the wrong side of condescending, for me. That said, I got the flavor of it. She's a bit bossy and demanding and Braden's doting permissiveness was beneficial, because giving Mireille her way also meant getting lots of face time with his fave boy candy.
It's Ian who makes all the moves, though. He knows it's a bad career move, but he's also way attracted. Braden, who should know better, does put the brakes on a few times, but not before it causes some trouble for his divorce settlement.
This is a sweet read, that I wished had MORE STEAM. There's such a wealth of opportunity here, yet, we didn't experience much of it. The plot's nice, but there were lots of times I wanted less family drama, and more romance. I was rather shocked at how Ian took charge, that first time, and expected more fall-out in the office politics game. I really enjoyed this family, though, and how Ian made it complete. The divorce drama wasn't TOO overwhelming; I hate to think that these fictional legal issues and conversations were indicative of real-life proceedings, but I'm sure they are. Which is sad. Braden's ex's attorney is a hateful woman, and his ex is no prize, which was odd, considering she was a decent woman back in the day--it seemed. As a woman, I hate reading hateful women. It's aggravating, so those scenes were always tough, for me.
That said, I love how Braden made the grand gesture, and Ian found a family that really loved him. Not that his brother and ken didn't--because they really do--but because Ian deserves to be an integral part of a loving family, and he really gets that in Braden's house. Plus, beach house on the cliff? Yes, please.
Ian is a 21 year old architecture student with a prime internship at Lord & Kendrick, a well-regarded firm. His boyfriend of the past three years, Rico, has returned to Mexico to visit his ailing father, and has promised to return so he and Ian can get an apartment together. Currently, Ian lives with his brother Jim and Jim's fiance, Ken. Their courtship was the topic of Book 2 in this series. Jima nd Ken have a deep love, and are getting ready for their wedding. It's a great example of the kind of loving bond Ian wants, and the family he's desperate to build, after his wealthy father cut him off for being gay three years before.
Braden Lord is a 37 year old man, top of his game in architecture, yet struggling to hold onto custody of his two kids now that he's coming out and divorcing his wife. He deeply loves his children and feels he's been the emotional connection in their lives--as his wife is a bit bitter and might be more interested in new shoes than caring for her offspring. Braden feels bad about his subterfuge, but he didn't feel like he had a choice once he accidentally helped conceive Jo-Jo, his 14 y/o son. And 5 year old Mireille is a treasure he'll never regret...but, Braden's not had a lot of experience being gay. He was generally abstinent, and he doesn't know how to be out. Plus, he hasn't actually come out, exactly. He's shamefully attracted to young Ian, who is fun and attentive, and a little starry-eyed over Mr. Lord, the famous architect. Add that they live near each other, and Braden's kids meet and adore both Ian and his cat, Anderson Cooper, and it's a muddle.
As the weeks go by, Ian's upset that he rarely hears from Rico, and that he's attracted to sexy silver fox Braden Lord. It doesn't help that Rico strings him along for over a month before texting Ian that he won't be coming back at all. While Ian digs into that mess for understanding and closure, he's also drawn into a close connection with Braden, due to a client request. Gotta love assertive women! Braden's uncomfortable spending so much time with Ian, but he can't get out of the agreement he made with the client for this new design,. That Ian's actually helpful in the initial concept and CAD drawings makes Braden more uncomfortable in lusting after his new assistant.
Thing is, once Rico cut the cord, Ian's a free man, and he's eager to help Braden learn all there is to being a gay single man--plus, the rapport with the kids is deepening, too. I liked the kid dynamic, though I felt Mireille's speech was (oddly) more formal than a Brit ex-pat at a tea shop. I've got precocious kids, and her diction was the wrong side of condescending, for me. That said, I got the flavor of it. She's a bit bossy and demanding and Braden's doting permissiveness was beneficial, because giving Mireille her way also meant getting lots of face time with his fave boy candy.
It's Ian who makes all the moves, though. He knows it's a bad career move, but he's also way attracted. Braden, who should know better, does put the brakes on a few times, but not before it causes some trouble for his divorce settlement.
This is a sweet read, that I wished had MORE STEAM. There's such a wealth of opportunity here, yet, we didn't experience much of it. The plot's nice, but there were lots of times I wanted less family drama, and more romance. I was rather shocked at how Ian took charge, that first time, and expected more fall-out in the office politics game. I really enjoyed this family, though, and how Ian made it complete. The divorce drama wasn't TOO overwhelming; I hate to think that these fictional legal issues and conversations were indicative of real-life proceedings, but I'm sure they are. Which is sad. Braden's ex's attorney is a hateful woman, and his ex is no prize, which was odd, considering she was a decent woman back in the day--it seemed. As a woman, I hate reading hateful women. It's aggravating, so those scenes were always tough, for me.
That said, I love how Braden made the grand gesture, and Ian found a family that really loved him. Not that his brother and ken didn't--because they really do--but because Ian deserves to be an integral part of a loving family, and he really gets that in Braden's house. Plus, beach house on the cliff? Yes, please.
September 7, 2016
This is just not... It doesn't hang together. The plot jumps around (events just happen rather than getting built to in any understandable fashion), Ian acts more like Braden's third kid than a possible partner 75% of the time, and his clingy, needy fixation on a family of his own beyond his brother and Jim or his friends actually makes me think it's a terrible idea for him to date Braden, not a good one. If anything, I want this kid to learn to be a person on his own, not jump into another relationship. I almost would have preferred an ending where Ian was single and getting some therapy. It would have been more believable. The boyfriend in Mexico stuff went on way too long relative to the new relationship, too. I get that Ian is 21, but it would have been so much better if he was aged up to a master's program or something (or if Braden and his kids were aged down), because Ian is very much still a kid here, dealing with a kid's issues in a kid's way. He's not suited to being a partner for a 35-year old with two kids (I actually typo'ed that the first time to three kids, because I really could not stop thinking of Ian as the third kid in this novel, and I'm only in my late 20s.) By the time I was halfway through I was actually scoffing at the idea this could or should ever be a thing, and I started actively skimming all weepy, mopey, dragging on, illogical, strange references to Rico and Mexico.
So. Much. Adolescent. Angst. The angst. It just made the age difference issues seem more pronounced and more unbalanced. It's almost... Squicky. The amount of time Ian spends moping and crying and throwing fits is just... the teenage son reads too similar to him for comfort. I don't think he reads as being inauthentic for his age, but for him to work in the relationship plotted here, he needs to be mature for 21, not immature for it. And this kid is definitely not emotionally mature for 21.
As for the mechanics, the word vomit and the telling over showing is killing me. The characters don't develop, they just spout off long paragraphs of exposition that feel stilted and inauthentic and inappropriate to the moment, setting and/or listener (or, truthfully, the speaker). I could forgive this as a voice thing if only one character did it, but somehow, every person in this books speaks and behaves this way. The workplace also feels paper thin and, well... inauthentic is the only word still coming to mind. Nothing about it seems realistic for any office environment. There's talk of projects, but that's it, and the professionalism is somewhere around zero for what is supposedly a high-end, big-money firm. It doesn't read like it's actually peopled by adults at all, and Ian's behavior within that structure also makes no sense.
In the end, I like the idea, the whole "coming out and finding yourself after marriage" thing I think may have been the point (not really sure, because the characters don't really have arcs), but the execution is not working at all. The ex-wife just feels like another bad caricature; no explanations for what is going on there beyond a convenient paper-thin plot excuse that the ex-wife needed to be suitably evil to drag this book out, but easily removable once we'd hit our page limit. No knowledge of why she's evil, how this is a sudden development in her life, nothing. No real narrative tension at all. It doesn't make sense for her to randomly go this far off the rails and for the author to not give the reader any sort of resolution as to the motivation beyond a failed marriage and her being a Bad Bad Mother (or to try and sloppily cover up the fact that without the shoehorned in Big Bad Problem the author is almost using the same Very Wrong tactics to discredit her that the ex-wife was trying to use against Braden.) Braden's only character development at all is around ending that marriage, and Ian doesn't grow or change noticeably. I can't recommend it at all. It may have been better if she'd chosen just one of them to narrate and serve as the central focus, but I don't think so. I think some of the decisions around these characters were just unrecoverable. I won't be going back to this one.
So. Much. Adolescent. Angst. The angst. It just made the age difference issues seem more pronounced and more unbalanced. It's almost... Squicky. The amount of time Ian spends moping and crying and throwing fits is just... the teenage son reads too similar to him for comfort. I don't think he reads as being inauthentic for his age, but for him to work in the relationship plotted here, he needs to be mature for 21, not immature for it. And this kid is definitely not emotionally mature for 21.
As for the mechanics, the word vomit and the telling over showing is killing me. The characters don't develop, they just spout off long paragraphs of exposition that feel stilted and inauthentic and inappropriate to the moment, setting and/or listener (or, truthfully, the speaker). I could forgive this as a voice thing if only one character did it, but somehow, every person in this books speaks and behaves this way. The workplace also feels paper thin and, well... inauthentic is the only word still coming to mind. Nothing about it seems realistic for any office environment. There's talk of projects, but that's it, and the professionalism is somewhere around zero for what is supposedly a high-end, big-money firm. It doesn't read like it's actually peopled by adults at all, and Ian's behavior within that structure also makes no sense.
In the end, I like the idea, the whole "coming out and finding yourself after marriage" thing I think may have been the point (not really sure, because the characters don't really have arcs), but the execution is not working at all. The ex-wife just feels like another bad caricature; no explanations for what is going on there beyond a convenient paper-thin plot excuse that the ex-wife needed to be suitably evil to drag this book out, but easily removable once we'd hit our page limit. No knowledge of why she's evil, how this is a sudden development in her life, nothing. No real narrative tension at all. It doesn't make sense for her to randomly go this far off the rails and for the author to not give the reader any sort of resolution as to the motivation beyond a failed marriage and her being a Bad Bad Mother (or to try and sloppily cover up the fact that without the shoehorned in Big Bad Problem the author is almost using the same Very Wrong tactics to discredit her that the ex-wife was trying to use against Braden.) Braden's only character development at all is around ending that marriage, and Ian doesn't grow or change noticeably. I can't recommend it at all. It may have been better if she'd chosen just one of them to narrate and serve as the central focus, but I don't think so. I think some of the decisions around these characters were just unrecoverable. I won't be going back to this one.
September 5, 2016
I adored Ian Carney when I met him in Knave of Broken Hearts, book #2 in this series. So I was thrilled beyond measure to get his story and for him to get his HEA. Lain didn't disappoint! I couldn't have asked for a better story for Ian.
Ian has been living with his brother, Jim, since he was 18 and their father kicked him out because he came out. Ian is wise beyond his years but he wants a family and the unconditional love he didn't get from his family. The desire for that enabled me to see his vulnerable side. He's smart and a gifted architecture student. And even though he's been in a relationship for 3 years - one he thought was going to last - he finds himself attracted to his boss, Braden Lord.
Braden Lord - my goodness! He came with so much baggage. He's only recently come out and is currently enduring a nasty divorce. Yes, that's right. He's spent the last 15 years trying to convince himself he wasn't really gay. He has little experience, obviously, in gay relationships. And to complicate things even more, he has 2 children. But does that have to mean complications?
I loved Ian and Braden together! They fit perfectly despite the age difference and baggage on both sides. And I adored Braden's kids. Mireille was adorably precocious, so grown-up in her mannerisms and speech. Jo-Jo was mature but also acted like a boy of 14. I appreciate when an author incorporates kids in a story line in a way that adds depth and Lain delivered BIG. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Anderson, Ian's cat. He has few lines in the dialog *wink* but played an integral role in the story.
One thing I admire about this series is Lain's inclusion of people who both accept and judge homosexuality. It's realistic and genuine and adds to the story overall. Seeing characters on both sides of the fence and how the affected Ian and Braden enriched their story. Getting to be present as Ian and Braden figure out how they fit in each other's lives, watching the kids be accepting and seeing them all build a happy life together while weathering some bumps in the road was a heartwarming experience. And like I said, I couldn't have asked for better for Ian. But both he and Braden deserved it!
*I received a complimentary copy of the book, as part of a blog tour, in exchange for an honest review.*
Ian has been living with his brother, Jim, since he was 18 and their father kicked him out because he came out. Ian is wise beyond his years but he wants a family and the unconditional love he didn't get from his family. The desire for that enabled me to see his vulnerable side. He's smart and a gifted architecture student. And even though he's been in a relationship for 3 years - one he thought was going to last - he finds himself attracted to his boss, Braden Lord.
Braden Lord - my goodness! He came with so much baggage. He's only recently come out and is currently enduring a nasty divorce. Yes, that's right. He's spent the last 15 years trying to convince himself he wasn't really gay. He has little experience, obviously, in gay relationships. And to complicate things even more, he has 2 children. But does that have to mean complications?
I loved Ian and Braden together! They fit perfectly despite the age difference and baggage on both sides. And I adored Braden's kids. Mireille was adorably precocious, so grown-up in her mannerisms and speech. Jo-Jo was mature but also acted like a boy of 14. I appreciate when an author incorporates kids in a story line in a way that adds depth and Lain delivered BIG. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Anderson, Ian's cat. He has few lines in the dialog *wink* but played an integral role in the story.
One thing I admire about this series is Lain's inclusion of people who both accept and judge homosexuality. It's realistic and genuine and adds to the story overall. Seeing characters on both sides of the fence and how the affected Ian and Braden enriched their story. Getting to be present as Ian and Braden figure out how they fit in each other's lives, watching the kids be accepting and seeing them all build a happy life together while weathering some bumps in the road was a heartwarming experience. And like I said, I couldn't have asked for better for Ian. But both he and Braden deserved it!
*I received a complimentary copy of the book, as part of a blog tour, in exchange for an honest review.*
August 14, 2021
Lord of a Thousands Steps is Book 4 in Tara Lain's Love in Laguna series. This book could be listened to as a standalone, though there are interactions with characters from the previous books. Ian is an architecture student and lives with his brother Jim and Jim's boyfriend (whose story was in a previous book). Just like his brother, when Ian's father found out he was gay, he kicked Ian out. Ian is young but he wants nothing more than to have a family of his own. He believes he's on that path with his boyfriend but Rico's had to go to Mexico to care for his sick father. Ian is using his time to work his internship and do his classes. Ian interns for a well-known and sought after architect, Braden Lord. The most normal part of Braden's life is work. He's just come out of the closet, divorced his wife and is fighting for custody of his two children. While out for the day, Braden and his children run into Ian and a friendship is struck up. The two men are fighting their attraction to each other, while trying to deal with all the craziness happening.
I really liked both MC's. I thought Ian was mature for his age, for the most part and I loved his relationship with his brother. I really enjoyed his interactions with Braden's children. I thought Braden was terrific as a parent. Everything in his life was really about taking care of his children. I really liked that Braden and Ian built a friendship between the two of them before any relationship came into the mix. And, the friendship between Braden, Ian and the kids seemed natural. Have a little girl and a cat, how can you expect anything but friendship? And, I loved Ian's cat Anderson Cooper, he was a saint ;) I really felt that the parts of the story between Ian, Braden and the children were just natural, everyday interactions. They flowed nicely and were really believable.
I loved seeing so much of Jim and Ken in this story, and their wedding! I absolutely loved their story and to see how strong their relationship still is was terrific. I loved Ken's mom still and how she's just continuing to expand her family! She's such a great, supportive character.
The narrator of this story was KC Kelly. He had great pace, diction and no weird pauses. I did struggle a little with his character voices, as Ian and Braden were very similar. The narrator was easy to listen to, but I really had to focus on the story to figure out which characters were which. This focus kept me from just being pulled into the story. Overall, this is a fun, sweet story to listen to and one I would definitely recommend!
Rating
Overall: 4
Performance: 3.5
Story: 4
I really liked both MC's. I thought Ian was mature for his age, for the most part and I loved his relationship with his brother. I really enjoyed his interactions with Braden's children. I thought Braden was terrific as a parent. Everything in his life was really about taking care of his children. I really liked that Braden and Ian built a friendship between the two of them before any relationship came into the mix. And, the friendship between Braden, Ian and the kids seemed natural. Have a little girl and a cat, how can you expect anything but friendship? And, I loved Ian's cat Anderson Cooper, he was a saint ;) I really felt that the parts of the story between Ian, Braden and the children were just natural, everyday interactions. They flowed nicely and were really believable.
I loved seeing so much of Jim and Ken in this story, and their wedding! I absolutely loved their story and to see how strong their relationship still is was terrific. I loved Ken's mom still and how she's just continuing to expand her family! She's such a great, supportive character.
The narrator of this story was KC Kelly. He had great pace, diction and no weird pauses. I did struggle a little with his character voices, as Ian and Braden were very similar. The narrator was easy to listen to, but I really had to focus on the story to figure out which characters were which. This focus kept me from just being pulled into the story. Overall, this is a fun, sweet story to listen to and one I would definitely recommend!
Rating
Overall: 4
Performance: 3.5
Story: 4
August 11, 2016
This is the fourth book in the Love in Laguna serie and i'm really loving this serie.
In book two we get to meet Ian (Jim's brother) who is kicked out of his home (by his father) because he is gay.
Lord of a Thousand Steps takes place about three years later and Ian is still living with his brother Jim and Ken (Jim's fiance and soon to be husband), Ian is going to school, is still with Rico (boyfriend he met in the previous book) and is an intern at a architectural firm where he meets Braden Lord, CEO from that same architectural firm. Life is good and he is enjoying it.
Then Ian's Boyfriend Rico has to go take care of his sick (dying?) father in Mexico and everything changes. Ian gets closer to his Boss Braden and is spending time with him and Braden's children, there is an attraction but both guys only flirt a little but don't take it any further, Braden because he is in the middle of an ugly divorce and Ian because he has a boyfriend, although that same boyfriend seems to forget Ian even exists. Later in the story we get to see what a snake Rico really is and the harmless flirting of Braden and Ian grows in something more.
There is a bit of concern about the age difference, especially from Jim and Ken who are very suportive but also protective of Ian, they know that he wants to have a family of his own and are concerned that that is what is driving him towards Braden. I love the secondary characters, except for Rico and the "Rutger Hauer" look-a-like (you will know what i mean when reading this book). I'm Dutch so i found the comparison very funny :)
Lord of a Thousand Steps reminds me a bit of Knight of Ocean Avenue the first book in this serie (and my favorite one), the feel in this book is the same and most of the secondary characters are really awesome.
I highly recommend this book and this serie!
In book two we get to meet Ian (Jim's brother) who is kicked out of his home (by his father) because he is gay.
Lord of a Thousand Steps takes place about three years later and Ian is still living with his brother Jim and Ken (Jim's fiance and soon to be husband), Ian is going to school, is still with Rico (boyfriend he met in the previous book) and is an intern at a architectural firm where he meets Braden Lord, CEO from that same architectural firm. Life is good and he is enjoying it.
Then Ian's Boyfriend Rico has to go take care of his sick (dying?) father in Mexico and everything changes. Ian gets closer to his Boss Braden and is spending time with him and Braden's children, there is an attraction but both guys only flirt a little but don't take it any further, Braden because he is in the middle of an ugly divorce and Ian because he has a boyfriend, although that same boyfriend seems to forget Ian even exists. Later in the story we get to see what a snake Rico really is and the harmless flirting of Braden and Ian grows in something more.
There is a bit of concern about the age difference, especially from Jim and Ken who are very suportive but also protective of Ian, they know that he wants to have a family of his own and are concerned that that is what is driving him towards Braden. I love the secondary characters, except for Rico and the "Rutger Hauer" look-a-like (you will know what i mean when reading this book). I'm Dutch so i found the comparison very funny :)
Lord of a Thousand Steps reminds me a bit of Knight of Ocean Avenue the first book in this serie (and my favorite one), the feel in this book is the same and most of the secondary characters are really awesome.
I highly recommend this book and this serie!
August 31, 2016
Love in Laguna is my favorite series of Tara Lain. I’ve read each one and loved each one. Book 4, Lord of a Thousand Steps was one particular story I was desperate to read.
Remember Ian Carney Jim’s little brother and his cat Anderson Cooper? Well I remember him. We are getting little brother’s story and it took me by surprise. When we last saw him in Jim’s book he was dating Rico and talking happily ever afters. Well things have changed and it’s quite the tale.
Ian is a bright light even though he lost so much when his dad kicked him out 3 years ago. He was taken in by his big brother and Jim and Ken. They have taken amazing care of Ian. But Ian is so smart and creative so it’s no wonder as an Intern for a major Architectural firm that he’d get noticed and progress further than any intern before him. Of course he also catches the eye of his boss, Brayden Lord.
Oh Brayden. He has a heartbreaking present life I tell you. Two amazing kids but a horrid ex-wife that’s trying to destroy his life.
Ian and Brayden don’t meet on level ground and of course that’s how Tara likes to do things. We are taking a journey…. A thousand steps journey. Brayden and Ian’s love story is emotional and challenging and I gasped and swore and hoped all the way through it.
This is a wonderful universe that Tara has created. Each character is unique and every story is creative and entertaining. There’s a lot of love in Lord of a Thousand Steps. The realism Tara brings to her characters is what makes them all the more engaging.
Amazing book and wonderful series.
Remember Ian Carney Jim’s little brother and his cat Anderson Cooper? Well I remember him. We are getting little brother’s story and it took me by surprise. When we last saw him in Jim’s book he was dating Rico and talking happily ever afters. Well things have changed and it’s quite the tale.
Ian is a bright light even though he lost so much when his dad kicked him out 3 years ago. He was taken in by his big brother and Jim and Ken. They have taken amazing care of Ian. But Ian is so smart and creative so it’s no wonder as an Intern for a major Architectural firm that he’d get noticed and progress further than any intern before him. Of course he also catches the eye of his boss, Brayden Lord.
Oh Brayden. He has a heartbreaking present life I tell you. Two amazing kids but a horrid ex-wife that’s trying to destroy his life.
Ian and Brayden don’t meet on level ground and of course that’s how Tara likes to do things. We are taking a journey…. A thousand steps journey. Brayden and Ian’s love story is emotional and challenging and I gasped and swore and hoped all the way through it.
This is a wonderful universe that Tara has created. Each character is unique and every story is creative and entertaining. There’s a lot of love in Lord of a Thousand Steps. The realism Tara brings to her characters is what makes them all the more engaging.
Amazing book and wonderful series.
August 11, 2016
Tara's stories always make me smile. I dont know if it is her writing or the stories itself. This is the 4th book in her Laguna series. Ian is a young man who we meet in the prior story. He is Jim's younger brother and comes to Jim for help when their father kicks him out for being gay. He finds a real family in Jim and Ken (his finance) plus his cat, Anderson. Ian is going to college and has a job at one of the best architecture firms. He also is in love with his boyfriend Rico and all is going great until Rico needs to leave for Mexico to care for his ailing father. Ian through some great coincidences meets and starts to help out his boss, Braden, and his 2 kids. These 2 kids stole the story for me especially Mierelle. Her and Anderson(the cat) are so cute. Braden on the other hand is going through a tough divorce since finally admitting he is gay. Ian and Braden strike up a friendship and it grows from there. Ian falls in love with Braden's children first and loves spending time with them. Braden goes through some issues with the age difference, since he is older than Ian but in the end they get their HEA. It was such a touching story to me about how 2 people who didnt know what they wanted or thought they did , find out there is so much more possible if they just let it go. Congrats again Tara and hope there is more in this series. Received an arc from publisher for a review. Reviewed by Jodi for Alpha Book Club.
November 5, 2016
2016 Rainbow Awards Honorable Mention: Lord of a Thousand Steps by Tara Lain
I've loved every book I've read of Ms. Lain's. I read this series back to back and loved every single story. Ms. Lain's has the magic of involving the reader, wrapping them in a cloud soft pillow. This book didn't disappoint. It was as good as the previous ones. Keep 'em coming, Tara!
I've loved every book I've read of Ms. Lain's. I read this series back to back and loved every single story. Ms. Lain's has the magic of involving the reader, wrapping them in a cloud soft pillow. This book didn't disappoint. It was as good as the previous ones. Keep 'em coming, Tara!
November 3, 2016
Another great adventure from the awesome Tara Lain! Loved it!
January 4, 2017
I have loved this series. this book included.
Read
June 7, 2023DNF @ 51%
I was enjoying this book until 48%. It totally took me out of the story because it was uncharacteristic of both men and well...it bothered me...a lot. Total sideways action and i decided to quit. Until then this was at least a 4 star read. Ugh.
I was enjoying this book until 48%. It totally took me out of the story because it was uncharacteristic of both men and well...it bothered me...a lot. Total sideways action and i decided to quit. Until then this was at least a 4 star read. Ugh.
May 15, 2024
Unfortunately I didn’t finish Lord of a thousand steps I found it very boring and the relationship between Ian and braden felt very dry as well for me it seemed that they had no chemistry and the only thing they had in common was the love of the children.
September 1, 2016
4.5 out of 5 stars
Description ~
To architecture student Ian Carney, family means everything. Taken in by his brother, Jim, when his father threw him out at eighteen for being gay, Ian yearns to create his own family with his boyfriend, Rico. But Rico’s in Mexico caring for a sick father, Ian hasn’t had sex in a month and a half, and his gorgeous boss, Braden Lord, CEO of the architectural firm Ian interns for, is looking better and better.
Braden’s life is chaos. Just out of the closet and going through an ugly divorce from his wife of fifteen years who’s trying to take custody of his two children, he desperately resolves not to succumb to a completely inappropriate attraction to Ian—even though his kids adore both the man and his crazy cat.
When Rico proves to be a snake in the grass and Ian exercises his powers of seduction, what starts as a “friends with benefits” fling turns into real life real fast. Can Ian give up his romantic dreams for an “old guy” who didn’t come out until he carried a mountain of baggage? It’ll only take a thousand steps.
My Review ~
Lord of a Thousand Steps is the fourth book in the Love in Laguna series. In my opinion it's best to read the series in order. First because they're good books, and secondly because the characters all make appearances in previous stories.
We original got to know Ian in The Knave of Broken Hearts when he moved in with his big brother, Jim. Ian's father had kicked him out of the house with just the clothes on his back after finding out he was gay. With no where else to go, and still in high school, Ian ended up on his brother's front porch not sure of his welcome. Fast forward to the present day - Ian is in his early 20's and finishing up his degree in architecture and interning with a prestigious firm. He's so good that he gets the attention of his boss who introduces him to Braden Lord, one of the owners of the company. Ian and Braden both have issues going on in their lives, but they find themselves gravitating to each other more and more.
I fell in love with Ian's character when he showed up drenched with that tiny kitten on Jim's porch after being kicked out. To now get to see his story and his happily ever after, along with more Jim and Ken was a bonus in my eyes. Ian and Braden were both fantastic characters, with lots of depth, issues for their issues, and a good storyline surrounding them. The development of their relationship and the things that they face were well portrayed and mostly realistic. Braden going through a messy divorce and Ian dealing with a missing boyfriend, are what drives the story at first. Once Ian and Braden give into the fact their attracted to each other, sparks really fly.
I have to say that Braden's kids and Ian's cat Anderson Cooper absolutely STOLE the story though. Braden's daughter Mireille was about as precocious as you can get and still stay adorably sweet. Braden's son JoJo was just as much a scene stealer as his little sister. JoJo also causes Braden some issues because Ian is only a handful of years older than JoJo is, even though Ian IS an adult. The scenes featuring Ian and Anderson Cooper are sweet and hilariously funny. If I didn't know any better you'd have thought Anderson was a dog with how he behaves. He greets Ian at the door by jumping onto his shoulders and riding along as he wanders through his home. Anderson even allows Ian to put a harness and leash on him and walk him on the beach.
I really felt like Lord of a Thousand Steps is the best book out of this series. I had a hard time putting it down for those silly things called sleep and work. I highly recommend this well written story, and this entire series. I look forward to whoever is next in this series and any other books that this author writes.
Description ~
To architecture student Ian Carney, family means everything. Taken in by his brother, Jim, when his father threw him out at eighteen for being gay, Ian yearns to create his own family with his boyfriend, Rico. But Rico’s in Mexico caring for a sick father, Ian hasn’t had sex in a month and a half, and his gorgeous boss, Braden Lord, CEO of the architectural firm Ian interns for, is looking better and better.
Braden’s life is chaos. Just out of the closet and going through an ugly divorce from his wife of fifteen years who’s trying to take custody of his two children, he desperately resolves not to succumb to a completely inappropriate attraction to Ian—even though his kids adore both the man and his crazy cat.
When Rico proves to be a snake in the grass and Ian exercises his powers of seduction, what starts as a “friends with benefits” fling turns into real life real fast. Can Ian give up his romantic dreams for an “old guy” who didn’t come out until he carried a mountain of baggage? It’ll only take a thousand steps.
My Review ~
Lord of a Thousand Steps is the fourth book in the Love in Laguna series. In my opinion it's best to read the series in order. First because they're good books, and secondly because the characters all make appearances in previous stories.
We original got to know Ian in The Knave of Broken Hearts when he moved in with his big brother, Jim. Ian's father had kicked him out of the house with just the clothes on his back after finding out he was gay. With no where else to go, and still in high school, Ian ended up on his brother's front porch not sure of his welcome. Fast forward to the present day - Ian is in his early 20's and finishing up his degree in architecture and interning with a prestigious firm. He's so good that he gets the attention of his boss who introduces him to Braden Lord, one of the owners of the company. Ian and Braden both have issues going on in their lives, but they find themselves gravitating to each other more and more.
I fell in love with Ian's character when he showed up drenched with that tiny kitten on Jim's porch after being kicked out. To now get to see his story and his happily ever after, along with more Jim and Ken was a bonus in my eyes. Ian and Braden were both fantastic characters, with lots of depth, issues for their issues, and a good storyline surrounding them. The development of their relationship and the things that they face were well portrayed and mostly realistic. Braden going through a messy divorce and Ian dealing with a missing boyfriend, are what drives the story at first. Once Ian and Braden give into the fact their attracted to each other, sparks really fly.
I have to say that Braden's kids and Ian's cat Anderson Cooper absolutely STOLE the story though. Braden's daughter Mireille was about as precocious as you can get and still stay adorably sweet. Braden's son JoJo was just as much a scene stealer as his little sister. JoJo also causes Braden some issues because Ian is only a handful of years older than JoJo is, even though Ian IS an adult. The scenes featuring Ian and Anderson Cooper are sweet and hilariously funny. If I didn't know any better you'd have thought Anderson was a dog with how he behaves. He greets Ian at the door by jumping onto his shoulders and riding along as he wanders through his home. Anderson even allows Ian to put a harness and leash on him and walk him on the beach.
I really felt like Lord of a Thousand Steps is the best book out of this series. I had a hard time putting it down for those silly things called sleep and work. I highly recommend this well written story, and this entire series. I look forward to whoever is next in this series and any other books that this author writes.
August 31, 2016
Full review and much more can be found at The Novel Approach
Ian is Jim Carney’s younger brother. You may recall Jim from The Knight of Ocean Avenue and, more recently, from when Jim finds his true love Ken Tenaka in The Knave of Broken Hearts, books one and two in this series. The good news is that Lord of a Thousand Steps really does stand alone and can be read without reading the previous installments; although, I highly recommend them.
Ian and his priceless character of a cat, Anderson, live with Jim and his fiancé, Ken. Ian’s still in college, studying architecture and interning at a prestigious firm. His boyfriend, Rico, has returned to Mexico because his father is ill, and Ian is missing him like crazy. When he attends a work event and sort of flirts with the incredibly gorgeous Braden Lord, one of the firm’s partners, he decides that he needs to find out what’s going on with Rico and get some answers on when he’s coming back. Nothing satisfactory comes from that front, however. It seems like Rico is evasive and stressed.
When Ian takes his cat to the beach, he catches the attention of a small girl, who turns out to be Braden Lord’s daughter, Mireille. Braden has his kids for the weekend—Mireille and his teenage son, Jo-Jo. Mireille is entranced by Ian’s pure white cat, who appears to have no problems with a small child pouring sand all over him.
Jo-Jo and Mireille both seem to like Ian, and Mireille adores Anderson. They invite Ian to breakfast, and he gets along great with the kids. This is all a good thing because Braden is going through a particularly messy divorce, having come out to his wife after fifteen years, and she is being particularly vindictive trying to use the kids against him to get a ridiculous settlement. In a pinch, Ian ends up babysitting for Braden when he goes out on his first date with a man. Braden isn’t necessarily ready for anything, but he feels like he needs to get some practice, and Ian is very encouraging.
Meanwhile, Ian is still getting no satisfaction from Rico, with fewer and farther between calls/texts. He tries not to be too down, but he’s watching Ken and Jim prepare for their wedding, and he just wants his own happy ending and his own family. He feels like a third wheel, even though he definitely isn’t.
After a second rather disastrous date and Ian’s discovery that Rico is a two-timing jerk, Braden and Ian embark on a sort of friends-with-benefits relationship. While Ian seems to have no problem with it, Ken and Jim—and, eventually, Braden—decide it’s not a good idea and that Ian is being taken advantage of. This throws Ian for a loop yet again. He’s already reeling from the Rico betrayal, and now he isn’t even good enough to be a friend? He’s devastated, and then Braden feels awful as well. Luckily there are lots of meddlers to help out, and a rather serendipitous business trip that requires Ian to step in and save the day.
Oooooh, every time one of the books in this series comes out, I just want to devour it. This was no exception. I loved Ian and Braden, from their first flirtation, and while they have a lot of obstacles to overcome, it was so enjoyable seeing them work for their HEA. I loved the kids and Anderson, the cat. I hope that he makes an appearance in other books in this series because he is spectacular. It was great to see Ken and Jim together and completely happy, and to get a glimpse of Shaz and Billy too. I can’t wait to see if there will be more books in this series. I for one will be waiting anxiously.
Ian is Jim Carney’s younger brother. You may recall Jim from The Knight of Ocean Avenue and, more recently, from when Jim finds his true love Ken Tenaka in The Knave of Broken Hearts, books one and two in this series. The good news is that Lord of a Thousand Steps really does stand alone and can be read without reading the previous installments; although, I highly recommend them.
Ian and his priceless character of a cat, Anderson, live with Jim and his fiancé, Ken. Ian’s still in college, studying architecture and interning at a prestigious firm. His boyfriend, Rico, has returned to Mexico because his father is ill, and Ian is missing him like crazy. When he attends a work event and sort of flirts with the incredibly gorgeous Braden Lord, one of the firm’s partners, he decides that he needs to find out what’s going on with Rico and get some answers on when he’s coming back. Nothing satisfactory comes from that front, however. It seems like Rico is evasive and stressed.
When Ian takes his cat to the beach, he catches the attention of a small girl, who turns out to be Braden Lord’s daughter, Mireille. Braden has his kids for the weekend—Mireille and his teenage son, Jo-Jo. Mireille is entranced by Ian’s pure white cat, who appears to have no problems with a small child pouring sand all over him.
Jo-Jo and Mireille both seem to like Ian, and Mireille adores Anderson. They invite Ian to breakfast, and he gets along great with the kids. This is all a good thing because Braden is going through a particularly messy divorce, having come out to his wife after fifteen years, and she is being particularly vindictive trying to use the kids against him to get a ridiculous settlement. In a pinch, Ian ends up babysitting for Braden when he goes out on his first date with a man. Braden isn’t necessarily ready for anything, but he feels like he needs to get some practice, and Ian is very encouraging.
Meanwhile, Ian is still getting no satisfaction from Rico, with fewer and farther between calls/texts. He tries not to be too down, but he’s watching Ken and Jim prepare for their wedding, and he just wants his own happy ending and his own family. He feels like a third wheel, even though he definitely isn’t.
After a second rather disastrous date and Ian’s discovery that Rico is a two-timing jerk, Braden and Ian embark on a sort of friends-with-benefits relationship. While Ian seems to have no problem with it, Ken and Jim—and, eventually, Braden—decide it’s not a good idea and that Ian is being taken advantage of. This throws Ian for a loop yet again. He’s already reeling from the Rico betrayal, and now he isn’t even good enough to be a friend? He’s devastated, and then Braden feels awful as well. Luckily there are lots of meddlers to help out, and a rather serendipitous business trip that requires Ian to step in and save the day.
Oooooh, every time one of the books in this series comes out, I just want to devour it. This was no exception. I loved Ian and Braden, from their first flirtation, and while they have a lot of obstacles to overcome, it was so enjoyable seeing them work for their HEA. I loved the kids and Anderson, the cat. I hope that he makes an appearance in other books in this series because he is spectacular. It was great to see Ken and Jim together and completely happy, and to get a glimpse of Shaz and Billy too. I can’t wait to see if there will be more books in this series. I for one will be waiting anxiously.
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