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Gambling On Love
When Gary and Abe came out to each other in their final year of high school, a longstanding friendship turned into a new love. Keeping their feelings a secret was easy until a coach caught them together in the locker room, and their fragile relationship shattered around them. Panicked, angry, and rejected by his mother, Gary fled town, breaking Abe’s eighteen-year-old heart.
Eleven years later Gary returns just as unexpectedly, crashing into Abe's truck during a blizzard. He’s as arrogant and stubborn as ever—and just as irresistible. Time has changed them both in ways they never imagined, but the heat that flares between them is enough to thaw any ice.
While Abe discovers what Gary did to survive in the city, Gary realizes that Abe has grown into a man with needs to match his own, and they fall in love all over again. But Gary’s determination to carry out one final order from the rich, older man he lived with—and obeyed—for years means that a dead man's plans might split them apart again . . . this time for keeps.
Publisher's note: This title is an edited second edition, previously published in 2011.
Eleven years later Gary returns just as unexpectedly, crashing into Abe's truck during a blizzard. He’s as arrogant and stubborn as ever—and just as irresistible. Time has changed them both in ways they never imagined, but the heat that flares between them is enough to thaw any ice.
While Abe discovers what Gary did to survive in the city, Gary realizes that Abe has grown into a man with needs to match his own, and they fall in love all over again. But Gary’s determination to carry out one final order from the rich, older man he lived with—and obeyed—for years means that a dead man's plans might split them apart again . . . this time for keeps.
Publisher's note: This title is an edited second edition, previously published in 2011.
267 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 29, 2011
4 people are currently reading
138 people want to read
About the author
Jane Davitt
64 books479 followersRetired from pro writing, pretty much. Any books where the rights are with me I've put up at A03, along with all my fic, which I'm still writing.
[Free reads and my fanfic are here:
Jane Davitt at AO3]
Thank you to all who read my books. It meant a lot.
[Free reads and my fanfic are here:
Jane Davitt at AO3]
Thank you to all who read my books. It meant a lot.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
July 2, 2016
I read the second edition of this book to be published by Riptide in September 2016. I did not read the first edition from 2011, so I can't compare the two. A note at the beginning states that the book has been "heavily revised," and I can verify that the story doesn't feel dated.
The prologue is set at the start of the "new millennium" when the guys are seniors in high school, but the bulk of the story takes place 11 years later as the former best friends and lovers meet again during a raging blizzard.
Gary, who left Abe behind after he and Abe were caught in a compromising (but sexy as hell) situation in the school locker room, is taking a road trip planned by his dead lover Peter. Gary's car goes into a tailspin on a treacherous, tree-lined road, and he hits a truck—Abe's truck.
The initial scene in the woods goes on forever, as Gary refuses to leave without his luggage, Abe slips and hits his head, Gary drives Abe's truck into a tree, and on and on. It almost read like a sitcom.
The story exists in a vacuum. There are almost no secondary characters, save for Peter, Gary's much older boss and lover, and he's dead.
The MCs spend the majority of the time at a cabin during a snowstorm talking and fighting (and eventually getting it on). Later they go to Vegas so Gary can follow through on Peter's final wish.
Gary is a selfish brat. Abe is more reasonable, but the way he basically started begging Gary so stay with him made him a bit of a pushover in my eyes.
Even toward the end, Gary is still pushing Abe away. The last chapter isn't labeled an epilogue, but it's set in the future (a few months maybe), and it does offer a glimpse of Abe and Gary's HEA. The final scene with the cat, though, is straight up sitcom territory again.
Abe likes to give up control in the bedroom, and the steamy scenes are sexy and a little kinky, but I got bored with the trajectory of the story. Nothing really happens. There is a lot of dialogue though, too much dialogue. These two talk each other to death. (I would prefer death by dick, but that's just me.)
The prologue is set at the start of the "new millennium" when the guys are seniors in high school, but the bulk of the story takes place 11 years later as the former best friends and lovers meet again during a raging blizzard.
Gary, who left Abe behind after he and Abe were caught in a compromising (but sexy as hell) situation in the school locker room, is taking a road trip planned by his dead lover Peter. Gary's car goes into a tailspin on a treacherous, tree-lined road, and he hits a truck—Abe's truck.
The initial scene in the woods goes on forever, as Gary refuses to leave without his luggage, Abe slips and hits his head, Gary drives Abe's truck into a tree, and on and on. It almost read like a sitcom.
The story exists in a vacuum. There are almost no secondary characters, save for Peter, Gary's much older boss and lover, and he's dead.
The MCs spend the majority of the time at a cabin during a snowstorm talking and fighting (and eventually getting it on). Later they go to Vegas so Gary can follow through on Peter's final wish.
Gary is a selfish brat. Abe is more reasonable, but the way he basically started begging Gary so stay with him made him a bit of a pushover in my eyes.
Even toward the end, Gary is still pushing Abe away. The last chapter isn't labeled an epilogue, but it's set in the future (a few months maybe), and it does offer a glimpse of Abe and Gary's HEA. The final scene with the cat, though, is straight up sitcom territory again.
Abe likes to give up control in the bedroom, and the steamy scenes are sexy and a little kinky, but I got bored with the trajectory of the story. Nothing really happens. There is a lot of dialogue though, too much dialogue. These two talk each other to death. (I would prefer death by dick, but that's just me.)
September 20, 2016
'Gambling on Love' was originally released back on 2011 and I didn't read the first edition so I'm not sure what the changes between it and this second edition are besides the cover and can i say I do like this cover it's definitely the more attractive of the two in my opinion.
This is a second chance story about Abe (Abel, but don't call him that he doesn't like it) and Gary or Fox as Abe tends to call him from time to time and yes, he is a ginger but that's not where the nickname comes from or at least not entirely. Apparently it's because he's too smart for his own good and that makes people wary of him.
Abe and Gary are best friends and during their senior year in high school they figure out that they both want more than friendship and that's all well and good until they get caught in the locker room by Abe's coach he gets an eyeful of how much more than friends they are. Unfortunately when it comes time to face the music Gary decides to pack up and leave without so much as a 'see you later' for Abe who stays and faces the music on his own and eventually settles into the comfortable and safe life he's makes for himself. A life very different from Gary, who has spent the last few years they're apart with Peter an older very dominant and controlling man who has shows Gary a very different world from the one he grew up in.
It's 11 years later when Gary finds himself heading towards his past and quite literally by accident back into Abel's life as he sets out to fulfill Peter's last request following the man's untimely death
Needless to say while Abe's never stopped loving Gary he's also a little bit angry at how things ended and Gary's got some issues of his own from that time as well.
One of the things that worked for me was the the emotional roller coaster ride that these two men went on when they encountered each other for the first time after their 11 year separation. It was a case of 'come here, come here, no get away, get away' and I could see that because out of the blue you find yourself confronted with your first love and the first person to ever break your heart add to that the fact that neither man ever really got over the other and I know if that was me it would be roller coaster time. There was more than one instance of 'get out of my life but I'm never letting you go again' totally conflicted feelings on both sides.
However while this worked for me and I could see how and why things would be this way I didn't quite feel it. I didn't have any gut wrenching moments where I felt like all that mattered was these two men getting things worked out. The sex was hot, undeniably so but I didn't find myself squirming in my chair or heading for a cold shower and the ending had a bit of predictability to it not in terms of exactly what would happen but more in that it would go in the direction that it did. In spite of this I liked the specifics of how things ended up the way they did and given what we knew about Peter from Gary's account it make sense to me as well, so for me it worked.
'Gambling on Love' isn't my first book by Jane Davitt and I have to admit it's didn't turn out to be one of my favorites because that spot still belongs to her series 'Laying a Ghost' and her books 'Hourglass' and 'Truthful Change' but it was an enjoyable story that kept me entertained for a few hours and that's never a bad thing either.
********************
A copy of 'Gambling on Love' was graciously provided by the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
This is a second chance story about Abe (Abel, but don't call him that he doesn't like it) and Gary or Fox as Abe tends to call him from time to time and yes, he is a ginger but that's not where the nickname comes from or at least not entirely. Apparently it's because he's too smart for his own good and that makes people wary of him.
Abe and Gary are best friends and during their senior year in high school they figure out that they both want more than friendship and that's all well and good until they get caught in the locker room by Abe's coach he gets an eyeful of how much more than friends they are. Unfortunately when it comes time to face the music Gary decides to pack up and leave without so much as a 'see you later' for Abe who stays and faces the music on his own and eventually settles into the comfortable and safe life he's makes for himself. A life very different from Gary, who has spent the last few years they're apart with Peter an older very dominant and controlling man who has shows Gary a very different world from the one he grew up in.
It's 11 years later when Gary finds himself heading towards his past and quite literally by accident back into Abel's life as he sets out to fulfill Peter's last request following the man's untimely death
Needless to say while Abe's never stopped loving Gary he's also a little bit angry at how things ended and Gary's got some issues of his own from that time as well.
One of the things that worked for me was the the emotional roller coaster ride that these two men went on when they encountered each other for the first time after their 11 year separation. It was a case of 'come here, come here, no get away, get away' and I could see that because out of the blue you find yourself confronted with your first love and the first person to ever break your heart add to that the fact that neither man ever really got over the other and I know if that was me it would be roller coaster time. There was more than one instance of 'get out of my life but I'm never letting you go again' totally conflicted feelings on both sides.
However while this worked for me and I could see how and why things would be this way I didn't quite feel it. I didn't have any gut wrenching moments where I felt like all that mattered was these two men getting things worked out. The sex was hot, undeniably so but I didn't find myself squirming in my chair or heading for a cold shower and the ending had a bit of predictability to it not in terms of exactly what would happen but more in that it would go in the direction that it did. In spite of this I liked the specifics of how things ended up the way they did and given what we knew about Peter from Gary's account it make sense to me as well, so for me it worked.
'Gambling on Love' isn't my first book by Jane Davitt and I have to admit it's didn't turn out to be one of my favorites because that spot still belongs to her series 'Laying a Ghost' and her books 'Hourglass' and 'Truthful Change' but it was an enjoyable story that kept me entertained for a few hours and that's never a bad thing either.
********************
A copy of 'Gambling on Love' was graciously provided by the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
September 26, 2016
Another kinky winner from J-Dav.
I'm a fan of second chances, and really, does anyone ever forget their first love? Maybe sometimes wonder what if?
Abe has waited eleven years for his second chance when it literally runs into him on a little traveled road in the middle of a snow storm. Abe and Fox were best friends once upon a time and eventually began a surreptitious affair while seniors in high school. Fox always did like to push the envelope and one day that backfired and sent them in opposing directions.
One last errand for his deceased lover is what puts Fox back in Abe's life, rather begrudgingly. I'll just cut to the chase, I'm not a fan of Fox. Fox's backstory wasn't well developed enough to match the chip on his shoulder. He's a pill and pretentious. I tried to warm up to him, tried to give him the benefit of the doubt and see things from his perspective and I realize a lot of it is a defense mechanism, but still, he's a pill. I do believe that Abe is the only person he's ever loved but I'm not sold on him being good enough for Abe.
He is pretty kinky as is Abe and I do love that. I also LOVE me a big guy bottom! The kink is mostly D/s with a little light humiliation, dirty talk and some bondage. No one does unfussy kink like J-Dav which is one of the things that continues to draw me to her books. Just how hungry these two are for each other is undeniable, even when they're fighting maybe even more so then.
J-Dav's writing is as solid as always with authentic dialogue and having both of their perspectives enriched the story. I felt like the series of events that got them to their HEA was maybe a little convenient and it's pretty clear there is more to this errand than meets the eye immediately, but that didn't lessen my enjoyment of how it unfolded.
All told another enjoyable read from J-Dav that I would recommend to contemporary and second chance romance fans.
An ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I'm a fan of second chances, and really, does anyone ever forget their first love? Maybe sometimes wonder what if?
Abe has waited eleven years for his second chance when it literally runs into him on a little traveled road in the middle of a snow storm. Abe and Fox were best friends once upon a time and eventually began a surreptitious affair while seniors in high school. Fox always did like to push the envelope and one day that backfired and sent them in opposing directions.
One last errand for his deceased lover is what puts Fox back in Abe's life, rather begrudgingly. I'll just cut to the chase, I'm not a fan of Fox. Fox's backstory wasn't well developed enough to match the chip on his shoulder. He's a pill and pretentious. I tried to warm up to him, tried to give him the benefit of the doubt and see things from his perspective and I realize a lot of it is a defense mechanism, but still, he's a pill. I do believe that Abe is the only person he's ever loved but I'm not sold on him being good enough for Abe.
He is pretty kinky as is Abe and I do love that. I also LOVE me a big guy bottom! The kink is mostly D/s with a little light humiliation, dirty talk and some bondage. No one does unfussy kink like J-Dav which is one of the things that continues to draw me to her books. Just how hungry these two are for each other is undeniable, even when they're fighting maybe even more so then.
J-Dav's writing is as solid as always with authentic dialogue and having both of their perspectives enriched the story. I felt like the series of events that got them to their HEA was maybe a little convenient and it's pretty clear there is more to this errand than meets the eye immediately, but that didn't lessen my enjoyment of how it unfolded.
All told another enjoyable read from J-Dav that I would recommend to contemporary and second chance romance fans.
An ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 16, 2021
As Gambling On Love begins, we meet best friends Abe and Gary the summer before their senior year of high school as Abe suddenly tells Gary he is also gay ("I'm gay, I'm in love with you and I can't handle it.") A school year of exploration and discovery passes until one interrupted very hot locker room blowjob later, Gary leaves town before graduation, Abe stays and 11 years pass before they see each other again.
In a bizarre coincidence, when driving through his old stomping grounds, Gary crashes into a truck in the midst of a blizzard - Abe's truck. At this point, it takes a full 12% of the book to move from the crash to Abe and Gary finally getting to shelter. And, the plot line slows to a crawl, as the remainder of the story involves Gary needing to go to Las Vegas to fulfill his lover/employer Peter's final wishes.
Ultimately, if I'm to care about the characters in a story, I want a sense of what makes the characters tick, what they value, what they desire. It is difficult to care about Gary and Abe because we never get to know them as young men, and when they reunite 11 years later, there are huge gaps in their histories. For example, Peter and Gary had a D/s agreement where Gary gave complete control to Peter, yet we never get any concrete examples of what that entailed. Abe's life in the interim years is equally vague. Although the ending gives Gary and Abe a HEA, the short epilogue (an undetermined amount of time later) doesn't really add anything to the story.
Sorry - with a one-note plot, very few secondary characters other than Abe and Gary and a slow pace, this book just doesn't do it for me.
I received an ARC from Riptide Publishing, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Visit my new blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews
In a bizarre coincidence, when driving through his old stomping grounds, Gary crashes into a truck in the midst of a blizzard - Abe's truck. At this point, it takes a full 12% of the book to move from the crash to Abe and Gary finally getting to shelter. And, the plot line slows to a crawl, as the remainder of the story involves Gary needing to go to Las Vegas to fulfill his lover/employer Peter's final wishes.
Ultimately, if I'm to care about the characters in a story, I want a sense of what makes the characters tick, what they value, what they desire. It is difficult to care about Gary and Abe because we never get to know them as young men, and when they reunite 11 years later, there are huge gaps in their histories. For example, Peter and Gary had a D/s agreement where Gary gave complete control to Peter, yet we never get any concrete examples of what that entailed. Abe's life in the interim years is equally vague. Although the ending gives Gary and Abe a HEA, the short epilogue (an undetermined amount of time later) doesn't really add anything to the story.
Sorry - with a one-note plot, very few secondary characters other than Abe and Gary and a slow pace, this book just doesn't do it for me.
I received an ARC from Riptide Publishing, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Visit my new blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews
April 24, 2016
***Reread - two and a half years later and my thoughts are exactly the same.
Jane Davitt is one of my autobuys, but for some reason I had never heard of this book. If I'd relied on reviews, I might never had read it. Which would have been a shame, as I love her other books and this one worked for me.
The characters and the relationship aren't conventional. They have their flaws, but I found that refreshing rather than off-putting. Perhaps it helps that I don't rate books on whether characters live up to certain ideals of how "nice" they are.
To me, consistency of past, purpose and motivation are more important. Are they true to themselves? Why are they mean/snarky? Are they reliable narrators? Do they have positive self images? If not, why not?
This story seems to deliberately flout the expected, conventional reactions. Where most romances would have had the characters react a certain way in a situation, these two ornery characters do the opposite.
A good example is the first sex scene once they get back together. One outcome is threatened as a dare, there are the expected reactions but in the end that's exactly what happened. Some people might not find the scene "romantic" but picturing what happened, I found it pretty hot.
I felt this twisting away from romantic cliches made the story more realistic. When having a hissy fit despite being in physical danger, Gary tells Abe, his rescuer, to drive away and leave him alone. He does.
And take the scene where Gary finally works out what happened after they'd been sprung by the football coach while making out in the locker room. All his preconceptions and expectations about the consequences are turned on their head. An anti climax.
There is a lot of bluffing going on as befits a story about gambling. Not showing what the cards are. Or stating what they have and the other not sure whether to believe them or not. There is folding unexpectedly when the assumption is made that the hand is unplayable, only to find later that the other player had the equivalent of a low pair. These allusions are never made in the story, but they occured to me after I read it.
The most important motivator to me was Gary's upbringing. The struggles he'd faced as an only child with a distant mother and dead father. "I can wash up but I don't want to."
Writing to me is a logical process. Put character A with their pasts together with character B and his past. Have certain circumstances happen. Ask myself as a reader: Does the next step seem logical? If yes, then I'm happy. These two acknowledge their pasts, their attraction but are always realistic about the way they see the cards falling.
I liked the freshness of that deliberate decision not to be a storybook romance. Especially because of Jane's skill as a wordsmith.
If you want same old/same old don't read it. If you want "different" try it.
The ratings and reviews are a good example of the dangers of doing that when writing for the mm romance market, but like "Hourglass" I'll probably be quoting this story as a good example of ways authors can push boundaries. And the critical reception they can receive from doing that.
Jane Davitt is one of my autobuys, but for some reason I had never heard of this book. If I'd relied on reviews, I might never had read it. Which would have been a shame, as I love her other books and this one worked for me.
The characters and the relationship aren't conventional. They have their flaws, but I found that refreshing rather than off-putting. Perhaps it helps that I don't rate books on whether characters live up to certain ideals of how "nice" they are.
To me, consistency of past, purpose and motivation are more important. Are they true to themselves? Why are they mean/snarky? Are they reliable narrators? Do they have positive self images? If not, why not?
This story seems to deliberately flout the expected, conventional reactions. Where most romances would have had the characters react a certain way in a situation, these two ornery characters do the opposite.
A good example is the first sex scene once they get back together. One outcome is threatened as a dare, there are the expected reactions but in the end that's exactly what happened. Some people might not find the scene "romantic" but picturing what happened, I found it pretty hot.
I felt this twisting away from romantic cliches made the story more realistic. When having a hissy fit despite being in physical danger, Gary tells Abe, his rescuer, to drive away and leave him alone. He does.
And take the scene where Gary finally works out what happened after they'd been sprung by the football coach while making out in the locker room. All his preconceptions and expectations about the consequences are turned on their head. An anti climax.
There is a lot of bluffing going on as befits a story about gambling. Not showing what the cards are. Or stating what they have and the other not sure whether to believe them or not. There is folding unexpectedly when the assumption is made that the hand is unplayable, only to find later that the other player had the equivalent of a low pair. These allusions are never made in the story, but they occured to me after I read it.
The most important motivator to me was Gary's upbringing. The struggles he'd faced as an only child with a distant mother and dead father. "I can wash up but I don't want to."
Writing to me is a logical process. Put character A with their pasts together with character B and his past. Have certain circumstances happen. Ask myself as a reader: Does the next step seem logical? If yes, then I'm happy. These two acknowledge their pasts, their attraction but are always realistic about the way they see the cards falling.
I liked the freshness of that deliberate decision not to be a storybook romance. Especially because of Jane's skill as a wordsmith.
If you want same old/same old don't read it. If you want "different" try it.
The ratings and reviews are a good example of the dangers of doing that when writing for the mm romance market, but like "Hourglass" I'll probably be quoting this story as a good example of ways authors can push boundaries. And the critical reception they can receive from doing that.
March 6, 2017
3.5 stars for this well written second chance romance. I'm rounding up for the perfection of the editing. It's so easy to read a story paced well with smooth transitions and no jarring typos.
This is a character driven plot. We meet boyhood friends Abe and Gary. They come out to each other late in high school. Abe admits he's in love with Gary and they enjoy almost a year of sweet, exciting experimentation.
They live in a small, narrow minded town, so when they are caught in Flagrante Delicto in the school's locker room, Gary panics. That same night, Gary packs his bag and hops on a bus leaving a crying Abe behind.
Fate brings them back together 11 years later to fix their unresolved breakup.
There are many humourous parts in this story. Their meet up being the first LOL moment. Later, funny quips in dialogue prevented the story from getting stuck in a quagmire of emotions. There is no doubt that the situation called for some rollercoaster emotions from the characters. We see each of them struggling with the reunion and the spark between them that never went out. Both men are slightly on the kinky side and this adds spice to the sex scenes. The scenes were tasteful and not OTT.
I found Gary to be a little self-centred and Abe a bit of a pushover with a lack of ambition. I can't say I fell in love with either character. I'm not a judgy person so their choices while they were apart only marginally raised one of my eyebrows. I had the reveal figured out pretty much from the get go. So no surprise for me there other than my surprise that the characters had not figured it out themselves.
The last major scene didn't work for me. I didn't believe the attorney character and thought the drama of the scene was over the top. All characters overreacting and under reacting to the situation.
The epilogue left me thinking the men were on precarious ground for their future stability. But, that's just me and my personal outlook on life. It did fit in well with the story and characters stayed true to their personalities.
I definitely recommend this book. It's low angst, second-chance happenstance that flows beautifully from first page to last.
ARC kindly provided by Riptide Publishing via NetGalley.
This is a character driven plot. We meet boyhood friends Abe and Gary. They come out to each other late in high school. Abe admits he's in love with Gary and they enjoy almost a year of sweet, exciting experimentation.
They live in a small, narrow minded town, so when they are caught in Flagrante Delicto in the school's locker room, Gary panics. That same night, Gary packs his bag and hops on a bus leaving a crying Abe behind.
Fate brings them back together 11 years later to fix their unresolved breakup.
There are many humourous parts in this story. Their meet up being the first LOL moment. Later, funny quips in dialogue prevented the story from getting stuck in a quagmire of emotions. There is no doubt that the situation called for some rollercoaster emotions from the characters. We see each of them struggling with the reunion and the spark between them that never went out. Both men are slightly on the kinky side and this adds spice to the sex scenes. The scenes were tasteful and not OTT.
I found Gary to be a little self-centred and Abe a bit of a pushover with a lack of ambition. I can't say I fell in love with either character. I'm not a judgy person so their choices while they were apart only marginally raised one of my eyebrows. I had the reveal figured out pretty much from the get go. So no surprise for me there other than my surprise that the characters had not figured it out themselves.
The last major scene didn't work for me. I didn't believe the attorney character and thought the drama of the scene was over the top. All characters overreacting and under reacting to the situation.
The epilogue left me thinking the men were on precarious ground for their future stability. But, that's just me and my personal outlook on life. It did fit in well with the story and characters stayed true to their personalities.
I definitely recommend this book. It's low angst, second-chance happenstance that flows beautifully from first page to last.
ARC kindly provided by Riptide Publishing via NetGalley.
July 17, 2016
Gambling on Loves opens with teenage Gary and Abe the summer before their senior year of high school. Gary has known for a while that he’s gay. He is beyond attracted to Abe and wants his best friend who he believes is straight. Abe has just figured out that he’s really not into the girls that he’s been dating and who he truly wants is Gary. This begins their brief relationship of just eight months. It’s this closeted high school relationship that blows up when they are caught doing something on campus that they should have done elsewhere. Gary knows how his mother feels about his sexuality and he truly believes his only option is to get out town. Gary does just that he leaves and doesn’t come back.
There’s a secondary character here that you’re going to hate just as much as Abe does. Peter is the older, extremely wealthy man that has kept Gary as a pet for the last five years. Gary and Peter had a very intense relationship that centers on control. It worked for Gary and Peter. Abe doesn’t like anything Gary has to say about Peter and I really can’t blame him because so much about Peter seems cruel. Here’s the thing though, Gary and Abe would never have bumped into each other if it wasn’t for Gary fulfilling Peter’s one last twisty request. The thing that angers Abe (and me) is that Peter is still playing games with Gary from beyond the grave.
Gary likes games. Gary really likes kinky bedroom games. Gary likes the Abe that wants to play those kinky bedroom games. This isn’t one of those BDSM books where it’s all about being tied up and denied and having to beg. There is definitely a kinky game in play though. It’s flavored with dominance, submission, and a lot of control. It works for Abe and Gary and it allows them to get to know one another again after the eleven years they’ve spent apart. Gary wasn’t easy for me to like. I still wanted him to get his happily ever after though.
It felt to me that Abe never really fell out of love with Gary. Abe wanted Gary back from the moment he left. Abe is sweet and caring and would do anything for Gary. Abe’s approach is just different that everything that Gary is used to so it’s not an easy beginning. Abe is optimistic and doesn’t give up. He knows that this is his only chance to win Gary back. This was what I loved about this story. Abe being an honest and good man, essentially being himself and how it effects everything that Gary does or thinks. It makes Gary a little easier to get along with.
There’s a secondary character here that you’re going to hate just as much as Abe does. Peter is the older, extremely wealthy man that has kept Gary as a pet for the last five years. Gary and Peter had a very intense relationship that centers on control. It worked for Gary and Peter. Abe doesn’t like anything Gary has to say about Peter and I really can’t blame him because so much about Peter seems cruel. Here’s the thing though, Gary and Abe would never have bumped into each other if it wasn’t for Gary fulfilling Peter’s one last twisty request. The thing that angers Abe (and me) is that Peter is still playing games with Gary from beyond the grave.
Gary likes games. Gary really likes kinky bedroom games. Gary likes the Abe that wants to play those kinky bedroom games. This isn’t one of those BDSM books where it’s all about being tied up and denied and having to beg. There is definitely a kinky game in play though. It’s flavored with dominance, submission, and a lot of control. It works for Abe and Gary and it allows them to get to know one another again after the eleven years they’ve spent apart. Gary wasn’t easy for me to like. I still wanted him to get his happily ever after though.
It felt to me that Abe never really fell out of love with Gary. Abe wanted Gary back from the moment he left. Abe is sweet and caring and would do anything for Gary. Abe’s approach is just different that everything that Gary is used to so it’s not an easy beginning. Abe is optimistic and doesn’t give up. He knows that this is his only chance to win Gary back. This was what I loved about this story. Abe being an honest and good man, essentially being himself and how it effects everything that Gary does or thinks. It makes Gary a little easier to get along with.
October 26, 2011
Good, slightly kinky m/m romance about two guys who fell in love with other in high school. When they were caught kissing in the locker room, one of them left town and didn't return until 11 years later. He's very different and he doesn't want to stay... but the one who stayed doesn't want to leave. While I'm a fan of Jane Davitt's work (particularly that written with Alexa Snow), this book never fully came together for me - I couldn't get invested in the characters or the story.
March 7, 2012
Jane Davitt is one of the those authors I can trust to write intelligent prose, which is why I don’t usually have to think to hard about buying one of her books. Unfortunately, it takes more than a strong grasp of language to make a great story.
The book opens in 1998 with best friends Abe and Gary as teenagers. We learn of their close friendship that suffers slightly when Abe realizes Gary is attracted to him, but that soon shifts when Abe finally confesses he’s gay, too, and in love with Gary. A puppy love, in the closet, relationship develops, but one day, the two boys are caught in the locker room kissing by Abe’s coach. Terrified about what’s going to happen to them as gay in their small town, Gary runs away, leaving behind a confused Abe when Abe refuses to come with him. Cut forward eleven years, and Gary is just a few miles away from his home town, on his way to do one last thing for his lover/employer who just died. He underestimates the storm he’s driving through, and ends up getting into an accident with a truck. The truck driver is Abe, who was on his way home, and after the initial shock of seeing each other and a couple arguments, they work together to get to the safety of Abe’s house. The pair end up snowed in together for a few days, during which time they have to come to grips with the resentment and residual feelings between them.
The prologue is appropriately gripping and entertaining, with likeable, believable teenagers discovering that first thrill of love. It backslides a little with the jump forward in time, because the twenty-nine year-old Gary is clearly not the same as the teenaged Gary, and the effect is jarring. It seemed to even out, however, and I was excited when Abe came onto the scene. I was looking forward to seeing these two iron out their differences.
However, that doesn’t happen for a long time. More than half the book is given over to this prologue and the first twenty-four hours they spend together. A lot has to happen in that time, I know, but it created a telescope effect, with far too much intense time spent on dragging out their initial conflict, then not nearly enough time spent on the days that came afterward. Once they get clear of the snow, the most conflict we get is from one or the both of them saying the wrong thing to the other, issues that get resolved too quickly in relation to the pace set in the first half of the story. That schism interrupts the flow, and makes it feel like you’re reading two different books, where the characters only vaguely resemble each other. Ultimately, it’s very frustrating, because Gary ends up proving uneven as a result. His prickly behavior lacks enough context most of the time to make the reader empathize with him. Instead, all feeling ends up getting aimed at Abe, who already has the bonus of being the wronged party in this by being the one left behind.
That imbalance typifies the story’s biggest weakness. While the sex scenes are usually hot, with some mild D/s thrown in as Gary finally gets to be dominant and Abe learns to better accept his submissive sexual side, everything around it lacks the cohesion to glue it all together. It’s not helped that the ending is telegraphed early on, easy to predict for anybody paying attention. The solid prose just isn’t enough in this case.
The book opens in 1998 with best friends Abe and Gary as teenagers. We learn of their close friendship that suffers slightly when Abe realizes Gary is attracted to him, but that soon shifts when Abe finally confesses he’s gay, too, and in love with Gary. A puppy love, in the closet, relationship develops, but one day, the two boys are caught in the locker room kissing by Abe’s coach. Terrified about what’s going to happen to them as gay in their small town, Gary runs away, leaving behind a confused Abe when Abe refuses to come with him. Cut forward eleven years, and Gary is just a few miles away from his home town, on his way to do one last thing for his lover/employer who just died. He underestimates the storm he’s driving through, and ends up getting into an accident with a truck. The truck driver is Abe, who was on his way home, and after the initial shock of seeing each other and a couple arguments, they work together to get to the safety of Abe’s house. The pair end up snowed in together for a few days, during which time they have to come to grips with the resentment and residual feelings between them.
The prologue is appropriately gripping and entertaining, with likeable, believable teenagers discovering that first thrill of love. It backslides a little with the jump forward in time, because the twenty-nine year-old Gary is clearly not the same as the teenaged Gary, and the effect is jarring. It seemed to even out, however, and I was excited when Abe came onto the scene. I was looking forward to seeing these two iron out their differences.
However, that doesn’t happen for a long time. More than half the book is given over to this prologue and the first twenty-four hours they spend together. A lot has to happen in that time, I know, but it created a telescope effect, with far too much intense time spent on dragging out their initial conflict, then not nearly enough time spent on the days that came afterward. Once they get clear of the snow, the most conflict we get is from one or the both of them saying the wrong thing to the other, issues that get resolved too quickly in relation to the pace set in the first half of the story. That schism interrupts the flow, and makes it feel like you’re reading two different books, where the characters only vaguely resemble each other. Ultimately, it’s very frustrating, because Gary ends up proving uneven as a result. His prickly behavior lacks enough context most of the time to make the reader empathize with him. Instead, all feeling ends up getting aimed at Abe, who already has the bonus of being the wronged party in this by being the one left behind.
That imbalance typifies the story’s biggest weakness. While the sex scenes are usually hot, with some mild D/s thrown in as Gary finally gets to be dominant and Abe learns to better accept his submissive sexual side, everything around it lacks the cohesion to glue it all together. It’s not helped that the ending is telegraphed early on, easy to predict for anybody paying attention. The solid prose just isn’t enough in this case.
September 20, 2016
Wow, this book really pulled that rollercoaster out hard! This was my first Jane Davitt read and I must say, I'm quite impressed.
Not only was the plot phenomenal (and there were BDSM elements, I'm in heaven), but the language and detailed writing just brought this book to life! I was immediately fascinated by the strong characters and bold attitude!
These characters were almost overwhelmingly complex. They were so real and at times, made unexplainable choices and said unexpected things. Davitt writes characters that are difficult to understand, but not in a way that hinders the story. I loved that I didn't know what was going to be coming out of Gary's mouth next. He was a little bit of a (sophisticated, perhaps self-centered) wild card, and he literally pulled me through the pages of this novel.
And his character background was... intense, to say the least.
I can't count the number of times that I understood why he took certain courses of action (and perhaps I would have done the same thing) but kept finding myself disapproving of those choices, and it was such a mind game in my own head just trying to figure out this character. I loved it.
And Abe! Now he was the true gem of this story!
And oh, he was! Despite the push and pull I got with this character, he always seemed genuine and though I sometimes doubted whether or not he actually liked Gary, I never once questioned whether he loved him.
These two together were like fire meets ice. They switched between hot and cold so fast that it was hard to keep up but it was interesting, and it gave this book an element of gritty vulnerability that you just don't get with the traditional scripted dialogue.
This book is so completely not what I thought I was getting myself into when I added it to my to-read shelf. It was better! I wouldn't hesitate to throw this book at a friend to read or recommend it! Welcome to my favorite authors list, Jane Davitt! I can't wait to see what else you throw our way!
Reviewed by Jordan at Alpha Book Club.
Disclaimer: This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are my own and not influenced by the author or the publisher in any way.
Not only was the plot phenomenal (and there were BDSM elements, I'm in heaven), but the language and detailed writing just brought this book to life! I was immediately fascinated by the strong characters and bold attitude!
These characters were almost overwhelmingly complex. They were so real and at times, made unexplainable choices and said unexpected things. Davitt writes characters that are difficult to understand, but not in a way that hinders the story. I loved that I didn't know what was going to be coming out of Gary's mouth next. He was a little bit of a (sophisticated, perhaps self-centered) wild card, and he literally pulled me through the pages of this novel.
Not his style–once he'd gotten to the point where he could have a preference, he went for minimalism in theory and clutter in reality.
And his character background was... intense, to say the least.
You've let me be in charge of you for the last five years. Allowed me to dictate more than letters to you. I don't see why my death should change that immediately, do you? Drive. And take your time.
I can't count the number of times that I understood why he took certain courses of action (and perhaps I would have done the same thing) but kept finding myself disapproving of those choices, and it was such a mind game in my own head just trying to figure out this character. I loved it.
And Abe! Now he was the true gem of this story!
Abe would be so fucking easy to fall in love with.
And oh, he was! Despite the push and pull I got with this character, he always seemed genuine and though I sometimes doubted whether or not he actually liked Gary, I never once questioned whether he loved him.
These two together were like fire meets ice. They switched between hot and cold so fast that it was hard to keep up but it was interesting, and it gave this book an element of gritty vulnerability that you just don't get with the traditional scripted dialogue.
This book is so completely not what I thought I was getting myself into when I added it to my to-read shelf. It was better! I wouldn't hesitate to throw this book at a friend to read or recommend it! Welcome to my favorite authors list, Jane Davitt! I can't wait to see what else you throw our way!
Reviewed by Jordan at Alpha Book Club.
Disclaimer: This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are my own and not influenced by the author or the publisher in any way.
September 9, 2020
I was all over the place with book. It was really hard for me to rate.
Pros. It’s a great story about two teenagers in love who get caught by their high school coach having sex in the locker room. Gary runs away and they don’t see each other for 11 years. The last fourth of the book was great.
Cons. Too much rambling descriptions of everything. I could care less what the laundry room looks like. Too much inner monologue and too much fighting. I couldn’t stand Gary for most of the book. Gary was mean and cruel. He was the one who insisted on the blow job in the locker room. Then blamed Abe for what he said after they got caught. He tried to punish Abe over and over when he was the one who ran away. Most of the time the sex felt like punishment. It was not a turn on it was upsetting. It improved towards the end.
This should have been at least a 4 star read. I love Jane Davitt and think she’s a great writer. I just couldn’t get past the cons.
Pros. It’s a great story about two teenagers in love who get caught by their high school coach having sex in the locker room. Gary runs away and they don’t see each other for 11 years. The last fourth of the book was great.
Cons. Too much rambling descriptions of everything. I could care less what the laundry room looks like. Too much inner monologue and too much fighting. I couldn’t stand Gary for most of the book. Gary was mean and cruel. He was the one who insisted on the blow job in the locker room. Then blamed Abe for what he said after they got caught. He tried to punish Abe over and over when he was the one who ran away. Most of the time the sex felt like punishment. It was not a turn on it was upsetting. It improved towards the end.
This should have been at least a 4 star read. I love Jane Davitt and think she’s a great writer. I just couldn’t get past the cons.
October 4, 2016
A Joyfully Jay review.
3.75 stars
Okay, this lovers reunited romance is not without hitches. But the guys manage to hate-sex it out for a week until it’s safe enough to travel—and Abe insists in going along on this morbid task. By then, their attraction is pretty high, and they are coupling well—but what’s next? How long will they make it when Gary refuses to live in Smallsville, and Abe has no big city prospects or connections?
The back and forth here became a little tiresome. Abe was insensitive about Gary’s connection with Peter, and Gary was mostly just plain insensitive. They rub each other raw, and then kiss it better, which sometimes felt forced. Their trip to Vegas was fraught with issues, between the demands of Peter’s will, and the emotional toll of his memory. I did like how Abe assumed that protector role for Gary and was a complete rock when Gary was caught in his grief. I think that experience solidified their tenuous connection for Gary, who always seemed to have one foot out the door. I also liked that he recognized and acknowledged his foolishness back when he was a kid, and how his actions hurt both Abe and himself.
Ultimately, there’s lots of sexytimes, and a sweeter ending with surprises, new adventures, and a solid love described in the epilogue.
Read Veronica’s review in its entirety here.
3.75 stars
Okay, this lovers reunited romance is not without hitches. But the guys manage to hate-sex it out for a week until it’s safe enough to travel—and Abe insists in going along on this morbid task. By then, their attraction is pretty high, and they are coupling well—but what’s next? How long will they make it when Gary refuses to live in Smallsville, and Abe has no big city prospects or connections?
The back and forth here became a little tiresome. Abe was insensitive about Gary’s connection with Peter, and Gary was mostly just plain insensitive. They rub each other raw, and then kiss it better, which sometimes felt forced. Their trip to Vegas was fraught with issues, between the demands of Peter’s will, and the emotional toll of his memory. I did like how Abe assumed that protector role for Gary and was a complete rock when Gary was caught in his grief. I think that experience solidified their tenuous connection for Gary, who always seemed to have one foot out the door. I also liked that he recognized and acknowledged his foolishness back when he was a kid, and how his actions hurt both Abe and himself.
Ultimately, there’s lots of sexytimes, and a sweeter ending with surprises, new adventures, and a solid love described in the epilogue.
Read Veronica’s review in its entirety here.
July 24, 2016
ARC provided by the publisher through Net Galley in exchange for an impartial review.
Gary and Abe were best friends and then lovers in their last year of high school, but when Abe’s coach caught Gary on his knees before Abe in the locker room, Gary panicked and ran—all the way out of town. Though short notice, before he went, he asked Abe to go with him. He also told his mom he was gay. It appeared that there was nothing left for him in that town but humiliation, and Abe didn’t seem to want to go along, so Gary bolted.
Eleven years later, and a much wiser man, so he thinks, Gary is fulfilling the wishes of his dead lover by heading to Las Vegas to carry out his last wishes. Always obedient to Peter, his benefactor, employer, and lover, Gary knows he can take his time, so he flips his lucky quarter and decides to take the back roads that will lead him past his hometown for a nostalgic trip down memory lane. But the lucky coin neglected to warn him of the fierce snowstorm that obliterates the roads, and he admits he’s hopelessly lost just before a big truck plows into him on a rural lane.
Lucky or unlucky for him, the truck is driven by Abe, an older, wiser, and more muscular version of the Abe he’s never forgotten. What follows is more than just a trip down memory lane as both the storm and Abe rage, and Gary is forced to admit some things that he’d oh so conveniently forgotten. Like how much he loved Abe and how stupid he was to leave without thinking it through eleven years before. But he also refuses to regret his experiences and absolutely refuses to forget Peter and the need to get to Vegas.
The push-pull of their relationship as he and Abe both try to come to terms with a growing attraction was entertaining. As was the dominant personality Gary seemed to develop—one that was not allowed to blossom during his previous relationship with Peter. Abe seems as impressed with Gary’s maturity as he is with his beauty and intelligence, but he’s equally heartbroken as he fears Peter and his “ridiculous” task is going to take Gary away again—and the thought of that happening is crippling to Abe.
What happens when Abe accompanies Gary to Vegas is a surprise and would be a spoiler so won’t be mentioned in this review, but it’s easy to say that what happens firms Gary’s decision in regard to both his emotions and his respect for Abe. And Abe comes to see an unexpected, yet genuine, side of Gary he didn’t know existed.
The story primarily featured only these two characters until they meet Peter’s attorney in Vegas, so there was plenty of time to get to know them. My opinion of Gary’s character evolved as the story moved along. At first, I thought he seemed to be a victim—immature and whiny, but eventually I saw him as a strong man, truly caring for Peter and fully committed to keeping to Peter’s wishes for his task due to his love and respect for the man. His early frazzled emotional state hid a stronger person than I originally saw, and his level of commitment to Peter’s wishes carried so much maturity, my view of his character changed for the better.
I was not so enamored with Abe. Throughout most of the story, Abe internalized—a lot—and his anger toward Gary seemed to fluctuate frequently, sometimes seeming out of proportion to what Gary did in the past, so I could never quite support Abe’s view of their relationship—until Vegas. At that point, I recognized that I was rooting for both of these guys and was not disappointed in how the story ended.
Overall, I truly enjoyed the book and would recommend it to those who look for stories of lovers reunited, or those who like finding romance in unexpected places.
Gary and Abe were best friends and then lovers in their last year of high school, but when Abe’s coach caught Gary on his knees before Abe in the locker room, Gary panicked and ran—all the way out of town. Though short notice, before he went, he asked Abe to go with him. He also told his mom he was gay. It appeared that there was nothing left for him in that town but humiliation, and Abe didn’t seem to want to go along, so Gary bolted.
Eleven years later, and a much wiser man, so he thinks, Gary is fulfilling the wishes of his dead lover by heading to Las Vegas to carry out his last wishes. Always obedient to Peter, his benefactor, employer, and lover, Gary knows he can take his time, so he flips his lucky quarter and decides to take the back roads that will lead him past his hometown for a nostalgic trip down memory lane. But the lucky coin neglected to warn him of the fierce snowstorm that obliterates the roads, and he admits he’s hopelessly lost just before a big truck plows into him on a rural lane.
Lucky or unlucky for him, the truck is driven by Abe, an older, wiser, and more muscular version of the Abe he’s never forgotten. What follows is more than just a trip down memory lane as both the storm and Abe rage, and Gary is forced to admit some things that he’d oh so conveniently forgotten. Like how much he loved Abe and how stupid he was to leave without thinking it through eleven years before. But he also refuses to regret his experiences and absolutely refuses to forget Peter and the need to get to Vegas.
The push-pull of their relationship as he and Abe both try to come to terms with a growing attraction was entertaining. As was the dominant personality Gary seemed to develop—one that was not allowed to blossom during his previous relationship with Peter. Abe seems as impressed with Gary’s maturity as he is with his beauty and intelligence, but he’s equally heartbroken as he fears Peter and his “ridiculous” task is going to take Gary away again—and the thought of that happening is crippling to Abe.
What happens when Abe accompanies Gary to Vegas is a surprise and would be a spoiler so won’t be mentioned in this review, but it’s easy to say that what happens firms Gary’s decision in regard to both his emotions and his respect for Abe. And Abe comes to see an unexpected, yet genuine, side of Gary he didn’t know existed.
The story primarily featured only these two characters until they meet Peter’s attorney in Vegas, so there was plenty of time to get to know them. My opinion of Gary’s character evolved as the story moved along. At first, I thought he seemed to be a victim—immature and whiny, but eventually I saw him as a strong man, truly caring for Peter and fully committed to keeping to Peter’s wishes for his task due to his love and respect for the man. His early frazzled emotional state hid a stronger person than I originally saw, and his level of commitment to Peter’s wishes carried so much maturity, my view of his character changed for the better.
I was not so enamored with Abe. Throughout most of the story, Abe internalized—a lot—and his anger toward Gary seemed to fluctuate frequently, sometimes seeming out of proportion to what Gary did in the past, so I could never quite support Abe’s view of their relationship—until Vegas. At that point, I recognized that I was rooting for both of these guys and was not disappointed in how the story ended.
Overall, I truly enjoyed the book and would recommend it to those who look for stories of lovers reunited, or those who like finding romance in unexpected places.
October 3, 2016
This review was written for Joyfully Jay Reviews and can be found here: http://joyfullyjay.com/2016/10/review...
3.75 Stars.
Abe and Gary have known each other since childhood. They grew up in a small Montana town, and Abe, bigger faster and stronger than Gary, was a protector from the beginning. As they grew, Gary confessed his sexuality to Abe—not that people didn’t suspect—but, surprisingly, Abe confesses that he’s totally gone for Gary, too. They had a clandestine love all of senior year, and Gary hoped he and Abe would escape their small town for a bigger life they could live openly. Then, the coach caught them having it off in the locker room, and Gary fled.
Eleven years have passed. Gary spent the past five of it as a submissive to a much older man, Peter, who came out late in life and wanted a boy toy to play with before his health completely failed. To fulfill Peter’s dying wish, Gary must drive from Seattle to Vegas, and make a $10,000 bet on roulette. He’s to play until the money’s gone, and walk away. Penniless. On the trip, Gary gets caught in a blizzard just outside his hometown, and his beater car runs into a truck. Abe’s truck.
These two don’t have a stellar reunion. It was unpleasant, actually, what with the near frostbite and bleeding head wounds. But they do head back to the cabin Abe house sits and reconnect. Gary and Abe are both rather prickly. Abe has long felt wounded from Gary’s abandonment, and he can’t quite understand his relationship with Peter. Mostly, he doesn’t want to, because it’s weird, to him, that a sexy young man would allow a sugar daddy to control his life. And that pissed Gary off.
Okay, this lovers reunited romance is not without hitches. But the guys manage to hate-sex it out for a week until it’s safe enough to travel—and Abe insists in going along on this morbid task. By then, their attraction is pretty high, and they are coupling well—but what’s next? How long will they make it when Gary refuses to live in Smallsville, and Abe has no big city prospects or connections?
The back and forth here became a little tiresome. Abe was insensitive about Gary’s connection with Peter, and Gary was mostly just plain insensitive. They rub each other raw, and then kiss it better, which sometimes felt forced. Their trip to Vegas was fraught with issues, between the demands of Peter’s will, and the emotional toll of his memory. I did like how Abe assumed that protector role for Gary and was a complete rock when Gary was caught in his grief. I think that experience solidified their tenuous connection for Gary, who always seemed to have one foot out the door. I also liked that he recognized and acknowledged his foolishness back when he was a kid, and how his actions hurt both Abe and himself.
Ultimately, there’s lots of sexytimes, and a sweeter ending with surprises, new adventures, and a solid love described in the epilogue.
Note: The publisher notes this is a heavily-revised second edition; I’ve only read this version so I cannot comment on the updates except to say the book was well-written and lacking any glaring issues. I received a review copy via NetGalley.
3.75 Stars.
Abe and Gary have known each other since childhood. They grew up in a small Montana town, and Abe, bigger faster and stronger than Gary, was a protector from the beginning. As they grew, Gary confessed his sexuality to Abe—not that people didn’t suspect—but, surprisingly, Abe confesses that he’s totally gone for Gary, too. They had a clandestine love all of senior year, and Gary hoped he and Abe would escape their small town for a bigger life they could live openly. Then, the coach caught them having it off in the locker room, and Gary fled.
Eleven years have passed. Gary spent the past five of it as a submissive to a much older man, Peter, who came out late in life and wanted a boy toy to play with before his health completely failed. To fulfill Peter’s dying wish, Gary must drive from Seattle to Vegas, and make a $10,000 bet on roulette. He’s to play until the money’s gone, and walk away. Penniless. On the trip, Gary gets caught in a blizzard just outside his hometown, and his beater car runs into a truck. Abe’s truck.
These two don’t have a stellar reunion. It was unpleasant, actually, what with the near frostbite and bleeding head wounds. But they do head back to the cabin Abe house sits and reconnect. Gary and Abe are both rather prickly. Abe has long felt wounded from Gary’s abandonment, and he can’t quite understand his relationship with Peter. Mostly, he doesn’t want to, because it’s weird, to him, that a sexy young man would allow a sugar daddy to control his life. And that pissed Gary off.
Okay, this lovers reunited romance is not without hitches. But the guys manage to hate-sex it out for a week until it’s safe enough to travel—and Abe insists in going along on this morbid task. By then, their attraction is pretty high, and they are coupling well—but what’s next? How long will they make it when Gary refuses to live in Smallsville, and Abe has no big city prospects or connections?
The back and forth here became a little tiresome. Abe was insensitive about Gary’s connection with Peter, and Gary was mostly just plain insensitive. They rub each other raw, and then kiss it better, which sometimes felt forced. Their trip to Vegas was fraught with issues, between the demands of Peter’s will, and the emotional toll of his memory. I did like how Abe assumed that protector role for Gary and was a complete rock when Gary was caught in his grief. I think that experience solidified their tenuous connection for Gary, who always seemed to have one foot out the door. I also liked that he recognized and acknowledged his foolishness back when he was a kid, and how his actions hurt both Abe and himself.
Ultimately, there’s lots of sexytimes, and a sweeter ending with surprises, new adventures, and a solid love described in the epilogue.
Note: The publisher notes this is a heavily-revised second edition; I’ve only read this version so I cannot comment on the updates except to say the book was well-written and lacking any glaring issues. I received a review copy via NetGalley.
September 11, 2016
I was given a copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
Oh My Gawd - the angst! A chance meeting in a snowstorm brings former teenage lovers back together to wade through all the anger and bitter resentment they’ve both soaked themselves in for the past eleven years.
Neither Abe nor Gary does forgiveness well. Neither man can forgive himself or the other for the mistakes made as teenagers and it takes nearly half the book for them to actually tell each other what happened when they were kids. The result is a string of angry, recriminatory half-conversations and some equally angry sex.
Once Abe and Gary actually started talking, I realised that I didn’t particularly like either man. Gary’s long term D/s relationship felt opportunistic and calculated. The setup was too close to prostitution for my liking. He comes across as materialistic, self-centered and very immature. There is some self-awareness in this book - both characters mention that Gary isn’t terribly likeable - but I felt like I was still supposed to want to see him happy.
I think Abe is supposed to be more likeable, but he is a thirty year old man who has only held down odd jobs for his entire adult life - an adult who fears leaving the parents he effectively still lives with. Urgh. Both of these characters have effectively wasted their twenties and neither really works for me as a romantic leading man.
The plot of this story also felt odd. Gary is on a road trip planned by his dead partner as a memorial. In this context, the love story between Gary and Abe feels more than a little wrong, especially once Abe starts help Gary fulfill Peter’s last wishes. Peter is an even more unlikeable third character in this story and his presence continually intrudes on Gary and Abe’s story. I did enjoy the story in Vegas somewhat more than I did the claustrophobic days in the cabin.
There are some hot, rough sex scenes in this book. While I enjoyed the chemistry between Abe and Gary, I didn’t always enjoy the angry sex or the sex used to prove dominance. I need a few tender moments to believe in a relationship and I’m not sure either of these two men is capable of tender.
Oh My Gawd - the angst! A chance meeting in a snowstorm brings former teenage lovers back together to wade through all the anger and bitter resentment they’ve both soaked themselves in for the past eleven years.
Neither Abe nor Gary does forgiveness well. Neither man can forgive himself or the other for the mistakes made as teenagers and it takes nearly half the book for them to actually tell each other what happened when they were kids. The result is a string of angry, recriminatory half-conversations and some equally angry sex.
Once Abe and Gary actually started talking, I realised that I didn’t particularly like either man. Gary’s long term D/s relationship felt opportunistic and calculated. The setup was too close to prostitution for my liking. He comes across as materialistic, self-centered and very immature. There is some self-awareness in this book - both characters mention that Gary isn’t terribly likeable - but I felt like I was still supposed to want to see him happy.
I think Abe is supposed to be more likeable, but he is a thirty year old man who has only held down odd jobs for his entire adult life - an adult who fears leaving the parents he effectively still lives with. Urgh. Both of these characters have effectively wasted their twenties and neither really works for me as a romantic leading man.
The plot of this story also felt odd. Gary is on a road trip planned by his dead partner as a memorial. In this context, the love story between Gary and Abe feels more than a little wrong, especially once Abe starts help Gary fulfill Peter’s last wishes. Peter is an even more unlikeable third character in this story and his presence continually intrudes on Gary and Abe’s story. I did enjoy the story in Vegas somewhat more than I did the claustrophobic days in the cabin.
There are some hot, rough sex scenes in this book. While I enjoyed the chemistry between Abe and Gary, I didn’t always enjoy the angry sex or the sex used to prove dominance. I need a few tender moments to believe in a relationship and I’m not sure either of these two men is capable of tender.
July 11, 2016
2.5 stars
You know there's a problem when two days after you finished reading a book you can't even remember the names of the characters. *runs to refresh memory*
The blurb had me gaga over this book because I'm a sucker for two people who grew up together, were best friends and lovers and get a second chance at love years later. The beginning of the book was my favorite part, the high-school years when Gary (made me think of SpongeBob's snail the whole time) and Abe grow up as best friends, discover each other, experiment with their attraction, and end up in a very compromising situation while Gary is giving Abe a very hot blowjob in the locker room. Getting caught ruined their friendship and relationship and Gary takes off without looking back.
11 years later Gary is back, and a flip of a lucky coin puts Abe directly in his path....or rather Gary's car crashes directly into Abe's truck after a crazy spin caused by heavy snowfall. This is where things started going downhill fast... very fast! I felt like nothing really happened other than Abe and Gary bickering with each other and then eventually fucking each other, although don't even get me started on the strange dynamic their sexual relationship has.
There were no secondary characters other than Peter's (Gary's dead lover) attorney; Abe's friends that he talks about and talks on the phone with once don't count, at least not to me. This book got so boring, so fast! NOTHING happened and then it was the end! Even the way the book ended was expected, so there were really no surprises. By the time I got to the epilogue I was ready for the book to be over.
Even with the lack of action I probably would've stomached this book better have I been able to like Gary. Unfortunately Gary was a very unlikeable character, very selfish and bratty and totally a diva. I couldn't find anything to like about him, and his portrayal as a dominant in bed clashes with the years he spent as a submissive. It was hard for me to believe in Abe and Gary as a couple, so all the sex and the love declarations left me cold.
This book was not for me!
You know there's a problem when two days after you finished reading a book you can't even remember the names of the characters. *runs to refresh memory*
The blurb had me gaga over this book because I'm a sucker for two people who grew up together, were best friends and lovers and get a second chance at love years later. The beginning of the book was my favorite part, the high-school years when Gary (made me think of SpongeBob's snail the whole time) and Abe grow up as best friends, discover each other, experiment with their attraction, and end up in a very compromising situation while Gary is giving Abe a very hot blowjob in the locker room. Getting caught ruined their friendship and relationship and Gary takes off without looking back.
11 years later Gary is back, and a flip of a lucky coin puts Abe directly in his path....or rather Gary's car crashes directly into Abe's truck after a crazy spin caused by heavy snowfall. This is where things started going downhill fast... very fast! I felt like nothing really happened other than Abe and Gary bickering with each other and then eventually fucking each other, although don't even get me started on the strange dynamic their sexual relationship has.
There were no secondary characters other than Peter's (Gary's dead lover) attorney; Abe's friends that he talks about and talks on the phone with once don't count, at least not to me. This book got so boring, so fast! NOTHING happened and then it was the end! Even the way the book ended was expected, so there were really no surprises. By the time I got to the epilogue I was ready for the book to be over.
Even with the lack of action I probably would've stomached this book better have I been able to like Gary. Unfortunately Gary was a very unlikeable character, very selfish and bratty and totally a diva. I couldn't find anything to like about him, and his portrayal as a dominant in bed clashes with the years he spent as a submissive. It was hard for me to believe in Abe and Gary as a couple, so all the sex and the love declarations left me cold.
This book was not for me!
September 19, 2016
My Review:
This book starts when these two guys were in high school. From the age of 9, they were best friends. Gary had come out, but Abe never even hinted that he might be gay too...until their senior year. After that they had 8 months together, although they kept their relationship in the closet. But at that age, they weren't the smartest in the world and they got caught in the locker room at school. For Gary, his mom was very religious, so he came out to her and left, but Abe refused to go with him. Something that devastated him.
Then the book jumps ahead 11 years when Gary is driving across the country to follow his dead boyfriend's last wish. But part of that last wish was to take his time crossing the country, so Gary wandered closely to home in Montana, where he just happens to get caught in a snowstorm and runs into Abe...literally.
I enjoy books where the MC's get snowed in, so in that regard, this book really worked for me. I also love stories that are a second chance at love. It quickly becomes obvious that despite the last 11 years, neither of these guys ever got over what happened 11 years ago. Those feelings didn't go away...either the love or the hurt and sense of abandonment that both men felt. My only real complaint about the book though is when the whole story of what all happened 11 years ago. That should have been devastating to Gary, but I feel like the emotion of that scene didn't quite make it onto the page enough to make it as emotional as it could have been.
Although I really liked the story as a whole there were moments throughout the story where I just didn't understand why the MC's reacted as drastically as they did. Some of the reactions felt a little more dramatic and feminine based rather than how guys would really react. But who can really say when emotions are running this high and no one is settled in how they fit together? For me it was a minor blip that took me out of the story a few times, but it truly didn't affect my enjoyment of the story.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for an honest review.
This book starts when these two guys were in high school. From the age of 9, they were best friends. Gary had come out, but Abe never even hinted that he might be gay too...until their senior year. After that they had 8 months together, although they kept their relationship in the closet. But at that age, they weren't the smartest in the world and they got caught in the locker room at school. For Gary, his mom was very religious, so he came out to her and left, but Abe refused to go with him. Something that devastated him.
Then the book jumps ahead 11 years when Gary is driving across the country to follow his dead boyfriend's last wish. But part of that last wish was to take his time crossing the country, so Gary wandered closely to home in Montana, where he just happens to get caught in a snowstorm and runs into Abe...literally.
I enjoy books where the MC's get snowed in, so in that regard, this book really worked for me. I also love stories that are a second chance at love. It quickly becomes obvious that despite the last 11 years, neither of these guys ever got over what happened 11 years ago. Those feelings didn't go away...either the love or the hurt and sense of abandonment that both men felt. My only real complaint about the book though is when the whole story of what all happened 11 years ago. That should have been devastating to Gary, but I feel like the emotion of that scene didn't quite make it onto the page enough to make it as emotional as it could have been.
Although I really liked the story as a whole there were moments throughout the story where I just didn't understand why the MC's reacted as drastically as they did. Some of the reactions felt a little more dramatic and feminine based rather than how guys would really react. But who can really say when emotions are running this high and no one is settled in how they fit together? For me it was a minor blip that took me out of the story a few times, but it truly didn't affect my enjoyment of the story.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for an honest review.
September 19, 2016
Java Girl's review posted at Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
3.5 stars
Gambling on Love was an interesting read for me.The main characters, Gary and Abe, spent most of the book at odds with each other. This usually annoys me in a romance novel, and to a certain extent, it did. Failure to communicate, old hurts, misunderstandings-- all present and accounted for in this second chance at love story. For some reason I stuck with this book, even when I wasn't sure I liked either character very much. Gary is complicated. I didn't understand most of his life choices, they didn't make sense to me, given his dominant nature. Abe didn't understand Gary’s choices either, and it was a huge part of the ongoing conflict between the two men. On the other hand, it did inject a bit of realism into the story. This wasn't a case of long lost lovers reunited and suddenly all the old hurts and disappointments vanish into thin air. These two were forced to discuss their past relationship, the years they've spent apart, and future plans. While that almost always led to sniping and snide comments, I did feel like I had a fully developed picture of both Gary and Abe, but didn't feel a real connection to either character, although Abe was the more appealing of the two men. Maybe I liked him because he was less complicated, and he and I shared a confusion about Gary’s life and his motivation to fulfill his former lover’s last request. While Ms. Davitt did her best to convince me, that whole plot thread didn't ring true to me. While it was necessary to the furtherance of the plot, I just couldn't buy into it.
The affection and strong feelings between Gary and Abe were very believable, and are what saved the book for me. While I can't say I loved their story, I did enjoy Ms, Davitt’s writing style, and thought this story was different enough to hold my attention.
3.5 stars
Gambling on Love was an interesting read for me.The main characters, Gary and Abe, spent most of the book at odds with each other. This usually annoys me in a romance novel, and to a certain extent, it did. Failure to communicate, old hurts, misunderstandings-- all present and accounted for in this second chance at love story. For some reason I stuck with this book, even when I wasn't sure I liked either character very much. Gary is complicated. I didn't understand most of his life choices, they didn't make sense to me, given his dominant nature. Abe didn't understand Gary’s choices either, and it was a huge part of the ongoing conflict between the two men. On the other hand, it did inject a bit of realism into the story. This wasn't a case of long lost lovers reunited and suddenly all the old hurts and disappointments vanish into thin air. These two were forced to discuss their past relationship, the years they've spent apart, and future plans. While that almost always led to sniping and snide comments, I did feel like I had a fully developed picture of both Gary and Abe, but didn't feel a real connection to either character, although Abe was the more appealing of the two men. Maybe I liked him because he was less complicated, and he and I shared a confusion about Gary’s life and his motivation to fulfill his former lover’s last request. While Ms. Davitt did her best to convince me, that whole plot thread didn't ring true to me. While it was necessary to the furtherance of the plot, I just couldn't buy into it.
The affection and strong feelings between Gary and Abe were very believable, and are what saved the book for me. While I can't say I loved their story, I did enjoy Ms, Davitt’s writing style, and thought this story was different enough to hold my attention.
September 7, 2016
~I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads Review Team~
The prologue of this book had me falling in love with Abe and Gary aka Fox. I felt their connection and I couldn’t wait to read their story. I feel like the prologue and the book were written by two different people. I felt no connection to either character, and the story really had no substance. Fox didn’t want to share his past but wouldn’t stop talking about Peter. Abe wanted nothing more than to fill in the gaps and start over. The whole story was vague and we didn’t even have other characters to liven things up. Then the whole Vegas thing, ugh, don’t get me started. I was hoping the epilogue would have been good, but it was just as vague.
Characters: couldn’t connect with them
Sex: yes
Religious: no
Would I recommend to others: yes
More than one book in the series: no
Genre: M/M
Would I read more by this author: yes
~Wicked Reads Review Team~
The prologue of this book had me falling in love with Abe and Gary aka Fox. I felt their connection and I couldn’t wait to read their story. I feel like the prologue and the book were written by two different people. I felt no connection to either character, and the story really had no substance. Fox didn’t want to share his past but wouldn’t stop talking about Peter. Abe wanted nothing more than to fill in the gaps and start over. The whole story was vague and we didn’t even have other characters to liven things up. Then the whole Vegas thing, ugh, don’t get me started. I was hoping the epilogue would have been good, but it was just as vague.
Characters: couldn’t connect with them
Sex: yes
Religious: no
Would I recommend to others: yes
More than one book in the series: no
Genre: M/M
Would I read more by this author: yes
~Wicked Reads Review Team~
August 8, 2011
This story was all over the map for me. I didn't really care for Gary. He seemed self centered and shallow for most of the book. There were elements of BDSM through out the book, but not enough to really make it about that. I felt like Gary was using his aloofness to portray a Dom. Abe's submissive tendencies were hot and cold for me.
This was only 179 pages, yet it felt like it took forever to read it! It dragged in places and felt rushed in others. The references to Peter and who he was, were disturbing to me.
Because I really liked the beginning of the story, when Abe and Gary were teens, I will round up to 3 stars. This is really a 2.5 star read for me.
This was only 179 pages, yet it felt like it took forever to read it! It dragged in places and felt rushed in others. The references to Peter and who he was, were disturbing to me.
Because I really liked the beginning of the story, when Abe and Gary were teens, I will round up to 3 stars. This is really a 2.5 star read for me.
November 12, 2013
I like this author's books, but this was definitely my least favorite of them. The reunion premise was one I enjoy, but I'm not sure that I trust that Abe and Gary will be happy together. It seemed like things worked out for them too quickly and the end was abrupt. I wouldn't mind seeing a sequel where we could really see them adjusting to life together.
July 30, 2011
It kept me interested, but the dynamics of the relationship make me uncomfortable. I had a hard time believing in the two as a couple.
August 2, 2016
2.5 stars.
the problem is: where are the emotions in this story??????????????????????????????????????????
Review coming soon
the problem is: where are the emotions in this story??????????????????????????????????????????
Review coming soon
November 26, 2016
A solid 3.5 stars. Rounded up because the overall rating from other reviewers (based upon the first edition) doesn't accurately reflect the goodness of this book.
March 12, 2020
2.5 or 3 stars? M/M second chance romance. Not terrible but it didn’t really work for me. The sex didn’t do much for me (unusual for a Jane Davitt) and I didn’t feel connected to either MC. I didn’t care much if they reconciled - it ends with a hea but I personally don’t see them staying together.
November 17, 2016
Review can be read at It's About The Book
Abe and Gary (Fox to Abe, because he’s too smart for his good) had been best friends since they were in the fourth grade before they fell for each other and started a closeted relationship in their senior year. Growing up in the small town bordering Idaho and Montana didn’t make life easy for them. People had their suspicions about Gary, but Abe didn’t care if Fox was gay, but it took him a little longer to confess to Fox that not only was he gay as well, but that he was in love with his best friend. Together, they looked forward to a future where they could get out of their hometown and just be themselves and accepted. For eight wonderful months, they held onto that dream. Then they got caught by the coach indulging in shenanigans in the locker room and life took a drastic left turn. Gary’s distant mother makes it clear that she does not accept him being gay and there seems little reason to stay and face the consequences. After an offer to Abe to join him is refused, Fox runs and doesn’t look back.
Eleven years later, Gary’s path once again leads back to the place he escaped from. Life had taken him in unexpected directions in those ten years, but a toss of his lucky coin decided Fox’s route, and took him straight towards where he’d grown up instead of straight past it. Trying to outrun an oncoming snow storm sent him crashing into a second chance he’d never even contemplated he’d ever have. Literally crashed. An ice-slicked road sends Fox careening into a truck driven by none other than his first love, Abe. With the weather getting worse, and little prospect of it improving any time soon, Abe brings Fox back home. During the following week, proximity and lack of escape force Abe and Fox to confront their past and the feeling for each other that never really went away. Of course, nothing is ever that easy, with old hurts resurfacing along with the fierce attraction. So begins a bumpy ride to re-finding each other.
This story focuses almost exclusively on the two MCs as they explore their feelings and figure out what they might be to each other in the present. It’s a rollercoaster of ups and downs, but the story is still relatively low on angst. I didn’t particularly warm to Fox and I got a bit frustrated with Abe at times, but I found both characters really interesting, and that’s what worked so well for me in this story. Humour balanced out the push-pull of their relationship and made the book a fun read. The last part of the book felt a little over the top to be completely believable, but the author did a good job keeping the characters true to themselves even in unbelievable circumstances. Overall, I really enjoyed Gambling On Love. The writing is solid, the humour kept things light, their at times adversarial relationship was fun to read, and the characters and their story were intriguing.
Abe and Gary (Fox to Abe, because he’s too smart for his good) had been best friends since they were in the fourth grade before they fell for each other and started a closeted relationship in their senior year. Growing up in the small town bordering Idaho and Montana didn’t make life easy for them. People had their suspicions about Gary, but Abe didn’t care if Fox was gay, but it took him a little longer to confess to Fox that not only was he gay as well, but that he was in love with his best friend. Together, they looked forward to a future where they could get out of their hometown and just be themselves and accepted. For eight wonderful months, they held onto that dream. Then they got caught by the coach indulging in shenanigans in the locker room and life took a drastic left turn. Gary’s distant mother makes it clear that she does not accept him being gay and there seems little reason to stay and face the consequences. After an offer to Abe to join him is refused, Fox runs and doesn’t look back.
Eleven years later, Gary’s path once again leads back to the place he escaped from. Life had taken him in unexpected directions in those ten years, but a toss of his lucky coin decided Fox’s route, and took him straight towards where he’d grown up instead of straight past it. Trying to outrun an oncoming snow storm sent him crashing into a second chance he’d never even contemplated he’d ever have. Literally crashed. An ice-slicked road sends Fox careening into a truck driven by none other than his first love, Abe. With the weather getting worse, and little prospect of it improving any time soon, Abe brings Fox back home. During the following week, proximity and lack of escape force Abe and Fox to confront their past and the feeling for each other that never really went away. Of course, nothing is ever that easy, with old hurts resurfacing along with the fierce attraction. So begins a bumpy ride to re-finding each other.
This story focuses almost exclusively on the two MCs as they explore their feelings and figure out what they might be to each other in the present. It’s a rollercoaster of ups and downs, but the story is still relatively low on angst. I didn’t particularly warm to Fox and I got a bit frustrated with Abe at times, but I found both characters really interesting, and that’s what worked so well for me in this story. Humour balanced out the push-pull of their relationship and made the book a fun read. The last part of the book felt a little over the top to be completely believable, but the author did a good job keeping the characters true to themselves even in unbelievable circumstances. Overall, I really enjoyed Gambling On Love. The writing is solid, the humour kept things light, their at times adversarial relationship was fun to read, and the characters and their story were intriguing.
September 26, 2016
3 Hearts
I was a little torn with this story. There were parts I liked, parts I didn’t and I struggled connecting with the characters. There were times during the story where I flat out did not like Gary and then there were times he was endearing. Abe grew on me but his distant; coldness even at the beginning when they were younger was aggravating. Then as the story progresses I was expecting more emotions from both men. They were older supposedly wiser but they both acted like teenagers and in that aspect I didn’t really get the connection between the two.
Gary and Abe met when they were kids and became more than friends their senior year of High School. Both boys, being in the closet, kept their relationship a secret until one passionate episode in the school locker room put their relationship in the spotlight.
Not know how to deal with being outted, Gary runs and Abe shuts down.
Years later their paths cross again during a horrible snowstorm. Stuck together in a cabin in the middle of nowhere, Gary and Abe come together to try and mend the rift between them.
What begins with animosity and disdain turns into hot nights of makeup sex. I’d say the sex was one of the parts I really liked. I enjoyed how Abe let go and handed control to Gary. It was unexpected considering Gary’s past but I liked seeing the dynamic between them.
The added element of the “Peter” mission I also liked. Peter is an intriguing character…controlling but it seemed with good intentions, I don’t know. There was something I liked about him would have made an interesting main character, I think.
Overall, this book was ok…some things worked and some didn’t.
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
I was a little torn with this story. There were parts I liked, parts I didn’t and I struggled connecting with the characters. There were times during the story where I flat out did not like Gary and then there were times he was endearing. Abe grew on me but his distant; coldness even at the beginning when they were younger was aggravating. Then as the story progresses I was expecting more emotions from both men. They were older supposedly wiser but they both acted like teenagers and in that aspect I didn’t really get the connection between the two.
Gary and Abe met when they were kids and became more than friends their senior year of High School. Both boys, being in the closet, kept their relationship a secret until one passionate episode in the school locker room put their relationship in the spotlight.
Not know how to deal with being outted, Gary runs and Abe shuts down.
Years later their paths cross again during a horrible snowstorm. Stuck together in a cabin in the middle of nowhere, Gary and Abe come together to try and mend the rift between them.
What begins with animosity and disdain turns into hot nights of makeup sex. I’d say the sex was one of the parts I really liked. I enjoyed how Abe let go and handed control to Gary. It was unexpected considering Gary’s past but I liked seeing the dynamic between them.
The added element of the “Peter” mission I also liked. Peter is an intriguing character…controlling but it seemed with good intentions, I don’t know. There was something I liked about him would have made an interesting main character, I think.
Overall, this book was ok…some things worked and some didn’t.
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
September 22, 2016
This book was an EXHAUSTING MESS. They love each other, then they are fighting over, and over, and over. It was so stressful, and didn’t make me root for them. I was like “just leave each other and be happy!” I gave this book a two star instead of a one star rating only because it was coherent, had no grammar issues, and had a coherent plot (even if I didn’t like it). Otherwise this is straight up a one-star book for me.
There was this backstory that was supposed to drive the tension between the two characters the rest of the book but it kind of fell flat for me. I didn’t get why they had a chapter devoted to the backstory when they could have just woven it into the main story and cut out a big part of excess nonsense.
The biggest problem in this book was for long stretches of time nothing was happening, and then suddenly they were fighting. They fought a lot, and it really stressed me out for most of the book. Also there was this weird thing going on where Gary was in some kind of BDSM dom/sub type relationship with his former employer that kept getting up-played and down-played depending on if Gary wanted to fight with Abe or not. This was a bummer because I absolutely love Abe and wanted him to have a good romance.
Another thing that was weird was that the majority of the book had no secondary characters. There was a lawyer at the end of it who was kind of a bitchy female archetype. I don’t understand why Davitt didn’t build more depth to main characters when they were the only ones in the book, or add extra people to make up for it. It was very two dimensional.
Originally posted over at JLR: https://justloveromance.wordpress.com...
There was this backstory that was supposed to drive the tension between the two characters the rest of the book but it kind of fell flat for me. I didn’t get why they had a chapter devoted to the backstory when they could have just woven it into the main story and cut out a big part of excess nonsense.
The biggest problem in this book was for long stretches of time nothing was happening, and then suddenly they were fighting. They fought a lot, and it really stressed me out for most of the book. Also there was this weird thing going on where Gary was in some kind of BDSM dom/sub type relationship with his former employer that kept getting up-played and down-played depending on if Gary wanted to fight with Abe or not. This was a bummer because I absolutely love Abe and wanted him to have a good romance.
Another thing that was weird was that the majority of the book had no secondary characters. There was a lawyer at the end of it who was kind of a bitchy female archetype. I don’t understand why Davitt didn’t build more depth to main characters when they were the only ones in the book, or add extra people to make up for it. It was very two dimensional.
Originally posted over at JLR: https://justloveromance.wordpress.com...
October 28, 2016
Gambling on Love opens when Gary and Abe are teens just discovering their long term friendship has the potential to be something more. Unfortunately, just like most teens, they got careless and got caught. Gary lost his home and his family and they both lost their best friend.
The next time they meet is 11 years later and neither one of them is expecting it. They end up stranded in a snow storm and inevitably work their way back into each others' hearts. They use the time that they are literally stuck together to get to know each other all over again. Things about their past are revealed. Some things are forgiven, but Abe still holds onto some resentment when it comes to Gary's plans.
I really liked this book, but my one complaint is that Abe and Gary couldn't seem to get past their... well past. They were young and impulsive and they were both hurt. I didn't expect them to immediately forgive each other, but a little understanding would have been better than the resentment that neither one of them couldn't let go of. *sigh*
I received Gambling on Love in exchange for a fair and honest review.
The next time they meet is 11 years later and neither one of them is expecting it. They end up stranded in a snow storm and inevitably work their way back into each others' hearts. They use the time that they are literally stuck together to get to know each other all over again. Things about their past are revealed. Some things are forgiven, but Abe still holds onto some resentment when it comes to Gary's plans.
I really liked this book, but my one complaint is that Abe and Gary couldn't seem to get past their... well past. They were young and impulsive and they were both hurt. I didn't expect them to immediately forgive each other, but a little understanding would have been better than the resentment that neither one of them couldn't let go of. *sigh*
I received Gambling on Love in exchange for a fair and honest review.
July 14, 2016
Copy from netgalley
This was a hard book to rate because there were bits I really enjoyed...but then there were bits that just didnt work for me.
Lets start with what I really liked. The premise of the story was great. I liked the whole 'lost love but found it again' theme. I also liked the task that Gary was on to reach Vegas. Also the easiness between the main characters drew me in.
But that is also where the story lost me as well. I felt that the guys were just suddenly back together. Now don't get me wrong there was a lot of arguing and angst...but it just felt that most things were brushed over. This was my main grievance with this book, but maybe thats just me. I was expecting just more.
The story itself was good though, and I read it all and did enjoy it. I just wanted....more drama!
This was a hard book to rate because there were bits I really enjoyed...but then there were bits that just didnt work for me.
Lets start with what I really liked. The premise of the story was great. I liked the whole 'lost love but found it again' theme. I also liked the task that Gary was on to reach Vegas. Also the easiness between the main characters drew me in.
But that is also where the story lost me as well. I felt that the guys were just suddenly back together. Now don't get me wrong there was a lot of arguing and angst...but it just felt that most things were brushed over. This was my main grievance with this book, but maybe thats just me. I was expecting just more.
The story itself was good though, and I read it all and did enjoy it. I just wanted....more drama!
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