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Souls of Chicago #1
Feeding the Soul
Giovanni Romero had been dealt his fair share of heartbreak throughout his thirty years, including losing his beloved parents in a horrible car accident. After suffering yet another devastating loss, he decided to chase his dream of opening his own restaurant and was soon the proud owner of Romero’s, a hugely successful and critically acclaimed Italian restaurant, nestled in the heart of Chicago.
Knowing that one more blow to his heart could destroy him, Giovanni had built walls up around his heart to protect himself. He has created strict rules for himself about the men he sleeps with, which include never exchanging names and absolutely no repeat performances. That is until he meets a young man who he finds impossible to forget.
After spending the last few years travelling throughout Europe and The Mediterranean, working as an apprentice to some of the world’s top chefs, 23-year-old Caleb Greene was finally moving back home. While he had enjoyed his studies, he couldn’t wait to reunite with his big, crazy, loving family; especially his twin brother, Carter. Most importantly, he hoped to finally begin his career working as the head chef for Chicago’s most prestigious Italian restaurant, Romero’s.
After a night of celebration with Carter, Caleb finds himself in a rare position, going home with a tall, dark and sexy stranger. Caleb had never had a one night stand before, but there was something about the man that drew him in. Unfortunately, the man insisted they could only be together for one night.
Unable to get the intriguing young man off his mind, but resolved to let him go, Giovanni is shocked to find that Caleb has been hired as his new head chef. Working in such close proximity to each other, could he keep his carefully erect walls in place and protect his heart or would Caleb have the strength to tear those walls down, setting Giovanni free?
Knowing that one more blow to his heart could destroy him, Giovanni had built walls up around his heart to protect himself. He has created strict rules for himself about the men he sleeps with, which include never exchanging names and absolutely no repeat performances. That is until he meets a young man who he finds impossible to forget.
After spending the last few years travelling throughout Europe and The Mediterranean, working as an apprentice to some of the world’s top chefs, 23-year-old Caleb Greene was finally moving back home. While he had enjoyed his studies, he couldn’t wait to reunite with his big, crazy, loving family; especially his twin brother, Carter. Most importantly, he hoped to finally begin his career working as the head chef for Chicago’s most prestigious Italian restaurant, Romero’s.
After a night of celebration with Carter, Caleb finds himself in a rare position, going home with a tall, dark and sexy stranger. Caleb had never had a one night stand before, but there was something about the man that drew him in. Unfortunately, the man insisted they could only be together for one night.
Unable to get the intriguing young man off his mind, but resolved to let him go, Giovanni is shocked to find that Caleb has been hired as his new head chef. Working in such close proximity to each other, could he keep his carefully erect walls in place and protect his heart or would Caleb have the strength to tear those walls down, setting Giovanni free?
271 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2016
215 people are currently reading
1324 people want to read
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June 9, 2016No Rating.....DNF @ around 40%
This wasn't bad but it just wasn't doing it for me.
I just found it too predictable and thought it was trying too hard to be overly sexy.
Example....
So they are both in the elevator kissing passionately...they are so desperate for each other they only get as far as the couch and start getting down and dirty.Then they decide to take it to the kitchen where one of them is spread out on the kitchen island and olive oil is involved....I'm sorry but all i kept thinking was,god,is the surface clean and I hope there's no crumbs....
Couch,kitchen,olive oil.....just take it to the bedroom and get some good old lube.
This will probably work if you like a sweet M/M story with LOTS of sex ( I even started skimming the sex scenes....I know,unbelievable,for me).While I'm all about the sex the story has to hold my attention as well and this one didn't.
This wasn't bad but it just wasn't doing it for me.
I just found it too predictable and thought it was trying too hard to be overly sexy.
Example....
So they are both in the elevator kissing passionately...they are so desperate for each other they only get as far as the couch and start getting down and dirty.Then they decide to take it to the kitchen where one of them is spread out on the kitchen island and olive oil is involved....I'm sorry but all i kept thinking was,god,is the surface clean and I hope there's no crumbs....
Couch,kitchen,olive oil.....just take it to the bedroom and get some good old lube.
This will probably work if you like a sweet M/M story with LOTS of sex ( I even started skimming the sex scenes....I know,unbelievable,for me).While I'm all about the sex the story has to hold my attention as well and this one didn't.
February 22, 2019
Audio - 4 stars
Story - 4 stars
It was too sweet, too fluffy, occasionally sappy, cheesy and eye roll inducing, but for reasons I can't understand, I really liked it. I did end up skimming over a lot of the sex scenes. There were just too many of them. Other than that, I guess Annabella Michaels' brand of cotton candy romance works for me. *shrugs*
Story - 4 stars
It was too sweet, too fluffy, occasionally sappy, cheesy and eye roll inducing, but for reasons I can't understand, I really liked it. I did end up skimming over a lot of the sex scenes. There were just too many of them. Other than that, I guess Annabella Michaels' brand of cotton candy romance works for me. *shrugs*
July 20, 2018
*** Family, friends, passion filled jobs, and a true, loving M/M romance !
Well folks, this one won me over, and now I need to read the whole series !
After a hot and steamy one-niter, each man can't stop thinking about the other. Burned badly by his ex-wife, Restaurateur, Giovanni doesn't open up his heart. Caleb was shaken to his core, because it was the best sex of his life. Caleb has accepted a job as Head Chef and when he begins work, it is Giovanni who owns the business. Awkward much?
This is a touching romance that will hold your heart.
These guys each deserve the happiness they have found.
They take time to become friends and co-workers first, before it falls into sexy times. Caleb invites Giovanni to Easter weekend at his family's cabin, with the whole family present. We see other events, as the ex-wife makes a scene, but the issues are quickly resolved at a wedding.
We see the men work out their problems, and apologies are spoken.
But a lightening/thunder storm tests their mettle, when there is a fire and Caleb's twin is injured.
There is so much I want to tell you about, but just know that the writing is wonderful, the characters are marvelous, and the emotions are deep.
You must read this great story for yourself.
I highly recommend this. E N J O Y !
==========================
I know some of my friends didn't like it, but I found it wonderful !
======================
Well folks, this one won me over, and now I need to read the whole series !
After a hot and steamy one-niter, each man can't stop thinking about the other. Burned badly by his ex-wife, Restaurateur, Giovanni doesn't open up his heart. Caleb was shaken to his core, because it was the best sex of his life. Caleb has accepted a job as Head Chef and when he begins work, it is Giovanni who owns the business. Awkward much?
This is a touching romance that will hold your heart.
These guys each deserve the happiness they have found.
They take time to become friends and co-workers first, before it falls into sexy times. Caleb invites Giovanni to Easter weekend at his family's cabin, with the whole family present. We see other events, as the ex-wife makes a scene, but the issues are quickly resolved at a wedding.
We see the men work out their problems, and apologies are spoken.
But a lightening/thunder storm tests their mettle, when there is a fire and Caleb's twin is injured.
There is so much I want to tell you about, but just know that the writing is wonderful, the characters are marvelous, and the emotions are deep.
You must read this great story for yourself.
I highly recommend this. E N J O Y !
==========================
I know some of my friends didn't like it, but I found it wonderful !
======================
June 18, 2016
I think perhaps Michaels has some potential, but this book just isn't all that impressive. We've got the adorably (sometimes pukingly so) mismatched pair, the sweet, open, honest younger guy who starts "tearing down the walls" around his older, jaded lover's heart.
The biggest problem for me in terms of characterization was that Giovanni was an irrational, immature idiot. His wife left him, so he's never going to get involved with anyone ever again.
Spare me.
Then...well, Michaels misspelled "lightning"...fucking twice. Big pet peeve of mine. Then there was tense confusion at times that confused me. Then there were lines like the following:
"The silence of the engine was deafening at first..."
"I just hoped their marriage ended better for them than it had for me."
"...and I trusted Lauren's judgment explicitly."
"...ex-Marine..."
"...instead he moved passed me..."
"...shuttered to a stop..."
Then there's the magical Hallmark moment when Caleb's dad convinces three gay strippers that they've been selling themselves short and they deserve true wuv.
The biggest problem for me in terms of characterization was that Giovanni was an irrational, immature idiot. His wife left him, so he's never going to get involved with anyone ever again.
Spare me.
Then...well, Michaels misspelled "lightning"...fucking twice. Big pet peeve of mine. Then there was tense confusion at times that confused me. Then there were lines like the following:
"The silence of the engine was deafening at first..."
"I just hoped their marriage ended better for them than it had for me."
"...and I trusted Lauren's judgment explicitly."
"...ex-Marine..."
"...instead he moved passed me..."
"...shuttered to a stop..."
Then there's the magical Hallmark moment when Caleb's dad convinces three gay strippers that they've been selling themselves short and they deserve true wuv.
October 18, 2020
4 stars audio
2.75 drawn out and sappy stars story.
2.75 drawn out and sappy stars story.
October 24, 2022
I loved this book in the beginning even though I thought that sleeping with the boss before you meet him is an overused idea. I was mostly happy with the story until Giovanni runs into his ex wife. The breakup was so tiresome that I almost DNF the book. I preserved and managed to finish. My biggest complaint after the breakup was how sappy these two were and there were too many sex scenes. There were so many they seem like filler to me. I’m not a prude. I want my romantic leads to have sex, but not so much it becomes boring.
September 13, 2018
RECENSIONE COMPLETA QUI: https://thereadingslove.blogspot.com/...
Questo è uno di quei romance che ha tutto: una storia ricca e strutturata perfettamente, dei personaggi divertenti e sexy da morire, passione intensa con scene descritte talmente bene da incendiare il kindle e tantissimi sentimenti che riscaldano il cuore. È una di quelle storie dove la famiglia e gli amici diventano fondamentali per arricchire la propria vita e dove fare del bene agli altri ed essere generosi è una missione. Questa è la storia di Caleb e Giovanni che dopo una notte di passione sconvolgente ma anonima si ritrovano a lavorare insieme. Giovanni, il proprietario del Romero's ha sofferto tanto e ha perso tutto. Sua moglie lo ha abbandonato e i suoi genitori sono morti, il suo cuore si è trincerato dietro spesse mura. È un uomo passionale, generoso e aperto nei confronti degli amici e dei suoi dipendenti ma rifugge ogni rapporto più intimo, la paura di soffrire e di vedersi calpestare ancora lo immobilizza. Questo fino a quando nella sua vita entra Caleb che con la sua solarità, bellezza e simpatia inizia a far breccia nel suo cuore. Il rapporto tra i due è un continuo dare e avere, si completano ed hanno quella sintonia che fa sospirare di felicità. Caleb con la sua famiglia numerosa decisamente sopra le righe è la luce, la positività e la generosità fatta persona: con amore porterà il cuore di Giovanni a guarire e gli regalerà non solo se stesso ma anche una nuova numerosa famiglia. I protagonisti come i personaggi secondari sono delineati benissimo e fanno venire voglia di conoscerli sempre di più…
CONTINUA SUL NOSTRO BLOG. VENITE A TROVARCI
https://thereadingslove.blogspot.com/
Questo è uno di quei romance che ha tutto: una storia ricca e strutturata perfettamente, dei personaggi divertenti e sexy da morire, passione intensa con scene descritte talmente bene da incendiare il kindle e tantissimi sentimenti che riscaldano il cuore. È una di quelle storie dove la famiglia e gli amici diventano fondamentali per arricchire la propria vita e dove fare del bene agli altri ed essere generosi è una missione. Questa è la storia di Caleb e Giovanni che dopo una notte di passione sconvolgente ma anonima si ritrovano a lavorare insieme. Giovanni, il proprietario del Romero's ha sofferto tanto e ha perso tutto. Sua moglie lo ha abbandonato e i suoi genitori sono morti, il suo cuore si è trincerato dietro spesse mura. È un uomo passionale, generoso e aperto nei confronti degli amici e dei suoi dipendenti ma rifugge ogni rapporto più intimo, la paura di soffrire e di vedersi calpestare ancora lo immobilizza. Questo fino a quando nella sua vita entra Caleb che con la sua solarità, bellezza e simpatia inizia a far breccia nel suo cuore. Il rapporto tra i due è un continuo dare e avere, si completano ed hanno quella sintonia che fa sospirare di felicità. Caleb con la sua famiglia numerosa decisamente sopra le righe è la luce, la positività e la generosità fatta persona: con amore porterà il cuore di Giovanni a guarire e gli regalerà non solo se stesso ma anche una nuova numerosa famiglia. I protagonisti come i personaggi secondari sono delineati benissimo e fanno venire voglia di conoscerli sempre di più…
CONTINUA SUL NOSTRO BLOG. VENITE A TROVARCI
https://thereadingslove.blogspot.com/
September 22, 2018
3.75 ⭐
Very nice reading, fluffy and sweet!
Only a little bit of angst, steam (too much I think, I felt that some sex scenes were unnecessary) and a lot of love. I also liked the secondary characters.
This was the author's first book (I think) and she did a great job! I'll read some other books by her for sure 😊
Very nice reading, fluffy and sweet!
Only a little bit of angst, steam (too much I think, I felt that some sex scenes were unnecessary) and a lot of love. I also liked the secondary characters.
This was the author's first book (I think) and she did a great job! I'll read some other books by her for sure 😊
December 19, 2018
2.5 stars
So many little annoying things ruined this book for me. I found myself skimming the last 3 chapters.
- They were moving too fast for my taste. Caleb confessed his undying love after 2 weeks. I liked Caleb, but he was either that romantic, or I missed a time jump?
- I didn't get Gio's thinking process with the ex-wife. Why didn't he confront her sooner?
- Sooo much sex. Or if they were not having sex, they were talking about it. It felt like they fell in love with each other cuz the sex was so good.
- Now, I don't have a twin, but claiming that "He felt a sudden stab in his head that traveled through his body and he fell to the ground, and that's when he knew something bad had happened to his twin, he's in pain", this only happens in cheap telenovelas IMO. *eye-roll 10x*
-To me this book ended at 70%, the rest was just there to fill the space and introduce the characters of the next book, totally unnecessary.
There were other things I don't want to mention cuz of spoilers.
On the plus side, I really loved Caleb's family, they were so cozy with each other, always hugging. :)
Oddly I liked it enough to go on with the second book. Because Carter, the other half of the twins. He's a cheeky little bastard, so I'm in.
So many little annoying things ruined this book for me. I found myself skimming the last 3 chapters.
- They were moving too fast for my taste. Caleb confessed his undying love after 2 weeks. I liked Caleb, but he was either that romantic, or I missed a time jump?
- I didn't get Gio's thinking process with the ex-wife. Why didn't he confront her sooner?
- Sooo much sex. Or if they were not having sex, they were talking about it. It felt like they fell in love with each other cuz the sex was so good.
- Now, I don't have a twin, but claiming that "He felt a sudden stab in his head that traveled through his body and he fell to the ground, and that's when he knew something bad had happened to his twin, he's in pain", this only happens in cheap telenovelas IMO. *eye-roll 10x*
-To me this book ended at 70%, the rest was just there to fill the space and introduce the characters of the next book, totally unnecessary.
There were other things I don't want to mention cuz of spoilers.
On the plus side, I really loved Caleb's family, they were so cozy with each other, always hugging. :)
Oddly I liked it enough to go on with the second book. Because Carter, the other half of the twins. He's a cheeky little bastard, so I'm in.
September 9, 2022
I ADORED EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS STORY, FINALLY FOUND A NEW AUTHOR I CAN DEVOUR ALL HER BOOKS.
May 22, 2019
This was the first book in a new series too me this was also the first time that I have read this author. Giovanni "G" Romero has been through a lot with the death of both his parents in a car accident and with his wife leaving him without a word. With the end of his marriage he decides to follow his dream that he gave up for Julianna and open up a restaurant. Giovanni has given up on relationship only doing one night stands when he meets a guy in a club its one of the best nights of his life but they don't exchange names or numbers. Caleb Greene is a 23 year old chef who studied all over Europe he returns home to be with his family who he missed. I liked both of these MCs when Giovanni meets the new chef that his assistant Lauren hired he is shocked to see that its the guy that he hooked up with he tries to fire Caleb until he taste his cooking. Caleb is a ball of sunshine he makes everyone smile he has only been with one other man. Caleb comes from a large family that is very supportive he has a twin brother who is also gay and his older brother is also gay. As these two begin to work together they begin to become friends and Caleb introduces G to Agape House center that helped LGBTQ teens. When these two hook up again after a miss understanding about Lauren who is also gay. They get hot and heavy and when G mistakes Caleb for his twin he realizes that his feelings are deeper than he thought. When G runs into his ex wife Julianna he gets hurt all over again and he takes it out on Caleb so he leaves. G also confronts Julianna and realize that she left him because she wanted more status and money she was a bitch that I didn't like. This was a really good read that I liked a lot it had some hot sexy scenes it was also warm and even funny at times. This book was well written and I also love the narrator Michael Pauley. I am looking forward to reading and listening to the next book in this series.
October 7, 2017
Simplistic. Very sweet MCs but too much sex (!) and sort of shallow treatment of things. That said, I'm reading the next one(s) because sometimes fluffy and cheesy is a good thing.
August 9, 2022
I really enjoyed Giovanni and Caleb's story.
Gio has a lot of baggage in his past that he's struggling to get over. He was never prepared for Caleb. Caleb is this sweet, caring, loving person. I absolutely loved the banter Caleb has with his family. It had me laughing several times. Caleb's family also opens their arms to Gio and welcomes him so easily into the family. I loved the parts with Caleb's family.
I also loved all the family feels you get from Gio's restaurant Romero's. This is really a tight-knit world, and I loved every part of it.
Can't wait to continue with the rest of the series.
Gio has a lot of baggage in his past that he's struggling to get over. He was never prepared for Caleb. Caleb is this sweet, caring, loving person. I absolutely loved the banter Caleb has with his family. It had me laughing several times. Caleb's family also opens their arms to Gio and welcomes him so easily into the family. I loved the parts with Caleb's family.
I also loved all the family feels you get from Gio's restaurant Romero's. This is really a tight-knit world, and I loved every part of it.
Can't wait to continue with the rest of the series.
June 9, 2016
Meh. Pretty basic M/M. The premise sounded promising; however, Gio and Caleb didn't really do anything for me as a couple. The getting-to-know you period is completely glossed over and the reader learns that besides cooking, they both love to surf. Okay. Two nitpick-y things. One, nobody has white carpets. Two, anyone living in Chicago knows that it is called the Windy City because of the politicians' ability to convince the committee to have the Columbian Exposition, aka The World's Fair, in Chicago, which was kind of a big deal.
April 6, 2017
4.25 stars
August 27, 2019
When Giovanni Romero & Caleb Green meet in a bar there is an instant attraction the jolt of electricity I felt as his skin made contact with mine brought me out of my daze. but still Giovanni is not able to open himself up to happiness.
But Caleb is an temptation Giovanni's torn & shredded heart is unable to resists.
Strenghten by the honest, bubbling personality of Caleb and his loving warm Greene family, Giovanni is finally able to let go of the past and choose for his own happiness.
Part of the Souls of Chicago Series and whilst all are standalone, they are best enjoyed when read in order:
January 30, 2017
Lots of promise from a new author
I think one more go through the editing process would have raised this one up to a four or even a five star rating.
There's lots of good bits in this book but it's marred by some niggling little grammatical errors and an odd choice of verbs, switched tenses and a slightly overly dramatic mid plot break up.
I loved the basic premise and both the MCs are nicely realised characters with some great secondary and supporting roles. Hopefully book two will be slightly better paced with not quite as many adjective and adverb affected sentences.
The sex scenes were often but well done, probably could have cut a third of them out without affecting the plot if I'm being brutal, but they were emotionally connected not just porn without plot.
The cover almost wins another star, I love the design on them for this series.
I think one more go through the editing process would have raised this one up to a four or even a five star rating.
There's lots of good bits in this book but it's marred by some niggling little grammatical errors and an odd choice of verbs, switched tenses and a slightly overly dramatic mid plot break up.
I loved the basic premise and both the MCs are nicely realised characters with some great secondary and supporting roles. Hopefully book two will be slightly better paced with not quite as many adjective and adverb affected sentences.
The sex scenes were often but well done, probably could have cut a third of them out without affecting the plot if I'm being brutal, but they were emotionally connected not just porn without plot.
The cover almost wins another star, I love the design on them for this series.
friends-say-no
June 6, 2017Friends didn't like it.
Read
June 26, 2016DNF
May 1, 2023
Feeding the Soul: (Souls of Chicago #1)
After giving his wife Juliana everything she wanted, including changing his career, Juliana had nagged him to change career and become a lawyer, for more prestige, money and social standing. Then after 3 years marriage, she left him. Without a word of warning, a knock on his door and he was served with divorce papers. He hasn’t seen or heard a word from or about her since.
That’s the reason Giorgio Romero won’t let anyone get past the walls he’s built around his heart. His life now is centred around his restaurant ‘Romero’s’, which was always his dream of owning his own restaurant.
With a terrific team working with him, they’ve become his new family and business is thriving. Giorgio always knew from a young age that he liked guys as well as girls. However he now just has ‘one and done’ hook ups, no names, no phone numbers, with men he meets at gay clubs and bars. Life all neatly arranged to protect himself.
Until he met a man, who he took home and spent the best night of his with. Next morning, he refused to even give his name to the guy, who, with a hurt look on his face, just drinks his coffee and runs out the door.
Still, the guys hurt face keeps popping up in his head over the following couple of days.
Returning to work, his second in command introduces him to their new Head Chef, Caleb Greene. Both men are blindsided but shake hands and get to work. Moments later Giorgio calls Caleb into his office and before Caleb closes the door, Giorgio tells him he’s fired.
This is a really good well written story with great side characters in the family and workplace, as well as two adorable MC’s that will have you rooting for them all the way.
I’ve read a few of Annabella Michaels books and enjoyed them all and would recommend this if you want all the warm comforting feels.
After giving his wife Juliana everything she wanted, including changing his career, Juliana had nagged him to change career and become a lawyer, for more prestige, money and social standing. Then after 3 years marriage, she left him. Without a word of warning, a knock on his door and he was served with divorce papers. He hasn’t seen or heard a word from or about her since.
That’s the reason Giorgio Romero won’t let anyone get past the walls he’s built around his heart. His life now is centred around his restaurant ‘Romero’s’, which was always his dream of owning his own restaurant.
With a terrific team working with him, they’ve become his new family and business is thriving. Giorgio always knew from a young age that he liked guys as well as girls. However he now just has ‘one and done’ hook ups, no names, no phone numbers, with men he meets at gay clubs and bars. Life all neatly arranged to protect himself.
Until he met a man, who he took home and spent the best night of his with. Next morning, he refused to even give his name to the guy, who, with a hurt look on his face, just drinks his coffee and runs out the door.
Still, the guys hurt face keeps popping up in his head over the following couple of days.
Returning to work, his second in command introduces him to their new Head Chef, Caleb Greene. Both men are blindsided but shake hands and get to work. Moments later Giorgio calls Caleb into his office and before Caleb closes the door, Giorgio tells him he’s fired.
This is a really good well written story with great side characters in the family and workplace, as well as two adorable MC’s that will have you rooting for them all the way.
I’ve read a few of Annabella Michaels books and enjoyed them all and would recommend this if you want all the warm comforting feels.
May 28, 2017
I had no expectations going into this one and I really enjoyed it. This is a new author for me and I thought the story flowed really well. I loved the main characters. I loved the supporting cast. The smexing was great. Not too much angst. And a great start to a new series that I will definitely be continuing. I'm always so happy to find a new author to read.
February 14, 2020
This was sweet with very little angst but I thought it was unnecessarily longer than it needed to be.. After the first climax, I thought it was over and that was only about 75% in so I was confused as to what more would be told. It was fine if not a little boring but it was a nice change of pace from some of the darker books I have been reading lately.
August 6, 2017
I liked the idea of this book but sweet heavens the sex scenes - which should be hot - became repetitive, stilted and unnecessary at times... strangely it just stopped the flow .... I'll see how book 2 goes
February 10, 2017
Look to lust to love
I read the first three soul's books out of order, so finished this first one last. This one is rougher than the next two, partly because the last 20% of this book is mostly about really thoroughly setting up the next two books. This one is about Giovanni, who has a history of heartbreak that we get details on in the prologue. He is a restauranteur who takes good care of his staff, but avoids any hint of a romantic 'relationship.' This one is also about Caleb, twin, member of a large loving family, recently returned from Europe, and chef. These guys meet and wend their way to happiness, without doing much except having an extensive amount of sex. Like, a lot. (With each other.)
There are few obstacles to their connection, mostly rising from earlier heartbreak and resulting relationship caution.
Nice guys finding each other in a very straightforward romance with little to no side stories or actions (except the setups for the next stories, which meant that the last 20% of this book was full of more action and uncertainty than the rest of the book). Recommend the third soul's book quite a bit more, with more of a plot.
Some ratings in characteristics of interest to me in mm romance
Smexy scale 1-5:4
This one has frequent intimate detailed and explicit scenes, in almost every context except, I think, the car. A few too many scenes for me, since there wasn't a balance of story to go with them.
Humor scale 1-5: 2
Pleasant dialogue, banter, but not working on the laughs (I did appreciate the shout out to another gay romance book series.)
Angst scale 1-5: 2
The prologue allows us to experience Gio's personal history of heartbreak...but the rest of the book is three years on. I think it was good to see that early history, because otherwise Gio might be harder to like as he tries to approach a good relationship and blows it up with his fears.
Likable MCs scale 1-5: 3
Yes these guys are nice, to each other most of the time, and to others.
For me, this one would have been better with some additional side story, and less of a set up for the next book. The restaurant is set up as a context of happy staff, and pride and joy of both characters...but it adds only a light layer to the story. It could have been more. I don't know if I would have liked the second book as much if I had read this one first, as this one gives away so many of the most dramatic actions in the second.
I read the first three soul's books out of order, so finished this first one last. This one is rougher than the next two, partly because the last 20% of this book is mostly about really thoroughly setting up the next two books. This one is about Giovanni, who has a history of heartbreak that we get details on in the prologue. He is a restauranteur who takes good care of his staff, but avoids any hint of a romantic 'relationship.' This one is also about Caleb, twin, member of a large loving family, recently returned from Europe, and chef. These guys meet and wend their way to happiness, without doing much except having an extensive amount of sex. Like, a lot. (With each other.)
There are few obstacles to their connection, mostly rising from earlier heartbreak and resulting relationship caution.
Nice guys finding each other in a very straightforward romance with little to no side stories or actions (except the setups for the next stories, which meant that the last 20% of this book was full of more action and uncertainty than the rest of the book). Recommend the third soul's book quite a bit more, with more of a plot.
Some ratings in characteristics of interest to me in mm romance
Smexy scale 1-5:4
This one has frequent intimate detailed and explicit scenes, in almost every context except, I think, the car. A few too many scenes for me, since there wasn't a balance of story to go with them.
Humor scale 1-5: 2
Pleasant dialogue, banter, but not working on the laughs (I did appreciate the shout out to another gay romance book series.)
Angst scale 1-5: 2
The prologue allows us to experience Gio's personal history of heartbreak...but the rest of the book is three years on. I think it was good to see that early history, because otherwise Gio might be harder to like as he tries to approach a good relationship and blows it up with his fears.
Likable MCs scale 1-5: 3
Yes these guys are nice, to each other most of the time, and to others.
For me, this one would have been better with some additional side story, and less of a set up for the next book. The restaurant is set up as a context of happy staff, and pride and joy of both characters...but it adds only a light layer to the story. It could have been more. I don't know if I would have liked the second book as much if I had read this one first, as this one gives away so many of the most dramatic actions in the second.
June 12, 2016
I absolutely LOVED this!! I wasn't sure what to expect because I had never read anything by this author before but she blew me away! Her writing style reminded me a lot of Aimee Nicole Walker and I love all of her stuff. I really loved that it didn't feel like there was an overabundance of drama at all times as in some other romances. I really loved these two together and was rooting for them the whole time. Caleb was an absolute sweetheart and I really feel in love with his family. Giovanni has some unresolved issues with his failed marriage that leaves him with trust issues but Caleb and his kind heart wear him down eventually. There are a ton of steamy scenes and also some great romantic moments too. This author did a great job of making you feel the character's pain, and I felt my eyes get misty more than once. I can't wait for the rest in the series to come out. It seems like she set us up for both a romance involving Carter (Caleb's twin brother) with the fireman; and also Landon ( his other brother) with Giovanni's best friend.
April 9, 2017
Wow.....what an amazing story for a 1st time author. I loved both characters and Caleb's family was awesome. The story was sweet and entertaining. Looking forward to Carter's story.
February 6, 2018
Beautiful story, the two main characters oh I just loved. I could see how the past was going to affect their relationship and how it would cause issues. But the twist in towards the end floored me I wasn't expecting that. I couldn't wait for the next in the series, this was addictive reading.
January 24, 2017
From beginning to end this book pulls you in and crushes you! I loved the characters and their pain and happiness. I keep reading books where there are evil ex's that don't get enough of what they deserve lol. Great book, I'm curious what's next!!
dnf
July 8, 2016DNF at 52% waaaay too sweet and perfect for my taste in books.
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