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Love is Blind #2
Real World
A Love is Blind Novel
Dan White is trying to acclimate to civilian life after a long career in the military with multiple combat deployments.
Now he’s home in the Austin area, living with his brother Dixon, Dixon’s husband, Audie, and their two nine-year-olds. During the New Year celebration, Dan meets Abraham Weldon, and the connection is instant.
There’s a kiss. There’s a dance. There’s a proposition.
Then Dan finds out Weldon is bisexual.
And a dad.
With five kids. Five kids, one of whom is a blind fifteen-year-old.
Weldon has been in love twice in his life—with his high school best friend, Blake, and with his wife, Krista, who he met in a Dairy Queen as she was crying over a positive pregnancy test. Love number three hits Weldon like a hammer when he meets Dan.
But since Dan isn’t interested in a guy with kids, they might only get one night together.
Dan White is trying to acclimate to civilian life after a long career in the military with multiple combat deployments.
Now he’s home in the Austin area, living with his brother Dixon, Dixon’s husband, Audie, and their two nine-year-olds. During the New Year celebration, Dan meets Abraham Weldon, and the connection is instant.
There’s a kiss. There’s a dance. There’s a proposition.
Then Dan finds out Weldon is bisexual.
And a dad.
With five kids. Five kids, one of whom is a blind fifteen-year-old.
Weldon has been in love twice in his life—with his high school best friend, Blake, and with his wife, Krista, who he met in a Dairy Queen as she was crying over a positive pregnancy test. Love number three hits Weldon like a hammer when he meets Dan.
But since Dan isn’t interested in a guy with kids, they might only get one night together.
290 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 15, 2016
72 people are currently reading
218 people want to read
About the author
B.A. Tortuga
382 books632 followersTexan to the bone and an unrepentant Daddy's Girl, BA Tortuga spends her days with her hounds and her beloved wife, texting her grandbabies, and eating Mexican food. When she's not doing that, she's writing. She spends her days off watching rodeo, knitting, and surfing Pinterest in the name of research. Following their own personal joys, BA and Julia heard the call of the high desert and they now live in the New Mexico mountains. BA's personal saviors include her wife, her best friends, and coffee. Lots of coffee. Really good coffee.
Having written everything from fist-fighting rednecks to cowboy daddies to werewolves, BA does her damnedest to tell the stories of her heart, which is committed to giving everyone their happily ever after. With books ranging from hard-hitting BDSM, to fiery passions, to the most traditional of love stories, BA refuses to be pigeon-holed by anyone but the voices in her head.
Having written everything from fist-fighting rednecks to cowboy daddies to werewolves, BA does her damnedest to tell the stories of her heart, which is committed to giving everyone their happily ever after. With books ranging from hard-hitting BDSM, to fiery passions, to the most traditional of love stories, BA refuses to be pigeon-holed by anyone but the voices in her head.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
July 22, 2020
Loner, ex-Army, Dan, finds a good place to land, with Weldon and his children...
Book #2 in this set that tells the tale of close knit family and friends. We met Dixon, a blind musician and rancher, Audie in the previous story about their kids and forming a family.
Now, Dixon’s brother Dan is out of the Army,
trying to settle in civilian life.
He becomes attracted to Weldon, a rancher
who has five kids, 3-16 yrs. old. His oldest son, Jakob is blind, and we learn about each child’s differences.
Dan has never thought he’d have kids and isn’t keen on the idea, with the drama and chaos. But... Weldon makes it tough to walk away, yet he does for 6 months, then sees him again.
Dan has issues, is too qualified for the jobs available, and is helping Dixon and Audie and their two kids.
Time just passes as he is assimilated into Weldon’s family, with dinners, errands, and scorching hotness in their sexy times.
Several issues pop up, like nightmares, kids bring kids and Jakob’s bio-Dad turning up causing big problems. Family and friends “circle the wagons” and being included in the conglomeration, brings tight bonds, that will last forever.
A marvelous variety of characters, real problems, deep emotions and heartwarming kindnesses.
Enjoy !
======
Book #2 in this set that tells the tale of close knit family and friends. We met Dixon, a blind musician and rancher, Audie in the previous story about their kids and forming a family.
Now, Dixon’s brother Dan is out of the Army,
trying to settle in civilian life.
He becomes attracted to Weldon, a rancher
who has five kids, 3-16 yrs. old. His oldest son, Jakob is blind, and we learn about each child’s differences.
Dan has never thought he’d have kids and isn’t keen on the idea, with the drama and chaos. But... Weldon makes it tough to walk away, yet he does for 6 months, then sees him again.
Dan has issues, is too qualified for the jobs available, and is helping Dixon and Audie and their two kids.
Time just passes as he is assimilated into Weldon’s family, with dinners, errands, and scorching hotness in their sexy times.
Several issues pop up, like nightmares, kids bring kids and Jakob’s bio-Dad turning up causing big problems. Family and friends “circle the wagons” and being included in the conglomeration, brings tight bonds, that will last forever.
A marvelous variety of characters, real problems, deep emotions and heartwarming kindnesses.
Enjoy !
======
January 27, 2020
‘Real World’ is just as amazing as ‘Ever the Same’ and I fell in love with Dan and Weldon just like I did with Dix and Audie. Luckily I got to see all of the characters from the first book in the series again, but ‘Real World’ stands well on its own. Of course, you’d be missing out on a great story if you don’t read ‘Ever the Same’ first… Told with BA Tortuga’s hallmark humor and love for everything Texan and cowboy, including the language she uses, Dan and Weldon’s story is about figuring out who they are and what they want to do with their lives. I was spellbound from the beginning, and loved watching how Weldon deals with sudden romance and how Dan comes to terms with being out of the military, finding love, and wondering if he can learn to be a parent to five children all at once. Not to mention interfering biological grandmothers who think they know what’s best!
Please find my full review of the second edition on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Please find my full review of the second edition on Rainbow Book Reviews.
August 18, 2016
I loved the first book, and generally enjoy tortugas work.
In this one, it was all very dislocating. Suddenly it's all about 5 kids and we are only told the youngest ones age. So you don't get a sense of who they all are, other than unpleasant. The mcs aren't very interesting either.
It all felt like a waste of time, so I wondered off and got a refund from Amazon.
In this one, it was all very dislocating. Suddenly it's all about 5 kids and we are only told the youngest ones age. So you don't get a sense of who they all are, other than unpleasant. The mcs aren't very interesting either.
It all felt like a waste of time, so I wondered off and got a refund from Amazon.
August 8, 2016
4 stars – B.A. Tortuga’s Real World is not only the first book of hers that I have read, it’s also the first M/M romance novel I’ve read that contains a large number of children who are actively and heavily involved in the plot throughout the story instead of only being extra minor characters. It is the second book in her Love is Blind series, but it reads just fine as a standalone. Because of all the kids, there are a lot of characters to learn, but they all play important parts in this enjoyable story about how love is all it takes to find a place in even the most unexpected of families.
Abraham Weldon doesn’t fall in love easily, but when he does, he knows it immediately. He knew it with his best guy friend in high school, and he knew it with his wife. But three years ago, his life changed with her untimely death, leaving him to be the sole provider for their five kids, one of whom is a blind teenager. While at a New Year’s Eve party with his long-time friends—Audie and his husband, Dixon—Weldon meets Dix’s brother, Dan, and just like the previous two times, he knows. This time, though, with his family to consider, it’s far too complicated to get involved, but it’s been too long. He can’t resist, even though he knows he’s setting himself up for trouble. Dan White is back home in Texas after leaving a long career in the military behind. While trying to get his civilian life in motion, he lives with Dix, Audie, and their two kids. Dan is also gay, so when he meets Weldon at the party, and the hot blond cowboy seems just as interested in him, things look to be setting up for a great way to ring in the new year. And though he finds out Weldon is a widower with five kids, it doesn’t stop him from having that great night, and that’s all it should have been. But as much as he can’t picture himself being involved with a family man, and one with such a big family at that, his attraction to the man is too strong to ignore.
As I mentioned at the top of this review, this book really isn’t like any other M/M romance I’ve read. Normally, it’s pretty easy to delineate the main romantic couple as being the main characters and everyone else as secondaries. Here though, Weldon’s kids play such an active role in the story that it’s hard to classify them in that manner, especially the oldest, a fifteen-year-old blind boy named Jakob. In addition, Audie and Dix—the romantic pairing of the first book—appear so often that even without reading the first book, I felt like I got to know them pretty well by the end. So adding it up, Dan and Weldon, Weldon’s five kids, Audie and Dix, and their two kids, that’s eleven names you get bombarded with pretty quickly in the beginning of the book, and all of them are names you have to know in order to understand what’s happening. Having not read the first book made the challenge a little greater, but even so, just Weldon’s family was the source of confusion for me for a good bit of the book. And they are in nearly every scene Weldon is in, which, in the real world, would not be at all unusual, but it’s unexpected in a romance. Pretty clear where the title of the book comes from now, isn’t it? My suggestion: make a note card. I kinda wish I had, but by the time I got to the second half of the book, I think I had it down.
The author’s portrayal of the kids and the family life in the book reads like she herself grew up in a large household. Throughout the hectic action of it all, none of the interactions felt contrived. As such, I could understand Dan’s plight very well. It also made me feel a lot of respect for any single parent trying to raise a houseful of kids, especially when one has special needs. Weldon’s life is his kids, there’s no doubt about it. He’s a man who loves with everything he has. And as it turns out, it’s not just toward his kids. The attraction between Dan and Weldon is palpable, and because of the family situation, when they finally have time to themselves, the intensity leaps off the page. I couldn’t help wanting everything to work out between them.
I do have a couple of small issues with the story and the writing though. A caveat for the first one: I have lived in the southern U.S. for the last sixteen years, the last two of which have been in Texas, within a two hours’ drive of the setting for this novel in fact. The author makes use of (very) many Southernisms in order to establish the country lifestyle of the characters through their speech patterns. Some of them were things I had never heard anyone say before. Personally, I think she overdid it just a touch, which made it a little hard to take the story seriously at first. As the story goes on, though, either I noticed it less or she stopped using as many, because it gets better. I suspect a native Texan might take issue with this portrayal, though, just as I found the exaggerated speech patterns of the characters in the 1996 film Fargo bothersome because of my growing up in northern Minnesota.
My other issue has to do with the layout of the plot. The first 70% or so is entirely focused on the developing relationship—well, that and the kids—and for the most part, it’s a satisfying and enjoyable journey. In my opinion, she could have chosen to end the story here by adding a little more narrative and a happily ever after, and if she had chosen that route, the book would have been fine as is. But after this point, she introduces a handful of plot devices to introduce drama, and with one exception, these plots are resolved as quickly as they pop up, with these chapters individually reading like quick episodes of a television show: introduce the drama and wrap everything up tidily by the end of the hour, or in this case, by the end of the chapter. I understand the reason she included these dramatic vignettes, and I know the book is already rather long, but I wish that she had either fleshed all of them out more or built upon the one really important one in order to fulfill the intended purpose better. As it was, this final portion felt rushed instead of being the solid punch to finish the book that I wanted.
Real World is largely a sweet and entertaining read with a sexy romance that builds around the demands of family life. I was pleased to see the kids were not used in an unreasonable way to further the romantic aspect. In fact, I was more pleased to see that the kids, by their very nature, hindered the quick progression of the romance, as this was far more realistic. And with a title like Real World, realism ought to be the goal. To that end, I believe it was successful.
The author generously provided me a complimentary copy of Real World in exchange for this fair and honest review.
Follow Me: Reviews by Tammy & Kim | Facebook | Twitter
Abraham Weldon doesn’t fall in love easily, but when he does, he knows it immediately. He knew it with his best guy friend in high school, and he knew it with his wife. But three years ago, his life changed with her untimely death, leaving him to be the sole provider for their five kids, one of whom is a blind teenager. While at a New Year’s Eve party with his long-time friends—Audie and his husband, Dixon—Weldon meets Dix’s brother, Dan, and just like the previous two times, he knows. This time, though, with his family to consider, it’s far too complicated to get involved, but it’s been too long. He can’t resist, even though he knows he’s setting himself up for trouble. Dan White is back home in Texas after leaving a long career in the military behind. While trying to get his civilian life in motion, he lives with Dix, Audie, and their two kids. Dan is also gay, so when he meets Weldon at the party, and the hot blond cowboy seems just as interested in him, things look to be setting up for a great way to ring in the new year. And though he finds out Weldon is a widower with five kids, it doesn’t stop him from having that great night, and that’s all it should have been. But as much as he can’t picture himself being involved with a family man, and one with such a big family at that, his attraction to the man is too strong to ignore.
As I mentioned at the top of this review, this book really isn’t like any other M/M romance I’ve read. Normally, it’s pretty easy to delineate the main romantic couple as being the main characters and everyone else as secondaries. Here though, Weldon’s kids play such an active role in the story that it’s hard to classify them in that manner, especially the oldest, a fifteen-year-old blind boy named Jakob. In addition, Audie and Dix—the romantic pairing of the first book—appear so often that even without reading the first book, I felt like I got to know them pretty well by the end. So adding it up, Dan and Weldon, Weldon’s five kids, Audie and Dix, and their two kids, that’s eleven names you get bombarded with pretty quickly in the beginning of the book, and all of them are names you have to know in order to understand what’s happening. Having not read the first book made the challenge a little greater, but even so, just Weldon’s family was the source of confusion for me for a good bit of the book. And they are in nearly every scene Weldon is in, which, in the real world, would not be at all unusual, but it’s unexpected in a romance. Pretty clear where the title of the book comes from now, isn’t it? My suggestion: make a note card. I kinda wish I had, but by the time I got to the second half of the book, I think I had it down.
The author’s portrayal of the kids and the family life in the book reads like she herself grew up in a large household. Throughout the hectic action of it all, none of the interactions felt contrived. As such, I could understand Dan’s plight very well. It also made me feel a lot of respect for any single parent trying to raise a houseful of kids, especially when one has special needs. Weldon’s life is his kids, there’s no doubt about it. He’s a man who loves with everything he has. And as it turns out, it’s not just toward his kids. The attraction between Dan and Weldon is palpable, and because of the family situation, when they finally have time to themselves, the intensity leaps off the page. I couldn’t help wanting everything to work out between them.
I do have a couple of small issues with the story and the writing though. A caveat for the first one: I have lived in the southern U.S. for the last sixteen years, the last two of which have been in Texas, within a two hours’ drive of the setting for this novel in fact. The author makes use of (very) many Southernisms in order to establish the country lifestyle of the characters through their speech patterns. Some of them were things I had never heard anyone say before. Personally, I think she overdid it just a touch, which made it a little hard to take the story seriously at first. As the story goes on, though, either I noticed it less or she stopped using as many, because it gets better. I suspect a native Texan might take issue with this portrayal, though, just as I found the exaggerated speech patterns of the characters in the 1996 film Fargo bothersome because of my growing up in northern Minnesota.
My other issue has to do with the layout of the plot. The first 70% or so is entirely focused on the developing relationship—well, that and the kids—and for the most part, it’s a satisfying and enjoyable journey. In my opinion, she could have chosen to end the story here by adding a little more narrative and a happily ever after, and if she had chosen that route, the book would have been fine as is. But after this point, she introduces a handful of plot devices to introduce drama, and with one exception, these plots are resolved as quickly as they pop up, with these chapters individually reading like quick episodes of a television show: introduce the drama and wrap everything up tidily by the end of the hour, or in this case, by the end of the chapter. I understand the reason she included these dramatic vignettes, and I know the book is already rather long, but I wish that she had either fleshed all of them out more or built upon the one really important one in order to fulfill the intended purpose better. As it was, this final portion felt rushed instead of being the solid punch to finish the book that I wanted.
Real World is largely a sweet and entertaining read with a sexy romance that builds around the demands of family life. I was pleased to see the kids were not used in an unreasonable way to further the romantic aspect. In fact, I was more pleased to see that the kids, by their very nature, hindered the quick progression of the romance, as this was far more realistic. And with a title like Real World, realism ought to be the goal. To that end, I believe it was successful.
The author generously provided me a complimentary copy of Real World in exchange for this fair and honest review.
Follow Me: Reviews by Tammy & Kim | Facebook | Twitter
January 16, 2020
Reviewed by Lisa 4 Hearts & Pixie 4 1/2 Hearts for MM Good Book Reviews
Lisa's Review: 💖💖💖💖 4 Hearts
Now I have to admit that I am not a fan of bisexual characters nor with children or female parts. Also every time I read a story where the wife tragically died leaving her husband and children behind just drives me nuts. Also the fact that she was his best friend in highschool doesn't really connect with me either. It seems to be used quite a bit which for me is a dull moment. I want something unique and I hate to say it that this was not unique. What was unique was he married his wife, when he found her crying over being pregnant with another man's child.
Abraham was in love with his best friend and the mother of his children. However that all changed when she passed away and left him alone with their five kids. Although the fact that his oldest is a blind teen who is not biologically his child, and as a normal teenager wants his real daddy. That was the only unique part of the whole story. It does show that Abraham is a nice guy. So his hooking up with Dan was not all that new for me. He hangs out with his friends and meets Dix's brother Dan and of course something happens. However he just could no resist the temptation.
Dan is a military man who has been in for most of his life and is dealing with his memories. Now as many military personal he has PTSD and has trouble dealing with being a civilian at times. Now what caught my attention was the fact that his brother is blind, and Abraham's oldest son was blind, see the theme going there. The he meets his brothers friend Abraham, and sparks fly. The problem seems to be those five kids that he has. And according to Dan, he doesn't like kids. Really were going to go there, just seems a bit to cliche again.
Now over all this story was quite good and I did enjoy reading it. I am surprised by the amount of heat these guys have going on, even when they are fighting with each other. I liked the fact that the kids were so active in this book and even though I don't much care for that aspect of the story it felt good. Now I will be the first to admit that I didn't read book one so I was missing parts of the story. Which means I will have to go read the first book to check it out. It was a very catchy story that did intrigued me quite a bit. The flow was even paced and made for an enjoyable read.
Pixie's Review: 💖💖💖💖💖 4 1/2 Hearts
Dan is recently out of the military, staying with his brother Dix and wondering what he will do with his life now. While celebrating New Year Dan meets Weldon, Dix’s neighbor, and its instant lust, but Weldon has five children and Dan isn’t ready for that type of commitment. Weldon is looking for permanence from any person he has a relationship with, but there’s something about Dan that he just has to have a taste of, they might only have one night together but it’s a night that neither man will forget.
This is a superb story where love sneaks in and knocks both men for six. Dan is still finding his feet after being in the military for years, he’s finding it difficult to find a job and he suffers from the occasional nightmare from his time in combat. A relationship is something he isn’t looking for but he gets knocked off his feet by Weldon and his family. Weldon has a fantastic family; it’s been over three years since his wife died and he’s now looking for someone to share it with, Dan is honest and caring and Weldon wishes he was ready for more than just hook-ups.
Weldon’s children Jakob, Emma, Madison, MacKenzie & Caleb are little stars of this story; they are absolute holy terrors/cherubs and make you grin. While Weldon and Dan are dancing round the relationship dilemma and Dan accepts that he might want more than just a fling with Weldon the kids are all in the background and have an impact on Dan that he never thought would happen… they wormed their way into his heart.
The story is very easy going for the most part, Dan and Weldon fall into a relationship after Dan sorts himself out, but danger lurks when Jakob keeps secrets. This story isn’t just about Dan and Weldon, it’s about building a new family, dealing with settling into a new way of life and helping children deal with growing up.
I loved how this story was written, there is angst but it isn’t really coming from the adults (except parenting angst, there’s plenty of that!), we see how Dan and Weldon deal with their relationship (really easy going), we see the children dealing with a new man in their dad’s life, we see the normal sibling teasing & secrets and how it affects them and we see a strong family being built before our eyes.
I recommend this to those who love fantastic characters, who adore rambunctious children, who love a dash of tension and angst, and love characters who become exceptional when they love the right man.
Lisa's Review: 💖💖💖💖 4 Hearts
Now I have to admit that I am not a fan of bisexual characters nor with children or female parts. Also every time I read a story where the wife tragically died leaving her husband and children behind just drives me nuts. Also the fact that she was his best friend in highschool doesn't really connect with me either. It seems to be used quite a bit which for me is a dull moment. I want something unique and I hate to say it that this was not unique. What was unique was he married his wife, when he found her crying over being pregnant with another man's child.
Abraham was in love with his best friend and the mother of his children. However that all changed when she passed away and left him alone with their five kids. Although the fact that his oldest is a blind teen who is not biologically his child, and as a normal teenager wants his real daddy. That was the only unique part of the whole story. It does show that Abraham is a nice guy. So his hooking up with Dan was not all that new for me. He hangs out with his friends and meets Dix's brother Dan and of course something happens. However he just could no resist the temptation.
Dan is a military man who has been in for most of his life and is dealing with his memories. Now as many military personal he has PTSD and has trouble dealing with being a civilian at times. Now what caught my attention was the fact that his brother is blind, and Abraham's oldest son was blind, see the theme going there. The he meets his brothers friend Abraham, and sparks fly. The problem seems to be those five kids that he has. And according to Dan, he doesn't like kids. Really were going to go there, just seems a bit to cliche again.
Now over all this story was quite good and I did enjoy reading it. I am surprised by the amount of heat these guys have going on, even when they are fighting with each other. I liked the fact that the kids were so active in this book and even though I don't much care for that aspect of the story it felt good. Now I will be the first to admit that I didn't read book one so I was missing parts of the story. Which means I will have to go read the first book to check it out. It was a very catchy story that did intrigued me quite a bit. The flow was even paced and made for an enjoyable read.
Pixie's Review: 💖💖💖💖💖 4 1/2 Hearts
Dan is recently out of the military, staying with his brother Dix and wondering what he will do with his life now. While celebrating New Year Dan meets Weldon, Dix’s neighbor, and its instant lust, but Weldon has five children and Dan isn’t ready for that type of commitment. Weldon is looking for permanence from any person he has a relationship with, but there’s something about Dan that he just has to have a taste of, they might only have one night together but it’s a night that neither man will forget.
This is a superb story where love sneaks in and knocks both men for six. Dan is still finding his feet after being in the military for years, he’s finding it difficult to find a job and he suffers from the occasional nightmare from his time in combat. A relationship is something he isn’t looking for but he gets knocked off his feet by Weldon and his family. Weldon has a fantastic family; it’s been over three years since his wife died and he’s now looking for someone to share it with, Dan is honest and caring and Weldon wishes he was ready for more than just hook-ups.
Weldon’s children Jakob, Emma, Madison, MacKenzie & Caleb are little stars of this story; they are absolute holy terrors/cherubs and make you grin. While Weldon and Dan are dancing round the relationship dilemma and Dan accepts that he might want more than just a fling with Weldon the kids are all in the background and have an impact on Dan that he never thought would happen… they wormed their way into his heart.
The story is very easy going for the most part, Dan and Weldon fall into a relationship after Dan sorts himself out, but danger lurks when Jakob keeps secrets. This story isn’t just about Dan and Weldon, it’s about building a new family, dealing with settling into a new way of life and helping children deal with growing up.
I loved how this story was written, there is angst but it isn’t really coming from the adults (except parenting angst, there’s plenty of that!), we see how Dan and Weldon deal with their relationship (really easy going), we see the children dealing with a new man in their dad’s life, we see the normal sibling teasing & secrets and how it affects them and we see a strong family being built before our eyes.
I recommend this to those who love fantastic characters, who adore rambunctious children, who love a dash of tension and angst, and love characters who become exceptional when they love the right man.
October 20, 2023
RECENSIONE A CURA DI ASTRID
La storia, narrata in terza persona, ha come personaggi principali Dan White e Abraham Weldon.
Dan è un ex militare, nonché il fratello di uno dei due protagonisti di “L’amore non cambia”, ovvero il primo volume della serie “Love is blind”. Weldon, invece, è un uomo bisessuale, vedovo e con ben cinque figli tra cui Jacob, un adolescente non vedente. A Dan e a Weldon è bastato incontrarsi per capire di essere innamorati, tuttavia le loro vite sono assai diverse e, prima di arrivare al romantico lieto fine, dovranno imparare ad incastrarsi l’uno nella quotidianità dell’altro.
Continua sul nostro blog!
La storia, narrata in terza persona, ha come personaggi principali Dan White e Abraham Weldon.
Dan è un ex militare, nonché il fratello di uno dei due protagonisti di “L’amore non cambia”, ovvero il primo volume della serie “Love is blind”. Weldon, invece, è un uomo bisessuale, vedovo e con ben cinque figli tra cui Jacob, un adolescente non vedente. A Dan e a Weldon è bastato incontrarsi per capire di essere innamorati, tuttavia le loro vite sono assai diverse e, prima di arrivare al romantico lieto fine, dovranno imparare ad incastrarsi l’uno nella quotidianità dell’altro.
Continua sul nostro blog!
August 26, 2016
BA Torguga- Real World Review
I received this book by it's publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I was soooo excited for this story! I absolutely adored Audie and Dixon’s story. I am such a sucker for hot guys who are good daddy’s. We meet Dan in this one; he’s Dixon’s brother who was overseas in their book; he’s back stateside now and retiring, spending time with his brother and visiting his parents. That’s where he meets Weldon…
Weldon is a bisexual widower with 5 kids !!!! Yep, 5, one of which is blind, which is how he met Dixon. He works for The School of the Blind; he and Dixon are good friends and all of their kids get along.
Dan meets Weldon at a jazz club where Dixon is playing on New Years. They have instant chemistry and they get along really well; then Dan goes and puts his foot in his mouth and says that kids aren’t for him… Now, they just met, he doesn’t need to see himself as Daddy material right then; but as a once single parent myself, dating someone who didn’t want kids or couldn’t see themselves with kids was a waste of time. So logically, Weldon knows that he has no future with Dan but they can’t help but fall into bed together with this one free night that they both have. It’s been too long for both of them and they’re both consenting adults, why not, right? It was hot too, they both enjoyed themselves and their attraction was even more noticeable.
I kind of didn’t like Dan for the majority of the book… he only came around when he wanted to get him some and then in the mornings he was like… sorry, you have too many kids, this isn’t gonna work for me. And Weldon was like, yeah, he didn’t lie or lead me on, I knew the score but he keeps letting it happen even though he’s a relationship kinda guy. He doesn’t want a friend with benefits situation and to tell ya the truth; they aren’t even friends in the months between times they bone. I wanted to like Dan because I loved Dix and I liked him in the first book when he’d talk to Dix on the phone and stuff, but in this one he was just selfish and I didn’t like the way he treated Weldon or the fact that he had kids…. Just, sigh…. I didn’t like it at all. THEN when they work everything else and Dan has a change of heart; the things he says to his friend on the phone?? I’d be like, see ya later dude…. You’re totally not worth all that. Then Weldon was just like… what’s wrong honey? Are you not happy?..... What gave you the first clue? The overhearing him talk smack about you or that your kids heard it too…..
What I also didn’t like…. The dialogue was blah at times…. The overuse of metaphors and “sayings”, if I heard “God willin’ and the creek don’t rise” or “Fine as frogs hair”…. It’s like we get it, you’re country… you don’t have to keep sayin terms your grandma taught ya, it’s annoying. Like….reeeeeally annoying. I found my eyes rollin’ at least a dozen times with it’s repetitiveness. Blah. And they say things like “That sucks big hairy rocks, honey.” Or something equally as immature, like, “donkey balls”….it’s like… how old are you guys again? And why does everybody “hoot”? They don’t laugh, they hoot. I keep picturing them laughing like that… “hoot, hoot, hoot”… It’s so ridiculous it’s kind of funny. I’ve never heard anyone hoot instead of laugh; especially as often as they do it.
I will say, now that I’ve gotten that little rant overwith; that I didn’t see that last bit coming; it completely surprised me, the climax of the whole book with Jakob and his bio-dad. I knew when he’d yelled at Dan something about his “real dad” that the bio-dad would make an appearance; but that whole thing was not what I thought would happen and I liked that I was surprised. I also liked how Dan’s relationship with the kids improved and I finally felt a little bit of the love between he and Weldon….Well from his side anyway, Weldon never hid his feelings nor did he go back and forth so it was nice for Dan at least to see that reciprocated. Overall, it wasn’t what I thought it was going to be, but I liked how it ended. Really looking forward to the next one!
3.5 for me
I received this book by it's publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I was soooo excited for this story! I absolutely adored Audie and Dixon’s story. I am such a sucker for hot guys who are good daddy’s. We meet Dan in this one; he’s Dixon’s brother who was overseas in their book; he’s back stateside now and retiring, spending time with his brother and visiting his parents. That’s where he meets Weldon…
Weldon is a bisexual widower with 5 kids !!!! Yep, 5, one of which is blind, which is how he met Dixon. He works for The School of the Blind; he and Dixon are good friends and all of their kids get along.
Dan meets Weldon at a jazz club where Dixon is playing on New Years. They have instant chemistry and they get along really well; then Dan goes and puts his foot in his mouth and says that kids aren’t for him… Now, they just met, he doesn’t need to see himself as Daddy material right then; but as a once single parent myself, dating someone who didn’t want kids or couldn’t see themselves with kids was a waste of time. So logically, Weldon knows that he has no future with Dan but they can’t help but fall into bed together with this one free night that they both have. It’s been too long for both of them and they’re both consenting adults, why not, right? It was hot too, they both enjoyed themselves and their attraction was even more noticeable.
I kind of didn’t like Dan for the majority of the book… he only came around when he wanted to get him some and then in the mornings he was like… sorry, you have too many kids, this isn’t gonna work for me. And Weldon was like, yeah, he didn’t lie or lead me on, I knew the score but he keeps letting it happen even though he’s a relationship kinda guy. He doesn’t want a friend with benefits situation and to tell ya the truth; they aren’t even friends in the months between times they bone. I wanted to like Dan because I loved Dix and I liked him in the first book when he’d talk to Dix on the phone and stuff, but in this one he was just selfish and I didn’t like the way he treated Weldon or the fact that he had kids…. Just, sigh…. I didn’t like it at all. THEN when they work everything else and Dan has a change of heart; the things he says to his friend on the phone?? I’d be like, see ya later dude…. You’re totally not worth all that. Then Weldon was just like… what’s wrong honey? Are you not happy?..... What gave you the first clue? The overhearing him talk smack about you or that your kids heard it too…..
What I also didn’t like…. The dialogue was blah at times…. The overuse of metaphors and “sayings”, if I heard “God willin’ and the creek don’t rise” or “Fine as frogs hair”…. It’s like we get it, you’re country… you don’t have to keep sayin terms your grandma taught ya, it’s annoying. Like….reeeeeally annoying. I found my eyes rollin’ at least a dozen times with it’s repetitiveness. Blah. And they say things like “That sucks big hairy rocks, honey.” Or something equally as immature, like, “donkey balls”….it’s like… how old are you guys again? And why does everybody “hoot”? They don’t laugh, they hoot. I keep picturing them laughing like that… “hoot, hoot, hoot”… It’s so ridiculous it’s kind of funny. I’ve never heard anyone hoot instead of laugh; especially as often as they do it.
I will say, now that I’ve gotten that little rant overwith; that I didn’t see that last bit coming; it completely surprised me, the climax of the whole book with Jakob and his bio-dad. I knew when he’d yelled at Dan something about his “real dad” that the bio-dad would make an appearance; but that whole thing was not what I thought would happen and I liked that I was surprised. I also liked how Dan’s relationship with the kids improved and I finally felt a little bit of the love between he and Weldon….Well from his side anyway, Weldon never hid his feelings nor did he go back and forth so it was nice for Dan at least to see that reciprocated. Overall, it wasn’t what I thought it was going to be, but I liked how it ended. Really looking forward to the next one!
3.5 for me
September 4, 2016
In general I do LIKE it... but I finally pinpointed what was bothering me about both books... the over usage of HONEY...
WARNING WARNING: DANGER WILL ROBINSON.... I'm following a stereotype, my review my prerogative..
Audie is a cowboy, Weldon finish maker (whatever, he builds things with wood) and Dan.. an ex-army... what is in common? These are all macho types! Once in a while some sweet lovey dovey nickname but with them its like 24/7 almost. This just makes them too girly like for their characters in my opinion.
Dan Dan... he seems fine, no big huge "It was a nightmare" kind of situation going on.. but its like halfway thru he has a BIT of anxiety flashback like symptoms. My problem is that there just doesn't seem to be a basis for this behavior. I base THAT on the fact that he's been in service for YEARS with no apparent problems so it couldn't be just some everyday in danger type of thing for me. Plus, it was brought up but not explored.
And finally, their big fight... I get the whole boasting thing but there should be a limit to running at the mouth when you're talking about what boils down to his brand new family. And for Weldon to simply tell him to take a ride and they talk it out. Bam all is good in the world again VERY quickly... skipped over the whole make it up and apologize to the kids part also.
WARNING WARNING: DANGER WILL ROBINSON.... I'm following a stereotype, my review my prerogative..
Audie is a cowboy, Weldon finish maker (whatever, he builds things with wood) and Dan.. an ex-army... what is in common? These are all macho types! Once in a while some sweet lovey dovey nickname but with them its like 24/7 almost. This just makes them too girly like for their characters in my opinion.
Dan Dan... he seems fine, no big huge "It was a nightmare" kind of situation going on.. but its like halfway thru he has a BIT of anxiety flashback like symptoms. My problem is that there just doesn't seem to be a basis for this behavior. I base THAT on the fact that he's been in service for YEARS with no apparent problems so it couldn't be just some everyday in danger type of thing for me. Plus, it was brought up but not explored.
And finally, their big fight... I get the whole boasting thing but there should be a limit to running at the mouth when you're talking about what boils down to his brand new family. And for Weldon to simply tell him to take a ride and they talk it out. Bam all is good in the world again VERY quickly... skipped over the whole make it up and apologize to the kids part also.
January 1, 2018
Excellent follow-up in the series.
October 6, 2016
To me, there's just something so very appealing about a Southern guy. Of course, it doesn't hurt that I'm from Texas so I get to listen to that fabulous accent all day long, but still. The manners, the charm, the sayings ... it's always so much fun to read a book set in the south. Which is why, I'm so happy that I read B.A. Toruga's newest book, Real World. She's an author that's been on my TBR list FOREVER and this was a great introduction to her work, and I know I'll be reading more of her stuff in the future.
That being said, I think it's fair to warn you that Real World is book two of her Love is Blind series. I wouldn't necessarily say you have to read book one in order to enjoy Real World, (as I just said, this is the first book hers I've read) but it probably wouldn't hurt. I was able to follow along with people and circumstances just fine but from the get go, we're thrust into a scene with established couples and friendships that were introduced in book 1. And what an introduction it is. Abraham Weldon is a single father of five. Yes, you saw that right ... 5 kids! He's a devoted father, skilled craftsman, funny and sweet and so so charming in that way only a southern boy can be. When he meets Dan White at a bar, the sparks sure start flying immediately. Weldon knows who Dan is, he's the brother-in-law of his best friend and he just happens to be brother's with his blind son's music teacher. Dix and Audie were the focus of book 1 in the series so there's an instant familiarity among all the men. There's also a white hot instant attraction between Dan and Weldon. The only thing is, Dan doesn't like kids. He doesn't hate them or anything; he likes his nieces and nephews just fine and gets along with them great, but he's definitely not looking for anything long term with a man with as many responsibilities and Weldon. With kids aged from 3 to 16, Weldon has his hands full for sure. Add in a special needs son, and yeah, Weldon often finds himself overwhelmed by life in general.
Dan is just out of the military and as such, is a bit adrift as he tries to reacclimate to civilian life. He's living with Dix and Audie and when a night out to see Dix perform at a local bar ends up with a hot one night stand with Weldon, he's convinced it can't go any further. Too bad he crosses paths with Weldon so much considering Audie and Weldon are best friends. And then there's that whole connection thing going on between the two men. It was so enjoyable watching Dan's perceived notions fall by the wayside as he gets more and more enmeshed with Weldon's life and all that entails. Seeing him be gentle and endearing with each of the kids was heart meltingly fun. The story moves along nicely, even if it goes on for at least fifty pages longer than it needed to. Sure the kids were cute and who doesn't love a dad with his babies, but some of the scenes were just filler, they didn't really move the story along at all and at one point just got tedious instead of cute. The sex between Dan and Weldon is scorching hot though and it was really nice to see Weldon portrayed as a bisexual. He loved his wife with his whole heart and it's taken years to get over her sudden death. And he makes no apologies for being madly in love with her, or with his college boyfriend before her. Dan's struggles with Weldon's bisexuality were portrayed very realistically and I was really happy to see that.
This is a nice sweet, very low angst story of family and love and learning to appreciate all that life gives you, especially second chances. I liked that Weldon's son Jakob is blind and how B.A. portrayed how a family lives with someone who has special needs, but still wants to feel like a "normal" teenager with a love of computer games and music. The drama toward the end was a bit over the top, but all in all, I really liked Real World and hope there's more to the series. I know I'm going to go back and read the first book and check out other books in B.A. Tortuga's catalog. Be sure to check this one people, you won't be sorry.
*This review will also be posted on www.diversereader.blogspot.com*
That being said, I think it's fair to warn you that Real World is book two of her Love is Blind series. I wouldn't necessarily say you have to read book one in order to enjoy Real World, (as I just said, this is the first book hers I've read) but it probably wouldn't hurt. I was able to follow along with people and circumstances just fine but from the get go, we're thrust into a scene with established couples and friendships that were introduced in book 1. And what an introduction it is. Abraham Weldon is a single father of five. Yes, you saw that right ... 5 kids! He's a devoted father, skilled craftsman, funny and sweet and so so charming in that way only a southern boy can be. When he meets Dan White at a bar, the sparks sure start flying immediately. Weldon knows who Dan is, he's the brother-in-law of his best friend and he just happens to be brother's with his blind son's music teacher. Dix and Audie were the focus of book 1 in the series so there's an instant familiarity among all the men. There's also a white hot instant attraction between Dan and Weldon. The only thing is, Dan doesn't like kids. He doesn't hate them or anything; he likes his nieces and nephews just fine and gets along with them great, but he's definitely not looking for anything long term with a man with as many responsibilities and Weldon. With kids aged from 3 to 16, Weldon has his hands full for sure. Add in a special needs son, and yeah, Weldon often finds himself overwhelmed by life in general.
Dan is just out of the military and as such, is a bit adrift as he tries to reacclimate to civilian life. He's living with Dix and Audie and when a night out to see Dix perform at a local bar ends up with a hot one night stand with Weldon, he's convinced it can't go any further. Too bad he crosses paths with Weldon so much considering Audie and Weldon are best friends. And then there's that whole connection thing going on between the two men. It was so enjoyable watching Dan's perceived notions fall by the wayside as he gets more and more enmeshed with Weldon's life and all that entails. Seeing him be gentle and endearing with each of the kids was heart meltingly fun. The story moves along nicely, even if it goes on for at least fifty pages longer than it needed to. Sure the kids were cute and who doesn't love a dad with his babies, but some of the scenes were just filler, they didn't really move the story along at all and at one point just got tedious instead of cute. The sex between Dan and Weldon is scorching hot though and it was really nice to see Weldon portrayed as a bisexual. He loved his wife with his whole heart and it's taken years to get over her sudden death. And he makes no apologies for being madly in love with her, or with his college boyfriend before her. Dan's struggles with Weldon's bisexuality were portrayed very realistically and I was really happy to see that.
This is a nice sweet, very low angst story of family and love and learning to appreciate all that life gives you, especially second chances. I liked that Weldon's son Jakob is blind and how B.A. portrayed how a family lives with someone who has special needs, but still wants to feel like a "normal" teenager with a love of computer games and music. The drama toward the end was a bit over the top, but all in all, I really liked Real World and hope there's more to the series. I know I'm going to go back and read the first book and check out other books in B.A. Tortuga's catalog. Be sure to check this one people, you won't be sorry.
*This review will also be posted on www.diversereader.blogspot.com*
August 11, 2016
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through Wicked Reads.
This book was my introduction to B.A. Tortuga and I can now say that I liked her writing style and had no problem reading this book. I also found this book to be a bit more unique for an M/M romance as it did have a large basis on family with multiple children playing large roles in the plot. I did not read the first book in this series, but I had no problem with this book as a stand alone, and I think the author did a good job of making sure the reader wasn't missing anything.
Dan White is doing his best to return to civilian life after leaving a long military career. He's staying with his brother and family while he tries to get back on his feet. He just didn't expect it to be so hard to adjust. He goes out to a New Year's eve party with his brother and brother's partner when he meets a friend of theirs and knows this guy could be just the distraction he needs.
Abe Weldon is instantly attracted to Dan and finds himself having one of the best times he's had in a long time, but he's disappointed that Dan doesn't seem to be into kids and commitment, both of which he has or wants. When Dan finds out that Weldon is a single dad with 5 kids at home, he is a bit taken aback, but as he sees Weldon with his kids, he gains a lot of respect for him and sees how chaotic his life can be and how well he juggles it all.
As time moves forward, the two can't help but see each other often and each time, the chemistry is even stronger. The author does a nice job of showing how big households work and I liked how she integrated the relationship with it. The family basis of the entire book was nice to me. I enjoyed meeting ALL of the kids and seeing Audie and Dix (Dan's brother) and their kids in the mix as well. It had a loving and yet realistic feel throughout that I found refreshing.
I did have a few minor annoyances while reading, but they didn't bother me too much to stop reading. Some word choices were definitely odd. I kept being pulled from the story to think about why that word or another was chosen. I also didn't think that a situation with one of the children was resolved properly. It was resolved, but much of the emotional side of it for the child was brushed aside. I also found that the majority of the conflict was left for the end of the book, leaving the end feeling rushed and then just over.
Overall, I definitely enjoyed this book. Dan and Weldon are adorable by themselves, but adding the kids into the mix made me fall in love even more. I will be looking into more by B.A. Tortuga and I will recommend this book to Romance and M/M romance fans to enjoy.
This book was my introduction to B.A. Tortuga and I can now say that I liked her writing style and had no problem reading this book. I also found this book to be a bit more unique for an M/M romance as it did have a large basis on family with multiple children playing large roles in the plot. I did not read the first book in this series, but I had no problem with this book as a stand alone, and I think the author did a good job of making sure the reader wasn't missing anything.
Dan White is doing his best to return to civilian life after leaving a long military career. He's staying with his brother and family while he tries to get back on his feet. He just didn't expect it to be so hard to adjust. He goes out to a New Year's eve party with his brother and brother's partner when he meets a friend of theirs and knows this guy could be just the distraction he needs.
Abe Weldon is instantly attracted to Dan and finds himself having one of the best times he's had in a long time, but he's disappointed that Dan doesn't seem to be into kids and commitment, both of which he has or wants. When Dan finds out that Weldon is a single dad with 5 kids at home, he is a bit taken aback, but as he sees Weldon with his kids, he gains a lot of respect for him and sees how chaotic his life can be and how well he juggles it all.
As time moves forward, the two can't help but see each other often and each time, the chemistry is even stronger. The author does a nice job of showing how big households work and I liked how she integrated the relationship with it. The family basis of the entire book was nice to me. I enjoyed meeting ALL of the kids and seeing Audie and Dix (Dan's brother) and their kids in the mix as well. It had a loving and yet realistic feel throughout that I found refreshing.
I did have a few minor annoyances while reading, but they didn't bother me too much to stop reading. Some word choices were definitely odd. I kept being pulled from the story to think about why that word or another was chosen. I also didn't think that a situation with one of the children was resolved properly. It was resolved, but much of the emotional side of it for the child was brushed aside. I also found that the majority of the conflict was left for the end of the book, leaving the end feeling rushed and then just over.
Overall, I definitely enjoyed this book. Dan and Weldon are adorable by themselves, but adding the kids into the mix made me fall in love even more. I will be looking into more by B.A. Tortuga and I will recommend this book to Romance and M/M romance fans to enjoy.
August 14, 2016
3.5 Stars
“Real World” by B.A. Tortuga is the second novel in the “Love is Blind” series. The previous story is about one “White” brother finding his HEA and in this book it is the turn for “Dan White”, an ex-military trying to adjust to his new life as a civilian and also falling in love. It can be read as a standalone. Dan’s brother and his partner are a big part of this book and readers who have read the previous one will get a follow up on the beautiful couple’s life after the first book.
This book had a very impressive bunch of characters who are children but have the highest impact on the story and the romance. Abraham Weldon’s 5 kids were adorable and the life of the book. They were not used just as props in the read. They are very much involved in the story.
Weldon is a single dad who has lost his wife three years ago. His day to day struggles trying to juggle his work, a budding romance and raising 5 kids was what made this story a lot different from any other M/M romances out there. Weldon always loves with his whole heart and they are generally the “forever” kind. He wants Dan badly and knows deep in his heart that it could turn into more than a few casual hook-ups but Dan’s reluctance to get involved with a single dad, sets their romance back a bit. But as Dan starts to get more involved with his kids, Weldon’s hope for a future with Dan grows.
Dan is an ex-military who is trying very hard to adjust to his civilian life. He is a little adrift and Weldon with his 5 kids was the perfect anchor he needed to start his life anew. Dan loves his brother’s kids but he is not sure at the start if he wants to be tied to a man, whose first priority will always be his kids. But his attraction to Weldon surpasses all his doubts and worries. He soon becomes the superhero “Dan-Dan” to Weldon’s kids and he could not be happier.
This book is a very apt portrayal of a life of a single parent trying to find love. Family is the main aspect of this book. The romance works around the demands of nurturing a family. It was very realistic and I liked it a lot.
My one complaint was the conversationalist way of telling the story. I got a headache following the rapid fire conversations among all the characters. There was very little prose and huge amounts of dialogues which made the read a little cluttered.
Bottom line, this book is one of the best stories portraying a realistic romance in midst of a big family. There was no angst and the romance develops seamlessly with the relationship among Dan and Weldon’s kids.
*This review has been cross posted at GayBookReviews*
“Real World” by B.A. Tortuga is the second novel in the “Love is Blind” series. The previous story is about one “White” brother finding his HEA and in this book it is the turn for “Dan White”, an ex-military trying to adjust to his new life as a civilian and also falling in love. It can be read as a standalone. Dan’s brother and his partner are a big part of this book and readers who have read the previous one will get a follow up on the beautiful couple’s life after the first book.
This book had a very impressive bunch of characters who are children but have the highest impact on the story and the romance. Abraham Weldon’s 5 kids were adorable and the life of the book. They were not used just as props in the read. They are very much involved in the story.
Weldon is a single dad who has lost his wife three years ago. His day to day struggles trying to juggle his work, a budding romance and raising 5 kids was what made this story a lot different from any other M/M romances out there. Weldon always loves with his whole heart and they are generally the “forever” kind. He wants Dan badly and knows deep in his heart that it could turn into more than a few casual hook-ups but Dan’s reluctance to get involved with a single dad, sets their romance back a bit. But as Dan starts to get more involved with his kids, Weldon’s hope for a future with Dan grows.
Dan is an ex-military who is trying very hard to adjust to his civilian life. He is a little adrift and Weldon with his 5 kids was the perfect anchor he needed to start his life anew. Dan loves his brother’s kids but he is not sure at the start if he wants to be tied to a man, whose first priority will always be his kids. But his attraction to Weldon surpasses all his doubts and worries. He soon becomes the superhero “Dan-Dan” to Weldon’s kids and he could not be happier.
This book is a very apt portrayal of a life of a single parent trying to find love. Family is the main aspect of this book. The romance works around the demands of nurturing a family. It was very realistic and I liked it a lot.
My one complaint was the conversationalist way of telling the story. I got a headache following the rapid fire conversations among all the characters. There was very little prose and huge amounts of dialogues which made the read a little cluttered.
Bottom line, this book is one of the best stories portraying a realistic romance in midst of a big family. There was no angst and the romance develops seamlessly with the relationship among Dan and Weldon’s kids.
*This review has been cross posted at GayBookReviews*
September 26, 2016
***A copy of this book was provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange for an honest and fair review***
Dan White is finally done with the military, wanting to spend more time with family he's back in Austin, staying with his brother and his brother's family until he can get a job and a place of his own. Unfortunately, he didn't know how hard it would be to find those things. While he's more than qualified in Security and Risk Management, it just doesn't seem like companies are jumping to hire him.
Abraham Weldon is a single father of five kids, a widower and a bisexual. Being a serial monogamist and only dating two people his entire life, his high school boyfriend and his wife of twelve years, Weldon is not interested in casual sex. His life is crazy enough with a blind 15 year old son, three daughters and an exuberant 3-year-old little boy.
New Year's Eve finds Dan and Weldon meeting and dancing, followed by a hot night together. As much as they both enjoyed their night, Dan's not interested in dating a man with a kids, his life is too unsettled and he doesn't want the responsibility that comes from being with a man with children.
Weldon understands, he knows most men or women aren't going to want to bring that kind of chaos into their lives. The only problem is that he wants Dan something fierce. Of course, it becomes harder and harder for Dan to stay away, so maybe they can make it work?
I really enjoyed the first part of the book. Getting to know all of the characters and the anticipation of Dan and Weldon getting together. It was funny and sweet. However, the middle of the story started to drag a bit in my opinion. I got a little tired of Dan and Weldon dancing around each other.
The story picked back up about 2/3 of the way in and again I found it funny and sweet. I was invested again on Dan, Weldon and the eldest child Jacob, who was born blind. Of course I couldn't help but love cute little Caleb and Emma, Kenzie and Maddie. This story was filled to the brim with enjoyable characters that helped to make the book enjoyable.
4 Stars!
Dan White is finally done with the military, wanting to spend more time with family he's back in Austin, staying with his brother and his brother's family until he can get a job and a place of his own. Unfortunately, he didn't know how hard it would be to find those things. While he's more than qualified in Security and Risk Management, it just doesn't seem like companies are jumping to hire him.
Abraham Weldon is a single father of five kids, a widower and a bisexual. Being a serial monogamist and only dating two people his entire life, his high school boyfriend and his wife of twelve years, Weldon is not interested in casual sex. His life is crazy enough with a blind 15 year old son, three daughters and an exuberant 3-year-old little boy.
New Year's Eve finds Dan and Weldon meeting and dancing, followed by a hot night together. As much as they both enjoyed their night, Dan's not interested in dating a man with a kids, his life is too unsettled and he doesn't want the responsibility that comes from being with a man with children.
Weldon understands, he knows most men or women aren't going to want to bring that kind of chaos into their lives. The only problem is that he wants Dan something fierce. Of course, it becomes harder and harder for Dan to stay away, so maybe they can make it work?
I really enjoyed the first part of the book. Getting to know all of the characters and the anticipation of Dan and Weldon getting together. It was funny and sweet. However, the middle of the story started to drag a bit in my opinion. I got a little tired of Dan and Weldon dancing around each other.
The story picked back up about 2/3 of the way in and again I found it funny and sweet. I was invested again on Dan, Weldon and the eldest child Jacob, who was born blind. Of course I couldn't help but love cute little Caleb and Emma, Kenzie and Maddie. This story was filled to the brim with enjoyable characters that helped to make the book enjoyable.
4 Stars!
August 29, 2016
This is the second book in the Love is Blind series. I read book one which was Dix and Audie's story and loved it. This is about Dix's brother Dan, who just came home from the military and is getting used to being back. He meets Weldon at a new years eve party and they hit it off. They sleep together and it is a great beginning for them. Dan decides he cant handle a relationship with Weldon because he has 5 children. Dan feels he couldnt be good for them since he doesnt have a job and not sure what he wants to do now that he doesnt have the military. They try to stay apart but keep coming together until Dan realizes he doesnt want to be without Weldon. Dan takes a chance and they become a couple. Now I think Weldon's 5 kids steal this book. They are great and was fun to read about all the trouble they get into. Weldon has lots of help with the kids from his parents and he wife's parents. The chemistry between Weldon and Dan is off the charts HOT. The sex scenes are so well written by BA and I wanted more of them. I loved how they had to sneak away for a quicky. I think in the end everyone got what they needed. Weldon lost his wife and got another partner in Dan. Dan received a ready made family and someone to love.
*ARC provided by Author in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Jodi from Alpha Book Club
*ARC provided by Author in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Jodi from Alpha Book Club
August 12, 2016
~I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads Review Team~
This book took a bit for me to get into but once I got into it I really enjoyed it. I loved how the kids were active in the book and not just props and left in the background. Dan is ex-military and trying to adapt to civilian life, that is so hard and I don’t think people really understand that and I liked how the author tried to show this. Abraham aka Weldon, man, he is a little firecracker and I fell in love with him instantly. The sparks between Weldon and Dan are so hot from the beginning all the way to the end of this book. There is a little angst with the eldest son and then a fight between Dan and Weldon, the rest is just real life situations and a really good story.
Characters: well written and easy to relate to
Sex: oh yeah
Religious: no
Would I recommend to others: yes
More than one book in the series: not sure
Genre: M/M Romance
Would I read more by this author: yes
~Wicked Reads Review Team~
This book took a bit for me to get into but once I got into it I really enjoyed it. I loved how the kids were active in the book and not just props and left in the background. Dan is ex-military and trying to adapt to civilian life, that is so hard and I don’t think people really understand that and I liked how the author tried to show this. Abraham aka Weldon, man, he is a little firecracker and I fell in love with him instantly. The sparks between Weldon and Dan are so hot from the beginning all the way to the end of this book. There is a little angst with the eldest son and then a fight between Dan and Weldon, the rest is just real life situations and a really good story.
Characters: well written and easy to relate to
Sex: oh yeah
Religious: no
Would I recommend to others: yes
More than one book in the series: not sure
Genre: M/M Romance
Would I read more by this author: yes
~Wicked Reads Review Team~
August 14, 2016
A Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words.com review
Rating: 4.75 stars rounded up to 5 stars out of 5
For the full review visit http://wp.me/p220KL-7Zj on 8/15
From that review: "B.A. Tortuga has a way, whether its by her ear for the vernacular or locale or just knowing people and family dynamics, of being able to create characters that are so real, so believable that they pull you into their story and lives that you ache for them, get mad at them, yes, want to shake them and finally rejoice in their happiness at the end when they pull together and realize they can make it as a couple and as a family. That happens here in Real World, a book I loved even better than the first story in the series. That's saying a lot."
Rating: 4.75 stars rounded up to 5 stars out of 5
For the full review visit http://wp.me/p220KL-7Zj on 8/15
From that review: "B.A. Tortuga has a way, whether its by her ear for the vernacular or locale or just knowing people and family dynamics, of being able to create characters that are so real, so believable that they pull you into their story and lives that you ache for them, get mad at them, yes, want to shake them and finally rejoice in their happiness at the end when they pull together and realize they can make it as a couple and as a family. That happens here in Real World, a book I loved even better than the first story in the series. That's saying a lot."
January 6, 2020
3.5 Stars
I liked the story and I didn't. Loved that fact Weldon always put his family 1st no matter what. Didn't like parts of Dan. The guy has PTSD but we are never really explained why, yes he was military but apparently it was nothing too traumatic ordeal.
I liked the story and I didn't. Loved that fact Weldon always put his family 1st no matter what. Didn't like parts of Dan. The guy has PTSD but we are never really explained why, yes he was military but apparently it was nothing too traumatic ordeal.
August 27, 2016
I still have a cheesy smile from the end of this book!!
October 14, 2016
3.5 stars
October 24, 2016
Sometimes a bit over-the-top, but the dialogue is fantastic and I loved the characters. Even the kids!
May 7, 2017
I was really looking forward to B.a. Tortuga’s second novel in her Love is Blind series, and she did not disappoint. Real World is appropriately titled and is an excellent follow up to the first book, Ever the Same, where we met Audie, Dixon, and their two children.
In Real World Dixon’s brother, Army veteran Dan, comes home and ups the family story a few notches. Dan is pretty sure he doesn’t like kids. Actually, that’s not the right way to say it. He just doesn’t understand kids since he doesn’t have any of his own and has not been around a lot of children, other than his two younger brothers and his cousins. When he meets Weldon at a New Years Eve Party, sparks seem to fly between them. Until…
Weldon is the most bisexual man I’ve read in a novel. He knows exactly who he is and who he’s likely to love, and it doesn’t have anything to do with what’s between his lover’s legs. Weldon had a long term love affair through high school with another boy. They parted ways and at 19 Weldon met Krista, crying in the Dairy Queen because she was pregnant and alone. Weldon’s big heart melted and he fell in love with Krista. They were married for 12 years and during that time had four more children in addition to the child she was pregnant with when they met. Oh, did I mention that Jakob, the baby, now teenager who thinks of Weldon as his father, was born blind? That’s a lot of kids and kid problems on a young couple, but they were a loving family, even though Krista tragically died right after the fifth baby was born.
Dan is having trouble finding a job and a direction in life after so many years in the military. Add to that, falling in lust with a father of five children. Is there a future together for Dan and Weldon? There are quite a few bumps in the road involving the children, let alone for Dan who is struggling with adjusting to civilian life.
I loved this book so much. The effort of raising children, especially when one is blind, is beautifully portrayed, with each child portrayed as an individual. I was astounded with how well written this novel is, and will read it again just for the pure pleasure it brings. I am a fan of B.a. Tortuga and look forward to raiding her backlist and grabbing new books as they come out.
In Real World Dixon’s brother, Army veteran Dan, comes home and ups the family story a few notches. Dan is pretty sure he doesn’t like kids. Actually, that’s not the right way to say it. He just doesn’t understand kids since he doesn’t have any of his own and has not been around a lot of children, other than his two younger brothers and his cousins. When he meets Weldon at a New Years Eve Party, sparks seem to fly between them. Until…
Weldon is the most bisexual man I’ve read in a novel. He knows exactly who he is and who he’s likely to love, and it doesn’t have anything to do with what’s between his lover’s legs. Weldon had a long term love affair through high school with another boy. They parted ways and at 19 Weldon met Krista, crying in the Dairy Queen because she was pregnant and alone. Weldon’s big heart melted and he fell in love with Krista. They were married for 12 years and during that time had four more children in addition to the child she was pregnant with when they met. Oh, did I mention that Jakob, the baby, now teenager who thinks of Weldon as his father, was born blind? That’s a lot of kids and kid problems on a young couple, but they were a loving family, even though Krista tragically died right after the fifth baby was born.
Dan is having trouble finding a job and a direction in life after so many years in the military. Add to that, falling in lust with a father of five children. Is there a future together for Dan and Weldon? There are quite a few bumps in the road involving the children, let alone for Dan who is struggling with adjusting to civilian life.
I loved this book so much. The effort of raising children, especially when one is blind, is beautifully portrayed, with each child portrayed as an individual. I was astounded with how well written this novel is, and will read it again just for the pure pleasure it brings. I am a fan of B.a. Tortuga and look forward to raiding her backlist and grabbing new books as they come out.
March 9, 2017
I loved this 2nd novel just as much as the previous one. Although this one was a bit different. Novel 1 was more quiet, this one being more vibrant more noisy. Not in a bad way.
Lots of focus on the children, who are like a 3rd main character in this story, and also proper focus on the main couple.
I might have liked it more if the small, insufficiently explored motifs of Boyd, the zebra and kangaroo, and PTSD had not been introduced into the storyline. The author kind of breezed over these and they just ended up being loose threads left hanging. Instead some more dates maybe long talks between the main characters would have been better at filling in pages. But overall no biggie.
I loved the story. I loved the heavy-on-the-kids and living-with-kids and the every day is a new apocalypse thing. It made the story very colourful, endearing and very dynamic. Every page had something happening, the speed never abated.
I also loved reading about Audie and Dix from the first novel, and how they were such a big part of this novel.
And the new characters introduced whom I sincerely hope to see again in a 3rd and 4th installment to this series.
B.A. Tortuga was my introduction to the cowboy motif via the Terms of Release series and now with this series she is definitely making a spot for herself among my authors of reference.
Lots of focus on the children, who are like a 3rd main character in this story, and also proper focus on the main couple.
I might have liked it more if the small, insufficiently explored motifs of Boyd, the zebra and kangaroo, and PTSD had not been introduced into the storyline. The author kind of breezed over these and they just ended up being loose threads left hanging. Instead some more dates maybe long talks between the main characters would have been better at filling in pages. But overall no biggie.
I loved the story. I loved the heavy-on-the-kids and living-with-kids and the every day is a new apocalypse thing. It made the story very colourful, endearing and very dynamic. Every page had something happening, the speed never abated.
I also loved reading about Audie and Dix from the first novel, and how they were such a big part of this novel.
And the new characters introduced whom I sincerely hope to see again in a 3rd and 4th installment to this series.
B.A. Tortuga was my introduction to the cowboy motif via the Terms of Release series and now with this series she is definitely making a spot for herself among my authors of reference.
November 10, 2016
I think I liked this one a little more than the first one although they were both good. There was a little more plot in this one. Maybe if they didnt say HONEY every other word I would have liked them both a little more. I mean I like endearments and all but this was honey overkill.
April 23, 2020
I liked it. Not luv, but I enjoyed it.
The thing with the bio-dad seemed off. Although I really enjoyed Dan scaring the piss out of him.
I liked Grandma and the kids.
Enjoyable, but nothing really stood out to make it memorable.
But it made for a very nice quarantine read.
The thing with the bio-dad seemed off. Although I really enjoyed Dan scaring the piss out of him.
I liked Grandma and the kids.
Enjoyable, but nothing really stood out to make it memorable.
But it made for a very nice quarantine read.
July 8, 2022
Dan has mustered out of the army. New Year's Eve he is at a bar with Audi and Dixon. Their friend, Weldon, joins them. Dan and Weldon are in lust until Weldon mentions his five children. What will happen depends on Dan getting off his no children position?
March 15, 2023
Rating: 4 stars
Another great book. I loved Weldon right off the bat but it took me a while to like Dan. Something about his personality rubbed me the wrong way. All in all, I really enjoyed this book.
Another great book. I loved Weldon right off the bat but it took me a while to like Dan. Something about his personality rubbed me the wrong way. All in all, I really enjoyed this book.
July 14, 2023
Beautiful story
I simply adore how the author blends love, family, laughter, communication, trust, excitement and of course steamy hot scenes. I truly enjoyed reading the series.. wish there is more..
I simply adore how the author blends love, family, laughter, communication, trust, excitement and of course steamy hot scenes. I truly enjoyed reading the series.. wish there is more..
August 11, 2017
I like the idea of the book, the story is okay. But there is way too much 'honey' calling. And the book needs to be proofread and edited.
January 28, 2018
There were two things that really annoyed me:
1) winking occurs about 28 times.
2) "good deal" is said about 26 times.
1) winking occurs about 28 times.
2) "good deal" is said about 26 times.
March 6, 2021
Really enjoy this series
I’ve been on a reading streak of books by this author that are a mix of Texas, cowboys, kids, and family. Thumbs up.
I’ve been on a reading streak of books by this author that are a mix of Texas, cowboys, kids, and family. Thumbs up.
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