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By the Numbers #1
By The Numbers
2nd Edition
When Nathaniel, aka Deuce, arrives home to an apartment building on fire, he can only think of one thing: his pregnant dog. Luckily firefighter Trey Donovan rescues her, and Nathaniel is exceedingly grateful. In fact, he tracks down Trey’s station so he can show his gratitude properly—and explore the connection he senses between them. Trey’s interested, but a less-than-friendly ex-wife and the seven-year-old daughter he’s raising make things… complicated. Between everything on Trey’s plate and the newborn puppies Deuce must care for—while homeless—finding common ground won’t be easy. But the spark of attraction between them is too enticing to be allowed to fizzle.
First Edition published by Torquere Press, 2011.
When Nathaniel, aka Deuce, arrives home to an apartment building on fire, he can only think of one thing: his pregnant dog. Luckily firefighter Trey Donovan rescues her, and Nathaniel is exceedingly grateful. In fact, he tracks down Trey’s station so he can show his gratitude properly—and explore the connection he senses between them. Trey’s interested, but a less-than-friendly ex-wife and the seven-year-old daughter he’s raising make things… complicated. Between everything on Trey’s plate and the newborn puppies Deuce must care for—while homeless—finding common ground won’t be easy. But the spark of attraction between them is too enticing to be allowed to fizzle.
First Edition published by Torquere Press, 2011.
143 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 27, 2011
11 people are currently reading
465 people want to read
About the author
Chris Owen
101 books908 followersI live and write in eastern Canada. I went to a bunch of schools, learned a lot of things, and now make stuff up because not to do so is unthinkable. I'm fond of fountain pens, Levenger's Circa system, and Steampunk fashions.
I'm inspired by the day to day minutia of life, and find beauty in the way words go together. I like texture and richness of experience. I'm not shy. I'm happy, I'm learning, I'm living.
I'm inspired by the day to day minutia of life, and find beauty in the way words go together. I like texture and richness of experience. I'm not shy. I'm happy, I'm learning, I'm living.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews
October 4, 2011
This book is simply adorable!
It is pretty overall but very enjoyable. It is a sweet romance that is slowly developed and I liked that. That wasn’t that much sex which I also liked.
The book was good and anyone looking for light and sweet. No angst, a little family drama, super cute puppies, eh a kid and two sweet guys should read this…
Since it was pointed out to me that my recommendations aren’t always series and sometimes I recommend stuff I’d never read I want to state I did read this and it was good.
There was NO:
Fisting
Spoons (sadly there was salad dressing but it was mixed in a container)
Blood play
Cheating
Abuse
Rape
Drugs
Sluts
Werewolves
Baby eating
Water Sports
Double penetration
Incest
Vampires
Felching
Humiliation
Butt plugs
Car batteries
Nipple clamps
Birmingham Boot Calls
Missing teeth (was a lost shoe but was found in a closet not inside someone’s rear)
It is pretty overall but very enjoyable. It is a sweet romance that is slowly developed and I liked that. That wasn’t that much sex which I also liked.
The book was good and anyone looking for light and sweet. No angst, a little family drama, super cute puppies, eh a kid and two sweet guys should read this…
Since it was pointed out to me that my recommendations aren’t always series and sometimes I recommend stuff I’d never read I want to state I did read this and it was good.
There was NO:
Fisting
Spoons (sadly there was salad dressing but it was mixed in a container)
Blood play
Cheating
Abuse
Rape
Drugs
Sluts
Werewolves
Baby eating
Water Sports
Double penetration
Incest
Vampires
Felching
Humiliation
Butt plugs
Car batteries
Nipple clamps
Birmingham Boot Calls
Missing teeth (was a lost shoe but was found in a closet not inside someone’s rear)
September 29, 2011
Now and then, we are served with the beauty of simplicity. The book's plot is simple. A fireman saves a man's pregnant dog. The dog owner comes to the station to thank the fireman, and offers a puppy. Upon learning that the man basically lost his home, the fireman offers him to stay in his house for a while. As long as the man is willing to deal with the fireman's daughter and ex-wife. The man accepts, and they grow closer each day. The story is about the fireman (Trey), the one who lost home (Deuce), the fireman's daughter (Lacey) and the fireman's ex-wife (Holly). That's about it. Oh, and about their dogs too.
This is an amazing story. Not in its complexity but in its simplicity. It shows that we don't need many 'events' to have good story telling. No fireman trapped in collapsed building before he could say "I love you". No homophobic ex-wife fighting for sole custody for the child. Not even big event that changes the direction of the story. Nothing. Yet, it's a very compelling book.
In its simplicity, we feel the characters' hopes and tensions. Hope that life gets better after divorce. Or after losing an apartment. Tensions from meeting a bitchy ex wife and co-workers. Or from doing something that you shouldn't have done at work, and get caught by the boss. They are mundane things, but real. Slowly we feel the relationship developed into mutual understanding and acceptances of the situation.
If I can use a couple words to describe the book, they would be adult and mature. Not that the characters are perfect or superman-like. They have emotion, and sometimes do stupid little things too. But in general, their approach to life is very mature. The ex-wife, for instance, is bitchy, but there's a reason for it. And it's dealt in a mature way.
Recommended. But it may not be everyone's cup of tea.
PS: I thought this book is part of 911 series (by Chris Owen), but it doesn't seem to be the case. When I did some more checking, it turns out the captain of Trey's unit is Chance, a character from 'Firefighters' series (by Tory Temple), although this book is totally independent from that series.
This is an amazing story. Not in its complexity but in its simplicity. It shows that we don't need many 'events' to have good story telling. No fireman trapped in collapsed building before he could say "I love you". No homophobic ex-wife fighting for sole custody for the child. Not even big event that changes the direction of the story. Nothing. Yet, it's a very compelling book.
In its simplicity, we feel the characters' hopes and tensions. Hope that life gets better after divorce. Or after losing an apartment. Tensions from meeting a bitchy ex wife and co-workers. Or from doing something that you shouldn't have done at work, and get caught by the boss. They are mundane things, but real. Slowly we feel the relationship developed into mutual understanding and acceptances of the situation.
If I can use a couple words to describe the book, they would be adult and mature. Not that the characters are perfect or superman-like. They have emotion, and sometimes do stupid little things too. But in general, their approach to life is very mature. The ex-wife, for instance, is bitchy, but there's a reason for it. And it's dealt in a mature way.
Recommended. But it may not be everyone's cup of tea.
PS: I thought this book is part of 911 series (by Chris Owen), but it doesn't seem to be the case. When I did some more checking, it turns out the captain of Trey's unit is Chance, a character from 'Firefighters' series (by Tory Temple), although this book is totally independent from that series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 23, 2016
I usually really like both these authors, individually and together. By the Numbers looks to be a spinoff of Tory Temple's Firefighters series, which I remember liking. By the Numbers didn't really wow me, though.
First the good: I like the new cover, and the dog is precious. Also, the story starts off with Deuce coming home to find his apartment building on fire. Luckily, a hot firefighter, named Trey Donovan, rescued his dog, who was pregnant and, also luckily, the dog and her unborn pups are completely unharmed. I liked that beginning - no real sadness, a heroic rescue… a win-win if you don't think about Deuce and his dog no longer having a place to live.
Nathaniel Stoller, or Deuce as most people call him, is in his 20's and is a software developer. He rides his bicycle back and forth from work every day to keep in shape and he has a dog, named Q, whom he adores.
Trey Donovan, 38, is the hunky hero of a firefighter who rescues Q from the burning building. Definitely a hero in my book! He's divorced and has a 7 year old daughter whom he shares custody with his ex-wife.
While the story was ok, I found the MC's rather bland. There is so much small talk, rather than actual conversation that I feel like I didn't really get to know either MC, much less feel their attraction to one another. I would have liked some conflict that wasn't ex-wife melodrama, as well. I didn't like Holly (the ex-wife), who was still bitter two years after the divorce and Lacey, their 7 year old daughter, was way too well adjusted well behaved to have parents that pretty much hated each other. So I did not buy that at all.
I know these authors work well together, though, because I have really enjoyed some of their other collaborations. This one just didn't work well for me, unfortunately.
-----------------
ARC of By the Numbers was generously provided, by the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.
First the good: I like the new cover, and the dog is precious. Also, the story starts off with Deuce coming home to find his apartment building on fire. Luckily, a hot firefighter, named Trey Donovan, rescued his dog, who was pregnant and, also luckily, the dog and her unborn pups are completely unharmed. I liked that beginning - no real sadness, a heroic rescue… a win-win if you don't think about Deuce and his dog no longer having a place to live.
Nathaniel Stoller, or Deuce as most people call him, is in his 20's and is a software developer. He rides his bicycle back and forth from work every day to keep in shape and he has a dog, named Q, whom he adores.
Trey Donovan, 38, is the hunky hero of a firefighter who rescues Q from the burning building. Definitely a hero in my book! He's divorced and has a 7 year old daughter whom he shares custody with his ex-wife.
While the story was ok, I found the MC's rather bland. There is so much small talk, rather than actual conversation that I feel like I didn't really get to know either MC, much less feel their attraction to one another. I would have liked some conflict that wasn't ex-wife melodrama, as well. I didn't like Holly (the ex-wife), who was still bitter two years after the divorce and Lacey, their 7 year old daughter, was way too well adjusted well behaved to have parents that pretty much hated each other. So I did not buy that at all.
I know these authors work well together, though, because I have really enjoyed some of their other collaborations. This one just didn't work well for me, unfortunately.
-----------------
ARC of By the Numbers was generously provided, by the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.
October 2, 2011
The chain store pharmacy in my area has a food section and in that section they sell carrot cake. The cake is nothing fancy. It's not all that sweet, there are no elaborate spices in it and the frosting is nothing to write home about. It's a simple single-serving square of carrot cake. I buy those little carrot cakes all of the time. If offered red velvet cake or the carrot cake, red velvet would win sometimes but mostly I'd pick the carrot cake.
By The Numbers is my carrot cake.
This book held my attention without any of the following: Explosions, espionage, angst, mystical magic powers or anything else that comes close to the extreme ends of the storytelling spectrum.
This book was simple in that it simply tells the sweet story of how two people meet, build a relationship and begin to build a life together.
A firefighter(Trey), a guy who works in an office(Deuce), some dogs, a kid and an ex-wife who's antagonistic. If I were to sit down with a couple at a party and ask how they met I feel like I might get the bare bones of a story like the one told in this book. One of the things I love about the book is that when the authors fleshed out the story they stayed true to those bare bones.
A lot of authors are great at telling stories full of extraordinary events but very few can do what the authors of this book did. They took a chunk of every day life and fashioned it into a story that, without very many additives, completely engaged me and will keep me coming back for more.
By The Numbers is a quiet book that captures your attention and holds it without using any fantastical events. That makes the story itself nothing less than fantastic.
For me? A very solid four stars.
By The Numbers is my carrot cake.
This book held my attention without any of the following: Explosions, espionage, angst, mystical magic powers or anything else that comes close to the extreme ends of the storytelling spectrum.
This book was simple in that it simply tells the sweet story of how two people meet, build a relationship and begin to build a life together.
A firefighter(Trey), a guy who works in an office(Deuce), some dogs, a kid and an ex-wife who's antagonistic. If I were to sit down with a couple at a party and ask how they met I feel like I might get the bare bones of a story like the one told in this book. One of the things I love about the book is that when the authors fleshed out the story they stayed true to those bare bones.
A lot of authors are great at telling stories full of extraordinary events but very few can do what the authors of this book did. They took a chunk of every day life and fashioned it into a story that, without very many additives, completely engaged me and will keep me coming back for more.
By The Numbers is a quiet book that captures your attention and holds it without using any fantastical events. That makes the story itself nothing less than fantastic.
For me? A very solid four stars.
September 25, 2012
This is a nice story.
It's about two regular guys, Deuce ( who works in IT) and Trey ( Fireman).
They meet when Trey saves Deuce's dog Q from a fire.
They meet up and things develop nicely and slowly and actually pretty tame.
There are puppies, lots and lots of puppies and a cute but not very annoying or brilliant little girl and an ex who is difficult and bitter, but not over the top horrible , and she is a good mother! ( thank goodness, I've had enough of the books where the Mother only cares about making the Dad's life miserable, the kids be damned! )
I think it was a very relaxing read, no huge drama or intrigue , no near death experiences.
Some might find it boring, but for the mood I was in, it was just right!
It's about two regular guys, Deuce ( who works in IT) and Trey ( Fireman).
They meet when Trey saves Deuce's dog Q from a fire.
They meet up and things develop nicely and slowly and actually pretty tame.
There are puppies, lots and lots of puppies and a cute but not very annoying or brilliant little girl and an ex who is difficult and bitter, but not over the top horrible , and she is a good mother! ( thank goodness, I've had enough of the books where the Mother only cares about making the Dad's life miserable, the kids be damned! )
I think it was a very relaxing read, no huge drama or intrigue , no near death experiences.
Some might find it boring, but for the mood I was in, it was just right!
September 27, 2012
Not really much to say about this one. It’s a easy simple read about two guys meeting and falling in love. There is no real drama or angst. There’s a slightly bitchy Ex wife, but even she is tame in comparison to most. The kid is a nice realistic kid, not overly sweet or obnoxious, although she doesn’t play a large part in the story. The dogs are cute.
A good read for when you’re in the mood for something quiet and calming.
Not quite a 3 but certainly more than a two star.
A good read for when you’re in the mood for something quiet and calming.
Not quite a 3 but certainly more than a two star.
August 18, 2024
A perfect re-read! 5 dreamy stars.
September 30, 2011
3.5 stars
I wonder how many people will buy this b/c of the adorable puppy on the cover? :)
ETA - the actual review! :D
It was slow, sweet, and easy with little conflict; it was also really cute. I also thought this was very realistic, unlike a lot m/m. Just a simple story of two guys meeting, becoming friends, getting to know each other - the normal relationship stuff, along with a daughter and three dogs in the mix. This is something minor, but I liked that the authors didn't just sort of "forget" about the puppies. I know some people may think it was too much, but it was very realistic b/c when you have puppies in the house that you're trying to train and stuff, they need almost constant supervision.
The only thing that was really a negative was length and pace of the story. Because there was little conflict or drama, some parts dragged a little, and I found myself getting bored at times. I think if the book had been cut down a little bit, it could have been a perfect little novella. However, I still definitely enjoyed this story, and it's a great read for when you're in the mood for something light but still well-written. (CHOCOLATE read, Luta!!!)
ETA: I marked this as "series-or-related" b/c Chance from Tory Temple's Firefighters appears often in the book; however, this is still definitely a stand alone novel.
I wonder how many people will buy this b/c of the adorable puppy on the cover? :)
ETA - the actual review! :D
It was slow, sweet, and easy with little conflict; it was also really cute. I also thought this was very realistic, unlike a lot m/m. Just a simple story of two guys meeting, becoming friends, getting to know each other - the normal relationship stuff, along with a daughter and three dogs in the mix. This is something minor, but I liked that the authors didn't just sort of "forget" about the puppies. I know some people may think it was too much, but it was very realistic b/c when you have puppies in the house that you're trying to train and stuff, they need almost constant supervision.
The only thing that was really a negative was length and pace of the story. Because there was little conflict or drama, some parts dragged a little, and I found myself getting bored at times. I think if the book had been cut down a little bit, it could have been a perfect little novella. However, I still definitely enjoyed this story, and it's a great read for when you're in the mood for something light but still well-written. (CHOCOLATE read, Luta!!!)
ETA: I marked this as "series-or-related" b/c Chance from Tory Temple's Firefighters appears often in the book; however, this is still definitely a stand alone novel.
October 13, 2011
3.5 stars
Recommended by B, I think these reviews from my friends capture what I think of the book: Edina, Bubbles (who listed things you will not find in this book, so yay!), Lacey, and Arthur
I just want to be lazy and not doing actual review *lol*. LOOK for this book if you're up for rather mundane daily activities between two guys, where chemistry is there, and the relationship progresses nicely, with adorable puppies, and smart daughter, and kisses come after half the book.
DO NOT look for this book if you want something explosive or kinky or heartstopping action or emotional rollercoaster or angst or if you get easily bored (or yawn) with day-to-day story.
Recommended by B, I think these reviews from my friends capture what I think of the book: Edina, Bubbles (who listed things you will not find in this book, so yay!), Lacey, and Arthur
I just want to be lazy and not doing actual review *lol*. LOOK for this book if you're up for rather mundane daily activities between two guys, where chemistry is there, and the relationship progresses nicely, with adorable puppies, and smart daughter, and kisses come after half the book.
DO NOT look for this book if you want something explosive or kinky or heartstopping action or emotional rollercoaster or angst or if you get easily bored (or yawn) with day-to-day story.
November 2, 2011
2.5 A bit more than OK for me but not enough to say I liked it.
I was expecting and wanted easy, warm, sweet, cute, angst-free and I got that and then some. What I wasn't expecting was this high level of mundane, of everyday ordinary down to stifling a burp. I needed a little more of something else or a little less of everything else to hold my attention.
I was expecting and wanted easy, warm, sweet, cute, angst-free and I got that and then some. What I wasn't expecting was this high level of mundane, of everyday ordinary down to stifling a burp. I needed a little more of something else or a little less of everything else to hold my attention.
October 19, 2012
DNF @ 24%
1. Bored
2. Characters running together
3. Very slow movement
4. This is not GFY...shouldn't be on that list.
5. Slow...oh, did I say that already.
6. Some formatting and editing errors.
Maybe it's me and I just wasn't in the mood for it, but it never hooked me.
1. Bored
2. Characters running together
3. Very slow movement
4. This is not GFY...shouldn't be on that list.
5. Slow...oh, did I say that already.
6. Some formatting and editing errors.
Maybe it's me and I just wasn't in the mood for it, but it never hooked me.
September 27, 2012
Hmmm... what to say? This was a cute easy read just like everyone else has said, it’s actually hard to write anything that is different from anyone else. *lol* I liked the characters, hated their names I thought they may grow on me but nope never did, I guess it was supposed to be funny I just thought it was silly. Loved Lacey and the puppies I’m a sucker for pets and kids these seemed so adorable. Hated the ex Holly but that’s not unusual either most of the time ex’s are made out to be the bitch. I think the only real conflict that happened in this story had to do with her. It was a pretty simple story no angst just a sweet little story.
I guess if I have to choose something that doesn’t work for me it would be the Firefighter aspect but that’s a personal thing. I will say from what I know of some Fire Stations, that stuff was pretty much right on except the Fire Truck scene as much I’m sure some would wish that part was. I'm not saying it doesn't happen it's just not likely, great fantasy for some though.;-)
If you want an easy quick read that’s pretty good then I’d say try this one.
May 29, 2017
A firefighter and a cute dog are pretty good reasons to read a book, at least for me, but what I found when I started to read ‘By the Numbers’ was even cuter than I remembered from reading it the first time, many years ago. Deuce loses his apartment in a fire, but all he worries about is his pregnant dog. Trey is the firefighter who rescues her, and this is the beginning of a wonderful friendship followed by a slow-burn romance that made me sigh, it was so adorable. It isn’t without its issues, mainly Trey’s ex-wife who takes a long time to sort-of come around and uses their seven-year-old as a bargaining chip, but on the whole, Deuce and Trey just fit together.
If you’re looking for a sweet romance with lots of awww moments, if cut puppies and cuter kids are your thing, and if you’re looking for a pretty conflict-free read with very little angst, then you will probably like this novel.
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review.
If you’re looking for a sweet romance with lots of awww moments, if cut puppies and cuter kids are your thing, and if you’re looking for a pretty conflict-free read with very little angst, then you will probably like this novel.
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review.
November 27, 2012
Very sweet story. The guys are sweet, the puppies are sweet, and the kid is sweet. The ex is a total bitch but that helped counter all the sweetness. There were a few unresolved issues I kept waiting for closure on, but they never really happened, such as Trey's relationship coming to light at work and telling Lacey about them. There were a few others, but overall, this was a very enjoyable read.
March 22, 2014
Thinking 3.5 stars bumped up to 4 for the adorable puppies and the cutest lil girl ever.
Besides a little bit of bitchy ex-wife issues this book was pretty angst free. I'm not sure if that was a good thing or bad thing.... IMO, I woulda preferred some angst or at least some good tension between them.
All in all..sweet, comfortable, good sexin and a hot firefighter! Enjoy :)
Besides a little bit of bitchy ex-wife issues this book was pretty angst free. I'm not sure if that was a good thing or bad thing.... IMO, I woulda preferred some angst or at least some good tension between them.
All in all..sweet, comfortable, good sexin and a hot firefighter! Enjoy :)
October 5, 2011
A feel-good story from beginning to end. It's all about relationships, including an ex-wife and a seven-year-old little girl. Not to mention a bunch of puppies. What's not to like?
October 3, 2011
I really enjoyed this one and just loved reading about how they met and how they got to know each other. Sweet story!
February 3, 2017
Deuce is coming home from work and find his apartment on fire. His first thought is to Q, his very pregnant dog. Luckily Trey,the hot fireman, has saved her. From that moment,a new friendship and lately more will born between deuce and Trey.
By The Numbers by Chris Owens and Tory Temple was a success to me this second time too. I remembered this story, I bought it when it was first published some years ago. I read a lot and if I remind a book, it means it really impressed me in a positive way.
That’s why I requested this second edition, I was curious to see how it was changed and how (or if) my tastes were changed too. Well I still loved it.
I liked Deuce a lot, how joyous and enthusiastic he was, how caring he was of Q and her puppies, the way he approached life and its difficult times, always with an easiness hard to find around.
I loved how Trey and Deuce became first friends, knew each other; of course the attraction was there since they met but it was measured and the authors left space to the knowing part first, not to the chemistry. That said there were a lot of sex scenes and they were really hot. There were a lot of puppies, adorable and messy as only puppies could be.
There was some child time and some adult time, even at the fire station.
By The Numbers by Chris Owens and Tory Temple is a light and quick read, cute and well done. I adored it and I feel to highly recommend it.
Cover Artist: Maria Fanning. Cover is adorable.
By The Numbers by Chris Owens and Tory Temple was a success to me this second time too. I remembered this story, I bought it when it was first published some years ago. I read a lot and if I remind a book, it means it really impressed me in a positive way.
That’s why I requested this second edition, I was curious to see how it was changed and how (or if) my tastes were changed too. Well I still loved it.
I liked Deuce a lot, how joyous and enthusiastic he was, how caring he was of Q and her puppies, the way he approached life and its difficult times, always with an easiness hard to find around.
I loved how Trey and Deuce became first friends, knew each other; of course the attraction was there since they met but it was measured and the authors left space to the knowing part first, not to the chemistry. That said there were a lot of sex scenes and they were really hot. There were a lot of puppies, adorable and messy as only puppies could be.
There was some child time and some adult time, even at the fire station.
By The Numbers by Chris Owens and Tory Temple is a light and quick read, cute and well done. I adored it and I feel to highly recommend it.
Cover Artist: Maria Fanning. Cover is adorable.
October 25, 2013
3.5 stars
This was such a cute story! I loved how it started and how Deuce and Trey first meet. I also loved how Deuce and Trey were kind of circling each other at first and the ultimate lead up to where things start to progress around them. The fact that it revolves around a pregnant dog and the puppies that soon come was just adorable and had me smiling nonstop.
My only real issue is that there was too much sex for me. Too many scenes and a few that were too long for my tastes as well to the point that I started skimming them. Beyond that, I wished we could have seen more of Deuce and Trey together with them getting deeper into their relationship. I feel like I know more about Trey and his life than I know about Deuce. In fact, Deuce is sort of still a big mystery to me.
In the end, it was a good story that I enjoyed. I liked how Chance from Ms. Temple's Firefighters series made a few appearances in this story. It was a pleasant surprise. I'm looking forward to the sequel and seeing if some of my questions get answered. Definitely recommended, though, for those looking for a light, sweet and smutty read.
This was such a cute story! I loved how it started and how Deuce and Trey first meet. I also loved how Deuce and Trey were kind of circling each other at first and the ultimate lead up to where things start to progress around them. The fact that it revolves around a pregnant dog and the puppies that soon come was just adorable and had me smiling nonstop.
My only real issue is that there was too much sex for me. Too many scenes and a few that were too long for my tastes as well to the point that I started skimming them. Beyond that, I wished we could have seen more of Deuce and Trey together with them getting deeper into their relationship. I feel like I know more about Trey and his life than I know about Deuce. In fact, Deuce is sort of still a big mystery to me.
In the end, it was a good story that I enjoyed. I liked how Chance from Ms. Temple's Firefighters series made a few appearances in this story. It was a pleasant surprise. I'm looking forward to the sequel and seeing if some of my questions get answered. Definitely recommended, though, for those looking for a light, sweet and smutty read.
November 6, 2011
This was basically a light, happy story. Nathaniel "Deuce" comes home to his apartment on fire. Worried about his pregnant dog, Q, Nathaniel watches a fireman go rushing back into the fire. Thankful for the rescue, Deuce looks up the fireman and tries to give him a puppy. This book was very sweet. There was no complex plot, but the story really didn't need it. It is a basic romance. The relationship that develops between Deuce and Trey is not insta-love which makes me appreciate it even more. They start hanging out with really no expectations. The fact that Trey has an ex wife and daughter could've been the source of a lot of angst but it really wasn't that bad.
If you are in the mood for a light, fun read with two men that are very sexy and good for each other, look no further.
If you are in the mood for a light, fun read with two men that are very sexy and good for each other, look no further.
April 29, 2017
I picked this up for a challenge where there had to be children as part of the story, the book also fitted into another challenge for an animal on the cover.
Deuce comes home one day to find his apartment on fire and good looking fireman, Trey rushes back into the building to rescue Deuce's pregnant dog.
As time goes on, Deuce goes to the fire house to thank Trey and offer him the pick of the litter. Not surprisingly the 2 become friends.
This was an enjoyable story. The little girl was cute but not a real big part of the story.
I have to admit that the beginning of the story was very familiar to me, having read about a fireman and his boyfriend meeting when the fireman attends a fire at the boyfriends house.
Anyway, I see there is a book 2 in the series which I will probably read.
Deuce comes home one day to find his apartment on fire and good looking fireman, Trey rushes back into the building to rescue Deuce's pregnant dog.
As time goes on, Deuce goes to the fire house to thank Trey and offer him the pick of the litter. Not surprisingly the 2 become friends.
This was an enjoyable story. The little girl was cute but not a real big part of the story.
I have to admit that the beginning of the story was very familiar to me, having read about a fireman and his boyfriend meeting when the fireman attends a fire at the boyfriends house.
Anyway, I see there is a book 2 in the series which I will probably read.
April 16, 2012
Sweet, little-conflict story that is nice for a slow, easy read. I had quite a few problems with the abundant details of mundane events that didn't really matter at all, after maybe a few paragraphs to show how slow their relationship is pacing forward and that the beginning of their relationship is all about the little roommate details, but honestly, this could have been cut way down. Otherwise, a good story. I liked the (what I assume would be) realistic look at a modern family and how tough that could be.
All in all, a good story, but I could have done with less details and a little more of the external world situations (like the beach/jellyfish scene) to push the plot along.
All in all, a good story, but I could have done with less details and a little more of the external world situations (like the beach/jellyfish scene) to push the plot along.
March 13, 2021
I will totally admit that I bought this book because I knew it had puppies in the story. I mean, come on, who can resist a pregnant dog and puppies? Not to mention that she's rescued by a hot firefighter and her owner is just quirky and cute enough to make this a hell of a good read!
The story that grows for Trey and Deuce is sweet, hot and very loving. A definite great read!
The story that grows for Trey and Deuce is sweet, hot and very loving. A definite great read!
October 24, 2015
Reading this book was like eating comfort food. Real homey and sweet feel to it.
I think the biggest "drama" was right at the beginning when Nathaniel's apartment burns downs and Trey rescues his pregnant dog Q.
After that it's all smooth sailing for Nathaniel "Deuce" and Trey with very little angst, lots of puppies and a cute little girl.
I think the biggest "drama" was right at the beginning when Nathaniel's apartment burns downs and Trey rescues his pregnant dog Q.
After that it's all smooth sailing for Nathaniel "Deuce" and Trey with very little angst, lots of puppies and a cute little girl.
June 23, 2017
This was sweet enough, I guess. I kinda wish I hadn't just read Chance and Tucker's story, though, because now, in this one, Chance comes across as hypocritical, considering he and Tuck did the same damn things.
March 13, 2017
3.5 Stars ~ Reading the blurb and seeing that Trey and Nathaniel (“Deuce”) meet while Trey saves a pregnant dog had me raising my hand (internally, of course) and saying, “Yes, please.” Because PUPPIES!!! And, let’s be real, Firefighters saving animals is always a plus.
I’m a dog lover, and, even more so, have puppies on the brain. Since my husband is currently making me hold out on another dog in the house, I got to live a little through this heartwarming romance of Trey and Deuce’s, and watch their romance grow amidst the shenanigans of puppies and a cute little girl. The cuteness was all over the place!
There is no overt angst between the two protagonists, just a slow and sweet build to romance. There is family drama, but, all in all, I felt the entire situation was written in a lifelike way, giving depth to the situation and the characters’ behavior. I give kudos to the way the divorce and subsequent aftermath between Trey and Holly was portrayed, as well as how things unfold once Deuce enters the picture. It was written in a way I could totally picture some of my friends, who have been through similar situations, in the different roles at play in this book, and them having similar thoughts and reactions. What I really liked? Trey and Deuce did that little thing called communication. It’s amazing how in most stories that tends to be the catalyst for so many problems; that whole “if they just would have talked to each other, this could have been avoided” scenario I play in my head can get kind of old. In this case I was glad that situation never came up. Both Trey and Deuce explained their feelings, or tried their best to articulate them, and even more awesome was the other person did his best to listen with an open mind.
There was a lot of sweet moments, a few serious conversations, a couple of sexy times and a lot of adorableness throughout this story. At times, it was a little bland for me, but sort of like real-life bland moments. I also think it was because I was trying to read this exhausted after several long days of work, and it was hard to stay focused without anything really big happening.
Though the story does include a lot of time with puppies (YAY!), Lacey (Trey’s daughter) and Holly in the background, the biggest chunk is Trey and Deuce’s romance building from the moment they meet in what could have been a tragic situation, to being acquaintances, then friends, then more.
Give this a one shot if you are someone who adores puppies as much as I do and are looking for a feel-good, simple romance that’s low on the angst level. It’s a realistically written plot, and I found it to be a simple and sweet and lovely little read.
Reviewed by Lindsey for The Novel Approach Reviews
I’m a dog lover, and, even more so, have puppies on the brain. Since my husband is currently making me hold out on another dog in the house, I got to live a little through this heartwarming romance of Trey and Deuce’s, and watch their romance grow amidst the shenanigans of puppies and a cute little girl. The cuteness was all over the place!
There is no overt angst between the two protagonists, just a slow and sweet build to romance. There is family drama, but, all in all, I felt the entire situation was written in a lifelike way, giving depth to the situation and the characters’ behavior. I give kudos to the way the divorce and subsequent aftermath between Trey and Holly was portrayed, as well as how things unfold once Deuce enters the picture. It was written in a way I could totally picture some of my friends, who have been through similar situations, in the different roles at play in this book, and them having similar thoughts and reactions. What I really liked? Trey and Deuce did that little thing called communication. It’s amazing how in most stories that tends to be the catalyst for so many problems; that whole “if they just would have talked to each other, this could have been avoided” scenario I play in my head can get kind of old. In this case I was glad that situation never came up. Both Trey and Deuce explained their feelings, or tried their best to articulate them, and even more awesome was the other person did his best to listen with an open mind.
There was a lot of sweet moments, a few serious conversations, a couple of sexy times and a lot of adorableness throughout this story. At times, it was a little bland for me, but sort of like real-life bland moments. I also think it was because I was trying to read this exhausted after several long days of work, and it was hard to stay focused without anything really big happening.
Though the story does include a lot of time with puppies (YAY!), Lacey (Trey’s daughter) and Holly in the background, the biggest chunk is Trey and Deuce’s romance building from the moment they meet in what could have been a tragic situation, to being acquaintances, then friends, then more.
Give this a one shot if you are someone who adores puppies as much as I do and are looking for a feel-good, simple romance that’s low on the angst level. It’s a realistically written plot, and I found it to be a simple and sweet and lovely little read.
Reviewed by Lindsey for The Novel Approach Reviews
November 8, 2011
Author: Chris Owen and Tory Temple
Publisher: Torquere Press
Page Length (ePub): 139
Published: 2011
I was glad to see this finally published, as I enjoyed the first firefighter story – and I hadn’t really connected the dots until the main character referenced his boss Chance, and then it all came back to me. Anyway, this was a very quick read and had potential to be a great story, but it continually fell short. The premise of this story is a fireman rescues a pregnant dog from a burning apartment complex, the grateful dog owner seeks out his hero to thank him, ends up befriending him, and then they move in together before, start messing around, and then “overcome” struggles with the fireman’s ex-wife. By the end, there is SO MUCH about the ex-wife that isn’t relevant to their story, that I’m not really sure what the driving force was. This joint writing effort was disjointed throughout, and it seemed like the authors weren’t able to get on the same page to tell this story.
One of the most noticeable flaws, was that he characters seemed to change their core personalities as the book unfolded. For instance, one of the main characters Deuce, opened the story and came across as socially inept, not quick witted, and a bit “dorky.” All of which could have been interesting, but as you read, he became more dominant, had a ton of work friends, was able to socialize fine, and even brazen. The characters were quite surface-level to begin with, so the shifting in personalities broke my connection with their story over and over again. It was also quite far-fetched from reality, but set-up as to be “real life,” which broke down another connection. And fair warning, there is a random daughter thrown in as part and parcel of the ex-wife.
The sex was hot at the beginning, but as soon as the story/characters started falling apart, I found myself wandering through the love scenes. Vanilla with a few over/under tones of Dominance/submission, and there was a varied way in delivering the sex – sometimes the interaction lasted several pages, other times it was briefly mentioned.
Out of four…
Overall Read: ♥♥
Sex Heat: ♥♥
Plot: ♥♥
A middle-of-the-road m/m read. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a hot sexy fireman, enjoys quick/surface level fun, or is just trying to dip their toes into the m/m action. It is an easy read with nothing offensively wrong with it, just not as tied together for an experienced m/m reader and fan.
Publisher: Torquere Press
Page Length (ePub): 139
Published: 2011
I was glad to see this finally published, as I enjoyed the first firefighter story – and I hadn’t really connected the dots until the main character referenced his boss Chance, and then it all came back to me. Anyway, this was a very quick read and had potential to be a great story, but it continually fell short. The premise of this story is a fireman rescues a pregnant dog from a burning apartment complex, the grateful dog owner seeks out his hero to thank him, ends up befriending him, and then they move in together before, start messing around, and then “overcome” struggles with the fireman’s ex-wife. By the end, there is SO MUCH about the ex-wife that isn’t relevant to their story, that I’m not really sure what the driving force was. This joint writing effort was disjointed throughout, and it seemed like the authors weren’t able to get on the same page to tell this story.
One of the most noticeable flaws, was that he characters seemed to change their core personalities as the book unfolded. For instance, one of the main characters Deuce, opened the story and came across as socially inept, not quick witted, and a bit “dorky.” All of which could have been interesting, but as you read, he became more dominant, had a ton of work friends, was able to socialize fine, and even brazen. The characters were quite surface-level to begin with, so the shifting in personalities broke my connection with their story over and over again. It was also quite far-fetched from reality, but set-up as to be “real life,” which broke down another connection. And fair warning, there is a random daughter thrown in as part and parcel of the ex-wife.
The sex was hot at the beginning, but as soon as the story/characters started falling apart, I found myself wandering through the love scenes. Vanilla with a few over/under tones of Dominance/submission, and there was a varied way in delivering the sex – sometimes the interaction lasted several pages, other times it was briefly mentioned.
Out of four…
Overall Read: ♥♥
Sex Heat: ♥♥
Plot: ♥♥
A middle-of-the-road m/m read. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a hot sexy fireman, enjoys quick/surface level fun, or is just trying to dip their toes into the m/m action. It is an easy read with nothing offensively wrong with it, just not as tied together for an experienced m/m reader and fan.
November 4, 2011
It's a cute, sweet and entertaining story. I love the cover...the puppy is adorable and I'm happy that with the dog/puppies bringing Deuce and Trey together didn't get forgotten. The authors continued to make them an integral part of the story, weaving them throughout, instead of using them as a prop and them forgetting them. Yeah Chris and Tory.
I liked both Deuce and Trey. They're friendly, with open, charming personalities.Sexy too and great together. The premise of a relationship starting after being rescued by a fireman isn't exactly original but adding in Q, the dog, certainly gave it an additional creative twist, and the puppies were only more of the same. I liked that thy waited before getting intimate, allowing more time to become friends before jumping into bed, and that they took Lacey into consideration.
There really isn't a great deal of relationship conflict between Deuce and Trey, aside from that provided by the ex-wife. She's unhappy and rather bitchy, but doesn't cause the kind of problems that could have occurred. And I didn't mind that there wasn't yelling, screaming and gnashing of teeth from every adult. Sometimes conflict in literature is highly overrated. Yes, it builds tension, which they had, but in reality, in relationships raging conflict doesn't always happen. So why not unhappy simmering tension instead? Why not have divorced parents acting like adults for the sake of the child for a change?
It was also nice getting to see Chance a bit and hearing Tucker mentioned. So, it's a nice, sweet story. It doesn't have a roller coaster pace, but for me that's okay. It didn't drag and kept my attention. I liked the characters and would like to see more of the their world or that or their firefighter friends in the future.
I liked both Deuce and Trey. They're friendly, with open, charming personalities.Sexy too and great together. The premise of a relationship starting after being rescued by a fireman isn't exactly original but adding in Q, the dog, certainly gave it an additional creative twist, and the puppies were only more of the same. I liked that thy waited before getting intimate, allowing more time to become friends before jumping into bed, and that they took Lacey into consideration.
There really isn't a great deal of relationship conflict between Deuce and Trey, aside from that provided by the ex-wife. She's unhappy and rather bitchy, but doesn't cause the kind of problems that could have occurred. And I didn't mind that there wasn't yelling, screaming and gnashing of teeth from every adult. Sometimes conflict in literature is highly overrated. Yes, it builds tension, which they had, but in reality, in relationships raging conflict doesn't always happen. So why not unhappy simmering tension instead? Why not have divorced parents acting like adults for the sake of the child for a change?
It was also nice getting to see Chance a bit and hearing Tucker mentioned. So, it's a nice, sweet story. It doesn't have a roller coaster pace, but for me that's okay. It didn't drag and kept my attention. I liked the characters and would like to see more of the their world or that or their firefighter friends in the future.
November 1, 2022
Kindle-Sort-ReRead
I'd rate lower now.
The first half is sweet, no drama two nice men getting acquainted and PUPPIES I love dogs.
The puppies sadly get palmed off to others most of the second half. No cute furry mayhem.
But then there's the ex-wife. Bitter mildly evil.
Actually I liked her, more than I liked/respected the main couple by the end.
She's a good mother.
It's a simple, zero-angst read. Starts sweet but by the end I was starting to dislike the couple.
I'd rate lower now.
The first half is sweet, no drama two nice men getting acquainted and PUPPIES I love dogs.
The puppies sadly get palmed off to others most of the second half. No cute furry mayhem.
But then there's the ex-wife. Bitter mildly evil.
Actually I liked her, more than I liked/respected the main couple by the end.
She's a good mother.
It's a simple, zero-angst read. Starts sweet but by the end I was starting to dislike the couple.
May 12, 2015
This story falls into the cute, sweet, but not a whole ton of depth category. It wasn't objectionable in any way, but it didn't spark much enthusiasm for me either. Deuce and Trey were sweet together as they figured things out and of course the puppies were adorable. Overall it's a solid 3.5 stars.
How these two met was cute right off the bat. I loved how frantic Deuce was to get to Q in his burning apartment. Poor pregnant baby stuck in that apartment with only a hot fireman to save her and her not quite born puppies. I liked that Deuce took the time to track Trey down at the fire hall to express his thanks. The route from there to Deuce moving in with Trey was a little silly/out of nowhere, but I did enjoy that these two came at things slowly. This wasn't about a hot flash in the pan attraction that took over everything.
Trey's devotion to his daughter is admirable and she's a great addition to the story. I liked her relationship with Deuce and their banter was really adorable. I think that this story suffered for me, because that's really all there is. Sure there's a little tension with the ex-wife, but there's no real drama or weight anywhere in the story. It's a solid read, it's very sweet, but it's really the guys meet, they like each other, they move in (very quickly and ok only as friends), and fall in love, end of story. Good worth the read, but it doesn't get added to my re-read shelf.
How these two met was cute right off the bat. I loved how frantic Deuce was to get to Q in his burning apartment. Poor pregnant baby stuck in that apartment with only a hot fireman to save her and her not quite born puppies. I liked that Deuce took the time to track Trey down at the fire hall to express his thanks. The route from there to Deuce moving in with Trey was a little silly/out of nowhere, but I did enjoy that these two came at things slowly. This wasn't about a hot flash in the pan attraction that took over everything.
Trey's devotion to his daughter is admirable and she's a great addition to the story. I liked her relationship with Deuce and their banter was really adorable. I think that this story suffered for me, because that's really all there is. Sure there's a little tension with the ex-wife, but there's no real drama or weight anywhere in the story. It's a solid read, it's very sweet, but it's really the guys meet, they like each other, they move in (very quickly and ok only as friends), and fall in love, end of story. Good worth the read, but it doesn't get added to my re-read shelf.
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