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The Sparky
Aaron’s been living in what his friend Howie calls a sexual desert. But an oasis appears on the horizon when Paul, a divorced electrician with a five-year-old daughter named Sam, moves in next door. He’s a country boy from northern Australia, and although he’s never been with a guy before, he has an impression that anything goes in the city. They find that the ordinary things in life—books, footie in the park, looking after Sam—lead them into an unlikely relationship.
But as their relationship slowly deepens, with Aaron spending time on Paul’s family’s cattle station, it becomes clear that Paul might have a harder time leaving the country behind. To him, happiness means a conventional life—including a mother for Sam. Being with his old friends convinces him he’s on the wrong path with Aaron, and he starts a relationship with a girl from his hometown. If he cannot find the courage to go after what he truly needs, he and Aaron will become nothing more than awkward neighbours.
But as their relationship slowly deepens, with Aaron spending time on Paul’s family’s cattle station, it becomes clear that Paul might have a harder time leaving the country behind. To him, happiness means a conventional life—including a mother for Sam. Being with his old friends convinces him he’s on the wrong path with Aaron, and he starts a relationship with a girl from his hometown. If he cannot find the courage to go after what he truly needs, he and Aaron will become nothing more than awkward neighbours.
200 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 3, 2017
3 people are currently reading
43 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
October 19, 2017
*Ranting ahead...*
This is not I expected.
This is the case it's me book,not you.
I didn't like Paul. And Aaron is too doormat for my taste.
And there's cheating (imo,you can have your own opinion after you read this), and with a woman ffs!
It started very well in the beginning, a little bit slow, but i didn't mind. If not because of Paul's daughter, Sam, I'll probably pissed off even more.
I get that Aaron need to moved on real fast after being dumped by his 'not really' a boyfriend.
But Paul never been with a guy before, he's straight and he doubted his 'intention' to Aaron. Okay he mingled well with Aaron's friends and all. But in my opinion, Paul is too shallow.
How could he sleep with Aaron and brought Aaron to his family and then dumped Aaron over a 'woman'???
I was so mad at him, I can't even...!
And Aaron is no better, he sounded really desperate, forloving, whatever.
I would love it, if Aaron dumped Paul and ended with Howie his best friend for so long...
And then after he broke up with that woman, he's just came to Aaron and wanted Aaron back, and Aaron was just OKAY with that?
Pfftt!!!!
I'm disappointed.
*ARC provided by Dreamspinner press for an honest and fair review.*
This is not I expected.
This is the case it's me book,not you.
I didn't like Paul. And Aaron is too doormat for my taste.
And there's cheating (imo,you can have your own opinion after you read this), and with a woman ffs!
It started very well in the beginning, a little bit slow, but i didn't mind. If not because of Paul's daughter, Sam, I'll probably pissed off even more.
I get that Aaron need to moved on real fast after being dumped by his 'not really' a boyfriend.
But Paul never been with a guy before, he's straight and he doubted his 'intention' to Aaron. Okay he mingled well with Aaron's friends and all. But in my opinion, Paul is too shallow.
How could he sleep with Aaron and brought Aaron to his family and then dumped Aaron over a 'woman'???
I was so mad at him, I can't even...!
And Aaron is no better, he sounded really desperate, forloving, whatever.
I would love it, if Aaron dumped Paul and ended with Howie his best friend for so long...
And then after he broke up with that woman, he's just came to Aaron and wanted Aaron back, and Aaron was just OKAY with that?
Pfftt!!!!
I'm disappointed.
*ARC provided by Dreamspinner press for an honest and fair review.*
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 6, 2017
1.5 stars - Written decently enough, but Paul and Aaron's relationship left a lot to be desired. Paul treated Aaron deplorably by ending things the way he did, and Aaron gave in way too quickly when the idiot came crawling back. Ugh...
January 24, 2019
Pretty fair first attempt (debut). Paul was pretty cruel in the way he broke things off, but it didn't seem unrealistic given the reaction of his friends.
June 2, 2017
I was given a copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
The characters in this book are entirely too believable. Aaron and Paul came to life wonderfully and I fell hard for both of them - right until their thoughtless actions and lack of communication made them real enough to be bloody annoying.
While I struggled some with the characters and slightly cumbersome plot, I really enjoyed the writing style in this book. I love the author’s Australia, I love the way he writes friendships and I love that he created a fictional kid I actually really enjoyed.
On his own, Aaron is a really likeable character. I enjoyed his friends, I liked his job and I liked his relationship with Sam. His introduction to Paul’s outback community is slightly awkward, but his relationship with Paul’s parents is sweet. But there is a hint of snobbery in Aaron that I found off putting. His Maurice reference and his constant awareness of Paul’s blue collar roots compared to his identity as an educated professional really rubbed me the wrong way at times.
I warmed to Paul as the sexy cowboy dad next door but he feels far too old for all his sexual confusion and identity angst. He reads like a self-centered teenager for much of the book and good looks and sexual chemistry doesn’t quite compensate for his hurtful behaviour. But Aaron and Paul do have great chemistry and there are a few really hot scenes in this story.
While the writing style had me hooked, the plot to this book does ramble and plot threads seem to multiply as the story progresses. This is a new author for me and I’m really looking forward to reading more from him.
The characters in this book are entirely too believable. Aaron and Paul came to life wonderfully and I fell hard for both of them - right until their thoughtless actions and lack of communication made them real enough to be bloody annoying.
While I struggled some with the characters and slightly cumbersome plot, I really enjoyed the writing style in this book. I love the author’s Australia, I love the way he writes friendships and I love that he created a fictional kid I actually really enjoyed.
On his own, Aaron is a really likeable character. I enjoyed his friends, I liked his job and I liked his relationship with Sam. His introduction to Paul’s outback community is slightly awkward, but his relationship with Paul’s parents is sweet. But there is a hint of snobbery in Aaron that I found off putting. His Maurice reference and his constant awareness of Paul’s blue collar roots compared to his identity as an educated professional really rubbed me the wrong way at times.
I warmed to Paul as the sexy cowboy dad next door but he feels far too old for all his sexual confusion and identity angst. He reads like a self-centered teenager for much of the book and good looks and sexual chemistry doesn’t quite compensate for his hurtful behaviour. But Aaron and Paul do have great chemistry and there are a few really hot scenes in this story.
While the writing style had me hooked, the plot to this book does ramble and plot threads seem to multiply as the story progresses. This is a new author for me and I’m really looking forward to reading more from him.
March 3, 2017
A Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words.com review
Rating: 3 stars out of 5
For the full review, visit: http://wp.me/p220KL-9PB
From that review: "The Sparky by Marek Moran is well-written, and both the plot and the characters feel current and believable. Where that should work in most books favor, I think it hurts The Sparky because there are a lot of readers who will just find the dynamics between Aaron and Paul deplorable, especially Paul's choices later after he and Aaron have begun a relationship. I'm not especially fond of them myself..."
for all our reviews, author interviews and all things books, visit us at http://scatteredthoughtsandroguewords...
Rating: 3 stars out of 5
For the full review, visit: http://wp.me/p220KL-9PB
From that review: "The Sparky by Marek Moran is well-written, and both the plot and the characters feel current and believable. Where that should work in most books favor, I think it hurts The Sparky because there are a lot of readers who will just find the dynamics between Aaron and Paul deplorable, especially Paul's choices later after he and Aaron have begun a relationship. I'm not especially fond of them myself..."
for all our reviews, author interviews and all things books, visit us at http://scatteredthoughtsandroguewords...
July 7, 2017
New author for me. I liked the writing style of the book and was really enjoying the story up until Paul turned into a douche bag and Aaron lets him getting way with treating him like's disposable.
I will give this author another go when they write another book just because the style they write in appeals to me.
I will give this author another go when they write another book just because the style they write in appeals to me.
January 24, 2021
3,5* rounded up for encouragement to the first-time writer.
Writing style was good, most events pretty realistic and everything was moving well until Paul has dumped Aaron for "normal" life.
After that what was a great read turned into predictable soap opera. Less cliché would have made it so much better.
I liked the writing style and hope that author will get better with experience.
Writing style was good, most events pretty realistic and everything was moving well until Paul has dumped Aaron for "normal" life.
After that what was a great read turned into predictable soap opera. Less cliché would have made it so much better.
I liked the writing style and hope that author will get better with experience.
January 16, 2021
No ooo ooo, just no. There is no chemistry between the main characters. As for Aaron...doormat should be my name because seriously after everything that happened with Paul..just no. Paul is just an assist. No thank you
This is just an imop review and others may like it
This is just an imop review and others may like it
December 4, 2017
4.5 stars. Really enjoyed it!
February 10, 2018
Probably closer to 3.5/5
July 7, 2019
Great read
Thoroughly enjoyed this book and looking forward to reading more from this author. Would highly recommend this as a good read.
Thoroughly enjoyed this book and looking forward to reading more from this author. Would highly recommend this as a good read.
will-come-back-later
December 11, 2020A Hearts On Fire Review to come...
Yikes.
Yikes.
April 4, 2017
1.5 stars
April 22, 2017
The Sparky is written well, for the most part. I actually did enjoy reading about Aaron and his friends. If that had been the main part of the book, I would have probably been much happier with the way it all played out. Seriously, my favorite character was Howie, who was a secondary character, and I would have been super duper happy if he was ultimately the romantic interest. Sadly, he was not. Instead, there was Paul.
Hey, I am all for complicated and angsty. Sometimes—depending on my mood—the angstier the better. I am quite happy when I read a book that has an MC who I really don’t like in the beginning, or does something that is appalling but somehow the author finds a way to make the character more relatable, and even manages to redeem something about them. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen in this book for me. Paul actually started out pretty likable, and I was originally hoping they did get together and, along with Sam, would have a lovely HEA. The build-up of their relationship and slow-burn was sweet and nice, and I was totally team Aaron & Paul. But then Paul’s behavior did a complete one-eighty, and he became someone I really didn’t like. The author did such a fabulous job of making him a jerk that I jumped off that train with a quickness. Sadly, when it came time to bring me back around to liking Paul, I couldn’t do it and I couldn’t get on board with them getting back together. Maybe a bit more insight to Paul, or a more fleshed out reconciliation or something would have helped. I honestly don’t know what it would have taken, because I was pretty disgusted with him and had a hard time letting that go, and for whatever reason, I wasn’t invested in them as a couple and working things out anymore.
Aaron was a good guy, and he was dimensional and written so I wanted him to find someone; at first I wanted that someone to be Paul. Then I sort of hoped he would find someone other than Paul. I enjoyed Aaron’s interactions with Sveta and Howie, and the bridge group. I adored Sam (Paul’s daughter), and the special relationship Aaron develops with her. But since this story was supposed to be one where Paul was the romantic interest, it sort of made for an awkward reading experience there at the end.
I did enjoy many aspects about this book, it was pretty well-written, and I enjoyed Aaron quite a bit. But, I’ll be honest—the complicated relationship between the MCs left me at the point where I wouldn’t have minded at all if they hadn’t got their HEA.
Reviewed by Lindsey for The Novel Approach
Reviewed by Lindsey for
Hey, I am all for complicated and angsty. Sometimes—depending on my mood—the angstier the better. I am quite happy when I read a book that has an MC who I really don’t like in the beginning, or does something that is appalling but somehow the author finds a way to make the character more relatable, and even manages to redeem something about them. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen in this book for me. Paul actually started out pretty likable, and I was originally hoping they did get together and, along with Sam, would have a lovely HEA. The build-up of their relationship and slow-burn was sweet and nice, and I was totally team Aaron & Paul. But then Paul’s behavior did a complete one-eighty, and he became someone I really didn’t like. The author did such a fabulous job of making him a jerk that I jumped off that train with a quickness. Sadly, when it came time to bring me back around to liking Paul, I couldn’t do it and I couldn’t get on board with them getting back together. Maybe a bit more insight to Paul, or a more fleshed out reconciliation or something would have helped. I honestly don’t know what it would have taken, because I was pretty disgusted with him and had a hard time letting that go, and for whatever reason, I wasn’t invested in them as a couple and working things out anymore.
Aaron was a good guy, and he was dimensional and written so I wanted him to find someone; at first I wanted that someone to be Paul. Then I sort of hoped he would find someone other than Paul. I enjoyed Aaron’s interactions with Sveta and Howie, and the bridge group. I adored Sam (Paul’s daughter), and the special relationship Aaron develops with her. But since this story was supposed to be one where Paul was the romantic interest, it sort of made for an awkward reading experience there at the end.
I did enjoy many aspects about this book, it was pretty well-written, and I enjoyed Aaron quite a bit. But, I’ll be honest—the complicated relationship between the MCs left me at the point where I wouldn’t have minded at all if they hadn’t got their HEA.
Reviewed by Lindsey for The Novel Approach
Reviewed by Lindsey for
April 25, 2017
2.5☆
I wasn't really feeling the relationship between the Mc's
also the reason why Paul "broke up" with Aaron was so dumb I can't even...so
he started dating Jessie a woman from his home town because Sam (his daughter) needs a mother like WTF??
my problem with it was that Sam already has a mother his ex wife Kaylee and they even share custody (she's not a bad mother or anything) so it didn't make any sense to me what so ever .
I just wasn't feeling this one.
I wasn't really feeling the relationship between the Mc's
also the reason why Paul "broke up" with Aaron was so dumb I can't even...so
he started dating Jessie a woman from his home town because Sam (his daughter) needs a mother like WTF??
my problem with it was that Sam already has a mother his ex wife Kaylee and they even share custody (she's not a bad mother or anything) so it didn't make any sense to me what so ever .
I just wasn't feeling this one.
Read
June 24, 2017Absolutely loved reading this. It was so relatable. And while I wanted more angst and wanted to see how Paul comes out, I'm fairly happy how he and Aaron turned out. :)
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews