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Alt Er Love #1
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As a nineteen-year-old, wunderkind doctoral candidate, Ian Waters had little interest in social interaction. Books were his companions, and that had suited him just fine. Then a hurricane named Jessen Sørensen blew into his life, throwing Ian off his axis.
On the cusp of rock stardom, Jessen had burned brightly, and Ian had fallen heart-first under his spell. But Ian soon learned he was only a temptation, a pit stop on the road to the rocker’s dreams, and Jessen was gone as quickly as he’d come. Ian buried his heartache in academia, the only home he’d ever known.
When Ian encounters Jessen at a party, the seven-year separation seems insurmountable. There’s too much pain, too much distrust. But Jessen declares he has a new dream, and that’s a life with Ian.
On the cusp of rock stardom, Jessen had burned brightly, and Ian had fallen heart-first under his spell. But Ian soon learned he was only a temptation, a pit stop on the road to the rocker’s dreams, and Jessen was gone as quickly as he’d come. Ian buried his heartache in academia, the only home he’d ever known.
When Ian encounters Jessen at a party, the seven-year separation seems insurmountable. There’s too much pain, too much distrust. But Jessen declares he has a new dream, and that’s a life with Ian.
123 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 18, 2017
5 people are currently reading
446 people want to read
About the author
Xio Axelrod
27 books1,194 followersXio Axelrod is a USA Today bestselling author of different flavours of contemporary romance. She also writes what she likes to call strange, twisted tales. Xio grew up in the music industry and began recording at a young age. When she isn’t writing stories, she can be found in the studio, writing songs, or performing on international stages (under a different, no-so-secret name). She lives in Philadelphia with one full-time husband and several part-time cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
July 11, 2017
Ummm, I couldn't really tell if this was a romance, or simply erotica with a good bit of mental badminton over a very short-lived affair and past desertion.
I found it pretty difficult to get into the story to begin with, as instant infatuation immediately seemed to turn into insta-love.
Plus, the wording wasn't flowery per se, but it felt right on the cusp to me, which I found distracting. That tendency seemed to dissipate a bit as the story progressed, or maybe I had just gotten more used to it, I'm not sure.
I wish those extra words had been used to explain the *precise* event, laid out with full detail, which caused Jessen to abandon Ian in favor of continuing to tour with his brother. As explained, I was left with many more questions than answers.
The steamy bits were well-written and very hot; however, I got that they were hot, beautiful, gorgeous very early on in the story, so I didn't feel the need to be told again on nearly every single page. I was already sold on their physical descriptions.
I'd have to rate this novella at slightly under 3 stars, with points mainly for the physical sparks between the MC (aka the 'sexy times'), as there were very few specific detailed examples of events from their past that had made them who they were, deep down.
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My copy of the book was provided by the author through NetGalley in exchange for a fair, unbiased review.
September 3, 2019
He conocido a esta escritora, que a su vez es cantante (aunque yo no he logrado descubrir su nombre artístico), a través de Read-A-Romance Month, que recomiendo mucho para descubrir nuevas autoras y libros de romántica.
Este es el primer libro suyo que leo y, en general, me ha gustado. Se trata de una novella MM, cortita y muy erótica, protagonizada por un músico y un chico superdotado. Hay instalust e instalove, cosa que de por sí no tiene que ser mala, pero le sobra carne y le faltan explicaciones (los que lo lean entenderán porqué lo digo), además de profundidad y desarrollo de los personajes (porqué son como son y hacen lo que hacen).
#Popsugar 2019. Reto 5: Un libro escrito por un músico
Este es el primer libro suyo que leo y, en general, me ha gustado. Se trata de una novella MM, cortita y muy erótica, protagonizada por un músico y un chico superdotado. Hay instalust e instalove, cosa que de por sí no tiene que ser mala, pero le sobra carne y le faltan explicaciones (los que lo lean entenderán porqué lo digo), además de profundidad y desarrollo de los personajes (porqué son como son y hacen lo que hacen).
#Popsugar 2019. Reto 5: Un libro escrito por un músico
August 18, 2017
I don't mind insta-love stories. I'm a believer. There are so many ways to fall in love.
For Ian and Jessen the connection was immediate. They got caught up in each other quickly and at a young age. Their nights together fogged up the glass on my e-reader.
What I don't like in my romance stories are long separations. I mourn the lost years that can never be recovered. I also think people change over time. "If you don't grow together, you grow apart." I couldn't tell you who originally said that, but it's always struck a chord with me.
Ian and Jessen spend seven long years apart. I HAVE NO IDEA WHY.
Then, Jessen shows back up - out of the blue . Again, I HAVE NO IDEA WHY.
They're still in love with each other. OK, I could maybe roll with that. But I'd need some TALKING to happen between the two of them. Either before or after jumping each other's bones. No matter to me. But, at some point, I want to know WHY they spent seven years apart. I want to know more about each of them in general.
That brings me to what I don't like in any of my stories. Shorts, novellas, novelettes, etc. None of those are "my thang".
So, it would be extremely helpful if NetGalley/Publishers would post page length or word count in a prominent place in their galley offerings. That would avoid a frustrated reader (me) and an annoyed author who's had his/her book reviewed by said annoyed reader.
If you like short, erotic gay romance stories, you should try this one. The sex scenes are super hot and the writing is good enough that you feel the MCs love for each other.
If you prefer the longer, more developed plots, this will leave you a little frustrated.
2.5 stars for me
Review ARC graciously provided by the publisher via NetGalley
For Ian and Jessen the connection was immediate. They got caught up in each other quickly and at a young age. Their nights together fogged up the glass on my e-reader.
What I don't like in my romance stories are long separations. I mourn the lost years that can never be recovered. I also think people change over time. "If you don't grow together, you grow apart." I couldn't tell you who originally said that, but it's always struck a chord with me.
Ian and Jessen spend seven long years apart. I HAVE NO IDEA WHY.
Then, Jessen shows back up - out of the blue . Again, I HAVE NO IDEA WHY.
They're still in love with each other. OK, I could maybe roll with that. But I'd need some TALKING to happen between the two of them. Either before or after jumping each other's bones. No matter to me. But, at some point, I want to know WHY they spent seven years apart. I want to know more about each of them in general.
That brings me to what I don't like in any of my stories. Shorts, novellas, novelettes, etc. None of those are "my thang".
So, it would be extremely helpful if NetGalley/Publishers would post page length or word count in a prominent place in their galley offerings. That would avoid a frustrated reader (me) and an annoyed author who's had his/her book reviewed by said annoyed reader.
If you like short, erotic gay romance stories, you should try this one. The sex scenes are super hot and the writing is good enough that you feel the MCs love for each other.
If you prefer the longer, more developed plots, this will leave you a little frustrated.
2.5 stars for me
Review ARC graciously provided by the publisher via NetGalley
July 12, 2017
I really liked this story as I began reading it, and by the time I was done, I was confused and a bit exhausted. It's as if the author took a handful of romance tropes and tossed them together into this story. I felt like I was reading a soap opera - you know, one of these scenes where the characters say things like "If only I could tell you why ....." and "Why won't you listen to me ...." but neither character tells or listens, and it's all a lot of staring off into space looking vaguely distressed and mildly comatose.
We've got Ian, a young prodigy uncomfortable with crowds, who has no idea how gorgeous he is, and the troubled family life. Ian's got the Virgin Card. Jessen is a tall blonde Norwegian and he and his twin are dealt the Rock Star card. Their eyes meet during a concert, there is a whirlwind romance and one brief note later ("I'm sorry.") it's all over. They meet seven years later. They get their Second Chance at Love.
The narrative alludes to SO MUCH - so many, many things ...
Arrgghh, I wanted to scream USE YOUR WORDS throughout this story as each character partially references some important past event, alludes to feelings, suggests emotions, but really says nothing beyond some trite phrases - "Watch me earn you, Ian. I will. I will earn you" or "He couldn't do this. Not again. Not now, when he'd finally gotten his shit together."
Another irritation was the use of Norwegian, as in "Fy faen, jeg har savnet deg. Trenger deg, ikke send meg bort" and then about 12 pages later, there is a footnote at the end of the chapter which says "Fucking hell, I have missed you" and "I need you, don't send me away." It's a weird disconnect to have to go back and plop in the translation long after the fact.
I think this is one of those "everyone else liked it but me" books ...
I received an ARC from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
We've got Ian, a young prodigy uncomfortable with crowds, who has no idea how gorgeous he is, and the troubled family life. Ian's got the Virgin Card. Jessen is a tall blonde Norwegian and he and his twin are dealt the Rock Star card. Their eyes meet during a concert, there is a whirlwind romance and one brief note later ("I'm sorry.") it's all over. They meet seven years later. They get their Second Chance at Love.
The narrative alludes to SO MUCH - so many, many things ...
Arrgghh, I wanted to scream USE YOUR WORDS throughout this story as each character partially references some important past event, alludes to feelings, suggests emotions, but really says nothing beyond some trite phrases - "Watch me earn you, Ian. I will. I will earn you" or "He couldn't do this. Not again. Not now, when he'd finally gotten his shit together."
Another irritation was the use of Norwegian, as in "Fy faen, jeg har savnet deg. Trenger deg, ikke send meg bort" and then about 12 pages later, there is a footnote at the end of the chapter which says "Fucking hell, I have missed you" and "I need you, don't send me away." It's a weird disconnect to have to go back and plop in the translation long after the fact.
I think this is one of those "everyone else liked it but me" books ...
I received an ARC from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
August 19, 2017
This was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
This review will contain a few spoilers.
Ian is a little genius. He finished school at thirteen and has been the youngest professor ever employed in his university. Great life? No. Ian had a shitty childhood and seven years ago his heart was broken when the man of his life, the rock star Jessen Sorensen, abandoned him with nothing but a note made of two words on a piece of paper.
And our story begins when Ian, who hates parties, is dragged to one and ends up face to face with Jessen who doesn't seem to recognize him.
...
...
...
Spoiler alert: Jessen did recognize him, and is actually hellbent on winning Ian back.
Classic set-up for a classic love story. But sadly, a poorly executed one.
First, and it might be the least in this story (since it clearly didn't care about it), but it never is for me: the secondary characters. There's basically like two of them in the book, seriously (I'm not even going to take into account Jess's brother and their drummer, even if the bro should have a bit of importance, they barely even exists). Two secondary characters whom are absolutely nothing but functional. One (Siv) is even used as almost every spot you could find for some other characters: mother figure, only friend, boss, the one who drags Ian to the party, the only close person Ian has... Probably not to make him more like a lone-beat-up-by-life-poor-cinnamon-roll-of-a-main-character. The other is vaguely used as a one time confident. And the two of them are forgotten without any form of ceremony. This made me so mad.
But then again, they are so insignificant it's no use to talk about them more.
Now the two main characters.
Jessen, the supposedly broody and over-confident rock star overshadowed by his brother but who's really just sappy from beginning to end. He had ONE scene where we saw the confidence. Oh, and did I mention his gorgeous body, and his angelic face, and his golden blond hair, and his crystal blue eyes, and that he is super tall, and that he looks like a god (Ian's words, not mine)...
Please.
And he's head over heels for our main character... From the start... But I'll talk about that later.
Now Ian is not confident at all and doesn't think much of himself, but apparently he is obliviously gorgeous, the most gorgeous thing a touring rock star who can have anyone he wants has ever seen. Said rock star told him from the very very start... I said I was going to talk about that later... But I might need some self control. Ian could use some too. He was heart broken, messed up, abandoned in an extremely douchy way... And he just. can't. fucking. say. no. to Jessen. I hate it when they make this kind of thing in romance novels. The MC is pissed for a reasonable reason and the main love interest just has to touch them, or look at them, or even just be in the room to make their heart flutter and their resolve melt. This is bullshit and getting old. Get me some goddamn characters with a bit of will and some self-respect. It just makes them look weak and sappy (I'm getting pissed aren't I? Yes, I think I am... Oh hell, who cares).
But let's get on the more technical parts of the book before I talk about that damn thing I really want to talk about.
The overall structure could have been interesting. It starts entirely in present day and then gives a flashback once in a while making them more present and consistent gradually until a block of chapters in the middle of the story is only set in the past. Then we go back to the present definitely. This is an interesting idea, but I didn't enjoy the originality of it mainly because the more precise structure wasn't really following. To put it simply there are two parts in the book. The build-up and then a lot of sex and cheesiness. It just felt really uneven to me. Also, during the big middle flashback part I had no idea of how the temporality worked, was it days or weeks between every scenes? Did it last days or weeks actually (in the whole I mean)?
But my biggest problem was the freaking last chapter. We're in a third person book from Ian's point of view, and then, suddenly, we finish with Jessen's POV in first person. I got one thing to say: overused trope pushed too far.
I'll just put here (because I don't know where to put that part of the review) a bit of positivity: the book was very aware of the idea of consent, which is a damn good thing nowadays. Jessen was always ready to stop anything he was doing the second Ian told him to, and Ian knew it. Also I liked the straight friend who doesn't give a shit about other people's sexuality, he just likes them because he likes them... and would have been an interesting character if not forgotten that fast.
NOW. WHAT MADE ME RAGE SO BAD.
Insta-love.
Insta-lust.
And all the freaking cheesiness around it.
to sum it up. Ian was a virgin. He meets Jessen. He's never been so fascinated by anyone in his entire life. Jessen finds him so damn special in those first few seconds. They grope a little later. This is soooooo special. No one has ever made Jessen feel like Ian does. Jessen decides to abandon his carrier as a rock star and wants to live with Ian (earlier I said i didn't know how much time was passing in this part, but this is a few weeks at most, just so we're clear). They have sex. Jessen freaks out and decides he's bad for Ian out of nowhere. They're both complete wrecks for seven years. Yes. They don't get over each other for seven years. Without even talking. After so little time together. And then Jessen decides to come back to win Ian back. And this is insta-love for Ian all over again. And there is crying. And cheesy cliché lines I've seen too many times in too many books. A massive lot of them. Please.
I mean PLEASE.
Would it be so bad if people just met and took a bit more than a second to know for sure this is the love of their life? Would it be so bad if they had had true feelings for others before (or in between in this case)? Would it be so bad if there was no such thing as the one-and-only for you? Would it be so bad if people fell in love because they got to know each other?
And also, would it be so bad that people who are not gorgeous-god-like looking and so so so special in every way could also fall in love in some more or less epic ways?
Don't get me wrong I wouldn't mind that if it wasn't so frequent and so unoriginal. I'm just getting tired. This is getting harder and harder to connect or relate with those kind of stories. And I honestly believe that you can make incredible stories with some less out-of-this-world characters. You can actually make extraordinary characters out of normal ones (believe it or not, I don't think this is a paradox). Those stories do exist, but they are so few we have to draw the box of cookie points anytime we encounter one. And I think it's a shame.
Before ending this review, I'd like to say that I completely realize I'm being extra hard on this book. On the rating and the review. I wouldn't have been some years ago when I hadn't read so many things that ressemble it. When I hadn't seen those issues time and time again. And I don't have anymore patience left for this. That's all.
This review will contain a few spoilers.
Ian is a little genius. He finished school at thirteen and has been the youngest professor ever employed in his university. Great life? No. Ian had a shitty childhood and seven years ago his heart was broken when the man of his life, the rock star Jessen Sorensen, abandoned him with nothing but a note made of two words on a piece of paper.
And our story begins when Ian, who hates parties, is dragged to one and ends up face to face with Jessen who doesn't seem to recognize him.
...
...
...
Spoiler alert: Jessen did recognize him, and is actually hellbent on winning Ian back.
Classic set-up for a classic love story. But sadly, a poorly executed one.
First, and it might be the least in this story (since it clearly didn't care about it), but it never is for me: the secondary characters. There's basically like two of them in the book, seriously (I'm not even going to take into account Jess's brother and their drummer, even if the bro should have a bit of importance, they barely even exists). Two secondary characters whom are absolutely nothing but functional. One (Siv) is even used as almost every spot you could find for some other characters: mother figure, only friend, boss, the one who drags Ian to the party, the only close person Ian has... Probably not to make him more like a lone-beat-up-by-life-poor-cinnamon-roll-of-a-main-character. The other is vaguely used as a one time confident. And the two of them are forgotten without any form of ceremony. This made me so mad.
But then again, they are so insignificant it's no use to talk about them more.
Now the two main characters.
Jessen, the supposedly broody and over-confident rock star overshadowed by his brother but who's really just sappy from beginning to end. He had ONE scene where we saw the confidence. Oh, and did I mention his gorgeous body, and his angelic face, and his golden blond hair, and his crystal blue eyes, and that he is super tall, and that he looks like a god (Ian's words, not mine)...
Please.
And he's head over heels for our main character... From the start... But I'll talk about that later.
Now Ian is not confident at all and doesn't think much of himself, but apparently he is obliviously gorgeous, the most gorgeous thing a touring rock star who can have anyone he wants has ever seen. Said rock star told him from the very very start... I said I was going to talk about that later... But I might need some self control. Ian could use some too. He was heart broken, messed up, abandoned in an extremely douchy way... And he just. can't. fucking. say. no. to Jessen. I hate it when they make this kind of thing in romance novels. The MC is pissed for a reasonable reason and the main love interest just has to touch them, or look at them, or even just be in the room to make their heart flutter and their resolve melt. This is bullshit and getting old. Get me some goddamn characters with a bit of will and some self-respect. It just makes them look weak and sappy (I'm getting pissed aren't I? Yes, I think I am... Oh hell, who cares).
But let's get on the more technical parts of the book before I talk about that damn thing I really want to talk about.
The overall structure could have been interesting. It starts entirely in present day and then gives a flashback once in a while making them more present and consistent gradually until a block of chapters in the middle of the story is only set in the past. Then we go back to the present definitely. This is an interesting idea, but I didn't enjoy the originality of it mainly because the more precise structure wasn't really following. To put it simply there are two parts in the book. The build-up and then a lot of sex and cheesiness. It just felt really uneven to me. Also, during the big middle flashback part I had no idea of how the temporality worked, was it days or weeks between every scenes? Did it last days or weeks actually (in the whole I mean)?
But my biggest problem was the freaking last chapter. We're in a third person book from Ian's point of view, and then, suddenly, we finish with Jessen's POV in first person. I got one thing to say: overused trope pushed too far.
I'll just put here (because I don't know where to put that part of the review) a bit of positivity: the book was very aware of the idea of consent, which is a damn good thing nowadays. Jessen was always ready to stop anything he was doing the second Ian told him to, and Ian knew it. Also I liked the straight friend who doesn't give a shit about other people's sexuality, he just likes them because he likes them... and would have been an interesting character if not forgotten that fast.
NOW. WHAT MADE ME RAGE SO BAD.
Insta-love.
Insta-lust.
And all the freaking cheesiness around it.
to sum it up. Ian was a virgin. He meets Jessen. He's never been so fascinated by anyone in his entire life. Jessen finds him so damn special in those first few seconds. They grope a little later. This is soooooo special. No one has ever made Jessen feel like Ian does. Jessen decides to abandon his carrier as a rock star and wants to live with Ian (earlier I said i didn't know how much time was passing in this part, but this is a few weeks at most, just so we're clear). They have sex. Jessen freaks out and decides he's bad for Ian out of nowhere. They're both complete wrecks for seven years. Yes. They don't get over each other for seven years. Without even talking. After so little time together. And then Jessen decides to come back to win Ian back. And this is insta-love for Ian all over again. And there is crying. And cheesy cliché lines I've seen too many times in too many books. A massive lot of them. Please.
I mean PLEASE.
Would it be so bad if people just met and took a bit more than a second to know for sure this is the love of their life? Would it be so bad if they had had true feelings for others before (or in between in this case)? Would it be so bad if there was no such thing as the one-and-only for you? Would it be so bad if people fell in love because they got to know each other?
And also, would it be so bad that people who are not gorgeous-god-like looking and so so so special in every way could also fall in love in some more or less epic ways?
Don't get me wrong I wouldn't mind that if it wasn't so frequent and so unoriginal. I'm just getting tired. This is getting harder and harder to connect or relate with those kind of stories. And I honestly believe that you can make incredible stories with some less out-of-this-world characters. You can actually make extraordinary characters out of normal ones (believe it or not, I don't think this is a paradox). Those stories do exist, but they are so few we have to draw the box of cookie points anytime we encounter one. And I think it's a shame.
Before ending this review, I'd like to say that I completely realize I'm being extra hard on this book. On the rating and the review. I wouldn't have been some years ago when I hadn't read so many things that ressemble it. When I hadn't seen those issues time and time again. And I don't have anymore patience left for this. That's all.
January 12, 2020
Sweet
Beautiful short story of falling in love, heartbreak and choices. I didn’t feel the sex on the page was sex. It was love. 4.0 for music rooms.
Beautiful short story of falling in love, heartbreak and choices. I didn’t feel the sex on the page was sex. It was love. 4.0 for music rooms.
July 6, 2017
*Review of an ARC provided by NetGalley*
This story was emotionally intense, and the sexytimes (I like the term, don't judge) were really, really satisfactory- the chemistry between the characters was ridiculously insane so that helped, too!
There was also some very nice secondary characters- okay, there were two characters that were kind of present (outside of Jessen's brother Matt), but they were great, so that's it.
Look, I know here on Goodreads people love to hate on instalovey stories, okay? Personally, I'm not bothered by them in general. Sometimes, it just happens; there's that instant, inexplicable connection, and who am I to judge? Each individual feel in a different way, with different intensity, so I wouldn't outright deny the possibility of the existence of that kind of feeling. I have a point, I promise; this story felt a lot like instalove for a considerable part of the development. The back and forth in narrative didn't exactly help that case. But eventually, I have to admit I was actually sold on the idea, I did believe the characters and their relationship. I bought it, plain and simple. Call me naive, whatever.
Okay, if I liked it so much, why not 5 stars then? Short and simple, even if the instalove-like thing wasn't bothering me, what did bother me was the repetitiveness in the narrative: I got kind of fed up with reading about how hot Jessen was, and I cringed every time I had to read "the blond one" or "the tallest one" or such. Quick tip from a crappy writer whose experience doesn't go much further than widely-ignored fanfic: you gave your characters names, you chose those names because you liked them, because they spoke to you, because... Whatever reason. Your characters have names: USE. THEM. I imagine that authors who have kids don't go yelling around the house calling for "my eldest" or "the middle kid" or "my baby child" or call them by their hair color, height, skin tone or whatever other physical feature. NO. Then don't do it here either. It's awfully distracting.
So yeah, a thing or two bothered me. But still, the story in general kind of blew me away so it's stil a pretty solid 4-star thing! Can't wait to read more of this author!
This story was emotionally intense, and the sexytimes (I like the term, don't judge) were really, really satisfactory- the chemistry between the characters was ridiculously insane so that helped, too!
There was also some very nice secondary characters- okay, there were two characters that were kind of present (outside of Jessen's brother Matt), but they were great, so that's it.
Look, I know here on Goodreads people love to hate on instalovey stories, okay? Personally, I'm not bothered by them in general. Sometimes, it just happens; there's that instant, inexplicable connection, and who am I to judge? Each individual feel in a different way, with different intensity, so I wouldn't outright deny the possibility of the existence of that kind of feeling. I have a point, I promise; this story felt a lot like instalove for a considerable part of the development. The back and forth in narrative didn't exactly help that case. But eventually, I have to admit I was actually sold on the idea, I did believe the characters and their relationship. I bought it, plain and simple. Call me naive, whatever.
Okay, if I liked it so much, why not 5 stars then? Short and simple, even if the instalove-like thing wasn't bothering me, what did bother me was the repetitiveness in the narrative: I got kind of fed up with reading about how hot Jessen was, and I cringed every time I had to read "the blond one" or "the tallest one" or such. Quick tip from a crappy writer whose experience doesn't go much further than widely-ignored fanfic: you gave your characters names, you chose those names because you liked them, because they spoke to you, because... Whatever reason. Your characters have names: USE. THEM. I imagine that authors who have kids don't go yelling around the house calling for "my eldest" or "the middle kid" or "my baby child" or call them by their hair color, height, skin tone or whatever other physical feature. NO. Then don't do it here either. It's awfully distracting.
So yeah, a thing or two bothered me. But still, the story in general kind of blew me away so it's stil a pretty solid 4-star thing! Can't wait to read more of this author!
June 28, 2017
4.5 Stars!!!
The last thing Ian Waters expects when he goes to his friend's party is finding Jessen Sørensen, the man who left him 7 years before with just a note saying "I'm sorry" slipped under his door and who just about destroyed him. But there he is and he says he's back for good and wants Ian back and even if Ian hasn't been able to forget him all these years, he's not sure he can just forgive the callous way he left or believe he won't do it again.
I absolutely loved Ian, even if he was already 26, he had this ineffable quality, this naivete, a certain vulnerability, if you will, that he just couldn't hide. He'd gone through so much in his childhood, that he was actually thankful that his genius IQ opened up so many doors for him when he was so young, graduating high school at 13, then getting his bachelor by 17 and well on his way into his doctorate when he met Jessen at 19. He was so innocent, so sweet and so earnest, falling hard and fast for Jessen, putting all his trust in him only to have it all disappear as fast as it'd started. I could feel his hurt and his pain, but also his desperation, his loneliness and his desire to find a reason to believe again.
I wasn't too sure about Jessen at first and it actually took me a bit to warm up to him. It wasn't until I was almost halfway into the book that I actually felt he deserved a second chance. Jessen and Ian had amazing chemistry, they were sweet and Jessen was very patient with Ian back when they met the first time. And while yes, Jessen messed up big time and it took him a long time to get back to Ian, I could feel his regret for leaving like he did.
The book is told from Ian's POV, with the last chapter in Jessen's, which was a lovely touch. It was nice seeing things from his side and knowing him a little better. I also liked that Ms. Axelrod showed us Ian and Jessen's past, because it was important for their future. It was a very enjoyable, fast-paced, well-written book, that I'd gladly read again as soon as I have some free time.
Overall, this was a great MM debut for Xio Axelrod, she did justice to both the story and the characters, even if I'd wanted for the book to be longer, it felt complete and it was a fantastic start to her new series. I'm so excited that there'll be more of Jessen and Ian in the future!!!
Highly recommendable!!!
*** Copy provided to me for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***
The last thing Ian Waters expects when he goes to his friend's party is finding Jessen Sørensen, the man who left him 7 years before with just a note saying "I'm sorry" slipped under his door and who just about destroyed him. But there he is and he says he's back for good and wants Ian back and even if Ian hasn't been able to forget him all these years, he's not sure he can just forgive the callous way he left or believe he won't do it again.
I absolutely loved Ian, even if he was already 26, he had this ineffable quality, this naivete, a certain vulnerability, if you will, that he just couldn't hide. He'd gone through so much in his childhood, that he was actually thankful that his genius IQ opened up so many doors for him when he was so young, graduating high school at 13, then getting his bachelor by 17 and well on his way into his doctorate when he met Jessen at 19. He was so innocent, so sweet and so earnest, falling hard and fast for Jessen, putting all his trust in him only to have it all disappear as fast as it'd started. I could feel his hurt and his pain, but also his desperation, his loneliness and his desire to find a reason to believe again.
I wasn't too sure about Jessen at first and it actually took me a bit to warm up to him. It wasn't until I was almost halfway into the book that I actually felt he deserved a second chance. Jessen and Ian had amazing chemistry, they were sweet and Jessen was very patient with Ian back when they met the first time. And while yes, Jessen messed up big time and it took him a long time to get back to Ian, I could feel his regret for leaving like he did.
The book is told from Ian's POV, with the last chapter in Jessen's, which was a lovely touch. It was nice seeing things from his side and knowing him a little better. I also liked that Ms. Axelrod showed us Ian and Jessen's past, because it was important for their future. It was a very enjoyable, fast-paced, well-written book, that I'd gladly read again as soon as I have some free time.
Overall, this was a great MM debut for Xio Axelrod, she did justice to both the story and the characters, even if I'd wanted for the book to be longer, it felt complete and it was a fantastic start to her new series. I'm so excited that there'll be more of Jessen and Ian in the future!!!
Highly recommendable!!!
*** Copy provided to me for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***
July 5, 2017
This steamy romance novel was a thrilling reading adventure, spanning from past to present, with deep connections that did not waver in seven years apart, but I am curious about feedback from men with actual lived experience of relationships with men.
June 27, 2017
I loved the story, the romance, the heartbreak, the sex. This is a very quick read, that made me feel like I was sharing private moments between the characters.
July 5, 2017
Fast Forward, An Alt Er Love Novella, Xio Axelrod
Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
Genre: LGBTQIA
This is a short read at just 123 pages, and I usually avoid anything novella style. They rarely hold enough emotion for me, but it sounded very promising from the synopsis so I went for it ;-) and loved it.
Ian is 26 now and yet still feels like a teen. I often wonder about child prodigies like him, we hot house them, push them into academic positions they aren't mentally or emotionally ready for, and on top of all that poor Ian had a pretty crappy family background.
No wonder he's kind of naive, a little insecure, feels so alone, apart from the crowd. He is. And that's so sad. How can anyone manage to breach that gap we created in the interests of "education"
Gah, education comes from more than just books, and bright kids will always find their way, they don't need to be pushed in with those far older than them....and that's my soapbox rant for the day!!
Ian's so lovely, a loner, but has a couple of good friends who seem to look out for him, such as Siv, giver of the party where he meets Jessen again.
Arrghh, I could feel just how that hurt him, disturbed him on a visceral level, how angry and upset he was.
Right then we didn't know much more than they'd had a relationship and Jessen left. Suddenly. Without explanation. Just was there one moment, gone the next.
Poor Ian, already fragile, this just about fractured him and he's struggled to trust anyone since. What should he do now? Why is Jessen here? Does he even remember him or was he just a rock-stars hiccup, a quick hookup for that town and now he's off to the next. Were all the words and plans were just promises to draw him in?
I loved Ian so much I was angry at Jessen and couldn't bring myself to like him for at least the first half of the book, but his honesty, his openness and transparency about his mistakes, and what he wants now drew me in. He was so gentle with Ian, so careful not to hurt him, knowing this was a one shot chance that I couldn't help loving him too.
Its rare for me to feel so emotionally drawn into a short novel but this one did it, had me hooked, feeling Ian and Jessen were so real, and wanting things to work out for them, for true happiness for both.
There's not a HEA, there's not really time, but the way it ends I was pretty sure they would get there and it worked for me.
Stars: five, a novella that managed the almost impossible for me, a great story and characters and some very real emotion.
ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers
Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
Genre: LGBTQIA
This is a short read at just 123 pages, and I usually avoid anything novella style. They rarely hold enough emotion for me, but it sounded very promising from the synopsis so I went for it ;-) and loved it.
Ian is 26 now and yet still feels like a teen. I often wonder about child prodigies like him, we hot house them, push them into academic positions they aren't mentally or emotionally ready for, and on top of all that poor Ian had a pretty crappy family background.
No wonder he's kind of naive, a little insecure, feels so alone, apart from the crowd. He is. And that's so sad. How can anyone manage to breach that gap we created in the interests of "education"
Gah, education comes from more than just books, and bright kids will always find their way, they don't need to be pushed in with those far older than them....and that's my soapbox rant for the day!!
Ian's so lovely, a loner, but has a couple of good friends who seem to look out for him, such as Siv, giver of the party where he meets Jessen again.
Arrghh, I could feel just how that hurt him, disturbed him on a visceral level, how angry and upset he was.
Right then we didn't know much more than they'd had a relationship and Jessen left. Suddenly. Without explanation. Just was there one moment, gone the next.
Poor Ian, already fragile, this just about fractured him and he's struggled to trust anyone since. What should he do now? Why is Jessen here? Does he even remember him or was he just a rock-stars hiccup, a quick hookup for that town and now he's off to the next. Were all the words and plans were just promises to draw him in?
I loved Ian so much I was angry at Jessen and couldn't bring myself to like him for at least the first half of the book, but his honesty, his openness and transparency about his mistakes, and what he wants now drew me in. He was so gentle with Ian, so careful not to hurt him, knowing this was a one shot chance that I couldn't help loving him too.
Its rare for me to feel so emotionally drawn into a short novel but this one did it, had me hooked, feeling Ian and Jessen were so real, and wanting things to work out for them, for true happiness for both.
There's not a HEA, there's not really time, but the way it ends I was pretty sure they would get there and it worked for me.
Stars: five, a novella that managed the almost impossible for me, a great story and characters and some very real emotion.
ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers
June 30, 2017
I always get so excited when an author I really enjoy tries something new. Whether it's writing a different type of story, say sci-fi when they normally write historical or when an author whose written some pretty fabulous MF books writes in a new genre, like MM. To say I was super happy when I found out that Xio Axelrod was writing a gay romance is an understatement if there ever was one, especially when I read the blurb. A nerdy physics prodigy who falls in love with a rock star? Sign me up! I was so impressed with Fast Forward. The characters of Ian and Jessen were so well developed, so layered that I fell in love with both almost immediately. This is a shorter length book but it never felt rushed or like things were missing. Fast Forward was a quick read but boy was it satisfying.
Ian Waters is a genius and as the youngest person to ever receive their doctorate at prestigious University of Philadephia it's more than a little difficult for him to find people he can relate to. As such, Ian is a kind of a loner, somewhat of an introvert, and is charmingly socially awkward. When he's asked to film an up and coming rock band for one of his classes, he readily agrees not knowing that his life is about to change. From the very first moment Ian and soon to be mega rock star Jessen Sorenson meet, there's an instant connection, a spark that can't be denied. What follows is a whirlwind romance that completely overwhelms young Ian, both physically and emotionally. Jessen is larger than life, intense, gorgeous, and completely into Ian ... until he's not and leaves Ian with nothing more than a note that says I'm sorry.
Now it's seven years later and Jessen is back ... and he only wants Ian. I loved how Xio brought these two back together, I loved their believable connection even after so many years apart and I REALLY loved how willing Jessen was to do anything to get Ian back. Ian's justifiably angry and hurt even all these years later, but there's no questioning he still loves Jessen. I'm usually not a fan of flashbacks in books; they tend to take me out of the moment and interrupt the continuity of the story, but in this case Xio Axelrod handled it deftly and the flashbacks were so important to understanding just how powerful the connection between Ian and Jessen was all those years ago and still is today. I found Ian to be endearingly sweet. A bit naive, a bit sassy, and boy did he ever fall head over heels in love with Jessen. Jessen was a little harder to understand, his character not quite as fully fleshed out as Ian's but that made him no less likable than Ian. These two together really are something else.
I can't wait to see what Xio Axelrod comes up with next and I can only hope we see more of Ian and Jessen. Be sure to check this one out guys. If you're looking for a quick, supremely satisfying romance, definitely don't miss this one. You'll love Ian and Jessen just like I did.
*this review will also be posted on www.prettysassycool.com*
Ian Waters is a genius and as the youngest person to ever receive their doctorate at prestigious University of Philadephia it's more than a little difficult for him to find people he can relate to. As such, Ian is a kind of a loner, somewhat of an introvert, and is charmingly socially awkward. When he's asked to film an up and coming rock band for one of his classes, he readily agrees not knowing that his life is about to change. From the very first moment Ian and soon to be mega rock star Jessen Sorenson meet, there's an instant connection, a spark that can't be denied. What follows is a whirlwind romance that completely overwhelms young Ian, both physically and emotionally. Jessen is larger than life, intense, gorgeous, and completely into Ian ... until he's not and leaves Ian with nothing more than a note that says I'm sorry.
Now it's seven years later and Jessen is back ... and he only wants Ian. I loved how Xio brought these two back together, I loved their believable connection even after so many years apart and I REALLY loved how willing Jessen was to do anything to get Ian back. Ian's justifiably angry and hurt even all these years later, but there's no questioning he still loves Jessen. I'm usually not a fan of flashbacks in books; they tend to take me out of the moment and interrupt the continuity of the story, but in this case Xio Axelrod handled it deftly and the flashbacks were so important to understanding just how powerful the connection between Ian and Jessen was all those years ago and still is today. I found Ian to be endearingly sweet. A bit naive, a bit sassy, and boy did he ever fall head over heels in love with Jessen. Jessen was a little harder to understand, his character not quite as fully fleshed out as Ian's but that made him no less likable than Ian. These two together really are something else.
I can't wait to see what Xio Axelrod comes up with next and I can only hope we see more of Ian and Jessen. Be sure to check this one out guys. If you're looking for a quick, supremely satisfying romance, definitely don't miss this one. You'll love Ian and Jessen just like I did.
*this review will also be posted on www.prettysassycool.com*
August 14, 2017
Ian is a young professor at the University of Philadelphia whose life is interrupted by the reappearance of the man who broke his heart seven years ago - Jessen, brother to a famour rockstar and a successful musician in his own right.
This may have had potential, but didn't work for me for several reasons.
First of of all, novella or not, it was too short and felt more like an excerpt of a book than the book itself. That may explain my second issue with it, which was the way the flashbacks were woven in - actually, pasted in is more like it because it didn't come across as if much thought had been put into it.
The characters also could've used some more work, especially Ian - considering the story is told from his POV I couldn't really get a grip on him. Jessen was slightly better, but the descriptions of him were bordering on ridiculous and made me roll my eyes. It would have been nice to get to known them more and being shown them rather than told about them - flashbacks tend to add to the "I am being told rather than shown" feeling to me unless done very well, and unfortunately they weren't done that well.
I also didn't care for the random Norwegian thrown in; that the translation was at the end of each chapter didn't make them any less annoying. It's too bad, because otherwise I mostly enjoyed the way the sentences flowed - it was the bigger structure that I had problems with, not the style of writing.
The thing that annoyed me the most was the POV switch just for the last chapter. I love alternating POVs, but they have to be done right. If it's just for one chapter it feels like a cop out to me, like the author couldn't deal with their chosen structure of the story.
Overall, it felt too hastily written. If redone and fleshed out and structured better this could turn into a good and interesting story, but as it is I can't really recommend it.
A free copy of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a fair, unbiased review.
This may have had potential, but didn't work for me for several reasons.
First of of all, novella or not, it was too short and felt more like an excerpt of a book than the book itself. That may explain my second issue with it, which was the way the flashbacks were woven in - actually, pasted in is more like it because it didn't come across as if much thought had been put into it.
The characters also could've used some more work, especially Ian - considering the story is told from his POV I couldn't really get a grip on him. Jessen was slightly better, but the descriptions of him were bordering on ridiculous and made me roll my eyes. It would have been nice to get to known them more and being shown them rather than told about them - flashbacks tend to add to the "I am being told rather than shown" feeling to me unless done very well, and unfortunately they weren't done that well.
I also didn't care for the random Norwegian thrown in; that the translation was at the end of each chapter didn't make them any less annoying. It's too bad, because otherwise I mostly enjoyed the way the sentences flowed - it was the bigger structure that I had problems with, not the style of writing.
The thing that annoyed me the most was the POV switch just for the last chapter. I love alternating POVs, but they have to be done right. If it's just for one chapter it feels like a cop out to me, like the author couldn't deal with their chosen structure of the story.
Overall, it felt too hastily written. If redone and fleshed out and structured better this could turn into a good and interesting story, but as it is I can't really recommend it.
A free copy of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a fair, unbiased review.
February 23, 2018
This was such a beautiful love story between two people. It broke my heart a little bit when Jessen left Ian. The love that they have for each other is overwhelming
July 1, 2017
A deeply emotional fast read. Thoroughly enjoyed it.And it made me crave Pop Tarts.
June 28, 2017
This is the first M/M book written by this author, it hits all the points I look for in a M/M. It is short and sweet. The heat level is where it should be and the story is plotted out. It is a short book and reads best in one day.
The story is a one who got away story and it also mentions some people from her other book.s
** I received this book in exchange for an honest review**
The story is a one who got away story and it also mentions some people from her other book.s
** I received this book in exchange for an honest review**
November 2, 2017
**I received a copy in exchange for an honest review**
This was the first book I have read by this author and it kind of left me a bit all over the place. I really wanted to like this book and the blurb made it sound really interesting. It's the kind of book that I normally read and I did enjoy it to begin with but as the story went on my interested kind of waned.
Although it started of well I didn't really feel like the MC'S had a genuine connection with one another, especially due to the fact that they had a previous history. As the story went on the conversation between them didn't really flow all that well and felt stilted in parts. I feel like the potential for great characters was there but it just wasn't executed as well as it could have been. I will say though that I quite enjoyed the secondary characters and the sexy scenes between the two MC'S, even If they were a bit OTT in parts.
However the thing that got me the most was the last chapter. It just left me confused AF. I thought it was very strange that the author suddenly decided to switch to some weird first person viewpoint after writing the rest of the story in the third person. I felt that the ending was a bit rushed to the point where the story felt unfinished or a few chapters had gone missing. Furthermore it didn't really answer any questions I had the main one being if they were actually still together in the future.
This was the first book I have read by this author and it kind of left me a bit all over the place. I really wanted to like this book and the blurb made it sound really interesting. It's the kind of book that I normally read and I did enjoy it to begin with but as the story went on my interested kind of waned.
Although it started of well I didn't really feel like the MC'S had a genuine connection with one another, especially due to the fact that they had a previous history. As the story went on the conversation between them didn't really flow all that well and felt stilted in parts. I feel like the potential for great characters was there but it just wasn't executed as well as it could have been. I will say though that I quite enjoyed the secondary characters and the sexy scenes between the two MC'S, even If they were a bit OTT in parts.
However the thing that got me the most was the last chapter. It just left me confused AF. I thought it was very strange that the author suddenly decided to switch to some weird first person viewpoint after writing the rest of the story in the third person. I felt that the ending was a bit rushed to the point where the story felt unfinished or a few chapters had gone missing. Furthermore it didn't really answer any questions I had the main one being if they were actually still together in the future.
June 29, 2017
“You’re the one who got away.”
Ian has spent the past seven years trying to forget Jessen, but Fate has a way of bringing soulmates together…no matter the cost. “Jessen was not a god. Jessen was a man. Just a man. A man who looked like a god. Fucked like a god. Tasted like Heaven. And left Hell in his wake.”
Honestly, I wish I could give this story more than 5 stars! I absolutely loved it! It has everything I could possibly want in a romance…friendship, humor, sex, love and heartache…it has it all and more! So do us both a favor and run now and one-click this amazing m/m story! You can thank me later!
Ian has spent the past seven years trying to forget Jessen, but Fate has a way of bringing soulmates together…no matter the cost. “Jessen was not a god. Jessen was a man. Just a man. A man who looked like a god. Fucked like a god. Tasted like Heaven. And left Hell in his wake.”
Honestly, I wish I could give this story more than 5 stars! I absolutely loved it! It has everything I could possibly want in a romance…friendship, humor, sex, love and heartache…it has it all and more! So do us both a favor and run now and one-click this amazing m/m story! You can thank me later!
July 5, 2017
This was my first Xio Axelrod read and I thoroughly enjoyed this short book. It's a story of first love, heartbreak, forgiveness and second chances.
Ian is a prodigy and at only 26 he's well on his way to a tenured professor. He had it rough growing up and with him beginning college as a young teen, he hasn't quite fit in with everyone else or made friends easily. He's 19 when he first meets Jessen - a bass guitarist in a band that also has his twin brother as lead vocalist. Jessen is 21 at the time and he instantly feels a connection with Ian, who is there filming the band for the university. Their meeting is sweet and we get flashbacks of how they took things slow (well, if you call a few dates slow) and how their relationship developed. There was no denying that they grew to love each other in a short period of time. However, Jessen ends it all with a note slide under Ian's door simply saying "I'm sorry."
Fast forward 7 years and Ian sees Jessen at a party his friend is throwing. He hasn't seen the guy in all those years and he both hates Jessen for what he did and loves the fact that he's there. Ian doesn't forgive Jessen right away though and we're taken on a brief journey to them rekindling their relationship.
My only complaint is that the ending didn't feel like it really had a conclusion - it was just left open ended once they decided to give things a chance. I would have liked to have seen an epilogue that showed how things were developing months down the road.
Otherwise, this was a really great read that had just the right amount of emotion and hot sex.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Ian is a prodigy and at only 26 he's well on his way to a tenured professor. He had it rough growing up and with him beginning college as a young teen, he hasn't quite fit in with everyone else or made friends easily. He's 19 when he first meets Jessen - a bass guitarist in a band that also has his twin brother as lead vocalist. Jessen is 21 at the time and he instantly feels a connection with Ian, who is there filming the band for the university. Their meeting is sweet and we get flashbacks of how they took things slow (well, if you call a few dates slow) and how their relationship developed. There was no denying that they grew to love each other in a short period of time. However, Jessen ends it all with a note slide under Ian's door simply saying "I'm sorry."
Fast forward 7 years and Ian sees Jessen at a party his friend is throwing. He hasn't seen the guy in all those years and he both hates Jessen for what he did and loves the fact that he's there. Ian doesn't forgive Jessen right away though and we're taken on a brief journey to them rekindling their relationship.
My only complaint is that the ending didn't feel like it really had a conclusion - it was just left open ended once they decided to give things a chance. I would have liked to have seen an epilogue that showed how things were developing months down the road.
Otherwise, this was a really great read that had just the right amount of emotion and hot sex.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
August 14, 2017
I'm not sure how I feel about this. I loved it at first. This started out so good, the writing full of emotion, the characters were people I wanted to get to know, and a story I thought I'd enjoy.
Ian and Jess have a story that gave me all the feels. A history that, when reveled, I was crushed. The road to the present where Jess is back, working to win Ian's trust again held my attention. And then the last chapter happened.
I'm not sure what possessed the author to change up the POV, and tense, in the last chapter but it was the wrong move, IMO. I went from a state of total emotional investment, to being completely stunned and confused. All of a sudden I was pushed into a new POV and didn't get any answers to anything, only hints. No Real Answers. UGH!
This does't have a happy ending. It doesn't even have a happy for now ending. This doesn't even have an ending! I'm so frustrated at the way the book ends I want to throw something. Because it just ends. It reads like there are at least two or three chapters missing. It goes from emotional history, emotional present, to emotional sex that could maybe be make up sex, and then it's over as fast as they both come.
I can't rate it badly because it's not horrible. Really. But I can't get over the fact of how I feel now. I guess I do know how I feel. I'm pissed. I feel cheated. It was really good until it just wasn't.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Ian and Jess have a story that gave me all the feels. A history that, when reveled, I was crushed. The road to the present where Jess is back, working to win Ian's trust again held my attention. And then the last chapter happened.
I'm not sure what possessed the author to change up the POV, and tense, in the last chapter but it was the wrong move, IMO. I went from a state of total emotional investment, to being completely stunned and confused. All of a sudden I was pushed into a new POV and didn't get any answers to anything, only hints. No Real Answers. UGH!
This does't have a happy ending. It doesn't even have a happy for now ending. This doesn't even have an ending! I'm so frustrated at the way the book ends I want to throw something. Because it just ends. It reads like there are at least two or three chapters missing. It goes from emotional history, emotional present, to emotional sex that could maybe be make up sex, and then it's over as fast as they both come.
I can't rate it badly because it's not horrible. Really. But I can't get over the fact of how I feel now. I guess I do know how I feel. I'm pissed. I feel cheated. It was really good until it just wasn't.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
October 1, 2017
I did not enjoy this book at all, it was a bit of a struggle to read. The story was ok at first, the writing left something to be desired but the characters were somewhat interesting at first, and it was a story I thought I'd enjoy.
But, after reading for a bit, I didn’t really feel invested in the relationship or the characters. The writing was a little stilted and the flow was a tad weird. Ian and Jess have a story that should have evoked tons of emotion but fell a little flat for me. A history that, when revealed, I should have been have been destroyed about but...I wasn’t, because I wasn’t that invested. The journey to the present where Jess is working to win Ian back held my attention a little bit until the last chapter. The last chapter really solidified my thoughts on this book.
I don’t know why the author chose to change the POV, and tense, in the last chapter but it did not do this book ANY favors. I went from a state of a little emotional investment, to being like “what the…?”. And the worst part, there were no answers...to anything. This book doesn’t really even have an ending. It felt like the last 2 chapters got cut off accidentally.
Ultimately, this book was an ok read until it wasn’t.
Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
But, after reading for a bit, I didn’t really feel invested in the relationship or the characters. The writing was a little stilted and the flow was a tad weird. Ian and Jess have a story that should have evoked tons of emotion but fell a little flat for me. A history that, when revealed, I should have been have been destroyed about but...I wasn’t, because I wasn’t that invested. The journey to the present where Jess is working to win Ian back held my attention a little bit until the last chapter. The last chapter really solidified my thoughts on this book.
I don’t know why the author chose to change the POV, and tense, in the last chapter but it did not do this book ANY favors. I went from a state of a little emotional investment, to being like “what the…?”. And the worst part, there were no answers...to anything. This book doesn’t really even have an ending. It felt like the last 2 chapters got cut off accidentally.
Ultimately, this book was an ok read until it wasn’t.
Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
August 13, 2017
This was such a fantastic short, my only complaint is that I wish it was longer because I loved every second of it! I have also started learning Norwegian and so Jessen from Norway was a lovely surprise. You can tell the author and narrator did a lot of research and put thought into the book because the Norwegian and the accent Tristan James uses is believable. I liked the heat between Jessen and Ian is unmistakable and fantastic to read- with Tristan’s silky voice that compliments it and makes you shiver!
this was a short book with amazing detail and I did not feel anything was left out of rushed, as other short stories tend to be. It is a new author for me and I am now anxious to read more of her work, her writing was great and very touching and sweet. It was also funny at times with Ian’s internal banter and freak-out moments. It was such a fantastic read I really want to listen to it again and again. I just felt like I was too falling in love, in all the flashbacks, and that is something I really adore in books- they make you feel with the characters.
this was a short book with amazing detail and I did not feel anything was left out of rushed, as other short stories tend to be. It is a new author for me and I am now anxious to read more of her work, her writing was great and very touching and sweet. It was also funny at times with Ian’s internal banter and freak-out moments. It was such a fantastic read I really want to listen to it again and again. I just felt like I was too falling in love, in all the flashbacks, and that is something I really adore in books- they make you feel with the characters.
April 3, 2018
first i must say that im from Denmark. we understand Norwegian quite good. We might not speak it. But we know how it has to be said. And when bouth the auther can make a caractor say things in Norwegian and a narrator kan say it so you think he knows what he is doing. then he is doing a good job.
a Norwegian rockstar sexgod who is not afraid of his own sexuality. who can say no to that. Ian cant. And ofcourse he ends up with a broken heart. So broken that when Jessen comes back in his life 7 years later. He is still broken, and so afraid that he cant believe that Jessen wants him back.
my only problem with this book is that i really wished it was longer. I wanted more.
when i get a book from an auther for a review. I dont always read about it before. I like to get a Surprise. This book was of the good kind of Surprise. and i am so glad I Got a chance to review this. The auther is new to me. But this is not the last time I listen/ read her books. This was hot. And I love hot books.
a Norwegian rockstar sexgod who is not afraid of his own sexuality. who can say no to that. Ian cant. And ofcourse he ends up with a broken heart. So broken that when Jessen comes back in his life 7 years later. He is still broken, and so afraid that he cant believe that Jessen wants him back.
my only problem with this book is that i really wished it was longer. I wanted more.
when i get a book from an auther for a review. I dont always read about it before. I like to get a Surprise. This book was of the good kind of Surprise. and i am so glad I Got a chance to review this. The auther is new to me. But this is not the last time I listen/ read her books. This was hot. And I love hot books.
August 15, 2017
3.5 Sexy Norwegian Stars
Aah, a lovely short second chance M/M romance/erotica that had me invested in both of the main characters, Jessen Sorensen and Ian Waters. Jesson had been Ian’s first everything when he was nineteen, introducing him to everything he never knew he was missing. After making countless promises to Ian about their future Jenson upped and left in the middle of the night with only a ‘sorry’. Ian was broken-hearted. Now, seven years later, Jessen is back and he’s not going to take no for an answer when it comes to winning back Ian’s heart. The story is set in present day with flash backs to the start of their relationship, and just so you know, there are no holds barred when it comes to the sex scenes, quite impressive really since it's apparently the author's first foray into M/M romance. A quick, easy, very sexy read. I was provided with a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Aah, a lovely short second chance M/M romance/erotica that had me invested in both of the main characters, Jessen Sorensen and Ian Waters. Jesson had been Ian’s first everything when he was nineteen, introducing him to everything he never knew he was missing. After making countless promises to Ian about their future Jenson upped and left in the middle of the night with only a ‘sorry’. Ian was broken-hearted. Now, seven years later, Jessen is back and he’s not going to take no for an answer when it comes to winning back Ian’s heart. The story is set in present day with flash backs to the start of their relationship, and just so you know, there are no holds barred when it comes to the sex scenes, quite impressive really since it's apparently the author's first foray into M/M romance. A quick, easy, very sexy read. I was provided with a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 1, 2017
I completely understood what I was supposed to feel with this book. I was supposed to feel angry with Jessen for leaving, and I was supposed to feel all of Ian's hurt. However, it all stayed pretty shallow, and I never really could connect with the characters and their emotions. There was an imbalance in their relationship that I felt was too great to make them a believeable couple. Jessen was honestly a little condescending, and I couldn't help but think of Ian as being much younger than he was. Also, I wish we wouldn't have to wait until ~30% before the first flashback, because before we find out WHY Ian is mad at Jessen, it is hard to sympathize. Additionally, I felt Ian was quick to forgive and forget, which to me doesn't correlate with the level of anger he has in the beginning. The ending felt a little rushed.
Advanced Readers Copy provided in exchange for an honest review
Advanced Readers Copy provided in exchange for an honest review
October 29, 2017
I can't explain the level of intense this book was... because from the first few pages it was like sizzling heat all over. I wish the character had more fleshing out, part of them felt 2dimensional for me. However, that being said, the chemistry between the character was amazing. The romance wrapped in the story was sweet and heart wrenching and all I wanted to do was live in the world of Jessen and Ian.
Jessen broke Ian's heart and then had the nerve to pretend he didn't know him years later. I was like woooooow no!!!! Seriously, the balls on that dude.
And still that tingling chemistry lept off the pages on this book. No doubt about it. That's probably why I'm so pissed the characters weren't so deeply described. I just wanted more and more.
Did I mention this book was steamy because when the ball was rolling, it got hot and heavy for several moments.
IF you're looking for the right amount of romance and heat, this is the book for you.
Jessen broke Ian's heart and then had the nerve to pretend he didn't know him years later. I was like woooooow no!!!! Seriously, the balls on that dude.
And still that tingling chemistry lept off the pages on this book. No doubt about it. That's probably why I'm so pissed the characters weren't so deeply described. I just wanted more and more.
Did I mention this book was steamy because when the ball was rolling, it got hot and heavy for several moments.
IF you're looking for the right amount of romance and heat, this is the book for you.
February 28, 2018
1.5 stars Audio book: Good audio quality, Good narration
Although there wasn't a real story it was reasonably entertaining which made it suitable for commuting and tending to boring tasks that demanded some attention and focus. I would have rated it higher if not for the last 15- 20 minutes, when the point of view suddenly changes from third person to first person. I really found it irritating and it ruined the entire story for me.
Of course the book had also other problems:
Shifter style instantaneous attraction/lust/love
Flat, boneless characters
Stupid cliche dialogs
Lack of a real plot. Something resembling a story would have been nice even if the reader knew from the very beginning what to expect.
Lack of any back or side story about anything other than the MC's romance
Lack of real conflict entwined with unsatisfying conflict resolution. If you can call it, as there wasn't a real conflict to begin with!
Although there wasn't a real story it was reasonably entertaining which made it suitable for commuting and tending to boring tasks that demanded some attention and focus. I would have rated it higher if not for the last 15- 20 minutes, when the point of view suddenly changes from third person to first person. I really found it irritating and it ruined the entire story for me.
Of course the book had also other problems:
Shifter style instantaneous attraction/lust/love
Flat, boneless characters
Stupid cliche dialogs
Lack of a real plot. Something resembling a story would have been nice even if the reader knew from the very beginning what to expect.
Lack of any back or side story about anything other than the MC's romance
Lack of real conflict entwined with unsatisfying conflict resolution. If you can call it, as there wasn't a real conflict to begin with!
August 22, 2017
I read a lot of romances in multiple genres. I found Fast Forward to be refreshing. I haven't run across many Norwegian characters. I appreciated the original character. The second chance story line instantly brings a myriad of emotions to the surface. Axelrod kept my attention right up until the last chapter. At the end of chapter 13, Jessen admits to himself that they had a lot to work out. Chapter 14 abruptly starts in with first person narration from Jessen's perspective. The change is jarring and it pulled me out of the story. The situation is very physical, but none of the issues are really dealt with. The story was much better than it's ending. I reached the last page and found myself waiting for the rest of the story. I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 23, 2018
This novella was very difficult for me to rate. The writing ranged between 3/5 to 5/5 stars consistently; however, the plot and dialogue were ridiculous. The story was almost as bad as the Mary Calmes story, You Never Know. (Don’t get me wrong. I adore Mary’s stories and own nearly 40 of her audiobooks.)
I fail to understand the appeal of a man who claims his undying love, then abandons you without a word (for years on end no less), and then when he's had his fill of fun, success, drugs, sex and general dissolution, comes running back with, “Oh, Baby. I’ve missed you so much!” Fuuuuuck that!
It happened to me only once. The person called me after 10 years to “get together.” I was polite and wished them a nice life. Please never contact me again—ever.
I fail to understand the appeal of a man who claims his undying love, then abandons you without a word (for years on end no less), and then when he's had his fill of fun, success, drugs, sex and general dissolution, comes running back with, “Oh, Baby. I’ve missed you so much!” Fuuuuuck that!
It happened to me only once. The person called me after 10 years to “get together.” I was polite and wished them a nice life. Please never contact me again—ever.
August 3, 2017
I was really enjoying this book until about 90% in. The angst was spot on, the UST was great, the writing is good! And then the last chapter not only switches from Ian's POV to Jess's, it switches from third person to first. What?
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