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Ties That Bind #1
Give and Take
A new day, a new city, a new life. Where had he heard all that before?
Drew is good at running. He ran from his home, from his family, and now from his powerful, dangerous ex, enlisting his distant brother’s help to start a new life. The one thing he wasn’t betting on was his new roommate. Sam is strong and handsome, with deep brown eyes he could get lost in. If only Drew’s new mission in life wasn’t to stay under the radar. Hard to do when you’re living with a cop. What starts out as Drew’s attempt to distract them both from their troubles becomes something more, each touch, kiss, and shared truth bringing them closer. But when danger catches up with him, can he put his trust in Sam, even if that means putting Sam in danger?
“If you give so much of yourself to other people, you won’t have anything left for you.”
Sam is the person people go to for help, it’s just who he is. But he’s spread thin trying to juggle his job on an elite police team, helping his buddy Matt out of the depths of PTSD, and taking in Drew whose middle name is trouble. At first, he thinks the kissing and touching is just Drew trying to stop him from looking deeper. As they grow closer, he realizes it’s more than that. Drew needs him, he wants Drew, and he’ll give everything he has to keep Drew safe. Will it be enough?
Give and Take is a 67,000 word contemporary romance novel that can be read as a standalone. It has a happy ending and no cliffhangers. It deals with some difficult themes, and contains scenes not suitable for readers under the age of eighteen.
Drew is good at running. He ran from his home, from his family, and now from his powerful, dangerous ex, enlisting his distant brother’s help to start a new life. The one thing he wasn’t betting on was his new roommate. Sam is strong and handsome, with deep brown eyes he could get lost in. If only Drew’s new mission in life wasn’t to stay under the radar. Hard to do when you’re living with a cop. What starts out as Drew’s attempt to distract them both from their troubles becomes something more, each touch, kiss, and shared truth bringing them closer. But when danger catches up with him, can he put his trust in Sam, even if that means putting Sam in danger?
“If you give so much of yourself to other people, you won’t have anything left for you.”
Sam is the person people go to for help, it’s just who he is. But he’s spread thin trying to juggle his job on an elite police team, helping his buddy Matt out of the depths of PTSD, and taking in Drew whose middle name is trouble. At first, he thinks the kissing and touching is just Drew trying to stop him from looking deeper. As they grow closer, he realizes it’s more than that. Drew needs him, he wants Drew, and he’ll give everything he has to keep Drew safe. Will it be enough?
Give and Take is a 67,000 word contemporary romance novel that can be read as a standalone. It has a happy ending and no cliffhangers. It deals with some difficult themes, and contains scenes not suitable for readers under the age of eighteen.
214 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 15, 2017
48 people are currently reading
130 people want to read
About the author
Claire Cullen
63 books644 followersClaire Cullen is an author and aspiring baker. Since she was a toddler, she has loved making up stories. Getting them down on paper proved a challenge in the early years when her preferred medium was finger puppets. She moved on to pen and paper, and later to keyboards, and hasn't looked back since, except for occasional bouts of nostalgia.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
August 17, 2017
This blurb spoke to me! Ex-military SWAT team member with a hero complex takes in a man on the run from his abusive ex-boyfriend. Romance! Danger! Sex! HEA! Where do I sign?
While Give and Take delivered on all the blurb's promises, there were some parts of the book that sucked some of the enjoyment out of it for me.
I'm still going to recommend this because my grievances are my own. Like I said, it delivered on all its promises and it was an enjoyable read. I will definitely be reading the next several books in the series.
Enjoy my friends!
This review is also posted at Gay Book Reviews
While Give and Take delivered on all the blurb's promises, there were some parts of the book that sucked some of the enjoyment out of it for me.
1. Character info-dump. We met a large cast of characters who will undoubtedly be in the next books in the series. Normally that would be fine, but one of those characters was a pet-project for White Knight Sam and his story took up a good chunk of this book, unrelated to Sam and Drew.
2. Repetitive situations. With Sam's hero-complex comes his compulsion to help everyone and everything. We saw him use the same calming and comfort techniques on several different characters, some multiple times. A little mixing-up of technique would have been welcome.
3. Lackluster sex. You know how some authors like to gloss over the sex acts? Some fade to black, some jump forward to after the act and talk about it briefly in the next scene and some, like Ms. Cullen, try to avoid keywords like "fuck" and "cock" and "dick" and "rim" and "ass", etc. Those are some of my favorite words! Give me a good cock-in-ass fucking and I'm a happy camper 7 days a week. But Ms. Cullen has a different style. Unfortunately, it threw me out of the moment and I found the sex mild and unfulfilling.
I'm still going to recommend this because my grievances are my own. Like I said, it delivered on all its promises and it was an enjoyable read. I will definitely be reading the next several books in the series.
Enjoy my friends!
This review is also posted at Gay Book Reviews
September 18, 2021
Give and Take
By Claire Cullen
Drew is on the run from his abusive ex-boyfriend who wants him back. He asks his estranged brother for help who sends him to Sam, an ex-military buddy now turned police with the Emergency Task Force.
Sam is the guy who jumps in to help whenever someone is in need. He's stressed out currently trying to help out Matt, a close friend and ex-military buddy who's dealing with severe PTSD. When Logan calls and asks him to take in his brother, Drew, while he's overseas on tour Sam naturally agrees.
I did like the book quite a bit, but it was missing some things too. There wasn't much affection between Sam and Drew once they got together. It was more affection from a distance. Not up and personal. That was really disappointing. There were also unanswered questions. Mostly about Diego. Who was he really? Why did he just disappear from the story? Drew didn't have to tell Sam, but it would've been nice if he'd shared it with us.
One more thing... I was excited to see how it would end with Russell, but it was really anticlimactic. To the point it just brought down that whole part of the storyline which was the reason Sam and Drew were together to begin with. Hence my change from the rating I originally wanted to put of 4 stars down to 3 stars.
The book is in both Drew and Sam's POV. The angst level is medium.
By Claire Cullen
Drew is on the run from his abusive ex-boyfriend who wants him back. He asks his estranged brother for help who sends him to Sam, an ex-military buddy now turned police with the Emergency Task Force.
Sam is the guy who jumps in to help whenever someone is in need. He's stressed out currently trying to help out Matt, a close friend and ex-military buddy who's dealing with severe PTSD. When Logan calls and asks him to take in his brother, Drew, while he's overseas on tour Sam naturally agrees.
I did like the book quite a bit, but it was missing some things too. There wasn't much affection between Sam and Drew once they got together. It was more affection from a distance. Not up and personal. That was really disappointing. There were also unanswered questions. Mostly about Diego. Who was he really? Why did he just disappear from the story? Drew didn't have to tell Sam, but it would've been nice if he'd shared it with us.
One more thing... I was excited to see how it would end with Russell, but it was really anticlimactic. To the point it just brought down that whole part of the storyline which was the reason Sam and Drew were together to begin with. Hence my change from the rating I originally wanted to put of 4 stars down to 3 stars.
The book is in both Drew and Sam's POV. The angst level is medium.
July 23, 2019
WONDERFUL
Look what I found in my TBR dungeon!! This is a wonderful book. I'm sorry I didn't read it sooner. I have and will be reading TIES THAT BIND #2 next. This is a beautiful story about two men who come together out of necessity. Drew is on the run, his life is at stake but he doesn't know it yet. Sam is doing a favor for the little brother of one of the friends he was in the Military with. One doesn't trust the other, but in Drew's life, trust doesn't last. This is a story about who, what and when to trust. Who your true friends are. Their are brothers, brothers in arms and lovers. This is a REMARKABLE story. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK!!!!!
Look what I found in my TBR dungeon!! This is a wonderful book. I'm sorry I didn't read it sooner. I have and will be reading TIES THAT BIND #2 next. This is a beautiful story about two men who come together out of necessity. Drew is on the run, his life is at stake but he doesn't know it yet. Sam is doing a favor for the little brother of one of the friends he was in the Military with. One doesn't trust the other, but in Drew's life, trust doesn't last. This is a story about who, what and when to trust. Who your true friends are. Their are brothers, brothers in arms and lovers. This is a REMARKABLE story. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK!!!!!
June 14, 2022
Great book
I have read a lot of this author’s supernatural/paranormal books and always enjoyed the unique world building and excellent writing. This is totally different but it’s a great read as usual. I enjoy the characters, the flow of the story, and of course, excellent writing. Sam and Drew have a beautiful and loving relationship where they support each other and just be there for one another. Sometimes that’s all we need.
I wish they could do a better cover. The guys are hot but they just look thrown together and want nothing to do with each other.
I have read a lot of this author’s supernatural/paranormal books and always enjoyed the unique world building and excellent writing. This is totally different but it’s a great read as usual. I enjoy the characters, the flow of the story, and of course, excellent writing. Sam and Drew have a beautiful and loving relationship where they support each other and just be there for one another. Sometimes that’s all we need.
I wish they could do a better cover. The guys are hot but they just look thrown together and want nothing to do with each other.
June 27, 2018
DNF @50%.
I feel like this is one of those books that if I had read it in one sitting, I would have found it fine. However, I stopped for the night around 35%, didn't touch it at all the next day, picked it up on day three and just wasn't feeling it... it being the chemistry between the MCs, the plot, the "you need help and I need to help" trope, the main and side characters. It wasn't a horrible book by any means, just lacking spark.
I feel like this is one of those books that if I had read it in one sitting, I would have found it fine. However, I stopped for the night around 35%, didn't touch it at all the next day, picked it up on day three and just wasn't feeling it... it being the chemistry between the MCs, the plot, the "you need help and I need to help" trope, the main and side characters. It wasn't a horrible book by any means, just lacking spark.
October 6, 2021
I loved this. Drew was troubled and from a difficult home situation. I can understand why he turned to gambling but kudos to him for stopping cold turkey. Then he falls for Russ....god that poor guy has such bad luck. Drew needed someone to believe in him, to care about him as a person. To accept him. Sam clearly has a knight in shining armor complex and because of that, he runs himself ragged. Drew is very good for him because despite needing help he also wants to help others so when Sam needs someone to be there for him Drew is. Cute couple.
August 23, 2017
I really enjoyed this storyline, the plot was well done 5* for it. Lots of mystery and intrigue. Only 2* for the romance though, there was no emotion or connection between the MCs, for me, until nearly the end. This was still a good book, just would have liked to have seen the relationship develop better, so a solid 3.5* for me.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC.
August 27, 2017
I'm confused as all get out by this book. Was it meant to be a romance? It was like a buddy road trip with some mild tension. Did the author intend to have Sam get with Matt and changed her mind later? Is that why there's sooo much detail about Matt? What happened with the main antagonist, Russell? No, seriously... what happened with Russell?
October 5, 2017
ARC from author
Her best work so far - great story, well developed characters and strong writing. This is a complete story but there are more characters crying out for their stories and I can't wait. At first I was disappointed that this is a contemporary since I love her shifters but this is great.
Her best work so far - great story, well developed characters and strong writing. This is a complete story but there are more characters crying out for their stories and I can't wait. At first I was disappointed that this is a contemporary since I love her shifters but this is great.
August 22, 2017
Another great series :)
Another great read from this author. As always Claire Cullen keeps me curious and wanting to know more. Looking forward to the next installment.
Another great read from this author. As always Claire Cullen keeps me curious and wanting to know more. Looking forward to the next installment.
September 8, 2017
3.5 stars
September 12, 2017
I struggled a little at the start of the book, I plodded on and ended up really enjoying it.
November 13, 2017
Superb
I loved the plot. The writer just keeps getting better and better. Had to read it in one sitting, I just could not stop. Can’t wait for more!
I loved the plot. The writer just keeps getting better and better. Had to read it in one sitting, I just could not stop. Can’t wait for more!
June 26, 2021
This is a good story. I liked all the characters (even the bad guys). I think it ended a bit anticlimactic after everything we went through. I am still glad I read it and hope Matt will get a book.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews