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Unconditional #1
Looking In
David Barrows world fell apart at the age of eleven after his mother died. Years of physical and emotional abuse followed, leaving him scarred in body and mind, mired in the belief that he is unlovable. He spends his days working in a comic shop, and his nights alone wrestling with the ghosts of his past.
As a Marine, Adam Duncan has sworn to protect and serve, and there is no one he is more protective of than his brother and nephew. When tragedy strikes, threatening the security of his family, his protective instincts kick in. But how can he fight an enemy he can’t see?
David and Adam feel the connection between them, but David has built walls around his heart that no one has bothered to break through, until Adam. Adam can see what a special man David is, and is willing to do whatever it takes to break down those barriers. Can he make David see he doesn’t have to keep living his life…Looking In?
As a Marine, Adam Duncan has sworn to protect and serve, and there is no one he is more protective of than his brother and nephew. When tragedy strikes, threatening the security of his family, his protective instincts kick in. But how can he fight an enemy he can’t see?
David and Adam feel the connection between them, but David has built walls around his heart that no one has bothered to break through, until Adam. Adam can see what a special man David is, and is willing to do whatever it takes to break down those barriers. Can he make David see he doesn’t have to keep living his life…Looking In?
237 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 3, 2017
59 people are currently reading
294 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews
September 13, 2017
If you're looking for that warm and fuzzy feeling, you'll love Looking In.
Despite the tragic backstory of one of the MCs, the romance itself is low on the angst, moderate on the steam, and high on the AWWWs!
I can't believe I'm saying this, but the book was TOO sweet. Adam was so nice, he felt like a caricature of the Best Boyfriend Ever. I wanted more of his past, not to mention more personality. He didn't read like a Marine at all; his military background was barely mentioned.
David had an abusive childhood and, as an adult, is lonely and withdrawn. Adam kept telling David that he was strong, but I didn't see it. What David excelled at was being a martyr.
I absolutely hate the you're-better-off-without-me-so-I'm-going-to-push-you-away bullshit, which happened here. David decides he's putting Adam in danger, so WITHOUT TALKING TO ADAM, he breaks off the relationship and freezes Adam out.
All the plot points didn't fully gel for me. At the beginning, much is made of Adam's teenage nephew being sick, but the nephew makes a seemingly easy recovery and not much more is said about it.
I also hated the crazy dramatic moment at the end; it was SO unnecessary.
Even the epilogue felt overdone. I love HEAs, but not every wish has to come true.
And, finally, there were quite a few distracting typos; this book needed a much more thorough edit.
I'm going with a reluctant 3 stars because I do like hurt/comfort stories, and Looking In is ultimately a tender romance about letting go of past hurts and learning to forgive yourself.
Despite the tragic backstory of one of the MCs, the romance itself is low on the angst, moderate on the steam, and high on the AWWWs!
I can't believe I'm saying this, but the book was TOO sweet. Adam was so nice, he felt like a caricature of the Best Boyfriend Ever. I wanted more of his past, not to mention more personality. He didn't read like a Marine at all; his military background was barely mentioned.
David had an abusive childhood and, as an adult, is lonely and withdrawn. Adam kept telling David that he was strong, but I didn't see it. What David excelled at was being a martyr.
I absolutely hate the you're-better-off-without-me-so-I'm-going-to-push-you-away bullshit, which happened here. David decides he's putting Adam in danger, so WITHOUT TALKING TO ADAM, he breaks off the relationship and freezes Adam out.
All the plot points didn't fully gel for me. At the beginning, much is made of Adam's teenage nephew being sick, but the nephew makes a seemingly easy recovery and not much more is said about it.
I also hated the crazy dramatic moment at the end; it was SO unnecessary.
Even the epilogue felt overdone. I love HEAs, but not every wish has to come true.
And, finally, there were quite a few distracting typos; this book needed a much more thorough edit.
I'm going with a reluctant 3 stars because I do like hurt/comfort stories, and Looking In is ultimately a tender romance about letting go of past hurts and learning to forgive yourself.
September 11, 2017
First-time author hurt/healing/comfort goodness!
I absolutely LOVED this book. Adam, with his calm, gentle love, is perfect book-boyfriend material.
Hurt/healing/comfort junkies who love an emotional story about a hurt and lost main character with some book-boyfriend hot sex thrown in for good measure, this book is for you.
A big THANK YOU to Kael for the recommendation!
This review is also posted at Gay Book Reviews
I absolutely LOVED this book. Adam, with his calm, gentle love, is perfect book-boyfriend material.
Hurt/healing/comfort junkies who love an emotional story about a hurt and lost main character with some book-boyfriend hot sex thrown in for good measure, this book is for you.
A big THANK YOU to Kael for the recommendation!
This review is also posted at Gay Book Reviews
December 27, 2024
INFINITE STARS!! INFINITE!!!!!!!!
I cannot believe this book is Michael Bailey's FIRST ... this isn't just great "for a debut novel", this book is simply PHENOMENAL. Full stop!! I have no words right now ... I just finished this book and just ... WOW <3333!! SO many thoughts (and words) to come ... I PROMISE :-)!! In the meantime, I am throwing ALL the stars at this book! ALL of them <3333333333!
**** RECOMMENDED THIS TO ALMOST EVERYONE ON MY "RECOMMEND TO" LIST!! I'LL BE PIMPING THIS LIKE CRAZY!!!! ****
By the way, this book is attached to the wrong Michael Bailey. The RIGHT Michael Bailey is still in the midst of getting his own author page set up but once he does, we will be moving this one over to where it rightfully belongs. With him :-)!!
************
Favorite scenes and quotes *** MIND POTENTIAL SPOILERS ***
@ 43% -
""
~ ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️!!
I cannot believe this book is Michael Bailey's FIRST ... this isn't just great "for a debut novel", this book is simply PHENOMENAL. Full stop!! I have no words right now ... I just finished this book and just ... WOW <3333!! SO many thoughts (and words) to come ... I PROMISE :-)!! In the meantime, I am throwing ALL the stars at this book! ALL of them <3333333333!
**** RECOMMENDED THIS TO ALMOST EVERYONE ON MY "RECOMMEND TO" LIST!! I'LL BE PIMPING THIS LIKE CRAZY!!!! ****
By the way, this book is attached to the wrong Michael Bailey. The RIGHT Michael Bailey is still in the midst of getting his own author page set up but once he does, we will be moving this one over to where it rightfully belongs. With him :-)!!
************
Favorite scenes and quotes *** MIND POTENTIAL SPOILERS ***
@ 43% -
""
~ ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️!!
September 16, 2017
Son 2.5 estrellas, quizás más cercanas a las 2, le pongo 3 porque es un autor que está empezando en el género y los protagonistas me han gustado.
Cuando leí el blurb esperaba encontrarme con una historia dura, profunda y que me pusiera el corazón en la garganta. Y aunque algunas cosas que pasan pueden provocar eso, toda la historia tiene una pátina fluffy que le ha quitado todo el sentido a la razón por la que yo quería leerlo.
La historia de amor entre David y Adam es un tanto precipitada al comienzo para mi, dulce, fluffy, con muy poca tensión o conflicto entre los dos protagonistas. El conflicto es externo, y grave, creo que se resuelve de una forma un tanto simple, sin mucha profundidad. Los dos protagonistas son dulces, pero se quedan ambos en la superficialidad, fundamentalmente Adam, el autor nos hace ver una y otra vez características de sus vidas y personalidad dejándose fuera muchas otras; además, entiendo que por culpa de su pasado, pero David se lee mucho más joven que los casi 30 años que tiene y Adam es demasiado bueno. No es un festival de sexo como lo que viene a ser tendencia en el MM pero alguna escena de sexo se hace eterna e interminable, eso le quita mucho punch, tanto emocional como erótico. Pero de todo, lo que más me ha "molestado" leyendo es que el autor recurre una y otra vez a la mismas cosas para explicar situaciones o sentimientos: no sé explicarme con palabras pero con un beso quiero expresar todo bla bla, no sé exactamente cómo lo sé pero sé que bla bla bla, algo me dice que bla bla bla, yo soy muy protector y bla bla bla, soy tan bueno que si para que sean felices tienen que hacer bromas a mi costa yo soy feliz por que bla bla. Todo esto lo repite el autor una y mil veces.
Creo que los personajes son bidimensionales y que la historia al final no da lo que promete. Pero, supongo que en el futuro le daré otra oportunidad al autor, no lo odié, me entretuvo, pero no me ha parecido bueno.
Cuando leí el blurb esperaba encontrarme con una historia dura, profunda y que me pusiera el corazón en la garganta. Y aunque algunas cosas que pasan pueden provocar eso, toda la historia tiene una pátina fluffy que le ha quitado todo el sentido a la razón por la que yo quería leerlo.
La historia de amor entre David y Adam es un tanto precipitada al comienzo para mi, dulce, fluffy, con muy poca tensión o conflicto entre los dos protagonistas. El conflicto es externo, y grave, creo que se resuelve de una forma un tanto simple, sin mucha profundidad. Los dos protagonistas son dulces, pero se quedan ambos en la superficialidad, fundamentalmente Adam, el autor nos hace ver una y otra vez características de sus vidas y personalidad dejándose fuera muchas otras; además, entiendo que por culpa de su pasado, pero David se lee mucho más joven que los casi 30 años que tiene y Adam es demasiado bueno. No es un festival de sexo como lo que viene a ser tendencia en el MM pero alguna escena de sexo se hace eterna e interminable, eso le quita mucho punch, tanto emocional como erótico. Pero de todo, lo que más me ha "molestado" leyendo es que el autor recurre una y otra vez a la mismas cosas para explicar situaciones o sentimientos: no sé explicarme con palabras pero con un beso quiero expresar todo bla bla, no sé exactamente cómo lo sé pero sé que bla bla bla, algo me dice que bla bla bla, yo soy muy protector y bla bla bla, soy tan bueno que si para que sean felices tienen que hacer bromas a mi costa yo soy feliz por que bla bla. Todo esto lo repite el autor una y mil veces.
Creo que los personajes son bidimensionales y que la historia al final no da lo que promete. Pero, supongo que en el futuro le daré otra oportunidad al autor, no lo odié, me entretuvo, pero no me ha parecido bueno.
September 10, 2017
I think my tastes have changed. When I used to love cheesy books, I have noticed I find them a bit eyerolling nowadays.
David and Adam first meet at the comic store David works at. Adam is there to pick something for his 13 year old nephew, who is on the hospital. David isn’t used to feeling a connection to anyone so he is surprised he cannot stop thinking about the hunky man who visited the store.
Adam just got out of the military where he served as a marine when he hears his nephew is sick. Since Adam has always taken care of his brother when they were little, he is now ready to do so again with him and his son, when it appears his nephew has leukemia. And that’s why it’s not really a good time to start a relationship with anyone, even though he wants to get to know the cute guy from the comic store better.
But when these guys run into each other again by accident, they exchange phone numbers and end up texting each other a lot.
And that’s how this relationship starts. First with some texting, then with some pizza, and eventually with some kisses and more.
But David has a lot of scars, inside and out, from years of abuse as a child. And now there is someone out there who is threatening him and also Adam…
I thought I would love this since it had all the ingredients of a good hurt/comfort story. But boy was this romance cheesy. I also never had the feeling the start of this relationship was very authentic. It was like these guys were already in a relationship after one meeting. Yes, we get told they text a lot and that they got to know each other better, but I just didn’t feel it.
While I liked the overall sweetness of this story it was just too much of the cheese for me to really enjoy it.
David and Adam first meet at the comic store David works at. Adam is there to pick something for his 13 year old nephew, who is on the hospital. David isn’t used to feeling a connection to anyone so he is surprised he cannot stop thinking about the hunky man who visited the store.
Adam just got out of the military where he served as a marine when he hears his nephew is sick. Since Adam has always taken care of his brother when they were little, he is now ready to do so again with him and his son, when it appears his nephew has leukemia. And that’s why it’s not really a good time to start a relationship with anyone, even though he wants to get to know the cute guy from the comic store better.
But when these guys run into each other again by accident, they exchange phone numbers and end up texting each other a lot.
And that’s how this relationship starts. First with some texting, then with some pizza, and eventually with some kisses and more.
But David has a lot of scars, inside and out, from years of abuse as a child. And now there is someone out there who is threatening him and also Adam…
I thought I would love this since it had all the ingredients of a good hurt/comfort story. But boy was this romance cheesy. I also never had the feeling the start of this relationship was very authentic. It was like these guys were already in a relationship after one meeting. Yes, we get told they text a lot and that they got to know each other better, but I just didn’t feel it.
While I liked the overall sweetness of this story it was just too much of the cheese for me to really enjoy it.
September 10, 2017
*2.5 Stars*
This will likely be one of the most difficult reviews I have written…at least in the top 3. But one I feel important to write. There is absolutely no doubt that for a debut novel this one was one I wanted desperately to love. And while there is undoubtedly talent to this Author, regretfully this one fell short for me.
He turned from me and looked down to where I still held his hand. Again, he whispered, “Then why am I always alone?”
The sadness in his voice cut me to the core. I didn’t want it to be there. I wanted to take that pain from him, erase it, make it disappear.
I let go of his hand and placed it on his cheek, gently turning him to face me again. “Because you were waiting for me, and just didn’t know it. Just as I’ve been waiting for you. You’re not alone. You’ll never be alone again.”
Or
I lied when I said I had him. The truth was, he had me.
Beautiful writing. Beautiful writing indeed. So don’t for a minute believe that I have any doubts as to this Author’s potential. It is great. And yet what this Author seems to be lacking is structure and organization. What this Author seems to need is a mentor who can help guide this talent on its path to greatness. I want this for him…because, as I said, he has what it takes to be great.
Now a writer I am not. But I am a designer. Am I a great designer? No. Do I need critique and the ability to bounce ideas off others. Absolutely. And finding this critique is likely better coming from a wide range of sources. For example if I am designing a school, I need critique not only from other Architects, but teachers, students, parents, janitors, etc. People to look at my design from all aspects. If I have looked at my design too long, I can become blind and can many times not see what is right in front of me. Plus my design can become too personal. It is my baby. I have poured my heart into it. So it is hard to accept critique. But if I am to learn and get better it is a critical part to the process of improving my art.
So for me, this book lacked that critique from all angles. This book has the bones. It has the potential. And there were scenes so beautifully written that I felt the love. The scene with Greg and David was absolutely my favorite. The first kiss and first sexual encounter between Adam and David was beautifully captured. Tender and lovely. But there was way too much going on and too many holes left unfilled that at the end of the book just become frustrating for me as a reader. And writing dual POV only to play some scenes from both POVs becomes repetitive, regardless of the different emotions felt. Much of the internal dialogues throughout became repetitive as well to the point that I felt I was being drilled with details like I had a memory issue.
Lucas. This character was completely unnecessary as was this storyline. We missed all interactions between him and Adam regarding the comic books. We lacked their connection, something I am sure could have been beautiful. And I am not a doctor nor do I have children with leukemia, but can a child begin treatment and within 2 months be in remission?? And where the hell was this boy’s mother? Just many doors opened for this storyline that wrapped up in a single sentence at 95% or had holes left unfilled.
Adam. A veteran with 4 tours of duty in Afghanistan, and yet other than knowing this and him having a brother he loves, I really know very little about him. A tattoo of such beauty is mentioned early on and yet we never got any details as to the meaning behind it. He is a protective and loving person and yet we got very few heart to heart moments between him and his brother and nephew. Many moments lost here to help show the heart of this man.
Greg. I loved this character to pieces and as I stated above the exchange between him and David was perfect. Yet to learn that this man has a brother that has he never tried to track down? Ugh. Really? Perhaps this opened a door to a future novel and Michael will take on this challenge next. I can only hope.
David’s Dad. This storyline became frustrating for me as a reader. We knew early on that this man’s release from prison was going to take an emotional toll on David. That he feared this man and his past. And yet instances of lights being on which later go unacknowledged; David pondering who could have called him at work built suspense that never went anywhere; and then David wondering for paragraphs who could have been in his apartment. Ummm. We all knew and yet he needed to ponder something that so clearly was his biggest fear.
David's Mother. I hope this woman is enjoying hell. What she did was inexcusable.
And finally, David. I fell hard for this sweet guy. But at a certain point I become aggravated. I mean what could he have possibly done?? This is so drawn out that you just feel it should be something really terrible and yet when it is finally revealed, it didn’t hold the impact it should have. I think if more had been told earlier, it would have helped me understand this character on another level. Instead I just began to pull away and lose the connection I had to him.
Maybe I am being over critical. But as a reader too many things just felt off. Felt disjointed. I mean I loved these two guys and felt the heart the Author poured into them. But much of becoming a successful author is about not only writing great scenes but learning to weave that writing into a compelling and telling story. And when storylines get introduced, even side ones, they must be seen through completely.
Again, I have ZERO doubts as to this Author’s abilities and I see this first novel as a stepping stone to greatness. He just needs to learn to structure his scenes and moments in a way that can bring those beautiful words into a cohesive story. I look forward to seeing more from this Author and how he continues to grow in his talent.
This will likely be one of the most difficult reviews I have written…at least in the top 3. But one I feel important to write. There is absolutely no doubt that for a debut novel this one was one I wanted desperately to love. And while there is undoubtedly talent to this Author, regretfully this one fell short for me.
He turned from me and looked down to where I still held his hand. Again, he whispered, “Then why am I always alone?”
The sadness in his voice cut me to the core. I didn’t want it to be there. I wanted to take that pain from him, erase it, make it disappear.
I let go of his hand and placed it on his cheek, gently turning him to face me again. “Because you were waiting for me, and just didn’t know it. Just as I’ve been waiting for you. You’re not alone. You’ll never be alone again.”
Or
I lied when I said I had him. The truth was, he had me.
Beautiful writing. Beautiful writing indeed. So don’t for a minute believe that I have any doubts as to this Author’s potential. It is great. And yet what this Author seems to be lacking is structure and organization. What this Author seems to need is a mentor who can help guide this talent on its path to greatness. I want this for him…because, as I said, he has what it takes to be great.
Now a writer I am not. But I am a designer. Am I a great designer? No. Do I need critique and the ability to bounce ideas off others. Absolutely. And finding this critique is likely better coming from a wide range of sources. For example if I am designing a school, I need critique not only from other Architects, but teachers, students, parents, janitors, etc. People to look at my design from all aspects. If I have looked at my design too long, I can become blind and can many times not see what is right in front of me. Plus my design can become too personal. It is my baby. I have poured my heart into it. So it is hard to accept critique. But if I am to learn and get better it is a critical part to the process of improving my art.
So for me, this book lacked that critique from all angles. This book has the bones. It has the potential. And there were scenes so beautifully written that I felt the love. The scene with Greg and David was absolutely my favorite. The first kiss and first sexual encounter between Adam and David was beautifully captured. Tender and lovely. But there was way too much going on and too many holes left unfilled that at the end of the book just become frustrating for me as a reader. And writing dual POV only to play some scenes from both POVs becomes repetitive, regardless of the different emotions felt. Much of the internal dialogues throughout became repetitive as well to the point that I felt I was being drilled with details like I had a memory issue.
Lucas. This character was completely unnecessary as was this storyline. We missed all interactions between him and Adam regarding the comic books. We lacked their connection, something I am sure could have been beautiful. And I am not a doctor nor do I have children with leukemia, but can a child begin treatment and within 2 months be in remission?? And where the hell was this boy’s mother? Just many doors opened for this storyline that wrapped up in a single sentence at 95% or had holes left unfilled.
Adam. A veteran with 4 tours of duty in Afghanistan, and yet other than knowing this and him having a brother he loves, I really know very little about him. A tattoo of such beauty is mentioned early on and yet we never got any details as to the meaning behind it. He is a protective and loving person and yet we got very few heart to heart moments between him and his brother and nephew. Many moments lost here to help show the heart of this man.
Greg. I loved this character to pieces and as I stated above the exchange between him and David was perfect. Yet to learn that this man has a brother that has he never tried to track down? Ugh. Really? Perhaps this opened a door to a future novel and Michael will take on this challenge next. I can only hope.
David’s Dad. This storyline became frustrating for me as a reader. We knew early on that this man’s release from prison was going to take an emotional toll on David. That he feared this man and his past. And yet instances of lights being on which later go unacknowledged; David pondering who could have called him at work built suspense that never went anywhere; and then David wondering for paragraphs who could have been in his apartment. Ummm. We all knew and yet he needed to ponder something that so clearly was his biggest fear.
David's Mother. I hope this woman is enjoying hell. What she did was inexcusable.
And finally, David. I fell hard for this sweet guy. But at a certain point I become aggravated. I mean what could he have possibly done?? This is so drawn out that you just feel it should be something really terrible and yet when it is finally revealed, it didn’t hold the impact it should have. I think if more had been told earlier, it would have helped me understand this character on another level. Instead I just began to pull away and lose the connection I had to him.
Maybe I am being over critical. But as a reader too many things just felt off. Felt disjointed. I mean I loved these two guys and felt the heart the Author poured into them. But much of becoming a successful author is about not only writing great scenes but learning to weave that writing into a compelling and telling story. And when storylines get introduced, even side ones, they must be seen through completely.
Again, I have ZERO doubts as to this Author’s abilities and I see this first novel as a stepping stone to greatness. He just needs to learn to structure his scenes and moments in a way that can bring those beautiful words into a cohesive story. I look forward to seeing more from this Author and how he continues to grow in his talent.
September 13, 2017
2.5 stars.
I'll start with the good:
The writing is wonderful and I think the author, which this is his first full book, has an amazing potential!
The not so good:
Mostly, it was a big case of "been there, done that": the shy and timid boy (he felt more like a teen than a man in his mid-late twenties) with a dark past, the big strong and masculine man who swoops in to save him.
The lack of character development: I didn't feel their connection!
I was *told* about their instant chemistry, but I didn't *feel* it.
Same goes to the secondary characters, with no depth or even understanding what their roll in the story might be, some of them felt quit redundant to me.
The ending was way too dramatic, and the epilogue was way too happy and sweet with a pink ribbon to tie everything up way too easy and quickly.
It's weird to say, and I feel uneasy saying it, but the author build-up the secret abuse part so much that I thought David went through something way more horrible when I found out what it was I was like: ??
To sum it all up- I'll definitely try this author again (thank you Kael for the introduction xox), but this one was not as good as I expected.
I'll start with the good:
The writing is wonderful and I think the author, which this is his first full book, has an amazing potential!
The not so good:
Mostly, it was a big case of "been there, done that": the shy and timid boy (he felt more like a teen than a man in his mid-late twenties) with a dark past, the big strong and masculine man who swoops in to save him.
The lack of character development: I didn't feel their connection!
I was *told* about their instant chemistry, but I didn't *feel* it.
Same goes to the secondary characters, with no depth or even understanding what their roll in the story might be, some of them felt quit redundant to me.
The ending was way too dramatic, and the epilogue was way too happy and sweet with a pink ribbon to tie everything up way too easy and quickly.
It's weird to say, and I feel uneasy saying it, but the author build-up the secret abuse part so much that I thought David went through something way more horrible when I found out what it was I was like: ??
To sum it all up- I'll definitely try this author again (thank you Kael for the introduction xox), but this one was not as good as I expected.
April 20, 2019
DNF@75%
I have many things to say regarding this but one thing I'm sure of is that this novel is a perfect 2-star for me.
First, the writer has some morphed fetish with masculinity. Even in 2017, writing army characters and using superhero props, Adam has some fucked up traction when it comes to masculine ideas and masculine behaviour.
The thing is, when you write a romance of queer characters, your words matter. They matter a lot and while many issues have been well and gently handled, the queerness is kept again on the down-low. Like something Adam has passively been shy of not hiding exactly but not really found it empowering in a sense. His views from about a porn stash of a 13-year old boy and girly behaviour (not once but many many times) got on my nerves. I felt really bad when Adam turned weird when it came to feminine hands on a boy. Dude! its perfectly fine for a boy to have feminine hands. That whole part is just something which actually undermines the whole struggle of opening people's minds about only two genders and two sexualities. I think the writer has yet to learn about the relevance of each letter in LGBTQ+. Including the + mind you.
That said, after all these pin pricks you can call them, I felt that I read the whole novel as a charade. With some really great mushy writing. It's so cheesy and flow-y at times that you'd feel the time go by fast. But my last straw was exactly that. The story was at a pivotal point where a threat is looming upon one of the characters and after a heart-to-heart, guess what happens? A virgin cherry popping! Yay!
So I didn't even get to read the buggery because I was legit scared for an attack coming anytime through the doors. While they were 'making love' with some unnaturally copious amount of precum! Maybe it worked out as lube for the author but it sure ain't helping us gays out here.
(This novel has precum in abundance actually. And great cover btw.)
I have many things to say regarding this but one thing I'm sure of is that this novel is a perfect 2-star for me.
First, the writer has some morphed fetish with masculinity. Even in 2017, writing army characters and using superhero props, Adam has some fucked up traction when it comes to masculine ideas and masculine behaviour.
The thing is, when you write a romance of queer characters, your words matter. They matter a lot and while many issues have been well and gently handled, the queerness is kept again on the down-low. Like something Adam has passively been shy of not hiding exactly but not really found it empowering in a sense. His views from about a porn stash of a 13-year old boy and girly behaviour (not once but many many times) got on my nerves. I felt really bad when Adam turned weird when it came to feminine hands on a boy. Dude! its perfectly fine for a boy to have feminine hands. That whole part is just something which actually undermines the whole struggle of opening people's minds about only two genders and two sexualities. I think the writer has yet to learn about the relevance of each letter in LGBTQ+. Including the + mind you.
That said, after all these pin pricks you can call them, I felt that I read the whole novel as a charade. With some really great mushy writing. It's so cheesy and flow-y at times that you'd feel the time go by fast. But my last straw was exactly that. The story was at a pivotal point where a threat is looming upon one of the characters and after a heart-to-heart, guess what happens? A virgin cherry popping! Yay!
So I didn't even get to read the buggery because I was legit scared for an attack coming anytime through the doors. While they were 'making love' with some unnaturally copious amount of precum! Maybe it worked out as lube for the author but it sure ain't helping us gays out here.
(This novel has precum in abundance actually. And great cover btw.)
September 7, 2017
First thing I'll say about Looking In by Michael bailey in that I'm shocked this is a debut novel. He writes with a confident ease. The common first time author errors are almost non-existent. I would have assumed he'd been writing for years. So, let that calm your "oh dear a new author" worries.
This book is so realistically written it almost reads like a biography. Adam is a former Marine who's homecoming is bittersweet when it's announced his nephew has been diagnosed with leukemia. Now, to know Adam is to know how huge his heart is, how strong his arm are and will embrace, love, and protect you. And to know how bright and shiny his personality is. He's unique and you instantly love him. When he decided he will make his nephew's time in the hospital as fun as possible you feel that determination... and so enters David.
Adam was born for this man. That's the bare bones of it. David is an uber geek and in that aspect he felt like a kindred spirit for me. But David is broken. Shattered by a past that he has no control over. Without giving spoilers I'll simply say, David is a child abuse survivor. I won't say more but its molded him into the depressed, untrusting person he is.
When Adam sweeps into his life to make his nephew's life better, he's making David's life better too.
Angst? yes. Emotional? Yes. Hopeful, beautiful, and unforgettable? Absolutely. This debut novel was a breath-stealing surprise that I will not soon forget. I highly recommend this book.
This book is so realistically written it almost reads like a biography. Adam is a former Marine who's homecoming is bittersweet when it's announced his nephew has been diagnosed with leukemia. Now, to know Adam is to know how huge his heart is, how strong his arm are and will embrace, love, and protect you. And to know how bright and shiny his personality is. He's unique and you instantly love him. When he decided he will make his nephew's time in the hospital as fun as possible you feel that determination... and so enters David.
Adam was born for this man. That's the bare bones of it. David is an uber geek and in that aspect he felt like a kindred spirit for me. But David is broken. Shattered by a past that he has no control over. Without giving spoilers I'll simply say, David is a child abuse survivor. I won't say more but its molded him into the depressed, untrusting person he is.
When Adam sweeps into his life to make his nephew's life better, he's making David's life better too.
Angst? yes. Emotional? Yes. Hopeful, beautiful, and unforgettable? Absolutely. This debut novel was a breath-stealing surprise that I will not soon forget. I highly recommend this book.
September 5, 2017
Why hello there, lovely book that I accidentally stumbled upon thanks to a Facebook recommendation group. I'd read several books that were just a little *too* sweet for me, and I needed a book with a dose of angst to reset my reading equilibrium. And this book reached out and punched me right in the feels.
Adam is a former Marine who returns to his hometown of Toledo, Ohio (and the book is set in Ohio YAY) just in time to find out that his brother's only son has leukemia. Determined to make his nephew's hospital stay a little brighter, he stops by the local comic book shop to pick up something for the kid - and literally runs into David, an employee at the shop.
David has a lot of demons that he's been battling since he was a kid, although the exact nature of those demons are under wraps for much of the story. He's convinced that not only is he unlovable, but no one wants to be his friend or generally interact with him at all. He's twenty-eight years old and has never been kissed, more or less determined to wall himself off from humankind and keep everyone at a distance. Trusting someone, he has learned, is the first step on the path to disaster, and he's faced enough of those in his lifetime. But Adam, who kind of reminds me of a human version of a Labrador dog (sweet, protective, and persistent), isn't about to let the adorkable comic book shop guy leave so easily.
Let me start out by saying that Adam and David are perfect for one another. Adam is incredibly sweet and has a strong protective streak, and that meshes so well with David, who needs someone to pull him out of his shell and be patient with him as he explores uncharted territory. Every trough in David's personality was matched with a crest in Adam's, and vice versa.
I loved how unapologetically nerdy David was. As a fellow homodork, I appreciated it so much. And Adam actually felt like this was an asset and David didn't have to go around apologizing for liking comics or trying to convince anyone that he's actually an adult. YESSSS. I loved it!
I already squeed a little about the book being set in Ohio (originally from, although from the southeastern side of Ohio myself), and you definitely get a "feel" of Toledo here.
And the angst, because let's be honest, that was my main motivation for reading this book at this time. It was good. There was a lot of shit that David had to work through in his mind, and he did. There wasn't an instafix for him, and there shouldn't be. Being in a relationship with Adam definitely helped him, but he still had a lot of worries and frustrations and issues - and that is how it should be too! Having a supportive relationship helps, but it definitely doesn't fix everything from day one, and I really liked watching how David grew as a character here.
I just...really identified with David. So, so much. Painfully so, at times. I may have cried while reading this book. My backstory may not be the same as his, but...it's on the same plane, shall we say. And that is why I think I read angsty romances. They make me deal with my own shit and see things from different perspectives, and I know no matter how low the characters get, there's going to be a happy ending for them. It's cheaper than therapy! ;)
So, in short, I enjoyed this book immensely. I laughed, I may have cried a bit, and I walked away with a serious case of the warm fuzzies. And this is the author's first book? :O Well hot damn, moar please! And I read it all in one sitting to boot!
Adam is a former Marine who returns to his hometown of Toledo, Ohio (and the book is set in Ohio YAY) just in time to find out that his brother's only son has leukemia. Determined to make his nephew's hospital stay a little brighter, he stops by the local comic book shop to pick up something for the kid - and literally runs into David, an employee at the shop.
David has a lot of demons that he's been battling since he was a kid, although the exact nature of those demons are under wraps for much of the story. He's convinced that not only is he unlovable, but no one wants to be his friend or generally interact with him at all. He's twenty-eight years old and has never been kissed, more or less determined to wall himself off from humankind and keep everyone at a distance. Trusting someone, he has learned, is the first step on the path to disaster, and he's faced enough of those in his lifetime. But Adam, who kind of reminds me of a human version of a Labrador dog (sweet, protective, and persistent), isn't about to let the adorkable comic book shop guy leave so easily.
Let me start out by saying that Adam and David are perfect for one another. Adam is incredibly sweet and has a strong protective streak, and that meshes so well with David, who needs someone to pull him out of his shell and be patient with him as he explores uncharted territory. Every trough in David's personality was matched with a crest in Adam's, and vice versa.
I loved how unapologetically nerdy David was. As a fellow homodork, I appreciated it so much. And Adam actually felt like this was an asset and David didn't have to go around apologizing for liking comics or trying to convince anyone that he's actually an adult. YESSSS. I loved it!
I already squeed a little about the book being set in Ohio (originally from, although from the southeastern side of Ohio myself), and you definitely get a "feel" of Toledo here.
And the angst, because let's be honest, that was my main motivation for reading this book at this time. It was good. There was a lot of shit that David had to work through in his mind, and he did. There wasn't an instafix for him, and there shouldn't be. Being in a relationship with Adam definitely helped him, but he still had a lot of worries and frustrations and issues - and that is how it should be too! Having a supportive relationship helps, but it definitely doesn't fix everything from day one, and I really liked watching how David grew as a character here.
I just...really identified with David. So, so much. Painfully so, at times. I may have cried while reading this book. My backstory may not be the same as his, but...it's on the same plane, shall we say. And that is why I think I read angsty romances. They make me deal with my own shit and see things from different perspectives, and I know no matter how low the characters get, there's going to be a happy ending for them. It's cheaper than therapy! ;)
So, in short, I enjoyed this book immensely. I laughed, I may have cried a bit, and I walked away with a serious case of the warm fuzzies. And this is the author's first book? :O Well hot damn, moar please! And I read it all in one sitting to boot!
December 7, 2018
Great first effort ~
Looking In has been sitting in my iPad’s Kindle app for quite some time now, and I’m so glad that I finally decided to read it.
For Michael Bailey’s first novel, he sure does a great job creating two characters who are so deserving of each other.
The story was quite heart-wrenching at times, and I found myself easily tearing up from the loneliness and inadequacy felt by David for over half his life. Thank god Adam, his knight in shining armor, becomes a part of David’s life and rescues him from getting stuck in his own head. I love how Adam knows exactly what’s going on with David and can immediately pull him away from the demons still lurking around from his past.
I feel this book could have been so much better if more attention was spent following through certain areas: Where did Greg’s brother go? Why wouldn’t Lucas’s mom show up the second her son became ill? The storyline could have used a bit more character development, which would have turned a good, solid story into a great one. One more very important issue—proper editing. It’s the most crucial requirement for a book’s success. I had a rough time getting past sentence fragments, lack of or improper use of punctuation, and some misspelled words. That being said, I still found myself highlighting one passage after another that took my breath away.
My intentions are meant to be supportive and constructive because I have no doubt that Michael Bailey’s writing will only get better with each new release. I would recommend this one because, in the end, this story is beautiful and heartfelt, leaving me wanting more.
Looking In has been sitting in my iPad’s Kindle app for quite some time now, and I’m so glad that I finally decided to read it.
For Michael Bailey’s first novel, he sure does a great job creating two characters who are so deserving of each other.
The story was quite heart-wrenching at times, and I found myself easily tearing up from the loneliness and inadequacy felt by David for over half his life. Thank god Adam, his knight in shining armor, becomes a part of David’s life and rescues him from getting stuck in his own head. I love how Adam knows exactly what’s going on with David and can immediately pull him away from the demons still lurking around from his past.
I feel this book could have been so much better if more attention was spent following through certain areas: Where did Greg’s brother go? Why wouldn’t Lucas’s mom show up the second her son became ill? The storyline could have used a bit more character development, which would have turned a good, solid story into a great one. One more very important issue—proper editing. It’s the most crucial requirement for a book’s success. I had a rough time getting past sentence fragments, lack of or improper use of punctuation, and some misspelled words. That being said, I still found myself highlighting one passage after another that took my breath away.
My intentions are meant to be supportive and constructive because I have no doubt that Michael Bailey’s writing will only get better with each new release. I would recommend this one because, in the end, this story is beautiful and heartfelt, leaving me wanting more.
August 28, 2018
I'm going to make this short...
Do yourself a favor and just go buy this book...
Seriously, read this book. It was fantastic for a First novel by a new author. I was completely surprised and will now be adding this author to my auto-buy list for all future books I was really impressed with how well it was written.
I loved both of the characters and completely fully fell in love with this story even though it totally ripped my heart out.
Adam and David are super cute together. David has a horrible backstory that will break your heart and make you want to just hug and squeeze him and love him and try to make everything in his world better. Adam is a very obviously strong and sturdy, understanding solid guy who sees right inside to David's insecurities. I loved that they both feel the instant zap of connection and chemistry together and they are perfect for each other. I also really liked the added storyline of Adam's brother and nephew, even though that was hard to read as well, I thought it was a great way to add more depth to this already heart wrenching story. This book had me emotional pretty much the entire duration of the book, I cried tears of sadness and joy and felt every emotion right along with all of these characters. I Loved this book.
Do yourself a favor and just go buy this book...
Seriously, read this book. It was fantastic for a First novel by a new author. I was completely surprised and will now be adding this author to my auto-buy list for all future books I was really impressed with how well it was written.
I loved both of the characters and completely fully fell in love with this story even though it totally ripped my heart out.
Adam and David are super cute together. David has a horrible backstory that will break your heart and make you want to just hug and squeeze him and love him and try to make everything in his world better. Adam is a very obviously strong and sturdy, understanding solid guy who sees right inside to David's insecurities. I loved that they both feel the instant zap of connection and chemistry together and they are perfect for each other. I also really liked the added storyline of Adam's brother and nephew, even though that was hard to read as well, I thought it was a great way to add more depth to this already heart wrenching story. This book had me emotional pretty much the entire duration of the book, I cried tears of sadness and joy and felt every emotion right along with all of these characters. I Loved this book.
October 10, 2017
My first book by this author and it was really good. I loved Adam and David together. I loved how patient Adam was with David. Their relationship was too sweet. I cried at some parts. Loved David's growth. Glad they both got their HEA's...
October 4, 2017
Originally reviewed at Sinfully.
This is a good debut by Michael Bailey. There is a lot of potential in the writing with some very emotional moments and David and Adam are incredibly sweet together. It would have definitely received a higher rating from me if it hadn’t been for my issues with some storylines and characters.
David is 28 and has major trust issues resulting from a childhood trauma and feels he has nothing to offer anyone. He has been in therapy, but it doesn’t seem to be helping much. He’s living a very solitary life, with no friends, alone in a small apartment above the comic book store where he works.
Adam is out of the Marines after 15 years, half of which was active duty in places like Afghanistan. He’s living with his brother and teenage nephew. When his nephew is diagnosed with a serious illness, Adam goes to the comic book store to buy him something. This is where he meets David. The two men meet in one of those I feel the electricity when I touch you moments and when they accidentally run into each other again, Adam is determined to spend more time with David.
One of the best parts of the story was how their relationship starts. The texting back and forth, David’s disbelief that someone like Adam wants to spend time with him and the awkward dating moments. These two are freaking adorable. The story is told in alternating points of view which is great for the most part, but there are times where we get both men’s viewpoint on a portion of a scene and it occasionally felt repetitive. While I liked both characters, they did read a bit young to me and it often felt like I was reading a New Adult novel rather than a romance between a 28 and 30-something year old. There is no real issue in the relationship other than David’s own worries (which leads to one of my personal peeves rearing its ugly head - the “I’m leaving without telling you for your own good” - but happily it’s not too drawn out) and his internal struggle with those too, seemed to get repetitive.
That leads me into the parts of the story that didn’t quite work for me. I would have liked to see some more character development for Adam. All I know is that he is a super nice, patient and loving man, but I didn’t have a real feel for him as a thirty year old man who had done four tours of duty in Afghanistan. There is also a lot going on in the story. Everyone has family drama of some sort and some of the secondary stories didn’t completely work for me. The illness of Adam’s nephew was set up to be a big part of the story but it seemed to be mostly resolved early on without much difficulty as was David’s struggle and shame over his sexuality. We’re introduced to one coworker who seemed like they would have a part to play in David’s life but then are never heard of again and then another one is introduced that does step up. There were also too many too stupid to live moments on David’s part leading up to and at the climax of the story.
I’m not sure if the copy I read was a final copy, though it seems it had gone through editing, but still there were enough issues that took me out of the story. There were some inconsistent details including a timeline that seemed a bit off, repeating sentence fragments and a number of grammatical and spelling issues.
So yes, I had some problems with the story but, one big reason to keep an eye on this author is that there is some very lovely writing in this book and overall, the story did keep me reading. I enjoyed the hurt-comfort aspect as David really did need to catch a break and finally find someone who he could trust and would love him so he could start to really heal. For a first novel it’s a very good effort and if you’re a hurt-comfort fan who likes it mostly fluffy and sweet I’m sure you’ll get plenty of enjoyment out of this story.
This is a good debut by Michael Bailey. There is a lot of potential in the writing with some very emotional moments and David and Adam are incredibly sweet together. It would have definitely received a higher rating from me if it hadn’t been for my issues with some storylines and characters.
David is 28 and has major trust issues resulting from a childhood trauma and feels he has nothing to offer anyone. He has been in therapy, but it doesn’t seem to be helping much. He’s living a very solitary life, with no friends, alone in a small apartment above the comic book store where he works.
Adam is out of the Marines after 15 years, half of which was active duty in places like Afghanistan. He’s living with his brother and teenage nephew. When his nephew is diagnosed with a serious illness, Adam goes to the comic book store to buy him something. This is where he meets David. The two men meet in one of those I feel the electricity when I touch you moments and when they accidentally run into each other again, Adam is determined to spend more time with David.
One of the best parts of the story was how their relationship starts. The texting back and forth, David’s disbelief that someone like Adam wants to spend time with him and the awkward dating moments. These two are freaking adorable. The story is told in alternating points of view which is great for the most part, but there are times where we get both men’s viewpoint on a portion of a scene and it occasionally felt repetitive. While I liked both characters, they did read a bit young to me and it often felt like I was reading a New Adult novel rather than a romance between a 28 and 30-something year old. There is no real issue in the relationship other than David’s own worries (which leads to one of my personal peeves rearing its ugly head - the “I’m leaving without telling you for your own good” - but happily it’s not too drawn out) and his internal struggle with those too, seemed to get repetitive.
That leads me into the parts of the story that didn’t quite work for me. I would have liked to see some more character development for Adam. All I know is that he is a super nice, patient and loving man, but I didn’t have a real feel for him as a thirty year old man who had done four tours of duty in Afghanistan. There is also a lot going on in the story. Everyone has family drama of some sort and some of the secondary stories didn’t completely work for me. The illness of Adam’s nephew was set up to be a big part of the story but it seemed to be mostly resolved early on without much difficulty as was David’s struggle and shame over his sexuality. We’re introduced to one coworker who seemed like they would have a part to play in David’s life but then are never heard of again and then another one is introduced that does step up. There were also too many too stupid to live moments on David’s part leading up to and at the climax of the story.
I’m not sure if the copy I read was a final copy, though it seems it had gone through editing, but still there were enough issues that took me out of the story. There were some inconsistent details including a timeline that seemed a bit off, repeating sentence fragments and a number of grammatical and spelling issues.
So yes, I had some problems with the story but, one big reason to keep an eye on this author is that there is some very lovely writing in this book and overall, the story did keep me reading. I enjoyed the hurt-comfort aspect as David really did need to catch a break and finally find someone who he could trust and would love him so he could start to really heal. For a first novel it’s a very good effort and if you’re a hurt-comfort fan who likes it mostly fluffy and sweet I’m sure you’ll get plenty of enjoyment out of this story.
April 12, 2020
New to me author. This is a mm contemporary story set in the USA. David and Adam are the main characters. David has had a horrible past that effects his everyday life. Adam sees the good in David. Very emotional story but ends is a HEA. This book may have some triggers for readers. I’ll read more from this author.
dnf-for-now-maybe-later
September 21, 2017I'm stopping at 43%. The writing wasn't bad but I'm just not feeling the characters. I like Adam. David hasn't said more than 5 words I don't think. There's not enough time spent together for me to feel a connection between them.
October 28, 2017
Sweet, gay, contemporary Prince Charming (Marine stud) rescues the (geeky) dude-in-distress
3.5 stars - rounded up because I love the theme, even if the execution was weak for me
As I believe this is the author's first work, I'm very much looking forward to a second.
This was an overly sweet, often simplistic story which did not blow me away, but the hurt/comfort and “tough Marine rescues the geek” themes made it a worthwhile (if not totally satisfying) reading experience for me.
There is enough to enjoy for fans of a contemporary Prince Charming rescuing a dude-in-distress story, in this case a Marine stud and a comic book nerd. There is also plenty to critique, but a couple of things struck me as particularly bothersome.
The physical and emotional attraction and connection between the two on their initial meeting read almost like a paranormal "instant mate" bond. I guess it was a contemporary romance "lightning struck my heart when I first touched him" kind of moment that seemed almost as jarring as sweet.
In addition, the strong man caring for the weak abused/injured/damaged male theme was constantly repeated (about five times?) within the same short story: Marine protects his geeky brother; Marine protects his sick nephew; Marine protects his abused lover; Dad protects his sick son; co-worker protects vulnerable hero as a surrogate for his brother. While I absolutely love stories written about that theme, and I assume the multiple instances in this story were written to reinforce the main relationship arc, it was a bit of overkill.
Writing: 2.5 stars
Characters: 3 stars
Themes: 5 stars (for me)
3.5 stars - rounded up because I love the theme, even if the execution was weak for me
As I believe this is the author's first work, I'm very much looking forward to a second.
This was an overly sweet, often simplistic story which did not blow me away, but the hurt/comfort and “tough Marine rescues the geek” themes made it a worthwhile (if not totally satisfying) reading experience for me.
There is enough to enjoy for fans of a contemporary Prince Charming rescuing a dude-in-distress story, in this case a Marine stud and a comic book nerd. There is also plenty to critique, but a couple of things struck me as particularly bothersome.
The physical and emotional attraction and connection between the two on their initial meeting read almost like a paranormal "instant mate" bond. I guess it was a contemporary romance "lightning struck my heart when I first touched him" kind of moment that seemed almost as jarring as sweet.
In addition, the strong man caring for the weak abused/injured/damaged male theme was constantly repeated (about five times?) within the same short story: Marine protects his geeky brother; Marine protects his sick nephew; Marine protects his abused lover; Dad protects his sick son; co-worker protects vulnerable hero as a surrogate for his brother. While I absolutely love stories written about that theme, and I assume the multiple instances in this story were written to reinforce the main relationship arc, it was a bit of overkill.
Writing: 2.5 stars
Characters: 3 stars
Themes: 5 stars (for me)
September 8, 2017
Wow. Just wow. What a way to make a debut as an author. This book was well written and very good. For me, personally, it was powerful and very ….personal. What a message of hope it gave.
The characters in this book were amazing. David was my favorite. For me, David was like looking into a mirror. He broke my heart so often and yet he had me rooting for him from the start to just hold on and keep going. David's life was so hard on him and to endure what he did and keep going is amazing. It's admirable the strength he had even when he felt so lost and hopeless. What I love about David's character as well is it is so parallel to what so many go through in their lives. I love the way the author made David so real. I cried with him and laughed with him and held my breath as he held on hoping for hope. When he met Adam, it was like a breath of fresh air. The past had caused him to build walls that no one could penetrate but somehow Adam made it in.
Adam had his own issues from being in the military and dealing with family things, but his patience and support, the strength he kept giving David made his a close second as a favorite. Sometimes when people go through a past as bad as David's, they just need someone to be there. They need the quiet strength and Adam was that for David. Adam was love and understanding and everything David had never had but silently yearned for. Adam was a rock. I loved the connection these two had. It was simply beautiful. And that's putting it mildly. Life gave David a gift in Adam, and Adam a gift in David. And although David took a while to see it, it was like a dam had burst when he did. Adam had seen the gift David was from the beginning and he held on with all he was.
I hope the words I write grant some sort of insight on how amazing this book was. I hope that I have done it justice but I don't think I can truly think of enough words to describe how beautiful this story was for me. If you get nothing else out of this book, take with you the message of hope it brings. Sometimes life just downright sucks ass but hold on to hope. Hold on for all it's worth. And thank you to the author for the beautiful message and words you wrote.
The characters in this book were amazing. David was my favorite. For me, David was like looking into a mirror. He broke my heart so often and yet he had me rooting for him from the start to just hold on and keep going. David's life was so hard on him and to endure what he did and keep going is amazing. It's admirable the strength he had even when he felt so lost and hopeless. What I love about David's character as well is it is so parallel to what so many go through in their lives. I love the way the author made David so real. I cried with him and laughed with him and held my breath as he held on hoping for hope. When he met Adam, it was like a breath of fresh air. The past had caused him to build walls that no one could penetrate but somehow Adam made it in.
Adam had his own issues from being in the military and dealing with family things, but his patience and support, the strength he kept giving David made his a close second as a favorite. Sometimes when people go through a past as bad as David's, they just need someone to be there. They need the quiet strength and Adam was that for David. Adam was love and understanding and everything David had never had but silently yearned for. Adam was a rock. I loved the connection these two had. It was simply beautiful. And that's putting it mildly. Life gave David a gift in Adam, and Adam a gift in David. And although David took a while to see it, it was like a dam had burst when he did. Adam had seen the gift David was from the beginning and he held on with all he was.
I hope the words I write grant some sort of insight on how amazing this book was. I hope that I have done it justice but I don't think I can truly think of enough words to describe how beautiful this story was for me. If you get nothing else out of this book, take with you the message of hope it brings. Sometimes life just downright sucks ass but hold on to hope. Hold on for all it's worth. And thank you to the author for the beautiful message and words you wrote.
September 10, 2018
I'm finally getting around to clearing out my Kindle Unlimited shelf. This book has been sitting there for at least a year. I can't say why I held off reading it--perhaps it was because Michael Bailey is a new author for me or perhaps it's because this book seemed like a heavy read.
Regardless, I'm glad I finally read this book. I'm a TOTAL sucker for stories that shining knights. And this story does, in spades. It features David, a twenty-eight year old virgin whose life circumstances had led him to believe he's unlovable and Adam, a hot vet with a known protective streak and a soft heart.
While I thought the side plot dealing with David's family member (no spoilers here) was superfluous and I was a little squiggly about the instant connection both MCs felt for each other, I absolutely loved the slow roll out of their relationship and the subsequently HOT sex scenes.
This was a fun read. I'll definitely be looking up other books Michael Bailey wrote once I click save on this review. :)
Regardless, I'm glad I finally read this book. I'm a TOTAL sucker for stories that shining knights. And this story does, in spades. It features David, a twenty-eight year old virgin whose life circumstances had led him to believe he's unlovable and Adam, a hot vet with a known protective streak and a soft heart.
While I thought the side plot dealing with David's family member (no spoilers here) was superfluous and I was a little squiggly about the instant connection both MCs felt for each other, I absolutely loved the slow roll out of their relationship and the subsequently HOT sex scenes.
This was a fun read. I'll definitely be looking up other books Michael Bailey wrote once I click save on this review. :)
April 20, 2022
DNF @ 7%.
I can’t with the levels of cheese, melodrama and over-describing outfits.
Like, Adam shaking David’s hand elects these kind of responses:
and
That’s a bit too much for me. This is a contemporary romance, not some AU where people see bursts of colour and electric jolts at meeting their soulmate. And I don’t know about you, but if I shook someone’s hand and it felt like I just got jump started, there’d likely be a lot of swearing going on, not the beginning of a romance.
I can’t with the levels of cheese, melodrama and over-describing outfits.
Like, Adam shaking David’s hand elects these kind of responses:
All the air seemed to be sucked from my body. A kaleidoscope of colors flashed before my eyes. Energy crackled through my arm and up my neck like jumper cables connecting to a car battery. It was gone in an instant. David seemed to feel it too because his eyes went wide for a moment.
and
It felt almost like jumper cables touching a car battery, real, tangible, alive.
That’s a bit too much for me. This is a contemporary romance, not some AU where people see bursts of colour and electric jolts at meeting their soulmate. And I don’t know about you, but if I shook someone’s hand and it felt like I just got jump started, there’d likely be a lot of swearing going on, not the beginning of a romance.
September 29, 2017
4 stars from me, and a HUGE thank you to Kael for recommending it to me. I said that it sounded like an angst-fest and that I was in...good choice on my part. 😊
Yes, I did like it although I would just add that there was a slightly stilted quality to it at times, which I'm attributing purely and simply to the fact that this is the author's first M/M novel, and he'll obviously get better [she says hopefully] and more comfortable with what he can say and with every new story he writes. There were a few typos and little niggles that didn't detract in any way, shape or form from the general story, which was an emotional read. I suppose you could say that it was fairly formulaic, but of its type not a bad little read at all...and it seemed to come straight from the author's heart. As for the story itself?? Well, I'll leave you to discover what happens....
Yes, I did like it although I would just add that there was a slightly stilted quality to it at times, which I'm attributing purely and simply to the fact that this is the author's first M/M novel, and he'll obviously get better [she says hopefully] and more comfortable with what he can say and with every new story he writes. There were a few typos and little niggles that didn't detract in any way, shape or form from the general story, which was an emotional read. I suppose you could say that it was fairly formulaic, but of its type not a bad little read at all...and it seemed to come straight from the author's heart. As for the story itself?? Well, I'll leave you to discover what happens....
September 25, 2017
Holy crap, I was nor prepared for this !!!
I didn't read any of the reviews, I just saw the blurb and jumped right in.. SO glad I did, I was hooked from the very first page!
David has an ugly and heartbreaking past thanks to his father. He suffered at the hands of all the people who were supposed to love him and it finally took it's toll and he tried to end it. This story has some subject matters that might be triggering, but to me, it was real and raw and just so, so sad.
Working at a comic book store, hiding away from the world, he meets Adam.
Adam is fresh out of the marines and living with his brother and nephew when they learn his nephew is sick. Really sick. Wanting to do somthing nice for him while he's in the hospital, he runs into the comic shop David works at. Their chemestry is immediate and they both feel it the moment they touch... Love when that happens.....
Even though Adam won't have much time for the sensative and closed off David, with a sick nephew and a brother to hold together.... he can't seem to get him off his mind....Another chance meeting has them swapping numbers and it all starts from there!
Adam is patient and understanding and so, so very sweet. He knew there were demons that David was facing and he knew in a roundabout way what they were...he just didn't know why and he didn't push because he wanted David to trust him enough to tell him on his own.
I knew something bad was going to happen and I figured it would be along the lines of what it was. I just wish David would've called the police when it started happening! Why didn't he?? Instead, he ghosted Adam and thought he was doing the right thing..... it never is! It only hurts everyone involved! I hate that..... but, Adam didn't give up...He never gave up... he loved David so much and it was so noticeable in everything he done.
I also loved Greg and I wished so badly that he'd have found his brother... I couldn't imagine that... Maybe the next book?? Will there be a next book? I hope so, and I hope it's Greg's....
Overall, this was an amazing story and I adored it! I cannot believe this is this author's first, because I couldn't find a thing wrong with it anywhere. It was perfect and had the most perfect ending!
5 well deserved stars from me!!
I didn't read any of the reviews, I just saw the blurb and jumped right in.. SO glad I did, I was hooked from the very first page!
David has an ugly and heartbreaking past thanks to his father. He suffered at the hands of all the people who were supposed to love him and it finally took it's toll and he tried to end it. This story has some subject matters that might be triggering, but to me, it was real and raw and just so, so sad.
Working at a comic book store, hiding away from the world, he meets Adam.
Adam is fresh out of the marines and living with his brother and nephew when they learn his nephew is sick. Really sick. Wanting to do somthing nice for him while he's in the hospital, he runs into the comic shop David works at. Their chemestry is immediate and they both feel it the moment they touch... Love when that happens.....
Even though Adam won't have much time for the sensative and closed off David, with a sick nephew and a brother to hold together.... he can't seem to get him off his mind....Another chance meeting has them swapping numbers and it all starts from there!
Adam is patient and understanding and so, so very sweet. He knew there were demons that David was facing and he knew in a roundabout way what they were...he just didn't know why and he didn't push because he wanted David to trust him enough to tell him on his own.
I knew something bad was going to happen and I figured it would be along the lines of what it was. I just wish David would've called the police when it started happening! Why didn't he?? Instead, he ghosted Adam and thought he was doing the right thing..... it never is! It only hurts everyone involved! I hate that..... but, Adam didn't give up...He never gave up... he loved David so much and it was so noticeable in everything he done.
I also loved Greg and I wished so badly that he'd have found his brother... I couldn't imagine that... Maybe the next book?? Will there be a next book? I hope so, and I hope it's Greg's....
Overall, this was an amazing story and I adored it! I cannot believe this is this author's first, because I couldn't find a thing wrong with it anywhere. It was perfect and had the most perfect ending!
5 well deserved stars from me!!
October 2, 2017
A Joyfully Jay review.
3.25 stars
This is a debut novel that certainly had potential, but also read as a first novel. There were ups and downs to the story mixed in side by side. We meet Adam as he is staying with his brother whose wife has left him. Adam’s nephew is sick and the focus starts there. While shopping for a gift for his nephew, Adam meets David. The initial meeting was well written and the attraction between Adam and David was instant and had the energy around them sparking.
We are told that Adam is a Marine and that he was in the service for many years. Yet, it was written in name only as he did not come across as a Marine to me and what Adam was exactly doing with his days or what he wanted to be doing was not clear. David is a lost and lonely guy. He has a past, he carries guilt, and we learn early on that he bears scars and that his father is in prison. Adam is a caretaker and immediately wants to take care of David and keep him safe. Their relationship progresses slowly as Adam allows David to take things at his own pace and they spend time texting before spending any real time in person.
The book is written in the moment, meaning that there wasn’t a lot of character development or depth for me. We are basically told brief things about each guy and the book focused on David learning to trust Adam and the two of them building a relationship. In the end, I didn’t feel like I knew them that well, especially David. Adam is patient and kind and sweet and respectful and while it sounds good on paper, he was a bit too good and bland for me.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
3.25 stars
This is a debut novel that certainly had potential, but also read as a first novel. There were ups and downs to the story mixed in side by side. We meet Adam as he is staying with his brother whose wife has left him. Adam’s nephew is sick and the focus starts there. While shopping for a gift for his nephew, Adam meets David. The initial meeting was well written and the attraction between Adam and David was instant and had the energy around them sparking.
We are told that Adam is a Marine and that he was in the service for many years. Yet, it was written in name only as he did not come across as a Marine to me and what Adam was exactly doing with his days or what he wanted to be doing was not clear. David is a lost and lonely guy. He has a past, he carries guilt, and we learn early on that he bears scars and that his father is in prison. Adam is a caretaker and immediately wants to take care of David and keep him safe. Their relationship progresses slowly as Adam allows David to take things at his own pace and they spend time texting before spending any real time in person.
The book is written in the moment, meaning that there wasn’t a lot of character development or depth for me. We are basically told brief things about each guy and the book focused on David learning to trust Adam and the two of them building a relationship. In the end, I didn’t feel like I knew them that well, especially David. Adam is patient and kind and sweet and respectful and while it sounds good on paper, he was a bit too good and bland for me.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
September 12, 2017
4.5 STARS
This is exactly my kind of story. There was a little angst, a bit of heartache, a whole lot of hope and a perfect romance between two absolutely loveable characters.
David and Adam’s first meeting was textbook love story – the muscled gentle Marine, the wounded smaller shop assistant and a first touch that zinged. They couldn’t stop thinking about each other, there was a coincidental second meeting and bam – they’re besties then they’re boyfriends. What I appreciated about this version of that tried and true storyline, was the way the author sold it to me. Nothing happened without a reason. Adam and David fell in love lightning fast, but it was because they relied quite heavily on each other from the start. And they relied on each other because Adam was going through something traumatic family wise, and David’s past left him fascinated by Adam’s genuineness. While there was no “required misunderstanding-fueled-breakup”, there was some trouble that led to the two men being apart for a few days. But it wasn’t just thrown in there out of nowhere just to add some drama. I felt like every base was covered, every question answered and ever action reasoned out.
While that might be why I appreciated it from a technical angle, emotion wise, these characters grabbed my attention and didn’t let go until the end. I was angry, sad, happy, I laughed a few times and I definitely awwwwed over our two main men. There is a warning for self harm, which is actually a flashback to a suicide attempt. It was so painfully described in the…attemptee’s…own perspective that I thought I was going to break down and bawl. Then the author lifted the mood again with one of those feel good, too cute to be true moments that involved sick kids and superheroes. It only needed a puppy to complete the sickeningly sweet picture. And by sickeningly sweet, I mean it was abso-freakin-lutely perfect!
I’ve been told that this is this author’s debut novel. Well, a big congratulations to him. I hope there are more to come…perhaps even a sequel to Looking In?
Reviewed for Love Bytes Reviews
http://lovebytesreviews.com/2017/09/0...
This is exactly my kind of story. There was a little angst, a bit of heartache, a whole lot of hope and a perfect romance between two absolutely loveable characters.
David and Adam’s first meeting was textbook love story – the muscled gentle Marine, the wounded smaller shop assistant and a first touch that zinged. They couldn’t stop thinking about each other, there was a coincidental second meeting and bam – they’re besties then they’re boyfriends. What I appreciated about this version of that tried and true storyline, was the way the author sold it to me. Nothing happened without a reason. Adam and David fell in love lightning fast, but it was because they relied quite heavily on each other from the start. And they relied on each other because Adam was going through something traumatic family wise, and David’s past left him fascinated by Adam’s genuineness. While there was no “required misunderstanding-fueled-breakup”, there was some trouble that led to the two men being apart for a few days. But it wasn’t just thrown in there out of nowhere just to add some drama. I felt like every base was covered, every question answered and ever action reasoned out.
While that might be why I appreciated it from a technical angle, emotion wise, these characters grabbed my attention and didn’t let go until the end. I was angry, sad, happy, I laughed a few times and I definitely awwwwed over our two main men. There is a warning for self harm, which is actually a flashback to a suicide attempt. It was so painfully described in the…attemptee’s…own perspective that I thought I was going to break down and bawl. Then the author lifted the mood again with one of those feel good, too cute to be true moments that involved sick kids and superheroes. It only needed a puppy to complete the sickeningly sweet picture. And by sickeningly sweet, I mean it was abso-freakin-lutely perfect!
I’ve been told that this is this author’s debut novel. Well, a big congratulations to him. I hope there are more to come…perhaps even a sequel to Looking In?
Reviewed for Love Bytes Reviews
http://lovebytesreviews.com/2017/09/0...
October 18, 2017
So, this was my first m/m adult romance novel in forever. On one hand I did enjoy it but on the other hand this reminded me why I don´t normally read books in this genre. I tend to skip sex scenes in fanfiction (unless they´re especially horrendous or comical, but in general I like vague descriptions a lot more), but when it comes to books that I paid actual money for I can´t bring myself to do it and I just don´t enjoy explicit sex scenes. They don´t feel sexy to me, the less you describe during a scene like that the better (for me). It´s absolutely not the books fault that I´m very particular with this so I don´t want to detract any stars for this reason.
And there definitely were aspects I liked in this book. Adam´s caring and selfless personality was really sweet and the way he always respected David´s boundaries and reassured him every step of the way.
David was a bit of a mixed bag for me. I didn´t relate to him very much, which I think is because of the writing. It wasn´t particularly bad, it just didn´t evoke a lot of emotion in me. (I do think there´s potential.)
The whole relationship also felt quite insta-love-y. It really seemed too much too soon (the characters themselves remark on this and that actually made it worse for me. ^^) but Adam and David did work well as a couple and I WAS rooting for them.
I´m also happy that Adam and David have friends/family outside of their relationship. (Some of which develop as the story unfolds.)
The plot of the book was alright, the pacing was pretty even throughout the whole story, even though my favourite part was cut too short for me.
I hope there will be more to come from this author , as I would love to read more. (Especially if the writing style is a bit more refined by then.)
And there definitely were aspects I liked in this book. Adam´s caring and selfless personality was really sweet and the way he always respected David´s boundaries and reassured him every step of the way.
David was a bit of a mixed bag for me. I didn´t relate to him very much, which I think is because of the writing. It wasn´t particularly bad, it just didn´t evoke a lot of emotion in me. (I do think there´s potential.)
The whole relationship also felt quite insta-love-y. It really seemed too much too soon (the characters themselves remark on this and that actually made it worse for me. ^^) but Adam and David did work well as a couple and I WAS rooting for them.
I´m also happy that Adam and David have friends/family outside of their relationship. (Some of which develop as the story unfolds.)
The plot of the book was alright, the pacing was pretty even throughout the whole story, even though my favourite part was cut too short for me.
I hope there will be more to come from this author , as I would love to read more. (Especially if the writing style is a bit more refined by then.)
February 26, 2018
OMG I can't believe this is Michael's first book!
Adam and David meet at the comic store where David works and they can't get each other out of their minds. Luckily they bump into each other again the following day and exchange phone numbers. They start texting and eventually meet up for pizza.
David has had an abusive childhood and finds it difficult to trust and let anyone in but there's something about Adam that gives him hope. Is Adam the one who can help him fight his demons.
I will admit I did tear up in a couple of places and loved the ending!
I can't wait for his next book.
Adam and David meet at the comic store where David works and they can't get each other out of their minds. Luckily they bump into each other again the following day and exchange phone numbers. They start texting and eventually meet up for pizza.
David has had an abusive childhood and finds it difficult to trust and let anyone in but there's something about Adam that gives him hope. Is Adam the one who can help him fight his demons.
I will admit I did tear up in a couple of places and loved the ending!
I can't wait for his next book.
September 13, 2017
This was a well written book. I think it was predictable though.
January 10, 2019
Absolutely amazing! David and Adam were a true example of love and determination! Highly recommended, but don’t forget the tissues. Happy reading
May 21, 2024
** 3.5 Stars **
September 5, 2017
Sweet and touching
Really enjoyed this entry novel by Michael Bailey! Good character development, interesting plot, hot sexy times ;) Looking forward to reading his next book!
Really enjoyed this entry novel by Michael Bailey! Good character development, interesting plot, hot sexy times ;) Looking forward to reading his next book!
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