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Coconut Cove #2
Piccolo segreto Nerd
Un incontro tra vecchi compagni di liceo porterà all’amore… o al rimpianto?
Blair Fletcher, un ragazzo qualunque di Key West, diventa all’improvviso una star. Il giorno prima sta servendo ai tavoli e quello successivo si ritrova in un mondo completamente è un attore nel nuovo teen drama gay Coconut Cove. Recitare la parte dell’ape regina Ryder gli fa guadagnare in fretta amici e nemici, ma è il carpentiere del set a possedere il suo cuore fin da quando erano ragazzini.
Blair ha sempre pensato che il dio dorato Sander Christiansen fosse del tutto irraggiungibile… ed etero. Ora che Sander è tornato nella loro città natale, sembra che le conclusioni di Blair fossero sbagliate. Man mano che le cose sul set e in camera da letto si scaldano, Blair si rende conto di non essere più il ragazzino timido che non si è mai allontanato da casa e che forse per lui è arrivato il momento di avere la vita e l’amore che ha sempre desiderato.
Blair Fletcher, un ragazzo qualunque di Key West, diventa all’improvviso una star. Il giorno prima sta servendo ai tavoli e quello successivo si ritrova in un mondo completamente è un attore nel nuovo teen drama gay Coconut Cove. Recitare la parte dell’ape regina Ryder gli fa guadagnare in fretta amici e nemici, ma è il carpentiere del set a possedere il suo cuore fin da quando erano ragazzini.
Blair ha sempre pensato che il dio dorato Sander Christiansen fosse del tutto irraggiungibile… ed etero. Ora che Sander è tornato nella loro città natale, sembra che le conclusioni di Blair fossero sbagliate. Man mano che le cose sul set e in camera da letto si scaldano, Blair si rende conto di non essere più il ragazzino timido che non si è mai allontanato da casa e che forse per lui è arrivato il momento di avere la vita e l’amore che ha sempre desiderato.
84 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 26, 2014
6 people are currently reading
83 people want to read
About the author
M.J. O'Shea
85 books946 followersMJ O’Shea has never met a music festival, paintbrush, or
flower crown she can stay away from. She loves rainstorms
and a perfect cup of tea, beach days, music, bright colors, and
more than anything a cozy evening with a really great book.
She is from the Pacific Northwest. While she still lives there
and loves it, MJ has the heart of a wanderer. So she puts all
her dreams of far off places and extraordinary people in her
books.
Except for every once in a while when she does what all
travelers have to do on occasion… come home.
flower crown she can stay away from. She loves rainstorms
and a perfect cup of tea, beach days, music, bright colors, and
more than anything a cozy evening with a really great book.
She is from the Pacific Northwest. While she still lives there
and loves it, MJ has the heart of a wanderer. So she puts all
her dreams of far off places and extraordinary people in her
books.
Except for every once in a while when she does what all
travelers have to do on occasion… come home.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
March 31, 2019
Il primo l'ho letto in inglese e l'ho amato. Questo secondo volevo prenderlo in inglese poi ho visto che mi manca il tempo siccome devo leggere tutte le 31 shorts dell'AC del 2018, in inglese, e siamo già a Marzo. Però c'è una cosa che non capisco. È vero che molti blocchi di libri della Dreamspinner stanno in piedi da se, standalone, e si possono leggere nell'ordine che si vuole ma perchè partire dalla seconda? La serie per ora di quattro, non so se finita, ne ha due di Poppy Dennisson (adoro la sua scrittura e l'ho scoperta con questa serie) e due della O'Shea (cui imparerò a conoscere sempre tramite CC).
Allora ci si vede alla fine del libro.
Ed eccoci alla fine del libro. 5✰ meritate. Io a differenza degli altri, come detto, ho letto il primo libro quindi capisco bene l'ambientazione e so già distinguere tra la parte del drama e la vita reale. Questa è una cosa che ho visto ha messo molti dubbi in lettura a chi è partito con questo libro. Continuo a non capire questa scelta della Dreamspinner Italia. Quindi il prossimo è il quarto perchè è della O'Shea in italiano? Devo quindi leggere il terzo in inglese? Io spero invece che traducano il primo per chi è rimasto con qualche dubbio.
Anche perchè il libro parte subito con il drama e vediamo Ryder che non sopporta la relazione tra Mack e Kelly (a proposito Howie è una merda nella real life) ma questo pairing è quello del primo libro. Solo leggendo quello si può sapere tutto. Cavolo dopo due pagine ho subito pensato che ci sarebbero state reviews confuse.
Comunque tra l'altro ho adorato come il timido Blair ha dovuto calarsi nei panni dello stronzetto (ape regina) Ryder. Un personaggio tutto l'opposto come carattere.
E la confessione "sono gay" anche io di Sander alla fine del settimo con tanto di bacio. Mio Dio così dolce. Wow! E lo dico perchè ultimamente ho letto un po' di libri della Dreamspinner così così.
Allora ci si vede alla fine del libro.
Ed eccoci alla fine del libro. 5✰ meritate. Io a differenza degli altri, come detto, ho letto il primo libro quindi capisco bene l'ambientazione e so già distinguere tra la parte del drama e la vita reale. Questa è una cosa che ho visto ha messo molti dubbi in lettura a chi è partito con questo libro. Continuo a non capire questa scelta della Dreamspinner Italia. Quindi il prossimo è il quarto perchè è della O'Shea in italiano? Devo quindi leggere il terzo in inglese? Io spero invece che traducano il primo per chi è rimasto con qualche dubbio.
Anche perchè il libro parte subito con il drama e vediamo Ryder che non sopporta la relazione tra Mack e Kelly (a proposito Howie è una merda nella real life) ma questo pairing è quello del primo libro. Solo leggendo quello si può sapere tutto. Cavolo dopo due pagine ho subito pensato che ci sarebbero state reviews confuse.
Comunque tra l'altro ho adorato come il timido Blair ha dovuto calarsi nei panni dello stronzetto (ape regina) Ryder. Un personaggio tutto l'opposto come carattere.
E la confessione "sono gay" anche io di Sander alla fine del settimo con tanto di bacio. Mio Dio così dolce. Wow! E lo dico perchè ultimamente ho letto un po' di libri della Dreamspinner così così.
October 31, 2014
Here we go, back to Coconut Cove for more sweet sexy fun!
This time around we have Blair, a Key West native starring the show. He’s new to the acting scene and still searching for his confidence behind the cameras. It’s not as easy as he thought it would be, slipping into character, especially since Ryder is nearly his polar opposite. He is accustomed to the oppressive heat, but the oppressive personalities on set are an entirely different fire to battle. Long hard hours…he never imagined acting was so extensive and so exhausting. Ever so practical, he’s afraid that his luck will run out and he’s hoarding every penny possible. This up and coming television star still lives with his mother and rides his bicycle to the set every day. He is a good son and takes care of his mom. How sweet is that? Yup, everything about him is sweet, sweet, sweet.
And now we have the sexy...Sander. Blair's high school crush comes home (his neighbor) and the flame he held for him years ago burns bright as ever. The boy he fawned over from afar has grown into the man of his dreams. The years have been extremely kind and his fantasies have soared to a whole new level. Even more exciting is lingering looks are shared and the magnetic pull seems to be mutual. Can his coveted jock actually want him back? Sander stole my heart and his good looks had nothing to do with it.
I thought the boys were lovely. The writing was clean and smooth. It was awesome visiting Coconut Cove again.Yet the story was possibly a bit too soft. Everything was easy. Not a lick of angst; a couple of licks of smexy, but no tension, no kinks, and no twists. I think it needed just a smidge of trouble. I would have loved a cameo of Flynn and Seth. And again, I would prefer some distinction between the scenes in the TV show and their real *cough fictional* lives. The talk show interviews were great but everything flowed together without any breaks. I would have welcomed any sort of contrast.
This is a charming read if you are looking for a cute pair of boys in a fun place with fabulous people and no conflict.
It's short and light.
Shallow in plot yet deep in harmony.
‘What if’s’ become ‘what now’s’ and it’s a sweet smooth ride getting there.
I think I know who is stepping into the spotlight next and I'm hoping for an extra large serving of drama.
*3.5 not-bad-but-not-quite-awesome stars*
This time around we have Blair, a Key West native starring the show. He’s new to the acting scene and still searching for his confidence behind the cameras. It’s not as easy as he thought it would be, slipping into character, especially since Ryder is nearly his polar opposite. He is accustomed to the oppressive heat, but the oppressive personalities on set are an entirely different fire to battle. Long hard hours…he never imagined acting was so extensive and so exhausting. Ever so practical, he’s afraid that his luck will run out and he’s hoarding every penny possible. This up and coming television star still lives with his mother and rides his bicycle to the set every day. He is a good son and takes care of his mom. How sweet is that? Yup, everything about him is sweet, sweet, sweet.
And now we have the sexy...Sander. Blair's high school crush comes home (his neighbor) and the flame he held for him years ago burns bright as ever. The boy he fawned over from afar has grown into the man of his dreams. The years have been extremely kind and his fantasies have soared to a whole new level. Even more exciting is lingering looks are shared and the magnetic pull seems to be mutual. Can his coveted jock actually want him back? Sander stole my heart and his good looks had nothing to do with it.
I thought the boys were lovely. The writing was clean and smooth. It was awesome visiting Coconut Cove again.Yet the story was possibly a bit too soft. Everything was easy. Not a lick of angst; a couple of licks of smexy, but no tension, no kinks, and no twists. I think it needed just a smidge of trouble. I would have loved a cameo of Flynn and Seth. And again, I would prefer some distinction between the scenes in the TV show and their real *cough fictional* lives. The talk show interviews were great but everything flowed together without any breaks. I would have welcomed any sort of contrast.
This is a charming read if you are looking for a cute pair of boys in a fun place with fabulous people and no conflict.
It's short and light.
Shallow in plot yet deep in harmony.
‘What if’s’ become ‘what now’s’ and it’s a sweet smooth ride getting there.
I think I know who is stepping into the spotlight next and I'm hoping for an extra large serving of drama.
*3.5 not-bad-but-not-quite-awesome stars*
December 13, 2015
*** 2.75 Stars ***
While I enjoy the premise of the series (a little slice of The O.C. goes Key West), I have to admit that the execution of the individual stories aren't blowing me away.
I'm finding that the pacing of the relationship's development is a bit slow and that there's too much time spent on the MCs television personas and their acting dilemmas, and not enough on their real life characters for my liking. There's also little to no steam in them (and yet they don't have a heaping dose of OTT cuteness to make up for it either). And lastly, I was pretty disappointed with the ending of this one - it just... sort of... ended at a totally bland, shrug-worthy moment.
While I enjoy the premise of the series (a little slice of The O.C. goes Key West), I have to admit that the execution of the individual stories aren't blowing me away.
I'm finding that the pacing of the relationship's development is a bit slow and that there's too much time spent on the MCs television personas and their acting dilemmas, and not enough on their real life characters for my liking. There's also little to no steam in them (and yet they don't have a heaping dose of OTT cuteness to make up for it either). And lastly, I was pretty disappointed with the ending of this one - it just... sort of... ended at a totally bland, shrug-worthy moment.
March 26, 2019
Questa recensione è presente sul blog Emozioni fra le pagine
https://emozionifralepagine.wordpress...
Piccolo segreto nerd purtroppo non mi ha entusiasmato come mi aspettavo.
Il titolo è molto carino e mi aveva dato l’idea di un libro spiritoso e divertente, cosa che invece non è.
Ho fatto un po’ fatica all’inizio a entrare nella storia perché parte subito a far parlare i personaggi della serie tv e sinceramente non l’avevo colto subito, tant’è che alla prima volta che c’è il passaggio dai personaggi “finti” a quelli veri del libro sono rimasta confusa. Dopo un po’ però sono riuscita a fare chiarezza e a capire quali fossero gli uni e gli altri e da lì tutto è filato più liscio.
La storia è breve, si legge in poco tempo ed è carina, ma non ha fatto scattare la scintilla che mi aspettavo tra me e il libro.
Forse dipende anche dal fatto che è il secondo libro di una serie scritta insieme a Poppy Dennison, i cui libri sono scritti con le due autrici che si alternano e forse sarebbe stato meglio poter leggere il primo.
Merita comunque la sufficienza e spero che magari gli altri libri della serie mi piaceranno di più.
https://emozionifralepagine.wordpress...
Piccolo segreto nerd purtroppo non mi ha entusiasmato come mi aspettavo.
Il titolo è molto carino e mi aveva dato l’idea di un libro spiritoso e divertente, cosa che invece non è.
Ho fatto un po’ fatica all’inizio a entrare nella storia perché parte subito a far parlare i personaggi della serie tv e sinceramente non l’avevo colto subito, tant’è che alla prima volta che c’è il passaggio dai personaggi “finti” a quelli veri del libro sono rimasta confusa. Dopo un po’ però sono riuscita a fare chiarezza e a capire quali fossero gli uni e gli altri e da lì tutto è filato più liscio.
La storia è breve, si legge in poco tempo ed è carina, ma non ha fatto scattare la scintilla che mi aspettavo tra me e il libro.
Forse dipende anche dal fatto che è il secondo libro di una serie scritta insieme a Poppy Dennison, i cui libri sono scritti con le due autrici che si alternano e forse sarebbe stato meglio poter leggere il primo.
Merita comunque la sufficienza e spero che magari gli altri libri della serie mi piaceranno di più.
March 23, 2019
Rating: 3,5/5
La piatta vita di Blair Fletcher cambia grazie a un incontro fortunato: mentre è impegnato a servire caffè al bar in cui lavora, attira l'attenzione di una nota produttrice di Hollywood, la quale gli propone di fare un provino per ottenere la parte di uno dei protagonisti di un nuovo teen drama, ambientato in una elitaria High School. Così, anche se non ha mai avuto esperienze nel campo recitativo, Blair diventa uno dei ragazzi più seguiti d'America interpretando il ruolo del "cattivo" Ryder, viziata e vendicativa Ape Regina del liceo di Coconut Cove.
Recensione completa sul blog: https://bit.ly/2U9DmsY
La piatta vita di Blair Fletcher cambia grazie a un incontro fortunato: mentre è impegnato a servire caffè al bar in cui lavora, attira l'attenzione di una nota produttrice di Hollywood, la quale gli propone di fare un provino per ottenere la parte di uno dei protagonisti di un nuovo teen drama, ambientato in una elitaria High School. Così, anche se non ha mai avuto esperienze nel campo recitativo, Blair diventa uno dei ragazzi più seguiti d'America interpretando il ruolo del "cattivo" Ryder, viziata e vendicativa Ape Regina del liceo di Coconut Cove.
Recensione completa sul blog: https://bit.ly/2U9DmsY
October 8, 2014
Blair, Sander & the tipsy pineapple forever ♥ Please let us visit them again!
Both guys were absolutely charming! (As can be expected when M.J. is at work!)
Ah, I think I'm a little in love with Tony too! I hope to see more of him :)
But please, someone kick Howie off the set, soon! Irritating little shit. *sniff*
Both guys were absolutely charming! (As can be expected when M.J. is at work!)
Ah, I think I'm a little in love with Tony too! I hope to see more of him :)
But please, someone kick Howie off the set, soon! Irritating little shit. *sniff*
September 24, 2014
Cute, cute and super cute! I love escaping to Coconut Cove and finding out what's happening with gang. Looking forward to the next one...Possibly Tony? :)
March 27, 2015
DNF 18%
I only can eat a limited quantity of wind buñuelos (wind fritters?)
I only can eat a limited quantity of wind buñuelos (wind fritters?)
May 2, 2019
Recensione a cura di Lucinda per Feel the Book
Voto 3,5
Blair vive a Keys West da sempre. Era un timido ragazzino del liceo, quando ha incontrato per la prima volta Sander. Con il suo portamento sicuro e quella bellezza da dio nordico, è stato per molto tempo il ragazzo inarrivabile che lo teneva sveglio di notte.
Ora Blair è cresciuto e, inaspettatamente, è diventato l’attore di punta della serie gay di successo “Coconut Cove”. Un giorno Sander torna a Key West: è senza un lavoro, sempre bellissimo e, per di più, si dimostra amichevole e alla mano. Il mondo di Blair smette di girare per un attimo, per poi assestarsi su un nuovo equilibrio in cui tutto sembra girare intorno a Sander. I suoi problemi con la recitazione, con i colleghi, con la dieta imposta agli attori sono facili da superare, se accanto a lui c’è il suo Thor personale. Blair però è ancora convinto che Sander sia etero. Ma è davvero così, o la facciata del duro del liceo è destinata a sgretolarsi davanti a quegli occhi dolci e timidi?
“Piccolo segreto nerd” ruota attorno alla trasformazione di Blair da ragazzino insicuro a giovane uomo che vuole realizzare i propri sogni. Sander gli infonde quella fiducia in se stesso di cui ha bisogno per diventare ciò che ha sempre desiderato essere, superando anche il cinismo e le invidie dei suoi colleghi.
Lo stile dell’autrice è particolare: si passa dai personaggi fittizi di “Coconut Cove”, alla realtà di Blair e Sander, alle interviste televisive e giornalistiche. Il tutto dà un bel movimento al testo, che rende piacevole la lettura.
Il racconto è abbastanza breve e, in effetti, questo penalizza un po’ il romanzo: arrivata alla fine, avrei voluto leggere di più rispetto all’evoluzione della storia dei due protagonisti. C’è molta carne al fuoco, non resta che aspettare i prossimi volumi per ritrovare Blair, Sander e alcuni personaggi secondari molto interessanti. Sottotitolo: voglio un libro su Tony!
Editing a cura di Cleo per Feel the Book
Voto 3,5
Blair vive a Keys West da sempre. Era un timido ragazzino del liceo, quando ha incontrato per la prima volta Sander. Con il suo portamento sicuro e quella bellezza da dio nordico, è stato per molto tempo il ragazzo inarrivabile che lo teneva sveglio di notte.
Ora Blair è cresciuto e, inaspettatamente, è diventato l’attore di punta della serie gay di successo “Coconut Cove”. Un giorno Sander torna a Key West: è senza un lavoro, sempre bellissimo e, per di più, si dimostra amichevole e alla mano. Il mondo di Blair smette di girare per un attimo, per poi assestarsi su un nuovo equilibrio in cui tutto sembra girare intorno a Sander. I suoi problemi con la recitazione, con i colleghi, con la dieta imposta agli attori sono facili da superare, se accanto a lui c’è il suo Thor personale. Blair però è ancora convinto che Sander sia etero. Ma è davvero così, o la facciata del duro del liceo è destinata a sgretolarsi davanti a quegli occhi dolci e timidi?
“Piccolo segreto nerd” ruota attorno alla trasformazione di Blair da ragazzino insicuro a giovane uomo che vuole realizzare i propri sogni. Sander gli infonde quella fiducia in se stesso di cui ha bisogno per diventare ciò che ha sempre desiderato essere, superando anche il cinismo e le invidie dei suoi colleghi.
Lo stile dell’autrice è particolare: si passa dai personaggi fittizi di “Coconut Cove”, alla realtà di Blair e Sander, alle interviste televisive e giornalistiche. Il tutto dà un bel movimento al testo, che rende piacevole la lettura.
Il racconto è abbastanza breve e, in effetti, questo penalizza un po’ il romanzo: arrivata alla fine, avrei voluto leggere di più rispetto all’evoluzione della storia dei due protagonisti. C’è molta carne al fuoco, non resta che aspettare i prossimi volumi per ritrovare Blair, Sander e alcuni personaggi secondari molto interessanti. Sottotitolo: voglio un libro su Tony!
Editing a cura di Cleo per Feel the Book
April 16, 2019
Romance and Fantasy for Cosmopolitan Girls
Andando a curiosare su Goodreads, ho scoperto che questo breve romanzo fa parte di una serie scritta alternativamente da M.J. O’Shea e Poppy Dennison. Teoricamente, questo “Piccolo segreto nerd” sarebbe il secondo di tale serie, ma il primo affidato a questa autrice.
Si tratta di una storia piuttosto semplice e scontata, priva di veri e propri colpi di scena così come di drammi esistenziali. Blair è un ragazzo normale che vive con la madre e che, un giorno, viene notato da una produttrice televisiva e scelto come volto per un nuovo gay teen-drama. Nonostante la recente popolarità, Blair mantiene la testa sulle spalle e i piedi ben piantati a terra. Visto il suo ruolo in tv la sua sessualità non è un segreto, al contrario di Sander il suo vicino di casa nonché fantasia sessuale fin dall’adolescenza.
Il pov è interamente affidato a Blair e il personaggio di Sander viene relegato quasi sullo sfondo, viene dato sicuramente maggior risalto al personaggio televisivo di Blair e alle sue interazioni con gli altri attori sul set.
Insomma, si tratta di una breve storia dove un ragazzo trova il riscatto dal liceo non solo trovando la fama in tv, ma anche iniziando una dolce relazione con il re del liceo che, all’epoca, credeva essere una fantasia irrealizzabile.
Un libro scorrevole e ben scritto, ma che a mio avviso non coinvolge particolarmente il lettore, lasciandolo spettatore, ma senza mai arrivarne al cuore.
Andando a curiosare su Goodreads, ho scoperto che questo breve romanzo fa parte di una serie scritta alternativamente da M.J. O’Shea e Poppy Dennison. Teoricamente, questo “Piccolo segreto nerd” sarebbe il secondo di tale serie, ma il primo affidato a questa autrice.
Si tratta di una storia piuttosto semplice e scontata, priva di veri e propri colpi di scena così come di drammi esistenziali. Blair è un ragazzo normale che vive con la madre e che, un giorno, viene notato da una produttrice televisiva e scelto come volto per un nuovo gay teen-drama. Nonostante la recente popolarità, Blair mantiene la testa sulle spalle e i piedi ben piantati a terra. Visto il suo ruolo in tv la sua sessualità non è un segreto, al contrario di Sander il suo vicino di casa nonché fantasia sessuale fin dall’adolescenza.
Il pov è interamente affidato a Blair e il personaggio di Sander viene relegato quasi sullo sfondo, viene dato sicuramente maggior risalto al personaggio televisivo di Blair e alle sue interazioni con gli altri attori sul set.
Insomma, si tratta di una breve storia dove un ragazzo trova il riscatto dal liceo non solo trovando la fama in tv, ma anche iniziando una dolce relazione con il re del liceo che, all’epoca, credeva essere una fantasia irrealizzabile.
Un libro scorrevole e ben scritto, ma che a mio avviso non coinvolge particolarmente il lettore, lasciandolo spettatore, ma senza mai arrivarne al cuore.
June 11, 2018
The second installment of the Coconut Cove series is much like the first – a beach day in book form. Entertaining, fun, little angst. It can be read as a stand-alone but with the abrupt ending these books have it feels more like a chapter in the series rather than a book, so I recommend to read them in order.
July 18, 2022
Voto: 3.5
RECENSIONE A CURA DI LADY MARMELADE
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June 6, 2018
3.5 stars
April 5, 2019
romanzo breve carino
Read
April 7, 2021L'idée de base est sympa mais le résultant est brouillon. Peut-être aurait-il fallu séparer les chapitres en 3 parties distinctes : feuilleton, réalité et presse.... et un peu plus long aussi...
November 1, 2021
3-
All’inizio ho fatto fatica a capire quando il pezzo era reale e quando nella serie, dovevo capire i personaggi e i vari nomi. Storia semplice e poco appassionante
All’inizio ho fatto fatica a capire quando il pezzo era reale e quando nella serie, dovevo capire i personaggi e i vari nomi. Storia semplice e poco appassionante
February 15, 2015
Review can be read at It's About The Book
Twenty-four year old Key West native Blair Fletcher was both thrilled and surprised when he was scouted for one of the main roles on new teen drama show, Coconut Cove. Actually landing the role of the high school’s rich queen bee Ryder was a dream come true. Sure he felt a little insecure being the acting newbie amongst the rest of the experienced cast, but the others quickly befriend him and it doesn’t take long for the cast to feel like family. Except for Howie, but then he’s just mean to everyone.
Surrounded by hot men, including co-star Tony, who plays one of Ryder’s inner circle, and rumours about who is hooking up with whom, Key West has become a veritable smorgasbord of potential hook-ups. It could be a show in itself! But Blair has never been able to forget a certain tall, lean athlete with wavy golden hair atop classic Viking features. Sander was two years older than Blair, his next door neighbour before departing for college, and popular jock when they went to high school. Although he hadn’t seen Sander since Blair was sixteen, he still hadn’t completely got over his crush on his gorgeous, confident and unfortunately straight neighbour.
Blair struggles with getting into the mindset of the intelligent, devious, yet vulnerable Ryder. He is so far removed from Blair’s own open, friendly personality. Although he couldn’t be further from his scheming character on the show, Blair still finds the challenge of working out what makes the character tick exciting. When he comes home one night after work, he notices someone on the porch next door and can’t believe his eyes when he recognises none other than his ex-neighbour, Sander. And he’s still the most gorgeous guy Blair has ever seen. When his job fell through, Sander Johansen returns to Key West after years away. Luckily the new TV show is hiring set designers and carpenters. That’s okay, Blair can play it cool. Seeing Sander every day on set is fine. Even if his belly did still do flip-flops every time he saw the handsome Viking god.
Okay, yes, I did see the return of Sander coming from a mile away. It wasn’t exactly subtle, but that was absolutely fine; I really didn’t mind at all. This story is meant to be playful and very much in the vein of watching a show like the one the series in named after. And it works very well as that. Nerdy Little Secret was a fun, sweet, light-hearted and angst-free read and I thoroughly enjoyed every word of it. I would have perhaps like to have seen just a little bit more of the romance between Blair and Sander, but there was great character development with Blair and the supporting characters were rounded out enough to feel real. For the most part it was reasonably predictable, but that very predictability makes it a perfect comfort read. There may not be any surprises, but there are great characters, an enjoyable story and a wonderful escape from the every day. I can’t wait for the next instalment! Or should that be episode. I think I might know who the next couple will be…
Twenty-four year old Key West native Blair Fletcher was both thrilled and surprised when he was scouted for one of the main roles on new teen drama show, Coconut Cove. Actually landing the role of the high school’s rich queen bee Ryder was a dream come true. Sure he felt a little insecure being the acting newbie amongst the rest of the experienced cast, but the others quickly befriend him and it doesn’t take long for the cast to feel like family. Except for Howie, but then he’s just mean to everyone.
Surrounded by hot men, including co-star Tony, who plays one of Ryder’s inner circle, and rumours about who is hooking up with whom, Key West has become a veritable smorgasbord of potential hook-ups. It could be a show in itself! But Blair has never been able to forget a certain tall, lean athlete with wavy golden hair atop classic Viking features. Sander was two years older than Blair, his next door neighbour before departing for college, and popular jock when they went to high school. Although he hadn’t seen Sander since Blair was sixteen, he still hadn’t completely got over his crush on his gorgeous, confident and unfortunately straight neighbour.
Blair struggles with getting into the mindset of the intelligent, devious, yet vulnerable Ryder. He is so far removed from Blair’s own open, friendly personality. Although he couldn’t be further from his scheming character on the show, Blair still finds the challenge of working out what makes the character tick exciting. When he comes home one night after work, he notices someone on the porch next door and can’t believe his eyes when he recognises none other than his ex-neighbour, Sander. And he’s still the most gorgeous guy Blair has ever seen. When his job fell through, Sander Johansen returns to Key West after years away. Luckily the new TV show is hiring set designers and carpenters. That’s okay, Blair can play it cool. Seeing Sander every day on set is fine. Even if his belly did still do flip-flops every time he saw the handsome Viking god.
Okay, yes, I did see the return of Sander coming from a mile away. It wasn’t exactly subtle, but that was absolutely fine; I really didn’t mind at all. This story is meant to be playful and very much in the vein of watching a show like the one the series in named after. And it works very well as that. Nerdy Little Secret was a fun, sweet, light-hearted and angst-free read and I thoroughly enjoyed every word of it. I would have perhaps like to have seen just a little bit more of the romance between Blair and Sander, but there was great character development with Blair and the supporting characters were rounded out enough to feel real. For the most part it was reasonably predictable, but that very predictability makes it a perfect comfort read. There may not be any surprises, but there are great characters, an enjoyable story and a wonderful escape from the every day. I can’t wait for the next instalment! Or should that be episode. I think I might know who the next couple will be…
October 5, 2014
3.5 star review by Vicki
Fun and fluffy…. We return to Coconut Cove for another look!
The episode is about Blair Fletcher, who plays the nasty diva Ryder on Coconut Cove, an angsty teen drama set in a fictional high school, filmed in Key West. Blair is a local boy, hired with no acting experience. He’s living at his mom’s house, riding his bike to the set every morning. He’s struggling a bit with the whole acting thing, he’s so different from his character that he’s having a hard time getting in to him. One evening he notices a man on his neighbors back deck, and he’s quite surprised to see it’s Sander, his high school crush. Sander has been away for a few years, but has run out of work and has come home. He mentions he’s looking for work and thinking of applying with the film crew for Coconut Cove, and Blair doesn’t mention he’s an actor on the show….
So this is a fluffy little romance between Blair and Sander. It’s short, doesn’t have much plot, and very little sex. It’s really about the show, lots of backstage scenes, some gossip, some nasty characters and some nice. A few on-air bits of the show, some cute bits from entertainment shows and gossip magazines, but that’s really it. Not much action, not much drama, and only minimal romance, to be honest. Blair and Sander have some beers on Blair’s back deck, flirt a bit, drive to work and back, flirt at work, then it’s over. It’s more about the show than about the relationship between the two main characters. Sander tries to help Blair find his Ryder persona, they chat some about high school, and seem more like old friends than lovers.
I guess I liked it, it was cute, but there just wasn’t much there. I read the first book in the series and had the same issues with it, and I thought I’d try this one. Both are similar in that they are more about the show, not so romantic, and almost no sex. If you like that, you’ll like these. Personally I prefer a little more substance to my books, more drama, more action, more romance, and lots more sex. The writing was fine, as far as it goes, I can’t say anything was wrong with this one. Just not enough plot!
A copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review. Please visit www.lovebytesreviews.com to see this and many more reviews, author interviews, guestposts and giveaways!
Fun and fluffy…. We return to Coconut Cove for another look!
The episode is about Blair Fletcher, who plays the nasty diva Ryder on Coconut Cove, an angsty teen drama set in a fictional high school, filmed in Key West. Blair is a local boy, hired with no acting experience. He’s living at his mom’s house, riding his bike to the set every morning. He’s struggling a bit with the whole acting thing, he’s so different from his character that he’s having a hard time getting in to him. One evening he notices a man on his neighbors back deck, and he’s quite surprised to see it’s Sander, his high school crush. Sander has been away for a few years, but has run out of work and has come home. He mentions he’s looking for work and thinking of applying with the film crew for Coconut Cove, and Blair doesn’t mention he’s an actor on the show….
So this is a fluffy little romance between Blair and Sander. It’s short, doesn’t have much plot, and very little sex. It’s really about the show, lots of backstage scenes, some gossip, some nasty characters and some nice. A few on-air bits of the show, some cute bits from entertainment shows and gossip magazines, but that’s really it. Not much action, not much drama, and only minimal romance, to be honest. Blair and Sander have some beers on Blair’s back deck, flirt a bit, drive to work and back, flirt at work, then it’s over. It’s more about the show than about the relationship between the two main characters. Sander tries to help Blair find his Ryder persona, they chat some about high school, and seem more like old friends than lovers.
I guess I liked it, it was cute, but there just wasn’t much there. I read the first book in the series and had the same issues with it, and I thought I’d try this one. Both are similar in that they are more about the show, not so romantic, and almost no sex. If you like that, you’ll like these. Personally I prefer a little more substance to my books, more drama, more action, more romance, and lots more sex. The writing was fine, as far as it goes, I can’t say anything was wrong with this one. Just not enough plot!
A copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review. Please visit www.lovebytesreviews.com to see this and many more reviews, author interviews, guestposts and giveaways!
August 4, 2019
Un nouveau roman, assez court, de MJ O'Shea qui m'aura laissé assez mitigée alors que j'aime assez les autres écrits de cette auteure. L'histoire est sympathique et assez guillerette avec de jeunes acteurs gays qui jouent dans une nouvelle série gay pour ado.
Tout se recentre assez vite sur les deux héros principaux Blair et Sander qui se retrouvent à la fois dans leurs maisons respectives et sur les plateaux de tournages après s'être juste croisés pendant leurs années collège.
Le procédé est en quelque sorte assez original, on surfe entre scènes de série avec les personnages de chacun, des extraits de radios, d'interviews, la réalité des coulisses, et celle d'une petite ville qui devient le terrain de jeu du scénario. Et pourtant tout est très rapide, trop rapide, on ne fait qu'effleurer les choses pour que tout aille au dénouement heureux pour nos deux héros. Alors oui, c'est sympathique mais trop léger pour moi. Ça me laisse à peine le temps de faire connaissance avec chaque personnage, l'alternance du jeu et de la réalité peut même par moment créer une certaine confusion quant a savoir qui est qui. Chaque protagoniste a du coup un peu de mal à se voir construire une vraie personnalité si ce n'est qu'ils sont tous gentils et beaux et les débuts de relations ne restent que des débuts.
Tout ceci combiné à un texte parfois un peu lourd, une narration à la troisième personne qui comprend un mode de pensée à la première qui parfois passe très bien et parfois me dérange, cela m'a vraiment empêché d'être sensible à la romance qui se créait sous mes yeux. L'histoire est certes légère, le format court mais j'avoue que par moment j'ai presque trouvé ça peu crédible. Ici le monde des studios paraît idyllique et voir des acteurs de plus de 25 ans jouer des ados ça me paraît un peu too much même en connaissant l'obsession du cinéma pour l'âge de ses acteurs. Un monde du cinéma qui est également trop succinctement évoqué tout comme celui des vies privées accentuant ce côté frustrant de passer à côté du récit et de ses possibilités.
En bref c'est une novella sympathique dont il ne faut pas trop attendre qui se lit rapidement mais qui s'oublie tout aussi vite j'en ai peur.
Yop.
http://meninbooks.eklablog.com
Tout se recentre assez vite sur les deux héros principaux Blair et Sander qui se retrouvent à la fois dans leurs maisons respectives et sur les plateaux de tournages après s'être juste croisés pendant leurs années collège.
Le procédé est en quelque sorte assez original, on surfe entre scènes de série avec les personnages de chacun, des extraits de radios, d'interviews, la réalité des coulisses, et celle d'une petite ville qui devient le terrain de jeu du scénario. Et pourtant tout est très rapide, trop rapide, on ne fait qu'effleurer les choses pour que tout aille au dénouement heureux pour nos deux héros. Alors oui, c'est sympathique mais trop léger pour moi. Ça me laisse à peine le temps de faire connaissance avec chaque personnage, l'alternance du jeu et de la réalité peut même par moment créer une certaine confusion quant a savoir qui est qui. Chaque protagoniste a du coup un peu de mal à se voir construire une vraie personnalité si ce n'est qu'ils sont tous gentils et beaux et les débuts de relations ne restent que des débuts.
Tout ceci combiné à un texte parfois un peu lourd, une narration à la troisième personne qui comprend un mode de pensée à la première qui parfois passe très bien et parfois me dérange, cela m'a vraiment empêché d'être sensible à la romance qui se créait sous mes yeux. L'histoire est certes légère, le format court mais j'avoue que par moment j'ai presque trouvé ça peu crédible. Ici le monde des studios paraît idyllique et voir des acteurs de plus de 25 ans jouer des ados ça me paraît un peu too much même en connaissant l'obsession du cinéma pour l'âge de ses acteurs. Un monde du cinéma qui est également trop succinctement évoqué tout comme celui des vies privées accentuant ce côté frustrant de passer à côté du récit et de ses possibilités.
En bref c'est une novella sympathique dont il ne faut pas trop attendre qui se lit rapidement mais qui s'oublie tout aussi vite j'en ai peur.
Yop.
http://meninbooks.eklablog.com
November 7, 2014
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.25 stars
Nerdy Little Secret by M.J. O’Shea is the second book in the Coconut Cove series by Poppy Dennison and M.J. O’Shea. I adored this story. It’s super cute. And I have to say, as much as I liked the first, and we all know I did, Blair and Sander’s story is my fave of the series so far. It was so easy to read and moved really well. The characters, especially Blair and Sander, melded really well. I loved… absolutely loved Tony/Joey and can hardly wait for his (and please, oh please Cutter’s) story. But yes, this one, we’ll call it NLS for short, was a bright, fun, and easy read. The reconnection of not quite friends from high school with secrets—one who’s been fanning the flames of an old crush and the other who’s been hiding who he is for far too long. When their worlds collide and they find themselves then find one another, sparks fly and cameras roll.
We met Blair/Ryder in the first book, and one of the things I like most about him is the contrast in the real Blair and the character he plays. Blair is very mild, though as the story progresses he finds his voice and his boldness. But for the most part, Blair is everyone’s friend. He’s the guy with the sweet smile and kind word for everyone. Ryder, on the other hand, gives diva a whole new meaning. Ryder is brazen and bold and entitled. He thinks the world owes him and he takes what he wants when he wants it. So totally opposite. The struggle Blair has in finding Ryder within himself is part of what brings out a little bit of his own confidence by the end of the book. It’s very interesting to watch happen.
Read Crissy’s review in its entirety here.
4.25 stars
Nerdy Little Secret by M.J. O’Shea is the second book in the Coconut Cove series by Poppy Dennison and M.J. O’Shea. I adored this story. It’s super cute. And I have to say, as much as I liked the first, and we all know I did, Blair and Sander’s story is my fave of the series so far. It was so easy to read and moved really well. The characters, especially Blair and Sander, melded really well. I loved… absolutely loved Tony/Joey and can hardly wait for his (and please, oh please Cutter’s) story. But yes, this one, we’ll call it NLS for short, was a bright, fun, and easy read. The reconnection of not quite friends from high school with secrets—one who’s been fanning the flames of an old crush and the other who’s been hiding who he is for far too long. When their worlds collide and they find themselves then find one another, sparks fly and cameras roll.
We met Blair/Ryder in the first book, and one of the things I like most about him is the contrast in the real Blair and the character he plays. Blair is very mild, though as the story progresses he finds his voice and his boldness. But for the most part, Blair is everyone’s friend. He’s the guy with the sweet smile and kind word for everyone. Ryder, on the other hand, gives diva a whole new meaning. Ryder is brazen and bold and entitled. He thinks the world owes him and he takes what he wants when he wants it. So totally opposite. The struggle Blair has in finding Ryder within himself is part of what brings out a little bit of his own confidence by the end of the book. It’s very interesting to watch happen.
Read Crissy’s review in its entirety here.
October 15, 2020
Soapy fluff should be Key to this nerd, but no
Sweet, fluffy, and cute, this is usually my cup of tea, but it did almost nothing for me.
The character ideas and setting were all somewhere between o.k. and interesting to potentially compelling and intriguing, but the chemistry was fairly low. There were moments of sparks between the protagonists, but not enough to draw me into caring too much about their emotional (or physical) connections. The gay soap opera set in the Florida Keys background was a very interesting idea, but in the end did not draw me in. The amateur's struggles, the star's asinine personality, and the remaining cast and crew's initial hesitance were also potentially perfect foils, but I ended up not caring or believing much.
As an outline, this should have been perfect - fluffy romance, possibly interesting characters and setting, but in the end neither the romantic relationship nor the television show setting rang true enough for me to enjoy. Usually with fluff it doesn't always need to be realistic, and much cheesy romance isn't realistic at all, but in those cases there is something about the characters, romance, or cheesy setting that is just fun, adorable, and wonderfully escapist. For me, this story didn't work on either the "aww shucks wonderful romance" level or the "cheesy/fluffy/escapist" heated or fun romantic story level, either.
The writing is decent enough so readers who connect with the main character may enjoy it much more than I did.
Sweet, fluffy, and cute, this is usually my cup of tea, but it did almost nothing for me.
The character ideas and setting were all somewhere between o.k. and interesting to potentially compelling and intriguing, but the chemistry was fairly low. There were moments of sparks between the protagonists, but not enough to draw me into caring too much about their emotional (or physical) connections. The gay soap opera set in the Florida Keys background was a very interesting idea, but in the end did not draw me in. The amateur's struggles, the star's asinine personality, and the remaining cast and crew's initial hesitance were also potentially perfect foils, but I ended up not caring or believing much.
As an outline, this should have been perfect - fluffy romance, possibly interesting characters and setting, but in the end neither the romantic relationship nor the television show setting rang true enough for me to enjoy. Usually with fluff it doesn't always need to be realistic, and much cheesy romance isn't realistic at all, but in those cases there is something about the characters, romance, or cheesy setting that is just fun, adorable, and wonderfully escapist. For me, this story didn't work on either the "aww shucks wonderful romance" level or the "cheesy/fluffy/escapist" heated or fun romantic story level, either.
The writing is decent enough so readers who connect with the main character may enjoy it much more than I did.
March 24, 2016
The story was missing a climax. It all just sort of waltzed along at the same pace with nothing exciting/dramatic ever happening.
I'm also not sure about the interludes with scenes from the show and blogs/interviews. They don't add to the story at all. The interviews are just awkward and sure, Blair had some trouble with his character, but some of the scenes felt just unnecessary.
And what is up with Howie's character? He's completely over the top. I think someone with that attitude would have dies a very dramatic TV death a long time ago (or at the very least at the season finale).
Plus, the title doesn't seem all that fitting, to be honest... Nothing very nerdy about this story at all...
I'm also not sure about the interludes with scenes from the show and blogs/interviews. They don't add to the story at all. The interviews are just awkward and sure, Blair had some trouble with his character, but some of the scenes felt just unnecessary.
And what is up with Howie's character? He's completely over the top. I think someone with that attitude would have dies a very dramatic TV death a long time ago (or at the very least at the season finale).
Plus, the title doesn't seem all that fitting, to be honest... Nothing very nerdy about this story at all...
October 5, 2014
mmm I have to say I liked the characters from the first book a bit more
I still like the premise of the this series of books
but i am missing some real connection between the main characters
where i do really enjoy the connection between the general characters
I hope to get a bit more personal romantic situations in the next ones
I do feel the scene's from the soap itself are a bit distracting at times
where the updates from the reporter is funny and i like those :)
I still like the premise of the this series of books
but i am missing some real connection between the main characters
where i do really enjoy the connection between the general characters
I hope to get a bit more personal romantic situations in the next ones
I do feel the scene's from the soap itself are a bit distracting at times
where the updates from the reporter is funny and i like those :)
September 29, 2014
3* This is a cute book with very slow burn. There is not really a lot of heat. These are adults playing teens so I expected a little more steam than there was. Overall, it was an enjoyable book.
February 6, 2015
4 to 4.25 stars
December 19, 2014
Enjoyable book in a fun series. Has me wishing the tv show was real. Short and sweet.
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