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On the Market #4
Love Him Steady
Taking up shop in the former kosher bakery, Wilder Torres breathes new life into old traditions, but there’s a darkness about him most of the residents in Cherry Creek don’t want to touch. He’s a kind and quiet man, but Wilder hides scars under long sleeves from a vicious attack that nearly took his life, and he’s determined never to let anyone close enough to hurt him ever again.
And then he meets a stranger sitting on a park bench, looking like the world had just kicked him in the gut.
Lorenzo Moretti had spent the better part of his years living off the success of his rich siblings. His life was shallow, with no purpose, because Lorenzo had never believed he deserved more than that. Then, his brother, Rocco, finds bliss in the arms of a humble baker, and Lorenzo can no longer ignore the pain of longing in his chest. He wants something like that. He needs it. And he’s prepared to earn it. He just has no idea how hard Cherry Creek will make him work for it, in the end. But at the sight of Wilder’s dark eyes, and the kind words urging him to give the town a chance, Lorenzo chooses not to run back home to the quiet and familiar. It won’t be easy, but maybe it’ll be worth it.
Love Him Steady is the fourth book in the series On The Market. It contains no cheating, and has a Happily Ever After.
The series, On The Market, has become Running in Circles, and this novel was retitled State of Mind. It has been completely revamped and re-written with names, places, characters, and major plot points changed.
And then he meets a stranger sitting on a park bench, looking like the world had just kicked him in the gut.
Lorenzo Moretti had spent the better part of his years living off the success of his rich siblings. His life was shallow, with no purpose, because Lorenzo had never believed he deserved more than that. Then, his brother, Rocco, finds bliss in the arms of a humble baker, and Lorenzo can no longer ignore the pain of longing in his chest. He wants something like that. He needs it. And he’s prepared to earn it. He just has no idea how hard Cherry Creek will make him work for it, in the end. But at the sight of Wilder’s dark eyes, and the kind words urging him to give the town a chance, Lorenzo chooses not to run back home to the quiet and familiar. It won’t be easy, but maybe it’ll be worth it.
Love Him Steady is the fourth book in the series On The Market. It contains no cheating, and has a Happily Ever After.
The series, On The Market, has become Running in Circles, and this novel was retitled State of Mind. It has been completely revamped and re-written with names, places, characters, and major plot points changed.
286 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 3, 2020
160 people are currently reading
295 people want to read
About the author
E.M. Lindsey
143 books1,386 followersE.M. Lindsey is the author of MM contemporary romance. She presently lives and works in the southeastern United States.
EM Lindsey also writes MM Paranormal Romance under the pseudonym Ariel Millar.
EM Lindsey also writes MM Paranormal Romance under the pseudonym Ariel Millar.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
August 5, 2020
I enjoyed this. It was nice having just a partial chapter for both Wilder and Lorenzo to deal with the backstory.... 2 chapters vs the 9 chapters of Book 3. I enjoyed the pacing of this one. I enjoyed the relationships with the side characters. I liked this book, I just didn't love it as much as the first two.
The editing is a little sloppy in this one. One thing that really stood out was the age of both Wilder and Lorenzo. Lorenzo refers to himself as 42, but a few chapters later as 43. Which isn't as bad as Wilder, who in the second chapter states he is 22 at the time of his attack, but later, it said the last time his ex touched him was at 25. Seven years passed since then, so depending on whether he was 22 or 25 at the time of his attack (which 25 makes more sense as he was with his ex for years, but only met him in college), he is now either 29 or 32.
One thing I am not crazy about, is that it is becoming more and more apparent that I'm going to have to read Kate Hawthorne's Room to Love series. The Motel brothers have made quite a few appearances in this series, but the characters in the Room to Love series seem to be making more and more appearances. I don't even know who Leonidas is (other than he is in Book 5 of Room to Love). Kate Hawthorne is not an author who's writing I enjoy, but I'd rather not feel like half the recurring characters are strangers.
I also don't recall the incident Dimitri, Gwen and James hinted at with Owen. I know Owen was going through some stuff in On the Market #2, but it was background and not resolved. But Dimitri and Raphael are in the next book, so I suppose this is like Parker and Ronan, who were prominently featured in Book 2, but we didn't get their story until Book 3. I just feel like I'm supposed to know more about the two of them than I do, which is annoying, especially since that's not the case.
I do feel like E.M. Lindsey, Kate Hawthorne and on a lesser note, E.M. Denning need to sit down and make a character map, because trying to keep track of all these characters and all their series from multiple authors is getting confusing.
You have On the Market, with Antoine of Book #2 being the brother of Marcel, who is of Book #2 of Breaking the Rules series, which has many appearances from the cast of Iron and Works series. You have the "standalone" Just Say When, which features Enzo and Tristan, who pop up from time to time in On the Market. You have Cloudy with a Chance of Love from E.M. Lindsey,Kate Hawthorne and E.M. Denning, featuring Colin, Spencer and Max, who make many appearacnes in On the Market. You have the Motel brothers and their million partners from Kate Hawthorne's Room to Love series, who are featured rather prominently in On the Market.
I'm really not a fan of when authors have series that are all kind of spin-offs from each other, that in theory you can read separately, but you end up being a little clueless on a bunch of little things that adds up to one large annoyance.... but when you throw a few more authors into the mix and have this web of series all connected, it does make me question how attached to this series I actually am.
The editing is a little sloppy in this one. One thing that really stood out was the age of both Wilder and Lorenzo. Lorenzo refers to himself as 42, but a few chapters later as 43. Which isn't as bad as Wilder, who in the second chapter states he is 22 at the time of his attack, but later, it said the last time his ex touched him was at 25. Seven years passed since then, so depending on whether he was 22 or 25 at the time of his attack (which 25 makes more sense as he was with his ex for years, but only met him in college), he is now either 29 or 32.
One thing I am not crazy about, is that it is becoming more and more apparent that I'm going to have to read Kate Hawthorne's Room to Love series. The Motel brothers have made quite a few appearances in this series, but the characters in the Room to Love series seem to be making more and more appearances. I don't even know who Leonidas is (other than he is in Book 5 of Room to Love). Kate Hawthorne is not an author who's writing I enjoy, but I'd rather not feel like half the recurring characters are strangers.
I also don't recall the incident Dimitri, Gwen and James hinted at with Owen. I know Owen was going through some stuff in On the Market #2, but it was background and not resolved. But Dimitri and Raphael are in the next book, so I suppose this is like Parker and Ronan, who were prominently featured in Book 2, but we didn't get their story until Book 3. I just feel like I'm supposed to know more about the two of them than I do, which is annoying, especially since that's not the case.
I do feel like E.M. Lindsey, Kate Hawthorne and on a lesser note, E.M. Denning need to sit down and make a character map, because trying to keep track of all these characters and all their series from multiple authors is getting confusing.
You have On the Market, with Antoine of Book #2 being the brother of Marcel, who is of Book #2 of Breaking the Rules series, which has many appearances from the cast of Iron and Works series. You have the "standalone" Just Say When, which features Enzo and Tristan, who pop up from time to time in On the Market. You have Cloudy with a Chance of Love from E.M. Lindsey,Kate Hawthorne and E.M. Denning, featuring Colin, Spencer and Max, who make many appearacnes in On the Market. You have the Motel brothers and their million partners from Kate Hawthorne's Room to Love series, who are featured rather prominently in On the Market.
I'm really not a fan of when authors have series that are all kind of spin-offs from each other, that in theory you can read separately, but you end up being a little clueless on a bunch of little things that adds up to one large annoyance.... but when you throw a few more authors into the mix and have this web of series all connected, it does make me question how attached to this series I actually am.
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July 31, 2020
Every time I start a Lindsey book I’m ready to be hit with an emotional punch. This one was no exception and from the beginning my heart absolutely broke for Wilder and definitely hurt for Lorenzo. This story was so much more than a romance. It was a story of growth, of taking back what was taken away from you. A story of figuring out how to just be, something that seems so simple, but this story showed that no matter who you are or where you come from, it’s often one of the most difficult things to do. I loved the romance too, as it was slow, and it was deep, and there was a friendship on top of that love that made it satisfying and true. I also greatly appreciated that it even the people of Cherry Creek were telling Lorenzo that he couldn’t just expect love or purpose just because he was in Cherry Creek. These stories make the town seem idyllic, but it’s nice that the characters are able to bring it back down to earth. I absolutely adored getting to see more Dmitri and to meet Raphael and can’t wait for there story next.
May 24, 2021
Love Him Steady, the fourth book of E.M. Lindsey's On the Market series, is an emotional, angsty hurt/comfort romance with a (thankfully) lovely happily ever after. The main characters are both sad and very lonely, needing to give and receive a massive amount of care.
There's a large cast of characters who pop in and out of the story, so it might not be a great choice as a standalone. I really enjoy Nick Hudson's narration, and *gah* that cover, so I couldn't resist.
Nick Hudson gives a lovely performance, and he brings to life every bit of the emotion E.M. Lindsey has written into these men.
an audiobook copy of Love Him Steady was provided to me for the purpose of my honest review
There's a large cast of characters who pop in and out of the story, so it might not be a great choice as a standalone. I really enjoy Nick Hudson's narration, and *gah* that cover, so I couldn't resist.
Nick Hudson gives a lovely performance, and he brings to life every bit of the emotion E.M. Lindsey has written into these men.
an audiobook copy of Love Him Steady was provided to me for the purpose of my honest review
August 19, 2020
A Joyfully Jay review.
4 stars
Love Him Steady is the fourth book in E.M. Lindsey’s On the Market series and gives us Wilder and Lorenzo’s story. We have met both characters in previous books in this series (and in Wilder’s case, in the Room for Love series as well), and I was really excited to get Wilder’s story, as he has been a favorite side character of mine. The story really is lovely, following these two men with difficult pasts as they find their way to one another. What I thought was most interesting is the way they are both in different spots in similar journeys. Wilder grew up with an abusive mother who hated him because he was a hearing child in her deaf world. He then lived with an abusive boyfriend who nearly killed him. Wilder managed to rebuild his life in Cherry Creek, finding a place for himself where he can stand on his own and reclaim his sense of self worth. Lorenzo is at the beginning of his similar journey, having reached the point of realizing he is unhappy, but not quite sure how to fix it yet. So it was interesting to watch these two men together and see how they were able to support one another and learn from each other.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
4 stars
Love Him Steady is the fourth book in E.M. Lindsey’s On the Market series and gives us Wilder and Lorenzo’s story. We have met both characters in previous books in this series (and in Wilder’s case, in the Room for Love series as well), and I was really excited to get Wilder’s story, as he has been a favorite side character of mine. The story really is lovely, following these two men with difficult pasts as they find their way to one another. What I thought was most interesting is the way they are both in different spots in similar journeys. Wilder grew up with an abusive mother who hated him because he was a hearing child in her deaf world. He then lived with an abusive boyfriend who nearly killed him. Wilder managed to rebuild his life in Cherry Creek, finding a place for himself where he can stand on his own and reclaim his sense of self worth. Lorenzo is at the beginning of his similar journey, having reached the point of realizing he is unhappy, but not quite sure how to fix it yet. So it was interesting to watch these two men together and see how they were able to support one another and learn from each other.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
May 19, 2021
Okay, now THIS ONE is my favorite. I absolutely adored this and the audio version was perfect as Nick Hudson just has the voices down!
I would absolutely recommend this listen, RIGHT NOW!
I would absolutely recommend this listen, RIGHT NOW!
August 10, 2020
Another fabulous story in Cherry Creek
Cherry Creak may not be where happiness resides for everyone, but it seems to definitely be a good place to start. Wilder has been there for a while before he found his happily ever after, while Lorenzo had just gotten there. But sometimes it seems that life takes a while to get you in the right place to have a love of your own. Looking forward to the next book!
Cherry Creak may not be where happiness resides for everyone, but it seems to definitely be a good place to start. Wilder has been there for a while before he found his happily ever after, while Lorenzo had just gotten there. But sometimes it seems that life takes a while to get you in the right place to have a love of your own. Looking forward to the next book!
May 8, 2022
I've really enjoyed the On The Market series. We've met Wilder before as the new bake shop owner. He's a loner with a difficult past who finally gets his HEA. In this book, he meets Lorenzo, the brother of Rocco, a MC in the first book in the series. Wilder was raised with an abusive mother in the deaf community. Later, he experienced severe abuse at the hands of an ex-boyfriend. Lorenzo hasn't experienced that type of tragedy, but he has never found direction in his life and he doesn't feel worthy of friendship and love. Together, they face their issues, learn to heal, and develop the tenderest of true love.
May 16, 2021
Wow, Wilder just went to the top of my list for MC's from this series. He is sooo sweet and precious. First, I loved his growth the most in this book. He struggled and fought for everything he wanted and had come so far in his life. I loved that Lorenzo was so patient and kind with Wilder and did not take him for granted. Lorenzo also grew so much and allowed people in to love him and accepted their support as unconditional. I loved his friendship with Rafael as well. I just love coming back to visit Cherry Creek and I love that Nick Hudson does such a wonderful job bringing these characters to live via narration. I cannot wait to continue but I am also so sad that after this next one this series is over. I miss the characters already.
ARC provided and this is my honest review.
ARC provided and this is my honest review.
October 27, 2020
Love this series
Really, I do. Wilder and Lorenzo were lovely together. Enjoyed seeing the main characters from the the prior books.
KU, contemporary, book in series, Baker, millionaire, PTSD, themes of mental and physical abuse.
Really, I do. Wilder and Lorenzo were lovely together. Enjoyed seeing the main characters from the the prior books.
KU, contemporary, book in series, Baker, millionaire, PTSD, themes of mental and physical abuse.
June 15, 2021
Since being introduced to Wilder I have been waiting for his story. I loved it. I was not disappointed and this was the perfect story for him. Lorenzo was not who i was expecting as his love interest but he was a great character.
December 14, 2020
I love this series
September 21, 2021
It doesn't make any sense that Rocco was able to give *that* much money away to his family, especially while living in LA (the 9th most expensive city in the US). Like, he's giving enough away that his unemployed brother thinks nothing of offering to pay someone else's tuition at Stanford (53k per year). The little brother who also has a beach front house in Malibu and a cottage in Napa Valley. The top salary in the US for a male porn star is 156k, according to comparably.com, and the average is only 31k. There's no way Rocco's first paycheck was 700k
November 25, 2020
Wilder is the best, even if I never did figure out how old he is.
Lorenzo...uhh. He was fine, I guess? I didn’t dislike him, but I didn’t really connect with him at all.
Lorenzo...uhh. He was fine, I guess? I didn’t dislike him, but I didn’t really connect with him at all.
May 15, 2021
A Fabulously Captivating & Heartfelt Story! Excellent Audible Listen🎧📚🎧
Love Him Steady
On the Market, Book 4
By: E.M. Lindsey
Narrated by: Nick Hudson
E.M Lindsey continues to wow me with another fabulous novel in her “On the Market” series. I love how realistic the characters and storylines are, the characters are beautifully broken and easy to fall in love with, they have issues that are easy to relate to and connect with. This book is Wilder Torres and Lorenzo Morretti’s story and their back stories tugged at my heart like no other. Wilder had a rough start to life, he grew up in a deaf family, he suffered mental abuse as a child, his mother was not kind to him at all. He then fell into another abusive relationship, both physically and mentally abusive. It left him broken in many ways, he got back on his feet, moved to Cherry Creek and took over the Bakery there. It took a while for the residents to accept him and stop comparing his baked goods to Simons, but he held his own and built a good rapport with some of the residents, including several from earlier books. Lorenzo is well off, he can thank his brother Rocco for that, he lives a luxurious life and has everything he could possibly need, yet he is lonely and feels like he has nothing. He knows his brother found happiness in Cherry Creek so he sets off to not just find happiness but to find himself too. He winds up staying at Hopewell Manor, Raphael invites him out but he does not leave such a good impression on some of the town folk. But Raphael knows he is just misunderstood and so do Wilder, who sees something in him when he spotted him across the street. Lorenzo was thinking of leaving but Wilder offered him a kind word and a cupcake so he decided to give it another try. I thought these two were perfect for each other and together. Wilder was hesitant to give himself to anyone ever again but he took a chance on Lorenzo and Lorenzo finds what he was looking, for his heart. I loved how everything played out in this book, the story is beautifully plotted with plenty of drama, heartfelt emotions, low angst and the start of a wonderful romance. E.M. Lindsey, thank you for another awesome story and emotional rollercoaster ride. It was great to visit Cherry Creek again!
🎧📚🎧 And for the fabulous narration, Nick Hudson continues to do an awesome job portraying the characters, humanizing them, giving each their own distinct voice which makes it easy to follow along and tell who is who. You could hear how much heart he puts into his work as he captures all the characters emotions and projects them into his performance. He is an entertaining storyteller and a pleasure to listen to. Thank you for another great listen!
Thank you #GRR
Love Him Steady
On the Market, Book 4
By: E.M. Lindsey
Narrated by: Nick Hudson
E.M Lindsey continues to wow me with another fabulous novel in her “On the Market” series. I love how realistic the characters and storylines are, the characters are beautifully broken and easy to fall in love with, they have issues that are easy to relate to and connect with. This book is Wilder Torres and Lorenzo Morretti’s story and their back stories tugged at my heart like no other. Wilder had a rough start to life, he grew up in a deaf family, he suffered mental abuse as a child, his mother was not kind to him at all. He then fell into another abusive relationship, both physically and mentally abusive. It left him broken in many ways, he got back on his feet, moved to Cherry Creek and took over the Bakery there. It took a while for the residents to accept him and stop comparing his baked goods to Simons, but he held his own and built a good rapport with some of the residents, including several from earlier books. Lorenzo is well off, he can thank his brother Rocco for that, he lives a luxurious life and has everything he could possibly need, yet he is lonely and feels like he has nothing. He knows his brother found happiness in Cherry Creek so he sets off to not just find happiness but to find himself too. He winds up staying at Hopewell Manor, Raphael invites him out but he does not leave such a good impression on some of the town folk. But Raphael knows he is just misunderstood and so do Wilder, who sees something in him when he spotted him across the street. Lorenzo was thinking of leaving but Wilder offered him a kind word and a cupcake so he decided to give it another try. I thought these two were perfect for each other and together. Wilder was hesitant to give himself to anyone ever again but he took a chance on Lorenzo and Lorenzo finds what he was looking, for his heart. I loved how everything played out in this book, the story is beautifully plotted with plenty of drama, heartfelt emotions, low angst and the start of a wonderful romance. E.M. Lindsey, thank you for another awesome story and emotional rollercoaster ride. It was great to visit Cherry Creek again!
🎧📚🎧 And for the fabulous narration, Nick Hudson continues to do an awesome job portraying the characters, humanizing them, giving each their own distinct voice which makes it easy to follow along and tell who is who. You could hear how much heart he puts into his work as he captures all the characters emotions and projects them into his performance. He is an entertaining storyteller and a pleasure to listen to. Thank you for another great listen!
Thank you #GRR
May 25, 2021
Wilder, Lorenzo & Robert the Goat (an audio review)
Okay, so I have to explain my title without giving too much away. Love Him Steady is the fourth book in the On the Market series and this goat is quite notorious. His greeting of Lorenzo is funny/painful and I’m sure the male readers cringed. But Lorenzo is set on fitting in with Cherry Creek, and that means going back and facing the creature. The second time goes well. But Lorenzo almost didn’t stay. He’s Rocco’s older brother (from the first book) and he’s come to Cherry Creek to make something of his life. He’s been living off his brother’s money, and although it’s rankled, he’s done it anyway. Now he’s nearing midlife with little to show.
Wilder has been a Cherry Creek resident for a while. He’s settled in and runs a gluten-free bakery (that made me cringe as much as Robert the goat’s antics but I’ve never tried it so I guess I should add it to my adventures in food…) Wilder’s story isn’t easy. Born to deaf parents, he was ostracized because he could hear, and it wasn’t until he went to university that he realized how abused emotionally he’d been. Then he fell into a bad relationship (bad is an understatement) and his life went downhill. But eventually he got out – barely – and he found he loved baking.
Rocco is deaf, so Lorenzo learned to sign at an early age, and was always protective of his little brother. Wilder, of course, learned to sign early as well since he was surrounded by deaf people. Now he needs that skill increasingly.
The attraction isn’t instantaneous, but grows over time. Lorenzo also starts making a few friends in town after a disastrous start. Cherry Creek residents have chosen that location for the simplicity, and a big shot from the city rarely goes over well. But Wilder sees Lorenzo for who he is, and the bond deepens. Then Wilder faces a tragedy and is thrown back into the world where he was never accepted but is now needed. I admired him for being the better man and doing what needed to be done. I don’t think I would have been so forgiving.
There are more books to come and I can say I’m thrilled for it. I’ll also mention Nick Hudson who is doing a great job narrating this series. I’m waiting impatiently for the next audio.
Okay, so I have to explain my title without giving too much away. Love Him Steady is the fourth book in the On the Market series and this goat is quite notorious. His greeting of Lorenzo is funny/painful and I’m sure the male readers cringed. But Lorenzo is set on fitting in with Cherry Creek, and that means going back and facing the creature. The second time goes well. But Lorenzo almost didn’t stay. He’s Rocco’s older brother (from the first book) and he’s come to Cherry Creek to make something of his life. He’s been living off his brother’s money, and although it’s rankled, he’s done it anyway. Now he’s nearing midlife with little to show.
Wilder has been a Cherry Creek resident for a while. He’s settled in and runs a gluten-free bakery (that made me cringe as much as Robert the goat’s antics but I’ve never tried it so I guess I should add it to my adventures in food…) Wilder’s story isn’t easy. Born to deaf parents, he was ostracized because he could hear, and it wasn’t until he went to university that he realized how abused emotionally he’d been. Then he fell into a bad relationship (bad is an understatement) and his life went downhill. But eventually he got out – barely – and he found he loved baking.
Rocco is deaf, so Lorenzo learned to sign at an early age, and was always protective of his little brother. Wilder, of course, learned to sign early as well since he was surrounded by deaf people. Now he needs that skill increasingly.
The attraction isn’t instantaneous, but grows over time. Lorenzo also starts making a few friends in town after a disastrous start. Cherry Creek residents have chosen that location for the simplicity, and a big shot from the city rarely goes over well. But Wilder sees Lorenzo for who he is, and the bond deepens. Then Wilder faces a tragedy and is thrown back into the world where he was never accepted but is now needed. I admired him for being the better man and doing what needed to be done. I don’t think I would have been so forgiving.
There are more books to come and I can say I’m thrilled for it. I’ll also mention Nick Hudson who is doing a great job narrating this series. I’m waiting impatiently for the next audio.
August 1, 2020
I love the perfect imperfection of Wilder and Lorenzo. These troubled men take turns being the one to support the other in difficult moments, which is all we really want from our significant other.
Lorenzo hasn't had a difficult life. In fact, he's been spoiled. But he knows that something is missing that he wants to find. Since his brother Rocco found happiness in Cherry Creek, Lorenzo decides to visit the town to see if he can find something for himself.
Wilder has overcome so many obstacles in his life, from a mother who couldn't accept him as he was to an abusive boyfriend. He came to Cherry Creek to live his life for himself. When he meets the mess that is Lorenzo, Wilder wants to help him. The pity he feels for the other man begins to turn to something else, and it is gratifying to see these men begin to find something very special in each other.
This series, as well as the connected series by Kate Hawthorne, is full of wonderful couples (and throuples) who are loving to their partners and to their friends. The friendships here, between Wilder and Theo, and between Lorenzo and Raphael, are as important as the romance between Wilder and Lorenzo. It's easy to feel the different types of love between all these men. I love spending time with characters I've already fallen for, as well as meeting new ones I want to know more about.
At this point in time, I don't see myself ever wanting to leave the people of Cherry Creek. However many stories as this author wants to offer, I will be happy to snap them up. I recommend all the books in this shared world, and this one holds a special place in my heart. We don't have to find all the answers in life to find love, support, acceptance, and family. Wilder and Lorenzo are great examples of that. I can't wait to see the next couple (who I'm already invested in) fall in love in this very special small town.
Lorenzo hasn't had a difficult life. In fact, he's been spoiled. But he knows that something is missing that he wants to find. Since his brother Rocco found happiness in Cherry Creek, Lorenzo decides to visit the town to see if he can find something for himself.
Wilder has overcome so many obstacles in his life, from a mother who couldn't accept him as he was to an abusive boyfriend. He came to Cherry Creek to live his life for himself. When he meets the mess that is Lorenzo, Wilder wants to help him. The pity he feels for the other man begins to turn to something else, and it is gratifying to see these men begin to find something very special in each other.
This series, as well as the connected series by Kate Hawthorne, is full of wonderful couples (and throuples) who are loving to their partners and to their friends. The friendships here, between Wilder and Theo, and between Lorenzo and Raphael, are as important as the romance between Wilder and Lorenzo. It's easy to feel the different types of love between all these men. I love spending time with characters I've already fallen for, as well as meeting new ones I want to know more about.
At this point in time, I don't see myself ever wanting to leave the people of Cherry Creek. However many stories as this author wants to offer, I will be happy to snap them up. I recommend all the books in this shared world, and this one holds a special place in my heart. We don't have to find all the answers in life to find love, support, acceptance, and family. Wilder and Lorenzo are great examples of that. I can't wait to see the next couple (who I'm already invested in) fall in love in this very special small town.
August 2, 2020
5 stars
more than 5; if it were possible
Oh sweet, caring, loyal and beautiful Wilder. You absolutely stole my heart.
Dealing with a difficult and tragic past, Wilder has finally reclaimed his life in the little town of Cherry Creek. He has his own gluten free cupcakery and steadfast friends to have drinks with on Thursdays. Believing that love and romance is unattainable for himself, Wilder offers a water bottle and a cupcake to new stranger in town.
Lorenzo has never had to work for anything once his little brother filled his bank account. Even with his substantial funds he's longing for more out of life. Still needing to figure out who he is at his core, Lorenzo decides to visit the town that changed his brother's life; hoping that by some chance, Cherry Creek can offer a little insight.
I loved Lorenzo and Wilders story. It was remarkably tragic and heartfelt within the first couple of pages. The growth that both men showed throughout the pages prove that anyone can develop into a person much more than what they feel they deserve. It is a story of hope for when you feel you cannot overcome your past and also a story of acceptance of how the little things in life can be extraordinary on their own.
What starts with a journey of self discover for Lorenzo, quickly becomes more then Wilder ever thought he could hold dear.
I love this series, I love this book and I love this author. E.M LINDSEY's ability to write characters and series where you feel yourself being immersed into each book is truly an art form. So 5 stars it is and a recommendation to everyone reading this to let Lorenzo and Wilder into your lives. You will be delighted that you did!
Oh sweet, caring, loyal and beautiful Wilder. You absolutely stole my heart.
Dealing with a difficult and tragic past, Wilder has finally reclaimed his life in the little town of Cherry Creek. He has his own gluten free cupcakery and steadfast friends to have drinks with on Thursdays. Believing that love and romance is unattainable for himself, Wilder offers a water bottle and a cupcake to new stranger in town.
Lorenzo has never had to work for anything once his little brother filled his bank account. Even with his substantial funds he's longing for more out of life. Still needing to figure out who he is at his core, Lorenzo decides to visit the town that changed his brother's life; hoping that by some chance, Cherry Creek can offer a little insight.
I loved Lorenzo and Wilders story. It was remarkably tragic and heartfelt within the first couple of pages. The growth that both men showed throughout the pages prove that anyone can develop into a person much more than what they feel they deserve. It is a story of hope for when you feel you cannot overcome your past and also a story of acceptance of how the little things in life can be extraordinary on their own.
What starts with a journey of self discover for Lorenzo, quickly becomes more then Wilder ever thought he could hold dear.
I love this series, I love this book and I love this author. E.M LINDSEY's ability to write characters and series where you feel yourself being immersed into each book is truly an art form. So 5 stars it is and a recommendation to everyone reading this to let Lorenzo and Wilder into your lives. You will be delighted that you did!
August 11, 2020
So. This wasn't the most compelling pairing of MCs. I really enjoyed the story until about halfway, but then it kind of started dragging for me. I also never truly warmed up to Lorenzo, to be honest. And in the end I still didn't feel like I knew that much about him. But I liked Wilder and their growing connection was sweet. No drama there. Also I really liked Raphael, so that was a plus.
There was some inconsistency about facts/details that was noticeable enough to bug me. Like the MCs ages. One would think this was info authors would keep tabs on. And the spot where Lorenzo and Wilder met went from bus bench to park bench several times.
I don't think there was much difference in the MCs appearances here, so I couldn't tell which of them the model on the cover is supposed to be. I'm mentioning this because if a model is used for a cover, I'd like it to be relevant to the actual story. With the other books I've read in this series, I couldn't really tell who the model was supposed to be in each book. But this is just a personal nag for me, I'm a visual person.
Also at this point I have to say that it's getting pretty annoying that in the series there are appearances from ALL the MCs from a series from another author (Room for Love by Kate Hawthorne). That's 10 people I don't know (ok, except for a couple we met in book 1) and I guess I'm supposed to care about to some extent. And they're included in a manner like I'm supposed to know them. It already bugged me in the 2nd book and here even more. Plus there are ties to 2 other completely different books. So to me these books don't really work well as standalones. I skipped book 3 because it did not interest me, and apparently something happened there regarding a minor character featured in the 2nd book. So I was pretty clueless about all that here. I'm guessing it will be mentioned again in the next book since it features a friend of said minor character.
The thing is, I'm still intrigued about the main characters, Raphael and Dmitri, in the final book so I guess I'll wait for that one and see how the reviews are.
There was some inconsistency about facts/details that was noticeable enough to bug me. Like the MCs ages. One would think this was info authors would keep tabs on. And the spot where Lorenzo and Wilder met went from bus bench to park bench several times.
I don't think there was much difference in the MCs appearances here, so I couldn't tell which of them the model on the cover is supposed to be. I'm mentioning this because if a model is used for a cover, I'd like it to be relevant to the actual story. With the other books I've read in this series, I couldn't really tell who the model was supposed to be in each book. But this is just a personal nag for me, I'm a visual person.
Also at this point I have to say that it's getting pretty annoying that in the series there are appearances from ALL the MCs from a series from another author (Room for Love by Kate Hawthorne). That's 10 people I don't know (ok, except for a couple we met in book 1) and I guess I'm supposed to care about to some extent. And they're included in a manner like I'm supposed to know them. It already bugged me in the 2nd book and here even more. Plus there are ties to 2 other completely different books. So to me these books don't really work well as standalones. I skipped book 3 because it did not interest me, and apparently something happened there regarding a minor character featured in the 2nd book. So I was pretty clueless about all that here. I'm guessing it will be mentioned again in the next book since it features a friend of said minor character.
The thing is, I'm still intrigued about the main characters, Raphael and Dmitri, in the final book so I guess I'll wait for that one and see how the reviews are.
September 27, 2020
What was I thinking!? In an effort to satisfy a GR challenge I chose this book apparently not realizing it was the 4th in the series. But ok, read the blurb and thought I could handle it as a standalone and was relatively successful. My issues with the book weren't related to the fact that there a boat load of characters that are the central MCs in the earlier books as well as several secondary and tertiary characters. The book started off well - you get a solid understanding of Wilder and his awful backstory and why he is closed off. Lorenzo was a little harder to take. Though he grew up with modest means, because of his brother's success, he is wealthy beyond his dreams but feels listless. His "woe is me" attitude became a little tiresome. There was also a little something weird with the ages - initially Wilder is 22 but then later in the book, there is a reference to a major life event that took place when he was 25. Then Lonrenzo is 42 but then later he is 43. Just a bit of sloppy editing. But the kicker for me was the pacing. The beginning of the book moves along well with scenes that reveal each man's personality and problems amidst their slow moving relationship. Then, inexplicably, it starts to drag at about 50% and drags the rest of the way until the end. I did like the end that doesn't result in puppies and rainbows but with a solid understanding that these guys will have issues for the rest of their lives but will love each other the best way they can. So my issues had nothing to do with the fact that I read this way out of order. They were related to the pacing and repetitiveness of Lorenzo's feelings about himself.
December 14, 2020
This book brings together two secondary characters we have met previously in the series as protagonists in their own right. Both men more than deserve their own happily ever after, and it was lovely to see them find it in each other. I appreciated that another character points out how Lorenzo and Wilder find their love in literally the same building as Lorenzo’s brother Rocco and Simon do in this series’ first book. However, there is no sense of repetition in this book, but instead, a complete love story in its own right. As usual, Lindsey shines with their use of complicated, well-developed characters, including the story’s secondary characters.
Wilder’s history, even back to his childhood, is not necessarily an easy read. He only begins to heal once he establishes himself in Cherry Creek, and it was lovely to see him get closure through the course of this story. Even better, he does so separately from Lorenzo because a couple should be stronger together rather than merely two halves of a whole.
Lorenzo’s character arc can be defined as “poor little rich kid,” but Lindsey makes his angst relatable in how difficult it can be to connect to the people in your life regardless of your financial standing. This isn’t an enemies-to-lovers story, but it speaks to Wilder’s character that he puts Lorenzo on his own path to healing even when Wilder deals with his own issues.
As a secondary plot, the burgeoning friendship between Lorenzo and Raphael was also fun to read. It’s a great example of a platonic friendship between two men who are not afraid to express affection, and I can’t wait to read about Raphael’s own happily ever after in the final book of the series.
Wilder’s history, even back to his childhood, is not necessarily an easy read. He only begins to heal once he establishes himself in Cherry Creek, and it was lovely to see him get closure through the course of this story. Even better, he does so separately from Lorenzo because a couple should be stronger together rather than merely two halves of a whole.
Lorenzo’s character arc can be defined as “poor little rich kid,” but Lindsey makes his angst relatable in how difficult it can be to connect to the people in your life regardless of your financial standing. This isn’t an enemies-to-lovers story, but it speaks to Wilder’s character that he puts Lorenzo on his own path to healing even when Wilder deals with his own issues.
As a secondary plot, the burgeoning friendship between Lorenzo and Raphael was also fun to read. It’s a great example of a platonic friendship between two men who are not afraid to express affection, and I can’t wait to read about Raphael’s own happily ever after in the final book of the series.
June 21, 2021
A spoiled, self-loathing, rich boy with low self-esteem meets a kind, half-Deaf man who is equally lacking in self-confidence, in a search for meaning in his life. The setting is a small town, but it seems to have a major gay population and there is some connection between everybody. In order to fully comprehend the story, you need to read the previous books in this series, as the author makes many references, and has the MCs interact, with other characters without giving much (if any) background information on those characters. And there are a lot of them. It was often confusing and hard to comprehend connections between the various people, as their stories have already been told in the other books. Three other bones to pick with this story: 1) Porn stars aren't millionaires. They don't make that kind of money. For the author to perpetuate the fallacy that Rocco (the brother of a main character, Lorenzo) could make so much money doing porn that he was able to give his brother millions of dollars and send another to law school was preposterous. 2) In a later chapter the other main character, Wilder, has a family crisis and must return home. Lorenzo says he'll take him to the airport but instead drops him off at his bakery and leaves. A couple of chapters later, the author references Lorenzo dropping Wilder off at the airport. He didn't. 3) There were many instances of missing small words. A better proofreader was needed. This story lacked suspense/tension and seemed messily written. Better work by this author is available.
August 30, 2020
I have been waiting for Wilde's story since I read about him in the first book but the story felt underwhelming in the middle. It started good, I bleed for Wilde whose mother didn't love him because he wasn't deaf and felt misplaced in the world, I bleed when he was hurt by Scott and decided to start anew. I also loved Lorenzos' backstory, how he was the younger, and then a new brother who didn't know how to speak. So Lorenzo decided to be his brother's voice which squeezed my heart so hard.
In the middle of the book, I got a bit demotivated and because I felt the story was stuck with Lorenzo's 'not belonging anywhere' mindset, or now knowing what to do with his life situation. Also, I felt there was a lot of Raphael in this story which is fine because I loved his character and he's one of the main MCs in the following book, but I felt it took a bit from the main MCs - mind you, I'm not complaining in a negative sense, his friendship with Lorenzo was everything.
I think one of my favorite scenes was Wilde saying goodbye at his father's funeral and just getting out of that part of his life. His relationship with Lorenzo was slow and good, the communication was there which is something I don't see often and there was no outside drama, just Lorenzo trying to find himself and Wilde closing a chapter of his life. I also loved seeing Simon and Rocco again and Theo and Wilde's friendship.
In the middle of the book, I got a bit demotivated and because I felt the story was stuck with Lorenzo's 'not belonging anywhere' mindset, or now knowing what to do with his life situation. Also, I felt there was a lot of Raphael in this story which is fine because I loved his character and he's one of the main MCs in the following book, but I felt it took a bit from the main MCs - mind you, I'm not complaining in a negative sense, his friendship with Lorenzo was everything.
I think one of my favorite scenes was Wilde saying goodbye at his father's funeral and just getting out of that part of his life. His relationship with Lorenzo was slow and good, the communication was there which is something I don't see often and there was no outside drama, just Lorenzo trying to find himself and Wilde closing a chapter of his life. I also loved seeing Simon and Rocco again and Theo and Wilde's friendship.
May 15, 2021
There is just something about Cherry Creek… it’s not a picture-perfect town, but you know if you go there, you may just find what you are looking for…
Lorenzo Moretti is not exactly sure what he is looking for, but he knows he need to make drastic changes in his life. In his 40s he leaves a shallow and meaningless life, and, most of all, he feel he does not deserve love or meaningful connections or friendships. That’s why he resolves to go to Cherry Creek, where his brother Rocco has found love and came back a new and happier man.
His beginnings there are disastrous: he is not used to the small town pace and to interacting with people without throwing money as a buffer, so he comes off as rude and presumptuous.
Just as he thinks he may as well leave and go back to his previous life, Wilder Torres lends him a friendly hand and urges his to stay and give the town another chance.
Wilder himself finds himself interested in Lorenzo, for the first time, years after having been attacked and left almost dead.
The romance and the story that ensues is gentle, comforting and sweet. I loved how effortless and drama-less it is, considering both men are already struggling with their own difficulties.
I am totally in love with Nick Hudson's narration for this series, it just enhances the already beautiful stories so much!
Lorenzo Moretti is not exactly sure what he is looking for, but he knows he need to make drastic changes in his life. In his 40s he leaves a shallow and meaningless life, and, most of all, he feel he does not deserve love or meaningful connections or friendships. That’s why he resolves to go to Cherry Creek, where his brother Rocco has found love and came back a new and happier man.
His beginnings there are disastrous: he is not used to the small town pace and to interacting with people without throwing money as a buffer, so he comes off as rude and presumptuous.
Just as he thinks he may as well leave and go back to his previous life, Wilder Torres lends him a friendly hand and urges his to stay and give the town another chance.
Wilder himself finds himself interested in Lorenzo, for the first time, years after having been attacked and left almost dead.
The romance and the story that ensues is gentle, comforting and sweet. I loved how effortless and drama-less it is, considering both men are already struggling with their own difficulties.
I am totally in love with Nick Hudson's narration for this series, it just enhances the already beautiful stories so much!
May 16, 2021
Love Him Steady is the fourth book in the On the Market series. It is a contemporary romance, and it could be read on its own, but I really suggest reading the other books in the series.
I really loved this book. It dealt with some hard issues, especially dealing with toxic family members, but the strength and courage the characters showed in overcoming these issues was wonderful. Both Wilder and Lorenzo are stuck. Wilder is weighed down by the trauma he experienced with both an abusive mother and abusive boyfriend, and Lorenzo is so insecure in his own worth he can’t seem to find any purpose to his life. Meeting each other is exactly what they need to start moving forward with their lives. This story is adorable and heart warming. I love how caring and respectful both men are of each other and how they navigate the difficult parts of their relationship. There’s also a lot of humor and sweetness that helps to soften the angst.
Nick Hudson narrates the audiobook and does a fantastic job. I just love Nick’s voice and thought he was a perfect choice for this book. He voiced all the characters very well, especially considering the range of accents and voices that were needed. The audiobook production was well done and I thoroughly enjoyed my listening experience.
I really loved this book. It dealt with some hard issues, especially dealing with toxic family members, but the strength and courage the characters showed in overcoming these issues was wonderful. Both Wilder and Lorenzo are stuck. Wilder is weighed down by the trauma he experienced with both an abusive mother and abusive boyfriend, and Lorenzo is so insecure in his own worth he can’t seem to find any purpose to his life. Meeting each other is exactly what they need to start moving forward with their lives. This story is adorable and heart warming. I love how caring and respectful both men are of each other and how they navigate the difficult parts of their relationship. There’s also a lot of humor and sweetness that helps to soften the angst.
Nick Hudson narrates the audiobook and does a fantastic job. I just love Nick’s voice and thought he was a perfect choice for this book. He voiced all the characters very well, especially considering the range of accents and voices that were needed. The audiobook production was well done and I thoroughly enjoyed my listening experience.
September 18, 2020
Slow sweet slide into love
I enjoy fluffy books that are pretty much pure fantasy. This is not one of those books. The MCs are so real you could reach out and touch them. Real emotions, real trauma, real brokenness and real change. **Trigger warning-Wilder has been through major trauma in the past, including rape and attempted murder. He has put himself back together almost single-handedly. When he meets Lorenzo, he sees something of himself in him. Lorenzo feels unworthy of kindness and love, and it takes real work to open himself up to either. Neither man plans to fall in love, and that’s makes their sweet slide from pity to friends to everything even better. This is a slow burn, cautious romance. The way these two men accept each other right where they are and yet inspire each other to be better is lovely. Learning to trust and let people in is hard work, but Wilder and Lorenzo fight for their happy ending. EM Lindsey once again does an amazing job of giving us a wonderful cast of real, imperfect characters in Cherry Creek. I’m so excited for Raphael’s story!
I enjoy fluffy books that are pretty much pure fantasy. This is not one of those books. The MCs are so real you could reach out and touch them. Real emotions, real trauma, real brokenness and real change. **Trigger warning-Wilder has been through major trauma in the past, including rape and attempted murder. He has put himself back together almost single-handedly. When he meets Lorenzo, he sees something of himself in him. Lorenzo feels unworthy of kindness and love, and it takes real work to open himself up to either. Neither man plans to fall in love, and that’s makes their sweet slide from pity to friends to everything even better. This is a slow burn, cautious romance. The way these two men accept each other right where they are and yet inspire each other to be better is lovely. Learning to trust and let people in is hard work, but Wilder and Lorenzo fight for their happy ending. EM Lindsey once again does an amazing job of giving us a wonderful cast of real, imperfect characters in Cherry Creek. I’m so excited for Raphael’s story!
October 21, 2020
Where to begin...
This was the book I’ve been waiting for in the Cherry Creek series. Wilder interested me from the very first mention of him in book 1, and didn’t disappoint. And I loved the tie in with Lorenzo being Rocco’s brother.
Both came into this story with their own unique backgrounds - each equally troubling to themselves, but miles apart when considered side by side.
I enjoyed the story. This felt like a slower burn at the start, which suited them well. About half way through, the pace seemed to pick up and didn’t slow down again. I wish that the story had been told slightly slower from this point on, matching the first half of the book.
Wilder clearly had a lot of emotional baggage to unpack and deal with, and it was nice to see how Lorenzo could help. But towards the end, this almost felt forgotten by the author in favour of the high pace love / sex scenes.
This is my favourite book in the series so far, but I keep thinking about how it could have been even better with a few tweaks. Definitely worth reading though.
This was the book I’ve been waiting for in the Cherry Creek series. Wilder interested me from the very first mention of him in book 1, and didn’t disappoint. And I loved the tie in with Lorenzo being Rocco’s brother.
Both came into this story with their own unique backgrounds - each equally troubling to themselves, but miles apart when considered side by side.
I enjoyed the story. This felt like a slower burn at the start, which suited them well. About half way through, the pace seemed to pick up and didn’t slow down again. I wish that the story had been told slightly slower from this point on, matching the first half of the book.
Wilder clearly had a lot of emotional baggage to unpack and deal with, and it was nice to see how Lorenzo could help. But towards the end, this almost felt forgotten by the author in favour of the high pace love / sex scenes.
This is my favourite book in the series so far, but I keep thinking about how it could have been even better with a few tweaks. Definitely worth reading though.
August 3, 2020
Awww Lorenzo and Wilder <3 i wanted to hug them both, they were both a little lost in the world at the beginning of the story. I knew Lorenzo a little from a previous book but it was really nice and interesting to now get his story and perspective too. He undertakes a trip to Cherry Creek where he meets a certain cute baker :) i got a litte hungry reading about those delicious cupcakes, now I want them too. And the story was just super hilarious at times, so be prepared to meet a certain goat again causing trouble. Poor Lorenzo! And I liked Wilder very much, his was a perspective I havent really read before and I found it very interesting to read his experience as a hearing child in a Deaf family. I was so glad both of them worked it all out and found their happy ending with each other. I enjoyed the pacing of the story, how it all slowly developed. And i loved to return to Cherry Creek, and meet all the other characters from the other books too :) Cant wait for the next book!!
August 2, 2020
E.M. Lindsey has a way of telling a story that will suck you in and not let you go until she has finished telling it. I want to live in Cherry Creek, it feels so real. Lorenzo has come to Cherry Creek to find what his brother Rocco found. He’s not sure what that is but he finds himself instead. Wilder left an abusive relationship and moved to Cherry Creek 3 years ago to find himself and start something of his own. They start out as friends but find love and steadiness. You will feel all the angst and emotion in her story. I love how she introduces new characters and revisits old ones. This is another phenomenal story from E.M. Lindsey, and I cannot wait to visit Cherry Creek again.
I am voluntarily leaving a review from an ARC that I was gifted from the author. My reviews are solely based on my thoughts and opinions.
I am voluntarily leaving a review from an ARC that I was gifted from the author. My reviews are solely based on my thoughts and opinions.
June 25, 2021
This is not an author I have read before, but having read this book, it makes me want to read the other three books that I have missed in this series.
I love the fact that the the main characters are not perfect. The sub characters also are more human because of their floors.
With Wilder having had an emotionally abusive mother then having an physically abusive relationship, which didn’t quite kill him but left him scared and his hearing progressively deteriorating. He keeps very much to himself.
Lorenzo comes from a large family, when his younger brother, Rocco, was diagnosed as being deaf he made it his mission to learn sign language and be the best brother he could.
When Lorenzo turns up in Cherry Creak, Wilder encourages him to stay and they begin a friendship that slowly becomes more.
I love the fact that the the main characters are not perfect. The sub characters also are more human because of their floors.
With Wilder having had an emotionally abusive mother then having an physically abusive relationship, which didn’t quite kill him but left him scared and his hearing progressively deteriorating. He keeps very much to himself.
Lorenzo comes from a large family, when his younger brother, Rocco, was diagnosed as being deaf he made it his mission to learn sign language and be the best brother he could.
When Lorenzo turns up in Cherry Creak, Wilder encourages him to stay and they begin a friendship that slowly becomes more.
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