Take My Picture

by Giselle Ellis

Aaron has no idea what he's walking into when he shows up to pose for a famous—and famously bad-tempered—photographer. He certainly doesn't expect to end up working as Jake's assistant for five frustrating, thrilling, and crazy years instead of in front of the camera. It all works until Jake realizes Aaron has become the focus of his life, a life that's threatened when Aaron actually leaves him to start a relationship with someone else. Though it breaks his heart, Jake realizes he has to set his beloved muse free to have any chance of winning Aaron back.

Genres: M M Romance, Contemporary, Romance, Friends To Lovers, Contemporary Romance, Humor, Gay

115 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 31, 2007

About the author

Giselle Ellis grew up on a farm thoroughly convinced she was Laura Ingalls; she was quite displeased to find out she was not. Giselle now lives just outside of Minneapolis, Minnesota. She spends a great deal of time roaming around the Twin Cities looking in bookstores, museums, and any odd spot she can find. She also teaches, reads voraciously, and obsessively watches movies, which in turn has created an enormous fount of useless knowledge of which she is quite proud. If it were up to her, she would spend all of her time traveling the world, writing fiction, and trying to convince Major League Baseball that baseball should be played 365 days a year.

Reviews

[Shile (Hazard's Version) on-hiatus · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 Stars

This started out promising. The prologue alone had me loling hard. Aaron and Jake had a strong connection from the moment they met. The banter between then was entertaining.

It was easily going to be 4-5 stars, then along the way miscommunication became a thing and ruined my enjoyment. The miscommunication could have been solved by a two line conversation, but noooo let's make that into ansgt. Ugh! I am not a fan of secondary characters telling main MCs how they think the MCs should be together. It is annoying.

By the time the MCs were figuring their shit out, i had already tuned off. Too bad, i liked Aaron and Jake.

[Vio · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.85 stars
Once again an old gem has come up trumps, a fabulous romance which would still be languishing on my shelves. I don't know how I could have forgotten about reading it, the best thing to come out this absentmindedness? Good friends inquiring and gently pushing me to read it and it all came back to me. I adored the guys and its not sappy, more of a romantic love story which has all the ups and downs when dealing with difficult, frustrating, stubborn boneheads who suffer needlessly for their idiotic behaviour.

[Sun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok, I’m going to admit something and then I’m gonna *duck*…

This book, in the beginning, annoyed the crap out of me. I absolutely HATED the “banter” between Aaron & Jake. It was just trying SO HARD to be witty, exchanging zingers, and frankly I was traumatized. Everyone loved this book so much I feared I was going to loathe it…how do you turn around a book when you can barely stand the 2 MC’s talking to each other.

Next thing I know, I’m hooked. And here’s what did it: as sick as this kinda sounds, I’m a SUCKER for a functionally codependent relationship! When 2 people not only WANT each other but NEED each other…and in ways that don’t seem sane or normal (crawling into each other’s beds at night? Walking around aimlessly only to find comfort if a light is on? Turn down your boyfriend in order to comfort your boss for no reason? Erm…) I know, I know…the point is that they were in love before they even admitted it to each other. Still, it was weird…and I love that sh*t. I’m gaga for that “deep need”. And I love when someone is just THERE for you without question of what you’re asking.

So, I fell for their crazytown love and damn…THE DESPERATE SEX…????…so, so, so HOT I was…beyond…!!!

I was so engrossed by the end of the book, I immediately started it over. And the 2nd time…well, I still hated the banter, but this time I could skim that stuff and just get to the sick obsessions! And I loved it.

I would not call this book sweet as a lot of people do, or fluff…nope not at all. There’s a kinda sickness to this relationship and there’s also some damn-that-hurts angst in the story. But, the payoff was so good. Me likey…so much so...well, I read it a 3rd time right after!


This book was reviewed for:

[Alexis Hall]

The evens, I cannot.

This is a story about two grown men who are – apparently literally – unable to find each other’s cocks.

Aaron took his hand away from his cock. “Touch it then."

Jake tentatively reached out and pressed his palm flat against Aaron's stomach, his fingers fanning out then staying still, letting the heat soak into them. He was deathly afraid to move them any further. Aaron stayed still as well, unnaturally still for him, letting Jake simply touch him. The only thing moving either of them was Aaron's steady breathing as his stomach rose and fell slightly under Jake's hand.

"Beautiful,” Jake whispered. “The pictures could never hold you. This is mine; this is what I was trying to find."

"Now that it's found,” Aaron replied as his fingers combed through Jake's hair, “don't lose it again.”

Suggest alternative title for this book: How to Lose a Guy’s Cock in Five Years.

Thankfully they have a sassy straight woman (for this is what straight women are for) to help them find their knobs again.

I suppose I should see it as ... turnabout being fair play that after many years in which the only possible role for a gay person in the media was the desexualised, wrist-flopping best friend of a heroine ... that women are now the m/m equivalent of Grindr.

Helping gay men get laid since 2009.

But, look, this is not okay.

Firstly we can honestly get ourselves laid. We’ve been doing it for a long time now, and I think we’ve got it sussed.

And, secondly – women are not sexual intercourse mediation devices. If I need a friend to negotiate my shagging for me, I should not be having sex.

Now, I realise the role of women in m/m is difficult, and a Sassy Straight Woman is infinitely better than an One Dimensional Bitch Queen From Hell, but I genuinely believe it’s messed up that the default role of Valued Woman Person in m/m is ... love pimp to incompetent homosexuals.

Obviously I’m not a monolith but I’m sure I’m not alone in being able to genuinely value, admire and form friendships with women who have better things to do with their lives than facilitate my orgasms.

Anyway. God. This book. I don’t know what to say.

There’s nothing more alienating than humour you don’t find funny. I think this is supposed to amusing, but ...

... we were not amused.

And that’s not a criticism of the book, as such, it’s merely an incompatibility of temperament. Stuff like this:

"She's not going to get you fish, you know. She'll more than likely get you the chicken salad sandwich I always get on Tuesdays from the deli down on the corner."

"You eat the same thing every Tuesday?"

"And Wednesday and Thursday and Friday... do you see a pattern?"

"I think you and your Ho-Hos need to branch out more."

"And eat trout?"

"Maybe even bear."

"Yeah, uh-uh, I'm thinking ‘no’ on the bear."

"You gotta live dangerously, Mozart; there are only so few days each year bear is in season, you know."

"When exactly is bear season?"

"How the hell should I know? You're the one who reads Field and Stream, for chrissake."

"This conversation is going nowhere fast."

"It's not my fault you're a conversation killer."

"Is that in any way, shape, or form like a serial killer?"

Aaron grinned. “A little, only with slightly less body parts in your freezer."

"That's good, because then there would be no room for the bear."

"Exactly.”

I get what it’s trying to do... and I get that it’s meant to hint at the fundamental compatibility of these two nauseating manic pixie dream boys ... but to me ... it’s just trying so hard to be quirky that it comes across as excruciatingly lol!random, and leaves me wanting to punch myself in the face.

It’s like ... y’know that bit in Garden State where Natalie Portman all like makes Zack Wossname make a funny noise because nobody will ever have done that in that spot and it’ll be like totally unique and special, like a fucking goddamn snowflake? And with exactly zero conviction Nat does this weird wiggly dance thing that makes you feel actively embarrassed and uncomfortable, because it’s just so self-conscious, awkward, and trying-too-hardy, and you’re left shaking your head, being all like “oh girl, no.”

You know that bit?

This entire book is like that for me.



But here are some less personal things that I felt didn’t quite work. I guess for UST to be interesting to me it has to be Unresolved for what seems to be a plausible reason. Not just plot necessity, ineptitude and lack of basic communication skills.

I know there are plenty of readers who don’t enjoy their menz with even the faintest flicker of emotional intelligence or verbal competence because it’s the wrong sort of gay (and that's fine - taste is taste, is what it is) ... but I think even the most muscular and wang-focused human male can just about manage to grunt out “shall we bang?” Possibly while cupping himself if he’s concerned the message might not be, ahem, received.

And I’m totally fine, in principle, with “oh, it might damage our friendship” or “but I’m not sure he likes me back that way” or “I’m worried he’s not the right sort of person for me (BUT REALLY HE IS!)” which are the usual obstacles causing UST in friends-to-lovers type stories. But I need them to be embedded in something that feels like a genuine concern, or an understandable perception, otherwise you have a book in which the characters are just marking time until a certain number of pages have gone by, and they can bonk.

But the only thing keeping MPDB 1 and MPDB 2 apart is the fact the hobnob I just dipped in my tea probably has a more mature understanding of human relationships. So when MPDB 2 decides to move in with his boyfriend, this is an actual conversation that happens in the book.

As in a conversation between grownups, who presumably have voices and brains, and agency over their lives and actions:

"Jake. He didn't say a thing. He didn't argue. He didn't tell me ‘no, you can't'. He didn't say anything at all."

"What did you tell him, Aaron?” Alyson asked in a low voice."

I told him I said yes."

"Yes to what?"

"He didn't fight for me, Aly. I thought maybe he would."

"Goddammit, Aaron, tell me what the hell you're talking about. What did you say yes to and why isn't Jake talking to you?"

"Matt asked me to move in with him. Three nights ago. He told me he loved me and wanted me with him all the time because he missed me when I wasn't. No one has ever told me that; no one has ever wanted to be with me all the time."

"No one? You honestly believe that? What then do you call Jake calling you in the middle of the night because he needs to know you're there? What do you call him coming to your place when he barely goes anywhere at all because he knows you'll be there? What the hell is that if not missing you and wanting to be with you all the time?"

"I know, but he's never told me. He's never said the words like Matt did. I never know with him.”

So he’s not moving in with Matt because he wants to, or he thinks it won’t work with Jake, or even because he thinks Jake isn’t into him ... it’s because JAKE NEVER SAID THE WORDS.

And because passive aggressive emotional backmail is a wonderful reason to co-habit.

Also what the hairy balls is this “He didn't tell me ‘no, you can't'” nonsense? Since when did passing arbitrary judgement on what you can and cannot do with your life become a sought-after trait in a partner? And, yes, of course negotiating your mutual happiness is important and involves compromise, but ... specifically agreeing to do something in the hope that your partner will forbid it ... that is so completely deranged it’s honestly no wonder these men need a woman to guide their cocks together.

She probably has to tie their shoelaces as well.

[Ingie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Updated final review July 28, 2013

5 Huge Stars - emotional and tender about not knowing and then dare to say "I love you" - grandly good

If I could, there would have been many more great glittering stars because this is a wonderful and lovely novel in just 154 pages. It's about two guys who are getting more and more mixed up in each other's lives. Eventually, it may only be ONE single life, a joint life?

Jake is a famous photographer, a loner with a bit of agoraphobia. In comes the lively and adventurous Aaron and becomes his assistant. Aaron does (blue) pots, is witty in the jaw, has many boyfriends and feel a lot of trust in the sometimes stubborn and abrupt but so reliable Jake.

Years pass and a very special friendship and a strong relationship grows. BUT - Jake and Aaron is two stubborn, a bit sluggish-made men who don't see that they have what they want next to them.

~ Wake up boys - please! ~

‘Although Aaron had declared it an "unremarkable dude moment," Jake remembered it down to the minute. Even now, nearly five years later, if anyone asked him when he had first touched Aaron, he could say with certainty, "10:37 Monday morning, August 22, 2001.”
Exactly.’

It's about two quite odd but nice guys to really care for, a story to really love and feel with. Their feelings and thoughts are so beautifully described, it's very funny banters, wonderful kind-hearted friends and so tenderly about longing and need.

My heart bursts, but heals ~ some tissues may be needed for every reader.

Very, very readable and a perfect book for all the girls and romances readers who are still hesitating a bit before reading the books in this wonderful M/M romance genre. This is a traditional old-constructed romantic story and you have to wait... While doing so, it is both longing, dreams, laughter and tears.

Highly recommended to all romantics - this stands out and should not be missed!

I LIKE - fun, emotional, super romantic and just perfect for this romance-hungry Swedish lady

~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks for the excellent recommendation Bev and Vio.

[BevS · Rating 5 out of 5]

What do I say about this book?? I say Five Wonderful Golden Stars and bring on the dancing girls

A delightful story, I cried buckets of happy tears , I was forever gnashing my teeth , and there were many 'Homer Simpson' moments when I just wanted to slap both Jake and Aaron upside the head...or bash my head against a brick wall ...they were so frustrating!!

Jake and Aaron, or Moz and Flip, were a really good comedic double act, but their attempts to deny their feelings for each other....yes, that huge 'male' elephant in the corner....bordered on the ridiculous sometimes...all I wanted to do was kill them both and have done with it!! How the wonderful Aly put up with them I'll never know , and Matt was an absolutely fabulous character, who although he loved Aaron himself realised that until Moz and Flip admitted their feelings for each other, their lack of communication was very unwelcome third in his own relationship with Aaron, and when Aaron finally confirmed he loved Jake, Matt graciously stepped aside. Wonderful, wonderful story.

[Heller · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG, love this book and LOVE these characters.

I want more from this author and more story about Moz and Flip. So much more, it was too short but even with that it was so fulfilling. It was a rollercoaster and there was a moment where I had to put the ebook down because of the intensity. I almost felt like Joey in the Friends episode where he had to put Little Women in the freezer because he was upset about Beth.

I loved their banter, I loved their relationship and I felt like Alyson who knew these two guys were meant for each other but they just couldn't get to that point. The frustration level is incredibly high here but only because you want good things for these men.

It's so wonderful. So many of their interactions just made me want to melt but it never came across as too sugary, it was just right for me. One of the best reads I've had this year.

[Mirjana **DTR - Down to Read** · Rating 5 out of 5]

***4.5 Stars***

"...if you don't think he gives you sonnets, then you're not paying close enough attention. Every photograph he takes of you is a sonnet. And every day he writes you one, whether you know it or not. Five years' worth, Aaron. Thousands of sonnets just for you."

This book is filled with buckets and buckets of feels. And I loved every single second of it.



Aaron and Jake are flawed, stubborn, snarky, quirky and ridiculously endearing. Their bond is instant and their connection is obvious from the very first encounter, gripping you right from the prologue. I applaud the author because she managed to pack in a shit load (real unit of measurement) of emotion into such a short book.

Aaron is an aloof and fly by the seat of his pants guy. He takes each day as it comes and floats through life with his own unique look at the world. However, he doesn't feel like he truly belongs anywhere, has roots or a home of his own....until he steps into Jake's world.

Jake is an incredibly talented photographer whose entire world consists of his apartment and studio. Anything outside of those walls scares him, overwhelms him and feels like too much...until Aaron comes along and pushes the boundaries of his walls further and further outside of his comfort zone.

Now that Aaron had tunneled in, creating an escape route, Jake had found there was a sun and stars and fresh air all around him. Some days he couldn't even see the walls for how far away Aaron had pushed them.

It's plain to see to anyone around them that they are irrevocably in love with each other. Their daily lives consist of unspoken affection and unconditional support. But neither will admit their feelings, and once the severity of how deep these feeling run is truly felt, that's when the fear sets in...especially for Jake. What happens if the walls start closing back in? He couldn't live with himself if they trapped Aaron and stifled his spirit.

The denial and stubbornness of both guys could have frustrated me, but with the level of emotion the author evoked and the pacing of the book it just added to the angst. I understood each guy's hesitation and could sympathize with both the fear and need clawing through them.

And when they finally did come to their senses, it was beyond rewarding. Five years of pent up desire and need exploded on my kindle. It was frenzied and tender, gentle and passionate, and filled with crazed devotion and love.

...their bodies were nothing more than a tangle of limbs that were too entwined to claim a single owner but were rather an extension of this new sweating, grunting, fucking creature they had created.

There were so many little things to love about this book. From blue clay pots to middle of the night phone calls, to snarky banter that was almost spoken in a language that only Aaron and Jake could understand...I gobbled up every bit of it. I laughed, I cried and I blushed. This book delivered so many things in so few pages. My only wish is that we would have had more of Aaron and Jake as a couple. A couple of chapters just didn't feel like enough...I never denied I was a greedy whore.

If you're in the mood for witty, quirky and funny banter, heart stutters and butterflies in the stomach, two flawed characters that you can't help but root for, and a heartwarming and endearing story about finding your other half, I highly recommend you pick this one up!

[*J* Too Many Books Too Little Time · Rating 4 out of 5]

4--It's Called a Conversation People--Stars!!!

I normally hate books that are full of miscommunication and not communicating in general.

But I really loved Jake and Aaron. They had some really great banter and I really enjoyed seeing the progression of their relationship from friends to lovers.

But there comes a time where you just have to say



Get your shit together. Talk. Have a conversation. For the love of all things holy, please tell each other how you feel about each other.



Jake was so sweet when it came to Aaron. Poor things were just in denial about how they felt and how they thought each other felt. It really broke my heart how stubborn they were.

This was a short read and sadly it took the majority of the book for them to get on the same page. Translation--very little sex.



That little tidbit aside, I did quite enjoy this one. Namely the fun and funny banter between Aaron and Jake.

[Jenni Lea · Rating 5 out of 5]

^^^what this book did to me^^^


I've been blindsided. Thrown for a loop. Call it what you will, but this book came out of nowhere and knocked me right on my ass.

I expected humor. I expected snark and smut (SMARK). What I did not expect was to cry for the last half of the book; both happy and sad tears. I didn't expect to feel so damn much for these two men.

Stupid, stubborn boys are stupid.


And I ate that shit up like it was the first meal I've had in years.

This immediately goes on my 'Best of the Freaking Best' shelf.

Fucking bravo, man. Damn.

[♥Laddie♥ (Lee Lee) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Review Where My Inner Voice Makes A Reappearance

I've been unable to sit down and read a book for a couple of weeks now but early this morning my Inner Voice (I.V.) had a little something to say...

I.V.: It's been too long since we've visited Gay Romancelandia. I'm going through withdrawals. I need a cock & balls injection! STAT!!

How could I ignore that? So, after wandering around GR I saw that a friend had commented on my thread for Take My Picture. My friends were all "Read this! Read this nooooooowwwwwwww!" and I decided to jump in with both feet after putting this book off for ages.

At 3% I stopped reading and said "I CAN'T BELIEVE I WAITED THIS LONG!!"

I.V. was like "You put off reading this? Did you forget that you like the funny?"

Because this book, the story of Aaron and Jake, starts off in a sinfully funny way with the banter. Who likes the clever banter? Oh, that would be me.

Aaron is broke as a joke, living in a shitty Manhattan studio after leaving London, and looking for work. He goes to audition to be a model for Jake, a well known photographer, and somehow ends up working for the man. The very cranky man with more than a few idiosyncrasies. Right from the beginning Jake and Aaron's banter is super snappy and hellishly hilarious.

There's something else that starts to happen as Aaron and Jake spend every day together. They get to know each other and care about each other in the most meaningful of ways. Things like how they come to keep Harry the dog, their nighttime phone calls, the blue pots and the pottery wheel all show how much these two men are seriously made for each other.

Jake and Aaron's connection actually made me misty-eyed.

I will admit that I was scared of the angst that I'd heard about. I did have to make myself keep reading at one point when it got really poignant and was making my chest hurt. Keep reading I did though. I'm glad I did because the last part of the book was like the sweetest and most satisfying pay off ever. When these two men came together it was like dynamite and I was all too happy to watch the explosion.

I am so, so glad that I let everyone convince me to read this book. It made my night with its awesomesauciness and y'all know me; it takes a lot to make me give a book the awsomesauciness medal.

And I.V.? I.V. is happy but now I need a new amazing book because that inner voice is just a greedy bitch.

[Ami · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG, I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!

I think for the first time, EVER, I cried during the "I love you" scene. Maybe because I feel like I have been holding my breath from the beginning, being frustrated when reading both Jake and Aaron's thoughts of one another, knowing how strong their connection are, but they seem NOT doing anything about it.

It's emotional and so wonderful reading their journey. The story grips me to the very end. The banters are fresh and funny. Aaron with his ADD tendency, while Jake is more on the reserved part, though he also seems to need Aaron to function well. It reminds me of this small movie where I feel similar (Mozart and the Whale). So when I read that part, my tears just flow down, and I sobbed like a baby. Seriously, it might seems silly, but that's what happens. I think this is going to be one of my favorites of all time, when it comes to M/M romance. This is how the story should be, I guess.

[Kaje Harper · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book isn't about a Big Misunderstanding, it's about a gigantic, hairy, why-don't-you-guys-see-it, how-can-they-be-so-blind/stubborn, want-to-kick-them misunderstanding. The thing that saves the book and makes it well worth the read, is that the two MC's are so unusual. Both of them are in some ways dysfunctional on a social level; Aaron because he is incapable of taking the world seriously and always sees it filtered through a kind of high-humor ADHD, Jake because of a near-autistic inability to articulate about or recognize feelings.

I loved both the characters - their banter alone was worth the price of admission. The fact that the plot was based on internal failures, on the inability to recognize and communicate that kept them apart, was a mild annoyance and essential to the structure of the book. I'd love to see how these guys interact beyond that point though - how they navigate real obstacles from the outside world. Still it was refreshing to read about two MC's who don't fit the standard M/M pattern.

[Baba · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars.***Review posted February 21, 2014



Take My Picture started off very promising and I was hooked immediately thanks to the MCs funny and snarky banter and let's not forget the very likable Alyson and her cute little son Milo. However, the more I read the more frustrated I became because approximately half of the plot was monopolized by a very huge pet peeve of mine: LACK OF COMMUNICATION. Jesus christ on a crutch. Talk. Already. Talk. Already. Talk. Already. I can't stress enough how frustrating it was. And once they were ("re")united, it was too much about Melodrama meets SugarVille.

This could have been a great read but overall it was a lost opportunity.

[Heather C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not really sure what to say about this book. I mean I liked it but the majority of the time I wanted to throw my kindle across the room. Maybe I would have gotten lucky and hit Jake or Aaron in the head and knocked some sense into one of them sooner. They were both stubborn idiots who were so obviously madly in love with each other they were too blind to see any of it.

Sweet, frustrating story with some laugh out loud moments.

[Macky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once upon a time ago ( well not that long ago actually, about 18months ago to be approximate ) I was a complete muppet. I decided in my wisdom - Ha!! - to have a ' tidy up' on my Kindle. Don't ask me why but I ended up deleting about 10 books that as soon as I'd done it, realised I never should have. Over the last twelve months or so I've come across them again and slowly added them back...this was one of them and It was only when I started reading it last night that I had one of those " Eureka!" moments. OMG! It's the blue pot book!!

So, very happy and remembering how much I had loved this the first time around I settled in, got cozy and lost myself again in Aaron and Jakes über romantic story.

In my head this runs like a film/movie and I can just see it being done by somebody like Richard Curtis. Only this one has a gay cast. Obviously! Can you imagine sitting watching this with your popcorn, snuggled up to your loved one - in my case my Kindle, lol - How sad is that?- watching these two numpty guys dance around each other. True soul mates but so blind to each other's love, that everyone ...and I mean everyone... Including current boyfriends, BFF's, the world, his dog and his mother, can see they're mad for each other, but themselves! Damn stubborn men!

Full to the brim with snappy dialogue and humour, excellent snark and banter, many " Tsk's" and lots of " oh for gods sake! " moments but also loads of sigh worthy scenes that make you tingle and go all warm and fuzzy and of course the wonderful finale when they .... well you'll have to check it out yourself to experience that won't you?

Soooo worth the wait.

For myself its the will they/won't they UST lead up that makes this story the absolute gem that it is. Nobody's daft enough to think that this will end any differently than it does so even though the frustration you feel around them is sometimes nuclear, you know deep down that the sublime ending is going to make up for it. When the inevitable happens its like I said * sigh worthy*

The supporting characters are just as endearing as the two MC's and just add to this books charm. I lost a piece of my heart to Matt bless him and Aly was just great.

Thank the god of Kindle deleting numpty's that I found this again because this book is going nowhere now I've got it back where it belongs. Happy now.!

[.Lili. · Rating 5 out of 5]

*****ETA:
So I'm all excited that I found a new to me author I loved and go to check out her backlist only to discover this is her only book- and this was written years ago!



Dear Miss Ellis:




YOU MUST WRITE MORE BOOKS!!! ***



What a great book! Why the hell did I wait so long to read it?



I'll keep this short and sweet:



It's funny, endearing, heartbreaking, with an awesome happy ending! 4.5 Stars ♥

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very sweet story! Aaron and Jake are two of the craziest, most co-dependent characters I’ve ever met. But I loved them! They are eccentric and quirky and totally belong together. The only problem is they can’t see what’s right in front of them!

Witty banter, heart-warming moments, and a HEA left me with a big smile on my face :)

[Rosalinda *KRASNORADA* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mare I love you. That is all.

This book is what I needed.

Light read. Nice story. Butterflies in my tummy.

What else can I ask for?

[Gigi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a super fun re-read that I had very vague memories of initially reading several years ago. A wonderful friends-to-lovers story of two co-workers with a volatile, symbiotic relationship that works perfectly for them and has grown into a deep love for one another over the course of five years. They are hilariously snarky with one another and their bond is breathtakingly beautiful. Of course, to spice the book up, they hit a big road block in their friendship and watching these two fall out of favor with one another was gut wrenching to read, but it made for an over-the-top, glorious HEA and some panty-dropping make-up sex.

Highly, highly recommended for fans of the M/M romance friends-to-lovers genre. I have this proudly on my favorites shelf.

[εllε · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

*Spoilers*


This book had a great potential to be an awesome book. The idea was so interesting and very intriguing. We have a young male photographer who's in need of an assistant. Jake's life is all about his studio/apartment and his photographs. Until the day he meets Aaron and he "chooses" him to be his friend/crush/whatever.

Aaron is a cocky young man. Disrespectful and not very likeable (to me).

They start working together and that's what happens for the entire length of the book. They claim to "love" each other, but neither takes a step that would make them being together come true.

So what happens? They keep screwing around each other. Aaron having boyfriends for considerate amounts of time and changing them frequently and Jake having occasional one night stands with men looking just like Aaron.

I don't know how this could make me feel something more than annoyance. I could sympathise with Jake and his rigid personality, his fear to express his feelings, but Aaron (for me) was a big jerk. How can he claim to love Jake when he does nothing to show him that he wants him? Aaron wants people to beg him for his "charms". He likes being a prey too much.

After everything that happens, you think you will get the grand finale, the "climax" of the story you were anticipating. Nothing like that happens. Their union felt so vague. And there was one thing that really bothered me.
When they were about to have sex, Aaron doesn't even ask Jake for using or not a condom. They just go at it without using anything. That was their first time together and the had never talked about it. How can two people be that careless? It's just not right.

The book had its tender moments and sometimes it was emotional (mildly). The ending was satisfying. But the writing was flawed.

2.5 stars and I'm being generous.

[Katrina Passick Lumsden · Rating 5 out of 5]

"'That one. I want that one.'"

I don't think I can conjure the words necessary to convey just how moved I was by this book. It made me cry happy tears. It's rare for me to cry sad tears, even rarer for me to cry happy ones, and yet...here we are.

The humor is outstanding. That was the first thing I noticed, and that's not surprising since Jake and Aaron immediately set off on the snark battle to end all snark battles. That never ends. And while at first it's just slightly antagonistic, the author did a wonderful job transitioning as the book progressed so that each time Jake and Aaron sniped at each other, you could tell they did so out of love.

"'I don't function without a heart,' he said angrily and then added under his breath as he grabbed at the front of his T-shirt, 'He's right here.'"

Jake is a little emotionally stunted, and Aaron seems to be one of those guys who wants the full fairytale experience, but is afraid of being that vulnerable. So they both set off trying to find in other people what they've already unwittingly found in each other. Watching them fumble their way through while refusing to admit their feelings for one another is heartbreaking. Alyson, Jacob's former assistant, is great in her role as pseudo-mom and surrogate relationship counselor to these two, and she serves as a fantastic outlet for the reader's frustrations. While I was reading and thinking things like, "You two are so fucking stupid!", Alyson was right in their faces saying things like, "You two are so fucking stupid!" Alyson served as the outside observer whom we rely on to help put things in perspective, and who serves her purpose well both for us and for our two reluctant romantic leads.

"In fact, he sometimes wondered if maybe he didn't need the reassurance as much as Jake did - that Jake calling to make sure he was still there actually made Aaron be there. He sometimes worried that if Jake stopped calling to make sure he was somewhere out there, maybe he would cease to be there entirely."

The chemistry between Jake and Aaron is scorching. This isn't erotica, this is very-well crafted romance complete with a lot of longing, a lot of fear, and a whopping dose of angst at the end, which is thankfully counteracted by the insanely romantic (but not cheesy) reunion. Jake and Aaron are friends before all else, and that bond serves as the catalyst for feelings that, after being suppressed for five long years, end up exploding.

"'Just so you know,' Jake said suddenly but quietly, 'I love you, Flip.' And just like that, Aaron could suddenly breathe again."

[Sunny · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first, Aaron and Jake were so entertaining, if a bit exhausting, and I kept laughing at their banter. BUT... they were so BLIND! It was so frustrating when they refused to see, or admit, what was in front of them, insisting the other one wasn't interested or that they were just friends. I fell in love with Alyson when she told Aaron, "You're both so fucking stupid and infuriating that I want to stab the two of you in the head sometimes."

That blindness would usually turn me off a book, but as we got more insight into each character's psyche, I could understand why they acted the way they did.

When Jake was finally forced to admit he loved Aaron, but decided not to tell him, the heartache nearly did me in. The boys took turns make me cry for a bit, but eventually I started to smile and my heart melted. Melted in a puddle of goo. All over my floor. Really.

And then I got a little overheated.

Summary:
A beautiful love story

Side notes:
I still have a girl crush on Alyson
Matt, so sweet, but such a sucker for punishment. He deserved better.

Note to self:
Check for book about Matt

[Debra ~~ seriously slacking on her reviews ~~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

This book was close to perfect for me. I absolutely loved the two MC's Jake, the neurotic photographer and Aaron his snarky, overly energetic "assistant" and the almost co-dependent relationship they formed with each other over five years of working together. The conversations were fun and the way they interacted was beyond sweet. Then, just when I thought things were perfect, the author punched me in the heart. I wasn't expecting to be hit with such an emotional story.

I loved Alyson, the ever suffering friend and assistant who does all she can to make Aaron and Jake open their eyes and see what was before them. Matt, however, was just a little too perfect for me. While it was hard to believe that one of them wouldn't have just kissed the other before things came to a head, I could easily set that aside and enjoy the ride. This book grabbed me from page one and made me devour it. Highly recommended.

[Juniper · Rating 5 out of 5]

The blurb really doesn't do this book justice, so much so that I almost didn't buy it. So glad that I did.

The story starts light-heartedly - really snappy, witty banter between the two main characters that made me smile widely & a growing friendship & inter-dependence. The mood does change as the story moves forward & we find out how they feel toward each other - Jake hates Aaron's boyfriends & Aaron hates Jake's one-night 'Fucks', but it kept me gripped.

You just know Jake & Aaron have to be together, but they are initially blind to how they feel about each other. This type of story-line usually makes me want to clap the characters heads together, but I didn't think this at all here. It was emotional - reading how Jake sat on a bench outside Aaron's house in order to be close to him & Aaron sat at the window watching him just made me so heavy-hearted - they were just so lost without each other. It took Aaron's current boyfriend Matt & Jake's ex PA Alyson to finally make things work.

There was only one sex scene in the book, but it was one very long, very passionate scene & well worth the wait.

Certainly a recommended read.

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh boy! I liked this one, I really liked it. I admit it wasn't perfect, not at all, but it was special and even though not a lot actually happens.

It is the relationship between Aaron and Jake who are both completely nuts, that makes this book shine. They each have their own crazy idiosyncrasies that make them both unique and annoying. The result is a hilarious often juvenile exchange that really does have you laughing out loud, no matter how silly.

However, I do wish I had a better visual picture of Jack and I wished that these guys weren't so bull headed and stubborn.

I highly recommend this one. It is a wonderful, heartwarming and heartbreaking love story. For a novella the character development is brilliant. I very quickly came to care about them and what they meant to each other. The writing and telling is very good, and I'm so very glad I picked this one up.

I would love to read more by this author.

[Tiya Rosa · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Just so you know, I love you, Flip."

As far as dramatic declarations of love goes, that one line does not sound as impressive as “You have bewitched me, body and soul” - since who can seriously make a girl fall head over heels over one line more than Mr. Darcy - but taking it in context of the stubborn and frustrating journey Aaron and Jake went through, reading those eight words had me all choked up and ahh-ing over my Kindle.

Aaron and Jake are definitely in my top ten favorite male-male couples.

This started as a smooth, funny, entertaining read. Aaron works for Jake as a photographer's assistant and within five years of working together, they have discovered that their lives kind of revolve around each other. No one wants to grow some balls, however, and make the first move to elevate the relationship from best friends to lovers, so they spend a lot of time just being asses with one watching the other when the other is not looking and doing all kinds of adorably creepy stuff like sleeping with guys who look like the other or making jars and painting them in the color of the other's eyes. It's all very juvenile and shit, but the thing is that it all works.

I cared about the angst. I laughed at the jokes and the wisecracks and the nicknames. I had my heart broken when they both had their heads in their asses. I practically screamed in frustration at the same times the MCs' friend was screaming in frustration and I fist pumped when it all came together.

I'm not one who usually stick with a book when the only conflict the MCs are supposed to get over is a little misunderstanding. 'Cause who really wants to hang around people who can make things easier for themselves when they can just take five minutes and fucking talk, right? In this, though, I came to love them and their set up as they are without sex in it that I could totally get why neither would want to fuck it up. It all just worked, you know? They were happy with their late night calls and early morning visits and their subtle ways of showing they're crazy about each other. They could've just gone on and been perfectly content although not completely happy, so I also get why something had to happen to get them to realize that they're perfect for each other and if that something had to be a huge misunderstanding, then I'm all over it.

This is your typical male-male romance in that the MCs meet and fall for each other and get over a conflict and get their HEA. It's not your typical male-male romance in that there's only one sex scene and there was no mention of erections sproinging in inappropriate times and obsessive details of how the MCs look.

I liked that. It was refreshing not having to dodge twitching cocks (as a GR buddy would say) and read about an MC thinking to himself how the other MC's lips would look great wrapped around a specific body part. This focuses more on how the MCs are perfect for each other without sex mixed in. It actually got me worried that their compatibility outside of the bedroom might be in direct contrast to how they match up sexually, but I'm happy to report that all's well in the sex department.

A recommended read and one whose blurb doesn't do it a jot of justice. And oh, wherever you are Giselle Ellis, please please please be writing another book. You can't possibly think one would be enough for us now, can you?

[Mare SLiTsReaD Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review posted @: www.facebook.com/slitsread

5 I UGLY CRIED STARS





Beautiful
Agonizing
Best friends turn lovers
Fears
Tests
Love
Love
Love



Did you hear that sound? What was that?

Oh just my heart shattering into a million lil pieces, no biggie 56% thru

What was that? Did you feel that??

Oh just the earth moving, no biggie 90%

I would like to thank Giselle Ellis for not describing any of the sex btwn the "fucks" and the boyfriends. I think if I had to read those I might have DIED

And because we have determined that I am a kiss slut~ that FIRST KISS WAS EPIC

I HEART THIS BOOK..... BIG TIME



Mare~Slitsread

[Jamie ♡♡ submits to books ♡♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

☆☆☆☆ 4.5 There's No Place Like Home Stars ☆☆☆☆

Dark, gritty, raw, shocking.....THIS STORY IS NONE OF THOSE! This is one of the sweetest stories with a good dose of frustrating "Please just love each other NOW "!



Jake is young and stubborn. He doesn't keep anyone around long enough to love him, but that is exactly what Jake needs.

Searching for a new assistant, he sees something special in Aaron. Never did Jake realize that Aaron would become his world.



Aaron breezed in and took over. Everything.
His space.
His things.
His peace of mind.
His life.

Jake and Aaron ' s friendship is filled with funny banter and undeniable affection. Both men would do anything for the other no matter what time of day or whom they were with.

Neither man will or can admit what their true feelings really are until it is too late and Jake pushed Aaron into the arms of another man.

Moving on for Aaron seemed so simple but his heart made it impossible to love the new man that cherished him. His heart belonged HOME with Jake.

He loved Jake because he was his home, and no matter how much Matt felt like home, he simply was not.
Jake was Aaron’s home.
His stupid, fucked-up home.
And Aaron was achingly homesick.

As Aaron is pushed back into the arms of the man he always belonged with, the world finally began to feel right again.



Aaron stood there breathing in Jake’s scent and remembering all the reasons why this place, why Jake, was his home.

This reunion is off the charts HOT AS ALL HELL!! One of the BEST sexually explosive displays of love I gave read in a long time!!



Aaron was kissing Jake, wet and fierce, biting and tearing at his lips.
They couldn’t get enough.
Fast enough.
Hard enough.
Close enough.
Deep enough.
Just not enough.

Fabulous M/M story of friendship and love!

.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been wanting to read this one for a long time and it did not disappoint.

While the crazy why-the-hell-can't-you-see-you're-perfect-for-each-other angle might have been a little over the top in another book. For these guys it seemed to work. They are both artists and for some reason I am more forgiving of an artist for his whackadoodle tendencies because the stereotype seems to have some basis in reality. While if these guys were in love with anyone but each other, I would tell the other guy to run like they were on fire, with Aaron and Jake, their dysfunction balanced out together and they actually made each other more stable together than apart.

The humor in this story was great, their banter totally amusing and the fact that they understood each other so well was just another indication of their rightness together. What was even more telling was how well they connected when they weren't speaking. Just working together in the same room and knowing the other was there was such a calming influence they both needed.

Oh, but poor Aly and Matt. I liked Aly's character a lot. It was nice to see a female friend included who, while being supportive and a little motherly, wasn't over the top with it and she gave as good as she got without being bitchy at all. Matt deserves a medal. He was almost too good and just did all the right things once he realized it was kind of a mistake to get as involved in Aaron's whirlwind existence as much as he did. I liked how Aaron and Matt worked it out though, it felt sweet and honest. Matt could have come out of this story as bit of a pathetic character, but instead I admired him very much for his selflessness.

Really a very sweet read with truly unique characters.