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Where He Ends and I Begin (Home #3)

by Cardeno C. (Goodreads Author)

4.0 of 5 stars 4.00 · rating details · 1,002 ratings · 114 reviews

Jake Owens, aggressive, physical, blunt and brave, is a football hero turned city cop. Nate Richardson, his best friend since before forever, is thoughtful, quiet, and kind, a brilliant doctor who has always known who he is and that Jake is the love of his life—and loyal, courageous, straight Jake has never had a clue.

But Jake has been nursing his own case of the unrequite...more

ebook, 250 pages

Published June 6th 2011 by Dreamspinner Press, LLC

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Between Sinners and Saints by Marie Sexton

Best M/M Romance Published in 2011

26th out of 399 books — 868 voters

Best Gay For You Romance

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Jul 13, 2011 Nikyta rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: dreamspinner-press, bubbles-safe, contemporary, cops-fbi-etc, friends-or-enemies-to-lovers, m-m, medical, series-serial, toothache-sweetness-and-perfection, unrequited-yearning, wayyyyy-too-much-sex, published-on-amazon

3.5 stars - Warning: This is a long review. If I weren't so lazy, I'd probably go back and cut pieces of it that I repeat but I'm really that lazy. Lol. So, just read it... and I expect you to like it :P

I have to admit, this book didn't start off good for me. The first half of the book is essentially a big misunderstanding between Jake and Nate about one thing about their relationship or another. Then there's the sweetness factor. For someone who is not in the mood for a sweet, sweet, sweet ~~and~~...more 3.5 stars - Warning: This is a long review. If I weren't so lazy, I'd probably go back and cut pieces of it that I repeat but I'm really that lazy. Lol. So, just read it... and I expect you to like it :P

I have to admit, this book didn't start off good for me. The first half of the book is essentially a big misunderstanding between Jake and Nate about one thing about their relationship or another. Then there's the sweetness factor. For someone who is not in the mood for a sweet, sweet, sweet ~~and sappy~~ book, it's almost unbearable to get through the beginning. And finally, there is the unrealistic perfection to the story. Where one problem arises, an easy solution is given with absolutely no conflict whatsoever (which is where the unrealisticness (I just made that word up btw ^_^) comes into play because we all know it ain't ever that easy.

At times I was extremely frustrated with this story. I wasn't sure if I liked it or if I didn't and because of that it was really hard to get into. Plus, I wasn't very fond of the writing style. I usually like first person POV but I don't like it when it's an alternating first person style. So, mix that with repeat scenes in each POV switch plus flashbacks and you get a story that did not sit well with me at first. It took some time for me to get used to the writing because I don't like alternating first person POVs and I don't like repeat scenes from each MC's POV (which becomes annoying and tedious after the first three times) and I kinda don't like flashbacks either. So, it was bothersome to say the least.

With that said, though, I did like the story. It's not the kind of book you can pick up and expect to have realism in it because nothing in this book would ever turn out like that in real life (call me cynical if you'd like but you know it's true) so you need to know from the start that you have to take out all your expectations of a book being real when you start this because if you don't, you will be extremely disappointed. Everything is simple and easy for Jake and Nate. It always goes their way no matter what situation or problem arises. It is essentially a perfect world for them. I liked that about the story but only after the halfway mark, only after the overly sweet scenes were toned down a notch.

I couldn't handle the toothache sweetness of the book at first, it was just too much for someone like myself. Not to say these characters are weak or anything (Nate is a dense idiot, however) but Jake and Nate are romantic to the point you want to check and make sure your teeth haven't rotten yet from so much sugary sweetness. It is overwhelming at first. Halfway through, it tones down because all the crap with Nate being a dense idiot lessens since Nate starts becoming more secure in his relationship with Jake so Jake isn't doing everything possible to show Nate what they have is real. After that, I really enjoyed the story. The first half has a slow-pace while the second half is more fast-paced and much easier to read. The overlapping scenes lessen as well so that was a blessing for me.

So, like I said, I really liked it. Nate and Jake are a cute couple especially since they've known each other and been in love with each other for as long as they can remember. It's sweet (I bet you're sick of that word by now ;-P), it's entertaining because you get tidbits on the memories they have together and you know for a fact that these two actually know each other inside and out. I especially liked how these two were completely different. Jake's the badass, aggressive, angry big guy while Nate is the quiet, shy, insecure small guy. Jake's athletic and a cop while Nate's a bookworm and a scientist. They are complete opposites but they've been in each others lives so long they are completely different when together. Jake is gentle and caring while Nate is talkative and outspoken. I really, really liked that.

However, while I did like the book there were things I had a problem with. For one, definitely way too much sex for me. I don't know if gay men really have that much sex but if they do, how the fuck are their dicks not sore and bruised?! Didn't their assholes hurt?! I had to start skipping the sex because it was way too much for me (and it was sappy sweet, I just couldn't handle it :-/). Beyond that, I didn't like how abruptly the end happened. The first half of the book is so slow with Jake and Nate figuring out their relationship then the second half just speeds by and by the end, it's like you feel slightly cheated. I wanted less sex (view spoiler), I wanted to know more about what their life would be like after moving back to their hometown (view spoiler).

Over all, I did like the book. It brought the goofy smile to my face that you sometimes get while watching chick flick movies. Recommended if you are looking for lots and lots of sappiness with your romance.(less)

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Mar 21, 2013 Gina rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2013, m-m, friends-becoming-lovers

4.6 stars

This is Death by chocolate.
Strawberry ice cream sundae with a dollop of chocolate syrup on top.
Red velvet cup cake.
Lindt chocolate truffles.

This is ultimate sweetness.

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May 10, 2013 Barb rated it 3 of 5 stars

I walked through several of these reviews to see if anyone pointed out what I considered a mistake. But no one seems to have noticed it. When Nate comes out he clearly says he came out to Jake first in eighth grade. Then two paragraphs later, in remembering when that happened, he “has been trying to tell Jake all night” but they are at a party with a lot of their friends “drinking and hooking up” and Jake is on the couch with a girl with a “fuck me now” look on her face. Really? At fourteen?? Na...more I walked through several of these reviews to see if anyone pointed out what I considered a mistake. But no one seems to have noticed it. When Nate comes out he clearly says he came out to Jake first in eighth grade. Then two paragraphs later, in remembering when that happened, he “has been trying to tell Jake all night” but they are at a party with a lot of their friends “drinking and hooking up” and Jake is on the couch with a girl with a “fuck me now” look on her face. Really? At fourteen?? Nate doesn’t know which girl because he is always on the couch or IN BED or in some corner with so many. Doesn’t sound like the eighth grade to me. BUT THEN later, while in Jake’s point of view, he says that he hadn’t even KISSED a girl prior to Nate telling him he was gay. After he perceived Nate wasn’t interested that was when he “let loose” and went to bed with every girl he could. So which was it? Jake’s memory probably really in the eighth grade or Nate’s memory of drinking and hooking up? They definitely contradict each other. Kind of surprised no one seemed to notice. Shocked the author didn’t and even more shocked the editors didn’t.

Plus I do agree with several of the reviews here saying the back and forth of the points of view, at least in the beginning, were irritating since they constantly covered the same moments. If it moved the plot forward to do that SOMETIMES then I could see it but it would have been far better if the author allowed for the next scene to take place when the point of view was changed, and DID start doing that half way through, but I almost gave up on reading the rest because of the repetition. I found myself skipping over stuff and I hate that when a book “throws me out”. When I read I want to stay in the fantasy and let time just go. I want to be excited to get back to the book if I haven’t finished it because life wouldn’t let me finish it at one sitting but I just wasn’t with this one. In fact, I am surprised this book has had so many great ratings. It really was the reason I bought it. When you get to over nine hundred ratings you can probably think it is a fairly accurate one. I just do not see it with this book.

Then we move on to the sex scenes. I honestly felt there was no passion. No whispered words or thoughts about how good it felt or anything like that. I know it sounds poetic and flowery and that can be done to death as well, but too often times these two just came together, rubbed and were done. And when I say often, I mean often. Like the sex scenes were just one more thing to describe in physical terms and not on any emotional level. Even a couple “having sex” can be sexy. But a couple that is supposed to be “making love” should be, at the very least, moving. It’s maybe more difficult to do that when it is third person but should be no problem, and actually should be required, when it is done in first person. I did not see that with this book, this author.

There was one review here that mentioned both points of view were basically the same. I agree. You have this “devil may care” jock who would rather fight then talk and then you have this “geek” who is insecure (author’s description). They should be completely different points of view. And in fact the author missed a golden opportunity to show those exact differences in emotions rather than description. I can’t understand an editor not insisting an author SHOW a description like insecurity or anger or, in the author’s words again, “alpha male”, rather than to just simply use those words. SHOW “I am so crazy about you” rather than just use those words. The deeper I got into this story the more frustrated I became knowing that was totally missing. It read more like a term paper, where only facts are important, than a love or romantic story.

This was a long story and when I realized that it was bits and pieces of the MC’s lives and not something that would eventually intertwine together I was able to enjoy it more. And I have to say some of the writing made me smile and tear up so that was very good. I do not like angst and there was extremely little in this book. Any conflicts resolved right away and honestly, I like that. I did have some issues with how perfect everything was but it is fantasy and I love happy endings. This one had that for sure.

I also ended up liking Jake more and more. I loved the way he paid total attention to Nate. I loved that they were so into each other that really no one else mattered and I loved that Jake knew all that. He protected Nate constantly and I really loved that. But it did get TOO much at times. It was as if even the author was having trouble FEELING the emotion and just had to keep repeating that the emotion was there.

But with how long this story was and how almost rambling it became at times, the ending felt rushed, as if the author realized the word count had gotten too high and it needed to come to a screeching halt. If that had been the case I wish the author had chosen to eliminate some of the repetition in the first six or ten chapters instead of rushing the ending.

Even so, I will look at more of this author’s works because I truly do love happy stories. From what I read of the bio I can be pretty sure of them.
(less)

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Apr 10, 2013 Runell rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: glitebooks

While I love the idea of the book, and like the book, I feel as though it was too much. How can a book be too much? Well, too much sex, too many easy way outs, too many easy explanations. Then on the other hand, I feel as though it wasn't enough. I would have loved to see Jake and Nate move back home, with Lexi, and see how their lives are going. An epilogue would have done that nicely, I believe.

I really like the idea of best friends becoming more than just friends and building a relationship t...more

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Mar 17, 2013 Furio rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: gay, gay-romance

It is clear that the author's biography tells the truth when it says Cardeno be an hopeless romantic.

The plot of this novel is hardly believable in its twists and the main characters are so desperately selfless, caring, loving, without a single drop of selfishness that they are too good to be true. While reading I wished I was the one having Jake in my arms not only because he is described as impossibly gorgeous but because he would take care of me till the end of my days without being bossy and...more It is clear that the author's biography tells the truth when it says Cardeno be an hopeless romantic.

The plot of this novel is hardly believable in its twists and the main characters are so desperately selfless, caring, loving, without a single drop of selfishness that they are too good to be true. While reading I wished I was the one having Jake in my arms not only because he is described as impossibly gorgeous but because he would take care of me till the end of my days without being bossy and always respecting my personality and indipendence... Quite hard to believe, that, is it not?

I am not implying Cardeno cannot write, quite the contrary. To push me through to the last page of the novel despite the reservations I had about the credibility of the plot and of the characters it took a lot of emotional tension and that was there: the characters may be over the top but it was easy to care for them.

Whatever actual events there are are few and understated. The death of Jake's parents, supposedly the most dramatic episode in the whole story, is told simply and is so much more effective exactly because it is dealt that way. The characters' journey is mainly an emotional one.

It is also interesting how the author chooses to tell his story:
on one plane is the present, covering less than a year, from Nate and Jake realisation they love each other to their homecoming; on the other there is the past, beginning from before the two of them were born to a few months before their falling in love.
It is always very well done and no confusion arises.
The POV shifts constantly from Jake to Nate (but it does it clearly, every shift being introduced by the name of the character): the same events are often retold but giving the two's very different perspectives. This is a rather ingenious device as it allows to get intimately acquainted with them. The repetions were never redundant and I never got bored.

There are many sex scenes (and I mean MANY), some of them better than the others, but all of them explicit and arousing.

This is why I chose to rate this book with three stars: the plot remains a bit difficult to believe and the characters too perfect to be true but the writing is simple, neat, proficient, the novel's structure is well thought of and tension is always there. (less)

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Oct 26, 2012 Sophia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance

This was one of those books that was a very endearing read which I really enjoyed. There are elements that seem a part of the series like the almost fairy tale quality to the romance between the characters and the non-linear storytelling that while I don't mind others might. The storytelling is accomplished both with a present tense line and regular flashbacks from all the moments leading up to the present. The fairy tale quality comes from the fact that the characters are perfect for each other...more This was one of those books that was a very endearing read which I really enjoyed. There are elements that seem a part of the series like the almost fairy tale quality to the romance between the characters and the non-linear storytelling that while I don't mind others might. The storytelling is accomplished both with a present tense line and regular flashbacks from all the moments leading up to the present. The fairy tale quality comes from the fact that the characters are perfect for each other. Jake is everything to and for Nate and vice versa.

The book is the third in the Home Series and the characters were introduced in the second book with this part of their story falling chronologically before the other one. The books could be read as stand alones quite easily, but I've come to enjoy the fact that I'm meeting characters who are potentially the next set of main characters.

This is the story of Jake and Nate. They were almost destined for each other before they were born when their mother's were best friends and did everything together even down to living next door and giving birth to their sons on the same day. The two boys are inseparable all their lives being and doing all for each other with one exception until the day they are both in for a surprise. Nate was openly gay and loved Jake, but Jake was straight- or was he?

The plot is a series of discoveries that the two guys- mostly Nate being the clueless one- make about each other. Nate is the thinker who over-analyzes and assumes because he is always worried that he will lose Jake. Jake is not stupid, but he looks at things in a very literal way along with the fact that he just doesn't care unless it has to do with Nate. They are opposites in many ways, but yet it is more a ying-yang sort of thing.

The pacing did drag a bit in places, but that didn't stop me from just enjoying the slower vignettes of the past and present interwoven together. While the guys have to get past the insecurity of losing each other, its a rather mellow read on the whole which I enjoyed as a variety.

I'm looking forward to Jonathan's story now after that brief tantalizing introduction.(less)

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Aug 27, 2012 Priscila Rocha rated it 5 of 5 stars

I can not quantify how many times I read and reread this book. Every day that I want to relax I choose this sweet story. The first time that I read I just kept waiting for something terrible to happen after they finally get to be together, but it was a nice surprise to read a story in which love is so great that even when put to the test is not shaken. I actually had to restrain myself from reading ahead because I was so curious and I really didn´t want anything to happen to them. And when I got...more

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Jun 24, 2012 Raevyn rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 65k-to-100k-words, contemporary, friends-to-lovers, m-m, m-m-series, sweet-sweet-story, sports-jocks, 2012

Jake and Nate have been friends since birth, literally. They both also have been in love with each other for over ten years. I liked both characters but there was something about Jake that just made me melt. He carried the story for me.

This is the story of them finally coming together and telling each other about their love for one another. Throughout the story you learn about things that they had done for each other, but did not want the other to know. I didn't like this aspect of the story bec...more

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Sep 12, 2011 Fangtasia rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The third book in the "Home" series by Cardeno C., this one didn't match the "goodness" of the previous two.

The main couple was perfect, they truly were one person in two bodies, the sex was incredibly hot, but...

My main problems with it were:
* Why, oh why did the author think it would work to have alternating POVs from chapter to chapter, going over the same scene? Yes, the reader gets to find out what each MC is feeling/thinking for every scene but repeat, repeat, repeat, boring...

* How many...more

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Sep 03, 2011 Elisa Ramblings added it

The story of Jake and Nate is almost too romantic to be true, but sometime an unbelievable happily ever after is exactly what you need.

Jake and Nate are born the same day from two women who were best friends; they lived near each other, they went to the same school and they were inseparable, like and more than twins. When at 13 years old Nate came out to his family and to Jake, they all accepted and supported him, never questioning if it was right or wrong, it was simply Nate. Jake by the way, w...more The story of Jake and Nate is almost too romantic to be true, but sometime an unbelievable happily ever after is exactly what you need.

Jake and Nate are born the same day from two women who were best friends; they lived near each other, they went to the same school and they were inseparable, like and more than twins. When at 13 years old Nate came out to his family and to Jake, they all accepted and supported him, never questioning if it was right or wrong, it was simply Nate. Jake by the way, was apparently a womanizer, changing girls like he changed his underwear, but there was always one steady point in his life Nate. Nate on the other hand had an unrequited love for Jake and even if he tried to have relationships with other men, when it came to the choice between his boyfriend and Jake, Jake was always the chosen one.

It comes out that Jake is in love with Nate, and that he was even before Nate realized he was gay; Nate, in his effort to not let his feelings for Jake transpire, fearing to loose his friendship, convinced Jake he was not interested in him at all; better as a friend yes, but not as a lover. And so Jake continued to date women, appearing as a womanizer, while at the same time he was protecting Nate from his bad choices in the boyfriends department.

Even if it can sound complicated, I think there is quite an obvious reason in Jake’s behaviour: since he is in love with Nate, he cannot have any other relationship with a man, it would be to betray Nate; going out with women, and having sex with them, is nothing else than sexual relief, and that is the reason why he appears like a womanizer, like someone who doesn’t care for the woman he is with… since really he doesn’t care at all. He is 100% focused on Nate, and no one else can occupy his heart and mind.

It sounds strange, but I didn’t mind that Nate had other sexual relationships; they allowed him to be sure his love for Jake was real, and not induced by the fact they were virtually always together. Both Nate than Jake’s sexual experience outside their relationship served to them to test their bond than ended up stronger than before. They maybe could have arrived to the right decision a little before, but in the end, it was the right moment, both for starting a long lasting relationship than a family together.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1615819118/?...(less)

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Jun 13, 2011 Kassa rated it 3 of 5 stars

For those following the Home series, Where He Ends and I Begin is the third book published yet the first book chronologically. It’s a bit of a convoluted publishing scheme (it’s almost as if the books are published backwards in the timeline) but thankfully you don’t need to read the books in any particular order to understand the series. This book, like all the other books, stands alone. The writing is very typical of the other two books in the series and the tone tends to be too sweet and perfe...more For those following the Home series, Where He Ends and I Begin is the third book published yet the first book chronologically. It’s a bit of a convoluted publishing scheme (it’s almost as if the books are published backwards in the timeline) but thankfully you don’t need to read the books in any particular order to understand the series. This book, like all the other books, stands alone. The writing is very typical of the other two books in the series and the tone tends to be too sweet and perfect. There is very little tension, almost no conflict, and every single person is accepting and happy for the couple. In fact life is pretty easy for these two once they actually tell each other how they feel. This kind of low drama, soul mate romance will appeal to fans who like their couples fated to be together with no question of anything tearing them apart.

The plot is a mixture of current events and flashbacks. The story begins with Jake and Nate right after they’ve had sex for the first time. Jake’s first person narration continues with a flashback to how the two men have been inseparable since birth. Following along their past, certain events are highlighted to show how close the two men are. The remainder of the story mixes current events with numerous flashbacks over the span of their lives. These flashbacks aren’t in any particular order and they pull from the recent past to their early childhood. The story also alternates first person narrator between Jake and Nate.

The plot of the story is very character driven in that it basically shows how Jake and Nate became the happily married couple with a child that was shown briefly in He Completes Me. There is not much action and very little drama or tension. The main issues seem to be Nate’s insecurity and blindness. Not physical blindness of course but mostly that he seemed to utterly miss that Jake has been almost slavishly devoted and in love with Nate since birth. Here is where the biggest suspension of disbelief is required because it asks readers to believe that two men who already know they’re soul mates somehow go 28 years without ever admitting their head over heals in love and lust with each other. It’s a bit much considering they have such excellent communication in every other area.

I’ll give the story credit because it tries, however thinly, to make this plausible. If you can forgive that obvious gaffe for the sake of the romance, then this story won’t bother you and its super sweet romance may satisfy. There are a few other issues you have to overlook as well. The first is that absolutely everyone in the story is pro-gay. No one bats an eye that the supposedly super-straight Jake is openly gay and every friend/family member/boss/co-worker/random person on the street is accepting and extremely happy. Of course this falls in line with the very sweet nature of the story so I doubt many readers will be bothered by this. Just know though there are no problems in this story.

Additionally the writing structure is a bit odd. The alternating narrators tend to be highly repetitious. For example the story will present one entire scene from Jake’s POV and then repeat the exact same scene from Nate’s POV. This is repeated down to duplicate action and dialogue. So the story can drag when you’re reading a scene you just barely read just from a different perspective. These also aren’t brief scenes but instead several pages long each. It’s nice to see how the two men view the same situation but it creates unnecessary repetition. Likewise the flashbacks tend to be sweet and very romantic – this is after all a two halves of one person romance – but I wish the story had found another way to incorporate them than awkwardly placed flashbacks in the middle of the story the narrator is telling.

However these are probably minor qualms since the men are the real stars. They’re exaggerations and stereotypes in every way with little nuance and depth. Nate is a doctor/genius who can’t see the obvious in front of him. He often describes himself as “slow to pick up on things” which should be in opposition to the genius characteristic but the story tries to show its endearing and charming. Jake is a gorgeous stud with a perfect body and a prickly exterior for anyone but Nate. For Nate Jake is a warm, loving, caring, and endlessly generous man who knew they’d be together from their birth. Their greatest interest is the absolute devotion and love they have for each other, which I have to admit is lovely to read if you’re looking for something sweet.

While the story tells rather than shows and goes to extremes, there is a sweetness and likability there. It’s easy to read and for those that like soul mate romances you don’t get much more destined and solid than these two. Everything comes easy to them once they just figure out they’re in love and the moments of fear and insecurity add a nice balance to the endless love and perfect sex they’re having. I purposefully waited until I wanted something easy to read and very very light to pick this up and it fulfilled that niche pretty well. It’s not a story I’d read again or take very seriously but you don’t get a much more solid HEA than these two. For the right fan, this should satisfy. Just know it’s incredibly sweet and “perfect.”(less)

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Feb 05, 2013 Tʀɪsʜᴀ Hᴀʀʀɪɴɢᴛᴏɴ rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: cops-pis-bodyguards, it-was-meh

This book gets 3 stars from me. While I am a fan of the sappy romance and a book that has a good mixture of sex scenes and regular scenes this was not a favourite of mine. I liked it enough and I really wanted to like it more. But there were just some aspects that were not really for me.

The story itself is a personal favourite of mine. Two friends that have been in love with each other for years finally get together. Add the gay for you and I am hooked. But while all that was lovely and you get...more

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Jan 15, 2013 Nicole Ortiz rated it 3 of 5 stars

ok let me start off by saying i ddi enjoy this book.. it's all about love and finding you solemate.. This book is very long and inthe beginning as I read the frist couple of pages I was wondering what else there was to say about these two...

First you'll have to get through the repeating in the first couple of pages of each chapter.. What I mean by that and many others have already made this comment.. the other felt a need to tell us form each MC point of view what they were feeling at the same m...more

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Sep 29, 2011 Barb rated it 4 of 5 stars

I would have rated this five stars if not for the repetitive telling from both POV. I think the author could have told this from both POV without covering the exact same dialog etc. so I took one point off for that. You were literally reading the same words but from the other characters POV and for me it was just the author trying to add word count which comes across as lazy IMO. It wasn't necessary and detracted from the story.

Normally I like a bit of angst in a story to make the pay off that...more

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Jul 14, 2011 ManOhMan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

Reviewed by Allie: This is a story about two men who are born at the same time to two families who have grown up together. They were destined to be best friends right from the start. Jake and Nate are two very different people. Jake is the rough, tough athlete and Nate is the smart, calm and loving intellectual. Nate helps Jake find the patience to succeed in school and Jake is there make sure Nate is never picked on after he comes out while they are in middle school. The book chronicles their l...more

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Jul 05, 2011 ♥Laddie♥ rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: bad-boy-hero, law-enforcement-hero, mm, mm-killed-my-joy, geek-hero

I love sweet stories. I love long stories. This is both a sweet and a long book. That means I should love it, right? Unfortunately, I didn't.

Where He Ends And I Begin is the story of two best friends, Jake and Nate, falling in love. Their friendship is cradle to the grave. They were born on the same day, their mothers gave birth in the same room, they were laid down next to each other after they were born. And so began the saga of Jake and Nate.

A couple of things in this book didn't work for me...more I love sweet stories. I love long stories. This is both a sweet and a long book. That means I should love it, right? Unfortunately, I didn't.

Where He Ends And I Begin is the story of two best friends, Jake and Nate, falling in love. Their friendship is cradle to the grave. They were born on the same day, their mothers gave birth in the same room, they were laid down next to each other after they were born. And so began the saga of Jake and Nate.

A couple of things in this book didn't work for me.

**I never thought I would say this about a book but this story was too sweet. I almost overdosed and went into a coma or something. Everyone just loved each other so much. The parents all loved each other, they loved Jake and Nate, Jake and Nate loved each other and they loved their parents. It was stressed that they all had this deep, almost psychic, connection to each other. If Nate is in a room and Jake walks in, even if Nate's not looking, Nate can feel Jake's presence. The same goes for Jake where Nate is concerned. Everyone was so sweet and so in love that it was bordering on creepy.

**This book was told in first person with the POV switching back and forth between Nate and Jake. There were times when I had to go back and remind myself who was narrating the chapter. The narration was the same and that confused me. Nate and Jake were so different and such different views on life that they each should have had a very distinctive voice.

Jake is supposed to be this tough badass who doesn't care about anyone outside of his family. He likes to fight and curse, and he scares the snot out of everyone. That's what the reader is told. His narrative should have been nothing like Nate's. Nate is studious, quiet, very sweet and kind of sheltered. There really shouldn't have been any point where I wondered who was talking.

**There was a situation having to do with Jake, Nate, Jake's parents and a car crash. If this story line was supposed to illustrate how much Jake was devoted to Nate, it fell short. While reading the car crash scene I was more disturbed than anything. It was just...messed up. I'm not going to say any more than that because it would ruin part of the book for people who haven't read it yet.

**Jake was a man-whore and his treatment of the women he slept with bothered me. I got the feeling that he slept with them and then discarded them. He didn't care about their feelings. They were just place holders because he couldn't have Nate. Really? I'm supposed to like this guy?

When you put all of the above together, you get a book that I didn't like. I could see what the author was going for but it just never happened. If you're going to read a book in this series, I would suggest He Completes Me.
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Apr 07, 2013 Manuela rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporaneo, ebook

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Bruttarello. E non perchè tratta un amore "diverso" dai soliti che leggo; anzi, la storia d'amore nuda e cruda è la parte che forse si salva, e non ho trovato eccessive neanche le numerose scene di sesso, che non mi hanno sconvolta o disturbata (c'è da sottolineare però che i due possono essere annoverati tra i più prolifici produttori di sperma dell'intero universo). A non piacermi quasi per niente è stato lo sviluppo del romanzo in generale, lo stile, la sceneggiatura, se si parlasse di un fil...more Bruttarello. E non perchè tratta un amore "diverso" dai soliti che leggo; anzi, la storia d'amore nuda e cruda è la parte che forse si salva, e non ho trovato eccessive neanche le numerose scene di sesso, che non mi hanno sconvolta o disturbata (c'è da sottolineare però che i due possono essere annoverati tra i più prolifici produttori di sperma dell'intero universo). A non piacermi quasi per niente è stato lo sviluppo del romanzo in generale, lo stile, la sceneggiatura, se si parlasse di un film.
Se l'espediente di raccontare la storia alternativamente dai due diversi punti di vista poteva sembrare interessante, alla fine si riduce a una noiosa e ripetitiva sequela di avvenimenti, spesso inutili e riportati frase per frase, dialogo per dialogo, visti con gli occhi di entrambi. La cosa allunga di parecchio la lettura, e aggiunge poco o nulla alla storia. Non nascondo che, a volte, mi confondevo su chi, in quel preciso capitolo, stava raccontando cosa.
L'elemento più improbabile dell'intero romanzo, però, è la caratterizzazione del personaggio di Jake. Trovo francamente fuori contesto e utopistico che questo ragazzo, da sempre eterosessuale, o comunque considerato tale da tutti, celebre sciupafemmine, in una sola serata faccia non solo coming out, ma si trasformi in un gay dichiarato, pronto a sbandierarlo al mondo intero. Nessun dubbio, nessuna crisi interiore, nessuna difficoltà emotiva, nessuna incertezza alcuna. Come se, dalla sera alla mattina, avesse spinto l'interruttore che ha acceso la "modalità gay". Impossibile.
Come trovo impossibile che questa coppia riesca ad adottare una bambina nel giro di pochi giorni, e soprattutto che interagisca al 100% con persone che non siano minimamente turbate dal loro amore: amici, colleghi, ma soprattutto i parenti del profondo Sud degli Stati Uniti (purtroppo notoriamente non propriamente di larghe vedute) che festeggiano addirittura per questo loro amore. Nel loro mondo non esistono omofobici, o persone che storcano il naso nell'avere di fronte una coppia omosessuale. Pura utopia. La realtà è ben diversa, purtroppo. E se un romanzo che tratta di un amore gay non affronta minimamente la cosa, neanche di striscio, significa che il romanzo non ha raggiunto lo scopo.

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Feb 03, 2013 Sunne rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Actually....I'm not reading it, Sean Crisden is reading it to me but there is no audiobook edition here.

So far...what the...do we get everything twice, once from Nate and once from Jake? That means I have to listen to each dialogue twice?
I hope not.

Okay - 2 hours of 7.....seriously??? And it's still so repetitive???
Do we actually get a story sometimes?

A few hours later....it is a bit better with the double POVs because actually they describe more of their "not together time", too. And I soooo c...more

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Jun 07, 2011 Edina Rose rated it 1 of 5 stars

I feel cheated of a good story.

The blurb was simply wonderful. And since I liked the second book (5 stars) in the series, I thought the author's style was moving from the overtly emotional (1st book) to something still emotional but more balanced (like 2nd book). Now I know I was wrong.

You've got these two boys, born the same day from mothers who were best friends joined at the hips. Naturally, the two boys, Nate and Jake, get to be best friends from birth. Jake and Nate respective families li...more

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Jun 07, 2011 MandyM rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m-romance

This book is the sequel to the enjoyable He Completes Me. Although I liked WHEAIB by the time I finished it, I do have some reservations about the book.

Pros
Cardeno C.'s unique writing style. CC uses the first person narrative style to engage the reader. The characters recount their thoughts in a sweeping stream of consciousness. It's not common in m/m romance and it gives his work a very distinctive touch.

His prose is extremely romantic.

He writes contemporary mm romance (my fave!) and long stor...more

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May 21, 2013 JoAnn rated it 5 of 5 stars

It touches briefly on two best friends that each married their high school sweethearts, bought houses next to each other, got pregnant at the same time and delivered the same day.

The baby boys, Nate and Jake, grew up to be best friends. Growing up making their share of mistakes and both not knowing that each was in love with the other, Nate and Jake tried to make a life for themselves without much success.

The story is written in the first person narrative with each giving their view point for t...more

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Nov 08, 2012 Tonileg rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m, romance, second-chances, kindle

Jake and Nate are best friends from birth, they even share the same birthday and their parents were best friends and next door neighbors. Jake Owen is an aggressive jock come city cop who has slept with all the cute girls in town. Nate Richardson is a sensitive introverted gay research doctor who has always known he was in love with his closest friend. The big surprise is that Jake has felt the same way for just as long, probably longer but has hidden away that part of his love. Now they are 28...more

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Oct 28, 2011 Cindi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: m-m

This is one of those "Awwww!" books. I've read other comments where folks have stated that it was sweet........ really sweet. That is pretty much the only way to describe it. There is no real conflict, no major disagreements, no angst, no anything really except a good love story between two life-long friends who go from friends to not just lovers but life partners. Sure it was very unrealistic but who cares? Sometimes I just need a sweet story without a bunch of b.s. thrown into it.

I enjoyed wat...more

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Aug 03, 2011 Keri rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, m-m-books, gay-for-you, hottest-sex-scenes, bffs-who-boink, rowdy-roomies

Unique book with alternating points of view told from two best friends, Jake and Nate. What can I say about these two boys? They are about as close as two boys can be...from babies to buds to adults. With every page I read, I could feel the love these two had for each other jump off the page and slap me in the face. It was intense and just kept groaning and growing as they moved from friends to lovers to soul mates. The sex was emotional and dirty at the same time...good combo. By the end of the...more

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Jun 07, 2011 Penny rated it 2 of 5 stars

Have you ever had ice cream with hot fudge, carmel sauce, brownie bites, and chocolate cover cashews? Well I have and after three big spoonfuls I'm pushing the bowl away. Not because separately I don't enjoy each item, but together it's sugar overload. It's a little too sweet and a way too rich.

I found this book to be similiar. On one hand it gave me what I wanted. Two very romantic character that love each other, but it was very lovey-dovey. There was no real conflict, no real tension. Why beca...more

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Mar 08, 2012 Kinny rated it 4 of 5 stars

The only one in the series I did not delete from my kindle! The others had self inflicted problems which were really stupid and irritating.

1 like · like · see review

Jun 29, 2011 Eyre rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, gay-glbt-mm-mmf

This book is my favorite of the series even though I admit to skimming some of the sex scenes. Jake and Nate are truly two halves of one whole, and I enjoyed seeing them build their relationship. The alternating points of view were interesting, but it did feel a bit too repetitive every now and then. Since I liked the characters so much, it was easy for me to overlook those niggles.

Each book in this series can stand on its own. Interestingly, they were published in non-chronological order. The e...more

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Mar 03, 2013 Sas rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: mm

Fave Quote: '"No end, no limit."'

- Storyline - 4/10
- Hero (Jake) - 9/10
- Hero (Nate) - 8/10
- Chemistry - 10/10
- Steaminess - 10/10
- Sweetness - 10/10
- Secondary Characters - 4/10
- Setting - 7/10
- Details/Quirks - 7/10
- Banter/Humor - 6/10
- Ending - 9/10
- Ridiculousness - 2/10
- Annoying the shit out of me factor - 2/10
- This book described in one word/phrase - Intense

I liked this story. It had a very intricate backstory and I thought that the flashbacks were really appropriate and helped to cemen...more

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May 17, 2012 Kavisha rated it 5 of 5 stars

I read this book this morning and fell in love. The book, the story, the characters...it was incredible.
If you are having a bad day or want a feel-good-after book to read, I highly recommend this... I was so happy and thrilled and sad (that its over) when I finished that I started to read it again. I am usually the type of person who promptly starts looking for the next book to read, but found my self dreaming about this and reluctant to move on because I was afraid that I wouldn't find another...more

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Dec 05, 2012 Brooke rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book was mildly hard to follow but not too bad. It just jumped around a lot form past to present and point of view and while that added to the story in some ways it also took away because right when you were getting lost in the story it would shift time lines or point of views and pull you back out again. It kept the story feeling slightly shallow, And was it ever over the tiop. i mean these two characters were too perfect. It was almost tooo much but I was in the mood for squishy lovey dov...more

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About Cardeno C.

Cardeno C. is a hopeless romantic who wants to add a little happiness and a few "awwws" into a reader's day. Writing is a nice break from real life as a corporate type and volunteer work with gay rights organizations. Cardeno often feels that characters write their own stories and just hopes to find enough time to get those stories on the page. And Cardeno loves to hear from readers so please drop...more

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Quotes from Where He Ends and I Begin

“Did I expect him to think sucking my cock was anything other than disgusting? I‟d never even kissed a girl, and believe me, if someone forced me to take part in some below-the-belt mouth-to-vagina action, I think I‟d probably vomit.” — 11 people liked it

“You don’t know how I feel about you? I try to show you how much I care about you every day. How can you not see that?” — 2 people liked it

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