Moving in Rhythm

Mar 19, 2012 Mandi Schreiner rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Mark Apolostolos is super smart, in very good shape and knows he is attractive but all he has in his life is his dog. Mark has a crippling shyness disorder, so when he sees someone he is attracted too, he literally can’t speak. He goes into a panic attack and must rush away to compose himself.

Depression settled an arm around his shoulders like the old friend it was. Self-loathing swamped him and he felt trapped. Within his head he could be so articulate. Funny, even. But put him in front of an a...more Mark Apolostolos is super smart, in very good shape and knows he is attractive but all he has in his life is his dog. Mark has a crippling shyness disorder, so when he sees someone he is attracted too, he literally can’t speak. He goes into a panic attack and must rush away to compose himself.

Depression settled an arm around his shoulders like the old friend it was. Self-loathing swamped him and he felt trapped. Within his head he could be so articulate. Funny, even. But put him in front of an attractive man and all he could do was mumble and grope. Nice.

He has seen a therapist who recommended medication, but with the awful side effects, Mark doesn’t think it is worth it. Instead, he goes to gay bars, picks up random strangers without speaking to them, and usually gets down on his knees for them in some dark alley. He goes home feeling shamed and lonely, but has a hard time not repeating this cycle.

Things start to change though when his brother he is very close to, gets deployed to Afghanistan leaving behind a very pregnant wife. Since Mark teaches college math online courses, he is able to move in with his Sister in-law to help her through the last few months of her pregnancy. When she asks him to come to her Zumba class with her, he meets the very attractive Zumba instructor, Seth. Seth was a professional dancer before a knee injury prevented him from dancing at an elite level. When Mark sees Seth, a massive panic attack sets in but very, very slowly, Seth helps Mark overcome his panic, one step at a time, and a romance develops.

When this review request came through my email, as soon as I read “crippling shyness” I was sold. There is something so enticing about a big, strong hero that can’t communicate with anyone he finds attractive. And I loved that the author doesn’t make his disability disappear just because he falls in love. He struggles the entire book, even at the end although there is happily ever after, he is nowhere near 100% improved. Improvement does come once Mark starts to accept he is a gay man. He kind of has to come out to himself, and then his brother, and then slowly to others in public. Once Seth realizes Mark isn’t a jerk, just extremely shy, he never pushes him. They both have dogs they are very fond of so they are often at the park at the same time. Once Seth knows of Mark’s condition, he sits across the park so Mark can see him, but they talk on the phone and then the next day, Seth might be one bench closer. They also email each other and get to know each other that way. He never gets frustrated with Mark, and a very sweet romance unfolds. Both heroes are very good-hearted and warm and you just root for them to be together. Even after Mark jumps through the hurdles and ends up physically with Seth, he still struggles.

I do wish we had gotten to know Seth a little more. This is all told in Mark’s point of view and Seth has issues himself. He feels worthless now that he is no longer able to dance. But watching Mark struggle, Seth realizes he can confront his own demons as well.

Moving in Rhythm sweet and romantic and has a different premise with the shyness disorder. I highly recommend it.(less)

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Apr 03, 2012 mw138 rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: m-m-romance, netgalley, discovering-sexuality, geeks-and-virgins

Mark is a painfully shy online math teacher who experiences panic attacks whenever he's around large groups of people and men he finds attractive. He was once engaged to his friend, Ruth, but that fell apart when he realized he preferred men over women. Now anonymous enounters outside of clubs and bars are his only forms of human contact, and they leave him feeling ashamed and dirty.

He agrees to watch over his pregnant sister-in-law, Lisa, while his younger brother, Pete, is stationed overseas....more

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Mar 28, 2012 willaful rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to willaful by: Dear Author

Shelves: netgalley, special-needs-emotional-or-mental, m-m, o-performer-artist-creative, sexy-beta

I might almost classify Moving in Rhythm as a novel, rather than a romance. Not that the love story or love scenes are disappointing, but the story is largely about the personal emotional journey of one person, Mark, as he struggles with debilitating social anxiety and with coming out.

Mark has never been able to have a relationship or even tell his closest family members that he's gay; a female friend has been his unwitting beard for years. (His guilt over her is yet another thing for Mark to f...more I might almost classify Moving in Rhythm as a novel, rather than a romance. Not that the love story or love scenes are disappointing, but the story is largely about the personal emotional journey of one person, Mark, as he struggles with debilitating social anxiety and with coming out.

Mark has never been able to have a relationship or even tell his closest family members that he's gay; a female friend has been his unwitting beard for years. (His guilt over her is yet another thing for Mark to feel bad about.) As the book opens, Mark is having one more meaningless encounter with an uncaring stranger, which is such a joyless, soul-killing experience, he decides he's better off being celibate.

When Mark's brother Pete is deployed, Mark is called on to stay with his pregnant sister-in-law, Lisa. Accompanying her to zumba class, he meets two people who will be very important to him: Claire, a lesbian who's familiar with the pains of being closeted, and Seth, the very attractive teacher of the class. Mistaken for Lisa's husband at first, Mark is able to relax a little with Seth, since nothing could possibly happen between them. But Mark's mixed signals towards Seth inevitably lead to the truth, and to the cautious forming of a relationship, while Claire helps him take the first steps towards honesty and pride.

My main impression of Moving in Rhythm is a feeling of great tenderness. Although it's an emotional story, I wouldn't call it angsty; the writing style is low-key and realistic, rather than highly dramatic. At some points, I'd say it's even too low-key, with a lack of tension in the dialogue and between the characters. But I was caught up in Mark's painful inner life, and enchanted by the sweetness and generosity of Seth, who comes up with some very creative ways to get around Mark's paralyzing anxiety. (These really keep the sex scenes fun.) It reminded me in some ways of mainstream romances in which the hero has to gently woo the frightened heroine, and it was interesting to see how the author made this work, so I didn't wonder, "why on earth doesn't he just give up on this guy?" It might have been nice to have seen some of the book from Seth's point of view, since he's such an attractive character, but it wasn't really necessary.

I wasn't entirely thrilled with how anxiety, as an issue, is portrayed here. Although Mark is in therapy, he's reluctant to try any anti-anxiety medications, because he's worried about the side-effects. Not all medications cause side-effects for every person, and there are also non-medication treatments for anxiety, none of which he seemed to explore. I love that Mark found the right person for him, but true love isn't generally a cure-all for mental or emotional disorders. But since it tends to be seen as one in 95% of the other romance out there, I can't really make a big stink about it here. And coming out to his family is also shown as being very important to Mark's healing, which I can certainly buy.

Although I'm tempted to grade the book down a bit for the lack of tension, I really did enjoy reading it nonetheless, so I'm giving it 4 out of 5 stars.

(review copy provided by netGalley)(less)

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Apr 08, 2012 DarienMoya rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, netgalley-reviews, 2012-reads, butt-virgins, my-m-m-lovin, release-2012, pants-off-reviews

When I first saw the description of this book, I knew it was something I had to read. I knew I was really going to like it, and I am happy I wasn’t disappointed. I’m thinking if Dev Bentham is writing it, I’m gonna want to be reading it because for a debut novel it’s a freaking hit.

Mark is gorgeous, smart, and has whole lot going for him. He is also socially inept, crowds scare him, attractive men leaves him in crippling shyness and being in his quiet apartment is his solitude. Mark is also stru...more

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Jun 07, 2012 Alicia rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: lgbt, disappointing, shorties

I have to rate this around a 2.5. I so wanted to like this story and I thought I would because the premise was a good idea, but it was completely lacking in execution.

Mark Apolostolos has a severe social disorder that has prompted him to live his life in seclusion, except for the companionship of his dog, Belle. He even manages to have a career teaching online. So, of course, he is unable to form relationships with people other than his family. To experience brief glimpses of intimacy he picks u...more

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Apr 05, 2012 Anna rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: m-m, mm-seriously-adorable, on-kindle, 3-stars, angsty

I liked this book. It was very cute.

I liked how I could relate to Mark because of how human he was. He wasn’t perfect; he had his issues and his fears like you and me. For my part, I could especially relate to his shyness, because although I’m not as shy as he was, I’m still very shy around people I don’t know. His weaknesses and strengths made him very real and easy to grow attached to him, and want him to come out of this story happy.

I liked the slow progression of Mark and Seth’s relationshi...more I liked this book. It was very cute.

I liked how I could relate to Mark because of how human he was. He wasn’t perfect; he had his issues and his fears like you and me. For my part, I could especially relate to his shyness, because although I’m not as shy as he was, I’m still very shy around people I don’t know. His weaknesses and strengths made him very real and easy to grow attached to him, and want him to come out of this story happy.

I liked the slow progression of Mark and Seth’s relationship… They started out by emailing each other, talking a bit about their pasts, and then they moved on to phone calls to finally be together in person. Now, I do have to say that I didn’t quite see the connection between them all the time, because for about 40% (the middle part of the book) they didn’t interact much (except for 3 or 4 emails and a few phone calls). It was more Mark and his sister in law and their friend Claire. I did understand that they were attracted to each other and liked each other a lot, but it was a very big surprise when Mark said I love you, because I couldn’t really understand when did he fall in love with Seth in such a short time when they only talked a few times in person…

Those 40% or so were also pretty slow and boring at times; I found myself putting the book down more often than not.

I would have liked to see more of Seth, because we barely know anything about him even after finishing the book… and it’s the same with Mark too. I don’t feel like I know much about him, except for his anxiety and bits and pieces about his family. I would have preferred more back-story for Mark and Seth’s pasts. But, I did enjoy Mark’s progression during this book. It was a book about him finding himself and accepting who he was. I was rooting for him from the start; I want him to be okay, because he’s beautiful inside like outside, but his social problem kept others from seeing him for who he really was. In the beginning of the book he thought he’d be alone, in the closet, for the rest of his life. But he grew to accept himself the way he was and to come out to his brother. He decided to take the chance with Seth and he did end up happy in the end. I think this story has more of a HFN ending than a HEA, so I would like a sequel, to see how everything turned out for Mark and Seth.
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Mar 30, 2012 Nikki rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: m-m-contemporary-romance, on-my-kindle-fire-ipad-samsung, a-light-simple-read, m-m, just-an-alright-okay-read, freebies-on-sale-great-deal, not-my-type-of-read, unrealistic, skimmed-hard-to-finish-or-unfinis, too-wordy-too-much-talking

1.5 STARS

Umm? I sorta didn't like it. I noticed in some reviews the phrase "cute" was used in referring to this read. To me "cute" is what you say when you are confronted with an ugly baby, but you don't want to be rude to the parent by telling them so. This read is not quite like the writing of a Siren Pub. Novel, nor does it have the big word or big story of more solid reads at Dsp and Looseid. For someone who knows of anxiety, it was not conveyed in a realistic way, in my opinion. I did not f...more

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Apr 05, 2013 Mel rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was a pretty good book. It involved a good looking guy who was smart and stable but very shy. He was crippling shy. He's also gay, and has huge issues dealing with other gay men he finds attractive. He's been accomplishing his sexual need in an unfulfilled manner at gay bars behind alleys and such. His younger brother is heading off to Afghanistan and his pregnant wife is experiencing complications. Enter Mark, he moves in with his sis in law to 'take care of her'. While there, he finds him...more

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Feb 27, 2013 Natālija rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mm-mmm-mmf

I needed a book #900, and it had to be a good one. I chose "Moving in Rhythm" by Dev Bentham and I couldn't have made a better choice.

William Styron said, "A good book should leave you....slightly exhausted at the end. You live several lives while reading it." It's hard to write a review when you become so emotionally invested in a book that you need some time to "recover". I keep thinking about all the great things I'd love to say about this book, but all I can come up with is my highest recom...more

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Aug 14, 2012 Isaac rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book had moments of warm, touching brilliance. However, most of them had nothing to do with the romance part of the plot.

To me, Marc's relationship with his brother was the most affecting part of the book. His brother is a soldier, is working overseas and will miss the birth of his first child. Having lost their own mother during childbirth, it's understandable that both men are scared stiff. The Skype calls between the two brothers are heartbreaking at times.

The other memorable part of the...more

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Mar 23, 2012 Cindi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, m-m

Mark suffers from debilitating shyness. He suffers panic attacks in crowded places. He is only able to converse easily with his brother (Pete), his sister-in-law (Lisa), his dog and then (later) a woman he and Lisa meet in Zumba (Claire). Due to his late homophobic father, he is deeply in the closet. The only sexual contact is with strangers in dark alleys or other anonymous places. After feeling repulsed by this one time too many, he decides to live a life of complete celibacy. His profession i...more

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Mar 23, 2012 Julia rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: gay-romance, reviewed, own-kindle-copy

I liked this. It was cute and Mark was a very easy character to root for.

One of the things I liked most about it was the female characters. They all seemed real - no crazy evil female villains here. I really liked Mark's relationship with the lesbian friend Claire and how she helped him deal with coming out. I liked that both Lisa and Claire had their own problems and that sometimes dealing with their problems helped Mark and sometimes they set him back.

I was a little annoyed by a few small err...more

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Mar 29, 2012 Baywin rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, m-m

I loved this book! It has been SUCH a long time since I've read a really good romance and this one had everything that I love about romance.

1) The MC Mark has a huge personal obstacle to overcome - he's cripplingly shy, which manifests itself as social anxiety. His life revolves around his inability to calmly interact with large groups of people. Despite his many academic credentials (He has a PhD in applied mathematics.), he is a professor of online math courses, feeling more comfortable commu...more I loved this book! It has been SUCH a long time since I've read a really good romance and this one had everything that I love about romance.

1) The MC Mark has a huge personal obstacle to overcome - he's cripplingly shy, which manifests itself as social anxiety. His life revolves around his inability to calmly interact with large groups of people. Despite his many academic credentials (He has a PhD in applied mathematics.), he is a professor of online math courses, feeling more comfortable communicating with his students via e-mail rather than in-person. He expends a lot of effort into overcoming his anxiety, resisting medication despite his advisement otherwise; he uses vigorous exercise as a physical outlet. His schedule is arranged such that he avoids the peak hours at the gym, where he religiously lifts weights. He also recognizes his need for companionship and has a dog named Belle with whom he spends all his time (SO adorable!). You can't help but admire someone who works so hard to adjust their lifestyle to accommodate a disability. And it is a disability because it prevents Mark from doing the things that he'd like to be doing, i.e. forming intimate relationships, be it with friends or potential lovers.

2) The family. Mark has a wonderful and real relationship with his brother and his sister-in-law. He moves in with his pregnant sister-in-law while his ER-trained brother goes overseas to fulfill his commitment to serve in a very dangerous, war-torn region. He does this, even knowing that being with her might be difficult and impinges on the lifestyle that he so carefully cultivated to keep his calm and sense of well-being. When he finally comes out to his brother, it's so anti-climatic it's almost refreshing. All that agony for nothing! Oh, and his sister-in-law is totally fine with it too! Great family. :)

3) The friends. Claire. I guess she's the only one. There aren't too many extra characters hanging about on the fringes. The story's focus is tight - MC Mark, love interest Seth, bro and sis-in-law and bff Claire. Ha, Claire! Coincidentally a lesbian with a partner and a little girl who helps him with his coming-out and serves as his confidant amidst his first foray into love.

4) Seth. So patient. The cell phone scenes at the park. The e-mails. Loved that! Especially the conversation about rescuing dogs!

5) First love. Who doesn't adore stories of first love? Everything is bright and shiny and exhilarating.

So yes, I adored this story. Mark is completely adorable and I totally respected his as a person, and as a man coming into his sexuality and falling in love for the first time.

Highly recommended.

P.S. I've re-read this book many times which is a sure-fire sign that this one's a keeper. (less)

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Mar 20, 2012 Brie C. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Originally posted at Romance Around the Corner

Two words: shy hero. How could you not want to read that book?! Way too appealing, I tried to resist because my TBR pile is huge, but I couldn’t resist. So I read it and I’m glad I did, because I thoroughly enjoyed this sweet love story about a guy finally confronting his issues and finding love. Oh! And there are dogs, and the other hero is a dancer. Yep, I pretty much could end the review here, but I won’t because I love torturing you with long rev...more Originally posted at Romance Around the Corner

Two words: shy hero. How could you not want to read that book?! Way too appealing, I tried to resist because my TBR pile is huge, but I couldn’t resist. So I read it and I’m glad I did, because I thoroughly enjoyed this sweet love story about a guy finally confronting his issues and finding love. Oh! And there are dogs, and the other hero is a dancer. Yep, I pretty much could end the review here, but I won’t because I love torturing you with long reviews.

Mark Apolostolos suffers from crippling shyness. He gets panics attacks and can’t talk or think, his therapist even suggested he take some drugs for it, but the side effects were too bad for him to risk taking them. His triggers are multitudes and guys he’s attracted to, which couldn’t be worse since he’s a teacher and gay. He deals with it by teaching online courses and just casually hooking up in bars because as long as he doesn’t have to talk or have a relationship he can deal with it, so sex with random guys it is. But he is so miserable that he decides to give up sex altogether, instead of going through the humiliating sexual encounters. So for the past year he’s been celibate.

When his brother calls him to ask him to stay with his pregnant wife because he’s about to be deployed to Afghanistan, he accepts. After all, he works from home and he doesn’t really have a life. So he moves there and keeps his daily routine of exercising, jogging with his dog and teaching when his sister in law invites him to join a Zumba class at the gym. He reluctantly agrees but things get interesting when the instructor walks in. Seth is everything Mark fears, sexy, hot and very male, so he panics. But faith keeps throwing them together and Seth is obviously interested, so will Mark be able to get over his shyness?

I loved Mark. His issues went beyond the shyness. He was half in and half out of the closet. He hadn’t told his brother about it, at first because their father was homophobic and he was afraid, but after he died, Mark was too afraid of his brother’s reaction so he kept postponing it. The shyness was a real psychological condition that was almost incapacitating, but he also used it as a wall to hide behind, as well as an excuse to deny his family issues and his own fear. His life became a prison but also a safe heaven and he had to come to terms with all of this before trying to have a relationship. Even by the end of the book he kept looking for excuses to not live. But I never felt sorry for him, angry, yes, but never sorry. And it was admirable how he kept trying to get better.

Shane was swoon-worthy and exactly what Mark needed. He was able to recognize Mark’s insecurities and knew how to work through them, and most importantly, how to be patient. This is Mark’s book and Shane is a secondary character, a very important one, but secondary nonetheless. However, we do get some insight into his life and issues which meant that he wasn’t just an instrument for Mark to recover, but a real person with feelings and a past. We never get his POV but it wasn’t necessary and by the end of the book I had a good idea of who he was.

The secondary characters are just as important and interesting. Mark’s brother and sister in law, and a woman he meets at the gym who plays an important role in his self-discovery. The book isn’t long but packs a lot of interesting stories and I wouldn’t mind revisiting all the characters.

Moving in Rhythm was very romantic and sweet, but the main story was about Mark dealing with his shyness and loneliness, so the romance develops slowly –as it should- and it doesn’t act like a magical cure. Yes, love and Seth help him, but that’s it, he has to do all the hard work and by the end of the book he remains a work in process. There’s a happy ending, but there’s also a tough road ahead of him.

If you love sweet love stories, unusual heroes and contemporary romance, you should read this book because it’s all that and more. I’m very happy I read it and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for Ms. Bentham.

Source: we received an e-ARC of the book through NetGalley for review purposes.(less)

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Mar 23, 2012 Marquetta (LoveToReadForFun) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: carina-press, for-review, netgalley, m-m

Mark may look the part of a sexy, alpha male but he doesn't act like it. With debilitating shyness, Mark can not function in many social settings. He lives alone with his dog and closes himself off from people. When his brother is deployed from Iraq and asks Mark to move in and take care of his pregnant wife, Mark's lonely life changes.

The moment I started reading Moving in Rhythm, I was drawn into Mark's lonely world. I don't know what else to call it. Other than his dog, Belle, Mark has pretty...more Mark may look the part of a sexy, alpha male but he doesn't act like it. With debilitating shyness, Mark can not function in many social settings. He lives alone with his dog and closes himself off from people. When his brother is deployed from Iraq and asks Mark to move in and take care of his pregnant wife, Mark's lonely life changes.

The moment I started reading Moving in Rhythm, I was drawn into Mark's lonely world. I don't know what else to call it. Other than his dog, Belle, Mark has pretty much cut himself off from the outside world. After having unfulfilling sexual experiences in back alleys, Mark decides that he can live a celibate life. That being celibate is better than having degrading back alley sex without any contact, feelings or words. Mark wants to be in a relationship but because of his shyness, it makes it nearly impossible for him to communicate with someone he's attracted to. When Mark meets Seth, the Zumba instructor at his sister-in-law's gym, Mark is instantly attracted and rendered even more speechless. There's no way he can continue to accompany his sister-in-law to Zumba and hide his attraction to Seth.

Throughout the novella, I was instantly sympathetic to Mark. We are taken on a journey of Mark's battle with his shyness and anxiety and his battle to overcome. There were plenty of times that I felt Mark's frustration at not being able to communicate with Seth and I'm sure there were a few times I wanted to yell "Just talk to him!". But if only it was that easy.

I loved how Seth gradually made Mark comfortable enough to talk to him. Seth is used to dealing with skittish animals and is very patient and loving with Mark. Because most of the story is about Mark and his issues and feelings, we don't learn enough about Seth. Seth is an interesting character that I wanted more back-story.

Not only is Mark extremely shy but he's also in the closet. Mark has many issues that he must confront and deal with and thankfully, he is surrounded by a loving and supportive family (even if he doesn't realize it at first).

Moving in Rhythm is a sweet love story. I was engrossed from the beginning and was rooting for Mark until the very end. I thoroughly enjoyed this novella and look forward to reading more from the author.

B-(less)

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May 09, 2012 Nivalis rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, coming-out, family, m-m, teachers-profs, dancers

This book is perfectly fine; it just isn't what I expect from an m/m romance novel.

In a nicely written story, main character Mark, who suffers from social anxiety, struggles his way through adjusting his life to new surroundings, new people, and self-acceptance. He's supported by a very likeable cast of mostly female characters.

It's Mark's way toward being truthful to himself and others and dealing with his anxiety that's the focus of the book. The added romance with dancer Seth seems not only...more

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Mar 28, 2012 Sandra rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: net-galley-carina-press, m-m, contemporary-romance

ARC received from Carina Press on NetGalley

This was a sweet and perfectly lengthed novella about a painfully shy man trying to overcome his issues. I thought Mark's anxiety and lonely existence was conveyed very well, I could feel my heart-rate picking up along with his as he got into difficult social situations because I was so anxious for him.

The pace was perfect, although I did get a little antsy in the last chapter or two and started skimming irrelevant stuff (non-dialogue) because I was so...more

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Mar 20, 2012 Bea rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: goodreads-review, male-male

I really enjoyed this book. I have never read a book that had a specific male/male focus and had no expectation on what it would be. The reviews and book description was just so interesting I had to read the sample, and after that I was hooked.

It was so easy to identity with Mark. I think all of us have some aspect of ourselves that we hide, even from ourselves. This was a story of a man learning to accept and love all aspects of himself before he can be whole enough to love and be be loved by s...more

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Feb 29, 2012 Nikyta rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: carina-press, a-sweet-cute-read, angst, artists, broken-to-bits, closet-cases, contemporary, disability, deception-betrayal-lies-omissions, m-m, interesting-jobs, net-galley-reviewed, pets, phobias, teachers, published-on-amazon

This was a very cute and sweet story. I very much enjoyed it.

It's a book about acceptance and self-discovery. Of overcoming your fears and social disorders to finally being able to be happy and content. Mark grows so much over the story. In the beginning he's miserable and alone, scared to come out of his shell because he's gay. Over the course of the story, he realizes being gay is not as horrible as he thought from being raised by a homophobic father. He sees there are people who accept indivi...more This was a very cute and sweet story. I very much enjoyed it.

It's a book about acceptance and self-discovery. Of overcoming your fears and social disorders to finally being able to be happy and content. Mark grows so much over the story. In the beginning he's miserable and alone, scared to come out of his shell because he's gay. Over the course of the story, he realizes being gay is not as horrible as he thought from being raised by a homophobic father. He sees there are people who accept individuals for who they are and he grows to ultimately accept himself. Seth helps him in a surprising way because he's willing to take things as slow as Mark needs and help Mark work through all his emotions. It's powerful and sweet.

I really adored these characters. Mark is so cute with his shyness and how crippling that social disorder is for him which makes him freeze up and stutter in front of men he's attracted to or large crowds. He has severe anxiety in a lot of situations but most stem down to having to do with being gay. He's scared so much of that side of himself that he keeps it in secret and bolts when things start to escalate between him and Seth. Seth was a great character as well. I felt like he was made perfectly for Mark because he knew how to handle Mark, sort of as if Mark was a skittish animal.

It was nice seeing these two circle around each other and I loved seeing Mark try to work through his problems and learn that just because he's gay, doesn't mean he deserves to be lonely and miserable the rest of his life. He realizes he could be happy, open and in a loving relationship. I loved his awkwardness around Seth and how he just couldn't get passed the intensity between them. It was definitely palpable.

The only problem I had with the story is about halfway the story started to drag. I think Mark's internal monologue became a little excessive. I also would have liked a few more scenes of Seth and Mark actually alone together (outside of having sex) so we could have gotten to know them better with the way they act around each other in close quarters. But, I loved Belle, Mark's dog, and I loved the role Claire played in helping Mark understand what Seth is to him. Mark's sister-in-law, Lisa, played a nice role as well and it was funny seeing Mark taking care of her, since she's pregnant, and people mistaking him for his brother, Pete, who's away at war. There were definitely enough laughs to make this story heart-warming and an easy read.

All in all, I really enjoyed it. I loved Mark's social disorder and Seth's instinctive way of soothing Mark. It was a fun, sweet and interesting tale with a great ending. I would love to see these guys again to see how Mark is coping with his new-found courage and see how their relationship is working. (less)

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Mar 21, 2012 Molli B. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m, novel, read-in-2012

This was pretty good. A fairly typical romance story, so as such, there was some schlocky stuff, but it never became overwhelming or saccharine. I liked both main characters, liked Mark's sister-in-law Lisa well enough, and liked Claire a lot. Toward the end, things took a turn for the convenient, but again... it's a romance, and that often happens. It didn't really dull my enjoyment of it.

There were a couple of glaring editorial errors, like getting the main character's last name wrong, but ove...more

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Jun 30, 2012 Christine rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adult, galley

There are times when I want to read a good book with a plot, and there are times when I don't. This is one of those good books with a plot and actual character development, which I was not expecting from a quick read from Carina Press. While it wasn't what I was expecting, Mark's journey from social outcast and proclaimed celibate hermit to taking a chance on a relationship and having actual human contact nearly every day was touching. I felt bad for him, at the beginning, but Seth seemed to kno...more

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Mar 19, 2012 Jordan Price added it · review of another edition

The characters in Moving in Rhythm were nuanced and engaging—damaged, but self-aware, and never stagnant. Even the secondary characters were fully-fleshed. I felt like they all had lives of their own beyond the rest of the story. I found myself very invested in Mark’s journey toward happiness.

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Mar 30, 2012 Heather♥ rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It was interesting to read about a character with panic attacks (my daughter used to get them) and I was moved by Mark's difficult journey to overcome his shyness. He led such a lonely existence and he knew it, but just didn't know how to change things. He didn't really have a reason to change things either, until Seth came along. I thought Seth handled Mark beautifully and was clever in how he communicated with Mark so that he didn't scare Mark too badly. I wish we could have heard Seth's point...more

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Mar 25, 2012 Hannah rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, male-male-romance, read-2012, romance

I don't have much to say about his book. It was sweet, but not enthralling. The main viewpoint character, Mark, was somewhat memorable because of his severe social anxiety. I thought the author handled that part of the book well. Unfortunately, Mark's love interest, Seth, felt like a throw-away character. I felt like I never got to know him, so I didn't feel invested in their relationship. Part of this was due to the short length of the novel (it was about the length of a Harlequin Presents book...more

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Apr 04, 2012 Kerry sullivan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: gay-fiction, romance

this book was a sweet little thing and Seth is a patient men and I cant help thinking that each man had the other man's dog equivalent. Mark was annoying at time just because he hid behind his brother far too much but it did draw me in and I did find myself rooting for Mark to just get over himself. This really did just amble along, it was more of an observation piece and if you look at it like that it is a very beautiful one. I was a little disappointed in the end with it's implication that all...more

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Nov 13, 2012 Elspeth rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: twenty-twelve, mm, own, kindle, re-read

This was a cute and thoughtful story I just wish it elaborated a little more at the end.
I am hoping the author does another set in this world so you can see how the family's are doing.
A lot was left unfinished.

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Mar 17, 2012 Jen (Red Hot Books) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Mark is a man plagued by crippling shyness. He can't function in large groups and he can't hold a coherent conversation with any man he is truly attracted to. As a result, he's never had a real relationship. He's not even out of the closet. His life is solitary and kind of sad, until his brother asks him to come take care of his pregnant wife while he is deployed overseas.

Shortly after the move, Mark's sister-in-law drags him to a Zumba class, where he first meets Seth, the sexy instructor. Mark...more

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Mar 25, 2012 Kate McMurray rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really liked this book; for all that it's about anxiety, it's also kind of soft and quiet. The book is really about Mark and his journey toward excepting himself as he is, limitations and all. The romance itself seems more of a catalyst for Mark than the main focus of the book. Not that this was a problem for me; I found Mark really compelling as a character, and I'm drawn to books where one character has a psychological flaw (social anxiety in this case). I liked also that there were no easy...more

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Mar 17, 2012 rameau rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-galley, lgbt, recommending, romance, read-in-2012, contemporary

Do you know what's wrong in the world of MM romance today? It's the fact that majority of novels and novellas don't have an actual plot, or if they do, that plot dissipates the second sex is introduced into the picture. Erotica is all good and well, but it gets tedious after a while, and when a reader starts to skip sex scenes no matter how well written, things get ugly.

Happily, this isn't the case here.

Throughout the book Mark grapples with his crippling shyness and even when he makes progress...more

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Mar 16, 2012 Nicole rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: m-m, review, novella, read-in-2012

Joint review originally posted here: http://thebookpushers.com/2012/03/16/...

Lou: I saw this title on Netgalley during one of my rare requesting sprees, and the blurb appealed to me straight away. And when I saw Mandi from Smexy books tweeting about this, I thought to myself I really need to read this now. Some books will set off your book tingly senses and this happened for me in Moving in Rhythm. I adored this book so much, and I’m eagerly awaiting to see what the author will bring out next. I...more Joint review originally posted here: http://thebookpushers.com/2012/03/16/...

Lou: I saw this title on Netgalley during one of my rare requesting sprees, and the blurb appealed to me straight away. And when I saw Mandi from Smexy books tweeting about this, I thought to myself I really need to read this now. Some books will set off your book tingly senses and this happened for me in Moving in Rhythm. I adored this book so much, and I’m eagerly awaiting to see what the author will bring out next. I would even love it if this becomes a series and we see more of Mark and Seth.

Mark is not your usual run of the type hero. He’s very shy to the point of extreme awkwardness and he suffers from social anxiety. He’s very much a loner and he’s a social recluse. He knows that he’s gay, but he has no idea how to go about meeting someone with his extreme fear of social situations. When Mark’s brother is deployed overseas, he asks Mark for a big favour and that’s to look after his pregnant wife, Lisa. For Mark, this means moving from his safe apartment and his safe job to a new place where he will have to interact with people. But Mark can’t say no to his brother, so off he goes — along with his cute dog, Belle, — to his sister-in laws place to look after her whilst she is heavily pregnant. This is where Mark meets Seth, and oh what a sweet and lovely courtship romance this was. Mark was a sweetheart, and I couldn’t help but champion him on because he deserved so much happiness.

MinnChica: I too thought this blurb sounded so sweet and cute and romantic and wonderful. As I was reading, I couldn’t put the book down, it turned out to be so sweet, cute, romantic and wonderful. I loved the way that Mark dealt with his shyness, and when Seth walked into the picture, the way that they dealt with each other. This story was one of the most beautiful romance stories I’ve ever read!

Lou: I agree 100 percent. This had all the right ingredients for a wonderful romance, and it delivered quite a lot for a story that wasn’t full length. For me, Mark was so brave trying to deal and overcome his panic attacks with his social anxiety, and I thought it was pretty well documented as I do have experience myself of panic attacks. Despite knowing how much it would cost him mentally and emotionally, Mark looked after Lisa and they had such a great relationship looking out for each other. When Mark went to the dance classes with Lisa, he was adorable trying to fit in, and even more adorable and sexy trying to peek glances at Seth without Seth noticing.

MinnChica: I absolutely loved the relationship between Mark and Lisa. I thought it said a lot about Mark’s devotion to his family that he would pick up and move in with his sister-in-law, despite his social anxiety issues. It was obvious how much he adored her, and I loved their moments together. One of the other key relationships I loved reading was between Mark and Claire. I loved that Mark finally had someone he could talk to about his homosexuality, someone to lean on and get advice from. Like Lou said, for a short story, this book was just FILLED with so many wonderful moments.

Lou: Again, I agree 100 percent with you. Mark needed that distance from his family to talk about his fears about his sexuality, and Claire turned out to be the right person and a good friend. I really hope that we see more of Claire if the author does continue with this series, because I want to see how her relationship with her partner, Kate, plays out. Each character was very strong in development, but there was one character that I think wasn’t developed like the others, and that was Seth. I think it would have been great if we had Seth’s own POV. Seth was great in how he was so patient with Mark; he never rushed or pushed Mark until Mark was ready, and again, the zumba classes were hilarious with Seth and Mark both checking each other out. But Seth seemed to have something missing for me, and that’s what stopped this book being a perfect grade for me.

MinnChica: I agree, I would have liked to see more of Seth in the story. He was such a sweet and wonderful partner, and although I fell in love with him instantly, I also would have liked a little more insight into him. He was one of the most patient and caring heroes I’ve ever read. He gave Mark the right amount of space and time and companionship in order to deal with his anxiety and stress of coming out to his family. I loved that they would talk on the phone while at the dog park together, looking at each other from across the way. The emails that they sent to get to know one another were just so wonderful. Everything about their relationship had me melted into a pile of goo by the end.

Lou: You don’t get a lot of patient characters in a lot of romances these days, and the way Seth acted towards Mark really was sweet. It’s so nice reading a romance where the two characters got to know one another before hitting the sack. But whilst there is a sweet courtship and romance, the sex scenes were spicy between Mark and Seth, and I thought just about everything had the right balance. There were moments where Mark was incredibly emotional after having sex with Seth for the first time, and again Seth just showed how much of a great guy he was by his response.

MinnChica: All in all, I absolutely adored this story. I sometimes find that shorter stories don’t resonate with me as much as longer stories do, but this one really, REALLY worked for me. I loved everything about Mark and Seth’s relationship. I thought that they were so sweet and wonderful to each other. Their romance was one for the record books. I also loved the development of all the side characters and how wonderfully they fit within the story. Had the book been longer and had more time spent in Seth’s POV, it would have been perfect. I think this one might be a top read of 2012.
I give Moving in Rhythm an A-

Lou: This is one of my top reads of this year, and I can see myself re-reading this so many times again. I have no hesitation into bookpushing Moving in Rhythm onto others. If you love romance, courtship and adorable heroes, this is the book for you. If there had more of an insight to Seth, it would have had full marks for me. I give it a A-.(less)

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