Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
12th out of 156 books
—
203 voters
If I Must (Mistletoe Madness)
by
Amy Lane (Goodreads Author)
Joel Martinez, a practical and organized computer programmer, is roommates with Ian Cooper, a certified IQ-in-the- stratosphere mathematical genius who literally can't find his own underwear in the mess of his day-to-day life. When Joel uneasily leaves Ian for the holidays, he ends up telling stories to his sister and discovers he feels much more for Ian than he thought. S...more
ebook, 69 pages
Published
December 2009
by Dreamspinner Press
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
1,167)
Lovable and a good pick me up. Ian is in a shambolic state of disarray and wouldn't have a clue how to look after himself, coming from a genius you might think organisation is his forte. Don't be fooled he may be clever but every other aspect of his life is a mess, he hardly sleeps eats or has any sense of real time. Joel rents a room with Ian and helps to keep him balanced and maybe a bit more sane. Ian is adorable and frustrating at times I wondered how Joel didn't erupt and blow his top more...more
I LOVE this book. Its such a feel good read. Ian is my favorite nerdy kinda guy, a total genius but completely at a loss in the real world. Joel is just a sweetheart with the way he looks out for Ian from the start. They both have insecurities and when Ian starts thinking Joels gonna leave him my heart broke for him, as it did when poor Manky Bastard had to go away
Recommend to anyone looking for Fun, Love and that Awwww facter lol
Re read and I love it even more.
Recommend to anyone looking for Fun, Love and that Awwww facter lol
Re read and I love it even more.
Cute. One word sums it up here. I enjoyed the story and many of it's elements...but not all of them. One major annoyance for me was a characteristic of one of the main characters, Ian...he's so smart that he's almost functionally retarded. He can't remember his schedule...appointments...if he's eaten...when to sleep. At one point in the book his roommate comes home and he's eating cat food because he didn't see anything in the fridge...never mind looking in the freezer.
Another thing that really...more
Another thing that really...more
4 likes · like · see review
This is way too cute. I loved this story. Ms. Lane does it again with the sweetest two characters. I read her bio and now understand she teaches English. It's very clear she does because her books are so well written! This short story is adorable with Joel starting off as the roommate to "the little professor" Ian and becoming his lover. Ian seems to be clueless in so many ways I'm just shocked.
It's not so much what Ms. Lane tells us, but how she shows us. There are so many cute examples of how...more
It's not so much what Ms. Lane tells us, but how she shows us. There are so many cute examples of how...more
2 likes · like · see review
Everyone needs a purpose in life, not just a job, or money, or intelligence; nothing gives life a purpose like love. Joel Martinez and Ian Cooper of 'If I Must' by Amy Lane both realize that they are missing something but aren't able to define it. They go through the motions of living, but never quite achieve a sense of satisfaction; that is, until their lives almost literally collide and they find in each other what they've been missing.
Ian's character may seem a bit over the top, but I know so...more
Ian's character may seem a bit over the top, but I know so...more
This short novel tells the story of star crossed room mates Joel Martinez, a 27 year old computer science grad set on finding an ideal place to live in and Ian Cooper, a 23 yr old genius level accountant with an IQ lvl of 170 who met who was rescued by Joel from nearly being crushed to death beneath a set of overloaded barbells.
Their initial relationship was symbiotic given that Joel's anal retentiveness becomes a cure for Ian's forgetfulness and Ian provides a home where Joel can be himself. I...more
Their initial relationship was symbiotic given that Joel's anal retentiveness becomes a cure for Ian's forgetfulness and Ian provides a home where Joel can be himself. I...more
I’m a little late in reading the Mistletoe Madness stories from Dreamspinner’s Christmas anthology but I happened to pick this one up due to the cute kitten on the cover and quirky blurb. Most novellas either leave you wanting more or tend to be forgettable, which is why this perfect story stands out among the pack. The shorter length is just right and the characters are memorable and adorable. There are a few slight issues but really they don’t matter. If you’re looking for a very fun, cute sto...more
This is the first Amy Lane book I've read that I found as irritating as it was appealing. Ian is just too helpless, it is either pathological or a deliberate attempt to attract Joel, which would be too conniving to fit his supposed character. But this guy was on his own for nine years before Joel, he should know how to run out to the corner for Doritos. (A scene where he forgot to eat for two days and then bought only junk food would be okay. The existing version is over the top.) Also, writers,...more
Joel and Ian. Joel was pretty real to me, but Ian was unbelievable in the beginning. I loved how sweet he was, but the flakiness of him made him seem like he was only made of paper. It wasn't until Ian picked Joel up from the airport that he became a "real boy".
With Joel's return the romantic relationship begins with Ian admitting that his offer to let Joel become his roommate was predicated on Ian wanting to "get into [Joel's] pants."
There is a short time skip from Thanksgiving to upcoming Ch...more
With Joel's return the romantic relationship begins with Ian admitting that his offer to let Joel become his roommate was predicated on Ian wanting to "get into [Joel's] pants."
There is a short time skip from Thanksgiving to upcoming Ch...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Joel Martinez is roommates with a quirky mathematical genius named Ian. Ian, while brilliant, can't seem to manage day to day things like remembering appointments, remembering to put clothes on, or remembering to eat. The one thing that Ian does remember and is good at, is taking care of his cat, Manky Bastard. Joel doesn't mind taking care of Ian and helps him get organized. When Joel travels home to visit his family for the holidays, however, he's nervous about leaving Ian to his own devices....more
When I heard Amy Lane wrote a short story for Christmas...I had to read it as I love all writings by Amy Lane...If you have not read her stories, you have been remiss dear reader...Her Little Goddess series is wonderful with book 4 coming out soon....Bitter Moon 1 and 2 is a wonderful story spanning 30 years of Torrant and Yari our young lovers lives....
Well on to "If I Must"....This short story of Ms Lanes is a first for me that I did not need a box of tissues for...It is a charming and poinia...more
Well on to "If I Must"....This short story of Ms Lanes is a first for me that I did not need a box of tissues for...It is a charming and poinia...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
2 likes · like · see review
Genre: M/M Contemporary Romance
Length: Novella (69 Pages)
Rating: Five stars out of Five.
Summary Review: Unique and fully rounded characters bring this short but sweet little story to life.
BLURB:
Joel Martinez, a practical and organized computer programmer, is roommates with Ian Cooper, a certified IQ-in-the-stratosphere mathematical genius who literally can't find his own underwear in the mess of his day-to-day life. When Joel uneasily leaves Ian for the holidays, he ends up telling stories to hi...more
Length: Novella (69 Pages)
Rating: Five stars out of Five.
Summary Review: Unique and fully rounded characters bring this short but sweet little story to life.
BLURB:
Joel Martinez, a practical and organized computer programmer, is roommates with Ian Cooper, a certified IQ-in-the-stratosphere mathematical genius who literally can't find his own underwear in the mess of his day-to-day life. When Joel uneasily leaves Ian for the holidays, he ends up telling stories to hi...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Very cute, loved it!
Really 4.5 stars.
This story hit home for me because I know people sort of like Ian. True geniuses who live in another world, not the one you and I know. I found the whole story endearing and would have rated it with five stars except for the hiccup in the middle where Joel has his conversation with his sister about being gay. I felt as if that detail alone required much more build-up, and proved that If I Must should have been a novel, not a novella.
Still, a most enjoyable read for the holiday...more
This story hit home for me because I know people sort of like Ian. True geniuses who live in another world, not the one you and I know. I found the whole story endearing and would have rated it with five stars except for the hiccup in the middle where Joel has his conversation with his sister about being gay. I felt as if that detail alone required much more build-up, and proved that If I Must should have been a novel, not a novella.
Still, a most enjoyable read for the holiday...more
A cute, funny, heart-warming read, the kind of thing I wouldn't mind curling up with for maybe an hour on a lazy or rainy day. There is enough about each chara to get a good feel for both Ian and Joel, and their compatibility [since they're complete and total OPPOSITES:] is charming. The only thing that drew me up short even fit; sometimes you just can't understand where Ian comes up with things. His form of logic is hard to follow but then again, the way Lane presents the character, it really c...more
Such a sweet story! Ian was just slightly eccentric but I think that is not something that is dealt with a lot in books. I think Amy did a great job portraying someone who is absolutely brilliant academically but then socially naive. One thing that did bother me is that as brilliant as he was, he had never heard about STD's? As socially naive, he was having a lot of sex? That seemed a bit of a disconnect for me. But overall, I loved the relationship between Joel and Ian. And would have LOVED to...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
I can't BELIEVE I've never written a review for the AWESOMENESS that is this little story...
A number of months ago Joel met Ian when he saved Ian from being crushed by weights at the gym. Joel is neat, organized, a good guy that you could meet one day while getting coffee or waiting for the bus or something. Joel's looking for somewhere to live that has character. Here's where Ian comes in. Ian's a tall, slim but muscular, certifiably mathematical genius, blonde, absentminded professor who's Aus...more
A number of months ago Joel met Ian when he saved Ian from being crushed by weights at the gym. Joel is neat, organized, a good guy that you could meet one day while getting coffee or waiting for the bus or something. Joel's looking for somewhere to live that has character. Here's where Ian comes in. Ian's a tall, slim but muscular, certifiably mathematical genius, blonde, absentminded professor who's Aus...more
Overall
First we are greeted with an adorable kitten with holiday decorations on the cover. Then we meet Ian and Joel, polar opposites who are both endearing, sweet, and love. Mix this all together with Lane's strong writing and we have a great holiday story, especially if you're looking for something that is almost sappily sweet.
Strengths
Use of flashbacks. The linear story line interrupted with flashbacks worked well here as we see the development of Ian and Joel's relationship as given to us by...more
First we are greeted with an adorable kitten with holiday decorations on the cover. Then we meet Ian and Joel, polar opposites who are both endearing, sweet, and love. Mix this all together with Lane's strong writing and we have a great holiday story, especially if you're looking for something that is almost sappily sweet.
Strengths
Use of flashbacks. The linear story line interrupted with flashbacks worked well here as we see the development of Ian and Joel's relationship as given to us by...more
This book struck a chord with me because I’ve been fortunate enough in real life to know someone very similar to Ian – a brilliant mind, but socially inept except when you get him talking about a favored subject, and then he’d light up like the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree! It’s sometimes hard to reconcile how someone can be so mature in certain ways, and yet so naïve/innocent in others. You can’t help but love Ian!
Joel, on the other hand, is Ian’s complete opposite. He has his act together...more
Joel, on the other hand, is Ian’s complete opposite. He has his act together...more
Apr 09, 2011
Stacey Jo
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommended to Stacey Jo by:
glossedcurls
Shelves:
mm-contemporary,
mm-i-own,
mm-hurt-comfort,
mm-i-ve-read,
mm-coming-out,
mm-first-time,
mm-gfy,
short-read
Amy Lane delivers another sweet story. Ian and Joel are very much the opposites that attract. Ian is a math genius who, despite all his smarts, has little practical skills and is a total scatter-brain. Joel is a neat and tidy, structured, computer programer. Joel reluctantly leaves Ian on his own for a few days while he goes to visit his family. While there, he realizes that he is in love with his roommate, although he's never had a relationship with a man before. When his roommate calls, distra...more
Okay, if you've read any of my other reviews you know characters make the story for me, and this one has wonderful characters from the heroes, Ian and Joel on down to the cat, Manky Bastard. I totally loved Ian, the careless genius and was so happy he found Joel who was there to steady him and make his life run smoother. I was so happy when Joel sister, Mel, helped him to understand his true feelings. Isn't that what big sister's are for?
A sweet story, that was somewhat reminiscent of Lane's latest, Talker. There is a down-to-earth, capable character taking care of the rather unworldly, innocent one - this time it's Ian, an Aussie mathematician. I found the characters incredibly endearing, and it's a sweet, entertaining yet undemanding read.
The cover looks like something I had on my wall when I was 7 years old, though.
The cover looks like something I had on my wall when I was 7 years old, though.
This is the story of Joel and Ian. Think of them as the Odd Couple. They are roommates. Ian is a scatterbrained genius and Joel is organized, super organized and helps Ian take care of himself. Then everything changes when they get a cat.
Ok, well, this story I admit has some contrived plot points, I still liked it because the two guys reminded me of people i know. A short sweet read.
Ok, well, this story I admit has some contrived plot points, I still liked it because the two guys reminded me of people i know. A short sweet read.
The truth is, it's the cat on the cover that got to me (it looks so cute, isn't it).
Story itself is fun, light, the character - one of them - a comically quirky and hopeless college professor and his too caring and reliable roomie.
Ian of real life might bug and exasperate the hell out of me. But in this book, Ian/Joel pairing is just right and endearing!
Story itself is fun, light, the character - one of them - a comically quirky and hopeless college professor and his too caring and reliable roomie.
Ian of real life might bug and exasperate the hell out of me. But in this book, Ian/Joel pairing is just right and endearing!
This book is adorable from the first page to the last. Joel is seemingly the total opposite his roommate, the absent-minded professor Ian, but through reminiscences shared, Joel discovered there's so much more.
Joel and Ian are two people who seem to fill the other ones gaps - Joel is there to keep Ian on track and Ian is there to help Joel let loose.
Joel and Ian are two people who seem to fill the other ones gaps - Joel is there to keep Ian on track and Ian is there to help Joel let loose.
This was cute, sweet, funny, irritating and annoying it had that awww factor I like and there was heartbreak but not the angsty kind, I will admit a couple of tears were shed. Ian made me laugh and for anyone who thinks there isn’t a real life person out there like Ian well I’m here to tell you you’re wrong and while Ian maybe a tiny bit over-the-top I thought he was the sweetest thing but could I please shake some sense into that boy? I know not going to happen and why would I want to its the t...more
5 likes · like · see review
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Amy Lane dodges an EDJ, mothers four children, and writes the occasional book. She, her brood, and her beloved mate, Mack, live in a crumbling mortgage in Citrus Heights, California, which is riddled with spiders, cats, and more than its share of fancy and weirdness. Feel free to visit her at www.greenshill.com orwww.writerslane.blogspot.com, where she will ride the buzz of receiving your e-mail u...more
More about Amy Lane...
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
Nov 18, 2012 10:24pm
Lol, I needed something light after the last Jensen and Jared fic. It seems like it though......more
Nov 18, 2012 10:26pm