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Meant For Each Other

by D.H. Starr (Goodreads Author)

3.68 of 5 stars 3.68 · rating details · 236 ratings · 38 reviews

Sometimes your first love is the one that was meant to be.Craig Harper and Jeremy Finn were best friends growing up. They attended the same school, spent all of their time together, and hung out with the same group of people. It wasn't until the day before Jeremy and his family moved across the country that they discovered their attraction to one another.Fifteen years late...more

ebook, 324 pages

Published November 15th 2010 by Ai Press (first published 2010)

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Strawberries for Dessert by Marie Sexton

Best M/M Romance Published in 2010

54th out of 233 books — 467 voters

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Jan 04, 2013 Gwenith rated it 5 of 5 stars

Sweet n' Salty 5 Star Love Story!

The Sweet~

❤Precious love,
❤Soul mate,
❤ BFF
❤True love~
❤Complicated/ Not Simplistic/Heart felt, Heart tugging, Heart squeezing, Heart hugging precious love.

The Salty ~

It is swept under the rug..it's in the spoiler...ugh...(view spoiler)

Gosh, this w...more

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Apr 07, 2011 Lori K rated it 1 of 5 stars

I do not enjoy reading about cheating and cheating sex scenes. I skipped much of this book for that reason.
If I hadn't had to read so much detail of all the cheating I owul have liked it better . That's me though. I have that issue with any book that has open relationships or scenes of cheating couples.

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Aug 23, 2012 Rellik rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: novel, rated-5-stars-by-its-author

Started off sweet but quickly became very boring. Both Jeremy and Craig shared identical past, the time growing up together, the past eight years in the same place, with similar boyfriends, and having same problems in their relationships. The readers were told the same story about the failing relationships repeatedly by a different characters in their point of views, as well as by the same character to different audiences.

To sum it up, the book was about four narcissists wanting to fall in love...more

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Feb 07, 2012 Cris rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m, smut

The first thing that really annoyed me was the mention of Skype in what was supposed to be 1995. Skype wasn’t even close to existing in 1995. Maybe I’m being nitpicky here, but if the author can’t be bothered to make sure that something actually EXISTED in the time frame that they’re writing in, especially when there was an easy substitution (AOL Chat), what else would be wrong with it? The answer to this, as it turns out, is a lot. The point of view flips between four characters- without warnin...more

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Apr 02, 2011 Elisa Ramblings added it

Even if, rightly, this is the story of 2 men, Craig and Jeremy, and their first love never to be forgotten, I happened to like very much also Andrew and I will soon explain why.

Craig and Jeremy grew up together and from the age of 5 to the age of 15 they were everything for each other, brother, confident, best friend… everything other than lover. At that age the concept of boyfriend or lover was still something far from their mind, like pretty much the question Jeremy asks to Craig, what you wo...more Even if, rightly, this is the story of 2 men, Craig and Jeremy, and their first love never to be forgotten, I happened to like very much also Andrew and I will soon explain why.

Craig and Jeremy grew up together and from the age of 5 to the age of 15 they were everything for each other, brother, confident, best friend… everything other than lover. At that age the concept of boyfriend or lover was still something far from their mind, like pretty much the question Jeremy asks to Craig, what you would like to be in the future… but fate wants to put an obstacle to this star-crossed lovers, and 15 years old Jeremy has to move with his family when they go to the other end of the country. A good-bye kiss that in any other situation would have been the beginning of something important, marks these boys who will compare every single following boyfriend to the boy left behind.

15 years later, Craig and Jeremy meet by chance again, but both of them are in a committed relationship, Craig with Robert and Jeremy with Andrew. Where sincerely, I didn’t like at all Robert and so I was all for Craig to dump him, I had my issue with Andrew since he seemed really a good guy, and I think that, if the fate didn’t want for Craig and Jeremy to meet again, he would have been a perfect partner for Jeremy. In a way, nor Craig or Andrew were my favourite, both of them had something good for Jeremy to choose one or the other, but if I have to be really really sincere, I liked Andrew better; true, he did something that I usually don’t like in a relationship, he cheated on Jeremy, but Jeremy was doing the same, and then Andrew was strong enough to admit his mistake to Jeremy, whereas I don’t think Jeremy would have done the same if Andrew didn’t.

But the concept of first love is always strong, and in a way, first love is always perfect even if in reality it’s not; and then Craig and Jeremy grew up together, they have the same expectation from life, and they are, let me be hard, both average: they are on the same level, there is no dominant figure between them and so they don’t step on each other feet. True, Andrew could have been good for Jeremy, but their would have been a completely different relationship, more like husband and househusband, instead Craig and Jeremy are balanced partner. Both relationships work, but probably Jeremy would have had a simplier life with Andrew, since Andrew would have dealt with all that was practical, leaving to Jeremy the freedom to be a dreamer. For a different man maybe this is a dream comes true, for Jeremy it was like a cage. So yes, Andrew is a good man, but he is probably not the right man for Jeremy, he is right for someone else I hope he will find.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1456346008/?...(less)

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Jan 29, 2011 Aves Raggiana rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book was a refreshing change in focus from the plethora of male-male-romance-HEA novels I’ve been reading over the last several months. This book focuses more on the extended, longer term period after the HEA ending. Even though it’s a work of fiction, Meant For Each Other went a long way towards satisfying my curiosity about what happens to couples, long after the love has “Lost Its Shine”. It turns out, after the initial physical attraction, the romantic gestures, the fervent declarations...more This book was a refreshing change in focus from the plethora of male-male-romance-HEA novels I’ve been reading over the last several months. This book focuses more on the extended, longer term period after the HEA ending. Even though it’s a work of fiction, Meant For Each Other went a long way towards satisfying my curiosity about what happens to couples, long after the love has “Lost Its Shine”. It turns out, after the initial physical attraction, the romantic gestures, the fervent declarations of eternal love and devotion, things take a pretty sobering turn.

I’ve come to the conclusion that success in finding a longterm relationship is purely a matter of chance, like winning the lottery or being born into a wealthy family. The only thing with odds more astronomical than finding a longterm relationship is STAYING in one. Based on what I got out of reading Jeremy and Craig’s story, it would seem that growing together rather than growing apart is a development over which neither party has any control. At all. If a couple should be so blessed as to grow together and stay together, it was only because sheer dumb luck allowed it to happen. It seems as though no amount of human will or personal volition can change the way a relationship is going to turn out. People’s feelings change, or not. and there’s simply nothing that can be done about any of it.

After reading Jeremy and Craig’s story, I’m now wondering why anybody bothers with getting into relationships at all, if their longterm outcome is so completely beyond anybody’s control. Could the best of intentions or any amount of willpower have changed the way the four protagonists felt about their respective partners and their relationships? I think not. It’s depressing to contemplate the reality that even “working on relationships” or “getting better at communicating” makes no difference in how things will turn out. Relationships are hard work during the best of times, self-defeating and pointless endeavours during the worst of times. Either way, their eventual outcome is predetermined by forces beyond anyone’s conscious and personal control.

I credit this book for diminishing my yearning to be in a longterm relationship, having opened my eyes to the pain and heartbreak that often results when a couple has grown apart. The only pain greater than the loneliness of being single it would appear, is the pain of still being with someone who no longer wants to be with you.

The author’s writing style, workmanlike in its economy of words and even a little dry, is a refreshing change from the more ornate, “bel canto" writing style of many authors of the contemporary male-male romance genre. Think Teutonic precision and economy, versus Italianate floridity and emotionality. Even the sex scenes have a more grounded, authentic tone about them, devoid of emotional fussiness, probably because they were written by a gay man. There’s an authority about them that’s hard to miss, likely because they were written from the point of view of someone who knows first hand, what actually happens physically and emotionally during man-to-man sexual encounters.

I thoroughly enjoyed Meant For Each Other, but for vastly different reasons from why I often enjoy male-male romance novels. Other novels have inspired me, uplifted me and given me hope. This novel sobered me, grounded me and in no small part, released me from a longing for something that may not after all, be worth the trouble attaining.

Note: I read on the author’s blog that there would be a sequel involving Andrew and Peter. I would actually be more interested in reading if Jeremy and Craig have any greater success with each other than with their previous partners, in growing together instead of growing apart.(less)

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Jan 22, 2011 Top 2 Bottom Reviews Interviews and More rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Meant For Each Other starts out as many YA Novels do. Teens Craig Harper and Jeremy Finn are sixteen year old boys who grew up doing everything together. They were the best of friends, and like any of us at that age, took things for granted. Over night things changed and Jeremy's family decided to move out of state to begin a new life. At this part of the story, I actually cried. The parting scene between the boys is so heartwarming and sad that I knew I was going to love this tale.

The story the...more Meant For Each Other starts out as many YA Novels do. Teens Craig Harper and Jeremy Finn are sixteen year old boys who grew up doing everything together. They were the best of friends, and like any of us at that age, took things for granted. Over night things changed and Jeremy's family decided to move out of state to begin a new life. At this part of the story, I actually cried. The parting scene between the boys is so heartwarming and sad that I knew I was going to love this tale.

The story then advances many years and it's being told through Finn and Harper as adults. They each followed their childhood dreams of becoming a teacher and a graphic artist, and we find out that they no longer keep in touch. Their communication stopped right after they graduated from high school, for reasons we find out about as the story progresses. Each of the men are involved with other men who are very intelligent and very successful. Craig is now a graphic artist and involved with a financial advisor, and Jeremy is a 2nd grade school teacher, teaching at a private institution and his partner is a big shot with the stock market.

Due to the different expectations from our protagonists’ boyfriends, their relationships are shaky at best. They don't feel like natural couples, they feel unhappy, they feel stressed and all of this I felt through the words I read. These feelings weren't told to me, the author showed them through his characters. He made me feel their pain, their needs, their wants. And when Starr reintroduced the two boyhood friends, I was smiling and cheering them on. I was taken on a journey that I found myself anxious to end, not because it wasn't any good, but because it was that interesting and I just had to see how it ended.

D.H. Starr created two very real men and took us on a real journey of life through their eyes. The details were extensive and well done. I found that I came to care about the characters and was thrilled that I met them.

A couple things I need to point out because I always have something to say. Though I did love this story, I did feel at times that the author used fillers in some spots to extend the story, to make his readers wait to see certain things we expected to see, or wanted to see, or needed to see. Mr. Starr, you did a fantastic job with this story by keeping me glued to it, by making me see or rather feel for the men you created, even if you did make me work hard to get to the end.

I hope you're busy with their next journey... (less)

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Jan 22, 2011 Aurora Alexander rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of m/m erotic romance

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Meant For Each Other is a lovely story with coming of age and best friends turn lovers themes. On the one hand, the romance between Jeremy and Craig is very tender. A long separation at a young age makes their struggle quite poignant. On the other hand, because both Jeremy and Craig are in long term relationships when they meet again after the 15 year separation, a significant portion of the story focuses on Jeremy and Andrew's relationship, as well as Craig and Robert's relationship. It is this...more

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Nov 21, 2010 CAS rated it 3 of 5 stars

As much as I wanted to love this book.... I liked it.
I often found it difficult to connect with the characters. Each of the lead characters is involved in a relationship with someone else when they meet again. It was interesting to not only get insight into what the main characters were thinking and feeling but we are also given glimpses into the minds of the men the leads are partnered with. Interesting as this was, there was just so much inner dialog going on within the four lead characters mi...more

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Mar 29, 2011 ~ames~ rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-read, contemporary, e-book, m-m

There's nothing I enjoy more than a good friends-to-lovers theme. Meant for Each Other was a good read. Craig and Jeremy have been friends since kindergarten. At the end of their sophomore (or is it junior?) year, Jeremy is moving across the country and both boys are very worried about their friendship. They both admit that they're in love with the other and share a kiss that will rock both their worlds. This is the kiss that they compare every kiss they share with another man with. And eight ye...more

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Apr 11, 2011 Mandi Schreiner rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m

Meant For Each Other is at times a cute story between two men who loved each other as teenagers but then lost touch only to find each other fifteen years later. Before they find each other we are introduced to both Craig’s and Jeremy’s current significant others. They both are somewhat unhappy in their relationships, but both are trying to make it work. When they run into each other by chance, their old feelings come back quite quickly.

It takes a long time for Craig and Jeremy to find each other...more

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Nov 24, 2010 Sedonia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ai-press, m-m

I really liked this book. I don't agree with the review that says if they really loved each other they'd have stayed in touch for 15 years. This just isn't necessarily so. Realistically, this kind of thing happens in life. Sometimes, the person you love most in the world is the person you don't end up with. People don't know themselves very often, especially when they're young, and they don't understand what they have at the time. We'd like to believe that people stay in touch who love each othe...more

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May 24, 2011 Jennifer Labelle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Meant For Each Other is a very heartfelt emotional story about two best friends who fell in love with each other, only to be forced a part by circumstances beyond their control. Years later they are re-united and the spark picks up from where they left off immediately. Both are stuck in relationships they're not happy with, and are faced with many obstacles to overcome to pick up where they left off.

D.H Starr does an amazing job, drawing his readers in immediately within the first few sentences...more

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Aug 10, 2012 John Ames rated it 5 of 5 stars

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4.5 Stars

I have to be honest. When I got this novel to review, I wasn’t looking forward to it because I am not a fan of MM contemporary novels. They tend to be more about adults and their problems. But, I’m so happy that I did.

This love story revolves around Craig Harper and Jeremy Finn, who grew up as best friends in Newton, just west of Boston. One day at age fifteen, they share a kiss and Jeremy moves across the country the following day. Slowly, they b...more

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Dec 06, 2010 Debbie rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is an official review from The Romance Review

Sometimes your first love is the one you are destined to be with. That was the case with Craig Harper and Jeremy Finn. Watching and reading about their relationship advancing from best friends to lovers was amazing. Their reunion after 15 years was emotional and scorching hot!! WOW!!

Craig and Jeremy were best friends growing up. They met in day care and were inseparable from that day forward. When the boys were fifteen, Jeremy had to move across...more This is an official review from The Romance Review

Sometimes your first love is the one you are destined to be with. That was the case with Craig Harper and Jeremy Finn. Watching and reading about their relationship advancing from best friends to lovers was amazing. Their reunion after 15 years was emotional and scorching hot!! WOW!!

Craig and Jeremy were best friends growing up. They met in day care and were inseparable from that day forward. When the boys were fifteen, Jeremy had to move across the country with his family. This nearly tore both boys apart. The last day they were together, they shared their first and only kiss, high up in their "love tree" away from prying eyes. They vow to keep in touch, but as time goes by they pull away from each other.

Even though they haven't seen each other for fifteen years, their lives have run parallel courses. They are both living in New York. They have both been in committed relationships for eight years. But neither of the men is happy. They continue to think of each other and neither can forget that first kiss. They both wonder what could have been had they not been separated.

It was a chance meeting that brought the two men together again. You could feel the love between them immediately. Their love for each other actually brought me to tears a few times. Frustrated tears and happy tears. I was so happy when they found each other. I wanted things to move faster than they did, but the book wouldn't have been nearly as good had it been written that way.

What a great reunion story this turned out to be. D.H. Starr is such a great author. He immediately pulls you right into the story. You feel like you are right there. You become emotionally connected to Jeremy and Craig and I was rooting for them the entire way. And oh my gosh, the first time they are together after their relationships dissolved, was so erotic and so well-written it actually had my heart rate speeding up. I had to read that part a couple of times it was so great!! While I don't necessarily like the breaking apart of committed relationships, in this case it needed to happen. No one was happy and there could never have been a HEA ending if it hadn't occurred.

This is the second book by D.H. Starr that I've read. He is truly wonderful. At no time do you ever feel that a story is incomplete. At no time do you ever feel the story is rushed. It truly is a great story that can get me as emotionally involved with the characters as I do when I'm reading his books.

D.H. Starr is quickly becoming an auto buy author for me. His books are just so well-written and real. I can never put them down. Once I pick up the book I just have to keep reading.

(less)

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Feb 13, 2011 Table4Five rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was a really good book! The book started off at a point where Craig and Jeremy would start their relationship ... right after an unforgetable kiss in The Love Tree. Sadly Jeremy has to move away the next day. Communication is strong at first and then dwindles as the years go by. But the love that they have for each other is always there. Fifteen years later the find each other again. But with both of them having boyfrinds, can they figure out what to do with all their pent up love they've h...more

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Nov 14, 2010 Meggie rated it 1 of 5 stars

This story is totally annoying in my mind.
I read the the story and the start of the book pulls you in, like a good story should, but then it starts to get... blah... Anyway the main couple loved each other, but even if they did grow to love each other as children, they didn't keep in touch true the years even if they though of each others constantly or daily. I mean really, you love someone and you stop communicating with the person for 15 years ? really... ? The feelings in this plot are not fe...more

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May 11, 2011 ManOhMan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

Reviewed by Kerri: I like the premise of friends possibly becoming lovers in a book. It's one that is often found in m/m romance, but D.H. Starr manages to spin it into a unique tale that not only is interesting but also entertaining.

I love books that explore the interdynamics of relationships, and what draws two people to be attracted to each other. Saying that, it was explored and very well done in this book. For fans of a heartfelt m/m read, this one is a must.

A

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Dec 26, 2010 Nikki rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m-contemporary-romance, on-my-kindle-fire-ipad-samsung, not-my-type-of-read, unrealistic

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jan 22, 2013 Ken Murphy rated it 4 of 5 stars

It was a very fun read. Sometimes your first love is your greatest love. Craig and Jeremy were separated at age 15. As adults fate reunites them. Parts of it seemed a bit too staged, all four characters are at the same point in their relationships. Having said that, it was easy to overlook that minor flaw.

I greatly enjoyed the story. My first by D.H. Starr. Won't be my last.

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Feb 01, 2011 Tracy rated it 4 of 5 stars

after the prologue, this story was going rather slow, but by the time I reach the middle part it started getting interesting and by the time I got to the end I didn't want it to end. This was a good read for me and can wait to get my hands on many more of this author's story.

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Aug 02, 2011 Sass rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: friends-to-lovers, gay-teens, cheater

I gave this one a lower rating because (view spoiler)

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May 25, 2011 Cole Riann rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m, m-m-contemporary, m-m-reunions-second-chances

Wow, what an emotional ringer. Still, though I had a few difficulties with the story (some stilted and unrealistic dialogue and some repeated information, they were few and far between. Definitely not for the faint of heart, or anyone who doesn't like to read about cheating. I almost couldn't read the brief sections narrated by Robert (aka F-ing Bastard). The book was rather long for the repeated heavy atmosphere. I could have used some intermittent lighthearted moments, and though I believe DH...more

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Jan 13, 2012 Ferdy Paz rated it 2 of 5 stars

I didn't like the main characters, don't like to read about cheating, BUT I must admit I really like the way the author writes and I'm looking forward reading his other books.

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Feb 02, 2012 Jen Wilson rated it 5 of 5 stars

I am so glad I decided to read this book!

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Jun 28, 2011 Karen rated it 3 of 5 stars

the story had promise, the dialogue needs work.

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May 25, 2011 Monika rated it 4 of 5 stars

Such a sweet story. Very heart-felt. I loved it.

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Mar 09, 2011 KyAnn Waters rated it 5 of 5 stars

loved it. great story with great characters

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Nov 28, 2010 D.H. Starr rated it 5 of 5 stars · (Review from the author)

It's my book so of course I think it's a 5-starr.

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Apr 16, 2011 OkayKim rated it 3 of 5 stars

I had a little trouble with this one.

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