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One Thing #1
One Small Thing
"Daddy" is not a title Rue Murray wanted, but he never thought he’d have sex with a woman either. Now he’s the unwitting father of a newborn named Alice. Between bartending and cosmetology school, Rue doesn’t have time for babies, but he can’t give her up. What Rue needs is a babysitter, and he’s running out of options. He’s on the verge of quitting school to watch Alice himself when he remembers his reclusive new neighbor, Erik.
Erik Van Nuys is a sci-fi novelist with anxiety issues to spare. He doesn’t like people in general, and he likes babies even less. Still, with his royalties dwindling, he could use the extra cash. Reluctantly, he takes on the role of manny—and even more reluctantly, he finds himself falling for Alice and her flamboyant father.
Rue and Erik are as different as two people can be, and Alice is the unlikeliest of babies, but Rue has never been happier than when Alice and Erik are by his side. At least, not until he receives an offer that puts all his dreams within reach and he’s forced to the future he’s always wanted, or the family he thought he never did.
Erik Van Nuys is a sci-fi novelist with anxiety issues to spare. He doesn’t like people in general, and he likes babies even less. Still, with his royalties dwindling, he could use the extra cash. Reluctantly, he takes on the role of manny—and even more reluctantly, he finds himself falling for Alice and her flamboyant father.
Rue and Erik are as different as two people can be, and Alice is the unlikeliest of babies, but Rue has never been happier than when Alice and Erik are by his side. At least, not until he receives an offer that puts all his dreams within reach and he’s forced to the future he’s always wanted, or the family he thought he never did.
214 pages, ebook
First published May 3, 2012
133 people are currently reading
2955 people want to read
About the author
Piper Vaughn
47 books1,153 followersPiper Vaughn is a romance author and lifelong fan of the genre. Since writing their first love story at age eleven, they’ve known writing in some form was exactly what they wanted to do. A reader to the core, Piper loves nothing more than getting lost in a great book.
Piper is of Puerto Rican descent and grew up in a diverse neighborhood in Chicago. They love putting faces and characters of every ethnicity in their stories, making their fictional worlds as colorful as the real one. Above all, Piper believes there’s no one way to have an HEA, and every person deserves to see themselves reflected on the page.
Sign up for Piper's newsletter: https://www.pipervaughn.com/newsletter
Piper is of Puerto Rican descent and grew up in a diverse neighborhood in Chicago. They love putting faces and characters of every ethnicity in their stories, making their fictional worlds as colorful as the real one. Above all, Piper believes there’s no one way to have an HEA, and every person deserves to see themselves reflected on the page.
Sign up for Piper's newsletter: https://www.pipervaughn.com/newsletter
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 608 reviews
July 23, 2013
**3.5 stars**
Well, I loved most of this book and I am totally hooked on Piper Vaughn and M.J. O'Shea's writing styles, but I had a few issues with that kept it from being a solid 4 stars.
First, the stuff that I loved. I think that these two authors have such a sweet, genuine way of writing that really speaks to me as a reader. I connect so easily with the characters that they create. I easily fell in love with Erik and Dusty and Rue and Alice. I loved that this book is unapologetically sweet and tells a wonderful opposites attract story.
My issues with this one... well they really got to me. I had a few consistency problems with this story. Why on earth would Rue forget to use a condom the one time he was with a girl?! He used condoms with men? It made no sense to me. I know it was needed to set the stage for the story but it didn't make sense.
I also think that the character of Erik was a bit all over the place. A recluse that eats all junk food having a toned, flab-less body? In my everloving dreams! He should have a big old cellulite butt! Mention his metabolism or a secret home gym if you want to make that realistic, guys! I also don't get how a guy with such crippling social anxiety would be able to magically be doing things that he avoided for years just because he met someone he was falling for. For that to work, I needed to see a lot more steps, more signs that it was difficult for him... more of a journey. It felt rushed and not realistic. I also didn't like how they just passed over the whole virginity issue. I wanted a discussion there, some major intimacy, and some shock and awe. I didn't like how they kind of just skipped over that topic. I mean
Though I had some issues with the plot, the writing and wonderful lightness of this book pushed it to four stars. I can't wait to read the next one. I have high hopes for Dusty's story!
Well, I loved most of this book and I am totally hooked on Piper Vaughn and M.J. O'Shea's writing styles, but I had a few issues with that kept it from being a solid 4 stars.
First, the stuff that I loved. I think that these two authors have such a sweet, genuine way of writing that really speaks to me as a reader. I connect so easily with the characters that they create. I easily fell in love with Erik and Dusty and Rue and Alice. I loved that this book is unapologetically sweet and tells a wonderful opposites attract story.
My issues with this one... well they really got to me. I had a few consistency problems with this story. Why on earth would Rue forget to use a condom the one time he was with a girl?! He used condoms with men? It made no sense to me. I know it was needed to set the stage for the story but it didn't make sense.
I also think that the character of Erik was a bit all over the place. A recluse that eats all junk food having a toned, flab-less body? In my everloving dreams! He should have a big old cellulite butt! Mention his metabolism or a secret home gym if you want to make that realistic, guys! I also don't get how a guy with such crippling social anxiety would be able to magically be doing things that he avoided for years just because he met someone he was falling for. For that to work, I needed to see a lot more steps, more signs that it was difficult for him... more of a journey. It felt rushed and not realistic. I also didn't like how they just passed over the whole virginity issue. I wanted a discussion there, some major intimacy, and some shock and awe. I didn't like how they kind of just skipped over that topic. I mean
Though I had some issues with the plot, the writing and wonderful lightness of this book pushed it to four stars. I can't wait to read the next one. I have high hopes for Dusty's story!
September 30, 2014
Written January 17, 2014
4 1/2 Stars - just lovely.. tender, sweet and baby cute
In December; Maybe a short review later...
There was never any review written (I swam around in the warm sea far away in Asia instead..) when I finished One Small Thing. But I need and MUST write a few words about my thoughts, because I enjoyed this great romance so much and I want a lot more M/M lovers to read it. ~ A small unique gem as my friend Macky recommended me to read.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Rue is a party-gay-guy who becomes father to a newborn baby girl because of a one night mistake. He is a man who doesn't know much about babies and family life. He also immedetly need a babysitter for the days when he's in cosmetology school and as well the evenings when he has a bartending job. Who is better to ask than the shy male neighbor?
Erik, a sci-fi writer and Star Wars lover
, with a lot of personal "life-problems" is the (lucky..) guy whose dull life suddenly is invaded by his new neighbors. After a while it is all completely changed (for the better of course..).
So, so funny, cozy, engaging and amazing romantic about two gorgeous men and many common everyday worries. A partly new topic, with a baby, a virgin, a flamboyant and it is a very genuine and tender sense of it all... Really tastefully done!
I also want to give a big plus to a M/M novel where the romance, steam, sex and love got some time to grow (..no insta love here) and also felt very believable. Particularly important when there are children involved in your life and in the story.
I loved Rue, baby Alice and the sweet and so lovely nerd Erik. My great love to Rue's wonderful best buddie Dusty as well, maybe I'll meet him in another book.
At last: I have to congrats Piper Vaughn to her choise of cover and the photos on it. It's so "read-tempting" and nice with these lovely cute baby feet and tiny pink baby shoes. Delicious and very tidy to be a cover on a M/M romance.
Recommended to all romantic, family/baby loving, M/M readers.
I LIKE - very, very much!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thanks to dear Macky who recommended this lovely novel with these words: "This one is light and fluffy but fun and cute too." (Macky's review).
4 1/2 Stars - just lovely.. tender, sweet and baby cute
In December; Maybe a short review later...
There was never any review written (I swam around in the warm sea far away in Asia instead..) when I finished One Small Thing. But I need and MUST write a few words about my thoughts, because I enjoyed this great romance so much and I want a lot more M/M lovers to read it. ~ A small unique gem as my friend Macky recommended me to read.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Rue is a party-gay-guy who becomes father to a newborn baby girl because of a one night mistake. He is a man who doesn't know much about babies and family life. He also immedetly need a babysitter for the days when he's in cosmetology school and as well the evenings when he has a bartending job. Who is better to ask than the shy male neighbor?
Erik, a sci-fi writer and Star Wars lover
, with a lot of personal "life-problems" is the (lucky..) guy whose dull life suddenly is invaded by his new neighbors. After a while it is all completely changed (for the better of course..). ‘Alice was a girl, and she had baby girl parts, and I was going to have to clean her up. Should I...look away? But if I didn't watch what I was doing, how would I know if I'd gotten her clean?’
So, so funny, cozy, engaging and amazing romantic about two gorgeous men and many common everyday worries. A partly new topic, with a baby, a virgin, a flamboyant and it is a very genuine and tender sense of it all... Really tastefully done!
I also want to give a big plus to a M/M novel where the romance, steam, sex and love got some time to grow (..no insta love here) and also felt very believable. Particularly important when there are children involved in your life and in the story.
‘No one else should see him like that, ever. Not my Rue. And he was mine, as much as I was his. I knew that now, just from the way he looked at me after I kissed him. Everything I felt for him, every ounce of yearning and desire and need, had shone out of his eyes as he stared up at me. And I knew right then, I knew… he belonged to me.’
I loved Rue, baby Alice and the sweet and so lovely nerd Erik. My great love to Rue's wonderful best buddie Dusty as well, maybe I'll meet him in another book.
At last: I have to congrats Piper Vaughn to her choise of cover and the photos on it. It's so "read-tempting" and nice with these lovely cute baby feet and tiny pink baby shoes. Delicious and very tidy to be a cover on a M/M romance.
Recommended to all romantic, family/baby loving, M/M readers.
I LIKE - very, very much!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thanks to dear Macky who recommended this lovely novel with these words: "This one is light and fluffy but fun and cute too." (Macky's review).
July 10, 2016
Another book that's been on my TBR list forever! I've been trying to conquer it slowly but surely!
This was one of those books that just put a smile on my face. It was sweet. Not fussy. A bit spicy!
The perfect Sunday afternoon read!
This was one of those books that just put a smile on my face. It was sweet. Not fussy. A bit spicy!
The perfect Sunday afternoon read!
August 22, 2012
5 Satisfying Stars! Beautiful heart-warming LOVE story! This one definitely lived up to the hype.
The first few pages into this book I thought I was going to read about "Club Kids" and didn't think the read was for me, but I kept at it and boy am I glad I did. Rue does work in a dance club and is somewhat flamboyant, but he's also hard-working, devoted, loving and when life dealt him an unexpected hand, he was up to the challenge! Without a moment of hesitation…yes, he wanted his baby! He embraced fatherhood and was an exceptional dad! That in itself made for a beautiful story, but then bring the sheltered, quirky, anxious, owl-eyed Erik into the mix and the love that ensues…oh my my…it made me smile, laugh, cry and love these two, as much as they loved each other.
Dusty was an endearing character, a delightful devoted friend to both of them and a caring, loving uncle to Alice, Rue’s adorable baby. She was what brought Rue and Erik together and allowed them to explore a relationship, dig down inside themselves and find what they were both made of and what they could become; partners, a couple, men who could love and be loved.
”I didn't even really know if I was gay. I suppose society would assign me that label. I was in love with a man, and he made me hot and hard, his kisses made me shiver, and there'd never been anything more perfect than the feel of his body inside mine. So maybe it was the right word. But I honestly didn't think my attraction to Rue had anything to do with his gender. I didn't love Rue for what he did or didn't have. I loved him because he was Rue. Nothing else mattered.”
Love knows no boundaries and the person who understood that the most was Erik’s mother. She loved her son, and now he loved, and her son’s happiness was all that mattered. I cried right along with her when she realized that her son had found someone. Acceptance is a something more people in this world should practice. Sexual orientation does not make a person, and should have no bearing on how we judge someone.
This is a beautifully written LOVE story! Not a romance…this is a love story, love that comes in all forms, and at times it overwhelmed me. This was a joint effort by two amazing authors and it read as if it was written by one. It’s told from Rue and Erik’s first person point-of views, and I loved reading how each one interpreted the situation at hand. The ending will leave you smiling and immensely satisfied. My hope that a book is written for Dusty, and he finds a love he is so deserving of.
**After writing my review I changed my rating to 5 full stars. Just thinking about what I read, how much I enjoyed it, and that I’m still thinking about it…well, that sealed the deal**
The first few pages into this book I thought I was going to read about "Club Kids" and didn't think the read was for me, but I kept at it and boy am I glad I did. Rue does work in a dance club and is somewhat flamboyant, but he's also hard-working, devoted, loving and when life dealt him an unexpected hand, he was up to the challenge! Without a moment of hesitation…yes, he wanted his baby! He embraced fatherhood and was an exceptional dad! That in itself made for a beautiful story, but then bring the sheltered, quirky, anxious, owl-eyed Erik into the mix and the love that ensues…oh my my…it made me smile, laugh, cry and love these two, as much as they loved each other.
Dusty was an endearing character, a delightful devoted friend to both of them and a caring, loving uncle to Alice, Rue’s adorable baby. She was what brought Rue and Erik together and allowed them to explore a relationship, dig down inside themselves and find what they were both made of and what they could become; partners, a couple, men who could love and be loved.
”I didn't even really know if I was gay. I suppose society would assign me that label. I was in love with a man, and he made me hot and hard, his kisses made me shiver, and there'd never been anything more perfect than the feel of his body inside mine. So maybe it was the right word. But I honestly didn't think my attraction to Rue had anything to do with his gender. I didn't love Rue for what he did or didn't have. I loved him because he was Rue. Nothing else mattered.”
Love knows no boundaries and the person who understood that the most was Erik’s mother. She loved her son, and now he loved, and her son’s happiness was all that mattered. I cried right along with her when she realized that her son had found someone. Acceptance is a something more people in this world should practice. Sexual orientation does not make a person, and should have no bearing on how we judge someone.
This is a beautifully written LOVE story! Not a romance…this is a love story, love that comes in all forms, and at times it overwhelmed me. This was a joint effort by two amazing authors and it read as if it was written by one. It’s told from Rue and Erik’s first person point-of views, and I loved reading how each one interpreted the situation at hand. The ending will leave you smiling and immensely satisfied. My hope that a book is written for Dusty, and he finds a love he is so deserving of.
**After writing my review I changed my rating to 5 full stars. Just thinking about what I read, how much I enjoyed it, and that I’m still thinking about it…well, that sealed the deal**
July 28, 2015
HEARTFELT AND WONDERFUL!
Sigh...this was really really good.
I want to start with my criticisms first so I can get it out of the way. The plot was a little all over the place. I really really loved the prologue. After that, the story went this. And then it went that. It even turned to a little love triangle. It was almost messy.
Rue & Erik
I loved the characters. But, there was so much going on with them. Erik, I love him. But, he's a writer, sci-fi nerd, OC, junk food junkie, gardener, hated to be touched and a 27 year old virgin? It's too much! Then there's Rue, flirtatious, out there, and a full top? After he had Alice, I missed his snarky remarks that he had on the prologue. And their beginning, I think I missed the build up. and all of the sudden they were all over each other. At one point I think they will be a menage because Dusty was fawning over Erik too. And the poor cutie pie Alice, she was always asleep throughout the book. As you can see, messy.
Even though there were faults, I still loved it. I've been reading so-so reads in the past few days and this turned it around. It was so so good. Very engaging and I loved the story. So feel good and easy. I loved Rue & Erik's relationship. It was full of love.
Overall, it's the IMPACT made me give it 5 Goodreads stars. This read deserved it and I'm looking forward for the next one.
A HIGHLY RECOMMENDED light-hearted M/M Romance! Enjoy! :D
4.5 STARS!
Sigh...this was really really good.
I want to start with my criticisms first so I can get it out of the way. The plot was a little all over the place. I really really loved the prologue. After that, the story went this. And then it went that. It even turned to a little love triangle. It was almost messy.
Rue & Erik
I loved the characters. But, there was so much going on with them. Erik, I love him. But, he's a writer, sci-fi nerd, OC, junk food junkie, gardener, hated to be touched and a 27 year old virgin? It's too much! Then there's Rue, flirtatious, out there, and a full top? After he had Alice, I missed his snarky remarks that he had on the prologue. And their beginning, I think I missed the build up. and all of the sudden they were all over each other. At one point I think they will be a menage because Dusty was fawning over Erik too. And the poor cutie pie Alice, she was always asleep throughout the book. As you can see, messy.
Even though there were faults, I still loved it. I've been reading so-so reads in the past few days and this turned it around. It was so so good. Very engaging and I loved the story. So feel good and easy. I loved Rue & Erik's relationship. It was full of love.
Overall, it's the IMPACT made me give it 5 Goodreads stars. This read deserved it and I'm looking forward for the next one.
A HIGHLY RECOMMENDED light-hearted M/M Romance! Enjoy! :D
4.5 STARS!
January 20, 2014
I suppose to believe that somebody as gay as Rue would actually want to experiment with a girl and then get her pregnant is a bit hard to swallow but once you get past that and accept it as a bit of poetic license then you'll hopefully, like me, sit back and enjoy this fab story. It's just pure entertainment, filled with endearing quirky characters, humour, emotion and a baby who is über cute but doesn't steal the show or make it a sickly sweet concoction. Erik and Rue are complete opposites but when they are together the book sparkles and together they sizzle. What better pairing could you put together than an innocent, never been kissed, agoraphobic, Sci Fi geek and a flamboyant trainee hairdresser/ bar tender, at times skimpily dressed twink to make a romance that should never work, but actually turns out to be a match made in heaven! Rue's friend Dusty is another great character and should get his own story. A firm favourite now and a keeper. Loved it!
Edit: originally read May 2012... Re-read 18/01/14
Still 5 stars. Second time around and I still adore this story. The perfect ' wind down from an intense read' type of book and just a joy to relax with. A lovely sweet romance that has endearing MC's, just the right amount of mild conflict and love scenes that never swamp the story but are still sexy enough to make you tingle when they're on page. Rue and Erik are loveable, Dusty is a sweetie and little Alice is a star without being precocious. Still a keeper and definitely still a favourite.
Comfort read? Warm and fuzzies,? Feel good? Answer is yes to all three. Gorgeous!
Edit: originally read May 2012... Re-read 18/01/14
Still 5 stars. Second time around and I still adore this story. The perfect ' wind down from an intense read' type of book and just a joy to relax with. A lovely sweet romance that has endearing MC's, just the right amount of mild conflict and love scenes that never swamp the story but are still sexy enough to make you tingle when they're on page. Rue and Erik are loveable, Dusty is a sweetie and little Alice is a star without being precocious. Still a keeper and definitely still a favourite.
Comfort read? Warm and fuzzies,? Feel good? Answer is yes to all three. Gorgeous!
May 5, 2012
This is a story of three men and a baby ...
Rue is a bartender slash part-time cosmetology student who one day got the shocking news of his life -- that one time he tried with a girl had resulted in pregnancy. An unlikely candidate for fatherhood, nevertheless Rue decided that he would keep the baby. With a help of his best friend, Dusty, and his reclusive neighbor, Erik, a writer with anxiety issues, Rue faces the journey of becoming a father. The three men are making their own little family, and somewhere in the middle Rue and Erik fall in love as well.
Why I keep saying "three men", when the romance is strictly between Rue and Erik? Well, because Dusty's role is too significant to be placed only as secondary. He's an integral part of this story too, being best friend with Rue, also becoming a great friend for Erik, while taking care of baby Alice along with Erik. So I need to highlight his character here -- since I want to see him with a happy ending too, especially since in this one, he doesn't have it yet. Instead, he is saddled with an abusive boyfriend, who doesn't treat Dusty right.
Anyway ... back to Rue and Erik, shall we? It's a case of opposite attract. Rue is extrovert, flirty, full of life. Erik is intovert, doesn't like changes, has OCDs. It's a chance encounter that puts these men on the same path, when Rue is desperate to find someone to keep an eye on his baby, Alice. I love the story starts with friendship. I am never a fan of insta-love, wham-bam-love-forever type of story. So the way this story is developed makes the love that comes later between Rue and Erik feels natural, instead of forced/instant.
I love how each man is taking the other out of their comfort zone. Rue is growing roots, more settled, while Erik is embarking the unknown, letting himself out one shell of a time. There are A LOT of adorable moments (including how Star Trek becomes one tool to calm baby Alice). The 'climax' in the end is one of those "what you will be willing to sacrifice to be with the one you love" things, which resolved quite nicely without dragging to much.
It fits my taste on M/M contemporary romance just right. If there's that niggle, well, it will be "baby" as term of endearment. I know I complain about that one too much, but I can't help it. It's one of my pet peeves. We already have baby Alice here without having to read the grown men calling each other "baby". I can only handle a few times that word comes up in a story, and this one uses it a bit too much. Unfortunately, I know this term of endearment is popular in this genre, and I will be reading it more to come, so you will have to stick with me complaining about it too.
Now, can either Piper or M.J. confirms that Dusty will get his happiness in California? Please?
Rue is a bartender slash part-time cosmetology student who one day got the shocking news of his life -- that one time he tried with a girl had resulted in pregnancy. An unlikely candidate for fatherhood, nevertheless Rue decided that he would keep the baby. With a help of his best friend, Dusty, and his reclusive neighbor, Erik, a writer with anxiety issues, Rue faces the journey of becoming a father. The three men are making their own little family, and somewhere in the middle Rue and Erik fall in love as well.
Why I keep saying "three men", when the romance is strictly between Rue and Erik? Well, because Dusty's role is too significant to be placed only as secondary. He's an integral part of this story too, being best friend with Rue, also becoming a great friend for Erik, while taking care of baby Alice along with Erik. So I need to highlight his character here -- since I want to see him with a happy ending too, especially since in this one, he doesn't have it yet. Instead, he is saddled with an abusive boyfriend, who doesn't treat Dusty right.
Anyway ... back to Rue and Erik, shall we? It's a case of opposite attract. Rue is extrovert, flirty, full of life. Erik is intovert, doesn't like changes, has OCDs. It's a chance encounter that puts these men on the same path, when Rue is desperate to find someone to keep an eye on his baby, Alice. I love the story starts with friendship. I am never a fan of insta-love, wham-bam-love-forever type of story. So the way this story is developed makes the love that comes later between Rue and Erik feels natural, instead of forced/instant.
I love how each man is taking the other out of their comfort zone. Rue is growing roots, more settled, while Erik is embarking the unknown, letting himself out one shell of a time. There are A LOT of adorable moments (including how Star Trek becomes one tool to calm baby Alice). The 'climax' in the end is one of those "what you will be willing to sacrifice to be with the one you love" things, which resolved quite nicely without dragging to much.
It fits my taste on M/M contemporary romance just right. If there's that niggle, well, it will be "baby" as term of endearment. I know I complain about that one too much, but I can't help it. It's one of my pet peeves. We already have baby Alice here without having to read the grown men calling each other "baby". I can only handle a few times that word comes up in a story, and this one uses it a bit too much. Unfortunately, I know this term of endearment is popular in this genre, and I will be reading it more to come, so you will have to stick with me complaining about it too.
Now, can either Piper or M.J. confirms that Dusty will get his happiness in California? Please?
August 6, 2016
There's two types of reviews that are really hard to write. Three star reviews and reviews of books you absolutely fell in love with. This book falls in the second category. I always feel like I won't be able to do them justice (which I know I won't). This was such a heartwarming story and I had a smile on my face almost the entire time I was reading it. My daughter even turned to me at one point to ask me what I was smiling about. I took my time reading it because I never wanted it to end.
This is a story of opposites attract. Rue, is the outgoing one, whom finds himself suddenly a father. Erik, is the shy eccentric neighbor, who ends up babysitting Baby Alice. One mustn't leave out Dusty, Rue's best friend. Reading about these friendships develop was simply a delight.
I also found this book inspirational. It's a story about friendship and family. It was not only humorous but emotional as well. It also had some steamy moments. The dialogue flowed nicely- it never had a dull moment. IMO, was pretty close to perfect and a book I highly recommend.
This was 5+ stars and going under my best of the best I've read this year. Loved it! ♥
January 8, 2015
Oh, the warm and fuzziness of it all! I loved this book and it was definitely the right story to pull me out of my reading slump. I'm jumping into Dusty's story right away! Simply delightful!
May 27, 2013
FOUR & A HALF STARS-- So when a flamboyant aspiring hairdresser needs a nanny for his newborn baby girl (Yes, that's right...he had a baby...the old fashioned way) he asks his neighbor, his panic attack having, socially awkward, Jedi loving virgin neighbor. A funny story happens in between their initial meeting all the way into the end, with some drama and sugary sweetness thrown in. It's a really great story. I loved Erik to pieces. A great couple, Erik and Rue did make.
;)
;)
January 2, 2018
Review to come ..
January 16, 2013
~~~
**Mild Spoilers
Funny and fresh. Warm and fulfilling. Surprisingly sexy.
Dual POV
THE STORY:
A baby changes everything. In this initially light-hearted and humorously written story, a young gay man has to figure out how to bartend, go to beauty school and make sure his daughter has the best possible care.
THE CHARACTERS:
Rue, is a young "club boy" who decides to keep his baby. His decision creates havoc in his already hectic life, but caused me to instantly like him. His humor and outlook made it easy to want more Rue. Just ask Erik. You gotta love a man who thinks:
"Might as well make like Lee and press on."
Erik, oh Erik. Loveable geek, compassionate neighbor and sexually unaware introvert. He drinks Gatorade by the gallon, watches Star Wars to calm himself and needs a hair cut. Oh yeah, that haircut, tummy flips galore.
"Do or do not. There is no try." Only Erik would quote Yoda in bed.
Dusty is Rue's best friend and they are enrolled in cosmetology school together. He's sweet, kind and vulnerable. I'm really hoping for his HEA in the next book. There will be a next one, right?
THE WRITING:
This is a quick witted, solid read with a few minor bumps along the way. I didn't feel that there were any slow parts but some awkward sentences did seem to halt the story a time or two. The author's did an especially noteworthy job at portraying descriptive sex scenes that weren't just about the actions but actually about the sensations involved. If you're one of those girls who want to know what it "feels like" for guys, pick this one up right away.
The author's also wrote terrific, easy to visualize characters that you would want to know in your life. They became endearing and it was a pleasure to watch them figure it all out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You might find a bit of a love triangle, some building angst and what I hope is a possible cliff-hanger in this book.
Read this book up for descriptive sex, tummy flips and characters that will work their way into your heart.
My sincere thanks to Netgalley.com and Dreamspinner Press for providing an eARC or this delightful story.
~~~
Take a look at my Male/Male Romance Book Blog:
http://www.attentionisarbitrary.blogspot.com
**Mild Spoilers
Funny and fresh. Warm and fulfilling. Surprisingly sexy.
Dual POV
THE STORY:
A baby changes everything. In this initially light-hearted and humorously written story, a young gay man has to figure out how to bartend, go to beauty school and make sure his daughter has the best possible care.
THE CHARACTERS:
Rue, is a young "club boy" who decides to keep his baby. His decision creates havoc in his already hectic life, but caused me to instantly like him. His humor and outlook made it easy to want more Rue. Just ask Erik. You gotta love a man who thinks:
"Might as well make like Lee and press on."
Erik, oh Erik. Loveable geek, compassionate neighbor and sexually unaware introvert. He drinks Gatorade by the gallon, watches Star Wars to calm himself and needs a hair cut. Oh yeah, that haircut, tummy flips galore.
"Do or do not. There is no try." Only Erik would quote Yoda in bed.
Dusty is Rue's best friend and they are enrolled in cosmetology school together. He's sweet, kind and vulnerable. I'm really hoping for his HEA in the next book. There will be a next one, right?
THE WRITING:
This is a quick witted, solid read with a few minor bumps along the way. I didn't feel that there were any slow parts but some awkward sentences did seem to halt the story a time or two. The author's did an especially noteworthy job at portraying descriptive sex scenes that weren't just about the actions but actually about the sensations involved. If you're one of those girls who want to know what it "feels like" for guys, pick this one up right away.
The author's also wrote terrific, easy to visualize characters that you would want to know in your life. They became endearing and it was a pleasure to watch them figure it all out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You might find a bit of a love triangle, some building angst and what I hope is a possible cliff-hanger in this book.
Read this book up for descriptive sex, tummy flips and characters that will work their way into your heart.
My sincere thanks to Netgalley.com and Dreamspinner Press for providing an eARC or this delightful story.
~~~
Take a look at my Male/Male Romance Book Blog:
http://www.attentionisarbitrary.blogspot.com
August 28, 2012
*This review contains mild spoilers*
One Small Thing was a sweet and undemanding story.
I usually steer away from books that feature babies or small kids, mostly because I don't exactly have a close relationship with them in real life. They mind their business and I mind mine. So I normally wouldn't pick this up but I recently read a couple of stories by Piper Vaughn (Wanting and An Oral Fixation) and liked them so I thought I'd give it a try. I didn't regret it.
Rue, the jazzy twink who works as a bartender at a night club to put himself through cosmetology school, is the first of the MCs we meet and I'll admit that he initially irritated me. It wasn't one major thing; it was more like a combination of little things that annoyed me. Was it that he felt a little ostentatious? Was it that he sounded like—if not a total then at least a versatile—bottom but I was told he was a top? Was it his girl-periment, Natalie, and the news she broke about her unintended pregnancy? I clarify: what irritated me was that, after countless wild nights at the Tom Tom Club and after multiple nameless (or not so nameless) sexual partners, Rue conveniently forgot to use a condom in his one and only encounter with a girl? O-kay. Anyway, there needed to be a baby in the story, and it had to pop up somehow so I guess the "forgotten condom" was as good as any other trope to facilitate that particular plot point. And I eventually did warm up to Rue.
Erik, the other MC, is a hermit who writes sci-fi and fantasy novels for a living, a neurotic geek who relies on anxiolytics, his favourite leather armchair, the Star Wars films and colourful sports drinks to navigate himself through life and the routine he depends on to be able to function at an acceptable level.
Strangely enough, I liked Erik. He reminded me of a young Melvin Undall (the author Jack Nicholson plays in As Good As It Gets).
You can imagine what happens when you combine the flamboyant, flashy Rue with his sparkly eye shadow and black eye-liner, his black and pink nail polish, his pink flip flops, double lip piercing, and his girly capris:
My eyes snapped open, and it took me a few moments to really register what I was seeing. Once I did, I could only blink in surprise. A boy stood in the hall… or, well, a man, really, but he looked young. Maybe early twenties, if I had to guess. His sleek black hair was combed to the side, partially covering one of his eyes. From what I could see of it, and the other, they were green. But it wasn’t the color that had me staring. It was the fact that they were lined carefully in black… and his skin was creamy pale, like porcelain… and his lower lip was double pierced, with two of those rings with the little balls about an inch apart from the center.
I took it all in, so confused I still couldn’t bring myself to say anything. And that was before I got to his clothes. He was wearing a tight black T-shirt and those girl pants that stop midway up the calf. They hung low on his hips and were cinched with a studded, bright pink belt… which matched the pink flip-flops he wore on his perfect little feet. I stared down at his toes—the nails were painted black with hot pink accents—until the sound of him clearing his throat brought my gaze back up to his face.
(Erik's first impression of Rue)
with the misanthropic, stuttering, unkempt Erik with his Star Wars T-Shirts and geeky combat shorts:
He’d dressed in cargo shorts (oh, darling, really?) and an old Beatles T-shirt. I was afraid to look south of his knees. I had a bad feeling I’d find Birkenstocks or something equally wholesome and horrendous.
(Rue's first impression of Erik)
Sounds like a complete fiasco, right? But Rue desperately needs a sitter for his newborn daughter and Erik desperately needs the extra money to pay the bills his dwindling royalty cheques can't cover, so they both have to face reality and bite the bullet. I liked the added detail of Erik taking the job also because he wanted to protect Rue from his bigoted neighbours who sought to rip Rue off.
From there on the story gradually started to develop as a romance. One issue I had was that the built-up wasn't evenly paced and there were times when I was told rather than shown that Rue and Erik had feelings for each other. Also, I wasn't given enough information about Erik's sexuality and his general emotional state, apart from his anxiety, so it wasn't easy for me to believe that he had genuine/healthy romantic feelings towards Rue and that what he felt wasn't some contingent, borderline obsessive infatuation with the first person he had real interaction with since Lord only knows when.
Another issue was Dusty, Rue's best friend. Well, he wasn't an issue in and of himself. He was a nice guy, a supportive and loyal friend, a little insecure maybe, and a little unfortunate in his selection of sexual partners. I liked him alright. But at some point I felt he would be a better partner for Erik than Rue. For a short while, I thought Dusty would be Erik's HEA or maybe that the story would turn out to be a ménage of some sort. Then, the way things evolved, I felt that it was Rue, his tantrums and, at times, his implied I-saw-him-first attitude that made Dusty back up to leave room for Rue. Erik didn't seem to be romantically interested in Dusty but still, that was how I felt.
The writing itself was simple and, at times, it had a rough, unpolished feeling. Also, more than once I caught myself thinking that the similes, metaphors, parallelisms, etc., were largely formulaic.
Notwithstanding, there were times those parts worked beautifully in the story, like in this instance where Alice (Rue's baby daughter) gets rejected from yet another daycare centre:
[…] she told me they had a waiting list but could probably get Alice in by Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving? What was I supposed to do until then—tie her on my back like Sacajawea and trek to the salon every day? A papoose would never go with my Dsquared button-ups.
Last, there were times when I was spoon-fed what the characters felt, instead of being let to feel it myself:
I turned off the water and opened the shower curtain. I was standing there naked, no clothes, no makeup, not even a towel for armor. I was defenseless.
I had already gotten it from the "I was standing there naked" part. There was no need to have it shoved in my face with the "not even a towel for armor" and then rammed down my throat with the "I was defenseless" part.
All the same, like I said in the beginning, this was a sweet, undemanding story that kept me good company and made me laugh out loud more than once. At the end of the day, isn't that what you seek in a romance story you choose as a pick-me-up?
Dreamspinner Press kindly provided me with an eARC of this book through NetGalley.com in exchange for an honest review
One Small Thing was a sweet and undemanding story.
I usually steer away from books that feature babies or small kids, mostly because I don't exactly have a close relationship with them in real life. They mind their business and I mind mine. So I normally wouldn't pick this up but I recently read a couple of stories by Piper Vaughn (Wanting and An Oral Fixation) and liked them so I thought I'd give it a try. I didn't regret it.
Rue, the jazzy twink who works as a bartender at a night club to put himself through cosmetology school, is the first of the MCs we meet and I'll admit that he initially irritated me. It wasn't one major thing; it was more like a combination of little things that annoyed me. Was it that he felt a little ostentatious? Was it that he sounded like—if not a total then at least a versatile—bottom but I was told he was a top? Was it his girl-periment, Natalie, and the news she broke about her unintended pregnancy? I clarify: what irritated me was that, after countless wild nights at the Tom Tom Club and after multiple nameless (or not so nameless) sexual partners, Rue conveniently forgot to use a condom in his one and only encounter with a girl? O-kay. Anyway, there needed to be a baby in the story, and it had to pop up somehow so I guess the "forgotten condom" was as good as any other trope to facilitate that particular plot point. And I eventually did warm up to Rue.
Erik, the other MC, is a hermit who writes sci-fi and fantasy novels for a living, a neurotic geek who relies on anxiolytics, his favourite leather armchair, the Star Wars films and colourful sports drinks to navigate himself through life and the routine he depends on to be able to function at an acceptable level.
Strangely enough, I liked Erik. He reminded me of a young Melvin Undall (the author Jack Nicholson plays in As Good As It Gets).
You can imagine what happens when you combine the flamboyant, flashy Rue with his sparkly eye shadow and black eye-liner, his black and pink nail polish, his pink flip flops, double lip piercing, and his girly capris:
My eyes snapped open, and it took me a few moments to really register what I was seeing. Once I did, I could only blink in surprise. A boy stood in the hall… or, well, a man, really, but he looked young. Maybe early twenties, if I had to guess. His sleek black hair was combed to the side, partially covering one of his eyes. From what I could see of it, and the other, they were green. But it wasn’t the color that had me staring. It was the fact that they were lined carefully in black… and his skin was creamy pale, like porcelain… and his lower lip was double pierced, with two of those rings with the little balls about an inch apart from the center.
I took it all in, so confused I still couldn’t bring myself to say anything. And that was before I got to his clothes. He was wearing a tight black T-shirt and those girl pants that stop midway up the calf. They hung low on his hips and were cinched with a studded, bright pink belt… which matched the pink flip-flops he wore on his perfect little feet. I stared down at his toes—the nails were painted black with hot pink accents—until the sound of him clearing his throat brought my gaze back up to his face.
(Erik's first impression of Rue)
with the misanthropic, stuttering, unkempt Erik with his Star Wars T-Shirts and geeky combat shorts:
He’d dressed in cargo shorts (oh, darling, really?) and an old Beatles T-shirt. I was afraid to look south of his knees. I had a bad feeling I’d find Birkenstocks or something equally wholesome and horrendous.
(Rue's first impression of Erik)
Sounds like a complete fiasco, right? But Rue desperately needs a sitter for his newborn daughter and Erik desperately needs the extra money to pay the bills his dwindling royalty cheques can't cover, so they both have to face reality and bite the bullet. I liked the added detail of Erik taking the job also because he wanted to protect Rue from his bigoted neighbours who sought to rip Rue off.
From there on the story gradually started to develop as a romance. One issue I had was that the built-up wasn't evenly paced and there were times when I was told rather than shown that Rue and Erik had feelings for each other. Also, I wasn't given enough information about Erik's sexuality and his general emotional state, apart from his anxiety, so it wasn't easy for me to believe that he had genuine/healthy romantic feelings towards Rue and that what he felt wasn't some contingent, borderline obsessive infatuation with the first person he had real interaction with since Lord only knows when.
Another issue was Dusty, Rue's best friend. Well, he wasn't an issue in and of himself. He was a nice guy, a supportive and loyal friend, a little insecure maybe, and a little unfortunate in his selection of sexual partners. I liked him alright. But at some point I felt he would be a better partner for Erik than Rue. For a short while, I thought Dusty would be Erik's HEA or maybe that the story would turn out to be a ménage of some sort. Then, the way things evolved, I felt that it was Rue, his tantrums and, at times, his implied I-saw-him-first attitude that made Dusty back up to leave room for Rue. Erik didn't seem to be romantically interested in Dusty but still, that was how I felt.
The writing itself was simple and, at times, it had a rough, unpolished feeling. Also, more than once I caught myself thinking that the similes, metaphors, parallelisms, etc., were largely formulaic.
Notwithstanding, there were times those parts worked beautifully in the story, like in this instance where Alice (Rue's baby daughter) gets rejected from yet another daycare centre:
[…] she told me they had a waiting list but could probably get Alice in by Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving? What was I supposed to do until then—tie her on my back like Sacajawea and trek to the salon every day? A papoose would never go with my Dsquared button-ups.
Last, there were times when I was spoon-fed what the characters felt, instead of being let to feel it myself:
I turned off the water and opened the shower curtain. I was standing there naked, no clothes, no makeup, not even a towel for armor. I was defenseless.
I had already gotten it from the "I was standing there naked" part. There was no need to have it shoved in my face with the "not even a towel for armor" and then rammed down my throat with the "I was defenseless" part.
All the same, like I said in the beginning, this was a sweet, undemanding story that kept me good company and made me laugh out loud more than once. At the end of the day, isn't that what you seek in a romance story you choose as a pick-me-up?
Dreamspinner Press kindly provided me with an eARC of this book through NetGalley.com in exchange for an honest review
June 21, 2017
***3.5 Stars***
This was super cute! It kinda reminded me of Three Men and a Baby....well, if two of them ended up together.
The whole backstory of how baby Alice came about was a little eye-roll inducing, but I went with it.
If you're looking for a cute, low-angst, quick read with you-gotta-wait-for-it-but-totally-worth-it steam...pick this up!
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June 12, 2012
5 Stars
I wish I could give “infinity” stars. I feel like a kid, “I love you infinity much, mom!” This book is that good.
It is a beautiful story about just how perfect love is, even if the people who are doing the loving are so not perfect. It reminds me that sometimes we try to be very arrogant about our concepts and ideals. But, who are we really, to define for another. We all have our own paradigm’s to deal with. For me, this story was refreshing, uplifting, a reminder that love isn’t perfect. It is messy. Happiness isn’t a place, it is within every one of us.
I hope I do this review right. I hope I write it so that anyone reading it will buy the book immediately. DO NOT PASS GO before you first buy this book and read it. It is one of those rare books that talks directly to the heart. I don’t care if you don’t like m/m romances, this is so much more than that. Seriously, so much more.
This is a story about a family, but it starts out with Rue. Rue is short for Rufus. He is a man working towards a goal. He wants to finish school and move to California where he will be a hair stylist to the stars baby! One night he decides to try something he has never tried before. He decides to test his "gayness" ... an experiment ... just to be sure he is really gay. Just checking, you know? And, she ends up pregnant. She doesn’t want the child, Rue does. He doesn't want his child in the "system". Nine months later he is a single father, working nights as a bartender and going to school by day. He has friends, but most are in his same struggling circumstance. He needs someone to watch Alice while he goes to school. He checks everything. All the options are either too expensive, or he can’t envision his little angle there. He finally goes next door and talks to his reclusive neighbor; Erik.
Erik has always been a loaner. He is a writer of science fiction. He has some sort of disorder and is prone to panic attacks. He wants to help Rue, but isn’t sure he can. He dives deep into himself and eventually can’t see where he can do anything else but help. He agrees to watch little Alice. Dusty, Rue’s BFF will pick her up on the nights Rue has to go straight from school to work. This small group becomes a very tight family nucleus. The how will warm your heart. Neither individual is perfect, but put them all together and they are.
What do I like about this book? Absolutely everything. I could find no fault with this book. Nothing.
A quote for you that says it all, something Erik said: “I honestly didn’t think my attraction to Rue had anything to do with his gender. I didn’t love Rue for what he did or didn’t have. I loved him because he was Rue. Nothing else mattered.”
The hero of this book is Erik’s mother. So accepting and just so happy her boy is happy. She is an example of real motherhood. Just interested in ensuring her son is happy. He has found love and she is speechless and in tears she is so happy. She said is best, “Love is messy. Sometimes, that’s the best part.”
Enjoy!
ARC provided by Dreamspinner Press on 06/03/2012.
I wish I could give “infinity” stars. I feel like a kid, “I love you infinity much, mom!” This book is that good.
It is a beautiful story about just how perfect love is, even if the people who are doing the loving are so not perfect. It reminds me that sometimes we try to be very arrogant about our concepts and ideals. But, who are we really, to define for another. We all have our own paradigm’s to deal with. For me, this story was refreshing, uplifting, a reminder that love isn’t perfect. It is messy. Happiness isn’t a place, it is within every one of us.
I hope I do this review right. I hope I write it so that anyone reading it will buy the book immediately. DO NOT PASS GO before you first buy this book and read it. It is one of those rare books that talks directly to the heart. I don’t care if you don’t like m/m romances, this is so much more than that. Seriously, so much more.
This is a story about a family, but it starts out with Rue. Rue is short for Rufus. He is a man working towards a goal. He wants to finish school and move to California where he will be a hair stylist to the stars baby! One night he decides to try something he has never tried before. He decides to test his "gayness" ... an experiment ... just to be sure he is really gay. Just checking, you know? And, she ends up pregnant. She doesn’t want the child, Rue does. He doesn't want his child in the "system". Nine months later he is a single father, working nights as a bartender and going to school by day. He has friends, but most are in his same struggling circumstance. He needs someone to watch Alice while he goes to school. He checks everything. All the options are either too expensive, or he can’t envision his little angle there. He finally goes next door and talks to his reclusive neighbor; Erik.
Erik has always been a loaner. He is a writer of science fiction. He has some sort of disorder and is prone to panic attacks. He wants to help Rue, but isn’t sure he can. He dives deep into himself and eventually can’t see where he can do anything else but help. He agrees to watch little Alice. Dusty, Rue’s BFF will pick her up on the nights Rue has to go straight from school to work. This small group becomes a very tight family nucleus. The how will warm your heart. Neither individual is perfect, but put them all together and they are.
What do I like about this book? Absolutely everything. I could find no fault with this book. Nothing.
A quote for you that says it all, something Erik said: “I honestly didn’t think my attraction to Rue had anything to do with his gender. I didn’t love Rue for what he did or didn’t have. I loved him because he was Rue. Nothing else mattered.”
The hero of this book is Erik’s mother. So accepting and just so happy her boy is happy. She is an example of real motherhood. Just interested in ensuring her son is happy. He has found love and she is speechless and in tears she is so happy. She said is best, “Love is messy. Sometimes, that’s the best part.”
Enjoy!
ARC provided by Dreamspinner Press on 06/03/2012.
October 24, 2012
This was a pretty safe easy read. The cast were interesting and entertaining. I loved that we got a slow build up to Rue and Erik’s romance. Erik’s issues were interesting and at times he pulled my heart strings tight. Alice, while a major player in the story was kept to a minimum interaction wise. A real baby and not a super baby lol. But Erik’s initial interaction with her was one of my favourite bits lol.
Dusty has already captured my interest and I’m looking forward to reading his HEA in the next book.
Overall a good solid read.
Dusty has already captured my interest and I’m looking forward to reading his HEA in the next book.
Overall a good solid read.
May 22, 2014
How is it that a book you avoided like the plague becomes a 5★ read?? It is an amazing feeling when it happens though, yeah? I can't find anything negative to say about this one. It started with one of my least favorite storylines but ended up not even making a difference. Seriously though, the gay guy sleeping with a girl just to see if he is wrong is just wrong normally, but this one, well, this one worked. Add in the fact the book took place in my state, my hometown actually and I knew the places just made it that much better. I couldn't put this one down and I have to say I LOVED IT. Read.
May 7, 2012
A sweet story about a flamboyant guy and a shy nerd who come together in the care of an infant. I had a tough time believing the initial premise, that reclusive Erik would ever touch the baby. I've been around nerds with no child experience and I think they would rather have their fingernails ripped out. But once I let that go the rest of the book was wonderful. Great characters, nice progression, sweet not saccharine. The baby wasn't old enough to cause undesirable levels of cuteness. And I ached for Erik in his moments of anxiety.
June 18, 2017
Wow I've just spent the last 15 minutes crying. This book was so, sweet, cute, and emotional. Loved Rue and Erik. I don't think they both knew that when Rue asked Erik to watch Alice that they both would find their soul mates. They all became their own little family, including Rue's best friend Dusty. I really hope that Dusty will be getting his own story. I loved them all and they were like missing puzzle pieces coming together..Beautiful<3
February 13, 2022
This one is a keeper.
June 8, 2012
This was such a cutsie, aww-dorable story...and I don't even like babies!
Okay, to be perfectly honest, Alice didn't exactly play a huge role in the story other than she is the whole reason for Rue and Erik becoming friends and falling in love.
The MCs were so endearing! I just loved Erik with his cute little stutter, geeky tees and his agoraphobia; and how Rue was completely opposite, outgoing, and stylish. There are so many more adorable differences between them that I refuse to spoiler any more.
Sexual tension! Sexual tension! Sexual tension!!!
I loved how it was written in alternating first person POV. And I really got to hear the voice of both characters.
4-4.5 stars because I actually would have liked to have seen more development with Alice (shocking I know) and more phone conversations with Erik's mom and how she initially reacted when she found out her son was playing manny.
Please, please, please! I really wanna know if Dusty finally finds love in California!
Okay, to be perfectly honest, Alice didn't exactly play a huge role in the story other than she is the whole reason for Rue and Erik becoming friends and falling in love.
The MCs were so endearing! I just loved Erik with his cute little stutter, geeky tees and his agoraphobia; and how Rue was completely opposite, outgoing, and stylish. There are so many more adorable differences between them that I refuse to spoiler any more.
Sexual tension! Sexual tension! Sexual tension!!!
I loved how it was written in alternating first person POV. And I really got to hear the voice of both characters.
4-4.5 stars because I actually would have liked to have seen more development with Alice (shocking I know) and more phone conversations with Erik's mom and how she initially reacted when she found out her son was playing manny.
Please, please, please! I really wanna know if Dusty finally finds love in California!
July 16, 2015
It was a very cute story. My first book by these authors, and I enjoyed it a lot! Won’t be the last one, that’s for sure ;) .
One of the facts I liked most was the MC personalities. They’re SO different! It’s in first person pov, and I could totally say which one was talking at the moment because of their way of thinking and their fears and their feelings. It was very easy to separate each one of them and I liked that A LOT.
Rue is a stylist wannabe who works in a bar for a living. All of a sudden he decides he wants to make sure he’s gay.
So, there is humor, too ;) .
It looks silly but it fits his crazy mind. So, in this “girl-periment” the woman gets pregnant.
She doesn’t want to keep the baby, but he does.
He regrets the decision instantly but can’t stand the thought of a baby not being wanted. He is anxious by the idea of taking care of someone other than himself. But soon he loves his daughter and would do whatever it takes to have her safe.
Even not trusting her to day care places full of disease and germs.
He’s desperate because he finds no person to babysit her when he’s with his classes or working, but in the last minute he gets to convince his new neighbor.
Erik is a sci-fi writer. He has anxiety problems. He has just moved to Rue’s building and is never seen by the rest of the people living in it, because he rarely leaves home. He’s a Star Wars fan and have been alone all his life.
After Rue pushes him, he accepts babysitting Alice even though he has no idea what to do with babies. But, what is the worst that could happen?
I liked the premise, I have never read anything similar before.
And the friend, Dusty, was very cute. I felt sorry for him when he suffers because of his partner choices. Some people is with someone just because they don’t want to be with no one. Some people is with someone just because they think they want to be with that one person. Some people is with someone just because they want to feel loved. Dusty chooses badly, and he’s doomed to lose. It made my heart cry for him and I only wanted to hug him! He’s a lovable character, and I hope he’ll be lucky in the near future.
Rue and Erik story is a slow burn. In fact, the time jumps to different episodes, and the holes in between are told but not narrated. Normally the “jumping” thing makes me mad. Above all when the book is short like this one. Because I love being with the MC the whole time, and see the love making its magic gradually. I’m the kind of feeling girl: less words, more feelings. I missed the no-gaps thing. In spite of that, I could see their falling in a very slow and naïve way. For Erik it’s new, because he is still a virgin. For Rue it’s new too, because he has never been in a real relationship. Their firsts with each other. I found that beautiful.
Rue and Erick have to sort out some problems during their way. Like Erik’s jealousy when he sees Rue has a past. Or Dusty’s boyfriend when he makes his appearances and Erik has to stand against him to protect the little family that is forming. Or when Rue’s dream is at a step to become real and he has to choose between something he has always wanted and something he didn’t expect to want. The little drama is not “angsty” and it served the purspose to get the MC closer and have a more solid relationship.
In the end, a family is formed from the remaining of broken families.
One of the facts I liked most was the MC personalities. They’re SO different! It’s in first person pov, and I could totally say which one was talking at the moment because of their way of thinking and their fears and their feelings. It was very easy to separate each one of them and I liked that A LOT.
Rue is a stylist wannabe who works in a bar for a living. All of a sudden he decides he wants to make sure he’s gay.
“Uh, Underoo, you were doing the girls’ makeup in fifth grade. What was the big question?”
So, there is humor, too ;) .
It looks silly but it fits his crazy mind. So, in this “girl-periment” the woman gets pregnant.
She doesn’t want to keep the baby, but he does.
He regrets the decision instantly but can’t stand the thought of a baby not being wanted. He is anxious by the idea of taking care of someone other than himself. But soon he loves his daughter and would do whatever it takes to have her safe.
Even not trusting her to day care places full of disease and germs.
He’s desperate because he finds no person to babysit her when he’s with his classes or working, but in the last minute he gets to convince his new neighbor.
Erik is a sci-fi writer. He has anxiety problems. He has just moved to Rue’s building and is never seen by the rest of the people living in it, because he rarely leaves home. He’s a Star Wars fan and have been alone all his life.
After Rue pushes him, he accepts babysitting Alice even though he has no idea what to do with babies. But, what is the worst that could happen?
I liked the premise, I have never read anything similar before.
And the friend, Dusty, was very cute. I felt sorry for him when he suffers because of his partner choices. Some people is with someone just because they don’t want to be with no one. Some people is with someone just because they think they want to be with that one person. Some people is with someone just because they want to feel loved. Dusty chooses badly, and he’s doomed to lose. It made my heart cry for him and I only wanted to hug him! He’s a lovable character, and I hope he’ll be lucky in the near future.
Rue and Erik story is a slow burn. In fact, the time jumps to different episodes, and the holes in between are told but not narrated. Normally the “jumping” thing makes me mad. Above all when the book is short like this one. Because I love being with the MC the whole time, and see the love making its magic gradually. I’m the kind of feeling girl: less words, more feelings. I missed the no-gaps thing. In spite of that, I could see their falling in a very slow and naïve way. For Erik it’s new, because he is still a virgin. For Rue it’s new too, because he has never been in a real relationship. Their firsts with each other. I found that beautiful.
Rue and Erick have to sort out some problems during their way. Like Erik’s jealousy when he sees Rue has a past. Or Dusty’s boyfriend when he makes his appearances and Erik has to stand against him to protect the little family that is forming. Or when Rue’s dream is at a step to become real and he has to choose between something he has always wanted and something he didn’t expect to want. The little drama is not “angsty” and it served the purspose to get the MC closer and have a more solid relationship.
In the end, a family is formed from the remaining of broken families.
July 13, 2012
I put off reading this book for a while because of the big hype around it. A lot of my friends loved it and the last thing I wanted was to be disappointed by a book when it's been recommended so much to me. I can safely say, I really enjoyed the story. It was sweet with a lot of sexual tension and, of course, a cute baby.
Rue, I consider, a kind of wild child. At least he was. He's a bartender at a club, likes to shake what he's got but still goes to school to become a stylist. Until Alice comes along. A drunken one night stand and nine months later he's got a little baby girl to take care of. He changes his ways for her which I found really sweet because it would have been easy for him to give her up like he was. Erik was extremely cute. I loved how much of a Star Wars geek he was and the fact he had such an extreme case of OCD while innocent enough to blush at reading/writing erotic romances. I loved both Rue and Erik and thought they made a great couple with baby Alice and Dusty to make their little family. I liked the fact that both MCs maid the other MC better and gave them the home they were both dreaming for and the fact their chemistry was so great that the sexual tension was burning the pages. Their banter and how comfortable they were with each other and the fact they slowly developed their relationship from a working relationship to friends to lovers was impressive and well written.
There were a few things I didn't like about it. While I think alternative first person is a unique style, it's one of my least favorites because I often forget who is 'talking' so a few times I had to backtrack to figure out who's POV it was. I felt like the whole misunderstanding between Erik and Rue was a bit cliche to the point where I was pretty much expecting it because of how smoothly their relationship had gone. I'd have also liked to have gotten more conversations between Erik and his mother since she was supposedly such a big part of him. I was also confused by the time-line. It was always 'a couple of months' until Rue finished school but 8 months later he was still in school. It was mentioned enough times that it caught my attention and not in a good way.
Overall, I really loved the book. Rue and Erik were great characters and their story was very sweet while extremely intense. I loved the fact that Alice was such a big part of the story and what brought these boys together with the help of Dusty. Definitely recommended and really hoping Dusty's story comes soon!
Rue, I consider, a kind of wild child. At least he was. He's a bartender at a club, likes to shake what he's got but still goes to school to become a stylist. Until Alice comes along. A drunken one night stand and nine months later he's got a little baby girl to take care of. He changes his ways for her which I found really sweet because it would have been easy for him to give her up like he was. Erik was extremely cute. I loved how much of a Star Wars geek he was and the fact he had such an extreme case of OCD while innocent enough to blush at reading/writing erotic romances. I loved both Rue and Erik and thought they made a great couple with baby Alice and Dusty to make their little family. I liked the fact that both MCs maid the other MC better and gave them the home they were both dreaming for and the fact their chemistry was so great that the sexual tension was burning the pages. Their banter and how comfortable they were with each other and the fact they slowly developed their relationship from a working relationship to friends to lovers was impressive and well written.
There were a few things I didn't like about it. While I think alternative first person is a unique style, it's one of my least favorites because I often forget who is 'talking' so a few times I had to backtrack to figure out who's POV it was. I felt like the whole misunderstanding between Erik and Rue was a bit cliche to the point where I was pretty much expecting it because of how smoothly their relationship had gone. I'd have also liked to have gotten more conversations between Erik and his mother since she was supposedly such a big part of him. I was also confused by the time-line. It was always 'a couple of months' until Rue finished school but 8 months later he was still in school. It was mentioned enough times that it caught my attention and not in a good way.
Overall, I really loved the book. Rue and Erik were great characters and their story was very sweet while extremely intense. I loved the fact that Alice was such a big part of the story and what brought these boys together with the help of Dusty. Definitely recommended and really hoping Dusty's story comes soon!
March 27, 2016
This was a supercute and supersweet read.
Eric's character intrigued me from the first moment it was introduced. He has some anxiety issues, doesn't feel well in crowded places, hates to be touched and has never had someone he cares for, let alone someone to love. Everything he experiences with Rue is new to him. Sometimes he feels overwhelmed. He rarely leaves home and constantly watches Star Wars(yay, my kind of guy), or drinks Gatorade. I adored his naivety and the fact that he experiences things like Love for the very first time.
"For a moment I wished I was someone else, someone confident and experienced, who would know what to do in situations like these."
Rue has always known what he wants and what he's gonna do with his life. He has a lot of experience when it comes to commitment(or not), but he is shocked when one day he finds himself taking care of a little baby girl, who's his(no matter that he has ALWAYS been gay). One night's experiment changes his life forever, but he doesn't have it any other way. Little Alice is his heaven and has his soul. But in order to provide the best life for her, he needs to work but someone has to look after Alice, and who would be better than his weird neighbor. The last thing he expected was to feel attraction towards Eric. Attraction that accelerates into something more and deeper and has them trying to sort out their life course.
It was a good book, leaves you pleased in the end. I love dipping from time to time into family-themed books, and when entwined with some m/m romance, the result is always satisfying.
May 5, 2012
Rue is bar tending to earn money while attending cosmetology school, when he gets a visit from Natalie ,a woman he spent one drunken night with, telling him he is going to be a daddy. Erik is a sci fi writer and a Star Wars fanatic who is on the verge of becoming a total recluse. To supplement his income , Erik agrees to watch baby Alice for Rue. Rue , Erik and baby Alice are just getting settled into a routine and maybe the start of a life together , when Rue gets the job offer of his dreams, and is forced to choose between the two.
I think I fell a little bit in love with the self proclaimed "super gay" Rue and his eyeliner and double pierced bottom lip....whimper. The shy, reclusive, Erik had some surprises for me, and I think for himself also. Sometimes we are stronger than we think we are.
I loved everything about this book. It was sweet and charming and I was captivated from the first page. I didn't want it to end.
Rue's best friend and secondary character Dusty, was intriguing too. I'm anxious to read more about him in the next book and see if he gets his HEA.:)
Just as good the second time around!
I think I fell a little bit in love with the self proclaimed "super gay" Rue and his eyeliner and double pierced bottom lip....whimper. The shy, reclusive, Erik had some surprises for me, and I think for himself also. Sometimes we are stronger than we think we are.
I loved everything about this book. It was sweet and charming and I was captivated from the first page. I didn't want it to end.
Rue's best friend and secondary character Dusty, was intriguing too. I'm anxious to read more about him in the next book and see if he gets his HEA.:)
Just as good the second time around!
May 10, 2012
Sweet and Simple
I had to sleep on my rating for this one to really get a feel for what I thought of the story. One thing was for certain; this book is sweet, sweet and cute.
The recipe for cotton candy and fluffy clouds
One sarcastic, happy, flamboyant and toppy twink named Rue
One adorable geek with a stutter, some OCD and a problem with crowds named Erik
One sweet, charming best friend named Dusty aka Uncle Dustpan
One little newborn girl named Alice, unexpected but completely loved
Rue is a bartender who goes to cosmetology school during the day and has dreams of being a hairdresser in California. One night he gets a visit from the one woman he slept with and finds out that he's going to be a papa and he decides to keep the baby. With his best friend, Dusty, Rue decides to raise the little bundle of joy who'll be making her appearance in 6 months.
One problem...the week Rue brings Alice home he finds that he has no one to watch her during the times he and Dusty can't be with her. The daycares either suck or have waiting lists three miles long. In a fit of desperation he asks his neighbor across the hall, Erik, to watch the baby during the day.
Erik, oh Erik, you are one adorable mass of geekiness and neuroses. Erik's a guy who's really bad with change, has a stutter, panic attacks, an aversion to healthy food, a LOVE of Star Wars and a HATRED for crowds. He's not too sure about watching a newborn but when he hears that a homophobic neighbor is planning to take advantage of Rue's desperation, Erik comes to the rescue...and it won't be the last time he does.
So begins the formation of Erik, Rue, Dusty and Alice's little family.
One thing I loved about this book was that it was that it was about the making of a family. It was about how these three men make each other stronger and how they're there for each other through thick and thin. Dusty and Rue slowly pull Erik out of his shell and become the first friends he's ever had. Dusty and Erik help Rue raise the little girl who ends up stealing all of their hearts. Erik and Rue help Dusty break away from his abusive asshole of a boyfriend and it was beautiful to read about Erik giving Dusty comfort when the man needed it.
And then we have the small and big changes that happen in Erik. He finds a confidence and strength in himself that had me grinning like a damn fool. He surprises Rue, Dusty and himself in the best ways.
Yes, there's a romance in this book between Rue and Erik but that, for me, really took a back seat to the family aspect of the story. I didn't mind that so much though because I like these family stories and this, more than anything, is a family story.
Now, baby books are my kryptonite, so will this make it onto my reread list. I'm not going to say no but while I was in love with the story the writing style was good but didn't completely grab me. BUT...BUT BUT BUT I will definitely be reading Dusty's story if these two authors decide to tell it. His character really plucked at my heart strings so his story, if there is one, will be an auto-buy for me.
All in all, this was GOOD. Yet, another baby book that left me with a smile on my face and there ain't nothing wrong with that.
ETA: I dropped this story half a star because of the following reasons.
The more I think about it and compare this book to other family books in the genre the more I feel like this story could have been a lot more than it is. The family aspect was really cute but I felt like it was strong in the beginning and then...nothing. Instead of the family plot and the romantic plot supporting each other I felt more like they were fighting for dominance.
The book was family, family, family and then the story remembered that it was supposed to be a romance too. Then the romance took over and the family aspect was forgotten. And then at the end I felt like the family plot showed back up again just so that it wouldn't be a loose end.
Also, I LOVED Dusty and I agree that he felt like the most well rounded and engaging character.
The good thing: I'll definitely buy his book.
The bad thing: While it's GREAT to have strong secondary characters, they shouldn't outshine the main characters. The main characters should, at the very least, be as developed as the supporting cast.
So, for those reasons, I revised my rating.
I had to sleep on my rating for this one to really get a feel for what I thought of the story. One thing was for certain; this book is sweet, sweet and cute.
The recipe for cotton candy and fluffy clouds
One sarcastic, happy, flamboyant and toppy twink named Rue
One adorable geek with a stutter, some OCD and a problem with crowds named Erik
One sweet, charming best friend named Dusty aka Uncle Dustpan
One little newborn girl named Alice, unexpected but completely loved
Rue is a bartender who goes to cosmetology school during the day and has dreams of being a hairdresser in California. One night he gets a visit from the one woman he slept with and finds out that he's going to be a papa and he decides to keep the baby. With his best friend, Dusty, Rue decides to raise the little bundle of joy who'll be making her appearance in 6 months.
One problem...the week Rue brings Alice home he finds that he has no one to watch her during the times he and Dusty can't be with her. The daycares either suck or have waiting lists three miles long. In a fit of desperation he asks his neighbor across the hall, Erik, to watch the baby during the day.
Erik, oh Erik, you are one adorable mass of geekiness and neuroses. Erik's a guy who's really bad with change, has a stutter, panic attacks, an aversion to healthy food, a LOVE of Star Wars and a HATRED for crowds. He's not too sure about watching a newborn but when he hears that a homophobic neighbor is planning to take advantage of Rue's desperation, Erik comes to the rescue...and it won't be the last time he does.
So begins the formation of Erik, Rue, Dusty and Alice's little family.
One thing I loved about this book was that it was that it was about the making of a family. It was about how these three men make each other stronger and how they're there for each other through thick and thin. Dusty and Rue slowly pull Erik out of his shell and become the first friends he's ever had. Dusty and Erik help Rue raise the little girl who ends up stealing all of their hearts. Erik and Rue help Dusty break away from his abusive asshole of a boyfriend and it was beautiful to read about Erik giving Dusty comfort when the man needed it.
And then we have the small and big changes that happen in Erik. He finds a confidence and strength in himself that had me grinning like a damn fool. He surprises Rue, Dusty and himself in the best ways.
Yes, there's a romance in this book between Rue and Erik but that, for me, really took a back seat to the family aspect of the story. I didn't mind that so much though because I like these family stories and this, more than anything, is a family story.
Now, baby books are my kryptonite, so will this make it onto my reread list. I'm not going to say no but while I was in love with the story the writing style was good but didn't completely grab me. BUT...BUT BUT BUT I will definitely be reading Dusty's story if these two authors decide to tell it. His character really plucked at my heart strings so his story, if there is one, will be an auto-buy for me.
All in all, this was GOOD. Yet, another baby book that left me with a smile on my face and there ain't nothing wrong with that.
ETA: I dropped this story half a star because of the following reasons.
The more I think about it and compare this book to other family books in the genre the more I feel like this story could have been a lot more than it is. The family aspect was really cute but I felt like it was strong in the beginning and then...nothing. Instead of the family plot and the romantic plot supporting each other I felt more like they were fighting for dominance.
The book was family, family, family and then the story remembered that it was supposed to be a romance too. Then the romance took over and the family aspect was forgotten. And then at the end I felt like the family plot showed back up again just so that it wouldn't be a loose end.
Also, I LOVED Dusty and I agree that he felt like the most well rounded and engaging character.
The good thing: I'll definitely buy his book.
The bad thing: While it's GREAT to have strong secondary characters, they shouldn't outshine the main characters. The main characters should, at the very least, be as developed as the supporting cast.
So, for those reasons, I revised my rating.
May 4, 2017
3.5 Stars
Rue Murray never thought he'd be a dad. Cosmetology student by day and glittery-twink bartender by night, Rue was foot-loose and fancy-free. And happy to be that way. Now, he's the father and sole caretaker for his newborn daughter, Alice. And he badly needs a babysitter. Enter Erik Van Nuys, Rue's next door neighbor. A sci-fi novelist with a plethora of anxiety issues, Erik is one step away from being a total recluse. He doesn’t like people in general and likes babies even less but dwindling royalties force him to explore other options and he soon finds himself agreeing to look after baby Alice. Rue and Erik forge a tentative friendship that blossoms into a full-blown love affair. Both are as happy as can be with their new-found family, but when Rue receives the job offer of his dreams, it jeopardizes everything they have come to hold dear.
I liked this story. It was soft and sweet and feel good (sorta). Having said that, I did have a couple issues:
Bottom-line: a sweet baby story. I'm looking forward to Dusty's story (and for Alice to grow to a toddler).
Rue Murray never thought he'd be a dad. Cosmetology student by day and glittery-twink bartender by night, Rue was foot-loose and fancy-free. And happy to be that way. Now, he's the father and sole caretaker for his newborn daughter, Alice. And he badly needs a babysitter. Enter Erik Van Nuys, Rue's next door neighbor. A sci-fi novelist with a plethora of anxiety issues, Erik is one step away from being a total recluse. He doesn’t like people in general and likes babies even less but dwindling royalties force him to explore other options and he soon finds himself agreeing to look after baby Alice. Rue and Erik forge a tentative friendship that blossoms into a full-blown love affair. Both are as happy as can be with their new-found family, but when Rue receives the job offer of his dreams, it jeopardizes everything they have come to hold dear.
I liked this story. It was soft and sweet and feel good (sorta). Having said that, I did have a couple issues:
*By his own admission, Rue was fairly promiscuous prior to meeting Erik. He insists however, that he was always safe ... yet, his one time girl-periment was sans a condom? Hmmmm....
*For a good portion of the book, I thought (and actually hoped) that Dusty was Erik's HEA. They had more chemistry IMO.
*I was unhappy with the .
Bottom-line: a sweet baby story. I'm looking forward to Dusty's story (and for Alice to grow to a toddler).
January 2, 2016
I thoroughly enjoyed Finn Sterling's narration. Though, personally, I would've switched the voices he does for Rue and Erik, but that's totally on me. I found it easy to slip into the story and he kept me engaged throughout.
Storywise, I liked the plot and loved the characters. Though it isn't said, I wouldn't be surprised to find out Erik is on the spectrum. He definitely seems like he has more than a touch of autism. I felt like the surprise of Rue finding out he's going to be a father was handled really well, and I enjoyed getting to know the characters slowly.
I really liked that Vaughn and O'Shea don't make this an insta-love romance or fix all the character flaws once the boys get together. The sexy times are hot, and the drama isn't too much. All in all I enjoyed it and wouldn't mind revisiting the boys for another listen again soon.
Recommended!
Copy generously provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange for an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
May 12, 2012
4.5 stars
I've been thinking recently about how life is for characters in the m/m books I read. Mostly fall into either end of the spectrum. They're either rich, or at least high middle class that they don't have to think twice to buy stuff, or very poor and they have to resort to sell their bodies to survive. Not many books deal with lower middle class that are shown to struggle with the every day challenges coming from financial constraints (Serena Yates' series on working class is an exception). So I'm pleasantly surprised to find this book's characters have to employ some strategic behavior in coping with life's needs.
I like the three main characters in the book. The potential problem between Rue and Dustin regarding Erik is handled maturely.
Overall, it's a sweet,romantic book.
I've been thinking recently about how life is for characters in the m/m books I read. Mostly fall into either end of the spectrum. They're either rich, or at least high middle class that they don't have to think twice to buy stuff, or very poor and they have to resort to sell their bodies to survive. Not many books deal with lower middle class that are shown to struggle with the every day challenges coming from financial constraints (Serena Yates' series on working class is an exception). So I'm pleasantly surprised to find this book's characters have to employ some strategic behavior in coping with life's needs.
I like the three main characters in the book. The potential problem between Rue and Dustin regarding Erik is handled maturely.
Overall, it's a sweet,romantic book.
December 21, 2014
I am going to join the masses and say "oooh! aaah! this is soooo sweet!" Which it is and sometimes too sweet. Still, it hit all the right buttons, made me smile, made me ...well, not cry, but definitely empathise with the characters and scream out loud: "You dork!" on more than one occasion.
4 solid stars.
However, considering how much I hate - yep, I confess, I do - to have little kids in a romance, sex and all, the little cherub in this book is just too precious not to count :)
5 stars...
*********
Adding stars for kids??? I seriously need a drink!
4 solid stars.
However, considering how much I hate - yep, I confess, I do - to have little kids in a romance, sex and all, the little cherub in this book is just too precious not to count :)
5 stars...
*********
Adding stars for kids??? I seriously need a drink!
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