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Q&A #1
Good Question
Q& Book One
Ever since Jamison Coburn lost his father, he’s been locked up tight, not just because of the heartache but also because if he wants to be like the man he so admired, embracing his attraction to other men is impossible.
Lonnie Bellerose is simply minding his own business when he pulls up at his twin sister’s house, intent on painting a mural in her new nursery. He doesn’t expect to meet anyone like the tall, dark, handsome, and silent handyman. Their first kiss is as spontaneous as their attraction, but Jamison quickly pushes Lonnie away. No biggy. Lonnie knows all about rejection. He’s used to it, has come to expect it.
Perhaps an unexpected weekend together housesitting might set them free of their pasts to become the men they can be together—that is, if Jamison can get past his denial and Lonnie can learn to trust that he's worth loving after all.
Ever since Jamison Coburn lost his father, he’s been locked up tight, not just because of the heartache but also because if he wants to be like the man he so admired, embracing his attraction to other men is impossible.
Lonnie Bellerose is simply minding his own business when he pulls up at his twin sister’s house, intent on painting a mural in her new nursery. He doesn’t expect to meet anyone like the tall, dark, handsome, and silent handyman. Their first kiss is as spontaneous as their attraction, but Jamison quickly pushes Lonnie away. No biggy. Lonnie knows all about rejection. He’s used to it, has come to expect it.
Perhaps an unexpected weekend together housesitting might set them free of their pasts to become the men they can be together—that is, if Jamison can get past his denial and Lonnie can learn to trust that he's worth loving after all.
109 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 2, 2013
1 person is currently reading
39 people want to read
About the author
Dawn Kimberly Johnson
34 books66 followersDawn lives in Huntington, West Virginia, and graduated from the W. Page Pitt School of Journalism & Mass Communications at Marshall University. An avid reader and storyteller since childhood, she was first published by Dreamspinner Press in 2009, shortly after discovering a delightful appetite for gay romantic fiction. Her interests include writing, seeking full civil rights for the LGBTQ community, drawing, and playing silly Facebook games. You can connect with Dawn at her author page at Dreamspinner Press: https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/aut...
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
April 4, 2013
3.75*
Ack..why? Why is this so short?
I started this one and really I had things I needed to be doing but I was so interested in big, silent but deep thinking Jamison and sweet and slightly clumsy artistic Lonnie, so I read it straight through.
And then it was over..ok, well what I mean to say is that first I think the blurb is a bit misleading, I didn't see any real drama or conflict between the main characters more an internal struggle they were each going through separately.
Jamison, loved him, he's 30 and a good man, but still deeply in the closet, yet meeting Lonnie shows him gives him the incentive that if he wants the people he loves to know the man he is, he needs to be honest about it.
Lonnie is working on his masters and seems to have it together, but from the glimpses we get he is still carrying baggage from his childhood and feels he doesn't quite fit in.
I loved this story and it would have easily been a 5* read, but for the length, it gave me just enough to want to know more, Lonnie's history with his grandfather, his ex maybe or who it was that made him feel like 'Loonie' and not 'Lonnie' and Jamison, his coming out went pretty well, but there are repercussions and I'd like to know more about them.
The I Love You was a little fast, but then I thought, you know these guys are both around 30 and have probably just waiting for the right person, and when you know you know, so that worked out, I guess, it just ended a bit abruptly and I wanted more depth and to know these men better.
So I liked it but felt that little bit 'extra' to make me love it and feel invested and connected to these guys was missing, bit of there is a sequel or a continuation of their story I'm on it in a heartbeat.
There is sex in this story but it's only eluded to and not on page, which was fine with me.
Ack..why? Why is this so short?
I started this one and really I had things I needed to be doing but I was so interested in big, silent but deep thinking Jamison and sweet and slightly clumsy artistic Lonnie, so I read it straight through.
And then it was over..ok, well what I mean to say is that first I think the blurb is a bit misleading, I didn't see any real drama or conflict between the main characters more an internal struggle they were each going through separately.
Jamison, loved him, he's 30 and a good man, but still deeply in the closet, yet meeting Lonnie shows him gives him the incentive that if he wants the people he loves to know the man he is, he needs to be honest about it.
Lonnie is working on his masters and seems to have it together, but from the glimpses we get he is still carrying baggage from his childhood and feels he doesn't quite fit in.
I loved this story and it would have easily been a 5* read, but for the length, it gave me just enough to want to know more, Lonnie's history with his grandfather, his ex maybe or who it was that made him feel like 'Loonie' and not 'Lonnie' and Jamison, his coming out went pretty well, but there are repercussions and I'd like to know more about them.
The I Love You was a little fast, but then I thought, you know these guys are both around 30 and have probably just waiting for the right person, and when you know you know, so that worked out, I guess, it just ended a bit abruptly and I wanted more depth and to know these men better.
So I liked it but felt that little bit 'extra' to make me love it and feel invested and connected to these guys was missing, bit of there is a sequel or a continuation of their story I'm on it in a heartbeat.
There is sex in this story but it's only eluded to and not on page, which was fine with me.
September 1, 2016
I have a habit of reading more than one book at a time and Good Question has been on my Nook for a long time. The good: it's that rarity in M/M romance - a multicultural romance featuring two men of color. The fact that it IS a rarity in a genre that is supposed to celebrate the inclusion of LGBT people is a problem the genre (and other genres as well) is going to need to do a damn sight better addressing. The characters - Jamison and Lonnie - were wonderfully refreshing. No race fail, no stereotyping one man as "frail" (some M/M books do that). While Jamison is fully in the closet, Lonnie is out and quietly proud. But when love strikes, it sometimes doesn't matter how deep that denial is. When Jamison, working on a construction project sees Lonnie emerging from his car with his art supplies, he's struck and hard. I definitely liked how he put his friend and co-worker Torpedo (Torp) on blast when the man called Lonnie a 'fag'. And though Torp comes off as a typical homophobic straight guy, in the clutch he shows he true friendship.
The bad: too damn short. To paraphrase Jane Austen, a book that's good is always too short. There were so many unanswered questions and loose ends. I would have loved to know more about Lonnie and his twin sister Amber's upbringing. It would have been nice to have had another scene between Jamison and his mother after the initial "you're gay...time to pray it out of you" moment. I'd also would have liked to have known about Jamison's Aunt Jo who sounded like the voice of reason.
I have hopes Johnson will write a sequel or better yet, rewrite this one and make it longer. Jamison and Lonnie deserve it.
Update: there is a sequel The Answer Is that came out last year. I just bought it.
The bad: too damn short. To paraphrase Jane Austen, a book that's good is always too short. There were so many unanswered questions and loose ends. I would have loved to know more about Lonnie and his twin sister Amber's upbringing. It would have been nice to have had another scene between Jamison and his mother after the initial "you're gay...time to pray it out of you" moment. I'd also would have liked to have known about Jamison's Aunt Jo who sounded like the voice of reason.
I have hopes Johnson will write a sequel or better yet, rewrite this one and make it longer. Jamison and Lonnie deserve it.
Update: there is a sequel The Answer Is that came out last year. I just bought it.
April 5, 2013
3.5 stars
A sweet M/M romance that would suit those interested in reading M/M for the first time or those who prefer a romance over an erotic read. Technically strong writing. However, not enough character development or excitement value for me to give it more than 3.5 stars. Full review at On Top Down Under Book Reviews - http://bookreviewsandtherapy.blogspot...
This book was supplied to me by Dreamspinner Press in return for an honest review
A sweet M/M romance that would suit those interested in reading M/M for the first time or those who prefer a romance over an erotic read. Technically strong writing. However, not enough character development or excitement value for me to give it more than 3.5 stars. Full review at On Top Down Under Book Reviews - http://bookreviewsandtherapy.blogspot...
This book was supplied to me by Dreamspinner Press in return for an honest review
April 26, 2013
Originally reviewed for The Book Vixen
In a Nutshell: Decent MM romance that was a tad too short for the romance to fully develop in my opinion.
Why I Read this Book: The synopsis caught my attention as did the fact that both leads are men of color, which is too rare in MM romance.
What I Liked: I liked the set up for Lonnie and Jamieson. They’re both about the same age and both floundering a bit in life. They aren’t open to many people so their mutual attraction forces them to risk a bit of themselves. I like this emotional vulnerability in romance and think it played out well here. Though their romance alludes to sexual intimacy, this isn’t a straight erotic romance and I like that too since it’s a short novella and needs to tell the romance and not just the erotic.
What I Also Liked: I liked the storyline of Lonnie’s twin sister and husband having their first child. They’re good secondary characters and their departure to the hospital allows Jamieson and Lonnie to be together for the weekend so it’s critical to the romance development too.
What I Didn’t Like: This novella was just too short to tell a fully developed romance in my opinion. The men share a weekend together and suddenly the emotional denouement happens. This shortchanged these interesting characters in my opinion and wrapped up a romance that was more complicated than the ending offered.
IMO: Even though I wasn’t a fan of the rushed ending, I liked these characters and their romance up until that point.
*review copy provided by publisher*
In a Nutshell: Decent MM romance that was a tad too short for the romance to fully develop in my opinion.
Why I Read this Book: The synopsis caught my attention as did the fact that both leads are men of color, which is too rare in MM romance.
What I Liked: I liked the set up for Lonnie and Jamieson. They’re both about the same age and both floundering a bit in life. They aren’t open to many people so their mutual attraction forces them to risk a bit of themselves. I like this emotional vulnerability in romance and think it played out well here. Though their romance alludes to sexual intimacy, this isn’t a straight erotic romance and I like that too since it’s a short novella and needs to tell the romance and not just the erotic.
What I Also Liked: I liked the storyline of Lonnie’s twin sister and husband having their first child. They’re good secondary characters and their departure to the hospital allows Jamieson and Lonnie to be together for the weekend so it’s critical to the romance development too.
What I Didn’t Like: This novella was just too short to tell a fully developed romance in my opinion. The men share a weekend together and suddenly the emotional denouement happens. This shortchanged these interesting characters in my opinion and wrapped up a romance that was more complicated than the ending offered.
IMO: Even though I wasn’t a fan of the rushed ending, I liked these characters and their romance up until that point.
*review copy provided by publisher*
May 23, 2021
Jamison Coburn works with his best friend Torpedo for Lincoln renovating houses. In his spare time, he works on furniture. He wants to be like his father but also knows he needs to be himself.
Into this confusion, he walks into the home of Amber and Claude and meets Amber's brother, Lonnie. There is an immediate connection but both men have hesitation about any real connection. How will they resolve those questions and move on? How can they keep their families and friends while at the same time having a relationship?
It is a short novel and compactly written. Written by a woman, there is a little less detail than many gay men to would like to see in such a book, but it is passable.
Into this confusion, he walks into the home of Amber and Claude and meets Amber's brother, Lonnie. There is an immediate connection but both men have hesitation about any real connection. How will they resolve those questions and move on? How can they keep their families and friends while at the same time having a relationship?
It is a short novel and compactly written. Written by a woman, there is a little less detail than many gay men to would like to see in such a book, but it is passable.
Read
February 20, 2021Not for me. Tried a few pages but it couldn't catch my interest.
April 24, 2013
3.25 Stars. http://joyfullyjay.com/2013/04/review...
Jamison Coburn is tall, dark and handsome. He’s also a man of few words, having been lost inside himself ever since his father died. Lonnie Bellerose notices the quiet man as Jamison and his crew remodel Lonnie’s sister’s kitchen. Lonnie’s twin sister, Aubrey, is pregnant and expecting in just a few weeks. Before she delivers, she wants some work done on her house and for her artist brother, Lonnie, to draw a mural on the baby nursery’s wall.
Jamison has never acted on his feelings for men before, since he’s not out with anyone and he doesn’t feel his attraction to men will allow him to become the man his father was — the man he has always worshiped and is desperate to emulate. When he sees Lonnie, though, he feels an immediate attraction and wants to become a different man for him. He knows he’ll have to come out to everyone he knows and loves, but he also knows Lonnie is worth it.
The best part of Good Question is the characters of Jamison and Lonnie. Jamison is large and muscular and hulking — a sweet and silent type — with a heart of gold. Even though he’s never been true to himself, his intentions were always good. He wanted to be the man that he thought his father would want him to be, until he realized he wanted Lonnie even more than his family’s admiration.
Lonnie is an artist. He’s carefree and honest and the complete opposite of Jamison in some ways. He doesn’t want to hide his feelings or his sexuality, but he is also able to see inside Jamison’s soul and realize that, for him, it’s worth being patient.
Together, they’re quite an adorable couple, though I do have to say that the relationship moved way too quickly for my taste. After only a few days, when neither man knew all that much about the other, they were in insta-love. I would’ve liked to see a deeper, more honest connection between the two of them, based on more than just a few days together. They had a quick sexual connection, though Johnson chose to keep most of the sex behind closed doors. I don’t have a problem with that at all, just with the basis of their all too rushed love for each other.
The biggest problem here is that there’s just not much story. It’s a coming out story for Jamison, and it’s really about him and his ability to finally come to terms with himself and his sexuality. It’s a sweet love story, but nothing that compelled me to continue reading. It was short, simple, and just a little bit boring.
Usually, in this case, it means that I haven’t made much of a connection with the characters and, therefore, don’t really care much about their story, and I would say that was the case here. I just felt like there was no reason for me to be invested here. I’m not downplaying the importance of coming out. It’s a big deal. But Johnson’s storytelling skills are what were lacking. There could’ve been a story here, but it just never came together for me. Maybe it will for you.
Jamison Coburn is tall, dark and handsome. He’s also a man of few words, having been lost inside himself ever since his father died. Lonnie Bellerose notices the quiet man as Jamison and his crew remodel Lonnie’s sister’s kitchen. Lonnie’s twin sister, Aubrey, is pregnant and expecting in just a few weeks. Before she delivers, she wants some work done on her house and for her artist brother, Lonnie, to draw a mural on the baby nursery’s wall.
Jamison has never acted on his feelings for men before, since he’s not out with anyone and he doesn’t feel his attraction to men will allow him to become the man his father was — the man he has always worshiped and is desperate to emulate. When he sees Lonnie, though, he feels an immediate attraction and wants to become a different man for him. He knows he’ll have to come out to everyone he knows and loves, but he also knows Lonnie is worth it.
The best part of Good Question is the characters of Jamison and Lonnie. Jamison is large and muscular and hulking — a sweet and silent type — with a heart of gold. Even though he’s never been true to himself, his intentions were always good. He wanted to be the man that he thought his father would want him to be, until he realized he wanted Lonnie even more than his family’s admiration.
Lonnie is an artist. He’s carefree and honest and the complete opposite of Jamison in some ways. He doesn’t want to hide his feelings or his sexuality, but he is also able to see inside Jamison’s soul and realize that, for him, it’s worth being patient.
Together, they’re quite an adorable couple, though I do have to say that the relationship moved way too quickly for my taste. After only a few days, when neither man knew all that much about the other, they were in insta-love. I would’ve liked to see a deeper, more honest connection between the two of them, based on more than just a few days together. They had a quick sexual connection, though Johnson chose to keep most of the sex behind closed doors. I don’t have a problem with that at all, just with the basis of their all too rushed love for each other.
The biggest problem here is that there’s just not much story. It’s a coming out story for Jamison, and it’s really about him and his ability to finally come to terms with himself and his sexuality. It’s a sweet love story, but nothing that compelled me to continue reading. It was short, simple, and just a little bit boring.
Usually, in this case, it means that I haven’t made much of a connection with the characters and, therefore, don’t really care much about their story, and I would say that was the case here. I just felt like there was no reason for me to be invested here. I’m not downplaying the importance of coming out. It’s a big deal. But Johnson’s storytelling skills are what were lacking. There could’ve been a story here, but it just never came together for me. Maybe it will for you.
April 9, 2013
We are introduced to Jamison as he moves cabinets into his current construction job. A large man, shown as a gentle giant. Then in pops Lonnie with his vibrant movements and artistic sensibility. They click right off the bat, but both are hesitant. Trust issues, a coming out, and family all seem to push and pull at these two men.
I smiled through most of this novella. It’s a well written, sweet story. It was the perfect read snuggled on the couch, the kids raucous around me. The readability was smooth, the characters enchanting, and the story pace consistent.
There was enough conflict to keep you interested without pages of angst. It had enough meat on the bone to have me curious about the paintings and carpentry work Lonnie and Jamison give us a brief glimpse into.
I enjoyed this story and how it ended. So much so, I googled up the author to see what else she has written. It was a sweet romantic read. If you want to get lost in a good love story, for an hour or two, I recommend Good Question by Dawn Kimberly Johnson.
Reviewed by Beans
I smiled through most of this novella. It’s a well written, sweet story. It was the perfect read snuggled on the couch, the kids raucous around me. The readability was smooth, the characters enchanting, and the story pace consistent.
There was enough conflict to keep you interested without pages of angst. It had enough meat on the bone to have me curious about the paintings and carpentry work Lonnie and Jamison give us a brief glimpse into.
I enjoyed this story and how it ended. So much so, I googled up the author to see what else she has written. It was a sweet romantic read. If you want to get lost in a good love story, for an hour or two, I recommend Good Question by Dawn Kimberly Johnson.
Reviewed by Beans
April 19, 2013
Jamison Coburn is a carpenter that expresses himself quietly in his creativity. Portrayed as a gentle giant he’s slightly withdrawn and refuses to acknowledge that he’s attracted to men. That is until Lonnie comes along.
Lonnie Bellerose is an artist that expresses himself loudly in his creativity, quite the opposite of Jamison. Vivacious and lively he catches Jamison’s eye almost immediately. Sparks fly but Jamison hasn’t come to terms with who he is yet, so he pushes Lonnie away. Staying away from each other proves to be a challenge.
After they spend a weekend in each others arms will they finally get a chance at happiness? Or will scars from the past and the inability to trust not only in each other, but themselves as individuals, keep them apart?
Short but sweet, romantic read. There isn’t any sex on the pages, it’s definitely there when you read between the lines, more eluded to than explored. The characters were very well written and three dimensional. If you’re looking for a quick, light hearted M/’M read without any angst then this is the book for you!
Lonnie Bellerose is an artist that expresses himself loudly in his creativity, quite the opposite of Jamison. Vivacious and lively he catches Jamison’s eye almost immediately. Sparks fly but Jamison hasn’t come to terms with who he is yet, so he pushes Lonnie away. Staying away from each other proves to be a challenge.
After they spend a weekend in each others arms will they finally get a chance at happiness? Or will scars from the past and the inability to trust not only in each other, but themselves as individuals, keep them apart?
Short but sweet, romantic read. There isn’t any sex on the pages, it’s definitely there when you read between the lines, more eluded to than explored. The characters were very well written and three dimensional. If you’re looking for a quick, light hearted M/’M read without any angst then this is the book for you!
September 6, 2013
Jamison is a big and quiet guy, working for a home improvement firm, while making his own furniture on the side.
Lonnie is an artist, that promised his sister to paint a mural on the nursery wall, before his little nephew or niece arrives.
This is where these two meet, the quiet strong guy in the closet, and the open and fun artist.
I liked the set up, and the resolution, I just thought the book ended too fast.
February 26, 2014
3.5 stars
April 9, 2013
Oh, boy, I love this cover. Those boys... Delicious!
April 16, 2013
Sweet story.
February 21, 2016
Enjoyable story!
October 8, 2015
A very enthralling book and the 1st in a series. The 2nd book takes up immediately where this one leaves off so I highly recommend reading it too.
June 17, 2015
2.5 stars - Interested in reading the next book.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews