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More Than Friends #3
Choosing Happy
Zach's ex, Steve, is living in Portland with many regrets. He has alienated the people he cares most about by making bad choices that continue to haunt him. When he meets a kid that's in a bad relationship and needs some help, Steve reluctantly offers it, knowing it's his chance to redeem himself. What he doesn't expect is to find happiness. It's there, all he has to do it choose to accept it.
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First published March 15, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews
March 25, 2019
Whoa the buildup to this one was pretty spectacular! Great story and Michael Ferraiuolo is fantastic (as always).
On to the next one...
On to the next one...
February 11, 2015
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review via Goodreads' Don't Buy My Love program.
3.5 stars for this contemporary M/M romance.
Steve is a man haunted by his bad life choices. He has had two loves in his life. The first was a big wig in a local motorcycle club who died in a bike accident. The second is the subject of earlier books in this series, Zach.
Steve feels guilty for having intruded on Zach's current relationship, and wishes he could find a real partner. He is attracted to this young man he sees every weekday from the window of his Waffle Haus food truck. The "little duck" is clearly arm candy for the boorish man he trails by one step. One day, Steve lures his little duck close with the promise of a free sample waffle--only to be rebuffed with hostility by his crush's overbearing boyfriend.
The next day little duck is bruised, and Steve's threats further enflame the situation. He has a broken and bleeding Little Duck awaiting him the following morning.
See, Joey (the little duck), was indenturing himself to Topher for a year to pay down his educational debt now that Joey's family can't pay for college. He has six months remaining as one of Topher's many playthings, but he can't take the brutality any longer. Steven, naturally takes him in, but he's not quite sure how to handle the repercussion. Topher doesn't want money for Joey's release, he wants to torture Joey. And Steve's not going to let that happen.
Thing is, Topher's part of a crime family. Joey was initially a rentboy, but Topher took a shine and recruited him to his stable of private toys. And the mob doesn't usually let prime witnesses, like Joey, walk away.
The book is interesting. I'd call it a breeze-read except the subject matter is dark. I liked the slow-ish steps Steve took to ensure that Joey's emotional state was clear before they got physical, but it seemed things resolved too quickly and without as much (inconvenient) fuss as I'd have expected for extracting a mafia toy.
The heat is a bit of a low simmer. Bare minimum of play time, until the very end.
3.5 stars for this contemporary M/M romance.
Steve is a man haunted by his bad life choices. He has had two loves in his life. The first was a big wig in a local motorcycle club who died in a bike accident. The second is the subject of earlier books in this series, Zach.
Steve feels guilty for having intruded on Zach's current relationship, and wishes he could find a real partner. He is attracted to this young man he sees every weekday from the window of his Waffle Haus food truck. The "little duck" is clearly arm candy for the boorish man he trails by one step. One day, Steve lures his little duck close with the promise of a free sample waffle--only to be rebuffed with hostility by his crush's overbearing boyfriend.
The next day little duck is bruised, and Steve's threats further enflame the situation. He has a broken and bleeding Little Duck awaiting him the following morning.
See, Joey (the little duck), was indenturing himself to Topher for a year to pay down his educational debt now that Joey's family can't pay for college. He has six months remaining as one of Topher's many playthings, but he can't take the brutality any longer. Steven, naturally takes him in, but he's not quite sure how to handle the repercussion. Topher doesn't want money for Joey's release, he wants to torture Joey. And Steve's not going to let that happen.
Thing is, Topher's part of a crime family. Joey was initially a rentboy, but Topher took a shine and recruited him to his stable of private toys. And the mob doesn't usually let prime witnesses, like Joey, walk away.
The book is interesting. I'd call it a breeze-read except the subject matter is dark. I liked the slow-ish steps Steve took to ensure that Joey's emotional state was clear before they got physical, but it seemed things resolved too quickly and without as much (inconvenient) fuss as I'd have expected for extracting a mafia toy.
The heat is a bit of a low simmer. Bare minimum of play time, until the very end.
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September 13, 2022This isn’t for me. DNF
August 1, 2018
3.5*
I wasn't sure what I was going to think about Steve's story, after not really liking him at the end of Drunk in Love, but I was pleasantly surprised. I actually had a lot of empathy for him, I was happy to learn about his backstory. I feel like there was a lot more depth to Choosing Happy than there was to More Than Friends and Drunk in Love.
Steve actually has a big heart, and he just wanted to find someone to share it with. I'm glad he found his little duck.
I wasn't sure what I was going to think about Steve's story, after not really liking him at the end of Drunk in Love, but I was pleasantly surprised. I actually had a lot of empathy for him, I was happy to learn about his backstory. I feel like there was a lot more depth to Choosing Happy than there was to More Than Friends and Drunk in Love.
Steve actually has a big heart, and he just wanted to find someone to share it with. I'm glad he found his little duck.
January 12, 2016
I thought id be more interested in Steve's story but it kinda fell flat for me. :/ i couldn't connect with any character and the story...felt like it went on and on... Sadly, i have to give this book 2 stars.
November 26, 2016
First... can we take a second to appreciate the cover of this book.... sigh.... okay, moving on...(while looking back)
Here, we have Zach's ex Steve.... lemme tell ya, I did NOT like Steve in the last book so I was hesitant to read this one... I shouldn't have been... He more than made up for it and seeing inside Steve's head and getting to know the person he is, it's impossible not to love him... Even by the end of the first chapter I was completely smitten with him. Steve, as we knew from last book, owns a waffle stand, and everyday at 10 after 6, he see's someone that catches his eye walking just a step behind the douchiest of douchbags...who we later find out is a pretty big "made man"...his family is a big deal and has been for generations so he's not someone to be messed with, but one encounter leaves Steve seeing red when he notices Joey, a.k.a. "Little Duck" (that is SO cute by the way) is being mistreated... Worrying about him after not seeing him one day, he shows up back at work to find Joey beat up and not having anywhere to go... He was wary of Steve at first, but it's impossible not to see how genuine he is in wanting to take care of him. Of course we know that, but I can see where Joey would be skeptical....
I love how despite wanting Joey really bad, he tries to take his time with him, get him to trust him, let him do things in his own time, but Joey sees how great he is pretty quickly and the banter between these two is so cute, I loved seeing them get to know each other. Steve will do anything to make sure Joey is safe, which makes me wonder why he ever questioned wether or not he loved him because he's literally risking his life to keep Joey safe. If that isn't love I dunno what is :)
Calling in favors from friends, some of them old friends he didn't think he'd see anymore, he does what he needs to do in order to keep Joey safe, it's a nerwracking angsty few days, but once Joey is free and clear to do what he wants, its no surprise he chooses Steve.. Why wouldn't he?
I also love the others, Rachel and her mothering, Matty and Al (although I hope Al meets someone else who appreciates him), Spencer and Dylan, sigh... I can't wait to read about all of them! Best so far!
Here, we have Zach's ex Steve.... lemme tell ya, I did NOT like Steve in the last book so I was hesitant to read this one... I shouldn't have been... He more than made up for it and seeing inside Steve's head and getting to know the person he is, it's impossible not to love him... Even by the end of the first chapter I was completely smitten with him. Steve, as we knew from last book, owns a waffle stand, and everyday at 10 after 6, he see's someone that catches his eye walking just a step behind the douchiest of douchbags...who we later find out is a pretty big "made man"...his family is a big deal and has been for generations so he's not someone to be messed with, but one encounter leaves Steve seeing red when he notices Joey, a.k.a. "Little Duck" (that is SO cute by the way) is being mistreated... Worrying about him after not seeing him one day, he shows up back at work to find Joey beat up and not having anywhere to go... He was wary of Steve at first, but it's impossible not to see how genuine he is in wanting to take care of him. Of course we know that, but I can see where Joey would be skeptical....
I love how despite wanting Joey really bad, he tries to take his time with him, get him to trust him, let him do things in his own time, but Joey sees how great he is pretty quickly and the banter between these two is so cute, I loved seeing them get to know each other. Steve will do anything to make sure Joey is safe, which makes me wonder why he ever questioned wether or not he loved him because he's literally risking his life to keep Joey safe. If that isn't love I dunno what is :)
Calling in favors from friends, some of them old friends he didn't think he'd see anymore, he does what he needs to do in order to keep Joey safe, it's a nerwracking angsty few days, but once Joey is free and clear to do what he wants, its no surprise he chooses Steve.. Why wouldn't he?
I also love the others, Rachel and her mothering, Matty and Al (although I hope Al meets someone else who appreciates him), Spencer and Dylan, sigh... I can't wait to read about all of them! Best so far!
September 12, 2015
The author was kind enough to provide me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was a fun, quick read. I finished the book within a few hours. I haven't read any of the previous books in the series, but this works perfectly fine as a stand alone.
I'm always a sucker for some angsty hurt/comfort with an abused MC, so I enjoyed this one. Joey and Steve were a bit stereotypical, though. Steve the tough macho biker with a bit of a dominant streak, who's set on protecting poor, innocent Joey, who seems unable to take care of himself even for a few hours. I still liked both of them, though.
Overall, this story could have used some more depth. I would have loved to read Joey's pov! A little more backstory on both MCs would have been nice. We do get bits and pieces, but it wasn't quite enough to satisfy my curiosity, especially for Joey.
I liked the relatively slow build of the relationship. How Steve was yearning for Little Ducky for so long, watching him from afar, unable to reach out to him. And when he finally did have him in his house, he didn't fall into bed with him straight but tried to hold back and not scare Joey away. I also liked that while Joey was otherwise easily scared, he seemed to have a lot of confidence in the bedroom. And I liked the promise of a versatile couple.
I'll definitely check out the next book. Spencer and Dylan should be an interesting couple.
To sum it up, Choosing Happy was a fun and easy read, but a little heavy on the stereotypes.
This was a fun, quick read. I finished the book within a few hours. I haven't read any of the previous books in the series, but this works perfectly fine as a stand alone.
I'm always a sucker for some angsty hurt/comfort with an abused MC, so I enjoyed this one. Joey and Steve were a bit stereotypical, though. Steve the tough macho biker with a bit of a dominant streak, who's set on protecting poor, innocent Joey, who seems unable to take care of himself even for a few hours. I still liked both of them, though.
Overall, this story could have used some more depth. I would have loved to read Joey's pov! A little more backstory on both MCs would have been nice. We do get bits and pieces, but it wasn't quite enough to satisfy my curiosity, especially for Joey.
I liked the relatively slow build of the relationship. How Steve was yearning for Little Ducky for so long, watching him from afar, unable to reach out to him. And when he finally did have him in his house, he didn't fall into bed with him straight but tried to hold back and not scare Joey away. I also liked that while Joey was otherwise easily scared, he seemed to have a lot of confidence in the bedroom. And I liked the promise of a versatile couple.
I'll definitely check out the next book. Spencer and Dylan should be an interesting couple.
To sum it up, Choosing Happy was a fun and easy read, but a little heavy on the stereotypes.
February 3, 2015
I received a copy of this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review through Goodreads' "Don't Buy My Love" program.
The story arc grew stronger as the action progressed and a climatic showdown neared. This was also a much better edited title than an earlier title in the series which I read. If I could offer another half star on the scale, I would.
Steve's quick pursuit and rescue of Joey and some less desirable characteristics in both of them kept me from feeling a deeper empathy for their situation. Joey got himself out of an abusive situation, only to remain relatively passive during his time with Steve.
References to Steve's past helped explain his rougher edges, but efforts to show a more vulnerable side to him just didn't come together. For example, he was "not willing to spend another night alone" in the home his parents died in, so he sought out a rent-boy he'd previously visited--a scene in which he came across as a kinder, gentler john, but a willing client, nonetheless.
I felt that the duck references, while meant to show affection, were overdone, and kept the characters flat, or curtailed to a static relationship.
The supporting cast was relatively well-developed, and Grace handled the logistics of a conclusion involving law enforcement and a trip to the hospital efficiently.
The story arc grew stronger as the action progressed and a climatic showdown neared. This was also a much better edited title than an earlier title in the series which I read. If I could offer another half star on the scale, I would.
Steve's quick pursuit and rescue of Joey and some less desirable characteristics in both of them kept me from feeling a deeper empathy for their situation. Joey got himself out of an abusive situation, only to remain relatively passive during his time with Steve.
References to Steve's past helped explain his rougher edges, but efforts to show a more vulnerable side to him just didn't come together. For example, he was "not willing to spend another night alone" in the home his parents died in, so he sought out a rent-boy he'd previously visited--a scene in which he came across as a kinder, gentler john, but a willing client, nonetheless.
I felt that the duck references, while meant to show affection, were overdone, and kept the characters flat, or curtailed to a static relationship.
The supporting cast was relatively well-developed, and Grace handled the logistics of a conclusion involving law enforcement and a trip to the hospital efficiently.
November 29, 2014
I’ll start by saying that I have not read books 1 or 2 in this series. I felt as though I was missing out on some character development or history, having said that though I didn’t feel lost at any time.
For a story on the shorter side, there’s a lot of emotion packed into it. I loved the almost instant connection between Steve and Joey. I found Steve’s inner struggle with trying to take things slowly with his “little duck” to be more telling of his character than any amount of words or actions any author could have written. You can’t help but feel Joey’s pain. He’s caught between needing to be free of Topher’s abuse and to have his submissive nature cultured. There is definitely some hints of a Dom/sub relationship but not really strong enough for me to feely label it a D/s genre.
As for the physical chemistry between our main characters, well let’s just say it’s definitely there in spades, as the cliche’ goes. There’s only a few truly steam packed scenes but boy are they packed! I don’t know if we’ll see more of Steve and Joey’s story in future entries to the series but they are certainly characters I’m not really ready to let go of yet.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
For a story on the shorter side, there’s a lot of emotion packed into it. I loved the almost instant connection between Steve and Joey. I found Steve’s inner struggle with trying to take things slowly with his “little duck” to be more telling of his character than any amount of words or actions any author could have written. You can’t help but feel Joey’s pain. He’s caught between needing to be free of Topher’s abuse and to have his submissive nature cultured. There is definitely some hints of a Dom/sub relationship but not really strong enough for me to feely label it a D/s genre.
As for the physical chemistry between our main characters, well let’s just say it’s definitely there in spades, as the cliche’ goes. There’s only a few truly steam packed scenes but boy are they packed! I don’t know if we’ll see more of Steve and Joey’s story in future entries to the series but they are certainly characters I’m not really ready to let go of yet.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
February 6, 2015
I received this book from the Author in exchange for an honest review.
I liked this story I love when hurt people are comforted and when it is double hurt/comfort it is usually even better. what I didn't like about this story was that it seemed a little overblown plotwise there was just too much happening and it made thestory seem implausible but it was still a good read and I more than liked the story. I would have been happier if the story wasn't so convuluted. I would have been happy if this was a mafia story, or a story about an escaped slave from an abusive BDSM relationship. but combining both elements just seemed to make the story too complicated for an easy read which the authors other stories are. I am glad I had the background even if it was about a year since I read the first two of this series.
I liked this story I love when hurt people are comforted and when it is double hurt/comfort it is usually even better. what I didn't like about this story was that it seemed a little overblown plotwise there was just too much happening and it made thestory seem implausible but it was still a good read and I more than liked the story. I would have been happier if the story wasn't so convuluted. I would have been happy if this was a mafia story, or a story about an escaped slave from an abusive BDSM relationship. but combining both elements just seemed to make the story too complicated for an easy read which the authors other stories are. I am glad I had the background even if it was about a year since I read the first two of this series.
October 8, 2014
I would give this 3.75 stars. I picked this up as a stand alone even though it is part of a series. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. The emotions and craving for redemption were written well and realized in a way that just fit right within the short story. It is approximately 140 pages or so and there is enough plot and steam to keep your attention. I have purchased the next in line that picks up right where this one left off I enjoyed it so much.
March 5, 2015
Ms. Grace has yet to let me down. Choosing Happy is well written with surprisingly likable characters. Since I've not been a fan of our MC, Steve, in the previous books I was hesitant to read this. However I'm really glad that I did. There's nothing better than to witness a bad boy fall in love and choose to be happy.
May 5, 2016
I loved this book. Though I wondered why the author decided to change the POV of this book to first person when the first two books were close third.
May 26, 2018
If I didn't love Michael Ferraiuolo's voice and narration so much I'm fairly certain I would have stopped listening to this in the first few chapters. Getting turned on when you're putting Neosporin on cuts someone got from a beating they got from their abuser is NOT sexy, it's creepy AF, and I don't understand how anyone could think otherwise. Getting turned on at the same time you're cataloguing someone's injuries? Again, NOT sexy. WTH is wrong with someone that they would react that way?
I've not read the rest of this series, nor anything else by this author, but I don't feel any desire to after this. The characters are messed up in a way that is not recognized, and that I can't imagine will be recognized. After that beginning I basically couldn't see anything but the things that were wrong. And then "sex juice" happened, long, too long, after I should have given up, and I just can't.
I hate to stop listening to Mr. Ferraiuolo, but I can't anymore with this book.
I've not read the rest of this series, nor anything else by this author, but I don't feel any desire to after this. The characters are messed up in a way that is not recognized, and that I can't imagine will be recognized. After that beginning I basically couldn't see anything but the things that were wrong. And then "sex juice" happened, long, too long, after I should have given up, and I just can't.
I hate to stop listening to Mr. Ferraiuolo, but I can't anymore with this book.
November 9, 2017
This romance is really just a sketch. It has a fast moving plot (if a bit unbelievable...okay way unbelievable).
And while Steve and Joey are likable we don't get enough character development on Joey and really just a bit more on Steve to trust that they fell in love so fast.
It isn't a bad read and I might try more in the series but it is thin in terms of what I like best which is character building and interaction.
And while Steve and Joey are likable we don't get enough character development on Joey and really just a bit more on Steve to trust that they fell in love so fast.
It isn't a bad read and I might try more in the series but it is thin in terms of what I like best which is character building and interaction.
February 1, 2015
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
What an interesting concept! Solid 3.5 stars
I wasn't sure what I was getting into when I started reading the book. Steve comes off as so depressed and guilty for everything that's happened in his life. He comments on the fact that he sleeps in the room/house his parents died in...how depressing. The one bright spot in his life is his "little duck" (I know...what a dumb name!?!), who walks by his booth every evening, loves cinnamon sugar waffles, and apparently has an extremely possessive boyfriend. The boyfriend doesn't keep Steve from looking and certainly not from taking advantage when he sees an opening. When a man wants something....he does what it takes. Steves character proves the point. He calls in favors and makes move...what guy wouldn't fall in love with someone like that!?! Can I just say that the decision to make Steve a food stand owner felt original to me...and not just any waffle guy...a muscle bound tattooed one! *melts*
Entre Joey aka Little Duck...watching Steve stand up to his boyfriend for him gives him the courage to walk away from his psycho, criminal boyfriend...but what if he's just digging himself in deeper. Despite the fact that the book is told from Steve's POV and he spends the book moving heaven and earth to save the man he loves...you can't help but feel that Joey is falling just as hard and doing everything in his power to hold on to his knight in shining armor. (Side note: After spending the last few days indulging in A/B/O fanfic...Joey seemed to embody an Omega story line...not that I'm complaining...I did say I was indulging). The hurt/comfort aspect of this story was a little overwhelming...I couldn't help but feel the sexual side of their relationship was a little rushed. Maybe if we had managed to fast-forward a week by so the bruises had time to heal...I don't think a professional athlete in top form would have recovered in the time Joey seems to...the petting scenes just felt a little too soon. Joey came across as an emotional survivor...I like that.
Speaking of petting...the sex is hot between these two! Every moment is charged with emotion and sexual tension. The good news is that they attempt to relive it whenever they can. I appreciated that Steve wasn't prepared to let his heroic tendencies stand in the way of a blossoming attraction to Joey. I've always been disgusted when the hero is too self sacrificing.
All in all, a very good read...I'll definitely be picking up more of the series.
What an interesting concept! Solid 3.5 stars
I wasn't sure what I was getting into when I started reading the book. Steve comes off as so depressed and guilty for everything that's happened in his life. He comments on the fact that he sleeps in the room/house his parents died in...how depressing. The one bright spot in his life is his "little duck" (I know...what a dumb name!?!), who walks by his booth every evening, loves cinnamon sugar waffles, and apparently has an extremely possessive boyfriend. The boyfriend doesn't keep Steve from looking and certainly not from taking advantage when he sees an opening. When a man wants something....he does what it takes. Steves character proves the point. He calls in favors and makes move...what guy wouldn't fall in love with someone like that!?! Can I just say that the decision to make Steve a food stand owner felt original to me...and not just any waffle guy...a muscle bound tattooed one! *melts*
Entre Joey aka Little Duck...watching Steve stand up to his boyfriend for him gives him the courage to walk away from his psycho, criminal boyfriend...but what if he's just digging himself in deeper. Despite the fact that the book is told from Steve's POV and he spends the book moving heaven and earth to save the man he loves...you can't help but feel that Joey is falling just as hard and doing everything in his power to hold on to his knight in shining armor. (Side note: After spending the last few days indulging in A/B/O fanfic...Joey seemed to embody an Omega story line...not that I'm complaining...I did say I was indulging). The hurt/comfort aspect of this story was a little overwhelming...I couldn't help but feel the sexual side of their relationship was a little rushed. Maybe if we had managed to fast-forward a week by so the bruises had time to heal...I don't think a professional athlete in top form would have recovered in the time Joey seems to...the petting scenes just felt a little too soon. Joey came across as an emotional survivor...I like that.
Speaking of petting...the sex is hot between these two! Every moment is charged with emotion and sexual tension. The good news is that they attempt to relive it whenever they can. I appreciated that Steve wasn't prepared to let his heroic tendencies stand in the way of a blossoming attraction to Joey. I've always been disgusted when the hero is too self sacrificing.
All in all, a very good read...I'll definitely be picking up more of the series.
September 3, 2015
I was given a free copy of this story in return for an honest review.
Steve is a reformed bad guy boy who works every day at his Waffle Haus stand. The highlight of his day is when the adorable guy who he affectionately calls Little Duck walks by with his possessive boyfriend at the same time every evening. When he discovers that the boyfriend is beating Little Duck, Steve threatens the boyfriend and tells Little Duck he can come to him for help any time. To his surprise, Little Duck, who turns out to be Joey, shows up, battered and bruised the next day telling Steve he left the boyfriend. It turns out things aren’t as easy as it seems. Joey’s ex is Topher, a major player in the cities crime family. Joey is working of a debt to Topher and he’s not likely to let Joey go until he’s gotten full payment. Steve offers to payoff Joey’s debts but Topher doesn’t want the money, he wants Joey. Through a mutual friend, Steve learns that Topher is involved in counterfeit paintings but not sharing the profits with the family. He uses his contacts to meet with Topher’s uncle, the head of the family, to let him know that Topher was cheating the family. A sting is set up to catch Topher and it’s successful. Topher is removed from the equation, Joey is released of any debts he had to Topher, and Joey and Steve live happily ever after.
I really enjoyed this story. I thought it was well written and seemed very polished with good grammar. It had good pacing and flowed well. It was easy to get into the characters. I felt like the characters lacked dimension but this was also the third book in a series and I hadn’t read any of the other previous books so I don’t feel like I can knock it in that regard. We may very well have been given more back story on Steve in the previous books that I’m not aware of since I haven’t read those. This is a bit of an insta-love story. Maybe not so much where Steve is concerned because he’s been lusting after Joey for months and has been building up a fantasy over that time. Joey, within a day or two, is all doe-eyed and very clearly falling for Steve. Although it was quick, I did find it believable. Overall, I found it to be a very good book that I would gladly recommend to my friends.
Steve is a reformed bad guy boy who works every day at his Waffle Haus stand. The highlight of his day is when the adorable guy who he affectionately calls Little Duck walks by with his possessive boyfriend at the same time every evening. When he discovers that the boyfriend is beating Little Duck, Steve threatens the boyfriend and tells Little Duck he can come to him for help any time. To his surprise, Little Duck, who turns out to be Joey, shows up, battered and bruised the next day telling Steve he left the boyfriend. It turns out things aren’t as easy as it seems. Joey’s ex is Topher, a major player in the cities crime family. Joey is working of a debt to Topher and he’s not likely to let Joey go until he’s gotten full payment. Steve offers to payoff Joey’s debts but Topher doesn’t want the money, he wants Joey. Through a mutual friend, Steve learns that Topher is involved in counterfeit paintings but not sharing the profits with the family. He uses his contacts to meet with Topher’s uncle, the head of the family, to let him know that Topher was cheating the family. A sting is set up to catch Topher and it’s successful. Topher is removed from the equation, Joey is released of any debts he had to Topher, and Joey and Steve live happily ever after.
I really enjoyed this story. I thought it was well written and seemed very polished with good grammar. It had good pacing and flowed well. It was easy to get into the characters. I felt like the characters lacked dimension but this was also the third book in a series and I hadn’t read any of the other previous books so I don’t feel like I can knock it in that regard. We may very well have been given more back story on Steve in the previous books that I’m not aware of since I haven’t read those. This is a bit of an insta-love story. Maybe not so much where Steve is concerned because he’s been lusting after Joey for months and has been building up a fantasy over that time. Joey, within a day or two, is all doe-eyed and very clearly falling for Steve. Although it was quick, I did find it believable. Overall, I found it to be a very good book that I would gladly recommend to my friends.
August 27, 2014
The Blogger Girls
I was extremely hesitant about putting my trust in Steve, especially since he was so untrustworthy in the last book, and nearly destroyed Zach’s relationship. Knowing that he intentionally broke the threesome parameters, and appeared to care less at the same time, meant that Steve had a long uphill battle in redeeming himself.
Fortunately, the Steve in this book was completely different than the Steve I knew and…disliked so immensely. It was almost as if it was a different person, a different Steve. A part of me wondered where the old Steve went as he was non-existent in this book.
Steve has a little crush…on a little duck. That duck’s name is Joey. Steve is crushing so hard on the small, quiet man that he intently watches the clock just to see his little duck walk by in the evenings. Too bad he is walking with another man. Unfortunately, that man is a prick and “owns” Joey, and leaves him marked pretty badly.
Once Joey realized that he may have an ally in Steve, he runs from his ex, who just so happens to be the evil grandson of the top crime family in their city. Not exactly what Steve needed in his life, but it did bring up his past and why he may have been such an unlovable, pain in the butt in the previous book.
Besides the growing love story between Joey and Steve, with surprisingly a small number of sex scenes, there is also the drama playing out about abusive relationships, the mafia, organized crime and its link to the police, and learning to see Steve in a whole new light and forgiving him for being such a lout in the past.
I loved the crime family drama and how it all played out at the end. I loved that the bad guy didn’t get away AND was held accountable by his own family (served him right), and loved the growing relationship between Steve and Joey. Two very different men, yes, but two men who have the ability to fill a void in their lives and the best chance for an unexpected happily ever after…if they so choose; which they do.
I was extremely hesitant about putting my trust in Steve, especially since he was so untrustworthy in the last book, and nearly destroyed Zach’s relationship. Knowing that he intentionally broke the threesome parameters, and appeared to care less at the same time, meant that Steve had a long uphill battle in redeeming himself.
Fortunately, the Steve in this book was completely different than the Steve I knew and…disliked so immensely. It was almost as if it was a different person, a different Steve. A part of me wondered where the old Steve went as he was non-existent in this book.
Steve has a little crush…on a little duck. That duck’s name is Joey. Steve is crushing so hard on the small, quiet man that he intently watches the clock just to see his little duck walk by in the evenings. Too bad he is walking with another man. Unfortunately, that man is a prick and “owns” Joey, and leaves him marked pretty badly.
Once Joey realized that he may have an ally in Steve, he runs from his ex, who just so happens to be the evil grandson of the top crime family in their city. Not exactly what Steve needed in his life, but it did bring up his past and why he may have been such an unlovable, pain in the butt in the previous book.
Besides the growing love story between Joey and Steve, with surprisingly a small number of sex scenes, there is also the drama playing out about abusive relationships, the mafia, organized crime and its link to the police, and learning to see Steve in a whole new light and forgiving him for being such a lout in the past.
I loved the crime family drama and how it all played out at the end. I loved that the bad guy didn’t get away AND was held accountable by his own family (served him right), and loved the growing relationship between Steve and Joey. Two very different men, yes, but two men who have the ability to fill a void in their lives and the best chance for an unexpected happily ever after…if they so choose; which they do.
December 1, 2014
FourStars
I was given this in return for an honest review by Inked Rainbow Reads.
Steve and "Little Duck" Joey - so sweet. I love their characters. Steve has this overprotective streak in him that I simply have to admire. Despite not knowing Joey at all, Steve takes up for him - the attraction for Steve is there and he pines away. When it becomes too much, he tries to strike up a conversation, not knowing the consequences that Joey will face.
Joey is such an endearing character. Despite his innocence, I liked him right away. He was trying to find a way out for himself and got caught up with someone who was less than honest. Joey's character is so sweet to Steve, but you see hints of his old, more confident self - before Topher. I liked seeing both sides of Joey and I LOVED his nick name of little duck.
I liked that the story had a lot of mystery. You were not given a lot of information about Topher, but from the impressions that Steve give, Topher is not a decent person. Grace does a good job of portraying the true hatred that Steve feels towards Topher. I could feel Joey's fear, Steve's hatred and Topher's arrogance.
I also enjoyed the slight hint towards Steve's past. Having not read the previous stories, these hints helped me put more context to why Steve was the way he was towards Joey and towards his friends.
This was a cute story of finding out what unconditional love is really about. I would for sure read from this author again.
AvidReader
FourStars
I was given this in return for an honest review by Inked Rainbow Reads.
Haven't read any of the others in the series, but was able to read this book as a standalone. Once I started reading it I needed to keep going until I finished. The style of writing drew me into the plot and kept me interested until the end.
The characters came alive in the story and I found myself hoping that Steve would find happiness in the end. The author had you just wanting to hug Joey. I would like to go back and read the first two books to find out more of Steve's background. All in all, a very loving story that I enjoyed.
Sherry
I was given this in return for an honest review by Inked Rainbow Reads.
Steve and "Little Duck" Joey - so sweet. I love their characters. Steve has this overprotective streak in him that I simply have to admire. Despite not knowing Joey at all, Steve takes up for him - the attraction for Steve is there and he pines away. When it becomes too much, he tries to strike up a conversation, not knowing the consequences that Joey will face.
Joey is such an endearing character. Despite his innocence, I liked him right away. He was trying to find a way out for himself and got caught up with someone who was less than honest. Joey's character is so sweet to Steve, but you see hints of his old, more confident self - before Topher. I liked seeing both sides of Joey and I LOVED his nick name of little duck.
I liked that the story had a lot of mystery. You were not given a lot of information about Topher, but from the impressions that Steve give, Topher is not a decent person. Grace does a good job of portraying the true hatred that Steve feels towards Topher. I could feel Joey's fear, Steve's hatred and Topher's arrogance.
I also enjoyed the slight hint towards Steve's past. Having not read the previous stories, these hints helped me put more context to why Steve was the way he was towards Joey and towards his friends.
This was a cute story of finding out what unconditional love is really about. I would for sure read from this author again.
AvidReader
FourStars
I was given this in return for an honest review by Inked Rainbow Reads.
Haven't read any of the others in the series, but was able to read this book as a standalone. Once I started reading it I needed to keep going until I finished. The style of writing drew me into the plot and kept me interested until the end.
The characters came alive in the story and I found myself hoping that Steve would find happiness in the end. The author had you just wanting to hug Joey. I would like to go back and read the first two books to find out more of Steve's background. All in all, a very loving story that I enjoyed.
Sherry
February 11, 2016
After the way Steve acted with Zach & Ryan in Drunk in Love, I didn't like his character & didn't think there was a good way for him to be redeemed. In this story, Steve is determined he's not going to keep messing up chances to be a better person; especially if he gets a chance to be in another relationship.
He's working on building up his waffle shop business & he keeps seeing this guy he calls "Little Duck" every day at 6:10. Unfortunately Little Duck is always with another man & the other man is not inclined to let Little Duck stop for a waffle even though Steve thinks LD wants one. One day Steve thinks he'll entice them to stop by offering a free sample & it almost works, but the other guy puts a quick stop to that notion. The next day the other guy forces LD to inform Steve they're not interested in what Steve has to offer & LD has a black eye. Steve threatens OG with bodily harm if he ever sees LD harmed again.
The day after that Steve finds LD huddled behind his waffle shop, beaten & bloodied so he takes him in & offers to help him; not realizing OG is part of the local crime family & LD is one of OG's stable of indentured servants. When OG (Topher) confronts Steve about Joey (LD), Steve offers to pay Joey's debt which Topher refuses because he'd rather have Joey pay his debt physically than with money.
Steve finds out Topher has a money-making scheme which he hasn't shared with the crime family so he comes up with a plan to trap Topher & get Joey safe. The execution of the plan also sets up the next story in the series.
Overall I liked the story, however I did think the the conflict was resolved a bit to easily & I'm not a fan of insta-love. My biggest problem though was how Steve constantly referred to Joey as either a kid or a boy (not in the dommy sense either) and I find this creepy since Joey is 23 & only a few years younger than Steve.
I listened to the audio version the second time I "read" the book & thought the narrator did a great job with the different character voices.
He's working on building up his waffle shop business & he keeps seeing this guy he calls "Little Duck" every day at 6:10. Unfortunately Little Duck is always with another man & the other man is not inclined to let Little Duck stop for a waffle even though Steve thinks LD wants one. One day Steve thinks he'll entice them to stop by offering a free sample & it almost works, but the other guy puts a quick stop to that notion. The next day the other guy forces LD to inform Steve they're not interested in what Steve has to offer & LD has a black eye. Steve threatens OG with bodily harm if he ever sees LD harmed again.
The day after that Steve finds LD huddled behind his waffle shop, beaten & bloodied so he takes him in & offers to help him; not realizing OG is part of the local crime family & LD is one of OG's stable of indentured servants. When OG (Topher) confronts Steve about Joey (LD), Steve offers to pay Joey's debt which Topher refuses because he'd rather have Joey pay his debt physically than with money.
Steve finds out Topher has a money-making scheme which he hasn't shared with the crime family so he comes up with a plan to trap Topher & get Joey safe. The execution of the plan also sets up the next story in the series.
Overall I liked the story, however I did think the the conflict was resolved a bit to easily & I'm not a fan of insta-love. My biggest problem though was how Steve constantly referred to Joey as either a kid or a boy (not in the dommy sense either) and I find this creepy since Joey is 23 & only a few years younger than Steve.
I listened to the audio version the second time I "read" the book & thought the narrator did a great job with the different character voices.
February 3, 2015
Steve seemed very fleshed out, I liked his voice, him as a narrator at least didn’t try to gloss over what he or his past was like. The way Joey came into his life felt genuine, but the way the dialogue changed between them after only three days together, all the little terms of endearment and just the overall syrupy sweetness to it all lost a star from me. It’s a pet peeve of mine in romances how suddenly when people get together they start talking like teenage crushes rather than the adults they are.
This read like a stand alone, I didn’t feel like I needed to read the previous books to get to know Steve, and the pacing worked really well for the novel, letting events unfold without getting bogged down n the day to day/mundane tasks that didn’t see to move the story along.
I guess the one other thing that threw me out of the story was just how easy it all was, that’s what lost this story its second star from me. There was no real struggle because everything very easily fell into place in setting up Topher, even with the shielding/shooting, in fact, that almost read as if it could have been a set-up for the next book. I didn’t get that real sense of darkness from the story like others commented about. The pasts of the characters were sad and Joey getting hurt was cruel but everyone seemed to handle everything in stride and I think that dulled the edge of it for me. To me it felt kind of fluffy, a feel good read where you are never really left with any doubt that the characters would be fine in the end. Maybe because we are simply told about the danger, but never felt connected to it.
Now all of that being said, the writing was very good, very fluid and polished. I still left curious about Spencer’s story, I still left curious about Steve’s previous life. I think the story arc is quite interesting, overall, and I would read more. I was provided this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
This read like a stand alone, I didn’t feel like I needed to read the previous books to get to know Steve, and the pacing worked really well for the novel, letting events unfold without getting bogged down n the day to day/mundane tasks that didn’t see to move the story along.
I guess the one other thing that threw me out of the story was just how easy it all was, that’s what lost this story its second star from me. There was no real struggle because everything very easily fell into place in setting up Topher, even with the shielding/shooting, in fact, that almost read as if it could have been a set-up for the next book. I didn’t get that real sense of darkness from the story like others commented about. The pasts of the characters were sad and Joey getting hurt was cruel but everyone seemed to handle everything in stride and I think that dulled the edge of it for me. To me it felt kind of fluffy, a feel good read where you are never really left with any doubt that the characters would be fine in the end. Maybe because we are simply told about the danger, but never felt connected to it.
Now all of that being said, the writing was very good, very fluid and polished. I still left curious about Spencer’s story, I still left curious about Steve’s previous life. I think the story arc is quite interesting, overall, and I would read more. I was provided this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
January 4, 2020
After reading the previous book in the series, Drunk in Love, I wasn't sure how to feel about Steve, but this book had me feeling much better about him within the first chapter. Heck, it had me feeling better about Steve within the first paragraph where it is abundantly clear that he knows the role he played in Zach and Ryan's breakup. Based on the little we saw of Steve in Drunk in Love, with Zach literally calling him a playboy, made me feel like it was all just fun and games to him. But it's not. In reality, he was trying to help Zach fulfill Ryan's fantasy. It just didn't quite go as planned...
In this book Steve seems to spend most of it seeking redemption for the things he's done, the people he's hurt. He seeks it through helping Joey out from under the thumb of a notorious crime boss in the city. While it's not to say that Steve and Joey's feelings for each other aren't true or real, I do worry that their love might be based on the savior situation they were in, not actually getting to know each other and falling in love that way.
Regardless, it was an enjoyable story. I wasn't sure how Steve would accomplish freeing Joey, but, with the help of some friends, he managed to do it. And with his newfound freedom, Joey chooses Steve, making for a HEA ending.
When I started the series, I thought it was just the three books, but I quickly realized there were many more. Having finished the first three, I would very much like to continue with this series.
This book contains several steamy M/M sexual scenes. The scenes are decently graphic.
In this book Steve seems to spend most of it seeking redemption for the things he's done, the people he's hurt. He seeks it through helping Joey out from under the thumb of a notorious crime boss in the city. While it's not to say that Steve and Joey's feelings for each other aren't true or real, I do worry that their love might be based on the savior situation they were in, not actually getting to know each other and falling in love that way.
Regardless, it was an enjoyable story. I wasn't sure how Steve would accomplish freeing Joey, but, with the help of some friends, he managed to do it. And with his newfound freedom, Joey chooses Steve, making for a HEA ending.
When I started the series, I thought it was just the three books, but I quickly realized there were many more. Having finished the first three, I would very much like to continue with this series.
This book contains several steamy M/M sexual scenes. The scenes are decently graphic.
January 25, 2015
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was a very fast read... perfect to pick up when you have an hour or so to get absorbed in a good story. Choosing Happy is the story of Steve, a sweet but gruff guy with a dark past who lusts after a beautiful young man whom he nicknames "Little Duck". Little Duck, who's name is Joey, is always in the company of his brutal sleeze-ball boyfriend, so Steve isn't able to make his move. Once day Steve sees Joey with a black eye and threatens his companion. When Joey flees the abuse, he goes right to Steve for help.
There are some great secondary characters in the book. Steve's friend Al is there for him when he needs help dealing with Joey's mobster ex and Rachel, Steve's motherly employee is very sweet and protective of Joey. They feel very real and one of the nicest surprises in the book was the at time very funny dialogue between the characters. I especially liked Steve's inner scoldings of himself when he didn't want to move too fast with Joey.
The conflict in the book resolved itself in a little too pat a way, but it was nice not to have to get too stressed out before the happy ending. Steve's and Joey's relationship evolved VERY quickly, which was a little unrealistic, but since Steve had been crushing on Joey from afar for a while before they got together, it wasn't completely crazy. The sex scenes between Steve and Joey were definitely hot, but with an nice element of relationship building which set them apart from other M/M stories.
Choosing Happy makes me want to read other books in the series.
This was a very fast read... perfect to pick up when you have an hour or so to get absorbed in a good story. Choosing Happy is the story of Steve, a sweet but gruff guy with a dark past who lusts after a beautiful young man whom he nicknames "Little Duck". Little Duck, who's name is Joey, is always in the company of his brutal sleeze-ball boyfriend, so Steve isn't able to make his move. Once day Steve sees Joey with a black eye and threatens his companion. When Joey flees the abuse, he goes right to Steve for help.
There are some great secondary characters in the book. Steve's friend Al is there for him when he needs help dealing with Joey's mobster ex and Rachel, Steve's motherly employee is very sweet and protective of Joey. They feel very real and one of the nicest surprises in the book was the at time very funny dialogue between the characters. I especially liked Steve's inner scoldings of himself when he didn't want to move too fast with Joey.
The conflict in the book resolved itself in a little too pat a way, but it was nice not to have to get too stressed out before the happy ending. Steve's and Joey's relationship evolved VERY quickly, which was a little unrealistic, but since Steve had been crushing on Joey from afar for a while before they got together, it wasn't completely crazy. The sex scenes between Steve and Joey were definitely hot, but with an nice element of relationship building which set them apart from other M/M stories.
Choosing Happy makes me want to read other books in the series.
September 20, 2015
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. Although this is book 3 in the series it can be read as a standalone.
If ever two men were destined for each it was Steve and Joey. Steve is trying to make amends for the mistakes in his past and secure a better future for himself. Joey made a decision when he needed to survive but finds he made a deal with the devil himself.
Steve offers Joey a safe place to stay to escape the abusive relationship and tries to keep his feelings for his ‘little duck’ under wraps but not very successfully ;) as the attraction is clear on both sides. I loved how the story was told from Steve’s POV and enjoyed getting inside the mind of this tough alpha male with such a sweet touching side when it came to Joey. He is fighting his own demons and has to make the decision on whether or not to let them define him:
“I’ve spent so many years choosing to hold onto that pain and that only brought on more pain. It’s time to choose differently.”
I could literally ‘feel’ their love developing and the heat they generated. I was on the edge of my seat wondering if it would all work out in the end and they would have their HEA. It had it all ~ prepare for a sweet, thrilling, combustible ride.
I’ve read a few books by this author and her writing just gets better and better. You get swept away by the unfolding story and find yourself empathising with characters as you follow their journeys; hopefully to happiness.
Steve thought he was rescuing Joey but in the end they rescue one another and Joey puts it best:
“If you choose me, I’ll choose you every time.”
If ever two men were destined for each it was Steve and Joey. Steve is trying to make amends for the mistakes in his past and secure a better future for himself. Joey made a decision when he needed to survive but finds he made a deal with the devil himself.
Steve offers Joey a safe place to stay to escape the abusive relationship and tries to keep his feelings for his ‘little duck’ under wraps but not very successfully ;) as the attraction is clear on both sides. I loved how the story was told from Steve’s POV and enjoyed getting inside the mind of this tough alpha male with such a sweet touching side when it came to Joey. He is fighting his own demons and has to make the decision on whether or not to let them define him:
“I’ve spent so many years choosing to hold onto that pain and that only brought on more pain. It’s time to choose differently.”
I could literally ‘feel’ their love developing and the heat they generated. I was on the edge of my seat wondering if it would all work out in the end and they would have their HEA. It had it all ~ prepare for a sweet, thrilling, combustible ride.
I’ve read a few books by this author and her writing just gets better and better. You get swept away by the unfolding story and find yourself empathising with characters as you follow their journeys; hopefully to happiness.
Steve thought he was rescuing Joey but in the end they rescue one another and Joey puts it best:
“If you choose me, I’ll choose you every time.”
January 23, 2015
3.5 Stars
This story is the third book in the More Than Friends series. The author states it could be read as a stand-alone and I have to agree. I have not read any other books in the series and I had no problems following the story. With that being said, I did feel like I was missing some background information, especially regarding Steve’s friends. It wasn’t enough that I couldn’t follow the story and enjoy it, but it was enough to take away just a tiny bit of gratification.
Another warning, this book has an insta-love feel to it. If this is not your thing then you probably won’t be satisfied with Steve and Joey’s relationship. It didn’t bother me, but I think the story would have been better with a little more relationship building.
Overall though, I did like this book. Steve is an interesting character. He talks about his regrets (which I can only assume were in the first 2 books) and how he wants to lead a better life. He is definitely rough around the edges but very sweet and caring. You don’t get to know Joey nearly as well as Steve. I think the story could definitely improve if readers did learn more of Joey’s background and life. That didn’t stop me from liking Joey though.
The pace of this book was very fast. Before I knew it, the book was over. That wasn’t a bad thing. The story kept my interest the entire time. I enjoyed the book and its characters enough to want to read the next book in the series.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This story is the third book in the More Than Friends series. The author states it could be read as a stand-alone and I have to agree. I have not read any other books in the series and I had no problems following the story. With that being said, I did feel like I was missing some background information, especially regarding Steve’s friends. It wasn’t enough that I couldn’t follow the story and enjoy it, but it was enough to take away just a tiny bit of gratification.
Another warning, this book has an insta-love feel to it. If this is not your thing then you probably won’t be satisfied with Steve and Joey’s relationship. It didn’t bother me, but I think the story would have been better with a little more relationship building.
Overall though, I did like this book. Steve is an interesting character. He talks about his regrets (which I can only assume were in the first 2 books) and how he wants to lead a better life. He is definitely rough around the edges but very sweet and caring. You don’t get to know Joey nearly as well as Steve. I think the story could definitely improve if readers did learn more of Joey’s background and life. That didn’t stop me from liking Joey though.
The pace of this book was very fast. Before I knew it, the book was over. That wasn’t a bad thing. The story kept my interest the entire time. I enjoyed the book and its characters enough to want to read the next book in the series.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 24, 2015
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review as part of the Goodreads M/M Group DBML program.
3.5 Stars
If you read the 2nd book in the series you might not be a fan of Steve's. Don't hold it against Steve you only got a glimpse of him in that story and you were looking to blame someone for Zach and Ryan's bad choices.
With that said I absolutely loved Steve in this story. But you have to suspend a lot of reality this one, if you can then you will enjoy the story, if not then you're going to be a little pissed. Yeah there is insta-love but there is also insta-emotional healing which may turn some off.
The story is told from Steve's POV and I wish we could have gotten a look at what was going on in Joey's mind sometimes. Can I say the supporting characters were awesome...love Rachel, Allen, and Spencer.
Steve has been fantasizing about Joey, the cute guy that walks past his food truck everyday with "the prick" boyfriend. After an innocent flirt with Joey, Steve is surprise to find him huddled up behind his food truck one morning before work. From this point on Steve is all in...head to toe in love sorta.
Finding out the ex isn't just any random ex and isn't willing to just let Joey leave Steve calls on his friends and some old bad choices to help him get Joey free and safe.
Some have said the Steve in book three isn't the same Steve as book 2 well he is; he's just grown up and ready to choose happy! I did kinda wish there was a cameo of Zach and Ryan in this story.
3.5 Stars
If you read the 2nd book in the series you might not be a fan of Steve's. Don't hold it against Steve you only got a glimpse of him in that story and you were looking to blame someone for Zach and Ryan's bad choices.
With that said I absolutely loved Steve in this story. But you have to suspend a lot of reality this one, if you can then you will enjoy the story, if not then you're going to be a little pissed. Yeah there is insta-love but there is also insta-emotional healing which may turn some off.
The story is told from Steve's POV and I wish we could have gotten a look at what was going on in Joey's mind sometimes. Can I say the supporting characters were awesome...love Rachel, Allen, and Spencer.
Steve has been fantasizing about Joey, the cute guy that walks past his food truck everyday with "the prick" boyfriend. After an innocent flirt with Joey, Steve is surprise to find him huddled up behind his food truck one morning before work. From this point on Steve is all in...head to toe in love sorta.
Finding out the ex isn't just any random ex and isn't willing to just let Joey leave Steve calls on his friends and some old bad choices to help him get Joey free and safe.
Some have said the Steve in book three isn't the same Steve as book 2 well he is; he's just grown up and ready to choose happy! I did kinda wish there was a cameo of Zach and Ryan in this story.
December 11, 2014
Steve is a reformed bad boy, trying to make his way in the business world running a popular waffle stand. He’s lonely and full of regrets. I felt an immediate sympathy for this character. The way he was portrayed with a few quick sketches of his back story was well done. The only ray of sunshine in his life is a beautiful young man he calls “little duck.” Little duck passes by the Waffle Haus every day, but he walks a pace behind in the wake of a powerful-appearing man whom Steve senses is his Dom. When Steve offers a cinnamon sugar waffle special, knowing it’s little duck’s favorite, little does he realize the result will be life changing.
Beaten and abused, Joey runs from his Dom, Topher, and he runs to Steve. The more Steve learns about Topher, a member of the local crime family, and Joey, the more he wants to do something about it.
This is tight little story, though I would have liked more emotion in the romance between Steve and Joey; if this was hurt/comfort, it missed the mark for me, only because of the lack of growing passion between the two. Joey seems to be happy just to be taken care of and Steve is happy doing the caretaking. I still enjoyed the story. I liked that Steve worked so hard to keep Joey safe, plotting to put Topher away for good, so they could have their happy ending. The story is told in the present tense, which is always tricky and not my favorite, but Aria Grace made it work like a charm.
April 3, 2015
This book was provided for free by the author in exchange for an honest review.
This book is part of a series, but can be read as a standalone. I honestly didn't feel like I was missing out on much by not having read the previous books. I do admit that there were a lot of names to keep straight, but that happens even with non-series books.
Steve Montgomery is a waffle maker. I'm going to digress here to say that this is an awesome job. I loved how that played into the book and actually added something to the story. Anyways, back to the story. The highlight of his day is 6:10PM, when he sees a "prick" walking by with a young man following him. He's kinda fallen for this person who he didn't even really know, other than the fact that he likes cinnamon sugar waffles. He even has a nickname for him, "little duck," due to an Oregon Ducks shirt he once wore. Without giving too much of the story away, let's just say that he does finally get to meet his "little duck" through a set of circumstances, and he finds out just why he's with the "prick." The rest of the story involes highjinks that are more suitable for a Hollywood film, but with a satisfying ending.
Overall, I did like the story, especially since it's mentioned several times that Steve had made some poor choices in the past, and wasn't the nicest guy to people, but he had this enormous crush on his "little duck." I just love seeing "tough" characters show their soft sides.
This book is part of a series, but can be read as a standalone. I honestly didn't feel like I was missing out on much by not having read the previous books. I do admit that there were a lot of names to keep straight, but that happens even with non-series books.
Steve Montgomery is a waffle maker. I'm going to digress here to say that this is an awesome job. I loved how that played into the book and actually added something to the story. Anyways, back to the story. The highlight of his day is 6:10PM, when he sees a "prick" walking by with a young man following him. He's kinda fallen for this person who he didn't even really know, other than the fact that he likes cinnamon sugar waffles. He even has a nickname for him, "little duck," due to an Oregon Ducks shirt he once wore. Without giving too much of the story away, let's just say that he does finally get to meet his "little duck" through a set of circumstances, and he finds out just why he's with the "prick." The rest of the story involes highjinks that are more suitable for a Hollywood film, but with a satisfying ending.
Overall, I did like the story, especially since it's mentioned several times that Steve had made some poor choices in the past, and wasn't the nicest guy to people, but he had this enormous crush on his "little duck." I just love seeing "tough" characters show their soft sides.
January 28, 2015
A free copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
I haven't read the second book in the More Than Friends-series, so I don't know the actual events that led to Steve's self-hatred, but I assume he's done some serious soul-searching and been through major personal growth, because in this book he was a sweetheart. A sweetheart with some anger issues and quite a few caveman moments, but a sweetheart nonetheless. Whatever ass-hat moves he made in the past can't possibly outshine the gentleness he presented here.
There's a bit of an insta-factor happening in the story, but it wasn't as striking as I would've expected. Though the MCs get close and comfy quite quickly, somehow it felt natural because of how they actually end up together. The development of their relationship felt fluid and real, and though I would've loved to see a little more growth in Joey's character, I enjoyed the way his personal traits came to the front the longer he and Steve were together. Especially towards the end I felt he was more of himself than he'd ever been.
Overall, the book delivered exactly what I hoped it would; a love-story wrapped up neatly in an action-filled wrapping. The plot was interesting and well-written. It didn't seem over the top or completely unrealistic, while still remaining dramatic at times. I definitely enjoyed this book, and I definitely will read the next book in this series.
I haven't read the second book in the More Than Friends-series, so I don't know the actual events that led to Steve's self-hatred, but I assume he's done some serious soul-searching and been through major personal growth, because in this book he was a sweetheart. A sweetheart with some anger issues and quite a few caveman moments, but a sweetheart nonetheless. Whatever ass-hat moves he made in the past can't possibly outshine the gentleness he presented here.
There's a bit of an insta-factor happening in the story, but it wasn't as striking as I would've expected. Though the MCs get close and comfy quite quickly, somehow it felt natural because of how they actually end up together. The development of their relationship felt fluid and real, and though I would've loved to see a little more growth in Joey's character, I enjoyed the way his personal traits came to the front the longer he and Steve were together. Especially towards the end I felt he was more of himself than he'd ever been.
Overall, the book delivered exactly what I hoped it would; a love-story wrapped up neatly in an action-filled wrapping. The plot was interesting and well-written. It didn't seem over the top or completely unrealistic, while still remaining dramatic at times. I definitely enjoyed this book, and I definitely will read the next book in this series.
February 6, 2015
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 stars
What I liked:
- The chemistry between Joey and Steve (it was interesting from the start with how infatuated Steve was)
- That the relationship built up a bit before Steve and Joey jumped into bed together.
- The setup with their friends to help Joey get out of the situation he got himself into.
- The worrying and depictions feelings of the characters while planning and carrying out the plan to help Joey.
- The excitement and adrenaline shooting through me when I got to the part where Topher was being set up.
- Seeing the friendship between Allen, and Rachael and Steve.
- That the some info was given about Steve and how he handled relationships.
What I didn't like:
- Joey acting like a scared lamb who needed babysitting or watching over.
- The author bringing up the characters (Phil and Steve) unable to be faithful, ruining relationships, etc. It was kind of off putting.
It was a interesting story to read and could easily be finished in one sitting. But it wasn't really very memorable for me after I finished it. Even as I say that I anticipate reading the next book in the series. Spencer and Dylan did caught my attention and I find myself interesting in seeing how their relationship will develop and what hardships they will face.
3.5 stars
What I liked:
- The chemistry between Joey and Steve (it was interesting from the start with how infatuated Steve was)
- That the relationship built up a bit before Steve and Joey jumped into bed together.
- The setup with their friends to help Joey get out of the situation he got himself into.
- The worrying and depictions feelings of the characters while planning and carrying out the plan to help Joey.
- The excitement and adrenaline shooting through me when I got to the part where Topher was being set up.
- Seeing the friendship between Allen, and Rachael and Steve.
- That the some info was given about Steve and how he handled relationships.
What I didn't like:
- Joey acting like a scared lamb who needed babysitting or watching over.
- The author bringing up the characters (Phil and Steve) unable to be faithful, ruining relationships, etc. It was kind of off putting.
It was a interesting story to read and could easily be finished in one sitting. But it wasn't really very memorable for me after I finished it. Even as I say that I anticipate reading the next book in the series. Spencer and Dylan did caught my attention and I find myself interesting in seeing how their relationship will develop and what hardships they will face.
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