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Take a Look
Jordan Baldwin has a job at a popular coffee shop, a cool apartment downtown, and a charming hunk of a new neighbor who doesn’t mind taking a chance on him. Jordan’s also got a smartass mouth on him, just like his new boyfriend, Grant Heathman. Compatibility is definitely a plus.
Grant writes a review column called “Take A Look” for the local newspaper, which intrigues Jordan even more since Grant is blind. But Grant takes Jordan to a new Italian restaurant and shows him how it’s done, leaving the place with only a modest 4-star review. Just when Jordan doesn’t think Grant can impress him any further, the surprises keep on coming.
After a bad review, Jordan finds himself kidnapped, roughed up, and mistaken for Grant. Now Grant and Jordan must hide out before the next “look” they take is from a coffin.
Grant writes a review column called “Take A Look” for the local newspaper, which intrigues Jordan even more since Grant is blind. But Grant takes Jordan to a new Italian restaurant and shows him how it’s done, leaving the place with only a modest 4-star review. Just when Jordan doesn’t think Grant can impress him any further, the surprises keep on coming.
After a bad review, Jordan finds himself kidnapped, roughed up, and mistaken for Grant. Now Grant and Jordan must hide out before the next “look” they take is from a coffin.
- GenresM M RomanceContemporary
84 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 25, 2014
35 people want to read
About the author
Gene Taylor
6 books4 followersGENE TAYLOR was born about fifty miles south of Dallas in Corsicana, Texas, and he actually got to see what the city looked like twenty-six years later when he visited it briefly for the first time. He grew up in a different part of the state and thus knew very little about his birthplace. He had heard that there was a bakery there that sold wonderful fruitcakes online for Christmas presents, however!
He graduated from a large university in Texas with a double major in English and history, a few years later earning a master’s degree at the same school. Since then he has lived in California, Arizona, Illinois, and Texas while teaching in high schools and selling antiques and collectibles in various shops. Currently, he has a booth in an antiques mall called As Time Goes By, but he usually spends his time writing novels and short stories. In addition, he often allots some time to playing records on his restored 1947 Rock-Ola jukebox and on his 1961 Wurlitzer 2500 jukebox!
A few years ago, he was greatly surprised to learn on a genealogy website that he is a direct descendant of Geoffrey Chaucer (his nineteenth great grandfather on his father’s side). He wishes he had known that when he was teaching The Canterbury Tales in British literature classes.
At the moment he is single, but he never gives up hope of finding someone to share his interests in reading, writing, antiquing, and playing slot machines and roulette in Las Vegas!
You can write to him at genetaylor957@yahoo.com.
He graduated from a large university in Texas with a double major in English and history, a few years later earning a master’s degree at the same school. Since then he has lived in California, Arizona, Illinois, and Texas while teaching in high schools and selling antiques and collectibles in various shops. Currently, he has a booth in an antiques mall called As Time Goes By, but he usually spends his time writing novels and short stories. In addition, he often allots some time to playing records on his restored 1947 Rock-Ola jukebox and on his 1961 Wurlitzer 2500 jukebox!
A few years ago, he was greatly surprised to learn on a genealogy website that he is a direct descendant of Geoffrey Chaucer (his nineteenth great grandfather on his father’s side). He wishes he had known that when he was teaching The Canterbury Tales in British literature classes.
At the moment he is single, but he never gives up hope of finding someone to share his interests in reading, writing, antiquing, and playing slot machines and roulette in Las Vegas!
You can write to him at genetaylor957@yahoo.com.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
March 28, 2014
2.5 stars! I have a real love-hate relationship with novellas. Sometimes I have the attention span of a gnat so I have a hard time sticking with a 450-page novel (read: Heidi Cullinan, Amy Lane...). But on the flip side, I hate how underdeveloped novellas seem. I guess when you’re trying to keep it under 100 pages, you have no choice but to jump right in there and get down to business. Such is the case in Take a Look. I’m talking insta-lust and hardcore flirting with the new next door neighbor (who happens to be gay) by page 3. After 2 weeks they are calling each other “sweetheart” and talking about moving in together. The writing is solid and the book is well edited. There is lots of sexually charged banter between the two MCs (even though most of the sex happens off page) and a somewhat cheesy ending, but overall it was light and fluffy and not a bad way to spend an hour and a half.
April 5, 2014
A Hearts On Fire Review
TWO HEARTS--Expect a ton of sugar, cheese and ellipses
Gene Taylor's "Take a Look" is a story about two neighbor twenty-somethings that fall into instant insta-love (one of the fastest I've read). Grant is blind, gay and full of schmaltzy humor. He writes a critique column in the local newspaper. While moving into his new apartment building, he meets his gay neighbor, Jordan. The two instantaneously hit off, know what the other is thinking and swap some pretty cheesy, corny jokes. It was like being in a third rate comedy club with all the exits sealed shut.
The two basically move in with each other the next day, have no major issues and carry on their jokey, hokey schmoop filled bliss. Then Grant writes a less than stellar review for a restaurant. A mafia-like attack happens to add suspense? Then it is resolved off scene and the lads continue their cheese fest into a true fairy tale like HEA (Hint: a disability disappears)
Now I am a girl who loves to have a good laugh and use ellipses. But Grant and Jordan were not believable as twenty somethings. Their dialogue read way older, maybe if they were fifty somethings, I'd buy it. It's lame one liners after cheese. And the ellipses abuse. I love a good set of ellipsis. But having more than five on a page should be a crime. There were ellipses exploded throughout the entire story. I don't know how the two could fall for each other if they're trying to one up each other with bad jokes.
And the "gangster" plot device? You're telling me a mafia type kidnapping/ beat down happens because someone complained about the cleanliness of the restaurant's restrooms? And gangsters speak like this:
"This is a gun pointed right at your spine. Do as I tell you, or I'll shoot. Even if you were to survive the shot, your spine would be shattered so you'd never walk again. Understand?"
What happened to 'make a sound or you're dead'? Something short and to the point? The bad guys were a little long winded and fantastical. Plus the gangsters grab Jordan instead of Grant after stalking him for days. So not only do they resort to extremes for one sort of bad review, they mess up with nabbing the intended victim. Even the main character commented on the act:
"Wow. I can't believe this. It sounds like something out of a bad gangster movie."
*sigh*
The schmaltz continued, the lame jokes persevered and the bad guys meet a mysteriously extreme end.
This story would be best for a reader that enjoys light, schmoop with practically no angst and no depth. And one liners. Ha-cha-cha-cha-cha!!!
TWO HEARTS--Expect a ton of sugar, cheese and ellipses
Gene Taylor's "Take a Look" is a story about two neighbor twenty-somethings that fall into instant insta-love (one of the fastest I've read). Grant is blind, gay and full of schmaltzy humor. He writes a critique column in the local newspaper. While moving into his new apartment building, he meets his gay neighbor, Jordan. The two instantaneously hit off, know what the other is thinking and swap some pretty cheesy, corny jokes. It was like being in a third rate comedy club with all the exits sealed shut.
The two basically move in with each other the next day, have no major issues and carry on their jokey, hokey schmoop filled bliss. Then Grant writes a less than stellar review for a restaurant. A mafia-like attack happens to add suspense? Then it is resolved off scene and the lads continue their cheese fest into a true fairy tale like HEA (Hint: a disability disappears)
Now I am a girl who loves to have a good laugh and use ellipses. But Grant and Jordan were not believable as twenty somethings. Their dialogue read way older, maybe if they were fifty somethings, I'd buy it. It's lame one liners after cheese. And the ellipses abuse. I love a good set of ellipsis. But having more than five on a page should be a crime. There were ellipses exploded throughout the entire story. I don't know how the two could fall for each other if they're trying to one up each other with bad jokes.
And the "gangster" plot device? You're telling me a mafia type kidnapping/ beat down happens because someone complained about the cleanliness of the restaurant's restrooms? And gangsters speak like this:
"This is a gun pointed right at your spine. Do as I tell you, or I'll shoot. Even if you were to survive the shot, your spine would be shattered so you'd never walk again. Understand?"
What happened to 'make a sound or you're dead'? Something short and to the point? The bad guys were a little long winded and fantastical. Plus the gangsters grab Jordan instead of Grant after stalking him for days. So not only do they resort to extremes for one sort of bad review, they mess up with nabbing the intended victim. Even the main character commented on the act:
"Wow. I can't believe this. It sounds like something out of a bad gangster movie."
*sigh*
The schmaltz continued, the lame jokes persevered and the bad guys meet a mysteriously extreme end.
This story would be best for a reader that enjoys light, schmoop with practically no angst and no depth. And one liners. Ha-cha-cha-cha-cha!!!
October 14, 2014
2.5 stars of instalove fluffiness. With alittle mystery thrown in.
March 5, 2015
****Reviewed for Prism Book Alliance****
2.5 Stars
Q) What did you think of the characters moving in together?
A) I felt that they did so a little quickly, I would have liked to see more of them getting to know each other first.
Q) I thought this was a nice short read. What were your thoughts?
A) It was entertaining though had some flaws.
Q) Jordan and Grant were very hot between the sheets. I wish the story was longer so we could of had more steamy scenes. What are you thoughts?
A) I would have liked more steamy scenes as all but one were fade to black in this.
Q) Even though it was kind of insta-love I thought Grant and Jordan were cute together. What did you think?
A) They definitely had a humorous way about them!
Q) I would have loved to have heard more about Grants recovery at the end. What are your thoughts?
A) I think it would could have been a sequel all on its own.
Reviewed by: Adriana D’Apolito and Teresa Blomander
2.5 Stars
Q) What did you think of the characters moving in together?
A) I felt that they did so a little quickly, I would have liked to see more of them getting to know each other first.
Q) I thought this was a nice short read. What were your thoughts?
A) It was entertaining though had some flaws.
Q) Jordan and Grant were very hot between the sheets. I wish the story was longer so we could of had more steamy scenes. What are you thoughts?
A) I would have liked more steamy scenes as all but one were fade to black in this.
Q) Even though it was kind of insta-love I thought Grant and Jordan were cute together. What did you think?
A) They definitely had a humorous way about them!
Q) I would have loved to have heard more about Grants recovery at the end. What are your thoughts?
A) I think it would could have been a sequel all on its own.
Reviewed by: Adriana D’Apolito and Teresa Blomander
April 24, 2014
3.5 Stars
When Jordan runs into his new neighbor in the hall outside his apartment, he is instantly attracted to the man, and lucky for him the attraction is mutual. Grant shares Jordan’s quirky sense of humor and soon the 2 are sharing a coffee at the café where Jordan works. Jordan is impressed by Grant, and how he has not let his blindness stop him from doing the work he loves, Grant likes Jordan’s quick wit and easy going manner. I found myself grinning a lot while reading this – the dialogue between the two was sometimes clever, sometimes silly but always fun. The two MCs are likable and their romance is low key and sweet.
There is very little drama or angst in this story, although there is some excitement as Jordan is assaulted by a couple of wise-guys when he is mistaken for Grant, but the situation is resolved fairly quickly with help from Jordan’s dad, with no additional fuss or pain. In the end Jordan and Grant have their HEA.
Overall this was a fun read, if you are looking for something light and sweet, this is a good choice.
Review at LoveBytes
When Jordan runs into his new neighbor in the hall outside his apartment, he is instantly attracted to the man, and lucky for him the attraction is mutual. Grant shares Jordan’s quirky sense of humor and soon the 2 are sharing a coffee at the café where Jordan works. Jordan is impressed by Grant, and how he has not let his blindness stop him from doing the work he loves, Grant likes Jordan’s quick wit and easy going manner. I found myself grinning a lot while reading this – the dialogue between the two was sometimes clever, sometimes silly but always fun. The two MCs are likable and their romance is low key and sweet.
There is very little drama or angst in this story, although there is some excitement as Jordan is assaulted by a couple of wise-guys when he is mistaken for Grant, but the situation is resolved fairly quickly with help from Jordan’s dad, with no additional fuss or pain. In the end Jordan and Grant have their HEA.
Overall this was a fun read, if you are looking for something light and sweet, this is a good choice.
Review at LoveBytes
March 28, 2014
2.5, rounded up bc Goodreads. Fluffy novella with a bit of mystery, but flat story telling and what seemed to be insta love. Full review on Booklikes and my blog.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews