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Budding Love

Adara O’Hare (Goodreads Author)

3.52 · Rating details · 183 ratings · 51 reviews

YOSHIDA Kazuo has less than a year of Intergalactic Trade School left before graduation, which is when his father expects him to take on a significantly bigger role in the family’s off-world export business. In fact, the whole of Kazuo’s life has been about his obligations to his father, never about what he wanted for himself. Anything alien absolutely fascinates Kazuo, bu YOSHIDA Kazuo has less than a year of Intergalactic Trade School left before graduation, which is when his father expects him to take on a significantly bigger role in the family’s off-world export business. In fact, the whole of Kazuo’s life has been about his obligations to his father, never about what he wanted for himself. Anything alien absolutely fascinates Kazuo, but the majority of Kazuo’s alien education has come strictly from his studies.

To help Kazuo gain more business experience and contacts, his father requires him to attend an industry gala held by one of the most well-known extraterrestrial importers on Earth, a Sirynthalian known as Aethos. While Aethos is certainly a main attraction in attending the gala, Kazuo also remembers a past visit to the property’s enormous extraterrestrial greenhouse— a visit he’d like to repeat, as long as he can avoid touching the plants this time around.

As far as decisions go, leaving the party to look at the exotic flora seems to be a fairly harmless one to Kazuo. But a walk through the greenhouse becomes a life-altering event when Kazuo comes across an alien plant with a mind of its own... and a desire for Kazuo. Now Kazuo has a life-or-death decision to make. The question is: does he have all of the facts he needs to make it?

This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love’s Landscapes" event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story.

Photo Description:
An illustration in the style of Japanese manga artwork features a young Asian male, nude from the waist down, blushing in embarrassment as thick green plant tentacles hold him aloft, binding his arms behind his back and spreading his legs wide. A wide tentacle protruding from the center of a large pink blossom penetrates his anus. Three smaller yellow tendrils, also from the center of the flower, reach toward his erect cock.

This story may contain sexually explicit content and is intended for adult readers. It may contain content that is disagreeable or distressing to some readers. The M/M Romance Group strongly recommends that each reader review the General Information section before each story for story tags as well as for content warnings. ...more

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ebook, 72 pages

Published August 8th 2014 by M/M Romance Group @ Goodreads

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Lists with This Book

Claimings, Tails, and Other Alien Artifacts by Lyn Gala

Assimilation, Love, and Other Human Oddities by Lyn Gala

Tentaclesex, yay!

203 books — 163 voters

MM Romance Group Love's Landscapes

232 books — 116 voters

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Average rating 3.52 ·

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· 183 ratings · 51 reviews

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Aug 08, 2014 Sunny rated it liked it

Shelves: under-100-pages, m-m, freebie, m-m-m, science-fiction, tentacles-tails-and-the-like, aliens, dub-con-non-con, mpreg, dritc-loves-landscapes

3.5

5 stars for the pervy sexytimes, but the rest of the story felt a little too rushed, with too much crammed into a short story. I would love to see this as an expanded novel, showing what else happens to the MCs because there was just too much uncertainty at the end, too much left hanging. I want to see how it all plays out.

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Aug 12, 2014 Kristan rated it really liked it

Shelves: the-more-the-merrier, sci-fi, loves-landscapes, virgin, age-gap

I've never read anything like this...

I mean, it's completely unique and wildly out there. I thought: How am I going to enjoy this? He's going to F*@k a plant? WTH? But you know what? I really liked this story. It's one of the few M/M/M's where each character is independent of the other, and it works. The world building is done really well, it's a well written story and the characters are unique and defined. Their dynamic was well done and I, thankfully, didn't experience any jealousy on anyone's ...more

flag 7 likes · Like · see review

Jan 10, 2018 ⚣Michaelle⚣ rated it liked it

Shelves: m-m-romance, 2018-pushing-boundaries, scifi, m-m-scifi, mmm, z-01-uc-mm

3.2 Stars

Hmmm...this was very creative if nothing else (plus, weirdly hot). I sort of thought the story was heading the way it did (with Sakura's physiology) considering how secretive and reserved Aethos was regarding the whole mating process and the plant's needs. I didn't like the outright prevarication, either. Aethos had an agenda the whole time and though he apologized the contrition felt very superficial. Another few chapters of him groveling (or the alien equivalent) would have been nice. ...more

flag 6 likes · Like · see review

Oct 23, 2014 Sandra rated it really liked it

Shelves: sci-fi-romance, freebies, m-m, menage, sexy-aliens, loves-landscapes-2014, tentacle-porn, under-75-pages

HOOOOOLY SHIT NSFW!!! (view spoiler)
Offered for FREE from the M/M Romance Group's Love's Landscapes event. Thank you too all the amazing authors who participated!

3.5 stars The story captured the prompt pic very well. I am SO torn on how to review this... I kinda loved it. And I definitely cried, so I gotta give props for that. But it's why I cried that I hesitate. (view spoiler) ...more

flag 5 likes · Like · see review

Aug 08, 2014 Serena Yates rated it it was amazing

Shelves: gay, science-fiction, m-m-m

This is not just one of the most imaginative, mind-expanding, and thought-provoking science fiction stories I have ever read, but also a very unusual ménage involving three partners. One human, one alien with acidic skin the human can’t touch, and one plant. Yes, you read that right. One of the three – partners – is a plant! I guess the title sort of hints at it, but I found it difficult to imagine how it would work. But with a generous helping of creativity, the author has managed to convince m This is not just one of the most imaginative, mind-expanding, and thought-provoking science fiction stories I have ever read, but also a very unusual ménage involving three partners. One human, one alien with acidic skin the human can’t touch, and one plant. Yes, you read that right. One of the three – partners – is a plant! I guess the title sort of hints at it, but I found it difficult to imagine how it would work. But with a generous helping of creativity, the author has managed to convince me that yes, a situation like this is not outside the realm of the possible. If you have trouble imagining us finding alien life at all, this is not the book for you. If you’re ready to open up to some pretty amazing ideas, then go for it. You have to read this to believe it.

Kazuo is a young human of Japanese descent, about to finish his education as an intergalactic trader, and the son of a powerful industrialist. He has had a crush on an equally powerful alien CEO, Aethos, for many years, and when he returns to the man’s estate for a party, he is drawn not to the people trying to get on Aethos’s good side, but to the alien’s extraterrestrial greenhouses. He ends up with the same plant that had “marked” him years ago during a school trip to see alien plants. Only this time the plant makes some advances that are clearly sexual in nature, and Kazuo panics.

What follows is one eye-opening revelation after the other, beginning with the fact that the plant is sentient and has chosen Kazuo as its mate. He is the only one it can mate with, and if he doesn’t, the plant will die. It makes Kazuo think – as it did me. A sentient plant is difficult to imagine for us, but the author manages to describe it and its behaviors, its way of communicating in such a way that I was beginning to see how it’s possible. The revelations don’t stop there, and I was more fascinated with each new twist and turn about the plant and its life cycle, what Aethos had been planning, and how Kazuo was dealing with everything thrown at him.

If you like thought-provoking science fiction, if you are ready to consider alien life in a very unusual form, and if you’re looking for an entertaining, insightful, and plain mind-boggling read, then you will probably enjoy this free novella. I think it’s amazing. ...more

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Aug 08, 2014 Meep rated it liked it

Shelves: kink, tentacles, inter-racial, dritc-event-2014

Kudos for imagination here; impressed with the world-building, characters story and differential biology. The prompt pic made me wary but I'm glad I gave this try, it was nicely interpretated.

I liked the main character Kazuo and was fascinated by the story. It's an interesting one and kinda, maybe, hot!

A lot happens towards the end of the story, this is a HFN not quite the settled feel of a HEA. I'd have liked to see more feelings develop between the characters and more personality from the plan ...more

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Aug 08, 2014 Lilia Ford rated it really liked it

Shelves: menage, alien-abduction, tentacles-monsters, free-online, mm-sci-fi, loves-landscapes

3.5

I love tentacle/vine-sex, threesomes, sci-fi, and aliens, all present and accounted for here. In other words, a fun read with actual characters and some cool twists on the genre, most notably in our randy alien plant. Some of the motivations seemed to come out of the blue but there were some unexpectedly sweet touches and the idea itself was fresh and original. Another fun addition to the event.

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Aug 08, 2014 Jay Clark rated it it was amazing

Shelves: m-m-romance, planetary-romance, menage-mmm, dritc-mm-romance, read-in-2014

Budding Love is sort of like a Torchwood or Dr. Who episode. It's light-hearted, humorous, sexy and humans are on equal footing with or perhaps slightly disadvantaged to the aliens with whom they more or less peacefully interact. And like Teen Wolf, Adara O’Hare has created a universe in which same-sex relations are perfectly normal and accepted, but where individual angst, tensions and problems still consume us. This is not a Little Shop of Horrors -- Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: Piano/V ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Oct 07, 2015 Ofelia Gränd rated it really liked it

This is not the type of story I usually pick, but I read Kristan’s “He's going to F*@k a plant? WTH?” and thought the same, so off to download *LOL* I thought I had seen all prompts, but apparently not. I would’ve remembered this one.

I think the author did a great job. In the end I wanted Aethos to suffer…a little at least.
...more

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Sep 01, 2014 Pamela Su rated it really liked it

Shelves: m-m, contemporary-romance, menage, free-loves-landscapes

Menage, alien sex and tentacles. A fun but somewhat unsatisfying story.

Unsatisfying because I would like to see what happens to their life together after... ;)

More please!!!

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Aug 08, 2014 Jeanne 'Divinae' rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2014-published, really-wish-there-was-a-sequel, yaoi-m-m, fantasy, free-to-read, tentacles-of-some-sort, lovers-landscape, pgs-50-75

This contains some spoilers... you have been warned

This is a very different type of story. It is a MMM story about a alien, (intelligent)alien plant and an Earthling…

Needless to say, it was pretty interesting to see how the story would pan out. I wasn’t sure if I would like it or not. But I am happy I gave it a try. Definitely different from your typical I am tentacle-story/alien story. You get everything in one story. The author did describe the world setting very well. You can envision Aethos This contains some spoilers... you have been warned

This is a very different type of story. It is a MMM story about a alien, (intelligent)alien plant and an Earthling…

Needless to say, it was pretty interesting to see how the story would pan out. I wasn’t sure if I would like it or not. But I am happy I gave it a try. Definitely different from your typical I am tentacle-story/alien story. You get everything in one story. The author did describe the world setting very well. You can envision Aethos, and Sakura(the plant) well. She answered the questions of what would/was happening through the story, for the most part. The story itself ended okay. I wasn’t that satisfied with the ‘love’ and it isn’t even the fact that it is a MMM ‘love’. I will get into that later.

Kazuo, a twenty year old Earthling, is invited to a popular alien’s big party. Little does Kazuo know, Aethos is quite aware of him during the party. He was waiting for him. Kazuo wanders into the greenhouse, the same one where a plant had marked him nine years prior. He stumbles upon a plant, the same one, where it tries to violate him.

Kazuo, is given a LOT of information(even if not all of it) and he has to make a decision. It will be life-altering. He isn’t quite aware how much his life could change with the decision he chooses. Then throw in Aethos. Aethos has his own agendas, and he will do what is necessary to obtain his own goals. But perhaps after getting to know Kazuo, his opinions will change.

The ending was okay, as I said. But I wish there was more. First, let’s talk about Kazuo. Poor guy has been felt unloved and used most of his life. He is hoping to find someone to love in his adult life, be seen as a person, and not an object. He finds out that he is bonded with a plant. A intelligent alien plant. Sakura, as Kazuo named him, is male. As his bonded mate, Kazuo is allowed to name him. Sakura is suppose to be very possessive and territorial with his mate. So, Aethos is jealous that Kazuo is Sakura’s mate. As far as Aethos is concerned, Sakura is his and his alone. Kazuo is just a pawn to him. He tells Kazuo half-truths and lies to weasel himself into Kazuo and Sakura’s newly formed relationship(as for Kazuo). Kazuo has always liked Aethos and has been attracted to him. When Aethos learns this, he uses it to his advantage. Aethos betrays Kazuo and it really hurts Kazuo, because he was used by Aethos, just like everyone else. Aethos does this so he can get closer to Sakura. Well, they both ‘impregnate’ Sakura, so we aren't sure what the 'kids' will look like. Also, we are unsure what will happen next time Sakura goes into heat. Now poor Kazuo is stuck with a mate or else Sakura will die.

I feel that Sakura is more intimate with Aethos, perhaps only because they have known one another for longer. And since Kazuo had accepted Aethos, Sakura was willing to accept him too(even if Kazuo accepted him under false pretenses). I am not sold on the fact that Sakura is happy with his choice of mate. It has been nine years. If Sakura had the choice now, would he still have chosen Kazuo as his mate. I honestly, don’t know. It comes across to me that Sakura and Kazuo are in a obliged relationship, and they will make the most of it, now that Kazuo knows the truth. Will their relationship turn into love, who knows.

I feel there should be at least an epilogue if not a sequel to this story. I want to see the love between them. Because right now, I don’t really see love for Kazuo and he deserves it the most, in my opinion. Also, some questions are left unanswered. Will the council accept Aethos once they reach the planet? What will happen when Sakura goes into ‘heat’ again? What will their life be like on Sakura’s home planet? ...more

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Nov 13, 2016 Julesmarie rated it liked it

Shelves: m-m, sci-fi, free, menage, dritc-ll

Some of my favorite kinks in this one. And those parts were wonderfully well done.

I'm just not comfortable with the idea of founding a relationship based on (view spoiler)

So, 5 stars for the delightfully kinky bits, and the wonderfully uniqu ...more

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Aug 08, 2014 kasjo_peja rated it liked it

Shelves: m-m, futuristic, free-online

The author actually managed to write a sexy scene with an alien flower :-). There was enough build up before everyone lost their pants to not make it PWP, but it was explicit, intriguing and hot. I would be perfectly happy to leave the story shortly after everyone climaxed and give it 4 stars.
Unfortunately then there was the next day and all the secrets and duplicity of main characters revealed, plus some weird alien biology, and I was getting more and more incredulous. This attempt to create se ...more

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Sep 03, 2014 Teresa rated it liked it

Recommended to Teresa by: Alishea

Shelves: z_2015-challenge-read, mm, own, romances, sex-erotic-explicit, menage, sci-fi, free, challenge, m-preg

I did not like Aethos at all. He was manipulative and selfish. I did like the whole inter-species aspect;I thought the story represented the prompt very well. I didn't like the pain involved in the sex especially as Kuzuo didn't really enjoy that part of it. It ended with so many things left hanging that it feels like it needs a sequel, which I might read as I was so interested in Kuzuo and the plant. ...more

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Nov 28, 2015 Christy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: on-my-kindle, fantasy-paranormal-science-fiction, m-m-m, free

An insanely fascinating science fiction story that I loved. The author has serious talent, and I would love to see more of this triad. She's left me with so many questions, that it'll be a shame if she doesn't finish the story.

This was a truly interesting book that I'm so glad I read. Thank you, Serena, for introducing me to it! ...more

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Aug 08, 2014 Adara marked it as wrote · (Review from the author)

Shelves: free

This is my story for the Don't Read in the Closet: Love's Landscapes (2014) event in the M/M Romance Group. ...more

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Aug 18, 2014 Lori rated it liked it

Creepy plant love - 1
Sanity - 0

Thank you for this contribution.

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Aug 08, 2014 K rated it really liked it

Shelves: dritc

Probably with vines reaching out towards 4.5 stars
Sci-fi short story with interspecies mating.
When Kazuo, the heir to his father's export business, is invited to the gala hosted by Aethos, who owns an import business and does not usually throw such events, he gets bored and wanders off to find the large greenhouse of exotic species which he saw 9 years before on a school trip. On that trip he was "stung" by a plant and this time, after getting stuck in a carbon dioxide rich area of the greenhous ...more

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Aug 31, 2014 Melanie rated it really liked it

Shelves: aliens-cyborgs, sci-fi, m-m, m-preg, tentacles, loves-landscapes, lawyer-business

One of the things I love about reading m-preg is the various ways authors come up with to make it plausible.
The creativity and imagination that goes into building worlds and species in sci-fi and fantasy genres astounds me.
What better way to escape real life than to read something totally "out there".
This I greatly enjoyed. I needed something to take my mind off wedding planning for a while and this did an amazing job. Loved it. ...more

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Sep 11, 2014 Regencyfan93 rated it really liked it

Shelves: dont-need-to-reread

I was not expecting to like this, and I was wrong.

I was intrigued by the relationship between Kazuo, Sakura, and Aethos. The characters want and need different things - what Aethos wanted and waited for, what Sakura needed, what Kazuo wanted and was willing to give, the relationship between Kazuo and his father. This was really enjoyable.

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Nov 25, 2014 Erin rated it really liked it

Shelves: mm-science-fiction

I really enjoyed this story! However, I want Aethos to grovel a LOT more before he is forgiven. I hope in future stories about these characters that he is made to suffer a little instead of getting everything his way at no cost to him.

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Mar 09, 2015 Alessandra rated it it was amazing

Prior to reading the story, I was feeling weird about the premise. I mean seriously, it's a fucking plant! Thank goodness I gave it a read anyway. This story is brilliant. And hot. Very hot *wink* *wink* ...more

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Aug 08, 2014 Brooklyn rated it really liked it

Shelves: mm

I have to say, this was a fun read. I'm just impressed at Adara's ability to take such an off-the-wall prompt and turn it into such a unique story. Well done. ...more

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Aug 08, 2014 Kevin rated it really liked it

Very creative, very strange. It had a bit too much conflict for me to completely love it.

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Aug 18, 2014 Romance rated it really liked it

Very creative. I hope she continues the story.

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Sep 05, 2014 B rated it really liked it

Shelves: mm-erotica-i-love

This was unusual and very , very good.
Aliens, flowers , pollination. Shape shifters , love sex.
Give it a try it's very good. ...more

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Jan 19, 2018 Annie rated it it was ok

Shelves: quick-easy-read, could-use-a-little-editing, annoying-insta-love-yuck, slightly-kinky, i-love-paranormal-creatures, free-to-read, massive-miscommunication-as-plot-de, rape-incest-used-as-romance, aliens-or-space, confusing-has-big-plot-holes

So an interesting world building setting that could have been great if it wasn't wrapped around a story that is full of holes and isn't dubcon it is noncon in disguise. Manipulating someone into a relationship with guilt and power that they hadn't wanted and can't get out of is not romantic. Can't connect with the characters and I didn't like 2 of the 3 main leads...a doormat, an asshole, and a plant. I did like the world building and some of what was going on in the background but the rest wasn ...more

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Oct 19, 2018 Jenn (not Lily) rated it it was amazing

Perfect ending for a story that was so much more than I expected! Sure, I thought, just a little piece of plant-tentacle porn, short and hot...but, no, it has pathos and righteous anger and wry humor along with the pervy tentacle goodness! Gotta look for more by this author -- VERY promising!

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Oct 25, 2016 Katy Beth Mckee rated it really liked it

Shelves: parnormal-shifters-ao-mpeg, menage-poly, m-m, fantasy-sf

This is a different type of shifter story with lots of surprise elements. It was a fun surprise read.

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Feb 28, 2017 Omega696 rated it liked it

Shelves: mm, shifters, sf, arranged-marriage-forced-mating, misunderstood, enemies-to-lovers, nerdy, multiple-partners, m-pregnancy, aliens

It was really different - plants, tentacles, alien biology. I would sure like to read a second story of how the ton of problems mentioned in this one was resolved. I wasn't convinced with Japanese elements, seemed awfully cliche, on the other hand I liked alien parts - those were imaginative. ...more

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About Adara O’Hare

Adara O’Hare

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Adara is a geek in writer’s clothing—a mild-mannered website designer by day and a wife, mother, reader, and sometimes writer by night. She enjoys Star Wars, Firefly, manga (includes yaoi), anime (very little yaoi), and a whole lot of other hobbies, mostly encompassed by the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA). She still has her collections of board and card games, stuffed animals, original My ...more