What do you think?
Rate this book
Boundaries #3
Outside the Lines
Falling for the drag queen next door
Mitch Dalton can't stop fantasizing about his sexy and confident drag queen neighbor. He wants to make a move, but he's had a lot less experience with men and isn't sure Chi-Chi would be interested in a guy who's never gone all the way—let alone a widower and struggling single father. And when Mitch's child care falls through, he needs Chi-Chi's help more than he needs a boyfriend.
Chi-Chi Ramirez has his own getting his degree one class at a time, working too many jobs and performing at a nightclub to make his Broadway dreams come true. Mitch's offer of a nanny position is too good to pass up, even if seeing Mitch every day and not being able to touch him is torture. But when even a simple handshake feels like pure sex, soon touching is all either of them can think about.
A one-night stand, a quick fling—that's all Chi-Chi can give if he's going to leave town for New York City. But once they finally get a taste of each other, what if Mitch wants more?
Mitch Dalton can't stop fantasizing about his sexy and confident drag queen neighbor. He wants to make a move, but he's had a lot less experience with men and isn't sure Chi-Chi would be interested in a guy who's never gone all the way—let alone a widower and struggling single father. And when Mitch's child care falls through, he needs Chi-Chi's help more than he needs a boyfriend.
Chi-Chi Ramirez has his own getting his degree one class at a time, working too many jobs and performing at a nightclub to make his Broadway dreams come true. Mitch's offer of a nanny position is too good to pass up, even if seeing Mitch every day and not being able to touch him is torture. But when even a simple handshake feels like pure sex, soon touching is all either of them can think about.
A one-night stand, a quick fling—that's all Chi-Chi can give if he's going to leave town for New York City. But once they finally get a taste of each other, what if Mitch wants more?
172 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 31, 2016
5 people are currently reading
115 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 29 of 46 reviews
October 31, 2016
4⭐️ Outside the Lines by A.R. Barley
Mitch widower over two years and father of two kids. Sitting in the local club to finally find a date and start talking to Chi-Chi a sweet guy who loves to wear dresses and make-up. He is the drag queen at the local gay club and has several other jobs. Mitch offers the 'lady' a drink and they will drink coffee when Chi-Chi is done with the job and Mitch is still there....only....Mitch is gone with the wind.
Next time they meet is at a neighborhood bbq. Mitch can't get the beautiful Chi-Chi out of his head and Chi-Chi ditto.
There are a few encounters and even a small peck on the lips and after Chi-Chi takes care of his children when there was nobody around, Mitch ask him if he want to be their nanny. A fast math and there is a deal.
But that meant no more pecks or anything in that direction because Mitch wants stability in the house. Moreover Chi-Chi wants to get away from his abusive family and be a star at Broadway so.....no commitments.....
That all seems on paper the best thing to do....but in reality.....?
It's difficult because the tension is killing them. Slowly Chi-Chi became more than the nanny.
They were hot together as they experiment their needs.... Mitch has a lot to learn.
And ohhh do i love stories with cross-dressing!!
The writing was smooth and the story has funny parts and was entertaining. It's a lovable sweet story with adorable children and nice friends.
At the almost end there is a sharp tail....but don't worry to much :)
**An ARC received from Carina Press for a honest review**
Release day review 31-10-16
Mitch widower over two years and father of two kids. Sitting in the local club to finally find a date and start talking to Chi-Chi a sweet guy who loves to wear dresses and make-up. He is the drag queen at the local gay club and has several other jobs. Mitch offers the 'lady' a drink and they will drink coffee when Chi-Chi is done with the job and Mitch is still there....only....Mitch is gone with the wind.
Next time they meet is at a neighborhood bbq. Mitch can't get the beautiful Chi-Chi out of his head and Chi-Chi ditto.
There are a few encounters and even a small peck on the lips and after Chi-Chi takes care of his children when there was nobody around, Mitch ask him if he want to be their nanny. A fast math and there is a deal.
But that meant no more pecks or anything in that direction because Mitch wants stability in the house. Moreover Chi-Chi wants to get away from his abusive family and be a star at Broadway so.....no commitments.....
That all seems on paper the best thing to do....but in reality.....?
It's difficult because the tension is killing them. Slowly Chi-Chi became more than the nanny.
They were hot together as they experiment their needs.... Mitch has a lot to learn.
And ohhh do i love stories with cross-dressing!!
The writing was smooth and the story has funny parts and was entertaining. It's a lovable sweet story with adorable children and nice friends.
At the almost end there is a sharp tail....but don't worry to much :)
**An ARC received from Carina Press for a honest review**
Release day review 31-10-16
September 5, 2016
2.5 stars
Uhhh... Not sure how to say this the nice way but...while there were some nice things about this book, it mostly grated on my nerves.
Remember Chi Chi the drag queen that moved in with Jesse and Kelly sometime in the last book? The Latino cutie who certainly deserved his HEA? I liked his personality and his penchant for women's clothes but his character wasn't done justice. Chi Chi was supposed to be this bright, shiny diamond of a man with a personality as big as the universe, but instead thanks to Mitch's preconceived ideas he was portrayed more like a chick with a dick.
Mitch is not only a boring and bland character, but it seemed like he expected Chi Chi to be the one who cleans and cooks and takes care of the kids. He had the same expectations from the woman babysitter before she got fired, so I'm sure it's a matter of assigning women the role of raising kids and tending house. Chi Chi's effeminate nature is probably why Mitch expected him to play mommy and housewife. All the shine and spark that Chi Chi had was lost along his daily duties with the kids. Ugh! I hated how Mitch came off as an adult who's not capable of taking care of two kids! For fuck's sake, he's a university professor, a mature man, not an immature teenager! It's really not so hard to get your kids up in time for school and to make sure your 5 year old daughter's hair is brushed and she has clean clothes! I hate irresponsible parents and he came off more neglectful than anything else.
I'm not even going to go into details about the sex other than to say it was boring as fuck and I didn't feel the chemistry.
It also seems to me like some facts need to be double checked. Mitch's wife supposedly died over 2 years ago... When Mitch though his daughter's kindergarten teacher didn't like him because of having Chi Chi around, she (the teacher) mentioned that Mitch's wife always used to ask about the teacher and HER wife (so they're a lesbian couple) but... The little girl was not in kindergarten 2 years ago and chances are she wasn't anywhere near that school so how in the hell can Mitch's wife ask about that while dropping her daughter off? It makes no sense. Also Mitch's I'm laws were horrified he found another lover when his wife "just" died when in fact is been over 2 years.
The only reason I didn't rounded my rating down to 2 stars is because of the kids, who were loving, adorable, and most of all accepting of Chi Chi and the fact that their dad likes men too.
Vic, Chi Chi's brother hopefully gets his own book, and if he does, I cross my fingers will be as intense and dark as he is.
Uhhh... Not sure how to say this the nice way but...while there were some nice things about this book, it mostly grated on my nerves.
Remember Chi Chi the drag queen that moved in with Jesse and Kelly sometime in the last book? The Latino cutie who certainly deserved his HEA? I liked his personality and his penchant for women's clothes but his character wasn't done justice. Chi Chi was supposed to be this bright, shiny diamond of a man with a personality as big as the universe, but instead thanks to Mitch's preconceived ideas he was portrayed more like a chick with a dick.
Mitch is not only a boring and bland character, but it seemed like he expected Chi Chi to be the one who cleans and cooks and takes care of the kids. He had the same expectations from the woman babysitter before she got fired, so I'm sure it's a matter of assigning women the role of raising kids and tending house. Chi Chi's effeminate nature is probably why Mitch expected him to play mommy and housewife. All the shine and spark that Chi Chi had was lost along his daily duties with the kids. Ugh! I hated how Mitch came off as an adult who's not capable of taking care of two kids! For fuck's sake, he's a university professor, a mature man, not an immature teenager! It's really not so hard to get your kids up in time for school and to make sure your 5 year old daughter's hair is brushed and she has clean clothes! I hate irresponsible parents and he came off more neglectful than anything else.
I'm not even going to go into details about the sex other than to say it was boring as fuck and I didn't feel the chemistry.
It also seems to me like some facts need to be double checked. Mitch's wife supposedly died over 2 years ago... When Mitch though his daughter's kindergarten teacher didn't like him because of having Chi Chi around, she (the teacher) mentioned that Mitch's wife always used to ask about the teacher and HER wife (so they're a lesbian couple) but... The little girl was not in kindergarten 2 years ago and chances are she wasn't anywhere near that school so how in the hell can Mitch's wife ask about that while dropping her daughter off? It makes no sense. Also Mitch's I'm laws were horrified he found another lover when his wife "just" died when in fact is been over 2 years.
The only reason I didn't rounded my rating down to 2 stars is because of the kids, who were loving, adorable, and most of all accepting of Chi Chi and the fact that their dad likes men too.
Vic, Chi Chi's brother hopefully gets his own book, and if he does, I cross my fingers will be as intense and dark as he is.
November 27, 2016
Outside the Lines is a fairly straightforward M/M romance with plenty of the usual tropes and an unusual amount of charm. It is a fairly short, afternoon read that will satisfy your craving for warm romance that includes a whole family and their everyday trials. I myself can never resist such books, especially when one of the MCs has adorable, realistically written kids.
Mitch’s life came crashing down when his wife died unexpectedly, leaving him with two small kids. His nanny is horrible and his in-laws are just waiting for an opportunity to take his kids away from him. He is overtired and overwhelmed, desperate for any kind of help. When his genderqueer neighbor Chi-Chi jumps in to save the day, Mitch doesn’t know whether to hire him as nanny or date him. He only knows that he can’t do both.
Chi-Chi Ramirez is a delightful character, a study in contradictions. He is tiny and flamboyant, but unyielding and strong. He’s equally good at putting on make-up and fixing cars. He is gentle and tough, resourceful and needy, a kind, generous young man with soft words and loud actions. It’s impossible not to love him from the start. Even after being almost killed by his father, Chi-Chi believes in people and he believes in himself.
As for Mitch, the most amazing thing about him is that he doesn’t really waver in his affections. He doesn’t hide behind his children or his broken heart. When he does falter, it’s merely because he is justifiably afraid of losing his kids, but even then it doesn’t last long. At first he gives the impression of barely holding it together, but he too is a strong, determined man with a backbone of steel.
I have such a soft spot for romances with kids and Outside the Lines is no different. Jack and Sadie were both written beautifully and believably, not too childish or too mature for their age. I love how easily they accepted Chi-Chi and his relationship with their father, even when it seemed like they might struggle with all the changes. Their fears were always justified and their reactions precisely what could be expected under the circumstances.
Although the book has few original elements to speak of, the combination of familiar themes works like a charm. Chi-Chi’s gender bending behavior and Mitch’s absolute acceptance are perhaps the best thing about this book, but overall, it has so much more going for it.
Mitch’s life came crashing down when his wife died unexpectedly, leaving him with two small kids. His nanny is horrible and his in-laws are just waiting for an opportunity to take his kids away from him. He is overtired and overwhelmed, desperate for any kind of help. When his genderqueer neighbor Chi-Chi jumps in to save the day, Mitch doesn’t know whether to hire him as nanny or date him. He only knows that he can’t do both.
Chi-Chi Ramirez is a delightful character, a study in contradictions. He is tiny and flamboyant, but unyielding and strong. He’s equally good at putting on make-up and fixing cars. He is gentle and tough, resourceful and needy, a kind, generous young man with soft words and loud actions. It’s impossible not to love him from the start. Even after being almost killed by his father, Chi-Chi believes in people and he believes in himself.
As for Mitch, the most amazing thing about him is that he doesn’t really waver in his affections. He doesn’t hide behind his children or his broken heart. When he does falter, it’s merely because he is justifiably afraid of losing his kids, but even then it doesn’t last long. At first he gives the impression of barely holding it together, but he too is a strong, determined man with a backbone of steel.
I have such a soft spot for romances with kids and Outside the Lines is no different. Jack and Sadie were both written beautifully and believably, not too childish or too mature for their age. I love how easily they accepted Chi-Chi and his relationship with their father, even when it seemed like they might struggle with all the changes. Their fears were always justified and their reactions precisely what could be expected under the circumstances.
Although the book has few original elements to speak of, the combination of familiar themes works like a charm. Chi-Chi’s gender bending behavior and Mitch’s absolute acceptance are perhaps the best thing about this book, but overall, it has so much more going for it.
January 8, 2017
Nice, harmless m-m romance with little tension and some sex. Brain candy. Fluffy, little read.
It gets a little more serious towards the end, with the required drama and usual shenanigans of any typical romance story. The plot is decent, the main characters well drawn. Besides Mitch and Chi-Chi, the most vivid was Vic. I probably wouldn't mind reading a romance centered around him.
I read this out of synch with the entire series and it worked just fine as a standalone story.
Some editing mistakes in my ARC ebook.
Chi-Chi makes them hot chocolate and on the next page they are enjoying their coffee.
They go into the master bedroom to have sex and then Mitch gets up and goes into the master bedroom.
Mitch drives Melissa to hospital and Nick takes home the kids.
Hopefully all of that gets ironed out in the final, published version.
I received this free e-copy from the publisher/author via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review, thank you!
It gets a little more serious towards the end, with the required drama and usual shenanigans of any typical romance story. The plot is decent, the main characters well drawn. Besides Mitch and Chi-Chi, the most vivid was Vic. I probably wouldn't mind reading a romance centered around him.
I read this out of synch with the entire series and it worked just fine as a standalone story.
Some editing mistakes in my ARC ebook.
Chi-Chi makes them hot chocolate and on the next page they are enjoying their coffee.
They go into the master bedroom to have sex and then Mitch gets up and goes into the master bedroom.
Mitch drives Melissa to hospital and Nick takes home the kids.
Hopefully all of that gets ironed out in the final, published version.
I received this free e-copy from the publisher/author via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review, thank you!
September 10, 2016
Lovely!
This is such a lovely story. It is a simple romance with two guys who are really very different but who decide to see where their attraction takes them.
And they are very different. Chi-Chi is a latino from the 'wrong side of the tracks'. He has had a harsh upbringing with a father who was brutal and violent towards him. He survived his childhood because of his older brother Vincent who always looked out for him and who taught him to repair cars. Now Chi-Chi takes college classes, holds down several jobs, sings in a local club and is saving up to move to the Big Apple.
And there is Mitch.
Mitch is a widower struggling to cope with two young children and a demanding role as a professor in a local college. He isn't coping well but he manages and he misses his wife. Mitch is bisexual and when he meets his attractive neighbour Chi-Chi he realises he could be on the cusp of something new and something very different.
But there are the children to consider, and the critical in-laws, and the demands of work and, racial and cultural differences. Add to all of this the normal 'getting to know you'. And for Mitch this is the first time he is having a steady relationship with a man instead of a passing fling.
But love is on their side and it is a good love. When Chi-Chi becomes the children's nanny the two men are drawn closer together and have to find a way to work through who they are and what they truly desire from each other. And they have to learn to find the courage to stand together and weave a future together for themselves and for the children.
It is a lovely story with some rich characters. The children in this book come across as real children and the author has tried to portray a cultural diversity that is authentic.
I think this is done in a sensitive way, although I do wonder if every Latin American uses the word 'papi'. Sometimes it seems that this is used quite frequently as a means of illustrating a latino character in stories. Nevertheless it doesn't detract from this story.
Both men are quite real as they think about their attraction and what it may cost them to get together. Mitch had never had to 'come out' before and now this question confronts him. Chi-Chi has big dreams of stardom which he doesn't want to give up but they have found something strong in each other. Their attraction for each other is gripping and really emotional and the author really captures the strength of this attraction and the irresistible pull between the two men.
It is a solid contemporary romance without being foolishly porny and with a lovely HEA. There is an actual story here and not long, long endless formulaic sex scenes. The sex is there but it is part of the story, showing how the relationship progresses and in this way it enhances the storytelling.
This is the kind of story that makes you sigh with delight and satisfaction at the end of it, especially the last parts of the story towards the end.
It is simply a really enjoyable contemporary romance.
This is book three in the series but I didn't feel I missed anything by starting here. I enjoyed it so much that I am going to read the other two books and I am going to be following this author closely because the story just hit the right spot!
A beautiful story and a lovely romance!
Copy provided by Carina Press via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
September 8, 2016
I'm so torn on rating this.
Chi Chi was supposed to be this vibrant Latino guy with a love for women's clothing, but Mitch's bland ordinariness brought him down two or three notches. The two babies had more personality than Mitch did, especially little Sadie. And Jack seemed more capable of running the household than Mitch.
To me, this didn't stand up to the flow of the first two books and I'm walking away slightly disappointed. But if there happens to be another book **cough** Vic because why not **cough**, I'm pretty sure I'll be pulling a prodigal son move.
Chi Chi was supposed to be this vibrant Latino guy with a love for women's clothing, but Mitch's bland ordinariness brought him down two or three notches. The two babies had more personality than Mitch did, especially little Sadie. And Jack seemed more capable of running the household than Mitch.
To me, this didn't stand up to the flow of the first two books and I'm walking away slightly disappointed. But if there happens to be another book **cough** Vic because why not **cough**, I'm pretty sure I'll be pulling a prodigal son move.
June 25, 2017
DNF @48%. There was nothing new added to the well worn story of a small fem guy escaping an abusive childhood. And not enough groundwork laid to feel any genuine chemistry between the MCs. This is the kind of book where their interest is expressed early and often via their responsive members. I wouldn't be surprised if there's a big misunderstanding somewhere in the second half of the book. The kids were well done though, they felt true to their ages.
November 2, 2016
I love Chi Chi! I’ve been a fan of Chi Chi since the beginning, so I was psyched to see him have his own story. If anything, I think this story showed how special he is, but could have gone even further to showcase his unique take on life.
Mitch, on the other hand, was as exciting as dry toast. ☹ He was a big disappointment and didn’t do much to make me think he deserved Chi Chi in all his glory.
Chi Chi’s gender fluidity is easily accepted by Mitch, and to me that’s Mitch’s main saving grace. While I understood that Mitch had a family to consider (a family that absolutely outshone him in terms of personality!) I don’t think he did enough to really make Chi Chi feel that he was any more than just a welcome extra hand and handy f**k buddy. Sure, he eventually pulls out his feels and lets them be known, but it was kinda a fizzle ending, not the emotional kapow it could have been.
Chi Chi’s life story and his relationship with his brother, his struggles in town, his desires to sing and be “seen” – I didn’t see these really resolved or resolved in a way that gives it proper attention. There was so much potential here and it just didn’t have the emotional pay out I was waiting for. I didn’t understand or appreciate whether or not Chi Chi gave up his dream or got a different dream in the end.
I thought Mitch’s in-law, Susan, was a bit of a ridiculous cliché and Mitch’s tepid response to her just made me mad. I wanted a bit more fire from him in defense of his life, his kids and his man.
The May/December aspect of the story was also really glossed over. Chi Chi is only 21 and I think some discussion of his role in the family, his goals in life, his expectations really should have happened in more detail. I understood what Mitch got from Chi Chi but I thought what Chi Chi got needed more attention to detail.
The writing was fluid and I was easily immersed in the story, but I was just underwhelmed by Mitch and that affected my overall enjoyment of the story. It was still quite good, and I recommend it to fans of the series, but I wanted more for Chi Chi.
Mitch, on the other hand, was as exciting as dry toast. ☹ He was a big disappointment and didn’t do much to make me think he deserved Chi Chi in all his glory.
Chi Chi’s gender fluidity is easily accepted by Mitch, and to me that’s Mitch’s main saving grace. While I understood that Mitch had a family to consider (a family that absolutely outshone him in terms of personality!) I don’t think he did enough to really make Chi Chi feel that he was any more than just a welcome extra hand and handy f**k buddy. Sure, he eventually pulls out his feels and lets them be known, but it was kinda a fizzle ending, not the emotional kapow it could have been.
Chi Chi’s life story and his relationship with his brother, his struggles in town, his desires to sing and be “seen” – I didn’t see these really resolved or resolved in a way that gives it proper attention. There was so much potential here and it just didn’t have the emotional pay out I was waiting for. I didn’t understand or appreciate whether or not Chi Chi gave up his dream or got a different dream in the end.
I thought Mitch’s in-law, Susan, was a bit of a ridiculous cliché and Mitch’s tepid response to her just made me mad. I wanted a bit more fire from him in defense of his life, his kids and his man.
The May/December aspect of the story was also really glossed over. Chi Chi is only 21 and I think some discussion of his role in the family, his goals in life, his expectations really should have happened in more detail. I understood what Mitch got from Chi Chi but I thought what Chi Chi got needed more attention to detail.
The writing was fluid and I was easily immersed in the story, but I was just underwhelmed by Mitch and that affected my overall enjoyment of the story. It was still quite good, and I recommend it to fans of the series, but I wanted more for Chi Chi.
December 2, 2016
I’ve had trouble figuring out how to review this one. It’s a cute and sweet little romance about these guys who get together. Mitch, with two adorable kids who honestly steal ever scene they’re in, and Chi-Chi, the neighbor who’s a drag queen/princess with a fabulous voice, and dreams of Broadway.
I enjoyed the cuteness of the story. The simplicity. In truth, it is a really nice story with a nice happy ending. I guess I’d hoped for a little more conversation between the MCs in the end. A little more work at the relationship. Once it starts, it just goes, and goes fast. So there isn’t a lot of angst because it moves too fast for that. There is also the added element of the deceased wife’s parents. They seem to love the children, but are so horrible to Mitch and Chi-Chi that it put me off. There are times when books like this don’t bother me at all. This was not the time. And that’s okay, you know? I’m sure others will like this.
I enjoyed the cuteness of the story. The simplicity. In truth, it is a really nice story with a nice happy ending. I guess I’d hoped for a little more conversation between the MCs in the end. A little more work at the relationship. Once it starts, it just goes, and goes fast. So there isn’t a lot of angst because it moves too fast for that. There is also the added element of the deceased wife’s parents. They seem to love the children, but are so horrible to Mitch and Chi-Chi that it put me off. There are times when books like this don’t bother me at all. This was not the time. And that’s okay, you know? I’m sure others will like this.
September 19, 2016
I absolutely loved Chi-Chi in the previous books and still do. It took me a while to warm up to Mitch and the lack of communication got on my nerves a bit. Not totally convinced by the HEA ending, felt more HFN to me but I am hoping for more in the series.
*Received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
*Received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
July 17, 2018
I'm rounding this one up to 4 stars because I just loved Chi-Chi so much. He was absolutely amazing and confident in his skin. Mitch was a bit of a dud and was honestly a bit mean in how he acted. But his kids were awesome.
March 12, 2017
Chi-Chi is in Mitch's words a beautiful butterfly with a core of steel. Mitch loves him. His kids love him. Mitch is afraid of loosing his kids to his former in-laws. His fear keeps him from publicly acknowledging that Chi-Chi is more than the nanny and he almost looses him.
Both men learn and grow as the fall in love. It is not enough to trust someone with your heart. Sometimes you have to be honest and trust them with your fears as well. This one really needed an epilogue.
Both men learn and grow as the fall in love. It is not enough to trust someone with your heart. Sometimes you have to be honest and trust them with your fears as well. This one really needed an epilogue.
November 6, 2016
I received this novel from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review:
I’m going to start by being very honest with all of you. I have never read a book where a protagonist was a drag queen. I’ve read them as side characters, but never as the lead. I was curious as to whether or not I would be interested in this novel because of that.
Long story short: I loved it.
Mitch plays the single father of two wonderful children after being widowed by his late wife. He has been mourning her loss for a long time, but has realised that he needs to move on with his life to be fair to his family. That’s where Chi-Chi comes in. Neighbour, singer and drag queen extraordinaire, this character steals the limelight wherever he goes! Slowly, the two begin to fall in love and Chi-Chi realises that Broadway was never his real dream; having a loving family was.
The romance was realistic and beautiful to read. I rallied for Chi-Chi to get his hands on the man of his dreams, and I begged for Mitch to give in and realise that the man next door was all he ever wanted. The plot was rich, with each character having hope and dreams and deciding which ones were worth giving up. I suppose the only thing I would have liked to have seen changed was for Chi-Chi to hold onto his dreams of going to Broadway. You can still have a family and have a successful career without having to give up everything you wanted. Finding that balance would have been the perfect ending, but I guess that was a pure reflection on life – you don’t always get everything you want.
Chi-Chi being a drag queen didn’t overpower the novel, which I enjoyed most of all. It was placed so smoothly into the book, like it was a fact about his character and no one was acting like it was a big deal. Sometimes he would dress casually – pants and a shirt – where he would blend in with everyone else, but when he wanted to he could don a dress and a face full of makeup and look killer. It was great transitions like this for his character that made me instantly fall in love with him.
The language used in the book was marvellous. When Barley wanted things to be tense, it was realistic. When Chi-Chi spoke in Spanish, it was understandable. As someone with little Spanish understanding, the language was easy enough for me to grasp without making the characters look like they were pretending to be Spanish and throwing off the balance.
Personally, I wouldn’t have minded if they toned the sexual attraction down a tad. I understand that they were immediately attracted to one another, but when Mitch was constantly thinking about it whenever he was around his children it grew a bit uncomfortable. People can’t switch off their desires easily, but to not even bother trying to distract yourself while around your kids it takes the realism down a notch.
All in all, a fantastic novel that I recommend to all that want to venture out into something new. Whether it’s because you’ve never read a book with a drag queen in it, or because you want to try to learn a little Spanish on the side – you won’t be disappointed!
I’m going to start by being very honest with all of you. I have never read a book where a protagonist was a drag queen. I’ve read them as side characters, but never as the lead. I was curious as to whether or not I would be interested in this novel because of that.
Long story short: I loved it.
Mitch plays the single father of two wonderful children after being widowed by his late wife. He has been mourning her loss for a long time, but has realised that he needs to move on with his life to be fair to his family. That’s where Chi-Chi comes in. Neighbour, singer and drag queen extraordinaire, this character steals the limelight wherever he goes! Slowly, the two begin to fall in love and Chi-Chi realises that Broadway was never his real dream; having a loving family was.
The romance was realistic and beautiful to read. I rallied for Chi-Chi to get his hands on the man of his dreams, and I begged for Mitch to give in and realise that the man next door was all he ever wanted. The plot was rich, with each character having hope and dreams and deciding which ones were worth giving up. I suppose the only thing I would have liked to have seen changed was for Chi-Chi to hold onto his dreams of going to Broadway. You can still have a family and have a successful career without having to give up everything you wanted. Finding that balance would have been the perfect ending, but I guess that was a pure reflection on life – you don’t always get everything you want.
Chi-Chi being a drag queen didn’t overpower the novel, which I enjoyed most of all. It was placed so smoothly into the book, like it was a fact about his character and no one was acting like it was a big deal. Sometimes he would dress casually – pants and a shirt – where he would blend in with everyone else, but when he wanted to he could don a dress and a face full of makeup and look killer. It was great transitions like this for his character that made me instantly fall in love with him.
The language used in the book was marvellous. When Barley wanted things to be tense, it was realistic. When Chi-Chi spoke in Spanish, it was understandable. As someone with little Spanish understanding, the language was easy enough for me to grasp without making the characters look like they were pretending to be Spanish and throwing off the balance.
Personally, I wouldn’t have minded if they toned the sexual attraction down a tad. I understand that they were immediately attracted to one another, but when Mitch was constantly thinking about it whenever he was around his children it grew a bit uncomfortable. People can’t switch off their desires easily, but to not even bother trying to distract yourself while around your kids it takes the realism down a notch.
All in all, a fantastic novel that I recommend to all that want to venture out into something new. Whether it’s because you’ve never read a book with a drag queen in it, or because you want to try to learn a little Spanish on the side – you won’t be disappointed!
November 7, 2016
So I have a slight obsession with drag queens. Ok maybe it's not slight..lol. Anyway when I was given the opportunity to review this book I was over the moon!!! I was not aware that this was the third book in the series, but it read beautifully as a stand alone.
Chi Chi is an amazing queen with hopes of making it to New York City to be on the big stage. He is working several part time jobs along with performing to help fund those dreams. One night a handsome man makes his way into the club and he is taken by him and his dimples. When Dimples offers to buy him a drink, Chi Chi makes him a deal that if he's still there when he's done, he would gladly have a drink with him. But when his set was done, Dimples was gone.
Mitch is a single father of two amazing kids. His wife passed away a couple years ago and he is struggling to not only be the father that the kids need, but also trying to fill the shoes of being the mom. Mitch has always been a bisexual man, so sorry guys, this is not a GFY story. Mitch was totally taken by the beauty he met at the club a few nights back and cant seem to take his mind off of him.
Chi Chi can’t seem to shake the thought of something more with a guy like Dimples, not like the hook ups he’s so used to. At a BBQ a sweet little girl comes up to him, talking a mile a minute about him being the princess she sees every morning. Her father comes up to rescue the poor guy that his daughter is latched on to. And as fate would have it, that father is none other than Dimples.
In a strange turn of events, Chi Chi soon becomes Mitch’s nanny. He has helped make the house that Mitch and his kids live in feel like a home again and that is not missed by Mitch. Their relationship grows, but make no mistake there are a lot of bumps along the way. At the end of the day, Chi Chi’s dream of the big stage is totally replaced with the dreams of being a family with the man with the dimples. And don't ya know, sometimes dreams do come true.
I really enjoyed this book, the chemistry between Chi Chi and Mitch is off the charts. And I totally feel in love with Mitch’s kids! I will tell you that there is a little bit of angst in this book. I was really excited that it was minimal until I hit 90% and had to take a time out and a deep breath before picking it back up..lol. I really hope that we get more of these two in the next book, which I have a feeling is going to be about Che Chi’s brother. And I have a feeling that it’s going to be an emotional rollercoaster!!!
****I give this book 4 fierce stars****
Chi Chi is an amazing queen with hopes of making it to New York City to be on the big stage. He is working several part time jobs along with performing to help fund those dreams. One night a handsome man makes his way into the club and he is taken by him and his dimples. When Dimples offers to buy him a drink, Chi Chi makes him a deal that if he's still there when he's done, he would gladly have a drink with him. But when his set was done, Dimples was gone.
Mitch is a single father of two amazing kids. His wife passed away a couple years ago and he is struggling to not only be the father that the kids need, but also trying to fill the shoes of being the mom. Mitch has always been a bisexual man, so sorry guys, this is not a GFY story. Mitch was totally taken by the beauty he met at the club a few nights back and cant seem to take his mind off of him.
Chi Chi can’t seem to shake the thought of something more with a guy like Dimples, not like the hook ups he’s so used to. At a BBQ a sweet little girl comes up to him, talking a mile a minute about him being the princess she sees every morning. Her father comes up to rescue the poor guy that his daughter is latched on to. And as fate would have it, that father is none other than Dimples.
In a strange turn of events, Chi Chi soon becomes Mitch’s nanny. He has helped make the house that Mitch and his kids live in feel like a home again and that is not missed by Mitch. Their relationship grows, but make no mistake there are a lot of bumps along the way. At the end of the day, Chi Chi’s dream of the big stage is totally replaced with the dreams of being a family with the man with the dimples. And don't ya know, sometimes dreams do come true.
I really enjoyed this book, the chemistry between Chi Chi and Mitch is off the charts. And I totally feel in love with Mitch’s kids! I will tell you that there is a little bit of angst in this book. I was really excited that it was minimal until I hit 90% and had to take a time out and a deep breath before picking it back up..lol. I really hope that we get more of these two in the next book, which I have a feeling is going to be about Che Chi’s brother. And I have a feeling that it’s going to be an emotional rollercoaster!!!
****I give this book 4 fierce stars****
September 12, 2016
Attracted to ¬both men and women Halston professor Mitch Dalton finds himself at Ale Mary’s, Halston’s only gay nightclub looking for something. It’s been nearly two years since his wife passed away. Since then his life has been a hasty rush of shuffling kids to and from anything and everything while running late for the next thing on his busy schedule. Even if he finds a man that is interested in his messy life he’s not sure how to go about taking thing further with a man. Before marriage his experience with men never went that far.
Chi-Chi may love to wear make-up and dresses but he is all man, just a very compact sized man. Growing up on the wrong side of town taught him to be cautious of others. Spending his childhood years in an abusive home gave him enough self-preservation to carry on and make the best of what life has handed him. He’s a hard worker and makes the necessary sacrifices to make a better life for himself. Chi-Chi is able to take one class a semester but his dreams are to make it to Broadway.
The attraction between Chi-Chi and Mitch is immediate yet they are both cautious for all the wrong reasons. Chi-Chi knows that most do not understand him and his style. Mitch has never really perused a relationship with a man. When Chi-Chi helps Mitch out with his childcare situation they are left floundering around the knowledge that if their hook-up/fling goes wrong there will be collateral damage with the kids. The fact that both men are in a situation they’ve never been in before adds some tension to an already precarious place.
Outside the Lines easily works as a stand-alone book. The couples from Barley’s past Boundaries books have very small roles here. I have not read the other two books and I never found myself lost or even curious about whom the other guys were. There wasn’t even a hint to whether or not there would a future book or who that couple would be.
Chi-Chi may love to wear make-up and dresses but he is all man, just a very compact sized man. Growing up on the wrong side of town taught him to be cautious of others. Spending his childhood years in an abusive home gave him enough self-preservation to carry on and make the best of what life has handed him. He’s a hard worker and makes the necessary sacrifices to make a better life for himself. Chi-Chi is able to take one class a semester but his dreams are to make it to Broadway.
The attraction between Chi-Chi and Mitch is immediate yet they are both cautious for all the wrong reasons. Chi-Chi knows that most do not understand him and his style. Mitch has never really perused a relationship with a man. When Chi-Chi helps Mitch out with his childcare situation they are left floundering around the knowledge that if their hook-up/fling goes wrong there will be collateral damage with the kids. The fact that both men are in a situation they’ve never been in before adds some tension to an already precarious place.
Outside the Lines easily works as a stand-alone book. The couples from Barley’s past Boundaries books have very small roles here. I have not read the other two books and I never found myself lost or even curious about whom the other guys were. There wasn’t even a hint to whether or not there would a future book or who that couple would be.
October 25, 2016
~~I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads
This is the third in a series, and I have to admit the first that I have read. I did look at the blurb for the first two to give me reassurance that it would be ok as a standalone, and it was. I am sure that I missed some nuance, but the story still worked well.
This is a good read, basically about a very flawed Dad and a sexy, extremely helpful neighbour. I enjoyed the story, although at times did wonder whether Mitch could really be so hapless, and how he survived so long as a single Dad. Chi-Chi was a wonderful character deeply affected up by his past and his nature, and always so clued in to what would be the right thing to do. He deserved nothing but the best. As the two of them dance a fine line, it is all too obvious how things can go wrong, yet one is hoping that it could just for a change go right.
I thought Mitch's children were brilliantly written and for a lot of the time the highlight of the book for me - they were the glue that kept the men together.
Will look out for future installments and plan on finding the time to go back and read the whole series to get further insights.
This is the third in a series, and I have to admit the first that I have read. I did look at the blurb for the first two to give me reassurance that it would be ok as a standalone, and it was. I am sure that I missed some nuance, but the story still worked well.
This is a good read, basically about a very flawed Dad and a sexy, extremely helpful neighbour. I enjoyed the story, although at times did wonder whether Mitch could really be so hapless, and how he survived so long as a single Dad. Chi-Chi was a wonderful character deeply affected up by his past and his nature, and always so clued in to what would be the right thing to do. He deserved nothing but the best. As the two of them dance a fine line, it is all too obvious how things can go wrong, yet one is hoping that it could just for a change go right.
I thought Mitch's children were brilliantly written and for a lot of the time the highlight of the book for me - they were the glue that kept the men together.
Will look out for future installments and plan on finding the time to go back and read the whole series to get further insights.
September 13, 2016
Copy from netgalley
This was the first book Ive read in this series and I have to say that I didn't feel lost or left behind. There was a lot that was great about this story but some things thatI didn't love so much.
I loved Chi-Chi's personality. He was fierce and didn't care what anyone thinks...or does he? There were moments that I hated that he tried to hide parts of him from Mitch and then he would worry Mitch wouldn't accept him they way he was. I also didn't like how quickly Mitch moved Chi-Chi in with he kids without explaining anything to them...but you know...thats just my thing when kids are involved!
Overall I liked this book and it was definitely worth a read. It was well written and parts of it had me smiling like an idiot. It also makes me want to go and read the other stories so thats a good sign!
This was the first book Ive read in this series and I have to say that I didn't feel lost or left behind. There was a lot that was great about this story but some things thatI didn't love so much.
I loved Chi-Chi's personality. He was fierce and didn't care what anyone thinks...or does he? There were moments that I hated that he tried to hide parts of him from Mitch and then he would worry Mitch wouldn't accept him they way he was. I also didn't like how quickly Mitch moved Chi-Chi in with he kids without explaining anything to them...but you know...thats just my thing when kids are involved!
Overall I liked this book and it was definitely worth a read. It was well written and parts of it had me smiling like an idiot. It also makes me want to go and read the other stories so thats a good sign!
September 10, 2016
* ARC provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and impartial review.
I have a profound love in my heart for books featuring gender fluid characters. Which probably colors how I feel about this book, because I am predisposed to like Chi Chi, and I did, I loved him. I loved how great he was with the kids, and how protective he was of them. I loved how quickly they embraced him. Mitch I loved a bit less. Basically what I most liked about him was that he recognized how awesome Chi Chi was. When I least liked him was when he was denying Chi Chi.
I wish Chi Chi had been less conflicted about who he was or maybe that's not the right way to phrase it. I didn't like it when Chi Chi felt he had to be someone else to please Mitch. Mostly this was in his head, but it made me sad.
I enjoyed the book, mostly because of Chi Chi. I am going to buy the previous books in the series, because I want to know more about characters mentioned here, but I have a feeling I may not like those books as much, because there was a bit of blandness about the story when it wasn't dealing with Chi Chi directly. But all in all, I enjoyed it and will look for more from the author.
I have a profound love in my heart for books featuring gender fluid characters. Which probably colors how I feel about this book, because I am predisposed to like Chi Chi, and I did, I loved him. I loved how great he was with the kids, and how protective he was of them. I loved how quickly they embraced him. Mitch I loved a bit less. Basically what I most liked about him was that he recognized how awesome Chi Chi was. When I least liked him was when he was denying Chi Chi.
I wish Chi Chi had been less conflicted about who he was or maybe that's not the right way to phrase it. I didn't like it when Chi Chi felt he had to be someone else to please Mitch. Mostly this was in his head, but it made me sad.
I enjoyed the book, mostly because of Chi Chi. I am going to buy the previous books in the series, because I want to know more about characters mentioned here, but I have a feeling I may not like those books as much, because there was a bit of blandness about the story when it wasn't dealing with Chi Chi directly. But all in all, I enjoyed it and will look for more from the author.
August 7, 2021
OUTSIDE THE LINES is probably my favorite of the whole series because I really enjoyed Mitch and especially Chi-Chi. They seem like total opposites that just shouldn't work but they end up being perfect together. While Chi-Chi is hesitant to get involved at first, Mitch dives in with both feet. I loved that Mitch never doubted his attraction to Chi-Chi and he loved him for exactly who he was - the talented mechanic, the kickass drag queen, the man in feminine clothing - Mitch was there for all of it.
Chi-Chi was also a fantastic character because he really gives his whole heart to those he cares about, even if he tries to act aloof on the outside. Chi-Chi comes from a very rough childhood but he refuses to be someone else or to change who he is. I loved his confidence and his outspoken personality. I also loved the small ways he started caring for Mitch by caring for his children. It was also nice to see the couples from the previous books.
Content Warning: Chi-Chi was abused as a child and forced to live on the streets as a teenager; homophobic in-laws
Chi-Chi was also a fantastic character because he really gives his whole heart to those he cares about, even if he tries to act aloof on the outside. Chi-Chi comes from a very rough childhood but he refuses to be someone else or to change who he is. I loved his confidence and his outspoken personality. I also loved the small ways he started caring for Mitch by caring for his children. It was also nice to see the couples from the previous books.
Content Warning: Chi-Chi was abused as a child and forced to live on the streets as a teenager; homophobic in-laws
October 26, 2016
I was given a copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
Chi Chi is a wonderful character and I loved the clash of cultures that happens when Michael and Chi Chi’s very different worlds collide. Unfortunately, this ends up as the story of a brave, original human being being moulded into a suburban Stepford Wife. At the start of the story, Chi Chi is preparing to take his drag act to Broadway. By the end, he is driving carpool and making muffins.
I really struggled with Mitch. There were brief moments that he appeared to appreciate and respect Chi Chi, but it is ultimately Chi Chi who makes all of the compromises in this story. Mitch himself is entirely forgettable. His kids are cute, his in laws are difficult and I’m struggling to remember much of anything else about him.
What annoys me most is that Mitch’s outdated ideas of a relationship between an important breadwinner and a grateful homemaker are excused because this is a relationship between two men. The antiquated story of a male professor falling for the female nanny who keeps his home tidy and children happy would have been offensive in 2016. But somehow, by exchanging the female nanny for a somewhat gender fluid drag queen, readers are expected to enjoy the same story.
Hmm. I kept waiting for Mitch to sacrifice something. For him to encourage Chi Chi’s dreams even a little. But no. Chi Chi gives up far too much of himself and readers are expected to empathise when Mitch exposes himself to potential humiliation by forcing himself to publicly acknowledge his own boyfriend.
So. Chi Chi is fabulous. His performances, his costumes, his friends, his heroic effort to make ends meet and his determination to follow his dreams make him an unforgettable character. His relationships with Mitch’s kids are wonderful. But Mitch is bland, suburban and living in a closeted, heteronormative timewarp.
Unfortunately I don’t really call it a HEA when one character throws away a lifetime of dreams and aspirations to be with a vaguely closeted man who still seems a little bit embarrassed by his boyfriend’s flamboyance.
Chi Chi is a wonderful character and I loved the clash of cultures that happens when Michael and Chi Chi’s very different worlds collide. Unfortunately, this ends up as the story of a brave, original human being being moulded into a suburban Stepford Wife. At the start of the story, Chi Chi is preparing to take his drag act to Broadway. By the end, he is driving carpool and making muffins.
I really struggled with Mitch. There were brief moments that he appeared to appreciate and respect Chi Chi, but it is ultimately Chi Chi who makes all of the compromises in this story. Mitch himself is entirely forgettable. His kids are cute, his in laws are difficult and I’m struggling to remember much of anything else about him.
What annoys me most is that Mitch’s outdated ideas of a relationship between an important breadwinner and a grateful homemaker are excused because this is a relationship between two men. The antiquated story of a male professor falling for the female nanny who keeps his home tidy and children happy would have been offensive in 2016. But somehow, by exchanging the female nanny for a somewhat gender fluid drag queen, readers are expected to enjoy the same story.
Hmm. I kept waiting for Mitch to sacrifice something. For him to encourage Chi Chi’s dreams even a little. But no. Chi Chi gives up far too much of himself and readers are expected to empathise when Mitch exposes himself to potential humiliation by forcing himself to publicly acknowledge his own boyfriend.
So. Chi Chi is fabulous. His performances, his costumes, his friends, his heroic effort to make ends meet and his determination to follow his dreams make him an unforgettable character. His relationships with Mitch’s kids are wonderful. But Mitch is bland, suburban and living in a closeted, heteronormative timewarp.
Unfortunately I don’t really call it a HEA when one character throws away a lifetime of dreams and aspirations to be with a vaguely closeted man who still seems a little bit embarrassed by his boyfriend’s flamboyance.
March 3, 2017
I received one copy of this book at no charge in exchange for my honest reviews but all opinions expressed here are my own. Review first posted on Nautical Star Books.
Outside the Lines by A.R. Barley is book number three of the Boundaries series but I read it out of order and had no trouble understanding the storyline.
Basically, Mitch’s wife died 2 years ago and he needs a nanny. In comes the cross dressing Chi-Chi to the rescue. While Mitch is reserved, disorganized and intense, Chi-Chi is a diamond in the rough with a sparkling personality and a way around the kitchen. He needs to money to put towards his dream of heading off to Broadway so he takes on the job of nanny to Mitch’s kids.
Mitch has always been bi but has pretty much zero real experience with guys. He and Chi-Chi have chemistry but are trying to keep things platonic so as to not interfere with the whole Boss/Nanny relationship. That doesn’t work very well, however, and things heat up. I liked the heat between them and watching Mitch learn his way around a gay relationship was fun. And, of course, there is cross dressing which is always fun!
There is drama towards the end…dreams of Broadway dissipating, coming out to homophobic family members, a bit of chaos and anger. What would a drag queen romance be without a little drama, right? They will get their happily ever after eventually.
My Drag Queen Romance notes:
There is some serious inconsistency in the book when it comes to the dead wife. Supposedly she died 2 years ago but why is Mitch just now getting a nanny? And why hasn’t he gotten his crap together when it comes to organizing his kids and getting them out the door on time. It’s been 2 years…not 2 months. And the Kindergarten teacher talks to Mitch about what his wife ‘used to do’ when she would not have even had his child in her class 2 years ago. There needs to be some serious rethinking going on about the time line.
I loved Chi-Chi’s character. There is this perfect blend of girly girl and manly man. Loves getting dressed up and can make a mean batch of muffins but is also equally handy fixing a car engine and throwing a punch. Just really seemed like a well developed character. This character is really amazing. Terrified of becoming his abusive father and struggling to overcome his poor childhood.
This cute little drag queen romance was very well written (other than some story line inconsistencies that need to be addressed) with unique characters and just the right amount of heat and drama to keep it interesting. I felt like I got to know Chi-Chi much better than I did Mitch. I think he needed a bit more development. He struggled with accepting Chi-Chi’s uniqueness in front of others but loved the feminine side of him behind closed doors. Vic, Chi-Chi’se brother, seems like a good guy in a ‘break your knees if you hurt my baby brother’ sort of way. Protective but definitely a bit of a troublemaker.
Overall, I enjoyed Outside the Lines by A.R. Barley quite a bit. The story and characters really kept my attention, however it definitely needs some serious proofreading and story editing to fix all the inconsistencies.
Outside the Lines by A.R. Barley is book number three of the Boundaries series but I read it out of order and had no trouble understanding the storyline.
Basically, Mitch’s wife died 2 years ago and he needs a nanny. In comes the cross dressing Chi-Chi to the rescue. While Mitch is reserved, disorganized and intense, Chi-Chi is a diamond in the rough with a sparkling personality and a way around the kitchen. He needs to money to put towards his dream of heading off to Broadway so he takes on the job of nanny to Mitch’s kids.
Mitch has always been bi but has pretty much zero real experience with guys. He and Chi-Chi have chemistry but are trying to keep things platonic so as to not interfere with the whole Boss/Nanny relationship. That doesn’t work very well, however, and things heat up. I liked the heat between them and watching Mitch learn his way around a gay relationship was fun. And, of course, there is cross dressing which is always fun!
There is drama towards the end…dreams of Broadway dissipating, coming out to homophobic family members, a bit of chaos and anger. What would a drag queen romance be without a little drama, right? They will get their happily ever after eventually.
My Drag Queen Romance notes:
There is some serious inconsistency in the book when it comes to the dead wife. Supposedly she died 2 years ago but why is Mitch just now getting a nanny? And why hasn’t he gotten his crap together when it comes to organizing his kids and getting them out the door on time. It’s been 2 years…not 2 months. And the Kindergarten teacher talks to Mitch about what his wife ‘used to do’ when she would not have even had his child in her class 2 years ago. There needs to be some serious rethinking going on about the time line.
I loved Chi-Chi’s character. There is this perfect blend of girly girl and manly man. Loves getting dressed up and can make a mean batch of muffins but is also equally handy fixing a car engine and throwing a punch. Just really seemed like a well developed character. This character is really amazing. Terrified of becoming his abusive father and struggling to overcome his poor childhood.
This cute little drag queen romance was very well written (other than some story line inconsistencies that need to be addressed) with unique characters and just the right amount of heat and drama to keep it interesting. I felt like I got to know Chi-Chi much better than I did Mitch. I think he needed a bit more development. He struggled with accepting Chi-Chi’s uniqueness in front of others but loved the feminine side of him behind closed doors. Vic, Chi-Chi’se brother, seems like a good guy in a ‘break your knees if you hurt my baby brother’ sort of way. Protective but definitely a bit of a troublemaker.
Overall, I enjoyed Outside the Lines by A.R. Barley quite a bit. The story and characters really kept my attention, however it definitely needs some serious proofreading and story editing to fix all the inconsistencies.
October 9, 2020
Went off the deep end
I started out really enjoying this book. I love Chi Chi and the kids are great. Then it just took a down turn a little past the half way point. The sex scenes were kinda lame and far apart. Weak for the most part. And the writing overall felt disjointed. My biggest issue was the inconsistencies. Blatant and should have been super easy to find with a basic editor. For example - in once scene Mitch ends up with a cut under his eye because Vic hits him except that's never written in the story! That kind of mistake - and there were others - is too bothersome for me. So it definitely took stars off. I gave it a generous 3 stars because I liked the first half and those characters. Everyone else, including Mitch, pretty weak.
I started out really enjoying this book. I love Chi Chi and the kids are great. Then it just took a down turn a little past the half way point. The sex scenes were kinda lame and far apart. Weak for the most part. And the writing overall felt disjointed. My biggest issue was the inconsistencies. Blatant and should have been super easy to find with a basic editor. For example - in once scene Mitch ends up with a cut under his eye because Vic hits him except that's never written in the story! That kind of mistake - and there were others - is too bothersome for me. So it definitely took stars off. I gave it a generous 3 stars because I liked the first half and those characters. Everyone else, including Mitch, pretty weak.
March 23, 2018
3 1/2 stars. I liked this whole series and the MCs in this one were well done and believable. Unfortunately for me, one of the main hinges of the plot is the fact that Mitch has kids and one of the things I try to avoid is plots where kids are threatened as a sub plot device. Between the in-laws and the bullying father of their schoolmate I checked out for a few days before I finished it. If that isn’t something that turns you off this is a good book in a good series.
November 10, 2023
4.5 stars. I loved Chi-Chi. Life and people take advantage of him, seeing him as this bad apple when he is only standing up for himself. He has a great heart and keeps fighting. Mitch really doesn't deserve him. When things are easy, Mitch is there but not when things are hard, not concerning Chi-Chi. Not until it's too late. Did I wish Mitch had been a better man for Chi-Chi sooner? Yes but at least he got his HEA. He deserves it!
May 17, 2020
I reread this after 3 years because I remembered the story well and liked Chi Chi.
Maybe my English got better? This time around I frequently was annoyed by the language. It missed nuance in describing feelings. The wording was clichéd.
Maybe my English got better? This time around I frequently was annoyed by the language. It missed nuance in describing feelings. The wording was clichéd.
October 16, 2018
Enjoyable entertaining read. Recommend this book and the series.
February 23, 2019
Liked ChiChi but feel like he got shafted in this story.
October 31, 2016
My Review:
I've really enjoyed this whole series and this was a great addition to it. We met Chi Chi in the last book, so when I saw this book featured him, I had to grab it.
Chi Chi is a go-getter. When the book begins, he's working 4 jobs...one of them as a drag queen. He dreams of someday making it to NYC and Broadway...and is willing to work to get there. He's had a hard life. He had an abusive father and is from the wrong community. As a smaller, more delicate and feminine guy drawn to pink, and glitter, and lace, that didn't work out too well for him. But now he's in a pretty good place...even managing to go to one college class.
Mitch is not in a good place. His wife left him as a single father to two young kids when she suddenly died two years ago. His life is a mess and he's not managing any of it well. Things are slipping through the cracks like the fact his nanny is totally unreliable. It's because of that Chi Chi ends up taking care of the kids one afternoon. In that single afternoon, Mitch got a glimpse of what his life could be like, so he hires Chi Chi.
The complication is that the two men are drawn to one another. There's huge chemistry, but Mitch is all about putting his family's needs in front of his dick...no matter that he hasn't dated anyone since his wife died and he's extremely lonely.
Like I said, I completely enjoyed the book. It's a little bit on the shorter side so I was able to read it in one afternoon, in one sitting. Which was good because once I started it, I didn't want to put it down. Both men have issues. Chi Chi lives with the idea that no one will ever want him forever because he's different than most. His self esteem has taken a battering over the years. Mitch is torn. While he's bisexual, he doesn't have a lot of experience with men. And what if this doesn't work out? His kids need Chi Chi.
Then there were the kids. They were really well written. I loved both of those kids, and how completely accepting they were of this unknown situation. Jack is eleven...he's old enough to pick up on the clues of what is happening between Mitch and Chi Chi and I loved how forthright he was about his questions...and then his actions later...man, that kid was awesome!
Like I said, it was a good one. I enjoyed it...a lot.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for an honest review.
I've really enjoyed this whole series and this was a great addition to it. We met Chi Chi in the last book, so when I saw this book featured him, I had to grab it.
Chi Chi is a go-getter. When the book begins, he's working 4 jobs...one of them as a drag queen. He dreams of someday making it to NYC and Broadway...and is willing to work to get there. He's had a hard life. He had an abusive father and is from the wrong community. As a smaller, more delicate and feminine guy drawn to pink, and glitter, and lace, that didn't work out too well for him. But now he's in a pretty good place...even managing to go to one college class.
Mitch is not in a good place. His wife left him as a single father to two young kids when she suddenly died two years ago. His life is a mess and he's not managing any of it well. Things are slipping through the cracks like the fact his nanny is totally unreliable. It's because of that Chi Chi ends up taking care of the kids one afternoon. In that single afternoon, Mitch got a glimpse of what his life could be like, so he hires Chi Chi.
The complication is that the two men are drawn to one another. There's huge chemistry, but Mitch is all about putting his family's needs in front of his dick...no matter that he hasn't dated anyone since his wife died and he's extremely lonely.
Like I said, I completely enjoyed the book. It's a little bit on the shorter side so I was able to read it in one afternoon, in one sitting. Which was good because once I started it, I didn't want to put it down. Both men have issues. Chi Chi lives with the idea that no one will ever want him forever because he's different than most. His self esteem has taken a battering over the years. Mitch is torn. While he's bisexual, he doesn't have a lot of experience with men. And what if this doesn't work out? His kids need Chi Chi.
Then there were the kids. They were really well written. I loved both of those kids, and how completely accepting they were of this unknown situation. Jack is eleven...he's old enough to pick up on the clues of what is happening between Mitch and Chi Chi and I loved how forthright he was about his questions...and then his actions later...man, that kid was awesome!
Like I said, it was a good one. I enjoyed it...a lot.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for an honest review.
November 1, 2016
I loved this one - so much feeling!
Outside the Lines is the 3rd book in The Boundaries Series by A. R. Barley. Of the three books this one is by far my favorite. Mitch and Chi-Chi’s story is full of so much feeling; I was pulling for these two every step of the way.
Mitch is a bisexual widower with two children. When he sees Chi-Chi at the only gay bar in town he’s instantly attracted but runs away because he can’t imagine anyone like Chi-Chi being interested in him.
Chi-Chi feels a connection to Mitch when they first meet, too but when he disappears during Chi-Chi’s performance he writes him off as a jerk.
The two meet again later at a backyard bar-b-Que and it takes a while for Mitch to realize that one of his neighbors sharing the house next door, is the gorgeous person he ran from at Ale Mary’s.
This story starts off hot and just keeps getting hotter and hotter. I felt the connection between these two main characters right away and once I started reading this book I didn’t want to stop. All Mitch wants is to be a good father to his son and daughter and to find someone he can love and be with. Chi-Chi has dreams of performing on Broadway but he’s struggling to get there, working at multiple low-paying jobs.
I felt so bad for Mitch and the struggles he is going through with his kids and his in-laws. He’s afraid if he does anything “wrong” they will try to take his children from him but he doesn’t share this information. Chi-Chi has ghosts from his past life and also doesn’t share with Mitch. These two seem to have trouble communicating everywhere but in the bedroom.
Outside the Lines touched on all of my emotions and I feel like a broken record sometimes when I say (over and over - lol) that that’s my favorite kind of story.
You don’t need to have read the first two books in the series to enjoy this one. Characters from the earlier books appear in this one but only in a minor way. I’ve enjoyed reading this series and while book 2 wasn’t my cup of tea, I would certainly be willing to read more M/M stories from Ms. Barley.
ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley but this did not influence my opinion or rating of the book.
Outside the Lines is the 3rd book in The Boundaries Series by A. R. Barley. Of the three books this one is by far my favorite. Mitch and Chi-Chi’s story is full of so much feeling; I was pulling for these two every step of the way.
Mitch is a bisexual widower with two children. When he sees Chi-Chi at the only gay bar in town he’s instantly attracted but runs away because he can’t imagine anyone like Chi-Chi being interested in him.
Chi-Chi feels a connection to Mitch when they first meet, too but when he disappears during Chi-Chi’s performance he writes him off as a jerk.
The two meet again later at a backyard bar-b-Que and it takes a while for Mitch to realize that one of his neighbors sharing the house next door, is the gorgeous person he ran from at Ale Mary’s.
This story starts off hot and just keeps getting hotter and hotter. I felt the connection between these two main characters right away and once I started reading this book I didn’t want to stop. All Mitch wants is to be a good father to his son and daughter and to find someone he can love and be with. Chi-Chi has dreams of performing on Broadway but he’s struggling to get there, working at multiple low-paying jobs.
I felt so bad for Mitch and the struggles he is going through with his kids and his in-laws. He’s afraid if he does anything “wrong” they will try to take his children from him but he doesn’t share this information. Chi-Chi has ghosts from his past life and also doesn’t share with Mitch. These two seem to have trouble communicating everywhere but in the bedroom.
Outside the Lines touched on all of my emotions and I feel like a broken record sometimes when I say (over and over - lol) that that’s my favorite kind of story.
You don’t need to have read the first two books in the series to enjoy this one. Characters from the earlier books appear in this one but only in a minor way. I’ve enjoyed reading this series and while book 2 wasn’t my cup of tea, I would certainly be willing to read more M/M stories from Ms. Barley.
ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley but this did not influence my opinion or rating of the book.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 46 reviews