Moment Of Doubt

Moments in Time #3.5

by Karen Stivali

After three years of relative bliss, Tanner is stunned when Collin announces they should take a break. Tanner assumes this is just stress talking. They've been living in separate states for work and school and have both been super busy. Thinking Collin will chill when they spend some quality time together, Tanner tries to stay calm, but when messages go unanswered he realizes the break is for real.

Heartbroken, he tries to move on. When Collin gets in touch to ask a favor for his family, Tanner is tempted to say no. But Collin's brothers mean too much to Tanner, so he reluctantly agrees to pretend they're together, just for the weekend, with a promise from Collin that he'll tell them the truth when it's over.

Will their weekend together bring the closure Tanner needs? Or was the entire breakup just a moment of doubt?

This book is able to be read as a standalone but is best enjoyed after reading the first 3 books in the Moments In Time series. HEA guaranteed.

Genres: M M Romance, Romance

56 pages, ebook

First published February 10, 2017

About the author

Karen Stivali is a prolific writer, compulsive baker, and chocoholic with a penchant for books, movies, and fictional British men.

Reviews

[Mirjana **DTR - Down to Read** · Rating 2 out of 5]

***1.5 Stars***

This whole novella is some serious BULLSHIT. Complete and utter bullshit. Skip this novella.



I've spent three...THREE...books reading about Collin and Tanner and you're going to give me a bonus novella where they break up on page one and then are broken up for almost THE ENTIRE NOVELLA?!?!?!



I mean, I knew what I was in for...it's right there in the blurb. But I wasn't expecting Collin to just cut off all fucking communication and break Tanner's heart like that. And when he finally gets Tanner to agree to this trip, and has a whole car ride and a whole weekend with him....HE STILL ISN'T SAYING SHIT!

TELL HIM HOW YOU FEEL JACKASS! THE GUY DESERVES AN EXPLANATION AND SOME GODDAMN ANSWERS!

I hate Collin. I hate him so much. It was difficult being in his head for the three previous novellas, but I dealt with it because at the end of the day, I really believed in Collin's love for Tanner. But here.....he basically took a shit on this entire romance. He was scared? For real? So you just stomp on someone's heart like that?? Whatever. Fuck you.

This couple is forever tainted to me.

Bottom line. Tanner deserves so much better.

[Elsa Bravante]

Review and rating removed

[Tracy~Bayou Book Junkie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I debated whether of not to write a review for this book. I love Collin and Tanner and when I saw the surprise release, I couldn't one-click fast enough, without even reading the blurb. Then I opened it and read the first sentence and I wanted to shut the book and walk away.

I won't bore you with a synopsis, I'll just tell you what I thought. First the writing, as always is superb, but the book left me heartbroken. Tanner and Collin have been through so much, and they've stuck it out together, making it work. So, frankly, it just seemed rather cruel to break them up. Yes, you get a Hea/hfn, but it makes me question if they'll actually make it. If after 3 years you haven't learned how to communicate with your partner, will you ever? Will this happen again in the future?

I can handle an established couple being pulled apart by distance, but breaking up two characters that I adore? Well, honestly, it just leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

This was a not so enjoyable read that made me bawl like a baby and want to punch Collin in the face! This story is filled with heartache, anger, frustration, some angry sex and of course, love. Collin and Tanner fans, read it at your own risk!!

[Laxmama · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a great surprise from Karen Stivalli, but she almost killed me on page 1...but she knows how to give me all I wanted in this short. Great to have a little more of Collin & Tanner but now anxiously waiting for Moment of Fate

[Theodora IK · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of how Collin was being a dumbass.

[Anke · Rating 2 out of 5]

I saw this and bought it, without reading the blurb, stupid me. After finishing book #3 late last night I wasn't a happy camper. I totally didn't like the turn of events during the final 20% or so of the book. Now here it goes on?!
But I bought it and it's like a bad accident - you don't want to look at it but you can't help it.
Ok - let's go.

Finished and it was what I feared. I totally felt with Tanner and couldn't relate even a little bit to Collin. The 180° turn came too fast and therefore unbelievable. Therefore the happy ending also didn't really work for me. It was too much too fast and overall left me rather unsatisfied.

As my memory isn't the best, I'm not quite sure but I think regarding the timeline it would be better to read this after book #4?

[Silvia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great ending

This novella had me scared and confused. I was mad at Collin throughout the whole book. Not sure why this short story was even necessary but happy with the ending. It better stay happy too. No more books about Collin and Tanner.

[Elithanathile · Rating 2 out of 5]

THERE IS A VENT COMING ... TRUST ME!! TOMORROW!!!!! The only reason there are 2 stars instead of 1 is because of the sex!! Based on the sex I’d have rated this higher, but since I didn’t expect porn without plot, and certainly didn’t expect so much bullshit contrived drama, I can’t rate this any higher!! Trust me, I was very fucking generous 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬!!
So yeah, definitely check back!!


****************


Everything I’ve written below most definitely still stands where full lengths are concerned and of course where the full length books in THIS series are concerned! BUT, I just remembered that the first 3 books ARE novellas as well [I have the bundle], and this is just the last novella in this particular arc! Alrighty then, so I’m changing course ... I am NOT going to read this novella first. I’ll be reading novellas 1-3 first and THEN I’ll read this one 😬!!

****************

I’ve read book 4 [a standalone in the series] and absolutely LOVED it ❤️! Soooo I bought the whole series, knowing I’ll adore every other book too 🙂!! THEN I discovered this novella and the fact that this too can be read as a standalone. I like clearing novellas off my TBR before full length books, which is why I want to read this one first. Also, I don’t plan on reading the full length books in this series just yet ... I’m saving them for later 🙂❤️; I don’t want to finish them yet!!

Anyway, since I can read this as a standalone without any problems jumping into it, I’ll be reading this one now. Here we go 😬!!

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wonky Timeline

There’s a lot of heart wrenching in this short novella. But...they lied. To each other, about their hook-ups. Tanner had sex with other people yet told Colin he hadn’t actually had sex, and Colin said the same...and the length of time is wonky. When Colin asks Tanner to go the cabin for the party, it sounded like they’d been separate for months, not less than two months. Tanner would have known about the engagement if they’d been together then, but since he didn’t know... it’s confusing. It’s as if the author changed her mind about how long it had been (7 weeks since they last had sex) and yet, Tanner’s emotions and the timeline make it feel like it was a lot longer than that.

Anyway, apart from plot holes and a weird time line, the psychology of it and how they work through it is good.

[Trader (RedHotBlueReads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

After Collin tells Tanner he wants to take a break, Tanner comes to the realization that it's truly over between them. That was a very difficult part of the book, especially after everything they'd been through together in the earlier books in the series. When Collin calls asking for a favor, Tanner knows he should say no, but his feelings let him say yes.

What transpires next is a road trip full of of anger, hurt, and eventual communication. And sex. Because this is Tanner and Collin.

This novella was just the perfect size to devour in an hour or two and it was a treat to read. Loved it!

[Farrah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finally got a Tanner POV
Finally. Just too short, not enough to satisfy the thirst for more storyline between these two. There should be a list of books to read and in which order.

I immediately went to 3.5, paid for it (not in KU) and all of a sudden I'm reading future spoilers in the next book? Which I still have to go back to the notes.

[Trace Dial · Rating 5 out of 5]

SERIOUSLY, BREAKUP NOW!

What do you do when a breakup really isn’t a breakup?
Besides reach for the Advil.
Pretty simple right?
Sure, like Quantum Physics simple.
You’re reaching for the Advil again, sorry.

Obviously the breakup was a huge mistake.
But why did it happen is book 3.5.

You're going to love this book.

Trace Dial

[LOVink · Rating 4 out of 5]

of course I had to buy this one immediately after finishing the first three books and I enjoyed it very much. I didn‘t quite get Collins motives for the break-up but I loved more Tanner and Collin time nevertheless ;)
Now I‘m excited to find out Quinn‘s story...

[Bambi Teague · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bought this not knowing it was about a breakup. But of course they did. Collin is such a dramatic Queen!! Quick resolve tho so that was nice. Was super shocked to have found out about Quinn and Jason. Will have to go searching for that book.

[Essie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Completely unnecessary story!
I loved the first three novels but this was ridiculous, OTT drama and there also was a spoiler for an upcoming novel......

[Ale · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story's conflict makes no sense, lol. But I missed Tanner and Collin, so it was worth the buy and read :)