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Keeping the Caveman: Quill & Jackson
"Jackson?"
I blamed my uncharacteristic whisper on the shock of the situation. My usual military calm shattered by the man I was straddling.
I should have got my composure back and said something after, something like 'Are you real?' or 'How is this possible? Instead I gawped, mouth hanging and eyes tracking. Unlike the ghosts in my dreams, I could clutch at his skin, hear his sharp intakes of breath, smell the scent of wood smoke on his clothes.
The man beneath me, the one staring up at me with his dazzling grey irises and black hair fanned out on the floor. He was dead, had died years ago in a tragic accident. A tragic accident that not only robbed him of his young life, but took my mothers too.
I had wanted to start a new chapter in my life, had a path all set out for me to take. It should have been easy, burying my past, stepping into my future.
Life took an unexpected turn when I found myself pinning Jackson Price to the floor...
I blamed my uncharacteristic whisper on the shock of the situation. My usual military calm shattered by the man I was straddling.
I should have got my composure back and said something after, something like 'Are you real?' or 'How is this possible? Instead I gawped, mouth hanging and eyes tracking. Unlike the ghosts in my dreams, I could clutch at his skin, hear his sharp intakes of breath, smell the scent of wood smoke on his clothes.
The man beneath me, the one staring up at me with his dazzling grey irises and black hair fanned out on the floor. He was dead, had died years ago in a tragic accident. A tragic accident that not only robbed him of his young life, but took my mothers too.
I had wanted to start a new chapter in my life, had a path all set out for me to take. It should have been easy, burying my past, stepping into my future.
Life took an unexpected turn when I found myself pinning Jackson Price to the floor...
206 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2017
10 people are currently reading
41 people want to read
About the author
Louise Collins
45 books631 followersWriter of mm romance and erotica.
I write the stories I'd love to read, I hope you enjoy them too.
Lover of Romance but not without angst along the way.
Seduced by the dancing of a neanderthal and now a mother of two monsters.
Drinks tea with a passion, adores dogs, and their sea dwelling cousins.
Failed two chocolate eating challenges but will return for round three.
https://mailchi.mp/ad6955eed18f/louis...
♥
Facebook
I write the stories I'd love to read, I hope you enjoy them too.
Lover of Romance but not without angst along the way.
Seduced by the dancing of a neanderthal and now a mother of two monsters.
Drinks tea with a passion, adores dogs, and their sea dwelling cousins.
Failed two chocolate eating challenges but will return for round three.
https://mailchi.mp/ad6955eed18f/louis...
♥
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
June 27, 2020
3 Stars
Nine years ago, Quill’s mother died in a car accident and left him a cabin in the middle of the woods. Now after these years he decided to go to the cabin, check it and sort the house for when the buyers were coming to take over. He expected it to be dirty and empty but he got surprised when he caught off guard by a gun pressuring on his spine, apparently someone risen from the dead…
Told in single POV, 1st person, it’s a standalone novella. It’s a short read, I read it in one sitting. It’s an easy read and it features holidays theme. My major complaint is that the story dragged A LOT. I think it had the potential to be much better. Considering the plot, it could be a very good emotional story but I had issues to feel them, I felt a bit detached. Also, what’s the thing about the ring on the cover?!? Overall, it was meh but I hope you enjoy it more than me!
Nine years ago, Quill’s mother died in a car accident and left him a cabin in the middle of the woods. Now after these years he decided to go to the cabin, check it and sort the house for when the buyers were coming to take over. He expected it to be dirty and empty but he got surprised when he caught off guard by a gun pressuring on his spine, apparently someone risen from the dead…
Told in single POV, 1st person, it’s a standalone novella. It’s a short read, I read it in one sitting. It’s an easy read and it features holidays theme. My major complaint is that the story dragged A LOT. I think it had the potential to be much better. Considering the plot, it could be a very good emotional story but I had issues to feel them, I felt a bit detached. Also, what’s the thing about the ring on the cover?!? Overall, it was meh but I hope you enjoy it more than me!
May 29, 2017
The story is about Quill and Jackson, stepbrothers who haven't seen each other in years and doesn't have a good relationship to start with. Complications arose when after 9 years of being in service Quill returned back to civilian life, he inherited and sold his late mother's house to buy a new flat and start a new life. However, when he dropped by the house to tidy it up for the new owners, he discovered his younger stepbrother, Jackson who has made a life for himself living in the house.
Overall, I love this book. The characters have well fleshed out backgrounds, and I connect to them on a personal level. I think that's one of my favorite things about this book because I get where they're both coming from so the characters don't feel one-dimensional to me. Even though this book is from Quill's perspective, the way the author writes about Jackson's expressions and mannerisms made it easy for me to know what he's feeling or thinking.
It's really fun to read how they slowly got to know each other, and bonded over the activities they did together in the woods, and later during Christmas at a friend's house. The writing is beautiful and I think the author did a great job with this. There were definitely some moments where I was caught up in the story because of the way the author describes things, like the view of the lake or color of Jackson's eyes.
Personally, I imagine these two as the characters. I think the description fits them well but you're free to imagine it as other people :)
Quill, the Army ex-Captain.
Jackson, the quiet, resourceful man living in the woods.
Highly recommend this book if you like m/m romance with slow-burn, angst, and things that give you lots of warm and fuzzy feeling while reading it <3
Overall, I love this book. The characters have well fleshed out backgrounds, and I connect to them on a personal level. I think that's one of my favorite things about this book because I get where they're both coming from so the characters don't feel one-dimensional to me. Even though this book is from Quill's perspective, the way the author writes about Jackson's expressions and mannerisms made it easy for me to know what he's feeling or thinking.
It's really fun to read how they slowly got to know each other, and bonded over the activities they did together in the woods, and later during Christmas at a friend's house. The writing is beautiful and I think the author did a great job with this. There were definitely some moments where I was caught up in the story because of the way the author describes things, like the view of the lake or color of Jackson's eyes.
Personally, I imagine these two as the characters. I think the description fits them well but you're free to imagine it as other people :)
Quill, the Army ex-Captain.
Jackson, the quiet, resourceful man living in the woods.
Highly recommend this book if you like m/m romance with slow-burn, angst, and things that give you lots of warm and fuzzy feeling while reading it <3
May 10, 2020
This was my least favorite Louise collin’s book so far😑💔 maybe it’s me i just need action and thriller to enjoy my books now😑
May 14, 2017
4.5 stars
Please note: This is NOT a story about a caveman.
I was hooked from the beginning needing to know how this was going to pan out. What happens when one tiny little lie becomes the big thing that could stand between you and the person you never ever thought could be "the one"?
After a book slump and doing some re-reads this was such a refreshing change. The story was unique. The characters were original. The writing was subtle, yet full of honesty and it all felt very true to life. It was sexy, sweet and romantic but never OTT and had a realistic HEA that suited the story perfectly.
Please note: This is NOT a story about a caveman.
I was hooked from the beginning needing to know how this was going to pan out. What happens when one tiny little lie becomes the big thing that could stand between you and the person you never ever thought could be "the one"?
After a book slump and doing some re-reads this was such a refreshing change. The story was unique. The characters were original. The writing was subtle, yet full of honesty and it all felt very true to life. It was sexy, sweet and romantic but never OTT and had a realistic HEA that suited the story perfectly.
October 5, 2017
3.5 stars. A story that was emotional and heart-tugging but was too long and drawn out for me, which encouraged skimming and skipping.
May 13, 2017
“I’m Quill, an army captain, and you’re trespassing on my property.”
British author Louise Collins lives and writes in London. To date she has published two books - THE CLIMB, a MF romance, and KEEPING THE CAVEMAN: QUILL & JACKSON, a MM gay romance. Having read both, it is apparent that Louise can move equally comfortably among any range of love affairs she chooses Louise understands all aspects of lust, physical attraction, and love – and she knows how to address them all with a fine sense of style and wit.
Louise opens her book with a welcoming gaze at Scotland, and introduces Quill and his dog Coop as they prepare to visit his deceased mum’s home where they discover a surprise – ‘I stilled, I knew the man beneath the mask. We’d only met once twelve years ago, when I was sixteen and him twelve, but there was no mistaking the dark thick hair, the piercing grey eyes, the rest of his face had changed, no longer a boy but a man with chiseled jaw, stumbled face and dimples flexing in his cheeks as he stared back just as stunned. It was impossible, the man couldn’t be real. I wondered whether the mist over the house had been a hallucinogenic and patted the figure on the floor. The son of the man I despised. “Jackson?”….“You’re looking rather well for a dead man.” I remarked. His Adam’s-apple bobbed, but he didn’t pull his attention from the plasterboard, stared unblinking at the off-white roof, deaf to the words I’d spoken. I sighed, walking over to the blurry window, a sheet of plastic had been nailed over the pane, at a guess to keep the warmth in. “Who told you I died?” It was my turn to rock back on my heels. “A letter from your dad.” The MOD informed me of my mum’s death, I had been on an operation at the time and they’d chosen to keep me in the dark till I was back, not the nicest news when returning exhausted with fewer men than we started. Not only did I find out she had died, but her funeral had been held and body buried under Richard's wishes. It was a full year later he wrote and told me the location of her grave, the contents of her will, and bluntly informed me in the letter that Jackson had also succumbed to his injuries. I didn’t know Jackson well enough to register his passing, would go as far as saying I forgot he existed until I stared down into his icy irises.’
The summary ties up the threads of the story – ‘"Jackson?" I blamed my uncharacteristic whisper on the shock of the situation. My usual military calm shattered by the man I was straddling. I should have got my composure back and said something after, something like 'Are you real?' or 'How is this possible? Instead I gawped, mouth hanging and eyes tracking. Unlike the ghosts in my dreams, I could clutch at his skin, hear his sharp intakes of breath, smell the scent of wood smoke on his clothes. The man beneath me, the one staring up at me with his dazzling grey irises and black hair fanned out on the floor. He was dead, had died years ago in a tragic accident. A tragic accident that not only robbed him of his young life, but took my mothers too. I had wanted to start a new chapter in my life, had a path all set out for me to take. It should have been easy, burying my past, stepping into my future. Life took an unexpected turn when I found myself pinning Jackson Price to the floor...’
And hence the beginning of a very fine romance. How Louise develops this steamy hot affair is an indication that we have another up and coming erotica writer among us. Her way with words, interjecting tidbits of humor when we least expect them, molds a story that, while relatively brief, makes for a satisfying evening’s reading. Quill and Jackson are characters we’ll not likely forget. Her way with empathy for her characters is rare. Hopefully Louise Collins will continue writing!
British author Louise Collins lives and writes in London. To date she has published two books - THE CLIMB, a MF romance, and KEEPING THE CAVEMAN: QUILL & JACKSON, a MM gay romance. Having read both, it is apparent that Louise can move equally comfortably among any range of love affairs she chooses Louise understands all aspects of lust, physical attraction, and love – and she knows how to address them all with a fine sense of style and wit.
Louise opens her book with a welcoming gaze at Scotland, and introduces Quill and his dog Coop as they prepare to visit his deceased mum’s home where they discover a surprise – ‘I stilled, I knew the man beneath the mask. We’d only met once twelve years ago, when I was sixteen and him twelve, but there was no mistaking the dark thick hair, the piercing grey eyes, the rest of his face had changed, no longer a boy but a man with chiseled jaw, stumbled face and dimples flexing in his cheeks as he stared back just as stunned. It was impossible, the man couldn’t be real. I wondered whether the mist over the house had been a hallucinogenic and patted the figure on the floor. The son of the man I despised. “Jackson?”….“You’re looking rather well for a dead man.” I remarked. His Adam’s-apple bobbed, but he didn’t pull his attention from the plasterboard, stared unblinking at the off-white roof, deaf to the words I’d spoken. I sighed, walking over to the blurry window, a sheet of plastic had been nailed over the pane, at a guess to keep the warmth in. “Who told you I died?” It was my turn to rock back on my heels. “A letter from your dad.” The MOD informed me of my mum’s death, I had been on an operation at the time and they’d chosen to keep me in the dark till I was back, not the nicest news when returning exhausted with fewer men than we started. Not only did I find out she had died, but her funeral had been held and body buried under Richard's wishes. It was a full year later he wrote and told me the location of her grave, the contents of her will, and bluntly informed me in the letter that Jackson had also succumbed to his injuries. I didn’t know Jackson well enough to register his passing, would go as far as saying I forgot he existed until I stared down into his icy irises.’
The summary ties up the threads of the story – ‘"Jackson?" I blamed my uncharacteristic whisper on the shock of the situation. My usual military calm shattered by the man I was straddling. I should have got my composure back and said something after, something like 'Are you real?' or 'How is this possible? Instead I gawped, mouth hanging and eyes tracking. Unlike the ghosts in my dreams, I could clutch at his skin, hear his sharp intakes of breath, smell the scent of wood smoke on his clothes. The man beneath me, the one staring up at me with his dazzling grey irises and black hair fanned out on the floor. He was dead, had died years ago in a tragic accident. A tragic accident that not only robbed him of his young life, but took my mothers too. I had wanted to start a new chapter in my life, had a path all set out for me to take. It should have been easy, burying my past, stepping into my future. Life took an unexpected turn when I found myself pinning Jackson Price to the floor...’
And hence the beginning of a very fine romance. How Louise develops this steamy hot affair is an indication that we have another up and coming erotica writer among us. Her way with words, interjecting tidbits of humor when we least expect them, molds a story that, while relatively brief, makes for a satisfying evening’s reading. Quill and Jackson are characters we’ll not likely forget. Her way with empathy for her characters is rare. Hopefully Louise Collins will continue writing!
May 15, 2017
Keeping the Caveman: Quill & Jackson by Louise Collins opens the door to a new relationship for Quill, the protagonist in this sultry novel. Returning to his mother's home several years after her death, he finds inside a man he thought was dead. Not only did Quill think this person was dead, but it turns out the stranger is his stepbrother Jackson, who was in the car accident that killed Quill's mother. From that improbable scenario, the flames ignite, pulling the two men toward each other in hesitant yet consuming fashion. A finely paced story that gives a bit of history behind each character, with their inherent personal struggles and tribulations, Quill and Jackson must decide if a relationship is what they are looking for, or if they just want a bit of fun. Collins moves the action along nicely with plenty of dialogue, sexually charged scenes, and a touch of humor. Recommend for a light romance.
May 7, 2018
This was an interesting read set differently than most books with Jackson living a life off the land in modern day, but barely subsisting. Quill wanting a new life in the city after his stint in the Army. Its a cute romantic romance where the author takes the time for the relationship to develop naturally and slowly.
July 11, 2017
A Joyfully Jay review.
3.5 stars
Keeping the Caveman takes a common trope (the potential relationship between two romantic interests put into jeopardy because one of the two is keeping secrets) and adds an interesting spin. I’ll admit, Collins does a fair job at building the tension on a few different levels. First and most plainly, we know almost right off the bat that Quill thought Jackson was literally dead when, in fact, Jackson was only figuratively dead to his overbearing (?) father. Second, and more importantly, the fact that Quill has sold the house even before ever setting foot inside (and thus knowing Jackson was both alive and living at said house) causes no small amount of strife.
Quill is an interesting main character. He’s got a background in military and the skills and mindset he developed while serving come to the fore during the first few chapters. Being in the armed services is also a huge plot device—it served as the means for him to escape his cold, loathsome stepfather and as the insurance against having to go home during holidays to spend time with the man (but also, by extension, Quill couldn’t spend time with his own mother or get to know his younger stepbrother). As much as the army factors into Quill’s personality and circumstances, it didn’t feel like a huge “gotta make a big deal about this” element in the story. For me, I rather liked that this aspect of the character didn’t dominate all other facets of his person.
Read Camille’s review in its entirety here.
3.5 stars
Keeping the Caveman takes a common trope (the potential relationship between two romantic interests put into jeopardy because one of the two is keeping secrets) and adds an interesting spin. I’ll admit, Collins does a fair job at building the tension on a few different levels. First and most plainly, we know almost right off the bat that Quill thought Jackson was literally dead when, in fact, Jackson was only figuratively dead to his overbearing (?) father. Second, and more importantly, the fact that Quill has sold the house even before ever setting foot inside (and thus knowing Jackson was both alive and living at said house) causes no small amount of strife.
Quill is an interesting main character. He’s got a background in military and the skills and mindset he developed while serving come to the fore during the first few chapters. Being in the armed services is also a huge plot device—it served as the means for him to escape his cold, loathsome stepfather and as the insurance against having to go home during holidays to spend time with the man (but also, by extension, Quill couldn’t spend time with his own mother or get to know his younger stepbrother). As much as the army factors into Quill’s personality and circumstances, it didn’t feel like a huge “gotta make a big deal about this” element in the story. For me, I rather liked that this aspect of the character didn’t dominate all other facets of his person.
Read Camille’s review in its entirety here.
April 28, 2017
Coming home, in Scotland.
Finding your true home where you least expect to find it...in your past.
White lies can give you a little breathing room, but as trust and closeness grow, those white lies can grow to devastating degrees of hurt.
This is the situation Quill finds himself in when he lies by omission to Jackson. His growing feelings for Jackson and knowing how devastated Jackson will be are the excuses he uses to convince himself he will tell him the truth when the right time presents itself. Oh, the webs we weave when first we practice to deceive.
Well rounded story with a satisfying ending.
Finding your true home where you least expect to find it...in your past.
White lies can give you a little breathing room, but as trust and closeness grow, those white lies can grow to devastating degrees of hurt.
This is the situation Quill finds himself in when he lies by omission to Jackson. His growing feelings for Jackson and knowing how devastated Jackson will be are the excuses he uses to convince himself he will tell him the truth when the right time presents itself. Oh, the webs we weave when first we practice to deceive.
Well rounded story with a satisfying ending.
April 23, 2017
That was an enjoyable reading material with a lot of emotion jumping around.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews