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Responsible Adult #1
Misdemeanor
FROM NEW VOICE TO THE GAY ROMANCE GENRE C F WHITE
Book one in the Responsible Adult serial
Love isn’t responsible
After his mother tragically dies and his deadbeat father goes off the rails, nineteen-year-old Micky is left to care for his disabled little brother, Flynn.
Juggling college, a dead-end job and Flynn’s special needs means Micky has to put his bad-boy past behind him and be the responsible adult to keep his brother out of care. He doesn’t have time for anything else in his life.
Until he meets Dan…
226 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 6, 2017
73 people are currently reading
334 people want to read
About the author
C.F. White
37 books226 followersBrought up in a relatively small town in Hertfordshire, C F White managed to do what most other residents try to do and fail—leave.
She eventually settled for pie and mash, cockles and winkles and a bit of Knees Up Mother Brown to live in the East End of London; securing a job and creating a life, a home and a family.
She writes gritty British based stories about imperfect men falling in love against the odds and has been accused of sprinkling a bit of humour into them from time to time too.
She eventually settled for pie and mash, cockles and winkles and a bit of Knees Up Mother Brown to live in the East End of London; securing a job and creating a life, a home and a family.
She writes gritty British based stories about imperfect men falling in love against the odds and has been accused of sprinkling a bit of humour into them from time to time too.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
June 10, 2017
Misdemeanor is an interesting read with some high, highs and some low, lows. It is super angsty with some very heavy themes mentioned (violence, abuse, suicide, to name a few).
I actually enjoyed most of the story, though I had some fundamental issues that I couldn't get past, causing my rating to drop down a fair amount.
I'll start with the good. I absolutely love a story with a character with a disability, and here we have an interesting one. Micky's younger brother has William's Syndrome, which is a rare, genetic disorder. Oddly enough, I went to school with a boy with William's Syndrome, so I'm actually fairly educated on the topic. I loved reading about the description of Flynn, which I found to be accurate and done with care.
The story also felt very British, and I got a really good sense of atmosphere from the story.
I'm also a fan of opposites attract stories, and this was a nice one. A closeted guy from the wrong side of town with a police record and a middle-class guy from a good family and a solid job are an interesting mix. I conceptually liked the story, and I thought that the two guys were compelling together, even if they had their flaws.
Let's talk about the relationship. I liked the relationship, but I grew very frustrated with the back and forth. These guys were totally hot and cold, storming off and yelling, on the outs and then back together again. It was tiring after awhile, and I longed for better communication.
While the pacing and the romance wasn't exactly what I had hoped, I had a couple bigger issues.
A major issue of mine was the treatment of Dougie, a side character. Oddly enough, the way he was written put a sour taste in my mouth that affected my feelings of the entire story. Dougie is an obese coworker of the two MCs, and the fat-shaming was unbearably blatant. Dougie is depicted as constantly obsessed with food, so much that I actually considered that the author meant for him to have Prader-Willi syndrome (I ruled this out because it was never mentioned and Dougie seemed to be in the normal IQ range).
"But I fell in there once and I thought I might never come out, Dougie replied, his bottom lip quivering.
"How the hell did you fall in?" Dan asked. Although, to be honest, he would have lived a full, content life not knowing.
"I was reaching for a leftover doughnut ring," Dougie admitted, tucking his hands in his pockets. "And before you have a go, it was on top and the icing wasn't touching anything."
Dan widened his eyes in surprise, then lowered his head and shook it. exasperatingly.
"Well, look, just don't reach for any discarded food contents and you'll be fine."
Um, what? I hope the author knows that fat people don't go about their day obsessed with food and stealing food from the trash at their place of work.
Dan stood from crouching to secure the bottom lock of a shutter. He glanced over Ruby's shoulder to Dougie, who stood away from the others, dressed in oversized jeans and a baggy T-shirt with the Star Wars logo on it. Nothing out of the ordinary there. It was just his hair looked a bit different-he'd tried styling it. Had obviously used far too much gel than was necessary for his closely cropped dark hair, flattening it down on his head to the point it appeared caked in chip fat. Dan did a double take and slowly stared to convince himself it might actually be chip fat.
Yes, you know obese people eat so many french fries and have so little care for their appearances that they just use fat from a frying pan on their hair!
Dougie looked down to Micky. His brow furrowed as he patiently attempted to decipher whether Micky had just complemented him or taken the right utter piss. He shrugged, glanced back up the aisle where Dan retreated from and reached into his overall pocket to pull out a melted bar of chocolate. Dougie took a large chunk out of the Dairy Whole Nut, allowing the milky chocolate to stick to his fingers.
Micky heard the delighted moan and lick as Dougie closed his eyes and slurped each one of his chubby digits...
And on and on and on. It really, REALLY bothered me. Fat people simply don't act like slaves to food, especially not in public. The writing had a distinct tinge of a deep disdain for fat people, or at least a desire to shame them, and that was NOT okay with me.
Aside from that (big) issue, the author had the tendency to change POVs on a dime and head hop. There was far too much of that for my liking, and I found that it disturbed the flow of the story.
Finally, the book ends on a cliffhanger, and it's a big one. Talk about frustrating!
Overall, while parts of the story were very entertaining, I couldn't get past my issues. I won't be continuing on with the series.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
I actually enjoyed most of the story, though I had some fundamental issues that I couldn't get past, causing my rating to drop down a fair amount.
I'll start with the good. I absolutely love a story with a character with a disability, and here we have an interesting one. Micky's younger brother has William's Syndrome, which is a rare, genetic disorder. Oddly enough, I went to school with a boy with William's Syndrome, so I'm actually fairly educated on the topic. I loved reading about the description of Flynn, which I found to be accurate and done with care.
The story also felt very British, and I got a really good sense of atmosphere from the story.
I'm also a fan of opposites attract stories, and this was a nice one. A closeted guy from the wrong side of town with a police record and a middle-class guy from a good family and a solid job are an interesting mix. I conceptually liked the story, and I thought that the two guys were compelling together, even if they had their flaws.
Let's talk about the relationship. I liked the relationship, but I grew very frustrated with the back and forth. These guys were totally hot and cold, storming off and yelling, on the outs and then back together again. It was tiring after awhile, and I longed for better communication.
While the pacing and the romance wasn't exactly what I had hoped, I had a couple bigger issues.
A major issue of mine was the treatment of Dougie, a side character. Oddly enough, the way he was written put a sour taste in my mouth that affected my feelings of the entire story. Dougie is an obese coworker of the two MCs, and the fat-shaming was unbearably blatant. Dougie is depicted as constantly obsessed with food, so much that I actually considered that the author meant for him to have Prader-Willi syndrome (I ruled this out because it was never mentioned and Dougie seemed to be in the normal IQ range).
"But I fell in there once and I thought I might never come out, Dougie replied, his bottom lip quivering.
"How the hell did you fall in?" Dan asked. Although, to be honest, he would have lived a full, content life not knowing.
"I was reaching for a leftover doughnut ring," Dougie admitted, tucking his hands in his pockets. "And before you have a go, it was on top and the icing wasn't touching anything."
Dan widened his eyes in surprise, then lowered his head and shook it. exasperatingly.
"Well, look, just don't reach for any discarded food contents and you'll be fine."
Um, what? I hope the author knows that fat people don't go about their day obsessed with food and stealing food from the trash at their place of work.
Dan stood from crouching to secure the bottom lock of a shutter. He glanced over Ruby's shoulder to Dougie, who stood away from the others, dressed in oversized jeans and a baggy T-shirt with the Star Wars logo on it. Nothing out of the ordinary there. It was just his hair looked a bit different-he'd tried styling it. Had obviously used far too much gel than was necessary for his closely cropped dark hair, flattening it down on his head to the point it appeared caked in chip fat. Dan did a double take and slowly stared to convince himself it might actually be chip fat.
Yes, you know obese people eat so many french fries and have so little care for their appearances that they just use fat from a frying pan on their hair!
Dougie looked down to Micky. His brow furrowed as he patiently attempted to decipher whether Micky had just complemented him or taken the right utter piss. He shrugged, glanced back up the aisle where Dan retreated from and reached into his overall pocket to pull out a melted bar of chocolate. Dougie took a large chunk out of the Dairy Whole Nut, allowing the milky chocolate to stick to his fingers.
Micky heard the delighted moan and lick as Dougie closed his eyes and slurped each one of his chubby digits...
And on and on and on. It really, REALLY bothered me. Fat people simply don't act like slaves to food, especially not in public. The writing had a distinct tinge of a deep disdain for fat people, or at least a desire to shame them, and that was NOT okay with me.
Aside from that (big) issue, the author had the tendency to change POVs on a dime and head hop. There was far too much of that for my liking, and I found that it disturbed the flow of the story.
Finally, the book ends on a cliffhanger, and it's a big one. Talk about frustrating!
Overall, while parts of the story were very entertaining, I couldn't get past my issues. I won't be continuing on with the series.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
October 22, 2021
Audio - 4 Stars
Story - 4.5 Stars
Story - 4.5 Stars
July 16, 2017
Micky hasn’t always been the best of guys, sons, or brothers…but with a alcoholic dad, a dead mum, and a young brother with developmental issues, he might just have to do better. Or face losing Flynn, his brother, since Micky is the only one around to raise him. Unfortunately he has a bit of a past (and a criminal record) so going to the authorities for help is the last thing he can do. He figures, though, that if he can get a job, finish the education his skipped out on, and not start fights with random assholes, he might just be able to swing it.
Dan might not be all that impressed with Micky’s past, but he is willing to give the guy a second chance. He just might have to not tell his manager that Micky’s employment application is a bit thin on the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Still, Dan is only hiring the guy to help stack shelves in a groceries store, not guard the Queen’s family jewels. A little fibbing couldn’t hurt…could it? And of course, his desire to stretch the truth has nothing to do with the way Micky fills out the god-awful store uniform. Not at all.
Ugh. Ok. The things I liked about this book.
Um…
I liked the way Flynn, Micky’s brother was written in this. He was a bit annoying, but then again I think he was supposed to be. I don’t know, there was just something about it that made me feel all the frustration, yet caring, that Micky feels when he is around the kid. He clearly loves his brother, and it shows, but Micky is also barely an adult himself stuck taking care of this kid who just doesn’t get the world the way most kids do. And raising any kid at that age has to be frustrating. Raising one with special needs has to be doubly so. I liked how the book balanced both those feelings out.
I also like Jason, Micky’s best friend. Sure he is an asshole, but by the end of this book he really started to be much more than that. This story could have easily left him as nothing more than this two-bit thug, but he genuinely cares about Micky and Flynn. And yeah, he is a bit of a douche, and I wanted to take a bat to his shins for what he does to Dan, but in the end I think you really get to see another side to him. For all that his book tends to lean a bit too much on the side of cliche, it doesn’t do that here and I appreciated it.
On the other hand…Dougie gets to be beaten to near death by the cliche bat. Fat, lazy, with poor hygiene and less than stellar mental capacity…Dougie is this stories punching bag from start to finish. Something about the way this character was written was really annoying. And I don’t know if it is just me, but it felt like the story wanted you to ridicule him, even though he doesn’t do anything to deserve it except not be someone sexually desirable to most people. He isn’t a bad guy, or mean–in fact he is the exact opposite. It felt mean and petty. Like he was written just to be there to be made fun of. Almost every scene he is in involves him either eating, or talking about eating–because heaven knows that is all fat people do. He is never once described in a positive light. He is a joke…and one I found to be not at all funny.
This book rides a bit too hard on the cliches to be honest. And while there was honest attempts at subverting some of them, there were others that I was less than impressed by. The women in this book do not come out in the best light. Except for the poor-sainted-dead-mother and maybe the roommate. But they don’t feature all that much in this story. True, it wasn’t as bad as it could have been, but I would have liked if it toned down the man-eating slut vibe on some of the female characters. There were also a few scenes of violence against one of the MCs, that was just shrugged off nearly three seconds later, which I found really odd.
Yet honestly a lot of the flaws of this book I was more than willing to shrug off. They were flawed characters, sure, but there was enough here for me to really get into the story and sympathize with them. And then the ending happened.
And by ending I mean it just ended. It felt like the last 10 percent of this book was just missing. There is no conclusion, no wrap up. The story culminates to this big reveal that it has been building up to for the whole story…and then just leaves you there hanging and going “what the fuck?”. I find cliffhangers annoying, but what I find unacceptable is an author that decides to purposefully end a story just so you will have to buy the next book to find out what happens–mostly because they don’t think their story is good enough hook you into the series in the first place (which annoyingly enough wasn’t actually an issue here). This ending felt like nothing more than a cash-grab, and it pissed me off to no end. People don’t give authors their hard-earned cash to just read 4/5 of a story. You want more of their money? Write a good story that compels them to want to know more about the characters or the world you’ve given them. Don’t play games with them.
Because my response to these types of things has been and always will be: fuck off. I honestly have no intention of reading book two now. Hell, I have no intention of reading this author again. I don’t care if I never find out what happens to these characters. I don’t like being played with. This story might have been flawed, but I could have easily seen myself coming back for another book before this stupid ending. I don’t demand happy-ever-afters out of my books. Hell, I can stomach cliffhangers if it feels like the author truly believes that the story needs more than one book to be told. I’ll happily read 800 pages books, but sometimes that is an unrealistic expectation on the author or other readers. I can deal. But this didn’t feel like that at all. It felt like the author just cut of the last 3 to 4 chapters of this book with the sole intent of selling another book. And that is something I will never find acceptable.
So, what was easily shaping up to be a 3.5-4 star read is now at 2 stars. Because I was that fucking annoyed when I finished reading this book. And maybe some might see that as a drastic overreaction, but I honestly don’t care. I expect more out of authors than tacky cash-grabs. I get that this is a livelihood for some, but you shouldn’t make money by purposefully short-changing your consumer base. It is a dickish move. This story deserved better than this. Or, at least, what this story could have been. I guess I’ll never know.
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
Dan might not be all that impressed with Micky’s past, but he is willing to give the guy a second chance. He just might have to not tell his manager that Micky’s employment application is a bit thin on the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Still, Dan is only hiring the guy to help stack shelves in a groceries store, not guard the Queen’s family jewels. A little fibbing couldn’t hurt…could it? And of course, his desire to stretch the truth has nothing to do with the way Micky fills out the god-awful store uniform. Not at all.
Ugh. Ok. The things I liked about this book.
Um…
I liked the way Flynn, Micky’s brother was written in this. He was a bit annoying, but then again I think he was supposed to be. I don’t know, there was just something about it that made me feel all the frustration, yet caring, that Micky feels when he is around the kid. He clearly loves his brother, and it shows, but Micky is also barely an adult himself stuck taking care of this kid who just doesn’t get the world the way most kids do. And raising any kid at that age has to be frustrating. Raising one with special needs has to be doubly so. I liked how the book balanced both those feelings out.
I also like Jason, Micky’s best friend. Sure he is an asshole, but by the end of this book he really started to be much more than that. This story could have easily left him as nothing more than this two-bit thug, but he genuinely cares about Micky and Flynn. And yeah, he is a bit of a douche, and I wanted to take a bat to his shins for what he does to Dan, but in the end I think you really get to see another side to him. For all that his book tends to lean a bit too much on the side of cliche, it doesn’t do that here and I appreciated it.
On the other hand…Dougie gets to be beaten to near death by the cliche bat. Fat, lazy, with poor hygiene and less than stellar mental capacity…Dougie is this stories punching bag from start to finish. Something about the way this character was written was really annoying. And I don’t know if it is just me, but it felt like the story wanted you to ridicule him, even though he doesn’t do anything to deserve it except not be someone sexually desirable to most people. He isn’t a bad guy, or mean–in fact he is the exact opposite. It felt mean and petty. Like he was written just to be there to be made fun of. Almost every scene he is in involves him either eating, or talking about eating–because heaven knows that is all fat people do. He is never once described in a positive light. He is a joke…and one I found to be not at all funny.
This book rides a bit too hard on the cliches to be honest. And while there was honest attempts at subverting some of them, there were others that I was less than impressed by. The women in this book do not come out in the best light. Except for the poor-sainted-dead-mother and maybe the roommate. But they don’t feature all that much in this story. True, it wasn’t as bad as it could have been, but I would have liked if it toned down the man-eating slut vibe on some of the female characters. There were also a few scenes of violence against one of the MCs, that was just shrugged off nearly three seconds later, which I found really odd.
Yet honestly a lot of the flaws of this book I was more than willing to shrug off. They were flawed characters, sure, but there was enough here for me to really get into the story and sympathize with them. And then the ending happened.
And by ending I mean it just ended. It felt like the last 10 percent of this book was just missing. There is no conclusion, no wrap up. The story culminates to this big reveal that it has been building up to for the whole story…and then just leaves you there hanging and going “what the fuck?”. I find cliffhangers annoying, but what I find unacceptable is an author that decides to purposefully end a story just so you will have to buy the next book to find out what happens–mostly because they don’t think their story is good enough hook you into the series in the first place (which annoyingly enough wasn’t actually an issue here). This ending felt like nothing more than a cash-grab, and it pissed me off to no end. People don’t give authors their hard-earned cash to just read 4/5 of a story. You want more of their money? Write a good story that compels them to want to know more about the characters or the world you’ve given them. Don’t play games with them.
Because my response to these types of things has been and always will be: fuck off. I honestly have no intention of reading book two now. Hell, I have no intention of reading this author again. I don’t care if I never find out what happens to these characters. I don’t like being played with. This story might have been flawed, but I could have easily seen myself coming back for another book before this stupid ending. I don’t demand happy-ever-afters out of my books. Hell, I can stomach cliffhangers if it feels like the author truly believes that the story needs more than one book to be told. I’ll happily read 800 pages books, but sometimes that is an unrealistic expectation on the author or other readers. I can deal. But this didn’t feel like that at all. It felt like the author just cut of the last 3 to 4 chapters of this book with the sole intent of selling another book. And that is something I will never find acceptable.
So, what was easily shaping up to be a 3.5-4 star read is now at 2 stars. Because I was that fucking annoyed when I finished reading this book. And maybe some might see that as a drastic overreaction, but I honestly don’t care. I expect more out of authors than tacky cash-grabs. I get that this is a livelihood for some, but you shouldn’t make money by purposefully short-changing your consumer base. It is a dickish move. This story deserved better than this. Or, at least, what this story could have been. I guess I’ll never know.
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
October 18, 2021
4 stars audio
4.25 stars story
4.25 stars story
July 4, 2017
I read this book over a month ago. Initially, I needed my thoughts and feelings to marinate before I attempted a review. Well, I've marinated and if anything I wish I could have DNF it instead. I know it seems harsh, but after thinking on some things in the story its like I would rather not know. This was my first attempt by this author. I don't know if the language or writing is the usual style but it isn't for me. The writing that is. It might my biggest problem with the story. It was super choppy. I honestly think no one at the editing team has ever heard of PAGE BREAKS. The pov changes in the middle of a character speaking was super annoying. I would constantly go back to see who is saying what.
It was not all bad. It was angsty on the cusp of me wanting to punch Dan for being a punching bag at times. I mean come on! I am not a fan of the angst, but I was able to push through with it. I liked the idea of Micky taking care of his younger brother. Love knowing that he decided to put Flynn first. What I didn't like was Micky reacted to quick. I mean, here you are responsible for this minor and every little negative thing gets a reaction out of you. I know its called being human, but he lacked the maturity that the author seemed to paint him with in this. After all this its no wonder that the relationship was hopscotched around. It had its good moments with them, but then the melodrama would start and I would get disinterested.
I didn't get why the author made Dogie a big component of the story for him to be this solemn character. Not to say that everyone's response to him was okay. Nope! I won't go on a tangent, but for the healthier community stay away because you might email blast the author!
Just my opinion folks! It ends with a cliffhanger and my interest with it. Like I stated earlier, in my earlier reading and frustration with the quality I would have liked to DNF it, but against better judgment I decided to keep going. I don't see myself reading any more of the series. If this gives you the curiosity to do so, then go right ahead! Maybe send me a pm on book 2. A summary would be just fine!
I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review.
This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
It was not all bad. It was angsty on the cusp of me wanting to punch Dan for being a punching bag at times. I mean come on! I am not a fan of the angst, but I was able to push through with it. I liked the idea of Micky taking care of his younger brother. Love knowing that he decided to put Flynn first. What I didn't like was Micky reacted to quick. I mean, here you are responsible for this minor and every little negative thing gets a reaction out of you. I know its called being human, but he lacked the maturity that the author seemed to paint him with in this. After all this its no wonder that the relationship was hopscotched around. It had its good moments with them, but then the melodrama would start and I would get disinterested.
I didn't get why the author made Dogie a big component of the story for him to be this solemn character. Not to say that everyone's response to him was okay. Nope! I won't go on a tangent, but for the healthier community stay away because you might email blast the author!
Just my opinion folks! It ends with a cliffhanger and my interest with it. Like I stated earlier, in my earlier reading and frustration with the quality I would have liked to DNF it, but against better judgment I decided to keep going. I don't see myself reading any more of the series. If this gives you the curiosity to do so, then go right ahead! Maybe send me a pm on book 2. A summary would be just fine!
I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review.
This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
June 25, 2017
Now, C.F. White captured my attention with The District Line (also on my absolute-favourites list, if you haven't read it you totally should...link below for your convenience, you're welcome) but she captured my heart with Misdemeanor.
It's the first book of an action, love and heart-ache packed trilogy. Our MCs Micky and Dan are a true representation of 'opposites attract'; where Micky is a reformed bad-boy and surrogate Dad to his younger, special needs brother Flynn (more on him in just a mo) and Dan is a supermarket manager with an English Lit degree under his belt and plans to become a teacher which have fallen to the wayside.
After a series of shitty events (let’s face it, what Micky’s been through is more than just ‘unfortunate’) Micky finds himself having to single-handedly raise his brother. And kids cost money, right? And money comes from a steady job…which Micky just can’t seem to hold down. Until, that is, a certain adorably dimpled store manager sets his gaze upon him. And then can’t take his gaze off him for like the rest of the book. That interview scene btw, it was gold. I just about weed myself laughing (tmi I know, sorry).
I suppose slight *SPOILER ALERT* here, but to no one’s surprise Micky gets the job. Now the characters at this supermarket are some of the best supporting characters you will EVER meet. Dougie, in particular, is probably my fave man in the entire world. You will get to know Dougie on a SERIOUSLY personal level. And you will love every second of it. Just be prepared. Tea will be snorted. And if you want to gouge Ruby’s eye out at times…yeah, me too. These guys, along with Micky and Dan’s respective friends make for a beautifully well-rounded, hilarious and loyal cast that will have you wishing you knew a bunch like them.
EDIT: Having seen other reviews roll in, it's worth pointing out that the side characters have flaws and their own demons to fight. They're just as human as the main characters. Liking every character in this book is unrealistic because it's not as if we like every person we come across. We may even think negative things about people. Judging people on appearance and background is a theme that runs throughout Misdemeanor. This novel is about breaking stereotypes and proving stigma wrong. So, yes, many things in this novel may offend you but please don't lose sight of the bigger picture.
The real star of the show for me, was Flynn. Micky’s guardian angel of a little brother suffers with a syndrome I’d never heard of prior to this book, William’s Syndrome. Kids affected are very social, friendly and endearing. Let’s just say he will have you besotted within the first 5 pages. But along with that Flynn has to deal with high risks of various medical problems, including cardiovascular disease, developmental delays, and learning challenges. It’s a lot of pressure on those tiny 8 year old shoulders of his. Micky of course feels the weight of it though, nothing will take the smile off our baby-angel-child’s face (my own personal nickname for him). This paragraph wasn’t supposed to be a biology lesson, but I guess I wanted to clarify that this isn’t your average M/M romance where good guy meets bad boy, they fall madly in love, insert some steamy scenes and then Bob’s your uncle. No, this book will make you FEEL things in your soul that other books haven’t been able to. A tad dramatic? Maybe. But if you don’t cry at some point during this book then you’re probably heartless, just saying.
So I’ve kind of covered where the love and heart-ache might come into this book, but the action? Well, just read till the end. The cliffhanger will have you wanting to wring C.F. White’s neck. But like in a good way (I love you, I swear). Enter ‘Hard Time’, the second book in this trilogy which I recommend you have to hand because you WILL NOT want stop reading Micky and Dan’s story.
EDIT: THERE IS A CLIFFHANGER!!!!! That was included in my original review which was the first review on this novel, but some may have missed it buried in the paragraph above. There is a second book in the works. Don't let the cliffhanger hold you back.
I hope you enjoy your ride with Micky and Dan, I had the pleasure of meeting them just over a year ago and despite having read probably a hundred books between then and now, they’re still the characters that come to mind when I think about stories that have touched me the most.
Handy dandy links:
The District Line - http://a.co/6QPcqgW
Misdemeanor - https://www.pride-publishing.com/book... (Out Now)
It's the first book of an action, love and heart-ache packed trilogy. Our MCs Micky and Dan are a true representation of 'opposites attract'; where Micky is a reformed bad-boy and surrogate Dad to his younger, special needs brother Flynn (more on him in just a mo) and Dan is a supermarket manager with an English Lit degree under his belt and plans to become a teacher which have fallen to the wayside.
After a series of shitty events (let’s face it, what Micky’s been through is more than just ‘unfortunate’) Micky finds himself having to single-handedly raise his brother. And kids cost money, right? And money comes from a steady job…which Micky just can’t seem to hold down. Until, that is, a certain adorably dimpled store manager sets his gaze upon him. And then can’t take his gaze off him for like the rest of the book. That interview scene btw, it was gold. I just about weed myself laughing (tmi I know, sorry).
I suppose slight *SPOILER ALERT* here, but to no one’s surprise Micky gets the job. Now the characters at this supermarket are some of the best supporting characters you will EVER meet. Dougie, in particular, is probably my fave man in the entire world. You will get to know Dougie on a SERIOUSLY personal level. And you will love every second of it. Just be prepared. Tea will be snorted. And if you want to gouge Ruby’s eye out at times…yeah, me too. These guys, along with Micky and Dan’s respective friends make for a beautifully well-rounded, hilarious and loyal cast that will have you wishing you knew a bunch like them.
EDIT: Having seen other reviews roll in, it's worth pointing out that the side characters have flaws and their own demons to fight. They're just as human as the main characters. Liking every character in this book is unrealistic because it's not as if we like every person we come across. We may even think negative things about people. Judging people on appearance and background is a theme that runs throughout Misdemeanor. This novel is about breaking stereotypes and proving stigma wrong. So, yes, many things in this novel may offend you but please don't lose sight of the bigger picture.
The real star of the show for me, was Flynn. Micky’s guardian angel of a little brother suffers with a syndrome I’d never heard of prior to this book, William’s Syndrome. Kids affected are very social, friendly and endearing. Let’s just say he will have you besotted within the first 5 pages. But along with that Flynn has to deal with high risks of various medical problems, including cardiovascular disease, developmental delays, and learning challenges. It’s a lot of pressure on those tiny 8 year old shoulders of his. Micky of course feels the weight of it though, nothing will take the smile off our baby-angel-child’s face (my own personal nickname for him). This paragraph wasn’t supposed to be a biology lesson, but I guess I wanted to clarify that this isn’t your average M/M romance where good guy meets bad boy, they fall madly in love, insert some steamy scenes and then Bob’s your uncle. No, this book will make you FEEL things in your soul that other books haven’t been able to. A tad dramatic? Maybe. But if you don’t cry at some point during this book then you’re probably heartless, just saying.
So I’ve kind of covered where the love and heart-ache might come into this book, but the action? Well, just read till the end. The cliffhanger will have you wanting to wring C.F. White’s neck. But like in a good way (I love you, I swear). Enter ‘Hard Time’, the second book in this trilogy which I recommend you have to hand because you WILL NOT want stop reading Micky and Dan’s story.
EDIT: THERE IS A CLIFFHANGER!!!!! That was included in my original review which was the first review on this novel, but some may have missed it buried in the paragraph above. There is a second book in the works. Don't let the cliffhanger hold you back.
I hope you enjoy your ride with Micky and Dan, I had the pleasure of meeting them just over a year ago and despite having read probably a hundred books between then and now, they’re still the characters that come to mind when I think about stories that have touched me the most.
Handy dandy links:
The District Line - http://a.co/6QPcqgW
Misdemeanor - https://www.pride-publishing.com/book... (Out Now)
July 5, 2017
I received a copy of this title to read and review for Wicked Reads
4 Stars
C.F. White is a new-to-me author, and I found myself instantly absorbed in the story the writer created.
Mickey is struggling, the adult brother to a special needs little brother, with a drunk absentee father and a mother who left this world by her own hand. He's a scrapper, trouble finding him at every pass, all the while going to college and trying to raise his baby brother without the authorities catching on.
The first day of Mickey's new job, he meets Dan, and his boss has his eye on the nineteen-year-old. Dan's treading water, with a college degree, he's still working as the manager of the grocery store he started working at when he was only sixteen. His love life is in tatters, but he's a giving and caring guy.
Together, Mickey and Dan traverse the ups and downs of being in the closet, struggling to make ends meet, to evade CPS, and take care of Flynn.
Misdemeanor was an easy story to fall into, where I found myself rooting for Mickey on every page, with my heart hurting as he pushed Dan away. But, be forewarned, this does end in a cliffy, and I'm anxiously awaiting what comes next in this series and with the characters. A part of me, also wishes to have Jason's story- fingers crossed there is something going on with his buddy, Paul. Just saying...
4 Stars
C.F. White is a new-to-me author, and I found myself instantly absorbed in the story the writer created.
Mickey is struggling, the adult brother to a special needs little brother, with a drunk absentee father and a mother who left this world by her own hand. He's a scrapper, trouble finding him at every pass, all the while going to college and trying to raise his baby brother without the authorities catching on.
The first day of Mickey's new job, he meets Dan, and his boss has his eye on the nineteen-year-old. Dan's treading water, with a college degree, he's still working as the manager of the grocery store he started working at when he was only sixteen. His love life is in tatters, but he's a giving and caring guy.
Together, Mickey and Dan traverse the ups and downs of being in the closet, struggling to make ends meet, to evade CPS, and take care of Flynn.
Misdemeanor was an easy story to fall into, where I found myself rooting for Mickey on every page, with my heart hurting as he pushed Dan away. But, be forewarned, this does end in a cliffy, and I'm anxiously awaiting what comes next in this series and with the characters. A part of me, also wishes to have Jason's story- fingers crossed there is something going on with his buddy, Paul. Just saying...
July 4, 2017
Stories where the main characters have to travel a pretty bumpy road to get where they’re going, with plenty of angst and difficulty along the way…those are the stories that can really grab my emotions and pull me in to the characters’ lives. Misdemeanor fits the bill for this, and it was actually filled with more drama and angst than romance—but the relationship between Micky and Dan was still front and center to the story.
These two men actually fit together quite well, but Micky doesn't really know how to handle what he’s feeling and tries to push Dan away several times in his attempt to cope with his emotions, and what he believes Dan will eventually come to think about being with him. It doesn’t matter though—the further into the story you go, the more Micky and Dan fall for each other, and their chemistry is glaringly obvious from the start. The two are quite opposite of each other, which makes that chemistry all the more enticing for the characters and the reader.
Things are complicated by Micky’s home and family life; he’s a former bad boy who is trying to make a better life for his little brother and himself, and that is made more difficult by his not-so-stellar past. Micky’s little brother Flynn suffers from Williams syndrome, which throws another issue into the mix for them to contend with. Flynn is so sweet and innocent, and I thought his character brought a lot of depth to the story.
There’s a quirky cast of supporting characters like Micky’s best friend Jason—whose activities are not quite legal much of the time, but who is the kind of friend you want watching your back, Ruby—who wants Micky and blatantly demonstrates that fact, Hollie—who just doesn’t want to take the not-so-subtle “no” that Micky keeps throwing her way, and Dougie—who’s a bit goofy but a good guy…though I think many readers may not be happy about his portrayal in this story since it focuses a bit too much on his weight almost to the point of meanness (though I don’t think that was the intention here, but perception is going to be the key).
And just when you think things couldn’t get intense enough before Micky and Dan can get on with some happiness between them…there’s a great…big…cliffhanger. The kind that will have you scrambling to look for the next book because while what happens is not unexpected given events that happened in the story, the fact that the book leaves off like that will have you screaming to know what the heck happens next. I know I’m fully trussed up on that hook waiting, because I am fully invested in Micky and Dan (and Flynn!), and really want to see them get their happy ending. And so, I wait…
4 solid stars for Misdemeanor, a half of one I knocked off for Dougie’s portrayal and the other half for the wholly unexpected cliffhanger that blindsided me since I didn’t realize Micky and Dan’s story would not be wrapped up in this book. Besides these two things, everything else about this story was quite engaging and I did not want to put the book down. This story is meant for readers 18+ for adult language and M/M sexual content.
These two men actually fit together quite well, but Micky doesn't really know how to handle what he’s feeling and tries to push Dan away several times in his attempt to cope with his emotions, and what he believes Dan will eventually come to think about being with him. It doesn’t matter though—the further into the story you go, the more Micky and Dan fall for each other, and their chemistry is glaringly obvious from the start. The two are quite opposite of each other, which makes that chemistry all the more enticing for the characters and the reader.
Things are complicated by Micky’s home and family life; he’s a former bad boy who is trying to make a better life for his little brother and himself, and that is made more difficult by his not-so-stellar past. Micky’s little brother Flynn suffers from Williams syndrome, which throws another issue into the mix for them to contend with. Flynn is so sweet and innocent, and I thought his character brought a lot of depth to the story.
There’s a quirky cast of supporting characters like Micky’s best friend Jason—whose activities are not quite legal much of the time, but who is the kind of friend you want watching your back, Ruby—who wants Micky and blatantly demonstrates that fact, Hollie—who just doesn’t want to take the not-so-subtle “no” that Micky keeps throwing her way, and Dougie—who’s a bit goofy but a good guy…though I think many readers may not be happy about his portrayal in this story since it focuses a bit too much on his weight almost to the point of meanness (though I don’t think that was the intention here, but perception is going to be the key).
And just when you think things couldn’t get intense enough before Micky and Dan can get on with some happiness between them…there’s a great…big…cliffhanger. The kind that will have you scrambling to look for the next book because while what happens is not unexpected given events that happened in the story, the fact that the book leaves off like that will have you screaming to know what the heck happens next. I know I’m fully trussed up on that hook waiting, because I am fully invested in Micky and Dan (and Flynn!), and really want to see them get their happy ending. And so, I wait…
4 solid stars for Misdemeanor, a half of one I knocked off for Dougie’s portrayal and the other half for the wholly unexpected cliffhanger that blindsided me since I didn’t realize Micky and Dan’s story would not be wrapped up in this book. Besides these two things, everything else about this story was quite engaging and I did not want to put the book down. This story is meant for readers 18+ for adult language and M/M sexual content.
July 29, 2017
I first read this book when it was twice as long on Wattpad. In this published version, they’ve split the book into two parts—the second one already on pre-order when I type this up. I’m not entirely sure it was a wise choice to separate the pieces, but sometimes we’re squeezed into a box, whether it is the allowed word count or the rules of the genre. Beyond that, I believe there’s a third book coming, but I can’t say anything about that one.
Misdemeanor is a complicated novel to review. On its own, there are a lot of threads of both plot and character development that feels cut off. I’m in the position of having read the first draft of the second part on Wattpad, though, and since I ended up loving the full story, I want to urge everyone to give this a chance. Maybe when the second book is already out so you can read the set together.
Micky O’Neill has been dealt a rough hand in life. Not yet twenty, he’s carried more responsibility than most of us will do in a lifetime. After losing his mother and kicking his drunken father to the curb, he’s left with his disabled brother, Flynn. Williams Syndrome was new to me when I first read the novel, but I’ve learned a bit about it since then. Flynn’s character is a wonderful and important part of this story, and I happen to know that CF White has firsthand knowledge of what it’s like taking care of a child who cannot fathom evil. I commend her for writing about something that must have been terrifyingly close to her heart.
Micky tries to navigate life in a small British city, already marked for life with a criminal record and no grades to speak of. He tries for Flynn, afraid that the authorities will take Flynn away once they’ve realized there is no parent in the house. Having lost his job at a bar after a drunken brawl some time ago, he applies for a position at an upper middle class grocery store to get food on the table. He’s fortunate enough to meet Dan, who despite Micky’s lack of references and a criminal record, agrees to give Micky a chance.
Dan, who desperately tries to keep a professional distance for all of one week (or maybe two, maybe it was less), is helpless when Micky makes the first move. Dan, who has a degree in English and a distant dream of one day leaving the job as manager to become a teacher. Dan, who is kind-hearted and patient enough to make saints jealous. Dan, who loves both Micky and Flynn.
The strength of this novel is the realism. Micky and Dan are regular guys with their flaws and faults. They fight, make up, they forget to listen, they apologize. It feels real. They’re not perfect, and I wouldn’t want them any other way.
I’m eager to read the next novel, and lucky me, I won’t have to wait for long.
Misdemeanor is a complicated novel to review. On its own, there are a lot of threads of both plot and character development that feels cut off. I’m in the position of having read the first draft of the second part on Wattpad, though, and since I ended up loving the full story, I want to urge everyone to give this a chance. Maybe when the second book is already out so you can read the set together.
Micky O’Neill has been dealt a rough hand in life. Not yet twenty, he’s carried more responsibility than most of us will do in a lifetime. After losing his mother and kicking his drunken father to the curb, he’s left with his disabled brother, Flynn. Williams Syndrome was new to me when I first read the novel, but I’ve learned a bit about it since then. Flynn’s character is a wonderful and important part of this story, and I happen to know that CF White has firsthand knowledge of what it’s like taking care of a child who cannot fathom evil. I commend her for writing about something that must have been terrifyingly close to her heart.
Micky tries to navigate life in a small British city, already marked for life with a criminal record and no grades to speak of. He tries for Flynn, afraid that the authorities will take Flynn away once they’ve realized there is no parent in the house. Having lost his job at a bar after a drunken brawl some time ago, he applies for a position at an upper middle class grocery store to get food on the table. He’s fortunate enough to meet Dan, who despite Micky’s lack of references and a criminal record, agrees to give Micky a chance.
Dan, who desperately tries to keep a professional distance for all of one week (or maybe two, maybe it was less), is helpless when Micky makes the first move. Dan, who has a degree in English and a distant dream of one day leaving the job as manager to become a teacher. Dan, who is kind-hearted and patient enough to make saints jealous. Dan, who loves both Micky and Flynn.
The strength of this novel is the realism. Micky and Dan are regular guys with their flaws and faults. They fight, make up, they forget to listen, they apologize. It feels real. They’re not perfect, and I wouldn’t want them any other way.
I’m eager to read the next novel, and lucky me, I won’t have to wait for long.
June 23, 2017
I love when authors add elements to stories that are too often ignored. In this case there's a character in this book with a rare genetic disability known as William's Syndrome. Mikey's younger brother, Flynn, suffers from this. My heart ached for both of them. But it's stories like this one that raises awareness. I had never heard of William's Syndrome. Had no idea about it until now.
Mikey and Dan are the MC's of this story. Mikey is thrust into caring for his brother after the sudden death of their mother. He's a bad boy and suddenly he has to get his stuff together and step up. Dan is Mikey's opposite. Dan comes from a good home, great family, a lot of stability, and a great job. He's middle class and already has his stuff together. I love opposites attracting. And these two couldn't be more opposite.
What I loved: 1. Opposites attracting. It's an awesome trope and one I'm always looking for more of. 2. Awareness toward disabilities and explaining it so well. 3. Flynn. He is a fabulous secondary character. He loves everyone and has a heart bigger and stronger than a lot of characters I've read.
There were glaring issues however. I'm not going to count the cliffhanger as an issue because there's no way of knowing when the next book will be released. If it's over a year a way then I'd recommend waiting for that to read this one otherwise you'll be very frustrated. So, not judgement there. I have faith the author knows what they're doing.
One issue was the head hopping. The massive switch of POV's caused a lot of confusion and I was often rereading and going back. This took me out of many scenes and I feel I lost a lot of connection and understanding due to that fact.
Another issue was more of a personal one. Please realize I'm saying it's personal and in no way reflects the writing style. It was concerning the amount of fat-shaming in this book. There's a secondary character in this named Dougie. He's overweight. The shaming surrounded him. As an overweight person myself I was taken aback by a lot of it and wondered if this was a view many saw in overweight people. It was hurtful to see an overweight person perceived this way. Now, I don't know if that was the intention of the author but I can't ignore that's how I read it and I can't pretend it didn't affect my feelings toward the story.
I think there's a lot of fabulous to this story. Flynn alone is reason enough to read it. Dan and Mikey had severe communication issues and tended to run away from a lot of their issues which is a bit irritating. But I encourage you to read this and make your own opinions. If you're a fan of angst then this is a great book for you.
Mikey and Dan are the MC's of this story. Mikey is thrust into caring for his brother after the sudden death of their mother. He's a bad boy and suddenly he has to get his stuff together and step up. Dan is Mikey's opposite. Dan comes from a good home, great family, a lot of stability, and a great job. He's middle class and already has his stuff together. I love opposites attracting. And these two couldn't be more opposite.
What I loved: 1. Opposites attracting. It's an awesome trope and one I'm always looking for more of. 2. Awareness toward disabilities and explaining it so well. 3. Flynn. He is a fabulous secondary character. He loves everyone and has a heart bigger and stronger than a lot of characters I've read.
There were glaring issues however. I'm not going to count the cliffhanger as an issue because there's no way of knowing when the next book will be released. If it's over a year a way then I'd recommend waiting for that to read this one otherwise you'll be very frustrated. So, not judgement there. I have faith the author knows what they're doing.
One issue was the head hopping. The massive switch of POV's caused a lot of confusion and I was often rereading and going back. This took me out of many scenes and I feel I lost a lot of connection and understanding due to that fact.
Another issue was more of a personal one. Please realize I'm saying it's personal and in no way reflects the writing style. It was concerning the amount of fat-shaming in this book. There's a secondary character in this named Dougie. He's overweight. The shaming surrounded him. As an overweight person myself I was taken aback by a lot of it and wondered if this was a view many saw in overweight people. It was hurtful to see an overweight person perceived this way. Now, I don't know if that was the intention of the author but I can't ignore that's how I read it and I can't pretend it didn't affect my feelings toward the story.
I think there's a lot of fabulous to this story. Flynn alone is reason enough to read it. Dan and Mikey had severe communication issues and tended to run away from a lot of their issues which is a bit irritating. But I encourage you to read this and make your own opinions. If you're a fan of angst then this is a great book for you.
December 19, 2023
Now, first thing I must say is that if you are looking for something light and fluffy, full of sparkles and rainbows, then you have definitely got the wrong book! Misdemeanour is a dark, gritty piece of work, telling how one man is trying to do the right thing after doing so many wrong things. How he doesn't think he deserves help, or anything good in his life, and the reasons why. You find out just how hard he is trying, and Micky will worm his way into your emotions without you even realising it. As for Flynn, well, I dare you to deny him entrance to your heart.
Dan and Micky appear to be complete opposites, but they are just what the other needs. With funny situations to lighten up the darkness at times, this is a hard-hitting book that will stay with you. Trust me, it's not all good. And at times characters act like first-class jerks, but that just gives it that slice of realism.
With two outstanding main characters, plus a host of brilliant supporting characters, this book is exceptionally written and with no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. It does end on one helluva cliffhanger though, so fair warning! An excellent start to the series, and I can't wait to read more. Definitely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 13, 2017
Dan and Micky appear to be complete opposites, but they are just what the other needs. With funny situations to lighten up the darkness at times, this is a hard-hitting book that will stay with you. Trust me, it's not all good. And at times characters act like first-class jerks, but that just gives it that slice of realism.
With two outstanding main characters, plus a host of brilliant supporting characters, this book is exceptionally written and with no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. It does end on one helluva cliffhanger though, so fair warning! An excellent start to the series, and I can't wait to read more. Definitely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 13, 2017
July 4, 2017
Responsible Adult is such an appropriate name for this series. Micky is struggling in the adulating department. He tries but he has such a short fuse on his volatile temper. It’s a temper that has gotten him into trouble in his past. Micky knows he can’t get into any more trouble. He knows that with his past it is going to be difficult to get guardianship of his brother. Micky is only nineteen years old and having to play the role of sole provider, caregiver, and parent to his disabled little brother Flynn. Flynn requires a lot of time. Micky is juggling school, work, and home as best he can. It’s not the life Micky wants but he’s doing the best he can for Flynn with what little he has. A social life, much less dating is most certainly not in the cards.
As a department supervisor at Morgan’s Dan is responsible for some of the hiring. He’s so desperate for a new employee that is motivated to work that he looks past Micky’s previous employment termination and the criminal record and hires him anyways. They’re both in a situation where they’re the answer to the others problem. Micky has to have a job so that he can keep a roof over his head and food on the table. Dan has to have more help at work so he can actually see the outside of the grocery store instead of covering others duties. The attraction and giving into that desire was completely unexpected for both of them.
I enjoyed most of what I read with Misdemeanor. Flynn is a sweetheart who you just can’t help but want nothing but the best for. It’s easy to see why Micky has no problems making sacrifices for his little brother. The pacing of Dan and Micky’s relationship is fast yet the constant stop and goes for them make it jerky. Relationship is something very new to Micky though. He’s used to closeted one time hook ups. This allows for the jerkiness of the flow of their building relationship not to be a frustrating as it could be. Micky’s age also plays a large role in his behavior. He is so young to be dealing with all that he is trying to do.
As for the cliffhanger… it’s not as big as it could have been. This being part one of a serial should have clued me in but I missed that. I will definitely continue reading the serial. I will probably wait until I can read the remainder at the same time though.
As a department supervisor at Morgan’s Dan is responsible for some of the hiring. He’s so desperate for a new employee that is motivated to work that he looks past Micky’s previous employment termination and the criminal record and hires him anyways. They’re both in a situation where they’re the answer to the others problem. Micky has to have a job so that he can keep a roof over his head and food on the table. Dan has to have more help at work so he can actually see the outside of the grocery store instead of covering others duties. The attraction and giving into that desire was completely unexpected for both of them.
I enjoyed most of what I read with Misdemeanor. Flynn is a sweetheart who you just can’t help but want nothing but the best for. It’s easy to see why Micky has no problems making sacrifices for his little brother. The pacing of Dan and Micky’s relationship is fast yet the constant stop and goes for them make it jerky. Relationship is something very new to Micky though. He’s used to closeted one time hook ups. This allows for the jerkiness of the flow of their building relationship not to be a frustrating as it could be. Micky’s age also plays a large role in his behavior. He is so young to be dealing with all that he is trying to do.
As for the cliffhanger… it’s not as big as it could have been. This being part one of a serial should have clued me in but I missed that. I will definitely continue reading the serial. I will probably wait until I can read the remainder at the same time though.
July 8, 2017
Beware the cliffhanger!!!!
This is my first book by C.F. White, and I must admit that I am in two minds as to what I actually thought about it. The fact that it ended on one almighty cliffhanger didn't exactly please me, but the story itself, was interesting.
This is the story of Micky, a young man struggling to raise his special needs brother Flynn, and Dan, a man whose dreams of becoming a teacher have disappeared from his reach. These men have such an instant attraction, that it can only endear them to the reader.
The story is not one of complete love and happiness, it can be quite dark and edgy as well. It is a story of one man's struggles to overcome his past and do anything he possibly can to make his brother's world a better place. Micky and Dan may be complete opposites, but they are perfectly suited to each other. What I like about these characters is that they're real, there are no falsities about them. What you see is what you get.
Although there were a few components of this book that needed to be fixed during editing; such as section breaks and POVs that cross over, it is a good read. The characters are well thought out and developed, and the general story is likeable.
Will I be reading the next two books in the trilogy? Maybe, I'll see when the time comes. If I do, it will be once the third book has been released.
Read and Reviewed voluntarily for Reading Is Our Satisfaction Blog
FOUR STARS
This is my first book by C.F. White, and I must admit that I am in two minds as to what I actually thought about it. The fact that it ended on one almighty cliffhanger didn't exactly please me, but the story itself, was interesting.
This is the story of Micky, a young man struggling to raise his special needs brother Flynn, and Dan, a man whose dreams of becoming a teacher have disappeared from his reach. These men have such an instant attraction, that it can only endear them to the reader.
The story is not one of complete love and happiness, it can be quite dark and edgy as well. It is a story of one man's struggles to overcome his past and do anything he possibly can to make his brother's world a better place. Micky and Dan may be complete opposites, but they are perfectly suited to each other. What I like about these characters is that they're real, there are no falsities about them. What you see is what you get.
Although there were a few components of this book that needed to be fixed during editing; such as section breaks and POVs that cross over, it is a good read. The characters are well thought out and developed, and the general story is likeable.
Will I be reading the next two books in the trilogy? Maybe, I'll see when the time comes. If I do, it will be once the third book has been released.
Read and Reviewed voluntarily for Reading Is Our Satisfaction Blog
FOUR STARS
February 14, 2018
I quite liked this, although I had to force myself to keep reading until a bit after the halfway mark. I'll reserve my final judgment for when I've read the whole series and will edit this review accordingly.
April 25, 2017
Although plugged as a love story, Misdemeanor is, unquestionably, so much more. With heart breaking tones of angst, struggle, desperation and seclusion raging through the undercurrent of this novel, Micky must fight for a life that many of his peers take for granted. Misdemeanor explores the hardships of life and the psychological repercussions that depression, suicide and alcoholism can have on an adolescent. But this novel never allows itself to focus on self-pity. With unflinching and everlasting love for his younger brother, Flynn, Micky’s determination to achieve a better life for his small and vulnerable family is the backbone of this novel.
Micky’s troubled world is brightened when Dan, a kind-hearted man with optimism in bounds, comes into his life when he needs it most. Even if Micky doesn’t realise it, his tough exterior is softened by the warmth that his new friend shows him. With sexual tension between the two of them intensifying with each encounter, they soon become obvious lovers. What could have easily been just a heated one night stand, a loving relationship between Micky and Dan blossoms spectacularly in front of the reader’s eyes. Never failing to grip your attention.
C.F. White has a true passion for writing, and a remarkable talent to match. The characters are so well crafted that you instantly feel as though you have known them your entire life. They could easily be your friends, your family, and you miss them the moment you put the book down. If you can, that is. Misdemeanor, quite effortlessly, captures the reader’s attention from the first line to the very last and leaves you wanting more.
Micky’s troubled world is brightened when Dan, a kind-hearted man with optimism in bounds, comes into his life when he needs it most. Even if Micky doesn’t realise it, his tough exterior is softened by the warmth that his new friend shows him. With sexual tension between the two of them intensifying with each encounter, they soon become obvious lovers. What could have easily been just a heated one night stand, a loving relationship between Micky and Dan blossoms spectacularly in front of the reader’s eyes. Never failing to grip your attention.
C.F. White has a true passion for writing, and a remarkable talent to match. The characters are so well crafted that you instantly feel as though you have known them your entire life. They could easily be your friends, your family, and you miss them the moment you put the book down. If you can, that is. Misdemeanor, quite effortlessly, captures the reader’s attention from the first line to the very last and leaves you wanting more.
July 14, 2018
I don't know what it is but I'm reading books lately with a lot of kids that just melt every piece of my heart. This book was good, for me, because of Flynn. He is the most adorable little guy and I just wanted to bring him home and hug him to bits. He's so special and I wish the world acted more like him.
Micky used to basically be a thug. Fighting, street fighting, slutting it up. But between his deadbeat father and the suicide of his mom, there is no one left to care for Flynn but him. And he will do anything for Flynn. And if that means straightening up, he will do everything he can, including working a crappy job, and trying to finish the schooling he never did. But social services is on his butt, kids are picking on Flynn, and Micky may have went to far in protecting him. The only other bright spots in his life are his best friend Jason, whom he's afraid to tell he's gay, and his new boss, Dan, whom he's trying to warn off that he's not a good guy. But Dan sees beneath the gruff exterior and Micky can't help but to hold on to this light in Dan. But trying to get past all the bad may not be enough.
Flynn, like I said, made this book. His sweet disposition just made you fall in love with him. Having a disability, his outlook on life is a little different and most everyone he meets wishes everyone in the world could be like him. You want to do nothing but hug him and hold him and protect him from everything the world throws at him. We all know how cruel the world can be. And I have to admit, I'd be in a crap load of trouble like Micky, wanting to beat the crap out of these kids and parents who pick on Flynn. I had to admire Micky in this book. He stepped up and did the right thing to care for Flynn when no one else would. And most people today would even attempt to do. The only major complaint I have as far as characters in this book is Dougie. He was painted in such a bad light. An overweight guy who does nothing but eat and think of eating. He works but is painted as more or less lazy and begrudging having to do anything. And always looked over because of his weight by women. Just didn't seem right the way he was portrayed.
Anyway, if you read this, read it for Flynn. He is one of the best characters I've ever read. I just love him. He is what is making me want to read the next books.
http://lovebytesreviews.com
Micky used to basically be a thug. Fighting, street fighting, slutting it up. But between his deadbeat father and the suicide of his mom, there is no one left to care for Flynn but him. And he will do anything for Flynn. And if that means straightening up, he will do everything he can, including working a crappy job, and trying to finish the schooling he never did. But social services is on his butt, kids are picking on Flynn, and Micky may have went to far in protecting him. The only other bright spots in his life are his best friend Jason, whom he's afraid to tell he's gay, and his new boss, Dan, whom he's trying to warn off that he's not a good guy. But Dan sees beneath the gruff exterior and Micky can't help but to hold on to this light in Dan. But trying to get past all the bad may not be enough.
Flynn, like I said, made this book. His sweet disposition just made you fall in love with him. Having a disability, his outlook on life is a little different and most everyone he meets wishes everyone in the world could be like him. You want to do nothing but hug him and hold him and protect him from everything the world throws at him. We all know how cruel the world can be. And I have to admit, I'd be in a crap load of trouble like Micky, wanting to beat the crap out of these kids and parents who pick on Flynn. I had to admire Micky in this book. He stepped up and did the right thing to care for Flynn when no one else would. And most people today would even attempt to do. The only major complaint I have as far as characters in this book is Dougie. He was painted in such a bad light. An overweight guy who does nothing but eat and think of eating. He works but is painted as more or less lazy and begrudging having to do anything. And always looked over because of his weight by women. Just didn't seem right the way he was portrayed.
Anyway, if you read this, read it for Flynn. He is one of the best characters I've ever read. I just love him. He is what is making me want to read the next books.
http://lovebytesreviews.com
May 15, 2018
GOING ON SALE ON 5/18/18 @ PRIDE PUBLISHING
This book is worth it for Flynn alone.
He's the little brother and he has a condition that makes him different, and he's the sweetest thing I've ever read.
19 y.o. Micky has had a pretty tough life, and he's trying to sort things out so he can take care of his little brother Flynn.
I'm not going olto like, I thought this story was going to be a lot angstier than it ended up being. I'm kind of grateful for it. While it has its ups and downs, I'm not exactly a blubbering mess...but I guess we'll see what book 2 brings.
I'm also surprised I am actually liking Micky's BFF, Jason. I thought he was going to be a huge douche, but he's just protecting his family And friends, he does good by Flynn as well, and that's all right with me
This book is worth it for Flynn alone.
He's the little brother and he has a condition that makes him different, and he's the sweetest thing I've ever read.
19 y.o. Micky has had a pretty tough life, and he's trying to sort things out so he can take care of his little brother Flynn.
I'm not going olto like, I thought this story was going to be a lot angstier than it ended up being. I'm kind of grateful for it. While it has its ups and downs, I'm not exactly a blubbering mess...but I guess we'll see what book 2 brings.
I'm also surprised I am actually liking Micky's BFF, Jason. I thought he was going to be a huge douche, but he's just protecting his family And friends, he does good by Flynn as well, and that's all right with me
June 29, 2017
Loved it!!!
This book touches on not just a love that burns bright as the sun but two hearts who loved each other and were willing to do anything to keep that love a bright. With one party dealing with self esteem and abuse and the other being sweet and kind to a fault, I love how the heat is sometimes taken off the main characters as we get an education on Williams syndrome
Yes, it comes with a cliffhanger, that promises another book.
Trust me on this, Micky and Dan are two people you'd want to read more of.
This book touches on not just a love that burns bright as the sun but two hearts who loved each other and were willing to do anything to keep that love a bright. With one party dealing with self esteem and abuse and the other being sweet and kind to a fault, I love how the heat is sometimes taken off the main characters as we get an education on Williams syndrome
Yes, it comes with a cliffhanger, that promises another book.
Trust me on this, Micky and Dan are two people you'd want to read more of.
Read
October 26, 2021Dnf at 36% I can't put my finger on it but I'm just not enjoying it. I don't think the authors style is for me
June 25, 2017
C.F White's
Misdemeanor is an insanely intriguing book that somehow manages to keep the essence of a cliche romance while including the rawness of the real world. Micky's struggles to keep his younger brother, Flynn, a lovable kid with William's Syndrome, are endearing and admirable to say the least. With a perfect opposites attract romance, Misdemeanor is a captivating read and highly recommended.
October 15, 2021
Audiobook Review:
Overall – 5
Performance – 5
Story – 5
Gritty and Real; I Loved It.
I read Misdemeanor back in July. I knew then that the only thing that might make me love it more was if the author had Piers Ryman do the audiobook (he has performed several of her other books). I can’t tell you how much I loved listening to Misdemeanor. I was privileged to get an early copy and then got to listen it again once it went live on Audible. There’s not anymore that I could say other than what I wrote after reading the eBook so I’m going to paste portions of that review below (with some necessary changes).
I have to get this out of the way first but please don’t stop reading. This is book one of a trilogy and ends on a cliffhanger but all three books are currently available in eBook format and books two and three are available for pre-order on Audible now. I don’t mind cliffhangers if I know up front what I’m getting into.
Misdemeanor grabbed me right from the start and didn’t let go. I actually spent the entire day doing nothing but read this book. Use the “Look Inside” feature on Amazon to find out why this story is so special to the author (hint: she has a child with the same condition as Flynn). I don’t know how parts of this story could be any more authentic than to be written by someone with first-hand knowledge and experience with a child like Flynn.
Micky wasn’t a good guy growing up but he loves Flynn more than anything and is trying his best to be a better man and raise him right. He’s bisexual but not out. Dan hires Micky to work in the grocery where he’s a manager. In spite of Micky’s past misdeeds Dan believes that he has truly changed and wants to give him a chance. The bad thing for Dan is the attraction he feels for Micky, his subordinate.
Micky’s brother, Flynn, is a delight and often adds some much-needed levity to a story that is pretty intense and heartbreaking in places. Dan and Micky both have things in their past that they need to work through and their journey to their HEA isn’t going to come easy.
This is a story that will stick with me for a while.
A complimentary copy of this audiobook was provided to me at my request but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author and/or narrator.
Overall – 5
Performance – 5
Story – 5
Gritty and Real; I Loved It.
I read Misdemeanor back in July. I knew then that the only thing that might make me love it more was if the author had Piers Ryman do the audiobook (he has performed several of her other books). I can’t tell you how much I loved listening to Misdemeanor. I was privileged to get an early copy and then got to listen it again once it went live on Audible. There’s not anymore that I could say other than what I wrote after reading the eBook so I’m going to paste portions of that review below (with some necessary changes).
I have to get this out of the way first but please don’t stop reading. This is book one of a trilogy and ends on a cliffhanger but all three books are currently available in eBook format and books two and three are available for pre-order on Audible now. I don’t mind cliffhangers if I know up front what I’m getting into.
Misdemeanor grabbed me right from the start and didn’t let go. I actually spent the entire day doing nothing but read this book. Use the “Look Inside” feature on Amazon to find out why this story is so special to the author (hint: she has a child with the same condition as Flynn). I don’t know how parts of this story could be any more authentic than to be written by someone with first-hand knowledge and experience with a child like Flynn.
Micky wasn’t a good guy growing up but he loves Flynn more than anything and is trying his best to be a better man and raise him right. He’s bisexual but not out. Dan hires Micky to work in the grocery where he’s a manager. In spite of Micky’s past misdeeds Dan believes that he has truly changed and wants to give him a chance. The bad thing for Dan is the attraction he feels for Micky, his subordinate.
Micky’s brother, Flynn, is a delight and often adds some much-needed levity to a story that is pretty intense and heartbreaking in places. Dan and Micky both have things in their past that they need to work through and their journey to their HEA isn’t going to come easy.
This is a story that will stick with me for a while.
A complimentary copy of this audiobook was provided to me at my request but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author and/or narrator.
June 14, 2023
Mikey has to grow up fast when fate steps in, in the form of his mother's tragic death. He has to go from a bad boy teenager to a man who needs to look after his little brother who is living with Williams Syndrome. Dan on the other hand comes from a good home with support and stability, a great job, and is an all around well put together person. When they come together there is immediate fireworks that both pop and fizzle, but will it be enough to create something meaningful.
First, I want to say that I love a good opposites attract story and lets face it, Mikey and Dan couldn't be more opposite. Second, I really find stories where disabilities are huge factors to be be incredibly appealing having come from a family that has dealt with disability and major health issues, it's always refreshing to see that side of life explored even if it's not the main character with said disability. As for the disability that Mikey's little brother lives with, Williams Syndrome, a developmental disorder that I must admit I had to look up, I found interesting and well handled.
One issue I did have with Misdemeanor is the fat-shaming directed at Dougie, a secondary character. Seeing how this ends with a cliffhanger I am holding out hope that this is something that will be addressed and factor into the next installment of CF White's Responsible Adult series and I tried not to let it influence my final opinion too much. Having mentioned the cliffhanger, I know that not everyone is a cliffie fan so if that is the case for you, I recommend waiting until book 2, Hard Time, is published in September to begin Mikey and Dan's journey. Whether you read it now or later, I definitely recommend giving this series a read and/or place on your TBR list and as this is my first CF White read, I look forward to checking out her backlist and future releases.
First, I want to say that I love a good opposites attract story and lets face it, Mikey and Dan couldn't be more opposite. Second, I really find stories where disabilities are huge factors to be be incredibly appealing having come from a family that has dealt with disability and major health issues, it's always refreshing to see that side of life explored even if it's not the main character with said disability. As for the disability that Mikey's little brother lives with, Williams Syndrome, a developmental disorder that I must admit I had to look up, I found interesting and well handled.
One issue I did have with Misdemeanor is the fat-shaming directed at Dougie, a secondary character. Seeing how this ends with a cliffhanger I am holding out hope that this is something that will be addressed and factor into the next installment of CF White's Responsible Adult series and I tried not to let it influence my final opinion too much. Having mentioned the cliffhanger, I know that not everyone is a cliffie fan so if that is the case for you, I recommend waiting until book 2, Hard Time, is published in September to begin Mikey and Dan's journey. Whether you read it now or later, I definitely recommend giving this series a read and/or place on your TBR list and as this is my first CF White read, I look forward to checking out her backlist and future releases.
July 7, 2021
This book pulls no punches, and its characters grapple with legacies violence, abuse, suicide, and other dark themes. It’s not always easy or pretty, but it is inspiring to see Micky trying so hard to make a better life for himself and his brother. I also appreciated how Micky’s brother’s William’s Syndrome is depicted with care and attention. There’s some great chemistry between Dan and Micky, who come from such different places in life and have, as a result, such deeply different ways of moving through and responding to the world. Their spark is real, although if I’m honest, the push and pull between them could feel a bit repetitive— one step forward and two steps back, etc. Still, it’s easy to get caught up in their dynamic, and to want to see what happens next for them (as the first book in the series, this isn’t their whole story, and it’s great that there’s more to come, but those who aren’t fond of cliffhangers, beware here). Overall, an intriguing read with flawed, compelling protagonists.
*I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
*I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 15, 2018
Micky was a bad boy. Who knows all he got up to, but some of it, at least, wasn’t legal.
That was before his mother died and he kicked his drunken, abusive father out of the house to take care of his young brother, Fynn. Fynn suffers from Williams Syndrome, a rare condition that causes some physical and developmental problems that makes Flynn overly social, trusting and a challenge to bring up.
The authorities are not happy about the situation at all, and Micky struggles to stay one step ahead of them. Time is running out as no one really believes he has adult supervision any longer. Micky is terrified that his past will preclude him from caring for Flynn if they’re caught
There are some amazing touches that hit you right in the feels, such as the post box the boys have in their garden where Flynn posts letters to his mother. Micky tells him their mother comes in the night to read them and if he’s asleep she kisses him goodnight.
The characters are so real that by the end of the book it was almost as if I knew them personally. Micky is certainly no angel, neither does he pretend to be.
Dan, a harassed store manager and Micky’s boss knows about his background but cares for him anyway, even though his faith is strained sometimes. He’s a solid, well adjusted person whose life is turned upside down by Micky and Flynn, but he hangs in there and helps Micky to learn how to adult, and tried to convince him that being an adult sometimes involves making hard decisions.
Flynn is just Flynn. There’s no one like him. He’s utterly adorable and I loved the heck out of him. He trusts his brother implicitly, and he trusts everyone else almost as much. He’s so vulnerable and loving you find yourself holding your breath every time something threatens the home Micky has made for and with him.
The author calls the story gritty, and I suppose it is, but in a warm way and even when bad things happen there’s a warmth to them.
I did some research on Williams Syndrome and the author really knows her stuff. Like autism, it’s a bundle of possible symptoms that present differently in each person, with certain uniform characteristics. It is also known as Elfin Face Syndrome, which I think is perfect for Flynn who is such an innocent, affectionate, faery-like creature.
I warn you, this book ends in a cliffhanger. The title of the next book “Hard Time” might give you a clue as to what that is. Thankfully, I’m moving on to the next one immediately and I suggest you have the second book ready.
This is a wonderful, warm book with a high level of realism, and yes, a grittiness that spotlights a difficult life and someone struggling with an almost intolerable situation. However, there is humour, kindness and enduring love throughout that makes it a challenging but rewarding read.
That was before his mother died and he kicked his drunken, abusive father out of the house to take care of his young brother, Fynn. Fynn suffers from Williams Syndrome, a rare condition that causes some physical and developmental problems that makes Flynn overly social, trusting and a challenge to bring up.
The authorities are not happy about the situation at all, and Micky struggles to stay one step ahead of them. Time is running out as no one really believes he has adult supervision any longer. Micky is terrified that his past will preclude him from caring for Flynn if they’re caught
There are some amazing touches that hit you right in the feels, such as the post box the boys have in their garden where Flynn posts letters to his mother. Micky tells him their mother comes in the night to read them and if he’s asleep she kisses him goodnight.
The characters are so real that by the end of the book it was almost as if I knew them personally. Micky is certainly no angel, neither does he pretend to be.
Dan, a harassed store manager and Micky’s boss knows about his background but cares for him anyway, even though his faith is strained sometimes. He’s a solid, well adjusted person whose life is turned upside down by Micky and Flynn, but he hangs in there and helps Micky to learn how to adult, and tried to convince him that being an adult sometimes involves making hard decisions.
Flynn is just Flynn. There’s no one like him. He’s utterly adorable and I loved the heck out of him. He trusts his brother implicitly, and he trusts everyone else almost as much. He’s so vulnerable and loving you find yourself holding your breath every time something threatens the home Micky has made for and with him.
The author calls the story gritty, and I suppose it is, but in a warm way and even when bad things happen there’s a warmth to them.
I did some research on Williams Syndrome and the author really knows her stuff. Like autism, it’s a bundle of possible symptoms that present differently in each person, with certain uniform characteristics. It is also known as Elfin Face Syndrome, which I think is perfect for Flynn who is such an innocent, affectionate, faery-like creature.
I warn you, this book ends in a cliffhanger. The title of the next book “Hard Time” might give you a clue as to what that is. Thankfully, I’m moving on to the next one immediately and I suggest you have the second book ready.
This is a wonderful, warm book with a high level of realism, and yes, a grittiness that spotlights a difficult life and someone struggling with an almost intolerable situation. However, there is humour, kindness and enduring love throughout that makes it a challenging but rewarding read.
July 6, 2021
I was gifted my copy of this book, direct from the author.
Micky is doing his best to keep his head above water. Looking after his disabled little brother, Flynn is top of that list. getting this new job will help a great deal. He just didn't plan on Danny, his boss. Danny is still suffering after a bad break up, but Micky is a breath of fresh air, even if the man has so many layers. Can they make it work?
Micky is trying, dammit, he really is! He lost his mum a few years ago, and his dad is absent and a deadbeat. Looking after Finn fell on to Micky cos Micky wants to keep Flynn close, to keep the two of them together. Flynn's special needs won't be easy for a stranger to deal with but Micky can, for the most part. But Micky is hurting, deep inside. He won't admit it, not to anyone, and certainly not to his best friend who is a career crook! But Danny? Danny picks at him, peels away his onion layers and digs deep til Micky really can't help himself.
The world though, is out to get Micky and he has to keep one step ahead of everyone trying to take Flynn away from him.
I loved this, bar one thing . . well maybe BECAUSE of this one thing I loved it, I'm still not sure yet!
Micky is not a bad person, he's just not made the best of choices up to now, but the job with Danny is step in the right direction. He tries HARD, he really does. Flynn is his world, but Danny sneaks in.
Danny is lovely, he knows Micky has his own stuff to deal with, but he will be there for Micky, should Micky need him. And I think Micky DOES need Danny, deeply. Micky might not admit to that fact, but Micky needs Danny, just as much as Flynn needs Micky. And I loved the pair of them, I really did!
That one thing?? Cliff hanger, baby, a massive cliff hanger that my poor kindle is lucky to have survived! Because this is NOT a complete story, no ma'am. This is the first in a trilogy! I didn't really pay attention to the other books, when I was asked if I wanted to read this one, just that THIS book sounded really good. Now, going forward, I will pay more attention, and maybe wait till I have all three parts in trilogies available to me, should I wish to read them!
I need book 2, like yesterday cos fooooooooooooooooooooooooooook me, these guys are gonna kill me, I'm sure, before they get to their Happy Ever After! Oh! Ms White, they DO get there, don't they?? Oh god I hope so!
Anyway!
Loved it!
5 full and slightly dented stars (cos they were flung across the room when I finished this!)
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Micky is doing his best to keep his head above water. Looking after his disabled little brother, Flynn is top of that list. getting this new job will help a great deal. He just didn't plan on Danny, his boss. Danny is still suffering after a bad break up, but Micky is a breath of fresh air, even if the man has so many layers. Can they make it work?
Micky is trying, dammit, he really is! He lost his mum a few years ago, and his dad is absent and a deadbeat. Looking after Finn fell on to Micky cos Micky wants to keep Flynn close, to keep the two of them together. Flynn's special needs won't be easy for a stranger to deal with but Micky can, for the most part. But Micky is hurting, deep inside. He won't admit it, not to anyone, and certainly not to his best friend who is a career crook! But Danny? Danny picks at him, peels away his onion layers and digs deep til Micky really can't help himself.
The world though, is out to get Micky and he has to keep one step ahead of everyone trying to take Flynn away from him.
I loved this, bar one thing . . well maybe BECAUSE of this one thing I loved it, I'm still not sure yet!
Micky is not a bad person, he's just not made the best of choices up to now, but the job with Danny is step in the right direction. He tries HARD, he really does. Flynn is his world, but Danny sneaks in.
Danny is lovely, he knows Micky has his own stuff to deal with, but he will be there for Micky, should Micky need him. And I think Micky DOES need Danny, deeply. Micky might not admit to that fact, but Micky needs Danny, just as much as Flynn needs Micky. And I loved the pair of them, I really did!
That one thing?? Cliff hanger, baby, a massive cliff hanger that my poor kindle is lucky to have survived! Because this is NOT a complete story, no ma'am. This is the first in a trilogy! I didn't really pay attention to the other books, when I was asked if I wanted to read this one, just that THIS book sounded really good. Now, going forward, I will pay more attention, and maybe wait till I have all three parts in trilogies available to me, should I wish to read them!
I need book 2, like yesterday cos fooooooooooooooooooooooooooook me, these guys are gonna kill me, I'm sure, before they get to their Happy Ever After! Oh! Ms White, they DO get there, don't they?? Oh god I hope so!
Anyway!
Loved it!
5 full and slightly dented stars (cos they were flung across the room when I finished this!)
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
October 17, 2021
I just finished the audiobook and am still quite flashed. One thing first: It is the first volume of a trilogy and this ends with a cliffhanger. The audiobook has me simply captivated and now I'm sitting there and already eagerly waiting for the next volume, but fortunately it will be released very soon.
The story is gritty, authentic with bright spots of light and it is heartwarming and emotional. A fantastic audiobook that I listened to in just two days.
Mickey didn't have an easy childhood and as a teenager he got into trouble with the law more than once. But everything changes when he has to be there for his brother Flynn, whom he loves with all his heart.
The author has created Mickey's character in a profound and authentic way and it was nice to witness his development. But far too often Mickey is prejudged because of his backstory. But I loved Mickey from the first pages. That he can't get out of his skin from one moment to the next is understandable and makes Mickey all the more authentic.
Looking for a job, he is hired by manager Dan. Dan is the exact opposite of Mickey. He is calm and level-headed, while Mickey is short-tempered and spiky. But Dan also has a history and yet there is the enormous attraction between the two. Can he dare to fall in love again?
Flynn, with his special needs, is responsible for the bright spots in this story. He exudes such a zest for life that it warmed my heart. Of course, Mickey's life doesn't get any easier, but he loves Flynn and is willing to do anything to give him a better future. Which is not so easy, because it is very uncertain if Mickey would get custody given his past history. And so he tries to hide from the authorities that his parents are not there. Until a terrible incident in the schoolyard reshuffles the cards, and not necessarily for the better.
I received a copy of the audiobook from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Pierce Ryman is a great narrator. He brought the characters to life, you could hear the emotions very well and he always hit the right note. The book itself is fantastic, but Pierce Ryman makes it even better with his amazing interpretation. He is the perfect choice for this emotional story!
Highly recommended!
The story is gritty, authentic with bright spots of light and it is heartwarming and emotional. A fantastic audiobook that I listened to in just two days.
Mickey didn't have an easy childhood and as a teenager he got into trouble with the law more than once. But everything changes when he has to be there for his brother Flynn, whom he loves with all his heart.
The author has created Mickey's character in a profound and authentic way and it was nice to witness his development. But far too often Mickey is prejudged because of his backstory. But I loved Mickey from the first pages. That he can't get out of his skin from one moment to the next is understandable and makes Mickey all the more authentic.
Looking for a job, he is hired by manager Dan. Dan is the exact opposite of Mickey. He is calm and level-headed, while Mickey is short-tempered and spiky. But Dan also has a history and yet there is the enormous attraction between the two. Can he dare to fall in love again?
Flynn, with his special needs, is responsible for the bright spots in this story. He exudes such a zest for life that it warmed my heart. Of course, Mickey's life doesn't get any easier, but he loves Flynn and is willing to do anything to give him a better future. Which is not so easy, because it is very uncertain if Mickey would get custody given his past history. And so he tries to hide from the authorities that his parents are not there. Until a terrible incident in the schoolyard reshuffles the cards, and not necessarily for the better.
I received a copy of the audiobook from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Pierce Ryman is a great narrator. He brought the characters to life, you could hear the emotions very well and he always hit the right note. The book itself is fantastic, but Pierce Ryman makes it even better with his amazing interpretation. He is the perfect choice for this emotional story!
Highly recommended!
July 13, 2021
Gritty and Real; I Loved It.
I have to get this out of the way first but please don’t stop reading. This is book one of a trilogy and ends on a cliffhanger but the other books are available for preorder. Book two will release in early August and book three in early September. Since this is a re-release of the series you can be confident that the next two books are coming. I don’t mind cliffhangers if I know up front what I’m getting into.
I haven’t been reading books by C F White that long, just a little over a year, but every one of them has been a five-star read for me. Her District Line series really hooked me and I think I’ve read everything of hers since then.
Misdemeanor grabbed me right from the start and didn’t let go. I actually spent the entire day doing nothing but read this book. Use the “Look Inside” feature on Amazon to find out why this story is so special to the author (hint: she has a child with the same condition as Flynn). I don’t know how parts of this story could be any more authentic than to be written by someone with first-hand knowledge and experience with a child like Flynn.
Micky wasn’t a good guy growing up but he loves Flynn more than anything and is trying his best to be a better man and raise him right. He’s bisexual but not out; he can’t risk losing his best friend who helps him with Flynn.
Dan hires Micky to work in the grocery where he’s a manager. In spite of Micky’s past misdeeds Dan believes that he has truly changed and wants to give him a chance. The bad thing for Dan is the attraction he feels for Micky, his subordinate.
Micky’s brother, Flynn, is a delight and often adds some much-needed levity to a story that is pretty intense and heartbreaking in places. Dan and Micky both have things in their past that they need to work through and their journey to their HEA isn’t going to come easy.
This is a story that will stick with me for a while and I can’t wait to read the next one: Hard Time coming August 5th.
A copy of this book was provided to me at my request but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author.
***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***
I have to get this out of the way first but please don’t stop reading. This is book one of a trilogy and ends on a cliffhanger but the other books are available for preorder. Book two will release in early August and book three in early September. Since this is a re-release of the series you can be confident that the next two books are coming. I don’t mind cliffhangers if I know up front what I’m getting into.
I haven’t been reading books by C F White that long, just a little over a year, but every one of them has been a five-star read for me. Her District Line series really hooked me and I think I’ve read everything of hers since then.
Misdemeanor grabbed me right from the start and didn’t let go. I actually spent the entire day doing nothing but read this book. Use the “Look Inside” feature on Amazon to find out why this story is so special to the author (hint: she has a child with the same condition as Flynn). I don’t know how parts of this story could be any more authentic than to be written by someone with first-hand knowledge and experience with a child like Flynn.
Micky wasn’t a good guy growing up but he loves Flynn more than anything and is trying his best to be a better man and raise him right. He’s bisexual but not out; he can’t risk losing his best friend who helps him with Flynn.
Dan hires Micky to work in the grocery where he’s a manager. In spite of Micky’s past misdeeds Dan believes that he has truly changed and wants to give him a chance. The bad thing for Dan is the attraction he feels for Micky, his subordinate.
Micky’s brother, Flynn, is a delight and often adds some much-needed levity to a story that is pretty intense and heartbreaking in places. Dan and Micky both have things in their past that they need to work through and their journey to their HEA isn’t going to come easy.
This is a story that will stick with me for a while and I can’t wait to read the next one: Hard Time coming August 5th.
A copy of this book was provided to me at my request but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author.
***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***
October 15, 2021
Powerful beginning (an audio review)
I *just* finished this book and OMG – good, yes. Great even. Cliff-hanger? Also, yes. Argh! I want the next book. RIGHT NOW! I will be patient, but it’ll be a near thing.
Okay – what I love about this book. Dan. The good guy. The dependable employee. The goof friend to his roommate Tamsen. Just a reliable guy. He’s been burned before, but that hasn’t brought him down entirely. He had aspirations beyond produce manager at the local grocery store…but he hasn’t quite figured out how to move beyond his somewhat comfortable life. Inertia.
I adored Micky. He’s had an incredibly rough go of it. Horrible childhood, miserable adolescence. Now he’s nineteen and trying to get some education behind him. He wants better – for himself and for the younger brother he’s been caring for since his mother’s death. That’s a hell of a lot of responsibility for one young man to bear. That Flynn is lovely and loving helps, but his disabilities only make life tougher. Micky is forever dodging the authorities because he’s not Flynn’s legal guardian. The fact he loves his little brother and that brother is safe and happy? Probably not enough to persuade the adults who only see Micky’s record and his lack of education. He takes the job at the local grocery in the hopes of providing a stable home for Flynn.
He gets more than he bargained for.
Dan and Micky have chemistry. But Micky’s prickly and Dan is gentle. Micky’s secretive and Dan is open. So, like, opposites attract. Dan is also persistent and he starts dismantling Micky’s defenses.
And then it all falls apart.
And…cliff-hanger.
Oh dear. But I know this is a three-part series, and I’ve adored all Ms. White’s books, so a little wait will do me good.
Finally, must say Piers Ryman was wonderful. He and Ms. White’s words go perfectly together, and I couldn’t ask for a better narrator. Tapping foot for the next book.
I *just* finished this book and OMG – good, yes. Great even. Cliff-hanger? Also, yes. Argh! I want the next book. RIGHT NOW! I will be patient, but it’ll be a near thing.
Okay – what I love about this book. Dan. The good guy. The dependable employee. The goof friend to his roommate Tamsen. Just a reliable guy. He’s been burned before, but that hasn’t brought him down entirely. He had aspirations beyond produce manager at the local grocery store…but he hasn’t quite figured out how to move beyond his somewhat comfortable life. Inertia.
I adored Micky. He’s had an incredibly rough go of it. Horrible childhood, miserable adolescence. Now he’s nineteen and trying to get some education behind him. He wants better – for himself and for the younger brother he’s been caring for since his mother’s death. That’s a hell of a lot of responsibility for one young man to bear. That Flynn is lovely and loving helps, but his disabilities only make life tougher. Micky is forever dodging the authorities because he’s not Flynn’s legal guardian. The fact he loves his little brother and that brother is safe and happy? Probably not enough to persuade the adults who only see Micky’s record and his lack of education. He takes the job at the local grocery in the hopes of providing a stable home for Flynn.
He gets more than he bargained for.
Dan and Micky have chemistry. But Micky’s prickly and Dan is gentle. Micky’s secretive and Dan is open. So, like, opposites attract. Dan is also persistent and he starts dismantling Micky’s defenses.
And then it all falls apart.
And…cliff-hanger.
Oh dear. But I know this is a three-part series, and I’ve adored all Ms. White’s books, so a little wait will do me good.
Finally, must say Piers Ryman was wonderful. He and Ms. White’s words go perfectly together, and I couldn’t ask for a better narrator. Tapping foot for the next book.
October 20, 2021
This review is for the audiobook version of the story.
‘Misdemeanor’, a grittily heartfelt tale of perseverance and love, is the first book of CF White’s ‘Responsible Adult’ series. At the start of the book, Micky is struggling to juggle school, a job and care for his special needs brother after a life filled with abuse and tragedy. In his 19 years, he has learned the hard lesson that self-reliance equals self-preservation and shuts out any resource that might help him build a better life for himself and Flynn.
When Micky takes a job at the up-market grocery store where Dan is a manager, the attraction they feel for one another is instant. Micky, having no previous experiences with healthy relationships, resists Dan’s attempts at lessening the burdens Micky has been carrying alone. Will Micky finally let down his defenses to allow Dan into his heart?
This book delivers some of my favorite tropes. Micky’s story has a bit of a coming-of-age-ness about it. White provides both Dan and Micky with some wonderful character development. The slow-build of their relationship makes sense given Micky’s past. White brings forth just the right amount of angst; it’s not artificial or overwrought. With adorable little Flynn added to the mix, there is a single-dad vibe that I find particularly lovely. This story has me feeling all the feels.
I’m looking forward to Book 2, but I find the cliffhanger ending in this book to be utterly unnecessary. The book is excellently written and doesn’t call for such a blatant attempt to attract readers to the rest of the series. (This is a pet peeve of mine; gotta call it out.)
Piers Ryman’s narration is excellently performed. His interpretation of the deeply emotional aspects of White’s storytelling is brilliant.
This audiobook was given to me as an ARC, at my request, and I am now voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Highly recommended.
‘Misdemeanor’, a grittily heartfelt tale of perseverance and love, is the first book of CF White’s ‘Responsible Adult’ series. At the start of the book, Micky is struggling to juggle school, a job and care for his special needs brother after a life filled with abuse and tragedy. In his 19 years, he has learned the hard lesson that self-reliance equals self-preservation and shuts out any resource that might help him build a better life for himself and Flynn.
When Micky takes a job at the up-market grocery store where Dan is a manager, the attraction they feel for one another is instant. Micky, having no previous experiences with healthy relationships, resists Dan’s attempts at lessening the burdens Micky has been carrying alone. Will Micky finally let down his defenses to allow Dan into his heart?
This book delivers some of my favorite tropes. Micky’s story has a bit of a coming-of-age-ness about it. White provides both Dan and Micky with some wonderful character development. The slow-build of their relationship makes sense given Micky’s past. White brings forth just the right amount of angst; it’s not artificial or overwrought. With adorable little Flynn added to the mix, there is a single-dad vibe that I find particularly lovely. This story has me feeling all the feels.
I’m looking forward to Book 2, but I find the cliffhanger ending in this book to be utterly unnecessary. The book is excellently written and doesn’t call for such a blatant attempt to attract readers to the rest of the series. (This is a pet peeve of mine; gotta call it out.)
Piers Ryman’s narration is excellently performed. His interpretation of the deeply emotional aspects of White’s storytelling is brilliant.
This audiobook was given to me as an ARC, at my request, and I am now voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Highly recommended.
June 15, 2017
A Joyfully Jay review.
3.5 stars
I love stories where one of the heroes is taking care of a child, whether they’re a son/daughter or a sibling. I get all gooey inside watching a man giving his all to make sure that child is loved and given everything possible. Sometimes, the child can get in the way of a story (too precocious, not precocious enough, bratty), but in Misdemeanor, a nice balance was achieved. Mickey loves his little brother more than anything, and he’s determined to keep him out of foster care. Flynn was born with William’s Syndrome, which Google explains as “a developmental disorder that affects many parts of the body. This condition is characterized by mild to moderate intellectual disability or learning problems, unique personality characteristics, distinctive facial features, and heart and blood vessel (cardiovascular) problems”.
Flynn loves everyone. He thinks everyone is his friend, even the children who pick on him at school. He doesn’t even realize he’s being picked on. This will lead to some trouble, eventually. I loved the Flynn character, though. He’s a well written child who tugged at my heart, especially during his interactions with Mickey and Dan.
Mickey, as a character, was a little more difficult to love. He was closed off and occasionally seemed to resent Flynn and his lot in life. After all, he’s only 19 years old, and he’s caring for a disabled child while his friends are out drinking and partying. His love for the boy is obvious, though, and he’d do anything for him…even giving up his own happiness.
Read Kenna’s review in its entirety here.
3.5 stars
I love stories where one of the heroes is taking care of a child, whether they’re a son/daughter or a sibling. I get all gooey inside watching a man giving his all to make sure that child is loved and given everything possible. Sometimes, the child can get in the way of a story (too precocious, not precocious enough, bratty), but in Misdemeanor, a nice balance was achieved. Mickey loves his little brother more than anything, and he’s determined to keep him out of foster care. Flynn was born with William’s Syndrome, which Google explains as “a developmental disorder that affects many parts of the body. This condition is characterized by mild to moderate intellectual disability or learning problems, unique personality characteristics, distinctive facial features, and heart and blood vessel (cardiovascular) problems”.
Flynn loves everyone. He thinks everyone is his friend, even the children who pick on him at school. He doesn’t even realize he’s being picked on. This will lead to some trouble, eventually. I loved the Flynn character, though. He’s a well written child who tugged at my heart, especially during his interactions with Mickey and Dan.
Mickey, as a character, was a little more difficult to love. He was closed off and occasionally seemed to resent Flynn and his lot in life. After all, he’s only 19 years old, and he’s caring for a disabled child while his friends are out drinking and partying. His love for the boy is obvious, though, and he’d do anything for him…even giving up his own happiness.
Read Kenna’s review in its entirety here.
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