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We Have Till Dawn #1
We Have Till Dawn
It wasn’t like he’d never done this before...
Nicky Fender retired from sex work two years ago and never looked back. Then an offer he can’t refuse comes his way, and he agrees to one last exclusive arrangement. Good money and an apartment in Manhattan? He’d be a fool to turn that down.
The deal is dusk till dawn for two months. But once he meets Gideon—an older, quirky, autistic, filthy, uncertain businessman who wants to explore his sexuality—Nicky wishes sunrise would never come.
Nicky Fender retired from sex work two years ago and never looked back. Then an offer he can’t refuse comes his way, and he agrees to one last exclusive arrangement. Good money and an apartment in Manhattan? He’d be a fool to turn that down.
The deal is dusk till dawn for two months. But once he meets Gideon—an older, quirky, autistic, filthy, uncertain businessman who wants to explore his sexuality—Nicky wishes sunrise would never come.
206 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 19, 2020
586 people are currently reading
3060 people want to read
About the author
Cara Dee
97 books4,100 followers
I'm often stoically silent or, if the topic interests me, a chronic rambler. In other words, I can discuss writing forever and ever. Fiction, in particular. The love story—while a huge draw and constantly present—is secondary for me, because there's so much more to writing romance fiction than just making two (or more) people fall in love and have hot sex. There's a world to build, characters to develop, interests to create, and a topic or two to research thoroughly. Every book is a challenge for me, an opportunity to learn something new, and a puzzle to piece together. I want my characters to come to life, and the only way I know to do that is to give them substance—passions, history, goals, quirks, and strong opinions—and to let them evolve. Additionally, I want my men and women to be relatable. That means allowing room for everyday problems and, for lack of a better word, flaws. My characters will never be perfect.
Wait…this was supposed to be about me, not my writing.
I'm a writey person who loves to write. Always wanderlusting, twitterpating, kinking, and geeking. There's time for hockey and cupcakes, too. But mostly, I just love to write.
I'm often stoically silent or, if the topic interests me, a chronic rambler. In other words, I can discuss writing forever and ever. Fiction, in particular. The love story—while a huge draw and constantly present—is secondary for me, because there's so much more to writing romance fiction than just making two (or more) people fall in love and have hot sex. There's a world to build, characters to develop, interests to create, and a topic or two to research thoroughly. Every book is a challenge for me, an opportunity to learn something new, and a puzzle to piece together. I want my characters to come to life, and the only way I know to do that is to give them substance—passions, history, goals, quirks, and strong opinions—and to let them evolve. Additionally, I want my men and women to be relatable. That means allowing room for everyday problems and, for lack of a better word, flaws. My characters will never be perfect.
Wait…this was supposed to be about me, not my writing.
I'm a writey person who loves to write. Always wanderlusting, twitterpating, kinking, and geeking. There's time for hockey and cupcakes, too. But mostly, I just love to write.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 586 reviews
November 28, 2020
Though a lot of my friends loved this one, I had the hardest time with it. Sure, We Have Till Dawn wasn't a bad book, but I felt underwhelmed by the romance.
I immediately wanted to pick up this Cara Dee story because of the promise of an autistic MC. I love MCs that are not cookie-cutter, and I was extremely excited to get that here. However, that wasn't enough to make me enjoy the story.
We Have Till Dawn is the type of story that sorely needs a duel POV. I felt like I didn't understand Gideon at all. Nicky I got more, even if he was a bit too much for my tastes and didn't respect Gideon's boundaries all of the time, but Gideon was a big mystery for me. The whole discovery of his sexuality in his 40s didn't quite make sense to me. Why did it take him so long to get there when he was clearly a hyper-sexual person? I had questions.
I also feel like Gideon's autism got a very superficial treatment. I wanted to get to know him more, as a whole person, but I didn't get that experience. I think it also affected their chemistry because, while they started off with fireworks, I felt like that waned over time.
Truly, I almost DNFed multiple times. It was difficult for me to finish the story, even though there were some highlights, like Nicky's family and the music details. I just wasn't into the romance, which is a shame.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
goodreads|instagram|twitter|blog
I immediately wanted to pick up this Cara Dee story because of the promise of an autistic MC. I love MCs that are not cookie-cutter, and I was extremely excited to get that here. However, that wasn't enough to make me enjoy the story.
We Have Till Dawn is the type of story that sorely needs a duel POV. I felt like I didn't understand Gideon at all. Nicky I got more, even if he was a bit too much for my tastes and didn't respect Gideon's boundaries all of the time, but Gideon was a big mystery for me. The whole discovery of his sexuality in his 40s didn't quite make sense to me. Why did it take him so long to get there when he was clearly a hyper-sexual person? I had questions.
I also feel like Gideon's autism got a very superficial treatment. I wanted to get to know him more, as a whole person, but I didn't get that experience. I think it also affected their chemistry because, while they started off with fireworks, I felt like that waned over time.
Truly, I almost DNFed multiple times. It was difficult for me to finish the story, even though there were some highlights, like Nicky's family and the music details. I just wasn't into the romance, which is a shame.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
goodreads|instagram|twitter|blog
August 30, 2022
3.5 Bought and Paid For Stars ⭐
When you begin reading We Have Till Dawn there is a sense of mystery and confusion. You hear how a fiance has hired an escort for her partner to explore his sexuality for two months. A 'straight' male with a gay escort. What makes this more alluring is that our protagonist Gideon has Asperger's and needs this arrangement solely on his terms. Tell me your not intrigued?!
Nick stopped turning tricks two years ago. Presently working three jobs, it takes one golden opportunity to get him out of retirement. One last escorting gig that will give him the money he needs to secure his future.
"You’re my toy, and you don’t talk back."
Welp.
Hot. As. Fuck.
"Unless something is wrong," he added hastily.
I grinned to myself.
Was it weird that I found his uncertainty adorable and charming? It drew me in and stole my entire focus.
It starts off as a paid position with many rules and guidelines. The perfect setup so that neither Gideon or Nick should form any attachments. Except Nick is lonely and Gideon hasn't experienced passion or empathy from a lover. So lines begin to blur, and this exchange no longer feels temporary.
"I don’t want you to pay me another cent," I murmured. "It doesn’t feel right anymore. You’re…essentially paying me to be where I wanna be, right fucking here, with you."
The actual storyline sucked me in from the beginning. We also got two characters that were standout. Gideon was simply lovable with his intricacies and eagerness to explore his newfound sexuality. And Nicky was kind and nurturing, so the two together were a wonderful combination.
However I'm going to say it, for a story about a person that hires a sex worker for two months, there wasn't much sex in my opinion. I was expecting some heavy petting, but I found the action to be underwhelming which is surprising for this author!
When you begin reading We Have Till Dawn there is a sense of mystery and confusion. You hear how a fiance has hired an escort for her partner to explore his sexuality for two months. A 'straight' male with a gay escort. What makes this more alluring is that our protagonist Gideon has Asperger's and needs this arrangement solely on his terms. Tell me your not intrigued?!
Nick stopped turning tricks two years ago. Presently working three jobs, it takes one golden opportunity to get him out of retirement. One last escorting gig that will give him the money he needs to secure his future.
"You’re my toy, and you don’t talk back."
Welp.
Hot. As. Fuck.
"Unless something is wrong," he added hastily.
I grinned to myself.
Was it weird that I found his uncertainty adorable and charming? It drew me in and stole my entire focus.
It starts off as a paid position with many rules and guidelines. The perfect setup so that neither Gideon or Nick should form any attachments. Except Nick is lonely and Gideon hasn't experienced passion or empathy from a lover. So lines begin to blur, and this exchange no longer feels temporary.
"I don’t want you to pay me another cent," I murmured. "It doesn’t feel right anymore. You’re…essentially paying me to be where I wanna be, right fucking here, with you."
The actual storyline sucked me in from the beginning. We also got two characters that were standout. Gideon was simply lovable with his intricacies and eagerness to explore his newfound sexuality. And Nicky was kind and nurturing, so the two together were a wonderful combination.
However I'm going to say it, for a story about a person that hires a sex worker for two months, there wasn't much sex in my opinion. I was expecting some heavy petting, but I found the action to be underwhelming which is surprising for this author!
November 12, 2020
Absolutely exceptional book.
I have no clue how to sum up this book because, on the face of it, it's pretty straightforward.
Two men meet due to a paid professional engagement and end up falling in love.
But it's so much more than that. It's about finding a new way to live, it's about boundaries, the ones we set ourselves and the ones society imposes on those it deems 'different'
It's about family and a sense of place, New York is as much a character here as Nicky and Gideon are.
And it's about love. It's about the way love gives people strength, support, encouragement and a safe harbour in which to explore and grow.
I loved Nicky, his warm heart, his unfailing ability to take care of others, his openness and willingness to let someone else take charge.
Gideon though, oh I fell for him just as hard as Nicky did. I think, from my own experiences with people with Asperger's, that Cara Dee gave Gideon a realism and a completely believable personality that never wavered into stereotypes.
He is wholly representative of a neuro diverse personality but not a caricature.
I loved everything about this romance. And oh boy is it seriously hot, oh my lawd there's chemistry and sexual explosions all over the place!
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
And I can't wait for Anthony's book!
I have no clue how to sum up this book because, on the face of it, it's pretty straightforward.
Two men meet due to a paid professional engagement and end up falling in love.
But it's so much more than that. It's about finding a new way to live, it's about boundaries, the ones we set ourselves and the ones society imposes on those it deems 'different'
It's about family and a sense of place, New York is as much a character here as Nicky and Gideon are.
And it's about love. It's about the way love gives people strength, support, encouragement and a safe harbour in which to explore and grow.
I loved Nicky, his warm heart, his unfailing ability to take care of others, his openness and willingness to let someone else take charge.
Gideon though, oh I fell for him just as hard as Nicky did. I think, from my own experiences with people with Asperger's, that Cara Dee gave Gideon a realism and a completely believable personality that never wavered into stereotypes.
He is wholly representative of a neuro diverse personality but not a caricature.
I loved everything about this romance. And oh boy is it seriously hot, oh my lawd there's chemistry and sexual explosions all over the place!
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
And I can't wait for Anthony's book!
January 19, 2022
1 disapointed as all hell star
Beware, one hell or a lengthy rant/review follows.
Excuse the mistakes, english is not my first language and it’s one in the morning and i’m really really annoyed.
Honestly I have no idea what happened, I LOVE Cara Dee, so fucking much and I was so fucking excited for this book, I was even counting down the days, and I got it as soon as I could this morning. I was so excited because everyone else seems to love it and I was so sure I would too. But I don’t think I read the same book as everyone else, it doesn’t feel like it anyway. I’m just going to go cry in a corner now. I’m so sad I didn’t love it, or even enjoy it, like at all. This could have been so so good, but it just wasn’t, at all. Also, I started skimming a little from 42% and on, I was just getting way too frustrated with it.
Some background info on the book, to explain my annoyance with it. Nick was an excort, he stoped two years ago and only goes back to be Gideon’s client (who’s autistic and his experiencing with a man for the first time before he goes and marries a woman).
The things I actually enjoyed:
- the dirty talk. Holy shit. That was some insanely hot dirty talk. I fucking adored it.
- Gideon. He is so fucking precious. I just wanted to take him in my arms and cuddle him. He’s really fucking brillant. Even if you will see later, I had some complaints about him too.
- The cover is fucking gorgeous. I just love it.
- That one public sex scene, I love exhibitionist and public sex. That was fucking lovely. I fucking loved that sex, so much. They roleplayed a dad and his boy fantasy in a sex shop and it was seriously hot as all hell. Shame that is almost the only sex on page we got. Cause that was one hot scene, would have loved to get way more of these.
- I have a lot of complains about how Gideon being autistic was dealt with, but there was one scene were Nick helped him through a panic attack and that was really nice, I loved that. I really wish we got to see more of that.
What bothered me the most:
- off page sex at the start. I wish we got to see it. There was mention of them having sex but we never got to read about them having sex before they had sex for the 3rd of 4th time and even then, all we got to see was him putting his dick in and then it faded to black, just what the fuck. I wish we got to see the first time atleast, since that was Gideon experiencing with a man for the first time. I really wish we got to read about that. Also, they had sex, BEHIND A BAR ALLEY, and we never got to actually see it happen. You can’t have public sex and have if be off page, thats just fucking annoying.
- More on the previous point, it was reference a lot about how Gideon has a monster dick but we never actually got a on page sex scene and it was so dissapointed. Cara Dee’s scenes are always so damn hot and I wish we got to see more them. I was really dissapointed with the lack of on page sex. Nick is an excort and they have sex all the time but none is actually shown. So annoying. The first time we actually got to see them have sex was at 55% and they already gad sex like 40 times before that, it’s just very dissapointing. And there is only one actual sex scene in the entire book and thats so dissapointed, I just wanted more, way more.
- Nick wasn’t very responsible to Gideon’s needs at the start, he kinda pissed me off, I wish he listened to him more. He just did what he wanted without caring about Gideon’s needs.
- Nick breaks the rules Gideon set (Gideon on the austism spectrum) and we spent pages upon pages of being told that when you’re autistic you need your rules and all, and then when Nick breaks the rules, all that Gideon does is freak out a little inside and then all is good and he’s fine with the broken rules. That didn’t seem realistic at all to me. He didn’t even seem to care about his rules being broken... and that didn’t work for me.
- I also got really really pissed at Nick for never respecting Gideon’s bondaries and the rules that Gideon put in place, he always wanted to break them. I hated it, so much. Gideon is autistic and NEEDS his rules and bondaries to function properly and not get overwhelmed and it’s like it never mattered to Nick, he broke the rules without any thought. And it fucking pissed me off. I just thought that Nick could have respected Gideon much better and still break the rules. But it’s like he never cared about what it could do to Gideon if he broke them and it pissed me off.
- I know that not everyone on the spectrum is the same, but I didn’t enjoy how Gideon was portrayed. I didn’t like how easily he went with his rules being broken. He just went with it for the most part and that just doesn’t seem realistic at all to me. I studied psychology before and I worked with autistic people before and if you break their rules, they just don’t panic like 3 seconds and then go with it, they break down and they can’t function properly for a long time. I really didn’t like how Gideon was portrayed in this way. I understand that maybe he just isn’t like most of other autistic people and thats just how he is. But we didn’t get his point of view, we only got Nick’s. So I never got to see how he really felt and it really didn’t work for me how we saw him portrayed by Nick, it just all felt way too easy how he dealt with things. He didn’t really feel like a real person, just an idealistic representation of an austistic person. It was often said in the book how rules are important to him, but we never got to actually see it, he just seemed way too compliant with his rules being broken for me.
- I really disliked sentences like the one that will follow, it felt like Gideon was portrayed as someone being picky, not someone with an actual mental illness: and you need to stay in control—or so you think. I think, if you found someone you trusted wholeheartedly, you’d enjoy letting your guard down and have another person take care of you, at least outside the bedroom. Once again, he needs control and rules because thats how his brain works because he is autistic, he can’t just turn it off because he trusts someone, thats not how he is wired.
- This really started to feel like a ‘’love will cure everything story’’ and it wasn’t realistic. Example, shit like this is romantic, but thats not how it actually works when you’re autistic. “You don’t understand the impact you’ve had on me. I feel more alive now than I ever have, and I welcome the moments of discomfort if it means I’m making strides forward with you. Sure changing is possible, but it’s not as easy as this book portrays and it doesn’t just happen because you fall in love, it takes more than that.
- one last thing, I didn’t appreciate how Gideon’s rules and rigid lifestyle was talked about something that he can just change if he opens up to the idea of change, it doesn’t work that way when you’re on the spectrum, he needs the strict rules and he can’t just change them suddently. That also felt very unrealistic to me.
- Also, what the fuck was that scene towards the end?? Nick decides to show up unannounced to Gideon’s house (when Gideon never even told him where he lives). Why would you do that to someone who’s autistic and needs plans. Thats such a bad idea. I HATED it.
- Most of the story is about Gideon, we barely never hear about Nick and yet we only hear Nick’s point of view, it really would have helped to have Gideon’s point of view to see how he was feeling. The book really suffered from the lack of Gideon’s point of view.
Beware, one hell or a lengthy rant/review follows.
Excuse the mistakes, english is not my first language and it’s one in the morning and i’m really really annoyed.
Honestly I have no idea what happened, I LOVE Cara Dee, so fucking much and I was so fucking excited for this book, I was even counting down the days, and I got it as soon as I could this morning. I was so excited because everyone else seems to love it and I was so sure I would too. But I don’t think I read the same book as everyone else, it doesn’t feel like it anyway. I’m just going to go cry in a corner now. I’m so sad I didn’t love it, or even enjoy it, like at all. This could have been so so good, but it just wasn’t, at all. Also, I started skimming a little from 42% and on, I was just getting way too frustrated with it.
Some background info on the book, to explain my annoyance with it. Nick was an excort, he stoped two years ago and only goes back to be Gideon’s client (who’s autistic and his experiencing with a man for the first time before he goes and marries a woman).
The things I actually enjoyed:
- the dirty talk. Holy shit. That was some insanely hot dirty talk. I fucking adored it.
- Gideon. He is so fucking precious. I just wanted to take him in my arms and cuddle him. He’s really fucking brillant. Even if you will see later, I had some complaints about him too.
- The cover is fucking gorgeous. I just love it.
- That one public sex scene, I love exhibitionist and public sex. That was fucking lovely. I fucking loved that sex, so much. They roleplayed a dad and his boy fantasy in a sex shop and it was seriously hot as all hell. Shame that is almost the only sex on page we got. Cause that was one hot scene, would have loved to get way more of these.
- I have a lot of complains about how Gideon being autistic was dealt with, but there was one scene were Nick helped him through a panic attack and that was really nice, I loved that. I really wish we got to see more of that.
What bothered me the most:
- off page sex at the start. I wish we got to see it. There was mention of them having sex but we never got to read about them having sex before they had sex for the 3rd of 4th time and even then, all we got to see was him putting his dick in and then it faded to black, just what the fuck. I wish we got to see the first time atleast, since that was Gideon experiencing with a man for the first time. I really wish we got to read about that. Also, they had sex, BEHIND A BAR ALLEY, and we never got to actually see it happen. You can’t have public sex and have if be off page, thats just fucking annoying.
- More on the previous point, it was reference a lot about how Gideon has a monster dick but we never actually got a on page sex scene and it was so dissapointed. Cara Dee’s scenes are always so damn hot and I wish we got to see more them. I was really dissapointed with the lack of on page sex. Nick is an excort and they have sex all the time but none is actually shown. So annoying. The first time we actually got to see them have sex was at 55% and they already gad sex like 40 times before that, it’s just very dissapointing. And there is only one actual sex scene in the entire book and thats so dissapointed, I just wanted more, way more.
- Nick wasn’t very responsible to Gideon’s needs at the start, he kinda pissed me off, I wish he listened to him more. He just did what he wanted without caring about Gideon’s needs.
- Nick breaks the rules Gideon set (Gideon on the austism spectrum) and we spent pages upon pages of being told that when you’re autistic you need your rules and all, and then when Nick breaks the rules, all that Gideon does is freak out a little inside and then all is good and he’s fine with the broken rules. That didn’t seem realistic at all to me. He didn’t even seem to care about his rules being broken... and that didn’t work for me.
- I also got really really pissed at Nick for never respecting Gideon’s bondaries and the rules that Gideon put in place, he always wanted to break them. I hated it, so much. Gideon is autistic and NEEDS his rules and bondaries to function properly and not get overwhelmed and it’s like it never mattered to Nick, he broke the rules without any thought. And it fucking pissed me off. I just thought that Nick could have respected Gideon much better and still break the rules. But it’s like he never cared about what it could do to Gideon if he broke them and it pissed me off.
- I know that not everyone on the spectrum is the same, but I didn’t enjoy how Gideon was portrayed. I didn’t like how easily he went with his rules being broken. He just went with it for the most part and that just doesn’t seem realistic at all to me. I studied psychology before and I worked with autistic people before and if you break their rules, they just don’t panic like 3 seconds and then go with it, they break down and they can’t function properly for a long time. I really didn’t like how Gideon was portrayed in this way. I understand that maybe he just isn’t like most of other autistic people and thats just how he is. But we didn’t get his point of view, we only got Nick’s. So I never got to see how he really felt and it really didn’t work for me how we saw him portrayed by Nick, it just all felt way too easy how he dealt with things. He didn’t really feel like a real person, just an idealistic representation of an austistic person. It was often said in the book how rules are important to him, but we never got to actually see it, he just seemed way too compliant with his rules being broken for me.
- I really disliked sentences like the one that will follow, it felt like Gideon was portrayed as someone being picky, not someone with an actual mental illness: and you need to stay in control—or so you think. I think, if you found someone you trusted wholeheartedly, you’d enjoy letting your guard down and have another person take care of you, at least outside the bedroom. Once again, he needs control and rules because thats how his brain works because he is autistic, he can’t just turn it off because he trusts someone, thats not how he is wired.
- This really started to feel like a ‘’love will cure everything story’’ and it wasn’t realistic. Example, shit like this is romantic, but thats not how it actually works when you’re autistic. “You don’t understand the impact you’ve had on me. I feel more alive now than I ever have, and I welcome the moments of discomfort if it means I’m making strides forward with you. Sure changing is possible, but it’s not as easy as this book portrays and it doesn’t just happen because you fall in love, it takes more than that.
- one last thing, I didn’t appreciate how Gideon’s rules and rigid lifestyle was talked about something that he can just change if he opens up to the idea of change, it doesn’t work that way when you’re on the spectrum, he needs the strict rules and he can’t just change them suddently. That also felt very unrealistic to me.
- Also, what the fuck was that scene towards the end?? Nick decides to show up unannounced to Gideon’s house (when Gideon never even told him where he lives). Why would you do that to someone who’s autistic and needs plans. Thats such a bad idea. I HATED it.
- Most of the story is about Gideon, we barely never hear about Nick and yet we only hear Nick’s point of view, it really would have helped to have Gideon’s point of view to see how he was feeling. The book really suffered from the lack of Gideon’s point of view.
February 28, 2021
4.5 Stars
I read this in one sitting, which hasn't happened with any other book in recent weeks. I loved it!
We Have Till Dawn is about pushing boundaries and possibilities. It's about finding something you didn't even know you needed. It's about acceptance.
There isn't a ton of angst, and though I would not have minded more, I was ok with the level I found here. I really liked Nicky and Gideon and loved their (short) journey from a business transaction to something so much more.
Recommended.
I read this in one sitting, which hasn't happened with any other book in recent weeks. I loved it!
We Have Till Dawn is about pushing boundaries and possibilities. It's about finding something you didn't even know you needed. It's about acceptance.
There isn't a ton of angst, and though I would not have minded more, I was ok with the level I found here. I really liked Nicky and Gideon and loved their (short) journey from a business transaction to something so much more.
Recommended.
November 29, 2020
~3.5~
Talk about mixed feelings. Ugh. I've read my friends' positive and negative reviews and agree with both to an extent.
This book is sexy, although much of the sex, including the men's first time and wanton sex in a back alley, is off page and barely summarized (the travesty!). This was frustrating, as Gideon is an incredibly intense, passionate lover, and I wanted to see more of his "first time with a man" sexual exploration.
This book is also sweet. Nicky falls for Gideon hook, line, and sinker. Frankly, it was easy to love Gideon, who is on the spectrum. Gideon is smart; he's kind and giving. And despite his need for routine and boundaries, he bends to Nicky's will and gives him what he wants.
Which brings me to complaint number one: Nicky wasn't always respectful of Gideon's rules, rules Gideon needed to stay sane, rules Nicky agreed to when Gideon hired him through an agency. And when the rules were broken, it was like Gideon barely blinked.
Nicky is a little wild, unstructured, and unpredictable, all things Gideon typically despises, yet Gideon never pushes back when Nicky unravels his boundaries. I mean, the author is on the spectrum herself, so I'm not going to argue with how she portrays autism (which varies greatly from person to person), and I get that the point was Gideon learning to live outside a box of his own creation, but this didn't seem entirely realistic, especially since we only get Nicky's side of the story.
(To be fair, Nicky does realize in the end that he pushed Gideon too far.)
And that's my second complaint: Lack of Gideon's POV. I really, really wanted to know more about Gideon. What did he do for work exactly? What's the full story with the fiancee? He said he wasn't marrying for love, but he also told Nicky that before he started spending all his evenings with Nicky, he would eat dinner with his fiancee most of the time, so they must have been friends at least.
Feeling trapped by his impending marriage, bound by society's expectations that he needs to produce an heir, Gideon wants to finally experiment with a man. I was okay with this, but I wanted to see Gideon's thought process and hear more about his family (after 44 years Gideon comes out to them off page, something that's barely mentioned in passing).
There are many good things in the story too:
- that public Daddy/son scene at the sex shop (holy hotness, batman);
- Nicky's accepting and hilarious Italian family, especially Anthony, Nicky's older brother who needed to dump his asshole of a boyfriend yesterday;
- Anthony's music school for kids (there were perhaps too many details regarding Nicky's music career/obsession and choir practice, but I actually enjoyed those scenes);
- the tenderness with which Nicky treats Gideon when Gideon is having a panic attack;
- the cuteness that is Gideon loving on his dog Chester;
- and the perfect epilogue (which made my heart melt).
In the end, I loved the MCs and their connection too much to get hung up on the flaws in the story.
Talk about mixed feelings. Ugh. I've read my friends' positive and negative reviews and agree with both to an extent.
This book is sexy, although much of the sex, including the men's first time and wanton sex in a back alley, is off page and barely summarized (the travesty!). This was frustrating, as Gideon is an incredibly intense, passionate lover, and I wanted to see more of his "first time with a man" sexual exploration.
This book is also sweet. Nicky falls for Gideon hook, line, and sinker. Frankly, it was easy to love Gideon, who is on the spectrum. Gideon is smart; he's kind and giving. And despite his need for routine and boundaries, he bends to Nicky's will and gives him what he wants.
Which brings me to complaint number one: Nicky wasn't always respectful of Gideon's rules, rules Gideon needed to stay sane, rules Nicky agreed to when Gideon hired him through an agency. And when the rules were broken, it was like Gideon barely blinked.
Nicky is a little wild, unstructured, and unpredictable, all things Gideon typically despises, yet Gideon never pushes back when Nicky unravels his boundaries. I mean, the author is on the spectrum herself, so I'm not going to argue with how she portrays autism (which varies greatly from person to person), and I get that the point was Gideon learning to live outside a box of his own creation, but this didn't seem entirely realistic, especially since we only get Nicky's side of the story.
(To be fair, Nicky does realize in the end that he pushed Gideon too far.)
And that's my second complaint: Lack of Gideon's POV. I really, really wanted to know more about Gideon. What did he do for work exactly? What's the full story with the fiancee? He said he wasn't marrying for love, but he also told Nicky that before he started spending all his evenings with Nicky, he would eat dinner with his fiancee most of the time, so they must have been friends at least.
Feeling trapped by his impending marriage, bound by society's expectations that he needs to produce an heir, Gideon wants to finally experiment with a man. I was okay with this, but I wanted to see Gideon's thought process and hear more about his family (after 44 years Gideon comes out to them off page, something that's barely mentioned in passing).
There are many good things in the story too:
- that public Daddy/son scene at the sex shop (holy hotness, batman);
- Nicky's accepting and hilarious Italian family, especially Anthony, Nicky's older brother who needed to dump his asshole of a boyfriend yesterday;
- Anthony's music school for kids (there were perhaps too many details regarding Nicky's music career/obsession and choir practice, but I actually enjoyed those scenes);
- the tenderness with which Nicky treats Gideon when Gideon is having a panic attack;
- the cuteness that is Gideon loving on his dog Chester;
- and the perfect epilogue (which made my heart melt).
In the end, I loved the MCs and their connection too much to get hung up on the flaws in the story.
November 20, 2020
*** 2.75 stars ***
I seriously couldn't wait to get my hands on this book since I read the blurb. The premise of the story sounded unique, and I was expecting to be blown away by it.
I completely get why so many readers liked this story. It brings good feels and I wish that was enough for me too.
But it wasn't. Gideon characterization was one dimensional. Nicky was ok, a little pushy but full of good intentions and I had no problems picturing him. However, this unbalanced portray of the two MCs was out there in my face all the time, distracting and letting me down.
Gideon's POV was a must in my view, not only to fill more in the gaps but to make him more relatable. For example,
❓ why his driver was the only one who knew about his "curiosity" besides Claire? 🤷♀️
❗ Gideon's coming out to his family was brushed off easily, with no conflicts and off-page.
❓ Which left me to think how and why did he get to be 44 clueless about his sexuality? 🤔
❓ Why did he take so long to make a move in this discovery direction?
So, I don't know...There was a lack of personal background info to help me build his character.
And I can't help but find the story a little superficial because of that.
The good things were:
💥Nicky,
💥Anthony's school
💥and the sense of community and family the story strongly represented.
Hence my round up to 3 stars.
I think this is going to be a hit for most readers.
I seriously couldn't wait to get my hands on this book since I read the blurb. The premise of the story sounded unique, and I was expecting to be blown away by it.
I completely get why so many readers liked this story. It brings good feels and I wish that was enough for me too.
But it wasn't. Gideon characterization was one dimensional. Nicky was ok, a little pushy but full of good intentions and I had no problems picturing him. However, this unbalanced portray of the two MCs was out there in my face all the time, distracting and letting me down.
Gideon's POV was a must in my view, not only to fill more in the gaps but to make him more relatable. For example,
❓ why his driver was the only one who knew about his "curiosity" besides Claire? 🤷♀️
❗ Gideon's coming out to his family was brushed off easily, with no conflicts and off-page.
❓ Which left me to think how and why did he get to be 44 clueless about his sexuality? 🤔
❓ Why did he take so long to make a move in this discovery direction?
So, I don't know...There was a lack of personal background info to help me build his character.
And I can't help but find the story a little superficial because of that.
The good things were:
💥Nicky,
💥Anthony's school
💥and the sense of community and family the story strongly represented.
Hence my round up to 3 stars.
I think this is going to be a hit for most readers.
December 27, 2020
3.5 Stars
Told in single pOV, 1st person, it’s a standalone novel. Nicky was a former sex worker and Gideon was autistic and the thing that disappointed me was not having Gideon’s POV here. I think it was a must! And that his autism didn’t affect their relationship the way I think it should! Honestly most of the time I would forget that he is autistic! Another thing is I’d like to know more about Nicky and Gideon’s pasts. For Nicky we were told some pieces here and there but with Gideon nothing really helpful. It contains an age gap (Nicky is 27 years old and Gideon’s 44 years old and still it wasn’t palpable for most of the parts). Overall, it didn’t live up to my expectations, hope you like it!
Told in single pOV, 1st person, it’s a standalone novel. Nicky was a former sex worker and Gideon was autistic and the thing that disappointed me was not having Gideon’s POV here. I think it was a must! And that his autism didn’t affect their relationship the way I think it should! Honestly most of the time I would forget that he is autistic! Another thing is I’d like to know more about Nicky and Gideon’s pasts. For Nicky we were told some pieces here and there but with Gideon nothing really helpful. It contains an age gap (Nicky is 27 years old and Gideon’s 44 years old and still it wasn’t palpable for most of the parts). Overall, it didn’t live up to my expectations, hope you like it!
July 24, 2022
yet another 1 star by me? no one is surprised
November 19, 2020
Lovely story. Would've liked it a bit longer with more relationship development and angst, but I really enjoyed it.
November 21, 2020
This one hit the spot! Loved it. Really loved both Nicky and Gideon! They were 🔥 together!
My only complaint would be I could’ve read more about these two. I can’t wait for Anthony’s book where we’ll get more of them!
My only complaint would be I could’ve read more about these two. I can’t wait for Anthony’s book where we’ll get more of them!
November 28, 2020
I really liked this. I did cringe a few times when Nicky decided to break an autistic person's rules just like that, but Cara Dee's characters never claimed to be perfect, only human.
All in all a great read. I'm looking forward to Anthony's story.
All in all a great read. I'm looking forward to Anthony's story.
November 20, 2020
The blurb is eye-catching.
The scenario is totally intriguing.
But in the end …
This didn’t rip me off my seat. And here is why …
.) It is probably inevitable to compare Gideon with one other autistic character I’ve read, Morgan from In the Absence of Light. Although I appreciate that you can’t equate one autistic person to another, I can say that I got a far deeper insight into Morgan’s struggle with everyday life than into Gideon’s here.
We can see some of his issues and the way he’s trying to overcome them, but to me it felt all a little bit superficial.
.) I had hoped for a story of sexual exploration and development for Gideon and to see him become more confident in his sexuality. However, as hot as the guys are (and yeah to all the kink and dom/sub play), somehow that plotline seemed to sizzle out slowly over the course of the book.
.) The whole plot about Nicky’s career felt too detailed and, frankly, left me on the lukewarm side. It seemed incongruous with the sex worker story. I can’t imagine that you’d be allowed to teach kids in any form or shape if you have a side job like Nicky’s.
.) The chemistry between Gideon and Nicky is most prominent in their first encounter. I loved that scene, and hoped that their chemistry would build on that. However, that intensity seemed to weaken over the course of the book.
.) I think the author tried to combine too many elements in this book. I would have loved a purely Gideon/Nicky based romance, with both men learning each other and developing together.
.) Gideon’s POV would have been very welcome. I didn’t get enough from him via Nicky.
Saying all that – I did enjoy this book and read it in one sitting.
But somehow, something didn’t feel right about it for me.
The scenario is totally intriguing.
But in the end …
This didn’t rip me off my seat. And here is why …
.) It is probably inevitable to compare Gideon with one other autistic character I’ve read, Morgan from In the Absence of Light. Although I appreciate that you can’t equate one autistic person to another, I can say that I got a far deeper insight into Morgan’s struggle with everyday life than into Gideon’s here.
We can see some of his issues and the way he’s trying to overcome them, but to me it felt all a little bit superficial.
.) I had hoped for a story of sexual exploration and development for Gideon and to see him become more confident in his sexuality. However, as hot as the guys are (and yeah to all the kink and dom/sub play), somehow that plotline seemed to sizzle out slowly over the course of the book.
.) The whole plot about Nicky’s career felt too detailed and, frankly, left me on the lukewarm side. It seemed incongruous with the sex worker story. I can’t imagine that you’d be allowed to teach kids in any form or shape if you have a side job like Nicky’s.
.) The chemistry between Gideon and Nicky is most prominent in their first encounter. I loved that scene, and hoped that their chemistry would build on that. However, that intensity seemed to weaken over the course of the book.
.) I think the author tried to combine too many elements in this book. I would have loved a purely Gideon/Nicky based romance, with both men learning each other and developing together.
.) Gideon’s POV would have been very welcome. I didn’t get enough from him via Nicky.
Saying all that – I did enjoy this book and read it in one sitting.
But somehow, something didn’t feel right about it for me.
December 4, 2020
This is one of those books where half my GR friends loved it and the other half hated it. I sit firmly in the love category. But Cara Dee is one of my favourite authors and can do no wrong in my mind.
Gideon is a wealthy man on the ASD spectrum. He is engaged to a woman but makes an arrangement with her to explore his male desires for two months. We never get his POV, so we don’t really know what is in his mind. He is rigid and has many rules. He is also sweet, sexy and kinky AF.
Nicky is a musician who used to work as a whore, and agrees to this one time arrangement with this mysterious client. It’s a sweet deal, that pays a lot. I loved Nicky, he is sweet, adorable, hilarious.
They both screw up at times. Nicky is too pushy, and Gideon is hurtful at times without realizing it. I love how they are not perfect, just two guys navigating this strange arrangement and falling hard for each other.
And the sex. Omg the sex. 🔥
The one thing I didn’t like was the epilogue. I hate long detailed epilogues. I would have preferred a second book.
Gideon is a wealthy man on the ASD spectrum. He is engaged to a woman but makes an arrangement with her to explore his male desires for two months. We never get his POV, so we don’t really know what is in his mind. He is rigid and has many rules. He is also sweet, sexy and kinky AF.
Nicky is a musician who used to work as a whore, and agrees to this one time arrangement with this mysterious client. It’s a sweet deal, that pays a lot. I loved Nicky, he is sweet, adorable, hilarious.
They both screw up at times. Nicky is too pushy, and Gideon is hurtful at times without realizing it. I love how they are not perfect, just two guys navigating this strange arrangement and falling hard for each other.
And the sex. Omg the sex. 🔥
The one thing I didn’t like was the epilogue. I hate long detailed epilogues. I would have preferred a second book.
March 8, 2021
*4.5 stars *
Porn meets lifetime?
Oh boy, there is this scene... at a sex shop, that’s shockingly unforgettable. 😳
The blurb really sets the tone and the story delivers.
Retired sex worker does one more gig with enigmatic wealthy autistic client.
It’s hot. Very hot.
A lot of chemistry between the main characters and also depth.
This story is comfortably predictable & delivers the wanted HEA filled with all the gushy details a romantic desires.
To add even more fun, you have the boisterous Italian family from New York!
If anyone wants something scorching, look no further!
Porn meets lifetime?
Oh boy, there is this scene... at a sex shop, that’s shockingly unforgettable. 😳
The blurb really sets the tone and the story delivers.
Retired sex worker does one more gig with enigmatic wealthy autistic client.
It’s hot. Very hot.
A lot of chemistry between the main characters and also depth.
This story is comfortably predictable & delivers the wanted HEA filled with all the gushy details a romantic desires.
To add even more fun, you have the boisterous Italian family from New York!
If anyone wants something scorching, look no further!
May 8, 2022
I must have forgotten how much I enjoyed Cara Dee's writing but this book certainly reminded me of that fact!
I completely loved everything about this and cannot point out anything I didn't like. Both characters were unique and tugged at your heart strings, they had crazy chemistry in and out of the bedroom and the secondary characters made the already good story even better.
I see Anthony's book is next and I simply cannot wait!
I completely loved everything about this and cannot point out anything I didn't like. Both characters were unique and tugged at your heart strings, they had crazy chemistry in and out of the bedroom and the secondary characters made the already good story even better.
I see Anthony's book is next and I simply cannot wait!
March 1, 2022
3 Stars
Overall Opinion: This was cute for what it was, but I think, overall, I just wanted more. It was on the short side for me, so I really shouldn’t complain — because after reading the blurb I was too intrigued but knew it might be too short. Too short in the sense that it felt too short. I would’ve liked much more development of feelings. While I enjoyed the epilogue, I felt like it just had time jumps to check all the boxes to get to a HEA label. I’m going to go with middle of the road rating because I liked the characters (love my Aspies 😉) and I liked the overall premise, but it just didn’t quite leave me satisfied in the end.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Nicky and Gideon’s story. Nicky gets approached by his old boss for a contract for sex work after being out of the business for a couple years. He cannot refuse the generous payout to be a kept man for a quirky wealthy man that needs to explore his sexuality before fully committing to marrying his (female) fiancé. Gideon has Asperger’s syndrome and struggles with social norms and hiring a sex worker was the best way for him to explore his sexuality where he can be in control. Lines get crossed and feelings start to develop…and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This was told in Nicky’s POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. It was too short for me and I think this contributed to how I felt it was underdeveloped.
Instalove:Kind of. It doesn’t have much development of the stronger feelings and it is only over a short period of time (couple months)
H1 (Hero #1) rating: 4 stars. Nicky. I liked him. I appreciated how he was a caregiver, didn’t judge the H2’s quirks, and was comfortable in his own skin.
H2 (Hero #2) rating: 3.5 stars. Gideon. I liked him probably more than I would’ve had he not been an Aspie. We don’t get his POV, so I don’t think we got to connect with him nearly enough as I would’ve liked.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes, but mild
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No (see trigger spoiler tag below)
Separation: No
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This ends with a good epilogue with a few time jumps that get us to their HEA
Safety: This is probably Safe with exception for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences
Overall Opinion: This was cute for what it was, but I think, overall, I just wanted more. It was on the short side for me, so I really shouldn’t complain — because after reading the blurb I was too intrigued but knew it might be too short. Too short in the sense that it felt too short. I would’ve liked much more development of feelings. While I enjoyed the epilogue, I felt like it just had time jumps to check all the boxes to get to a HEA label. I’m going to go with middle of the road rating because I liked the characters (love my Aspies 😉) and I liked the overall premise, but it just didn’t quite leave me satisfied in the end.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Nicky and Gideon’s story. Nicky gets approached by his old boss for a contract for sex work after being out of the business for a couple years. He cannot refuse the generous payout to be a kept man for a quirky wealthy man that needs to explore his sexuality before fully committing to marrying his (female) fiancé. Gideon has Asperger’s syndrome and struggles with social norms and hiring a sex worker was the best way for him to explore his sexuality where he can be in control. Lines get crossed and feelings start to develop…and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This was told in Nicky’s POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. It was too short for me and I think this contributed to how I felt it was underdeveloped.
Instalove:Kind of. It doesn’t have much development of the stronger feelings and it is only over a short period of time (couple months)
H1 (Hero #1) rating: 4 stars. Nicky. I liked him. I appreciated how he was a caregiver, didn’t judge the H2’s quirks, and was comfortable in his own skin.
H2 (Hero #2) rating: 3.5 stars. Gideon. I liked him probably more than I would’ve had he not been an Aspie. We don’t get his POV, so I don’t think we got to connect with him nearly enough as I would’ve liked.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes, but mild
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No (see trigger spoiler tag below)
Separation: No
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This ends with a good epilogue with a few time jumps that get us to their HEA
Safety: This is probably Safe with exception for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences
April 1, 2021
Nicky is a retired sex-worker who is lured back into one last gig, for an amount of money that will put his and his brother's music business on solid footing. His client turns out to be a difficult-to-understand man who is engaged to be married, but who has decided with his fiance's approval, to explore his sexual attraction to men before the wedding. He wants Nicky for sex, and absolutely nothing more.
As Nicky tries to accommodate to his new client's requirements, his own nature and time away from the business makes it hard to stay silent and disengaged and be just a sex object. Gradually he discovers that his client is an autistic man whose perceptions of his own needs and what he can cope with resulted in this odd arrangement. And slowly, as they spend time together, Nicky's personality can't be suppressed, and Gideon seems to discover that it's not just gay sex, but gay attraction and company and desire, that he wants and needs to explore.
There were times when Nicky pushed too hard, times when his empathy was imperfect - and that's part of being human and fallible. I liked that he wasn't the perfect partner, although he got away with some of those errors without the consequences I anticipated. The story is a bit limited by not having Gideon's POV, so we are always on the outside of what he's thinking and how things affect him, seeing it only filtered through Nicky's perceptions.
Sill, this was a good fast-sex, slow-burn story, and I always appreciate a neuroatypical MC. (It reminded me a little of Lyn Gala's Two Steps Back and folks who enjoyed this story might like that one too, with a bit more BDSM content.)
One of the things I like best about M/M is that the men in our books don't have to be perfect, and they can have a wide range of identities, talents, and challenges, and still be the heroes of their stories, and worthy of finding and giving love.
As Nicky tries to accommodate to his new client's requirements, his own nature and time away from the business makes it hard to stay silent and disengaged and be just a sex object. Gradually he discovers that his client is an autistic man whose perceptions of his own needs and what he can cope with resulted in this odd arrangement. And slowly, as they spend time together, Nicky's personality can't be suppressed, and Gideon seems to discover that it's not just gay sex, but gay attraction and company and desire, that he wants and needs to explore.
There were times when Nicky pushed too hard, times when his empathy was imperfect - and that's part of being human and fallible. I liked that he wasn't the perfect partner, although he got away with some of those errors without the consequences I anticipated. The story is a bit limited by not having Gideon's POV, so we are always on the outside of what he's thinking and how things affect him, seeing it only filtered through Nicky's perceptions.
Sill, this was a good fast-sex, slow-burn story, and I always appreciate a neuroatypical MC. (It reminded me a little of Lyn Gala's Two Steps Back and folks who enjoyed this story might like that one too, with a bit more BDSM content.)
One of the things I like best about M/M is that the men in our books don't have to be perfect, and they can have a wide range of identities, talents, and challenges, and still be the heroes of their stories, and worthy of finding and giving love.
December 30, 2022
Oh my goodness! That was so freaking awesome. 🤩 Even the first "encounter" between Gideon and Nicky has blown me away.
“I’m tired,” he murmured, brushing his fingers over my chest. “I’m so tired.” He wasn’t talking about physical exhaustion from a long day at work. I heard it in his tone. It was something that ran way deeper. 😲
I actually wanted to read the book into the New Year, but then I couldn't put it down.
“I want to use you,” he murmured.
I’m yours to use, honey.
“Almost like a doll…” He drew a single finger between my ass cheeks, and I flushed all fucking over. 😳
So, yes the sex is crazy wonderful dirty and exciting. That scene in the "adult store" ... yeah I didn't know if I should laugh constantly or hide my red face.😋 I won't say any more about this, because you'll just have to read it.
“Neurotypical humans take sex too seriously,” he said. “I’m not an exhibitionist so much as I enjoy making people nervous. It turns me on to see them out of their element. To see them hesitate and wonder what’s protocol.”
But regardless of these tidbits, it's so beautifully described how the two grow closer, how an arrangement very quickly becomes much more, how wonderfully sensitive Nicky is to Gideon's needs but also coaxes him out of his box.😍
“You don’t understand the impact you’ve had on me. I feel more alive now than I ever have, and I welcome the moments of discomfort if it means I’m making strides forward with you. For goodness’ sake, you give me memories worth remembering.”
Oh boy, yes, I had to cry after that. 😭 This is so worth reading it again. 💗💞💖💕
“I’m tired,” he murmured, brushing his fingers over my chest. “I’m so tired.” He wasn’t talking about physical exhaustion from a long day at work. I heard it in his tone. It was something that ran way deeper. 😲
I actually wanted to read the book into the New Year, but then I couldn't put it down.
“I want to use you,” he murmured.
I’m yours to use, honey.
“Almost like a doll…” He drew a single finger between my ass cheeks, and I flushed all fucking over. 😳
So, yes the sex is crazy wonderful dirty and exciting. That scene in the "adult store" ... yeah I didn't know if I should laugh constantly or hide my red face.😋 I won't say any more about this, because you'll just have to read it.
“Neurotypical humans take sex too seriously,” he said. “I’m not an exhibitionist so much as I enjoy making people nervous. It turns me on to see them out of their element. To see them hesitate and wonder what’s protocol.”
But regardless of these tidbits, it's so beautifully described how the two grow closer, how an arrangement very quickly becomes much more, how wonderfully sensitive Nicky is to Gideon's needs but also coaxes him out of his box.😍
“You don’t understand the impact you’ve had on me. I feel more alive now than I ever have, and I welcome the moments of discomfort if it means I’m making strides forward with you. For goodness’ sake, you give me memories worth remembering.”
Oh boy, yes, I had to cry after that. 😭 This is so worth reading it again. 💗💞💖💕
October 20, 2023
3.25*** stars
I enjoyed this story while it lasted. It was hot and sweet but something I probably won’t remember by next week. Okay, to be fair, that’s not entirely true. Their visit to that sex-shop was quite memorable *lolll
I really liked the paid-sex trope and the anonymity at the beginning as well as that it was only around 200 pages long. It was perfect for my book-slumpy, grumpy, impatient self right now.
****************
We Have Till Dawn Series
Book 1 - We Have Till Dawn - 3.25 stars
Book 2 - We Have Till Monday - 3.5 stars
I enjoyed this story while it lasted. It was hot and sweet but something I probably won’t remember by next week. Okay, to be fair, that’s not entirely true. Their visit to that sex-shop was quite memorable *lolll
I really liked the paid-sex trope and the anonymity at the beginning as well as that it was only around 200 pages long. It was perfect for my book-slumpy, grumpy, impatient self right now.
****************
We Have Till Dawn Series
Book 1 - We Have Till Dawn - 3.25 stars
Book 2 - We Have Till Monday - 3.5 stars
May 19, 2021
It was an okay read, but it didn't blow my mind. I liked the concept of the book, but the execution not so much. Even if we have two very likeable main characters.
The book concentrates on the relationship (there are just a few sex-scenes in the book, not as you would have expected from Cara Dee, and the steam level was average), which does not have to be a bad thing, but the story is short and the relationship as such has come across as underdeveloped.
The book concentrates on the relationship (there are just a few sex-scenes in the book, not as you would have expected from Cara Dee, and the steam level was average), which does not have to be a bad thing, but the story is short and the relationship as such has come across as underdeveloped.
November 20, 2020
Oh, my freaking goodness this story is everything!!
I’m not sure where to begin and where to end, it was everything.
Nick is a retired sex worker and accepted a job again because it’s special and it pays exorbitant.
He has an apartment to move in and will be available from ten PM and six AM on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays... blinded, curtains closed, for a man named Gideon. This for the next two months. Gideon is older, autistic, and wants to explore his sexuality. Gideon has planned his life, he will marry a wife and get children. But first, two months with Nick. Only Gideon is more than Nick ever expected, he’s hypersexual, an exhibitionist, and kind and special. Nick is head over heels.
Nick is special too, he runs a music academy together with his brother. Nick is romantic, a caregiver, with hopes for something special with someone special.
We can follow them, their arousing sexual encounters, their conversations, their struggles, and how they grow closer.
An extremely lovable story, with love, romance, music, food, family, and thank goodness making the right choices!
It was hot AF, sweet AF, and emotional AF.
Written in the best way, I never expected anything else from this author.
The epilogue gosh that was swooning. The best I could think of, it had precisely everything I wanted for a book to end. So incredibly satisfying. The best! The very, very best!
High praise for this story, it's extraordinary!
I’m not sure where to begin and where to end, it was everything.
Nick is a retired sex worker and accepted a job again because it’s special and it pays exorbitant.
He has an apartment to move in and will be available from ten PM and six AM on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays... blinded, curtains closed, for a man named Gideon. This for the next two months. Gideon is older, autistic, and wants to explore his sexuality. Gideon has planned his life, he will marry a wife and get children. But first, two months with Nick. Only Gideon is more than Nick ever expected, he’s hypersexual, an exhibitionist, and kind and special. Nick is head over heels.
Nick is special too, he runs a music academy together with his brother. Nick is romantic, a caregiver, with hopes for something special with someone special.
We can follow them, their arousing sexual encounters, their conversations, their struggles, and how they grow closer.
An extremely lovable story, with love, romance, music, food, family, and thank goodness making the right choices!
It was hot AF, sweet AF, and emotional AF.
Written in the best way, I never expected anything else from this author.
The epilogue gosh that was swooning. The best I could think of, it had precisely everything I wanted for a book to end. So incredibly satisfying. The best! The very, very best!
High praise for this story, it's extraordinary!
November 20, 2020
Short, too short, I need more, my heart can't process the happiness and my mouth can't stop smiling!!!! 😩🥰🤩❤
God how I loved this, it was perfect, it was a wonderful love story full with acceptance and warmth, respect and compassion. I loved how Nicky came from an Italian/Irish family and he was so bright and flamboyant with his mannerisms and his vocabulary, I felt connected to that, also the way he used Spanish? I fainted every time time he said papi or papito. And I loved how he loved Gideon, how he treated him, how he listened and was attentive to him. They were perrrfect!!!!!
AND I FUCKING LOVED GIDEON!!! He was so real and he kept trying, he never gave up and his prowess in bed left me speechless and fanning myself because hawt!!! 🔥🔥🔥 I loved that he was no bullshit and he made the right decisions when he had to. AND HE WAS SO FUCKING CUTE! *me dead*
I really need a sequel, where do I sign to make it happen? I loved the Epilogue but I need more! Loved it! 😩🥰❤
God how I loved this, it was perfect, it was a wonderful love story full with acceptance and warmth, respect and compassion. I loved how Nicky came from an Italian/Irish family and he was so bright and flamboyant with his mannerisms and his vocabulary, I felt connected to that, also the way he used Spanish? I fainted every time time he said papi or papito. And I loved how he loved Gideon, how he treated him, how he listened and was attentive to him. They were perrrfect!!!!!
AND I FUCKING LOVED GIDEON!!! He was so real and he kept trying, he never gave up and his prowess in bed left me speechless and fanning myself because hawt!!! 🔥🔥🔥 I loved that he was no bullshit and he made the right decisions when he had to. AND HE WAS SO FUCKING CUTE! *me dead*
I really need a sequel, where do I sign to make it happen? I loved the Epilogue but I need more! Loved it! 😩🥰❤
February 25, 2024
To be honest I should have DNF’d.
I enjoyed the first 40% for the most part but I honestly think having the first time they have sex OFF PAGE should be illegal. CRIMINAL OFFENCE!
I didn’t think the sex worker rep was great. I thought the autism rep was decent but honestly overall the story was boring. Not much happened, we were shown stuff on page for what felt like no reason at all and then stuff happened off page I wanted to know about.
The epilogue starting a few hours after the final chapter was a… choice. And not one I could get behind.
What I picked up because I thought it would be an easy smutty read (one of the MC’s is a sex worker) wasn’t that smutty to be honest. Feel like I read more about them eating hotdogs and fries than I read about them having sex. It’s not that I’m a perv but also I’m a perv so like, don’t lure me in. Cara Dee can usually be trusted to deliver the smut.
Anyway, I’ll probably read Anthony’s book and hopefully in an MMM romance there has to be someone having sex surely!!!
I enjoyed the first 40% for the most part but I honestly think having the first time they have sex OFF PAGE should be illegal. CRIMINAL OFFENCE!
I didn’t think the sex worker rep was great. I thought the autism rep was decent but honestly overall the story was boring. Not much happened, we were shown stuff on page for what felt like no reason at all and then stuff happened off page I wanted to know about.
The epilogue starting a few hours after the final chapter was a… choice. And not one I could get behind.
What I picked up because I thought it would be an easy smutty read (one of the MC’s is a sex worker) wasn’t that smutty to be honest. Feel like I read more about them eating hotdogs and fries than I read about them having sex. It’s not that I’m a perv but also I’m a perv so like, don’t lure me in. Cara Dee can usually be trusted to deliver the smut.
Anyway, I’ll probably read Anthony’s book and hopefully in an MMM romance there has to be someone having sex surely!!!
March 31, 2023
The blurb of this book made me believe this is gonna be way more smuty than it was. I liked the story and I loved Nick and Gideon together but we learned more about Nick's random everyday activities than spending time with the couple. And I'm still a little bummed we were only told about their first time instead of having a sexy scene about it.
But I'll definitely try more books by this author because I like her writing.
But I'll definitely try more books by this author because I like her writing.
May 22, 2023
3.75 stars
I enjoyed this and it could easily have become 4 stars if it were dual POV and we had more insight into Gideon’s character. I loved Nicky though.
I enjoyed this and it could easily have become 4 stars if it were dual POV and we had more insight into Gideon’s character. I loved Nicky though.
November 21, 2020
"Let's get under the covers," I mumbled against his lips. "I wanna make out and cuddle. And sleep without setting the alarm for dawn."
Because we finally had longer than that.
Well well where do I even begin. There were only two reasons why I picked this up randomly: first, because of the raving reviews and second, with the mention of one of characters having Asperger's I quickly remembered Helen Hoang's The Kiss Quotient. This was my first from Cara Dee and my oh my I was blown away how good this was! Basically, the 44 year old man with Asperger's hires the services of a retired sex worker. But the said man has his own rules: Nick has to wear a sleep mask for their every session, curtains closed always, no talking and no unnecessary movements etc etc.
"Pick me, Gideon. I don't think we can fit into each other's worlds, but I think we can create something that's just ours. And.... maybe I can't promise you a life of perfect stability-I know I can't-but I promise to always pay attention to what you need. I promise to be there."
I love how this book was wholesome, heartwarming and filthy at the same time. Wish it was bit filthier because we got only one legit sex scene in here. When the book promised to be emotional and wholesome, it delivered all of it for me. I love how Nicky is so open and accommodating to Gideon. As for Gideon, I thought he was this innocent virgin man who clearly wants to explore his sexuality and I was so glad I was wrong.
"I don't want to work today," he yawned. "I want to stay right here all day and cuddle and eat fries and feel ridiculously cherished whenever you call me baby or papi or honey. But my newest favorite is papito. You only use it when you take care of me."
Nicky calling Gideon these names killed me! I want it. I want Gideon Grant too. I want to hug him and promise him that everything will be okay.
December 1, 2020
4.75
The blurb caught my attention right from the start and knowing Cara Dee's writing style I was sure I would like the story ... and I was right 😍😍😍
The first few chapters were a little slow for me and it took me a while to get involved in the story (probably due to Gideon's behavior) but the more their relationship grew the more I fell in love with them 🖤🖤🖤
Nicky is colorful, outgoing, thoughtful and so damn funny with the way he talks 🤣🤣
And Gideon is the sweetest man I've read about ...
My heart ached from his loneliness, his need to be loved, to be part of a family
I loved the way the author balanced sweet and deep moments with steamy quirky ones
And let me tell you that Gideon has an incredibly dirty mind 😏😏😌
His autism is not underestimated and in reality it is what makes him fantastic.
This couple really made me swoon 🖤🖤🖤
The blurb caught my attention right from the start and knowing Cara Dee's writing style I was sure I would like the story ... and I was right 😍😍😍
The first few chapters were a little slow for me and it took me a while to get involved in the story (probably due to Gideon's behavior) but the more their relationship grew the more I fell in love with them 🖤🖤🖤
Nicky is colorful, outgoing, thoughtful and so damn funny with the way he talks 🤣🤣
And Gideon is the sweetest man I've read about ...
My heart ached from his loneliness, his need to be loved, to be part of a family
I loved the way the author balanced sweet and deep moments with steamy quirky ones
And let me tell you that Gideon has an incredibly dirty mind 😏😏😌
His autism is not underestimated and in reality it is what makes him fantastic.
This couple really made me swoon 🖤🖤🖤
November 29, 2020
Sexy, romantic, and endearing but entirely too short. What wouldn't I give to have had Gideon's POV?
3.5 Stars
3.5 Stars
November 19, 2020
4.5 stars - I really enjoyed this little gem. Nicky is a wonderful character, retired from sex work but lured back by the unique and prosperous offer. The money he earns will help set him up as a partner with his brother and their music school and will just set his life on a better path. So, even with the few quirky requests, he decides to forge ahead with the two months of being Gideon’s exploratory plaything.
Gideon is also a wonderful character. He is highly successful coming from a very well to do family. Gideon is high functioning autistic with Asperger’s. He has managed his life and panic attacks, anxiety, etc. by keeping a very structured schedule, planning things to a T and it has worked very well up to this point. Before he takes the plunge in what he believes is his familial duty both to have children and for societal expectations, he wants to explore his interest in men, something only two people know about – his chauffeur and his fiancé. His fiancé agrees to two months with a rentboy and there are a lot of restrictions – blindfolded, no chit chat, keep it non-personal, etc.
As you can imagine, it doesn’t take long before the rules are broken, but I absolutely loved how it all played out. Nicky tried to follow the rules, but little by little, he pushed until he was doing it for deeper reasons. He wanted to help Gideon come out of his shell and their chemistry was off the charts, so there was that to explore as well.
I am never disappointed with one of Ms. Dee’s stories, and this was another super story to add to the collection. It was a really fast, easy and enjoyably sexy story that was not long enough, but just the perfect length at the same time. Looks like there is another story coming about Nicky’s brother Anthony, and I’m excited to see him find the perfect someone he deserves as well. Definitely recommend.
Review written for Love Bytes Reviews.
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