Christopher Koehler

This is one of those books that utterly fascinate me yet drive me up the wall because the main characters just don’t get it. This story contains misunderstanding after misconception, interpretations of events that are clearly incorrect (with reader-sight as well as hindsight) – in other words, this novel feels like a slice of real life to me. Cameron and Henry get off on the wrong foot – and stumble through the rest of the book clearly fascinated with each other (even if they’d never admit that) but unable to get over their first impressions to reassess the other in the light of day and taking into account the fact that both of them are only human.

Cameron is a bit of an idiot. He wants to be independent from his rich parents, which is fine, but he really does bite his nose off to spite his face. He struggles along, working retail while dreaming about going to college. When he runs into Henry at a party, he is very attracted to him but the man treats him like crap, and that first impression sticks with him throughout the rest of the book. Thanks to his friends, who believe he and Henry were meant to be together, he keeps running into him, but the process of recognizing his own mistakes is slow and painful.

Henry has a ton of issues. He used to be a gay porn star, and has been fighting to get away from being objectified for ten years. Even running a successful business hasn’t truly set him free, and his one wish - to find a life partner - still eludes him. When he meets Cameron, Henry thinks he may be his wish come true, but the subsequent misunderstandings are almost too much to deal with. Thank God Henry is as stubborn as Cameron! Just a little more actually, and far more forgiving as well.

If you like a “slice of reality” in your stories, if main characters with definite flaws interest you, and if a troubled start to a relationship is something you like reading about you may like this book as much as I did.


NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
… (meer)

This was a great combination between a pretty realistic love story between two very normal guys and a slightly exotic setting. The world of rowing isn't one that I'm very familiar with, and I liked all the little details I learned about that sport while I was reading about Nick and Morgan.

Nick is the older of the two, a graduate student and a coach, and he knows he's in trouble if anyone finds out he's falling for his younger colleague. Since they are both students I didn't have any issues with the teacher/student relationship, but I did think that his initial hesitation vanished fairly quickly and conveniently once temptation was too much for him. Of course, this comes back to haunt him, but that was as it should be. He did ignore the rules and regulations, after all, even if I didn't think there was a moral issue with what they did.

Morgan is the younger partner, but the more aggressive one. Well, he has to be, to get through Nick's defenses. I thought this was pretty selfish of him, he never seems to stop and think (or discuss with Nick) what would happen if they get caught.

The two are great together, I loved their dialogue. There are also some appropriately tense moments that provide a good crisis towards the end. If you like your characters to be realistic, close to real life and loving, you will like this book.
… (meer)