Customer Reviews

Caught Running

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have a wonderful time reading this one. I love both Jake and Brandon and thought the writers have done a great job developing the characters and their romance. Jake and Brandon are complete opposites yet they fall in love and intend to stick together. The previous reviewer talk about cheesy and lack of issues. But this is a M/M romance erotica. If you are a fan of this genre you will be like me looking for sweet romance, hot loving sex and happily ever after. And this one definely leaves me warm and fuzzy and much more.
Both Jake and Brandon are most appealing. They have known each other since high school, when Jake was a most sought after jock and Brandon was an intellectual nerd. But they hardly acknowledge each other those days. We are given glimpses into their pasts and how they become what they are today, teachers in their same high school and finding themselves coaching a baseball team together.

I enjoy the first half of the story alot. It is most engaging as both men dance around each other, not knowing if the other is gay, their attraction mutual, the sexual tension sizzling, desiring yet so afraid of making the wrong move. I also like the interaction among the supporting characters and as a previous reviewer comment, there is a nice brotherhood of men relationship here.

As for the the second half it is just pure lust, their sex steaming hot. Yet their romance is sweet and angsy as both initially hesitate to acknowledge their need and love for the other. Brandon is the unsecured one and understandingly so as Jake is such a hunk. The moments are most tender when they do acknowledge it and who would have thought Jake, who turned out to be a most loving man, is the one to do it first.

The ending though satisfying does leave a few things hanging. What abouth Jake's sad dependency on pain killers and his promise to Brandon to get rid of the addiction. I would love to read about these 2 men working this out and of course their new life together in another state when their relationshp could be more open.
Strongly recommended to all M/M romance fans out there.

Jake is a quintessential jock, while Brandon is something of a stereotypical "nerd." Actually, Brandon isn't entirely a nerd, he's just an introvert and intellectual fellow. Both are outstanding teachers who have gone back to teach at the high school from which they had both graduated, in the same class, no less. While Brandon is a biology teacher, he is a trained physical therapist and was a cross-country runner in college. Thus he is much more than the "nerd" he was perceived to be in high school. And, while Jake truly is a jock, and was a great one in high school, he is also kind and compassionate, loves his kids, loves his job, is a great teacher and coach, and he reads a LOT more and is much more intelligent and articulate than the "nerds" would ever expect. Both guys are delightful characters, have appealing senses of humor and personalities, and are highly sympathetic, well-rounded, three dimensional. The authors did an outstanding job developing them both as men the reader feels a strong affinity to.

They are different in many ways in their personalities: one an introvert, the other very extroverted, but they are alike in some important ways. They both love their jobs, give of themselves emotionally to their kids, and are both good at teaching. As a result, they both easily develop a great deal of respect for each other. They both are athletes and admire athletics (though Brandon has to learn respect for team sport athletes, as he was a runner in an individual sport and had unconsciously absorbed too much "nerdly" contempt for jocks while in high school). They are both comfortable within themselves, though each is a bit lonely as a single, gay man, and each wants, but does not expect to find, a life mate/partner.

Until Brandon is "volunteered" by the school's principal to be Jake's assistant baseball coach. Not only is each man surprised at how well Brandon carries out that assignment, but each grows first to admire and respect the other, then to desire the other sexually, then each to love the other passionately. The progression is entirely logical and credible. Jake's strong combination of gentleness and passion for his lover and his obviously pleasure in all types of physical interaction with his lover makes him a wonderful hunk of alpha male. Brandon is attractive in part because he has such understated strength in his bearing and character. Both men are completely trustworthy and dependable adults. Brandon's tendency to "run" from stress almost gets them in trouble, but he is sufficiently adult that he overcomes the tendency and resolves the issue that aroused it.

None of the other characters in the book is nearly so well developed as Jake and Brandon, but that's because they are all supporting players to the main story, which belongs to the two lovers. When the love affair succeeds, the reader cannot help but be delighted that two such wonderful characters each found his life mate. There are several extremely successful erotic scenes, which contribute to the novel and enhance its joy to read, but the novel is particularly successful as a gay romance. If gay romance is what you are looking for, you won't be disappointed. Go for it.

((This Commentator's approach to Gay romance tales in book form: over some years I've been abuilding a modest "library" of such works. Selection is based mainly upon purchase of new stories published by favorite authors or buying based on comments/reviews provided by others of you here. Re the latter, sometimes I feel I've been steered correctly (the "Keepers" filling my shelves), other times I feel mislead---sometimes badly (the "Throwaways"). Rarely, I'll come across the "Addictive," those that I can reread 'at least monthly' (see starred *** area, below, for a list.....and for some of the "near-Addictive"). For these special works, I'll want to share comments with you, as follows. Thanks for sticking with me so far.))

"CAUGHT RUNNING" is a grabs-you story of a lovable.....and loving.....pair. What we're given is two guys who truly define the meaning of love. There's one of em who'll surprise us by becoming the unexpected romantic and one we'll find ourselves rooting for in his ability to pull out the "Teddy Bear" in the other. Way more than most other gay couplings, these guys are really, really gonna get under your skin (you think I'm kidding!). And they'll do it so realistically that experiencing their emotions almost makes something in our chests hurt......in a good way......in a good way. In the end, "Caught Running" will have caught your breath and caught your heart.

So now, let's cool down a bit and take a little closer look at just what we've got here:

-- Our Setting: a pleasant Georgia public school----Parkview High.

-- Our Main Characters:

1. A former Parkview star quarterback, social event King, and all-round student Goldenboy----He's 'current day' Coach Jake Campbell, a guy who personifies little boy impishness, the wants to sneak up on you and pounce type, the one who'll grow up to be the heart breaker---that is, unless the "right one" comes along to tame him.

2. A former Parkview picked-on and socially unsure student whiz, "the brain"----He's 'today's' Science teacher, Brandon Bartlett. The opposite of "Coach," Brandon's that straight arrow, heart on his sleeve, what you see is what you get type......the one who'll fall hard, the one whose expectations can be easily hurt.

3. A current Parkview Principal---He's Mr. Tom Berry (listed last here, but very much far from least)---a pivotal character who we should rightfully label "The Instigator." Here we have the person who most perceptively maneuvers (no, make that manipulates) our two lead characters into the same orbit. Why, folks, without Principal Berry we wouldn't even have a story.

These are the basics, then, and things just get deeply and sweetly romantic from there.

Of special note in this memorable romance, we're given one of the most descriptively intense and breathless "anal takings" in written storydom. It, veritably, pulls you into the vortex it creates. HOW DID THESE TWO WOMEN AUTHORS DO THAT?! Plus, they give us one of the biggest, "best-est" afterglow scenes you'll ever run across. And as for those close, intense and quiet moments of two people "just being together"----you'll rarely find any other written works in this genre where those special times are so heart renderingly described. What it finally boils down to is that 'they' come as close (perhaps closer) to describing the actual process of "falling in love" than have any writers before them. How's that for a tribute? Here's to you, Ladies!

So, readers, if you've a romantic bone in your bodys, then you'll find these 2 gal-writers have given you a coupla guys you'll want to revisit time and time and time again. In other words, they'll have become just plain "Addictive."

Oh, yeah, almost forgot; this book's characters do a lot of "huffing" (No!. It's not "that".....nor is it the negative use a sick society is now turning it into). In this story's usage, it has the old fashioned meaning.......and it's interesting and really cute......you'll see what I mean when you read along.

PS--***Other "Addictive" reads: "Freshman Pledge: The Magic of Love" (Larry Coles) // "Bareback" (Chris Owen). Some "near-Addictives: "Brokeback Mountain" (Annie Proulx) // "The Dreyfus Affair" (Peter Lefcourt) // "The Carnivorous Lamb" (Agustin Gomez-Arcos) // "Afterlife" (Paul Monette) // "Cowboy Up" (short stories edited by Rob Knight)

****

I bought "Caught Running" with a bit of trepidation stemming from some comments I heard in the other reviews, but what I found was a thoroughly enjoyable and engrossing novel with complex and nicely-nuanced characters.

Jake Campbell was a former star athlete through high school and into college until the sad day when it was realized they worked him too hard and he now had too many injuries and pain to continue as a player. Brandon Bartlett was one of the intellectuals (nerds) in the same high school that Jake went to. Though Jake never bothered Brandon when they were in school, he was well aware of the taunting and derision that Brandon endured. Both now teach at their old high school; Brandon in science and biology, Jake in phys ed and health. Jake's also the head coach for many of the varsity teams, and one day, when there were a shortage of coaches, Brandon is told he would have to help coach baseball. Brandon's a well-known science "nerd", and the other coaches have reservations, but Brandon has such a love of working with students, they soon realize he's a pretty good coach and is a great help to all. Forced to work together, both Jake and Brandon each start feeling strong physical attraction to the other to the point of distraction. Both are gay, both keep it in the closet, and each thinks the other is straight. Until one morning when the attraction can't be denied any further....

What I particularly enjoyed about this book was that it took its time to develop the characters and their situation before jumping into the romance. All characters (even secondary ones) are nicely nuanced, with their own distinct personality traits. The strong writing skills let you easily envision the characters and situations and helps the various settings and circumstances seem real. The authors wisely let you get to know their characters first, and grow comfortable with them, before the more intense emotions are explored.

Another strong point is that both main characters are examined in just about equal detail. During several scenes in the story, the writers switch you back and forth between the feelings and thoughts of each character so that you can see both sides of their relationship. For example, a scene may be an interaction between Jake and Brandon. At first, focus is on Jake as you gain access to his thoughts and feelings as he views Brandon and tries to determine what Brandon is feeling. But then you switch to Brandon and then realize what his thoughts are feelings are, and are privy to how he's trying to interpret Jake's expressions and actions. Their interpretations of each other are not always accurate, and that adds a bit of friction into their relationship and heat into the story.

The pacing of the book is very good. It engages you quickly and moves quickly enough to keep the story interesting, but not so quickly that the characters aren't given enough time to develop. The first half of the book is the buildup to the eventual expression of Jake's and Brandon's physical attraction, and the second half of the book becomes much more sexually charged, while still maintaining a good pace. If there's any flaw in the book, it's towards the end with a minor attempt to build suspense. The event seems a little out of place in that the reader doesn't perceive it as a real threat to the characters, making the event unnecessary. Still, it passes quickly and the book quickly sails to a grin-inducing ending.

To me, the best part of the book was that when it ended, I felt like the characters were real. It's always a testament to the author when you wish you could meet the characters in his or her book, and I did very much want to meet Jake and Brandon, and even Troy (a very fun secondary character).

CAUGHT RUNNING is the story about the high school jock and the unpopular science nerd reunited ten years later as teachers at their alma mater. The principal of the school "volunteers" Brandon (the nerd) to help Jake (the jock) coach baseball for a season. Since they were from two different crowds in high school and never really knew each other then, they basically have to start from scratch when they come together to coach the varsity baseball team.

The first half of the story is about the men getting to know each other as friends and co-workers, and feeling out their relationship. They share a mutual attraction, but neither knows if the other likes men. The supporting characters in this book are fabulous, and we get to see a lot of "boys being boys" interaction as the story develops. This may have been written by two women, but there's nothing girly about the story. This book oozes testosterone.

The sexual tension in this book is thick, and the chemistry sizzles. The sex doesn't happen right away, and in this case that's perfectly fine. The story is so good that I didn't even notice that the characters didn't immediately jump each other's bones. But when the sex does happen, it's sudden and intense, and it more than makes up for the lack of sex in the first half (which I promise you won't miss anyway). The first love scene is the kind that sucks all the air out of the room and raises the temperature about 20 degrees. If you're not panting by the time that first love scene ends, you probably don't have a pulse. :)

This is a beautifully simple love story. There are no evil forces, no ridiculous conflict, no far-fetched resolution. The men are sweet and sensitive and their love is tender, but the story is not mushy. It is beautiful to see Jake go from gruff, scary baseball coach on the field to cuddly teddy bear at home. Even though the men are sweet and sensitive, they're still men. They drink beer, they swear, they throw things at each other, they wear sweatpants and ratty old fraternity t-shirts, and they live on pizza most of the time because they are hopeless when it comes to domestic chores.

Whether you're a sports fan, a nerd, or just a hopeless romantic, this book is sure to satisfy.

This is another example of outstanding gay erotic fiction. There is a good story, the characters are well fleshed-out and well-developed, there are chatty and real-feeling secondary characters, and there is just enough danger and uncertainty to keep you reading and involved.

The principal characters are polar opposites in many ways (both no longer "young men") including a "jock type" (who is somewhat physically damaged by former athletic pursuits) and a "nerd type" who is actually smart AND a great athlete. Neither is at all sure the other is gay, and neither thinks the other is interested in someone as different as they are.

But hope springs eternal, and we are treated to not only a fine courtship but a fine romance which grows and deepens nicely through the skillful work of this author.

Truly a pleasure to read, filled with humor and warmth, this is a fine work of gay erotic fiction that does not disappoint in any way. If you're looking for deep meaning and jaw-dropping action and conflict, you won't find it here, but if you're looking for sweet romance and M/M heat, "Caught Running" won't disappoint. Enjoy!

Brandon and Jake went highschool together but never have been friend. Brandon was a nerd, homeschooling till his sophomore years and more interested in biology than baseball and Jake was a total jock, whose only interested was sport and the chance to have a scholarship on baseball.

But fifteen years later they are both again in the same highschool, Brandon struggling to have his second doctorate and Jake recovering from a bad injury which has stopped his professional carrer even before it started. And now they have to team up while Brandon cover up his teaching hour coaching with Jake.

Jake and Brandon are both gay, but seems that their gayradars need a check, cause even if both lust on each other, neither of them seems able to do the first move. Brandon is still mulling over the jock vs nerd matter of his highschool years, and Jake fears too much to be seen as the classical dull coach. Even if they are grown men, they act like two teenager with their first crush.

The story is pretty long but even if it is fairly smooth, without any significatn twist, it manages to be compelling till the end. First you want to see how they got together and who will do the first move, and then you want to see if they will be able to stay together (do not forget that they live in Georgia, and I don't think it's simple for a gay couple to live openly together there).

At the end of the book there are some open point (take in mind this word, California, and reading the book you will know what I mean) that I'd like to better understand, but overall I'm really satisfy with my reading: the story is classic and a bit romantic, the sex is well written and arousing, and the two characters are both cute and tender (I don't feel a real alpha male in the couple, they are almost on the same level)

Warning: This review might contain what some people consider SPOILERS.

Rating: 9/10

PROS:
- Funny characters--and not just the two leads. The two main guys AND all of their friends and their co-workers and their students, etc. say real things and act in ways that are consistent with high school students, teachers, and/or coaches.
- Extremely sensitive characters, especially Jake. Rather obviously written by female authors, to be honest, but in this case I don't care. I love the tenderness of Jake and Brandon's exchanges.
- The first sex scene doesn't happen until about halfway through the book because neither character knows if the other is gay, so the sex is passionate and emotional from the start, always with lots of kissing. Delicious.
- Accurate comments about / depictions of the nature of high school sports and athletes. There's also a great sense of camaraderie among the baseball coaches.

CONS:
- Frenetic, confusing POV shifts that are apparently typical for this writing duo. The first couple of scenes in the book are solely from one character's perspective or another (the two guys aren't physically near each other yet at that point), but as soon as they're thrown together, the POV switches to a "one paragraph from this guy, one paragraph from that guy" format. It does allow readers access to both guys' thoughts when they're doing the "does he like me?" dance, and I got used to it after a while, but it's still frustrating sometimes.
- Conflict in the final chapter that I found a little rushed/contrived. Not at all enough to spoil my liking of the book, though.

Overall comments: I first read this book about 8 months ago and have since read it twice more; it's one of my all-time favorites in this genre. Is the relationship realistic? Possibly. Is it typical of two men? No. But it's terribly sweet, so if you're a romantic at heart, like I am, you'll probably love it. There's not much excitement in the plot, but the feelings are real and the sex is very hot.

I have been reading m/m romance/erotica for about a year now, starting with fan fiction and moving up to original character, for-pay stories in the last few months. Gobbling up what I can find, I admit that much of what I have purchased has been worse than some of the worst free fan fiction (and in some cases, the free stuff is amazingly more well-written and developed). I have been terribly disappointed with the unlikely story lines, laughable dialog, absurd character actions/reactions, bad writing and worse editing. I may not be a gay male, but I live in a very diverse community, have gay friends with whom I have had discussions about their lives and loves, and I can certainly appreciate a good story laced with hot sex regardless of the subjects' gender. For me, much of my immersion into books of any kind is the story, the character development, and the interactions, and the majority of what I have read so far simply doesn't do it for me. They are little more than PWP (Porn Without Plot), which I can get better for free through sites like Nifty.

Enter "Caught Running." I did not have high hopes as I read it in a string of terrible books and was prepared for yet another disappointment. Boy, was I pleasantly surprised! Finally, a keeper! I really loved this book, and I can't say enough good things about it. Seriously, I pimp it whenever I can. It's my feel-good book, and I've lost track of how many times I've read it.

This is a romance first, erotica (and there are plenty of steamy scenes!) second, so if you are looking for one tumble in the sheets -- or the hay, or the sand, or the back seat -- after another with little plot in between, this isn't the book for you. I am a sucker for stories where the protagonists meet again years later and/or where a relationship develops once friendship is established, so this one is a match on both parts. Don't get me wrong, I am certainly not a prude -- I wouldn't be reading this genre if I was! -- and I don't mind sex in the first chapter, but it was refreshing for the authors to wait until page 107 before there was even a kiss. It's a slow, gentle builder. I liked that the first half of the book was spent with them learning to put aside biases and prejudices to come to respect one another, becoming friends. Because of this, there is an emotional layer to the physical that many of the other books I've read just don't have. Not that there wasn't a healthy dose of Unresolved Sexual Tension, but that made it fun. I enjoyed watching their mutual attraction as they try to hide it from each other and themselves, and play the "is he or isn't he" game; seems to me that these boys have some broken gaydar! I was glad to see that their insecurities and worries were brought forth to us in a way that didn't make me want to tear my hair out at the angst. And once their relationship was consummated, I was in awe of their reactions to each other, especially Jake's to Brandon.

I can believe this tale; there is no major drama, no moral dilemmas, no character flaws so large that the HEA (Happily Ever After) is threatened, no big misunderstanding, no secret past life that will come back to bite someone in the arse, no hateful antagonists trying to break them apart, no last-minute quickie tying up of the ends, no obviously contrived way to get these two together. None of the supporting characters seemed over-the-top in personality or interference, but were lovable and supportive in their own rights as good supporting characters should be. I thought the pacing was perfect: good buildup for attraction, consummation, commitment. It is a simple, gentle, sweet, romantic story that drew me in and made me want to care and root for Brandon and Jake. I believed in these guys, they seemed real, like they could be friends of mine. Despite their seeming incompatibility, they are perfect for and complement one another. Like other readers, I was disappointed that there wasn't any more of the book to come and felt sad for it to end.

Two small things that bothered me, though neither ruined my enjoyment of the story nor would cause me to give this review less stars:

First, there was a portion of the plot line that wasn't fully developed that I would have loved to see. Without giving it all away, Brandon mentions wanting to help Jake with his medical issues and it never really happens, at least "on screen." I kept waiting for it, but nothing after a first mention. It would have increased the UST between these two and maybe given Jake some relief.

Second, as another reviewer mentioned, the shifting point of view made me a little wacky. I often needed to go back a paragraph or two to figure out which character I was living. It's unfortunate; I've read many books where the POV shifts successfully, but usually it is chapter-by-chapter, or by clearly defined sections. I must have gotten used to it, however, because after a while I barely noticed it.

Overall, if you're looking for a book in this genre, I can't recommend this book enough. Go read and enjoy.

We all know how high school is: the jocks, the nerds, the cheerleaders; the "in crowd" and the "outcasts", the former would never be caught dead associating with the latter. But everyone grows up and sooner or later, High School is supposed to be over and done with.

Brandon a.k.a The Nerd is now teaching Biology and is an all around Science teacher in his former high school. At the beginning, everything is looking the same it did back then for Brandon even though they aren't kids anymore, its painfully obvious that somethings don't change. The teachers in the loundge are still separated between the brains (academic teachers) and the brawns (P.E. and sports coach). Brandon also isnt the only one who ended up back at his old high school, Jake a.k.a The Jock, former varsity star ended up being Parkview's Head Coach. Even though they were in school together they never talked and barely acknowledged each other's presence. Brandon's life was pretty simple and filled with his passion for teaching. He came to school early in the morning to tutor, stay up late at night to grade and work on his doctorate. Living pretty far from school also meant for even shorter nights but he still managed to find time everyday to run. One day, his old geometry teacher now turned principal, Tom, announces that he needs someone to fill in for a few blocks of Health class and help coach the baseball team. It's going to be the turning point in Brandon's life considering Jake is the head coach. After spending some time together, they both start getting attracted to the other. They dance around quite a lot both thinking the other isn't interested and it builts pretty much the whole mood for the story. They discover things that they didn't know and realize there's a lot more then the image they project. Naturally with the attraction between them comes a rising tension that's not going to go away that easy.

When they finally come together, it's absolutely perfect, and everytime after that too, it's intense and deep, it pulls you in and leaves you breathless. Afterwards, it's the struggle and worries of not knowing how to act when they see each other at work and Brandon's lack of confidence to initiate anything faced with the clearly more dominant Jake. I'm still amazed at when Jake told him to be more confident and not be afraid to take the lead when he wanted to. There's always something that doesn't look comfortable or natural when it comes to role reversal in most books I read but in this one it was just effortless, natural and beautiful.

Althought it doesn't have a lot of pages I'm surprised at how absolutely not rushed it was. It seems impossible, I read a lot of books much longer than this that felt it all happened in one day. I was sad when I reached the end because I could have kept reading more and more, and there was plenty left to explore in their new relationship. But, all good things do have to come to an end. I wouldn't be against seeing a sequel in the future though!