Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful characters. Delightful romance., March 24, 2008
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.
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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Opposites Attract, January 9, 2008
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.
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15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
It's ADDICTIVE........a Keeper----not a throwaway...., March 27, 2008
((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)
****
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