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luellen1990's review
4.0
Title - Finn's Fantasy (Maine Men #1)
Author - KC Wells
Genre - MM Romance
Published - April 2021
Pages - 313 Pages
Summary - During the day Finn builds houses along the coast and during the evenings he dreams of the man who walks his chocolate lab along the beach. This man is Finn's dream fantasy guy, gorgeous, salt and pepper hair, blue eyes. But Finn is sure he's properly straight and he'll never get to actually talk to him.
Recently divorced Joel is finally living his life as an out gay man, he's not sure he's ready for a relationship but that doesn't stop him from noticing the hot muscular guy working on the hotel build along the beach.
What I thought about this book - I enjoyed this book. I liked Joel and Finn as characters and I loved the fact Joel's ex-wife was really supportive of him. The plot was a slow burner but I still enjoyed it. The character development was really good. The plot was easy to follow and well written. Overall I did enjoy this book and I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
Would I Recommend - Yes
Would I Read Again/Continue The Series - Yes/Yes
Rating - 4*
Reviewed by LucyLui
Author - KC Wells
Genre - MM Romance
Published - April 2021
Pages - 313 Pages
Summary - During the day Finn builds houses along the coast and during the evenings he dreams of the man who walks his chocolate lab along the beach. This man is Finn's dream fantasy guy, gorgeous, salt and pepper hair, blue eyes. But Finn is sure he's properly straight and he'll never get to actually talk to him.
Recently divorced Joel is finally living his life as an out gay man, he's not sure he's ready for a relationship but that doesn't stop him from noticing the hot muscular guy working on the hotel build along the beach.
What I thought about this book - I enjoyed this book. I liked Joel and Finn as characters and I loved the fact Joel's ex-wife was really supportive of him. The plot was a slow burner but I still enjoyed it. The character development was really good. The plot was easy to follow and well written. Overall I did enjoy this book and I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
Would I Recommend - Yes
Would I Read Again/Continue The Series - Yes/Yes
Rating - 4*
Reviewed by LucyLui
lilyantigone's review
I just can't get over a father voluntarily choosing to move two hours away from his teenage kids, and it's not even for work or anything. And then the responsibility for driving is placed on the kids and the ex-wife? And he's surprised that his relationships with the kids suffer? Unrealistic.
vicki_williams's review against another edition
4.0
Great start to new series.
This is a very enjoyable slow burn age gap romance with two wonderful main characters, Finn and Joel.
Joel is recently divorced and finally living his authentic life as an out gay man. Finn is a builder who crushes on Joel every time he sees him walking his dog.
Circumstances bring them together and their slow burn romance begins. The chemistry between them takes its time to ignite but once it does the heat levels certainly rise.
This is minimal angst, engaging read which left me smiling when Finn and Joel navigated their way to an HEA.
There’s plenty of interesting side characters in the “Maine Men” and I look forward to the friends getting their stories told.
This is a very enjoyable slow burn age gap romance with two wonderful main characters, Finn and Joel.
Joel is recently divorced and finally living his authentic life as an out gay man. Finn is a builder who crushes on Joel every time he sees him walking his dog.
Circumstances bring them together and their slow burn romance begins. The chemistry between them takes its time to ignite but once it does the heat levels certainly rise.
This is minimal angst, engaging read which left me smiling when Finn and Joel navigated their way to an HEA.
There’s plenty of interesting side characters in the “Maine Men” and I look forward to the friends getting their stories told.
frauwonka's review
2.0
This was not for me
I love a good age gap romance and the blurb was great (as is the blurb for book 2 of this series), that's why I decided to give this new series and K. C. Wells (as a new author for me) a try. But it didn't work out between us, I'm afraid. It wasn't a bad book; there were no logical holes or unaccounted incidents. So, I think, it's a personal thing.
My biggest issue with the book is, that I didn't like its pace. The first half of the book was quite boring for me - we get to know a lot about the two MCs, their families, their friends, but it takes ages until we see the two of them together, not to mention see them interact. There was no real attraction for me between them, no pull; I didn't want to absolutely continue reading until they finally meet and talk. More often than not I put the book away and did something else.
And when they finally do get together (as friends) and talk, I missed the steam and the attraction. There is a lot of talking (which per se is good), but also talking in the strangest situations where action would and should win out over talking every time (not as friends anymore). Sometimes it seems like the author visibly thwarts and slows down their relationship, so it doesn't get too steamy too soon, but only for two more pages and then they end up in bed anyway which is strange.
And while the first half stretches on for forever and nothing really happens between them, it doesn't take much for them to go from nothing to everything. Which I perceived again as strange, but not steamy.
The characters were okay. Finn more so than Joel who seems to have never build or hand-crafted a thing in his life and I can't bring myself to find a 42-years-old human being adorable who has no craftsmanship whatsoever (I mean, okay, he manages some of the building tasks at the end). Additionally, he has questionable dad instincts. While it seems to be the height of impossibility for him so drive two hours to see his children, his children ALWAYS have to drive two hours to see him. He not once offers to go see them. But his 15-years-old daughter and 18-years-old son are not allowed to swear or even hear swear words and his son is not allowed to work with a saw or any tool because his dad doesn't want him to. He was a bit too conservative for me here.
What I liked about the book was Joel talking about his youth and his feelings and relationships back then; here I felt really IN the book - unfortunately, it was the only time.
I received an ARC from GRR - thank you for that - which made me willing to continue reading, otherwise I would have stopped and filed the book under "didn't finish".
I love a good age gap romance and the blurb was great (as is the blurb for book 2 of this series), that's why I decided to give this new series and K. C. Wells (as a new author for me) a try. But it didn't work out between us, I'm afraid. It wasn't a bad book; there were no logical holes or unaccounted incidents. So, I think, it's a personal thing.
My biggest issue with the book is, that I didn't like its pace. The first half of the book was quite boring for me - we get to know a lot about the two MCs, their families, their friends, but it takes ages until we see the two of them together, not to mention see them interact. There was no real attraction for me between them, no pull; I didn't want to absolutely continue reading until they finally meet and talk. More often than not I put the book away and did something else.
And when they finally do get together (as friends) and talk, I missed the steam and the attraction. There is a lot of talking (which per se is good), but also talking in the strangest situations where action would and should win out over talking every time (not as friends anymore). Sometimes it seems like the author visibly thwarts and slows down their relationship, so it doesn't get too steamy too soon, but only for two more pages and then they end up in bed anyway which is strange.
And while the first half stretches on for forever and nothing really happens between them, it doesn't take much for them to go from nothing to everything. Which I perceived again as strange, but not steamy.
The characters were okay. Finn more so than Joel who seems to have never build or hand-crafted a thing in his life and I can't bring myself to find a 42-years-old human being adorable who has no craftsmanship whatsoever (I mean, okay, he manages some of the building tasks at the end). Additionally, he has questionable dad instincts. While it seems to be the height of impossibility for him so drive two hours to see his children, his children ALWAYS have to drive two hours to see him. He not once offers to go see them. But his 15-years-old daughter and 18-years-old son are not allowed to swear or even hear swear words and his son is not allowed to work with a saw or any tool because his dad doesn't want him to. He was a bit too conservative for me here.
What I liked about the book was Joel talking about his youth and his feelings and relationships back then; here I felt really IN the book - unfortunately, it was the only time.
I received an ARC from GRR - thank you for that - which made me willing to continue reading, otherwise I would have stopped and filed the book under "didn't finish".
menomica's review
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
“For weeks, you were nothing but a fantasy. A guy I dreamed about, but never thought I’d find the courage to speak to.” “And now?”
Finn squeezed his hand. “I couldn’t dream of being with anyone else.”
K.C. Wells… you’re not a great writer but I think there’s hope for you yet. Maybe pick up some writing classes at a local community college. There’s potential. 🤷🏾♀️
So, the thing is, I did not care about Finn or his friends at awl. They were so… generic and boring. I was actually invested in Joel’s storyline.
Personally I thought Joel and Finn were very boring and bland as a couple, I felt like no chemistry with them. But they were boring and bland together, so that’s all that matters.
Content Warnings
Minor: Homophobia
There is a moment were they talk about someone’s absent mom being a drug addict, and the way they discuss her and her addiction is lowkey giving «dr*ggies just make bad habits nerrrh pull yourself up by your bootstraps nerrrh,» and it was like… *side eye* Like not explicitly but it did make me tilt my head a bit.buffyloverlori's review
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
k8books's review against another edition
4.0
This was a fantastic kick start to a new series! Before the book even starts, [a:K.C. Wells|6576876|K.C. Wells|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1433451688p2/6576876.jpg] pens a message explaining he knew series and the characters we will be getting to meet. Those two paragraphs alone pulled me in and made me want all the books in this series!
This book is an age-gap, has a chocolate lab and steamy lovin' scenes. I absolutely loved that The issues were worked through quickly but in detail so as a reader I didn't feel like it was rushed.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I am anxiously awaiting the subsequent releases in this series. I want to read the lives of all the Maine men and watch each of them fall in love. I'm ready!
This book is an age-gap, has a chocolate lab and steamy lovin' scenes. I absolutely loved that
Spoiler
there wasn't a huge breakup when the climax happens in the book. K.C. Wells kept the two MC's together while working through conflict and taking time to support each other while working through family issues.I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I am anxiously awaiting the subsequent releases in this series. I want to read the lives of all the Maine men and watch each of them fall in love. I'm ready!
so_many_books's review
3.0
*I recieved this books as an ARC in exchange for a review.*
Rating: 3.5⭐
Finn's Fantasy is the first book in K.C. Wells' Maine Men series.
This first book is about Finn, a young carpanter who watches a handsome man walk his dog every day on the beach. And that said man, Joel, who's recently divorced and finally lives his life as a gay man.
The story was rather sweet and simple. Two guys meet, one hires the other to build him a new deck, they hit it off nicely as friends and their mutual attraction leads to more. The only twist in this book is Joel's struggle to come out to his kids and the two men's reluctance to trust the other would want commitment.
So, all in all, it was a very low angst sweet romance, with a 4/5 heat factor and pretty detailed and usual bedroom scenes.
Finn's character was sweet and funny and his group of friends, the Maine Men this series is about are a great bunch of characters. Because this book is the start of a new series I think a lot of emphasis was put on jumpstarting the universe and introducing characters that had nearly anything to do with the happenings of this particular book. I would say the author intended this book to be a teaser for the whole series and that resulted in a lack of depth in the actual story.
Finn's character, for example, was very poorly built. We got to know nearly nothing of him apart from his group of friends while the focus was mainly on Joel.
Joel, a divorced dad, starting over his life to live true to himself, was a more deeply depicted MC. His struggle with his situation and his relationship with his kids were the parts that mad this story rather interesting than boring.
In my opinion, this book was a good, easy read with almost zero angst, a cute dog and hot scenes.
Rating: 3.5⭐
Finn's Fantasy is the first book in K.C. Wells' Maine Men series.
This first book is about Finn, a young carpanter who watches a handsome man walk his dog every day on the beach. And that said man, Joel, who's recently divorced and finally lives his life as a gay man.
The story was rather sweet and simple. Two guys meet, one hires the other to build him a new deck, they hit it off nicely as friends and their mutual attraction leads to more. The only twist in this book is Joel's struggle to come out to his kids and the two men's reluctance to trust the other would want commitment.
So, all in all, it was a very low angst sweet romance, with a 4/5 heat factor and pretty detailed and usual bedroom scenes.
Finn's character was sweet and funny and his group of friends, the Maine Men this series is about are a great bunch of characters. Because this book is the start of a new series I think a lot of emphasis was put on jumpstarting the universe and introducing characters that had nearly anything to do with the happenings of this particular book. I would say the author intended this book to be a teaser for the whole series and that resulted in a lack of depth in the actual story.
Finn's character, for example, was very poorly built. We got to know nearly nothing of him apart from his group of friends while the focus was mainly on Joel.
Joel, a divorced dad, starting over his life to live true to himself, was a more deeply depicted MC. His struggle with his situation and his relationship with his kids were the parts that mad this story rather interesting than boring.
In my opinion, this book was a good, easy read with almost zero angst, a cute dog and hot scenes.
alexleo13's review
4.0
This was such a heartwarming story. Finn and Joel are just the perfect couple and they are surrounded by great side characters (including dog) who create a strong background world, considering that this is the first book of a new series.
There is an age gap, but it does not actually affect Finn and Joel relationship but rather Joel and his son, because Joel comes from a time when coming out could devastate a person’s life, and Joel has to catch up on the big steps that have been done in the past 20 years in terms of acceptance if he wants to safe his relationship with his children, but most of all if he wants to finally live out and proud.
I had the opportunity to read an ARC of this book and I am pleased to say that I really enjoyed the story and recommend it. The writing style is very engaging and I loved that the author alternate POVs and included the description of brief scenes of everyday’s life as interludes in the longer chapters because those sneak peeks just gave an additional depth to the MCs building relationship.
Finn is part of a big group of friends and if the author intends to write a story for each of them, I better start a cheat sheet with all important information on each of them, otherwise I’ll get lost. Can’t wait for the next instalment.
There is an age gap, but it does not actually affect Finn and Joel relationship but rather Joel and his son, because Joel comes from a time when coming out could devastate a person’s life, and Joel has to catch up on the big steps that have been done in the past 20 years in terms of acceptance if he wants to safe his relationship with his children, but most of all if he wants to finally live out and proud.
I had the opportunity to read an ARC of this book and I am pleased to say that I really enjoyed the story and recommend it. The writing style is very engaging and I loved that the author alternate POVs and included the description of brief scenes of everyday’s life as interludes in the longer chapters because those sneak peeks just gave an additional depth to the MCs building relationship.
Finn is part of a big group of friends and if the author intends to write a story for each of them, I better start a cheat sheet with all important information on each of them, otherwise I’ll get lost. Can’t wait for the next instalment.