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whitneydr's review against another edition
2.0
This was a disappointing read. Nathan was pretty much a Mary Sue, which was actually quite irritating. There was no relationship development between Nathan and Dreo and they don't even really get together until 3/4 of the through the book. There were plot points brought up that were never addressed at the end but fussed over pretty much the entire book. All in all, this book fell flat and was a definite miss for Calmes.
regencyfan93's review against another edition
5.0
Nate leads such a charmed life. People meet him and immediately welcome him as family or a friend. Unreal I think, but delightful to read.
The characters seemed like full people - Michael, Jase, Sanderson, Dreo, Melissa and Ben, Dreo's work associates.
The characters seemed like full people - Michael, Jase, Sanderson, Dreo, Melissa and Ben, Dreo's work associates.
prophdrews's review against another edition
4.0
I loved this book way too much.
I really liked Nate, he is funny and really cares about his family and friends. It's easy to like him.
And Dreo...
I ABSOLUTELY DEFINITELY INCREDIBLY LOVED DREO, because damn, I love me some alpha male!
Hot, possessive (my kryptonite *sigh*), honest, confident...I could go on and on but I can't find enough words.
Let's sum up, shall we: He is my tesoro.
Hmmm, I have a sudden urge to learn how to speak Italian, wonder why...
I really liked Nate, he is funny and really cares about his family and friends. It's easy to like him.
And Dreo...
I ABSOLUTELY DEFINITELY INCREDIBLY LOVED DREO, because damn, I love me some alpha male!
Hot, possessive (my kryptonite *sigh*), honest, confident...I could go on and on but I can't find enough words.
Let's sum up, shall we: He is my tesoro.
Hmmm, I have a sudden urge to learn how to speak Italian, wonder why...
tichamm's review against another edition
3.0
3.25 Stars
It's such a shame how this book turned out to be. The beginning was so good, and afterwards it went downhill.
It's such a shame how this book turned out to be. The beginning was so good, and afterwards it went downhill.
kaje_harper's review against another edition
4.0
This was an absorbing story with some great characters. Dreo is very appealing, the teenagers and ex-wife were fun and I did like how this MC's life was a full one with interests and friends. The narrator Nate was the guy everyone would want to have as a teacher/friend/neighbor/Good-Samaritan. In fact, he was so universally loved that I think one of the redeeming moments in the book was when he realizes that what happened with his cop ex-boyfriend really was in a big part his own choice and own fault, because for once he doesn't seem perfect. This book is well written and hard to put down, with a hot, intense connection between the MC's, nice lighter moments and an appealing narrative voice.
walford's review against another edition
4.0
Calmes crack. And not so formulaic! One of her best IMHO.
I've read this twice for sure and I'm bummed that it's too soon to pick it up again. One of my top three of hers, along with 'When the Dust Settles', and 'Again'. On the Comfort Reads shelf for sure.
I've figured out that I love stories in which our hero gets wholeheartedly embraced by his Brand New Family (in spite of being nobody special), preferably a rich and/or powerful one.
I've read this twice for sure and I'm bummed that it's too soon to pick it up again. One of my top three of hers, along with 'When the Dust Settles', and 'Again'. On the Comfort Reads shelf for sure.
I've figured out that I love stories in which our hero gets wholeheartedly embraced by his Brand New Family (in spite of being nobody special), preferably a rich and/or powerful one.
see_sadie_read's review against another edition
4.0
3.5
I'm rating this fairly highly, maybe even higher than it deserves, simply because I enjoyed it. Yes, all the Italian got on my nerves. 'Cause, you know, I don't speak Italian. And Nate was far, far, far too perfect a Marty Sue to be believable. Honestly, he was almost too perfect to even like (though EVERYONE seemed to). Plus, all the side characters were larger than life and therefore also irritatingly shiny. Oh, and the random BDSM references were out of left field and didn't really further the plot any. Oh, oh and I wanted to gag for the last quarter of the book, because it was all just soooo sappy as it drug itself around to make sure EVERYONE got their schmaltzy happy ending.
So, yeah, I have complaints. But Dreo makes up for almost all of that. So does the fact that the book is a bit of a slow burn. (Though once things get started the relationship never slows down and everything suddenly feels rushed, rushed, rushed.) So, this book is one of those odd combinations where a lot of individual aspects of it annoy me and would usually put me off, but I still somehow ended it surprisingly satisfied. I guess sometimes there really is no accounting for taste...even to yourself.
I'm rating this fairly highly, maybe even higher than it deserves, simply because I enjoyed it. Yes, all the Italian got on my nerves. 'Cause, you know, I don't speak Italian. And Nate was far, far, far too perfect a Marty Sue to be believable. Honestly, he was almost too perfect to even like (though EVERYONE seemed to). Plus, all the side characters were larger than life and therefore also irritatingly shiny. Oh, and the random BDSM references were out of left field and didn't really further the plot any. Oh, oh and I wanted to gag for the last quarter of the book, because it was all just soooo sappy as it drug itself around to make sure EVERYONE got their schmaltzy happy ending.
So, yeah, I have complaints. But Dreo makes up for almost all of that. So does the fact that the book is a bit of a slow burn. (Though once things get started the relationship never slows down and everything suddenly feels rushed, rushed, rushed.) So, this book is one of those odd combinations where a lot of individual aspects of it annoy me and would usually put me off, but I still somehow ended it surprisingly satisfied. I guess sometimes there really is no accounting for taste...even to yourself.
teenykins's review against another edition
4.0
2nd re-listen. Dropping my rating from full 5 stars to 4.
This is one of my most favorite stories of Mary's, made even all the more better because of Sean Crisden's narration. Seriously his voice for Dreo and the Italian.... swoon worthy!
So why the 4 stars? Well let's just say that too much perfection in everything and everyone hurts the story! The same goes for the myriad of secondary characters and the 0 to 100 of Nate and Dreo's relationship, especially since this story is told exclusively by Nate and what insights we have of Dreo is again told through Nate. At least the endless detail-splanations are absent.
This is one of my most favorite stories of Mary's, made even all the more better because of Sean Crisden's narration. Seriously his voice for Dreo and the Italian.... swoon worthy!
So why the 4 stars? Well let's just say that too much perfection in everything and everyone hurts the story! The same goes for the myriad of secondary characters and the 0 to 100 of Nate and Dreo's relationship, especially since this story is told exclusively by Nate and what insights we have of Dreo is again told through Nate. At least the endless detail-splanations are absent.
rebecca_3's review against another edition
3.0
3.5/5
I read the blurb for this when I first added it to my tbr, but when I finally decided to read it I didn't re-read the blurb. So I spent the first 1/3 of the book not knowing who the love interest was. It was kind of nice to be caught by surprise, but I didn't really like that it took so long. That first 1/3 was kind of boring. It didn't get really interesting until Dreo came into the picture.
Dreo was pretty bad ass and I love how he was so dominate and so perfect for Nate. He didn't have to compromise anything like he did with other lovers. They had a lot of chemistry. And the way that Dreo was already in love with Nate and Nate didn't know was so sweet. It's funny how in the beginning Nate was so bothered by the fact that he had a crush on a 32-year old man, but once he started to have feelings for Dreo who was 28, the age difference hardly came up. It did a bit when Nate shaved his beard to look younger, but that's it really. He knew that the age didn't really matter because he and Dreo clearly belonged together.
But why is it called Acrobat?
I read the blurb for this when I first added it to my tbr, but when I finally decided to read it I didn't re-read the blurb. So I spent the first 1/3 of the book not knowing who the love interest was. It was kind of nice to be caught by surprise, but I didn't really like that it took so long. That first 1/3 was kind of boring. It didn't get really interesting until Dreo came into the picture.
Dreo was pretty bad ass and I love how he was so dominate and so perfect for Nate. He didn't have to compromise anything like he did with other lovers. They had a lot of chemistry. And the way that Dreo was already in love with Nate and Nate didn't know was so sweet. It's funny how in the beginning Nate was so bothered by the fact that he had a crush on a 32-year old man, but once he started to have feelings for Dreo who was 28, the age difference hardly came up. It did a bit when Nate shaved his beard to look younger, but that's it really. He knew that the age didn't really matter because he and Dreo clearly belonged together.
But why is it called Acrobat?