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ktcasa87's review
2.0
There was a lot of trauma in this book...a lot more than the blurb implied. It didn't feel like the two MCs adequately dealt with it either, separately or together. It made the ending feel unbelievable and by then I wasn't convinced of their HEA anyway.
daisyishedwig's review against another edition
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
itzamejennifer's review against another edition
5.0
I was waiting for this book from the moment it was announced...very impatiently. I got it in my hands as soon as possible and every moment I spent waiting was worth it. This book was everything I imagined it would be, and so much more. It drew me in, and refused to let me go...even when I had to because, you know, life. I want to give Love Starved a million stars, and a hug. Kate Fierro did a wonderful job!
gale_bruckner's review against another edition
4.0
Real love is better than any fantasy
(Minor spoilers) Micha doesn't quite know what he's asking for when he first contacts Aiden (Angel) but he's desperate for emotional intimacy. Aiden's been doing the illusion of love alongside his body for so long he barely knows what a vulnerable, authentic connection looks like anymore. I'm a sucker for any story where real feelings catch people unaware because they're so safe in the delusion that nothing serious is going to happen that they forget to hide who they really are, or how important they've made it to keep others at a distance. I was thrilled with the early chapters of Love Starved; I couldn't put it down. It was slightly off putting when Micha didn't want to tell his parents who Aiden (Angel) really was to him at first; I felt life he was ashamed of what he'd done and who Adien was. I would have liked to see more of Adien and Micha's inner thoughts and emotional debates as they navigate their relationship. It was awesome seeing Micha so sure of his feelings, and his commitment to being Aiden's friend even if it hurt. I thoroughly enjoyed both Micha's protective steak and his respect for Aiden's autonomy. I feel like the story could have ended after they commit to their happy ending with a shorter final chapter and/ or epilogue. The last few pages felt like the perfect ending for them, and I very much enjoyed watching their story unfold.
(Minor spoilers) Micha doesn't quite know what he's asking for when he first contacts Aiden (Angel) but he's desperate for emotional intimacy. Aiden's been doing the illusion of love alongside his body for so long he barely knows what a vulnerable, authentic connection looks like anymore. I'm a sucker for any story where real feelings catch people unaware because they're so safe in the delusion that nothing serious is going to happen that they forget to hide who they really are, or how important they've made it to keep others at a distance. I was thrilled with the early chapters of Love Starved; I couldn't put it down. It was slightly off putting when Micha didn't want to tell his parents who Aiden (Angel) really was to him at first; I felt life he was ashamed of what he'd done and who Adien was. I would have liked to see more of Adien and Micha's inner thoughts and emotional debates as they navigate their relationship. It was awesome seeing Micha so sure of his feelings, and his commitment to being Aiden's friend even if it hurt. I thoroughly enjoyed both Micha's protective steak and his respect for Aiden's autonomy. I feel like the story could have ended after they commit to their happy ending with a shorter final chapter and/ or epilogue. The last few pages felt like the perfect ending for them, and I very much enjoyed watching their story unfold.
veritytease's review against another edition
2.0
This one was a disappointment for me and I actually considered pulling the plug a few times while reading, but I guess I was hoping it would somehow get better and I'd actually see what so many people like about this book. No such luck.
Micah is rich, horny and lonely so he hiresa prostitute an escort to make his dreams of the perfect date come true. In reality he wants someone to focus explicitly on him, listen to him go one (and on and on....) about his work and that's exactly what he gets for his money. For some unknown reason he starts to compare the person who is paid to make him feel special with others in his life (like his ex) who were unable to act like he's the centre of the universe. Yes, Micah is whiny and needy. That's OK, he just pays someone to endure it.
Already at this point of the story I was ready to give up, but I soldiered through further plot twists
I made no connection with the MC's, their motives seemed silly, so did their decisions and actions. I'm just going to Nope! this book and hopefully move on to something a bit more to my liking.
Micah is rich, horny and lonely so he hires
Already at this point of the story I was ready to give up, but I soldiered through further plot twists
Spoiler
like friendship AND paying for sex, a burst ulcers, physical and sexual abuse of Angel, blackmail etc.I made no connection with the MC's, their motives seemed silly, so did their decisions and actions. I'm just going to Nope! this book and hopefully move on to something a bit more to my liking.
kaje_harper's review against another edition
4.0
This story of a quiet, once-bitten twice-shy man and a rent boy does several things right. First, I really appreciated that Angel did not quickly give up prostitution and become monogamous after meeting Micah. A guy who's turning tricks generally has strong motivation to do so - money, power, threats, to get back at someone... That doesn't change on a dime. And I also liked that Micah didn't ask him to. The author let them develop a relationship slowly, in fits and starts, so that progress and setbacks were believable. Angel's ability and eagerness to keep his sex-persona and real life separate were well portrayed.
I liked the guys together, and appreciated that the emphasis wasn't usually on the sex, but on the other parts of their relationship. Both men were appealing, and the mystery of Angel, whom we see only through Micah's point of view, was revealed at a plausible and intriguing pace.
The secondary characters were good for moving the plot, although I was glad of Micah's mother to balance out the flamboyance of his best friend and sister. All the women were rather excitable, but since Micah's reluctance to stand up to their curiosity was part of what drove the initial story, it wasn't a problem for me.
Where I took off a star was in the tendency for things to be a bit too black and white. Brian, Micah's ex-boyfriend, had to be a negative character to motivate Micah's subsequent self-isolation. But did he have to have been bad at sex, and never romantic, and uninterested in Micah's job, and demanding, and disliking everything Micah liked, and the one who cheated, and the one who broke up with him, and, and, and? It got to where each new revelation of "Brian had never done this right" became less a reason for sympathy and more a moment of wondering "Why did you ever stay with him?" It would have been a more interesting (and plausible) book if Brian had occasionally done something better than Angel did.
The antagonist was also so vile that it took away a little of the suspense. (and warrants tags for abuse) Major spoiler -
And Angel was a little too perfect. No drugs, no grit, no disdain for his customers, no real hardness (although I grant you he started high-end, never on the streets.) The reason he got into prostitution in the first place felt a little under-motivated.
But I did enjoy the story. In all, a smooth, mildly angsty, sometimes sweetly romantic book about the value of treating everyone as human and seeing past facades. And about how real trust can develop if you don't push too hard.
I liked the guys together, and appreciated that the emphasis wasn't usually on the sex, but on the other parts of their relationship. Both men were appealing, and the mystery of Angel, whom we see only through Micah's point of view, was revealed at a plausible and intriguing pace.
The secondary characters were good for moving the plot, although I was glad of Micah's mother to balance out the flamboyance of his best friend and sister. All the women were rather excitable, but since Micah's reluctance to stand up to their curiosity was part of what drove the initial story, it wasn't a problem for me.
Where I took off a star was in the tendency for things to be a bit too black and white. Brian, Micah's ex-boyfriend, had to be a negative character to motivate Micah's subsequent self-isolation. But did he have to have been bad at sex, and never romantic, and uninterested in Micah's job, and demanding, and disliking everything Micah liked, and the one who cheated, and the one who broke up with him, and, and, and? It got to where each new revelation of "Brian had never done this right" became less a reason for sympathy and more a moment of wondering "Why did you ever stay with him?" It would have been a more interesting (and plausible) book if Brian had occasionally done something better than Angel did.
The antagonist was also so vile that it took away a little of the suspense. (and warrants tags for abuse) Major spoiler -
Spoiler
If Angel had been blackmailed by someone who wasn't violent and totally reprehensible, then what? As it was, they got Angel extricated from his grip, but he was so awful that I really wanted them to have discussions and some angst about how to bring him down anyway, safely, to protect the next young rent boy he might get his hands on. I was a bit disappointed in where they left it.And Angel was a little too perfect. No drugs, no grit, no disdain for his customers, no real hardness (although I grant you he started high-end, never on the streets.) The reason he got into prostitution in the first place felt a little under-motivated.
Spoiler
Feeling like he had to support his parents? If he'd given the impression of having been always striving, desperate for parental approval to that point, or adoring them, rather than indifferent to them, it would have seemed more plausible. Given the existence of older siblings, his need to shoulder the whole burden alone without discussion would have been less unfathomable.But I did enjoy the story. In all, a smooth, mildly angsty, sometimes sweetly romantic book about the value of treating everyone as human and seeing past facades. And about how real trust can develop if you don't push too hard.
bfdbookblog's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 stars!
as much as this book seems like it will just be one big cliche...it's not. it's actually a really epic love story. and really, the one thing micah is looking for turns out to be the exact thing he shows angel.
i love micah because he's truly a great guy. he is strong and cute and nerdy and loving. because of a really bad past relationship and his highly demanding career, he's become somewhat isolated. he's kind of given up hope for a future relationship and decides to just hire an escort at a friend's urging. and this becomes a big tangled web throughout which he learns to love and how to be a best friend.
oh angel...his armor of self confidence and arrogance is pretty thick and tall. and micah strips him of that armor completely and finds that angel is vulnerable and feels worthless underneath that armor. angel was hired to show micah how it feels to be loved, but can he really show micah when he doesn't really know?
i started to highlight some of my favorite parts but then realized that my favorite parts are basically Chapter 24. so yeah...
the writing is really good and the character development was great. the supporting cast was superb. overall, a complete story that is sure to make you smile, laugh, grit your teeth in anger, cry and then smile. really big.
as much as this book seems like it will just be one big cliche...it's not. it's actually a really epic love story. and really, the one thing micah is looking for turns out to be the exact thing he shows angel.
i love micah because he's truly a great guy. he is strong and cute and nerdy and loving. because of a really bad past relationship and his highly demanding career, he's become somewhat isolated. he's kind of given up hope for a future relationship and decides to just hire an escort at a friend's urging. and this becomes a big tangled web throughout which he learns to love and how to be a best friend.
oh angel...his armor of self confidence and arrogance is pretty thick and tall. and micah strips him of that armor completely and finds that angel is vulnerable and feels worthless underneath that armor. angel was hired to show micah how it feels to be loved, but can he really show micah when he doesn't really know?
i started to highlight some of my favorite parts but then realized that my favorite parts are basically Chapter 24. so yeah...
the writing is really good and the character development was great. the supporting cast was superb. overall, a complete story that is sure to make you smile, laugh, grit your teeth in anger, cry and then smile. really big.
lucyhargrave's review
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
frothy's review against another edition
4.0
Nice sweet story. The relationshi evolved over time, which I appreciated. I liked the guys although I found the "pretending to be in a relationship to make parents happy" thing a bit annoying. She did a good job of making it clear that it was the character's flaw though. I will read more by this author.
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