by
Officer Chad Charming absolutely does not believe in love at first sight, or even love at all. Apple Grove is famous for their Fairy Tale Parade, and Chad is working when a horse carrying the parade’s Prince Charming kicks him, landing him in the hospital.
Jeff Garner’s family has a history of love at first sight and the local high school drama teacher is mortified when his horse kicks the sexiest man he’s ever seen. One look and he knows Chad’s the man for him.
Jeff sets out to woo the man, even though Chad makes it clear he isn’t looking for a relationship. While Chad recovers from his injuries, the two become close, but can Chad ever get past the idea love isn’t real and allow himself to love his very own Prince Charming?
Publisher: JMS Books, LLC
Editors:
Cover Artists:
Genres:
Pairings: M-M
Heat Level: 4
Romantic Content: 5
Ending: Click here to reveal
Character Identities: Gay
Protagonist 1 Age: 26-35
Protagonist 2 Age: 26-35
Tropes: Fairy Tales Revisited
Word Count: 27980
Languages Available: English
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- A little while later, Chad jolted awake as he heard Jeff coming through the front door. Blurry eyed, he looked around, trying to get his bearings. How long had he been asleep?
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- “Hey, sorry, Chad. It took a little longer than I thought. Looks like you had a little nap, huh?”
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- Chad focused on Jeff and smiled. God, he was cute.
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- “What? Do I have something on me?” Jeff asked as he looked down at his clothes.
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- Chad shook his head. “Sorry. Just waking up.”
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- Jeff pulled out his pill bottles and read the instructions before opening one of them. “Looks like you need to take one of these right now and another one tonight before bed,”
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he said as he handed over the pill.
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- Chad took a swig and swallowed the pill. “What about the other?” he asked, gesturing with his hand toward the second pill bottle.
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- “It says as needed. The nurse said you should take them for the first couple of days whether you think you need them or not, though.”
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- Chad’s brow furrowed. “Why?”
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- “She said that with what happened to you, it will feel like you were in a car accident and you know how you always hurt the worst on the third day?”
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- Chad nodded. That was definitely true.
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- “Well, she said they want you to take them every 8 hours for now and then in two days you can decide.” He paused and looked at Chad. “You want one now?”
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- “I took a pill this morning around six. What time is it?”
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- “A little after two. It’s time, then.” Jeff made quick work getting the pill out and handing it over. “This one will make you drowsy. Want to get settled in bed?”
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- “Yeah. But I think I can make it myself, Jeff.”
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- “Probably so, but how about I just follow you and if you need me, let me know, okay?”
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- Chad shrugged. “Suit yourself.” He took another swig of his drink and swallowed the second pill.
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- He pulled himself up and made his way slowly up the stairs to the second floor. He couldn’t believe how achy he was feeling. The arm in the cast didn’t really hurt, though. At the moment, it was more annoying than anything. He walked into his bedroom and was glad he had picked up yesterday. Didn’t need dirty boxers laying around.
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- Chad settled himself on the bed, his feet still on the ground and reached down to slip his shoes off and nearly tumbled off the bed.
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- Jeff swooped in and caught him, pushing him back up. “Whoa there, big guy.”
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- Chad closed his eyes and waited for the spinning to stop. “What the hell?”
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- “The meds are probably making you loopy,” Jeff said. “Or it could just be that your equilibrium is off from the accident. Here, let me help you get ready.” He slowly let go of Chad and reached down, gently pulling off his shoes and setting them aside. Jeff looked up at Chad and their gazes caught for a moment. Chad’s heartrate sped up and he reached out to stroke Jeff’s cheek, letting his finger trace along his jawline.
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- “Your skin is so soft,” Chad murmured. “So soft.”
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- Jeff blushed and looked away. “Um, so you want to sleep in your sweats?”
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- “No. Boxers and T-shirt.” Chad attempted to yank at the waist, but feeling dizzy and with only one usable hand, it was useless.
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- Jeff stood up and leaned over him, hooking his hands into the elastic waistband. “Lift a little,” he whispered.
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- Chad obeyed and Jeff dragged the pants out from under him and had them completely off in seconds. He looked down at his boxers and briefly hoped that he wasn’t hard. Because he always seemed to get hard around Jeff.
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- “Lay back,” Jeff urged him. “Let’s get you settled. I’ll head out after you fall asleep, but I’ll come back around seven tonight. Sound good?”
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- “Take my keys, Brown Eyes,” Chad mumbled, letting his head fall to the pillow. Sleep was pulling him under, but he was pretty sure he felt Jeff tuck the blanket around him before he left.
COLLAPSE
Chad Charming is a police officer who has recently moved to the town of Apple Grove and he has been assigned to cover Apple Groves’ annual fairytale parade. He is enjoying his apple smoothie in the relaxed atmosphere when a small child runs into the street behind the Snow White float. Chad reacts and rescues the child safely, but turns to find himself face-to-face with a prince on horseback. Unfortunately, the horse spooks, rearing and kicking Chad in the stomach.
The ‘prince’ riding the horse is school drama teacher, Jeff Garner. He visits Chad in the hospital, initially out of guilt, but then when Chad is released the two become friends as Jeff stops by every night, usually with dinner.
Is it possible for Jeff, who believes in love at first sight, to convince Chad, who does not believe in love at all, that fairy tales really can come true?
When I read the blurb for Officer Charming and the Prince Who Wooed Him, I was assuming that the story would be a sweet romance. Yet, this is not exactly what Sarah Hadley Brook delivers to her reader. Sure, there are moments of romance, like Chad and Jeff’s official date, but Brook develops both mens’ characters as they get to know one another. Oh, and also there are several very steamy episodes between them! For me, the sex scenes fit within the story. Both men are passionate and Brook makes Chad’s sexual attraction towards Jeff is very clear. Importantly, this adds to the character profile we have of Chad. He has never been in love; he is used to dating without strings and even wonders “if love was real or something manufactured by humans to convince themselves they belonged to someone.”
It is the first time the men have sex that Brook gives her reader an inkling that Chad may have deeper feelings and though I was certainly not surprised by the outcome of Officer Charming and the Prince Who Wooed Him, I did enjoy the characters and Brook’s story-telling.
Fairy tales are a common element for many readers and Brook draws on some popular tropes and elements of these traditional stories. I really liked the romantic setting of Apple Grove and the fairytale parade. The parade was started by Ralph Garner, the founder of the town who had created the first float to propose to his love, Aurora — named after Sleeping Beauty. Even Chad admits to loving the romance of Ralph and Aurora’s story, and the fact that Jeff is related to Ralph Garner — and there is a family history of falling in love at first sight — just makes Brook’s novella all the more enchanting.
Officer Charming and the Prince Who Wooed Him is tender and sexy and Chad and Jeff are endearing characters. This is not a holiday story, but at this time of the year, I really appreciated the happiness and positivity Brook conveys. This is definitely one to read!
