by
They met at ten, they kissed at twelve, and were madly in love by eighteen.
Caleb Deering is the captain of the swim team and the hottest senior in school. He comes from a loving home with a kind father and a caring, but strict, mother who is battling breast cancer. Nico Caro is small and beautiful, and has a father who rules with an iron fist--literally.
One morning Caleb forgets himself, and he pecks Nico on the lips at school. A teacher sees them and tattles to the Headmaster. The accidental outing at school might be the least of their problems, because the ball set in motion by the school’s calls to their parents could get Nico killed. In the face of that very real danger, Caleb knows he has only one mission in life: to keep Nico safe.
Publisher: Harmony Ink Press
Cover Artists:
Genres:
Pairings: M-M
Heat Level: 3
Romantic Content: 4
Ending: Click here to reveal
Character Identities: Gay
Protagonist 1 Age: 18-25
Protagonist 2 Age: 18-25
Tropes: Coming of Age, Coming Out / Closeted, Find Love and Come Out, First Time, Friends to Lovers, Hurt / Comfort
Word Count: 22,000
Setting: USA
Languages Available: English
Oh boy did this story pull at my heartstrings! Poor Nico! What an intense beginning to the book with the heart-wrenching first chapter! It is then followed by n truly amazing exploration of two boys growing up together in every sense of the word.
It is incredible to see how new author C. Kennedy takes the reader through all phases of the lives of main characters Caleb and Nico. The building of a friendship that grows into love, exploring their own preference of falling for a man, the forming of more than a friendship as it turns into a relationship.
The anguish, the hiding, the hurt and even the fight that is mentioned is all so realistic. I can only say it amazed me, impressed me and touched me deeply.
We meet main characters Caleb and Nico in the first chapter when the world seems to be crushing down on them. We get taken back to their story in the chapters that follow seeing them grow in every way, till we come back to the point where the story began.
I don’t want to go further in detail. I think my words mentioned above say it all.
For me Mr. Kennedy pushed all the right buttons and touched me deeply with this story. Isn’t there any critique? Yes there is and that is that it’s a bit too short. I would have liked to have seen it expanded a bit more and yes I also would have loved to have read the rest of their sexual relationship. I cannot deny the author made me long for more because of the way he portrays their experiences.
But all this didn’t take anything away from the powerful impact of this story and that is why I am going for a full five-star rating in the end.
As an additional note a mentioning of Liam, Caleb’s best friend (bro). Everybody should have a Liam in their life and I hope we get to see his story or an addition to this story with him finding his HEA.
This novella integrates Abstinence-Plus Sex Ed.
