Building Forever (This Time Forever #1) by Kelly Jensen

337 Pages

Publisher: Riptide Publishing

Buy links: Riptide | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Blurb

Charlie King is doing fine. Sure, he’s a widower raising a teenage daughter who just got her first boyfriend, his book series isn’t writing itself, and he has a crush on his new neighbor — the guy next door. But everything’s just fine.

Simon Lynley is doing better. He moved to Bethlehem to fall out of love and rebuild his career. An affair with his neighbor isn’t part of the plan, but the attraction between them is too hard to ignore.

But when Simon’s ex follows him to Pennsylvania seeking reconciliation, and Charlie’s life starts to feel like a video on repeat, everything comes apart. Charlie worries that he’s failing as a father, and Simon is a distraction he can’t afford. Meanwhile Simon doesn’t know if he could survive being left again, and he hasn’t come all this way to make the same mistakes. But despite their fears, it’s only together that they’ll find the strength to slay old foes and build the forever they’ve been waiting for.

Review

*Sighs* Such a wonderful, heartwarming, and charming book.

Some books are like a whirlwind, picking you up and not letting you rest again until you’ve read the last page. Other books are like a comfortable blanket, wrapping you up in their warmth and leaving you with a huge smile on your face and a warm heart. Building Forever squarely lands in the second group, although I did have a hard time putting the book down when life interfered with my reading.

I dare anyone to read this book and not fall at least a little bit in love with both Charlie and Simon. Charlie is nothing short of adorable with his run-away motor-mouth and Simon is such a wonderful study in contrasts between his calm exterior and his inner turmoil. Both men struggle with relationships that have ended; Charlie’s due to his wife’s way too early death and Simon at the hands of a cheating long-term partner. And both of them fully deserve this opportunity to find happiness again.

I loved that Charlie’s bisexuality wasn’t an issue for either man. Charlie has always known he is attracted to men. The fact that he’s never had an opportunity to explore that attraction because his former wife pregnancy when they were both still teenagers put a stop to any experiments…until now. Simon arrives at exactly the right time for Charlie to widen his sexual horizons.

This is mostly a smooth, even-paced and gentle story with few large emotions or upsets. But, when shit does hit the fan and throws Charlie into a backward spin, it is for completely understandable and relatable reasons. What’s more, it’s thankfully not dragged out and dealt with in a way that is as charming as it is believable.

This book features a fabulous cast of secondary characters who add to the story and allow us to see both Simon and Charlie from various perspectives and the writing is pristine, faultless even. So I have no problem summarizing my feelings about this book as follows: Building Forever was a winner for me. A wonderful story featuring charming protagonists, a gentle and enthralling love-story, and endless moments that brought numerous smiles to my face. I’m looking forward to the next titles in this trilogy.

To See the Sun by Kelly Jensen - Release Day Review

293 pages

Publisher: Riptide Publishing

Buy links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | B&N | Kobo | IBooks | Riptide

Blurb

Survival is hard enough in the outer colonies—what chance does love have?

Life can be harsh and lonely in the outer colonies, but miner-turned-farmer Abraham Bauer is living his dream, cultivating crops that will one day turn the unforgiving world of Alkirak into paradise. He wants more, though. A companion—someone quiet like him. Someone to share his days, his bed, and his heart.

Gael Sonnen has never seen the sky, let alone the sun. He’s spent his whole life locked in the undercity beneath Zhemosen, running from one desperate situation to another. For a chance to get out, he’ll do just about anything—even travel to the far end of the galaxy as a mail-order husband. But no plan of Gael’s has ever gone smoothly, and his new start on Alkirak is no exception. Things go wrong from the moment he steps off the shuttle.

Although Gael arrives with unexpected complications, Abraham is prepared to make their relationship work—until Gael’s past catches up with them, threatening Abraham’s livelihood, the freedom Gael gave everything for, and the love neither man ever hoped to find.

Review

For some reason I’ve never thought of a Science Fiction story in terms of it being a sweet romance. After reading To See the Sun that is going to change. This book is swoon-worthy romantic in the best possible way and I can honestly say I loved it from start to finish.

In Bram and Gael we have two main characters in desperate need of someone to love, someone who will love them, someone to take them away from the misery their live has been so far (Gael) and someone to complete the live they’ve started to build for themselves (Bram).

Gael’s circumstances broke my heart from the moment he was introduced. Locked into a world deep inside a planet and locked into working for crime lords, his life appears hopeless, desperate. His one wish—to see the sun— appears as humble as it impossible.

Bram’s life on Alkirak is bleak, because the whole planet is bleak and hostile, but nowhere near as desperate as Gael’s. Now that he is well on the way to creating a good life for himself, Bram wants more; he yearns for love and a family. Gael appears to be the answer to his prayers, and Bram arranges for Gael to travel across the universe to join him.

A mail-order partner inevitably comes with a host of issues, even without having a hostile living environment to content with. Bram and Gael know nothing about each other when they first meet. Both of them take a blind jump into the unknown in the hope that their risk will pay off and that they will find themselves face to face with someone who not only offers them what they are so desperately lacking in their lives but who will also turn out to be someone they can and will love.

Bram and Gael’s journey toward each other is slow and cautious. Gael arrived with an unexpected, be it charming, young stowaway in the form of Aavi. But more than that, Bram has no doubts that Gael is hiding things from him. But no matter how much he doubts both Gael and himself, Bram can’t deny that a bond is forming between them and slowly morphing from camaraderie to something deeper. At the same time Gael can’t make himself believe that he’s good enough for anybody, never mind a man as perfect as Bram. But even he can’t stop his heart from developing feelings his head doesn’t really believe in.

Just as things appear to be coming together for Bram and Gael, disaster strikes leaving both men fighting, not only for their lives but also for the fragile but undeniable bond that has formed between them and the family they’d created, almost despite themselves.

There’s so much to love in this book. The slow-burn love story is captivating. Bram, Gael and Aavi are fascinating and fully-fleshed and will worm their way into your heart. But there’s a fourth main character in the form of the planet itself; a hostile place that still turns out to be the perfect home for three characters in desperate need of a place and people to call their own.

This story was the perfect combination of Sci-Fi and romance for me. The world in which To See the Sun is set is described in enough detail to make it real, while the descriptions never take away from the main love story. The against the odds romance between Bram and Gael grows slowly, organically, at times almost against either man’s wishes and is all the more glorious for it.

Long story short: I thoroughly enjoyed this gripping and heart-warming story. Once again, Kelly Jensen has presented me with characters and a story that captivated me and will stay with me. If you like a very well written love story set in an anything but romantic setting, do yourself a favour and pick up To See the Sun.

Counting on you (Counting #3) by Kelly Jensen - Release Day Review

91 pages

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Buy links: Dreamspinner | Amazon US | Amazon UK

The Counting series:

1. Counting Fence Posts

1.5. Counting Stars

2. Counting Down

2.5. Counting the Days

3. Counting on You

Blurb

Henry and Marc can’t seem to catch a break. They’ve had two disastrous dates—the first trapped in a car during a blizzard and the second locked in a basement—followed by nearly two months apart. Even though they work for the same firm, their relationship is held together by flying visits, phone calls, and text messages. A joint assignment in Washington DC might be more togetherness than they can handle, however.

Henry is still battling insecurity, and this assignment is too important to his career to mess up. Marc is committed. He’s falling for Henry and looks forward to having him permanently on his team and at his side. But the real test isn’t the assignment. When Marc finally lays his heart on the line, can he count on Henry to be there for him, in every way that matters? And can he do the same for Henry when Henry needs it the most?

Review

Before I get into my review of Counting on You I need to write a sentence or two about Counting the Days, the short story taking place after Counting Down and before this new book.

The full story in Counting the Days is told in text messages between Marc and Henry because they constantly find themselves working in a place where the other isn’t, and it’s perfect (the way the story is told, not their separation). Their texts cover the whole spectrum from chatty, through cute, via uncertain, to sexy and at times downright dirty. It was without a doubt the most fun short story I have read recently and despite the fact that the format didn’t allow for anything except dialogue, or maybe because it was constructed that way, I truly felt I had gotten to know both Marc and Henry a lot better by the time they sent their last message. It was 64 pages of pure reading joy.

And now for Counting on You.

It has taken two disastrous dates, perilous (and hilariously funny) situations as well as two months of barely seeing each other at all, but at long last Marc and Henry are sent on a job together, giving them the opportunity to spend more than just a few hours together. It should have been the answer to all their prayers but of course, life is rarely that easy or perfect.

Collaborating in work may be easy for them, the whole relationship thing is still new enough to cause a few ripples. Especially since Henry still hasn’t been able to convince himself that he is more than an experiment for Marc. I have to admit this made me want to shake him once or twice.

“(…) the easiest way not to think was to kiss Marc. To just be with Marc. He had the feeling that the same proved true for the man he was kissing. Each met a need in the other. Separately they were good. Together they were whole.”

Counting on You is mostly a feel-good story with minimal angst. But, that didn’t mean my heart didn’t break for Marc more than once while reading. The moment that hit me hardest came towards the end of the story when we are presented with evidence that there was a time when his father still took joy and pride in Marc. It isn’t stated, but I imagined that was before Marc grew up and learned to think and live for himself; for me it was clear proof of conditional love.

Of course, this wouldn’t have been a ‘Counting’ story if our lovers didn’t manage to get themselves stuck somewhere. And, like on previous occasions, their dilemma meant huge grins for me as a reader.

All in all this was a wonderful conclusion (for now) to a series of stories about two men I’ve loved from the start and only grew fonder of as the story continued. I’m so glad that Kelly Jensen has hinted at more stories about these two. If only because there must be one or two places or situations they haven’t managed to get stuck in yet. J

“Yep. Stuck together is very, very good.”

Related Review: Counting Fence Posts & Counting Down

The Counting Series by Kelly Jensen

Counting Fence Posts (Counting #1)

Pages: 61

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Buy links: Dreamspinner | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Blurb

There are over two hundred thousand fence posts between Syracuse and Boston. Henry Auttenberg likes numbers—it’s his job—but he isn’t going to count them all, even if the view outside the rental car is less confounding than the driver, his attractive but oh so obnoxious colleague, Marcus Winnamore. It’s Christmas Eve, and Henry would much rather be home with his family. When the blizzard that grounded their flight forces them off the road, however, he’s stuck with Marc until the storm passes—or a plow digs them out.

As the temperature outside plummets, the atmosphere inside the car slowly heats up. Henry learns the true reason for Marc’s chilly distance—he’s not exactly straight… maybe… and he’s been fantasizing about Henry’s mouth, among other things. Confession laid out, Marc is all for sharing body heat… and more. Henry isn’t interested in being an experiment, but as the night and cold deepen, he could be convinced to balance certain risk against uncertain reward.

Review

Counting Fence Posts is such a wonderful feel-good story. I basically read it with a smile on my face from start to finish.

The story is told from Henry’s point of view and boy does he go through a range of emotions, not to mention a shock or two. Henry has admired Marc ever since he started working for the company where Marc has a two year head start on him. He is in awe of Marc’s professionalism and the path his career so far has followed. But, more than that, he’s been attracted to Marc for almost as long. But with Marc being straight, Henry has made a point of keeping his attraction secret…or so he thinks.

Driving back together after a business meeting is a fraught affair long before the find themselves caught up in a blizzard and stranded at the side of a secondary road. Initially their conversation is a combination of stilted and almost adversarial. It’s only once they realise that they’re stranded and may be for some time that the atmosphere between them warms as the world both outside and inside the car gets ever colder.

When it turns out Marc might not be as straight as Henry (and even Marc) assumed, things heat up, be it initially against Henry’s better judgment. What follows are scenes which veer from sweet to hot and intense and back to adorable again. Kelly Jensen writes kissing scenes like few other authors I know. Phew, those men may have been cold, I was certainly heating up.

This is not a long story and takes place over two days, so don’t expect a happy ever after by the end of this novella. But, don’t despair, there’s more to come and I have utter faith that these two men will find their way to happiness. They’re too good together not to.

Counting Stars (Counting 1.5)

Free read on Kelly Jensen’s website to be found here

6k words

Blurb

At the end of my holiday novella, Counting Fence Posts, Henry invites Marc back to his parents’ place for Christmas. Actually, it’s less invitation, more assumption, but Marc doesn’t object. After two days of haunting the lobby of a crowded hotel outside Albany, they’re finally on their way back to Boston.

Review

When this story starts, Marc has a hard time explaining to himself why he agreed to spend Christmas with Henry and his family. Second thoughts and uncertainty are creeping in, except that he knows very well and his reason can be described in one word, or rather one name: Henry.

Henry has equal difficulty believing that he’s invited Marc to his parent’s house and that the man is actually there. Henry is a champion second guesser

We learn more about Marc in this story, not so much from what he says or does but rather from his reactions to seeing Henry’s family, celebrating Christmas with them. Self sufficient, ambitious and powerful Marcus, as Henry realises when they part at the end of the evening, is not so very different from him after all. He yearns for security, family, and somebody by his side, just as Henry does.

I swear, these two men are the best kissers ever. I could read about their mouths pressed together forever and not get bored. In fact, I could happily read more about Henry and Marc; they are a delight to read about. I love how we get to know them better little by little, just as they are discovering more about each other — slowly. And I thoroughly enjoy Kelly Jensen’s storytelling voice. This story and Counting Fence Posts are both flawlessly written and smoothly told. The balance between introspection, dialogue, funny and more serious was just about perfect.

I’m thoroughly enjoying these stories and I’m so very happy there’s more to come. Trust me, if you’re looking for stories that are going to leave you happy and with a smile on your face, reach for the Counting stories.

Counting Down (Counting #2) by Kelly Jensen

Pages 63

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Buy links: Dreamspinner | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Blurb

It’s been a week since a Christmas Eve blizzard changed the course of Marcus Winnamore’s life. Plan A is now Plan B, and the first item on his new agenda is taking Henry Auttenberg on a date. They’ve been invited to a New Year’s Eve party, and Marc is counting down the hours until midnight… until he can kiss Henry in front of his colleagues and friends. 

Things don’t quite work out to plan. Finding the elevator out of service, Marc and Henry check the stairs, only to choose the wrong door and become locked in the basement. Close quarters once again make for close conversation, and as they explore every avenue of escape, they also explore the deepening attraction between them. For Marc, this isn’t an experiment. Will he still feel that way when he has to admit to someone other than Henry that he’s gay?

Review

Oh my, these two men make me smile. They sure have a special talent for ending up in impossible situations. In Counting Fence Post they managed to get stuck in a car during a blizzard and in this book they find themselves locked into a basement while they should be at a party, several floors higher, awaiting the New Year.

Of course they’re predicament leads to quite a few laugh-out-loud moments, but these stories are a lot more than a comedy of errors. In between funny escape attempts and mostly friendly banter these moments of ‘captivity’ also provide Marc and Henry with the opportunity to get to know each other better and discover what each of them wants. Because, while the circumstances of their times together it may make it feel as if they have been together for quite some time, only about a week has passed since the blizzard episode. Marc is still trying to figure out what it means to be gay and how to deal with that fact in the world at large, while Henry can’t quite shake the feeling that he may be ‘just’ an experiment for Marc. Both of them need reassuring and supporting and the wonderful thing about these stories is that both Marc and Henry are able and eager to provide that for the other, no matter how deep their own concerns.

I love how the author managed to tackle these issues without ever giving the stories a heavy or angsty feel. Of course, the kissing and sexy times (not to mention getting caught in an act) do a lot to ensure that the story doesn’t get lost in too much soul searching. 

Reading these three stories has been an absolute delight and I’m so very happy I won’t have to wait much longer before I get to spend time with Marc and Henry again. I have it on good authority that there’s another short story as well as another novella to come in the not too distant future and I can’t wait to get my hands on those. Marc and Henry have captured my imagination and to say I’m now well and truly invested in their journey and relationship would be a gross understatement.