Title: Walk With Me

Series: Home 07

Author: Cardeno C.

Genre: Contemporary, Humor

Length: Novel (224 pages)

ISBN: 978-1-62798-547-5

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (7^th February 2014)

Heat Level: Moderate – Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥5 Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: When Eli Block steps into his parents’ living room and sees his childhood crush sitting on the couch, he starts a shameless campaign to seduce the young rabbi. Unfortunately, Seth Cohen barely remembers Eli and he resolutely shuts down all his advances. As a tenuous and then binding friendship forms between the two men, Eli must find a way to move past his unrequited love while still keeping his best friend in his life. Not an easy feat when the same person occupies both roles.

Professional, proper Seth is shocked by Eli’s brashness, overt sexuality, and easy defiance of societal norms. But he’s also drawn to the happy, funny, light-filled man. As their friendship deepens over the years, Seth watches Eli mature into a man he admires and respects. But when Seth finds himself longing for what Eli had so easily offered, he has to decide whether he’s willing to veer from his safe life-plan to build a future with Eli.

Purchase Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4708

Review: This story is part of a series but can be read as a stand-alone. Seth is about to start his new job as associate Rabbi when he meets his boss’s son Eli, Seth is blown away by the blatant flirting of the younger man and quickly shuts him down. Eli has had a crush on Seth for years and starts a campaign to make Seth his but he soon realizes that he would rather have Seth as a friend than drive him away with his blatant sexual come-on’s and a lasting friendship forms. Seth tries to ignore his attraction to Eli but finally has to face what he feels, but can he give up a future that could be for the future that Eli offers.

This is the last story in the Home series and we bid a fond farewell to the guys of Emile City with this brilliant story of Eli and Seth. Within the first ten pages of this book, I was already chortling and I realized this was going to be a cracker of a book and that Eli and Seth were going to leave a lasting impression. Eli is only eighteen when he makes it clear that he has set his sights on Seth, being knocked back (repeatedly) takes time to sink in and he finally settles on friendship but as time goes on and his feelings mature the childhood crush develops into full-blown love, but he won’t risk his cherished friendship no matter how much he now loves Seth. Seth struggles with his feelings for Eli and has to do some serious soul-searching, it is a long time coming, but just as he decides to start his own campaign for Eli, a secret is revealed that shocks Eli to the core.

I adored this story, watching as Eli grows into an incredible man who cultivates his friendships with care and holds on to what is most important to him by holding back on his feelings was incredible, Eli is an astonishing character who develops wonderfully throughout the book. Seth is a wonderful character who is sure of who he is… until he meets a grown Eli who makes him question everything he thought about himself, we watch as Eli admits truths to himself and explores what he has discovered about himself and we pause with breath held as he struggles with his choice to act on his feelings. Eli and Seth has an exceptional friendship that we have the pleasure of seeing evolve, and when it finally evolves into a relationship it takes our breath away.

I have to question myself as I write this review as to whether it is tainted with the poignancy I feel to be saying goodbye to the Home series, but then I think about the incredible characters, the wonderful dancing of friendship and love, the amusing disastrous weddings, the flashes of painful young love and the solid storyline that draws us deeper into Eli and Seth’s story and I know that Cardeno C. wrote another perfect story and my rating is well deserved.

I recommend this story to those who love brilliant stories that have you smiling and grinning, that leave you aching for the young man who had to wait years to finally get his man, that draws you in as soul-searching is conducted and doubts are examined and a beautiful relationship is fulfilled.  

Title: The One Who Saves Me

Series: Home 06

Author: Cardeno C.

Genre: Contemporary

Length: Novel (212pgs)

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (12^th November 2012)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥4 ½Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: At fourteen, Andrew Thompson and Caleb Lakes become best friends. As the years pass, they stand by each other through family trauma, school, and the start of their careers. They share their first sexual experiences as friends, learning and experimenting. And they talk each other through countless dates and breakups. Decades of trust and loyalty build a deep and abiding friendship —until Andrew suffers a tragedy. Caleb moves in with him, and the parameters of their unique relationship blur.

Wrestling with feelings he can’t articulate, Andrew spirals into self-loathing. Caleb struggles to help his friend heal, but he longs for more than Andrew can give him. After so many years, neither man knows how to break out of his established role. After all, boyfriends come and go, but best friends are forever.

Purchase Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3347

Review: This story is part of a series, but can be read as a stand-alone. Andrew and Caleb become best friends at fourteen. Their friendship spans for the next twenty years. They are there for each other through family troubles, school, break ups and tragedy and when they both come out as gay they are each other’s firsts. Andrew and Caleb are best friends with benefits, but what happens when their relationship lines blur?

This is a wonderful addition to the Home series where we see the development of a strong friendship that turns into more and settles into something that neither man realizes. Andrew is searching for the one man who will be his everything; he searches for years going through bad relationships, before he settles for what he can get. And when that ends in sadness, he blames himself and feels guilt over his feelings for his best friend. Caleb won’t settle for second best and keeps hunting for the man for him. He has concerns for Andrew and Andrew’s reaction to the loss of his boyfriend, but dragging Andrew from his depression is harder than he thought and both men finally see what they have been missing all along.

Ahhh, Cardeno C. always writes an incredible story and this one is no different. The story of Andrew and Caleb is very sweet and touching and at times frustrating. Both these characters are incredible men. while Caleb is quite happy to wait for the man of his dreams, dating and taking things slow; Andrew is desperate to find his Mr. Right and throws himself into all his relationships wholeheartedly. And, Caleb is always there to pick up the pieces of his heart. In this story, we see a deep and abiding love that spans twenty years. We see two young men grow up and embark on their adult lives side by side. They share everything together, but as close as they are they miss the obvious… their love for each other.

I loved this story and yes, I got frustrated at Andrew for letting himself be treated badly. But, his desperation to have a steady relationship made him take what he could get. Caleb’s patience is amazing. How he didn’t scream at Andrew to man up and put his foot down proved what a great friend he was. I must admit to being amazed that Caleb and Andrew could never see how they truly felt about each other. But, I suppose that they were too close to see it as more than best friends. The sex between them is very hot and sexy and it was wonderful to see that over so many they still fancied each other rotten.

I recommend this to those who love a friend to lovers story, deep abiding love, hot sex, heartache, frustration and a belated happy ending.