Kyle has an unwelcome crush on his nemesis Brent. Brent has a welcome crush on his friend Kyle. As it turns out, the line between a friend and an enemy doesn’t have to be a line at all.
Born on the wrong side of the tracks to the wrong family, Kyle Potter has spent his life clawing his way toward a better future. When he gets the perfect job at the perfect firm in perfect Los Angeles, Kyle is sure there are only blue skies ahead. And then he meets perfect Brent Haralson.
Born with a silver spoon to a well-established family, Brent Haralson has never been interested in leveraging his connections. Friends, success, and dates come easily to Brent and rejection isn’t something he has to deal with in life. And then he meets perfect Kyle Potter.
Kyle despises his unwelcome crush on his lazy, arrogant nemesis. Brent welcomes his feelings for his stubborn, brilliant friend. As it turns out, the line between a friend and an enemy doesn’t have to be a line at all.
This is a 2nd edition without substantive changes from the 1st edition, which was part of the It Was Always You anthology.
Read Chapter 1 Here – http://cardenoc.com/en/book/rough-edges/excerpt
Review by Barb: 4.5 Hearts
What a great way to spend my afternoon—better than a sweet bite of rich, creamy chocolate. I just couldn’t put this down.
Kyle is a character I loved to hate. The poor guy is so miserable and resentful of anyone who seems to flaunt their wealth that it’s quite evident he’s had to struggle to get where he is. He’s not so abrasive, however, that I didn’t like him, and I think that can only be attributed to how well Cardeno C. portrayed him. It would have been very easy to hate his character so much that I wouldn’t have even wanted to see him with a happy ending, but that didn’t happen here.
So it’s not surprising that two years before, when he met Brent, he took an immediate dislike to Brent when he found out he was wealthy and didn’t work for a living. Their friends can’t understand how Kyle can continue to be so hostile, and how Brent can continue to be so nice after all this time, but it isn’t until Kyle’s employer, a financial company, falls apart and he’s laid off that he finds out just how nice Brent can be.
Brent offers him a place to stay, and a desperate Kyle accepts, but he gets more than a roof over his head—he gets a friend, and ultimately a lover, as he discovers that what makes a person who they are is not necessarily predetermined by how hard they work.
The story is not as simple as my description, though. There’s true depth of character development, a spark that ignites to set off a virtual heat wave, and a decidedly sweet happy ever after. You have to read it to get the details. I’m not revealing spoilers, but I will say it is very much worth the read.
Kudos to the author—this one is shorter, but right up there with my favorite, Perfect Imperfections. Definitely highly recommended.
When love’s on the line, the brave jump in with both feet…
Small town cop Clint Rivera can’t catch a break. His ex of two weeks is suddenly getting married, his dogs tore up his furniture, he’s getting evicted, and he’s out of beer. When he decides to solve his alcohol shortage by going to his ex’s engagement party, Clint winds up too drunk to drive himself home. Enter gorgeous deputy mayor Hawk Black, the man who constantly shows up unexpectedly and sends Clint’s body and mind into a tailspin with nothing but his whiskey voice and blue eyes.
After months of patience, Hawk can finally seduce the man he’s been craving. Clint’s day might not have started out well, but Hawk’s going to make sure it ends with a bang, preferably in bed. He’ll show Clint some rewards are worth the risk.
With love on the line, Clint will need to decide if he can open his heart, tear down his shields, and jump in with both feet.
This is a 2nd edition without substantive changes from the 1st edition.
Read Chapter 1 Here – http://cardenoc.com/en/book/jumpingin/excerpt
Review by Lucy – 3.5 Hearts
Clint’s ex… something, you can’t really call him a boyfriend is getting married just two weeks after he and Clint split up. To a woman. Not really surprising since Ewan had consistently refused to come out and be with Clint. But really, two weeks? Obviously the cheater had been at work. To top things off, Clint goes home to a roomful of destroyed furniture, thanks to Speedy and Fluffy, and he finds out his building is being sold and he has two weeks to find somewhere else to live. Not much stress there, is it?
You do have to wonder – what in the world was Clint doing with Ewan all that time? Except as the story progresses, you get an idea of why Clint would be comfortable with Ewan and his baggage. I really liked that Clint was able to open up and see that about himself.
When Clint’s fridge gives up the ghost and ruins the beer, Clint heads to Ewan’s engagement party. He was invited, after all. That right there shows you what Ewan was like. Well, that and the conversation he has with Ewan at the party. Hello, scumbag!
In steps Deputy Mayor Hawk to save the day. You really have to suspend belief a bit here, because the instalove is one thing but moving your life to another place for someone you don’t even know yet is another. I got sort of stuck there, because that part didn’t seem believable to me.
But Hawk is a loyal, determined man who knows what he wants. If he comes across as sort of a stalker, well, there’s that. He wants Clint and he’s going to make sure Clint knows it. I questioned his sanity when, knowing Clint was with the cheating hoe that is Ewan, they decide to go bareback. I mean, come one.
So this is pretty sweet, over the top in areas and honestly I wanted Ewan to have some sort of comeuppance, but that’s a whole different ballgame. Fluffy and Speedy are adorable. The sex is hot and the guys are as well.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Cardeno C. – CC to friends – is a hopeless romantic who wants to add a lot of happiness and a few “awwws” into a reader’s day. Writing is a nice break from real life as a corporate type and volunteer work with gay rights organizations. Cardeno’s stories range from sweet to intense, contemporary to paranormal, long to short, but they always include strong relationships and walks into the happily-ever- after sunset.
Cardeno’s Home, Family, and Mates series have received awards from Love Romances and More Golden Roses, Rainbow Awards, the Goodreads M/M Romance Group, and various reviewers. But even more special to CC are heartfelt reactions from readers, like, “You bring joy and love and make it part of the every day.”