Caught Running
by Abigail Roux, Madeleine Urban
List Price:
Our Price: $14.62
You Save: $0.37 (2%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $6.92 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: Abigail Roux, Madeleine UrbanEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2007-12-01
ISBN: 0980101883
Number of pages: 236
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Book Reviews of Caught Running
Book Review: A winner to me!
Summary: 5 Stars
I have been reading m/m romance/erotica for about a year now, starting with fan fiction and moving up to original character, for-pay stories in the last few months. Gobbling up what I can find, I admit that much of what I have purchased has been worse than some of the worst free fan fiction (and in some cases, the free stuff is amazingly more well-written and developed). I have been terribly disappointed with the unlikely story lines, laughable dialog, absurd character actions/reactions, bad writing and worse editing. I may not be a gay male, but I live in a very diverse community, have gay friends with whom I have had discussions about their lives and loves, and I can certainly appreciate a good story laced with hot sex regardless of the subjects' gender. For me, much of my immersion into books of any kind is the story, the character development, and the interactions, and the majority of what I have read so far simply doesn't do it for me. They are little more than PWP (Porn Without Plot), which I can get better for free through sites like Nifty.
Enter "Caught Running." I did not have high hopes as I read it in a string of terrible books and was prepared for yet another disappointment. Boy, was I pleasantly surprised! Finally, a keeper! I really loved this book, and I can't say enough good things about it. Seriously, I pimp it whenever I can. It's my feel-good book, and I've lost track of how many times I've read it.
This is a romance first, erotica (and there are plenty of steamy scenes!) second, so if you are looking for one tumble in the sheets -- or the hay, or the sand, or the back seat -- after another with little plot in between, this isn't the book for you. I am a sucker for stories where the protagonists meet again years later and/or where a relationship develops once friendship is established, so this one is a match on both parts. Don't get me wrong, I am certainly not a prude -- I wouldn't be reading this genre if I was! -- and I don't mind sex in the first chapter, but it was refreshing for the authors to wait until page 107 before there was even a kiss. It's a slow, gentle builder. I liked that the first half of the book was spent with them learning to put aside biases and prejudices to come to respect one another, becoming friends. Because of this, there is an emotional layer to the physical that many of the other books I've read just don't have. Not that there wasn't a healthy dose of Unresolved Sexual Tension, but that made it fun. I enjoyed watching their mutual attraction as they try to hide it from each other and themselves, and play the "is he or isn't he" game; seems to me that these boys have some broken gaydar! I was glad to see that their insecurities and worries were brought forth to us in a way that didn't make me want to tear my hair out at the angst. And once their relationship was consummated, I was in awe of their reactions to each other, especially Jake's to Brandon.
I can believe this tale; there is no major drama, no moral dilemmas, no character flaws so large that the HEA (Happily Ever After) is threatened, no big misunderstanding, no secret past life that will come back to bite someone in the arse, no hateful antagonists trying to break them apart, no last-minute quickie tying up of the ends, no obviously contrived way to get these two together. None of the supporting characters seemed over-the-top in personality or interference, but were lovable and supportive in their own rights as good supporting characters should be. I thought the pacing was perfect: good buildup for attraction, consummation, commitment. It is a simple, gentle, sweet, romantic story that drew me in and made me want to care and root for Brandon and Jake. I believed in these guys, they seemed real, like they could be friends of mine. Despite their seeming incompatibility, they are perfect for and complement one another. Like other readers, I was disappointed that there wasn't any more of the book to come and felt sad for it to end.
Two small things that bothered me, though neither ruined my enjoyment of the story nor would cause me to give this review less stars:
First, there was a portion of the plot line that wasn't fully developed that I would have loved to see. Without giving it all away, Brandon mentions wanting to help Jake with his medical issues and it never really happens, at least "on screen." I kept waiting for it, but nothing after a first mention. It would have increased the UST between these two and maybe given Jake some relief.
Second, as another reviewer mentioned, the shifting point of view made me a little wacky. I often needed to go back a paragraph or two to figure out which character I was living. It's unfortunate; I've read many books where the POV shifts successfully, but usually it is chapter-by-chapter, or by clearly defined sections. I must have gotten used to it, however, because after a while I barely noticed it.
Overall, if you're looking for a book in this genre, I can't recommend this book enough. Go read and enjoy.
Summary of Caught Running
Ten years after graduation, Jake "the jock" Campbell and Brandon "the nerd" Bartlett are teaching at their old high school and still living in separate worlds. When Brandon is thrown into a coaching job on Jake's baseball team, they find themselves learning more about each other than they'd ever expected. High school is all about image - even for the teachers. Brandon and Jake have to get past their preconceived notions to find the friendship needed to work together. And somewhere along the way, they discover that perceptions can always change for the better. Read a full chapter excerpt at www.dreamspinnerpress.comErotica Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Erotica Books
Horsesby Dixon Stalward
Cabosse Pr; Published: 1995-06-15; Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.98
Price in other shops:
As If We Never Metby Ken Jackson
iUniverse, Inc.; Published: 2006-03-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.75
Price in other shops:
The Other Womenby Pamela Hayes
Writer's Showcase Press; Published: 2004-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $17.95
Uniform Doll (Nexus)by Penny Birch
Virgin Books; Published: 2002-06-01; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $111.24
I Married Madam (Sapphire)by Daphne Adams
Sapphire; Published: 2000-06; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.85
Price in other shops:
Slaves of Tarne (Idol Series)by Gordon Neale
Black Lace; Published: 1998-09; Paperback; Book
Best price: $25.00
Shameby Raydon Pelham
Idol Erotica; Published: 1998-11-19; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.80
Price in other shops:
The Velvet Web (Idol)by Christopher Summerisle
London Bridge (T); Published: 1997-10; Paperback; Book
Best price: $30.00
Chains of Deceit (Idol)by Paul Alexander
Buccaneer Books Inc; Published: 1997-10; Paperback; Book
Best price: $30.00
Men for Men: Homoeroticism and Male Homosexuality in the History of Photography, 1840-2006by Pierre Borhan
Jonathan Cape; Published: 2008-03; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $20.01
Price in other shops:
Similar Books and other products
Secrets of a Summer Night (The Wallflowers, Book 1)by Lisa Kleypas
Avon; Published: 2004-10-26; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.37
Price in other shops:
Like No Other Lover (Pennyroyal Green Series)by Julie Anne Long
Avon; Published: 2008-10-28; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $1.98
Price in other shops:
Can You Keep a Secret?by Sophie Kinsella
Dell; Published: 2005-12-27; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.93
Price in other shops:
Dreaming of Youby Lisa Kleypas
Avon; Published: 1994-05-01; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.15
Price in other shops:
My Darling Carolineby Adele Ashworth
Avon; Published: 2010-01-26; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $0.47
Price in other shops:
Beyond Heaving Bosoms: The Smart Bitches' Guide to Romance Novelsby Sarah Wendell, Candy Tan
Touchstone; Published: 2009-04-14; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.29
Price in other shops:
Tigers and Devilsby Sean Kennedy
Dreamspinner Press; Published: 2009-03-09; Paperback; Book
Best price: $11.00
Price in other shops:
Naked in Death (In Death, Book 1)by J. D. Robb
Berkley; Published: 1995-07-01; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.12
Price in other shops:
Lord of Scoundrelsby Loretta Chase
Avon; Published: 1995-03-30; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.49
Price in other shops:
Son of the Morningby Linda Howard
Pocket Books; Published: 1997-03-01; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.78
Price in other shops: