Take Me Home [Kindle Edition]

I'm not sure if this story qualifies as a big misunderstanding or not, because all the doubt and evasion is justified based on what Kyle and Evan knew of each other from their youth and the subsequent years. In this friends to lovers tale, every time they try to talk about the changes something interrupts them or they are otherwise derailed; they are talking, but damn, is it slow.

Kyle's always been the one who didn't want permanence, who went from man to man. Everyone in the story but he and Evan knows it's because Kyle really wants Evan. A youthful almost-relationship between them gets referred to often. Considering that Kyle had pushed Evan into situations he didn't want and that were extremely unsafe, abandoning the relationship early sounded like a really good idea to me, even if Kyle later took corrective action. That Evan would still be pining for Kyle even through a ten-year committed relationship with another man, enough to prompt certain actions from that man, seemed on the far edge of believable.

Kyle does some rethinking during the six months he has a post-breakup Evan in the guest room, but saves most of it for when we have to endure it. Listening to the endless dithering, which pervades the entire book, well past a place where it would be reasonable to have made a decision, gets rather old. Prolonged to the screaming point by the constant interruptions, it made me want to slap him and shake Evan, and tell them both to just get on with it already! Hours alone in a remote cabin should have given them the talk-time and moved the relationship farther forward. Why they were out at the cabin at all, and the visitor they had, also defied good sense.

The external plot, regarding Evan's screenwriting job and a journal left to Kyle, had both several unbelievable points to it and the most interesting part of the story. The journal, written by Kyle's grandfather, detailed an important year in his youth and the decisions he made, and I was left yearning to have read that story in full detail rather than the scattered journal entries. Another stretch--how everyone and their brother knew this journal just had to contain enough keys to the mystery to make a considerable amount of skullduggery from several parties worthwhile. A secondary character had the most sensible reaction to the skullduggery's resolution, but Kyle and Evan went out to do something foolish instead.

So many plot points demanded more suspension of disbelief than I could muster that the style became a secondary issue. The voices of the two characters are very similar, and while I wasn't exactly seeing headhopping, it was sometimes hard to know who was POV. I found myself scrolling backwards to be sure I knew whose head we were in, because it felt like there was a change, although usually there wasn't. The read felt otherwise monotonous, probably due to the nearly unvarying sentence structure, and because certain plot elements repeated several times. And no, I do not want to know some stranger's gastro-intestinal problems with broccoli. This chunk is definitely part of the 15k bloat the book is carrying.

The ending, with all its frustrations, was satisfying; all the various subplots came together coherently. This is the strength of the book, even if it required contortions to get there. Kyle and Evan get their shot at an HEA, although I found myself not caring all that much, since I hadn't managed to like them all that much. My favorite characters were actually Evan's ex, for his willingness to act decisively if occasionally stupidly and his late interjections of good sense, and especially the deceased grandfather, who had romance and heartbreak in his journal snippets. I wanted to like this story, but mostly I was just glad it was over.

If you have been following my blog then you know by now that I LOVE Sloan Parker. She was the very first M/M author I read and I am thankful of that fact everyday. I have been waiting impatiently for Ms. Parker to release Take Me Home and was overjoyed when it finally occurred. All of her books are so fantastic! She has a way of grabbing her readers and making them want to never let go. I have truly fallen in love with all of the characters in her books so it was no surprise when I fell in love with Kyle and Evan of Take Me Home. Both of these men have personalities that will have you wanting to be a part of their lives.

Kyle and Evan have been friends since high school and have remained close. Evan has just ended a long term relationship and is currently living with Kyle. Evan of course believing in commitment and Kyle more of the free spirited type of guy. But what Kyle doesn't know is that Evan has been in love with him since day 1. But Evan is also well aware that Kyle is far from the commitment type and has been afraid to tell Kyle his true feelings. He wants to protect his heart at all costs.

It's not until Kyle talks to his sister that he starts to realize that maybe his feelings towards Evan is not all about lust. Can he actually have true feelings for Evan? Can he risk Evan's heart by trying to figure out what these new found feelings are? All he knows is that he thinks about Evan all the time and wants to definitely take their relationship to a new level.

What makes this book so incredible is that Ms. Parker adds mystery to the mix. Kyle's grandfather leaves an important journal that a lot of people want to get their hands on. But what could possibly be in an old journal that is making people a little nuts???

The chemistry between these two men is beyond hot. The sex scenes are incredibly erotic and left me a little breathless. :-) So yes....Ms. Parker is an expert at making her readers utilize their imaginations! The way she combines physical and emotional feelings is incredible.

So I can assure you that you will LOVE Take Me Home. This is a book that you will want to read over and over. Ms. Parker is an incredible writer and I have enjoyed every one of her books. But let me warn you...once you read her books you're hooked and will find yourself waiting impatiently for her next one.

Take Me Home
Author Kyle Bennett is at a stalemate in his writing and his personal life. When his best friend Evan Walker moved into Kyle's apartment six months ago, Kyle realized that his feelings for Evan are much stronger than just friendship; Kyle is in love with Evan. Add to that the delivery of Kyle's deceased grandfather's secret journal and Kyle soon finds his world turned into total chaos.

Suspense is an apt description for Take Me Home. There is the trepidation of waiting for the journal to reveal its secrets, as well as the anticipation of an elevation in Kyle and Evan's relationship. The well written plot feeds the reader a small experience at a time before the venue shifts, such as Kyle and Evan stand close enough to kiss but then the spell is broken and they move away from each other. It is edgy scenes like this that had me wishing I could bump their heads together. However, as the story unfolds, there are several breathtaking displays of exquisite lovemaking.

Kyle and Evan are similar in many ways. They share a childhood past, both are writers though in different careers, both are secretly in love with each other and neither man wants to do anything that will jeopardize their friendship. What is different is that Kyle prefers one night stands, where as Evan wants a long term relationship. Kyle and Evan both suffer with feelings of insecurity, which is the source of their numerous outbursts of anger with each other. There are several dramatic events regarding the journal, adding more anxiety to Kyle and Evan's already strained friendship. Discovering the journal's secrets grasp the reader until the very end.

Sloan Parker has created a marvelous saga that I found absolutely enjoyable. Take Me Home is an emotionally engaging arousing romance blended with mystery, a touch of humor as well as a wealth of excitement.