Abe Cooper is starting over. For fifteen years he’s lived the life that was expected of him, but not anymore. He’s packed up his things, bought himself a cabin in Northfield, and managed to secure a job at the local high school teaching gym and coaching the football team. But his new beginning didn’t include running into Crazy Joe on his first trip to the grocery store. Jonas Raghnall has … has everything he needs — good friends and a job he loves. He’s worked hard to get over what happened sixteen years ago, but one run-in with his past and all the memories come flooding back. Seeing Abe Cooper, The Abe Cooper, sets everything out of balance.
Abe had pictured a fresh start with no ties to his past, but now that Jonas is there, he wants nothing more than to be close to the man who had butterflies filling his belly when he was in high school. Jonas doesn’t want to come face to face with his past, but if he sees Abe every day, it’s not really meeting up with your past, is it? It’s more like a date with your future.
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Jonas Raghnall has finally had a normal life given the horrible beating he endured in a back alley in high school for being gay and having an interest on a jock. Being stood up for his date on that one fateful day changed his life and very nearly took it.
Now a school teacher in the same town he left many years earlier, Joe is at the store and hears the voice of of Abe. All the bad memories can rolling back in quick and painful clips.
Abe Cooper backed out of a date with Joe while they were in high school and had regretted the decision ever since. After the 17 year old suddenly disappeared, all kinds of rumors swirled around about what really happened to the guy he secretly pined over. Needless to say, Abe’s life was never the same after that day. Trying to make a change in his life, Abe returns to that small town of bad memories to be a part time physical education teacher. At the very same school Joe now teaches at and is stunned to see him there.
Abe does all he can to try an make amends with Joe. Throwing caution tot he wind, he invites Joe out on a ‘non-date’ date.
Unfortunately clueless to what really happened, Brian – The common denominator both men had in high school – becomes the swift topic of conversation.
Can these two men make it in the end. Will that horrible bullying experience Joe endured, keep Abe from having the second chance to make the first impression? Can Abe come clean about is true feelings for Joe?
**I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.**
In high school, Jonas was treated bad because he was gay and he dressed differently. Abe was a jock in high school and was in the closet. Sixteen years later, Jonas is a teacher and Abe has come back in his life. Abe wants to know what happened that had Jonas’s family leaving town. He also wants to have a chance with Jonas. The chance he was to afraid to take in high school. I really enjoyed this short story.
4.5 Stars…..I really enjoyed Joe and Abe’s second chance. Wading through old memories and hurts, they finally came together. I really wish I could say they got their HEA but the ending was closed but open. I really would like an epilogue to show where these two went on to. For that I gave a 4.5. It really was a good book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is a sweet second chance romance between Jonas and Abe. The author brings strong , likable characters with a hot chemistry back together in this entertaining reunion. It’s a well written short story with descriptive scenes , has tons of emotions and love,moves fluidly and is an enjoyable read.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own and freely given.
Abe and Jonas were wonderful characters and I really loved how far Abe was willing to go in order to help Jonas. This was a very enjoyable second chance story that might be short but it packs so much into so few pages.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
4.5 stars! A lovely second chance romance. The fear Jonas has carried for years is so apparent after seeing Abe again. As his story unfolds my heart broke for him. Abe impressed me with his persistence to connect with Jonas and his unwillingness to hide his attraction from others. His phone call to his old buddy elevated him even further. I liked that Jonas listened to the truth and didn’t hold onto his walls but willingly stepped into what Abe was offering.
Sweet result after a punishing past: time to start over?
Jonas aka Crazy Joe is a survivor. He’s suffered at the hands of bullies and had to restart his life in a different town. All that’s behind him until Abe, a blast from his past, appears and rakes up old hurts and romantic yearnings.
I thought the beginning of the story was really strong but the latter part could have included more drama. I was expecting a twist that never materialized. The couple’s interactions are sweet with just a jot of heat and I loved fierce, protective Sarah, but their story is missing a certain something.
Ofelia Grand is a prolific and solid source of very original stories. Short works like her recent Turning Wood and Nine Stones are some of my favorites for their quirky leads and original plots. Crazy Joe is a sweet second chance romance; it’s good but not great.
I read an advance copy of the story provided through Booksprout; this is my voluntary and honest review.