Places in Time, Cardeno C
Publisher: The Romance Authors
Genre: Gay Romance
Tags: Contemporary, Fantasy Element, Friends to Lovers
Length: 68 Pages
Reviewer: Kazza K
Purchase At: Cardeno C, amazon.com
Blurb:
A relationship-challenged actor unexpectedly finds love in the arms of his childhood best friend.
“Sexiest Man Alive” and Golden Globe winning actor Ethan Baker lights up the screen but fizzles in his personal life. When his latest girlfriend breaks up with him, Ethan turns to his one “forever” person—Jude Harrison. But as Ethan makes the familiar drive to his best friend’s house, an unexpected detour and a bewildering passenger take him through places in time he’d long forgotten. Suddenly Ethan sees Jude’s actions over the years from a different perspective, but it’s his own reaction that’s the biggest surprise.
Review:
Straight up? This is a contemporary gay Christmas Carol, only not set during Christmas, and I loved the reimagining of it. However, in full disclosure mode, I do love a good reimagining. And this is a good one. Jude is pretty well perfect – patient, always there, sweet as pie, oh, how the world needs more Judes. Ethan is rather REALLY clueless but that’s cool, he gets a clue. The journey was so good. The characters were terrific. Characterisations are monumentally important for me and this delivered in spades.
Ethan’s girlfriend leaves him after reading an article that says something along the lines of ‘Ethan Baker is taking an alien to the Oscars’. She realises that no matter how implausible the article, it’s right, there is more likelihood of him taking an alien anywhere than her. He knows she’s right, he can’t commit. Jen’s a lovely lady but he’s not into her or anyone else.
“I hope you get what you want. I really do.” I leaned forward and kissed her forehead. “But it won’t be with me.” The truth was, I didn’t see myself doing forever with anybody.”
But there is Jude Harrison. They’ve been best friends since they were thirteen and Jude continues to look out for him. On his way over to Jude’s he is waylaid by a strange… occurrence – a redhead boho-chic woman who calls him ‘dear’ a lot and takes him back in time to really look at what’s transpired before. After every shift back in time he’s asked what he saw or learned.
“Ginger,” the aforementioned boho-chic take-you-back-in-time escort, was dry and snarky and gave as good as she got. Ethan and “Ginger” bounced so well off one another, which added another dimension to the book outside the romance.
“Well, dear,” she said to me. “Looks like you actually were in this place in time, but you were too inebriated to remember it. I suppose that means my… what did you call it? Oh, that’s right, ‘my time-machine GPS’ is working just fine.”
“Gloating isn’t pretty, Ginger.”
“Neither are drunks, Ethan, but it doesn’t look like that stopped you, now did it?”
Overview:
Places in Time has been rereleased just recently and I can see why. Cardeno C delivers a terrific romantic and sexy novella. I needed this book and it ticked all the right boxes. It’s simply feel good. Recommended for lovers of Cardeno C’s writing. Recommended for anyone who likes a sweet romance with best friends to lovers, the realisation that someone is so vital to your life, just like Jude was to Ethan and vice versa. We need more love in the word and this was delightful. 4.5 Stars!
Copy received in exchange for an honest review.
This looks like the perfect story to read when you want something nice, but quick. I’m all about friends-to-lovers stories, so I can tell I’d really enjoy this.
Great review. Love the pics and quotes.
It really is a nice pick-me-up and not too long if you need something quick to do the job. So good and I know you’d love it 🙂