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Start Something #1
Watch Me Fall
After pulling himself out of poverty and shame, Elijah Tucker finds he's yanked back to the South Side of Chicago by a man he never saw coming.
SOMETIMES, YOU CAN
Having it all is hard work, and Elijah Tucker has no problem 24/7-ing to keep himself on top. But life has a sense of humor and a big-ass mirror that reminds Eli where he came from, and shows him what he’s really made of when he meets Gideon Valsecchi.
Gideon Valsecchi has one life goal – get out of the shithole where he lives on the South Side of Chicago. To say life has been unkind is a joke he can’t even laugh at; to say he’s going to have to claw his way out is a reality that nearly crushes him every day. But...he has a secret weapon, and he’s learning how to hone his skills. Yet, hope is a feeling he won’t indulge in until he gets to know Elijah Tucker, who shows Gideon there is an out, and it can include love.
SOMETIMES, YOU CAN
Having it all is hard work, and Elijah Tucker has no problem 24/7-ing to keep himself on top. But life has a sense of humor and a big-ass mirror that reminds Eli where he came from, and shows him what he’s really made of when he meets Gideon Valsecchi.
Gideon Valsecchi has one life goal – get out of the shithole where he lives on the South Side of Chicago. To say life has been unkind is a joke he can’t even laugh at; to say he’s going to have to claw his way out is a reality that nearly crushes him every day. But...he has a secret weapon, and he’s learning how to hone his skills. Yet, hope is a feeling he won’t indulge in until he gets to know Elijah Tucker, who shows Gideon there is an out, and it can include love.
299 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 27, 2018
1 person is currently reading
112 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
May 28, 2018
3.5 Stars
The plot wasn’t really something new, just about a closeted guy. But it wasn’t my main issue! Actually, I quite enjoy the plot but not Gideon’s character. I didn’t like his attitude, mostly because of the way he spoke! He was so aggressive or maybe I felt that way. He couldn’t even have a single conversation without cussing. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind cussing but using f*ck 500 times and sh!t 299 times are a bit too much in a story for me and really annoying! I wish he could have had a decent conversation. Told in dual POV, 3rd person. It’s the first installment in the "Start Something" series. It doesn’t end on a cliffhanger but the next installment will be continuing of their story and I’m looking forward to reading it. Overall, it was a good read and hope you enjoy it as well!
The plot wasn’t really something new, just about a closeted guy. But it wasn’t my main issue! Actually, I quite enjoy the plot but not Gideon’s character. I didn’t like his attitude, mostly because of the way he spoke! He was so aggressive or maybe I felt that way. He couldn’t even have a single conversation without cussing. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind cussing but using f*ck 500 times and sh!t 299 times are a bit too much in a story for me and really annoying! I wish he could have had a decent conversation. Told in dual POV, 3rd person. It’s the first installment in the "Start Something" series. It doesn’t end on a cliffhanger but the next installment will be continuing of their story and I’m looking forward to reading it. Overall, it was a good read and hope you enjoy it as well!
April 1, 2018
The beginning of Elijah and Gideon’s story sucked me in right away. That first meeting was unexpected and had me wondering how a relationship between them would work out. I found the beginning of their relationship very heartwarming. Elijah was such a sweetheart. Incredibly patient, understanding and insistent on helping Gideon as much as possible. Gideon resisted at first, but he realized he liked that he mattered to someone, and it felt good to be taken care of.
As much as these guys together had me laughing, and at times swooning, something was missing. The chemistry was there. I felt it. It was hot a hell, but outside of the physical attraction, I wasn’t feeling them as a couple. I’m all for age difference. It’s actually a preference of mine in my reads. But the more I read, the more Gideon started to get on my nerves.
Gideon is an 18 year-old high school senior. He’s had a shitty life. Underneath all that rude and crude attitude, was a scared and insecure kid who wanted out of the South Side. I get it, but I still found it grating. The rude and crude had no off button, not even with the people he got along with and was loyal to. I started to wonder what had a 27 year-old Elijah falling so in love with a troubled, in-need-of- an-attitude-adjustment 18 year-old Gideon. I could understand how he related to him, because his past was similar to Gideon’s present. I could understand why he would want to help Gideon. Why not pay if forward, right? I could see the falling in love part happening maybe in the future as Gideon matured and got that attitude adjustment. But in the here and now, I didn’t see them on the same level enough for there to be any connection besides the physical.
I’m really looking forward to the continuation of Elijah and Gideon’s story. I’m hoping I change my mind about Gideon. One thing for sure, Riley Parks kept it real. The dialogue, the attitude and behavior of the cast of characters felt authentic (whether I liked it or not..lol). Definitely a raw and gritty read. Definitely recommended.
An ARC was provided by the Author in exchange for an honest review.
As much as these guys together had me laughing, and at times swooning, something was missing. The chemistry was there. I felt it. It was hot a hell, but outside of the physical attraction, I wasn’t feeling them as a couple. I’m all for age difference. It’s actually a preference of mine in my reads. But the more I read, the more Gideon started to get on my nerves.
Gideon is an 18 year-old high school senior. He’s had a shitty life. Underneath all that rude and crude attitude, was a scared and insecure kid who wanted out of the South Side. I get it, but I still found it grating. The rude and crude had no off button, not even with the people he got along with and was loyal to. I started to wonder what had a 27 year-old Elijah falling so in love with a troubled, in-need-of- an-attitude-adjustment 18 year-old Gideon. I could understand how he related to him, because his past was similar to Gideon’s present. I could understand why he would want to help Gideon. Why not pay if forward, right? I could see the falling in love part happening maybe in the future as Gideon matured and got that attitude adjustment. But in the here and now, I didn’t see them on the same level enough for there to be any connection besides the physical.
I’m really looking forward to the continuation of Elijah and Gideon’s story. I’m hoping I change my mind about Gideon. One thing for sure, Riley Parks kept it real. The dialogue, the attitude and behavior of the cast of characters felt authentic (whether I liked it or not..lol). Definitely a raw and gritty read. Definitely recommended.
An ARC was provided by the Author in exchange for an honest review.
March 29, 2018
4,25 stars
This is the first book in the Start Something series and it was pretty different than the author's debut book, Bleeding Like Me, which I absolutely loved - if you haven't read it, go check it out, maybe you'd like to read some pretty sexy MM romance with gangs, action and a sweet and happy ending.
Back to Watch Me Fall. I am glad it's different that Bleeding like me, because I love it when an author writes very different stories.
I got invested into this story from the first pages. The writing is extremely good! I couldn't put it down.
What took me by surprise would be how the main characters met. But I'm always happy to be surprised. Actually it's nothing I love more. I hate it when the authors force the first interaction between characters. So here we got something different.
Eli (Elijah Tucker) is 27. He's black, has green eyes and a very kind heart. He worked very hard to escape from the South Side of Chicago. Now he's living in the North Side, he's rich, but all he has he earned it on his own. He's one of the best real estate brokers, and he never forgot where he came from.
Gideon is 18 and still in high school. He thinks he'll never get out of the dirty and poor neighborhood. He's used to being hungry. Even if he thinks he'll never have more, he's afraid to lose the only thing he loves: soccer. And what could be worst than being a broke and hungry teen in the scary part of the city? Well he's also gay, but he won't admit it to himself, much more to his best friend Bryce. Even if they experimented a little.
I loved Eli's need to get close to Gideon. It was endearing to see him bring him food and then spend time with him. I absolutely loved everything about Eli and how he took care of Gideon. He was sweet and kind, never listened to Gideon's fake complaints. And even if Gideon seemed distant, cold and an angry teen with a big mouth, he couldn't stay away.
The attraction is off the charts and I loved them together! I laughed out loud many times reading their messages. The banter was amazing. The first half of the book had just my favorite kind of tension. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough but in the same time I didn't want it to end. We get a lot of super hot scenes and I fell in love with their new routine. It felt right and nothing seemed to shake their world.
My only complaint would be that we don't get more relationship angst. We do get some, just not enough to make my blood boil or to get me on the edge of my seat. I kind of felt that things fell into place a little too easy. I expected more internal struggling from Gideon, about his sexuality and then their relationship. I expected much more fear of losing what they had from Eli. I love angst. I love books that wreck my heart and then put it back together. I'm crazy like that. So this is the only reason I'm not giving this book 5 stars. But I'm glad I've read it, I really liked it and I am excited to read the next book, which is the continuation of Eli and Gideon's story.
From what the author mentioned, in the third book we'll get Bryce's story (Gideon's best friend) and I'm looking forward to reading it too, having high hopes that the bi sexy man will find the one, a man who'll win his heart.
ARC kindly provided by the author.
This is the first book in the Start Something series and it was pretty different than the author's debut book, Bleeding Like Me, which I absolutely loved - if you haven't read it, go check it out, maybe you'd like to read some pretty sexy MM romance with gangs, action and a sweet and happy ending.
Back to Watch Me Fall. I am glad it's different that Bleeding like me, because I love it when an author writes very different stories.
I got invested into this story from the first pages. The writing is extremely good! I couldn't put it down.
What took me by surprise would be how the main characters met. But I'm always happy to be surprised. Actually it's nothing I love more. I hate it when the authors force the first interaction between characters. So here we got something different.
Eli (Elijah Tucker) is 27. He's black, has green eyes and a very kind heart. He worked very hard to escape from the South Side of Chicago. Now he's living in the North Side, he's rich, but all he has he earned it on his own. He's one of the best real estate brokers, and he never forgot where he came from.
Gideon is 18 and still in high school. He thinks he'll never get out of the dirty and poor neighborhood. He's used to being hungry. Even if he thinks he'll never have more, he's afraid to lose the only thing he loves: soccer. And what could be worst than being a broke and hungry teen in the scary part of the city? Well he's also gay, but he won't admit it to himself, much more to his best friend Bryce. Even if they experimented a little.
I loved Eli's need to get close to Gideon. It was endearing to see him bring him food and then spend time with him. I absolutely loved everything about Eli and how he took care of Gideon. He was sweet and kind, never listened to Gideon's fake complaints. And even if Gideon seemed distant, cold and an angry teen with a big mouth, he couldn't stay away.
The attraction is off the charts and I loved them together! I laughed out loud many times reading their messages. The banter was amazing. The first half of the book had just my favorite kind of tension. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough but in the same time I didn't want it to end. We get a lot of super hot scenes and I fell in love with their new routine. It felt right and nothing seemed to shake their world.
My only complaint would be that we don't get more relationship angst. We do get some, just not enough to make my blood boil or to get me on the edge of my seat. I kind of felt that things fell into place a little too easy. I expected more internal struggling from Gideon, about his sexuality and then their relationship. I expected much more fear of losing what they had from Eli. I love angst. I love books that wreck my heart and then put it back together. I'm crazy like that. So this is the only reason I'm not giving this book 5 stars. But I'm glad I've read it, I really liked it and I am excited to read the next book, which is the continuation of Eli and Gideon's story.
From what the author mentioned, in the third book we'll get Bryce's story (Gideon's best friend) and I'm looking forward to reading it too, having high hopes that the bi sexy man will find the one, a man who'll win his heart.
ARC kindly provided by the author.
May 4, 2024
Bleeding Like Me was the first book to make my 2018 favourites shelf, it was just that good. So when I saw Watch Me Fall had been released I was all over it. However I felt there was just something missing. I don't know if it was the age gap, Gideon acted every one of his very young and naïve 18 years. Elijah is 9 years older than Gideon, but the age gap seemed markedly significant because of Gideon's immaturity and naivete. I felt their relationship came across as unbalanced with Elijah having to do all the work, Eli is definitely a giver and a protector and whilst I loved that for Gideon I also wanted to see Eli get back some of what he was giving.
It's coming across that I didn't like this one, I did ... most definitely! I liked that there was no ridiculous and unnecessary angst and drama for drama's sake, I really liked that they talked to each other and I really loved both Gideon and Elijah but I'm not sure about them together as a couple despite the chemistry, these two lit the sheets and were as hot as hell together!
Hopefully Gideon is going to show a lot of character growth in the next book, I would love to see him being there for Elijah instead of it always being the other way round. I'm excited to see where RP takes them, and also get Bryce's story.
It's coming across that I didn't like this one, I did ... most definitely! I liked that there was no ridiculous and unnecessary angst and drama for drama's sake, I really liked that they talked to each other and I really loved both Gideon and Elijah but I'm not sure about them together as a couple despite the chemistry, these two lit the sheets and were as hot as hell together!
Hopefully Gideon is going to show a lot of character growth in the next book, I would love to see him being there for Elijah instead of it always being the other way round. I'm excited to see where RP takes them, and also get Bryce's story.
March 31, 2018
Growing up on the South Side, Eli is determined he’s going to make something of himself. He gets out. He makes big money and has garnered respect in the real estate business. On a trip back to see family, he’s mugged. But there’s something about his mugger that draws him in. He can’t forget the blue-eyed gorgeous man so he sets out to find him.
Gideon a senior in high school, is just trying to get by. He needs money so he can escape the hell-hole he’s living in with his sister and deadbeat brother. His ticket out is the watch he pilfers off the hot man in the alley who should have known better than to wear it on that side of town. But what happens when he finds him at his door with a sweatshirt and a bag of fast food?
Oh man…Elijah was the epitome of the perfect hero. I love how he wanted to take care of Gideon any way he could. There was something about Gideon and he just couldn’t stay away from him. He wanted every piece of him.
Gideon, though he had messed around with his friend, has never had a relationship with another guy. He’s nervous and doesn’t know what to do. He also is hanging on to the fact he’s not “gay”. But he just can’t forget Eli or stay away from him.
Bleeding Like Me was one of my favorite books fo 2017, so naturally when this one came out, I jumped on it. I love Riley’s writing. This one drew me in right away. I loved Eli so much. Gideon was the one I had some trouble with. I just didn’t connect with him like I wanted. Maybe it was because he was so young. Or maybe I just didn’t get as soft a side with him as I had hoped. I didn’t quite feel his all powerful “need” for Eli like I wanted…I don’t know. I still enjoyed it and the two are smoking hot together. It was just missing something for me to make me "love" it. I am definitely looking forward to more of their story and I can’t wait for Bryce. I absolutely LOVED him and how he pushed Gideon and made him see that it was okay to be who he was. I will be eagerly waiting more.
“Goddamn, Gideon was gorgeous with his bright blue eyes and dick-sucking lips. Elijah wanted to rail that pretty mouth and make it his.”
Gideon a senior in high school, is just trying to get by. He needs money so he can escape the hell-hole he’s living in with his sister and deadbeat brother. His ticket out is the watch he pilfers off the hot man in the alley who should have known better than to wear it on that side of town. But what happens when he finds him at his door with a sweatshirt and a bag of fast food?
“Gideon couldn’t remember a time in his life where anybody had given a shit about what he was into, even if it was as insignificant as a fast food breakfast preference.”
Oh man…Elijah was the epitome of the perfect hero. I love how he wanted to take care of Gideon any way he could. There was something about Gideon and he just couldn’t stay away from him. He wanted every piece of him.
“There was something about the soccer player that drove him crazy, something that he couldn’t define or put his finger on. Ultimately, it was something worth waiting for. Gideon was worth waiting for.”
Gideon, though he had messed around with his friend, has never had a relationship with another guy. He’s nervous and doesn’t know what to do. He also is hanging on to the fact he’s not “gay”. But he just can’t forget Eli or stay away from him.
“He was going to suck a dick. He was going to suck Eli’s dick. He was going to suck Eli’s dick and it was going to be awesome.”
Bleeding Like Me was one of my favorite books fo 2017, so naturally when this one came out, I jumped on it. I love Riley’s writing. This one drew me in right away. I loved Eli so much. Gideon was the one I had some trouble with. I just didn’t connect with him like I wanted. Maybe it was because he was so young. Or maybe I just didn’t get as soft a side with him as I had hoped. I didn’t quite feel his all powerful “need” for Eli like I wanted…I don’t know. I still enjoyed it and the two are smoking hot together. It was just missing something for me to make me "love" it. I am definitely looking forward to more of their story and I can’t wait for Bryce. I absolutely LOVED him and how he pushed Gideon and made him see that it was okay to be who he was. I will be eagerly waiting more.
“I want to know that you’re mine,” Elijah replied sincerely. “That I have you.” “Do I have you?” Gideon questioned. “Of course you do.” “Then you have me, too,” Gideon replied.”
March 29, 2018
Eli came from the South Side of Chicago and worked his way up to Lake Shore Drive on the North Side. Living in a penthouse, driving fancy cars, he seems to have it all. But something is missing.
Gideon is a senior in high school living on the South Side going to bed hungry some nights and doing whatever he has to to get by. He’s driven to get out and make a better life for himself.
Elijah and Gideon meet in the craziest of ways. Eli sees something in Gideon though and pushes his way into his life, determined to get to know him. Gideon doesn’t make it easy for Elijah but he’s a patient man.
My Elijah
My Gideon
Elijah is all in from the beginning giving everything to make it work between them. Damn he was the perfect Book boyfriend. Gideon is young and not used to leaning on another person. He’s got dreams that he’s determined to see through. I’m so excited to see what happens between the two in the next book.
I loved Bryce too and hopefully he’ll get his own story and hea in a future book.
Gideon is a senior in high school living on the South Side going to bed hungry some nights and doing whatever he has to to get by. He’s driven to get out and make a better life for himself.
Elijah and Gideon meet in the craziest of ways. Eli sees something in Gideon though and pushes his way into his life, determined to get to know him. Gideon doesn’t make it easy for Elijah but he’s a patient man.
My Elijah
My Gideon
Elijah is all in from the beginning giving everything to make it work between them. Damn he was the perfect Book boyfriend. Gideon is young and not used to leaning on another person. He’s got dreams that he’s determined to see through. I’m so excited to see what happens between the two in the next book.
I loved Bryce too and hopefully he’ll get his own story and hea in a future book.
September 22, 2018
OMG! Why did I freaking wait this long to read this book? 😱 This is freaking finger-licking-tongue-twisting delicious! So if you’ve been following me for a while, you may already know that contemporary is my least favorite genre. I somehow always find myself favoring fantasy, paranormal and AU stories just because I feel like they always give me something more. Well, that’s not the case with amazing Riley Hart’s tasty treats though. 😏 This is my second book of her and I somehow liked this book even more than her first debut “Bleeding like me”. And that’s saying a lot because it was one of my very favorite reads last year. ❤️ Ok, enough babbling and onto reviewing. 😁
Eli is the former south side guy who managed to get a stellar career in real estate. Even after a decade later of escaping from his south side origins, Eli still finds himself he’s still somewhat of the same guy. So you can imagine his surprise when he found himself getting mugged by a good-for-nothing new generation south side teenager thug when he went to his sister for a visit. 😂 The businessman in Eli said him to let go and it isn’t worth the trouble but the south side blood in him said to get even with that stupid kid. 😁 And thus an unlikely dalliance begins. 😉
Gideon is used to everyone in his life disappointing him endless. So when he finally managed to gank a ridiculously expensive watch from the stupid guy who dared to wear such watch to the south side, he thought he now at least have a plan B to get the hell out of south side if his football career doesn’t take off. Meanwhile, he found himself getting confronted by his victim/stalker-wanna-be and he had to return his plan B to his victim. 😁 Now .. the thing is, fucker isn’t taking off after he got his watch back. 😂 And he found himself unconsciously falling into a sorta relationship with his victim. But life in south side is hard and homophobia is horrible in this side of the town. 😭 And now Gideon has to decide whether to stick with Eli and fight for a chance at lifelong happiness or run away and remain closeted for the rest of his life.
I freaking loved the UST between these poles apart guys. I am not going to spoil the storyline for you because you guys need to taste this yummy treat yourself. 😌 I kept waiting for that other shoe to drop because I was afraid that everything is too good to be true but I’m elated that actually didn’t happen. ❤️ It was absolutely breathtaking to see how Gideon blossomed into a confident and loving person from the brutish and crude south side thug. I love Elijah Tucker so much and how he helped Gideon to walk the right path. And did I tell you about how insanely hot the sex is in this book? 😁😱 It freaking ticked all my boxes! 🔥 A very inexperienced virgin! Cherry-popping that butt virgin! And interracial love? And age gap! And how glorious it was when Eli finally popped that arse? 😱🔥 This girl’s panties were on fire! 😂👏🔥😏 And I really loved the bromance between Gideon and Bryce. I’m also amazed by how Riley Parks always managed to find the unlikely beauty and the heart-melting humanity from the most despaired and hopeless situations. 😌 This book really was such a delight to read. 💜 Now, I can’t freaking wait to read the second book in the series. 😍 A stellar job Riley! 👍 You did good gal! 👏
5 Eli loves it when Gideon pouts stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Eli is the former south side guy who managed to get a stellar career in real estate. Even after a decade later of escaping from his south side origins, Eli still finds himself he’s still somewhat of the same guy. So you can imagine his surprise when he found himself getting mugged by a good-for-nothing new generation south side teenager thug when he went to his sister for a visit. 😂 The businessman in Eli said him to let go and it isn’t worth the trouble but the south side blood in him said to get even with that stupid kid. 😁 And thus an unlikely dalliance begins. 😉
Gideon is used to everyone in his life disappointing him endless. So when he finally managed to gank a ridiculously expensive watch from the stupid guy who dared to wear such watch to the south side, he thought he now at least have a plan B to get the hell out of south side if his football career doesn’t take off. Meanwhile, he found himself getting confronted by his victim/stalker-wanna-be and he had to return his plan B to his victim. 😁 Now .. the thing is, fucker isn’t taking off after he got his watch back. 😂 And he found himself unconsciously falling into a sorta relationship with his victim. But life in south side is hard and homophobia is horrible in this side of the town. 😭 And now Gideon has to decide whether to stick with Eli and fight for a chance at lifelong happiness or run away and remain closeted for the rest of his life.
I freaking loved the UST between these poles apart guys. I am not going to spoil the storyline for you because you guys need to taste this yummy treat yourself. 😌 I kept waiting for that other shoe to drop because I was afraid that everything is too good to be true but I’m elated that actually didn’t happen. ❤️ It was absolutely breathtaking to see how Gideon blossomed into a confident and loving person from the brutish and crude south side thug. I love Elijah Tucker so much and how he helped Gideon to walk the right path. And did I tell you about how insanely hot the sex is in this book? 😁😱 It freaking ticked all my boxes! 🔥 A very inexperienced virgin! Cherry-popping that butt virgin! And interracial love? And age gap! And how glorious it was when Eli finally popped that arse? 😱🔥 This girl’s panties were on fire! 😂👏🔥😏 And I really loved the bromance between Gideon and Bryce. I’m also amazed by how Riley Parks always managed to find the unlikely beauty and the heart-melting humanity from the most despaired and hopeless situations. 😌 This book really was such a delight to read. 💜 Now, I can’t freaking wait to read the second book in the series. 😍 A stellar job Riley! 👍 You did good gal! 👏
5 Eli loves it when Gideon pouts stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
April 15, 2018
4.25 STARS!
The South side of Chicago is not a forgiving place, but high school senior Gideon is a survivor; he does what he needs to in order to survive, and that includes having no expectations of anyone or anything around him . . . and it certainly doesn't involve admitting to his sexual preference.
Gideon's character arc was especially well done. His journey from an angry adolescent who lashes out at everyone to a well-adjusted young adult still isn't complete, but what I've seen so far has felt genuine and, considering his circumstances, completely understandable. I gotta say that the way his attitude toward Elijah slowly softened pretty much melted my heart.
Elijah's character, on the other hand, is still a bit of a mystery to me. If Gideon was evolving in the story, Elijah was almost devolving. His burgeoning feelings left him on unsteady ground.
"The only thing I got that matters is you."Riley Parks does it again! Though Watch Me Fall wasn't quite as fabulous as her first novel, Bleeding Like Me, it was definitely a great follow-up. This author has officially made my very short auto-buy list!
The South side of Chicago is not a forgiving place, but high school senior Gideon is a survivor; he does what he needs to in order to survive, and that includes having no expectations of anyone or anything around him . . . and it certainly doesn't involve admitting to his sexual preference.
The last thing his family needed was for Gideon to complicate everything even more and rip them further apart.Twenty-seven year old Elijah spent years scratching and clawing his way out of the South side gutter he grew up in, and he now has everything he's ever wanted - success, money, and the respect of his family. So his inexplicable need to help the punk who mugged him outside the Circle K takes him off guard . . . even more so when it becomes attraction.
As into Gideon as he was, the only thing he'd ever been able to make a long-term commitment to was his commitment issues.I LOVED the raw, gritty feel to this book - it was like a breath of fresh air.
Elijah was gorgeous and had Gideon wondering what other men saw in chicks when there were hot motherfuckers like Elijah walking around with their big dicks shoved into their tight dress pants.Plus, it was laced with bursts of humor that were sometimes crass, which I really appreciated. ;)
Gideon's character arc was especially well done. His journey from an angry adolescent who lashes out at everyone to a well-adjusted young adult still isn't complete, but what I've seen so far has felt genuine and, considering his circumstances, completely understandable. I gotta say that the way his attitude toward Elijah slowly softened pretty much melted my heart.
Elijah's character, on the other hand, is still a bit of a mystery to me. If Gideon was evolving in the story, Elijah was almost devolving. His burgeoning feelings left him on unsteady ground.
Everything hurt worse when it came to Gideon. Even the most run-of-the-mill jealousy was more brutal when it centered on him.But I think there are still layers to his personality that we haven't seen yet, and to be honest, life experience has possibly made Elijah wary...because, as we all know, love is not something that comes around every day.
"It's not always like this," Eli whispered.I can't wait to read more about these two! If you're looking for something that's unique and completely out of the box, this unlikely love story may be just the thing. I definitely recommend!
March 29, 2018
5 +++
Holy wow! This book. This book was awesome! Riley Parks has a talent. Her characters feel so real and her stories raw and gritty. I felt like I was right there, walking the streets of South Side, Chicago, with Eli and Gideon. The characters actually reminded me a bit of Evan and Jackson from Bleeding Like Me and the author has definitely established a certain sense of style and that was fine by me since I absolutely loved her debut novel.
Elijah Tucker and Gideon Valsecchi are from the wrong side of the tracks. While Eli has managed to work his way out of the South Side and become a very rich and successful real estate agent, Gideon is still in High School and can't escape his tough life quite yet. The two have an unconventional first meeting. Sparks don't exactly fly...but fists do! After that come the sparks. Oh, soo many sparks!
Eli was a sweetheart. He saw Gideon and knew he needed to have himself a piece of that. But it wasn't just that, he saw something else in Gideon as well. He also saw himself and the past he's tried so hard to escape. He starts caring for Gideon, buying him and his family food and getting him some things he needs. It never felt creepy or sugar-daddy like in any way, it was just a nice gesture from someone who knew what it felt like to be dirt poor. From there, their relationship progresses and the heat turns up. I loved their relationship development. It was so intense and I simply couldn't stop reading, only stopping when a pesky necessity named sleep called to me at 4 am. There was some push and pull, especially from Gideon's side, but he's only 18 years old, still in the closet and this is his first real relationship so it's completely understandable he would be insecure. He has got a reeaal filthy mouth though and I loved that about him. He could be a real dick at times, but that was part of his charm. He's a thug after all :D
Eli was just the sweetest, the perfect boyfriend even though he had his own issues to deal with as well. I just loved those two together. Their chemistry jumped off the pages, their connection was palpable and the sex scenes were scorching hot. I could feel their need for each other like my own. The intensity that was Eli and Gideon kept me glued to my seat with my heart pounding wildly. Watch Me a Fall wasn't exactly action packed but I didn't notice as I was so captivated by the character and relationship development. Eli and Gideon are fantastic, multi layered characters and I can't wait to read more about them in the next book!
I can't believe Watch Me Fall is only the second book by this author. Her writing is amazing, so do yourself a favor and check out this book as well as Bleeding Like Me if you're in the mood for something darker but just as sweet and satisfying.
Holy wow! This book. This book was awesome! Riley Parks has a talent. Her characters feel so real and her stories raw and gritty. I felt like I was right there, walking the streets of South Side, Chicago, with Eli and Gideon. The characters actually reminded me a bit of Evan and Jackson from Bleeding Like Me and the author has definitely established a certain sense of style and that was fine by me since I absolutely loved her debut novel.
Elijah Tucker and Gideon Valsecchi are from the wrong side of the tracks. While Eli has managed to work his way out of the South Side and become a very rich and successful real estate agent, Gideon is still in High School and can't escape his tough life quite yet. The two have an unconventional first meeting. Sparks don't exactly fly...but fists do! After that come the sparks. Oh, soo many sparks!
Eli was a sweetheart. He saw Gideon and knew he needed to have himself a piece of that. But it wasn't just that, he saw something else in Gideon as well. He also saw himself and the past he's tried so hard to escape. He starts caring for Gideon, buying him and his family food and getting him some things he needs. It never felt creepy or sugar-daddy like in any way, it was just a nice gesture from someone who knew what it felt like to be dirt poor. From there, their relationship progresses and the heat turns up. I loved their relationship development. It was so intense and I simply couldn't stop reading, only stopping when a pesky necessity named sleep called to me at 4 am. There was some push and pull, especially from Gideon's side, but he's only 18 years old, still in the closet and this is his first real relationship so it's completely understandable he would be insecure. He has got a reeaal filthy mouth though and I loved that about him. He could be a real dick at times, but that was part of his charm. He's a thug after all :D
Eli was just the sweetest, the perfect boyfriend even though he had his own issues to deal with as well. I just loved those two together. Their chemistry jumped off the pages, their connection was palpable and the sex scenes were scorching hot. I could feel their need for each other like my own. The intensity that was Eli and Gideon kept me glued to my seat with my heart pounding wildly. Watch Me a Fall wasn't exactly action packed but I didn't notice as I was so captivated by the character and relationship development. Eli and Gideon are fantastic, multi layered characters and I can't wait to read more about them in the next book!
I can't believe Watch Me Fall is only the second book by this author. Her writing is amazing, so do yourself a favor and check out this book as well as Bleeding Like Me if you're in the mood for something darker but just as sweet and satisfying.
May 24, 2018
I challenge anyone to find a more unique opening to a story than Riley Parks serves up in her newest novel Watch Me Fall. Parks combines gutsy, complex characters with a creative and interesting story line. The result is a gritty, super-hot romance that will hold your interest to the very last page. This book is listed as the first in her new Start Something series, so I’m thrilled to know more books are in the works.
If you read Riley Parks’ debut novel Bleeding Like Me, then I don’t need to rave about her clever writing style. She sets up her plots quickly, painting vivid pictures, and pulling you in right from the start. Watch Me Fall is a fun and unique story, and I was pleased by all the unexpected turns this one takes. The unpredictability is just another thing I love about Riley Parks' writing.
Willing to do anything to get out of Chicago’s South Side, and the certain depressing future that awaits him if he can’t, Gideon Valsecchi selects the wrong pocket to pick. His victim, successful real estate broker Elijah Tucker, speaks from experience to give Gideon some advice that served Elijah well. He tells Gideon, “‘Use your brains or legs instead.’” This is what Elijah did to rise from a similar situation nine years earlier - it wasn’t easy, but it was not impossible.
The star of his high school soccer team, with the possibility of a scholarship lurking, Gideon can’t jeopardize his future by getting into trouble. He grudgingly takes the good advice for what it is. Besides, coming from handsome, charismatic, wealthy Elijah, it’s not such a bitter pill to swallow.
Given everything that’s against him, Gideon has stayed in school, kept his grades up, and attended extra training sessions with his coach. His determination is admirable. Don’t get me wrong; he still maintains his thug personna: drugs, vandalism, and a few other things a South Side gangbanger should be doing. But underneath is a driven and focused young man.
Gideon also surrounds himself with some very supportive people. He may have gotten into soccer as a bit of a dare, but he’s gone above and beyond with his training and takes advantage of all the help his coach offers. Gideon’s siblings and friends urge him on, and his deadbeat parents are thankfully absent from his life. I was equally touched by the way Eli constantly builds up Gideon’s confidence, how he seizes opportunities and makes the most of what he can out of them.
There’s something about Eli that Gideon can’t resist. And while the free food and other nice gifts appeal to Gideon, once they start spending serious time together the attraction is mutual. The sex is hot as hell (kudos Ms. Parks!) and I could really feel their connection. As they get more into each other and Gideon gets more confident (it’s great that sex can do that to a guy) their chemistry just gets better and better.
I really enjoy the way Riley Parks describes these characters. She completely brings them to life in the way they interact with each other. Eli and Gideon have so much personality… they’re snarky and sarcastic and very real. They wear their imperfections and scars in full view, exposed and raw. These guys just won me over with how authentic they are.
These were some of the same things that impressed me with Riley Parks’ first novel, Bleeding Like Me. She speaks from the voices of her characters perfectly, like she can completely put herself in their shoes and knows how they’re feeling. Parks has great fun with the dialog and she totally captures the way teenage boys talk, both to each other and to adults. She stays true to the vernacular, but still makes it easy to understand; don’t worry, you won’t be lost if you’re not from Chicago’s South Side.
Watch Me Fall deals with some serious issues, but Parks keeps it light and humor is laced throughout the whole story. There were many laugh out loud, smile on my face moments; I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. This novel is so much fun, and if you haven’t yet discovered the wonderful writing of Riley Parks, I urge you to pick up either one of her novels. I for one am definitely looking forward to all the places this talented author takes us next!
If you read Riley Parks’ debut novel Bleeding Like Me, then I don’t need to rave about her clever writing style. She sets up her plots quickly, painting vivid pictures, and pulling you in right from the start. Watch Me Fall is a fun and unique story, and I was pleased by all the unexpected turns this one takes. The unpredictability is just another thing I love about Riley Parks' writing.
Willing to do anything to get out of Chicago’s South Side, and the certain depressing future that awaits him if he can’t, Gideon Valsecchi selects the wrong pocket to pick. His victim, successful real estate broker Elijah Tucker, speaks from experience to give Gideon some advice that served Elijah well. He tells Gideon, “‘Use your brains or legs instead.’” This is what Elijah did to rise from a similar situation nine years earlier - it wasn’t easy, but it was not impossible.
The star of his high school soccer team, with the possibility of a scholarship lurking, Gideon can’t jeopardize his future by getting into trouble. He grudgingly takes the good advice for what it is. Besides, coming from handsome, charismatic, wealthy Elijah, it’s not such a bitter pill to swallow.
Given everything that’s against him, Gideon has stayed in school, kept his grades up, and attended extra training sessions with his coach. His determination is admirable. Don’t get me wrong; he still maintains his thug personna: drugs, vandalism, and a few other things a South Side gangbanger should be doing. But underneath is a driven and focused young man.
Gideon also surrounds himself with some very supportive people. He may have gotten into soccer as a bit of a dare, but he’s gone above and beyond with his training and takes advantage of all the help his coach offers. Gideon’s siblings and friends urge him on, and his deadbeat parents are thankfully absent from his life. I was equally touched by the way Eli constantly builds up Gideon’s confidence, how he seizes opportunities and makes the most of what he can out of them.
There’s something about Eli that Gideon can’t resist. And while the free food and other nice gifts appeal to Gideon, once they start spending serious time together the attraction is mutual. The sex is hot as hell (kudos Ms. Parks!) and I could really feel their connection. As they get more into each other and Gideon gets more confident (it’s great that sex can do that to a guy) their chemistry just gets better and better.
I really enjoy the way Riley Parks describes these characters. She completely brings them to life in the way they interact with each other. Eli and Gideon have so much personality… they’re snarky and sarcastic and very real. They wear their imperfections and scars in full view, exposed and raw. These guys just won me over with how authentic they are.
These were some of the same things that impressed me with Riley Parks’ first novel, Bleeding Like Me. She speaks from the voices of her characters perfectly, like she can completely put herself in their shoes and knows how they’re feeling. Parks has great fun with the dialog and she totally captures the way teenage boys talk, both to each other and to adults. She stays true to the vernacular, but still makes it easy to understand; don’t worry, you won’t be lost if you’re not from Chicago’s South Side.
Watch Me Fall deals with some serious issues, but Parks keeps it light and humor is laced throughout the whole story. There were many laugh out loud, smile on my face moments; I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. This novel is so much fun, and if you haven’t yet discovered the wonderful writing of Riley Parks, I urge you to pick up either one of her novels. I for one am definitely looking forward to all the places this talented author takes us next!
April 2, 2018
I loved this! After having read Riley Parks's debut novel, Bleeding Like Me, I was eager to dive into this one, and it didn't disappoint.
It was similar to the Bleeding Like Me in that both the MC's, Elijah and Gideon, come from the bad part of town and have had a shitty go of it in life. It reminds me of Shameless, and seeing as they're in Chicago as well, it doubly reminds me of Shameless lol. It is even has a bipolar character in Elijah, although he's a completely different from Ian (from Shameless).
Gideon is an 18 year old senior in high school who steals Elijah's watch one night when Elijah is back in the South Side where his brother and two sisters still live. When Elijah goes back to get the watch, Elijah finds that he can't stay away from Gideon.
I loved these two, and their chemistry together. I love how Elijah brought out the cuteness and the vulnerability in Gideon, who is quite the asshole at times - and is fairly homophobic and scared to come out, considering how he grew up - but he had such cute moments two in their time together.
Elijah was awesome, I loved him. He gets a little too intense at times, but with Gideon he wants it to be different, because he cares about Gideon and it is more than just sex with him.
Also, seeing Gideon go from being scaring to even blow Elijah to loving was awesome, and hot ;). These two found something in each other that they couldn't stay away from.
We get a solid HFN at the end of this, and while Elijah is all in, declaring his love (and believably too. He falls pretty hard pretty fast), Gideon is a little more hesitant. Not that he isn't there too, I think he was, it was just that he's scared to go there (and as an 18 year old, I get it. And with Gideon's background and how unsure he is if he's even in love. He needs some time).
But they're in a good place at the end, and I can't wait for the second book, which will continue their story. (And hopefully it will get Gideon to a place where he feels more free and settled in himself and his relationship with Elijah).
I also really enjoy Bryce, Gideon's best friend, and I hope we get a book for him as well.
Definite thumbs up from me, give this one a try for sure! :D
It was similar to the Bleeding Like Me in that both the MC's, Elijah and Gideon, come from the bad part of town and have had a shitty go of it in life. It reminds me of Shameless, and seeing as they're in Chicago as well, it doubly reminds me of Shameless lol. It is even has a bipolar character in Elijah, although he's a completely different from Ian (from Shameless).
Gideon is an 18 year old senior in high school who steals Elijah's watch one night when Elijah is back in the South Side where his brother and two sisters still live. When Elijah goes back to get the watch, Elijah finds that he can't stay away from Gideon.
I loved these two, and their chemistry together. I love how Elijah brought out the cuteness and the vulnerability in Gideon, who is quite the asshole at times - and is fairly homophobic and scared to come out, considering how he grew up - but he had such cute moments two in their time together.
Elijah was awesome, I loved him. He gets a little too intense at times, but with Gideon he wants it to be different, because he cares about Gideon and it is more than just sex with him.
Also, seeing Gideon go from being scaring to even blow Elijah to loving was awesome, and hot ;). These two found something in each other that they couldn't stay away from.
We get a solid HFN at the end of this, and while Elijah is all in, declaring his love (and believably too. He falls pretty hard pretty fast), Gideon is a little more hesitant. Not that he isn't there too, I think he was, it was just that he's scared to go there (and as an 18 year old, I get it. And with Gideon's background and how unsure he is if he's even in love. He needs some time).
But they're in a good place at the end, and I can't wait for the second book, which will continue their story. (And hopefully it will get Gideon to a place where he feels more free and settled in himself and his relationship with Elijah).
I also really enjoy Bryce, Gideon's best friend, and I hope we get a book for him as well.
Definite thumbs up from me, give this one a try for sure! :D
April 21, 2018
I devoured it!
I have to be honest. When I first read that one of the Mc's was 18... I was not convinced.
I'm the first to say that you can mature really quickly when circumstances made you to.
But there is just a point where you can be matured all you want. A teenager is still a teenager...
But just like with her first book, Riley Parks blew my mind and surpassed my expectations!
The way Eli and Gideon found each other was... Unexpected. And really well handled.
So, Gideon is 18 and at the end of his senior year. He plays soccer and bet on his skills to get a ticket to college and out of the hood.
His upbringing is as you can expect in that kind of neighborhood. Unfortunately, despair is more commun than hope there.
So when he spot the rich dude with his golden watch... well... You gotta do what you gotta do!
So, yeah. Gideon is a little shit. With waaaay too much attitude and a smart mouth! But he's also very adorable when he let go. When he allowed himself to just enjoyed the moment and doesn't let his fears take over..
He's in the closet. And not in the slightest ready to get out of it! But that was before Eli...
Eli is 27. He comes from the same block as Gideon but he succeeded and is now a rich real estate agent. He was so sweet. I really loved him.
So ready to jump in this thing he started with Gideon. So ready to go all in!
I think the balance between the 2 of them was very good.
Eli is the older one but his insecurities sometimes made him less secure than Gideon.
And Gideon attitude is balanced with Eli sweetness and kindness!
I really loved them both and will be waiting for the next chapter of their story!!
I have to be honest. When I first read that one of the Mc's was 18... I was not convinced.
I'm the first to say that you can mature really quickly when circumstances made you to.
But there is just a point where you can be matured all you want. A teenager is still a teenager...
But just like with her first book, Riley Parks blew my mind and surpassed my expectations!
The way Eli and Gideon found each other was... Unexpected. And really well handled.
So, Gideon is 18 and at the end of his senior year. He plays soccer and bet on his skills to get a ticket to college and out of the hood.
His upbringing is as you can expect in that kind of neighborhood. Unfortunately, despair is more commun than hope there.
So when he spot the rich dude with his golden watch... well... You gotta do what you gotta do!
So, yeah. Gideon is a little shit. With waaaay too much attitude and a smart mouth! But he's also very adorable when he let go. When he allowed himself to just enjoyed the moment and doesn't let his fears take over..
He's in the closet. And not in the slightest ready to get out of it! But that was before Eli...
Eli is 27. He comes from the same block as Gideon but he succeeded and is now a rich real estate agent. He was so sweet. I really loved him.
So ready to jump in this thing he started with Gideon. So ready to go all in!
I think the balance between the 2 of them was very good.
Eli is the older one but his insecurities sometimes made him less secure than Gideon.
And Gideon attitude is balanced with Eli sweetness and kindness!
I really loved them both and will be waiting for the next chapter of their story!!
May 17, 2018
The writing in this book is fantastic! It’s even better than the authors first book, bleeding like me, which I find impressive because it seems as if a lot of new authors have trouble finding their footing at first and it’s refreshing to find an author that comes right out swinging. Anyway, biggest thing I loved in this book is the diversity in it, which is something severely lacking in this genre. So Yay. Also, this book goes back & forth with the dichotomy of being in the hood and then being in upscale, bougie living. The descriptions of being in the hood, I found intriguing because it kind of felt authentic. It didn’t feel like the author was trying too hard, or was trying to come off as edgy. I really really liked Gideon. He’s lived a hard life and has a chip on his shoulder but honestly I couldn’t blame him because that’s all he knows how to be. I would’ve called bullshit if he were this hard and dark guy who changes to a ray a sunshine within a few paragraphs. For me, his hard way of thinking made him more authentic and I wanted to be there for his journey. I understood the rude and terrible things he says because of his type of lifestyle. He goes to bed hungry, lives in a dangerous area around a lot of homophobes. That can make a man angry. Eli, However, I had trouble understanding. He’s almost 30 and I couldn’t, for the life of me, get why a grown ass man would be this strung out on a 18-year-old who hasn’t even graduated high school yet. I get being a little possessive but this whole “I need you to call me your boyfriend so I can feel secure” thing just had me like bro, come on. Go be old & file your 401k or something, Christ. At one point, Eli tells Gideon that he loves him and is freaked out that Gideon begins to act weird and I found myself thinking “yeah, he’s still in high school, what did you expect?” He doesn’t know what love is yet. Eli and his actions were just a bit too much for me. Regardless, I’m really interested in finding out if Gid will actually stay out of trouble and make it out of the south side so I will definitely be coming back for the sequel.
Update
I just reread this book and noticed something i didn't notice before. The author didn't have the same ole stereotype of the Black guy as the gang member, poor, and always dealing with the law. Way to break the mold. When POC are actually included in any media, typically, they're the criminals and bad guys. This was a good example of creating a better narrative.
Update
I just reread this book and noticed something i didn't notice before. The author didn't have the same ole stereotype of the Black guy as the gang member, poor, and always dealing with the law. Way to break the mold. When POC are actually included in any media, typically, they're the criminals and bad guys. This was a good example of creating a better narrative.
April 10, 2018
Бывает, книга идеально подходит под настроение. И, о боже, какая оригинальная первая встреча, какой жаркий секс! Еще и разница в возрасте! Все, как я люблю! Пять с плюсом! Открываю книгу на следующий день и…вся магия куда-то испаряется. Ну сколько можно трахаться? Вы можете просто поговорить? Что за дурацкие поступки? Главный герой ведет себя как неразумный подросток... Ах, да, он же и есть подросток, и все еще учится в школе. Криповато как-то.
Несмотря на это, автора рекомендую. Есть у нее интересная фишка. Суровые, непреступные парни, наедине превращаются в няшных заек. И это так мило!
Кстати, оказывается вторая часть будет про тех же героев. По-моему, их история и так неплохо закончилась. Хотя и описывается в Watch me fall только букетно-конфетный период и дальнейшее развитие отношений не помешает.
Несмотря на это, автора рекомендую. Есть у нее интересная фишка. Суровые, непреступные парни, наедине превращаются в няшных заек. И это так мило!
Кстати, оказывается вторая часть будет про тех же героев. По-моему, их история и так неплохо закончилась. Хотя и описывается в Watch me fall только букетно-конфетный период и дальнейшее развитие отношений не помешает.
April 19, 2018
A Joyfully Jay review.
4 stars
This is the second book I have read from Riley Parks and her tone offers a raw and street wise experience. The book centers around Eli and Gideon, who both have ties to Chicago’s South Side. It’s during one of these visits to see family that Eli encounters Gideon, and as he tries to track him again once again, it changes the course of both of their lives. While they grew up in the same place, Eli and Gideon are different. Besides the racial differences, Eli has mental health issues that sent him in on a different path years ago and while Gideon likes to present himself as the bad boy, his experience of the world is limited.
I liked both of the characters and the overall story that was being told here, but a few things didn’t quite work for me. There is an age difference here and while nine years on paper isn’t that much, Eli is 27 to Gideon’s 18. This particular age difference didn’t work in every aspect for me with these characters. Eli is a successful realtor with an overflowing bank account and he takes an interest in Gideon. There is the physical attraction at first, along with Eli wanting to help Gideon as he buys him food and other items to make him more comfortable. It does come out that Eli himself, in some ways, still feels like a lost teen, but there were times it was more difficult to see what Eli was getting from this relationship.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
4 stars
This is the second book I have read from Riley Parks and her tone offers a raw and street wise experience. The book centers around Eli and Gideon, who both have ties to Chicago’s South Side. It’s during one of these visits to see family that Eli encounters Gideon, and as he tries to track him again once again, it changes the course of both of their lives. While they grew up in the same place, Eli and Gideon are different. Besides the racial differences, Eli has mental health issues that sent him in on a different path years ago and while Gideon likes to present himself as the bad boy, his experience of the world is limited.
I liked both of the characters and the overall story that was being told here, but a few things didn’t quite work for me. There is an age difference here and while nine years on paper isn’t that much, Eli is 27 to Gideon’s 18. This particular age difference didn’t work in every aspect for me with these characters. Eli is a successful realtor with an overflowing bank account and he takes an interest in Gideon. There is the physical attraction at first, along with Eli wanting to help Gideon as he buys him food and other items to make him more comfortable. It does come out that Eli himself, in some ways, still feels like a lost teen, but there were times it was more difficult to see what Eli was getting from this relationship.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
April 12, 2018
True rating ... 4.25 stars ... perhaps a little higher, like 4.5 stars (JUST because I couldn't put this book down)!! The reason I am giving it 4.25 stars and not a higher rating is because I wanted much more from Gideon toward the end :-/ and while the ending was DEFINITELY a solid HFN [in that it's obvious there's a continuation], it was also a bit too obscure for me ...
I'll need to mull over the rating though and I just might give it that 0.25 boost :-)!! I have loads of thoughts and I'll be revising this review page SOON!! In the meantime, my updates say it all!
TERRIFIC book; excellently written; wonderfully paced; decadently SCORCHING sex; highly HIGHLY recommended!! ADORED this <333!! I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for this author's books :-)!!
********************************
FAVORITE QUOTES BELOW - BEWARE OF SPOILERS::
@ 32% ... 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍!!
“The mere thought of sliding his dick into Gideon’s tight ass was enough to have Elijah shuddering. He could almost hear the noises Gideon would make when he was getting fucked; he’d whine, there was no doubt about that. Looking down to see his cock stretching out the soccer player’s hole while Gideon keened below him had Eli salivating. He’d never wanted somebody the way he wanted Gideon, and he’d never had to wait. It was the most delicious kind of torture.”
@ 35% ... 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥!!
“Though Gideon wasn’t sure what the fuck he was going to do with it once it was out, he was desperate to check out Elijah’s cock. From all his rutting, grinding, and peeking, he was aware Elijah’s dick was huge, but nothing could compare to actually seeing it exposed. Impressive, it stood high between them with smooth dark skin stretching over its thick, long shaft. Gideon felt his mouth water at the sight of it, biology taking over where denial once resided.
“Holy shit,” he breathed, unapologetically admiring it in all its glory. The head was slick with excitement, as precome continued to accumulate in its slit. It took all of Gideon’s self-control not to lap it up. He shivered at the thought, unsure why his body would yearn for the other man’s taste like it was. “It’s fucking big.”
“It is,” Elijah confirmed. “Have you ever handled another guy’s cock before?” he asked, looking jealous when Gideon nodded the affirmative. “Okay. Fucking handle this then.”
@ 48% ... ❤️😍❤️😍❤️😍❤️😍❤️😍❤️😍❤️😍❤️😍❤️😍❤️😍❤️!!
“I want this,” Gideon promised, his voice taking the same soft tone it seemed to revert to when Eli was holding him. “You,” he corrected. “I want you.”
“You want to fuck me or you want me?” Elijah muttered, mouth adhered to Gideon’s neck as he unzipped Gideon’s jeans.
“Both.”
“Don’t tell me there’s no us again,” Eli pleaded, lifting his head to look into Gideon’s eyes. “Don’t do that again.”
Elijah looked younger and softer than Gideon had ever seen him, more vulnerable and scared.
“I won’t,” Gideon promised, pushing his fingers through Eli’s dark hair. Suddenly, every worry he’d had about Elijah hours earlier began to fade away, leaving only the worry he could’ve thrown everything away over something that had been mostly out of Elijah’s control. As much as he craved the care Eli gave him, he wanted to provide Eli with the feeling of security, too. Though Gideon didn’t have much in the way of finances, he’d give Eli his loyalty, and that was a hell of a lot.”
I'll need to mull over the rating though and I just might give it that 0.25 boost :-)!! I have loads of thoughts and I'll be revising this review page SOON!! In the meantime, my updates say it all!
TERRIFIC book; excellently written; wonderfully paced; decadently SCORCHING sex; highly HIGHLY recommended!! ADORED this <333!! I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for this author's books :-)!!
********************************
FAVORITE QUOTES BELOW - BEWARE OF SPOILERS::
@ 32% ... 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍!!
“The mere thought of sliding his dick into Gideon’s tight ass was enough to have Elijah shuddering. He could almost hear the noises Gideon would make when he was getting fucked; he’d whine, there was no doubt about that. Looking down to see his cock stretching out the soccer player’s hole while Gideon keened below him had Eli salivating. He’d never wanted somebody the way he wanted Gideon, and he’d never had to wait. It was the most delicious kind of torture.”
@ 35% ... 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥!!
“Though Gideon wasn’t sure what the fuck he was going to do with it once it was out, he was desperate to check out Elijah’s cock. From all his rutting, grinding, and peeking, he was aware Elijah’s dick was huge, but nothing could compare to actually seeing it exposed. Impressive, it stood high between them with smooth dark skin stretching over its thick, long shaft. Gideon felt his mouth water at the sight of it, biology taking over where denial once resided.
“Holy shit,” he breathed, unapologetically admiring it in all its glory. The head was slick with excitement, as precome continued to accumulate in its slit. It took all of Gideon’s self-control not to lap it up. He shivered at the thought, unsure why his body would yearn for the other man’s taste like it was. “It’s fucking big.”
“It is,” Elijah confirmed. “Have you ever handled another guy’s cock before?” he asked, looking jealous when Gideon nodded the affirmative. “Okay. Fucking handle this then.”
@ 48% ... ❤️😍❤️😍❤️😍❤️😍❤️😍❤️😍❤️😍❤️😍❤️😍❤️😍❤️!!
“I want this,” Gideon promised, his voice taking the same soft tone it seemed to revert to when Eli was holding him. “You,” he corrected. “I want you.”
“You want to fuck me or you want me?” Elijah muttered, mouth adhered to Gideon’s neck as he unzipped Gideon’s jeans.
“Both.”
“Don’t tell me there’s no us again,” Eli pleaded, lifting his head to look into Gideon’s eyes. “Don’t do that again.”
Elijah looked younger and softer than Gideon had ever seen him, more vulnerable and scared.
“I won’t,” Gideon promised, pushing his fingers through Eli’s dark hair. Suddenly, every worry he’d had about Elijah hours earlier began to fade away, leaving only the worry he could’ve thrown everything away over something that had been mostly out of Elijah’s control. As much as he craved the care Eli gave him, he wanted to provide Eli with the feeling of security, too. Though Gideon didn’t have much in the way of finances, he’d give Eli his loyalty, and that was a hell of a lot.”
May 18, 2018
I was given a copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
This romance set in Chicago’s gritty South Side starts with a bang - or at least a mugging. The mugging is the start of an unlikely romance between a real estate mogul and the teenage gangsta who steals his watch.
I’ll admit from the start that wealthy Eli’s relationship with an impoverished high school student doesn’t sit well with me. I get that at 18, Gideon is legally an adult, but the power imbalance between the two characters really doesn’t work for me. Between Gideon’s quite desperate poverty, Eli’s lavish gifts, the ‘Daddy’ references, and Gideon’s lack of sexual experience, these two never quite feel like equals and they don’t feel like partners.
While I couldn’t get very invested in the romance and I still feel a little squeamish about some of the sex scenes, I really like both Eli and Gideon as characters. As the one who ‘got out’ and became successful, Eli is slightly isolated, straddling the two sides of the city without properly belonging to either. At 18, Gideon still can’t believe that his soccer skills might actually offer him a way out of his life and he doesn’t trust the hope he is starting to feel.
This is an entertaining read but most daytime soaps are more plausible than many elements of this Cinderella story. I’m not convinced by Eli’s transformation from gangsta to mogul by the age of 27. The details of both Eli’s wealthy lifestyle and Gideon’s existence in the hood are equally unconvincing and parts of the story feel like voyeuristic ghetto tourism. Ultimately, this isn’t a favourite of my recent reads but I liked the characters in this story and I enjoyed parts of their relationship.
This romance set in Chicago’s gritty South Side starts with a bang - or at least a mugging. The mugging is the start of an unlikely romance between a real estate mogul and the teenage gangsta who steals his watch.
I’ll admit from the start that wealthy Eli’s relationship with an impoverished high school student doesn’t sit well with me. I get that at 18, Gideon is legally an adult, but the power imbalance between the two characters really doesn’t work for me. Between Gideon’s quite desperate poverty, Eli’s lavish gifts, the ‘Daddy’ references, and Gideon’s lack of sexual experience, these two never quite feel like equals and they don’t feel like partners.
While I couldn’t get very invested in the romance and I still feel a little squeamish about some of the sex scenes, I really like both Eli and Gideon as characters. As the one who ‘got out’ and became successful, Eli is slightly isolated, straddling the two sides of the city without properly belonging to either. At 18, Gideon still can’t believe that his soccer skills might actually offer him a way out of his life and he doesn’t trust the hope he is starting to feel.
This is an entertaining read but most daytime soaps are more plausible than many elements of this Cinderella story. I’m not convinced by Eli’s transformation from gangsta to mogul by the age of 27. The details of both Eli’s wealthy lifestyle and Gideon’s existence in the hood are equally unconvincing and parts of the story feel like voyeuristic ghetto tourism. Ultimately, this isn’t a favourite of my recent reads but I liked the characters in this story and I enjoyed parts of their relationship.
May 9, 2018
Loved this story! Can’t wait for book 2.
PS there are no time-outs in soccer
PS there are no time-outs in soccer
May 17, 2018
2.5
Скучно. Особенно вторая половина. А в конце вообще все в сахар скатилось. Продолжение я не выдержу.
Всю дорогу ждала, что случится какой-то глобальный фак-ап с хлопаньем дверью (приступ Илая, страх камин-аута Гидеона), но, видимо, все вкусное автор приберегла на будущее.
Скучно. Особенно вторая половина. А в конце вообще все в сахар скатилось. Продолжение я не выдержу.
Всю дорогу ждала, что случится какой-то глобальный фак-ап с хлопаньем дверью (приступ Илая, страх камин-аута Гидеона), но, видимо, все вкусное автор приберегла на будущее.
May 25, 2018
Check out our
Watch Me Fall Blog Tour
post on Wicked Reads.
Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team
Sarah – ☆☆☆
This romance set in Chicago’s gritty South Side starts with a bang – or at least a mugging. The mugging is the start of an unlikely romance between a real estate mogul and the teenage gangsta who steals his watch.
I’ll admit from the start that wealthy Eli’s relationship with an impoverished high school student doesn’t sit well with me. I get that at 18, Gideon is legally an adult, but the power imbalance between the two characters really doesn’t work for me. Between Gideon’s quite desperate poverty, Eli’s lavish gifts, the ‘Daddy’ references, and Gideon’s lack of sexual experience, these two never quite feel like equals and they don’t feel like partners.
While I couldn’t get very invested in the romance and I still feel a little squeamish about some of the sex scenes, I really like both Eli and Gideon as characters. As the one who ‘got out’ and became successful, Eli is slightly isolated, straddling the two sides of the city without properly belonging to either. At 18, Gideon still can’t believe that his soccer skills might actually offer him a way out of his life and he doesn’t trust the hope he is starting to feel.
This is an entertaining read but most daytime soaps are more plausible than many elements of this Cinderella story. I’m not convinced by Eli’s transformation from gangsta to mogul by the age of 27. The details of both Eli’s wealthy lifestyle and Gideon’s existence in the hood are equally unconvincing and parts of the story feel like voyeuristic ghetto tourism. Ultimately, this isn’t a favourite of my recent reads, but I liked the characters in this story and I enjoyed parts of their relationship.
Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Watch Me Fall (Start Something #1) by Riley Parks to read and review.
Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team
Sarah – ☆☆☆
This romance set in Chicago’s gritty South Side starts with a bang – or at least a mugging. The mugging is the start of an unlikely romance between a real estate mogul and the teenage gangsta who steals his watch.
I’ll admit from the start that wealthy Eli’s relationship with an impoverished high school student doesn’t sit well with me. I get that at 18, Gideon is legally an adult, but the power imbalance between the two characters really doesn’t work for me. Between Gideon’s quite desperate poverty, Eli’s lavish gifts, the ‘Daddy’ references, and Gideon’s lack of sexual experience, these two never quite feel like equals and they don’t feel like partners.
While I couldn’t get very invested in the romance and I still feel a little squeamish about some of the sex scenes, I really like both Eli and Gideon as characters. As the one who ‘got out’ and became successful, Eli is slightly isolated, straddling the two sides of the city without properly belonging to either. At 18, Gideon still can’t believe that his soccer skills might actually offer him a way out of his life and he doesn’t trust the hope he is starting to feel.
This is an entertaining read but most daytime soaps are more plausible than many elements of this Cinderella story. I’m not convinced by Eli’s transformation from gangsta to mogul by the age of 27. The details of both Eli’s wealthy lifestyle and Gideon’s existence in the hood are equally unconvincing and parts of the story feel like voyeuristic ghetto tourism. Ultimately, this isn’t a favourite of my recent reads, but I liked the characters in this story and I enjoyed parts of their relationship.
Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Watch Me Fall (Start Something #1) by Riley Parks to read and review.
May 15, 2018
Si bien me gustó más Bleeding like me, este tambien un muy buen libro
Sigue siendo muy realista en la forma de desarrollar los personajes actuando y hablando como personas acordes con su edad, aunque éste en el fondo está un poco edulcorado, y son historias diferentes, ya que, no nos engañemos, últimamente muchos libros de los que se escriben ahora de temática mm son calcados los unos a los otros, por lo que cuando alguien innova se agradece mogollón
La única pega es que acaba con un continuará.... o HFN......del que yo no tenía ni idea. No me importa esperar a que salgan los libros para leer series, prefiero esperar y luego leerlos todos de una tacada, porque sino volver sobre mis pasos me da pereza.
Sigue siendo muy realista en la forma de desarrollar los personajes actuando y hablando como personas acordes con su edad, aunque éste en el fondo está un poco edulcorado, y son historias diferentes, ya que, no nos engañemos, últimamente muchos libros de los que se escriben ahora de temática mm son calcados los unos a los otros, por lo que cuando alguien innova se agradece mogollón
La única pega es que acaba con un continuará.... o HFN......del que yo no tenía ni idea. No me importa esperar a que salgan los libros para leer series, prefiero esperar y luego leerlos todos de una tacada, porque sino volver sobre mis pasos me da pereza.
May 24, 2018
Watch Me Fall is a well-written, gritty romance that skates just this side of taboo with Gideon's age. He is legal, but just barely and the age difference between him and Eli really isn't that great, except when you consider the amount of growing up that happens in those years between eighteen and twenty-seven. That part did bother me in the beginning, but it also helps to explain Gideon's negativity throughout so much of the story. Given his age and circumstances, he's learned to hide behind a veil of sarcasm and denial rather than let his feelings show and risk getting hurt. Eli is patient with him despite the intense attraction. He does sometimes come across like he's trying to buy his way into Gideon's life, but once parts of Eli's story are revealed, that too begins to make sense. The romance is a bit of an emotional roller coaster with this pair relying quite a lot on the physical attraction to keep the relationship moving. Considering all of this, it would appear that I didn't particularly enjoy the story, but in reality, I really did. Eli and Gideon are both interesting characters with equally interesting backstories and their combined story made for a compelling read. So, while there were things that frustrated me, in the end, I felt like that may have been intentional. We do get a happy for now, open ending, so there are still some questions about this couple's future and I expect that we'll see a few more ups and downs and hopefully, some emotional growth for Gideon in the next part of their story.
June 11, 2018
4.5 Stars!
While I did love this story, there were just a few things I could not get past and it kept me from giving the book 5 Stars.
*Gideon’s age. Now I don’t mind age gaps or May/December romances, I’ve dated men that were older than me when I was younger and my parents were 10 years apart. So really, an age gap between MC’s is perfectly natural to me. However, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I do not like men (or women) in their late 20’s or older, dating someone who is only 18 and still in high school. I’m sorry but just because they are “legal” does not mean they are ready or mature enough to be in a relationship with someone who is that much older than them. Add to that the whole High School thing and it makes me truly uncomfortable. Now, I completely understand that this is a personal preference and many people might feel differently but it’s just one of those things that bother me.
*The second thing that really bothered me was that I have a hard time believing that Eli’s reputation would not have been more of a concern. What would his bosses, his colleagues and his clients think about him dating a kid in high school? The types of circles he runs in, it’s just weird to think it wouldn’t all be some sort of scandal.
*Lastly, while I’m happy for the HFN ending we got, I’ll admit I wasn’t prepared for it to end with so many unanswered questions and having to wait for book two. I like feeling like I got the full story and some closure but I didn’t get it all. Now I’m going to have to anxiously wait for book two.
With all the negativity out of the way, let me tell you what I happened to love about Watch Me Fall.
*First, the writing. I love how the author really tries to keep an authentic feel to the characters. Both MCs came from a tough background and have endured quite a bit of crap in order to survive. So it’s no surprise that they aren’t going to be overly sweet and soft. They each have that hard edge about them that you’d expect, yet they are extremely endearing and you can’t help but fall for them (rough edges and all).
I will admit I felt the connection to Eli a lot sooner than I did to Gideon. Mainly because a lot of his insecurities came through immediately despite that it seemed like he had his entire life put together. I did wish that we could have gotten to know him better though because as we find out more about his life and his past, the more intriguing it became, yet we only got brief details in passing. Eli is much more complicated than we got to see and it’s left me extremely curious.
Gideon is a really tough nut to crack at first. I liked him but he frustrated me to no end. His character had me waiting on the edge of my seat for a lot of the story, thinking something horrible would happen or trying to prepare myself for heartbreak. He’s pretty lovable in his own way, though, and by the last page, I kind of just wanted to hug him.
Together, Eli and Gideon were hot and they had awesome chemistry (if I ignored the fact that Gideon was only 18). I think they balanced each other quite well and I loved how they both took care of one another in their own way. I am definitely anxious to see what else the author has in store for them and I hope they’ll get their HEA.
Overall, I enjoyed Watch Me Fall a lot and I’d definitely recommend it. I loved Riley Parks book Bleeding Like Me and now that I’ve read and loved this one too, I can confidently say I’m a fan.
***Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by the author/publisher for my reading pleasure in hopes of an unbiased opinion, a review was not a requirement.***
While I did love this story, there were just a few things I could not get past and it kept me from giving the book 5 Stars.
*Gideon’s age. Now I don’t mind age gaps or May/December romances, I’ve dated men that were older than me when I was younger and my parents were 10 years apart. So really, an age gap between MC’s is perfectly natural to me. However, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I do not like men (or women) in their late 20’s or older, dating someone who is only 18 and still in high school. I’m sorry but just because they are “legal” does not mean they are ready or mature enough to be in a relationship with someone who is that much older than them. Add to that the whole High School thing and it makes me truly uncomfortable. Now, I completely understand that this is a personal preference and many people might feel differently but it’s just one of those things that bother me.
*The second thing that really bothered me was that I have a hard time believing that Eli’s reputation would not have been more of a concern. What would his bosses, his colleagues and his clients think about him dating a kid in high school? The types of circles he runs in, it’s just weird to think it wouldn’t all be some sort of scandal.
*Lastly, while I’m happy for the HFN ending we got, I’ll admit I wasn’t prepared for it to end with so many unanswered questions and having to wait for book two. I like feeling like I got the full story and some closure but I didn’t get it all. Now I’m going to have to anxiously wait for book two.
With all the negativity out of the way, let me tell you what I happened to love about Watch Me Fall.
*First, the writing. I love how the author really tries to keep an authentic feel to the characters. Both MCs came from a tough background and have endured quite a bit of crap in order to survive. So it’s no surprise that they aren’t going to be overly sweet and soft. They each have that hard edge about them that you’d expect, yet they are extremely endearing and you can’t help but fall for them (rough edges and all).
I will admit I felt the connection to Eli a lot sooner than I did to Gideon. Mainly because a lot of his insecurities came through immediately despite that it seemed like he had his entire life put together. I did wish that we could have gotten to know him better though because as we find out more about his life and his past, the more intriguing it became, yet we only got brief details in passing. Eli is much more complicated than we got to see and it’s left me extremely curious.
Gideon is a really tough nut to crack at first. I liked him but he frustrated me to no end. His character had me waiting on the edge of my seat for a lot of the story, thinking something horrible would happen or trying to prepare myself for heartbreak. He’s pretty lovable in his own way, though, and by the last page, I kind of just wanted to hug him.
Together, Eli and Gideon were hot and they had awesome chemistry (if I ignored the fact that Gideon was only 18). I think they balanced each other quite well and I loved how they both took care of one another in their own way. I am definitely anxious to see what else the author has in store for them and I hope they’ll get their HEA.
Overall, I enjoyed Watch Me Fall a lot and I’d definitely recommend it. I loved Riley Parks book Bleeding Like Me and now that I’ve read and loved this one too, I can confidently say I’m a fan.
***Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by the author/publisher for my reading pleasure in hopes of an unbiased opinion, a review was not a requirement.***
April 15, 2019
Fresh but okay. That's what this novel rounds up for me. The writing is fresh, the characters are well cooked and the romance is gradual. This novel picked up a lot on the closeted teen side of Gideon and his battle with coming out of his shell and the closet. I think going forward the author will give more light to Eli's bipolar disorder because in this book it was just a prop. If you think I spoiled it for you, don't worry you won't really 'care' about it because it's just one of the things used to characterise Eli. I do think it deserves more attention than just a passing word and maybe the next book will shed light on that. And that's where my apprehensions round up, that the author is taking it one issue at a time. Their journey considering their issues shouldn't be this easy? Maybe I sound cynical but the seamless way everything fit into by the end could have been avoided if the next book is gonna continue with these characters. Then again, I kinda liked how the author didn't make a huge dramatic scene to close up their confession of love which is cute in itself. So, I have my doubts as in where my allegiance lies with the story but I'll definitely give the next book a try just to see if there's anything which keeps me on hook cos this one didn't.
July 10, 2018
Riley Parks = Queen of pulling me out of book slumps. All the stars for Watch Me Fall!!!
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