The Half Of Us (4th Book-Family Series)
Cardeno C
Released: October 10, 2014
GMA 5 Star Review
Cardeno C
Released: October 10, 2014
GMA 5 Star Review
Short-tempered, arrogant heart surgeon Jason Garcia grew up wanting a close-knit family, but believes he ruined those dreams when he broke up his marriage. The benefit of divorce is having as much random sex as he wants, and it’s a benefit Jason is exploiting when he meets a sweet, shy man at a bar and convinces him to go home for a no-strings-attached night of fun.
Eight years living in Las Vegas hasn’t dimmed Abe Green’s optimism, earnestness, or desire to find the one. When a sexy man with lonely eyes propositions him, Abe decides to give himself a birthday present—one night of spontaneous fun with no thoughts of the future. But one night turns into two and then three, and Abe realizes his heart is involved.
For the first time, Abe feels safe enough with someone he respects and adores to let go of his inhibitions in the bedroom. If Jason can get past his own inhibitions and open his heart and his life to Abe, he might finally find the family he craves.
Eight years living in Las Vegas hasn’t dimmed Abe Green’s optimism, earnestness, or desire to find the one. When a sexy man with lonely eyes propositions him, Abe decides to give himself a birthday present—one night of spontaneous fun with no thoughts of the future. But one night turns into two and then three, and Abe realizes his heart is involved.
For the first time, Abe feels safe enough with someone he respects and adores to let go of his inhibitions in the bedroom. If Jason can get past his own inhibitions and open his heart and his life to Abe, he might finally find the family he craves.
5 STAR GMA REVIEW
The Half Of Us-Book 4 in the Family Series by Cardeno C!
Heart surgeon Jason Garcia always wanted a close knit family but that seems far off now that he ended his marriage. The one thing that he's enjoying as a single person is a lot of random sex, then he meets a shy man at a bar and they go home for a night of casual sex. Abe Green hasn't given up on finding the man of his dreams and a sexy guy comes on to him and Abe decides to have a night of passion and takes a break from looking for Mr. Right. Now the one-night of casual sex has turned into many nights of passion with the sexy stranger but Abe realizes that he has now fallen for him.
I loved how Jason, the 36 year old hot surgeon meets Abe, the 26 year old teacher as they keep coming back for more. What was suppose to be a casual night of hot sex turns into much more. I loved how Jason is still friends with his ex-wife, Angela as it makes for a more realistic look on a modern family and I loved his ex-wife. I thought how Abe and Jason's relationship grows slowly was so well written as they hopped into bed fast but not into their hearts as fast. Angela really convinces Jason to accept Abe into the family and the best advice ever as it benefits everyone.
I truly loved the dynamics of this family as it felt so realistic and organic. This is what today's family represents as it's no longer the stereotypical family. The author did such an amazing job creating these amazing and brilliant characters and their stories. The sex scenes were so hot yet beautiful and loved the connection that Abe and Jason shared and then to bring in Jason's family was just wonderful. The way the author developed the amazing character of Jason was great as he had to come to turns with a lot in his life and his heart was still open to having that family life. I highly recommend The Half Of US by Cardeno C to anyone who loves reading about the true meaning of love and family!
The Half Of Us-Book 4 in the Family Series by Cardeno C!
Heart surgeon Jason Garcia always wanted a close knit family but that seems far off now that he ended his marriage. The one thing that he's enjoying as a single person is a lot of random sex, then he meets a shy man at a bar and they go home for a night of casual sex. Abe Green hasn't given up on finding the man of his dreams and a sexy guy comes on to him and Abe decides to have a night of passion and takes a break from looking for Mr. Right. Now the one-night of casual sex has turned into many nights of passion with the sexy stranger but Abe realizes that he has now fallen for him.
I loved how Jason, the 36 year old hot surgeon meets Abe, the 26 year old teacher as they keep coming back for more. What was suppose to be a casual night of hot sex turns into much more. I loved how Jason is still friends with his ex-wife, Angela as it makes for a more realistic look on a modern family and I loved his ex-wife. I thought how Abe and Jason's relationship grows slowly was so well written as they hopped into bed fast but not into their hearts as fast. Angela really convinces Jason to accept Abe into the family and the best advice ever as it benefits everyone.
I truly loved the dynamics of this family as it felt so realistic and organic. This is what today's family represents as it's no longer the stereotypical family. The author did such an amazing job creating these amazing and brilliant characters and their stories. The sex scenes were so hot yet beautiful and loved the connection that Abe and Jason shared and then to bring in Jason's family was just wonderful. The way the author developed the amazing character of Jason was great as he had to come to turns with a lot in his life and his heart was still open to having that family life. I highly recommend The Half Of US by Cardeno C to anyone who loves reading about the true meaning of love and family!
1-Who is C. Cardeno and what does the C stand for?
CC: My pen name is based on a place I lived as a child. As far as who I am ... I think I'm a fairly average person. I have a good day job but, like many others, I wish I could write full time. I play the lotto sometimes in the hope of making that wish come true and if they ever make the winner the person who gets the least numbers right, I might stand a chance. I like spending time with friends. Lots of my social time seems centered on food - trying a new restaurant, making a meal for friends, baking something to bring to someone's house. And I never seem to have enough time in a day.
2-What was it that made you want to write about gay characters and MM novels?
CC: I decided to start writing in this genre because I felt like so many movies and shows have gay characters who were killed or hurt or deeply miserable. After seeing this over and over again, I started feeling like it was a punishment, like these people weren't allowed to be happy and healthy and strong AND gay. And I’m talking about movies where the gay characters are the main characters, movies targeted toward a gay/welcoming audience. That vision of life doesn't match what I see in the world around me.
Yes, there are tragedies and sadness and family trouble. I know. Those things are real and true. But my life experience is that people as a whole are resilient and strong. I see people move past the hard times and make their own happy futures. I see people learn and grow and build lives and communities and families around them. I see people who use their experience and wisdom to make choices that allow them to live the kinds of lives they want on their terms and to be satisfied and happy with those lives. That’s my reality and I wanted to share it.
3-How do you come up with such interesting gay storylines and hot characters?
CC: I'm inspired by a lot of things - anecdotes I hear, characteristics of friends, news articles, songs, pictures, even customer service representatives (Emilio in Strong Enough was inspired by a really nice customer service representative who talked me off the edge when my computer fell apart. He was named, as you might guess, Emilio.).
4-Was it difficult researching for your amazing gay sex scenes as they're spot on?
CC: Thank you. And nope. ;)
5-Your fans love your characters so much, what do these characters mean to you?
CC: I live with the characters in my head before I can write them so even though they're not real, in some ways they're real to me. I wouldn't be able to spend the time I do to write their stories without liking them. And I genuinely do.
6-When did you first realize that you were a writer?
CC: What a great question. I'm not sure of the exact moment but I'll say that it was well after I published several books.
7-What genre of writing would you classify yourself with?
CC: I consider myself a romance writer generally. More specifically, I write erotic romance. If we want to narrow down further, I write contemporary and paranormal erotic romance. And if we're really going detailed, I write contemporary and paranormal erotic romance with gay main characters.
8-What's the most difficult element of being an author today?
CC: I've only been an author in today's world, but if I had to guess at a comparison of what's most difficult today as compared to writing in the past, I'd choose the same thing that I think is the most wonderful element of being an author today - the internet. Authors today have tons of access to readers, both in getting our books made and distributed to readers and in connecting and interacting with readers. I love all of that. But it can also be scary in a vulnerable way and bright-shiny-object distracting.
9-What advice would you give an author, just starting out, who wants to write gay fiction?
CC: I think the only advice I can give any author is to give it your all, feel good about the words you put on paper, and do your best to ignore the noise.
10-Where would you like to see your career in 10 years from now?
CC: I hope I'll still be writing in 10 years. And I hope the same people still enjoy my work enough to read it.
11-If a reader hasn't read any of your books yet, which one would you recommend?
CC: Hmmm. I think it really depends on what the reader is in the mood for. Each of my books can be read independently so a reader can pick the one whose blurb sounds most intriguing. Or start with my newest one - The Half of Us.
12-What is it that you believe draws a large amount of female readers to MM novels?
CC: Romance novels are predominantly read by women. MM novels are a subset of romance novels. I honestly think it's as simple as that.13-
13-What is something that you would like your readers to know about you?
CC: That I'm grateful for their emails and FB comments and tweets. I wouldn't do this if they weren't reading my work and I love doing this. So thank you.
14-What do you want to be remembered for most?
CC: If I had to choose one thing, I'd like to be remembered for making people feel good.
15-What do your readers mean to you and how interactive are you with them?
CC: My readers are the reason I write. They mean everything to me. And I try to interact with them as much as possible while still finding time to write. And go on coffee runs.
16-Do you have a Philosophy by which you live?
CC: I'm not sure if it's a philosophy, but I try to live my life in a way that will never cause me to look back and feel regret at my behavior.
17-What is your favourite curse word?
CC: They're all pretty good. Fuck seems like the most versatile one though, so let's fucking go with it.
18-What was the last book you read and your thoughts on it?
CC: I think the last book I read was one of Sean Michael's and it was a reread so my thoughts are - great book, Sean. Thank you.
19-If you could come back as any animal or mammal, what would it be and why?
CC: I'd come back as a human with super fast typing skills.
20-Lastly, any hints on your next book that you might be working on?
CC: My next release is a wolf shifter book called Blue Mountain. It'll be released November 21st. Here's the blurb:
Exiled by his pack as a teen, Omega wolf Simon Moorehead learns to bury his gentle nature in the interest of survival. When a hulking, rough-faced Alpha catches Simon on pack territory, he tries to escape what he’s sure will be imminent death. But instead of killing him, the Alpha takes Simon home.
A man of action, Mitch Grant uproots his life to support his brother in leading the Blue Mountain pack. Mitch lives on the periphery, quietly protecting everyone, but always alone. A mate is a dream come true for Mitch, and he won’t let little things like Simon’s rejections, attacks, and insults get in their way. With patience, seduction, and genuine care, Mitch will ride out the storm while Simon slays his own ghosts and Mitch’s loneliness.
CC: My pen name is based on a place I lived as a child. As far as who I am ... I think I'm a fairly average person. I have a good day job but, like many others, I wish I could write full time. I play the lotto sometimes in the hope of making that wish come true and if they ever make the winner the person who gets the least numbers right, I might stand a chance. I like spending time with friends. Lots of my social time seems centered on food - trying a new restaurant, making a meal for friends, baking something to bring to someone's house. And I never seem to have enough time in a day.
2-What was it that made you want to write about gay characters and MM novels?
CC: I decided to start writing in this genre because I felt like so many movies and shows have gay characters who were killed or hurt or deeply miserable. After seeing this over and over again, I started feeling like it was a punishment, like these people weren't allowed to be happy and healthy and strong AND gay. And I’m talking about movies where the gay characters are the main characters, movies targeted toward a gay/welcoming audience. That vision of life doesn't match what I see in the world around me.
Yes, there are tragedies and sadness and family trouble. I know. Those things are real and true. But my life experience is that people as a whole are resilient and strong. I see people move past the hard times and make their own happy futures. I see people learn and grow and build lives and communities and families around them. I see people who use their experience and wisdom to make choices that allow them to live the kinds of lives they want on their terms and to be satisfied and happy with those lives. That’s my reality and I wanted to share it.
3-How do you come up with such interesting gay storylines and hot characters?
CC: I'm inspired by a lot of things - anecdotes I hear, characteristics of friends, news articles, songs, pictures, even customer service representatives (Emilio in Strong Enough was inspired by a really nice customer service representative who talked me off the edge when my computer fell apart. He was named, as you might guess, Emilio.).
4-Was it difficult researching for your amazing gay sex scenes as they're spot on?
CC: Thank you. And nope. ;)
5-Your fans love your characters so much, what do these characters mean to you?
CC: I live with the characters in my head before I can write them so even though they're not real, in some ways they're real to me. I wouldn't be able to spend the time I do to write their stories without liking them. And I genuinely do.
6-When did you first realize that you were a writer?
CC: What a great question. I'm not sure of the exact moment but I'll say that it was well after I published several books.
7-What genre of writing would you classify yourself with?
CC: I consider myself a romance writer generally. More specifically, I write erotic romance. If we want to narrow down further, I write contemporary and paranormal erotic romance. And if we're really going detailed, I write contemporary and paranormal erotic romance with gay main characters.
8-What's the most difficult element of being an author today?
CC: I've only been an author in today's world, but if I had to guess at a comparison of what's most difficult today as compared to writing in the past, I'd choose the same thing that I think is the most wonderful element of being an author today - the internet. Authors today have tons of access to readers, both in getting our books made and distributed to readers and in connecting and interacting with readers. I love all of that. But it can also be scary in a vulnerable way and bright-shiny-object distracting.
9-What advice would you give an author, just starting out, who wants to write gay fiction?
CC: I think the only advice I can give any author is to give it your all, feel good about the words you put on paper, and do your best to ignore the noise.
10-Where would you like to see your career in 10 years from now?
CC: I hope I'll still be writing in 10 years. And I hope the same people still enjoy my work enough to read it.
11-If a reader hasn't read any of your books yet, which one would you recommend?
CC: Hmmm. I think it really depends on what the reader is in the mood for. Each of my books can be read independently so a reader can pick the one whose blurb sounds most intriguing. Or start with my newest one - The Half of Us.
12-What is it that you believe draws a large amount of female readers to MM novels?
CC: Romance novels are predominantly read by women. MM novels are a subset of romance novels. I honestly think it's as simple as that.13-
13-What is something that you would like your readers to know about you?
CC: That I'm grateful for their emails and FB comments and tweets. I wouldn't do this if they weren't reading my work and I love doing this. So thank you.
14-What do you want to be remembered for most?
CC: If I had to choose one thing, I'd like to be remembered for making people feel good.
15-What do your readers mean to you and how interactive are you with them?
CC: My readers are the reason I write. They mean everything to me. And I try to interact with them as much as possible while still finding time to write. And go on coffee runs.
16-Do you have a Philosophy by which you live?
CC: I'm not sure if it's a philosophy, but I try to live my life in a way that will never cause me to look back and feel regret at my behavior.
17-What is your favourite curse word?
CC: They're all pretty good. Fuck seems like the most versatile one though, so let's fucking go with it.
18-What was the last book you read and your thoughts on it?
CC: I think the last book I read was one of Sean Michael's and it was a reread so my thoughts are - great book, Sean. Thank you.
19-If you could come back as any animal or mammal, what would it be and why?
CC: I'd come back as a human with super fast typing skills.
20-Lastly, any hints on your next book that you might be working on?
CC: My next release is a wolf shifter book called Blue Mountain. It'll be released November 21st. Here's the blurb:
Exiled by his pack as a teen, Omega wolf Simon Moorehead learns to bury his gentle nature in the interest of survival. When a hulking, rough-faced Alpha catches Simon on pack territory, he tries to escape what he’s sure will be imminent death. But instead of killing him, the Alpha takes Simon home.
A man of action, Mitch Grant uproots his life to support his brother in leading the Blue Mountain pack. Mitch lives on the periphery, quietly protecting everyone, but always alone. A mate is a dream come true for Mitch, and he won’t let little things like Simon’s rejections, attacks, and insults get in their way. With patience, seduction, and genuine care, Mitch will ride out the storm while Simon slays his own ghosts and Mitch’s loneliness.
The Half of Us by Cardeno C. - Excerpt
Abe turned around and leaned against the peninsula. “We’ll eat dinner and then we can get in the bath and talk.”
“Talk?”
Abe threw back his head and laughed.
“What?”
“We suck at this,” he said. “Both of us.”
Jason arched his eyebrows and curled one side of his lips up. “Oh, we both suck plenty.”
“Cut it out.” Abe chuckled and lightly smacked Jason’s shoulder.
“Sorry.” Jason cleared his throat and tried to look serious. “What do we suck at?”
“Talking.”
He reared back. “We talk.”
“We do,” Abe agreed. “But not about everything we should.”
“Fine.” Jason sighed dramatically. “If you feed me and get naked and wet with me, I’m willing to suffer through a conversation.”
“You really are a giver,” Abe said sarcastically.
Jason arched his eyebrows, brought his fist to his mouth, and coughed.
Abe shook his head. “Is there anything you can’t turn into a sexual innuendo?”
“Is there anything you can say that isn’t a sexual innuendo?”
“Apparently not,” Abe conceded. He ran one finger down Jason’s chest, over his stomach, and across his groin. “My subconscious must see you and think sex, so everything gets tainted.”
“Aww, baby, you say the sweetest things,” Jason said as he stepped closer.
Abe rolled his eyes.
“You do,” Jason insisted, his voice full of humor.
Abe shook his head and snorted.
Jason was amazed at how much better he felt. Less than an hour earlier, he had wanted to put his hand through a wall; now he was calm and happy. He snaked his arm around Abe’s waist and brought their chests together, trapping Abe against the counter. “You do,” he whispered into Abe’s ear.
Trembling, Abe turned his face into Jason’s neck and said, “You really do it for me.”
“I know,” Jason said. Abe was too earnest to play games and too inexperienced to effectively hide his emotions. His eagerness to be with Jason was evident in his every expression and action, which Jason cherished because the feeling was mutual even if he wasn’t always great at showing it. “Like I said.” He cupped Abe’s chin, tilted his head up, and then dipped down and brushed their lips together. “The sweetest things.”
Fun Facts About The Half of Us by Cardeno C.
1. It will make you want to try putting Milk Duds in your popcorn.
2. The word “balls” is used forty times.
3. After reading The Half Of Us you may suddenly notice if people move their arms as they walk.
4. Small talk before a one-night stand gets Abe right where he wants to be.
5. Jason and Abe find ways to spice up Netflix Recommends.
6. Donuts are the way to reach uncommunicative teenage boys.
7. Sometimes hugging and kissing are just as intimate as sex.
Abe turned around and leaned against the peninsula. “We’ll eat dinner and then we can get in the bath and talk.”
“Talk?”
Abe threw back his head and laughed.
“What?”
“We suck at this,” he said. “Both of us.”
Jason arched his eyebrows and curled one side of his lips up. “Oh, we both suck plenty.”
“Cut it out.” Abe chuckled and lightly smacked Jason’s shoulder.
“Sorry.” Jason cleared his throat and tried to look serious. “What do we suck at?”
“Talking.”
He reared back. “We talk.”
“We do,” Abe agreed. “But not about everything we should.”
“Fine.” Jason sighed dramatically. “If you feed me and get naked and wet with me, I’m willing to suffer through a conversation.”
“You really are a giver,” Abe said sarcastically.
Jason arched his eyebrows, brought his fist to his mouth, and coughed.
Abe shook his head. “Is there anything you can’t turn into a sexual innuendo?”
“Is there anything you can say that isn’t a sexual innuendo?”
“Apparently not,” Abe conceded. He ran one finger down Jason’s chest, over his stomach, and across his groin. “My subconscious must see you and think sex, so everything gets tainted.”
“Aww, baby, you say the sweetest things,” Jason said as he stepped closer.
Abe rolled his eyes.
“You do,” Jason insisted, his voice full of humor.
Abe shook his head and snorted.
Jason was amazed at how much better he felt. Less than an hour earlier, he had wanted to put his hand through a wall; now he was calm and happy. He snaked his arm around Abe’s waist and brought their chests together, trapping Abe against the counter. “You do,” he whispered into Abe’s ear.
Trembling, Abe turned his face into Jason’s neck and said, “You really do it for me.”
“I know,” Jason said. Abe was too earnest to play games and too inexperienced to effectively hide his emotions. His eagerness to be with Jason was evident in his every expression and action, which Jason cherished because the feeling was mutual even if he wasn’t always great at showing it. “Like I said.” He cupped Abe’s chin, tilted his head up, and then dipped down and brushed their lips together. “The sweetest things.”
Fun Facts About The Half of Us by Cardeno C.
1. It will make you want to try putting Milk Duds in your popcorn.
2. The word “balls” is used forty times.
3. After reading The Half Of Us you may suddenly notice if people move their arms as they walk.
4. Small talk before a one-night stand gets Abe right where he wants to be.
5. Jason and Abe find ways to spice up Netflix Recommends.
6. Donuts are the way to reach uncommunicative teenage boys.
7. Sometimes hugging and kissing are just as intimate as sex.
Cardeno C. - CC to friends - is a hopeless romantic who wants to add a lot of happiness and a few "awwws" into a reader's day. Writing is a nice break from real life as a corporate type and volunteer work with gay rights organizations. Cardeno's stories range from sweet to intense, contemporary to paranormal, long to short, but they always include strong relationships and walks into the happily-ever-after sunset. Heartwarming Stories. Strong Relationships. Forever Love.
