Title: Moment of Impact (Book 1 of the Moments In Time Series)
Author: Karen Stivali
Length: 33.000 words / 140 pages (novella)
Genre: New Adult, contemporary romance, gay romance, M/M
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Synopsis
Outside Collin Fitzpatrick’s dorm room is a dangerous place. Beyond his door the students of his small, conservative college think he’s straight, as does his Catholic family who’d disown him if they learned the truth. Inside, he’s safe with his incredibly sexy roommate Tanner D’Amico. Their room makes a perfect place to hide away and fall in love. The moment they cross the line from roommates to lovers, Collin becomes caught between their heavenly passionate encounters and the hellish reality that someone might find out and destroy everything. Tanner’s not used to being so confined, and wants to show the world how much he loves Collin. But Collin’s not sure he’s ready for the impact stepping outside will make.
Moment of Impact-Book 1 in Moments In Time by Karen Stivali!!!
Outside of Collins safe room with his sexy roommate, the worlds a very dangerous place for him as his college mates, his Catholic family and friends think he is straight. The only other person inside Collins safe world is Tanner his very sexy roommate. One night as they crossed from friends to lovers , Collin knew that there was no going back and the reality of anyone finding out was the most terrifying aspect of his life. Tanner has not lived so safe, not the way that Collin has. He is not use to this secret double life as he wants to show the world his beautiful lover but Collin has so much to loose or does he?
Their love started in their college dorm room one night that they share as roommates and Collin loves keeping Tanner all to himself in the safe world that he has created. This causes some problems between the guys as Tanner wants their love to grow outside of their room but Collin is just too afraid of being found out. When Collin finally realizes that Tanner is worth the risk, an accident happens that forces him too anyways.
I loved how the story started with just them as roommates and they fell for each other and the passion between Collin and Tanner was so incredibly hot. This was such a beautiful and yet realistic view of many gay relationships and the author captured it brilliantly. I thought the huge difference in their upbringing was so well written and set up the characters perfectly for this beautiful love story. This was my first novel by this author and I greatly enjoyed it. Her writing flowed so beautifully from page to page and the intense chemistry and the love between these guys was the absolute best. I found myself rooting for their love and not wanting this love story to ever end. I highly recommend Moment of Impact for everyone who enjoys a great love story between two beautiful men!!!
Once you reach adulthood chances are the people who know you best are your friends. Sure, your family members may have known you longer, but when it comes to knowing who you are, in the present, at the moment, friends usually top the list. They're the people you've shared the same experiences with, they've likely seen you at your best and at your worst and somehow manage to like you anyway. You tell your friends your likes and dislikes, your hopes and dreams, awkward stories about your past, aspirations for your future. And often times they know your secrets. You confess your crushes, your conquests, your failures. Friends hear it all.
So what happens when you have a secret you can't share with your friend? Like maybe the fact that lately (or for a while) you've been thinking about them as more than just a friend? Do you risk telling them? It could be the best thing ever IF they feel the same. It could ruin the friendship. It could be the best thing for a while and THEN ruin the friendship. All the logical thinking in the world can go right out the nearest window when ther person you're attracted to is in the room. And if that person is a close friend, you've got some serious thinking to do.
That's why I love writing friends-to-romance novels. The dynamic between friends is already unique and special. It adds that extra element of fear, potential gain or potential loss, risk of something you care about for something that might be even better. Or might not.
In MOMENT OF IMPACT Collin and Tanner have known each other casually for two years. They've lived in the same dorm, hung out some, always gotten along. But their junior year they're roommates, living together for the first time in one tiny dorm room. Their friendship has grown stronger but so has Collin's crush on Tanner. And that's not the only problem. To the best of Collin's knowledge Tanner is straight. And Collin's never told a soul that he's been questioning his own sexuality for years. Tension? Worry? Freaking out? Collin experiences it all as his feelings overwhelm the rational part of his brain...and he gets the shock of his life when he finds out Tanner's had feelings for him too. To find out what happens when these two friends become lovers, read Moment Of Impact. And if you want to find out more as their journey continues at different stages in the future, pick up the other books in the series when they release in March and May.
I didn’t know how to phrase what I wanted to ask.
“You’ve, like, been with guys?”
Tanner nodded. “Yes.”
“Plural?”
“Two.”
The thought turned me on and made me jealous in equal measure, but I couldn’t even tell what I was jealous about—the fact that he’d done this before or the fact that it had been with someone other than me.
“Here?”
“No. No one at school. Last summer, when I worked at that restaurant on Fire Island, there was another waiter. He was a few years older than me, and I guess he saw what I’d been afraid to admit. We were closing one night, and no one else was there. One minute we were covering the salad dressings in the walk-in, and the next he was kissing me with my dick in his hand.”
The feeling returned. A pang, deep in my stomach, twisting and burning. What he was describing wasn’t much different from what I’d pictured when Tanner mentioned getting a job with me at Gino’s. Only this was him and some other dude. An older guy, who probably had way more experience.
“Obviously you liked it.”
“Yeah. And it scared the crap out of me. So I get it, you know? If you’re not sure, or you’re over there losing your shit about this, I understand.”
“Who was the second guy?”
Tanner planted his hand in his hair and scratched the back of his head. I wanted to feel his hair under my fingers again. “I went back to my mom’s place in the city, for a week between when the summer job ended and I was due to move in here. There was this guy in her building. Our age. He was home for break too, and we hooked up one night.”
Hooked up? What does that even mean? I felt like an idiot not knowing. My blood was back to whooshing in my ears so fast I couldn’t concentrate. I had questions. So many questions they all jumbled together.
“How come you never said anything?”
“Like I said, I thought you were straight.”
“You still could have told me.”
“You could have told me too.”
Touché. My fingers ran along the edge of my pillowcase, playing with the trim as I screwed up the courage to say what was playing on an endless loop in my brain. “Tanner?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m gay.”
Buy Moment of Impact
Dreamspinner Press: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5855
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00RO1Z6ZC/
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00RO1Z6ZC/
Amazon AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B00RO1Z6ZC/
Giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveawayAbout the author
Karen Stivali is a prolific writer, compulsive baker and chocoholic with a penchant for books, movies, and fictional British men. She’s also the multiple award-winning author of contemporary and erotic romances. Her lifelong fascination with people has led her to careers ranging from hand-drawn animator, to party planner, to marriage and family counselor, but writing has always been her passion. Karen enjoys nothing more than following her characters on their journey toward love. Whether the couples are m/f or m/m, it’s guaranteed that Karen’s novels are filled with food, friendship, love, and smoking hot sex—all the best things in life.
When Karen isn’t writing (and often when she is), she can be found on Twitter attempting witty banter and detailing the antics of her fruit-loving cat, BadKitteh. She loves to hear from readers (and other writers), so don’t hesitate to contact/follow/like her at:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/karenstivali
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/KarenStivaliAuthor
Website: http://karenstivali.com
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E-mail: [email protected]