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Geek Life #1
A Little Side of Geek
Geek Book One
When opposite worlds collide, it’s anyone’s game.
Proud geek and comic book artist Morris Proctor wants nothing more than to live in semiseclusion with his devil cat and gamer friends. Despite what his well-meaning family thinks, he’s perfectly content with his status quo. The last thing he needs is to date another nongeek hell-bent on changing him.
Then he meets his adorkable new neighbor, Theo Boarman, who doesn’t know Star Trek from Star Wars, but who tempts him like no other.
Theo has spent the last year recovering from the loss of his parents and trying to play both roles for his teenage brother, while working to keep the family restaurant afloat. Dating is the last thing on the menu, especially with a man who thinks the height of dining is shoving a packaged meal into the microwave.
But if Morris gives him one more shy smile or flaunts that kilt he wears so well, Theo will be forced to convince him that a hot summer fling is just the recipe to let off a little steam.
When that fling gets serious fast, Morris has to decide if he’s willing to give his heart to Theo on the chance that they’re a perfect mix.
When opposite worlds collide, it’s anyone’s game.
Proud geek and comic book artist Morris Proctor wants nothing more than to live in semiseclusion with his devil cat and gamer friends. Despite what his well-meaning family thinks, he’s perfectly content with his status quo. The last thing he needs is to date another nongeek hell-bent on changing him.
Then he meets his adorkable new neighbor, Theo Boarman, who doesn’t know Star Trek from Star Wars, but who tempts him like no other.
Theo has spent the last year recovering from the loss of his parents and trying to play both roles for his teenage brother, while working to keep the family restaurant afloat. Dating is the last thing on the menu, especially with a man who thinks the height of dining is shoving a packaged meal into the microwave.
But if Morris gives him one more shy smile or flaunts that kilt he wears so well, Theo will be forced to convince him that a hot summer fling is just the recipe to let off a little steam.
When that fling gets serious fast, Morris has to decide if he’s willing to give his heart to Theo on the chance that they’re a perfect mix.
306 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 22, 2018
11 people are currently reading
190 people want to read
About the author
Marguerite Labbe
37 books128 followersMarguerite has been accused of being eccentric and a shade neurotic, both of which she freely admits to, but her muse has OCD tendencies, so who can blame her? Her husband and son do an excellent job keeping her toeing the line, though. Together with her co-author Fae Sutherland, Marguerite has found a shared passion for beautiful men with smart mouths.
When she's not working hard on writing new material and editing completed work, she spends her time reading novels of all genres, enjoying role-playing games with her equally nutty friends, and trying to plot practical jokes against her son and husband. Her son is learning the tricks too quickly and likes to retaliate. You'd think she'd learn.
When she's not working hard on writing new material and editing completed work, she spends her time reading novels of all genres, enjoying role-playing games with her equally nutty friends, and trying to plot practical jokes against her son and husband. Her son is learning the tricks too quickly and likes to retaliate. You'd think she'd learn.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
June 7, 2018
4.25 stars!
While I know Marguerite Labbe has been writing in this genre but this is her first solo work that I read -- beforehand, I read her collaborations with other authors. And I LOVED it!!
I might not understand most of the geeks talk (like the computer games, and such) that came out from Morris' mouth -- I am as clueless as Theo, although I know the difference between Star Wars and Star Trek and can honestly claim I don't care for both (wait for rotten tomatoes to be thrown at me) -- but in overall, this book is characters focused and that's the BEST kind of read.
I love that despite the opposite interest -- Morris into geek-dom and Theo into food -- both are actually quite similar. They have baggage: Morris worries that dating a non-geek will make Theo tries to change his life, that Theo will judge his job. Theo struggles to find one who can understand that his family bistro is important, that he comes with a package (his younger brother Lincoln), that he fears of abandonment after losing both his parents.
But they TALK about it like adults!! Oh, how I love that. Yes, there's a point where one of them walk away in full steam, but the other gets to call it the next day. MATURE relationship for the win.
I also loved the well-rounded casts of family and friends surrounding both our men. Theo's siblings, Morris' family members, and don't forget Morris' diva cat, Cassie *laugh*. In fact, Labbe inserts a couple of chapters from the perspective of two men who will get their book next. Labbe has successfully roped me into this series. I will be waiting in high anticipation for Felipe and his silver fox next :)
While I know Marguerite Labbe has been writing in this genre but this is her first solo work that I read -- beforehand, I read her collaborations with other authors. And I LOVED it!!
I might not understand most of the geeks talk (like the computer games, and such) that came out from Morris' mouth -- I am as clueless as Theo, although I know the difference between Star Wars and Star Trek and can honestly claim I don't care for both (wait for rotten tomatoes to be thrown at me) -- but in overall, this book is characters focused and that's the BEST kind of read.
I love that despite the opposite interest -- Morris into geek-dom and Theo into food -- both are actually quite similar. They have baggage: Morris worries that dating a non-geek will make Theo tries to change his life, that Theo will judge his job. Theo struggles to find one who can understand that his family bistro is important, that he comes with a package (his younger brother Lincoln), that he fears of abandonment after losing both his parents.
But they TALK about it like adults!! Oh, how I love that. Yes, there's a point where one of them walk away in full steam, but the other gets to call it the next day. MATURE relationship for the win.
I also loved the well-rounded casts of family and friends surrounding both our men. Theo's siblings, Morris' family members, and don't forget Morris' diva cat, Cassie *laugh*. In fact, Labbe inserts a couple of chapters from the perspective of two men who will get their book next. Labbe has successfully roped me into this series. I will be waiting in high anticipation for Felipe and his silver fox next :)
May 29, 2018
Very nice, chill, 'smooth' geeky romance.
I think... I think this might have been too long, when taking into account that not a lot happened.
I liked the progression and development of the relationship, and I liked that we got to follow along, but it was just a very... 'Chill' story.
My biggest issue was Morris's attitude towards Theo, when they were fighting:
More than once Theo's person was described as having temper tantrums, and it just... It read weird, and sort of emasculating, that Morris thought about him like that.
I also had a little niggle with Theo's family and his douchy brother and sister and how they were all suddenly a-okay again.
But other than that, everything was just very 'pleasant'. And that's definitely not a bad thing, but... It never got my heart rate up, or my blood pumping, it was just very 'nice'!
I think... I think this might have been too long, when taking into account that not a lot happened.
I liked the progression and development of the relationship, and I liked that we got to follow along, but it was just a very... 'Chill' story.
My biggest issue was Morris's attitude towards Theo, when they were fighting:
He couldn’t skive off work because Theo was having a temper tantrum, and he didn’t see how talking about it any more would change the situation.
More than once Theo's person was described as having temper tantrums, and it just... It read weird, and sort of emasculating, that Morris thought about him like that.
I also had a little niggle with Theo's family and his douchy brother and sister and how they were all suddenly a-okay again.
But other than that, everything was just very 'pleasant'. And that's definitely not a bad thing, but... It never got my heart rate up, or my blood pumping, it was just very 'nice'!
March 3, 2019
2.75 stars rounded up.
This is a case of "I liked this, but..."
This never really gelled for me. The start of Morris and Theo's relationship was supposed to be a fling, because they were both attracted to each other but didn't have time for a relationship. As a result, I never really cared about their first couple of encounters because I didn't feel any chemistry between the characters or have any sense of why they liked each other beyond their looks, which were just barely described. They do quickly realize that they get along quite well and there are some great scenes with them later on, but it took a little too long to get there and I never quite bought into the relationship.
I really liked the relationship between Theo and his younger brother Lincoln, who Theo became guardian of after their parents died a year before. Lincoln was a believable teen, and Theo was over his head at some points but managed to mostly keep it together. He messes up at times, but they talk things out. I would've liked for Jill to be developed beyond "tough sister who works while she's preggers" ... like every other woman in the history of ever.
A couple of other issues I had was the redundancy of information and the time jumps. While the story takes place over several months, there was no real way to keep track of just how much time was passing between scenes. Some things that I wanted to see on page, particularly near the end with some of Theo's other siblings, were skipped over entirely and I can't help but think there would have been more page time for those scenes if the redundancy had been cut down. There were also two chapters that had different POVs from Theo or Morris, and they felt random and unnecessary (except they have to set up the other books in the series). These could also have been left out without missing anything and more time could have been given to Morris and Theo.
There was one point where it started tilting into drama llama territory, and it felt completely out of character. Thankfully, it didn't go full-tilt and managed to pull it together just in time, but the scene still felt manufactured.
It was a strange reading experience. When I was into it, I was really into it. But when I wasn't, it all fell flat and felt uninspired. I don't think I'll be reading the next one. I'm not really endeared to Felipe after this book so I'm not really looking to read a whole book about him and his love interest. I'm guessing the third will be about Brenden and Dakota, who I'm also not interested in, so this'll probably be it for me and this series.
This is a case of "I liked this, but..."
This never really gelled for me. The start of Morris and Theo's relationship was supposed to be a fling, because they were both attracted to each other but didn't have time for a relationship. As a result, I never really cared about their first couple of encounters because I didn't feel any chemistry between the characters or have any sense of why they liked each other beyond their looks, which were just barely described. They do quickly realize that they get along quite well and there are some great scenes with them later on, but it took a little too long to get there and I never quite bought into the relationship.
I really liked the relationship between Theo and his younger brother Lincoln, who Theo became guardian of after their parents died a year before. Lincoln was a believable teen, and Theo was over his head at some points but managed to mostly keep it together. He messes up at times, but they talk things out. I would've liked for Jill to be developed beyond "tough sister who works while she's preggers" ... like every other woman in the history of ever.
A couple of other issues I had was the redundancy of information and the time jumps. While the story takes place over several months, there was no real way to keep track of just how much time was passing between scenes. Some things that I wanted to see on page, particularly near the end with some of Theo's other siblings, were skipped over entirely and I can't help but think there would have been more page time for those scenes if the redundancy had been cut down. There were also two chapters that had different POVs from Theo or Morris, and they felt random and unnecessary (except they have to set up the other books in the series). These could also have been left out without missing anything and more time could have been given to Morris and Theo.
There was one point where it started tilting into drama llama territory, and it felt completely out of character. Thankfully, it didn't go full-tilt and managed to pull it together just in time, but the scene still felt manufactured.
It was a strange reading experience. When I was into it, I was really into it. But when I wasn't, it all fell flat and felt uninspired. I don't think I'll be reading the next one. I'm not really endeared to Felipe after this book so I'm not really looking to read a whole book about him and his love interest. I'm guessing the third will be about Brenden and Dakota, who I'm also not interested in, so this'll probably be it for me and this series.
May 24, 2018
It amazes me how some authors can take a handful of words, craft them in a certain way, and produce a novel that can bring characters to life, evoke emotions, and leave a reader thinking about them for days afterward.
In this tale, geeky comic book artist Morris Proctor is perfectly happy living with his cat and his art. Give him some easily heated convenience food or pizza delivery and he’ll rarely need to leave his house. Except, of course, for the cons he attends—not as a gamer or cosplayer—but as an exhibitor where he sells his artwork and comic books, and commissions art and logo designs.
He’s surprised to realize one day that he’s never met his upstairs neighbor who is apparently never home. Either that or the guy is home for only the few hours Morris sleeps or spends at cons. But his cat ends that one day when she escapes and runs right into the handsome neighbor. As Morris later describes him, Theo Boarman is adorkable and he’s also a chef who runs his family’s restaurant, trying to keep to the spirit and ambience in which his parents founded it. He’s also got custody of his teenage brother—a situation that sadly came about when they lost both their parents a year ago.
Totally opposite in appearance as well as temperament, it’s hard to believe that the young, tall, black geek who wears kilts and lives in the world of comics, games, and cosplay could possibly ever get together with the young, short, white chef who doesn’t even know the difference between Marvel and DC Comics. Add to that their crazy schedules and the fact that neither wants to make any kind of commitment, and it seems impossible that these two could ultimately get together.
Marguerite Labbe takes the time to build the character of both men, using opportunities to fill in back stories cleverly, while giving us a view of current relationship-building. The men do not jump into bed together quickly, nor do they take their relationship lightly, and yet at the beginning, neither thinks of it as any more than friendship with sexual benefits.
That changes over time, however, as their lives become entwined and the ripples of their partnership extend out to include their friends and family members. Without even realizing it was happening, Morris and Theo have become a team and provide the unconditional love and support each need for completion.
An outstanding story with an outstanding cast of characters, I can’t wait to read the next in the series. Why not a full five stars? Well, there’s a quirky, seemingly out of place chapter from a secondary character’s POV that doesn’t go anywhere. It felt odd reading it and even odder afterward when it didn’t connect to any other chapters, though now that I’m at the end of the book I suspect it was intended to plant a seed for book two. There are better ways. This one pulled me from the story and left me with a big question mark hanging over my head so I just have to take off at least a quarter point.
All in all, however, and despite that, I absolutely very highly recommend this story. Gamers? Don’t miss it? Lovers of a slow burn romance? This is the one. Plus, tag it interracial, men with children, and hurt-comfort. This book has it all. It’s definitely also going on my Best of 2018 list.
ARC provided by the publisher through Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words in exchange for an impartial review.
In this tale, geeky comic book artist Morris Proctor is perfectly happy living with his cat and his art. Give him some easily heated convenience food or pizza delivery and he’ll rarely need to leave his house. Except, of course, for the cons he attends—not as a gamer or cosplayer—but as an exhibitor where he sells his artwork and comic books, and commissions art and logo designs.
He’s surprised to realize one day that he’s never met his upstairs neighbor who is apparently never home. Either that or the guy is home for only the few hours Morris sleeps or spends at cons. But his cat ends that one day when she escapes and runs right into the handsome neighbor. As Morris later describes him, Theo Boarman is adorkable and he’s also a chef who runs his family’s restaurant, trying to keep to the spirit and ambience in which his parents founded it. He’s also got custody of his teenage brother—a situation that sadly came about when they lost both their parents a year ago.
Totally opposite in appearance as well as temperament, it’s hard to believe that the young, tall, black geek who wears kilts and lives in the world of comics, games, and cosplay could possibly ever get together with the young, short, white chef who doesn’t even know the difference between Marvel and DC Comics. Add to that their crazy schedules and the fact that neither wants to make any kind of commitment, and it seems impossible that these two could ultimately get together.
Marguerite Labbe takes the time to build the character of both men, using opportunities to fill in back stories cleverly, while giving us a view of current relationship-building. The men do not jump into bed together quickly, nor do they take their relationship lightly, and yet at the beginning, neither thinks of it as any more than friendship with sexual benefits.
That changes over time, however, as their lives become entwined and the ripples of their partnership extend out to include their friends and family members. Without even realizing it was happening, Morris and Theo have become a team and provide the unconditional love and support each need for completion.
An outstanding story with an outstanding cast of characters, I can’t wait to read the next in the series. Why not a full five stars? Well, there’s a quirky, seemingly out of place chapter from a secondary character’s POV that doesn’t go anywhere. It felt odd reading it and even odder afterward when it didn’t connect to any other chapters, though now that I’m at the end of the book I suspect it was intended to plant a seed for book two. There are better ways. This one pulled me from the story and left me with a big question mark hanging over my head so I just have to take off at least a quarter point.
All in all, however, and despite that, I absolutely very highly recommend this story. Gamers? Don’t miss it? Lovers of a slow burn romance? This is the one. Plus, tag it interracial, men with children, and hurt-comfort. This book has it all. It’s definitely also going on my Best of 2018 list.
ARC provided by the publisher through Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words in exchange for an impartial review.
July 1, 2018
A Little Side of Geek by Marguerite Labbe was such a pleasure to read! I don’t take enough opportunity to read simple, sweet, fun books like this so it was a welcome distraction.
The two main characters both have family issues, so I’m not belittling their drama, but they’re both mild and easy to work through. Morris has a lovely, supportive family and he has to learn to let their criticisms roll off his back. He’s also a bit of a commitment phobe, but that’s another easy one to overcome, being has he’s found himself in a relationship with Theo.
Theo’s dealing with something a bit more intense, but he’s also got a good support system in place and everything just needs to work itself out.
Labbe draws these dramas out throughout the book and it is very well done. There was even one tearjerker moment (and for me, that’s hard to accomplish, so kudos to Ms. Labbe). The cast is full of colorful characters and there’s a sweet peek into comic/geek/games culture.
I really enjoyed this one and highly recommend it to folks looking for a well written, sweet story. I'd also love a copy of the amazing recipes Theo dreams up!
this book was provided to me through the MMRG Don’t Buy My Love program for the purpose of this review
The two main characters both have family issues, so I’m not belittling their drama, but they’re both mild and easy to work through. Morris has a lovely, supportive family and he has to learn to let their criticisms roll off his back. He’s also a bit of a commitment phobe, but that’s another easy one to overcome, being has he’s found himself in a relationship with Theo.
Theo’s dealing with something a bit more intense, but he’s also got a good support system in place and everything just needs to work itself out.
Labbe draws these dramas out throughout the book and it is very well done. There was even one tearjerker moment (and for me, that’s hard to accomplish, so kudos to Ms. Labbe). The cast is full of colorful characters and there’s a sweet peek into comic/geek/games culture.
I really enjoyed this one and highly recommend it to folks looking for a well written, sweet story. I'd also love a copy of the amazing recipes Theo dreams up!
this book was provided to me through the MMRG Don’t Buy My Love program for the purpose of this review
May 23, 2018
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.25 stars
Morris Proctor may be a proud geek and a self-employed comic book artist, but he’s a little lonely, and more than a little tired of his overbearing family. Meeting his new neighbors by chance, Morris is surprised how boy-next-door Theo is—and how affable, too. Theo has moved himself and his younger brother, Lincoln, into the apartment to give their sister and her husband an empty home to start their family. See, Theo’s parents both died within a week of one another about nine months ago and he’s now the head of the family, running their father’s restaurant and trying to rebuild their lives.
Read Veronica’s review in its entirety here.
4.25 stars
Morris Proctor may be a proud geek and a self-employed comic book artist, but he’s a little lonely, and more than a little tired of his overbearing family. Meeting his new neighbors by chance, Morris is surprised how boy-next-door Theo is—and how affable, too. Theo has moved himself and his younger brother, Lincoln, into the apartment to give their sister and her husband an empty home to start their family. See, Theo’s parents both died within a week of one another about nine months ago and he’s now the head of the family, running their father’s restaurant and trying to rebuild their lives.
Read Veronica’s review in its entirety here.
June 20, 2018
Morris Proctor is a self-proclaimed geek and comic book artist, really tall and lanky, and African-American. Somewhat lonely living by himself, but no interested in his family's attempts at match-making, he spends time with his niece, who's in a wheelchair since an accident, but who features prominently as the heroine in one of his comic series. A somewhat recent relationship with a non-geek who tried to change him has left Morris a bit wary of finding love with someone who's not into the same things he is.
Theo Boarman, short, white, has only recently moved into the apartment above Morris with his younger brother Lincoln, who's still a minor, after both their parents died. Theo is a chef and now co-owns his parents' restaurant with one of his sisters, and relations are somewhat strained with another two of his siblings. Theo is a busy man - there's not much time in the day for dating, while working a full shift at a restaurant, taking care of his little brother, and the responsibilities that generally come with being the oldest of the siblings.
Since they're neighbors, it's inevitable that they meet. Morris can't keep his eyes off the man playing basketball with his younger brother, and Theo is enchanted with the tall dude in a kilt.
This book is high on geeky references and talks about comic cons and it's very clear that Morris and Theo inhabit two very different worlds. But opposites attract, and neither is unwilling to participate in a little summer fling, because surely that's all it ever can be.
Except then stuff happens, and their worlds collide and mesh and it surprises both of them how easily they can fit into each other's worlds. There are plenty of supporting characters from Morris' and Theo's side of the aisle, and while there is a bit of angst and some minor misunderstandings, the reason the relationship is slow to come to fruition (frustratingly so at times) is for a couple of reasons - Morris' doubting that a non-geek like Theo will not try to change him or eventually start complaining about how much time Morris spends drawing the comic books or a cons, and Theo just putting too much on his plate and trying to carry the world on his shoulders.
I didn't entirely buy the romance, to be honest. I didn't feel that they were truly falling for each other for quite a while, but then eventually went with it. Maybe that's on me, and you'll feel differently reading this book. It was nice watching Morris' world through Theo's eyes, and vice versa. Also, some good food being mentioned, though it would have been great to see some recipes at the end of the book. I liked the dynamics between Theo and Lincoln, and see Theo interact with his employees at the restaurant. When he eventually learns to give up a bit of control and trust the people he's worked with for so long, and that it doesn't mean neglecting his parents' heritage, I could even see some growth in him.
Morris too has to learn to trust, not only his instincts, but another person who sneaks into his heart and thus has the ability to really hurt him. Merging two very different and separate lives isn't easy, but all good things are worth a bit of sacrifice, right?
I did enjoy reading this, with all his geek speak, and all the references about so-called geeky things.
Bonus points if you know what movie the final quote in the book is from. "Take Me To Bed, Or Lose Me Forever." (Put your guess in the comments, maybe?)
** I received a free copy of this book from its publisher in exchange for an honest review. **
Theo Boarman, short, white, has only recently moved into the apartment above Morris with his younger brother Lincoln, who's still a minor, after both their parents died. Theo is a chef and now co-owns his parents' restaurant with one of his sisters, and relations are somewhat strained with another two of his siblings. Theo is a busy man - there's not much time in the day for dating, while working a full shift at a restaurant, taking care of his little brother, and the responsibilities that generally come with being the oldest of the siblings.
Since they're neighbors, it's inevitable that they meet. Morris can't keep his eyes off the man playing basketball with his younger brother, and Theo is enchanted with the tall dude in a kilt.
This book is high on geeky references and talks about comic cons and it's very clear that Morris and Theo inhabit two very different worlds. But opposites attract, and neither is unwilling to participate in a little summer fling, because surely that's all it ever can be.
Except then stuff happens, and their worlds collide and mesh and it surprises both of them how easily they can fit into each other's worlds. There are plenty of supporting characters from Morris' and Theo's side of the aisle, and while there is a bit of angst and some minor misunderstandings, the reason the relationship is slow to come to fruition (frustratingly so at times) is for a couple of reasons - Morris' doubting that a non-geek like Theo will not try to change him or eventually start complaining about how much time Morris spends drawing the comic books or a cons, and Theo just putting too much on his plate and trying to carry the world on his shoulders.
I didn't entirely buy the romance, to be honest. I didn't feel that they were truly falling for each other for quite a while, but then eventually went with it. Maybe that's on me, and you'll feel differently reading this book. It was nice watching Morris' world through Theo's eyes, and vice versa. Also, some good food being mentioned, though it would have been great to see some recipes at the end of the book. I liked the dynamics between Theo and Lincoln, and see Theo interact with his employees at the restaurant. When he eventually learns to give up a bit of control and trust the people he's worked with for so long, and that it doesn't mean neglecting his parents' heritage, I could even see some growth in him.
Morris too has to learn to trust, not only his instincts, but another person who sneaks into his heart and thus has the ability to really hurt him. Merging two very different and separate lives isn't easy, but all good things are worth a bit of sacrifice, right?
I did enjoy reading this, with all his geek speak, and all the references about so-called geeky things.
Bonus points if you know what movie the final quote in the book is from. "Take Me To Bed, Or Lose Me Forever." (Put your guess in the comments, maybe?)
** I received a free copy of this book from its publisher in exchange for an honest review. **
July 2, 2018
I received A Little Side of Geek through the Don’t Buy My Love program for an honest and unbiased review. This story stars geeky artist, Morris Proctor, and chef, Theo Boarman. The book is told in third person from Morris and Theo’s pov, and two side characters.
May 28, 2018
I like the geeky parts and the cooking parts and the little hints about what is coming up for future books, and I liked these two together. I thought there was a little too much of the family stuff, since they were getting it from both sides, but I suppose that's real life. I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.
June 18, 2018
Theo doesn’t know a whole lot about geek culture, but he knows he likes the way Morris looks in a kilt. Morris doesn’t know a lot about food that doesn’t come pre-packaged, but he has to admit that he finds Theo irresistible. Neither one of them has the time for a relationship, but a casual fling might just be the thing to keep them sane. It’s not their fault that they can’t seem to keep emotions out of it. Or real life. Or Morris’ cat and Theo’s brother. Or either of their families.
It’s totally not their fault they find themselves falling in love. It just kinda happened.
I think my one big take away from this book is that I liked it…but there was perhaps a bit too much of it to really love.
This story really had a lot of things going for it. I love the geeky nature of it that never really goes so overboard that non-geeks will feel put off. The food was very well described…like, it’s probably not a good idea to read on a empty stomach. Both Morris, the geek, and Theo, the cook, fit together well, but you could also see how their differences could pull them apart if they didn’t put the effort into their relationship. The secondary characters were fleshed out and intrigued me enough that I’ve got bets on the next book in the series. All in all, this book had everything I really love in a romance novel.
It was just about 50 pages too long. At least. There were times when the story seemed to drag, and while each scene was interesting, strung together it made the plot a bit plodding. I honestly can’t say there was any one scene or section that was badly written, but, yeah, I can see a few that really wouldn’t have hurt the story to be taken out. Especially the two chapters from the secondary character’s povs. They really did not add much of anything to this story. They are probably set up for the next book in the series, but they didn’t do any favors to this one, and I can’t quite understand why they made the final cut for this story. If these characters do in fact play central roles in the next book, there was more than enough hints in the Theo and Morris’ povs to set it up…and if they aren’t the MCs of the next book I am at even more of a loss as to why they would take up so much page space in this story. I’m not saying I hated those two chapters, but they didn’t add a whole lot, and with a story that is already suffering from a lack of forward momentum, they only served to add to the problem.
I don’t dislike this book–I’m giving it 4 stars because I felt it had a lot of merit, actually–but I think readers should be aware that this one is going to be a bit of slow-burn. Not really in the relationship, but just for the book on the whole. Things take their sweet time in this story, and if you are not the kind of person who likes hanging around for all the good little character moments and the slow building of a relationship…you are most likely not going to be won over by this one. Even for someone like me, who actually goes out of their way to find these kinds of stories, it can be a bit tiresome at times. I think it was worth it in the end, but I wouldn’t doubt that there are going to be people out there that get half way thru and just decide to jump ship.
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
It’s totally not their fault they find themselves falling in love. It just kinda happened.
I think my one big take away from this book is that I liked it…but there was perhaps a bit too much of it to really love.
This story really had a lot of things going for it. I love the geeky nature of it that never really goes so overboard that non-geeks will feel put off. The food was very well described…like, it’s probably not a good idea to read on a empty stomach. Both Morris, the geek, and Theo, the cook, fit together well, but you could also see how their differences could pull them apart if they didn’t put the effort into their relationship. The secondary characters were fleshed out and intrigued me enough that I’ve got bets on the next book in the series. All in all, this book had everything I really love in a romance novel.
It was just about 50 pages too long. At least. There were times when the story seemed to drag, and while each scene was interesting, strung together it made the plot a bit plodding. I honestly can’t say there was any one scene or section that was badly written, but, yeah, I can see a few that really wouldn’t have hurt the story to be taken out. Especially the two chapters from the secondary character’s povs. They really did not add much of anything to this story. They are probably set up for the next book in the series, but they didn’t do any favors to this one, and I can’t quite understand why they made the final cut for this story. If these characters do in fact play central roles in the next book, there was more than enough hints in the Theo and Morris’ povs to set it up…and if they aren’t the MCs of the next book I am at even more of a loss as to why they would take up so much page space in this story. I’m not saying I hated those two chapters, but they didn’t add a whole lot, and with a story that is already suffering from a lack of forward momentum, they only served to add to the problem.
I don’t dislike this book–I’m giving it 4 stars because I felt it had a lot of merit, actually–but I think readers should be aware that this one is going to be a bit of slow-burn. Not really in the relationship, but just for the book on the whole. Things take their sweet time in this story, and if you are not the kind of person who likes hanging around for all the good little character moments and the slow building of a relationship…you are most likely not going to be won over by this one. Even for someone like me, who actually goes out of their way to find these kinds of stories, it can be a bit tiresome at times. I think it was worth it in the end, but I wouldn’t doubt that there are going to be people out there that get half way thru and just decide to jump ship.
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
November 6, 2018
I think I’ve found my next series love with this book. Interesting and engaging characters. Clean and tidy writing style. Focused emotional damage that is pinpointed at the start and not added to later for drama points. Low angst, and adult reactions. Loved it.
Theo is all in with this fling he’s having with his neighbour, and is trying to finagle his way under Morris’ defences to get a forever man out of the deal. He’s using his charm and culinary expertise to win over Morris, even though Morris is heavily resistant.
Morris is happy with his life the way it is, and he will not allow another non-geek to try and change his profession or love for pop culture. He is enjoying his time with Theo but knows the other shoe will drop and their summer fling will fizzle out. Commitment is not in the cards for him, but being in the present and spending time with Theo when their schedules allow is giving him what he needs.
Theo really is true to Morris’ description. Adorable, sweet, and charming. He also knew how to subtly be mischievous without malice or hurting the object of his desire. I can tell you, I hate pranks, I hide when April 1 rolls around and feel sick when I see prank videos. I am deeply traumatised by being made fun of in school, and watching it happen to others, so I am extremely sensitive to jokes at other people’s expense. There was none of that in this story, but there was a sweet ribbing that allowed Morris and Theo to get to know each other on a deeper level through good natured joking and subtle mischief. I really appreciated the author’s talent for sliding it in there. It kept me reading and enjoying their warm natured personalities and support of each other. Whether they continued their relationship or ended it at some point, they were always warm and would remain friends. This is apparent in their every action with each other and the people around them.
Theo is all in with this fling he’s having with his neighbour, and is trying to finagle his way under Morris’ defences to get a forever man out of the deal. He’s using his charm and culinary expertise to win over Morris, even though Morris is heavily resistant.
Morris is happy with his life the way it is, and he will not allow another non-geek to try and change his profession or love for pop culture. He is enjoying his time with Theo but knows the other shoe will drop and their summer fling will fizzle out. Commitment is not in the cards for him, but being in the present and spending time with Theo when their schedules allow is giving him what he needs.
Theo really is true to Morris’ description. Adorable, sweet, and charming. He also knew how to subtly be mischievous without malice or hurting the object of his desire. I can tell you, I hate pranks, I hide when April 1 rolls around and feel sick when I see prank videos. I am deeply traumatised by being made fun of in school, and watching it happen to others, so I am extremely sensitive to jokes at other people’s expense. There was none of that in this story, but there was a sweet ribbing that allowed Morris and Theo to get to know each other on a deeper level through good natured joking and subtle mischief. I really appreciated the author’s talent for sliding it in there. It kept me reading and enjoying their warm natured personalities and support of each other. Whether they continued their relationship or ended it at some point, they were always warm and would remain friends. This is apparent in their every action with each other and the people around them.
June 5, 2018
I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review via the MMRG Don’t Buy My Love Program.
I loved this little bit of geek, or rather, lot of geek! Neighbors Morris and Theo couldn’t be more different. Morris is a geeky, kilt-wearing comic book author and artist. Theo is a chef and restaurant owner dedicated to his family and business. Both are totally committed to their time-consuming careers, leaving little time for dating much less a relationship, but there’s something about each the other decides is worth making time to explore.
What starts as a summer fling, grows into more as they figure out how to relate to each other beyond the flare of chemistry. Morris and Theo’s journey is a fun one with lots of interesting side characters that let us learn about our guys through their interactions. These guys have ups and downs and times of self-reflection that make both of them relatable and their success in the end believable.
There are two chapters in this book that are totally unnecessary. Each is told from the point of view of a supporting character and is not in any way integral to the story or relationship that is developing. I believe both are there for the sole purpose of setting up future books in the series and could have been left out. They took me out of the story that I was enjoying and are not enticing enough to draw me into any future books in the series.
I recommend this book to those who are interested in the geekiness that surrounds comic cons, cosplay, and gaming and any others who just want to read a great romantic journey.
I loved this little bit of geek, or rather, lot of geek! Neighbors Morris and Theo couldn’t be more different. Morris is a geeky, kilt-wearing comic book author and artist. Theo is a chef and restaurant owner dedicated to his family and business. Both are totally committed to their time-consuming careers, leaving little time for dating much less a relationship, but there’s something about each the other decides is worth making time to explore.
What starts as a summer fling, grows into more as they figure out how to relate to each other beyond the flare of chemistry. Morris and Theo’s journey is a fun one with lots of interesting side characters that let us learn about our guys through their interactions. These guys have ups and downs and times of self-reflection that make both of them relatable and their success in the end believable.
There are two chapters in this book that are totally unnecessary. Each is told from the point of view of a supporting character and is not in any way integral to the story or relationship that is developing. I believe both are there for the sole purpose of setting up future books in the series and could have been left out. They took me out of the story that I was enjoying and are not enticing enough to draw me into any future books in the series.
I recommend this book to those who are interested in the geekiness that surrounds comic cons, cosplay, and gaming and any others who just want to read a great romantic journey.
March 5, 2019
It wasn't until I was in the middle of this book that it occurred to me the author was one half of the duo who once inflicted the race fail "romance" better known as Lotus in the Wild. To say I absolutely HATED that book is the understatement of the millennium.
So imagine my surprise when this book actually turned out to be GOOD. When the Black gay hero isn't written like a bunch of stereotypes cobbled together. When Morris, the title geek, has a fully fleshed life with a loving family who may not get his career choice. And can I say that Laila is #goals. I think she and Lincoln would make a cute couple (no pressure). And I LOVE PoC geek characters - I don't think there are enough of them.
Theo was likeable. I loved how he stepped up to the plate (no pun intended) holding down his family's restaurant while taking care of his younger brother Lincoln. I liked how he wasn't condescending towards Morris' love of all things geek. He didn't understand it, and ironically his non-nerdom made him the odd man out.
There were some interesting side stories, and I'm curious to see how Felipe's love life eventually turns out.
The best part of this book - outside of the characters - is how well the geek/con world was depicted. There are plenty of books in which the subculture is rightfully critiqued for gatekeeping and not always welcoming towards marginalized people. None of that here though. This book showcases the closeness of fellow geeks, and even how the world spans generations.
And yes, the cover grabbed me. Not sorry, but put a PoC on the cover of a book about geeks and I'm there. I'm way past DONE with the idea that PoC on covers won't sell. If that's your only reason for NOT picking up this cute romance, too bad for you. Go live under a rock.
So imagine my surprise when this book actually turned out to be GOOD. When the Black gay hero isn't written like a bunch of stereotypes cobbled together. When Morris, the title geek, has a fully fleshed life with a loving family who may not get his career choice. And can I say that Laila is #goals. I think she and Lincoln would make a cute couple (no pressure). And I LOVE PoC geek characters - I don't think there are enough of them.
Theo was likeable. I loved how he stepped up to the plate (no pun intended) holding down his family's restaurant while taking care of his younger brother Lincoln. I liked how he wasn't condescending towards Morris' love of all things geek. He didn't understand it, and ironically his non-nerdom made him the odd man out.
There were some interesting side stories, and I'm curious to see how Felipe's love life eventually turns out.
The best part of this book - outside of the characters - is how well the geek/con world was depicted. There are plenty of books in which the subculture is rightfully critiqued for gatekeeping and not always welcoming towards marginalized people. None of that here though. This book showcases the closeness of fellow geeks, and even how the world spans generations.
And yes, the cover grabbed me. Not sorry, but put a PoC on the cover of a book about geeks and I'm there. I'm way past DONE with the idea that PoC on covers won't sell. If that's your only reason for NOT picking up this cute romance, too bad for you. Go live under a rock.
May 26, 2018
I picked this one because I was familiar with the author and expected a cute, warm read to snuggle up with.
I had fun with the setup: a comic book artist happily ensconced in a world of comic books, comic cons and cos players. It was interesting and amusing.
Morris is a comic book artist and Theo is a chef. One is self professed geek while other has no idea about the world. Their interest in each other is unexpected. I liked how they introduce their respective interests to each other while exploring the possibility of being in a relationship. Both of them have baggage and are reluctant to commit to serious relationship. They move at slow pace but that was half the fun. Neither of them is completely focused on the other. They both have their own lives but they are willing to make space for the other.
Including POVs of other characters, however, spoiled the story for me. It didn’t seem relevant to Morris and Theo’s story, more like it was hinting at books for other two pairs (and two of the guys are foster brothers, which is definite NO for me).
I was less fond of the second part of the book. It simply didn’t work for me.
It is still a nice comforting read documenting relationship between two relatively different men. They chose to rejoice in their differences and still found happiness with each other. I liked references to comic cons and enjoyed reading that part.
I received copy of this book in exchange for review.
The review is also posted on Gay Book Reviews
I had fun with the setup: a comic book artist happily ensconced in a world of comic books, comic cons and cos players. It was interesting and amusing.
Morris is a comic book artist and Theo is a chef. One is self professed geek while other has no idea about the world. Their interest in each other is unexpected. I liked how they introduce their respective interests to each other while exploring the possibility of being in a relationship. Both of them have baggage and are reluctant to commit to serious relationship. They move at slow pace but that was half the fun. Neither of them is completely focused on the other. They both have their own lives but they are willing to make space for the other.
Including POVs of other characters, however, spoiled the story for me. It didn’t seem relevant to Morris and Theo’s story, more like it was hinting at books for other two pairs (and two of the guys are foster brothers, which is definite NO for me).
I was less fond of the second part of the book. It simply didn’t work for me.
It is still a nice comforting read documenting relationship between two relatively different men. They chose to rejoice in their differences and still found happiness with each other. I liked references to comic cons and enjoyed reading that part.
I received copy of this book in exchange for review.
The review is also posted on Gay Book Reviews
Read
May 26, 2018Paused at 10%. Not feeling it right now.
June 15, 2018
I adored this book. I’m talking read it twice, and probably going to read it a third time after this review, because writing this is making me remember how good this book is. Part of the reason is how much I identified with Morris, as a crafter attending cons, and a geek. So, I was predisposed to love it, and the author backed it up with deep characters, steady pacing and a beautiful romance.
To be honest, I’ve had to rewrite this review countless times as most of the sentences I’ve started have gushed about the sweetness of the characters, the grounding of them in real life and a lifestyle I recognise and live. Morris’s insecurity stems not only from previous boyfriends who want to fix him but a society and family who didn’t understand the geek and didn’t quite accept it. The growth in him, both through the relationship, and because of it, is amazing to watch as he overcomes that insecurity and sees how it does affect the adult relationship he now has with his family.
Theo, on the other hand, feels the pressure of familial expectations too much, particularly as we learn 90% of them he places on himself. And through not only his growing romance with Morris but with his little brother, Lincoln, whom he willingly takes up the task of raising after his parents both tragically pass away. His pride in his family and its business drive him to overworking himself so much that it takes noticing the hot neighbour in his kilt to start seeing.
And that’s one of the things that I really liked about this story, how it wasn’t their partner’s love that made them better people but their own love for their partner. Not only the desire to be better and more for them, but also stopping to see themselves as the other might. With a lot of nudging from Lincoln, it’s his innocence and comfort in his own skin that a lot of younger geeks and nerds have that us older ones took longer to get.
I never wanted to put down this book and missed my bus stop frequently (well, maybe two times per read because I just went through it that fast). Its pacing and currents leave you begging for more. If I would have any complaint, it would be the very odd once-off point of view change about a third to half the way into the book from one of the protagonists to a side character. I don’t know if the author is trying to set up the next book in the series, but it stood out like a bit of broccoli in someone’s teeth. If any particular side character was to get a point of view, I definitely think it should have been Lincoln, not the guy who ran Morris’s favourite cons.
I also feel this book needs a massive shout-out to Morris’s niece Laila, a young girl paralysed from the waist down, who never lets it stop her and is a force to be reckoned with. The care and respect given to her and her handicap is fantastic, and it’s clear that she’s not letting it shrink her world. There’s a strong message on how her world is only shrunk by her family (completely out of love and nothing else) and how we should stop trying to tie down those who don’t have the exact same mobility or abilities as us. The author managed this without slapping us in the face with it like a wet fish but weaved it delicately into the story and love Morris had for Laila.
All I can say is, if you haven’t read this yet, why not?
Reviewed by Jenn for The Novel Approach
To be honest, I’ve had to rewrite this review countless times as most of the sentences I’ve started have gushed about the sweetness of the characters, the grounding of them in real life and a lifestyle I recognise and live. Morris’s insecurity stems not only from previous boyfriends who want to fix him but a society and family who didn’t understand the geek and didn’t quite accept it. The growth in him, both through the relationship, and because of it, is amazing to watch as he overcomes that insecurity and sees how it does affect the adult relationship he now has with his family.
Theo, on the other hand, feels the pressure of familial expectations too much, particularly as we learn 90% of them he places on himself. And through not only his growing romance with Morris but with his little brother, Lincoln, whom he willingly takes up the task of raising after his parents both tragically pass away. His pride in his family and its business drive him to overworking himself so much that it takes noticing the hot neighbour in his kilt to start seeing.
And that’s one of the things that I really liked about this story, how it wasn’t their partner’s love that made them better people but their own love for their partner. Not only the desire to be better and more for them, but also stopping to see themselves as the other might. With a lot of nudging from Lincoln, it’s his innocence and comfort in his own skin that a lot of younger geeks and nerds have that us older ones took longer to get.
I never wanted to put down this book and missed my bus stop frequently (well, maybe two times per read because I just went through it that fast). Its pacing and currents leave you begging for more. If I would have any complaint, it would be the very odd once-off point of view change about a third to half the way into the book from one of the protagonists to a side character. I don’t know if the author is trying to set up the next book in the series, but it stood out like a bit of broccoli in someone’s teeth. If any particular side character was to get a point of view, I definitely think it should have been Lincoln, not the guy who ran Morris’s favourite cons.
I also feel this book needs a massive shout-out to Morris’s niece Laila, a young girl paralysed from the waist down, who never lets it stop her and is a force to be reckoned with. The care and respect given to her and her handicap is fantastic, and it’s clear that she’s not letting it shrink her world. There’s a strong message on how her world is only shrunk by her family (completely out of love and nothing else) and how we should stop trying to tie down those who don’t have the exact same mobility or abilities as us. The author managed this without slapping us in the face with it like a wet fish but weaved it delicately into the story and love Morris had for Laila.
All I can say is, if you haven’t read this yet, why not?
Reviewed by Jenn for The Novel Approach
June 23, 2018
A free copy of the book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Although this book started out VERY slowly, I ended up enjoying it a lot. Personally, I love romances that spend a lot of time developing characters and families (born or chosen). Family is really important to me and I appreciate seeing that reflected in fiction. A lot of the main storylines in this book involved family members, which was so lovely. I thought Linc, in particular, was very well written - he was very much the teenage boy, but still lovable. I do wish we had gotten a little more time with Morris's family, since there was so much focus on Theo's siblings.
The romance itself was sweet and low-key. Morris and Theo were wonderfully three-dimensional characters, and I really felt as though they were a good fit for each other. Despite the apparent differences between them, underneath they really had a lot in common, and I enjoyed getting to see them exploring that. I also loved how the conflicts between them were written - the author did a good job of taking these disagreements seriously and allowing the characters to have real anger and worry about them without ever verging into melodrama and overreaction for the sake of creating tension. However, there were times when it felt like the relationship abruptly became more serious without showing that development on-page.
I had two main complaints about this book. First, it felt too long. The first half in particular dragged on for me, and there were a number of places where I ended up skimming over long sections of excessive exposition. Second, I didn't see the need for the few sections where side characters were briefly given the POV. It seems as though this is likely build-up for the next books, but it took away from this story for me, especially as these characters faded into the background some as the book progressed. (Also, I am not a big fan of foster sibling romance, and introducing it offhandedly here was a bit off-putting.)
Overall, though, an enjoyable read. I may skip Dakota and Brendan's book, but I'll be watching for Felipe's story!
(Oh, and this cover is perfect. The comic book feel is great, and the model is just right for Morris.)
Although this book started out VERY slowly, I ended up enjoying it a lot. Personally, I love romances that spend a lot of time developing characters and families (born or chosen). Family is really important to me and I appreciate seeing that reflected in fiction. A lot of the main storylines in this book involved family members, which was so lovely. I thought Linc, in particular, was very well written - he was very much the teenage boy, but still lovable. I do wish we had gotten a little more time with Morris's family, since there was so much focus on Theo's siblings.
The romance itself was sweet and low-key. Morris and Theo were wonderfully three-dimensional characters, and I really felt as though they were a good fit for each other. Despite the apparent differences between them, underneath they really had a lot in common, and I enjoyed getting to see them exploring that. I also loved how the conflicts between them were written - the author did a good job of taking these disagreements seriously and allowing the characters to have real anger and worry about them without ever verging into melodrama and overreaction for the sake of creating tension. However, there were times when it felt like the relationship abruptly became more serious without showing that development on-page.
I had two main complaints about this book. First, it felt too long. The first half in particular dragged on for me, and there were a number of places where I ended up skimming over long sections of excessive exposition. Second, I didn't see the need for the few sections where side characters were briefly given the POV. It seems as though this is likely build-up for the next books, but it took away from this story for me, especially as these characters faded into the background some as the book progressed. (Also, I am not a big fan of foster sibling romance, and introducing it offhandedly here was a bit off-putting.)
Overall, though, an enjoyable read. I may skip Dakota and Brendan's book, but I'll be watching for Felipe's story!
(Oh, and this cover is perfect. The comic book feel is great, and the model is just right for Morris.)
May 22, 2018
**Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by DreamSpinner Press for my reading pleasure in hopes of an unbiased opinion, a review was not a requirement.**
A Little Side of Geek is the first book in Marguerite Labbe’s Geek Life series. This is a new-to-me author that I’ll definitely read again in the future!
I really loved this story and its characters. Morris was a proud geek, comic book artist, kilt wearer with great friends and family. He enjoyed going to comic conventions, hanging out with his friends and playing games. He was happy with his life just the way it is. Theo’s life revolved around running and cooking at his family restaurant and raising his younger brother. Life had thrown him some curves and he had no time for anything outside of his family and restaurant. He was overworked, overstressed and too busy to mourn the loss of his parents and half his family. Both lives were changed when Theo met his neighbor and his legs. Turns out Theo really liked Morris in a kilt.
I loved the building of the relationship between Morris and Theo and their family’s. This story truly showed the entire build-up from the first meet to deciding their future. It’s rare to see the dating aspects in books; seeing two people with busy lives trying to make room and time to let someone else in but this author does a great job of showing the work involved in having a relationship.
A couple of issues kept this from being a 5-star review for me. There are random sections from POV’s not of the main characters of this story. I realize the author is setting up for the rest of the series, but I was not a fan especially because they just randomly appeared. And, I know this book has a lot to do with gaming, cosplay and all of this type of thing, but sometimes it was just too much detail and explanation which just made my attention wan. As I know very little about these things, I really just grew bored with all the information regarding it. At first, I enjoyed getting to know more about this life but it just became too much.
But, those were not enough to change my love of the story. I’d definitely recommend you read this book! This was not an easy HEA but it had two men who worked for it despite the obstacles. It had two MC’s that really grew throughout the story and you really saw them building a family. The author’s writing is fantastic, she certainly knows how to weave a story! I can’t wait to read the next book in the series!
Rating: 4 stars!
A Little Side of Geek is the first book in Marguerite Labbe’s Geek Life series. This is a new-to-me author that I’ll definitely read again in the future!
I really loved this story and its characters. Morris was a proud geek, comic book artist, kilt wearer with great friends and family. He enjoyed going to comic conventions, hanging out with his friends and playing games. He was happy with his life just the way it is. Theo’s life revolved around running and cooking at his family restaurant and raising his younger brother. Life had thrown him some curves and he had no time for anything outside of his family and restaurant. He was overworked, overstressed and too busy to mourn the loss of his parents and half his family. Both lives were changed when Theo met his neighbor and his legs. Turns out Theo really liked Morris in a kilt.
I loved the building of the relationship between Morris and Theo and their family’s. This story truly showed the entire build-up from the first meet to deciding their future. It’s rare to see the dating aspects in books; seeing two people with busy lives trying to make room and time to let someone else in but this author does a great job of showing the work involved in having a relationship.
A couple of issues kept this from being a 5-star review for me. There are random sections from POV’s not of the main characters of this story. I realize the author is setting up for the rest of the series, but I was not a fan especially because they just randomly appeared. And, I know this book has a lot to do with gaming, cosplay and all of this type of thing, but sometimes it was just too much detail and explanation which just made my attention wan. As I know very little about these things, I really just grew bored with all the information regarding it. At first, I enjoyed getting to know more about this life but it just became too much.
But, those were not enough to change my love of the story. I’d definitely recommend you read this book! This was not an easy HEA but it had two men who worked for it despite the obstacles. It had two MC’s that really grew throughout the story and you really saw them building a family. The author’s writing is fantastic, she certainly knows how to weave a story! I can’t wait to read the next book in the series!
Rating: 4 stars!
January 8, 2019
4.5⭐️/5⭐️
Content Notes:
🤓 death of parents, cancer, car accident
🤓 casual ableism
🤓 alcohol consumption
🤓 amanormativity
🤓 explicit on page sexual content
🤓 mention of marijuana
🤓 pregnant secondary character
🤓 comparisons to teenage girls (“he was acting like a moody teenage girl”)
🤓 grief, anger
This is such a fun, light story. I love how big family is for both Morris and Theo, as well as how their interests are such a big part of their lives. They both own their own business and have a lot of passion for their job. There’s some great communication and supportive scenes throughout the book, and I loved how central community was for Morris. Just a really lovely read and looking forward to the secondary characters getting their own stories~
Content Notes:
🤓 death of parents, cancer, car accident
🤓 casual ableism
🤓 alcohol consumption
🤓 amanormativity
🤓 explicit on page sexual content
🤓 mention of marijuana
🤓 pregnant secondary character
🤓 comparisons to teenage girls (“he was acting like a moody teenage girl”)
🤓 grief, anger
This is such a fun, light story. I love how big family is for both Morris and Theo, as well as how their interests are such a big part of their lives. They both own their own business and have a lot of passion for their job. There’s some great communication and supportive scenes throughout the book, and I loved how central community was for Morris. Just a really lovely read and looking forward to the secondary characters getting their own stories~
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 24, 2018
Opposite worlds colliding usually produces sparks, and that is exactly what happens when Morris and Theo become neighbors and start talking to each other. On the surface they have very little in common, but once they get to know each other, it becomes clear they share more than being workaholics and being gay. Both are artists: Morris with drawing and Theo when cooking. Both are lonely and have no idea how to make a relationship work or if they even want one. And both enjoy their jobs – maybe a little too much. The story of how they get to know each other and decide to have a fling only to find out they want a lot more is very entertaining and between al the details about comics and great food, I had a great time reading it.
Please find my full review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Please find my full review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
June 7, 2018
I honestly am torn at not only my rating but also what I want to say in my review. I think that I have to break it down to explain my rating because there were parts I loved, parts I liked, parts that I think do not belong in this book at all and a few parts that I found offensive.
First off the things that I loved.... Geeks and all things Comic and card and geek related! I loved the cons! Ms. Labbe's real life experience shines through with all of her descriptions of cons and the many people that work and attend them.
I also really loved the individual characters.
This started out with the cutest "conversation" between Morris and his cat. It had me smiling at the beginning. I also really enjoyed the "compatibility test"....
At that point I was sure that this was going to be a 5 star book for me.
However, then I read....
"If it's me watching you moon over a white boy, I'm out"
"I've been watching you moon over a white boy off and on for months now."
"on a gray-eyed white boy"
*sigh*sigh*Sigh* No. Just plain, no!
I know people in real life, that use the term "white boy" as a racial slur.... When I read these things being said, the way they were being said..... *sigh*...it pulled me out of the story and it made me not like those characters. There was no logical reason (in my mind at least) that Theo's race should have been mentioned in those comments.
Also, according to one character in this book hippies are "the crazy white people who wear tie dye shirts".
Race was not what this book was about. Geek vs non-geek, yes. Race, no. Race was not a factor in this story at all. It was never a subject for discussion (other than when going to meet Morris's family Theo asked him if he'd told them that he is white) so why have these characters say these things? None of Theo's family or co-workers made any remarks about Morris's race so why have Morris's people so casually refer to Theo as a "white boy"?
There were also, two chapters in this book that were in secondary & tertiary characters POVs for no apparent reason other than possibly to set up they're stories in the future. They did nothing for this books story line and it's my humble opinion that they should not have been included.
This is a very low angst, geek filled, long book.
I'll shut up now and just say that I did like this book on the whole and I would recommend it. I just didn't love it.
I received a copy of this book through the GRs m/m romance groups DBML program in exchange for a fair and honest review.
First off the things that I loved.... Geeks and all things Comic and card and geek related! I loved the cons! Ms. Labbe's real life experience shines through with all of her descriptions of cons and the many people that work and attend them.
I also really loved the individual characters.
This started out with the cutest "conversation" between Morris and his cat. It had me smiling at the beginning. I also really enjoyed the "compatibility test"....
At that point I was sure that this was going to be a 5 star book for me.
However, then I read....
"If it's me watching you moon over a white boy, I'm out"
"I've been watching you moon over a white boy off and on for months now."
"on a gray-eyed white boy"
*sigh*sigh*Sigh* No. Just plain, no!
I know people in real life, that use the term "white boy" as a racial slur.... When I read these things being said, the way they were being said..... *sigh*...it pulled me out of the story and it made me not like those characters. There was no logical reason (in my mind at least) that Theo's race should have been mentioned in those comments.
Also, according to one character in this book hippies are "the crazy white people who wear tie dye shirts".
Race was not what this book was about. Geek vs non-geek, yes. Race, no. Race was not a factor in this story at all. It was never a subject for discussion (other than when going to meet Morris's family Theo asked him if he'd told them that he is white) so why have these characters say these things? None of Theo's family or co-workers made any remarks about Morris's race so why have Morris's people so casually refer to Theo as a "white boy"?
There were also, two chapters in this book that were in secondary & tertiary characters POVs for no apparent reason other than possibly to set up they're stories in the future. They did nothing for this books story line and it's my humble opinion that they should not have been included.
This is a very low angst, geek filled, long book.
I'll shut up now and just say that I did like this book on the whole and I would recommend it. I just didn't love it.
I received a copy of this book through the GRs m/m romance groups DBML program in exchange for a fair and honest review.
July 14, 2018
I was given a copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
This is the story of the unlikely romance between a comic book writer and self-professed ‘geek’ and a chef running his family business.
Morris and Theo are both very likeable characters and I enjoyed learning about their lives and their jobs. But this is a much heavier book than the cover or the blurb suggest. Theo is the oldest of four siblings who have just lost their parents. When he meets Morris, he is already struggling to balance his restaurant responsibilities with his new role as his teenage brother’s guardian. Morris’ life is somewhat simpler but he struggles with his relationship with his large family and running his own business takes a whole lot out of him.
This really isn’t a sexy read. Like most romance readers, I read to relax and to escape from the demands of my own life for a while. Theo and Morris’ struggles to find time for their relationship between family and work commitments is a little bit too realistic. There is one point when Morris reflects that he doesn’t think of Theo as sexy - more boy next door. Unfortunately, this comes across to readers in the way the two relate to each other. Morris and Theo build a friendship and a relationship but there isn’t ever much spark between them.
I like Morris and Theo and I enjoyed their interactions with family and colleagues. I like the relationship that builds between them, but this is a romance without much romance and there were times the story dragged some for me.
This is the story of the unlikely romance between a comic book writer and self-professed ‘geek’ and a chef running his family business.
Morris and Theo are both very likeable characters and I enjoyed learning about their lives and their jobs. But this is a much heavier book than the cover or the blurb suggest. Theo is the oldest of four siblings who have just lost their parents. When he meets Morris, he is already struggling to balance his restaurant responsibilities with his new role as his teenage brother’s guardian. Morris’ life is somewhat simpler but he struggles with his relationship with his large family and running his own business takes a whole lot out of him.
This really isn’t a sexy read. Like most romance readers, I read to relax and to escape from the demands of my own life for a while. Theo and Morris’ struggles to find time for their relationship between family and work commitments is a little bit too realistic. There is one point when Morris reflects that he doesn’t think of Theo as sexy - more boy next door. Unfortunately, this comes across to readers in the way the two relate to each other. Morris and Theo build a friendship and a relationship but there isn’t ever much spark between them.
I like Morris and Theo and I enjoyed their interactions with family and colleagues. I like the relationship that builds between them, but this is a romance without much romance and there were times the story dragged some for me.
September 23, 2023
Well this was just lovely. Morris and Theo were just adorable as they fell for each other. Both men have reasons to feel like a relationship just isn't the right fit right now. But meeting the new next door neighbor definitely catches Morris' attention. And Theo certainly likes the view of his sexy neighbor in his kilt. Both men work crazy hours and add in Theo being the new guardian of his brother and time is the thing neither of them really have.
There budding relationship was just plain sweet. This is a feel good story. Morris is geeky in the best way. He's an amazing comic book artist and does well enough for himself working the local con circuit. Theo loves his job as chef in his family's restaurant, but being in charge also means long hours. Neither man expected to find love, but they just connected to each other. Making time became more and more important.
This read just made me happy as it went along. And there are definitely side characters that I now need to know that they get their HEA's as well. :)
There budding relationship was just plain sweet. This is a feel good story. Morris is geeky in the best way. He's an amazing comic book artist and does well enough for himself working the local con circuit. Theo loves his job as chef in his family's restaurant, but being in charge also means long hours. Neither man expected to find love, but they just connected to each other. Making time became more and more important.
This read just made me happy as it went along. And there are definitely side characters that I now need to know that they get their HEA's as well. :)
June 9, 2018
This book was provided for free by the author in exchange for an honest review via the MMRG Don’t Buy My Love Program
In A Little Side of Geek, we are treated to a slow-burn, opposites-attract romance. Morris is a comic book artist with a penchant for kilts. Though he absolutely loves what he does, he's struggled to find acceptance from his family and from former partners about his work. They've criticized the time he spends making art at home and selling it at cons, as well as the seeming frivolousness of a career as a comic book artist. This has made him very sensitive about finding a partner who doesn't share in his passion for All Things Geek. Imagine his surprise when he finds himself drawn to his new neighbor, Theo. They hardly speak the same language, but find themselves drawn to each other despite their differences. We see the ups and downs of their relationship as they explore how much of themselves they want to give and whether they can overcome the challenges that threaten to keep them apart.
I really enjoyed spending time with Morris and Theo. It was lovely to see the moment when their flirtatious encounter in the driveway leads to something more. They bond over an image from Morris' comic, which features his wheelchair-bound niece Laila surrounded by butterflies. The image reminds Theo that life goes own despite adversity. This touches him deeply, as he's struggling with profound feelings of grief after recently losing both of his parents, the never-ending responsibilities of running his parents' restaurant, and the complexities of caring for his 15-year-old brother, Lincoln. I could really see what drew Morris and Theo together and the reasons why they were good for each other.
Another strength of the book was the way that Labbe developed the relationships that Morris and Theo each had with their families. Some of the most beautiful moments of the book included Theo's brother Lincoln or Morris' niece Laila.
I took off a few stars because the book could have been improved with some thoughtful editing. Labbe spent a lot of time showing the the relationship drama surrounding 3 of Morris' friends - even going so far as to give 2 of them their own chapters in the book. His friends never found their way into my heart, and I just didn't care about them at all. There was also too much time spent on relationship frustrations, which wasn't very enjoyable to read and could have been cut down.
All in all, though, a good story. If you want to delve a little deeper into M/M romance featuring comic book art, cons, and cosplay, check out Bad Idea by Damon Suede.
In A Little Side of Geek, we are treated to a slow-burn, opposites-attract romance. Morris is a comic book artist with a penchant for kilts. Though he absolutely loves what he does, he's struggled to find acceptance from his family and from former partners about his work. They've criticized the time he spends making art at home and selling it at cons, as well as the seeming frivolousness of a career as a comic book artist. This has made him very sensitive about finding a partner who doesn't share in his passion for All Things Geek. Imagine his surprise when he finds himself drawn to his new neighbor, Theo. They hardly speak the same language, but find themselves drawn to each other despite their differences. We see the ups and downs of their relationship as they explore how much of themselves they want to give and whether they can overcome the challenges that threaten to keep them apart.
I really enjoyed spending time with Morris and Theo. It was lovely to see the moment when their flirtatious encounter in the driveway leads to something more. They bond over an image from Morris' comic, which features his wheelchair-bound niece Laila surrounded by butterflies. The image reminds Theo that life goes own despite adversity. This touches him deeply, as he's struggling with profound feelings of grief after recently losing both of his parents, the never-ending responsibilities of running his parents' restaurant, and the complexities of caring for his 15-year-old brother, Lincoln. I could really see what drew Morris and Theo together and the reasons why they were good for each other.
Another strength of the book was the way that Labbe developed the relationships that Morris and Theo each had with their families. Some of the most beautiful moments of the book included Theo's brother Lincoln or Morris' niece Laila.
I took off a few stars because the book could have been improved with some thoughtful editing. Labbe spent a lot of time showing the the relationship drama surrounding 3 of Morris' friends - even going so far as to give 2 of them their own chapters in the book. His friends never found their way into my heart, and I just didn't care about them at all. There was also too much time spent on relationship frustrations, which wasn't very enjoyable to read and could have been cut down.
All in all, though, a good story. If you want to delve a little deeper into M/M romance featuring comic book art, cons, and cosplay, check out Bad Idea by Damon Suede.
June 17, 2018
This book was provided for free by the author in exchange for an honest review via the MMRG Don’t Buy My Love Program.
Morris is a tall, African-American comic book artist who’s into gaming and comic cons. Theo is a short, white chef and restaurant owner who’s into his business and raising his teenage brother. They have nothing in common and no time for love. But they’re neighbours, so they meet, and there's an immediate attraction.
For me this was a little slow, although if you like a long soap opera type of story with lots of detail and lots of characters (but low on angst and drama), you’d enjoy it more. Since Theo and Morris inhabit completely different worlds, there are two sets of friends, coworkers, and family members, which adds up to a lot of names and brief appearances by a lot of people. I flipped through some of the chapters that focused on secondary characters I had no interest in.
There was tons about food, so if you like reading about food you’ll be in heaven. (I don't recall any actual recipes, though.) And not too much about comics or gaming--I'm not a fan, but I didn’t think that was excessive at all. In fact I loved experiencing a con at second hand through Theo's eyes.
There were a few things that made me uncomfortable, like Morris mocking Theo’s short height, and Morris always being called a geek as if that was his profession, which seemed a demeaning way to define him. I would say Morris is an artist!
I didn't like Morris's friends and thought he deserved better, but it was characteristic of him that he would accept whoever wanted to be his friend, which is sweet. I loved Theo's brother Lincoln, and Morris's cat-with-attitude.
I thought it was creepy that Morris used his niece's identity (including her name) in his comic. Yes it seems fine to do this to kids when they're kids, they love it, but what about later when they don't want to be defined by that anymore? Think of Gone Girl. Think of Christopher Robin Milne.
I was intrigued by Morris's kilt and would have liked to know more. His name is Proctor, and there is a Proctor tartan but it's a recent one, not traditional. Does he have Scottish heritage? Or is it just a random tartan that he's wearing because he likes kilts?
As far as the romance, I liked both MCs, but I didn’t totally get them as a couple. I felt their relationship was only happening because neither one of them ever has time to meet anyone else, and they are neighbours, so it’s convenient. They often go a week without seeing each other, despite one living above the other. But there’s obviously a physical attraction between them, and I guess an undemanding relationship is what both of them want. Personally I prefer a little more angst! But that's just me.
Morris is a tall, African-American comic book artist who’s into gaming and comic cons. Theo is a short, white chef and restaurant owner who’s into his business and raising his teenage brother. They have nothing in common and no time for love. But they’re neighbours, so they meet, and there's an immediate attraction.
For me this was a little slow, although if you like a long soap opera type of story with lots of detail and lots of characters (but low on angst and drama), you’d enjoy it more. Since Theo and Morris inhabit completely different worlds, there are two sets of friends, coworkers, and family members, which adds up to a lot of names and brief appearances by a lot of people. I flipped through some of the chapters that focused on secondary characters I had no interest in.
There was tons about food, so if you like reading about food you’ll be in heaven. (I don't recall any actual recipes, though.) And not too much about comics or gaming--I'm not a fan, but I didn’t think that was excessive at all. In fact I loved experiencing a con at second hand through Theo's eyes.
There were a few things that made me uncomfortable, like Morris mocking Theo’s short height, and Morris always being called a geek as if that was his profession, which seemed a demeaning way to define him. I would say Morris is an artist!
I didn't like Morris's friends and thought he deserved better, but it was characteristic of him that he would accept whoever wanted to be his friend, which is sweet. I loved Theo's brother Lincoln, and Morris's cat-with-attitude.
I thought it was creepy that Morris used his niece's identity (including her name) in his comic. Yes it seems fine to do this to kids when they're kids, they love it, but what about later when they don't want to be defined by that anymore? Think of Gone Girl. Think of Christopher Robin Milne.
I was intrigued by Morris's kilt and would have liked to know more. His name is Proctor, and there is a Proctor tartan but it's a recent one, not traditional. Does he have Scottish heritage? Or is it just a random tartan that he's wearing because he likes kilts?
As far as the romance, I liked both MCs, but I didn’t totally get them as a couple. I felt their relationship was only happening because neither one of them ever has time to meet anyone else, and they are neighbours, so it’s convenient. They often go a week without seeing each other, despite one living above the other. But there’s obviously a physical attraction between them, and I guess an undemanding relationship is what both of them want. Personally I prefer a little more angst! But that's just me.
September 2, 2018
This was a fun read for me. It was nice reading how two people attracted to each other, but they live very busy lives, actually have to figure out how to spend time together. It always seems that love stories go so smoothly and no one really has to work. It was refreshing for me. This author really pulled me into the geek world. I had to look up a couple of things to understand, but it was fun learning these new terms for me. The only thing I had trouble with was a chapter that didn’t really seem to belong. But this is the first book of a series, so I get trying to build up characters for future stories.
Morris is a geek with every aspect of the word. He’s recluse except for a few gaming friends, and his con shows that he does beautiful art for. I loved his crazy cat and their relationship. I found myself cheering on the cat lol. He has neighbors that he had never met until he was arguing with his cat and he was attracted to the man right away.
Theo took one look at Morris and those long legs in that kilt and knew he had to have him. Theo was raising his brother, Lincoln, since the death of their parents a year ago. He was also co-owner of the family restaurant and head cook. His life was extremely busy and knew he didn’t have time for a relationship. As he and Morris talked, he realized Morris’ life was just as busy. They decided to try a fling, but it was very difficult to hook up. But when they do, they each want more, but life has a way of getting in the way.
How will these two wonderful men find the happiness they want but don’t say? How will the family dynamics sit with Morris? Will they ever spend enough time together to realize they are for each other?
The author did a great job with all the characters, and I can hardly wait for the next book.
Morris is a geek with every aspect of the word. He’s recluse except for a few gaming friends, and his con shows that he does beautiful art for. I loved his crazy cat and their relationship. I found myself cheering on the cat lol. He has neighbors that he had never met until he was arguing with his cat and he was attracted to the man right away.
Theo took one look at Morris and those long legs in that kilt and knew he had to have him. Theo was raising his brother, Lincoln, since the death of their parents a year ago. He was also co-owner of the family restaurant and head cook. His life was extremely busy and knew he didn’t have time for a relationship. As he and Morris talked, he realized Morris’ life was just as busy. They decided to try a fling, but it was very difficult to hook up. But when they do, they each want more, but life has a way of getting in the way.
How will these two wonderful men find the happiness they want but don’t say? How will the family dynamics sit with Morris? Will they ever spend enough time together to realize they are for each other?
The author did a great job with all the characters, and I can hardly wait for the next book.
June 15, 2018
* this book was provided for free by the author in exchange for an honest review via the MMRG Don’t Buy My Love Program *
* 3.5 stars *
It was my first book by this author but definitely not the last one. This is a love story between two hard working (I'd say workaholics but what do I know?) guys that lead different lives and barely have time to see each other . This is not insta-love type of a story but Morris and Theo are attracted to each other almost from the first meeting. Something that starts as a fling between neighbors turns into something serious quite fast.
The story is well written and entertaining but it is also too long and some parts are completely unnecessary (like Felipe, Dakota and Brenden's drama) and just plain boring. The story itself is interesting but it is not the type of a book that You wouldn't be able to put down.
MCs are likable but the only character I really, really fell in love with was Lincoln. He's a sweetheart <3 Morris got on my nerves with him "moods" and doing things behind Theo's back. Their relationship was a little bit weird in my opinion, it was like jumping from a fling and no time for a simple date to a serious boyfriend stuff, .
I know some readers had problems with the whole black boy/white boy but I honestly don't understand them - everything that was said had a reason and there is nothing surprising in being anxious that Your bf's family doesn't know You're white. This is how it is.
I recommend this book to anyone who likes MM romances with geeks and cooks :)
* 3.5 stars *
It was my first book by this author but definitely not the last one. This is a love story between two hard working (I'd say workaholics but what do I know?) guys that lead different lives and barely have time to see each other . This is not insta-love type of a story but Morris and Theo are attracted to each other almost from the first meeting. Something that starts as a fling between neighbors turns into something serious quite fast.
The story is well written and entertaining but it is also too long and some parts are completely unnecessary (like Felipe, Dakota and Brenden's drama) and just plain boring. The story itself is interesting but it is not the type of a book that You wouldn't be able to put down.
MCs are likable but the only character I really, really fell in love with was Lincoln. He's a sweetheart <3 Morris got on my nerves with him "moods" and doing things behind Theo's back. Their relationship was a little bit weird in my opinion, it was like jumping from a fling and no time for a simple date to a serious boyfriend stuff, .
I know some readers had problems with the whole black boy/white boy but I honestly don't understand them - everything that was said had a reason and there is nothing surprising in being anxious that Your bf's family doesn't know You're white. This is how it is.
I recommend this book to anyone who likes MM romances with geeks and cooks :)
June 10, 2018
I was given a copy of ‘Little side of geek’ by Marguerite Labbe in return for an honest review.
This was not the book that I was expecting to read but it is still a book that I really enjoyed.
I thought that because the word geek was in the title the book would be light, funny and a quick and easy read after my last heavier story. It was reasonably light but this book is a true romance.
Morris is a kilt-wearing geek and comic book artist and the owner of a devil-cat – which I would have loved to see more of – and Theo is the chef at his family-owned restaurant. After the untimely deaths of his parents he is also the chief custodian of his teenage and also geek brother. Morris lives downstairs and Theo and Linc live upstairs in a divided house.
As I said, I liked this story. I wanted to keep reading until the end. I liked watching the romance develop between Morris and Theo and I also enjoyed watching them individually and as a duo overcoming the problems associated with their situations.
I would happily recommend this story.
This was not the book that I was expecting to read but it is still a book that I really enjoyed.
I thought that because the word geek was in the title the book would be light, funny and a quick and easy read after my last heavier story. It was reasonably light but this book is a true romance.
Morris is a kilt-wearing geek and comic book artist and the owner of a devil-cat – which I would have loved to see more of – and Theo is the chef at his family-owned restaurant. After the untimely deaths of his parents he is also the chief custodian of his teenage and also geek brother. Morris lives downstairs and Theo and Linc live upstairs in a divided house.
As I said, I liked this story. I wanted to keep reading until the end. I liked watching the romance develop between Morris and Theo and I also enjoyed watching them individually and as a duo overcoming the problems associated with their situations.
I would happily recommend this story.
June 27, 2018
I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review via the MMRG Don’t Buy My Love Program.
This one didn't move me. It was a very laidback book. I like the side characters who might get a full book but not enough I would be interested in continuing this series. It was just to dry for me. I did something I rarely do and stop reading for a few days. The beginning just starts off slow and took a while for me to find my groove. I will say that I appreciate reading a story featuring a black man in a positive light. I like that the author didn't get stuck on describing the skin tone as chocolate or coffee.
Overall, it was good to read but unfortunately not as good as I was hoping it will be for me.
This one didn't move me. It was a very laidback book. I like the side characters who might get a full book but not enough I would be interested in continuing this series. It was just to dry for me. I did something I rarely do and stop reading for a few days. The beginning just starts off slow and took a while for me to find my groove. I will say that I appreciate reading a story featuring a black man in a positive light. I like that the author didn't get stuck on describing the skin tone as chocolate or coffee.
Overall, it was good to read but unfortunately not as good as I was hoping it will be for me.
May 25, 2020
The book took me forever to read. I was bored to tears at times.
The problem with is the characters barely have time for each other, so instead we get chapter after chapter of other side characters doing stuff. Of the characters dealing with problems separately.
As far as selling me on the next book, that kinda worked, because I certainly was more invested in Brandon/Dakota then I was in the main couple.
You'd think at some point they'd have to find a way to spent more time with each other to make a successful romance, but they never really do. The few chapters where they go off and do something are enjoyable, but there are so few. And so the commitment in the end just doesn't feel realistic or even possible.
The problem with is the characters barely have time for each other, so instead we get chapter after chapter of other side characters doing stuff. Of the characters dealing with problems separately.
As far as selling me on the next book, that kinda worked, because I certainly was more invested in Brandon/Dakota then I was in the main couple.
You'd think at some point they'd have to find a way to spent more time with each other to make a successful romance, but they never really do. The few chapters where they go off and do something are enjoyable, but there are so few. And so the commitment in the end just doesn't feel realistic or even possible.
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