Fast Forward: an Alt Er Love novella Paperback – 18 Jun. 2017

I sat on this review for two weeks because I just didn't know how to begin. Okay, the story is pretty much this: Ian Waters is a prodigy, doing his thing at uni, and meets Jessen Soreson* an up and coming rock starwho pretty much makes and tears his world apart before he lives. Seven years later at a party, they have a chance meeting and it goes from there.Readers, the book started really well. Axelrod is a good writer when it comes to dialogue, and description, and the emotional beats were strumming along, but the last half of the plot undid most, if not all of the goodwill towards this novella. It took it from five stars to almost a 1, but I'm keeping it at at 2, because the first half of the book was quite strong.Narratively, the third person pov was close to the point of claustrophobic. I didn't even know what Ian (the protagonist of the piece) looked like until late in the book. I guess it's the writer's way of making it such that you might project yourself onto the character (a device that a lot of YA and romance novelists seem to use), but I didn't really have an idea of what Ian might have looked like and what Jessen might have seen in him. In addition I would have liked to have known a bit more about Jessen's issues with his life, because his story sounded more interesting than Ian's. The only time we're actually in Jessen's head is when it comes too late, and narrative switcharoo was sudden and uncomfortable.I think this story might have probably been a fanfic, in that you've already known the characters from somewhere else, and have an emotional investment in them, so that the writer doesn't really have to build up a world or flesh out personalities. But for a novella in terms of standing on its own merits, it really didn't do so, tbh. To be fair, it didn't cost much money, so I'm not TOO mad about it, but the story could have been SO MUCH BETTER than what was put forward.*My keyboard can't make this letter, so we'll deal.

very romantic. i bought a kindle one before, but now i want to buy a paper one!!!

vary good

Aah, a lovely short second chance M/M romance/erotica that had me invested in both of the main characters, Jessen Sorensen and Ian Waters. Jesson had been Ian’s first everything when he was nineteen, introducing him to everything he never knew he was missing. After making countless promises to Ian about their future Jenson upped and left in the middle of the night with only a ‘sorry’. Ian was broken-hearted. Now, seven years later, Jessen is back and he’s not going to take no for an answer when it comes to winning back Ian’s heart. The story is set in present day with flash backs to the start of their relationship, and just so you know, there are no holds barred when it comes to the sex scenes, quite impressive really since it's apparently the author's first foray into M/M romance. A quick, easy, very sexy read. I was provided with a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Fast Forward, An Alt Er Love Novella, Xio AxelrodReview from Jeannie Zelos book reviewsGenre: LGBTQIAThis is a short read at just 123 pages, and I usually avoid anything novella style. They rarely hold enough emotion for me, but it sounded very promising from the synopsis so I went for it ;-) and loved it. Ian is 26 now and yet still feels like a teen. I often wonder about child prodigies like him, we hot house them, push them into academic positions they aren't mentally or emotionally ready for, and on top of all that poor Ian had a pretty crappy family background.No wonder he's kind of naive, a little insecure, feels so alone, apart from the crowd. He is. And that's so sad. How can anyone manage to breach that gap we created in the interests of "education" Gah, education comes from more than just books, and bright kids will always find their way, they don't need to be pushed in with those far older than them....and that's my soapbox rant for the day!! Ian's so lovely, a loner, but has a couple of good friends who seem to look out for him, such as Siv, giver of the party where he meets Jessen again.Arrghh, I could feel just how that hurt him, disturbed him on a visceral level, how angry and upset he was.Right then we didn't know much more than they'd had a relationship and Jessen left. Suddenly. Without explanation. Just was there one moment, gone the next. Poor Ian, already fragile, this just about fractured him and he's struggled to trust anyone since. What should he do now? Why is Jessen here? Does he even remember him or was he just a rock-stars hiccup, a quick hookup for that town and now he's off to the next. Were all the words and plans were just promises to draw him in?I loved Ian so much I was angry at Jessen and couldn't bring myself to like him for at least the first half of the book, but his honesty, his openness and transparency about his mistakes, and what he wants now drew me in. He was so gentle with Ian, so careful not to hurt him, knowing this was a one shot chance that I couldn't help loving him too. Its rare for me to feel so emotionally drawn into a short novel but this one did it, had me hooked, feeling Ian and Jessen were so real, and wanting things to work out for them, for true happiness for both.There's not a HEA, there's not really time, but the way it ends I was pretty sure they would get there and it worked for me. Stars: five, a novella that managed the almost impossible for me, a great story and characters and some very real emotion. ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers

nice short story romance, nerdy Ian meets rockstar Jessen, they hit it off, have a few wild nights experimenting as Ian is less than experienced with men. They fall in love, make plans and then out of the blue Jessen leaves Ian, leaving him broken.seven years later the 2 meet by chance again......enjoyable and short enough to read in an evening.it could have been longer with some other focus on the other supporting characters but its ok.