Walk With Me

Title: Walk with Me

Author: Cardeno C

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Length: 224 pages

Rating: A List

Up All Night Satisfaction

Blurb: A Book in the Home Series

When Eli Block steps into his parents’ living room and sees his childhood crush sitting on the couch, he starts a shameless campaign to seduce the young rabbi. Unfortunately, Seth Cohen barely remembers Eli and he resolutely shuts down all his advances. As a tenuous and then binding friendship forms between the two men, Eli must find a way to move past his unrequited love while still keeping his best friend in his life. Not an easy feat when the same person occupies both roles.

Professional, proper Seth is shocked by Eli’s brashness, overt sexuality, and easy defiance of societal norms. But he’s also drawn to the happy, funny, light-filled man. As their friendship deepens over the years, Seth watches Eli mature into a man he admires and respects. But when Seth finds himself longing for what Eli had so easily offered, he has to decide whether he’s willing to veer from his safe life-plan to build a future with Eli.

Review:

Nina: I know that I am about to ramble but I hope that you will give me a minute to. If you want the great review just skip down to Beans’. Writing this review has been very hard for me. I have fought it all of the way, found excuses and delayed and complained. I did not want to write this review. There are some books and authors that Beans and I both love so much that we realized early on the only way to prevent an epic battle was to try to share them. Sometimes we cannot do that, but with Cardeno C it has always been a given. Beans has been after me in that sweetly firm way of hers to write this review. I have resisted, hard. I didn’t really know why. I just couldn’t make myself sit down and talk about this wonderful book that I adored. Tonight I finally had my reason. Showers are awesome thinking spots, so little to distract you from the inside of your head. There is only so much fascination with exfoliation one can feign. I really do not want to say goodbye. And when I write this down and we post this review I will be saying goodbye to a very beautiful and wonderful world full of friends.

I first met CC through the Home Series. I stalked Amazon and Dreamspinners looking for the next book to come out. From the very first book I was sucked in and I fell hopelessly in love. Then through twitter I actually talked to the person who had created these people and I was done. All of these wonderful, complicated, sweet, generous and loving people suddenly made sense. I know some people think that Cardeno C’s characters are too nice. You have obviously never talked to CC.

I really do not want to say goodbye. But if I have to then Walk with Me is a wonderful way to do it. This book is everything that the Home series means to me. Love, friendship, family, growth, relationships, dreams, romance, hot sex, faith, hope, beauty and a delicious kiss of angst.

There were moments that I wanted to smack Seth. He was so willfully blind. He was the sweetest, most generous, kindest and dumbest ass. He had such a big heart and he shares it with everyone. He dedicated his life to knowledge, faith and serving others. He loved Eli with his whole heart, he just took a little while to accept that he loved Eli with his dick too. I loved Seth and his voice throughout the story.

Eli was so young and bold. I envied him his confidence and willingness to put what he wanted out there. When we first meet him he loves Seth with his heart wide open, which is how he lives his life. He is always the only thing that Seth can really see and he is definitely what Seth remembers.

Eli was ahead of Seth in the relationship. He knew for years that all he would ever want was Seth, he just had to grow up and give Seth the room to realize it too. When that time finally comes, it is amazing. I think I was almost as excited as the guys were.

I enjoyed the wedding invitations so much, they set the tone for their chapter perfectly. Some were nothing short of inspired genius.

This book made me laugh, frequently out loud, there were looks. There are some of the funniest scenes I have ever read in a romance. When you get to them you will know exactly what I am talking about.

Thank you, CC, for giving us a fabulous way to say goodbye. I will miss meeting new people but I will always have this wonderful world to come and visit again and again.

Beans: The Home Series was my introduction to Cardeno C. After the first book I punched my card in the fan girl club. I read Cardeno C voraciously and was looking forward to this book a tremendous amount. I was nervous because it is the last book in the series and although you can read any of the Home Series books in any order, I had a special place in my heart waiting for Seth and Eli’s story.

And, oh boy, did the author deliver.

I think that Walk with Me is the best book Cardeno C has written in the Home series. It was everything I look for in a good book. The characters felt real. The story drew me in from the first page to the last. It was sweet, funny, lovely, and sexy as all hell.

Seth is a new Rabbi in town. He is looking to get to know his congregation and live his new life. He wasn’t expecting the instant desire he felt the moment Eli walked in. I loved Seth. He goes down as one of my favorite all time characters. He is an incredible man full of strength and integrity. He loves the people around him and takes his job seriously. He also is incredibly kind and the very best friend for Eli.

Eli is joy and spirit and beauty. He is confident and bold and knows exactly what and who he wants. But he also has a maturity that made me adore him. He isn’t flighty or a drama queen. No. He is bold with a solid foundation. He loves Seth and his actions proved it. He was superb.

Now you are expecting sweet because well…it’s a CC book. But what you won’t expect is the roll on the floor laughter. I laughed so hard my stomach hurt. I laughed even harder the second time I read the book. Yes I have read it four times already…it’s that good.

And the the sex? Wowza. Hold on to your hats ladies and gentlemen. Cardeno C takes off the brakes and kicks it into high gear. Yes, the sexy time happens later on in the book than most of CC’s, but it’s worth it. You will need a tall glass of ice water, maybe a fan.

This story is a must read. Yes, you can read it before you read any others, but after you do, you will want to know about all the other men of the Home Series.

To Cardeno C, thank you. You have written a beautiful series. It has given me joy, laughter, caused me to cry and blush, and I have enjoyed every moment. I admire you as a writer and appreciate the work and creativity in all your works.