Review: Moment of Fate by Karen Stivali

24 February of 2017 by ButtonsMom2003

Reviewer's Rating: 5

5.0Overall score

This book just about slayed me.

Moment of Fate By Karen Stivali

Genre: Contemporary Romance, GLBTQ, MM, NA

Released: February 24, 2017

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Series: Moments in Time, Book 5

Synopsis

Bryan Dane’s been living the dream—photography student by day, up-and-coming rocker by night. His summer goals are to earn his last few credits, graduate from NYU, spend as much time in the recording studio as possible, and survive the next few months without sex so he can complete his yearlong goal of self-imposed celibacy. Everything is on track until he meets Oliver Newcastle.

For years Oliver planned a marriage of convenience with his high school BFF, but now that she’s fallen in love for real with someone else, it’s no longer convenient. So Oliver came out to his family, quit his job, and left small-town New England for NYC, an intensive summer study program, and a chance to find his own happiness.

From the moment they meet, the sexual tension between Bryan and Oliver sizzles. But Bryan wants no part of a relationship, and Oliver wants to sow his wild oats—he just isn’t sure how. Oliver seeks Bryan’s help navigating the NYC gay scene, which throws them together in increasingly more sexual situations until they can no longer deny they’re hot for each other. Bryan is desperate to keep things simple, but fate may have other plans.

Review

Reviewed by ButtonsMom2003

This book just about slayed me.

Karen Stivali’s Moments in Time books are among my favorite M/M NA stories; Moment of Silence was my favorite M/M book overall in 2015. To say that I could hardly wait to read Moment of Fate would be an understatement. I was NOT disappointed! The story is told in first person POV by Bryan and I devoured it.The blurb for the book is great so I’m not going to restate all of it. Bryan has sworn off relationships since he found his last boyfriend in bed with another guy. Oliver is only recently out and is ready to experience the wonders of New York City’s gay scene after leaving his home in New Hampshire.

This story is no quick read; it has so much depth to it and so much feeling that it had me on an emotional rollercoaster (in a good way). From almost the moment they met I could feel the connection that Bryan and Oliver had with each other but this is no insta-love story. That they end up with each other shouldn’t be a surprise (it’s a romance after all) but how they get there and the ups and downs they go through kept me glued to my tablet until it literally fell out of my hands when I fell asleep. I woke up 5 hours later and had to finish it.

Their relationship builds slowly but once things start to happen – wow, watch out. The sex in this book nearly caused my tablet to explode. Karen Stivali has such a way with words that I’m having difficulty expressing how much I enjoyed this story. I just want to keep saying it’s wonderful, buy it now but that kind of review isn’t really helpful.

Moment of Fate has a fair amount of angst to it but I don’t mind that and the way Ms. Stivali gets things worked out for her characters is great. If I have one small criticism it would be that I didn’t want this one to end and it wrapped up a little more quickly than I would have preferred. An epilogue would have been a perfect touch but maybe she has another story planned for Bryan and Oliver; one can always hope.

♥♥♥♥♥

O Factor: Scorcher

Moments in Time Series

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About Author

Karen Stivali

Karen Stivali is a prolific writer, compulsive baker, and chocoholic with a penchant for books, movies, and fictional British men. She writes contemporary straight (m/f) and LGBTQ (m/m) romance.

Author Links