I have to say, finding this book was a blessed mistake (pun intended ;)). I saw Tere has a new book this month - the 6th installment in the series. Wait, say WHAT? where is the 5th? what's going on?
When I went hunting for answers I found this compilation and the explanation for the bundle and hurriedly added these two to my reading list this month. Originally I planned on reading two Anthologies by Tere this month, but they were a sort of end list kinda deal, I wasn't sure I'll actually get to them as I always plan more than I actually manage.. So yeah, it wall changed with the release of "Truth & Tenderness" which is my next read.
Yet with all my excitement I gotta say I think both novellas were somehow redundant. In my opinion it wasn't necessary to be shown in detail the two subjects at hand. It would have been better if it was a part of a bigger novel in just a mention and not stretching it in two novellas that though were both a nice enough read weren't engaging enough on their own. Yet this is Evan & Matt, Jim & Griffin - which I absolutely LOVE! So I DID enjoy getting to be with them a little bit more.
Cherished ★ ★ ★ ★
[ Read & Reviewed on 22 December 2014 ]
I must say I'm not really sure what I thought about this one. I mean, I liked it, but I didn't love it. I really enjoyed getting another fix of Evan and mostly Matt who is SUCH a sweetheart. Evan as usual struggling with everything while Matt is "simply there" half the time and the other half he is fixing right about everything.
This novella takes place about 3 years after the ending of the previous novel. Evan and Matt are living together with the twins while the two older sisters are in college. Miranda - the older one - is supposedly wanting to get married with her boyfriend (for 4 months) and everyone feels like it's a getting back at Evan thing for forgetting his wife and replacing her with someone else - Matt...
Miranda and her boy friend, as well as his parents are coming to thanksgiving so they could all meet each other. No one is happy about this get together and naturally it doesn't start or continue on being a very enjoyable holiday but as this is a HEA kinda novella, things get better in the end.
While the previous novels were of adult dealing with life, stereotypes, feelings that are more complicated to deal with, love against odds etc, this one was more of a teenage trouble (even if Miranda is 22 years old). After having 3 full novels of guys and the way they deal with stuff - mostly flat on the table and not holding grudges.. Having Miranda's tantrums was kinda disappointing. I mean, I did enjoy the novel, seeing how the family is now, 3 years later, how Evan and Matt are doing and all that. It was fun getting this glimpse into the future (from the previous novel) but it was also in a way disappointing what they had to deal with. A stupid little girl who is angry at the world for no real apparent reason and Katie - the second daughter - nailed it with every word she utters.
I don't think it's a necessary finishing novella though it's was nice getting another fix but anyhow I liked it less than the previous novels.
Blessed ★ ★ ★ ★
[ My first Read and Review ]
This was a nice enough novella. Wasn't my favorite and generally I don't think it was really "needed". It was another glimpse into 4 couples - Evan & Matt, Jim & Griffin, Helena & Shane and Daisy & Bennett. They all meet together to celebrate Daisy and Bennett's new born daughter Sadie.
It seems as all couples are doing great except for Jim & Griffin who needed to have a talk about their relationship. Evan & Matt did a little bit of talking to them separately as well as Daisy with the slightest help from Bennett as well. They had two problems - One, they both wanted to settle down yet thought the other didn't.. and the second was Griffin finding out that he REALLY wanted kids after holding Sadie for the first time. Jim on the other hand isn't interested in them AT ALL. I was somehow on Jim's side on this one. I didn't get what everyone were so worked out about. Babies.. when they are not boring they make too much noise.. and let's face it, when they are this small their only function is to suck the life out of their parents with their basic needs. So I ask - what's the appeal? I really don't know. I might understand a general want for children but a baby is the LAST thing to make ME think about wanting one. In this novel everyone was so happy and into the little baby I was just bored out of my mind. It wasn't that the baby took a lot of page space. She didn't, but the whole feel of the novella was about "Griffin wants one too".
Griffin and Jim DID have a little chat, though it didn't cover all they needed to talk about but I really like this couple. They are so cute together. The way they care for each other is so sweet! I loved seeing Evan and Matt FINALLY at a good place with one another. Evan truly being happy and Matt has a job he enjoys and isn't just playing house.
I guess from my review you can see I was quite disappointed with this one. Yet the writing was so great! There we so many LOL moments and a happy feel of the couples, getting to read of them again that did made me feel all happy and giddy inside which is why I rounded up my rating to 4 stars.
Additional Details: Kindle Ebook, 202 pages, 9 May 2015 / On GoodReads
ABOUT THIS SERIES
Faith, Love, & Devotion is a MM Romance series by Tere Michaels.
Most of the series centers around the romance between New York City Vice Detective Evan Cerelli and former Homicide Detective Matt Haight. The second novel in the series centers around another couple - Jim (Homicide Detective James Shea) & Griffin Drake (A screenwriter) - after their novel the series continues with two more books of Evan and Matt (concluding the series after these) including a meetup with Jim & Griffin in the 3rd novel.
This series is absolutely AMAZING. The romance between Evan and Matt was beautiful and sensitive especially because they were both in a very difficult state when they met and also because they were both "straight" and never considered they might be attracted to men. So the romance between them had a "confused feel" to it on both sides, trying to deal with life, label and stereotypes as well as the "simple romance". I loved that even though it was very heart clutching at times and very emotional I didn't feel it was stretched just for the sake of having an argument, it all felt very genuine and real. The struggles feeling very understandable. With Jim and Griffin it was different, and not only because they are both openly gay. They had a different relationship but also a very sweet one, the love building in a very easy going way.
The 5th installment was published as a bundle with the 4th one. Better buy the bundle now since the 5th installment isn't available as a standalone (both together are about a novel's length). These two installments aren't very necessary to the general plot but I guess you mostly need to read them to understand Where Jim and Griffin are in their relationship as well as what's up with Miranda (Evan's oldest daughter).
The 5th and 6th installment are different in the sense we get both couples together. It's a bit crowded yet having them both together is like getting a cookie and a piece of cake together :) The HEA was beautifully made in the 6th installment.
Then we got the very last one. If you wanted a HEA a true one, I believe we've totally got it in the very last installment. It's not the usual book with a coherent story line, it's a collection of stories, of our three couples (though it's mostly Evan and Matt), the kids, growing up, getting older, getting married, having kids. Life. Family. Love. All entwined together.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Books:
Most of the series centers around the romance between New York City Vice Detective Evan Cerelli and former Homicide Detective Matt Haight. The second novel in the series centers around another couple - Jim (Homicide Detective James Shea) & Griffin Drake (A screenwriter) - after their novel the series continues with two more books of Evan and Matt (concluding the series after these) including a meetup with Jim & Griffin in the 3rd novel.
This series is absolutely AMAZING. The romance between Evan and Matt was beautiful and sensitive especially because they were both in a very difficult state when they met and also because they were both "straight" and never considered they might be attracted to men. So the romance between them had a "confused feel" to it on both sides, trying to deal with life, label and stereotypes as well as the "simple romance". I loved that even though it was very heart clutching at times and very emotional I didn't feel it was stretched just for the sake of having an argument, it all felt very genuine and real. The struggles feeling very understandable. With Jim and Griffin it was different, and not only because they are both openly gay. They had a different relationship but also a very sweet one, the love building in a very easy going way.
The 5th installment was published as a bundle with the 4th one. Better buy the bundle now since the 5th installment isn't available as a standalone (both together are about a novel's length). These two installments aren't very necessary to the general plot but I guess you mostly need to read them to understand Where Jim and Griffin are in their relationship as well as what's up with Miranda (Evan's oldest daughter).
The 5th and 6th installment are different in the sense we get both couples together. It's a bit crowded yet having them both together is like getting a cookie and a piece of cake together :) The HEA was beautifully made in the 6th installment.
Then we got the very last one. If you wanted a HEA a true one, I believe we've totally got it in the very last installment. It's not the usual book with a coherent story line, it's a collection of stories, of our three couples (though it's mostly Evan and Matt), the kids, growing up, getting older, getting married, having kids. Life. Family. Love. All entwined together.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Books:
1. Faith & Fidelity [Evan & Matt] (Published 23 September 2008) ★★★★★
2. Love & Loyalty [Jim & Griffin] (Published 8 September 2009) ★★★★★
3. Duty & Devotion [Evan & Matt] (Published 23 March 2010) ★★★★★
4. Cherish [Evan & Matt] (Published 20 November 2012) ★★★★
5. Cherish & Blessed [Evan & Matt/Jim & Griffin] (Published 13 February 2015) ★★★★
6. Truth & Tenderness [Evan & Matt/Jim & Griffin] (Published 1 May 2015) ★★★★
7. Forever & Ever: A Collection of Stories [EVERYONE!] (Published 25 December 2018) ★★★★★
5. Cherish & Blessed [Evan & Matt/Jim & Griffin] (Published 13 February 2015) ★★★★
6. Truth & Tenderness [Evan & Matt/Jim & Griffin] (Published 1 May 2015) ★★★★
7. Forever & Ever: A Collection of Stories [EVERYONE!] (Published 25 December 2018) ★★★★★
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