Winding Road by Cecilia Ryan

I wanted and mostly expected to love this story as much as I loved the previous novellas I"ve read by Cecilia. This one was different and dare I say "strange"? Ashleigh "Ash", The main character and our sole POV was a guy round 20 years old who behaved like he was maybe 15 if not less (if we ignore the sexual situations..). There is a reference to him being stupid, so I'm not sure if it was the intention of the author but he truly sounded a bit, well, trying to be politically correct here so let's say "slow". He was a sweet guy, I'll give him that but he was also clueless about life (asked his best friend what languages do people speak in Europe besides English?!) also very naive from the crush he has on a local musician- Indigo. A lot of people had some kind of obsessive interest in a rock star back in the day, right? it ended when they grew up.. With Indigo it's different. Or, should I say the same.. meaning he is crushing on a guy he knows through his lyrics. 

The Sartorialist by Cecilia Ryan

This is SO different from my usual reads. Even if I've read a few Historical Romance novels in the past, mostly MM. The way it was written, from George Beau Brummel POV as a sort of memoir of his past made is one of the reasons, but also just the way he described things and the importance he gave to the little impressions of life. 

I can't and won't do this short novella justice. I know I simply can't. It was funny and witty, and of a time I know nothing about (which usually means my ability to understand the nuances is much slimmer - not really in this case) but it was also sensitive, sweet and yeah, quite heart breaking.

Merger by Cecilia Ryan

So so short yet beautiful beyond words! Whenever I add another of Cecilia's novellas into my "Read" pile I look longingly at her GoodReads page and wish for another book to appear, yet at the moment it seems there are no new material since 2012. It really makes me sad because I only have two novellas left..

It doesn't even make sense to me to be over emotional about a character I've only just "met" something like 2 pages ago. Yet this is exactly Cecilia magic way with words. The relationship between Owen and Carter was heart clutching from the start. There was something there that drew me into the characters' life and all I wanted was for them to realize just how much they mean to one another. 

Mate (Halloween Howl) by Cecilia Ryan

Sweet, extremely short scene between Logan and Richard. Logan acting up his Halloween costume - a wolf. It was sweet and sexy and even though it was short and had a sex scene in it, I could actually feel the connection / real relationship between the too. 

A Symphony of Echoes by Cecilia Ryan

This short novella was utterly beautiful. One of THE best tender romance novels I've EVER read. I have to say, from the first page, it was a 5 star rating for me. Even though the general story seems not only cliche but "wrong" - a professor falling for his student? 

But hold your horses here! It's not what you think! It's everything else! It's a love story between a man that is hungry to love and a younger man who doesn't even know what a warm and loving gesture is. Both main characters were so beautifully portrayed, though we only get Eric's POV (the professor). Arthur is very insecure about himself, surely about his sexuality and what he actually wants from Eric, but as Eric only wants to give what Arthur is willing to get the progression of their relationship is heart warming, tender and just, perfect! 

Do Svidaniya, Good-bye by Cecilia Ryan

I find it hard to rate this short novella. On the one hand it was amazing, the best character development I've ever read in such a short one. It had a beautiful sweet and innocent feel in the beginning when first the two MC - Nathaniel and Konstantin meet, yet it became mature and sexy as they grow up yet I really didn't like the way it ended..