I enjoyed aspects of this story a lot. Really a lot. The attitude with Jamie's ex-boyfriend, the body-positivity, the calm intelligence of Oliver, all SANG to me. Oliver might be my most favorite character in years.

However. The duplicity was a turn-off. And the writing at the end was flat, lifeless. I don't know what happened there, but it desperately needed serious editing. ( )

3.5 stars

I'm no pro at reviews and I'm not really good with words so if you, for whatever reason read this, be warned that it's more of a rent than a critical review about character development and all that :)


I really enjoyed the book. The only reason it's not a 4 or 5 stars is that, for me, it all progressed waaaaaay too quickly and I felt like a bunch of chapters were removed as a afterthought and leaving a lot of questions behind with whatever happened in those 6 months that gave their relationship more confidence and because of that, the events of the last few pages, again, for me, felt lacking emotional "ground" (for lack of a better word), but not in the sense that a happy ending didn't fit but in the sense that it could have been pushed waaaaaay further.

Skipping the realistic angst of a new public relationship felt like a missed chance to really make this a heart warming story ( )

I love me some Cardeno C books. They are usually very sweet and sometimes they are just what I've been looking for and other times the sweetness gives me cavity. This book is among the former ones.

Oliver is geeky and smart and funny and bashful and (I must mention this!) very rational despite all his insecurities, and his already shaky confidence was shot to hell when his ex-douchebag told him he sucks in bed.
Now he's 28 and he's moved to a new city, and he wants to use that new start to change some things about his life and get a boyfriend.
But first, he figures, he has to make sure his future boyfriend won't think he sucks in bed, so he hires an escort to teach him! Hilariousness ensues. ( )

Not a Game by Cardeno C. is a scorching hot, conflict-free erotic romance.

Having recently moved from OK to WA for a new job, Oliver Barnaby is determined to make some much needed changes to his life. With plenty of insecurities and not much confidence due to some unkind remarks by his ex-boyfriend, he makes a surprising decision that he hopes will provide him the experience and confidence he needs to jump start his non-existent love life. He also plans to make an effort to make friends but he is uncomfortable around people he does not know so he focuses on improving his sex life first. Oliver is quite smitten with the new man in his life, Jaime Snow, but due to the circumstances in which they first meet, he finds it difficult to believe Jaime is truly interested in him.

Jaime is pretty much everything Oliver is not. He is in great shape and he is quite self-assured. He has been in a long term relationship and although he and his ex split up several years earlier, he has not met the right man to spend the rest of his life with. He is instantly attracted to Oliver and he is quite patient with his new lover as he helps him overcome his self-doubts. Jaime is quick to assure him that his interest is sincere and Jaime bides his time as he waits for the right time to clear up Oliver's misconception about his true identity.

Initially, Jaime and Oliver's relationship is mostly physical so there are plenty of explicit sex scenes between them. But there is also little doubt that they genuinely like each other and there are a host of feelings simmering beneath their passionate encoutners. Although Oliver does become much more comfortable with his appearance, he remains uncertain that Jaime's interest in him is real. Jaime does not help the situation by continuing to keep important information to himself even though his reasons for remaining silent are understandable. Once Oliver finally figures out the truth, his reaction is a tiny bit unrealistic but refreshingly free of unnecessary drama.

Not a Game by Cardeno C. is a sinfully sexy erotic gay romance. The characters are wonderfully developed, delightfully imperfect and infinitely appealing. The storyline is engaging and provides a positive message about body image. A fast-paced and enjoyable love story that will leave readers impatiently awaiting the next installment in the Friends series.
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