Product Description

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #737688 in Books
• Published on: 2006-11-01
• Released on: 2006-11-21
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 260 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9781599982830
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Customer Reviews

Two men who couldn't be more different if they tried, but they're perfect - for each other.
Chris Tucker is the head chef at The Falls. He's cultured, well-dressed, soft-spoken and very down to Earth. He comes from a poverty-stricken background and lived in Asheville his entire life.

Matt Gallagher is a tattoo artist at the Dragon's Den. He's wild, flamboyant, outspoken, and exceedingly friendly. He's only lived in Asheville for three years, has a wealthy background, and twin sisters who are in their final year of high school and plan to attend Oxford.

Chris and Matt couldn't be more different if they tried, but from the moment they met they've been a couple. Chris accidentally dropped his wallet while rushing to get to work and Matt had yelled for him on the street while trying to get his attention in order to return it. Chris was annoyed but he was immediately drawn to Matt and they agreed to meet after work. That evening they shared their backgrounds and exchanged funny stories and when the Alley Kat closed for the night they went to Matt's place. They both realize that what they have is much more than just great chemistry, or even great sex for that matter. They have a bond that will last throughout the years and survive the many trials and tribulations of their life as a couple.

Ally Blue has always done an amazing job writing gay male romance novels and I've thoroughly enjoyed each of them. LOVE'S EVOLUTION is definitely no exception. Instead of being one long continuous story, it's broken up into smaller novella length stories and each encompasses various milestones in Chris and Matt's relationship. I loved having the opportunity to read a little portion of their story and knowing that I could put the book down and then pick it back up and continue on with the next stage, sort of like reading a journal. Chris and Matt's vast differences make them an intriguing couple and they seem to balance each other out perfectly.

Chrissy Dionne (courtesy of Romance Junkies)

Opposites Attract
I loved Ally Blue's first novel, "Willow Bend"; the characters were adorable, the plot line thoroughly credible and deeply moving. Consequently, I awaited arrival of this book with baited breath.

I wasn't disappointed, as I found both the major characters (and another key character as well, Rick) appealing and sexy. Matt is young, sexy, lively, mischievous, playful; anyone would fall in love with him. Chris is older, sophisticated, usually articulate (with an occasional, important exception), steady, dependable, established in his career and ready to settle down. They are very different and their attraction is strong, mutual and compelling. Unfortunately, from the text of the novel, I didn't see as much as I would have liked to at the heart of their attraction besides sex. In my imagination, Matt contributes youthfulness, freshness, aliveness, spontaneity, energy, and more to the relationship, while Chris contributes steadfastness, confidence (most of the time), strength, maturity and many other like qualities. That's the only explanation I can come up with for why two such different characters were so strongly attacted to each other and had any hope of a successful, permanent relationship.

Most of the events of the book were credible, the sex searingly hot (especially a threesome). I'm not into S&M, so a scene late in the book did not ring my chimes and several earlier on I had to read quickly, but I enjoyed the rest of the sex between the characters quite a bit.

I did have trouble with one key scene involving an argument between the two lovers on one's birthday. Chris's fears the Matt and Rick were having an affair (or were about to) were not unjustified in light of the flirting and sexy heat he observed between the two (though Chris did not articulate his real fear very well) and Matt grossly overreacted. Frankly, had I been Chris, Matt's reaction would have strengthened my suspicions, not allayed them. Nor would I have reacted the way Chris did. There were at least two major problems with the way Ms. Blue handled the scene and they are the reason I did not give this book a five star rating. First, Matt told Chris that he wanted to celebrate his birthday at a specific nightclub, yet later when Chris went looking for Matt he didn't go to that nightclub for some unexplained reason. If he had, Chris would have found Matt and Rick in a seemingly compromising situation. Chris had more sense than not to have gone there; indeed, he would have gone and found the guys, forcing a more credible (and possibly more conflicted) resolution to the scene. Second, by explicitly excluding Chris from celebrating his birthday, Matt had to have hurt Chris terribly, yet the author didn't ever have Matt realize how he'd hurt his partner nor apologize for doing so. Believe me, if my partner ever treated ME like that, he'd hear about it, and I'd get an apology or else! Again, not realistic.

Still, and except for the deficiencies in handling that one important scene, while I did not love this book as much as the earlier novel, I did enjoy it and gladly recommend it for the characters, the sex, the romance and most of the plot line. Four stars makes it well worth reading.

A little cliche...
Ally Blue's latest novel follows the relationship of Chris Tucker, executive chef, and Matt Gallagher, tattoo artist. This is the "evolution" of a relationship from first meeting to commitment. Unfortunately, that relationship has every cliché known to man. The men encounter every proverbial roadblock along the way, from simple arguments to jealousy and life-threatening-injury.

However, this is a romance. The sex scenes are plentiful and hot, especially when the guys start experimenting. And kudos to Ms. Blue for having the men practice safe sex until they are committed to one another! Love's Evolution also has a threesome that could singe the page, and will have the audience going back to re-read. That said, there is more to the lives of these men than just sex. Many M/M romances center so much on the two main characters it's as if they are living in a bubble. Happily that is not the case here. The development of the secondary characters is very strong, particularly the guys' best friends and neighbors, Rick and Deb. Overall, not as good as "Willow Bend," but still well-worth buying!