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Romano and Albright #1
Catch Me If You Can
The fear of getting caught is half the fun.
Lowly art gallery assistant Caesar Romano is freely out of the closet. Now he’d just like to get out of his Nana’s guest room. Everything—his reputation and his financial freedom—is riding on the success of tonight’s gallery opening. If only he could shake free of the past so easily.
A mysterious gatecrasher, Dan Green, looks like a promising addition to his pending new life—until Caesar’s ex shows up and suddenly the opening disintegrates into a half-naked dance melee. When the glitter settles, a missing sculpture of Justin Timberlake has Caesar up to his eyebrows in extortion, intrigue and a wild sexual adventure underneath, inside, and on top of a variety of furnishings.
As the cast of suspects piles up, so do the questions. Like who’s really blackmailing whom? And what does a stolen paint-by-numbers clown matter when Dan is so outrageously capable of blowing Caesar’s resistance to smithereens?
This book contains graphic language, sex, lies, intrigue, clowns, kleptomania, anal sex, oral sex, mutual masturbation, bad driving, good cooking, and the missing head of a Justin Timberlake statue. Not for the sour of disposition.
Lowly art gallery assistant Caesar Romano is freely out of the closet. Now he’d just like to get out of his Nana’s guest room. Everything—his reputation and his financial freedom—is riding on the success of tonight’s gallery opening. If only he could shake free of the past so easily.
A mysterious gatecrasher, Dan Green, looks like a promising addition to his pending new life—until Caesar’s ex shows up and suddenly the opening disintegrates into a half-naked dance melee. When the glitter settles, a missing sculpture of Justin Timberlake has Caesar up to his eyebrows in extortion, intrigue and a wild sexual adventure underneath, inside, and on top of a variety of furnishings.
As the cast of suspects piles up, so do the questions. Like who’s really blackmailing whom? And what does a stolen paint-by-numbers clown matter when Dan is so outrageously capable of blowing Caesar’s resistance to smithereens?
This book contains graphic language, sex, lies, intrigue, clowns, kleptomania, anal sex, oral sex, mutual masturbation, bad driving, good cooking, and the missing head of a Justin Timberlake statue. Not for the sour of disposition.
128 pages, ebook
First published March 1, 2010
About the author
L.B. Gregg
25 books626 followersLB Gregg (Lisabea) writes fun, fast-paced contemporary male/male romances for a variety of publishers including Riptide, Samhain, and Carina Press. Her wildly successful Men of Smithfield books feature hot, hunky men looking for love in small town New England. Find more information about LB, The Men of Smithfield, and her fun series Romano and Albright at www.lbgregg.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 273 reviews
November 3, 2019
*Caution: there are 17 18 uses of the word "fuck" in this review.*
This is a rant. I've taken the soap box, which I used a time machine to get, out of the garage and I'm gearing up for my angry lecture.
Fuck this.
Yes, the book was funny and had potential, but that doesn't make it okay to bash a group of people who are already being hated on by so much of society. I guess it's easy to pick the monster out of a group that so many consider monstrous. Fuck that.
Transgender people go through so much bullshit. They grow up feeling like freaks who should be ashamed of themselves. They commit suicide more often than lemmings. If they get the strength to actually come out to their loved ones, they are often rejected and become homeless. If they somehow make it through that process, and they are "lucky" they only have to deal with lost friends, society hating them, people calling them crazy, being misgendered, and oh yeah, constantly being murdered for something they have no control over! It's fucked up.
This book uses the derogatory term "tranny" over and over. They misgender, dead name, make jokes about it, act grossed out by genitals, and ultimately decide the trans person is a crazy, psycho monster. Oh, but the trans person IS the crazy, psycho monster in this book. Why? And, that's the kicker - because they were transgender. Yes, the entire motivation of the crimes were to pay for gender-affirming surgeries. What the fuck?
I have a transgender person that I care about in my life. This bullshit attitude is exactly representative of the constant daily barrage of hate that they go through. I worry for their safety every day. It sucks so much. The last thing they need is a book that is marketed to the LGBT community to spread hate for one of the groups. What does it mean to you if someone is trans? How does that hurt your life? Get the fuck over it. Stop being a fucktard. Grow the fuck up and let people live how they need to if it doesn't hurt others.
This is a rant. I've taken the soap box, which I used a time machine to get, out of the garage and I'm gearing up for my angry lecture.
Fuck this.
Yes, the book was funny and had potential, but that doesn't make it okay to bash a group of people who are already being hated on by so much of society. I guess it's easy to pick the monster out of a group that so many consider monstrous. Fuck that.
Transgender people go through so much bullshit. They grow up feeling like freaks who should be ashamed of themselves. They commit suicide more often than lemmings. If they get the strength to actually come out to their loved ones, they are often rejected and become homeless. If they somehow make it through that process, and they are "lucky" they only have to deal with lost friends, society hating them, people calling them crazy, being misgendered, and oh yeah, constantly being murdered for something they have no control over! It's fucked up.
This book uses the derogatory term "tranny" over and over. They misgender, dead name, make jokes about it, act grossed out by genitals, and ultimately decide the trans person is a crazy, psycho monster. Oh, but the trans person IS the crazy, psycho monster in this book. Why? And, that's the kicker - because they were transgender. Yes, the entire motivation of the crimes were to pay for gender-affirming surgeries. What the fuck?
I have a transgender person that I care about in my life. This bullshit attitude is exactly representative of the constant daily barrage of hate that they go through. I worry for their safety every day. It sucks so much. The last thing they need is a book that is marketed to the LGBT community to spread hate for one of the groups. What does it mean to you if someone is trans? How does that hurt your life? Get the fuck over it. Stop being a fucktard. Grow the fuck up and let people live how they need to if it doesn't hurt others.
December 12, 2015
snappy and fun, but irksome in the way all of gregg's books irk me.
romano's prissiness and hysteria make for a fun voice, but not, you know, all the time.
albright's a cipher. aside from being hot and bossy, i see no reason to care.
the mystery is slight but pleasant; when you're reading a caper, you hardly want to do any heavy lifting to keep track of things, so i appreciated that.
mostly what kept this from being a total success for me were the characters, who seemed, nearly all of them—i'm serious—incredibly annoying people entirely consumed with status and money.
unless they were eyetalians, which, ok. whatever.
some of my city's stereotypes are richly deserved.
so:
ultimately fun, and you bet your ass i snatched-up the sequel at once, but after a while the POV felt so connecticut-typical i started feeling really grossed-out and faintly anxious, like i'd taken the wrong exit off I-95 and felt a sudden compulsion to constantly check my rear-view mirror, on account of being in imminent danger of being pulled-over by Fairfield's Finest due to a "busted taillight" in a neighborhood too calculatedly rustic for my Honda Civic.
and did the baddie have to be ?
just asking.
romano's prissiness and hysteria make for a fun voice, but not, you know, all the time.
albright's a cipher. aside from being hot and bossy, i see no reason to care.
the mystery is slight but pleasant; when you're reading a caper, you hardly want to do any heavy lifting to keep track of things, so i appreciated that.
mostly what kept this from being a total success for me were the characters, who seemed, nearly all of them—i'm serious—incredibly annoying people entirely consumed with status and money.
unless they were eyetalians, which, ok. whatever.
some of my city's stereotypes are richly deserved.
so:
ultimately fun, and you bet your ass i snatched-up the sequel at once, but after a while the POV felt so connecticut-typical i started feeling really grossed-out and faintly anxious, like i'd taken the wrong exit off I-95 and felt a sudden compulsion to constantly check my rear-view mirror, on account of being in imminent danger of being pulled-over by Fairfield's Finest due to a "busted taillight" in a neighborhood too calculatedly rustic for my Honda Civic.
and did the baddie have to be ?
just asking.
June 8, 2013
3.5 stars...
Outrageous insanity!
And, I thoroughly enjoyed it. :)
After a semi-annoying start (Why do people in books NOT call the cops when something bad happens…??? It’s my pet peeve…), this book really picked up for me. It’s funny…asinine, really…and just so over-the-top that I couldn’t help but be entertained.
Caesar is a hoot…and I love that he’s just a good, good guy (despite all the lunatics in his life). And I’m obsessed with his maybe-they’re-in-the-mob Italian family! But, for me, the real draw to this book is Detective Dan…the I-used-to-be-a-cop-(hubba hubba)-but-am-now-a-private-investigator-(hubba hubba) suiter of Ce. He is HOT…hot, hot, hot…
The pairing of Caesar and Dan is much like those that I am a sucker for and that you’ve seen me gush about time and again (basically every Mary Calmes book)…but I can’t help myself…I lurve it. And I’m happy that Caesar has someone to adore him….who’s not a closeted, self-absorbed, orange oompa loompa! I can see why this book has mixed reviews...the humor is not for everyone. But, I found it hysterical...just insane, really.
Can’t wait to read book 2…but…I was kinda hoping for more in the series (*nudges* L.B. Gregg …I mean, Mary Calmes gave us SIX books of Jory & Sam…just sayin’… :) )
June 21, 2010
Without question this is LB Gregg's strongest book to date. Admittedly, this comedy is one of the trickiest things out there to write -- without fail it's going to leave some readers cold -- but for shrewd observations, clever characterizations, and great one liners Gregg can't be beat.
She's never glib or facile. The books have genuine heart.
She's never glib or facile. The books have genuine heart.
February 12, 2017
I enjoyed this one way more than I thought I would. It was funny, sexy and a bit mysterious. It was also quite silly, but that was just what I needed right now.
Ceasar is an Italian gay man, who works at an art gallery an is living with his granny. He needs a new job that will pay more, so he can afford a place on his own. He works his ass off to impress the right people....maybe he worked a bit too hard to impress, because things turn to shit pretty fast.
Dan is a PI. I really liked the guy. He was funny and very open and honest about who he was (well...most of the time) and what he wanted....and he wants Ceasar....bad :)) This ofcourse made me very happy, because these guys were HOT together. I could have done with a bit more steamy scenes, but that's my inner perv talking ;)
It's very hard to explain the plot, because it was pretty silly at times. Just know that there are clowns, a missing Justin Timberlake, blackmail, orange tans, closeted actors and facial peels.
It was a very entertaning read with very like-able characters. I'm gonna jump right into the next book !
January 8, 2012
(This review is 1) long, and 2) may contain spoilers, although I have done my best to avoid them.)
I initially liked this book. I did. I liked it a lot; it's tremendously funny, and the characters are extremely well drawn. But it also gnawed at me, and I spent most of the book trying to justify what struck me as borderline transphobic content -- until I reached the climax of the mystery, and it went from borderline to blatantly transphobic.
I have no problem with portraying anyone, transgender (henceforth "trans*") or not, as an asshole. I have no problem with flawed characters. I have a big problem with making fun of a person's trans* status, and I have a problem when not just one, or two, but all the cisgendered (henceforth "cis") characters regard the trans* person's identity as a "lie", as some sort of trickery or deceit. I have a big problem with the cis characters thinking they have the right to freely discuss the shape of the trans* person's genitals just because they happen to know about that person's trans* status. I have a big problem with using the shape of a person's genitals as a form of mockery. I have a big problem with passages like this:
This book isn't just disrespectful to trans* identity. It's extremely hurtful. It reinforces negative stereotypes, reinforces the idea that cis people somehow have the right to know what's between another person's legs or whether their birth certificate matches their current legal identification -- as though cis people somehow have the right to other people's deeply personal information, the right poke and prod and jab at whatever doesn't match up to society's idea of "normal". And it's depressing, because it's yet another example of LGBT and allied discrimination against members of the LGBT community. It's not historical fiction; it's contemporary fiction, set sometime in the past three years (as dated by the reference to Adam Lambert), and it's long past time that such vitriolic mockery of the trans* community should be deemed acceptable by any part of our culture -- not by the mainstream community, and definitely not by the LGBT/allied community.
I don't believe the author is consciously transphobic, or intended to condone transphobic behaviour. I think the author is probably uneducated when it comes to trans* issues, as evidenced by the use of the word "hermaphrodite" (an outdated term for intersex people that is no longer used due to its negative connotation) -- and by the fact that the trans* person actually used this word to describe herself, which struck me as highly unrealistic and raised the first warning flags in my head.
I really, really wanted to like this book. The writing is good, the story is good, the characters are entertaining -- but the portrayal of the trans* character's transition as nothing more than a disgusting sham made me sick. I cannot, in good conscience, recommend a book that I believe belittles the lives of so many people. All its merits aside -- and its merits are many -- I feel compelled to give it the lowest rating possible.
I initially liked this book. I did. I liked it a lot; it's tremendously funny, and the characters are extremely well drawn. But it also gnawed at me, and I spent most of the book trying to justify what struck me as borderline transphobic content -- until I reached the climax of the mystery, and it went from borderline to blatantly transphobic.
I have no problem with portraying anyone, transgender (henceforth "trans*") or not, as an asshole. I have no problem with flawed characters. I have a big problem with making fun of a person's trans* status, and I have a problem when not just one, or two, but all the cisgendered (henceforth "cis") characters regard the trans* person's identity as a "lie", as some sort of trickery or deceit. I have a big problem with the cis characters thinking they have the right to freely discuss the shape of the trans* person's genitals just because they happen to know about that person's trans* status. I have a big problem with using the shape of a person's genitals as a form of mockery. I have a big problem with passages like this:
"Pretending to [redacted to prevent spoilers] was pretty smart."
"Pretending to be a girl was even smarter," Poppy added.
"She fooled me. Shit she fooled everyone." I never questioned Rachel, even when I knew the truth about her... condition. Dr. Bronner had certainly earned his five thousand dollars.
[...]
I had to know. I'm sure everyone was wondering the same thing, so I came right out and asked. "Did you... uhm... see her... parts?"
This book isn't just disrespectful to trans* identity. It's extremely hurtful. It reinforces negative stereotypes, reinforces the idea that cis people somehow have the right to know what's between another person's legs or whether their birth certificate matches their current legal identification -- as though cis people somehow have the right to other people's deeply personal information, the right poke and prod and jab at whatever doesn't match up to society's idea of "normal". And it's depressing, because it's yet another example of LGBT and allied discrimination against members of the LGBT community. It's not historical fiction; it's contemporary fiction, set sometime in the past three years (as dated by the reference to Adam Lambert), and it's long past time that such vitriolic mockery of the trans* community should be deemed acceptable by any part of our culture -- not by the mainstream community, and definitely not by the LGBT/allied community.
I don't believe the author is consciously transphobic, or intended to condone transphobic behaviour. I think the author is probably uneducated when it comes to trans* issues, as evidenced by the use of the word "hermaphrodite" (an outdated term for intersex people that is no longer used due to its negative connotation) -- and by the fact that the trans* person actually used this word to describe herself, which struck me as highly unrealistic and raised the first warning flags in my head.
I really, really wanted to like this book. The writing is good, the story is good, the characters are entertaining -- but the portrayal of the trans* character's transition as nothing more than a disgusting sham made me sick. I cannot, in good conscience, recommend a book that I believe belittles the lives of so many people. All its merits aside -- and its merits are many -- I feel compelled to give it the lowest rating possible.
November 28, 2013
This was really great romantic suspense from L.B. Gregg, who now cements her status as a solid 3.5-4 star author for me.
First of all, I loved the heat level of this book. For some reason, in the two other L.B. Gregg books that I read, the sex was just not that hot for me. However, in this book, the chemistry between Caesar and Dan was electric and I was so into them as a couple. I could have used even more sex but I'm pervy like that.
Another thing I loved was the humor. God, I love when an author can make me smile and I was smiling through this whole story. This author can write humor and write it well.
My only issue with this book is that I found the whole mystery element to be a bit confusing. I don't tend to like romantic suspense, so maybe that played a part in my limited attention span when it came to who was where, when. I was like, "I don't care who stole the stupid painting or whatever, can we get back to the boning?"
**Grins**
All in all, a great read and I will certainly be checking out the rest of this series.
First of all, I loved the heat level of this book. For some reason, in the two other L.B. Gregg books that I read, the sex was just not that hot for me. However, in this book, the chemistry between Caesar and Dan was electric and I was so into them as a couple. I could have used even more sex but I'm pervy like that.
Another thing I loved was the humor. God, I love when an author can make me smile and I was smiling through this whole story. This author can write humor and write it well.
My only issue with this book is that I found the whole mystery element to be a bit confusing. I don't tend to like romantic suspense, so maybe that played a part in my limited attention span when it came to who was where, when. I was like, "I don't care who stole the stupid painting or whatever, can we get back to the boning?"
**Grins**
All in all, a great read and I will certainly be checking out the rest of this series.
January 28, 2023
Well, if it isn’t a rollercoaster ride of delicious craziness!!!! Loved it !! It’s a fast paced mystery with witty humor and with two MC I loved to pieces. And the sex is so hot, damn!
Why not 5 stars? Well, because of the homophobic and transphobic bits and also because I never ever wanna read the word “chute” when talking about the asshole. Never!Ever!
Why not 5 stars? Well, because of the homophobic and transphobic bits and also because I never ever wanna read the word “chute” when talking about the asshole. Never!Ever!
July 27, 2013
I started this book with a lot of enthusiasm. I loved the main character-- a feisty Italian gay man who works as an assistant at an art gallery who becomes the center of a mystery involving ridiculous stolen art-- a bust of Justin Timberlake, of all things-- and clown kleptomania and a closeted children's show actor who looks like an oompa loompa and a sexy gay private investigator with secrets of his own. It seemed like my kind of story! The writing was sharp and quick with a lot of humor, the characters were fairly well-drawn, and I was pulled into the story right away. I wanted to like this story. I truly did.
But the author went and ruined it all with a bunch of trans-bashing. Honestly, I tried to give the author the benefit of the doubt. I kept reading, thinking that maybe it was merely written as a flaw on the part of the character, which would be acceptable, and not the author showing her own ignorance. But no, it only got worse, until I was seething and sickened and ready to throw my computer across the room.
A warning to those who are thinking about reading this story: while I do not believe this author is purposefully prejudiced, she is proudly ignorant of transpeople, and she's not afraid to show it in the blatantly transphobic writing in this book.
The transwoman character in this story is called a "tranny"-- transphobic language about as polite as someone calling a gay man a fag-- as well as a "hermaphrodite"-- which is an unacceptable and archaic term once used to refer to intersexed people and is not at all the same thing as being trans, FYI.
Nearly every other character had something ignorant, hateful, or off-color to say about this trans character-- claiming that this transwoman was only "pretending to be a woman," invalidating her identity as a transwoman by calling it "a condition" and considering her transition a joke and a sham, wondering aloud at her having sex with other people and calling it "gross," and then inquiring, with gleefully disgusted delight, if anyone had seen "her parts," all while excusing their gross behavior by saying "we were all thinking it anyway."
SPOILER: Worst of all is that, in the end, this character's trans status became inexorably linked to her status as the villain. Unforgivable! This is like expecting all gay men to be pedophiles.
Folks, this is not only tactless, ignorant, and frankly, vile but also damaging to an already grossly misunderstood community. Transpeople do not exist for others to fetishize or as freaks of nature meant to be the brunt of jokes or entertainment for the masses. They are complex human beings just as much as the gay men we all like to read and write about on here. It is not the right of cisgendered people to know what's going on under a transperson's clothes-- or what's written on their birth certificates and drivers licenses, for that matter-- any more than it is the right of straight people to have dominion over what is going in gay people's bedrooms or in their intimate relationships or even the right of curious straight folk to know if a gay man likes it up the ass on the regular.
Perhaps I'm wrong to expect better of authors who write gay romantic/erotic fiction merely because they're a part of the LGBT spectrum? The "T" is every bit a part of that acronym as the "L" and the "G" and the "B." I suppose that it's also a bit of a sore point for me because as a queer person, I know how hard we've had to fight for equality, and I've cried tears of ecstatic joy and bitter rage over every victory and every loss related to LGBT rights in my hometown and across the country.
But it has come at the tragic cost of complete apathy to the plight of our queer transbrothers and transsisters, who have suffered more for the right to positive visibility, the right to earn a living, the right to access to healthcare, the right to exist safely without fear of violence than the rest of us, gay or straight. I do not accept gay people or their allies bashing on transpeople any more than I accept masculine gay men discriminating against more effeminate gay men, for example, or any other disgusting discrimination of queer people against their own kind.
LB Gregg, cher, you are a seriously talented writer, but you need to get a serious clue and educate yourself. We don't need such ignorant people as our allies. It only hurts our cause.
Rather than recommending this book, which I cannot do in good conscience, I suggest that the author and the readers of this book go out and talk to a transperson. Ask them about their lives, about their hopes and dreams as well as about the struggles and concerns and fears they face every day as part of a larger society that does not accept them, does not understand them, and that, in many respects, positively hates them.
But the author went and ruined it all with a bunch of trans-bashing. Honestly, I tried to give the author the benefit of the doubt. I kept reading, thinking that maybe it was merely written as a flaw on the part of the character, which would be acceptable, and not the author showing her own ignorance. But no, it only got worse, until I was seething and sickened and ready to throw my computer across the room.
A warning to those who are thinking about reading this story: while I do not believe this author is purposefully prejudiced, she is proudly ignorant of transpeople, and she's not afraid to show it in the blatantly transphobic writing in this book.
The transwoman character in this story is called a "tranny"-- transphobic language about as polite as someone calling a gay man a fag-- as well as a "hermaphrodite"-- which is an unacceptable and archaic term once used to refer to intersexed people and is not at all the same thing as being trans, FYI.
Nearly every other character had something ignorant, hateful, or off-color to say about this trans character-- claiming that this transwoman was only "pretending to be a woman," invalidating her identity as a transwoman by calling it "a condition" and considering her transition a joke and a sham, wondering aloud at her having sex with other people and calling it "gross," and then inquiring, with gleefully disgusted delight, if anyone had seen "her parts," all while excusing their gross behavior by saying "we were all thinking it anyway."
SPOILER: Worst of all is that, in the end, this character's trans status became inexorably linked to her status as the villain. Unforgivable! This is like expecting all gay men to be pedophiles.
Folks, this is not only tactless, ignorant, and frankly, vile but also damaging to an already grossly misunderstood community. Transpeople do not exist for others to fetishize or as freaks of nature meant to be the brunt of jokes or entertainment for the masses. They are complex human beings just as much as the gay men we all like to read and write about on here. It is not the right of cisgendered people to know what's going on under a transperson's clothes-- or what's written on their birth certificates and drivers licenses, for that matter-- any more than it is the right of straight people to have dominion over what is going in gay people's bedrooms or in their intimate relationships or even the right of curious straight folk to know if a gay man likes it up the ass on the regular.
Perhaps I'm wrong to expect better of authors who write gay romantic/erotic fiction merely because they're a part of the LGBT spectrum? The "T" is every bit a part of that acronym as the "L" and the "G" and the "B." I suppose that it's also a bit of a sore point for me because as a queer person, I know how hard we've had to fight for equality, and I've cried tears of ecstatic joy and bitter rage over every victory and every loss related to LGBT rights in my hometown and across the country.
But it has come at the tragic cost of complete apathy to the plight of our queer transbrothers and transsisters, who have suffered more for the right to positive visibility, the right to earn a living, the right to access to healthcare, the right to exist safely without fear of violence than the rest of us, gay or straight. I do not accept gay people or their allies bashing on transpeople any more than I accept masculine gay men discriminating against more effeminate gay men, for example, or any other disgusting discrimination of queer people against their own kind.
LB Gregg, cher, you are a seriously talented writer, but you need to get a serious clue and educate yourself. We don't need such ignorant people as our allies. It only hurts our cause.
Rather than recommending this book, which I cannot do in good conscience, I suggest that the author and the readers of this book go out and talk to a transperson. Ask them about their lives, about their hopes and dreams as well as about the struggles and concerns and fears they face every day as part of a larger society that does not accept them, does not understand them, and that, in many respects, positively hates them.
March 8, 2016
3,3 stars.
My last books were good, but challenging, and it is why I looked for something totally different.
I was ready for something light, fast-paced, hilarious. I was ready for fun and sexy.
And who can deliver it IMMEDIATELY, without having to spend much time on searching for it? L.B. Gregg!
If you haven't yet read anything by this author, you should !
I enjoyed her Men of Smithfield series and I became a fan of her writing.
The first book of Romano and Albright series was a good thing too, though I still feel that there was something lacking. Or better to say there was too much of everything here, for its length:
a bit too much ridiculous situations, a bit too many characters, who had a bad habit to appear altogether at the same time on the same scene. It was too crowded on pages very often, and it was too loud almost continuously. Yes, I COULD hear how all of them talked altogether simultaneously.
Maybe it was not exactly my sense of humor? It is why I felt myself in some situations a bit out of place...You know, when everyone around you laugh and you...well...you have suddenly a headache.
I wish a bit more logic in characters behaviour and in a mystery, and a bit more of Caesar and Dan...you know...by themselves...Because THAT was pretty hot!
But I'm glad that there are more books in the series, and that I don't have to wait for a next sequel.
Because I'm going to read them all.
March 22, 2011
I absolutely loved this book!! I loved Caesar. I loved his voice and his attitude. The "badass" gay Italian (who currently lives with his Nana) gets himself stuck right in the middle of the chaos; always seconds away from a total freak out. Then enters Dan. At 1st I thought he was going to be a huge asshole, but turns out I was way off. He was funny and a little goofy and reckless for a PI. And he's totally sweet on Caesar. Those two were so HOT together!! The things they found themselves doing while hiding out in other people's homes...
I really liked all the secondary characters. The plot was a little silly, but I was so into the story it didn't bother me at all. And I did not figure out the mystery until it was revealed. Even that scene was hilarious.
It's been a long time since I laughed this much reading a book. Every few minutes I found myself laughing out loud. The pace was fast with no lag between scenes. I had trouble tearing myself away from it.
One of my favorite lines:
There are many great one-liners in this book. I was so into the story I only took the time to highlight a few.
I can't wait to read the second book ASAP!
I really liked all the secondary characters. The plot was a little silly, but I was so into the story it didn't bother me at all. And I did not figure out the mystery until it was revealed. Even that scene was hilarious.
It's been a long time since I laughed this much reading a book. Every few minutes I found myself laughing out loud. The pace was fast with no lag between scenes. I had trouble tearing myself away from it.
One of my favorite lines:
There are many great one-liners in this book. I was so into the story I only took the time to highlight a few.
I can't wait to read the second book ASAP!
February 11, 2014
This was lovely.
It's my second book by LB Gregg—the other one being How I Met Your Father—and it's safe to say I'm becoming a fan of her writing.
It's my second book by LB Gregg—the other one being How I Met Your Father—and it's safe to say I'm becoming a fan of her writing.
April 1, 2014
*** 2.5 Stars ***
*shakes head, sputters a little incomprehensibly, makes a face that says "I'm thinking entirely too hard and yet, probably not enough."*
I'm not even entirely sure what I just read. It was like a... rom com mystery novel? Sort of. I don't know. It was zany. And bizarre. But kinda in a good way?! I mean, it had a million characters, a convoluted plot and a messy, somewhat comical resolution. It sorta felt like I was reading the script for an episode of I Love Lucy (if Lucy and Ethel had been two gay men instead of housewives).
There was some chemistry between Romano and Albright, but I didn't really feel it until BAM! They were going at it. Their banter was cute, though, and I'm looking forward to watching their relationship develop more in the next book.
*shakes head, sputters a little incomprehensibly, makes a face that says "I'm thinking entirely too hard and yet, probably not enough."*
I'm not even entirely sure what I just read. It was like a... rom com mystery novel? Sort of. I don't know. It was zany. And bizarre. But kinda in a good way?! I mean, it had a million characters, a convoluted plot and a messy, somewhat comical resolution. It sorta felt like I was reading the script for an episode of I Love Lucy (if Lucy and Ethel had been two gay men instead of housewives).
There was some chemistry between Romano and Albright, but I didn't really feel it until BAM! They were going at it. Their banter was cute, though, and I'm looking forward to watching their relationship develop more in the next book.
July 27, 2016
Catch Me If You Can is a fun, fast paced ride that had me smiling, laughing, and running to keep up. Running to catch up with Caesar Romano.
Caesar is a hilarious, quick witted, feisty ball of energy! A man that can probably get in trouble just rolling out of bed. Haha…He had me in stitches. Slipping, flailing, and falling into secrets, mystery, and trouble! But my favorite part of this story was how Ms. Gregg seemed to infuse the whole story—every single page with Caesar’s energy. Do you talk with your hands? Move them about to punctuate a point? Stir the air with your excitement, anger or joy? That's what this story feels like! Caesar tends to talk with his hands here and there, but Gregg actually captures that constant swirl, flutter and movement in every action and word. The energy jumps off the page! An energy that sparked this whole crazy shebang of missing art, blackmail, clown kleptomania, and delicious fear-of-getting-caught alive!
And then there was Dan…
”You going to do something interesting, Romano? Or just nibble on me?”
I haven’t even talked about this man’s power on the page yet. Ooo.la.la! Dan Albright is one smug, dominant, sexy, sexy man. The tension and heat between Dan and Caesar is so much fun to be around. It can flip from playful to scorching in a *snap*. And it can get HOT in some fun, tight places. :D
A fun, sexy read. I can’t wait for book two!
October 3, 2015
Loved this.
Pros
The book is VERY funny. For example:
Plot, pacing, verbiage, etc. All the standard elements are there and well done. The characterization was very well done. I could picture each person and they were all different. I fell in love with these characters.
The grandma; in fact, Caesar's whole family. They may be somewhat of a stereotype but anyone who's seen Cake Boss know that it's a realistic stereotype. I particularly love how the dad pretends he has a thick Italian accent:
Caesar's ridiculous sweet tooth.
Mystery was so good I didn't even notice that no romance happened for a long time. The first hint of something sexual between them was almost halfway through. The mystery was good and it took me a long time to figure it out.
Somebody asks why the parking brake isn't being used in an automatic car. I get grief for this all the time, people teasing me about using the parking brake. I just tell them it's because I drove a stickshift most of my life and have only had an automatic for a couple of years. But the reality is that sometimes a car can pop out of gear. I live in Seattle, hilly as San Francisco. So I am happy that in the book, something happens because someone didn't set the parking brake.
Caesar is deeply horrified and afraid of clowns, as he should be. I knew a gay guy who collected clowns and he freaked me out, too.
When a guy has a second orgasm, it's smaller and weaker. That's how they go, not even better and more intense like in most books.
Caesar's obsessive fear of germs. It's not like stereotypical OCD, it's just sometimes and it's really funny.
Sex scenes are very hot.
There's a steamy sex scene under a bed.
Cons
There's a steamy sex scene under a bed. These are grown men. How??
A guy keeps his porn toys in the bathroom. That is probably the least safe place to hide stuff. It's the only place people have the time and privacy to snoop. Plus, it's pretty inconvient.
"I unlocked the locks." ‘nuff said.
The main character's name is Caesar Romano. Seriously. And his family owns a famous restaurant.
Large age difference as usual (twelve years). You know, there are lots of gay couples who are the same age. Most of the gay relationships I have known throughout my life, and that's a lot since I used to be co-chair of the GLTB organization on my campus, were between guys close in age.
People in Wheaties ads are celebrities.
Men serving food topless is compared to Hooters as far as being a health code violation. Um, no, the women are wearing shirts. Men cannot go shirtless because of the possibly loss of hair and sweat into the food. "No shirt, no shoes, no service."
They eat veal with no compunction. Yes, please let me have some more anemic baby cow, the higher-priced and therefore more iron deficient the better.
Someone lives in a brick Cape Cod house. Cape Cods are supposed to be wood.
The perpetrator was REALLY dumb and it took too long to bite her in the ass. COMPLETE AND TOTAL SPOILER:
Related to this, (another big spoiler)
The big finale was dull and quick. I want more violence and danger.
We don't find out much about . I want to know!
I was confused about what floor was which in the gallery house and I know there were a couple of times that were contradictory.
I didn't quite buy it when Caesar finally admits to himself he has it bad for Dan.
Homeless men are called "bums."
The characters say track lighting is a gay thing. I say it's a tacky eighties thing.
Small inconsistencies/inaccuracies like someone doesn't put sugar in his store-bought coffee he brought with him so it's assumed the coffee is black. He might have put sugar in at the shop so he could drink it on the way back. Or like they see a sign that the show is coming soon and someone's already seen it.
Caesar is 28 so presumably is six years out of college but he still can't handle seeing the man he dated back then.
A person who has never been on a motorcycle before is put on a bike behind the other guy. He puts his hands on the guy's shoulders. I see this all the time in books and it drives me crazy. If someone hasn't ridden a motorcycle before, they're going to lean out of a turn rather than in because it's instinctual. This is really dangerous and makes it difficult to drive. Only a big homophobe would not make the first man put his arms around the driver's waist. Since the two are gay and they've done the nasty, the driver should have/would have insisted the other hold him tightly.
Someone normal, a model, no less, says "genuflecting" in an ordinary conversation with a coworker while tending bar. Really?
Despite the cons and all the nitpicky details, this was a four to five star read for me. It's hard to decide because it was damn funny. But I'm going to leave it at four, though, because of the disappointing and weak ending.
Pros
The book is VERY funny. For example:
"'We're just discussing it now. Mr. Potters' Lullaby [the new television show the actor stars in]—'
'About that name…' Nana shuddered and said in all innocence, ‘…I hate to be a prude, but it does sound unseemly.'
I nodded. ‘Yeah, Like story hour for pedophiles.'"
Plot, pacing, verbiage, etc. All the standard elements are there and well done. The characterization was very well done. I could picture each person and they were all different. I fell in love with these characters.
The grandma; in fact, Caesar's whole family. They may be somewhat of a stereotype but anyone who's seen Cake Boss know that it's a realistic stereotype. I particularly love how the dad pretends he has a thick Italian accent:
"He kissed my cheek and I let him. ‘You cumma back to the kitchen and pack uppa some nice cannoli for later.'
His accent was ridiculous. I let it slide, but hear this now; the man is third-generation American."
Caesar's ridiculous sweet tooth.
Mystery was so good I didn't even notice that no romance happened for a long time. The first hint of something sexual between them was almost halfway through. The mystery was good and it took me a long time to figure it out.
Somebody asks why the parking brake isn't being used in an automatic car. I get grief for this all the time, people teasing me about using the parking brake. I just tell them it's because I drove a stickshift most of my life and have only had an automatic for a couple of years. But the reality is that sometimes a car can pop out of gear. I live in Seattle, hilly as San Francisco. So I am happy that in the book, something happens because someone didn't set the parking brake.
"I don't act gay, Shep. I am gay. It's a beautiful thing to live your life in the open."
Caesar is deeply horrified and afraid of clowns, as he should be. I knew a gay guy who collected clowns and he freaked me out, too.
When a guy has a second orgasm, it's smaller and weaker. That's how they go, not even better and more intense like in most books.
Caesar's obsessive fear of germs. It's not like stereotypical OCD, it's just sometimes and it's really funny.
Sex scenes are very hot.
There's a steamy sex scene under a bed.
Cons
There's a steamy sex scene under a bed. These are grown men. How??
A guy keeps his porn toys in the bathroom. That is probably the least safe place to hide stuff. It's the only place people have the time and privacy to snoop. Plus, it's pretty inconvient.
"I unlocked the locks." ‘nuff said.
The main character's name is Caesar Romano. Seriously. And his family owns a famous restaurant.
Large age difference as usual (twelve years). You know, there are lots of gay couples who are the same age. Most of the gay relationships I have known throughout my life, and that's a lot since I used to be co-chair of the GLTB organization on my campus, were between guys close in age.
People in Wheaties ads are celebrities.
Men serving food topless is compared to Hooters as far as being a health code violation. Um, no, the women are wearing shirts. Men cannot go shirtless because of the possibly loss of hair and sweat into the food. "No shirt, no shoes, no service."
They eat veal with no compunction. Yes, please let me have some more anemic baby cow, the higher-priced and therefore more iron deficient the better.
Someone lives in a brick Cape Cod house. Cape Cods are supposed to be wood.
The perpetrator was REALLY dumb and it took too long to bite her in the ass. COMPLETE AND TOTAL SPOILER:
Related to this, (another big spoiler)
The big finale was dull and quick. I want more violence and danger.
We don't find out much about . I want to know!
I was confused about what floor was which in the gallery house and I know there were a couple of times that were contradictory.
I didn't quite buy it when Caesar finally admits to himself he has it bad for Dan.
Homeless men are called "bums."
The characters say track lighting is a gay thing. I say it's a tacky eighties thing.
Small inconsistencies/inaccuracies like someone doesn't put sugar in his store-bought coffee he brought with him so it's assumed the coffee is black. He might have put sugar in at the shop so he could drink it on the way back. Or like they see a sign that the show is coming soon and someone's already seen it.
Caesar is 28 so presumably is six years out of college but he still can't handle seeing the man he dated back then.
A person who has never been on a motorcycle before is put on a bike behind the other guy. He puts his hands on the guy's shoulders. I see this all the time in books and it drives me crazy. If someone hasn't ridden a motorcycle before, they're going to lean out of a turn rather than in because it's instinctual. This is really dangerous and makes it difficult to drive. Only a big homophobe would not make the first man put his arms around the driver's waist. Since the two are gay and they've done the nasty, the driver should have/would have insisted the other hold him tightly.
Someone normal, a model, no less, says "genuflecting" in an ordinary conversation with a coworker while tending bar. Really?
Despite the cons and all the nitpicky details, this was a four to five star read for me. It's hard to decide because it was damn funny. But I'm going to leave it at four, though, because of the disappointing and weak ending.
September 24, 2015
Thanks for the rec, OJ, this was lots of fun!
September 9, 2013
When angst and Alphas rule these days, laugh-out-loud books are a rare treat.
Ceasar works at a gallery plagued by thefts and his friends are being blackmailed. For an underpaid gallery assistant who is living with his nana, without much of a professional or romantic future, Ceasar is instinctively a good person: he commits himself to do what he can to retrieve stolen paintings, money, videos and art works that are bedeviling the gallery, his friends, his past lover and himself.
Early on, sliding through the gallery door is PI Dan Green, who might be on the trail of Ceasar, Art Thief, or Ceasar, Sweet Piece of Ass. There's confusion among the suspects and the victims (usually, one and the same), and a charming seduction that expands Ceasar's experience and maybe his future.
I wasn't using many brain cells to solve the mystery, so I was surprised by the villain. However, little interludes under beds and in closets between Ceasar and Dan did drag my attention from solving the crimes. ... Happily, however, Dan and Ceasar and everyone solve the crime, and come clean about the nutty things they were doing. Ceasar decides on a new career path and rides off with Dan to pursue what sure looks like HEA.
There's a second book in the series, which I'm going to start right away.
Ceasar works at a gallery plagued by thefts and his friends are being blackmailed. For an underpaid gallery assistant who is living with his nana, without much of a professional or romantic future, Ceasar is instinctively a good person: he commits himself to do what he can to retrieve stolen paintings, money, videos and art works that are bedeviling the gallery, his friends, his past lover and himself.
Early on, sliding through the gallery door is PI Dan Green, who might be on the trail of Ceasar, Art Thief, or Ceasar, Sweet Piece of Ass. There's confusion among the suspects and the victims (usually, one and the same), and a charming seduction that expands Ceasar's experience and maybe his future.
I wasn't using many brain cells to solve the mystery, so I was surprised by the villain. However, little interludes under beds and in closets between Ceasar and Dan did drag my attention from solving the crimes. ... Happily, however, Dan and Ceasar and everyone solve the crime, and come clean about the nutty things they were doing. Ceasar decides on a new career path and rides off with Dan to pursue what sure looks like HEA.
There's a second book in the series, which I'm going to start right away.
July 29, 2012
I have mixed feelings about this. The mystery only made me irritated, as did almost all the characters. However I really liked Dan, and Dan and Ce together were great. Dan's forceful sex talk was hot. So it's like a 2 for the plot, and a 4 for the MCs.
April 10, 2010
The Super Mini: An appealling and wacky cast of characters, a fast paced mystery plot, red herrings that will keep you guessing and the author's trade mark wit and humour. I can't wait to read more about Caesar and Daniel, the main protags. Serious, unapologetic fun. Get it when it comes out. You won't regret it . :)
My Tasting:
Why I bought it:
I would tell you how I got this, but then I'd have to kill you. Instead, I shall just revel in the fact that I've read it before all of you. *neener, neener, neener*
Dislike/like (ending on a high note):
Dislike~ More of a warning~ To all the smutty readers out there, please note that any sex between the main characters doesn't actually happen from page one. *gasp* I know. Shocking especially considering the author in question. When it does happen though... Bam! Seriously hawt. Also, I think the pace of the story is such that most people won't even notice the sex scenes happen mainly in the second half of the book. Time will fly.
Like~ I'm a fan of a fast paced plot. This is even more the case when it's a mystery and there's some sort of deadline involved. Tension, action and conflict make Kris a happy reader. *g* Catch Me If You Can had all of these elements, including more red herrings than you can poke a stick at. Some people may feel that there were actually too many, but I loved it. I'm one of those annoying as hell people who quickly work out 'whodunnit' so anything that's going to keep me guessing for as long as possible I will seriously fall in like with.
Dislike~ More of a niggle~ It wasn't until I came to write this mini-review that I realised I would have liked to have found out more about the main characters, especially Dan. Having said that, the story is told in the first person from the point of view of Caesar therefore the focus is necessarily on him. In addition, it is the first book in/introduction to a series and I'm certain readers will come to learn more about the protags as it progresses. So, in the scheme of things, this is not really a big issue imho.
Like~ Catch Me If you Can has an appealling not to mention completely wacky cast of characters. The least of which is Caesar himself, who was completely adorable if somewhat clueless at times. It is written with this author's trade mark wit and humour, and will have you giggle-snorting. I mean, really, a Justin Timberlake sculpture using swatch watches?? I'm pretty sure that LB is one of the few who could come up with quirky stuff like this and make it work.
So, what I think: A great read. A must for all fans of this author and for those interested in some unapologetic, mystery-type fun. I'm looking forward to reading more about Caesar and Dan. *g*
=============================================
‘Tasting’ is my version of a mini-review where I talk a (very) little about what I liked and disliked about a book as well as who I think the story will appeal to. Oh, and I’ve added a bit about why I picked up the book in the first place – sometimes this can be interesting to know.
My Tasting:
Why I bought it:
I would tell you how I got this, but then I'd have to kill you. Instead, I shall just revel in the fact that I've read it before all of you. *neener, neener, neener*
Dislike/like (ending on a high note):
Dislike~ More of a warning~ To all the smutty readers out there, please note that any sex between the main characters doesn't actually happen from page one. *gasp* I know. Shocking especially considering the author in question. When it does happen though... Bam! Seriously hawt. Also, I think the pace of the story is such that most people won't even notice the sex scenes happen mainly in the second half of the book. Time will fly.
Like~ I'm a fan of a fast paced plot. This is even more the case when it's a mystery and there's some sort of deadline involved. Tension, action and conflict make Kris a happy reader. *g* Catch Me If You Can had all of these elements, including more red herrings than you can poke a stick at. Some people may feel that there were actually too many, but I loved it. I'm one of those annoying as hell people who quickly work out 'whodunnit' so anything that's going to keep me guessing for as long as possible I will seriously fall in like with.
Dislike~ More of a niggle~ It wasn't until I came to write this mini-review that I realised I would have liked to have found out more about the main characters, especially Dan. Having said that, the story is told in the first person from the point of view of Caesar therefore the focus is necessarily on him. In addition, it is the first book in/introduction to a series and I'm certain readers will come to learn more about the protags as it progresses. So, in the scheme of things, this is not really a big issue imho.
Like~ Catch Me If you Can has an appealling not to mention completely wacky cast of characters. The least of which is Caesar himself, who was completely adorable if somewhat clueless at times. It is written with this author's trade mark wit and humour, and will have you giggle-snorting. I mean, really, a Justin Timberlake sculpture using swatch watches?? I'm pretty sure that LB is one of the few who could come up with quirky stuff like this and make it work.
So, what I think: A great read. A must for all fans of this author and for those interested in some unapologetic, mystery-type fun. I'm looking forward to reading more about Caesar and Dan. *g*
=============================================
‘Tasting’ is my version of a mini-review where I talk a (very) little about what I liked and disliked about a book as well as who I think the story will appeal to. Oh, and I’ve added a bit about why I picked up the book in the first place – sometimes this can be interesting to know.
September 3, 2013
I love off-beat and quirky humor so this story was right up my alley. Not to mention that Caesar is hilarious and he really knows how to get himself caught in a situation. The supporting characters are all very strong and written extremely well. The whole story sort of reminded me of Fawlty Towers, the British television show, in its characters, dialogue, and strange happenings.
Caesar Romano is a lowly art gallery assistant who gets paid peanuts while basically running the entire show for his boss, Peter. His best friend is Poppy, a wealthy debutante who turned her back on society life to be a caterer. His ex is Shep, Poppy's brother and an actor who is completely in the closet. Seeing the likeness to a comedy on television, now? The morning after a debacle of a gallery showing filled with drunken, half-naked people and a determined detective, Caesar comes to work to discover his ex naked and passed out in the upstairs bathroom and the bust of Justin Timberlake missing. Caesar wasn't the last person to leave the gallery the night before, but with his boss gone out of state, the entire disaster lands in his lap to investigate.
Dan Albright is a former police detective turned private investigator who has been hired to follow Caesar on suspicion of blackmail. He's also cocky, arrogant, and has a few secrets of his own. Someone stole a painting of clowns from his client, but once he and Caesar start talking, they discover quite a few people are all being blackmailed and it's up to them to figure out who the culprit is. Of course, it doesn't hurt for Caesar that Dan is smoking hot in that macho, manly-man way.
I absolutely loved this romance filled with humor, eccentric characters, and a very interesting plot. If you like quirky, then this is the story for you. It is filled with half-naked people, a couple of homeless guys in an alley, a scary room filled with clowns, a slightly kooky grandmother, family members who may or may not be mob affiliated, an oompa-loompa, a large Italian family, and two sexy men. What more could you ask for?
Caesar Romano is a lowly art gallery assistant who gets paid peanuts while basically running the entire show for his boss, Peter. His best friend is Poppy, a wealthy debutante who turned her back on society life to be a caterer. His ex is Shep, Poppy's brother and an actor who is completely in the closet. Seeing the likeness to a comedy on television, now? The morning after a debacle of a gallery showing filled with drunken, half-naked people and a determined detective, Caesar comes to work to discover his ex naked and passed out in the upstairs bathroom and the bust of Justin Timberlake missing. Caesar wasn't the last person to leave the gallery the night before, but with his boss gone out of state, the entire disaster lands in his lap to investigate.
Dan Albright is a former police detective turned private investigator who has been hired to follow Caesar on suspicion of blackmail. He's also cocky, arrogant, and has a few secrets of his own. Someone stole a painting of clowns from his client, but once he and Caesar start talking, they discover quite a few people are all being blackmailed and it's up to them to figure out who the culprit is. Of course, it doesn't hurt for Caesar that Dan is smoking hot in that macho, manly-man way.
I absolutely loved this romance filled with humor, eccentric characters, and a very interesting plot. If you like quirky, then this is the story for you. It is filled with half-naked people, a couple of homeless guys in an alley, a scary room filled with clowns, a slightly kooky grandmother, family members who may or may not be mob affiliated, an oompa-loompa, a large Italian family, and two sexy men. What more could you ask for?
October 29, 2010
I bought this book the day it came out (which was, what? 6, 7 months ago?) At that time, though, I was totally ignoring long books and only reading short ones, which is partly the reason why it took me so long to read it. The other reason was because LB always makes me laugh so I was waiting for a time when I needed some cheering up. And, today became that day (plus, the sequel comes out in a little over a month and I'm definitely gonna read that fast :D)
I think the thing I love about LB and the reason I love most of her stories is because she can make you chuckle just from something so ridiculous and she knows how to put just the right amount of sex in a story. She has more plot than sex and that's a thumbs up in my book.
And this was definitely my type of story since it had so many things going on and a lot of them were so hard to believe, but still believable, that you couldn't help but laugh at it. And the funny banter and commentary from Caesar? I couldn't help the few giggles that came out. Lol. The mystery was good and I had a slight inkling of who it would be that caused all the chaos but I was still somewhat surprised at the ending by it. I loved Caesar and Dan is definitely my type of guy. I loved the point of view from Caesar because it made Dan all the more mysterious. I wanted to knock the ex's head against the wall a few times but I still thought it was funny how Caesar handled everything.
I don't necessarily like sequels that feature the same characters but I think I'll make an exception since I'd really like to know more about Caesar and Dan and I can't wait to see what Caesar gets his nose into next. And more of hunky Dan. Mmhmmmm.
I think the thing I love about LB and the reason I love most of her stories is because she can make you chuckle just from something so ridiculous and she knows how to put just the right amount of sex in a story. She has more plot than sex and that's a thumbs up in my book.
And this was definitely my type of story since it had so many things going on and a lot of them were so hard to believe, but still believable, that you couldn't help but laugh at it. And the funny banter and commentary from Caesar? I couldn't help the few giggles that came out. Lol. The mystery was good and I had a slight inkling of who it would be that caused all the chaos but I was still somewhat surprised at the ending by it. I loved Caesar and Dan is definitely my type of guy. I loved the point of view from Caesar because it made Dan all the more mysterious. I wanted to knock the ex's head against the wall a few times but I still thought it was funny how Caesar handled everything.
I don't necessarily like sequels that feature the same characters but I think I'll make an exception since I'd really like to know more about Caesar and Dan and I can't wait to see what Caesar gets his nose into next. And more of hunky Dan. Mmhmmmm.
May 3, 2021
I reread that for the first time and it did not age well for me, so I'll subtract a star. It's still a wacky-fun comedy of errors in many ways but there are a few things that don't sit so well with me these days.
For one thing - I don't think that I like Dan anymore. What passed for swagger in 2010 ("...and you will like it") seems a little creepy in 2021. And also, since my awareness of trans and intersex people has grown in the meantime, I'm not down with the depiction of the villain and the way they were treated in the book.
The book was written in 2010 and I'm not trying to sound woker-than-thou because I hate that but, yeah, well, it really did make me uncomfortable. And that's a good thing if you really think about it. Because people can grow but books can't. They are an eternal product of their time.
For one thing - I don't think that I like Dan anymore. What passed for swagger in 2010 ("...and you will like it") seems a little creepy in 2021. And also, since my awareness of trans and intersex people has grown in the meantime, I'm not down with the depiction of the villain and the way they were treated in the book.
The book was written in 2010 and I'm not trying to sound woker-than-thou because I hate that but, yeah, well, it really did make me uncomfortable. And that's a good thing if you really think about it. Because people can grow but books can't. They are an eternal product of their time.
August 2, 2012
This book is absolutely hilarious. I loved it. I adored Caesar and this story kept me laughing all the way through it. Caesar and Dan burn up the pages. Great story, I can't wait to get to #2!
March 11, 2010
Caesar Romano is an assistant in an art gallery. He is broke and lives with his nana – this causes him some shame but he comes from a very close knit Italian family. The book opens during a show for the artist, Jean Pappineau. He creates busts of famous people out of odds and ends. As the drinks start flowing, the crowd becomes drunker and more rowdy. Caesar hopes this means more sales, but it also means more work for him. To complicate matters, his ex-boyfriend, Shep McNamara shows up and since their relationship didn’t end well, this causes Caesar much aggravation.
During the course of the night, a mysterious man walks in – it turns out to be Private Detective Dan Green, although Caesar is not aware of his name yet. Caesar becomes confused by the questions Detective Dan asks him and he is not sure if he is a suspect for something or being hit on. With all the chaos of the drunken crowd, Dan soon disappears and Caesar has much to keep him busy.
The next morning, the bust of Justin Timberlake is missing. Sheppard is found in a drunken stupor with the a watch from the missing bust around a certain appendage. Shep swears he has nothing to do with the disappearance, but he also admits to have no memory whatsoever from the night before. Desperate to find the bust before his boss and others find out, he also realizes he and his friends are being blackmailed. Detective Dan becomes an ally – and soon much more.
Catch Me If You Can is my favorite of LB Gregg’s, and that is saying something since I love ALL of her Men of Smithfield books. This is the start of a new series and while her Men of Smithfield series always had some mystery aspect to it, this book has the mystery take center stage. With missing art and lots of blackmail, I didn’t guess who the baddie was until he reveal at the end.
There are a lot of characters, but each one is so unique it is no problem keeping them all straight and they also make this book very funny. L.B. Gregg has such a witty voice and she definitely spreads the funny around. Peter, Caesar’s boss, has a secret room full of clowns - clowns he can’t help but steal and then do perverted things with. Brandon, the bartender, is addicted to chemical peels and his face often looks like a red sausage and makes people turn away in horror. Sheppard is a himbo, that will do anyone, anytime.
And finally Dan and Caesar. This book is told in the point of view of Caesar and with it, his Italian heritage really comes forth. People call him a spazz because of his constant hand movements when he talks and he is quick to act before he thinks. He is very confident on the outside, but on the inside, he is shy and uncertain.
Monday morning I crawled from my tiny bedroom and stumbled to Nana’s sunny kitchen, a little sore, a little bleary, a little hungry and feeling pretty damn good. Adam Lambert couldn’t have sung it better. It was a new day.
Clearly, I needed to have sex more than twice a year.
I think Dan really takes him by surprise. Dan is gruff and dominant, and the first time they tangle together, Caesar is shocked by Dan’s forthright demeanor and dirty talk. On the other hand, Caesar totally amuses Dan.
“He turned me around, saying “God. You are such a feisty motherfucker. I had no idea.”
For as serious as Dan tries to come across at the beginning – the big strong private investigator, he definitely has his goofy moments and he is the one that pushes the relationship, having no trouble being openly gay. He winks at Caesar and calls him babe for everyone to hear. It flabbergasts Dan, but he secretly likes it.
I secretly watched Dan, who pulled a red ball from the tackle box and stuck it on his nose. He turned and grinned goofily at me. I covered the phone. “Could you please? I’m trying to focus.”
Bastard winked at me.
This book does have a little bit of a slow start – I found myself wondering when Dan and Caesar would start progressing toward something. But once they did it led to hot smex, as only L.B. Gregg can write. As I said, Dan is dominant and a very dirty talker. Caesar likes it, even if he turns bright red trying to return the talk. They do the naughty under a bed, in a closet – the thrill of being caught turning on Dan and horrifying Caesar (at least that is what he says.)
Catch Me If You Can had my laughing, lusting and guessing until the end.
May 28, 2012
Most of the book is relatively decent, but I really didn't like the resolution of the mystery:
It's unfortunate, since otherwise I kind of liked it, but I don't plan on reading the sequel, because my issue was big enough and serious enough to turn me off the series as a whole, and that's that.
It's unfortunate, since otherwise I kind of liked it, but I don't plan on reading the sequel, because my issue was big enough and serious enough to turn me off the series as a whole, and that's that.
June 12, 2012
What a fun story. Easy 4.5 stars. There's a little bit of something for everyone here. There are a bunch of side characters, all of whom are suspicious of the others. Everyone seems to be having something stolen from them, to be blackmailed for odd amounts of money.
Ceasar is super cute, sexy, funny, feisty little Italian dude who finds himself in the middle of a tornado of mystery and crime. Nothing seems to be going right for him. Dan is super sexy and funny PI hired by one of the characters to solve the mystery.
Ceasar's family is traditional Italian, family restaurant business and all. I loved how they could care less about Ceasar being gay, other than to berate his bad choice of partners.
This started out a little slow for me, but it moves along fairly quickly. When Dan and Ceasar finally start interacting is when this story really took off for me. They have such chemistry that just clicked right from the get go, I couldn't get to the next scene with them fast enough. When they find themselves caught in sticky situations, things really heat up. I'm really looking forward to seeing these guys in the next book.
Ceasar is super cute, sexy, funny, feisty little Italian dude who finds himself in the middle of a tornado of mystery and crime. Nothing seems to be going right for him. Dan is super sexy and funny PI hired by one of the characters to solve the mystery.
Ceasar's family is traditional Italian, family restaurant business and all. I loved how they could care less about Ceasar being gay, other than to berate his bad choice of partners.
This started out a little slow for me, but it moves along fairly quickly. When Dan and Ceasar finally start interacting is when this story really took off for me. They have such chemistry that just clicked right from the get go, I couldn't get to the next scene with them fast enough. When they find themselves caught in sticky situations, things really heat up. I'm really looking forward to seeing these guys in the next book.
April 17, 2013
2.5 Stars
This book was smartly written but, unfortunately, it just wasn't for me. Maybe it was my mood; maybe my expectations were off; maybe my stars were misaligned. I dunno but for whatever reason, I didn't really connect with these characters. Caesar is sorta funny but he irked me. I liked his extended family but the mystery he was enveloped in didn't get my goat. I couldn't understand why he was so stressed to figure it all out. It wasn't his gallery, his art, or his money. So what's the beef? He was constantly stressed and running around like a chicken without a head. I liked Dan but he and Caesar? Well, I wasn't feeling their vibe (probably because I was lukewarm about Caesar to begin with). The sex was fairly hot but there were only a couple scenes.
Bottom line: this book was heavy on the mystery/suspense and very light on the romance; I know I'm in the minority, but it just didn't blow my dress up.
This book was smartly written but, unfortunately, it just wasn't for me. Maybe it was my mood; maybe my expectations were off; maybe my stars were misaligned. I dunno but for whatever reason, I didn't really connect with these characters. Caesar is sorta funny but he irked me. I liked his extended family but the mystery he was enveloped in didn't get my goat. I couldn't understand why he was so stressed to figure it all out. It wasn't his gallery, his art, or his money. So what's the beef? He was constantly stressed and running around like a chicken without a head. I liked Dan but he and Caesar? Well, I wasn't feeling their vibe (probably because I was lukewarm about Caesar to begin with). The sex was fairly hot but there were only a couple scenes.
Bottom line: this book was heavy on the mystery/suspense and very light on the romance; I know I'm in the minority, but it just didn't blow my dress up.
July 23, 2016
3.5 Stars rounded up……
because of how crazy and lovable Caesar is,
because he made me laugh,
because of the completely outrageous situations Caesar got himself into (he blinks and he's in trouble),
because of Caesar’s sweet tooth,
because of Caesar’s Nana,
because of Poppy,
because of the clowns,
because of Caesar's Italian family (even though it was stereotypical), and lastly
because of HOT Detective Dan.
This was fun!
June 27, 2010
"Excellent m/m romantic suspense about a gallery manager, a bust of Justin Timberlake, an ugly painting of clowns, orange people, and a mysterious detective. Fun, hot, and not predictable, I already know I'll be rereading it soon at a slower pace to savor (versus the first breakneck reading so I could find out what was going to happen). Definitely recommended."
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