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The Square Peg #3
The Empty Box
Original edition out of print. This edition offered for free by the authors and can be downloaded here:
The Empty Box
Dave’s taking life day by day after leaving Travis, his emotionally abusive partner of fifteen years. Working as the cook at the Square Peg is all the social life he has and he’s content with that.
When a swerving car leaves him sprawled on the snowy sidewalk with a broken ankle, being rescued by his new neighbor, young, sinfully pretty Jeremy, seems like the start of something good, even if twenty years separate the two men. But Travis isn’t content to let Dave slip away and Dave’s his own worst enemy, holding Jeremy at arms’ length when Jeremy wants to get as close as possible.
With decisions about his future complicated by his tangled past, can Dave accept the second chance Jeremy offers or will his heart stay empty of love?
The Empty Box
Dave’s taking life day by day after leaving Travis, his emotionally abusive partner of fifteen years. Working as the cook at the Square Peg is all the social life he has and he’s content with that.
When a swerving car leaves him sprawled on the snowy sidewalk with a broken ankle, being rescued by his new neighbor, young, sinfully pretty Jeremy, seems like the start of something good, even if twenty years separate the two men. But Travis isn’t content to let Dave slip away and Dave’s his own worst enemy, holding Jeremy at arms’ length when Jeremy wants to get as close as possible.
With decisions about his future complicated by his tangled past, can Dave accept the second chance Jeremy offers or will his heart stay empty of love?
ebook
First published April 7, 2015
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About the author
Jane Davitt
64 books480 followersRetired from pro writing, pretty much. Any books where the rights are with me I've put up at A03, along with all my fic, which I'm still writing.
[Free reads and my fanfic are here:
Jane Davitt at AO3]
Thank you to all who read my books. It meant a lot.
[Free reads and my fanfic are here:
Jane Davitt at AO3]
Thank you to all who read my books. It meant a lot.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
November 27, 2016
Not what I was hoping for from a Jane Devitt book. No kinky sex, actually not a lot of sex at all. But it was nice, sweet even.
April 28, 2015
I have to admit I struggled a little with this. The premise was good and there were several things that could have turned this into an amazing story for me, but there were some parts that didn't do much for me .Thus the 3 star rating, which is ok, but not as good as I'm used to from the authors.
Things I enjoyed:
-The age gap. We need more silver foxes, people!
-Jeremy.He was a sweetheart (most times) and I liked the way he embraced his sexuality.
-Ben and Shane. Gawd, I'll never get tired of these two together. Their connection and the dynamics of their relationship managed to outshine the MC of this book. I was hungry for more scenes with them.
-The witty dialogues, the snark and the easy banter between them.
-The writing was solid and I expected this from the authors.
What I didn't like:
-Dave was whiny. He was so hung up on the age difference, which is understandable to a point but it got tiresome after a while. Thankfully, he got over it.
-Jeremy was nice but sometimes he was such a chickenshit
Really, Jeremy?What kind of an asshole are you? Dave didn't hold this against you (although he should) but I haven't forgiven you.
-My main niggle, though, is Travis, the ex. I don't have a problem with exes in my books. On the contrary, I like it when the douchebags get what they deserve. But here, the whole subplot took too much space for my liking. The way Dave handled it, the resolution of it, the way things ended up...nope, it didn't sit well with me.
So yeah, this was my least favourite addition to the series (which I love) but it was nice to visit the Square Peg and its people again. I hope we get more of their stories.
August 10, 2015
This is a slow-build romance between Dave, a middle-aged man still trying to get past the wreck of his last relationship, and Jeremy, his neighbor who is younger and kind and openhearted.
There is no BDSM in this story, if you want to try these authors but don't like that subgenre. There is an obsessed ex-boyfriend, but as weary as I am of that plot line, this one resolved differently, which I really appreciated. Dave messed up really, really badly, and his failure (major spoiler) might have been made even more clear, but I appreciated the twist in the overused scenario.
I mostly enjoyed Dave. He's legitimately older, a bit grouchy, not always kind and not always clear-sighted. His biggest flaw was his insistence that an age-gap relationship couldn't last, even as he spent more and more time with Jeremy. He seemed to cling to that determination much longer than was rational. At the same time, he was a man who had a long relationship with an addicted and emotionally abusive boyfriend, and that will no doubt make you doubtful of the possibility of love.
Jeremy was fun and sweet, their banter was good, and although he had occasional moments of failure of empathy, I liked the two of them together. However they didn't quite have the chemistry of the first two couples. Shane and Ben took over the scenes when they were present, their electric connection vivid even in small passages. So although this book could be read as a stand-alone, the glimpses of the previous couples helped push it to 4 stars for me.
There is no BDSM in this story, if you want to try these authors but don't like that subgenre. There is an obsessed ex-boyfriend, but as weary as I am of that plot line, this one resolved differently, which I really appreciated. Dave messed up really, really badly, and his failure (major spoiler) might have been made even more clear, but I appreciated the twist in the overused scenario.
I mostly enjoyed Dave. He's legitimately older, a bit grouchy, not always kind and not always clear-sighted. His biggest flaw was his insistence that an age-gap relationship couldn't last, even as he spent more and more time with Jeremy. He seemed to cling to that determination much longer than was rational. At the same time, he was a man who had a long relationship with an addicted and emotionally abusive boyfriend, and that will no doubt make you doubtful of the possibility of love.
Jeremy was fun and sweet, their banter was good, and although he had occasional moments of failure of empathy, I liked the two of them together. However they didn't quite have the chemistry of the first two couples. Shane and Ben took over the scenes when they were present, their electric connection vivid even in small passages. So although this book could be read as a stand-alone, the glimpses of the previous couples helped push it to 4 stars for me.
April 29, 2015
I really enjoyed the first two books in this series. This one just didn't grab me like those did and Dave and Jeremy didn't have the chemistry the prior couples did. I was glad to get quite a bit of Ben and Shane though.
September 4, 2015
3.5 Stars
I was really looking forward to this one when it came through as a review request to the clubhouse. I love the series and the unique personalities. I think the first it still my favorite, the dynamics that Shane and Ben have is tough to go up against. The strength in this series is in the characters and The Empty Box did not disappoint. Shane and Ben were there as well as Vin and Patrick and I loved reading about them all again. I was worried I would be a little lost since I read The Broken Triangle two years ago but I had no trouble picking up where that one left off which says a lot for the strength of all the characters in the series.
Jeremy is the new addition to the series and he appealed to me immediately. He “rescues” Dave one late night and is attracted to him from the beginning. An older man is definitely his thing and Dave pushes all his buttons. Jeremy is no kid though, he’s 29, successful and independent. His experience with men is sparse, but he’s been with plenty of women. What’s the saying, “what he lacks in experience he makes up for in enthusiasm.” That’s Jeremy. He gets tongue tied around Dave and his stream of consciousness conversations are really quite charming.
The first half of the book is Jeremy and Dave getting to know one another and Dave struggling with how to fit Jeremy into his life in a realistic way. He’s not convinced that Jeremy could be interested in him long term because he’s so much younger and he’s beautiful and he’s an eternal optimist and all the ridiculous things a dude with a messed up head thinks. Dave doesn’t get his own appeal so he doesn’t understand Jeremy’s attraction. Dave also has the specter of his long term love with Travis hanging over him and it really had made him into a hot mess. I’ve got to admit, I got frustrated with Dave and his attitude. I mean, I got it, his whole frame of reference with relationships is broken, but not giving Jeremy the benefit of deciding for himself what he did or did not want got old and was just plain disrespectful after a while. It was unfair to put his issues on Jeremy.
Half way through the book I hit a wall of what-the-fuckery. Beware, minor spoilers ahead. The evil ex makes his appearance and threatens Jeremy. Frankly, Jeremy’s reaction surprised me. I understood he was scared, and rightfully so, but until the resolution of their relationship a few chapters later I felt like a new character had taken over Jeremy’s body. His speech and actions didn’t connect at all with his character in the first half of the book and I lost the momentum in the story.
From then on out Travis is a major focus of the book even if his character isn’t present. Jeremy took a bit of a backseat and it just made me sad for him. He deserved better. I really couldn’t blame Dave a whole lot, again, his inner relationship guide is broken, but it was just a big old fat ass hairy bummer for me. Things got way worse for the guys before they got better and they didn’t get better until the very end. By then I was so completely over Travis but he’d been front and center for so long that I had trouble reconciling Jeremy and Dave back together. Dave spent a lot of time pushing Jeremy away and Jeremy spent a lot of time being patient. So very fucking patient. I have to say that it read realistically though. If Dave would have miraculously gotten his head straight I would have called BS. My wish would be that Travis got less page time and there was more of Dave and Jeremy as a couple at the end. I think I needed that different balance to put them back together as a couple in my head.
I’ll be ready for the next one when it’s rolls around. At least I hope there’s going to be a next one, please tell me there will be! I really like how the authors flow from one story to the next. It’s very smooth with well written reminders of prior stories and characters without a complete rehash that takes up a big chunk of the new story. So, that means I would get more Jeremy and Dave. I need to get back to liking Dave and read about him loving Jeremy. I need to get resolution on the balance of their relationship. Not to mention I love Jeremy’s ramblings and anytime I can read more of Shane and his attitude I’m a happy unicorn.
I was really looking forward to this one when it came through as a review request to the clubhouse. I love the series and the unique personalities. I think the first it still my favorite, the dynamics that Shane and Ben have is tough to go up against. The strength in this series is in the characters and The Empty Box did not disappoint. Shane and Ben were there as well as Vin and Patrick and I loved reading about them all again. I was worried I would be a little lost since I read The Broken Triangle two years ago but I had no trouble picking up where that one left off which says a lot for the strength of all the characters in the series.
Jeremy is the new addition to the series and he appealed to me immediately. He “rescues” Dave one late night and is attracted to him from the beginning. An older man is definitely his thing and Dave pushes all his buttons. Jeremy is no kid though, he’s 29, successful and independent. His experience with men is sparse, but he’s been with plenty of women. What’s the saying, “what he lacks in experience he makes up for in enthusiasm.” That’s Jeremy. He gets tongue tied around Dave and his stream of consciousness conversations are really quite charming.
The first half of the book is Jeremy and Dave getting to know one another and Dave struggling with how to fit Jeremy into his life in a realistic way. He’s not convinced that Jeremy could be interested in him long term because he’s so much younger and he’s beautiful and he’s an eternal optimist and all the ridiculous things a dude with a messed up head thinks. Dave doesn’t get his own appeal so he doesn’t understand Jeremy’s attraction. Dave also has the specter of his long term love with Travis hanging over him and it really had made him into a hot mess. I’ve got to admit, I got frustrated with Dave and his attitude. I mean, I got it, his whole frame of reference with relationships is broken, but not giving Jeremy the benefit of deciding for himself what he did or did not want got old and was just plain disrespectful after a while. It was unfair to put his issues on Jeremy.
Half way through the book I hit a wall of what-the-fuckery. Beware, minor spoilers ahead. The evil ex makes his appearance and threatens Jeremy. Frankly, Jeremy’s reaction surprised me. I understood he was scared, and rightfully so, but until the resolution of their relationship a few chapters later I felt like a new character had taken over Jeremy’s body. His speech and actions didn’t connect at all with his character in the first half of the book and I lost the momentum in the story.
From then on out Travis is a major focus of the book even if his character isn’t present. Jeremy took a bit of a backseat and it just made me sad for him. He deserved better. I really couldn’t blame Dave a whole lot, again, his inner relationship guide is broken, but it was just a big old fat ass hairy bummer for me. Things got way worse for the guys before they got better and they didn’t get better until the very end. By then I was so completely over Travis but he’d been front and center for so long that I had trouble reconciling Jeremy and Dave back together. Dave spent a lot of time pushing Jeremy away and Jeremy spent a lot of time being patient. So very fucking patient. I have to say that it read realistically though. If Dave would have miraculously gotten his head straight I would have called BS. My wish would be that Travis got less page time and there was more of Dave and Jeremy as a couple at the end. I think I needed that different balance to put them back together as a couple in my head.
I’ll be ready for the next one when it’s rolls around. At least I hope there’s going to be a next one, please tell me there will be! I really like how the authors flow from one story to the next. It’s very smooth with well written reminders of prior stories and characters without a complete rehash that takes up a big chunk of the new story. So, that means I would get more Jeremy and Dave. I need to get back to liking Dave and read about him loving Jeremy. I need to get resolution on the balance of their relationship. Not to mention I love Jeremy’s ramblings and anytime I can read more of Shane and his attitude I’m a happy unicorn.
April 12, 2015
Perhaps 2.5 stars
As I'm on vacation and doing lots of stuff instead of reading, it took me quite some time to finish this book. But to be honest - it felt even longer! Somehow this was an uneventful read, very similar to several books I have read - vindictive ex after already being more or less out of the picture, re-appearing because of the new love interest - some of his actions also weren't a surprise for this reader. Even more irritating was the development that the ex, Travis, got more and more space in the story so that I had the feeling, the main characters were fading to the background.
It is a long book, something I really like, but here it dragged on, so in the end I was glad that I managed to finish it. I liked Jeremy more that Dave, who was much too whiny for my liking.
As I'm on vacation and doing lots of stuff instead of reading, it took me quite some time to finish this book. But to be honest - it felt even longer! Somehow this was an uneventful read, very similar to several books I have read - vindictive ex after already being more or less out of the picture, re-appearing because of the new love interest - some of his actions also weren't a surprise for this reader. Even more irritating was the development that the ex, Travis, got more and more space in the story so that I had the feeling, the main characters were fading to the background.
It is a long book, something I really like, but here it dragged on, so in the end I was glad that I managed to finish it. I liked Jeremy more that Dave, who was much too whiny for my liking.
April 28, 2018
**4.5 stars**
I liked this installment in the series much more than the earlier books. There was more depth of character, more meaningful discussions between the MCs, more drama and trauma--just more.
Dave was about 20 years older than Jeremy, the guy across the hall who "saved" him when he broke his ankle in front of their condo complex. Quite, austere, non-talkative Dave met his match with outgoing, talkative, personable Jeremy who fell head over heels for Dave.
The story primarily surrounds Dave's ex, Travis, who he broke up with over a year ago after having spent 15 years putting up with Travis's drug and alcohol use, cheating on him, and histrionics over everything he perceived Dave did wrong. Of course, Dave didn't do wrong, and in fact, what he did right was walk away.
Now Travis is trying to insinuate himself between Dave and Jeremy and what happens nearly breaks the couple up, but thankfully, the authors let the emotions play out, teach both men some life lessons, and finally bring them back together for what I hope will be their HEA.
Very beautifully done. Highly recommended if you love a sweet MM romance.
I liked this installment in the series much more than the earlier books. There was more depth of character, more meaningful discussions between the MCs, more drama and trauma--just more.
Dave was about 20 years older than Jeremy, the guy across the hall who "saved" him when he broke his ankle in front of their condo complex. Quite, austere, non-talkative Dave met his match with outgoing, talkative, personable Jeremy who fell head over heels for Dave.
The story primarily surrounds Dave's ex, Travis, who he broke up with over a year ago after having spent 15 years putting up with Travis's drug and alcohol use, cheating on him, and histrionics over everything he perceived Dave did wrong. Of course, Dave didn't do wrong, and in fact, what he did right was walk away.
Now Travis is trying to insinuate himself between Dave and Jeremy and what happens nearly breaks the couple up, but thankfully, the authors let the emotions play out, teach both men some life lessons, and finally bring them back together for what I hope will be their HEA.
Very beautifully done. Highly recommended if you love a sweet MM romance.
April 22, 2015
3.5 star review by The Blogger Girls.
It was fun to get back with the Square Peg gang and nice to see things are going well for everyone and that Vin/Patrick and Ben/Shane are still going strong.
This segment is about the Square Peg’s head cook, Dave, who has basically been keeping to himself after finally getting away from his crazy, drug addicted, mentally abusive, ex, Travis. He had pretty much let himself become a doormat for Travis, though the two shared a long history together. They’ve been apart for about a year and a half at this point, but Dave still feels he isn’t ready for any kind of relationship.
When Dave is almost run over by a car, he injures himself when he lands on the sidewalk. Jeremy happens to be there and helps him. Needing Jeremy’s help somewhat forces Jeremy into Dave’s life, but due to Dave’s reluctance to enter into a relationship, let alone with someone as young as Jeremy, Jeremy begrudgingly accepts friendship.
Jeremy is basically a loner too, unless you can count his cat. He spends his time building computers, which he does out of his apartment as a career. He is drawn to his new neighbor, wanting to help as much as he can just so he can spend time with him. Things go on like this for a while, and their friendship grows. But, it doesn’t take long before the big issue comes to light – Travis.
This is where I think the story turned for me. It wasn’t so much Travis and Dave’s past, because I actually enjoyed that part. But, things just seemed to not add up. They haven’t had contact for almost a year and a half. Dave has blocked him, changed his numbers and basically removed Travis from his life. Then, when Dave meets Jeremy, Travis is front and center being a crazy stalker. When things turn dangerous towards Jeremy, Dave realizes something needs to be done. Now, Dave is over with Travis – finished, stick a fork in him, done. But, they have like a 10 year history, so he has some remaining feelings. Still, he is very back and forth about the whole situation. Towards the end, there are certain events with Travis that send Dave into a world of despair, to the point of almost ruining his relationship with Jeremy. It seemed so drastic to me that I just wasn’t buying it. I think Travis just took too much of the spotlight away from Dave and Jeremy.
But, enough of that. Dave is a bit whiney, but once he got past the age deal, which took him a long time, these two were really great together. Jeremy was super sweet and cute and could not have been any more supportive of Dave and his endeavors, and the same can be said for his Square Peg friends/family. Luckily, Dave realizes this in the end, and things end on a good note.
For the reasons stated above, I did not enjoy this story as much as the previous two, but it was still quite good. I’m a big fan of this writing duo and really like their style. Again, it was great seeing the other characters again, and I’d definitely be interested in reading more from this world.
May 18, 2015
I have loved this series.
I liked this book but didn't love it.
I didn't feel the chemistry between Dave and Jeremy and found actually liking Dave quite difficult. I think there was just too much woe is me.
Jeremy was a gem and I loved his rambling and obscure thought process.
I liked this book but didn't love it.
I didn't feel the chemistry between Dave and Jeremy and found actually liking Dave quite difficult. I think there was just too much woe is me.
Jeremy was a gem and I loved his rambling and obscure thought process.
June 26, 2015
For most of the book I was sure I would end up rating this four stars. Even when the ex drama started taking over the whole story, it was still good. But then the star-killer happened.
And there went any liking I had for these characters and this book.
And there went any liking I had for these characters and this book.
February 19, 2020
Better on the reread
3.5 stars ⭐️
I enjoyed this one more on the reread and that was all due to Jeremy. He had a very youngish type of personality but at the same time was more mature than Dave at times. His enthusiasm was contagious and I enjoyed that he had internal talks to himself to try and stop himself being overpowering and talking too much. Dave was ok too, but more moody and reserved and I think it was only Jeremy’s relentless enthusiasm that got them where they ended up.
This one was slower than the others and felt more character based as Dave awoke from his unhappier self to what he became and it was great to see the progression through the book. There were harder times but they worked through them. I enjoyed that Jeremy got advise and was able to take the advice from,others and understand what he was doing wrong and then try to fix it.
3.5 stars ⭐️
I enjoyed this one more on the reread and that was all due to Jeremy. He had a very youngish type of personality but at the same time was more mature than Dave at times. His enthusiasm was contagious and I enjoyed that he had internal talks to himself to try and stop himself being overpowering and talking too much. Dave was ok too, but more moody and reserved and I think it was only Jeremy’s relentless enthusiasm that got them where they ended up.
This one was slower than the others and felt more character based as Dave awoke from his unhappier self to what he became and it was great to see the progression through the book. There were harder times but they worked through them. I enjoyed that Jeremy got advise and was able to take the advice from,others and understand what he was doing wrong and then try to fix it.
May 18, 2017
Now, this is a curious thing. There is no technical reason why this book should have left me luke-warm. It's competently done, the editing is decent, ex-from-hell isn't my favourite trope in the world but ok...
Right, so I could smell the pet rabbit cooking on the stove rather early on but even that should be excusable...
Seriously, I feel a little bad about this but I just didn't care about the characters. Not that I actively disliked them but I just couldn't get invested. And that, right here, is probably the thing that killed the book quietly.
Anyhow, it was well done and many people will like it, and rightly so. It just didn't hit the spot for me. So, I'm truly sorry, but it still adds up to 2.4 stars.
Right, so I could smell the pet rabbit cooking on the stove rather early on but even that should be excusable...
Seriously, I feel a little bad about this but I just didn't care about the characters. Not that I actively disliked them but I just couldn't get invested. And that, right here, is probably the thing that killed the book quietly.
Anyhow, it was well done and many people will like it, and rightly so. It just didn't hit the spot for me. So, I'm truly sorry, but it still adds up to 2.4 stars.
June 1, 2015
THE EMPTY BOX is a title which inspires making dreams come true. Most people think of an empty box as something desolate and negative. In this story, the authors turn a reader's perception around by showing how an empty box is actually a good thing. It's something I've never thought of before and I'm quite impressed.
Jeremy is a sexy twenty-something computer geek. He works for himself and he is underwear-model gorgeous. Moving to a new apartment, he meets one of his new neighbors by accident. Literally, Dave broke his ankle in an accident and is rescued by Jeremy. It is love at first fall.
The characters in this story are so well done. Jeremy embodies the fearlessness of a twenty something male who still sees the best in everyone. He's also quick to make decisions because for him, life is still black and white, right or wrong. David is close to middle age. He's jaded, damaged and depressed. The two characters are so different and represent a pretty accurate picture of singles at these respective ages. It's almost like a new puppy bouncing with energy as the older dog is just trying to relax and snooze under the sun. Or for those who love the Purina "Dear Kitten" commercials, it's similar in concept.
The conflicts in this story are tragic. It's sad because they are so realistic, one wonders if perhaps the authors are writing about people they know. Between the stalking ex-lover who is an addict and the insecurities of an older single person, this story is easily relatable. What I really liked is how authentic the responses and emotions came through for both Jeremy and Dave for the different situations. Whilst I may find Jeremy's response to Dave immature when confronted with Travis the crazy ex-lover, it stays consistent with Jeremy's character and age. Dave's harping about being too old for Jeremy is also a realistic concern, accurately captured and then refuted.
What really made this story good is the response to Travis's threats and final grand standing. It poses a "what-if" scenario, which has happened to people I know. The emotions and how people react are showcased so well here, because the authors take the time to show the different sides to the story and they make it more complex. There are no right answers here. Even the good answers don't always yield favourable results.
The authors' gentle handling of Travis' situation where he isn't completely vilified demonstrates a type of humane behaviour which seems to be less and less in the real world. For this, I'm moved. It motivates me to be a kinder and more understanding person. I love when a book makes me think about things I wouldn't have considered. This story is recommended to m/m romance lovers who understand that to rise out of the ashes, something must die and burn.
March 12, 2016
3.5 stars
nice addition to the series. Grumpy chef of The Square Peg, Dave, is injured in a road accident and rescued by Jeremy, his younger and slightly socially awkward neighbour. They hit it off and start a tentative relationship - but Dave is hung up on the age gap. then there is the psycho ex - and yeah, I could see that plot line a mile off - but it was well done. There wasn't the usual not talking out difficult situations, and the characters do show development - or at least Dave does. The ending felt a little open though, I almost wanted an epilogue to show them more settled in the future
nice addition to the series. Grumpy chef of The Square Peg, Dave, is injured in a road accident and rescued by Jeremy, his younger and slightly socially awkward neighbour. They hit it off and start a tentative relationship - but Dave is hung up on the age gap. then there is the psycho ex - and yeah, I could see that plot line a mile off - but it was well done. There wasn't the usual not talking out difficult situations, and the characters do show development - or at least Dave does. The ending felt a little open though, I almost wanted an epilogue to show them more settled in the future
April 18, 2015
Ooops. Read this not realizing it was #3. You can definitely read it as a stand-alone, it's easy enough to figure out who the characters are from the others and they give it enough of an explanation as you go.
It's basically a May-December (more like June-November) with a guy who has been burned badly and figures he's over the hill with a bit of a scatterbrained bi tech geek (whose never had a relationship with a guy) who is determined to get involved. It includes the stalker ex which ended differently than I expected and they have challenges to face, it wasn't all easy peasy, but I enjoyed all the characters and would probably look up the other books and check them out.
It's basically a May-December (more like June-November) with a guy who has been burned badly and figures he's over the hill with a bit of a scatterbrained bi tech geek (whose never had a relationship with a guy) who is determined to get involved. It includes the stalker ex which ended differently than I expected and they have challenges to face, it wasn't all easy peasy, but I enjoyed all the characters and would probably look up the other books and check them out.
June 17, 2015
My review for The Empty Box is up! You can check it out over here at Boys in our Books.
Read
May 20, 2015I'm too disappointed to write a coherent review right now
April 27, 2015
This book needed more angst/drama/passion to spice it up!!
December 12, 2017
3.5*
I liked this story of Dave, older taciturn cook at The Peg, and Jeremy, his new neighbour.
Dave’s constant down on himself, the age difference, everything is a tad annoying but when you factor in all the Travis years then it is perhaps more understandable.
Jeremy for all he comes across as a bit naive does have a backbone and stands up to Dave, Travis and anyone really!
So, characters where your perception changes as the story goes on.
I was expecting more physical drama from Travis but actually what happened was more manipulative and devastating. But glad that despite what went on, and the provocation, there was no storming off -they continued to communicate.
I liked this story of Dave, older taciturn cook at The Peg, and Jeremy, his new neighbour.
Dave’s constant down on himself, the age difference, everything is a tad annoying but when you factor in all the Travis years then it is perhaps more understandable.
Jeremy for all he comes across as a bit naive does have a backbone and stands up to Dave, Travis and anyone really!
So, characters where your perception changes as the story goes on.
I was expecting more physical drama from Travis but actually what happened was more manipulative and devastating. But glad that despite what went on, and the provocation, there was no storming off -they continued to communicate.
January 7, 2018
The reaction that lead to the relationship conflict was a bit over the top, there were other ways within the story that would have made a better choice, but overall this was an enjoyable read with two MCs that were very likeable and whom I loved getting to know.
May 19, 2015
4 Heart Review by Roberta
I was really excited when I saw there was another book coming into the Square Peg universe. I liked the fact that it’s a standalone book and if you haven’t read the other two books, you still weren’t lost.
Dave is a man who is in his mid to late 40’s who had gotten out of an emotionally abusive relationship 18 months prior and who is just living this quiet life. Dave still feels horrible over the way that relationship went. How he was treated and how he allowed himself to be treated. Dave figures that he’s not worth anyone falling for. Dave just has so much guilt built up and his feelings of self-worth aren’t what they should be. However, it’s up to Dave to realize that he’s got this wonderful support system in the people that he works with and in his new love interest, Jeremy.
Jeremy, I liked this guy. He is in his late 20’s and he owns his own business. He works from home and he’s quite adorkable in his babbling ways. He saves Dave one night and from there he realizes that this is a man worth knowing. Jeremy is like this really sweet, adorable puppy who is just so full of love. Jeremey is also a man who knows how he feels and what he’s feeling is that Dave is meant to be his. Jeremy is such a really great guy and I enjoyed his screen time.
Now, there was a bit of sexy time in this story, however, I will say that it was never just having sex between the two of them. You could actually feel the bonding of them each time they had sexy time. I enjoyed their intimate scenes together. You saw them relate to each other in such a base way and you knew that it wasn’t just sex. It was about them opening their emotions to each other without having to say the words.
There were some really great secondary characters. Shane, Ben, Vin, Patrick and Helena. Such good people in Dave’s life that he could count on whether he knew it or not. They were there for Dave when he had his ups and downs. I really liked these characters as they each loved and respected Dave and Jeremy as they got to know him. I really liked Locke, the beekeeper. He was a great older gentleman who Dave met on his rounds of the Farmer’s Market. Locke really was a great guy and he was able to impart such wisdom and yet, he was a gentle soul. Travis…now I get that Dave had to deal with his ex and did he ever!! Travis for all his horribleness, I really felt for the guy. He was chasing something and could never find it. He had his addictions and they led him down a horrible path.
I have to say that I liked the way the authors handled Travis’ addictions and his behavior. I liked that even though Dave felt guilty over his part in their relationship, how he had had enough of Travis’ behavior and left him. I liked that they showed Travis trying to coerce Dave into taking him back and then flipping out when he wouldn’t. I liked that they showed the manipulative behavior of someone with addictions and how they use people and they also lose people from their lives. That to me the saddest part of this entire story was Travis. My heart went out to him as he was hurting and by hurting himself…he hurt other people.
Overall, a really good book and a really good addition to the Square Peg stories and I can’t wait to read the next one. This book held a darker feel to it to me and that is exactly what it needed to be. But beyond the dark…there is always light if you let it in.
A copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review. Please visit www.lovebytesreviews.com to see this and many more reviews, author interviews, guestposts and giveaways!
I was really excited when I saw there was another book coming into the Square Peg universe. I liked the fact that it’s a standalone book and if you haven’t read the other two books, you still weren’t lost.
Dave is a man who is in his mid to late 40’s who had gotten out of an emotionally abusive relationship 18 months prior and who is just living this quiet life. Dave still feels horrible over the way that relationship went. How he was treated and how he allowed himself to be treated. Dave figures that he’s not worth anyone falling for. Dave just has so much guilt built up and his feelings of self-worth aren’t what they should be. However, it’s up to Dave to realize that he’s got this wonderful support system in the people that he works with and in his new love interest, Jeremy.
Jeremy, I liked this guy. He is in his late 20’s and he owns his own business. He works from home and he’s quite adorkable in his babbling ways. He saves Dave one night and from there he realizes that this is a man worth knowing. Jeremy is like this really sweet, adorable puppy who is just so full of love. Jeremey is also a man who knows how he feels and what he’s feeling is that Dave is meant to be his. Jeremy is such a really great guy and I enjoyed his screen time.
Now, there was a bit of sexy time in this story, however, I will say that it was never just having sex between the two of them. You could actually feel the bonding of them each time they had sexy time. I enjoyed their intimate scenes together. You saw them relate to each other in such a base way and you knew that it wasn’t just sex. It was about them opening their emotions to each other without having to say the words.
There were some really great secondary characters. Shane, Ben, Vin, Patrick and Helena. Such good people in Dave’s life that he could count on whether he knew it or not. They were there for Dave when he had his ups and downs. I really liked these characters as they each loved and respected Dave and Jeremy as they got to know him. I really liked Locke, the beekeeper. He was a great older gentleman who Dave met on his rounds of the Farmer’s Market. Locke really was a great guy and he was able to impart such wisdom and yet, he was a gentle soul. Travis…now I get that Dave had to deal with his ex and did he ever!! Travis for all his horribleness, I really felt for the guy. He was chasing something and could never find it. He had his addictions and they led him down a horrible path.
I have to say that I liked the way the authors handled Travis’ addictions and his behavior. I liked that even though Dave felt guilty over his part in their relationship, how he had had enough of Travis’ behavior and left him. I liked that they showed Travis trying to coerce Dave into taking him back and then flipping out when he wouldn’t. I liked that they showed the manipulative behavior of someone with addictions and how they use people and they also lose people from their lives. That to me the saddest part of this entire story was Travis. My heart went out to him as he was hurting and by hurting himself…he hurt other people.
Overall, a really good book and a really good addition to the Square Peg stories and I can’t wait to read the next one. This book held a darker feel to it to me and that is exactly what it needed to be. But beyond the dark…there is always light if you let it in.
A copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review. Please visit www.lovebytesreviews.com to see this and many more reviews, author interviews, guestposts and giveaways!
May 9, 2015
Review can be read at It's About The Book
3.5 stars
Dave managed to get out of the way of the fast moving car just to slip on the ice covered sidewalk and hurt his ankle. It’s luck his new neighbor, Jeremy, happened to be walking by at the time. Dave was not at his most polite, to say the least. It wasn’t the best way to meet the new neighbor, but Jeremy stays with Dave through the whole hospital ordeal and gets him home. Jeremy isn’t doing it solely out of the kindness of his heart. He’s finding himself wildly attracted to Dave who wants none of it. He doesn’t want a younger man to be stuck with him and he’s convinced Jeremy doesn’t really know what he wants. Really, Dave was quite condescending. Jeremy’s patience and perseverance pay off. Jeremy and Dave finally go from being friends and neighbors to being… potentially boyfriends. That’s when the creepy stuff starts to happen. Dave’s ex, Travis, is crazy. In the drug using and stalking kind of way. Travis thinks Dave is his and will come back to him, so he threatens Jeremy to stay away. When that doesn’t work Travis starts with the full blown emotional blackmail and manipulation. That backfires on Travis. Dave is left to deal with the aftermath. Jeremy is unable to help Dave this time around. Dave needs to help himself.
I wanted to love this book. I’ve really enjoyed the previous books in the Square Peg series. This one just didn’t grab me. I can’t put my finger on any particular thing I didn’t like in terms of Dave and Jeremy’s relationship, or even in terms of Dave and Jeremy themselves. I just felt no big spark. I was content to read the book and I was content to do something else. And I really hate saying that.
The character of the Beekeeper was interesting to me. Not as a character in and of himself, but as he was a construct who felt like he had no other purpose than to explain to Dave and Jeremy what was wrong in their world. I think I’d have preferred if Dave just went to a counselor to deal with his problems from his relationship with Travis. There was a lot of dysfunction going on and no real help other than some old widower who keeps bees who only existed in the story to help Dave and Jeremy.
I didn’t hate or even dislike this story. Mostly I don’t have strong feelings one way or another. It’s still very readable and there are cameos of other Square Peg employees. Significant things are happening at the Peg. Interesting things. If you love the series this is a worthwhile book.
3.5 stars
Dave managed to get out of the way of the fast moving car just to slip on the ice covered sidewalk and hurt his ankle. It’s luck his new neighbor, Jeremy, happened to be walking by at the time. Dave was not at his most polite, to say the least. It wasn’t the best way to meet the new neighbor, but Jeremy stays with Dave through the whole hospital ordeal and gets him home. Jeremy isn’t doing it solely out of the kindness of his heart. He’s finding himself wildly attracted to Dave who wants none of it. He doesn’t want a younger man to be stuck with him and he’s convinced Jeremy doesn’t really know what he wants. Really, Dave was quite condescending. Jeremy’s patience and perseverance pay off. Jeremy and Dave finally go from being friends and neighbors to being… potentially boyfriends. That’s when the creepy stuff starts to happen. Dave’s ex, Travis, is crazy. In the drug using and stalking kind of way. Travis thinks Dave is his and will come back to him, so he threatens Jeremy to stay away. When that doesn’t work Travis starts with the full blown emotional blackmail and manipulation. That backfires on Travis. Dave is left to deal with the aftermath. Jeremy is unable to help Dave this time around. Dave needs to help himself.
I wanted to love this book. I’ve really enjoyed the previous books in the Square Peg series. This one just didn’t grab me. I can’t put my finger on any particular thing I didn’t like in terms of Dave and Jeremy’s relationship, or even in terms of Dave and Jeremy themselves. I just felt no big spark. I was content to read the book and I was content to do something else. And I really hate saying that.
The character of the Beekeeper was interesting to me. Not as a character in and of himself, but as he was a construct who felt like he had no other purpose than to explain to Dave and Jeremy what was wrong in their world. I think I’d have preferred if Dave just went to a counselor to deal with his problems from his relationship with Travis. There was a lot of dysfunction going on and no real help other than some old widower who keeps bees who only existed in the story to help Dave and Jeremy.
I didn’t hate or even dislike this story. Mostly I don’t have strong feelings one way or another. It’s still very readable and there are cameos of other Square Peg employees. Significant things are happening at the Peg. Interesting things. If you love the series this is a worthwhile book.
May 4, 2015
A Joyfully Jay review.
3.75 stars
The Empty Box is the third book in Davitt and Snow’s The Square Peg series. I absolutely loved the first book and enjoyed the second as well, so I was excited to reconnect with the gang from the bar and revisit this world. Dave is the cook at The Peg, and even though he is older than most of his coworkers, he is part of their little family. When we meet Dave, he is still pretty down from his breakup. He is pretty much over Travis, but he also still bears the scars from that relationship. Travis was emotionally abusive, cheated on him, was addicted to drugs, and generally took advantage of Dave over and over. Dave is still angry at himself that he let things go on so long and didn’t get out of there years before. He feels like he has wasted so much of his life on Travis. So when he meets Jeremy, Dave isn’t really emotionally ready for a new relationship, especially one with a young, vibrant, gorgeous guy who is having his first real sexual and emotional experience with another man.
I think the authors do a nice job with a slow build here, because Dave needs time to adjust to the idea of Jeremy. I did get a bit tired of all the protesting when Jeremy so clearly wants Dave, but it doesn’t drag on too long. As they move into a relationship, we slowly see Dave coming back to life. He has been so closed off and reserved, and he starts interacting more with his coworkers and generally becoming more comfortable with himself. I loved Jeremy, who is virtually always upbeat and a sweet, likable guy. At times wondered what he sees in Dave, who has a tendency to be quite grouchy when he is tired or in pain or otherwise upset and definitely has his intense moments, but there are enough loving, sweet times between them to carry it off.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
3.75 stars
The Empty Box is the third book in Davitt and Snow’s The Square Peg series. I absolutely loved the first book and enjoyed the second as well, so I was excited to reconnect with the gang from the bar and revisit this world. Dave is the cook at The Peg, and even though he is older than most of his coworkers, he is part of their little family. When we meet Dave, he is still pretty down from his breakup. He is pretty much over Travis, but he also still bears the scars from that relationship. Travis was emotionally abusive, cheated on him, was addicted to drugs, and generally took advantage of Dave over and over. Dave is still angry at himself that he let things go on so long and didn’t get out of there years before. He feels like he has wasted so much of his life on Travis. So when he meets Jeremy, Dave isn’t really emotionally ready for a new relationship, especially one with a young, vibrant, gorgeous guy who is having his first real sexual and emotional experience with another man.
I think the authors do a nice job with a slow build here, because Dave needs time to adjust to the idea of Jeremy. I did get a bit tired of all the protesting when Jeremy so clearly wants Dave, but it doesn’t drag on too long. As they move into a relationship, we slowly see Dave coming back to life. He has been so closed off and reserved, and he starts interacting more with his coworkers and generally becoming more comfortable with himself. I loved Jeremy, who is virtually always upbeat and a sweet, likable guy. At times wondered what he sees in Dave, who has a tendency to be quite grouchy when he is tired or in pain or otherwise upset and definitely has his intense moments, but there are enough loving, sweet times between them to carry it off.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
June 29, 2015
The Empty Box was not what I was expecting. The characters tended to talk and talk and just over share too much to well a stranger they just met. I guess it could be chalked up to loneliness and the situation and even anxiousness, I'm a bit chatty myself sometimes because of that, but it surprised me a bit.
I went in expecting Dave and Jeremy relationship to be about overcoming their age differences and learning how to be a couple despite being either in different places in their lives or just experiencing a generation gap, but other than Dave making a few comments about being old they didn't really have much problems being together. Even Jeremy's awkwardness and lack of filter or sense when it came to implied boundaries didn't cause much of a problem. Instead the biggest problem they faced as a couple was Dave's ex, Travis.
At first I didn't like Travis, he came off as the typical one dimensional villain, but then that changes and I appreciate how Dave handled his complicated emotions over what happened and that Jeremy had to let him deal with it. I would've liked more development between Dave and Jeremy, but the focus on the character's past relationships wasn't bad.
Which brings me to Jeremy. I liked him, I was annoyed with him, and I was a bit perplexed by him. Jeremy is bi, but he's only slept with women. It's just, when he thinks about his past relationships he always focuses on the sex he had. It made sense in context, but I kind of felt bad for his exes even if it was nice to see that Jeremy was allowed to have a past and was just okay with himself.
Final Rating: The Empty Box did somethings I wasn't expecting, but overall I liked it and I'm excited to read the next book in this series.
I went in expecting Dave and Jeremy relationship to be about overcoming their age differences and learning how to be a couple despite being either in different places in their lives or just experiencing a generation gap, but other than Dave making a few comments about being old they didn't really have much problems being together. Even Jeremy's awkwardness and lack of filter or sense when it came to implied boundaries didn't cause much of a problem. Instead the biggest problem they faced as a couple was Dave's ex, Travis.
At first I didn't like Travis, he came off as the typical one dimensional villain, but then that changes and I appreciate how Dave handled his complicated emotions over what happened and that Jeremy had to let him deal with it. I would've liked more development between Dave and Jeremy, but the focus on the character's past relationships wasn't bad.
Which brings me to Jeremy. I liked him, I was annoyed with him, and I was a bit perplexed by him. Jeremy is bi, but he's only slept with women. It's just, when he thinks about his past relationships he always focuses on the sex he had. It made sense in context, but I kind of felt bad for his exes even if it was nice to see that Jeremy was allowed to have a past and was just okay with himself.
Final Rating: The Empty Box did somethings I wasn't expecting, but overall I liked it and I'm excited to read the next book in this series.
May 28, 2015
The Empty Box by authors Jane Davitt and Alexa Snow is a powerfully gripping story. I really got into this book and could not put it down. It is one of those books you want more of and are sad when it ends.
Dave works at the Square Peg as a cook. He is really depressed that everyone seems to have someone but him. He is a good person, works hard, has a great heart. But his old boyfriend has done a number on his self esteem. His luck turns around when a driver almost hits him, and he ends up being rescued by his adorable neighbor Jeremy.
Jeremy is a computer builder. He mostly talks to his cat not real people. So he is shy but adorably awkward. He wants Dave even though Dave keeps saying Jeremy is too young for him. He sees the good in Dave and knows they could be great together.
Dave has one serious problem, his ex. The ex starts to become obsessive, abusive, and threatening. Dave must choose between a new love and the old one that is toxic and not good for him. I liked seeing Dave grow up. He is a good person with a good soul. I am sorry about the ending of this book, what happens when Dave makes that final step to break away from his ex. I thought that part was totally unfair to Dave. But again shows what a great story this was, for me to feel that connected to Dave. I really feel both authors did a great job with this book. This story is not for everyone, there are scenes some readers might not like, but for me this book is a keeper. I really will be looking for more from both authors, they have shown me depth of character, understanding of what they are talking about, and made me really love their men.
Dave works at the Square Peg as a cook. He is really depressed that everyone seems to have someone but him. He is a good person, works hard, has a great heart. But his old boyfriend has done a number on his self esteem. His luck turns around when a driver almost hits him, and he ends up being rescued by his adorable neighbor Jeremy.
Jeremy is a computer builder. He mostly talks to his cat not real people. So he is shy but adorably awkward. He wants Dave even though Dave keeps saying Jeremy is too young for him. He sees the good in Dave and knows they could be great together.
Dave has one serious problem, his ex. The ex starts to become obsessive, abusive, and threatening. Dave must choose between a new love and the old one that is toxic and not good for him. I liked seeing Dave grow up. He is a good person with a good soul. I am sorry about the ending of this book, what happens when Dave makes that final step to break away from his ex. I thought that part was totally unfair to Dave. But again shows what a great story this was, for me to feel that connected to Dave. I really feel both authors did a great job with this book. This story is not for everyone, there are scenes some readers might not like, but for me this book is a keeper. I really will be looking for more from both authors, they have shown me depth of character, understanding of what they are talking about, and made me really love their men.
January 14, 2016
I read the first two stories in the Square Peg Series and I loved them, unfortunately I did not have the same connection to this book.
The good news is that even though it had been awhile since I had read the first two books, it was easy to jump into this story and not feel any confusion. It was also great to see the characters from the first stories, and even though there is not a huge amount of interaction, it is enough to get caught up a bit. The other good news is that Jeremy (a new character, and Dave’s love interest) is endearing and quite likable. I enjoyed his quirkiness very much!
The bad news is that Dave was a total mess. His backstory involves a long-term love interest who needs a restraining order. Frankly, I felt like Dave didn’t deserve Jeremy’s devotion, and his constant self-loathing and doubts overshadowed most of my enjoyment of their budding relationship.
I won’t give many more plot details because it will slip into spoiler territory, but the things that disturbed me about this story had a lot to do with Dave’s lack of confidence and the large focus on his ex partner and their ongoing relationship. For me it completely upstaged the romance between him and Jeremy and really hurt my enjoyment of the story. I wanted to enjoy The Empty Box, but unfortunately it left me feeling a bit too empty in the end. That being said, I am still looking forward to reading the next book in the series because Jane Davitt and Alexa Snow are a dynamic duo, and the Square Peg is a place I look forward to reading about.
The good news is that even though it had been awhile since I had read the first two books, it was easy to jump into this story and not feel any confusion. It was also great to see the characters from the first stories, and even though there is not a huge amount of interaction, it is enough to get caught up a bit. The other good news is that Jeremy (a new character, and Dave’s love interest) is endearing and quite likable. I enjoyed his quirkiness very much!
The bad news is that Dave was a total mess. His backstory involves a long-term love interest who needs a restraining order. Frankly, I felt like Dave didn’t deserve Jeremy’s devotion, and his constant self-loathing and doubts overshadowed most of my enjoyment of their budding relationship.
I won’t give many more plot details because it will slip into spoiler territory, but the things that disturbed me about this story had a lot to do with Dave’s lack of confidence and the large focus on his ex partner and their ongoing relationship. For me it completely upstaged the romance between him and Jeremy and really hurt my enjoyment of the story. I wanted to enjoy The Empty Box, but unfortunately it left me feeling a bit too empty in the end. That being said, I am still looking forward to reading the next book in the series because Jane Davitt and Alexa Snow are a dynamic duo, and the Square Peg is a place I look forward to reading about.
May 24, 2015
Once this came out, I took the opportunity to back and reread the whole series. I love the Square Peg & all of the family they have created. Nothing compares to Ben & Shane and even the boys. Dave got his story. It runs simultaneous a bit to Patrick & Vin's story. I loved the way Dave & Jeremy found each other but the age difference whining from Dave got a bit old. Travis, omg, did that have to turn out like that. It troubled me a bit they way that was taken care of. It took a lot from Dave & Jeremy's story. Either way, I enjoyed the romance and the end turned out great with the Empty Box!
May 4, 2015
2.5 stars
April 24, 2015
3.75 stars.
Jeremy was such a sweetheart. Loved him. The rest was just okay.
Jeremy was such a sweetheart. Loved him. The rest was just okay.
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