Series: Responsible Adult
Author: CF White
Series: Responsible Adult #2
Genre: M/M Romance
Publisher: Pride Publishing
In honour of Williams Syndrome Awareness Day, Pride Publishing are putting Misdemeanor, Hard Time and Reformed on a price promotion. You can get all three books at 99p/c each on Friday 18th May. Link here, but you can also buy it at this price at most other retailers.
If you’d like to learn more about Williams Syndrome, then you can find out all the excellent work that the charities in both the UK and US do here.
The Responsible Adult series follows bad boy Micky O’Neill as he attempts to better his life to bring up his disabled little brother. A past full of juvenile delinquency and living in a small town rife with idle gossip means Micky struggles to be seen as anything other than a no-hoper from the wrong side of the tracks... until he takes a job at the local supermarket and meets his boss, Dan, a university graduate and self-proclaimed shy, awkward bookworm.
Dan, older and burned from a past relationship, is the one person who sees through Micky’s tough-guy facade to the true heart underneath. With fear and mistrust on both sides, the two must steer their way through a complicated relationship where outside forces are determined to break them up at every turn.
Responsible Adult is a series about growing up and learning that falling in love always brings responsibility.
Summary:
After his mother tragically dies and his deadbeat father goes off the rails, nineteen-year-old Micky is left to care for his disabled little brother, Flynn.
Juggling college, a dead end job and Flynn's special needs means Micky has to put his bad boy past behind him and be the responsible adult to keep his brother out of care. He doesn't have time for anything else in his life.
Until he meets Dan.
Summary:
Love isn't always responsible.
After Micky O’Neill is remanded in custody for breaching his court order, his already tempestuous relationship with Dan Peters is tested to the limits.
Having to battle their way through a court case that could end with Micky in jail, social workers breaking up the family home, and the return of Micky’s deadbeat father, it seems everything is set to destroy their relationship before it even had the chance to start.
With such high stakes involved, not just for Micky but for once-burned, twice-shy Dan, they both have to learn that falling in love isn’t always responsible.
Summary:
Someone has to be responsible.
Micky O’Neill and Dan Peters now live in Wales, bringing up Micky’s disabled little brother away from small-minded Heathwood and close to Micky’s deceased mother’s family.
Things are fine…until Dan begins his dream career as an English teacher at the local school and Micky, main caregiver to Flynn, is isolated in a village that only serves to remind him of his mother’s absence.
With Flynn’s health deteriorating and his needs becoming more complex, everything is tested to its limits and Dan seeks solace in a friendship with a fellow teacher, sending Micky into further turmoil.
After an accusation is leveled against Micky and it seems he’s slipping back into his old ways, he and Dan are torn asunder. To repair the rift, both have to accept responsibility—for life.
Original Review July 2017:
Mikey has to grow up fast when fate steps in, in the form of his mother's tragic death. He has to go from a bad boy teenager to a man who needs to look after his little brother who is living with Williams Syndrome. Dan on the other hand comes from a good home with support and stability, a great job, and is an all around well put together person. When they come together there is immediate fireworks that both pop and fizzle, but will it be enough to create something meaningful.
First, I want to say that I love a good opposites attract story and lets face it, Mikey and Dan couldn't be more opposite. Second, I really find stories where disabilities are huge factors to be be incredibly appealing having come from a family that has dealt with disability and major health issues, it's always refreshing to see that side of life explored even if it's not the main character with said disability. As for the disability that Mikey's little brother lives with, Williams Syndrome, a developmental disorder that I must admit I had to look up, I found interesting and well handled.
One issue I did have with Misdemeanor is the fat-shaming directed at Dougie, a secondary character. Seeing how this ends with a cliffhanger I am holding out hope that this is something that will be addressed and factor into the next installment of CF White's Responsible Adult series and I tried not to let it influence my final opinion too much. Having mentioned the cliffhanger, I know that not everyone is a cliffie fan so if that is the case for you, I recommend waiting until book 2, Hard Time, is published in September to begin Mikey and Dan's journey. Whether you read it now or later, I definitely recommend giving this series a read and/or place on your TBR list and as this is my first CF White read, I look forward to checking out her backlist and future releases.
RATING:
Hard Time #2
Original Review September 2017:
We left Mickey in book 1(Misdemeanor) facing jail time after a breach of court order. Now we find them living with that possible future over their heads. Will Mickey and Dan be able to survive the ordeal and come out stronger or will it be too much?
I found myself enjoying Hard Time even more than the first book which is not something I am often able to say, sequels by definition are often inferior because the characters are already established and not entirely new to the reader so it will lack what I like to call the anticipation factor. This is not true in this case. I loved how even though this is fiction and most of the scenarios are not your every day plot devices, the author meshes these with Mickey and Dan's typical relationship challenges. Of course how the issues that are not the norm being balanced with that threat of jail is really beautiful to witness.
I won't give away too much as I'm not a spoiler kind of gal but I will say, you won't be disappointed. If you loved Misdemeanor than you are in for a real treat with Hard Time and if you are like me and found a few moments of frustration in book one then you are going to be blown away with book number two. From beginning to end the author had me sucked in and I knew there was just no way I would be able to function properly before reaching that last page. CF White is definitely an author I look forward to exploring.
Misdemeanor #1
“You can join us if you like. Enough to go around.” Dan pointed at all the food and drink.
Micky looked down, licking his lips, but shook his head. He glanced at the play park and Dan followed his line of sight to see the blond bloke by the swings surrounded by a gaggle of girls, one of whom he picked up in a fireman’s carry and proceeded to slap her arse. Micky snorted and turned back to Dan.
“Thanks, but I got Flynn.” He scrunched up his legs, hugging his knees to his chest and hung the glass down over the top.
“Your parents not around then?” Dan asked, voice full of concern.
“Nah,” Micky said with a shrug. “Mum passed away. A while back now. And Dad’s, well, Dad’s not round so much anymore.”
“Workaholic?” Dan asked, almost hopeful.
“Something aholic, yeah,” Micky said. He shuffled his feet on the blanket, bunching it up and flattening it back down. “He’s just not good to be around Flynn.”
“So you take care of him by yourself?” Dan asked.
Micky nodded.
“Wow. That’s…” Dan searched for the word. Three years spent lovingly studying the English language hoping to come into good use this time. “Commendable.”
“Not really,” Micky said, ducking his head. “Any sibling would do it.”
“I don’t know about that, mate,” Dan said. “My big sister can be a right cow. She would’ve left me on a doorstep somewhere.”
Micky chuckled. He didn’t pay Dan much attention, choosing to watch Flynn and Tamsin as she spun him on the seated roundabout. Dan watched them, too, for a bit, before turning back to Micky.
“He’s a character,” Dan acknowledged. “There a reason he’s so small?”
Micky finally turned his attention on Dan. “Yeah,” he replied, voice tiny and tight. He scraped his teeth over his bottom lip several times, dragging away the congealed moisture forming over them. “He’s got a condition. He’s a little behind in years, too.”
“Oh,” Dan said. He might have that etched onto his gravestone. “What’s the condition?”
“Williams syndrome?” Micky replied, then, with a shrug, shook his head. “Don’t worry. No one’s ever heard of it. It’s pretty rare. One in twenty thousand or so.”
“Oh,” Dan said. Again. For fuck’s sake.
“So, yeah, I’m sorry about earlier. I probably snapped at you.” Micky twirled the glass in his hand. “The friendly thing. One of the things he’s lacking is any stranger danger. They’re a bit overly social, if you know what I mean. Susceptible to being taken advantage of. Scares the crap out of me.”
Micky dipped his head, shaking it from side to side. He shuffled again and Dan sensed he was clamming up after having been so forthcoming. Dan didn’t want Micky to stop talking. He was strangely fascinated by him. It wasn’t just that the bloke was nice to look at, which he evidently was. But his voice had an undertone of something more and Dan desperately wanted to find out what that was.
“How else does it affect him?” Dan wondered aloud.
“Multitude of things.” Micky exhaled. He took a deep breath before responding any further. “Medical stuff like a weak heart. Had two major heart surgeries as a baby. Will probably need another one in his lifetime. He has stomach troubles. Bowel issues. Weak muscles. The eyes. Teeth. Hyperthyroid. Plus he’s got learning difficulties.” Micky’s eyes glazed over as he swished the glass in his hand. “He’s an eternal child. Sees the world like it should be in a fairy tale, minus the evil characters. Everything is bright and beautiful and everyone is his friend.” Micky paused. “It’s a real shame that life isn’t like that. Because a world full of Flynns would be the one I wanna live in.”
Dan paused for a moment, trying to take it all in. What Micky said. Flynn. The condition. The ideal. And how Micky described it all.
“I’m sorry you’re dealing with all that by yourself,” Dan finally said. “I had no idea.”
He’d just been lusting after his body all week. Now Dan knew the bloke had a soft, loving and caring side, what the hell was that going to do to him now?
“You can join us if you like. Enough to go around.” Dan pointed at all the food and drink.
Micky looked down, licking his lips, but shook his head. He glanced at the play park and Dan followed his line of sight to see the blond bloke by the swings surrounded by a gaggle of girls, one of whom he picked up in a fireman’s carry and proceeded to slap her arse. Micky snorted and turned back to Dan.
“Thanks, but I got Flynn.” He scrunched up his legs, hugging his knees to his chest and hung the glass down over the top.
“Your parents not around then?” Dan asked, voice full of concern.
“Nah,” Micky said with a shrug. “Mum passed away. A while back now. And Dad’s, well, Dad’s not round so much anymore.”
“Workaholic?” Dan asked, almost hopeful.
“Something aholic, yeah,” Micky said. He shuffled his feet on the blanket, bunching it up and flattening it back down. “He’s just not good to be around Flynn.”
“So you take care of him by yourself?” Dan asked.
Micky nodded.
“Wow. That’s…” Dan searched for the word. Three years spent lovingly studying the English language hoping to come into good use this time. “Commendable.”
“Not really,” Micky said, ducking his head. “Any sibling would do it.”
“I don’t know about that, mate,” Dan said. “My big sister can be a right cow. She would’ve left me on a doorstep somewhere.”
Micky chuckled. He didn’t pay Dan much attention, choosing to watch Flynn and Tamsin as she spun him on the seated roundabout. Dan watched them, too, for a bit, before turning back to Micky.
“He’s a character,” Dan acknowledged. “There a reason he’s so small?”
Micky finally turned his attention on Dan. “Yeah,” he replied, voice tiny and tight. He scraped his teeth over his bottom lip several times, dragging away the congealed moisture forming over them. “He’s got a condition. He’s a little behind in years, too.”
“Oh,” Dan said. He might have that etched onto his gravestone. “What’s the condition?”
“Williams syndrome?” Micky replied, then, with a shrug, shook his head. “Don’t worry. No one’s ever heard of it. It’s pretty rare. One in twenty thousand or so.”
“Oh,” Dan said. Again. For fuck’s sake.
“So, yeah, I’m sorry about earlier. I probably snapped at you.” Micky twirled the glass in his hand. “The friendly thing. One of the things he’s lacking is any stranger danger. They’re a bit overly social, if you know what I mean. Susceptible to being taken advantage of. Scares the crap out of me.”
Micky dipped his head, shaking it from side to side. He shuffled again and Dan sensed he was clamming up after having been so forthcoming. Dan didn’t want Micky to stop talking. He was strangely fascinated by him. It wasn’t just that the bloke was nice to look at, which he evidently was. But his voice had an undertone of something more and Dan desperately wanted to find out what that was.
“How else does it affect him?” Dan wondered aloud.
“Multitude of things.” Micky exhaled. He took a deep breath before responding any further. “Medical stuff like a weak heart. Had two major heart surgeries as a baby. Will probably need another one in his lifetime. He has stomach troubles. Bowel issues. Weak muscles. The eyes. Teeth. Hyperthyroid. Plus he’s got learning difficulties.” Micky’s eyes glazed over as he swished the glass in his hand. “He’s an eternal child. Sees the world like it should be in a fairy tale, minus the evil characters. Everything is bright and beautiful and everyone is his friend.” Micky paused. “It’s a real shame that life isn’t like that. Because a world full of Flynns would be the one I wanna live in.”
Dan paused for a moment, trying to take it all in. What Micky said. Flynn. The condition. The ideal. And how Micky described it all.
“I’m sorry you’re dealing with all that by yourself,” Dan finally said. “I had no idea.”
He’d just been lusting after his body all week. Now Dan knew the bloke had a soft, loving and caring side, what the hell was that going to do to him now?
Brought up in a relatively small town in Hertfordshire, C F White managed to do what most other residents try to do and fail—leave.
Studying at a West London university, she realised there was a whole city out there waiting to be discovered, so, much like Dick Whittington before her, she never made it back home and still endlessly searches for the streets paved with gold, slowly coming to the realisation they’re mostly paved with chewing gum. And the odd bit of graffiti. And those little circles of yellow spray paint where the council point out the pot holes to someone who is supposedly meant to fix them instead of staring at them vacantly whilst holding a polystyrene cup of watered-down coffee.
She eventually moved West to East along that vast District Line and settled for pie and mash, cockles and winkles and a bit of Knees Up Mother Brown to live in the East End of London; securing a job and creating a life, a home and a family.
Having worked in Higher Education for most of her career, a life-altering experience brought pen back to paper after she’d written stories as a child but never had the confidence to show them to the world. Having embarked on this writing malarkey, CF White cannot stop. So strap in, it’s gonna be a bumpy ride...
PRIDE PUBLISHING / KOBO / B&N
Misdemeanor #1
⏳💸⏳Currently 99cents⏳💸⏳
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Hard Time #2
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Reformed #3
⏳💸⏳Currently $2.99⏳💸⏳
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