An accidental meeting and a misunderstanding lead to a life-altering connection.
A new job, a new city, and hopefully a new life. When chubby gamer Oliver Barnaby receives a job offer from the best boutique game developer in the country, he leaves his family and his less than spectacular existence in Oklahoma without a second’s hesitation. Determined to change more than his career and his geography, Oliver implements a plan to finally land a boyfriend. Step one is improving his skills in the bedroom.
A life that looks perfect on paper, but feels empty in reality. Attractive, successful, charismatic Jaime Snow has a life other people envy. His already booming business is growing. He isn’t lacking in friends. And he has no trouble finding a date. But there’s an emptiness in Jaime’s heart and a hole in his life that only the right man can fill.
An accidental meeting, a misunderstanding, and falling in love. When Oliver and Jaime end up at the same bar at the same time, they each see something they want in the other. Going to bed together that first night is easy. Building the lifetime relationship they both desperately crave will require trust, time, and a little misunderstanding.
Word count: 55,872
Chapter 1
He had chosen the bar because of its name: The Bookstore. It was clever and unusual and he had laughed internally at how happy his mother would be if he told her he was spending time at the Bookstore instead of in front of his computer. Oliver’s entire life, she had mourned the fact he wasn’t a reader, and even though he had now moved two thousand miles away from their home in Oklahoma City, she still sent him books she was sure he’d love. Maybe someday he’d open one of them.
For now, he glanced down at the only book he had read countless times and adjusted it at the edge of his table to make the spine as visible as possible. The title—Coding—wasn’t as clever as the bar name, but the information and the way it was phrased had clicked perfectly in Oliver’s…
The first thing i loved about this story is Oliver. For once a normal guy!!! He's overweight and insecure but he's just gorgeous!! I love how awkward he is. Then the second thing i loved. Jamie! He's a six pack wielding hottie and he fancies the pants off Oliver!! Perfect the pair of them! The third thing. The sweet lovely story-line... awwwwww i wanted to be there every step of the way with them watching dreamily from the sidelines! I felt every ounce of love between them and it made my heart swell! Truly beautiful!
I love Cardeno’s emotional stories and the writing is excellent as always. I couldn’t put this down and in fact started reading it again as soon as I’d finished....I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a sweet, somewhat unique, low-angst romance. It’s funny, terribly sweet and somewhat thought provoking.
Not a Game' is probably the most romantic book I've read in a very long time. I mean that in the truest sense of the word. Everything about the story, the main characters, and the secondary ones, just worked and fit together seamlessly.
Veronica – ☆☆☆☆ Not a Game demonstrates that life is about finding the perfect match for you and not some socially acceptable ideal. ...I love the message in this story and I had a great time reading it.
Sarah – ☆☆☆☆☆ I loved this. Original characters, an interesting twist on a familiar storyline, and absolutely no angst makes for a near perfect story. This classic Pretty Woman tale has a wonderful twist and is full of warm, fuzzy, feel-good happiness.
Angie – ☆☆☆☆☆ Sweet and low on angst, it was just wonderful. Shannan – ☆☆☆☆ I loved that the main character isn't perfect, sporting a ten-inch cock. I love the realism of the connection. It definitely isn't something you find in the fiction world. It was a refreshing change up.
Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆☆ All this author's books are wonderful, and this is another excellent read to add to the collection.... Deliciously hot, introverted, caring, thoughtful, and fun, the whole book is a veritable feast for both brain and heart. Loved it.