For me, the characters-especially the main characters-are the driving factor in determining if I like a story or not.  That's one of the reasons I keep coming back to Cardeno C.'s books...I know I'm going to get wonderful characters who are complex and deep, and with distinct personalities.  I'm also going to get characters that are easy to relate to, and that is clearly illustrated here in Not A Game.

I hadn’t read this story, prior to listening to the audio book, merely because I rarely read menage. My brain doesn’t always wrap around three people being able to find happiness together. Not that I think it can’t happen, but just that often things like jealousy and growing pains are often glossed over. However, I need not have feared with CC writing this one.

This is a hot as hell M/M romance that shows once you find “the one” don’t give up and don’t take no for an answer.

Cardeno visits Emile City again! And I couldn't be happier. In this short story we meet Rafi and Isaac. In school, Isaac tormented Rafi mercilessly. Suddenly he shows up in Emile City and acting as though he and Rafi were friends. Rafi is offended that Isaac would dream of coming near him again, after all he put him through. Isaac is kinda stalkerish scary but you know what? It totally works for me. The whole plot of the story makes sense, and I found myself hoping that Rafi wouldn't dismiss a chance at happiness, especially after Isaac comes clean about what he's doing in Emile City.... Cardeno knows how to pull my heartstrings and does it very well.

The story has a great plot because it is very different and flows all the way through. I adored reading how the tender love grew between Hugh and Johnnie. I thought the sensuality between these two was sizzling, smoking hot.