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Clare London
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Pluck and Play (With A Kick Book 5) Kindle Edition

by Clare London (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.1 out of 5 stars 44 ratings
Everyone knows Curtis Wilson around the Soho business scene: a hard-working, budding young entrepreneur, who can get you supplies of whatever you need, and always with a joke and a laugh. Only Curtis knows that’s a purely public persona. Secretly, he’s still licking his wounds after being beaten up by his ex-lover, and he’s not about to let his guard down again. Handsome Riley Richmond was born to be a cowboy, on his father’s side at least. But after his parents’ deaths, he finds himself stranded this side of the Atlantic, an anachronism in the bustling capital, and without financial capital. His consolation is his music, albeit he’s not a very successful busker and he loses his only decent piano gig after standing up for Curtis against a homophobic bully. After that, they keep meeting, partly by accident, partly by Riley’s design. He’s smitten, and doesn’t mind letting Curtis know. Their music brings them together – Riley’s guitar playing and Curtis’ sharp, sexy poetry are a powerful combination.
But Curtis still has some unfinished business with his ex-lover that he’s struggling to handle on his own. Riley intends to be the man Curtis calls on for help, whether he likes it or not. He’ll do whatever it takes to show Curtis that people can still be trusted to be honest and caring – even if it means walking them both into danger.
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  1. Book 3 of 7
    With A Kick
  2. Print length
    154 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    February 5, 2015
  5. File size
    736 KB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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There are 7 books in this series.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00T11GHGA
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Jocular Press (February 5, 2015)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 5, 2015
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 736 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 154 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 out of 5 stars 44 ratings

About the author

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Clare London

Clare London

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Clare took the pen name London from the city where she lives, loves, and writes. A lone, brave female in a frenetic, testosterone-fuelled family home, she juggles her writing with the weekly wash, waiting for the far distant day when she can afford to give up her day job as an accountant. She's written in many genres and across many settings, with novels and short stories published both online and in print. She says she likes variety in her writing while friends say she's just fickle, but as long as both theories spawn good fiction, she's happy. Most of her work features male/male romance and drama with a healthy serving of physical passion, as she enjoys both reading and writing about strong, sympathetic and sexy characters.

All the details and free fiction are available at her website.

Clare also writes as Stella Shaw, and launched a new series of rent boy romances in 2021.

Website + blog : www.clarelondon dot com

Facebook : as clarelondon / Twitter : as clare_london

Bookbub: /authors/clare-london

Goodreads: /author/show/1276146.Clare_London

Newsletter: bit.ly/clarelondonNews

UK Meet : http://ukglbtfictionmeet dot co dot uk

Quids and Quills (accountancy for authors) : www.quidsandquills dot com

Publishers: Jocular Press, JMS Books, Lethe Press, Cleiss Books.

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
44 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Inez
    5.0 out of 5 stars Love this series
    Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    I love this series and all the characters in it. The story is very funny, sweet and sexy. Was great to see some of he characters from previous books in he series and how they come together to solve conflict in Curtis life. Riley is beautiful and just what Curtis needs. Can't wait for the next installment in the series, hopefully it will be Pat and Lee's story.
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  • Bo
    4.0 out of 5 stars Ideal Palate Cleansers
    Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    This review is for all five books in this series, and one hopes that author Clare London has at least one more she is working on so that we can finally tie a bow around the series.

    The premise of a too-cool-to-be-true London ice-cream parlor just happening to be the serendipitous location where ten completely different men accidentally meet to form five completely ingenious couples is laced with laughter, off-the-wall plots, a lot of sex (sometimes), some rough sex (sometimes), but always hope, will have you buying the next one and the next one and the next one and the next one, and hoping for a sixth (or maybe plenty of others) each time.

    Each book is an easy novella-length palate cleanser you can pick up anywhere you want to read but not deal with the next chapter of a full meal book--or really, as a just dessert for any other one you finish. Cheers!
    One person found this helpful
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  • Diane Mcmillen
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great Series!
    Reviewed in the United States on February 5, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    I am enjoying this series very much. The books are well written and fun to read. I can't wait to read Patrick and Lee's story.
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  • D.C. in D.C.
    3.0 out of 5 stars Not as good as the others.
    Reviewed in the United States on November 15, 2018
    I really enjoy Clare London’s writing and, until now, that included the With A Kick series. I was very disappointed with this one. The storyline was great but poorly executed. The writing and conversations didn’t flow well to me and seemed stilted and abrupt. And the cowboy English was just flat out annoying. Curtis and Riley were good together but there was a growing hypocrisy between them as they each tried to get the other to accept help from others but insisted they are fine on their own. I guess the final encounter with Nick proved their points.
    I’m still not sure what Curtis did for a living other than just delivering things. And how was Riley surviving in London with only meager busking money? That did not seem plausable.
    The epilogue was cute but also came across as a hurried wrap-up stuck on the end.
    And note to author: If you ever edit or revise this, I would suggest refraining from quoting Donald Trump. Do you understand who your American audience is?
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  • Sinfully
    5.0 out of 5 stars I'd happily read this again
    Reviewed in the United States on March 20, 2015
    I loved this novella from Clare and Sue Brown’s With A Kick series. I really enjoy Clare's stories; she has a distinctive witty edge to her writing that gives her contemporary romances a smart, snappier feel. She still manages to deliver the fictional escapism we all look for in our m/m love stories, but there's an honesty and believability factor to her characters that stops them from just being your usual fluffy, feel good, romantic fodder.

    Both Curtis and Riley are extremely lovable characters, I actually liked them both as persons in their own right so I didn't need convincing much that they'd make a brilliant couple. I knew as soon as Riley stepped in to save Curtis, from an irate homophobic chef—dressed in posh totty evening wear but wearing cowboy boots and a cowboy hat—that Curtis was a goner. He didn't really know what to make of him at first, but within minutes of being treated to a lazy, sexy grin that transformed him from not bad looking to bloody gorgeous, Curtis was smit...but then so was Riley...and so was I!

    Everyone takes to Curtis and you can see why. Cute, smiley and always willing to go that extra mile for his clients and friends, he's a sweetheart, but underneath all the smiles he's hurting from a failed relationship with an abusive ex partner who he's recently had to run from. Lying low he hasn't told anybody in their close knit community, in case his ex cottons on to where he's settled, so as far as everyone knows, on the surface he's the happy chappy they've all grown close to but he's living on a knife edge and is frightened to get involved or trust anyone again.

    It's all top show with Riley too. Outwardly it looks like he's well set in life. He's living in a fairly posh house, in a decent part of London but that's all pretty much a sham, as circumstances relating to the death of his parents have put his finances in a precarious position. A true cowboy because of his family background, his heart is really in music, and he's a great musician, but after losing his piano playing job at the restaurant run by the chef who attacked Curtis, he has to resort to busking to put some extra cash in his pocket. And it's busking outside With A Kick, the adult ice cream shop that brings him back into contact with Curtis. He's good but when it comes to busking on the streets his choice of cover versions leave a lot to be desired, so the pennies don't get dropped in his hat that much. However fate keeps bringing the two of them together and soon their appreciation of music, some long ago poetry and the mutual attraction that sizzles between them, turns to something more meaningful until unwanted interferences from both their pasts catch up with them and threaten to put a (dangerous) spanner in the works.

    It's not an angst fest by any means but there's enough drama mixed in to cut through the fluffiness and I loved how Clare finally brought them together at the end. It had a sort of fairytale, big screen finish, where all the past couples in the series got to make a significant appearance and even though it wasn't the most original ending in the world, it still left me with a big sappy grin on my mush. This was another of those premises I think would work really well on screen. It had that sort of feel to it. I don't know why but I always think about Richard Curtis style romance...but gay.

    The ice cream themed titles are really cute but clever.They’ve fitted each couples story and situation perfectly and the recipes themselves always sound delish! Mouthwateringly so; especially if you like the idea of an ice cream sundae with an alcoholic twist. Not for the kiddies in this shop! LOL.

    I have to be honest I haven't had chance to read every book in the series but from what I have read, this one is my favourite by far. Ice cream and an honest to goodness Texan cowboy! That's two things I have a bit if a yen for, for starters, so how could I not fall in love with this story! It was entertaining, engaging, sexy and satisfyingly sigh worthy … I'd happily read this again.
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  • Lucy OC
    4.0 out of 5 stars Review by Lucy
    Reviewed in the United States on February 21, 2015
    This is the fifth entry in the With a Kick series and it’s as lovely as ever. With a Kick, the “adult” ice cream shop (think ice cream and alcohol!), is host to some wonderful friends. The owner of a delivery service, Curtis, is a fan of the ice cream. When, on a delivery to a nearby hotel, he is attacked by the homophobic chef of the hotel. Luckily, a gorgeous man is there to save him, with a punch to the face for the chef. A “posh totty” wearing cowboy boots, no less. And so Curtis met Riley.

    Riley is a musician, busking outside With a Kick the next time Curtis sees him. Unfortunately, the music is terrible and Curtis can’t help but go talk to him. This begins the slow, sweet courtship of Curtis and Riley. Riley is so laid back and Curtis is so enamored of the cowboy idea without really knowing what a cowboy does that is makes for interesting conversation.

    As the two begin sharing their histories, you realize how much more there is to both of them. Curtis has an ex causing trouble and Riley has some serious family trouble. I really wanted to know more about that part, because it really seemed at odds with the Riley we see here, so calm and happy.

    The reason for Riley’s terrible busking? I loved that!

    I do have to whine – come on with Patrick and Lee! I need Lee’s HEA, especially after this one, he seems so sad. I loved getting to see the other couples from past stories, including Phiz and Bryan and Eddy and Nuri.

    This is a cute addition to the series, even with the idiot ex. And of course, it has to be said, in this case – save a horse, ride a cowboy.
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Lexi
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 23, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Really enjoyed it.
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  • Kindle Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Quite a good read in the series With a Kick
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 11, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    It was good to read another With Kick book
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  • Maureen Crothall
    4.0 out of 5 stars Nice Read
    Reviewed in Canada on February 18, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    A hard working self-employed Brit and a guitar strumming, Cowboy hat and boot wearing American meet, and that's where the fun begins. A good read but I did find it a touch slow in the middle but not enough to give up, not at all. A sweet and tender growing romance, that is until chaos ensues when the bitter conniving ex turns up. A good plot, a nice read.
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  • Kindle Customer
    3.0 out of 5 stars Sweet story
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 17, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Very unusual setting and rather unlikely couple. Even the story- one of a kind and holds one's interest. Just a smidgen short!
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