Reviewed by Sadonna
TITLE: Are You Kitten Me?
AUTHOR: Quinn Alexander
PUBLISHER: Riptide Publishing
LENGTH: 247 pages
RELEASE DATE: December 5, 2022
BLURB:
Free to Good Home: two sweet males, need lots of love!
Shane Maguire is over-stressed and under-loved. He’s finally landed a respectable job at an upscale restaurant, but the brutal hours have butchered his chances at romance. When his dad suggests he fill the void with a pet, Shane agrees and falls head-over-heels for a gorgeous shelter kitten. There’s only one problem: the handsome stranger who claims he saw her first. They can’t both adopt her, so Shane proposes they share custody . . . of a cat. What could go wrong?
Damian Murphy used to love working from home, but prolonged isolation has made the passing days a blur. He hopes his adorable new tabby will shake things up. Now if only Shane would stop insisting she’s their cat and disappear already, same as all the other men in his life. But the more time they spend together, the harder it is to deny their smoldering chemistry.
Meatball is a kitten. She is very cute, which is important because of reasons. For such a little cat, Meatball has big problems. Her dads are in denial, and as much as she enjoys watching them dance around each other, they need a claw in the right direction. If the three of them are going to be a real family, someone will have to play matchmaker. And Meatball is just the intrepid kitty for the job.
REVIEW:
Shane is a sous chef who has just moved out on his own. His work is stressful with long hours. He is a bit lonely though and his dad suggests getting a pet. On his way to work, he goes to a shelter to look for a puppy. Or maybe a dog. But then when he gets in with the animals, he’s smitten with a gorgeous ginger kitten. Trouble is, Mr. Hottie (soon to be introduced as Damian) also wants the kitten. Shane is really sad about losing out on the kitten and convince Damian to let me “co-parent” the cat. I mean after all they live in the same apartment building 🙂
Damian’s motives for getting a cat are similar to Shane’s although he works from home, so he’s a bit isolated and needs company. He’s not really interested in sharing the cat, but he feels bad for Shane. He doesn’t trust people easily, for reasons that are revealed in the book, and so he’s not quite as onboard with this little plan of Shane’s but he doesn’t have a really good reason not to let Shane see the kitten. Meatball is of course the catalyst for these guys to spend time together.
There is a bit of a push-pull cadence to this relationship. It take Damian some time to feel comfortable with Shane due to some issues in his past. Meatball of course is not having it and seems to have a knack for making these guys work together 😉 While it takes some time, they are able to figure things out and learn how to communicate.
This is a low angst, very slow burn story with a meet cute, getting to know each other, tentative friends to more story. Meatball, the adorable ginger kitten is the catalyst for Damian and Shane getting together and she continues to provide opportunities for them to spend time together 🙂 Damian’s trust issues and Shane’s anxiety issues contribute to the slow building of their friendship and more. I loved the supporting characters – particularly Damian’s mom and sister and Shane’s dad (who is highly entertaining all on his own). While it’s definitely a slow burn, it felt natural and realistic given what we learn about both guys as the story unfolds. The under the surface issues make this more than a fluffy sweet story. We get to see some character growth for both men a well as adult relationship building. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and the epilogue was “chef’s kiss” perfection. Recommended.
RATING: 
BUY LINKS:
Riptide