Date: 01/27/14 11:02 am Title: Chapter 25
This is a good opportunity to ask something I've always wondered: what was up with the guys getting angry at Nick for doing a solo album? I always thought they were supportive of eachother's separate careers?
At this point in the story, I was convinced you'd have Kevin drink the coffee and eat the cake!
Author's Response: I wish I understood that myself. Nick's book shed some light on it, but even still I don't fully get what the problem was, especially with Brian who seemed to have the most problem with it. Hopefully it's not like that anymore but I get mad whenever I think about it, still. lol
Date: 01/27/14 11:00 am Title: Chapter 24
Another Howie/Nick chapter I squee-ed at!
Author's Response: :O)
Date: 01/25/14 10:20 am Title: Chapter 40
Ok I'm going to do this backwards. I was so anxious to finish the story I skipped reviewing chapters and kept going. So I'm gonna write an overall story review here and over the next few days give my thoughts on separate chapters.
I honestly don't know what word to describe this story. Fantastic, brilliant, great, awesome, amazing - none do it justice! This last chapter had me balling my eyes out like a sook lol As the kids say these days: my feels!!! My absolute favourite thing about this story was the relationship between Howie and Nick and in the later chapters Kevin. That relationship between the two older group members and the youngest is so endearing and I feel like a junkie needing more of it and you've become my dealer.
The suspense and thrill factor in thos story was off the charts. Simply brilliant. You kept me wanting more, even now I want more (you're doing a great job as my dealer). At times I could feel my heart jump especially with everything Howie and Kevin did.
Tim was so interesting to read. I remember thinking that maybe he had multiple personality disorder, like his mum and dad were with in him. I liked that I was kinda close but not on the mark...it's fun guessing and being fooled.
I can't express how much I enjoyed this story. Like I said over the next few days days I'll go back over the chapters and give each their own review, even if it's bonly a line or two.
Can't wait to read more from you!
Author's Response: Thanks so much for the kind words, Jess. I'm glad you enjoyed it. If I do write something this summer, it would be a Nick, Kevin and Howie story so I'll hopefully be feeding your addiction with that. lol I absolutely love the relationship the three of them seem to have. I know most of it exists in my head, but that's okay too. Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoy whatever you choose next! :O)
Date: 01/25/14 01:31 am Title: Chapter 23
Dear Lord this was heartbreakingly amazing! Love the interactions with Nick and the other guys and his relationship with Howie is simply beautiful and you've really captured it in this chapter!
Author's Response: Aww thanks! I think this was one of my favorite chapters to write. The one with Howie's story about ignoring Nick when he was a kid. I love their friendship.
Date: 01/25/14 01:29 am Title: Chapter 21
You're chapters are reminding me of George RR Martin's chapters or even Dan Brown's chapters where you love to leave the reader hanging. Luckily for me, I didn't have to wait a day to find out what's happening next!!!
Author's Response: I have never read anything by George RR Martin, but yes I do love my cliff hangers and it's something that people tend to hate about me. lol luckily though I kept my updates so regular they never were left hanging for too long. :O)
Date: 01/15/14 11:18 am Title: Chapter 20
Ok so my thoughts so far: I think I'm in love with you lol No sucking up here but I got a crush on your stories!
First: I feel like I'm reading a Criminal Minds fanfic (which is NEVER a a bad thing). You've got the suspense, the thrill and the horror down pat. I love reading Tim's chapters. It's great to see everything from his point of view and his mind set. Going into the villain's mind is so fascinating.
Second: loving the Howie/Nick bromance! That relationship in the group is my favourite! I used to prefer Brian, but I dunno, he doesn't do it for me anymore. The good thing about this story (and many of your others such as Protect and Serve) is that Howie is not a background character, which I find he is in a lot of other stories.
Third: the writing is superb!
Fourth: I know I'm really into a story when I start screaming at the characters. For instance, I think I yelled at Howie 'you idiot!' when he was in the woods, I started with the whole 'no no no' when Nick grabbed the rifle, and I said 'yessss' (with the extra Ss) when Jennie took pics of the car, Nick and Tim.
All in all I am enjoying the hell out of this. I'm also looking through some of your older fanfics that I would like to start reading afterwards. And hopefully, my list of 'to read' will expand in the future :) hint hint!
Author's Response: One: I have never watched Criminal Minds but all my friends do. I might have to check that out. It's fun writing as a villian. I LOVED Tim's chapters. His were my favorite to write.
Two: I love Howie and Nick too and thank you for saying that! I hate that poor Howie is always just a background character. I am hoping now that everyone kind of sees how his relationship is with Nick, maybe they'll include him more. Poor guy!
Three: Wow... that's really awesome of you to say! Thanks!!
Four: LMAO Howie in the woods...yeah. It's get even better with him. After awhile I just found myself laughing.
I'm so glad you're enjoying this story. It really was one of my favorites to write as well as Protect and Serve. I'm glad I left you with a lot of stories to read as well. I will really try to write something new, hopefully this summer when I am on break and feel inspired. Thanks so much for the review, Jess!
Date: 11/03/13 06:15 am Title: Chapter 40
Heeeeyyy! I totally missed this. I thought you said you weren't going to update until the weekend AFTER the cruise! lol Perfect ending to all the craziness. For a minute in the last chapter, I thought you might have done Nick in, but I'm super glad that's not the case. Even though it was just one night spent with Tim, you did a good job of making the affects of that night, and what it did to each boy, very believable. Sad to see a good suspense fic end (there's so few now), but SO happy to see you back regardless. Thanks for another great story Mare!
Author's Response: I originally wasn't going to update until after the cruise but all the cruise peeps were bugging me to update beforehand so I did. You know I wouldn't kill Nick again, I don't think I have it in me. Thanks for reading and reviewing, Sam. I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Date: 10/24/13 11:19 pm Title: Chapter 40
Awww Mare, I should have checked AC sooner. I was planning to check tomorrow to see if you've updated. Thanks to my gut feel, while I'm in the middle of wrapping up the decors for my don's 1st birthday tomorrow, I'd thought of checking AC's most recent page. :)
What can I say? Nick lived... Which is good, actually. The boys' lives will be changed forever if he died. It was actually hard for them to see him in his condition, what more if he died.
I'm glad AJ is sober. It is very realistic for him to turn to alcohol again. The trauma he felt was too much for him to handle. I'm glad Brian is working things out with a spiritual advisor. I'm glad Kevin accepted his fate if it meant Nick will be alive. I'm glad Howie is trying to be the old sweet D again and working it out with his wife. I'm glad that Nick is alive. I hope you know how glad I am with the ending of this story. ;)
Though many questions are left unanswered, this is still one if your best stories. Thank you, Mare. Thank you for this story. I hope I'd see your name again on the most recent page again with another story. :)
Author's Response: Thanks for reading this and giving such great feedback all the way through, Ritz. I didn't think I left all that many unanswered questions so sorry if you felt that way. I'm glad you were happy with the ending and I hope one day I'll have another story on the most recent page! :O)
Date: 10/23/13 11:18 am Title: Chapter 40
Nice wrap up Mare! I enjoyed you writing about how each of them have been dealing with their grief there own ways.
Also so nice to see that even after what they have been through they are still not breaking up. they are Unbreakable!
Author's Response: Thanks, Kim! They really are Unbreakable lol Have fun on the cruise!
Date: 10/22/13 07:29 pm Title: Chapter 40
First of all, congrats on finishing the story, I've loved every minute of it.
I'm so glad Nick didn't die. I know he's still not over it...none of them are really, but they will get there eventually together.
Poor Howie, I really felt sorry for him. Everyone relied on him and thought he was the strong one, but deep down he was suffering a hell of a lot. I'm glad he found his way back to being the lovely Howie we all love!
And I'm also glad that Nick ripped the letter up, best thing to do is put it all behind him and move on.
Thanks for the amazing story and I hope you'll write more (I still have to go back and read the others I started, but wanted to finish this one first so I didn't get confused with characters)
Author's Response: Thanks, Steph! I always love getting your thoughts on things and especially you made me smile with your thoughts on Tim and his birthday and of course the poker! LOL
Date: 10/22/13 06:03 pm Title: Chapter 40
Thank you so much for this story! It was so well written, and I loved every minute of it. Hopefully you have some more great stories up your sleeve ;)
Author's Response: Thank you for reading it! I currently have not a thing up my sleeve but I do have many many old ones you can try out if you liked this one. Maybe an idea will hit me somewhere down the road! :O)
Date: 10/22/13 01:40 pm Title: Chapter 40
I'm genuinely surprised that you went with a 'happily ever after' ending but I suppose after everything you put them through they did earn it. Even if it meant Nick had to live. :P
Congrats on a story finished and a job well done!
PS: welcome back
Author's Response: Yeah, It would have defeated the purpose of naming it what I did, if I ended it any other way but kind of happy-ish. You honestly didn't think I'd kill Nick, did you? You know by now that I do not kill the boys. Maime, yes, mentally and physically torture at times, okay, kill...no. Unless we're doing the multiple endings scenario which they end up living anyway! ;O) Thanks for reading this and I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Date: 10/22/13 07:33 am Title: Chapter 40
I squealed when you updated this today while I was at work. Unfortunately I didn't get to read right away. However....I kinda knew deep down Nick wasn't gonna die cause you never fully kill him. Of course you may just surprise me one of these days though ;)
I think next to Nick and Tim...Howie is my favorite in this story. As much as I had laughed at him I liked the change he went through as a character. Brian as well. I can totally see him not being.able to control his anger like that and it seemed very real to me. AJ's fear of Tim coming back was realistic as well, you hit the nail right on the head. Amazing story as always. I especially love the line "I will not be a prisoner anymore", it really symbolized how they all felt as a whole. Sorry for rambling lol. I loved this story and hope to see you write more, I always enjoy it. Mare stories make me all warm and fuzzy.
Author's Response: Yes, I couldn't kill Nick. I just can't. LOL I'm glad you enjoyed Howie. I think he was my favorite to write in this one (besides Tim) for the same reasons you mentioned. Thanks so much for your support, Tracy! You were definitely one of those people who helped me to move this story along! Have fun on the cruise!
Date: 10/22/13 12:30 am Title: Chapter 40
This was an awesome story Mare! You did a terrific job with every part of it and I hope you start another one soon. I'm going to miss reading your stories!
Author's Response: Thanks for all your comments, Kyrie! I'm hoping I'll be writing a new one at some point.
Date: 10/22/13 12:20 am Title: Chapter 39
I'm so glad you decided to post! This is probably the first time that I actually felt bad for Tim. For a writer to be able to create a character that you hate but feel sorry for is huge! Amazing chapter!
Author's Response: Yay! LOL Thanks, Kyrie! I was hoping that this chapter would make you feel bad for him.
