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Work Out #7
Cardio Conditioning
A Work Out Story
In the battle to regulate his blood sugar, Jerry March joins a new gym, but while working out his insecurity, he overdoes it on the treadmill. His insulin drops and so does Jerry. Fellow gym member Gianni Lappatura rushes to his rescue with a glass of juice and a helping hand.
A few days later, Jerry gets to return the favor. After watching Gianni’s opera-singing strip act, Jerry finds him stuck in the rain with a dead battery and saves the day. As thanks and because he thinks Jerry is cute, Gianni asks him on a date. It’s too good to be true, and Jerry soon learns his Mr. Perfect needs a bit of help of own. But Gianni’s imperfections open Jerry’s eyes to the beauty of limitations.
In the battle to regulate his blood sugar, Jerry March joins a new gym, but while working out his insecurity, he overdoes it on the treadmill. His insulin drops and so does Jerry. Fellow gym member Gianni Lappatura rushes to his rescue with a glass of juice and a helping hand.
A few days later, Jerry gets to return the favor. After watching Gianni’s opera-singing strip act, Jerry finds him stuck in the rain with a dead battery and saves the day. As thanks and because he thinks Jerry is cute, Gianni asks him on a date. It’s too good to be true, and Jerry soon learns his Mr. Perfect needs a bit of help of own. But Gianni’s imperfections open Jerry’s eyes to the beauty of limitations.
110 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 2, 2013
5 people are currently reading
169 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
April 14, 2018
I have yet to love and Andrew Grey book but I always like them.
Grey here deals with dating with a diabetes and also the issues of being see only for your looks.
Jerry and Gianni make a nice couple and I like a plain Joe getting his HEA. I like Gianni better than Jerry because he is able to communicate much more clearly.
There is some unneeded drama here but overall a nice read about dating and falling in love just as you are and for who you are.
Grey here deals with dating with a diabetes and also the issues of being see only for your looks.
Jerry and Gianni make a nice couple and I like a plain Joe getting his HEA. I like Gianni better than Jerry because he is able to communicate much more clearly.
There is some unneeded drama here but overall a nice read about dating and falling in love just as you are and for who you are.
January 7, 2013
Although this is part of a series I think I it can easily be read as a stand alone, but I recommend reading the others in the series, I have read all but two (going to get to those very soon) and liked them.
Jerry is a diabetic and works in a sedentary job as a computer programmer so his doctor has recommended more exercise. Jerry's colleague Dan from the first book gets him to join his gym.
Jerry sees a very hunky handsome stud, totally his type there and he is even on the treadmill next to him. Jerry unfortunately has an episode of low blood sugar right as he is getting off the treadmill and Gianni, the sexy stud gets him juice and takes care of him until the paramedics arrive.
Not quite the impression he wanted to make, but he is still disappointed when he doesn't run into Gianni at the gym in the following days, since he really wants to say thank you, and maybe drool a little too!
Dan and Gene decide to get him out of the house and take him to a strip club, where as luck would have it Gianni is performing as a opera singing stripper. This is one of those right time and right places kind of moment and they hit it off and start dating.
Both of these guys have issues, Jerry is very aware that his health issues are not always easy for his partner to deal with, they don't want to live with the structures Jerry needs to, and he is also sees himself as small and skinny.
Gianni might be very attractive but that has its drawbacks since a lot of the guys he has dated only wanted him for his looks and didn't care about him as a person.
I like it when it's a bit of opposites attract and both of the men have some insecurities, this of course usually leads to some kind of misunderstanding and it did here.
Now I'm not going to give it away, but I have to say I'm with Jerry on this one, I would have jumped to a similar conclusion.
The small dose of angst didn't last long or overtake the story and the make-up sex was worth it!
This was a sweet, sexy easy read that not only inspired me to get on the ball and read those two books I haven't but maybe I need get to the gym and see whose hanging out there!
Jerry is a diabetic and works in a sedentary job as a computer programmer so his doctor has recommended more exercise. Jerry's colleague Dan from the first book gets him to join his gym.
Jerry sees a very hunky handsome stud, totally his type there and he is even on the treadmill next to him. Jerry unfortunately has an episode of low blood sugar right as he is getting off the treadmill and Gianni, the sexy stud gets him juice and takes care of him until the paramedics arrive.
Not quite the impression he wanted to make, but he is still disappointed when he doesn't run into Gianni at the gym in the following days, since he really wants to say thank you, and maybe drool a little too!
Dan and Gene decide to get him out of the house and take him to a strip club, where as luck would have it Gianni is performing as a opera singing stripper. This is one of those right time and right places kind of moment and they hit it off and start dating.
Both of these guys have issues, Jerry is very aware that his health issues are not always easy for his partner to deal with, they don't want to live with the structures Jerry needs to, and he is also sees himself as small and skinny.
Gianni might be very attractive but that has its drawbacks since a lot of the guys he has dated only wanted him for his looks and didn't care about him as a person.
I like it when it's a bit of opposites attract and both of the men have some insecurities, this of course usually leads to some kind of misunderstanding and it did here.
Now I'm not going to give it away, but I have to say I'm with Jerry on this one, I would have jumped to a similar conclusion.
The small dose of angst didn't last long or overtake the story and the make-up sex was worth it!
This was a sweet, sexy easy read that not only inspired me to get on the ball and read those two books I haven't but maybe I need get to the gym and see whose hanging out there!
January 5, 2013
Let me be incredibly shallow and say that the sex in this book was smoking hot! The storyline was cute and there was some minor angst, so this was really more of a fluffy piece for me. On the short side too. Very satisfying if you just want to get away from it all and relax your brain. Like a good soak-in-the-bathtub read.
Recommended!
Recommended!
January 4, 2013
In my thoughts, there are few, if any, romance writers that can hold a candle to Andrew Grey. I have read all of his books (yes, all of the ones on the front page of this newest novella as well as some that are not listed). It's tough to fully appreciate this newest work, Cardio Conditioning, unless you've read Mr. Grey's other "workout" series books. There are characters from his other books that appear again in this novella -- their back story has already been fully explored in other works so they don't need as much background here.
Like many of Mr. Grey's "workout" stories, this newest book focuses on an unlikely relationship between Jerry (a nerdy and diabetic computer programmer) and Gianni (a hunky stripper). There is the typical insecurity by the nerdy guy, and the understanding from the hunky guy, and then there is the "twist". In this novella, the twist (which involved two simultaneous shopping trips to the same mall by the two main characters) has absolutely no foreshadowing, so the conclusions that were drawn by the nerdy character were spot on -- I don't believe the hunky character's conduct would have been so easily forgotten if this was real life. Let me not give too much away, but in real life, how many people would ever tolerate their boyfriend hugging and squeezing a stranger in a mall walkway, calling the stranger "sweetie"' for the world to hear, and kissing the stranger on the lips in the middle of a store without having serious repercussions on a relationship that is in its infancy? (I understand that in works of fiction there must be a willing suspension of disbelief, but the suspension of disbelief has to be grounded in some rational foreshadowed thought that was simply missing from this novella.).
For those who have read the book, how easy would it have been for there to be one paragraph inserted about 50 pages before the mall scene concerning Gianni's poor color coordination i.e. he shows up at the gym wearing an orange tank top with purple shorts; or how about a brief mention somewhere in the beginning of the book that some of Gianni's clients pay for his personal training services through a barter system like being a personal shopper?). Andrew Grey's stories are usually so tightly written, I must assume that the omissions from this novella were the result of a bad editing job, rather than any deficiency from the author's story telling ability.
By the way, no matter what any other reviewer may say, there is not any other romance writer out there today who can write a better M/M romance scene than Andrew Grey. His romance scenes in this book are steamy, sexy and thoroughly believable.
Reading this book is clearly an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon -- it's like good Chinese food -- it is good when it goes down, but an hour after your done, you are hungry for more.
Like many of Mr. Grey's "workout" stories, this newest book focuses on an unlikely relationship between Jerry (a nerdy and diabetic computer programmer) and Gianni (a hunky stripper). There is the typical insecurity by the nerdy guy, and the understanding from the hunky guy, and then there is the "twist". In this novella, the twist (which involved two simultaneous shopping trips to the same mall by the two main characters) has absolutely no foreshadowing, so the conclusions that were drawn by the nerdy character were spot on -- I don't believe the hunky character's conduct would have been so easily forgotten if this was real life. Let me not give too much away, but in real life, how many people would ever tolerate their boyfriend hugging and squeezing a stranger in a mall walkway, calling the stranger "sweetie"' for the world to hear, and kissing the stranger on the lips in the middle of a store without having serious repercussions on a relationship that is in its infancy? (I understand that in works of fiction there must be a willing suspension of disbelief, but the suspension of disbelief has to be grounded in some rational foreshadowed thought that was simply missing from this novella.).
For those who have read the book, how easy would it have been for there to be one paragraph inserted about 50 pages before the mall scene concerning Gianni's poor color coordination i.e. he shows up at the gym wearing an orange tank top with purple shorts; or how about a brief mention somewhere in the beginning of the book that some of Gianni's clients pay for his personal training services through a barter system like being a personal shopper?). Andrew Grey's stories are usually so tightly written, I must assume that the omissions from this novella were the result of a bad editing job, rather than any deficiency from the author's story telling ability.
By the way, no matter what any other reviewer may say, there is not any other romance writer out there today who can write a better M/M romance scene than Andrew Grey. His romance scenes in this book are steamy, sexy and thoroughly believable.
Reading this book is clearly an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon -- it's like good Chinese food -- it is good when it goes down, but an hour after your done, you are hungry for more.
January 6, 2013
This was pretty much what I expected from the series. Two nice guys with a few issues to work through although based on the blurb I expected Gianni's secret to be "bigger" than I considered it. Certainly not on par with having diabetes. If you like the series or the author you'll like this one. There is fewer interactions with other characters from previous books than some of them, so it could be read as a stand-alone if you felt so inclined.
February 26, 2013
I love Work Out series and this story didn't disappoint.
Light and sweet with very nice characters and very hot sex :P
Oh and I'm waiting for Lonnie to finally come to dark I mean gay side )))) I'd like to read a book about him )))))
Light and sweet with very nice characters and very hot sex :P
Oh and I'm waiting for Lonnie to finally come to dark I mean gay side )))) I'd like to read a book about him )))))
March 6, 2021
Oh, look, they go to Broncos! And Lonnie doesn't have a fiancé anymore...does he finally get his own story?!? Please.
Plus, box turtles as pets, adorable. (Is it OK to have box turtles as pets? Please say yes.)
Plus, box turtles as pets, adorable. (Is it OK to have box turtles as pets? Please say yes.)
May 14, 2017
Hoopla
September 1, 2018
Jerry is ready to improve his health and he has a co-worker gives him a push. But he isn't all that confident. Because of this Gianna has to work so hard to gain Jerry's heart.
January 25, 2013
Andrew Grey is one of my go-to authors when I need a pick-me-up. I know when I read a book written by him, I’m in for a well-rounded, romantic story. He writes likeable, sexy heroes that live and breathe off of the written page.
At first glance, Jerry and Gianni look like complete opposites. Jerry works at an office and is a very shy man. Jerry also has trouble believing he’ll ever find anyone who is truly interested in him. He’s a diabetic and has lost prospective suitors when his insulin has dropped causing them to be scared away. Jerry is mesmerized when he meets Gianni. Although Gianni strips for a living, he is handsome, funny, outgoing and an all-around catch. Jerry can’t believe it when Gianni begins to flirt with him, thinking that the handsome hunk would never want to be with a straight-laced man like him.
On the other hand, Gianni is sick of men liking him for his looks and not the person he is inside. When he meets Jerry, he’s immediately drawn to Jerry’s sweet and shy personality and hopes that he’ll be able to see past Gianni’s physical beauty and fall in love with the man he is inside. Will both men be able to work through their insecurities so they can take a chance on finding that once in a lifetime love with each other?
I really liked this book a lot. I thought these two men were a good match together and I enjoyed watching them work through their own insecurities and fall in love. I also enjoyed revisiting some of the heroes from the previous books in the series. It’s always good to see how they are coming along after their own story had been told. I also like the true friendship and camaraderie these characters have together. I thought Cardio Conditioning was an excellent addition to the series and I’m looking forward to the next book.
Romantic, sexy and well-written, Cardio Conditioning is the perfect book to cuddle up with on a rainy day. Although it’s the seventh book in the series, it could easily be read as a stand-alone book. But, I highly recommend reading all of the books in the series because once you’ve read this one; you’ll want to read the rest.
Here are the Work Out books in series order:
Spot Me
Pump Me
Core Training
Crunch Time
Positive Resistance
Personal Training
Cardio Conditioning
January 2, 2013
4.5 Drops Review
Let me start by saying that this is only my second read from the Work Out series by Andrew, so even though I’m a fan, this is a pretty new flavour of M/M from Mr. Grey. Having said that, I was very pleasantly surprised by both the storyline and the character history and development throughout Cardio Conditioning.
Jerry is a diabetic that has pretty much given up on finding a lover to truly love him and be able to handle his health issues due to the diabetes. I can sympathise completely. It can be very hard to find people that can handle health problems, especially ones that scare and/or limit like diabetes can. Gianni is a sculpted, sexy man that sings opera while he strips, or that’s one job he has at least. But while he is beautiful, he also has trouble finding someone that can see past his body or his job to see the man he truly is inside.
From the first introduction things are interesting with these two, lol. The first time they meet Jerry has a hypoglycaemic episode and collapses at Gianni’s feet at the gym they both use. Gianni’s used to men falling at his feet, but not like that. A week later it’s Jerry who gets to rescue the beautiful Gianni when his car won’t start in the middle of a rain storm. From there they work towards a HEA but fear, insecurity, and lack of communication tries to pull them apart.
I thoroughly enjoyed Cardio Conditioning and will be going back to grab copies of the first 6 novellas in the series! Oh, and for any Gene and Dan fans from Spot Me, they are in this one as well, which is the only other Work Out book I’ve read . If you love men, love, and HEA’s then this book is for you! Enjoy and happy New Year!
Let me start by saying that this is only my second read from the Work Out series by Andrew, so even though I’m a fan, this is a pretty new flavour of M/M from Mr. Grey. Having said that, I was very pleasantly surprised by both the storyline and the character history and development throughout Cardio Conditioning.
Jerry is a diabetic that has pretty much given up on finding a lover to truly love him and be able to handle his health issues due to the diabetes. I can sympathise completely. It can be very hard to find people that can handle health problems, especially ones that scare and/or limit like diabetes can. Gianni is a sculpted, sexy man that sings opera while he strips, or that’s one job he has at least. But while he is beautiful, he also has trouble finding someone that can see past his body or his job to see the man he truly is inside.
From the first introduction things are interesting with these two, lol. The first time they meet Jerry has a hypoglycaemic episode and collapses at Gianni’s feet at the gym they both use. Gianni’s used to men falling at his feet, but not like that. A week later it’s Jerry who gets to rescue the beautiful Gianni when his car won’t start in the middle of a rain storm. From there they work towards a HEA but fear, insecurity, and lack of communication tries to pull them apart.
I thoroughly enjoyed Cardio Conditioning and will be going back to grab copies of the first 6 novellas in the series! Oh, and for any Gene and Dan fans from Spot Me, they are in this one as well, which is the only other Work Out book I’ve read . If you love men, love, and HEA’s then this book is for you! Enjoy and happy New Year!
June 8, 2015
I read the first one in this series a year ago so i thought i'd go back to them...this is the 7th one and was just as good as the first.....Jerry with his health issues meets Gianni who turns out to be a stripper which Jerry isn't keen on...and doesn't think it will last anyway due to his past experiences...I loved Jerry...I like it when an author deals with illnesses like this and gets it right...after all this is an illness that happens....certainly my favourite for now but now onto book 2...yes i'm reading them all in the wrong order but doesn't seem to matter x
January 5, 2013
I finished Cardio Conditioning. I loved it! It was close to home considering I also am a diabetic but I'm on pills. Very lovely story..oh and I cannot believe they split up!!! What happened??? Readers will have to wonder what I am talking about. They will have to read the book to find out :-)
It's nice to know there are still some who are attracted to what's on the inside instead of just what they can see.
This is a must read.
It's nice to know there are still some who are attracted to what's on the inside instead of just what they can see.
This is a must read.
February 14, 2013
Another nice Work Out story. Slightly disappointed in this one. Usually the two MCs each have a flaw or something they are working through internally, and often they have a strength the other can rely on to help overcome the issue. But Gianni's are pretty much all external and cause Jerry more grief than Gianni himself. Maybe it felt a little flatter than the other stories because of that. Or maybe I am just hard to please and picky at the moment. YMMV. 3.5 stars.
January 27, 2013
Im giving this book a five basically because of the uniqueness of a male opera singing stripper. How cool?!
Also Im super excited that Loni broke up with his fiance because lets be honest we saw that coming from a mile away! I hope and pray AG has a book planned for him! That boy had too many tendencies not to get his own book! :-):-):-)
Also Im super excited that Loni broke up with his fiance because lets be honest we saw that coming from a mile away! I hope and pray AG has a book planned for him! That boy had too many tendencies not to get his own book! :-):-):-)
August 2, 2016
It’s a nice story along the same lines as the others in this series. “Why would someone as good-looking as you be with me?� This does get to feel a little superficial with the repetition, but the romance was neat anyway.
I am shocked about the development with Lonnie, though. Never saw that coming, even if it makes perfect sense.
I am shocked about the development with Lonnie, though. Never saw that coming, even if it makes perfect sense.
January 2, 2016
This is a fun series of novellas. Filled with different and unique personalities and stories.
The books can be read as stand-alone but they all take place around the same gym and other characters (mostly Dan and Lonnie from the first book) show up in the other stories but are not integral to the story line.
The books can be read as stand-alone but they all take place around the same gym and other characters (mostly Dan and Lonnie from the first book) show up in the other stories but are not integral to the story line.
January 8, 2013
I always get so excited when I see another book by Andrew Grey. The Love Means series, Stories from the range, Etc. The workout series is light hearted, and in some cases deal with serious subjects. I am quite partial to his more serious books, but this is just plain fun.
January 6, 2013
I love this series. Another hit from Andrew Grey!
January 5, 2013
I lurrrve it!!
January 8, 2013
You can never go wrong with an Andrew Grey book!!
January 19, 2013
This was a nice continuation of the 'Work Out' series :)
January 22, 2013
Shallow.
February 21, 2016
Nice one. It was good to return to the gym again.
January 7, 2013
Rating 3.5
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