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First Time
- Narrated by: Michael Fell
- Length: 4 hrs and 9 mins
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First Time
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Summary
It’s 2007, and no one is out at Hamilton High School....
...least of all Cody McPherson, the star quarterback everyone says is destined for the NFL; the boy who the entire school expects to see crowned Homecoming King in a few weeks.
Cody’s dad wants to see Cody start the professional football career he’s been grooming him for all his life. Cody’s friends all want him to hurry up and ask Jessica Edmonds to be his Homecoming date. Some days, it feels like everyone in the state of Ohio wants to chime in with an opinion about which college he should play for.
Just about the only one who doesn’t seem to want anything from Cody is Simon Andrews, the transfer student who’s been tutoring him in biology. Cody’s pretty sure he wants something from Simon, though. Not something he can ever admit to, of course. Not something he’d ever do anything about. And definitely not something he expects Simon to want, too.
It’s 2007, and Simon has no plans to come out any time soon....
...especially not before he graduates. Hamilton is the sixth school that Simon Andrews has attended during his high school career, and all he wants to do is keep his head down, his grades up, and make it through graduation without attracting any attention. Of course, that doesn’t mean there aren’t things at Hamilton that attract Simon’s attention.
Well, just one thing, really: Cody McPherson, the too-nice, too-hot, too-straight jock who Simon’s been crushing on - er, tutoring, ever since the start of the school year.
Simon has started looking forward to his study dates with Cody more than he should. He can’t imagine ever letting Cody know he’s interested. Not after he’s already experienced firsthand just how ugly coming out at the wrong time, to the wrong people, can be. Besides, Simon doesn’t expect to be at Hamilton for long enough to matter. Sure, his mother has promised that this time, she’ll hold down a job long enough for them to stick around, but Simon’s too smart to trust that either.
There’s a first time for everything though, and at Hamilton High School, there are going to be a lot of firsts.
First Time is a coming-of-age gay romance novella of approximately 34,000 words that contains an unruly set of butterflies who take up residence in Simon Andrews’ stomach, biology tutoring that comes with a heaping side of sizzling chemistry, a quarterback with two left feet, a first date with far too many participants, and two boys who are each terrified of coming out...right up until the moment that they finally manage to do it.
Every Stella Starling romance takes place in the same interconnected, contemporary world.
First Time is a prequel to Cody and Simon’s present-day love story, which will be told in the novel Second Chance.
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What listeners say about First Time
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 29-07-19
Adorable story and excellent narration
A complimentary audio was provided in exchange for an honest review.
Wow, this was adorable and my cheeks hurt from smiling! Sweetness overload! Cody is the star football at his small town high school. Simon is the new kid in school who is closeted and hoping to stay in one place long enough to graduate. When Cody gets tutoring from Simone, sparks fly and Cody can't help himself.
The premise is not new but the delivery was superb. I found the story itself wonderful, the MCs Cody and Simone sweet and their nervousness and shyness around each other - the stuttering! - was OMG I couldn't stop smiling. Add in Cody's friends Jessica and Brian, and then the rest of the football team (the school!) and there was nothing wrong with this story.
This is a prequel and it's short so there isn't a lot of <I>in depth</I> on page relationship growth. It gives you the general highlights but in no way diminishes from the romance between Cody and Simon. I enjoyed how the story moved along (though I did want to see some of their cuddle time). The title is "First Time" which is what the story is leading up to. Their relationship and love yes, but their first time together is significant too. They have been dating for six months and it's prom night. They get a room and after Cody does online research (LOLOLOLOL) they are ready. I am not a big fan of long drawn out sex scenes (I gloss over them) so the ending wasn't for me but I still enjoyed listening to parts of their romance. They laughed during it, they were each tuned to what the other needed. Cody was always aware of Simone and not wanting to hurt him. It was romantic and they so deserved it.
The narration - this is a new narrator for me and I LOVED it! I can't imagine anyone else doing a better job. Simone was a joy to listen to and his shyness and stuttering around Cody, perfectly executed. Cody and his nervousness about coming out to Simone and his friends, his feelings about Simone. The narration made me love these two and I hope the next story comes out in audio soon.
I do recommend this to everyone. It's 100% light and fluffy and it ends well. I would say this is a perfect standalone and if you don't want to continue the series you don't have to. But I will be because I need to know what happens to them when they go to college and Cody is assumed to be going pro football.
Rounding this up to 5 (because I couldn't stop smiling) stars. :D
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- alias11
- 27-07-19
Sweet coming of age/first love story
Very enjoyable, low angst first time love/coming of age story. I really liked watching Cody and Simon acknowledge their feelings for one another and stumble their way through sexual experiences (thank goodness for porn! LOL) I loved the solidarity that the rest of the team and school showed Cody, and especially the way Brandon protected him and had his back. Great story!
The narration was excellent in expressing emotions, especially when Simon and Cody were stumbling over themselves;)
I received a complimentary copy of this audiobook through the author and have voluntarily left this honest review.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Meph666
- 01-08-19
Sweet high school romance, wonderful narration
This is such a well written first time romance by Stella Starling. Though it's quite a short story to listen to, only four hours, there is a fair amount packed in as you would expect with the highs and lows of school. Yet there wasn't as much drama as I was expecting which I think made me like it more as occasionally, you just want a low angst romance with a bit of fluff.
Stella has provided that with Cody, star footballer, and Simon, 4.0 student, and their unfolding romance from student and biology tutor to working at the possibility of more. There are several great secondary characters, Jessica and Brian especially, who show their friendship in subtle ways but effective in helping Cody move towards what he wants.
My first story narrated by Michael Fell and he does such a great job with these characters! Sounded young enough to be in high school but effective enough to portray all of the emotions that they go through as they attempt to show their true selves to each other but no one else. I really enjoyed Michael's narration and just fell into listening to the story, managing it in one day. Definitely a recommended listen.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Gwen
- 07-08-19
Coming out, coming of age!
Two seniors, a nerd and a jock, brought together by tutoring. They are sweet and yet courageous with their feelings. Their friends are awesome too. This is a feel good kinda romance. Two youngsters finding themselves and breaking patterns at their school. Very endearing!
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Mari Cardenas
- 03-09-19
Amazing YA romance!
While I used to be addicted to NA college-set stories, YA is not as much of a favorite for me. However, I have to admit that I feel like Stella Starling knocked this one out of the park in regards to Cody, Simon and their friends. They felt so real to me and I absolutely loved them.
Simon was all kinds of adorable and the way he would just light up every single time Cody directed his attention to him just made me want to cuddle him. And Cody, well, while he was understandably in the closet, after all, he's a gay high school senior quarterback with chances to get drafted into the NFL, living in a small town in Ohio with ultra-conservative parents in 2007, I was happy that he could be somewhat out with the help of his best friends and his teammates, even if only in school. Cody and Simon were super sweet together and frankly, the only reason I'm not rating this book higher is because this is a prequel to a second chance romance and I'm dreading to think how the second chance will come into play.
I hadn't listened to any books narrated by Michael Fell, but I was pleasantly surprised by how smooth his transitions were and how perfectly he captured Cody and Simon, his Jessica voice needed a bit of work for my taste, though, but overall, this is an audiobook I can see myself listening to again. Very recommendable!
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Cassi
- 25-08-19
Good coming of age story
I have a sweet spot for coming of age stories add in my favorite genre and im happy. I really enjoyed the guys in this book. I enjoyed Michale Fell a lot and will check out more of both their work for sure
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Trio
- 08-08-19
So Sweet! Michael Fell is Wonderful
Stella Starling’s First Time is the prequel for her new Second Chance series. The story of Cody, the popular high school quarterback, and Simon, the brainy transfer student, First Time is a coming out, opposites attract young-adult tale. If you enjoy a well written story full of charming characters, good-natured humor, and super sweet romance then Ms. Starling’s stories are going to work for you!
This is the first time I’ve listened to an audiobook narrated by Michael Fell, but I guarantee it won’t be the last! With a warm, sensual voice works Mr. Fell is able to perfectly convey the youth of these two young adults.
Now that we’ve gotten the story of how they met in 2007, Cody and Simon’s story continues in the present day in Second Chance, which is due to be published this year.
an audiobook copy of First Time was provided to me for the purpose of my review
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Fortuna
- 29-08-19
Sweet First Love
A fairly short and sweet tale of first love and first times. A high school romance between the Jock and the Nerd, a story that’s been told a thousand times and still enjoyed.
It’s fairly slow, plenty of angst and ‘should I, shouldn’t I’ but Cody and Si get there in the end. I think this book is the prequel to another of Stella Starling’s books so I imagine we’ll get to see these two boys as grown up.
I’ve never listened to any of Michael Fell’s narrations before but I enjoyed his voice and I’d listen to another of his.
Don’t expect to be set on fire but if you want a quick and easy listen then give it a go.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Starwarslover
- 01-08-19
very good
i really liked this one.. awesome narrator.. kept me feeling the story and their emotions.. very enjoyable characters.. the writing is superb. i liked it
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Wilkinwonder
- 07-08-19
First time..........with this author
First Time was a well read book. Michael Fell was easy to listen to.
The story was the usual, jock meets fellow student.
Cody was trying to be straight to fit in but knew he was gay beneath. Simon was the misfit he hires to tutor him so he can pass his Finals. Cody is under pressure from his Dad to become a professional football player and he has the pressures of his frends expectations for Homecoming.
Simon however had been moved around a lot and just wants to put down roots. He wouldn't dream of telling Cody he likes him because of past mistakes.
This is the story of how they get together.
I have heard great things about Stella Starling and this is the forst time i have read/listened to her work.
I will need to get my checkbook out as I feel I may have a few new books on my TBR list.
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