redw18

It said "(To be concluded…)" and not "(To be continue...)" at the end of the chapter, so I believe the next one will be the last since "To be concluded..." is normally the way Casual signals to his readers that the next chapter is the final one for the story

Thanks for your insights 😊 @Cane23. They are always a joy to read. And I agree with you. I have never ship Malik and Daniel at all, since the beginning. That was a job for him. The term was clear. What I'm interested in is what Daniel is going to do next, now that he has found the real "Malik". I may have used exaggerated words (I meant to make it a bit more dramatic in a funny way 😄)

The story keeps getting better. Too bad the next chapter will be the last one. I really love the shared common between Daniel's and Nora's new lives: "no Hudson, no wall of windows, no chevroned oak or curated furniture or terrace". And they are both free and true. Nora was happy, and that made me happy, too 😊 I love the subtle way you revealed Nora's ancestry through her maiden name 😄 "And the fact that I did it while destroying my own marriage is either the worst business plan in history or the best" - I'll say "the best", and you know what is even better, Daniel? That is, you join them 😉. Well that "unresolved erection" had to be resolved at some point, yes? From the flow of the chapter, I have a feeling it will probably happen whether on-screen or off-screen because Daniel's appetite does not seem to stop with one single dish. And his room can now hold multiple people. Everything about Alec + Nora and Alec + Daniel is hot and fun to read. Bonus point if I haven't been obvious 😆, everything involves Daniel + Nora + Alec is always a chef's kiss to read, even though Nora and Daniel are a bad combination, and for the sake of their growth and happiness, I'm glad they freed themselves I'm glad Daniel visited his family and made peace with his mom. Margot is no longer "mother" and is more like a true mom now, and I'm happy for her. I remembered Margot once said Sonata is strange, and after reading this chapter, I think her instinct might be correct. She could be an immortal who was sent to observe and test Daniel (I was joking about this part since Sonata is mysterious 😆). After all, she was the one who started it all. Without her, there would be no Malik for her birthday, and it might just be a high-end escort service with an NDA for Nora's birthday, and nothing enigmatic like Nox. (This part wasn't really a joke) Speaking of Malik, I look forward to the grand encounter and revelation between him and Daniel in the finale. Fantastic work as usual! Happy writing, Casual!

What a chapter! It gave me so many emotions. 1. I felt sad for Nora, not because her marriage ended (or the threesome was over too soon 😆- well, since they stayed friends, it might not be completely dead, but it probably won't happen anytime soon, not until things settled down for them at least), but because she wasn't enough for her husband. That is probably one of the worst feelings a person has to experience about their marriage. She was never the love of his life. She was in front of Daniel, but his eyes wandered around, and he was no longer focused on her. She was no longer his first priority. 2. Then I was so proud of her. She is now prioritising her own happiness instead of Daniel's hunger. She let him go and let the marriage end on a very positive note. That took great strength, compassion, and kindness, in my opinion. 3. Daniel is very lucky. Given how he treated Nora during and after her birthday, he would end with a bitter ex, or a much worse situation if his partner wasn't Nora. She truly and genuinely loved him because I can't imagine anyone would put up with him or his hunger that much if they didn't. She patiently gave him space, time and tried to understand him (and succeeded in doing so). And now, Daniel gained a new best friend (and probably a friend for life, too). Btw, this reminded me a lot of Bruce and Kate (perhaps, they were the inspiration for Daniel and Nora 😉) 4. Speaking of Daniel, until this chapter, I felt like he was a person that everybody loves, but none of them alone is enough for him because of his hunger (which went into greed territory at one point). Each encounter gave him a completely different taste and experience, and he wouldn't settle for just one of them. However, this chapter strongly indicated that Max is the one for him ("destination" was even used to describe that). So I guess his hunger is now sedated? I had a feeling things might be even more complicated in the next chapters, but for the sake of everyone involved, I hope it does. Not because I ship him and Max (I only have 2 favourites, Nora and Alec), but because I ship for that unhealthy malady to end 😅. 5. It seemed like Eward is suffering from Parkinson's disease. Well, I guess I shouldn't be surprised, as sudden sickness or demise are frequent guests in Casual's novels. However, I'm interested to see how things unfolded for Daniel's family. 6. Nora and Alec as a couple are just simply perfect. As my number one favourite character in this story, I was so happy that Nora didn't have to look far away to find her one true love. He has been next to her the entire time. I simply love everything about Nora and Alec. They are so lovely together. Nora's starved for a one who stays, and Alec is not only staying but also is hungry for Nora. I think that is a good combination for a much healthier relationship she had with Daniel. Also, as I said before, Nora deserved to be loved by the one whose heart has her in the number one position (Well, Daniel will probably have special places in their hearts, but he won't be the love of their lives). The one that made her feel beautiful. All in all, great work, Casual!

This is truly a beautiful opening. I really like Hudson's humour and wit. Also, thank you for the list of queer cinema. Good recommendation! "Hudson" is truly "a pro" in cinema knowledge 😉. I'm not sure if Hudson or you are into comedy, but "Will and Grace" brought me joy and a lot of laughs (Jack and Karen are legendary). So maybe you guys can check it out sometimes if you haven't. All in all, great work! Have a lovely weekend, and I'll see you and the "Finding Liam" cast in the next chapter 😊

Haha, yeah I know. That’s why I hoped you didn’t get into trouble with the cats 😄. I forgot to add, Daniel is most organised one of the trio, yet he’s also the most chaotic. This, in itself, is another humour for me, and it also make his character more interesting to read 😊.

Another great chapter @CasualWanderer82. These are my thoughts: I concluded that the cats in this story are all menaces. This raised a question: "Did you get in trouble with cats lately? 😆" If you did, I hope the divine creatures didn't bring too much grief to you, and you all have already made peace with each other 😄 The therapy sessions between Max and Daniel are very sweet ( and educational for me, too) The conversation between Nora and Margot - that is also good character development and insights for the ladies. It added a lot of layers to both Daniel's mother and Nora. The main throuple - everything about them is so sweet, funny, sexy, sensual, and heartwarming. They are my favourite amongst other "throuples" from your collection of stories. That transition from "Daniel" to "Danny" is just...wow "Down In the Holler" is one of my favourites, especially among the long novels from other authors. However, after finishing it, I felt like there was something I wished to see more of in the relationship between Jackson, Cash and Blake, but couldn't pinpoint exactly. After reading this chapter, I now know what it was. It was the light-hearted banter between Daniel, Alec, and Nora. They are not only funny but also strengthen the bonds and make their dynamics so natural. I have no choice but to root for them (and I'm happy to do so). I'm not saying they had better dynamics than the Willow's Creek crew, and of course, they have different backgrounds and journey. Alec has been close friends with Daniel and Nora for a really long time, while Cash only resolved his differences with Blake near the end of the novel. It's still a pleasant thing to see it transcribed on paper. All in all, great work! I love it. Happy writing, Casual!

I like this chapter in general, and I have some thoughts. 1. "You once returned a sweater because the stitching was a millimeter off-spec" - I felt both being seen and attacked at the same time 😆 2. "the same blunt, unapologetic honesty that made Alec the person most people either adored or avoided" - my answer is "adored". Always "adored" 😄 3. This chapter reminded me of Ethan from Wicked Games - Particularly, the way he threw himself into those sexual encounters to cope with his trauma. Daniel is doing a similar thing, even though their cases are completely different. I think "Malik" opened the room in Daniel's mind with "brute force", instead of opening it through a "key", and in the process, traumatised him as a side effect, like the door was open, but the wall or the door frame was cracked/damaged. Of course, there is a good chance I'm just overthinking things, as usual 😅 4. I like Alec more and more, and I have decided that he is now my second favourite character of the story (just right after Nora) 5. Also, I like the fact that Alec has a very positive relationship with Daniel, and he offers the thing none of the other men, including "Malik", had offered Daniel. It's unique and positive. So I'm interested to see where your pen will lead them to, in the next chapters 6. I really love your new writing style, especially the English translations next to the non-English dialogues. They went so well together and helped to keep the flow of reading engaging and unbroken, for me 😊