Ooh yay! Thank you x

Congrats!

This is really quite amusing, actually. My name starts with an M, like Mara's. I'm not a journalism major like her, but my archeology class did visit a farm a few weekends ago. And one of my classmates is named -you guessed it- Elliot. Said classmate is, of course, exceedingly attractive. The difference, is, though, that he's very nice right off. Furthermore, a guy I had really strong feelings for awhile ago, his name is TJ. And I have a friend named Paige who struggled with depression for a long time. And it's not the same spelling, I know, but one of my closest friends is named Kristin. Weird, the names you chose for this one.

This was a wonderful story, loved it!

This review has been left a little late, but I wanted to leave it here! :)

I think it says in my judges bio that I wanted to be involved with ADoR to find those stories that would keep me up until 3 in the morning, gasping with anticipation, and anxious to get to the end. Considering it is 3 am as I type this, Cooler by the Water by PoppySeeds fits that bill to a T. I am so in love with this story. The characters are brilliant, the plot is thrilling and exciting, the conclusion is exactly what I wanted it to be from the moment I started reading. PoppySeeds writing is passionate and beautiful, giving the reader no choice but to get entirely lost in the world she's created. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, cursing the internet for not working instantaneously.

Mara, the heroine of the story, is an eager journalist who once dreamed of a high stakes career in New York, but discovered a passion for writing local interest stories for her small town newspaper. She's assigned a series of articles about local farms which brings in an adorable couple - Jack and Evie - and their sullen, stone-faced farm hand Elliot. Jack and Evie are great supporting characters and everything you'd imagine a pleasant farm couple to be. PoppySeeds introduces Mara into their lives and she shakes things up with her kindness, curiosity, and genuine interest in the people she encounters. Through seemingly innocent interactions, Mara unravels the story of Elliot and his mysterious past. Elliot's characterization was my favorite. His arc is flawless, his actions so well developed and planned to the smallest detail. I was as eager to discover him as Mara was. Another strong point of the story for me was the information about private farm life. I grew up in the suburbs of a major city and, while I driven past dozens of farms in my life, I'm naive to the realities of that existence. I found the information PoppySeeds provided interesting without being overwhelming.

This is another M rated story that warrants it's M rating, but the chemistry is so palpable. I'm warning you because, ethically, I have to, but this story is really too good to pass up. Believe me on that. I honestly have no major criticisms. The ending felt a bit rushed and I wish the story had been longer (because I selfishly hated having to stop reading it), but the conclusion is definitely satisfying. This is an intense, hot, beautiful love story worth the time spent reading it (and the inevitable exhaustion if, like me, you stay up all night to finish it).

Happy reading!

Wow this was seriously amazing. From the second I started this I was really jealous of your prose. It was elegant, to say the least, and a perfect example of all those things I'd ever head about writing: "show, don't tell" "stay away from cliches." In some stories it's painfully obvious that nothing was really planned out (I'm sometimes guilty of this) but it was so clear that you had thought everything through, and you paced the little tidbit we got about Elliot so well and I know I've already said this but...wow. Literally the only critique I have is that sometimes there was a word missing here or there or the wrong word, but that was such a minor thing, and I've no doubt that I'll be reading this again in the (near) future :)

Hey there!
Honestly, when I stumbled across this story on ADoR, I had no idea it was already done and I ended up reading this for two days straight till I got to chapter 16 and realised it was already a completed fiction! :P But it was still a pleasure finishing it! :) I know how readers go frantic if the main characters do not get together soon enough, but I think you did a good thing by not doing that. I've found other authors do this so much that it was a relief when I figured that you weren't gonna, which made the premise of this story even more believable. Anyeh

I've never wanted two (fictional) people to have sex more in my life than I do Elliot and Mara. Like, for real. GODDAMMIT GET IT ON ALREADY.

The story's getting exciting...:)

I literally read this in one day when I was meant to be packing for a trip... I never review these things but I have to say I really loved this story! Really well written and I thoroughly enjoyed it :) I hope you keep writing.

Your story has a great plot and grammar and punctuation are done well (proofread, proofread, proofread before you submit). The author's notes at the end are completely ridiculous and unnecessary. I understand you want feed back or are notifying of a "late update", but they aren't needed. My suggestion to all writers is that they write in a Microsoft Word Document so you can easily spot errors. My advice to everyone is that you won't need an "author's update" at the end/beginning of every story if you finish it beforehand. Other than that, I was impressed by your story an hope to read the rest of your work!

This story is so unbelievably good, and I have loved taking this journey with your characters. Thanks for writing this! :)

Okay first of all, FP looks weird as shiz now. WTF is going on and why do I have to type my review at the bottom of the page instead of a new window. RUDE.

BUT ANYWAY WHO CARES! I can't believe I am reading the last chapter of this. I'm kind of sad - the longer you put off the ending, the longer I could live in Mara-and-Elliot-Doing-It-Against-the-Wall mode. WHICH BTW was awesome. But I loved this ending so much. I love Mara and Elliot so much. They deserved a good ending and I'm glad they got one. I don't think Elliot turned into too much of a softy. He still rides tractors around and fixes barn doors and all of those other hot and sexy things. Add in the fact that now he can face his emotions like a man and HELLO. Sexy farmers will never be the same.

And what is this about a new idea? WHAT. WHAT! You know what I'm going to say, dude. POST. THAT. SHIT. Can I say shit in a review yet? Probably not.

I have always sucked at leaving reviews and this is no different, plus it feels kind of weird since it's been such a long time, but this is definitely some of the best writing you've posted and I am forever insanely jealous of your ability to come up with things that are so fun to read and characters that don't suck and sex scenes worth waiting for. I BOW TO YOU, QUEEN OF FP.

ps - I am still requesting a bonus scene in a barn doing it on the hay. HAHAHA.

D

I can't believe it's over! And yes, Elliot did turn into a bit of a softy but he and Mara are so perfect for each other! Please continue writing on fiction press. You are definitely one of the best authors on the site and I would miss your writing!