Review: You Are The One by Scott D. Pomfret

Gay lovers find temporary respite from adversity in this collection of stories by Scott D. Pomfret. Ranging from a cocaine-fueled rampage to the blind eye of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, these stories depict the bonds gay men forge when political unrest, drugs, HIV/AIDS, the Church or a demanding T-ball schedule put their commitments to the test.


First off let me make this clear, this is not a DNF because this is a bad story, it is purely a personal preference with the writing technique and certain storylines that I struggle with. These short stories are written as first person and second-person narrative. Unless it's done really well, that break of the fourth wall does not work for me personally. I have not read a lot of second-person narrative and this took a while to get used to, and honestly is a major reason I didn’t persevere. I need to make this clear though, the writing is beautiful. It’s very descriptive and poetic and it was easy to get lost in the words being written.

However, the other reason I threw in the towel, and this one is a biggie, is that each of the stories I read were hardly romances at all, and each were seriously fucking depressing. I only read three, but I’m pretty sure I was ready to commit group suicide with these characters by the end of them. I’m going to add the mini reviews I wrote as I was reading and the rating I was going to give the individual stories, so you have more of an idea why I gave up.


Phew that one hurt! What a beautifully written and wonderfully sad story about two men and the war that came between them. This was written in first person point of view, so we only ever know the characters as 'I’ (the narrator) and ‘You’ (the narrator's soldier lover). This tells the story about two lovers, and how they handle the need to be closeted while in the army and the eventual deployment of the soldier. This story shows the pain of the spouses left behind, especially in a time when being gay meant you couldn’t acknowledge your grief for your partner leaving. It also captured the soldiers dedication to his duty and his country.


It was heart-wrenching to read and I know this might be a spoiler, but there was no HEA, which I was really hoping for.


...hmm, that's it?

That ended much sooner than I was expecting. This story was written in second person narrative (as I understand it). We are told the story of an ex soldier who is a ‘casualty assistance officer’. His job is to inform the families of the men who are MIA or have died at war. When he goes to deliver the news of a dead soldier to a widow, we hear her views on what it is like to be a war-wife. She describes the bitterness and pain of what it feels like to be second choice to a man’s duty and honour. Once again it was wonderfully written, I felt her pain and understood her anger.

I thought there would be more because it is mentioned the casualty officer was gay and he had yet to bring himself to think about finding a man to settle down with, but ultimately it was something that he wanted. I guess I was expecting some follow up on his thoughts of wanting to find a man, but nothing….. It just ended after the woman’s monologue.


Fuck! Another depressing one. I don’t think I can handle much more of this, that was… really depressing. This one was first person with the narrator and his husband organising to get some cocaine from a friend of theirs. At first I thought this would be a cool drug dealing story, but then suddenly a few weeks had passed and they had snorted most of it. They were in debt and coming down from their high... hard. The story then progressed to show them attempting to avoid slipping back into the drug habit and failing… miserably.

Honestly I was lost for a large portion of this story. This was written with short sharp sentences that didn’t always make a lot of sense, and jumps in time that confused me. Essentially it was written like someone who was on drugs, which was clever, but ultimately very confusing.

The light is just right, behind our heads, so our shadow on the wall is the eight-armed goddess Kali, a single thick body sporting two pair of mechanically moving arms, massage, massage, chop, chop, chop, pass the blade and dollar bill, watch the bangs, honk, honk.

Once again no HEA.

As you can see, I had a steady decline in my ratings, I think that indicated my brain turning into a depressive ball of emotions. I think if I had continued I would’ve rated this book poorly and I didn’t want to do that, so I figured, better quit while i’m ahead (and not curled in a fetal position on the floor).

All I can really suggest is to know what you’re getting into with this book. Don’t read it for a romantic military story. Read it for a realistic take on the pain of war, addictions and whatever the other stories end up being about. If you can get used to the writing style, the words are very beautiful and will definitely evoke emotions in many people. I just can’t do stories that depressing.



A review copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

Find out more on Goodreads.


Author Bio

Scott D. Pomfret is the author of Since My Last Confession: A Gay Catholic Memoir, The Second Half: A Gay American Football Novel, and dozens of short stories in literary and not-so-literary journals.  With his longtime partner Scott Whittier, he is coauthor of the Romentics series of gay romance novels and the Q Guide to Wine and Cocktails.  Scott and Scott reside in Boston and Provincetown, Massachusetts.

Email:  scott.pomfret@gmail.com
Website:  scottpomfret.com
Twitter: @Bostonseanachie
Facebook: bostonseanachie


Excerpt
Your head was full of sacred places like land mines, IEDs on the roadside of our conversation. Every once in a blue moon, you lapsed into a moment of particular silence (as opposed to your garden variety clamped-mouthedness) while some procession in your head passed that only you saw or heard. You woke me up at midnight with a knife at my throat and demanded in Arabic to see my pass.
You talked about the first tour exactly once. Your tone was so reverential that we were instantly in a chapel full of incense and sweat and raw knees and desperation. You said that Iraqi hospitals were filthy and overrun by the limbless. You said how strange it was to hear the ka-chunk of chambered rounds in this place where civilization began. You mentioned the twenty-year-old soldier under your command who took some shrapnel and begged you to just not let him die. You held his hand and pretended that a grown man had not pissed himself. You helped him die.
I knew it was wrong, but some puny, twisted, black part of my soul was jealous of the dying soldier. Jealous of every man and woman you met on that first tour, because they are in some inviolate place in your head I must not go—a mausoleum.
Though I knew I shouldn’t, and I knew it drove you crazy, I could not help myself. I asked over and over, “Do you really want to go back to that?”
You kept saying, “This is what soldiers do.”
I seized you. I shook you. At first, you let me have my way. Then you grew bored, pried me loose, threw me to the bed, and took a position by the window. You scanned the perimeter. You seemed to need an imaginary sniper out there on West Twelfth Street that you could take out. Nothing else would calm your nerves.
“Do you really want to go back to that?” I asked again.
“Shut up.”
“Do you really want—”
You jumped across the room, pushed me to the wall, and drew back your fist. Now, you grew up in a home where your daddy hit you and your mother. You fought back from time to time, and you lost and got bloodied, and yet made your daddy proud that he had a son who was full of spunk and going to grow up into a real man one day. You swore you would never be such a man yourself. But we often swear to go in one direction and the next moment chart a course toward another end entirely. So you bulked up on protein, lifted your weights, joined the service, and learned martial arts. You filled yourself with flint and fire, piss and vinegar, stoking a hair-trigger temper with too many days of mortar fire and too many nights on patrol.
“Ever consider taking yoga?” I asked. “That might make it simpler to avoid becoming your dad.”
Good and evil warred in your face. I was on the front lines. You struck the wall next to my head. You released me on the brink of being the kind of man you did not want to be.
“I love you,” I said.
“More dangerous than Ali Baba set loose in the souk with a bomb strapped to his chest.”
“I love you.”
“You’re saying that to make me stay.”
“No. I really love you.”
“Yes. Just to make me stay.”
“OK. Yes,” I snapped. “Will you stay?”
You looked away. You muttered, “My country needs me.”
When you and I first met those fifteen months ago outside the chow hall, I prepared myself for a short life on the down low. I figured secrecy was another one of these inevitable humiliations of homosexuality, the price one pays for finding a good man. Someday no doubt, I’d stalk away in disgust, crushed and proud, full of dignity, and lonely as hell.
But the down low was not your MO. From that very first day when you dared to speak to me in front of your men, you never shied away from me. You introduced me only by name. You did not explain me. You did not label me. You did not encourage questions. Your quiet was ominous. Your medals were a dare. Ditto your stars and bars, your aviator glasses. They all mutely challenged each soldier in the platoon to utter a goddamn word of objection.
Conversations dried up. Tongues went still. Words failed. You were as ramrod straight as you ever were. You nodded, saluted, and asked, “Isn’t this a fine day, gentlemen?”
Their faces became blank and unreadable. Their eyes searched beyond me. They were looking at a tomorrow without me, a day when your betrayal could be forgotten and your sins forgiven. They were like a squad of soldiers who agreed to pretend a pitched battle in the fog of war, that leaves blood on your hands and men you loved splitting open a child’s head with a gun stock or shooting a mother point-blank, never happened. They were looking toward a simpler and more moral time, when men could be expected to act according to the laws that God had made.
Not that the men ever looked down on you. They still jumped when you barked, which gave me a thrill, a delight in your power and a laugh at their expense. But you took it deadly serious. You expected nothing less. Your men owed you this obedience, just as you owed them the obligation of leadership.
Maybe I should have been proud of your stubborn refusal to pretend I did not exist. But this middle ground, somewhere between coming and going, between sunshine and shade, between closet and freedom, ultimately proved intolerable. My delight was always short-lived. Every road leads to war.

Review: Betrayed (Bound Gods #3) by Adrienne Wilder

The stakes are rising.

As the god-son closes in leaving more bodies in its wake, treason and betrayal against the Association is unveiled. An inquiry for the Goddesses has been called, threatening everything Leo holds dear.

And the Chimera is not about to let go without a fight.

Despite the dangers lurking in the shadows, Leo wants his doxie Kaleb to think of only one thing. Him. His training. His purpose. And embrace the reality of what he is and not be ashamed of his attraction to Aaron, the doxie tossed aside by Sol.

Attraction is one thing. Bringing the boy to their bed is something else entirely. Kaleb can’t possibly want anyone but Leo. A lie Kaleb will pay dearly for. Penance Leo will be more than happy to deliver.

But penance for a lie will pale in comparison to what Kaleb must do to keep Sol from taking Aaron away, and invoking the Chimera into a lifetime in chains. 



YES. The author took this exactly where I was hoping she would.
"'Kaleb's shoulders jerked with silent sobs. Leo shushed him and kissed his temple. 'It'll be all right, boy, it will only hurt as long as I want it to.' And Leo always wanted it to hurt."
Leo is just as sadistic as ever. And Kaleb hates it. But really loves it.

A doxie, Aaron, was badly injured in an attack. After Aaron was attacked he feared being sent home and shaming his family. He's scarred and "damaged" and no god would want a doxie like him anymore. Kaleb goes to see him and finds that he has a connection with Aaron. He can't explain it this connection and doesn't particularly want to feel this way. I liked Kaleb's reaction to these feelings he's having. He doesn't want to want anyone but Leo, but he wants Aaron. And Leo decides to indulge Kaleb and take Aaron in.

The dynamic between these three is perfection. Kaleb continues to hate to love the pain that Leo dishes out. While Aaron simply loves the pain.
 "'I have a meeting this morning with council. You two will stay in my room. Do not leave my room. You can use the phone and call down for your meals. Kaleb, you teach Aaron how I expect him to ready himself every morning. And Aaron, you make sure Kaleb comes at least once more today, and I'll give you a taste of the cane when I punish him for it.'"
And that was the sort-of game they played. And they played it well. Aaron doesn't just love the pain, he revels in it. He takes everything Leo gives him and still wants more. While Kaleb's constant begging for mercy only eggs Leo on more. They were crazy hot together. The begging, the sobbing, the caning, the sounding, the piercing... everything. Just, DAMN.

There was some semblance of a plot with a bit of suspense... yadda yadda yadda. But this installment was really focused on the new and changing dynamic between Leo, Kaleb and Aaron. Again... DAMN.

 A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review. 

Find out more info on Goodreads.

Audio Book Review: The Wrong Man (Right and Wrong #2) by Lane Hayes, Narrated by Michael Ferraiuolo

Successful owner of an upscale boutique in fabulous West Hollywood, Brandon Good swears by his personal edict to “live in the present.” After a bad breakup, he agrees to dog-sit to keep his mind off his ex. Never did he expect the dog to belong to a man from his past, the only man to ever truly break his heart.

When Jake Westley relocates to join the WeHo fire department, the last thing he anticipates is reuniting with his secret high school love. Thrilled with the prospect of reconnecting with Bran, Jake feels no guilt in using his charming old dog as an unwitting matchmaker. As he and Bran rekindle their friendship, it becomes clear the intense attraction they once felt is stronger than ever. But as hard as they try to leave the past behind, painful memories resurface. Bran will have to confront his fears and consider the possibility that the man he swore was absolutely the wrong one might be perfect after all.



The author created an amazingly fabulous character in Brandon Good and the narrator brought him to life. The Wrong Man is the second in the Right and Wrong series but can be read/listened to as a standalone. I haven’t read/listened to The Right Words yet (Luke and Michael’s story) but I immediately went and added the audiobook to my wish list when I finished The Wrong Man. I was so glad to see that it was the same narrator because Michael Ferraiuolo fits this series perfectly and I heard just enough of Luke and Michael to know I needed to hear more, especially of Michael, I mean, that accent, daaaayyyuuuuummmmm.

Overall the story isn’t overwhelming on the angst-meter in that there was no manufactured drama, just overcoming of teenage broken hearts and a reconciliation of teenage feelings with adult reality. Brandon and the oh-so-very delicious firefighter Jake are reunited in a little meet-cute through Jake’s dog Mack, who I LOVED.

As the story progresses we get more insight into the past these two shared and it’s so very bittersweet and realistically heartbreaking. The build-up is paced well with Brandon’s trepidation and trust issues when it comes to reconnecting with Jake. And, while I wanted to throttle him for his insecurities at times, he sounded real and I completely understood his reasoning and I have to chalk that up to the narrator. He balanced Brandon’s fabulous persona that he shared with the world with his true feelings and very sweet heart. Jake was the perfect match in that he saw right through Bran’s diva moments, called him on them and then pushed him (very gently) out of his comfort zone and into Jake’s life again.

There were a parade of ex-boyfriends along the way on both sides that provided the drama and difference between the teen years and their grown up selves. Those guys needed to be there to create some outside conflict and emphasize the difference of who they were to who they had become. When the full story is revealed about what happened to Jake after high school, the story really moved past the push and pull of their budding relationship and into the realm of true adult communication. Jake had been through enough, so he was already there, but Bran’s teenage broken heart took a little longer, but it wasn’t overly drawn out and Bran was stubborn but not unreasonable.

The epilogue was perfectly perfect and all pet lovers, dogs especially will absolutely love it. I appreciated the author didn’t use Mack for anything over the top, but instead made him part of the family just as he should be.

Visit Dreamspinner Press for more information and to get your copy of The Wrong Man.


**a copy of this audiobook was provided to BMBR for an honest review**

Review: Muse by Clare London

Gavin McGrath’s art career is in ruins, his health is failing, his wife’s left him because of his promiscuity, and he’s alienated people in the industry with his aggressive and arrogant behavior.
But when a full pot of red paint falls on his current canvas, apparently ruining it, it brings a change in his life he never expected. A strange, beautiful young man appears in his studio as his companion and Muse. Matteo is from another time but he understands artists all too well—and now his place is with Gavin.

Matteo brings devotion and inspiration across the centuries, forcing Gavin to take stock of his life and his behavior in the months he has left to him. Eventually Gavin realizes he must reconsider the capacity for love he’s always scorned—before it’s too late for both him and Matteo...

Genres: Gay / Paranormal / Ghosts / Hauntings / Time Travel


This story was surprising. Very well written, and different, it’s going to be difficult to write this review without spoilers, but I am going to try my best.

Gavin McGrath is in a deep artistic rut. His wife has left, and he doesn’t really care. He just wants to find that spark that will drive his creativity, and allow him to produce some great work again.

Enter Matteo. Arriving as if out of nowhere, Matteo is not wanted, and mistaken for all the other paid models that come to the studio. Not wanting to be interrupted, Gavin tries to get rid of Matteo, but it appears the man has no sense of self preservation, and will not budge, smiling and eating fruit while ignoring the angry artist.

As the story progresses, so does their relationship. Gavin comes to rely on Matteo to be around for him as a companion, advisor, and model, even as he grunts and snarls at him. He has driven everyone away, and he needs the young man more than he realised, secretly thankful that the soft warm nature of Matteo means that he is immune to Gavin’s outbursts.

The development of this story was strong. I was riveted and couldn’t put my reader down. There was something mysterious, but enchanting about the way this story progressed. Beyond the art, and the main character, there was an otherness to this story that kept me on my toes.

It was short but very satisfying. It unfolded slowly, but brought about a natural conclusion. There was only some minor details that I would have preferred more of. Otherwise this was a completely fleshed out novella from a skilled writer.

The characters were well developed and easy to understand. The plot was surprising, and went in an odd direction that I found fascinating. There was a leading by the author, where seeds were dropped for the reader to collect and fill in the picture, but it wasn’t obvious, and that ambiguity made for a really delightful experience.

This story is a little darker than grey, with the subject matter, and the undertone of depression. There was a heaviness to it, but it didn’t hurt too much.

I would recommend this to everyone who wants something a little different. Who enjoys the eccentricity of a dedicated artist, and the stranger who appears out of nowhere, to bring the artist back to his true glory.



Check out on Goodreads!

Review: Chained (Bound Gods #2) by Adrienne Wilder

Leo has been sent on a mission to find a missing doxie. And after weeks at Leo’s side, Kaleb is suddenly alone. Free of the cruelty the Chimera, he should be rejoicing. But instead, he becomes aware of a void in his heart, he never knew was there until Leo wasn’t there to fill it. When Leo returns Kaleb is faced with the choice of disobeying Leo—forcing him to take ambrosia—or risk losing him forever.

With a single flower, Leo is back under the control of the Association. And what kind of punishment is suitable for a doxie who disobeys his Master, even though it saves his life? Leo has a list of ideas, starting with Kaleb’s first visit to a Gathering.

At the Gathering of the gods, doxies, and mortal men, Kaleb first lays eyes on Aaron. The beautiful doxie is presented by the god Sol. There he will be fed the ambrosia, Awakened to his journey of immortality, and then serve his god, Sol, for all to see. Only the horror of Aaron’s treatment by Sol makes Kaleb realize monsters come in many forms.

And not all of them hunt doxies.


 Helllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll yessssssssssssssssssssss.

Chained picked up right where The Chimera left off.  Leo is off to find a missing Doxie and left Kaleb without a word. With Leo gone Kaleb was at a bit of a loss with what to do. How was he supposed to act? Did he still have to prepare himself everyday? Kaleb did what he thought his master would want him to do in his absence. He also decided to find out more about the Association and how these men claim to be gods.

When Leo returned he was a little worse for the wear. Kaleb is tricked/persuaded into giving Leo what he's been avoiding in order to save him... ambrosia. Now that Leo has had a taste, there's no going back and he's only becoming even more addicted to Kaleb.

The story focused on the investigation and mystery plot more than the previous book. I would have liked more Kaleb and Leo because they are so spectacularly hot together. There are some major sex scenes with even more kinkiness than the last. Leo likes to dish out the pain and Kaleb likes to take it for his master. But the guy is not a pushover. When he really believes in something, he digs his heels in and stands up for it. I liked that about him and am curious to see where this strength takes him.

As the plot unravels we learn more about Kaleb in this installment and what makes him special in particular. We also find out that Kaleb's brother isn't all that he seems. More doxies and gods were introduced and I'm excited to see more of these characters. Especially Aaron. His story is heartbreaking. He and Kaleb seem to have formed a bond and I hope to see more of that friendship develop.

Bound Gods is shaping up to be a solid series filled with twist and turns, paranormal happenings, and a kinky master/slave relationship. <- what more could a Unicorn as for?

A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review. 

Find out more info on Goodreads.

Tag-Team Review: Practice Makes Perfect (Housemates #3) by Jay Northcote

Getting experience with the guy next door seems like a great idea—until the lines blur.

Dev, a geeky first year physics student, has zero sexual experience and he’s determined to change that ASAP. After a bad time in halls of residence, he’s starting the summer term with different housemates and a new plan of action.

Ewan lives in the house next door to Dev. He’s young, free and single, and isn’t looking to change that anytime soon. When awkward circumstances throw them together, Ewan offers to help Dev out in the bedroom in return for maths tutoring, and Dev jumps at the chance.

They work their way through Dev’s sex-to-do list, but what starts as a perfect no-strings arrangement gets more complicated as their feelings for each other begin to grow. If they’re going to turn their lessons in lovemaking into something more permanent, they need to work out how they feel about each other—before they get to the end of Dev’s list.

Length: 54,000 words approx.
This book is a complete story and can be read as a stand-alone

Averaged!


Adam - 4 Hearts

After reading a very angst-heavy book, this was the perfect pick-me-up.

description

Dev is nerdy, socially awkward, and a virgin. He likes his life to be orderly, which is why he makes lists for everything. One of his goals for the year is to get some sexual experience, but he’s not really sure how to go about it. Ewan, a ginger hunk who doesn’t have a problem finding company, is Dev’s next-door neighbour. After a couple of awkward encounters, during which Ewan learns about Dev’s goal to get laid, Ewan presents Dev with a proposal: Ewan will tutor Dev in the bedroom, and Dev will tutor Ewan in math.

It’s a fair trade, and the two don’t take long to get down to business.

I know what to expect when I read a book by Jay Northcote. It’s usually low on the angst but not too sappy, with immediately likeable MCs, a realistic romance, and some sexytime to top it off. The Housemates series kicks the sexytime up a few notches. ‘Practice Makes Perfect’ delivered in every aspect.

If you’ve got a thing for confident gingers with infectious smiles who know their way around a bedroom, you won’t have any problem with Ewan. He had me feeling some type of way, especially when he patiently taught Dev the joys of sex. If he set up a tutoring business, I would keep him on retainer.

Does that make me a bit of a perv? Probably. I own my perviness.

It’s hard not to love Dev right off the bat. He’s a cute geek who knows what he wants, and isn’t afraid to go after it. His obsession with lists was adorable. He even makes one for what he wants Ewan to teach him.

The Housemates series has some hot sexin’, and book 3 is no different. Dev’s list covers all of the basics - handjobs, blowjobs, rimming, and anal. Ewan and Dev are very thorough in going through that list. Though Dev might need some pointers at times, he is in no way a bashful virgin. The boy dishes out dirty talk without thinking about it.

These two lit up my tablet screen, giving the previous couples in this series a run for their money.

description

Dev and Ewan’s relationship isn’t just about the sex. The two get to know each other, and eventually realize that they want something more. Through home-made dinner dates (though neither will admit that they’re dates), spending time together, and meeting each other’s friends, they slowly develop feelings for one another. It was a sweet and believable progression.

description

Yes, the inevitable misunderstanding happens, which I’m usually not a fan of. But in this case I didn’t mind because it doesn’t take long for Ewan and Dev to admit that the two were head-over-heels for each other.

If you’re looking for something hot, sweet, and easy, ‘Practice Makes Perfect’ is the book for you! It can be read as a stand-alone.

Chelsea - 4.5 Hearts


Sex Things to Try
Kissing
Hand jobs
Frottage
Blow jobs (giving)
Blow jobs (receiving)
Fingering
Rimming (giving)
Rimming (receiving)
Topping
Bottoming

I adored the first two books in this series, such a perfect blend of sweetness and sexy. Practice Makes Perfect was no exception.


Ewan and Dev…. what a gorgeous sexy couple. I adored both of these characters. Ewan is a genuine nice guy, who had no past hang-ups or deep dark secrets. Also he's ginger…


Then there's Dev, who felt like the most un-virgin virgin ever and I really really liked that. Dev has done nothing with anyone, not even kissing, but he’s done an awful lot to himself, including fucking himself with a big fat dildo. That's never the case with virgin's in romance books. They're always these chaste ‘not wanting to be touched’ boys, but Dev was very proactive in his sex life and I loved it! Ewan did too.

“You gonna make me beg for it?” Ewan asked hoarsely. “Or do you want me to make you take it?”
Dev moaned and tightened his fingers on Ewan’s thighs where he gripped them.

At times I couldn’t help but feel frustrated at Dev and Ewan’s obvious assumptions of each other's feelings. It was evident that they were both falling for each other, but they were both so insecure (sounds like normal teenagers really) about where they stood as a couple. Good thing is it wasn't overly prolonged. They talked and worked things out pretty quickly.


Really I think a large majority of MM romance lovers will adore this. It has sweet characters, budding friendships and sexy sex... What's not to love?


Add to your shelf on Goodreads!

Blog Tour + Giveaway: Practice Makes Perfect (Housemates, #3) by Jay Northcote



Jay Northcote is celebrating her latest release, Practice Makes Perfect, Book #3 of the Housemates series. College boys, virgins and a sex list...yum. Not only did she deliver an excerpt but she's also having a giveaway through Signal Boost Promotions. Check it out!




Author: Jay Northcote

Release Date: June 22

Universal Buy Linkhttp://mybook.to/PMP_JayN

Length: 54,000 words

Cover Artist: Garrett Leigh 

Genre: Contemporary Gay Romance 




Getting experience with the guy next door seems like a great idea—until the lines blur.

Dev, a geeky first year physics student, has zero sexual experience and he’s determined to change that ASAP. After a bad time in halls of residence, he’s starting the summer term with different housemates and a new plan of action.

Ewan lives in the house next door to Dev. He’s young, free and single, and isn’t looking to change that anytime soon. When awkward circumstances throw them together, Ewan offers to help Dev out in the bedroom in return for maths tutoring, and Dev jumps at the chance.

They work their way through Dev’s sex-to- do list, but what starts as a perfect no- strings arrangement gets more complicated as their feelings for each other begin to grow. If they’re going to turn their lessons in lovemaking into something more permanent, they need to work out how they feel about each other—before they get to the end of Dev’s list.

NB: Although this book is part of a series, it is a complete story with different main characters and can be read as a standalone.


Excerpt



Sitting on his bed, Dev yawned, his full stomach making him sleepy. He stared at his phone as he contemplated calling home but decided he couldn’t face it tonight. He loved his mum, but she did tend to bang on. Once she got him on the line, she’d end up talking for ages and asking him a million questions he was too tired to answer. Instead, he sent his mum a quick text.
All moved in, everything’s good. I’m shattered now so I’m going to have an early night. I’ll call you tomorrow.
She replied within seconds as though she’d been waiting for him to call.
Okay sweetie, glad you’re settled. Sleep well xxx
He picked up his notepad and crossed off phone home. Texting counted. He also crossed off everything else on his list for today. 
That was Saturday done. Dev set his notepad aside, opened his laptop, and pulled up his lists app. He liked his notepad for day-to- day organisation; it gave him a certain satisfaction to cross out the things he’d done and to get to the end of the day with all the tasks completed. But for longer-term planning, he kept his lists on his Mac, synced to his phone.

For the first time in six months, Dev could breathe again. Finally he had a safe place where he could get back on track and look to the future. He began to type.
Things To Do This Term
Make some friends
Learn to cook
Research sex stuff
Join Grindr
Get some experience
Find a boyfriend
He stared at the words on the screen and sighed. That seemed like a lot of things to aim for. But it was good to have goals, right? Jez and Mac seemed really nice, so hopefully Dev was already on his way to achieving the first objective. And that bloke Ewan… Dev’s mind conjured up the image of the flame-haired hunk who lived next door. Ewan had been friendly.
Maybe there was potential there too.

***

Author Info



Jay lives just outside Bristol in the West of England, with her husband, two children, and two cats.

She comes from a family of writers, but she always used to believe that the gene for fiction writing had passed her by. She spent years only ever writing emails, articles, or website content. One day, she decided to try and write a short story–just to see if she could–and found it rather addictive. She hasn’t stopped writing since.




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