Warning: This book includes mature content such as: sexual content, and/or drug and/or alcohol use, and/or violence.
More than Friends by Aria Grace Series: More than Friends #1
Published by Selfpublished on 3 December 2012
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Erotica, LGBT
Pages: 76
Format: eBook
Source: Kindle Freebie
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Tired of moping around after the breakup of his long term girlfriend, Ryan knew he needed a hookup to get him out of his funk. When he met Drea, he hoped she might be the one. But when he felt more chemistry with her gay cousin Zach, Ryan felt more confused and terrified than he had in his life. He wasn't gay but he wanted to be with Zach. How could it possibly work?
More than Friends is a short story, in which Ryan figures out he might like guys a lot more than he previously thought.
My More than Friends review:
More than Friends is quite well written, but I had a little trouble with Ryan’s complete turn-about that happened so quickly. At the beginning of the story, he’s a little sad because he and his girlfriend Brooke broke up, so he kind of hooks up with a girl in a bar, and comes with her to her cousin’s, Zach, place. He falls asleep on the coach, while she goes into a bedroom all alone. The next day, he is invited back to Zach’s for a party, and he is a little uneasy about the way Zach watches him.
It takes a little while before Ryan realizes Zach is gay, and while he doesn’t really mind that Zach likes guys, he is still a little uneasy about it. More than Friends then explores the relationship between Ryan and Zach, and it is quite apparent that Ryan actually liked Zach a lot more than he thought he would. And I’m sure this is something that can happen in real life, too. However, what I had a little trouble with is that on the first evening they spent alone together, they not only make out, but have sex, too. For a guy who wasn’t even a little curious about guys before, and who was uneasy when he found out Zach was gay, Ryan’s turnabout felt too sudden! There was no thinking about how it could be that his relationship with Brooke maybe had failed because she was a girl, and maybe he was into boys. There was no mention of him ever actually recognizing that a guy could be good-looking before he met Zach, either.
The story More than Friends is still cute, though, and it is also well written. Third person point of view in past tense worked well, as I got to see both what Ryan and Zach were thinking and feeling. The character development, and the change from completely straight to completely gay was too rushed for me to actually believe in it, though.
Some of my favorite More than Friends quotes:
But if he had to come up with a list of what he was attracted to, there were just a few things that were non-negotiable. Good sense of humor was definitely at the top of his list.
In truth, Ryan was horny as fuck and would have probably done just about anyone who was willing to spread their legs for him. But he didn’t have the balls to just walk up to a chick and buy her a drink.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
About Linda @ (un)Conventional Bookworms
Linda is an English as foreign language teacher and has a Master's degree in English Language and Literature. She's an avid reader, blogger, compulsive one-clicker and a genre omnivore. Ever since she learnt how to read she has been seen with a book or two in her hands everywhere she goes.
Maybe the format was the problem, and the story would be better developed in a longer novel ? I’ll be checking out this author, great review !
I think the biggest problem is that Ryan hadn’t ever even been a little homo-curious. I find it very hard to believe that a guy who has never even asked himself if he might like guys that way goes from having lustful feelings for girls to actually having sex with a guy in just a couple of days… That said, I’ll be checking out more of this author’s books as well, Iza 🙂
My experience with M/M romances is extremely limited, but so many of my bloggers peeps tell me that I need to get into this genre. Obviously, this novella isn’t the ideal starting point, but still, finding out what worked for you and what didn’t was helpful. But yeah, a character progressing from straight to gay in 76 pages is just madness.
I have read some that are really, really well done, Carmel! And I agree with your other blogger peeps, you should definitely branch out 🙂 And no, this novella isn’t the ideal starting point 🙂
Thanks for stopping by!
Twitter: bmreviewsohmy
I am not comfortable reading these types of books, but great review.
Thanks Stormi 🙂
Twitter: talksupeblog
First off this needs a cover redo, those jeans are not sexy at all. Yeah Ryan’s response sex with Sack does come seem too soon and convenient or contrived. No build up or any hesitation, that would make me question things too.
LOL Braine, tell it like you see it, girl! No build up or any hesitation, it made me more confused than I would have been otherwise, I think 🙂
Twitter: Mlsimmons
I’ve read some great M/M books and novellas. I’ve read some great books for men learning that they were gay, who had never even considered it before. However, to think you could do that in such a novella is a little strange.
Oh, I definitely agree that people can figure out that they are differently sexually oriented than they originally thought, and I don’t think that’s strange at all. What I found strange here was the time-line! As you said, Melanie, to think that could be doable in a novella is a little too much.
Thank you so much for the review. ;o) This is the VERY FIRST m/m book I wrote and it’s very obvious. 😉 I’ve tried to learn a little more about writing deeper characters and stretching timelines to be more realistic but I still have a ways to go before I’m a great writer. I’ll probably never be great but I’m glad you enjoyed it enough to finish and review it. I also didn’t know much about covers when I wrote the book in 2012 but I’ve replaced it (a few times) since then. 😉 hugs! Aria
I didn’t know it was your first story, Aria. and I’ll definitely check out another one by you, especially if you now have characters that are a little more fleshed out, and with a timeline that makes the story more believable 🙂
Thanks for stopping by!
From what I gather, with a better development and a few more pages, it could have been quite a good book. I see your point and I don’t like when things/events are rushed either, Lexxie…
Exactly, Silvia. I think it could have been very good with just a few more pages, and a little more introspection on Ryan’s part 🙂
I’m glad you liked this one overall, Lexxie. I did as well. I think I may pick up the next in the series, to see how things progress between Ryan and Zach. 🙂
I hope you had a fabulous Friday! **BIG HUGS**
I would like to get to know Ryan and Zach better, too, Brandee 🙂 *BIG HUGS*
I’m not big on short stories (and am not familiar with this author), but hey, at least it was (short and) cute 🙂