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Pretty Man

by Ryan Field (Goodreads Author)

3.08 of 5 stars 3.08 · rating details · 184 ratings · 27 reviews

Roland Marcus, still not over the fact that his twenty year relationship has ended, accidentally bumps into a hot young guy in a used book store…a strapping male hustler whom he decides to hire for one week to accompany him to charity events while he’s in New York. He offers him five thousand dollars, with no strings attached, to just stand by his side and look pretty.

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ebook, 147 pages

Published 2009 by Ravenous Romance

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Feb 10, 2009 Daisiemae rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-read-in-2009, books-reviewed-in-2009, male-male-romance-erotica, e-book, contemporary-romance

This was my first book by this author. I didn't love it, but I did like it. The story definitely has the whole "Pretty Woman" storyline to it. My problem with the book was I thought the characters didn't quite connect like I wanted them to. Their relationship to me was like getting one foot from the finish line, and not being able to cross it.

There are ALOT of sex scenes in this book. There is voyeurism, toys, light BDSM and there is a menage scene. (I kinda skipped over that part since I am no...more This was my first book by this author. I didn't love it, but I did like it. The story definitely has the whole "Pretty Woman" storyline to it. My problem with the book was I thought the characters didn't quite connect like I wanted them to. Their relationship to me was like getting one foot from the finish line, and not being able to cross it.

There are ALOT of sex scenes in this book. There is voyeurism, toys, light BDSM and there is a menage scene. (I kinda skipped over that part since I am not a fan of menages) The characters had sexual chemistry together, but they didn't connect on an emotional level to me. They seemed to like one another, and there is a HFN ending that was kinda sweet.

Roland Marcus has been hiding out for the past year. His lover of 20 years cheated and then dumped him for a younger man. Although, their relationship had been rocky at the time, this still hurt and humilated Roland enough to lick his wounds alone and shut himself from the world for a while. When Roland runs into his ex-partner on the street, he ducks into a local bookshop and runs into a sexy, younger handsome man. He is everything Roland is not. From the way he dresses and carries himself to the confidence he has with his sexuality. Roland offers to pay the man money to go outside and meet his ex as his boyfriend. The sexy man agrees.

Josh Holden is never one to turn down easy money. Half-owner of the bookstore and part time male escort, he is more than happy to accompany Holden to meet the ex. After they meet and convince the ex that they are dating, Holden offers Josh Five Thousand Dollars to be his escort, as his boyfriend, and attend some local parties and functions Holden has been strong-armed into attending. Josh of course needs the money, so he agrees and they spend the week together.

The simularities to Pretty Woman are: Holden takes Josh on a shopping spree and buys him TONS of clothes, Josh never kisses his clients-but kisses Holden in the end, Holden outs Josh as an escort to his ex ,of all people, and this embarrasses Josh so much he wants to leave, but Holden apologises and convinces him to stay...and so on.

I plan on reading this author again. I did like his style of writing, and he writes some hot sex scenes, but I am hoping for some more emotion and love between the characters.

I loved Pretty Woman. I thought Pretty Man could have been better, but it was okay.

2.5 stars out of 3...but I'll bump it up to 3.(less)

15 likes · like · see review

Feb 18, 2009 Lillie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: men-loving-men-romances

I would like to see a continuation story with these characters. The physical attraction between them was pretty hot at times, but I didn't feel any emotional connection until the end.

4 likes · like · see review

Feb 10, 2009 FloJ rated it 1 of 5 stars

this didn't do anything for me at all. The title Pretty Man is a play on the Pretty Woman film. ie prostitution. Albeit male. It had promise but I don't think the author could decide what sort of book to make it nor which market he was aiming it at, then at the end lost his way and finished it off in a rush. I don't usually say this because I think there is a bit too much stringing us along by selling what is really one book in 2 or even more installments, but in this case it might have been bet...more

1 like · like · see review

Oct 29, 2012 Charly rated it 2 of 5 stars

Didn’t believe in the characters’ supposed emotional attachment

Warning: This review might contain what some people consider SPOILERS.

Rating: 4/10

PROS:
- Some of the descriptions of characters and situations are funny. Here’s one I liked: “Sometime in his early 30s, he reinvented himself as a quasi, free-spirited Tallulah Bankhead type.”
- There’s a lot of sex, which I expected since one of the characters is an escort, but most of the sex scenes are unusual. I didn’t find them very stimulating, n...more Didn’t believe in the characters’ supposed emotional attachment

Warning: This review might contain what some people consider SPOILERS.

Rating: 4/10

PROS:
- Some of the descriptions of characters and situations are funny. Here’s one I liked: “Sometime in his early 30s, he reinvented himself as a quasi, free-spirited Tallulah Bankhead type.”
- There’s a lot of sex, which I expected since one of the characters is an escort, but most of the sex scenes are unusual. I didn’t find them very stimulating, necessarily, but I also didn’t find them boring.
- Roland has tons of money, so a lot of the places they go--and a lot of the things they do--are exotic and high-brow and exciting.

CONS:
- I didn’t see anything outstanding in the characters’ emotional attachment to each other. I saw a lot of sex, so I believed that the guys were hot for each other, but I didn’t at all believe by the end of the story that they were in love. And Roland and Josh know each other for 3 days at most before deciding that they want to get tested so that they can bareback. I simply could not suspend my disbelief enough to believe that anyone would do that without first being at least halfway in love with the other person.
- The writing is plagued by constant POV shifts and near-constant “telling” instead of “showing.” Example: the men are talking (superficially) about the fact that Josh wants to own a bookstore one day, and then there’s this: “Roland liked that Josh was an avid reader, but was preoccupied with the young man’s [body part].” Why did Roland like that Josh was an avid reader? What does that tell him about Josh? Is this something they might have in common? These sorts of holes contributed greatly to my not being able to see an emotional attachment between the characters.
- There are little inconsistencies all through the book that display very sloppy editing. Here’s an example from the first page: “When Roland looked in the mirror late at night, he noticed the right side of his face seemed to be aging faster than the left. There were a few faint laugh lines at the corner of his left eye, while the corner of his right remained smooth and tight.”
- I’m all for sex scenes that are passionate and romantic and emotional, etc., and I understand that a lot of people get off on group sex. What I don’t understand is an escort inviting two of his friends over to take turns “tagging” his current client without even asking whether that’s something the client is interested in.

Overall comments: As the title suggests, this is pretty much a point-by-point gay version of Pretty Woman (too similar in my opinion: Roland, for example, is afraid of heights, just like Richard Gere’s character). There’s a lot of sex, so if you’re into that, you might like it. But I didn’t find it emotionally engaging enough to keep my interest for long.(less)

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Oct 01, 2009 Jenn rated it 1 of 5 stars

Where do I begin...Aside from being IDENTICAL to "Pretty Woman" starring Gere and Roberts except with male leads, I just couldn't get into it. The changes made were enough to keep it from being complete plagiarism but it was still hardcore erotica with very little story and lets not even GO THERE with how underdeveloped the characters were except in the parst that were identical to the movie; the author didn't make much up except for the sex scenes.

I generally don't mind retellings of stories;...more Where do I begin...Aside from being IDENTICAL to "Pretty Woman" starring Gere and Roberts except with male leads, I just couldn't get into it. The changes made were enough to keep it from being complete plagiarism but it was still hardcore erotica with very little story and lets not even GO THERE with how underdeveloped the characters were except in the parst that were identical to the movie; the author didn't make much up except for the sex scenes.

I generally don't mind retellings of stories; I am a sucker for erotic version of fairytales. But this one just fell flat for me. Neither character was particularly likeable and both were very one dimensional and just too close to the movie, so I kept making unconcious comparisons which led me to judge the book even MORE harshly when it fell flat.

That was annoying. What also killed me was the fact that its a rendition of the Pretty Woman 'rags to riches' story and in the original though the premise was still silly, ( a hooker with a heart of gold) audiences were won over by the emotion and how well played the parts were...where was the emotion here? I must have missed it between all the sex scenes...

I found myself flipping through it and felt dissatisfied at the end. It stinks and so far everythign from this author from the RAVENOUS ROMANCE Publishing House stinks..all re-tellings of popular movies and they are all lousy; blatant copies that dont procide much escapism for me since I compare to the original.

If you want a good "Pretty Woman" type story with male leads, pick up the anthology "Mr. Right Now." The story by Urban and Alie is dead on and soooo much more emotion and depth in those few pages of the short story than this novel.

So far this is the 5th book I have read from RAVENOUS ROMANCE and I am not pleased with this publishing house at all!

The books arent well edited, the format/font is horrific and def not worth the high price tags in print; if you must purchase this one and all others in e book when they have sales. They put them half off ALL the time.

(less)

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Oct 23, 2011 TheFountainPenDiva rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: characters-gay-heroes, characters-male-prostitutes, e-books-purchased, genre-erotica, genre-m-m-romance, genre-smut, opinions-face-palm-moments, settings-new-york, sex-anal-play, sex-gangbang, sex-masturbation, sex-oral, sex-rimming

Once again a book that makes me go hmmm.

Pretty Man just read like another gay fairy tale with a bit of a twist, but the lead character and some of his friends were just like caricatures rather than characters I have a vested interest in their happiness.

Roland Marcus, our erstwhile hero is just so damn shallow. It was all about how he kept his looks and his body at 40. Any more brand name-dropping and I'd swear I was reading a Neiman Marcus catalogue. I get it really, Marcus is rich. There was...more

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Aug 22, 2011 Ayu Puspita Sari rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult, drama, fiction, glbt-lit, romance

Okay, so I keep reading until around 50 pages and then I can't hold it any longer. I really expected this story to be on emotional focus between Roland and Josh, but no, all I find from the first page is sex, and then sex, sex, sex for more, go out to buy clothes, sex in public, run out of condom, out to buy condom, sex, sex, buy cupcakes, sex, and sex until I can't stand it anymore. And I thought there'll be more emotional display somewhere and I waited, but then when they're out buying cupcake...more

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Apr 11, 2011 Danae rated it 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed the story and liked the few references to the movie "Pretty Woman" found within. While I'm not the kind to enjoy partners sharing each other with other men, I tried to ignore that so it wouldn't prejudice me. There were only a few instances, though, so it wasn't too bad.

I first read this about a year ago, and only now do I realize that these are the minor characters shown in the third Virgin Billionaire book.

***As you'll have noticed, I don't really write "reviews", just my own ramblin...more

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Apr 03, 2013 Paputsza rated it 5 of 5 stars

This story left me smoking a cigarette and while lying recumbent on the bed. Somehow it didn't go to far for me because of who the uke is and who the seme is. Josh is simply the worst prostitute in the world who doesn't nothing but treat his john like the seediest meth addicted hooker. I wished I could have seen a little more of the prostitute's pov and it showed more separation angst, but otherwise the only time I've agreed when a character says they're having hot sex. I decided to still give t...more

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May 24, 2010 Praj rated it 2 of 5 stars

I reckon Mr.Field is a huge fan of Pretty Woman. Otherwise why would such a tactful author pen a hard core erotica on the lines of a candy floss romantic movie? The entire libretto deal with Roland Marcus an affluent and flamboyant yet sentimental man who hires Josh Holden to be his date/partner to avoid embarrassment before his ex-lover Kenneth Rhodes. Later, Josh realizes that his escort act is more than just money and a delicate romance cultivates between the two protagonists.

However, the j...more

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May 18, 2009 Elisa Ramblings added it

I had in the past the chance to read something by Ryan Field, and his style is like some of the other gay romance authors out there that I believe are in the field way before it became the last trend. Ryan Field is like Bobby Michaels, Gavin Atlas, Nathan James, Thom Jaymes... if you don't like your sex explicit and very detailed, and apparently (but mind you I say "apparently") without romance, you probably will not like his work.

The premises of the book is exactly the same of the Pretty Woman...more I had in the past the chance to read something by Ryan Field, and his style is like some of the other gay romance authors out there that I believe are in the field way before it became the last trend. Ryan Field is like Bobby Michaels, Gavin Atlas, Nathan James, Thom Jaymes... if you don't like your sex explicit and very detailed, and apparently (but mind you I say "apparently") without romance, you probably will not like his work.

The premises of the book is exactly the same of the Pretty Woman movie the title refers to: Ronald is a very wealthy gay men, 45 years old, in New York for only a week to participate to some charity events he is promoting. One year before Ronald saw his 20 and more years lasting relationship with Kenneth end since Kenneth dumped him for a very very younger man, and he decided to sell his family business and early retire in Florida. Ronald is an handsome man, but he looks his age: he takes care of his body (he owned a skin care business, so he needed too) and he likes pretty things, and he considers his body a pretty thing too. He is not a man not aware of his potential, but probably living with a man who needed more attention than him, left him a bit unsure of his sexual power. When he is back in town and accidentally meets Kenneth in a shop, the first thing he does is to promptly hire an escort he only met some minutes before.

Josh is not the usual escort; oh yes, he is young and hot, but he is way stronger and clever than expected. He works by day in a bookstore with his ex-wife, hoping a day to be able to buy the shop. Now don't get me wrong, Josh is not at all the intellectual type, he is all in all the classic sex on legs. He is a totally top, he works as an escort as side job, but he doesn't consider himself a man to be ordered around: Ronald could be the one with the money, but he is not the one in charge. And this is exactly what Ronald needs, for once to be the one to be taken care of, to be pampered and cherished as a treasure. Josh in his all alpha male behavior, has also the other characteristic of an alpha male, the one that makes him a good leader, who always has in mind the good health of who is under him (pun intended...).

Now let me say that there is a lot of sex in this story, even a foursome that at first let me a bit perplexed, but all in all there is more romance in this book than expected. Both characters are not so simple as they appear at first, they have a good development, and always behave as I would like them to do from a romantic point of view. It's obviously a pink glasses point of view, not really realistic, but well, I'm reading a romance, am I not? It's obvious that Ronald is wealthy and that he can do things and buy things a normal man couldn't, it's obvious that the situation in which the two heroes meet and live is not ordinary or realistic, but it doesn't matter to me, since they behave as they have to do in a romance... well, maybe with a bit more sex than necessary, but you can always face it as I did, a nice break in the story ;-)

A side note to the setting: with fast and nice details the author recreates the atmosphere of New York in a so good way that I almost felt like I was there with them, walking on the street or perusing the shops.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1607777908/?...(less)

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Mar 30, 2011 Becky rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011, m-m, kindle-books-lent

Kinda porny, and the writing is not the best. But I like Roland and Josh. The resolution to Josh and Hilary's problem is a little pat, and I don't buy their reactions. But I do believe as the book ends that Roland and Josh are moving off into their Happy For Now, if not their Happily Ever After. Some problems, but generally an entertaining read.

As of 3/30/11, the ebook is available for Kindle for 99¢.

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Apr 01, 2013 Alexa Logan rated it 1 of 5 stars

I was so enticed by the title... then it was a total disappointment.

It's predictable, cheesy and, when deeply touching, soul-shattering, once-in-a-lifetime love making happens every three pages, it kinda loses its worth.

This is a book I couldn't stomach, so I just skipped half the book to read the last few pages after a few chapters.

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Aug 23, 2011 Zaa rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: mm-contemporary

Really more than two but less than three stars. I particularly don't like Josh personality specially when many times he and Roland talk about sex. from my opinion he's kind of selfish guy - in sexual intercourse, Josh is A top only. the storyline got adapted from prettywoman movie so its sound cliche.

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Nov 03, 2009 Mirdja rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m-romance

This book did absolutely nothing to me. Basically it was boring and quite badly written. The story was Pretty woman, but without the funny moments and the feeling of romance. I didn't like any of the characters and that alone ruined the book for me.

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May 30, 2012 garnetyuna rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m

Not even 1 star.

Didn't even bother to finish this, after two chapters I couldn't read it anymore.

1 like · like · see review

Jan 08, 2012 Cheryl rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-read

Only thing I can say is more story line and less sex. Don't get me wrong I'm not one of those people that hates sex in a book. I just feel that if there is more sex then story whats the point.
What little bit of story there is, I liked.

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Apr 10, 2011 momokaachan rated it 2 of 5 stars

It was ok...but uninspiring. I read about half of it and decided I could spend my reading time better.

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Mar 03, 2011 Patty rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: e-books, contemporary, m-m-romance

I could not put this one down. Definitely a Keeper!!

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Aug 11, 2009 Lori Perkins rated it 5 of 5 stars

If you love M/M, this is a near perfect book.

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Oct 08, 2012 Michi Rosa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

This is good.
But don't read if you, like me, have a problem with sharing...

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Jun 29, 2010 MsMiz (Tina) rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: glbt-all

More like 2.75.

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Mar 21, 2012 Addicted2M/M rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: features-bdsm-or-other-kink, erotic, m-m-contemporary, features-menage-all-variations, suffers-annoying-proofing-issues

2.5

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Jun 25, 2010 Carolyn88 rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m-romance

Very good romance novel. Has a good ending, but it happens a little qickly.

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Aug 29, 2010 Absynthe rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m, rent-boys

Ummm.... hmmm. Well, then. That was hot! The story was well written, entertaining and interesting.

Oh, and the sex was hot. Really hot. I would totally not mind reading another story about Roland and Josh. Did I mention the sex was really hot?

Ryan Field seems to have a talent for combining good plot, interesting characters and hot sex.

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Feb 28, 2013 Shannon rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: borrowed, not-lendable, challenge-finished, used-countdown

As far as I could tell this was fairly close to the movie Pretty Woman only with tons more sex and colorful descriptions. And the two stars is because I actually managed to finish it! :)

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May 04, 2012 Jessica rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle-lent

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Sep 15, 2011 Ely rated it 1 of 5 stars

This has to be the worst book I have EVER read... The writing was horrible. The characters were straight from a bad, low-budget 70's porn video... HORRID.

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Jun 08, 2011 Nancy L rated it 4 of 5 stars

Gay version of pretty woman

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May 07, 2013 Ashlee added it · review of another edition

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About Ryan Field

Ryan Field is a gay fiction writer who has worked in many areas of publishing for the past 20 years. He's the author of the bestselling "Virgin Billionaire" series and the short story, "Down the Basement," which was included in the Lambda Award winning anthology titled "Best Gay Erotica 2009." Though not always, he sometimes writes gay parodies of *straight* mainstream fiction/films in the same wa...more

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The Virgin Billionaire (Virgin Billionaire, #1)

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