Pricks and Pragmatism

Dec 27, 2012 Julio-Alexi Genao rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Julio-Alexi by: Kate

Y'know... It's the third J.L. Merrow story I've read that lays out unappealing or disturbing or even outright repellant circumstances and still manages to make me feel things for people who are, at best, disquieting, and at worst outright appalling.

She's a crafty one, that Merrow.

How else to explain why the travails of a mooching, self-absorbed demi-prostitute should even register with me, let alone make me cry a little in sympathetic misery?

Even the revolting poser friend who mangles French man...more

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Jan 07, 2013 Christina rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: short-stories, m-m-romance, humor, go-to-happy-shelf

4.5 Stars

This was such a sweet and fun read. Luke's voice just sucked me right in. Of course I want more because I'm greedy like that. Some of the scenes seemed a little rushed but the ending was satisfying.

There were so many lol moments. This one had me going for a bit: I watched sadly as he scampered to the kitchen like a virginal Hobbit being chased by a sex-mad Ring-wrath. HAHA, ok big LOTR fan here.

This will definitely be one of my go to books when I need a little lift.

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Jan 14, 2012 willaful rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to willaful by: Jessica

Shelves: man-whore, m-m, nerdgasm, virgin-hero, fresh-scent-of-pining-hero, pos-the-world-revolves-around-hero, sexy-beta, sexy-brainy-specs

Possibly I wouldn’t grade this so highly if I were more familiar with m/m, but it seemed unique to me as well as delightful. What I most liked about it is that though it’s unquestionably a romance, it seemed to be aiming more for authenticity than for pleasing straight women readers. (I have no idea whether it was written by a man or a woman and I don’t much care.)

Our narrator Luke is a homeless student who gets by on his looks, charm, and belief that sex is meaningless. (He’s outraged at the su...more Possibly I wouldn’t grade this so highly if I were more familiar with m/m, but it seemed unique to me as well as delightful. What I most liked about it is that though it’s unquestionably a romance, it seemed to be aiming more for authenticity than for pleasing straight women readers. (I have no idea whether it was written by a man or a woman and I don’t much care.)

Our narrator Luke is a homeless student who gets by on his looks, charm, and belief that sex is meaningless. (He’s outraged at the suggestion that he sells himself, but when you have to pretend you like it rough just to have a place to live, what else can you call it, really?) His lifestyle is totally acceptable in his circles and he thinks nothing of being passed along to a friend of a friend he hasn’t even met -- even when Russell turns out to be geeky and hairy. But though Russell is willing to take Luke in, he refuses to accept any sexual favors from him -- which leaves Luke first baffled and irritated, and then, as he gets to know Russell, increasingly wistful.

I love romance based on slowly growing attraction. When Russell initially rejects him, Luke feels like screaming at him, “with his stupid nerdy glasses and his bony elbows and his beardy weirdy face even his mother only pretended to love.” But he starts to notice how Russell’s eyes crinkle when he smiles, along with how kind and companionable he is, and soon he’s having “weird hot dreams about hairy chests and whiskery kisses.” And he goes from feeling like he’d be doing Russell a favor in sleeping with him to feeling like he can’t possibly be good enough for such a special man.

This is a terrific short character study, both of Luke and of Russell, although we get less insight into him. The sex scenes -- those not with Russell -- are deeply sad and show how dependent Luke is on sex to bolster his self-esteem. Initially seeming glib and callous, Luke is revealed to be really damaged and needing love and care. It’s ultimately very sweet and satisfying.(less)

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Jan 01, 2012 Audrey rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: man-love

3 stars. Really could not get on board with the promiscuity of the first person narrator, Luke. I know he and Russell weren't actually together-together at that point, but it still left me highly uncomfortable because I think it was already apparent each had developed some feelings for the other at those points in the story. I also felt a little sorry for Luke and how he was this strange combination of cocky, good-looking swagger and insecurity/low self-worth. Russell was a sweet geek, and I cou...more

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Jan 24, 2011 Tam rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: m-m

Luke is an English major who manages to live rent free with a series of "boyfriends". He moves in until they tell him to move on. His latest has found "true love" not three weeks before finals and he has no money to rent a place. However he's hooked up with Russell who is totally not his type. He's not rich and to top it off he doesn't appear to be interested in sleeping with Luke. He's honestly giving him a place to stay and feeding him out of the goodness of his heart. Weird, to Luke. Despite...more

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Jan 24, 2011 The UHQ Nasanta rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: DearAuthor.com

Shelves: m-m-0-romance, own, e-books, lendable-kindle, form-short-story-novella, reviewed, e-books-kindle

I really liked this story. There was very little that I did not like, and a lot that I did. It is not often that a book's good points can outweigh the bad points to the extent that I hardly remember having any negative feelings during my read. This novella did it.

This was a very sweet romance. Although it was short, it did not feel too rushed. It wasn't quite the right length but it was very close. The first person POV initially unsettled me although I don't normally mind them. I think that par...more I really liked this story. There was very little that I did not like, and a lot that I did. It is not often that a book's good points can outweigh the bad points to the extent that I hardly remember having any negative feelings during my read. This novella did it.

This was a very sweet romance. Although it was short, it did not feel too rushed. It wasn't quite the right length but it was very close. The first person POV initially unsettled me although I don't normally mind them. I think that part of this was because of the very interesting point of view of Luke. His view of his lifestyle is so foreign to me that I found it a little difficult to settle into the story. However, it was because of this foreignness that I found him an intriguing character. He was not very likable, at first, but when I took his situation into account with an attempt at objectivity, I could understand him.

Besides the Englishness that imbued the setting and the characters, what I loved was how the author showed, through Luke's smallest actions and reactions towards Russell, the process of him slowly falling in love. He is not yet aware of it, but as the reader confident in a happy ending, it delighted me to see this. It was refreshing to be shown the process of love rather than being told it as I feel most traditional romances resort to.

I loved watching Luke's gradual transformation. Although he made a few bad choices that hardcore romance readers might object to, I felt that those choices were necessary for his development. I thought it was interesting how his chosen lifestyle had affected his sense of self-worth. Russell, as the older partner, was aware of this, but Luke, young and jaded as he was, dismissed his concerns. Yet, his bad choices eventually causes him to realize that he is not happy or satisfied with his current lifestyle. I did not get the sense that he connected his low self-esteem with his lifestyle and bad choices, however. I thought that this was something that the author could have added or described better (since Luke did come to realize something after his last bad decision of the novella).

Since the novella was told in Luke's first person POV, I did not feel as connected with Russell. I was as in the dark as Luke why Russell chose to maintain a distance with Luke. However, I thought that since the story was so focused on Luke and how he is changed by his relationship with Russell, not being able to see Russell's POV did not trouble me much.

And finally, the traditional romance reader in me was disappointed not to see Luke confessing his love to Russell although it was pretty apparent to both reader and Russell that he loves him.

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Jun 20, 2011 Meraehl rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: j-l-merrow

4.5 stars

P&P is a very simple and enjoyable tale. There were no real surprises, but for this sort of story it didn't really matter - it was still a fun journey towards a sweet and satisfying ending.

I liked Luke and Russell. Not overly buff, impossibly gorgeous men. Here are two ordinary guys and I loved that. My only complaint is that I would have liked a bit more insight into Russell's past and what makes him tick. I would have liked to see him be developed more.

Another strength is the aut...more

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Mar 25, 2013 Lenore rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: m-m, great-britain-my-love, short, pub-samhain, 2013, favourite-authors

3.5 stars

I started out disliking Luke (not that there was much to like about him in the beginning, mind,) but I gradually warmed up to him and ended up rooting for him and Russel. Russel was the shy, socially challenged geek you love and feel protective of from the get go.

I would have liked a bit more info on what happened with Luke's father, but I suppose it went all right, he was already making an effort.

(view spoiler)...more

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Jun 20, 2011 Maygirl7 rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: m-m, contemporary, keeper, epub

I really enjoyed this book. 4.5 stars

Despite Luke's belief about couch-surfing being a bit much, I still bought his lack self-worth and the story made it work. As the story progressed it became apparent that Luke was a really decent guy and pretty cheerful despite the difficulties of his life. The misunderstandings between Luke and Russell about what they wanted worked because they were demonstrated in the story and not told. They actually had to work their way together; it was not one of those...more

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Oct 30, 2012 Charly rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Funny and sweet, with not much sex

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

Rating: 8/10

PROS:
- Luke’s attitude toward life had me smiling and shaking my head in equal measure. Although he’s a realist, he’s not terribly cynical or sarcastic; he stays remarkably upbeat when negative things happen to him.
- The story is quite funny, not just because of Luke’s matter-of-fact comments, like, “to be honest, I’d never had a lot to do with socially retarded saddo types.” The...more

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Oct 31, 2012 Tonileg rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: m-m, romance

So Luke is a rent-boy that is getting thrown out (yet again) because his rich older boyfriend has found the 'one', although he knows it won't last, in the meantime it means that he needs to find another place to stay because finals are in three weeks and studying whilst living under a bridge is going to be difficult.
Luke is kind, sweet and doing the best he can to finish university in England since he got thrown out of the house at 16 which is kind of amazing that he has made it thus far with ou...more

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Sep 03, 2012 Jennifer rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Falls somewhere between a 1.5 and 2, but I'll go with a 2 since my 1s are usually reserved for books I didn't finish.

I picked this up after Hard Tail in which the MCs of P&P make a "guest appearance". I was intrigued by both the premise and seeing how 2 such dissimilar men (physically, socially, pretty different in every way) came to be together. I came away from the story still unsure of how it happened. I mean, I get that the no-sex thing allowed them to get to know one another on a deeper...more

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Aug 04, 2012 Camille rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: m-m-rom-erotica, male-1stp-pov-romance

This was a bit tough to read...in a good way. The author did a commendable job of exposing the inner vulnerabilities and humiliation and strength too of Luke. He was like this subtle fighter without being the poster child for triumph over soft prostititution. A man rejected by his father, used for sex by older, more established men who yet retains belief in his intelligence and inherent worth while succumbing every once in a while to the aspersions cast upon him.

He seeks love and his place in t...more

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Jul 18, 2012 Michael Booker rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is the second book that I’ve read by J.L. Merrow, the first being the excellent “Muscling Through”. In “Pricks and Pragmatism”, Luke Corbin is an aspiring journalist in his early twenties, who maintains a life of leisure, by being a “kept” boy, for a series of sugar daddies. One night, one of Luke’s benefactors, named Sebastian, comes home and simply tells Luke that it is time for him to move out, since Sebastian has found another love interest. Luke is used to be easily discarded, so he do...more This is the second book that I’ve read by J.L. Merrow, the first being the excellent “Muscling Through”. In “Pricks and Pragmatism”, Luke Corbin is an aspiring journalist in his early twenties, who maintains a life of leisure, by being a “kept” boy, for a series of sugar daddies. One night, one of Luke’s benefactors, named Sebastian, comes home and simply tells Luke that it is time for him to move out, since Sebastian has found another love interest. Luke is used to be easily discarded, so he does not make a big deal of it. Instead, he goes right ahead and tries to find another man to live with temporarily, while he finishes his college exams.

One of Luke’s friends, named Tom, sets up an arrangement with a timid engineer, named Russell, allowing Luke to stay at his apartment until Luke finishes his college exams. Eager to please, Luke is willing to use sex as a way of paying rent to Russell, since he does not work, even though physically, Russell is not Luke’s type, Luke is still surprised when Russell continuously shuns Luke’s sexual advances, and does not seem to respond at all to Luke’s charm and good-looks, the way other men do.

Throughout the course of the book, Luke and Russell get to know each other and Luke finds himself unexpectedly drawn to Russell. Perhaps it’s because Russell does not yield so easily to Luke the way other men do, and Luke finds himself attracted to Russell’s genuinely nice personality, but does not make much of the situation, believing that Russell has no attraction to him at all.
Like “Muscling Through”, “Pricks and Pragmatism” works because of its well-written narrative and strong characterization. The author does a good job at making Luke believable and likeable, even though it is easy to dismiss a character like Luke, who uses his looks to get what he wants out of life. We learn about Luke’s early life, his strife with his father at a young age, and his motivation to become a journalist, so that he does not have to rely on the benevolence of wealthy older men.

The ending is sweet and predictable—it is a romance novel after all. But once again, Merrow does a good job at creating a naturally-flowing, well-plotted story, with engaging characters. I would definitely recommend this book.

Michael S. Booker

Author of "Boys of Summer" and "Freshman 4"
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Jan 12, 2012 mw138 rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: m-m-romance, geeks-and-virgins

4.5 stars

I absolutely loved this short story by J.L. Merrow. In it we find Luke, who is three weeks away from his final exams at University and suddenly finds himself homeless. The man with whom he shares a special 'arrangement' decides he would like to pursue a relationship with someone else and promptly tells Luke he needs to move out. Through the help of a friend, Luke finds temporary lodging with shy, quiet and nerdy engineer Russell.

Luke is initially quite confused by their arrangement. In...more

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Jan 07, 2012 Erin (PT) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: LaVern, Casey

Shelves: lgbt, mainstream, romance, hustling-hookers

One the one hand, Pricks and Pragmatism is exactly the kind of story I love. Homeless Luke is keeping a roof over his head (while he finishes University) through hustling; circumstances force him to move in with the geeky, podgy engineer Russell, who is, of course, too principled to sleep with Luke. I'll admit it; I'm a sucker for this scenario. I almost never get tired of reading it (even when its done badly, sad to say) and, fortunately for me, Merrow does a pretty great job of delivering on t...more One the one hand, Pricks and Pragmatism is exactly the kind of story I love. Homeless Luke is keeping a roof over his head (while he finishes University) through hustling; circumstances force him to move in with the geeky, podgy engineer Russell, who is, of course, too principled to sleep with Luke. I'll admit it; I'm a sucker for this scenario. I almost never get tired of reading it (even when its done badly, sad to say) and, fortunately for me, Merrow does a pretty great job of delivering on that scenario. Luke and Russell are both likeable and immediately engaging, the tension between them is palpable and generally well done and the payoff is satisfying. It's a fast, fun, very readable story that I enjoyed thoroughly.

That being said, I do have some nitpicks.

First of all, this is an entirely predictable story. That's not necessarily a bad thing. Like I said, I love this story trope and, if you're looking for a trope like a comfort food, this is it. At the same time, it's hard to not feel disappointed that there wasn't a single moment in the story that really surprised me or varied from that trope even a little bit.

Further, because it's such a familiar, well-worn story trope, I feel like Russell, in particular, suffered for a lack of characterization. The main source of his attractiveness as a mate (or, in the case of the reader, someone we want to see mated with our protagonist, Luke) is that he's the first person to treat Luke with any kind of kindness, integrity or care. And...those are great qualities, don't get me wrong. But they're also rather generic qualities and Russell, though as adorable as you'd expect, given those defining qualities, is a rather generic love interest.

I'm trying to consider whether I also find Luke to be a generic protagonist and, on the one hand, the sum of his traits definitely are (view spoiler) but the delicacy with which Merrow writes Luke and Luke's damage (because Luke IS very damaged) really makes me want to cut her some slack. I've read too many authors that want to beat you over your head with how messed up their little woobie is to not appreciate an author who knows how to write angst and pathos with a laid back and restrained hand.

Which leads me to another nitpick, but one that's more about me than Merrow...but we never really get to see Luke's damage dealt with in any meaningful way. (view spoiler) None of that is going to go away with magic cock, I don't care how great an engineer Russell is. So I would've liked to see something done with that.

And then, for as much as I loved the story and love the trope, it hinges--as so many romances do--on the characters never actually strapping it on and having a conversation. And while there are times that can be a pleasurable frustration, there are just as many times it's just plain frustrating, if only because it is so ubiquitous. Though at a certain point--and largely because of Luke's damage and previous dealings with his various sugar daddies--I was willing to buy into the fact that Luke DID NOT, under any circumstances, grace people with his true feelings, it was still hard to read him (view spoiler) And I can't even criticize it as unrealistic, even for someone less damaged than Luke, but it's also less interesting.

But, again, nitpicks aside, I really enjoyed the story and I'm incredibly relieved to find another m/m romance writer as readable as Merrow. I'm looking forward to the next book of hers that I pick up. (less)

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Jan 05, 2012 Cindi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, m-m, short-story, kindle-free, j-l-merrow

3.5 stars

I have seen this in my recommendations almost every time I've checked them out but for some reason I put off reading it. The name maybe? I don't know. It seemed like my kind of story but I kept putting it off. Then I got it for free and really had no reason not to read it.

It's a rather quick read about Luke who goes from living with one man to another in order to support himself while he finishes college. After his last Armani-wearing guy throws him out, he moves in with Russell who is...more

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Jan 03, 2012 Elin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemp-rom, humour, keeper

This was a fantastic read that really cheered me up on a wintry day.

The narrator, Luke, is so honest about his rather ramshackle lifestyle [where he trades access to his very desirable person for high class accommodation and 'presents' while studying English at University] that I couldn't help liking him. He's also very accommodating and patient with his posh, and shallow, lovers. Even when he is making fun of their pretention it isn't barbed. Luke is a sweet lad who has found an asset he can m...more

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Nov 19, 2011 Bee rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: abuse-hate-bullying, i-cried-a-river, kindle, m-m, passion-erotica, romance, survival

I have a thing for this author when she writes these kinds of stories. I love them, because there is something so inherently precious about the “underdog” characters that she creates. Even in this short format, actually possibly especially in this short format, the characters created by Merrow are so vibrant and heart-warming that my entire being just clings to them. Sigh.

Luke Corbin (still cannot not associate to something different with that name) was thrown out from his father’s home when he...more I have a thing for this author when she writes these kinds of stories. I love them, because there is something so inherently precious about the “underdog” characters that she creates. Even in this short format, actually possibly especially in this short format, the characters created by Merrow are so vibrant and heart-warming that my entire being just clings to them. Sigh.

Luke Corbin (still cannot not associate to something different with that name) was thrown out from his father’s home when he was sixteen and came out for the sake of his boyfriend. His boyfriend then went on to treat him badly, and after that Luke swore that he would never move in with anyone he couldn’t move out on in a heartbeat. Since then he’s been trading “favors” for a place to stay. Not selling himself, just paying his dues in the only way he’s been able to. When his latest friend with benefits proclaims to have met “someone special” and Luke is asked to leave he’s referred by an old “friend” to a man named Russell. Russell is a geeky engineer who lives in a somewhat run down but charming two-bedroom flat. Instead of responding to Luke’s come ons he says that Luke can stay there, no “payment” required until he’s done with his college finals. The two men strike up a friendship of sorts and Luke finds himself more and more drawn to the man. But just like everyone else Russell is looking for “someone special”…but just this once Luke wishes that that man could be him…

Oh I cried. Luke wants so desperately to be loved. Since young adolescence he’s been passed on to man after man, playing and staying with them until someone better comes along. Sex has always just been something to trade, a commodity that just happens to feel good and fun. When he meets Russell, a thirty-year-old virgin who refuses to have sex with someone who isn’t "special", Luke’s entire reality is knocked off kilter. He’s drawn to the man, but he is heart broken by the lack of physical relief and constant emotional rejection. I was really emotionally invested in his story, and as I said…I cried.

The writing in general is great, as is true Merrow fashion, but I really loved the description of the view from Russell's apartment. It reminded me of how wonderful it can be to read and/or write something that has that feeling of realness and being so totally spot on. I usually hate descriptive sections in texts, because they are often so tedious; but when such a simple description can say so much with so few words I fall in love with the art of writing all over again. It is a beautiful thing.

The book was a bit too short to completely fill my appetite, but I’m so happy there was no epilogue and no mushy ribbon tied neatly around the story at the end of it. It was a good ending. It was a good book. I loved reading it. If I wished there was more, and I do, that has to be a good thing.
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Nov 01, 2011 Brie C. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Originally posted at Romance Around the Corner

Merrow is one of my favorite m/m authors; you really need to give her books a try because they are fantastic. I think most of her books -this one included- are novellas or short stories, so they’re perfect if you don’t have that much time to read.

Pricks and Pragmatism is the story of Luke, a college student that, like most college students, is broke. But unlike your average student who works a couple of crappy jobs to support himself through college,...more Originally posted at Romance Around the Corner

Merrow is one of my favorite m/m authors; you really need to give her books a try because they are fantastic. I think most of her books -this one included- are novellas or short stories, so they’re perfect if you don’t have that much time to read.

Pricks and Pragmatism is the story of Luke, a college student that, like most college students, is broke. But unlike your average student who works a couple of crappy jobs to support himself through college, Luke has developed a rather morally challenged method: he gets rich guys to pay for his expenses and to give him shelter in exchange of sex. You could say that he’s technically a prostitute although he doesn’t see himself as one. He enjoys the sex and the company, and he even enjoys the expiration date on the relationship because he never gets attached to his partners, or so it seems.

One day, just when he’s about to start his finals and is very close to graduating, his current “boyfriends” kick him out of the house and suddenly Luke finds himself homeless, jobless, broke, and in the middle of the most important and stressful part of college. That’s how he meets Russell, a very nerdy and homely engineer who offers him a new arrangement. But it turns out that Russell only wants company and despite Luke’s continuous offers of sex, Russell adamantly refuses. And so they begin a somewhat awkward relationship that’s more than friendship but doesn’t involve sex.

There were tons of reasons why this story worked for me. First the writing is flawless and compelling, it features three of my favorite romance tropes: virgin hero, slutty hero and ugly duckling, and both leads are likeable. Overall a very engaging story that albeit predictable, features a couple of twists that keep it refreshing and new.

Luke is a very appealing and likeable character with very unappealing and unlikeable traits. This is a guy who is too lazy and too enamored of the rich life to look for a job and stop selling himself like a piece of meat, just to be discarded when he’s no longer useful or something better comes along. He’s also narcissistic and cocky. But none of these things made him obnoxious or unpleasant, because after you see him interact with Russell, you realize that there’s more than meets the eye, and that this is a guy deeply troubled by an unhappy childhood who wants something else for himself, who isn’t as nonchalant about the life he leads as it seem and who isn’t as lazy.

Russell was more of a mystery because the story is told from Luke’s POV and we never see inside of Russell’s head. But the little we do see about him shows us a guy who has no social skills whatsoever, doesn’t really have that many friends and is just painfully lonely and desperate for someone to share his life with. It was good to see him come out of his shell although he doesn’t get an extreme makeover by any means, in fact, one of the reasons I loved this story so much was because they learn to love each other just the way they are, they learn to see beyond the front they put to protect themselves, and Russell remains the same throughout the book. He doesn’t shave and shows the world how handsome he is under all the facial hair, he doesn’t get a fashionable wardrobe, and he doesn’t join a gym and develops a six-pack overnight.

This short story packs a lot of punch and its characters truly grow and mature, Luke in particular. The love story develops slowly but steadily and is very sweet. I think in this case the short length works in favor of the story, although it is quite short, but it’s definitely worth it. Fans of m/m and contemporary romance should enjoy it.
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Aug 30, 2011 Elisa Ramblings added it · review of another edition

Luke Corbin is a kept man; true, he is doing that only to support himself during college, and he is not that he asks for money, even if he doesn’t refuse expensive gift if they come, but his lovers are usually high executive men with nice and posh apartments where Luke can “land” from lover to lover. Only that the last in this string of lovers asks him to move out when Luke has not yet found a substitute, and a friend, former lover, proposes him to move with Russell. Russell is not as rich as hi...more Luke Corbin is a kept man; true, he is doing that only to support himself during college, and he is not that he asks for money, even if he doesn’t refuse expensive gift if they come, but his lovers are usually high executive men with nice and posh apartments where Luke can “land” from lover to lover. Only that the last in this string of lovers asks him to move out when Luke has not yet found a substitute, and a friend, former lover, proposes him to move with Russell. Russell is not as rich as his other lovers but his friend tells him he would do more or less a charity project since Russell is apparently unable to get a date.

Yes, Russell indeed is more a nerd than an executive, he is a chemical engineer and he is as geeky as his job. Plus he is not really able to exalt his assets and so, at almost 30 years old, he is still a virgin. You would think he would be on Luke as soon as he moves in, and instead Russell offers Luke the guest room and plenty of space to study without asking anything back. Luke takes upon himself the job of cooking Russell dinner, with the groceries Russell is buying by the way, but other than that, and only since Luke offered, Russell seems to be content with being simply roommate.

I like that the author didn’t choose the easy and obvious way of making Luke see the light as soon as he meets Russell; on the contrary, Luke will go and search for sex, and finding it, two times while he is staying with Russell, and the second time it actually hurts not only Russell, but also me that was reading since it was clear that Russell had feelings for Luke, and Luke was a bit superficial to not notice it. But I think both time served to Luke to understand it was really no more possible for him to continue like before Russell, without Luke being aware of it, Russell changed him, ruining him for any other relationship without strings attached.

Both characters had their deep layers, Russell obviously so shy to not being able to have a social life, so shy to arrive to 30 years without any action neither when action was inside his same home; Luke with a little of Electra complex, an unresolved situation with his father that turned in Luke avoiding serious relationship and trying to prove to his own father, even if they actually didn’t talk at all, that he was not the sissy boy his father accused him to be; this complex was clear even in Luke’s almost obsession with his looks, he did everything necessary to put on muscles and lose the fragile looks he had when he was 16 years old and he was kicked out of his native home.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00436EZGM/?...(less)

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Aug 28, 2011 Liz rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is my second JL Merrow book - and the second one with a main character who, on the surface, I didn't think I'd like. At first glance, Luke seems a shallow, self-involved rent boy who moves from one sugar daddy to the next. But you quickly learn he's actually got very little self-esteem and moves from guy to guy because he doesn't think he's worth more. I really fell for Luke and was pleased Russell saw him for who he could be, not just who he seemed.

Russell was actually a little harder for...more

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Jun 07, 2011 Ryoma Gartre rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: virgins, sluts, twinks, the-best, sweet, friends-to-lovers, family-issues, douchebag, favorites

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

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May 17, 2011 Miz Love rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Wow. What a stunning book. This review goes into depth in places, so if you don’t want any spoilers, DO NOT read on! Just know this book is wonderful, and when you’ve read it, you might like to come back to this review and see if your take on it was the same as mine.

First off, the cover drew me. Not only is it lovely, but it matches the tale perfectly. Luke is the star of the show, forefront and bright, and Russell is in the shadows in the background. That’s not to say he’s a background characte...more

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Sep 27, 2010 Kassa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Pricks and Pragmatism is a delightful and absorbing read. It’s just a quick novella – 50 pages – but it’s worth reading. The writing is clever, sly, and witty with a lot of quick one-liners and classic characters. The tension and conflict plays off obvious and exaggerated tropes but that doesn’t diminish the entertainment factor. Luke will warm your heart while Russell is adorable as a geek. They don’t stretch beyond their pre-determined boxes but the strong writing makes this worthwhile reading...more Pricks and Pragmatism is a delightful and absorbing read. It’s just a quick novella – 50 pages – but it’s worth reading. The writing is clever, sly, and witty with a lot of quick one-liners and classic characters. The tension and conflict plays off obvious and exaggerated tropes but that doesn’t diminish the entertainment factor. Luke will warm your heart while Russell is adorable as a geek. They don’t stretch beyond their pre-determined boxes but the strong writing makes this worthwhile reading.

Luke is an English major that manages to support himself by finding rich men to take care of him in exchange for sex and companionship. He’s an easy going guy that can cook and loves sex so he doesn’t have much trouble finding a new man to land with and is always calm and appreciative when he’s told to go. When his last man asks him to leave a mere three weeks before finals, Luke ends up with Russell. Russell is not his type – a geeky engineer who’s still a virgin at 30 – but not only that, Russell doesn’t let Luke pay his way with sex. Instead the two develop a friendship which may turn into something else if only both men can admit their feelings.

The story relies on some classic tropes that are a stretch but not so much it’ll affect your enjoyment. For starters Luke is an affable, handsome young man that never has trouble finding a new man to house and feed him for as long as the sex remains good between them. He’s desperate to be loved and wanted but is convinced no one ever will so he’s constantly quick to jump to the conclusion he’s being told to leave. To his credit, it’s often true but this defense mechanism causes the most conflict and tension between him and Russell. For Russell’s side he’s a thirty year old virgin, which I can’t imagine he couldn’t find –anyone- in all that time that he liked enough to have sex. Russell isn’t really socially backward or unattractive so I wish that hadn’t been so exaggerated. Yet he’s a solid, warm hearted man that wants to help Luke with no ulterior motive.

The two are an interesting pair in that not quite opposites attract way. The attraction is there at the start but deepens as their friendship becomes something real. This is where the story really shines in how Russell becomes more attractive to Luke the more time they spend together. Luke realizes he appreciates Russell’s sense of humor, the laugh lines around his eyes, and other small details and slowly falls in love. It’s not immediate and not based on sex at all, but instead shared interests and deepening emotion. There is conflict of course because Luke believes Russell doesn’t want him and Russell figures Luke will leave him for the next handsome man so of course that takes the course of the story to figure out and end happily.

The writing and quick wit displayed throughout in addition to the solid characters makes the story simply fun to read. There are numerous touches of humor and dry wit that come across, mostly in Luke’s thoughts, but they keep the story engaging and entertaining even if the story may be predictable and familiar. An example of one of the many quips offered is where early on Luke tries to seduce Russell thinking that working out naked may attract Russell and keep them on an even footing, but of course that doesn’t happen.

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“Well, that went well,” I muttered to my cock, which had optimistically jumped up when I did. All pumped up with nowhere to go. I took it for a shower and gave it a few strokes to make it feel better, but it wasn’t fooled. It knew it was just my hand tugging on it. (pg. 19)
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For a quick novella, the story just delivers. It’s a familiar one that readers have read before but still works due to the fresh writing and good characterization. I think it’ll be a big hit with romance fans.(less)

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Sep 21, 2010 Ami rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mm-romance-or-erotica

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Ever since his father tossed him out at the age of sixteen, English student Luke Corbin has been living his life by trading favors for a place to stay. Since he cannot afford to pay the rent, he is willing to pay in other ways. His principle is "You scratch my back, I scratch yours". His lovers are always those who are wealthy and handsome. However, when his current beau, Sebastian, tells him, that Luke needs to move out the apartment in times for the finals, Luke is scrambled to find a quick re...more Ever since his father tossed him out at the age of sixteen, English student Luke Corbin has been living his life by trading favors for a place to stay. Since he cannot afford to pay the rent, he is willing to pay in other ways. His principle is "You scratch my back, I scratch yours". His lovers are always those who are wealthy and handsome. However, when his current beau, Sebastian, tells him, that Luke needs to move out the apartment in times for the finals, Luke is scrambled to find a quick resort.

With a help from a friend, he ends up settling temporarily with a geekey chemical engineer, Russell. However, different with anyone else, Russell doesn't want anything from Luke. In fact, he seems to always run quickly whenever Luke makes a sexual advance. Oh, Russell is gay, but he seems to want someone special to share the sexual relationship, not for casual flings. After awhile, Luke finds himself enjoying the friendship and the comfortable arrangement with Russell. Unfortunately, the longer he stays, the more Luke realizes that he wants to be someone special to Russell, someone more than just a roommate. But with an honorable streak that Russell has, there is no way that he will want anything to do with someone like him, right?

Oh, I love, LOVE this story. It's so sweet and exactly what I want in a romance. There are no fuck fest scenes in every pages that bore the hell out of me. There are no handsome perfect guys that make me rolled my eyes because yeah, the world is not THAT perfect. Sure, Luke is said to be attractive, but Russell is your daily kind of nerdy teddy bear.

There is a build up in their relationship: from the first meeting, into the comfortable friendship (Luke cooking for Russell, watching DVDs and such -- Russell is such a nerd with those X-Men DVDs!), until Luke realizes that he is fallen for Russell. It strings along in perfect pace for me because I'm not always in favor for quick-love-lust-fuck in the first sight. The story also has some funny lines ("I watched sadly as he scampered to the kitchen like a virginal Hobbit being chased by a sex-mad Ring-wraith") that make me laugh.

There are a couple of things that niggle me a bit: (1) The fact that Russell is a thirty year old virgin is a bit too much; no need to have that just to confirm that Russell wants someone special (2) The scene towards the end with Sebastian, which annoys me a bit, because I don't think Luke needs to go all the way -- even if the end result (with Russell) is what I have expected. However, in the general sense of things, I am willing to let it go because I just love the story so much. I wish there are more scenes of Luke and his father after the reconciliation, but I can just imagine it :)(less)

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Aug 10, 2012 Shanyn Hosier rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: british-humor, contemporary-romance, explicit, m-m

This cute little story is told from man-slut Luke Corbin's point of view (first person), and the guy makes no apologies and pulls no punches. Luke's "a friend with benefits and a cash flow problem" - a university student who's made a habit (or is that career?) of shacking up with a string of sugar daddies, screwing his way out of paying for rent (or food, clothing, etc.).

The story opens with Luke getting dumped by his current lover a mere three weeks before final exams and graduation (or the Bri...more

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Oct 09, 2010 Ava rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: m-m-erotic-romance

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

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Nov 18, 2012 LG (A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 5-star, read-2012, m-m, format-ebook, acquired-bought-new

I bought Pricks and Pragmatism a while back, after having seen it recommended by several people who liked authors I've enjoyed. I finally started reading it when I saw that Samhain was going to be releasing another one of Merrow's stories. I wanted to get an idea of whether I liked Merrow's work enough to take advantage of Samhain's “new release” sale price. Spoiler: Yes, I took advantage of the sale price.

I was skeptical, at first, that I made the right decision in buying this. It was much shor...more I bought Pricks and Pragmatism a while back, after having seen it recommended by several people who liked authors I've enjoyed. I finally started reading it when I saw that Samhain was going to be releasing another one of Merrow's stories. I wanted to get an idea of whether I liked Merrow's work enough to take advantage of Samhain's “new release” sale price. Spoiler: Yes, I took advantage of the sale price.

I was skeptical, at first, that I made the right decision in buying this. It was much shorter than I expected, which, in my experience, often results in under-developed characters and romance. Merrow's very British “voice” took some getting used to. And Luke was more promiscuous than I prefer my romance novel/story characters to be.

I'm so very glad I bought and read this, though, because it turned out to be surprisingly sweet. Seriously, I get a lump in my throat just thinking about this story.

Luke was heartbreaking. When, at the beginning of the story, Luke's current roomie told him he needed to move out, he pasted a smile on his face and made the whole thing as easy on his roomie (and lover) as possible, not because being thrown out didn't hurt, but because he needed to keep his options open. Luke had been on his own since he was 16 and, lacking money and familial support, relied on others to give him a place to stay. While he didn't view himself as a whore and was upset and offended at the thought, he did see the sex he had with whoever his current roomie happened to be as a way for them to allow him to stay without him paying and without it counting as charity. So, basically, he viewed his body as the only form of payment he had.

Russell completely baffled him. Despite making it repeatedly, painfully clear that he didn't expect Russell to give him a place to stay for free, Russell never took advantage of what he had to offer. At first, Luke decided Russell probably wasn't gay and wondered why this perfect stranger was letting him stay for free. When he realized that Russell really was gay, his resistance became even more confusing. As the two of them settled into a relatively relaxed and, to Luke's frustration, completely platonic relationship, they got to know each other better. They settled into something almost like coupledom, with Luke making their meals and the two of them enjoying each other's company. Except they weren't having sex, and Luke continued to wonder why.

Because I'd grown to really like him, Luke's lack of ability to see why others might want him around if he wasn't having sex with them was painful. Russell was clearly attracted to Luke and enjoyed being with him, and I could guess why he kept resisting him anyway. Luke couldn't see all of that, though, and it was another painful moment for me when he finally assumed that Russell was refusing to have sex with him because a guy like him, who'd fall into bed with anyone, just wasn't good enough for him. The lump in my throat, it was huge.

I'm not a fan, at all, of infidelity in romance novels. For most of the story, Russell and Luke aren't technically a couple, although they tend to feel like one, so the few times Luke sleeps with other men or intends to sleep with other men should have upset me. Instead, I only hurt for Luke. The poor, screwed up guy didn't even think he could land a job without sleeping with someone first, and he didn't particularly like himself or what he'd done whenever he went out and had sex with someone other than Russell.

All in all, this was a wonderful, sweet story, with a happy ending that made me all mushy.

(Original review, with read-alikes, posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)(less)

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May 24, 2011 Anwen Ross rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: m-m-romance

I loved this because of the quality of the writing: intelligent and funny. It is a 'very British' story with no attempt to modify slang etc for an international audience. I liked that, it made it seem much more real to me.

Luke is a student who is avoiding paying rent through college by swapping sex for a place to sleep. He moves in with pretty much any guy who can afford to support him, and moves on without rancor when the guy loses interest and throws him out. Then one day right before a critic...more

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