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Best Friends Perfect #2
Best Friends Perfect, Book 2
1999, Kieran, 18 is searching Australia, the New Forest and London for Prince Charming with new best friend, Jo. They sample some men, and march with Pride. What happens when you fall for a straight man? What’s Jo’s solution, and why doesn’t Kieran agree?
Kieran introduces Jo to his other best friends, Hannah, Grace and Kev. The others don’t think Jo’s quite so perfect, but that’s just Jo is, isn’t it?
Kieran and Jo go to university in London, and meet Irish students Sean and Andrew. Why does Kieran feel more alone than ever? Where has Jo disappeared with Andrew? Will Sean call Kieran back?
Kieran introduces Jo to his other best friends, Hannah, Grace and Kev. The others don’t think Jo’s quite so perfect, but that’s just Jo is, isn’t it?
Kieran and Jo go to university in London, and meet Irish students Sean and Andrew. Why does Kieran feel more alone than ever? Where has Jo disappeared with Andrew? Will Sean call Kieran back?
258 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
About the author
Liam Livings
57 books44 followersLiam Livings is an award-shortlisted gay romance novelist, creative writing tutor, and ghostwriter. His fiction focuses on friendship, British humour, and romance with plenty of sparkle. He’s a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and the Chartered Institute of Marketing and holds a Masters in Creative Writing from Kingston University.
He shares his house with his boyfriend and cats. When not writing he bakes to indulge his dangerously sweet tooth, admires unaffordable classic cars, and drinks all the pink wine with friends. His favourite sport – of which he’s a gold medal winner – is reading a romantic novel in a long hot bath.
To learn more about his teaching, visit: https://www.realpeoplewritebooks.com/
To learn more about his books, visit: www.liamlivings.com
He shares his house with his boyfriend and cats. When not writing he bakes to indulge his dangerously sweet tooth, admires unaffordable classic cars, and drinks all the pink wine with friends. His favourite sport – of which he’s a gold medal winner – is reading a romantic novel in a long hot bath.
To learn more about his teaching, visit: https://www.realpeoplewritebooks.com/
To learn more about his books, visit: www.liamlivings.com
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 27, 2014
Best Friends Perfect (Book 2)
By Liam Livings
4 stars
The second (but not the last) in Liam Livings’ whimsical, probably autobiographically-based series of the life and times of Kieran and his friends did not disappoint.
My fondness for Kieran Donovan grew as he and his best friend Jo head off to Australia with Kieran’s entire family to visit relatives in Sydney before the boys embark on their year-long walkabout in “Oz.”
This is not high literature, nor would I want it to be. What makes Livings’ narrative of a teenager’s transition from boy to young man so appealing is the unpretentious straightforwardness of its style. It reads like a journal, but with a self-conscious thoughtfulness that allows us into Kieran’s head and heart.
The same cast of characters carries us along—Kieran’s slightly confused but chipper family, his longtime friends Grace and Hannah, and his new-ish best gay friend Jo. There is much of the shaggy-dog-story in this book. The story rambles along chronologically, taking us through the year in Australia and the beginnings of University life in London. If it feels somewhat shapeless, this meandering is actually quite good, because it allows us to keep track of the events that, against the big picture of Growing Up, start to focus Kieran’s understanding of his evolving adulthood and our understanding of Kieran.
I appreciate very much the depiction of the Donovan clan. Kieran is embarrassed by his parents and younger brother, and yet at the same time is profoundly proud of their acceptance of him and willingness to embrace his new “lifestyle” (which is always presented in quotation marks, because it is such a cringe-worthy word).
There is little self-pity in Kieran, because he is too good a sort to indulge in that. He cares about other people as much as he cares about himself, and his willingness to forgive and accommodate—even when it is not necessarily in his best interests—is laudable.
Because the book is set in 1998 and 1999, it also depicts the moment when cell phones and internet email started to transform personal communication—and as I can hardly remember that far back, it was fascinating to see it so nicely documented. Someone needs to keep track of these things, and technology does play a crucial role in the events of Kieran’s emerging wisdom.
Even though I’m older than Kieran’s parents, I identified strongly with him, simply because there are certain universal truths to coming out that have not been eradicated by changing times. Growing up is a hard enough process; growing up gay is not much less fraught emotionally now than it was for me 40 years ago.
I really look forward to Liam Livings’ third installment of Kieran’s life. I know what I want to happen to him—and I can’ wait to see if the author will let it be.
By Liam Livings
4 stars
The second (but not the last) in Liam Livings’ whimsical, probably autobiographically-based series of the life and times of Kieran and his friends did not disappoint.
My fondness for Kieran Donovan grew as he and his best friend Jo head off to Australia with Kieran’s entire family to visit relatives in Sydney before the boys embark on their year-long walkabout in “Oz.”
This is not high literature, nor would I want it to be. What makes Livings’ narrative of a teenager’s transition from boy to young man so appealing is the unpretentious straightforwardness of its style. It reads like a journal, but with a self-conscious thoughtfulness that allows us into Kieran’s head and heart.
The same cast of characters carries us along—Kieran’s slightly confused but chipper family, his longtime friends Grace and Hannah, and his new-ish best gay friend Jo. There is much of the shaggy-dog-story in this book. The story rambles along chronologically, taking us through the year in Australia and the beginnings of University life in London. If it feels somewhat shapeless, this meandering is actually quite good, because it allows us to keep track of the events that, against the big picture of Growing Up, start to focus Kieran’s understanding of his evolving adulthood and our understanding of Kieran.
I appreciate very much the depiction of the Donovan clan. Kieran is embarrassed by his parents and younger brother, and yet at the same time is profoundly proud of their acceptance of him and willingness to embrace his new “lifestyle” (which is always presented in quotation marks, because it is such a cringe-worthy word).
There is little self-pity in Kieran, because he is too good a sort to indulge in that. He cares about other people as much as he cares about himself, and his willingness to forgive and accommodate—even when it is not necessarily in his best interests—is laudable.
Because the book is set in 1998 and 1999, it also depicts the moment when cell phones and internet email started to transform personal communication—and as I can hardly remember that far back, it was fascinating to see it so nicely documented. Someone needs to keep track of these things, and technology does play a crucial role in the events of Kieran’s emerging wisdom.
Even though I’m older than Kieran’s parents, I identified strongly with him, simply because there are certain universal truths to coming out that have not been eradicated by changing times. Growing up is a hard enough process; growing up gay is not much less fraught emotionally now than it was for me 40 years ago.
I really look forward to Liam Livings’ third installment of Kieran’s life. I know what I want to happen to him—and I can’ wait to see if the author will let it be.
December 28, 2014
Now for an exercise in patience...I've got to wait til feb for book 3. I need to know what's happening to Kieran NOW.
July 2, 2015
The adventures of Kieran continue. We left him in book 1 about to take of at Heathrow and follow his dream of touring around Australia with his best friend Jo with family dramas included now his family is going to. I just say that I adore Kieran's mum, upbeat, chirpy and always a source of embarrassment for Kieran although Jo has her well managed. While they are in Australia they're staying with Kieran's dad's brother, Uncle Colin. Colin doesn't know anything about Kieran and his best friend Jo so the shock is quite something and he isn't really all that approving of their so called lifestyle. Family drama set and match. However, there was one lovely moment where Kieran's mum stood up for her boys to Colin and wonderful omens full of passion. A real lioness protecting her boys from some potential bigotry and oh my did she put Uncle Colin in his place. The motto her being never underestimate a love of a mother for her children.
"Worry? I'll tell you about worry Colin. When you have a son who cries in his room and won't go to school cos he's being bullied, that's worry. A son who watches his friends go into couples, but don't know what he's meant to do, that's worry."
Apart from this one glitch the family part of the holiday goes well and I just loved reading about Kieran and Jo camping it up with his mum and brother Paul on the Sydney Gay Mardi Gras! Was also very impressed with Paul despite all the ribbing he gives Kieran he still sticks up and is proud of his brother, families sticking together. So yes this set the tone of the book for me which was basically wonderfully camp all the way.
So Kieran and Jo set out on their own and tour Australia, in Priscilla cock in a frock on a rock style. However, here their friendship is tested to the limit especially when you are spending so much time with each other. Both characters are very opposite in many respects, Kieran is the more reserved, dreaming of his one true prince, a blushing wall flower type but who is always clearing up after Jo. I actually got quite annoyed with Jo, he seems to have little regard for people's feelings even Kieran at times. He just charges ahead in life without thinking about the wake of destruction he leaves behind him that Kieran is always having to clear up. It's not that he's selfish or egoistic, he just doesn't think! But I guess that is very often the fact when you are young, a little recklessnessis part of that age. So Jo is getting his rocks away while Kieran is left very much on the sidelines, although he could have trusted him self a little more. I felt that Kieran's self-confidence could have done with a boost where even I could have slapped him to get his ass in gear and take the bull by the horns. Jo was out there taking life by the horns and Kieran for me in some respects was a little bit of a wuss.
After a while Kieran starts to miss home and he comes to appreciate home more than ever. This is a stage that a lot of people go through, I should know after leaving home for the big wide world at the edge of eighteen. But as with Kieran the experience is also a positive one as you really get to appreciate more what you have at home than you did before. It's not long before they have to go to Uni and their ways invariably part. Here for me it was clear and also became clear for Kieran that despite his thoughts about Jo being his best friend it is essentially Kieran that has always been doing all the chasing. A true friendship wouldn't be this one-sided. So by the end of the book the inevitable happens and gradually they both start to drift apart a little. But Kieran finds another friend at Uni, Janice, an American and maybe he will find another good friend in her.
This book for me is a little like reading a journal of teenage trials and tribulations. It's light, easy reading, almost soap-opera in a way, "The Life and Times of Kieran" and the stories with his friends. Wonderfully camp at times, especially when his friend Kev comes to visit him in London and wants to go shopping for dresses. As for the romantic stakes, well Kieran still hasn't found his dream boyfriend yet but he hasn't given up and I hope in book three that he finds his prince for his own HEA.
3.5 Stars
"Worry? I'll tell you about worry Colin. When you have a son who cries in his room and won't go to school cos he's being bullied, that's worry. A son who watches his friends go into couples, but don't know what he's meant to do, that's worry."
Apart from this one glitch the family part of the holiday goes well and I just loved reading about Kieran and Jo camping it up with his mum and brother Paul on the Sydney Gay Mardi Gras! Was also very impressed with Paul despite all the ribbing he gives Kieran he still sticks up and is proud of his brother, families sticking together. So yes this set the tone of the book for me which was basically wonderfully camp all the way.
So Kieran and Jo set out on their own and tour Australia, in Priscilla cock in a frock on a rock style. However, here their friendship is tested to the limit especially when you are spending so much time with each other. Both characters are very opposite in many respects, Kieran is the more reserved, dreaming of his one true prince, a blushing wall flower type but who is always clearing up after Jo. I actually got quite annoyed with Jo, he seems to have little regard for people's feelings even Kieran at times. He just charges ahead in life without thinking about the wake of destruction he leaves behind him that Kieran is always having to clear up. It's not that he's selfish or egoistic, he just doesn't think! But I guess that is very often the fact when you are young, a little recklessnessis part of that age. So Jo is getting his rocks away while Kieran is left very much on the sidelines, although he could have trusted him self a little more. I felt that Kieran's self-confidence could have done with a boost where even I could have slapped him to get his ass in gear and take the bull by the horns. Jo was out there taking life by the horns and Kieran for me in some respects was a little bit of a wuss.
After a while Kieran starts to miss home and he comes to appreciate home more than ever. This is a stage that a lot of people go through, I should know after leaving home for the big wide world at the edge of eighteen. But as with Kieran the experience is also a positive one as you really get to appreciate more what you have at home than you did before. It's not long before they have to go to Uni and their ways invariably part. Here for me it was clear and also became clear for Kieran that despite his thoughts about Jo being his best friend it is essentially Kieran that has always been doing all the chasing. A true friendship wouldn't be this one-sided. So by the end of the book the inevitable happens and gradually they both start to drift apart a little. But Kieran finds another friend at Uni, Janice, an American and maybe he will find another good friend in her.
This book for me is a little like reading a journal of teenage trials and tribulations. It's light, easy reading, almost soap-opera in a way, "The Life and Times of Kieran" and the stories with his friends. Wonderfully camp at times, especially when his friend Kev comes to visit him in London and wants to go shopping for dresses. As for the romantic stakes, well Kieran still hasn't found his dream boyfriend yet but he hasn't given up and I hope in book three that he finds his prince for his own HEA.
3.5 Stars
January 26, 2015
Best Friends Perfect Book Two is campy and colourful all topped off with plenty of fun. I really enjoyed book one and book two didn't disappoint me. Kieran and his friends are back with more adventures and family embarrassments, with a gap year to Australia turning into a family mission, a fabulous read for any age.
In my previous review I talked about team Kieran and his best friends. His group of best buddies are still strong throughout book two, although some separation has taken place with university, work and play leading them in slightly different directions. There are a few ups and downs, leading to some disappointments and loneliness. Kieran does his best to keep his chin up and keep in contact with them all, it's not easy for him being so far away from home. There are moments when Kieran is unsure if this trip was such a good idea after all.
Kieran has some inner conflicts, his coming out to his family, unsure as to whether his life was better before or after. Mum Pamela and Dad Michael along with Kieran's brother Paul and best friend Jo head off for a family holiday in Australia. Kieran and Jo plan to stay on for a sixth month gap year, in the mean time it's a family trip.
For much of the journey Pamela steals Jo for her shopping partner, which adds to some comedy reading for the reader. Pamela is a blast, she completely accepts Keiran and Jo's sexuality. Pamela is amazing as she stands up for Kieran and Jo, when a family member remarks that the boys lifestyle isn't natural. Pam along with Paul joins them on a Pride march down under as the proudest mother there, way to go Mum! It is wonderful to see brother Paul also supporting Kieran.
The family leave Kieran and Jo to fend for themselves and complete their tour of Oz. They make new friends, find work, party, getting hungover and exhausted. Hearts are broken and lessons are learned. Kieran and Jo's friendship is pushed to the limit, with Jo's haphazard behaviour, Kieran missing opportunities which are snatched right from under him by Jo.
Another enjoyable story of Kieran and his best friends. I'm looking forward to catching up with these guys again in book three.
Reviewed by Teddy
To see more of this review and others like it please visit us at Gay List Book Reviews at www.gaylistbookreviews.wordpress.com
In my previous review I talked about team Kieran and his best friends. His group of best buddies are still strong throughout book two, although some separation has taken place with university, work and play leading them in slightly different directions. There are a few ups and downs, leading to some disappointments and loneliness. Kieran does his best to keep his chin up and keep in contact with them all, it's not easy for him being so far away from home. There are moments when Kieran is unsure if this trip was such a good idea after all.
Kieran has some inner conflicts, his coming out to his family, unsure as to whether his life was better before or after. Mum Pamela and Dad Michael along with Kieran's brother Paul and best friend Jo head off for a family holiday in Australia. Kieran and Jo plan to stay on for a sixth month gap year, in the mean time it's a family trip.
Kieran says “How on earth am I going to cope with this for the next few weeks? Who takes their parents on holiday with them? Who takes them on holiday, with their best friend after they've just come out to them?”
For much of the journey Pamela steals Jo for her shopping partner, which adds to some comedy reading for the reader. Pamela is a blast, she completely accepts Keiran and Jo's sexuality. Pamela is amazing as she stands up for Kieran and Jo, when a family member remarks that the boys lifestyle isn't natural. Pam along with Paul joins them on a Pride march down under as the proudest mother there, way to go Mum! It is wonderful to see brother Paul also supporting Kieran.
The family leave Kieran and Jo to fend for themselves and complete their tour of Oz. They make new friends, find work, party, getting hungover and exhausted. Hearts are broken and lessons are learned. Kieran and Jo's friendship is pushed to the limit, with Jo's haphazard behaviour, Kieran missing opportunities which are snatched right from under him by Jo.
Another enjoyable story of Kieran and his best friends. I'm looking forward to catching up with these guys again in book three.
Reviewed by Teddy
To see more of this review and others like it please visit us at Gay List Book Reviews at www.gaylistbookreviews.wordpress.com
June 30, 2015
This is a very interesting series for me. I really love it, can identify with the characters and have a lot of campy fun. Both book 1 and 2 were 5 star reads for me. However, this series is not one that I instantly have to devour. It took me a long time to read it, because I often just read one chapter and was satisfied, even though I loved every chapter. I had to be in the mood to read this book with its unque style and it was easy to put the book down, but I also didn't have any problems picking it back up and being right back in the story.
This is a wonderful coming of age story. I loved how real all the characters felt. They have their own personalities, flaws, their own way to talk and act and to deal with situations. I know them so well know that I am sure I could guess how each of them would act in any situation. Like old friends you know very well and adore.
I especially loved to see how the dynamics between different characters are different. Jo and Grace, Jo and Hannah, Jo and Kieran, etc. They all act differently depending on who is there. And through it all, Kieran narrates everything in a campy, humorous and observant way. I'm not sure if I have ever felt so close to a character.
I LOVED the family and every person we get to meet and how they all are drawn in a lovingly detailed way and the author'S trademark style.
This book was like time-traveling into a different world. Australia is very exotic for me and seems very far away. I loved to experience the 90s and AUstralia through Kieran's eyes and can't wait for the conclusion of his story in book 3.
This is a wonderful coming of age story. I loved how real all the characters felt. They have their own personalities, flaws, their own way to talk and act and to deal with situations. I know them so well know that I am sure I could guess how each of them would act in any situation. Like old friends you know very well and adore.
I especially loved to see how the dynamics between different characters are different. Jo and Grace, Jo and Hannah, Jo and Kieran, etc. They all act differently depending on who is there. And through it all, Kieran narrates everything in a campy, humorous and observant way. I'm not sure if I have ever felt so close to a character.
I LOVED the family and every person we get to meet and how they all are drawn in a lovingly detailed way and the author'S trademark style.
This book was like time-traveling into a different world. Australia is very exotic for me and seems very far away. I loved to experience the 90s and AUstralia through Kieran's eyes and can't wait for the conclusion of his story in book 3.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews