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Stray
Bar worker and serial slut Terry Seymour is hardly charm personified when it comes to romance. In fact, he doesn't believe in love at all despite his latent desire for his best friend of fourteen years, builder Marc Pierce.
Dan Hutchinson is a young homeless man living in a derelict house Marc's halfway to renovating. When Marc announces Dan's moving in for a while, Terry is understandably miffed. After all, it hasn't been that long since Marc spilt with his boyfriend of a year, so why is he intent on bringing a total stranger into their home?
It seems to Terry there's more to this arrangement than meets the eye. Marc must be providing Dan with food and lodgings in exchange for sex. And with the lusty vibes Dan sends his way, it's not long before Terry succumbs to the boy's talents between the sheets. But carrying on with Dan behind his best friend's back is not easy. Or desirable. And when Terry's plans to oust Dan fail, he's the one who finds himself out in the cold.
Publisher's Note: This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and situations that some readers may find objectionable: Male/male sexual practices.
195 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
October 8, 2017
Yay, I found a new (to me :-) author that, finally, is all kinds of clever, different and risky.
This story kept me glued to page because I had, seriously, no idea how things would turn out.
Gritty, dysfunctional on many levels, lots of emotional undercurrents, interesting and effective use of language, absolutely no cringe-inducing sex-scenes in typical mm speech - and here and there a spark of hope.
But the very, very best was the realness and emotional immediacy deeply rooted in personal experience that I’m missing in so many formula-books in this genre.
I suspect the author's low average rating in this particular case is a testament to her risky, unique style. If you are bored and alienated by the standard mm fare, I can highly recommend her.
This story kept me glued to page because I had, seriously, no idea how things would turn out.
Gritty, dysfunctional on many levels, lots of emotional undercurrents, interesting and effective use of language, absolutely no cringe-inducing sex-scenes in typical mm speech - and here and there a spark of hope.
But the very, very best was the realness and emotional immediacy deeply rooted in personal experience that I’m missing in so many formula-books in this genre.
I suspect the author's low average rating in this particular case is a testament to her risky, unique style. If you are bored and alienated by the standard mm fare, I can highly recommend her.
September 28, 2012
More a 2.5
This was another of those books that I didn’t really like any of the characters.
Marc continued to annoy me with his treatment of Terry. For a best friend of 14 years he treated Terry like dirt. At times he was down right heartless.
Terry continued to disappoint me with his obsession with Marc. He allowed Marc to treat him like dirt and still kept right on loving him.
Dan was about the only guy I kinda liked, although his instant love of Terry was a bit pathetic, especially when Terry treated him so poorly.
While this book did make me feel things, sadly it was mostly frustration, anger and disbelief, but there was a few tender moments towards the end.
Overall a typical MM read.
August 2, 2011
Bought on the spur of the discount...then looked at the reviews. This is one of those books that, from the reviews I was prepared not to like and kept putting off.
Characters you love to hate, then learn to love. The quality of this author's writing is perfect. The main character is an ass but is so funny in his assdom that you enjoy reading him. He lets you see his thoughts even though he cannot. His protag is seemingly so weak but so in love (for no good reason) that you yearn to protect him because he is so sincere.
Just read it. I'm not a writer so cannot do this book justice in this review.
Characters you love to hate, then learn to love. The quality of this author's writing is perfect. The main character is an ass but is so funny in his assdom that you enjoy reading him. He lets you see his thoughts even though he cannot. His protag is seemingly so weak but so in love (for no good reason) that you yearn to protect him because he is so sincere.
Just read it. I'm not a writer so cannot do this book justice in this review.
July 1, 2010
I liked this story, mainly because the main character was a bit of a jerk. I know that sounds strange, but it was a refreshing change. The only thing that kept it from being 5 stars was the ending. I wish there would have been just a little more there.
January 28, 2011
I nearly didn't finish "Stray" because the narrator seemed such a prick. Then I did something I blush to admit. I read the end of the book and saw who he ended up with.
Then it was a case of WTF. So I kept reading. I soon learned that here we had a classic case of the first person unreliable narrator. Yes, our hero, Terry did some pretty despicable things and was out and out shitty to Daniel, but he was his own worst critic.
In these sorts of stories, nobody can be taken at face value, or in this case the narrator's value. Most of all themself!
People have commented on how impossibly sweet Dan is. Yes, because that's how Terry sees him. Right from the start you get phrases like this:
The kid is keen on him and isn't backward in coming forward. Like one of those puppies who doesn't know the meaning of rejection. So Terry feels he shouldn't be attracted to someone like him, so he pushes him away as hard as he can, by being as horrible as he can. Still the kid persists.
Why? One: maybe he's not as white as the driven snow that Terry makes him out to be. He was after all the king of cock sucking back at school and did survive on the street for quite a while.
But maybe it's more that he sees in Terry a similar spirit. But one in denial. In fact Terry is more like the neglected mongrel in the pound who has been abused and hurt and snarls at any attempt to be kind. In a way they end up protecting each other.
Terry also sees his friend, Marc, as the love of his life. If Terry was as much a prick as he makes himself out to be, why then has Marc hung around all these years?
True, Marc, isn't exactly your strong, sensitive character, even if he may be so physically. Perhaps it is this aura of strength that attracts Terry. He admits he likes his men to have:
Time and again, circumstances left him smelling less than rosy, but instead of defending himself he encouraged Dan to believe the worst to help keep him at arm's length.
There are faults in the story eg at one point, as quoted above, Terry says that he likes men who pound him into an orgasm and yet later we get this statement:
Anyway these are minor quibbles and are easily outweighed by the courage of Ash in creating guys who aren't perfect and yet makes them sympathetic. She has also created a pretty believable world for them to live in. They go to work, they lose their jobs, they have to clean up. The mundane is as much a part of the story as the angst is.
One of the biggest lessons writers need to learn when they write these "nasty" anti heroes (think Hans Solo) is that they must have a "Save the Cat" moment (google it under Blake Snyder). In this instance, we don't get this until this bit:
This story also exemplifies the power of the first person narrative. This story would not have worked if we had seen things from either Marc's or Dan's point of view. The story I find most similar is Clare London's "Freeman", another excellent example of unreliable first person narrative.
If you read "Stray" and had some problems with one or other of the characters, re-read it (as I did in the end) and see all the clues that are scattered about regarding their real characters and judge them then through your eyes and not those of the viewpoint character.
Then it was a case of WTF. So I kept reading. I soon learned that here we had a classic case of the first person unreliable narrator. Yes, our hero, Terry did some pretty despicable things and was out and out shitty to Daniel, but he was his own worst critic.
In these sorts of stories, nobody can be taken at face value, or in this case the narrator's value. Most of all themself!
People have commented on how impossibly sweet Dan is. Yes, because that's how Terry sees him. Right from the start you get phrases like this:
The boy studied me from beneath dark lashes, his fair hair contrasting with the black shirt hanging loosely from his shoulders.That phrasing and word choice immediately shows someone he's attracted to or he wouldn't notice those things. Again:
His eyes, I noted, were a stormy shade of blue-grey. His face verged on the cherubicand then a bit further on:
He raised his face, all flushed cheeks and glowing smile.So, he says he's not interested, but he continually betrays the fact that he is, right from the start.
The kid is keen on him and isn't backward in coming forward. Like one of those puppies who doesn't know the meaning of rejection. So Terry feels he shouldn't be attracted to someone like him, so he pushes him away as hard as he can, by being as horrible as he can. Still the kid persists.
Why? One: maybe he's not as white as the driven snow that Terry makes him out to be. He was after all the king of cock sucking back at school and did survive on the street for quite a while.
But maybe it's more that he sees in Terry a similar spirit. But one in denial. In fact Terry is more like the neglected mongrel in the pound who has been abused and hurt and snarls at any attempt to be kind. In a way they end up protecting each other.
Terry also sees his friend, Marc, as the love of his life. If Terry was as much a prick as he makes himself out to be, why then has Marc hung around all these years?
True, Marc, isn't exactly your strong, sensitive character, even if he may be so physically. Perhaps it is this aura of strength that attracts Terry. He admits he likes his men to have:
thick, solid muscle, ropy veins, and enough stamina to pound me into a weeklong orgasm.He, himself, though was small:
he and I were more or less the same size. In a more charitable frame of mind I might have offered to lend him some of my clothing.So Terry had toughened himself up over the years in order to survive. He thought Daniel needed to do the same, but when it came to the crunch, he stepped in to protect him, not once but twice.
Time and again, circumstances left him smelling less than rosy, but instead of defending himself he encouraged Dan to believe the worst to help keep him at arm's length.
There are faults in the story eg at one point, as quoted above, Terry says that he likes men who pound him into an orgasm and yet later we get this statement:
It had been a good few months since I'd last got fucked, and I'd always preferred to pitch, but what the hey? It was his birthday. “Go for it.”The other bits that made me pause were his sudden change from protesting that he didn't want to help Dan and be nice to him and immediately doing so when he felt Dan was being encouraged to feeling ashamed about being gay. Perhaps a little more insight as to why he felt so protective of Dan at those times might have helped.
Anyway these are minor quibbles and are easily outweighed by the courage of Ash in creating guys who aren't perfect and yet makes them sympathetic. She has also created a pretty believable world for them to live in. They go to work, they lose their jobs, they have to clean up. The mundane is as much a part of the story as the angst is.
One of the biggest lessons writers need to learn when they write these "nasty" anti heroes (think Hans Solo) is that they must have a "Save the Cat" moment (google it under Blake Snyder). In this instance, we don't get this until this bit:
I never brought anyone back here. Never had, never would. This was our home. And Marc had no right to do this to us.From that inner thought we learn that Terry is not as insensistive as he likes to pretend he is. He has standards. He's also very aware of when he's crossing Marc's line and in a way fears the consequences of doing so.
This story also exemplifies the power of the first person narrative. This story would not have worked if we had seen things from either Marc's or Dan's point of view. The story I find most similar is Clare London's "Freeman", another excellent example of unreliable first person narrative.
If you read "Stray" and had some problems with one or other of the characters, re-read it (as I did in the end) and see all the clues that are scattered about regarding their real characters and judge them then through your eyes and not those of the viewpoint character.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 8, 2010
Stray by Ash Penn was a bit of a hesitant purchase for me. I was not sure I would like it going on the blurb (guy is slutty, likes his roommate and ends up screwing his loves lover) But I brought it anyway, because I liked the cover. God, I am truly hopeless. The book is set in England and I think this is what I found the most charming about the story. It has a certain Bristishness about it. The characters, the way they interact and their speech just totally appealed. The sex was pretty grubby and the characters were just so damn likeable. I think I’ve been watching too many episodes of Skins and have certainly read waaaay to many Jilly Cooper novels over the years to not find this novel utterly charming in a kind of over the top way. There were a few bits that felt less than well paced and maybe the characters did stuff that was a little wanky but over all it was a totally cool read. More please authors from Britain!!!!!
http://sharrow.wordpress.com/2010/07/...
http://sharrow.wordpress.com/2010/07/...
Read
September 10, 2010I thought this was a wonderful book. What really made it for me was the deft handling of an anti-hero protagonist. I'm not generally one for the 'tough guy' meets 'ingenue', but Terry (the narrator) was just such an unapologetic jerk that I found myself liking him immensely. That type of character isn't for everyone, I realize, but Terry worked for me. In part because you know that his behavior is a hard-as-shell facade(transparent to anyone with a modicum of insight) that he's constructed to shield himself and to hide the fact that he's hopelessly, sappily in love with a man who couldn't care less. And hard shells can shatter when they are poked by the right finger -- this is where the enjoyment comes, for me.
Marc is also a character who does some unlovely things, but with good intentions...he is in a difficult spot that makes him sympathetic, even through some bad choices.
Dan is perhaps the weak point to me. He is a little too much, a combination of shy/scared and adventerous/flirty that didn't ring entirely true for me, so he came across as a little more of a 'paper doll', acting to fit the needs of the story.
The writing is excellent, great voice, pacing, all of those things that sometimes just become invisible in a well-written book. I do hope 'Ash Penn' gives us more.
Marc is also a character who does some unlovely things, but with good intentions...he is in a difficult spot that makes him sympathetic, even through some bad choices.
Dan is perhaps the weak point to me. He is a little too much, a combination of shy/scared and adventerous/flirty that didn't ring entirely true for me, so he came across as a little more of a 'paper doll', acting to fit the needs of the story.
The writing is excellent, great voice, pacing, all of those things that sometimes just become invisible in a well-written book. I do hope 'Ash Penn' gives us more.
Read
October 23, 2010I wasn’t really expecting much from this book, either because the author was new to me and also since I had the wrong idea this was a menages a trois (M/M/M true, but always a menages). And even if sometime I like a good angst romance, I was probably not in the mood for one.
So it was with great, and pleasant, surprise that, after few pages, I realized that I was reading more a comedy than an angst romance, and it was not a menages a trois at all. Terry is a middle twenty English gay man living with his best buddy; they know each other for year, since then they were two misfits in school, one the fat guy, Marc, and the other the sissy one, Terry. They made team together and from that moment on they are best friends, almost everything for each other. And Terry is jelaous.
Between Marc and Terry there has never been a sexual relationship, but Terry nevertheless consider Marc private property. As soon as Marc brings home a boyfriend, Terry starts to behave like a jelaous girlfriend, until the day he is not able to drive away the unwelcomed addition to their couple. At first you can think this is a sex/love jelaousy, that Terry wants Marc for his own, but I think it’s more a friendship jelaousy, that can be even worst: you know when two teenagers are best friends and one of them find a girlfriend/boyfriend? How the other almost always reacts in a bad way, trying to instill the doubt in his/her friend’s mind that the other is not good form him/her? Same here.
Terry awakes one morning to find out that Marc brought home a boy the night before, Dan. For Terry is not a nice surprise, above all since he has just managed to get free of Bradley, Marc’s previous boyfriend, and now he has to start it all over again. But apparently Dan is not so much interested in Marc and way more in Terry. As soon as they are alone, Terry approaches Dan trying to test his interest on Marc, to have a proof that Dan is profiteer, that Marc for him is only a safe shelter… and he is right. Dan is a runaway from home, he has no job or place to stay, Marc was like a guardian angel for him, and he really wants to be able to love him, but that is not as he sees Marc. On the other hand when Dan sees, and “tastes” Terry for the first time, he becomes addicted: despite Terry being rude and selfish, despite all the time he treats Dan more like an object than a man, Dan is stubborn and firm in wanting Terry, in trying to make him realize that they are perfect for each other.
There is an innocence in Dan that is almost disarming; he is like a punching ball, he absorbs every blow and never gives back. And in his innocence he reads love and caring in everything, even when Terry indead was trying to be the bad boy. On the other hand, Terry can be rude, but he is not really bad; probably he would even like Dan if not for his connection with Marc. And in the end, it’s Terry that is always going back to Dan, and from his ten years more on Dan, he almost behaves like a big brother, wanting to teach Dan how to be an healthy modern gay guy… and having sex with him is only one step on the good path.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0040SXUSC/?...
So it was with great, and pleasant, surprise that, after few pages, I realized that I was reading more a comedy than an angst romance, and it was not a menages a trois at all. Terry is a middle twenty English gay man living with his best buddy; they know each other for year, since then they were two misfits in school, one the fat guy, Marc, and the other the sissy one, Terry. They made team together and from that moment on they are best friends, almost everything for each other. And Terry is jelaous.
Between Marc and Terry there has never been a sexual relationship, but Terry nevertheless consider Marc private property. As soon as Marc brings home a boyfriend, Terry starts to behave like a jelaous girlfriend, until the day he is not able to drive away the unwelcomed addition to their couple. At first you can think this is a sex/love jelaousy, that Terry wants Marc for his own, but I think it’s more a friendship jelaousy, that can be even worst: you know when two teenagers are best friends and one of them find a girlfriend/boyfriend? How the other almost always reacts in a bad way, trying to instill the doubt in his/her friend’s mind that the other is not good form him/her? Same here.
Terry awakes one morning to find out that Marc brought home a boy the night before, Dan. For Terry is not a nice surprise, above all since he has just managed to get free of Bradley, Marc’s previous boyfriend, and now he has to start it all over again. But apparently Dan is not so much interested in Marc and way more in Terry. As soon as they are alone, Terry approaches Dan trying to test his interest on Marc, to have a proof that Dan is profiteer, that Marc for him is only a safe shelter… and he is right. Dan is a runaway from home, he has no job or place to stay, Marc was like a guardian angel for him, and he really wants to be able to love him, but that is not as he sees Marc. On the other hand when Dan sees, and “tastes” Terry for the first time, he becomes addicted: despite Terry being rude and selfish, despite all the time he treats Dan more like an object than a man, Dan is stubborn and firm in wanting Terry, in trying to make him realize that they are perfect for each other.
There is an innocence in Dan that is almost disarming; he is like a punching ball, he absorbs every blow and never gives back. And in his innocence he reads love and caring in everything, even when Terry indead was trying to be the bad boy. On the other hand, Terry can be rude, but he is not really bad; probably he would even like Dan if not for his connection with Marc. And in the end, it’s Terry that is always going back to Dan, and from his ten years more on Dan, he almost behaves like a big brother, wanting to teach Dan how to be an healthy modern gay guy… and having sex with him is only one step on the good path.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0040SXUSC/?...
dnf
April 4, 2013Yes, sadly another one. I made it up to 20%, but now it's enough. It was already tough to read through the first sex scene, as for me it was at least dub-con and I really don't like reading that, especially without any warning. Then the constant browbeating from Terry - yes, that's how I saw it - and on the other hand his infatuation with Marc, I just got so aggravated from reading this few chapters - grrrr! Nope, no more. There might be the best happy ending - I give it a pass. I really hope that the other two books on my list from this author will be better, otherwise this is not a happy reading week.
July 3, 2010
I like real character. People have flaws and many romance novels have characters that are so sugary sweet it'll make your teeth ache. That being said the readers of Stray should prepare themselves for very flawed characters. The character Terry is such an unsavory figure that I found the story unbelievable. The story just did not work for me. I couldn't see how see how anyone could find him redeemable. This book left me feeling flat. Not at all to my taste.
January 23, 2013
This book reminded me why I fell in love with m/m romance. It's fresh, snarky' sarcastic and full of snappy dialogue. The blurb to the book more or less covers the basic premise but when you get into it - and I defy anybody to be able to put it down once started - its so much more than that!
There are three main characters in this book and each one in his own way has attributes that wouldn't normally belong to the normal male leads in a gay romance. Terry is vindictive, sarcastic, down right nasty at times and manipulative in his quest to drive Dan away from Marc and resorts to crude seduction and sex to do it, Dan is gauche and naive but is just as manipulative in his own way and isn't averse to using Terry's sexual advances to turn things his way and Marc, the catalyst of their 'feuding' is sort of wallowing in his own self pity having lost his brother and his relationship with his last boyfriend ( sabotaged by Terry in his ' if I can't have you, then nobody else will' MO ) therefore straining his friendship with Terry and adding more fuel to Terrys instant dislike and jealousy of Dan. BUT........ and here's the really clever part... the way that Ash Penn writes them, despite all the negative attributes they are still endearing, multifaceted and very likeable!! By the time I'd read the first page I was totally hooked and fell in love with everything and everybody involved in it.
The interplay and dialogue between Terry and Dan is priceless , the scene outside a club when Terry has to fetch Dan back because he's gone off in a huff, is classic, and its only one of many!
There is lots of down n' dirty sex that ain't hearts and flowers but its relevant to the plot and fits the situations perfectly. Still hot and sexy though!
This is not your typical romance but underneath all the snark and sarcasm there is one of the best love stories I've read in LGBT literature - ever and as well as the humour there are some quite poignant moments concerning Dans back story that involves his family and also ties in with Marcs sadness. There's a lot more to the book than meets the eye. Like I said, clever stuff!
I've gone on to order her next book ' passing time ' and there's also another due out soon called ' Loathing Leo '. Please please, please give this a try, this is British and showcases a wonderful author who in my opinion has managed to put a fresh new slant on a genre that I and many others love but, in many cases, churns out a lot of stale, formulaic plots that lack story and rely on repetitive sex to engage its readers! It needs new authors like this to turn the tide.
There are three main characters in this book and each one in his own way has attributes that wouldn't normally belong to the normal male leads in a gay romance. Terry is vindictive, sarcastic, down right nasty at times and manipulative in his quest to drive Dan away from Marc and resorts to crude seduction and sex to do it, Dan is gauche and naive but is just as manipulative in his own way and isn't averse to using Terry's sexual advances to turn things his way and Marc, the catalyst of their 'feuding' is sort of wallowing in his own self pity having lost his brother and his relationship with his last boyfriend ( sabotaged by Terry in his ' if I can't have you, then nobody else will' MO ) therefore straining his friendship with Terry and adding more fuel to Terrys instant dislike and jealousy of Dan. BUT........ and here's the really clever part... the way that Ash Penn writes them, despite all the negative attributes they are still endearing, multifaceted and very likeable!! By the time I'd read the first page I was totally hooked and fell in love with everything and everybody involved in it.
The interplay and dialogue between Terry and Dan is priceless , the scene outside a club when Terry has to fetch Dan back because he's gone off in a huff, is classic, and its only one of many!
There is lots of down n' dirty sex that ain't hearts and flowers but its relevant to the plot and fits the situations perfectly. Still hot and sexy though!
This is not your typical romance but underneath all the snark and sarcasm there is one of the best love stories I've read in LGBT literature - ever and as well as the humour there are some quite poignant moments concerning Dans back story that involves his family and also ties in with Marcs sadness. There's a lot more to the book than meets the eye. Like I said, clever stuff!
I've gone on to order her next book ' passing time ' and there's also another due out soon called ' Loathing Leo '. Please please, please give this a try, this is British and showcases a wonderful author who in my opinion has managed to put a fresh new slant on a genre that I and many others love but, in many cases, churns out a lot of stale, formulaic plots that lack story and rely on repetitive sex to engage its readers! It needs new authors like this to turn the tide.
July 8, 2013
I saw this on my home feed just now and remembered reading it a few years back. It is a love triangle, so it wasn't a favorite which is why it probably didn't stick with me. I do remember being frustrated with the book and skipping ahead and reading the end to see who MC Terry ended up with. After that, I was able to relax and enjoy the book.
Love triangles make me a little crazy in M/M romances, unless one of them stands out as the villain. If you are OK with that, you will enjoy this book. If not, stay away or read the ending first.
Love triangles make me a little crazy in M/M romances, unless one of them stands out as the villain. If you are OK with that, you will enjoy this book. If not, stay away or read the ending first.
June 18, 2012
We have two best friends Terry and Mark. Terry is in love with Mark for a long time now. One day Marks brings home one homeless guy named Daniel. Terry doesn’t take it well and is very ugly toward Daniel because he doesn't want to share Mark with him. But Daniel is in love with Terry from the start. Even if Terry is very bad toward him, Daniel can't stop seeing him. The way how the book is written I don't like Mark, I don’t like Terry, and I don’t like Daniel. Oh and I don't like that plot.
January 10, 2011
It's hard to get past what a complete, unsympathetic dick Terry is and how naive and persistent Dan is.
January 12, 2011
The characters and story are so superbly written, I can't wait for Ms Penn's next release.
January 1, 2013
3.5 -- I do like the writing style of this author. The story itself was good, for me, but not great.
June 18, 2023
A story about an unapologetic asshole pining for his best friend, while secretly fucking said friend's crush, a sweet-natured boy who is totally smitten with him, and ending up inevitably falling for the stupid lovesick boy, despite his various efforts to push him away.
It's not a flawless read, but it's been a while since I read a book that pushes all the right buttons for me, so I'm feeling generous.
It's not a flawless read, but it's been a while since I read a book that pushes all the right buttons for me, so I'm feeling generous.
January 15, 2025
Terry is great, but Dan and Marc are super contrived characters who killed the story for me. They do not speak or act like young men. Can't buy the plot.
August 3, 2010
Stray is an interesting read and one that’s likely to evoke a variety of reactions. The author took a huge chance in making the main character a jerk. He’s not likable, he’s not a nice guy, he is in fact a manipulative ass that pretty much thinks he’s always right and can treat people like crap because he chooses to. He does a lot of bad things to his best friend and also potential love interest. Yet the story attempts to show that he has charm and a gruff heart underneath the exterior. Personally I found Terry so unlikable that I hoped someone would drop kick him into the ocean and everyone would be better off but reader reaction is going to vary. Since I couldn’t appreciate the main character’s charm, I didn’t like the book sadly.
Terry Seymour is a slut with a bad attitude. He has commitment issues and is in love with his best friend and roommate Marc. After Terry has managed to sabotage Marc’s past relationship, he finally thinks he’s on track to have his best friend back once and for all. Unfortunately cute little twink Dan shows up as the new object of Marc’s affections in need of a place to stay and help and Terry is determined to get the kid out as soon as possible. If that means sleeping with the boy to show just what a slut he is, Terry’s up for the job. What starts as a campaign to rid Marc of a bad influence soon turns confusing as Terry can’t shake Dan and his determined pursuit of the surly man.
The story is character driven and follows Terry as he initially tries to get Dan out of their life, then tries to get Dan with Marc, and finally just tries to .. get Dan. Since told from Terry’s first person point of view, the reader is intimately and immediately aware that Terry is not always a nice person. He’s snarly, sulky, willing to sleep with anything and everything, unapologetic, and basically an ass in every way. He’s pissed that Marc brought a twink into their house and supporting him, even over Terry’s objections. What starts as a half cocked idea of proving Dan is a slut like Terry turns the heat up between the two men and soon Dan is pursuing Terry. Dan’s relentless chase is interesting but confusing. I just couldn’t see why Dan would want anything to do with a man that constantly insults him, puts him down, and tells him he doesn’t matter and isn’t special. Dan supposedly can see a glimmer of feeling but really, this is wishful thinking.
I could see Dan putting up with this in short measure but for as long as he did and the extents that he did, honestly I couldn’t help but think Dan was better off with someone else – anyone else. Not to mention Terry doesn’t change by the end of the book. He’s still the same person he was at the beginning and I could envision all sorts of angry fights between the two with Terry blaming Dan for anything going wrong. Considering Dan’s past, he may be used to this behavior in short measure but he finally stands up for himself and chooses (of all people) someone that is uncommunicative and surly. Terry’s actions are not only unlikable but they’re destructive. He potentially ruins a job for Dan out of spite and he has a big part in ruining Marc’s past relationship. Although there is some closure between Marc and Terry towards the end, the issue isn’t really resolved. I wished there had been more acknowledgment from both Terry and Marc but it’s mostly left unsaid. There is also some mild tension due to the fact that Terry basically steals Marc’s potential boyfriend Dan but on the whole this is handled well since Dan isn’t interested in Marc much more than a friend.
The quick pace and good prose choice kept me reading even though as I disliked Terry and his actions more and more. The distinctly British flavor to the story is probably what saved it for me and kept the book from being thrown as the mannerisms, dialogue, and details were charming and unique. The British flair is rare in contemporary stories so I appreciated the change a lot and enjoyed the change of pace. This definitely helped when I kept wondering why anyone in the book bothered with Terry. The family issues surrounding Dan are nicely introduced and interesting. A disapproving, stiff British family may be a cliché but it felt honest and real when portrayed against Dan’s confusion and fear.
While this certainly isn’t a bad read and the nicely British setting is charming to read, the main character ruined it for me. I don’t mind unlikable men if there is something that redeems them, some charm that makes you adore them regardless of their actions and for me Terry never achieved this. Instead I was left thinking Terry didn’t deserve his happy ending. The supporting issues of Dan’s confusion about his sexuality and family issues coupled with Marc’s longing for his ex round out a nicely paced and put together story. If readers like Terry despite his actions, you’ll likely enjoy this offering. If you’re the type that dislike unredeemed jerks as leading men.. this could be a tricky read.
Terry Seymour is a slut with a bad attitude. He has commitment issues and is in love with his best friend and roommate Marc. After Terry has managed to sabotage Marc’s past relationship, he finally thinks he’s on track to have his best friend back once and for all. Unfortunately cute little twink Dan shows up as the new object of Marc’s affections in need of a place to stay and help and Terry is determined to get the kid out as soon as possible. If that means sleeping with the boy to show just what a slut he is, Terry’s up for the job. What starts as a campaign to rid Marc of a bad influence soon turns confusing as Terry can’t shake Dan and his determined pursuit of the surly man.
The story is character driven and follows Terry as he initially tries to get Dan out of their life, then tries to get Dan with Marc, and finally just tries to .. get Dan. Since told from Terry’s first person point of view, the reader is intimately and immediately aware that Terry is not always a nice person. He’s snarly, sulky, willing to sleep with anything and everything, unapologetic, and basically an ass in every way. He’s pissed that Marc brought a twink into their house and supporting him, even over Terry’s objections. What starts as a half cocked idea of proving Dan is a slut like Terry turns the heat up between the two men and soon Dan is pursuing Terry. Dan’s relentless chase is interesting but confusing. I just couldn’t see why Dan would want anything to do with a man that constantly insults him, puts him down, and tells him he doesn’t matter and isn’t special. Dan supposedly can see a glimmer of feeling but really, this is wishful thinking.
I could see Dan putting up with this in short measure but for as long as he did and the extents that he did, honestly I couldn’t help but think Dan was better off with someone else – anyone else. Not to mention Terry doesn’t change by the end of the book. He’s still the same person he was at the beginning and I could envision all sorts of angry fights between the two with Terry blaming Dan for anything going wrong. Considering Dan’s past, he may be used to this behavior in short measure but he finally stands up for himself and chooses (of all people) someone that is uncommunicative and surly. Terry’s actions are not only unlikable but they’re destructive. He potentially ruins a job for Dan out of spite and he has a big part in ruining Marc’s past relationship. Although there is some closure between Marc and Terry towards the end, the issue isn’t really resolved. I wished there had been more acknowledgment from both Terry and Marc but it’s mostly left unsaid. There is also some mild tension due to the fact that Terry basically steals Marc’s potential boyfriend Dan but on the whole this is handled well since Dan isn’t interested in Marc much more than a friend.
The quick pace and good prose choice kept me reading even though as I disliked Terry and his actions more and more. The distinctly British flavor to the story is probably what saved it for me and kept the book from being thrown as the mannerisms, dialogue, and details were charming and unique. The British flair is rare in contemporary stories so I appreciated the change a lot and enjoyed the change of pace. This definitely helped when I kept wondering why anyone in the book bothered with Terry. The family issues surrounding Dan are nicely introduced and interesting. A disapproving, stiff British family may be a cliché but it felt honest and real when portrayed against Dan’s confusion and fear.
While this certainly isn’t a bad read and the nicely British setting is charming to read, the main character ruined it for me. I don’t mind unlikable men if there is something that redeems them, some charm that makes you adore them regardless of their actions and for me Terry never achieved this. Instead I was left thinking Terry didn’t deserve his happy ending. The supporting issues of Dan’s confusion about his sexuality and family issues coupled with Marc’s longing for his ex round out a nicely paced and put together story. If readers like Terry despite his actions, you’ll likely enjoy this offering. If you’re the type that dislike unredeemed jerks as leading men.. this could be a tricky read.
April 12, 2013
4.5 Stars
First up is Terry, and he is a dick to the nth degree! Normally I like a bit of swagger, a bit of “prickery” if you will but he really takes the cake, and licks his lips after eating it! He is a slut that gives in to his wanton whims all the time, (again, a trait I normally love in my fictional fellas). He has been sharing a house with Mark who has had a real bad run of late, both romantically and on the family front. So Terry is there for him, helping him get through it all. Sure, he hopes to get the ultimate reward of Mark being upgraded from bestfriend to boyfriend – but that doesn’t undermine the fact that he genuinely wants Mark to be happy. One morning Terry comes downstairs to find Mark mauling a cute young guy on the kitchen counter; oh Hell no! This is not going to happen! Terry is not going to lose Mark again! So he determines to end it before it has a chance to start, by (you guessed it!) bedding the cute young boy himself, just to show Mark how Dan aka Goldilocks cannot be trusted, of course. This is where I got kinda pissy with the author and the characters and just about stopped reading! I hate cheating and even the premise of cheating puts me off. I felt so bad for Mark at the mere thought of his so-called best friend making a play for someone he brought home – irrelevant of whether it was a one night stand or not. Anyway enough of that for now . . .
See Barb's full review at Live Your Life, Buy The Book
First up is Terry, and he is a dick to the nth degree! Normally I like a bit of swagger, a bit of “prickery” if you will but he really takes the cake, and licks his lips after eating it! He is a slut that gives in to his wanton whims all the time, (again, a trait I normally love in my fictional fellas). He has been sharing a house with Mark who has had a real bad run of late, both romantically and on the family front. So Terry is there for him, helping him get through it all. Sure, he hopes to get the ultimate reward of Mark being upgraded from bestfriend to boyfriend – but that doesn’t undermine the fact that he genuinely wants Mark to be happy. One morning Terry comes downstairs to find Mark mauling a cute young guy on the kitchen counter; oh Hell no! This is not going to happen! Terry is not going to lose Mark again! So he determines to end it before it has a chance to start, by (you guessed it!) bedding the cute young boy himself, just to show Mark how Dan aka Goldilocks cannot be trusted, of course. This is where I got kinda pissy with the author and the characters and just about stopped reading! I hate cheating and even the premise of cheating puts me off. I felt so bad for Mark at the mere thought of his so-called best friend making a play for someone he brought home – irrelevant of whether it was a one night stand or not. Anyway enough of that for now . . .
See Barb's full review at Live Your Life, Buy The Book
August 13, 2010
I suggest this for those who like love triangles, main characters who act and talk like absolute jerks and hot sex scenes.
Dan, the poor homeless man in this story turned out to actually be a rich boy who had to run away from home because he was in serious danger of being "cured" of his homosexuality. He's saved my Marc, who wants to be his protector and lover. Dan however feels no attraction to Marc but falls at first sight for his best friend and roomate, Terry. This instant attraction is completely unreasonable if you ask me, because Terry is a complete jerk. The only motivation that I could find for this crush is that Terry is aparently very similar to one of Dan's ex-boyfriends (and I'll also have to assume Dan has issues - like he likes being in abusive relationships). Another possible reason could be that Terry isn't protective at all, which seems to be a good thing (the type who throws you to the sharks to toughen you up and who would rather teach you to fish than give you a fish he has extra).
Terry happens to be the narrator of the whole story. He is naturally a rather blunt and unpleasant guy, but even more so with Dan, because he is madly (and secretly) in love with Marc, which makes him extremely jelous of Dan.
Yes, the whole thing is a love triangle with each of them loving the wrong guy (who is usually the worst option, too).
Dan, the poor homeless man in this story turned out to actually be a rich boy who had to run away from home because he was in serious danger of being "cured" of his homosexuality. He's saved my Marc, who wants to be his protector and lover. Dan however feels no attraction to Marc but falls at first sight for his best friend and roomate, Terry. This instant attraction is completely unreasonable if you ask me, because Terry is a complete jerk. The only motivation that I could find for this crush is that Terry is aparently very similar to one of Dan's ex-boyfriends (and I'll also have to assume Dan has issues - like he likes being in abusive relationships). Another possible reason could be that Terry isn't protective at all, which seems to be a good thing (the type who throws you to the sharks to toughen you up and who would rather teach you to fish than give you a fish he has extra).
Terry happens to be the narrator of the whole story. He is naturally a rather blunt and unpleasant guy, but even more so with Dan, because he is madly (and secretly) in love with Marc, which makes him extremely jelous of Dan.
Yes, the whole thing is a love triangle with each of them loving the wrong guy (who is usually the worst option, too).
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October 19, 2010I had a hard time writing this review. Stray was different in the way the relationship started. One of my big shall we say, no-no’s, when reading a book is cheating and although some may say this wasn’t cheating per se, as the cheating wasn’t between the two main characters, the way they started their relationship (if you can call it that) was deceitful. I had a hard time getting around that so I think it colored my opinion of the story.
As for the rest of the story, it was an emotional time in both Terry and Dan’s life. I wanted to knock Dan upside the head. He needed to stop and listen more to what was going on around him and think with his head rather than a certain part of his anatomy. Terry definitely wasn’t innocent in all this, by any means. He should have talked a little more to Dan about what was really going on in his life but he didn’t so things headed downhill pretty fast, which was predictable. I found myself annoyed with the whole scenario.
I want to say I could have walked away from this book and not cared either way what happened to Dan and Terry but I had to know where it ended. I would not describe this story as Happily Ever After but more Happy For Now.
Theresa
As for the rest of the story, it was an emotional time in both Terry and Dan’s life. I wanted to knock Dan upside the head. He needed to stop and listen more to what was going on around him and think with his head rather than a certain part of his anatomy. Terry definitely wasn’t innocent in all this, by any means. He should have talked a little more to Dan about what was really going on in his life but he didn’t so things headed downhill pretty fast, which was predictable. I found myself annoyed with the whole scenario.
I want to say I could have walked away from this book and not cared either way what happened to Dan and Terry but I had to know where it ended. I would not describe this story as Happily Ever After but more Happy For Now.
Theresa
August 25, 2010
~I might come back later and change the rating. I gotta let it marinate a bit~
I liked it...I liked it not? I didn't know where this story was going, and not in a good way. There were times when I wanted to skim or quit reading this book. Dan was a whiny baby boy who irritated the crap out of me. I didn't even feel bad when he went home to parents (mom) who want to de-gay (my word) him..
Who is Marc, besides Terry best mate? I did not like him at all. He came across as being gullible and not a true friend (not that Terry was either by f*ing Dan). Maybe he does need a therapist. Nuff said~
Terry. I liked his sarcastic ass. Maybe it's just me, but I like a guy who is hard to get. He was however, on the verge of losing his man-card due to his unreasoning, unresolved, and unspoken love for his best mate. Get a grip, it's been 14 odd years.
There was some good stuff (mainly the things Terry said). I guess I liked it since I'm ranting about it...right???
I liked it...I liked it not? I didn't know where this story was going, and not in a good way. There were times when I wanted to skim or quit reading this book. Dan was a whiny baby boy who irritated the crap out of me. I didn't even feel bad when he went home to parents (mom) who want to de-gay (my word) him..
Who is Marc, besides Terry best mate? I did not like him at all. He came across as being gullible and not a true friend (not that Terry was either by f*ing Dan). Maybe he does need a therapist. Nuff said~
Terry. I liked his sarcastic ass. Maybe it's just me, but I like a guy who is hard to get. He was however, on the verge of losing his man-card due to his unreasoning, unresolved, and unspoken love for his best mate. Get a grip, it's been 14 odd years.
There was some good stuff (mainly the things Terry said). I guess I liked it since I'm ranting about it...right???
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 28, 2011
This one is a bit complicated. It was an excellent read so I can highly recommend it, but it wasnt' always easy to read. Theses characters, like those in real life, had some major issues and were not always likable. But the author did a dam good job making them seem real. I bet many of us can relate to the defense mechanisms often used. I feel like there should be sequel. I need to know how it all ended up for everyone involved. This book did not work at all the way I had thought it would but it was still very good in the end.
March 26, 2013
Have you ever read a book that you have loved – but cannot pinpoint what, exactly, you loved about it? This book is that book to me. For a big part of the book I hated ALL of the MC’s. It also has one of my most hated tropes – cheating. Yet… at the end of the book, looking back at the story arc, I find that I loved the whole damn story – of course hindsight is a wonderful thing … and, sure, reading the back page when you are only 32% in kinda makes a mockery of hindsight, per se. But still.
For full review see :
http://liveyourlifebuythebook.wordpre...
For full review see :
http://liveyourlifebuythebook.wordpre...
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October 17, 2012Not sure how to rate this one. The ending left me a little lost.
September 6, 2015
I had a hard time deciding how to rate this book. The MC isn't very likable and his character was extremely hard to connect to. I really never did. And Dan is just...strange. I thought the whole of the story is strange. It just didn't appeal to me as much as I had hoped. It was good writing though and I know others will quite enjoy it.
July 6, 2010
I really liked the writtng style and the story was interesting. Of course it would be fun to read some more about Dan and Terry, even about Marc,
but... maybe everything is open.
I recommend it.
but... maybe everything is open.
I recommend it.
April 26, 2011
3 1/2 stars. i'll probably re-read this book at least once.
this one was funny and more than a bit sad at times, and i have to admit i liked our main man a bit more because he was just such a jerk. funny, but a jerk.
this one was funny and more than a bit sad at times, and i have to admit i liked our main man a bit more because he was just such a jerk. funny, but a jerk.
September 27, 2013
There just wasn't anything likable about Terry at all. I don't know if this is one I'll read again or not because I was always sitting in a state of disgust over everything that Terry did or said. But, I will say that this author does a great job at writing a-hole characters. lol
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