Love, Hypothetically in Read with Pride Northwest

May 03, 2014 Kristie rated it liked it

Okay, I may have liked this more if Paul wasn't such as asshole. He was an asshole to Brad and Sebastian. He's an asshole to Toby. An asshole to basically everyone. He let one bad event in his life dictate how his life and relationships would go from then on. Not only dating, but true friendships were virtually impossible for him because of his grudge.

I'm glad he finally gets over it, but still. Paul's bad attitude kind of deflated me and it took him tok long to move on. I get it. I really do u ...more

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Sep 14, 2014 Shelby rated it liked it

Shelves: m-m, sports-stories, most-recent-read-in-series, geek-a-licious-geeks, college-high-school, sweet-for-the-soul, ok-maybe-try-a-second-book, contemporary, reunited-love-second-chance, all-romance-ebooks

This falls dead in the middle for me. I enjoyed the story, I like story's of redemption. But it was really hard to like Paul in this story. He's a bit of a grouch and really a prick most of the time. The length of the story doesn't really give you a lot time to jump on board with the changes he's making either.

I definitely felt bad for Paul and his history. Trevor's actions in high school really hurt him and left him a lot more bitter and caustic than his nature might have had him originally. Bu ...more

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Jul 12, 2012 Heidi Belleau added it

A charming story with sympathetic characters, and great dialogue, but it felt really rushed. Now I'm not one of those people who automatically discounts a story for being short, because some stories really do work best at a shorter length, but this didn't quite work for me at the length it was at.

However, it's a nice way to spend an afternoon, and competently written. I just wish there was a bit more room for it to breathe, and a little bit more conflict to contend with. As it was, it was basic ...more

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Aug 28, 2012 ttg rated it really liked it

Shelves: m-m, reviews

I hadn't read Frat Boy and Toppy, the first book in this series, but this follow-up novella seemed pretty self-contained, and it was. I'm sure you would get more out of it if you've read FBAT, but overall I thought this was a nice enjoyable read, even on its own.

The story focuses on Paul, a graduate student who is reunited with his high school baseball player lover after a nine-year break, a break that was preceded by a betrayal that for Paul, was unforgivable and colored all his future interact I hadn't read Frat Boy and Toppy, the first book in this series, but this follow-up novella seemed pretty self-contained, and it was. I'm sure you would get more out of it if you've read FBAT, but overall I thought this was a nice enjoyable read, even on its own.

The story focuses on Paul, a graduate student who is reunited with his high school baseball player lover after a nine-year break, a break that was preceded by a betrayal that for Paul, was unforgivable and colored all his future interactions with anyone remotely athletic.

Paul's pithy, acerbic voice was fun to read, and it was easy to sympathize with him once you had a better idea of why he was so bitter. I also appreciated Trevor's remorseful hopefulness, a feeling that you can see came from both age and loss. As a reader, I felt hope for both of them, and I liked their reigniting chemistry.

My main beef with the story is that it's pretty short, at about 100 pages. I wouldn't have minded more time with Trevor and Paul. (They were fun to read together.) That, and after a big conflict, Paul rehashes his feelings and tries to figure out what to do with three different friends before we get to the end-run. This part probably felt the most meaningful to those who read the first book since some characters from that pop up here. I understood the back-story, and the importance of revisiting it, especially for closing a loop from book 1, but I think it slowed the pacing down a little, and felt a bit repetitive and drawn-out over that whole section.

One thing that I really liked though, and thought was clever, was Paul's inner thoughts in the beginning, discussing what kinds of kids he usually tutors—-either the miscreants who party too much, or morons who have a mental block with specific subjects. Once that sank in, I knew Paul was in the latter group, no matter how smart he thinks he is. After that, the story was him figuring out how, with the right inspiration and guidance, he can move his block and move on. (Or in this case, return back.)

In the end, it was a fun read, and a nice (and needed) chaser after a much heavier book that I had just finished.

I wonder if there will be a book #3 (and will it focus on Toby?) ...more

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May 04, 2014 Kelly (Maybedog) rated it really liked it

Shelves: how-ebook, where-grr-mine, what-lgbtqia, how-shorts-and-novellas, how-series, what-mm-read, what-adjectives-don-t-modify-verbs, what-it-s-academic, what-mm, what-contemporary

I went to a Roosevelt high school. :)

I love that the hot guy is losing his hair.

I do understand the need for him to be closeted and although it was shitty, I understand why he did what he did, although he could have come up with something else like they were joking. But afterwards he could have come out as supporting the gay guy being gay.

I don't like beer, either. I, too, don't really drink either.

Sweet. Predictable and it got a bit repetitious as he told his story over and over, but enjoya ...more

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Jan 23, 2013 Mysterious rated it liked it

Shelves: 1-m-m, 2-contemporary, 4-athlete-other

I liked this better than "Too Stupid to Live" but not as much as "Frat Boy." ...more

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Aug 10, 2013 Felicia (Ferishia) rated it liked it

Shelves: kindle-format-ebook, lgbt-romance, romance, series, m-m, contemporary, ebook, 01-mr-candy-pants, student-and-or-teacher, sports

This had just a little bit of everything. A little bit of drama, heartache, smexytimes and humor rolled into this short story. This was over too soon!

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