Buddy Read ...

[Mandy*reads obsessively*]

I'm only at 27%. RL is to being kind and helpful today, no way am I going to get it done till tomorrow.

[Sun]

skimming over Gigi's comments until later... :)

Mandy, I'm only at 50%. I'll probably finish tomorrow as well.

[Mandy*reads obsessively*]

Oh good, then I'm not alone in my slacking. :)

[Gigi]

Mandy*reads obsessively* wrote: "Oh good, then I'm not alone in my slacking. :)"

No slacking on your part! I'm just a speed-reading freak who works at home. ;)

[Mandy*reads obsessively*]

I'm normally pretty fast normally too Gigi, but lately I haven't been able to get through books easily. Hope it's just a phase. :)

[Ami]

FINISHED!!

Gigi, I loved this. Even with (view spoiler)[Dave, I enjoyed the complication. I don't feel like it's a love triangle. Might felt that way at first but when Dave clearly said that "he wouldn't be with Jack that way", I could let it go. In fact, I actually wanted Gabe to be with Dave *lol*. So the conflict based on the look-alike Ryan and Jack feeling lonely was sooooo delicious for me to read. (hide spoiler)]

[Anke]

(view spoiler)[Same here, I liked it very much and pretty soon Dave was clearly out of the picture relationship-wise, if that is a word. My only niggle is, the end came a bit rushed and too neatly wrapped up. I would have loved it to be more drawn out. (hide spoiler)]

[Ami]

Anke, (view spoiler)[isn't this a trademark of ZAM, though? Her ending always 'feels' a bit rushed. Even with the epilogue. But since I love how Sarah Black always ends her stories, and Black is waaaaay more abrupt than ZAM, I have no problem with this one. And we know that they're keeping Tasha!!!

(hide spoiler)]

[Anke]

(view spoiler)[Oh - I had a hunch regarding the cat:) (hide spoiler)]

[Anna]

Is it too late to join?

[Ami]

Giovanna, go ahead!! There are still some people who haven't started (or in the process of reading). You can always jump into any discussion here. But remember, spoiler is put under tag, okay?

[Anna]

Cool!...Thanks!!

[Gigi]

My review is up HERE! 3 stars, cannot recommend.

In summary, what didn't work for me: (view spoiler)[

1.The whole crime scene clean-up business! Sorry, but gross. There is a scene where Ryan and Jack bond over cleaning up Ryan's cousin's remains from the bathroom after he shot himself. I believe Ms. Maxfield meant for this to be a critical moment in Jack and Ryan's affection for one another, but I couldn't get past my nausea of the entire situation.

2.I failed to properly bond with Jack before the romance with Ryan started, so I wasn't really rooting for him the way I usually do when I read M/M romances. This book is rather short, coming in just over 100 pages, and we didn't get a whole lot of background. The background we did get came sporadically and most towards the end of the book.

3.Jack was in a fuck buddy relationship with a closeted cop named Dave when his relationship with Ryan started. No, it wasn't going anywhere and I don't believe either one of them would call Jack and Ryan's relationship cheating, but it made me incredibly uncomfortable. I have a strong feeling this will be resolved in the next book in the series, but that doesn't help me here.

(hide spoiler)]

Can't wait to hear from the rest of you!!

[Ami]

Gigi, I actually LOVE (view spoiler)[the crime scene business (hide spoiler)] But then again, I am also fond of TV shows like CSI and consume crime-thriller books by Chris Carter which has gory details of murders :)

[Sun]

Ok...done! :)

I actually enjoyed it for my first ZAM book! :) I thought Jack and Ryan were sweet together. About Dave (view spoiler)[...I also didn't have a problem with it. I had a bigger problem that he DIDN'T feel more jealousy or remorse or anything. I mean, I get it...he's closeted. But, it was almost TOO easy for him to let Jack go. It irked me. And I did NOT like, AT ALL, how he revealed the secret to Ryan. Yes, it needed to come out, but it felt inappropriate and NOT out of love/care for Jack the way he did it. (hide spoiler)]

One thing that nagged me was Jack saying he didn't want to "out" his friends (view spoiler)[...speaking of not sharing Nick's secret. But, in the next breath, he tells Ryan he and Dave sleep together and Dave's not out. Uhhh...isn't that Dave's secret to tell? You just outed your friend... (hide spoiler)]

All in all...sweet, easy read. Probably will be 3 stars for me. Thinking about my review...

[Vio]

I haven't been able to start, and will probably read it later. Sorry.....

[Jess]

I've spent another day doing fricking edits and rewrites. So no pleasure reading got done at all. :( I will be SO GLAD to finish and submit this story!! But maybe I can read this tomorrow and so still buddy read it with a few people. *crosses fingers*

[Mandy*reads obsessively*]

Vio wrote: "I haven't been able to start, and will probably read it later. Sorry....."

I'm just barely at around 35% so you are not alone Vio. :)

[Mandy*reads obsessively*]

Jess wrote: "I've spent another day doing fricking edits and rewrites. So no pleasure reading got done at all. :( I will be SO GLAD to finish and submit this story!! But maybe I can read this tomorrow and so st..."

I'm still reading and I know others are so no worries.

[Mandy*reads obsessively*]

I am also clicking on all spoilers. :)

[Mandy*reads obsessively*]

Susan, I read that part and thought the EXACT same thing (view spoiler)[ not outing friends, yet without a word of warning outs Dave, I understood wanting to be honest about it with Ryan, yet..he doesn't out the dead guy but he does the cop/neighbor/friend.. (hide spoiler)]

[Nic]

I finally got to start! I'm at 22% and really don't know what to think yet!

[unchatnoir]

Mandy*reads obsessively* wrote: "I am also clicking on all spoilers. :)"

Me too :) Can't help it!!

[Mandy*reads obsessively*]

unchatnoir wrote: "Mandy*reads obsessively* wrote: "I am also clicking on all spoilers. :)"

Me too :) Can't help it!!"

You want to get me to read something, put it in a spoiler tag, surefire way to get me.

[Anke]

Mandy*reads obsessively* wrote: "Susan, I read that part and thought the EXACT same thing [spoilers removed]"

Regarding that, I think (view spoiler)[the real reason Jack's didn't tell it was, deep down he was embarrased. He thought it was his fault somehow, that he let himself being manipulated. (hide spoiler)] Sorry, can put it in words any better.

[Mandy*reads obsessively*]

I agree with that assessment Anke, now that I am past the part where Dave pulls his stunt.

[Ami]

I am also quite angry with Dave (view spoiler)[when he decided to tell Ryan about it. But yeah, Jack was too easy to tell Dave's secret too. Maybe he just went a bit 'too far' with the truth thing, because he wanted Ryan in his life.

What do you all think of Gabe? He was also a bit fussy. Though where he was coming from, he truly really care for Jack.

I loved Skippy though. He was fun. I know I sounded crazy, but I smiled so big when he got all excited and told Jack about the gruesome crime scene. (hide spoiler)]

[Nic]

Mandy*reads obsessively* wrote: "unchatnoir wrote: "Mandy*reads obsessively* wrote: "I am also clicking on all spoilers. :)"

Me too :) Can't help it!!"

You want to get me to read something, put it in a spoiler tag, surefire way..."
I'm avoiding them. I must have more self-control than I thought! :)

[Mandy*reads obsessively*]

Self control? crazy shit, that. Lol

[Anke]

I try to avoid them, am successful for a short period, then click it nevertheless and if there is stuff I didn't want to know - I'm angry with myself :))

[Mandy*reads obsessively*]

I think Dave and his behavior will be clearer in his book. Which better be next and soon, or I'm going to be grumpy, and a grumpy Mandy is not a good thing.

[Vio]

Restrain yourself Mandy, I have not been tempted once.

[Mandy*reads obsessively*]

Vio wrote: "Restrain yourself Mandy, I have not been tempted once."

Nope, no interest in restraint, I've clicked on every single one. :)))

[Vio]

Mandy*reads obsessively* wrote: "Vio wrote: "Restrain yourself Mandy, I have not been tempted once."

Nope, no interest in restraint, I've clicked on every single one. :)))"

Bad, bad, bad, nearly as bad as going to the end of a book and reading the last page.......

[Mandy*reads obsessively*]

:P that's ok Vio, you'll live. :)

I'm done now! yay. Finished it, thinking on a review and then deciding on my next story.

[Anke]

Mandy*reads obsessively* wrote: ":P that's ok Vio, you'll live. :)

I'm done now! yay. Finished it, thinking on a review and then deciding on my next story."

I already know - when done with Lost Won, my next story will be

[Mandy*reads obsessively*]

Oh that's right, I pre-ordered that one, haven't even downloaded yet, jeeze.
I think I'm going to read a short now and then move to that one.
I have to go out with my oldest for a few hours this afternoon, so don't want to start before I'm back from that. :)

[Anke]

Then we can buddy read that:) don't hurry, I'm still only 20% into the Lost Won book.

[Mandy*reads obsessively*]

Anke wrote: "Then we can buddy read that:) don't hurry, I'm still only 20% into the Lost Won book."

Great idea, we can email later.

[unchatnoir]

OK, I’m done.

I agree with Gigi that something was off. (view spoiler)[ The thing that draws you in a book and grips you tight until the end was missing. Let’s call it the lure. I liked some aspects of it and as a whole I think it was OK but ultimately unmemorable. This was a disappointment for me considering the author. Although this keeps happening to me more and more :(

I loved the fact that Jack liked Ryan for all the things he wasn’t like Nick. That was very appealing. Although why Ryan liked Jack is unclear.

Dave didn’t disturb me that much; I felt like I could maybe understand where he was coming from, what with the incident affecting him as well and maybe causing him to be ashamed of his sexuality. These guys are also best friends and sometimes friends can be real a pain in the butt. Someone said the fact that Dave wasn’t more jealous was disturbing. I agree and think that it is because they were first and foremost friends. Not a lot of passion there.

Ami, I loved Skippy too; he was the most interesting character after Ryan -and Tasha of course- (the others seemed a little blah to me TBQH). (hide spoiler)]

By the way, how cool was the idea of the first date playlist? Will implement it ASAP.

[Ami]

nearly as bad as going to the end of a book and reading the last page.

No it's not bad. IT'S FUN FUN FUN!!!

[Vio]

Ami wrote: "nearly as bad as going to the end of a book and reading the last page.

No it's not bad. IT'S FUN FUN FUN!!! "

Its a crime I tell you.

[Mandy*reads obsessively*]

Ami wrote: "nearly as bad as going to the end of a book and reading the last page.

No it's not bad. IT'S FUN FUN FUN!!! "

Ami, not everyone is as daring and adventurous as we are! ;)

[Vio]

Cheating..............

[Ami]

Oh, come on Vio, think of it this way. People go wild in The Amazing Race because they know the winner will get the prize. If I know what the prize at the end of the book, I will know whether the journey is worth it *hahahaha*

[Nic]

Ok, I finished! I have posted all my ramblings into my review if anyone is interested. It was actually a relatively quick book to read so I found I was just powering through instead of popping back to this thread to add my thoughts. I don't think I am very good at buddy reading. :(

[Mandy*reads obsessively*]

No Nic, you are a great buddy-reader. :)

[Ami]

I just posted my full review as well. And Nic, you're doing just fine. This thread is good for the rest of us who likes to ramble *lol*. But is a good buddy read event, no?

[Sun]

Gabe felt like a non-factor for me. I'm not at all intrigued by him. Not really by Dave either. If this is a series, unless the next book is still about Jack & Ryan, I don't know I'd read it.

I love the closeted cop storyline, but Dave is not interesting to me and actually is a borderline jerk in my mind. So, I'm not sure I want to invest in him or his book...we'll see...

I will, however, read more ZAM, I'm certain! :)

I'm reading Every Move He Makes right now and it's VERY different from this one. More detailed. More involved. It's good so far...

[Nic]

Thanks, I'll keep joining buddy reads. I'm good at the reading bit (both the books and the threads - I love to read what you all have to say!) and just need to improve my posting! :)