Tomfoolery

by Lou Harper

Ben Hammond is a nerdy computer programmer with a yen for anime, comic books, and the handsome stranger he keeps seeing at the coffee shop. As he's working up the nerve to ask the guy out, he has no idea that getting his man is only half the story.

Genres: M M Romance, Romance, Paranormal, Shapeshifters, Short Stories, Contemporary, Fantasy

29 pages, ebook

First published January 26, 2012

About the author

Under a prickly, cynical surface Lou Harper is an incorrigible romantic. Her love affair with the written word started at a tender age. There was never a time when stories weren't romping around in her head. She is currently embroiled in a ruinous romance with adjectives. In her free time Lou stalks deviant words and feral narratives.

Lou's favorite animal is the hedgehog. She likes nature, books, movies, photography, and good food. She has a temper and mood swings.

Lou has misspent most of her life in parts of Europe and the US, but is now firmly settled in Los Angeles and worships the sun. However, she thinks the ocean smells funny. Lou is a loner, a misfit, and a happy drunk.

Blog: http://louharper.blogspot.com

Book cove designs: http://lharper.deviantart.com/gallery

Reviews

[Vio · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars
A very entertaining and delightful romance! I loved it both Ben and Tom are absolutely adorable, but the standout is Rupert the big fat furball a true sweetheart with hidden depths. The clever dialogue had me cracking up with laughter and the one liners are unforgettably brilliant! Everything about this story clicked for me it was fantastic can't recommend it enough.

[Ami · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short (and FREE!!!) story is totally enjoyable. I just read Lou Harper's Hanging Loose and I think this author has a penchant for writing day-to-day /ordinary activities as engaging and well, not boring. From Ben working on his computer program, talking to Rupert -- his fat orange tabby cat, which is named after Rupert Grint --, to having conversation and arranging date with Tom, a cute guy he's been crushing over for a few weeks. It feels natural and like you read a story of a friend.

There's a paranormal element/twist to this story. Anything else I say will definitely ruin everything. Let's just say that it results in an adorable ending.

My favorite line ... please do not click before you read the story yourself, because this sentence will tell you the twist (that is why I put it behind spoiler tag); but I totally in love with it, so I need to put it down because I think it's witty and charming :)

SPOILER CONTENT!
It sucked hairy monkey balls that Ben couldn't talk this over with anyone. "I found my boyfriend is a pussy," was just not a prudent conversation starter, and easily misinterpreted

I swear, I giggle like crazy when I read this one. Can't imagine someone starting a conversation like that with me *laugh*. Poor, POOR Ben!

[ttg · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very fun (and often very funny) short story that has the extra bonus of being free to download.

I won’t spoil the story, but I really enjoyed the twists in this short about Ben, a nerdy and overworked programmer making mobile games (for a company that sounds very similar to Disney.) Ben starts to find some strange changes around his place--things being moved, milk cartons that seem lighter--but he can’t figure out what’s going on, and he starts to wonder if he’s going crazy. Then he runs into a hot guy at a café and works up the courage to ask him out. And things get stranger from there…

A funny and light read, and has the hallmarks of Harper’s easy dialogue style. I DID NOT SEE THAT TWIST COMING. I laughed out loud once things became clear. Recommended, especially if you’re looking for a quick, light read to end your day. (It's about 9,000 words.)

Also, totally dug the shout-out to the late Satoshi Kon's Paprika, a very imaginative film.

This story can be downloaded for free from Goodreads, Amazon, Smashwords, and ARe.

[Tailtiu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another case of don't judge a book by his cover.
It's sweet, funny, free! and I would love to read more about this guys Meow

[Deeze · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely purrrrfect lol.

This sweet simple story left me smiling and feeling all warm and fuzzy inside lol.

Thanks Vio for the rec. Your really getting to know my tastes lol.

[Smith Barney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was f'ing cute..and what a f'ing fertile-fabulous imagination. Surprisingly cohesively-entertaining for such a super short story.

All this little gem was missing was some additional feral adjectives of a sexual provocation..and it would have been a f'ing knockout.

[Mandy*reads obsessively* · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5-4*
Light, funny, fuzzy cute story.
When Ben an overworked computer programmer finally gets a date with Tom, a guy he's been lusting after he thinks things are working out well for him.
But he's in for a suprise!

[Serena Yates · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a fun story! Not quite sure what was going on at first, I read on because the way Ben talks about what happens to him is just so funny. He believes he’s going insane, but the way he thinks about everything and gives perfectly sane reasons for why he thinks he’s losing it is hilarious.

I can’t really say much more without spoiling the surprise. It’s an unusual paranormal story, and a very nice balance between humor and romance. If you’re looking for a fun read with some very sweet moments, and if you enjoy characters with a distinctive voice, give this free read a try. I really liked it.

[SheReadsALot · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my first story by this author. It was cute, PG-13 fun. It was free so I though why not? I was pleasantly surprised. It is a story about Ben, a nerdy guy who works, works, works with no time for love. This is where Tom, his secret crush steps in. The blurb is pretty accurate.If you're in need for a novella to read in between reading books, Tomfoolery is for you.

[Simsala · Rating 4 out of 5]

" [image error] ...have some tea!"

[Anke · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars
Such a cute read! Although - yes - the plot was rather obvious from the beginning, nevertheless it was fun to read. Especially Ben's humor was too funny. I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun and free short story. I enjoyed it.

[Tam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review can be found at Brief Encounters Reviews.

This is an absolutely delightful little read, and I’m not entirely sure how I can review it without giving away spoilers. I will try because the twists are truly what makes the story so fun. Part of this story for me was the appeal of Ben’s job. He works for a computer gaming company and is in a total frenzy trying to get a game ready to coincide with a movie release, however the powers-that-be have no clue how gaming works and are making everyone crazy and forcing over-time. I have to say since I’ve started working with gaming companies I find stories in this setting far more interesting than I would have a year ago.

Anyway, Ben is getting burned out, he hasn’t dated in forever, and it’s just him and the stray cat that adopted him. Lately the stress of work is doubly getting to him, as he’s starting to notice weird things at home. Things moved in the bathroom, suddenly less milk in the fridge, just little things, but with Ben’s OCD organized life, he’s pretty sure he’s going insane like his elderly uncle did. I was pulled into the story right away and Ben tries to cope with the rising panic that he is losing it, and yet rationalize how things could have gotten moved.

Besides being stressed and worried he’s going insane, he’s been eyeing a hot guy he’s seen at a local deli and finally they make a connection and end up on a date at a weird animated movie, but the guy isn’t scared off despite Ben’s affinity for all things nerd. Ben really likes Tom and it seems to be mutual, and things are going well despite the even more ramped up stress at Ben’s job. However Tom has a secret and when it’s revealed, Ben is sure Tom was just using him, especially when Tom lets slip that Ben is “not his type”. Ouch.

It doesn’t take too long before they work things out, and Ben lets Tom explain, but it’s just really an adorable little story that had me smiling and a few chuckles at time along with the suspense of what was happening in Ben’s apartment. So a perfect choice for a quick pick-you-up at lunch or between more angst-ridden reads. And it’s free, so you’d be foolish not to snap it up.

[Y. Correa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me start by saying… What a cute story! I really enjoyed it! From the get go the humor trapped me.

Ben, a self-proclaimed nerd who works as a code designer for a gaming company is all alone and submerged in work that never seems to end. His only companion is his cat. Rupert. Rupert is a fun, sweet, mega friendly fat orange cat. The best kind.

Day after day Ben goes on with his mundane life, working then going home to Rupert. But, something is amiss. Ben feels like he’s losing his mind. Whenever he’s home, due to his slight case of OCD he notices that things are moved, missing and just not where he’d left them.

Suspicious that someone must be getting into his home he sets up a camera in order to entrap the culprit. A camera that doesn’t last long, because Rupert makes it a point of fiddling with it.

Meanwhile, Ben keeps seeing a guy at his local lunch spot that has him frazzled: he’s handsome and mysterious. Ben is at a loss as to how to start up a conversation with him. To his surprise Tom (the cutie) approaches him.

Love is in the air, work seems not so bad, life isn’t as bad as it had originally seemed.

Tomfoolery is a very enjoyable read. One that certain to entertain and make you laugh.

I definitely rate this a 5 out of 5 stars!

[Vero · Rating 3 out of 5]

2 stars - plus one because it was free.
The beginning was kind of cute, but then it developed into a strange housecat-shifter-story, which didn't make any sense. Also it was so short the hinted characterization of both MCs remained very shallow. And I can't overcome this strange house-cat-shifter-thing.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3 - 3.5

Movies and anime mentioned were totally effin' awesome! I totally love Lou Harper for mentioning these pop culture references because they flesh out the characters better and make them more...contemporary. I would've loved it even more if the story's a bit longer so that the chara dynamics and the romance have been developed much better though.

[Teal · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun, lightweight -- dare I say "fluffy"? -- short story that doesn't take itself too seriously. If you enjoyed it and are in the mood for something similar, try Kelly Jensen's novella Best in Show.

[Hellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'll never be able to look at my cat the same way again.

[DC · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet and very predictable but entertaining nevertheless. This was an enjoyable short story that I could easily imagine rewritten as much longer novella to give the story the time needed to really develop Tom’s and Ben’s characters.

[Darlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable Book that left me smiling. A cute m/m romance and I loved the twist to the story. Well worth reading and it's free!

[Reggie · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a novella that could just as easily have been a short story. Several pages and a lot of time was spent on the main character, Ben's, horrid work conditions, but in the end both they, and his decision to leave the place, were irrelevant to the main romance and leading story arc. As someone whose family works in a similar position, I understand that all of the workplace details are accurate, but that doesn't mean that the details are relevant to the story at hand. And when writing a novella, every sentence has to add to the story, not detract with mindless meanderings about hellish workplaces and nicknames for mean bosses that are barely important enough to be considered a minor character.

At the same time there were references made to an anime that, had I not previously seen, might not have made as much sense/made me think worse of Ben than is accurate. A few simple sentences could have cleared that up, and made the novella more accessible to non-anime fans..

Ben is also rather judgemental towards his fellow nerds. He admits this, while insisting he's trying to hide his geekery. By taking someone out to Paprika, an art-house-y anime, on a first date? By making references to old animes? Yeah, no, your geek flag's flying pretty high, there, Ben. There's also some fatshaming, especially where he continually mocks his co-workers eating habits.

The author tried to lampshade the mocking of the co-worker by saying how cliche he would be if he weren't real. But that only works if we see the character, if we're actually given more than a cliche. Otherwise, you're just pointing out your own ineptitude.

And in the end, that might be the biggest problem of all. The author does a lot of telling (particularly abons but how each workday is going), and yet very little showing. We're not allowed to feel emotional connections to the main characters or their situations because we're just told how and what happened and rarely get to feel things for ourselves. It all seems very cardboard and remote.

The story seems like it took a bunch of e-mails between friends (complete with a grown, gay, adult nerd using the word "gawd" in a sentence) about an irritating workplace and project, threw in some stock characters and a touch of the supernatural, and hoped it worked.

And don't even get me started on how confusing the supernatural elements were. They seemed like a plot hole the size of Texas. In the end, I'm glad this was a free novella, because if it were much longer it would have definitely hit my DNF pile.

[Queen Spades · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extended review can be found on The Review Board.

Ben Hammond is a man who is used to having things in order. It throws him off that certain items have been moved around and normally clean clothes are in the hamper. Is he being haunted by a ghost? It does seem to start out that way.

Tomfoolery has plenty of different scenes that trigger a variety of emotions. I found myself relating to Ben’s situation at the workplace. The head management isn't listening to the hands-on people, and as a result, things are falling behind. Yet, sometimes, it’s the simple things that provide relaxation. Ben’s relaxation from his stress comes in the form of a cat named Rupert.

In addition, Ben has another dilemma: how to approach this person that he has a crush on. Eventually, he gets in a situation where he can talk to the guy (named Tom), and they hit it off rather well. I will not give away too much, only that the world is much smaller than it seems.

Tomfoolery is a combination of comedy, romance, and paranormal activity. The pacing of it was very steady and kept me turning the pages. Spelling and grammar errors were slight to nonexistent. Although predictable, a very enjoyable read!

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice little short, if occasionally a bit out of nowhere. Wish there was some more info from Tom on the whole six months before they meet, but good for what it is.

[Lasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this time of economic woes in the U.S., it is always nice to find something for free. However, as some of you might know, free reads aren’t always the best quality writing and editing-wise; but I am happy to say that Tomfoolery bucks that stereotype. With a quirky protagonist, a cute cat, and a sexy love interest, this short story was a delight.

Ben designs gaming software for a rather large company (think Disney) and between work and the stray cat, Rupert he feeds, he doesn’t seem to have time for a love life. Enter the sexy, smart and mysterious Tom…and it seems Ben’s luck has changed. As the two grow closer, will Tom’s secrets will be revealed, and when Ben finds them out will he still want Tom?

While the twist in the plot may have been obvious to this reader — no, I am not spoiling it — I still couldn’t help but enjoy this book as shy, nerdy, workaholic Ben finds love. Filled with funny dialogue, sweet characters (including the cat) and an extra special plot point, I was entranced from beginning to end.

It’s rare to find a gem in the free reads section of Amazon, but Tomfoolery is just that. At 26 pages, with great writing, editing and a cool cover by the author, I highly recommend you grab this one!

Reviews by Jessewave

[Furio · Rating 4 out of 5]

While those reviewers pointing out that:
-the first part is perhaps a little overlong with many details that find no use in the story's development;
-Ms Harper's writing could use some polishing;
may be right, I still find this little M/M supernatural romance delightful.

The plot is simple and unoriginal but the author has a happy lightness of touch that more than makes up for the faults and adds considerable charm to it.
I Ben were Italian I would probably deem his considering himself an uncool nerdy loser overdone but he is from the US and everybody knows how the average Usonian likes to box things and people into not so nice little boxes and later judge them according to the box where they have been placed.

There are no sex scenes but the sexual chemistry between the leads is crystal clear.

[Shelby P · Rating 3 out of 5]

I should have stayed away from the reviews because I got a glimpse of someone's shelf that listed this as paranormal. I wonder how I'd have reacted if I hadn't known about the paranormal element. Hmmmm? Anyway, I decided to read this since I recently read Hanging Loose and really enjoyed it.

I liked this short. There were a few corny lines that were actually funny. "Who am I going to tell? That my boyfriend's a pussy?" Or something to that effect. What more can you ask for?

[Mel Auslan Osborne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story introduces us to Ben a computer programmer and self-proclaimed nerd......... he comes home one day to find a fat orange tabby in his house which he names Rupert (after Rupert Grint) he notices weird things happening in his house and thinks he's going crazy..... he sees a cute man at the coffee shop near his work, he can never seem to pluck up the courage to talk to him until one day when they bump into each other..... and the story goes.....

a well written book (I give 3 1/2 stars) a comfortable read (amazing for a free-read)

I highly recommend this book.......

ENJOY :D

[Jon O · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not really a fan of shape-shifter story, but this one short story does not really mess the fun of reading a gay romance. I like the style of writing but I also wonder if the author is capable of holding readers' attention if the challenge is there to produce a long version. There needs to be some kind of excitement to pull it off. This is more of a guy-meets-guy scenario, without much thrown in to bend the story a bit, other than the shape-shifter stuff.

[Elaine White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent helping from Lou Harper.

I will admit that I knew what the big reveal was going to be, but that didn't dim the story any for me, at all. It was fun, light and sexy as always. I loved the story and the characters.

Lou Harper has a gift of taking you right into a character's brain and making you love them in less time than it takes to say 'Tomfoolery'. Another new favourite of mine.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute short paranormal m/m romance about a computer programmer who thinks he's going crazy because his stuff isn't in exactly the same place when he gets home from work as when he left in the morning...