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Handle with Care
The best things in life aren’t free…they’re freely given.
Ben Lethbridge doesn’t have many vices left. After raising his little sister to adulthood, he wasted no time making up for the youth he lost to responsible parenting. Two years of partying it up—and ignoring his diabetes—has left him tethered to a home dialysis regimen.
He can do his job from his flat, fortunately, but most of his favourite things are forbidden. Except for DVD porn…and fantasizing over Ollie, the gorgeous, purple-haired skateboarder who delivers it.
Their banter is the highlight of Ben’s lonely day, but his illness-ravaged body is the cruel reality that prevents him from believing they’ll do anything more than flirt. Not to mention the age gap. Still, Ben figures there’s no harm in sprucing himself up a bit.
Then one day, a package accidentally splits open, revealing Ben’s dirty little secret…and an unexpected connection that leaves him wondering if he’s been reading Ollie wrong all this time. There’s only one way to find out: risk showing Ollie every last scar. And hope “far from perfect” is good enough for a chance at love.
Warning: Contains superhero porn comics and a cute, accident-prone delivery guy with colour-changing hair. Readers may experience coffee cravings, an unexpected liking for bad mullets, and the urge to wrap Ollie up and take him home
Ben Lethbridge doesn’t have many vices left. After raising his little sister to adulthood, he wasted no time making up for the youth he lost to responsible parenting. Two years of partying it up—and ignoring his diabetes—has left him tethered to a home dialysis regimen.
He can do his job from his flat, fortunately, but most of his favourite things are forbidden. Except for DVD porn…and fantasizing over Ollie, the gorgeous, purple-haired skateboarder who delivers it.
Their banter is the highlight of Ben’s lonely day, but his illness-ravaged body is the cruel reality that prevents him from believing they’ll do anything more than flirt. Not to mention the age gap. Still, Ben figures there’s no harm in sprucing himself up a bit.
Then one day, a package accidentally splits open, revealing Ben’s dirty little secret…and an unexpected connection that leaves him wondering if he’s been reading Ollie wrong all this time. There’s only one way to find out: risk showing Ollie every last scar. And hope “far from perfect” is good enough for a chance at love.
Warning: Contains superhero porn comics and a cute, accident-prone delivery guy with colour-changing hair. Readers may experience coffee cravings, an unexpected liking for bad mullets, and the urge to wrap Ollie up and take him home
149 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 24, 2012
33 people are currently reading
1388 people want to read
About the author
Josephine Myles
66 books651 followersEnglish through and through, Josephine Myles is addicted to tea and busy cultivating a reputation for eccentricity. She writes gay erotica and romance, but finds the erotica keeps cuddling up to the romance, and the romance keeps corrupting the erotica. She blames her rebellious muse but he never listens to her anyway, no matter how much she threatens him with a big stick. She's beginning to suspect he enjoys it.
***
Note to readers: I don't read reviews of my stories on here anymore, as I think they're geared for other readers, not the writers (plus I'm chicken and would rather stick my fingers in my ears going "la-la-la"). If you'd like to let me know what you thought about any of my stories, please PM me or send me an email. I'd be very happy to hear from you :)
***
Note to readers: I don't read reviews of my stories on here anymore, as I think they're geared for other readers, not the writers (plus I'm chicken and would rather stick my fingers in my ears going "la-la-la"). If you'd like to let me know what you thought about any of my stories, please PM me or send me an email. I'd be very happy to hear from you :)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 274 reviews
January 16, 2025
I loved the writing, because this is Jo Myles, and her stories always work for me.
I liked that one of the MCs, Ben, isn't perfect; indeed, he's bloated, unhappy, and quite ill.
When we first meet Ben he's on dialysis for his failing kidneys and on an organ transplant waiting list. He fills his time by working from home (he's a software developer), watching gay porn, and oggling his delivery guy, Ollie.
Ollie is 20 to Ben's 33; he skates (not terribly well, but he tries) and dyes his hair crazy colors. Ollie is a breath of fresh air. I fell in love with him a little.
Ben isn't a very likable MC. He is so insecure about his looks, he pushes Ollie away time and time again. He also isn't particularly understanding of the choices Ollie made in the past.
I wanted to smack Ben a few times, but I forgave him because his road hadn't been easy either: being a parent to his little sister, dealing with type 1 diabetes, rebelling against his illness (this is not unusual among type 1 diabetics), and then pushing his kidneys to the point of failure.
Ben struggles with feeling desirable, but he's certainly a giver and Ollie's cock the willing recipient.
The final sexy scene is lovely, and I was so glad to see a HEA for these guys. Ben drags his feet enough, but in the end, I thought he and Ollie were well matched.
Kudos to Jo for tackling a serious medical issue in this book. In the end, Ben wasn't the only one who needed to be handled with care.
I liked that one of the MCs, Ben, isn't perfect; indeed, he's bloated, unhappy, and quite ill.
When we first meet Ben he's on dialysis for his failing kidneys and on an organ transplant waiting list. He fills his time by working from home (he's a software developer), watching gay porn, and oggling his delivery guy, Ollie.
Ollie is 20 to Ben's 33; he skates (not terribly well, but he tries) and dyes his hair crazy colors. Ollie is a breath of fresh air. I fell in love with him a little.
Ben isn't a very likable MC. He is so insecure about his looks, he pushes Ollie away time and time again. He also isn't particularly understanding of the choices Ollie made in the past.
I wanted to smack Ben a few times, but I forgave him because his road hadn't been easy either: being a parent to his little sister, dealing with type 1 diabetes, rebelling against his illness (this is not unusual among type 1 diabetics), and then pushing his kidneys to the point of failure.
Ben struggles with feeling desirable, but he's certainly a giver and Ollie's cock the willing recipient.
The final sexy scene is lovely, and I was so glad to see a HEA for these guys. Ben drags his feet enough, but in the end, I thought he and Ollie were well matched.
Kudos to Jo for tackling a serious medical issue in this book. In the end, Ben wasn't the only one who needed to be handled with care.
January 15, 2021
3.5 Stars
Really, all the points go to Ollie here.
This was quite the sweet, ultra hurt comfort romance where Ben, sick and depressed, doesn’t dare to hope for fun or love. He’s stuck in his house due to his kidney failure treatments, but that doesn’t stop him from fantasizing about the only bright light in his life - delivery boy Ollie.
Ollie in turn, may be young and he may have a painful past, but he is the most optimistic bright light where though he can be hurt, he doesn’t let anything get him down for long. I truly enjoyed every scene Ollie was in - a great endearing character whose strength shines through his touching vulnerability.
Though Ben struggles with his various hang ups as he heals, these two really click and connect despite their age difference and polar opposite personalities.
Again, an enjoyable romance with plenty of smexy that I’m happy I could finally mark off my list!
Really, all the points go to Ollie here.
This was quite the sweet, ultra hurt comfort romance where Ben, sick and depressed, doesn’t dare to hope for fun or love. He’s stuck in his house due to his kidney failure treatments, but that doesn’t stop him from fantasizing about the only bright light in his life - delivery boy Ollie.
Ollie in turn, may be young and he may have a painful past, but he is the most optimistic bright light where though he can be hurt, he doesn’t let anything get him down for long. I truly enjoyed every scene Ollie was in - a great endearing character whose strength shines through his touching vulnerability.
Though Ben struggles with his various hang ups as he heals, these two really click and connect despite their age difference and polar opposite personalities.
Again, an enjoyable romance with plenty of smexy that I’m happy I could finally mark off my list!
January 13, 2021
3.5 Stars
This story tells the simple yet heart-warming tale of how polar opposites, Ben and Ollie, find a pure and worthwhile love together, despite their many differences and perceived personal shortcomings.
Ben, being stuck at home due to his ailing health, finds himself hopelessly crushing on delivery boy Ollie—the purple-haired, bright spark of a man who brings Ben his daily DVD deliveries. Insecure and just generally down on himself as he battles kidney failure, Ben never expects younger Ollie to take a mutual interest in him. Yet, mutual their feelings are, as Ollie positively and supportively immerses himself in Ben’s life, acting as friend, caregiver and doting boyfriend right when Ben wants and needs it most.
There is a lot of push-and-pull between these two, spurred on by Ben’s myriad of insecurities and fears, and the fact that Ollie has demons shadowing his own past. But mostly their issues were understandable, and their love, as it grew and took deeper root, was a hopeful and healing force for them both.
Featuring an age-gap romance and some seriously tasty hurt-comfort themes, Handle with Care is a very sweet, very British M/M novella that will leave you feeling happy and hopeful about life and love.
This story tells the simple yet heart-warming tale of how polar opposites, Ben and Ollie, find a pure and worthwhile love together, despite their many differences and perceived personal shortcomings.
Ben, being stuck at home due to his ailing health, finds himself hopelessly crushing on delivery boy Ollie—the purple-haired, bright spark of a man who brings Ben his daily DVD deliveries. Insecure and just generally down on himself as he battles kidney failure, Ben never expects younger Ollie to take a mutual interest in him. Yet, mutual their feelings are, as Ollie positively and supportively immerses himself in Ben’s life, acting as friend, caregiver and doting boyfriend right when Ben wants and needs it most.
There is a lot of push-and-pull between these two, spurred on by Ben’s myriad of insecurities and fears, and the fact that Ollie has demons shadowing his own past. But mostly their issues were understandable, and their love, as it grew and took deeper root, was a hopeful and healing force for them both.
Featuring an age-gap romance and some seriously tasty hurt-comfort themes, Handle with Care is a very sweet, very British M/M novella that will leave you feeling happy and hopeful about life and love.
September 2, 2013
3.5 Stars
Nice and easy.
The quirky induces a smiley face.
Very enjoyable British humour.
Perfect post horror book.
A sister who ruffled my happy. Grr...
A unique manga-styled hero. Adorable.
A big hairy vulnerable bear of a man. Meh.
A few niggles but overall it was ... nice :)
I'd read more by Ms Myles, I like her style. Recommendations welcome.
Nice and easy.
The quirky induces a smiley face.
Very enjoyable British humour.
Perfect post horror book.
A sister who ruffled my happy. Grr...
A unique manga-styled hero. Adorable.
A big hairy vulnerable bear of a man. Meh.
A few niggles but overall it was ... nice :)
I'd read more by Ms Myles, I like her style. Recommendations welcome.
April 26, 2012
Bought this on pre-order and squealed when I saw it appear on my kindle last night. Myles has become an auto-buy and she didn't disappoint. My only complaint is that I read too fast and the books should be longer so it takes longer. Either that or she like many people need to write faster!
Book is uber cute and thought provoking. Kidney transplant hero? Skate punk twink boyfriend? Why yes, it was lovely, thank you, I'll have another.
***Edited after I read other comments/reviews***
So, I know I don't always rate everything and I gave this one really high. Why? Well, because I felt like it. I don't know. I read because I want to escape and be happy and this one did it for me and had me all fuzzy at the end. Plus I really dig that I can trust Myles and just let go and stop being a writer and just enjoy, which is huge for me.
But mostly because I felt like it. So if you read it and think, "Why did Cullinan give it five stars?!" that's your business. She did because she felt like it and 'cause she could.
Probably though it was the British spelling. I'm such a sucker.
Book is uber cute and thought provoking. Kidney transplant hero? Skate punk twink boyfriend? Why yes, it was lovely, thank you, I'll have another.
***Edited after I read other comments/reviews***
So, I know I don't always rate everything and I gave this one really high. Why? Well, because I felt like it. I don't know. I read because I want to escape and be happy and this one did it for me and had me all fuzzy at the end. Plus I really dig that I can trust Myles and just let go and stop being a writer and just enjoy, which is huge for me.
But mostly because I felt like it. So if you read it and think, "Why did Cullinan give it five stars?!" that's your business. She did because she felt like it and 'cause she could.
Probably though it was the British spelling. I'm such a sucker.
April 29, 2012
While Handle with Care had a promising little romance at its core, it had an unfinished feeling. Novella-length stories can work well without feeling incomplete, but this one definitely lacked something. It needed more plot, more conflict, and more character development. I felt like I was reading an early draft of a novel instead of a finished work.
There was very little conflict in this novel, except for a few contrived misunderstandings between the main characters that always seemed to be glossed over instead of resolved. None of the characters acted consistently, so I never got a good feel for their personalities. There were also a few characters introduced who then disappeared again without adding much to the story. Some events which occurred were never fully explained, and sometimes it felt like whole conversations had been skipped over.
There was very little conflict in this novel, except for a few contrived misunderstandings between the main characters that always seemed to be glossed over instead of resolved. None of the characters acted consistently, so I never got a good feel for their personalities. There were also a few characters introduced who then disappeared again without adding much to the story. Some events which occurred were never fully explained, and sometimes it felt like whole conversations had been skipped over.
May 2, 2012
3.5 stars
An okay read which could have been pretty special but didn't deliver IMO, the relationship didn't grab me like I thought it would something was missing there. Ben and Ollie were poles apart and complete opposites I never feel that deep connection or spark between them. Also the sudden fix in terms of Ben's kidney transplant which was resolved too quickly for me. As for Ben's sister she grated on my nerves and the less I saw of her the better. All up the storyline was promising and the MC's were likable, I would have preferred a bit more oomph that's all.
An okay read which could have been pretty special but didn't deliver IMO, the relationship didn't grab me like I thought it would something was missing there. Ben and Ollie were poles apart and complete opposites I never feel that deep connection or spark between them. Also the sudden fix in terms of Ben's kidney transplant which was resolved too quickly for me. As for Ben's sister she grated on my nerves and the less I saw of her the better. All up the storyline was promising and the MC's were likable, I would have preferred a bit more oomph that's all.
August 4, 2013
That's a 3.5, but somehow I can't bring myself to err towards the 4*.
I liked the concept of the story very much: older bear and young sprightly twink with depth manage to overcome physical and mental problems with becoming a pair. I also really adore Josephine Myles' writing style, though you can see that she has made lots of progress during the past years.
What I liked:
Ollie, all the way and back. He was rather adorable in his optimism, prickliness, fears and daring.
The sex was hot and not too much. It also mostly made sense plotwise.
Someone finally liking a bear with lots of hair in a female-written M/M. That's 1 whole star on its own!
But now my niggles:
I disliked Zoe. I wouldn't behave like this to any of my family and I never grasped the sense behind this paradigm that family members must be envious or jealous of someone's lovers. Personally I couldn't care less who my family is with. It's their own life.
I hate-hate-hate this very common stereotype of the "good cripple". By which I mean that everyone as a rule writes people who are sick or have a disability (especially when acquired after childhood) rejecting compassion of others, behaving idiotically and worsening their condition by "doing it themselves" and hiding emotions of resentment and loss, and suppressing any anger. The result is what not just I call "the good cripple"--a disabled/sick person who self-effaces, strives to "man up and get on with living". This is extremely prevalent in the anglo-saxon culture, it effaces and negates the perfectly acceptable sorrow and suffering of the person incapacitated and rejects almost all of their emotions.
This kind of peer pressure, usually coming from outside until it gets internalised by the disabled themselves, has but one goal: to make things easier for everyone else, including society which this way manages to evade engaging actively in welfare. This very stance has caused amputees to be hidden away in mental asylums after the Great War, and to the day forces people to erect a mask behind which they have to hide their real selves. It creates a system of self-loathing and self-repression which is anything but healthy. But practically everyone nods and buys into it. Sorry, I hate this and an author who writes about disability should be at least conscious of what is taking place there. Here they clearly were not.
While I can understand people having hang-ups about things I don't have any about, I tend to get very prickly about anything presented in a "everyone should"-manner. Unless the relevant character ends up questioning such things within the story, this is another red hanky for me. Stating that Ben can't hand over porn to his sister because he considers it less than proper is one thing. Stating it as if everyone should think so, that is a form of propaganda and censoring readers. I have shared porn, printed, filmed and written, with all my siblings. On occasion I discussed and still discuss written and other erotica with my parents, and I don't think this is improper at all. So it really brushes me against the grain to be told I should behave differently.
Then, there was a bit too much to-do about the age-difference. Ollie was adult after all, and why shouldn't a 20 y/o be with a 33 y/o. It's not as if Ben was walking with a cane and decrepit. Ben in consequence wasn't someone I could easily root for.
Lastly, the story feels abridged, too short. There were unresolved plotpoints and it would probably have done well with a chapter more.
Still, I much enjoyed this compared to the last couple of books I read, so I will give this a firm "like this" rating.
I liked the concept of the story very much: older bear and young sprightly twink with depth manage to overcome physical and mental problems with becoming a pair. I also really adore Josephine Myles' writing style, though you can see that she has made lots of progress during the past years.
What I liked:
Ollie, all the way and back. He was rather adorable in his optimism, prickliness, fears and daring.
The sex was hot and not too much. It also mostly made sense plotwise.
Someone finally liking a bear with lots of hair in a female-written M/M. That's 1 whole star on its own!
But now my niggles:
I disliked Zoe. I wouldn't behave like this to any of my family and I never grasped the sense behind this paradigm that family members must be envious or jealous of someone's lovers. Personally I couldn't care less who my family is with. It's their own life.
I hate-hate-hate this very common stereotype of the "good cripple". By which I mean that everyone as a rule writes people who are sick or have a disability (especially when acquired after childhood) rejecting compassion of others, behaving idiotically and worsening their condition by "doing it themselves" and hiding emotions of resentment and loss, and suppressing any anger. The result is what not just I call "the good cripple"--a disabled/sick person who self-effaces, strives to "man up and get on with living". This is extremely prevalent in the anglo-saxon culture, it effaces and negates the perfectly acceptable sorrow and suffering of the person incapacitated and rejects almost all of their emotions.
This kind of peer pressure, usually coming from outside until it gets internalised by the disabled themselves, has but one goal: to make things easier for everyone else, including society which this way manages to evade engaging actively in welfare. This very stance has caused amputees to be hidden away in mental asylums after the Great War, and to the day forces people to erect a mask behind which they have to hide their real selves. It creates a system of self-loathing and self-repression which is anything but healthy. But practically everyone nods and buys into it. Sorry, I hate this and an author who writes about disability should be at least conscious of what is taking place there. Here they clearly were not.
While I can understand people having hang-ups about things I don't have any about, I tend to get very prickly about anything presented in a "everyone should"-manner. Unless the relevant character ends up questioning such things within the story, this is another red hanky for me. Stating that Ben can't hand over porn to his sister because he considers it less than proper is one thing. Stating it as if everyone should think so, that is a form of propaganda and censoring readers. I have shared porn, printed, filmed and written, with all my siblings. On occasion I discussed and still discuss written and other erotica with my parents, and I don't think this is improper at all. So it really brushes me against the grain to be told I should behave differently.
Then, there was a bit too much to-do about the age-difference. Ollie was adult after all, and why shouldn't a 20 y/o be with a 33 y/o. It's not as if Ben was walking with a cane and decrepit. Ben in consequence wasn't someone I could easily root for.
Lastly, the story feels abridged, too short. There were unresolved plotpoints and it would probably have done well with a chapter more.
Still, I much enjoyed this compared to the last couple of books I read, so I will give this a firm "like this" rating.
April 19, 2015
BR with Dani, who will someday eat the best galaktoboureko ever. The real thing;)
3.75 stars
Ben.He is 33 years old but lives the life of a much older person. He is diabetic but ignoring his illness for too long has led him to kidney failure. Now he is a recluse, the disease is taking a toll on his body, he is on home dialysis while waiting for an organ transplant. His only pleasure these days is watching porn. This and crushing on the delivery guy, Ollie.
Ollie. I loved him so hard. 20 years old, adorable, with his purple hair (initially) and a manga-style face, he 's Ben's polar opposite. Trusting, hard working and ambitious. He sees past the scars and past Ben's illness.
Ok, I have to admit at this point that at first I was a little weirded out. Ollie not only seemes to be fine with Ben's tube (the one sticking out of his belly and is used for the dialysis) but he seems to get off on it. Seriously, he gets hard looking at it! Dani said it might be medical kink. Who knows...whatever floats your boat. But it did weird me out.
One might get angry at Ben. He partied too hard and ignored his diabetis to the point of no return. BUT before you go all judgemental (which I did at first), know that he raised his little sister to adulthood all alone while taking care of himself and fighting an illness . And while he acted like an asshole to Ollie several times, I still think it is understandable. He has been through hell and back.
I would really like to have Ollie's POV. It's not that I didn't feel the connection between the guys, but the age gap (which I love in stories and in RL) in addition to the lack of Ollie's POV, didn't let me fully connect to his character or his feelings for Ben.
Zoe, Ben's sister is a great supporting character at first. Later though, her false and unfair assumptions about Ollie and the whole "you have him, you don't need me anymore" attitude pissed me off. She makes things right in the end, but I didn't care much for her by then.
So against all odds, Ben and Ollie make it work. They fight, they make love, they push through the difficulties. They chased away each other's insecurities and
together they faced Ben's illness. Their HEA was a hard earned one and I loved it. Recommended!
3.75 stars
Ben.He is 33 years old but lives the life of a much older person. He is diabetic but ignoring his illness for too long has led him to kidney failure. Now he is a recluse, the disease is taking a toll on his body, he is on home dialysis while waiting for an organ transplant. His only pleasure these days is watching porn. This and crushing on the delivery guy, Ollie.
Ollie. I loved him so hard. 20 years old, adorable, with his purple hair (initially) and a manga-style face, he 's Ben's polar opposite. Trusting, hard working and ambitious. He sees past the scars and past Ben's illness.
Ok, I have to admit at this point that at first I was a little weirded out. Ollie not only seemes to be fine with Ben's tube (the one sticking out of his belly and is used for the dialysis) but he seems to get off on it. Seriously, he gets hard looking at it! Dani said it might be medical kink. Who knows...whatever floats your boat. But it did weird me out.
One might get angry at Ben. He partied too hard and ignored his diabetis to the point of no return. BUT before you go all judgemental (which I did at first), know that he raised his little sister to adulthood all alone while taking care of himself and fighting an illness . And while he acted like an asshole to Ollie several times, I still think it is understandable. He has been through hell and back.
I would really like to have Ollie's POV. It's not that I didn't feel the connection between the guys, but the age gap (which I love in stories and in RL) in addition to the lack of Ollie's POV, didn't let me fully connect to his character or his feelings for Ben.
Zoe, Ben's sister is a great supporting character at first. Later though, her false and unfair assumptions about Ollie and the whole "you have him, you don't need me anymore" attitude pissed me off. She makes things right in the end, but I didn't care much for her by then.
So against all odds, Ben and Ollie make it work. They fight, they make love, they push through the difficulties. They chased away each other's insecurities and
together they faced Ben's illness. Their HEA was a hard earned one and I loved it. Recommended!
May 1, 2012
In the hands of some other writers, this book would have been an angst porn. If not an angst orgy. The very symbolic title, referring to Ollie's occupation as well as their relationship and respective heart, tells us all.
Thankfully, Jo Myles didn't take that route. The result is a beautifully written book that gives us hope without indulging to O-Woe-Me behavior.
Yes, they have misunderstandings and fights (which realistic couples don't?) but they don't become plot device to create unnecessary angst. When those happen, the MCs don't engage in self-destructive behaviors such as sleeping with other man (although the opportunity is there). Instead, just like in many real-life relationships, the MCs need a Me-time alone, but they are not dragged.
I liked that their relationship is contrasted with the previous relationship that Ollie had. There's a hint of submission, but more emotionally than physically.
Thankfully, Jo Myles didn't take that route. The result is a beautifully written book that gives us hope without indulging to O-Woe-Me behavior.
Yes, they have misunderstandings and fights (which realistic couples don't?) but they don't become plot device to create unnecessary angst. When those happen, the MCs don't engage in self-destructive behaviors such as sleeping with other man (although the opportunity is there). Instead, just like in many real-life relationships, the MCs need a Me-time alone, but they are not dragged.
I liked that their relationship is contrasted with the previous relationship that Ollie had. There's a hint of submission, but more emotionally than physically.
June 4, 2012
4.5
If you know me, you know I love pretty men and beautiful boys. I like them a lot! I also love people, all types of people and I’ve been told by many a friends that I love a lot. So when I read M/M romance, I love all pretty men and the beautiful cocks and all that, but sometimes I just wanna read about love. I read it in Handle With Care, love in it’s purest form that just makes you want to smile and say thanks for writing this.
Ben is ill, and not the flu type of ill but the serious my body needs help to function ill. After taking on the responsibility of raising his younger sister in his teen years, when he was finally able to party on down he went a little crazy. Ben has always known he’s diabetic but that’s didn’t matter when he was getting high, getting drunk, and fucking anything that moved. Well his hard lifestyle caught up to him, with kidney failure and now having to live his life on dialysis. He’s living a half of a life, finding his kicks in porn and the sexy young guy who delivers them. Ben knows nothing can come from lusting after his delivery boy, he’s a broken man with a broken body and what hot young thing would want him?
Ollie the delivery guy is flirting the crap out of Ben, but he doesn’t seem to be getting it or he just can’t believe it. What would this beautiful young man want with a middle-aged sick guy? It’s a series of hot and cold, vicissitudes, and trying to build a relationship in the middle of chaos and crisis.
I really liked Ben he touched me. He felt so real with dealing with his illness and even the events that led up to him becoming being ill just felt like ‘Yeh, that could happen’. He was kind of on the outside looking in, seeing all the bad, and the tubes. With Ollie, he went on the inside and started looking out and up, and realized he has so much to offer.
Ollie was super sweet and fun and just brought the happy. Love his ever-changing hair, and how he loves unconditionally. I am not really a fan of his attitude most of the time, how he is quick to anger and jumps to conclusions. I am also somewhat irked that he was bothered by Ben being hit on by his ex =__= was he jealous for Ben or was he jealous of Ben? That’s still kind of playing in my mind, it bothers me but I still love him.
Overall, I really loved this book! I appreciated that Ben illness wasn’t just glossed over, it was apart of the story and not in a ‘cry me a river’ sort of way, but a real honest portrayal of a man with an illness and how it affects his relationship with the people that matter to him. It’s a real character driven story, and all the supporting characters are excellent and provide such a wonderful foundation for our main characters to shine. Awesmazing book from the author once again.
SideNote- I am irked by Ollie’s past boyfriend making a sleazy appearance. IRKED!!! Also, love the cover could look at it all day.
If you know me, you know I love pretty men and beautiful boys. I like them a lot! I also love people, all types of people and I’ve been told by many a friends that I love a lot. So when I read M/M romance, I love all pretty men and the beautiful cocks and all that, but sometimes I just wanna read about love. I read it in Handle With Care, love in it’s purest form that just makes you want to smile and say thanks for writing this.
Ben is ill, and not the flu type of ill but the serious my body needs help to function ill. After taking on the responsibility of raising his younger sister in his teen years, when he was finally able to party on down he went a little crazy. Ben has always known he’s diabetic but that’s didn’t matter when he was getting high, getting drunk, and fucking anything that moved. Well his hard lifestyle caught up to him, with kidney failure and now having to live his life on dialysis. He’s living a half of a life, finding his kicks in porn and the sexy young guy who delivers them. Ben knows nothing can come from lusting after his delivery boy, he’s a broken man with a broken body and what hot young thing would want him?
Ollie the delivery guy is flirting the crap out of Ben, but he doesn’t seem to be getting it or he just can’t believe it. What would this beautiful young man want with a middle-aged sick guy? It’s a series of hot and cold, vicissitudes, and trying to build a relationship in the middle of chaos and crisis.
I really liked Ben he touched me. He felt so real with dealing with his illness and even the events that led up to him becoming being ill just felt like ‘Yeh, that could happen’. He was kind of on the outside looking in, seeing all the bad, and the tubes. With Ollie, he went on the inside and started looking out and up, and realized he has so much to offer.
Ollie was super sweet and fun and just brought the happy. Love his ever-changing hair, and how he loves unconditionally. I am not really a fan of his attitude most of the time, how he is quick to anger and jumps to conclusions. I am also somewhat irked that he was bothered by Ben being hit on by his ex =__= was he jealous for Ben or was he jealous of Ben? That’s still kind of playing in my mind, it bothers me but I still love him.
Overall, I really loved this book! I appreciated that Ben illness wasn’t just glossed over, it was apart of the story and not in a ‘cry me a river’ sort of way, but a real honest portrayal of a man with an illness and how it affects his relationship with the people that matter to him. It’s a real character driven story, and all the supporting characters are excellent and provide such a wonderful foundation for our main characters to shine. Awesmazing book from the author once again.
SideNote- I am irked by Ollie’s past boyfriend making a sleazy appearance. IRKED!!! Also, love the cover could look at it all day.
May 6, 2012
3.5-4*
When I first started this book, I thought I knew what was coming, but I was wrong! :)
It was a nice, enjoyable read and far more upbeat than I thought it would be! :)
When I first started this book, I thought I knew what was coming, but I was wrong! :)
It was a nice, enjoyable read and far more upbeat than I thought it would be! :)
April 11, 2015
So this book was delightful. I'll take sweet, lovely gay romances over That Book that Shall Not Be Named or AKA Book Voldermort any day. The men in this book made an effort to communicate with each other. It was a nice, sweet, simple story about a skater boy and an older man with bad health who fall in love with each other. There's some slight emotional baggage, but some very hot scenes between these men so it's worth reading if you like M on M.
August 16, 2012
In Handle with Care, the author takes an interesting step into an area not typically covered in m/m romance. Illness is generally avoided in this genre, and if it is addressed, it is usually off page. Here, the author tackles this story head-on, making it central to the story line. For that, I applaud the author. And although my knowledge in this area is limited, the author appeared knowledgeable and with but a few minor quibbles, did a great job of projecting the medical reality without dragging the story down.
That being said, the romance in this story was a gentle glow, rather than a red-hot fire. Which is good, if that's what you like. While there isn't insta-love, the relationship sometimes progresses in a similar fashion. Still, the characters are likeable, believable, and its generally fun to join in in a brief glimpse of their life. Additionally, unlike many books in this genre. The author doesn't shy away from tackling real-ish relationship challenges head on. Overall, it's a good book, but not earth-shattering.
Disclaimer: Having been exposed to a situation similar to the MC's (third-hand), I may just find it hard to buy into the story because of how easy and drama-free the medical situation is. While Myles does touch on various aspects, it doesn't feel anywhere near real without a crazy roller-coaster of emotions. I understand why the author chose not to go down that road, but unfortunately that made it feel somewhat lacking, for me.
That being said, the romance in this story was a gentle glow, rather than a red-hot fire. Which is good, if that's what you like. While there isn't insta-love, the relationship sometimes progresses in a similar fashion. Still, the characters are likeable, believable, and its generally fun to join in in a brief glimpse of their life. Additionally, unlike many books in this genre. The author doesn't shy away from tackling real-ish relationship challenges head on. Overall, it's a good book, but not earth-shattering.
Disclaimer: Having been exposed to a situation similar to the MC's (third-hand), I may just find it hard to buy into the story because of how easy and drama-free the medical situation is. While Myles does touch on various aspects, it doesn't feel anywhere near real without a crazy roller-coaster of emotions. I understand why the author chose not to go down that road, but unfortunately that made it feel somewhat lacking, for me.
August 2, 2013
This is the story of 33 y/o Ben and 20 y/o Ollie. When we meet Ben he is working from home suffering from the effects of kidney failure and diabetes and hoping to receive a kidney and pancreas transplant. He rarely leaves the house and relies on his almost daily deliveries of gay porn DVD's to keep him entertained, with the bonus of seeing the delivery boy, Ollie, with the purple hair, tattoos and beautiful smile. Ollie always exchanges pleasantries with Ben while Ben secretly lusts after him. As things progress, Ben is surprised to find out that Ollie is not bothered by his condition and actually seems to be a bit thrilled by his scars. However, Ben has trouble believing that Ollie would ever want to stay with him and we come to find out that Ollie has been taken advantage of as a teenager by another older man.
This story was a good read, but I was never completely drawn into the relationship. I liked both Ollie and Ben, but they both acted childishly more often then not. It also seemed like some complex issues that were brought up were resolved too easily or glossed over. I would have liked to see a little more development of the two characters.
This story was a good read, but I was never completely drawn into the relationship. I liked both Ollie and Ben, but they both acted childishly more often then not. It also seemed like some complex issues that were brought up were resolved too easily or glossed over. I would have liked to see a little more development of the two characters.
September 30, 2017
I've been holding onto this book for ages and I'm not sure why I took so long to read it, but man am I glad I did!
I absolutely adore the unique voice of Jo Myles. Her British flare is fabulous. Her characters are charming. And the hurt-comfort theme made my heart ache and my lips turn up. Total package deal!
Ollie is brilliant. Quirky, eccentric and full of heart.
Ben is held prisoner by his failing body. He wants Ollie and he wants him bad. But Ollie deserves more than what he has to offer. However, in a moment of weakness he accepts a taste of his colorful delivery guy and quickly realizes once is not enough. Can Ben put Ollie's desires above his own? Or could they share the same wishes?
I can definitely recommend this fun, tender-hearted tale!
I absolutely adore the unique voice of Jo Myles. Her British flare is fabulous. Her characters are charming. And the hurt-comfort theme made my heart ache and my lips turn up. Total package deal!
Ollie is brilliant. Quirky, eccentric and full of heart.
Ben is held prisoner by his failing body. He wants Ollie and he wants him bad. But Ollie deserves more than what he has to offer. However, in a moment of weakness he accepts a taste of his colorful delivery guy and quickly realizes once is not enough. Can Ben put Ollie's desires above his own? Or could they share the same wishes?
I can definitely recommend this fun, tender-hearted tale!
Want to read
August 1, 2013Holy moly! Free today at Amazon US! 8/1/13!
June 25, 2017
I find this to be a pleasant surprise. Going in, I didn't have a lot of expectation. I thought this is just fluff with a lot of sex without much plot. From the beginning, there isn't any proper set up whatsoever. We dive straight into Ben who was home bound with a medical problem and acquired a fetish with porn DVDs hoping to see the delivery punk twink again and again. However, as the story progress, there are some great character development, some misunderstand and conflict that make me really connect with the characters despite their flaws.
Ben had a medical problem that make him turning into a total hermit with only his porn as his companion. Seeing Ollie, the delivery punk with purple hair is the only action he gets. With his condition, Ben's character had a mixture of vulnerability, self awareness, but pride and stubbornness too.
Ollie is a ball of energy, super cute twink that I can't really get a read on. He seems fascinated with Ben despite his condition and thought Ben is the coolest guy ever. Ollie seems nice and it give me all the warm and fuzzy feelings that he is making Ben happy. But only towards the second half of the book when we really explore of his history that I really get connected with his character.
This story is not just about Ollie loving Ben despite his medical problems, is much more than that. We get to see how their relationship growth and how they work past their age gap, their financial status and all the minor misunderstanding and miscommunication in between. Filled with much humor, this is a light hearted read with some emotional moments too.
Ben had a medical problem that make him turning into a total hermit with only his porn as his companion. Seeing Ollie, the delivery punk with purple hair is the only action he gets. With his condition, Ben's character had a mixture of vulnerability, self awareness, but pride and stubbornness too.
Ollie is a ball of energy, super cute twink that I can't really get a read on. He seems fascinated with Ben despite his condition and thought Ben is the coolest guy ever. Ollie seems nice and it give me all the warm and fuzzy feelings that he is making Ben happy. But only towards the second half of the book when we really explore of his history that I really get connected with his character.
This story is not just about Ollie loving Ben despite his medical problems, is much more than that. We get to see how their relationship growth and how they work past their age gap, their financial status and all the minor misunderstanding and miscommunication in between. Filled with much humor, this is a light hearted read with some emotional moments too.
May 14, 2012
I liked the idea of someone medically fragile - because that should create a conflict that both parties have to resolve and deal with. The younger/older man is also a fave of mine as the contrast between the two usually makes for interesting reading. So why the "it's o.k." rating? Because the relationship between the two characters just wasn't that plausible to me. We are told repeatedly that Ollie almost idolizes Ben yet, as far as I can see, Ben has done absolutely nothing to earn that idolization. Therefore this comes off as a teenage type crush rather than a potentially deep abiding love that will last through the ages.
Ben is this guy in his 30's who gave up a lot to raise his sister. Don't feel too sorry for him though because all the oats he didn't sow while she was growing up he sowed later and now he has organ failure because of it (drugs and alcohol). Here is an area where the book could have gone but didn't: how is he redeeming himself now that he sits at practically deaths door waiting for transplant? The answer? He's not. He's a complete looser who mostly stays home by himself and orders gay porn DVD's off the net. He has a good job but it's basically there to pay him. He works hard at it but there doesn't seem to be much professional accolade so you cannot say he shines there particularly. He does nothing for the community (other than support the shipping company). Basically he's just .. well.. blah. What on earth makes "blah" amazing? That's the problem. If he was overcoming illness, staying positive in the face of grave times, or similar he would be an admirable character. As it is he spends all his time complaining about the tube in his stomach and his bloated stomach. That's just not attractive any way you slice it.
The only interactions he has really are with his job (which he does from home) and his sister. He raised her which should get him points from the reader but she is selfish, immature, and whiny most of the time so all I could think about was he should have disciplined her more or spoiled her less while she was growing up. It kind of ruined that dynamic for me and as a result I just did not feel anything for Ben, not even pity.
Ollie is the shine here. Though he too is immature at times since he's only 20 it fits better. He has thoughts and plans and he works hard to make something of himself. It's a shame we don't get to know more about him though because I suspect my rating would increase if that were the case.
I also really enjoyed the language - which was unapologetic and very neat British English. Or I think it was...I really enjoyed the dialogue and how things sound and I could hear that accent in my ear while reading.
Because of Ollie and the dialogue this one is a solid 2. The writing is very solid and I will read another book by the author. This one just did not elevate because of the main characters IMHO fatal flaws. Throw in one fairly obnoxious little sister (cliche in gay romance to have the bitchy jealous female) and it sputters and cannot really get off the ground.
As always YMMV.
Ben is this guy in his 30's who gave up a lot to raise his sister. Don't feel too sorry for him though because all the oats he didn't sow while she was growing up he sowed later and now he has organ failure because of it (drugs and alcohol). Here is an area where the book could have gone but didn't: how is he redeeming himself now that he sits at practically deaths door waiting for transplant? The answer? He's not. He's a complete looser who mostly stays home by himself and orders gay porn DVD's off the net. He has a good job but it's basically there to pay him. He works hard at it but there doesn't seem to be much professional accolade so you cannot say he shines there particularly. He does nothing for the community (other than support the shipping company). Basically he's just .. well.. blah. What on earth makes "blah" amazing? That's the problem. If he was overcoming illness, staying positive in the face of grave times, or similar he would be an admirable character. As it is he spends all his time complaining about the tube in his stomach and his bloated stomach. That's just not attractive any way you slice it.
The only interactions he has really are with his job (which he does from home) and his sister. He raised her which should get him points from the reader but she is selfish, immature, and whiny most of the time so all I could think about was he should have disciplined her more or spoiled her less while she was growing up. It kind of ruined that dynamic for me and as a result I just did not feel anything for Ben, not even pity.
Ollie is the shine here. Though he too is immature at times since he's only 20 it fits better. He has thoughts and plans and he works hard to make something of himself. It's a shame we don't get to know more about him though because I suspect my rating would increase if that were the case.
I also really enjoyed the language - which was unapologetic and very neat British English. Or I think it was...I really enjoyed the dialogue and how things sound and I could hear that accent in my ear while reading.
Because of Ollie and the dialogue this one is a solid 2. The writing is very solid and I will read another book by the author. This one just did not elevate because of the main characters IMHO fatal flaws. Throw in one fairly obnoxious little sister (cliche in gay romance to have the bitchy jealous female) and it sputters and cannot really get off the ground.
As always YMMV.
May 7, 2012
I thought the overall premise of this story was interesting, but after the initial flirting between the two main characters, I just couldn't connect with them any longer. Ben isn't particularly likable and his medical problems seemed to be resolved rather quickly. Ben's sister, Zoe, was even less likable as she took cautious and protective to annoying and extremely silly, juvenile levels. The only bright spot in the story was Ollie who, despite all of the crap thrown his way by Ben and Zoe, seemed to hold on to his optimism and good-hearted nature.
There were some plot points that were neglected and I wish they could have been explored further , namely Ollie's past and previous relationship. One point that particularly grated my nerves was the focus on the characters' age difference. After a while it became tedious and I often thought, "here we go again."
By the time I was halfway through the book, I couldn't find it within myself to root for this couple. Their interactions seemed awkward and stilted and I was more interested in Ollie's dream than whether or not his relationship with Ben worked.
There were some plot points that were neglected and I wish they could have been explored further , namely Ollie's past and previous relationship. One point that particularly grated my nerves was the focus on the characters' age difference. After a while it became tedious and I often thought, "here we go again."
By the time I was halfway through the book, I couldn't find it within myself to root for this couple. Their interactions seemed awkward and stilted and I was more interested in Ollie's dream than whether or not his relationship with Ben worked.
May 29, 2015
This review is brought to you by the letter H :)
Yet another book I picked up thanks to BINGO. This week I needed a book title that began with H. How lucky that I stumbled upon this one. I really enjoyed it!! I enjoyed Ben and all his self-doubts. (I think we can all relate to that!) I like that he recognized he's not the person he used to be. A person that was *not* very likeable. And I loved Ollie with his youth and exuberance! I liked that he was able to see past Ben's condition and fall for him anyway. A very sweet story. And a very sweet ending!!
Yet another book I picked up thanks to BINGO. This week I needed a book title that began with H. How lucky that I stumbled upon this one. I really enjoyed it!! I enjoyed Ben and all his self-doubts. (I think we can all relate to that!) I like that he recognized he's not the person he used to be. A person that was *not* very likeable. And I loved Ollie with his youth and exuberance! I liked that he was able to see past Ben's condition and fall for him anyway. A very sweet story. And a very sweet ending!!
April 3, 2012
Very good m/m romance about a diabetic computer programmer who works from home because he's on dialysis, and the high point of his days is when the cute purple-haired skatepunk stops by to deliver a package. Bonding over a shared love of the X-Men, they become friends... and then everything changes in a day. I must confess that there was something I really felt needed to happen that didn't, which was what prevented this from being a five-star read for me.
January 22, 2013
Warning: Contains superhero porn comics and a cute, accident-prone delivery guy with colour-changing hair. Readers may experience coffee cravings, an unexpected liking for bad mullets, and the urge to wrap Ollie up and take him home... LOL Now I'm curious...
May 28, 2018
3.5 Stars
I am a big fan of Myles work and I really liked this romance.
I am all in for the hero on dialysis. Since I have lived with and loved someone through this process, I really valued the details of what it is like living with kidney failure and all that is associated especially in terms of a romantic and sexual relationship.
Ben was complex and so was Ollie and I really enjoyed that as well as Ben's sister's struggle to share her brother.
Ben and Ollie struggle with communication and the story needed to be longer to really sink into an HEA but overall I enjoyed and would recommend this read just for the rep of a character with a chronic illness alone.
I am a big fan of Myles work and I really liked this romance.
I am all in for the hero on dialysis. Since I have lived with and loved someone through this process, I really valued the details of what it is like living with kidney failure and all that is associated especially in terms of a romantic and sexual relationship.
Ben was complex and so was Ollie and I really enjoyed that as well as Ben's sister's struggle to share her brother.
Ben and Ollie struggle with communication and the story needed to be longer to really sink into an HEA but overall I enjoyed and would recommend this read just for the rep of a character with a chronic illness alone.
October 15, 2013
This cover, I love it. Not only does it stir up the gooey emotions of boy love for me but it is SO Ollie and Ben.
Ben, the hermit due to health problems with a insatiable taste for porn delivered to his door and his crush Ollie, the delivery boy with the bright hair and even brighter, cheeky grin. *sigh* These two were so stinking cute together. That is what I kept saying while reading this, OMG they are so cute.
I loved Ben; his fantasies, his love for comics, porn and above all his adorable crush on the delivery boy. As a big bear of a man, Ollie seems to be his polar opposite and yet a 15 minute break that was all kinds of hot, a weak moment at the door, a note that goes undelivered and the aftermath of it all makes him believe again when he thinks all hope is quite possibly lost.
I love books like this; they make me think back to when all I had was unrequited love, the thought that the boy whose name I scribbled on my Pee-Chee folder (Shh! I am old dammit!) would never like me and how ridiculous I must seem in his eyes only to get my HEA years later and be married to that boy now for 12yrs...yeah, this book is my cuppa alright.
The story of Ben and Ollie, (love the reason behind the name!) was adorable. So lovely and the perfect read for me curled up in bed with tea and toast on a lazy Sunday afternoon.
Handle with Care was my first read my Ms. Myles and it will not be my last. She had me hooked immediately and if she can pull emotions and connections from me in a short, I can't wait to see what she delivers in a full length novel.
Ben, the hermit due to health problems with a insatiable taste for porn delivered to his door and his crush Ollie, the delivery boy with the bright hair and even brighter, cheeky grin. *sigh* These two were so stinking cute together. That is what I kept saying while reading this, OMG they are so cute.
I loved Ben; his fantasies, his love for comics, porn and above all his adorable crush on the delivery boy. As a big bear of a man, Ollie seems to be his polar opposite and yet a 15 minute break that was all kinds of hot, a weak moment at the door, a note that goes undelivered and the aftermath of it all makes him believe again when he thinks all hope is quite possibly lost.
I love books like this; they make me think back to when all I had was unrequited love, the thought that the boy whose name I scribbled on my Pee-Chee folder (Shh! I am old dammit!) would never like me and how ridiculous I must seem in his eyes only to get my HEA years later and be married to that boy now for 12yrs...yeah, this book is my cuppa alright.
The story of Ben and Ollie, (love the reason behind the name!) was adorable. So lovely and the perfect read for me curled up in bed with tea and toast on a lazy Sunday afternoon.
Handle with Care was my first read my Ms. Myles and it will not be my last. She had me hooked immediately and if she can pull emotions and connections from me in a short, I can't wait to see what she delivers in a full length novel.
April 28, 2012
HANDLE WITH CARE is a character-driven novel. The plot is a wrapper for the characters, one of whom is Ben, a thirty-three year old software designer seriously ill with kidney failure and diabetes and the other of whom is Ollie, a twenty-year-old purple-haired twink who was abused as a teenager (he doesn’t think of it as abuse) and is now trying to build his life around his own internal strengths and interests. The story is told in first-person from Ben’s perspective.
I loved that Ben never saw himself as a victim of his illness. He took responsibility for what caused him to get to this point, had very real emotions about it, and ultimately did what he had to do. Ms Myles has written a book that could have gone either way – maudlin or easy solutions, but instead she let the disasters simmer, nearly boil over, and finally gives us the HEA that is so hard won by her characters.
Please see my complete review on May 1, 2012, along with a special exclusive May Day extra with Ben and Ollie, and a contest!
Don't miss out: http://mrsconditreadsbooks.com/index....
I loved that Ben never saw himself as a victim of his illness. He took responsibility for what caused him to get to this point, had very real emotions about it, and ultimately did what he had to do. Ms Myles has written a book that could have gone either way – maudlin or easy solutions, but instead she let the disasters simmer, nearly boil over, and finally gives us the HEA that is so hard won by her characters.
Please see my complete review on May 1, 2012, along with a special exclusive May Day extra with Ben and Ollie, and a contest!
Don't miss out: http://mrsconditreadsbooks.com/index....
February 19, 2013
Stomach-churning MM romance between a diabetic tech guy with kidney failure (Ben) and a delivery boy with big dreams (Ollie).
There is a lot of graphic detail about Ben's daily dialysis routine and as much as I took it as a warning and prayed that no one I know ever develops kidney disease….I just wish some of the details had been left to the imagination, especially since it negatively affected how I visualized the two MCs making out.
I also felt that the flow of the writing was generally a bit stilted, it could be that I am no longer used to reading British writing, but the flow was off for me. Having said that, there were some really well-written, touching moments between the two MCs.
There is a lot of graphic detail about Ben's daily dialysis routine and as much as I took it as a warning and prayed that no one I know ever develops kidney disease….I just wish some of the details had been left to the imagination, especially since it negatively affected how I visualized the two MCs making out.
I also felt that the flow of the writing was generally a bit stilted, it could be that I am no longer used to reading British writing, but the flow was off for me. Having said that, there were some really well-written, touching moments between the two MCs.
November 19, 2013
Enjoyed the story's characters, but some bits of both of them could have been better explored. I still have a few questions about Ollie including his attraction to Ben in the first place.
Favorite quote:
Favorite quote:
They’d had to shave my belly, so I looked even more patchy than usual— like a discarded teddy bear, worn bald and carelessly repaired.
October 22, 2012
3.5 stars
Why I read it: This is one I'd had on my wishlist for some time and when I bought The Hot Floor recently, I picked up this and Barging In. They were on sale and I couldn't resist. :)
What it's about: (from Goodreads) The best things in life aren’t free…they’re freely given.
Ben Lethbridge doesn’t have many vices left. After raising his little sister to adulthood, he wasted no time making up for the youth he lost to responsible parenting. Two years of partying it up—and ignoring his diabetes—has left him tethered to a home dialysis regimen.
He can do his job from his flat, fortunately, but most of his favourite things are forbidden. Except for DVD porn…and fantasizing over Ollie, the gorgeous, purple-haired skateboarder who delivers it.
Their banter is the highlight of Ben’s lonely day, but his illness-ravaged body is the cruel reality that prevents him from believing they’ll do anything more than flirt. Not to mention the age gap. Still, Ben figures there’s no harm in sprucing himself up a bit.
Then one day, a package accidentally splits open, revealing Ben’s dirty little secret…and an unexpected connection that leaves him wondering if he’s been reading Ollie wrong all this time. There’s only one way to find out: risk showing Ollie every last scar. And hope “far from perfect” is good enough for a chance at love.
Product Warnings
Contains superhero porn comics and a cute, accident-prone delivery guy with colour-changing hair. Readers may experience coffee cravings, an unexpected liking for bad mullets, and the urge to wrap Ollie up and take him home.
What worked for me (and what didn't): Jo Myles has a pleasing, easy writing voice so it was easy to slide into this story and enjoy it. I did have a few problems with the book, but overall, it was a very enjoyable read.
The story is told from Ben's 1st person POV and because of that, I missed some of the action I would have liked to have seen - particularly the developing (platonic) relationship between Ben's sister Zoe and Ollie, which was, unfortunately, all done off page.
I don't know whether the author intended it or not, but for a while I wondered if Ollie had some illness fetish and that was what attracted him to Ben. He certainly seemed to get off on Ben's scars and tubes but it wasn't really explained. For a while I wondered if Ollie would only like him if Ben was an invalid. I don't know much about it, but I understand that there are people about who have such a fetish.
The whole idea about Ben being ill, having to have a multi-organ transplant etc and him still being the sexy hero was unusual and I liked it (I gather that his own view of what he looked like was more dire than the actuality though - nothing unusual there is there?). It was also educational without being in the least boring - it actually made me want to go and Google the kind of dialysis he used etc. After the organ transplant there is only small mention of the immunosuppressant drugs Ben has to take - I don't know much about them and thought they could cause bloating and other bad things but it seemed Ben's reaction to the drugs was all good.
Ben has been lusting after Ollie for months - he orders porn DVD's more for the guarantee of Ollie delivering them than anything else but he's so shy and his body image is so poor, he just can't make a move. I did become a little impatient with that because the couple together is where the fun is, so I was glad when Ollie decided to take matters into his own hands.
I liked the way that Ollie and Ben had to learn to navigate their relationship - a healthy relationship (or for Ben, any relationship) was very much unknown territory and they make a few missteps and have to learn to communicate what they think and feel to make it work. I believed that it would but I would have liked more of it on the page. Overall, I'd say there was a certain... sketchiness to the story - not bad, but I would have liked more colouring in of the lines.
There is a 13 year age gap between Ben and Ollie and it does show. I think as Ollie gets more confident he will take more of an equal place in their relationship - that is what Ben wants (which I was glad about), but the story was more about the beginning of Ollie's confidence and so that equality was more of a promise in the book I think.
The sex was pretty hot but also realistic, with Ben's fears of whether he'd be able to get it up after the surgery, whether he'd be able to satisfy Ollie. I also appreciated the somewhat unusual depiction of their sex life after the surgery - Ben isn't allowed to have sex, but he's very happy to "see to" Ollie. It's not that often that I've read in a book where one partner can't have sex but is still not just willing, but enthusiastic about seeing to their partner's pleasure. Although it was partly done out of a fear that Ollie would leave him otherwise I think, I still thought it showed something special about Ben's character - and why Ollie would be so drawn to him.
What else? On my reader, I had 158 pages and I thought that most of that would be story so it was with a bit of shock that the story finished at page 145. It wasn't so much that the story was unfinished (although I did find the ending somewhat abrupt) but that my expectation was that the story was going to be longer than it was.
I liked the unusual premise of the story and I enjoyed spending time with Ben and Ollie. I would have liked a few more details and for it to be perhaps a bit longer, but it was nonetheless an enjoyable read and I'm glad I bought it.
Grade: B-
http://kaetrinsmusings.blogspot.com.a...
Why I read it: This is one I'd had on my wishlist for some time and when I bought The Hot Floor recently, I picked up this and Barging In. They were on sale and I couldn't resist. :)
What it's about: (from Goodreads) The best things in life aren’t free…they’re freely given.
Ben Lethbridge doesn’t have many vices left. After raising his little sister to adulthood, he wasted no time making up for the youth he lost to responsible parenting. Two years of partying it up—and ignoring his diabetes—has left him tethered to a home dialysis regimen.
He can do his job from his flat, fortunately, but most of his favourite things are forbidden. Except for DVD porn…and fantasizing over Ollie, the gorgeous, purple-haired skateboarder who delivers it.
Their banter is the highlight of Ben’s lonely day, but his illness-ravaged body is the cruel reality that prevents him from believing they’ll do anything more than flirt. Not to mention the age gap. Still, Ben figures there’s no harm in sprucing himself up a bit.
Then one day, a package accidentally splits open, revealing Ben’s dirty little secret…and an unexpected connection that leaves him wondering if he’s been reading Ollie wrong all this time. There’s only one way to find out: risk showing Ollie every last scar. And hope “far from perfect” is good enough for a chance at love.
Product Warnings
Contains superhero porn comics and a cute, accident-prone delivery guy with colour-changing hair. Readers may experience coffee cravings, an unexpected liking for bad mullets, and the urge to wrap Ollie up and take him home.
What worked for me (and what didn't): Jo Myles has a pleasing, easy writing voice so it was easy to slide into this story and enjoy it. I did have a few problems with the book, but overall, it was a very enjoyable read.
The story is told from Ben's 1st person POV and because of that, I missed some of the action I would have liked to have seen - particularly the developing (platonic) relationship between Ben's sister Zoe and Ollie, which was, unfortunately, all done off page.
I don't know whether the author intended it or not, but for a while I wondered if Ollie had some illness fetish and that was what attracted him to Ben. He certainly seemed to get off on Ben's scars and tubes but it wasn't really explained. For a while I wondered if Ollie would only like him if Ben was an invalid. I don't know much about it, but I understand that there are people about who have such a fetish.
The whole idea about Ben being ill, having to have a multi-organ transplant etc and him still being the sexy hero was unusual and I liked it (I gather that his own view of what he looked like was more dire than the actuality though - nothing unusual there is there?). It was also educational without being in the least boring - it actually made me want to go and Google the kind of dialysis he used etc. After the organ transplant there is only small mention of the immunosuppressant drugs Ben has to take - I don't know much about them and thought they could cause bloating and other bad things but it seemed Ben's reaction to the drugs was all good.
Ben has been lusting after Ollie for months - he orders porn DVD's more for the guarantee of Ollie delivering them than anything else but he's so shy and his body image is so poor, he just can't make a move. I did become a little impatient with that because the couple together is where the fun is, so I was glad when Ollie decided to take matters into his own hands.
I liked the way that Ollie and Ben had to learn to navigate their relationship - a healthy relationship (or for Ben, any relationship) was very much unknown territory and they make a few missteps and have to learn to communicate what they think and feel to make it work. I believed that it would but I would have liked more of it on the page. Overall, I'd say there was a certain... sketchiness to the story - not bad, but I would have liked more colouring in of the lines.
There is a 13 year age gap between Ben and Ollie and it does show. I think as Ollie gets more confident he will take more of an equal place in their relationship - that is what Ben wants (which I was glad about), but the story was more about the beginning of Ollie's confidence and so that equality was more of a promise in the book I think.
The sex was pretty hot but also realistic, with Ben's fears of whether he'd be able to get it up after the surgery, whether he'd be able to satisfy Ollie. I also appreciated the somewhat unusual depiction of their sex life after the surgery - Ben isn't allowed to have sex, but he's very happy to "see to" Ollie. It's not that often that I've read in a book where one partner can't have sex but is still not just willing, but enthusiastic about seeing to their partner's pleasure. Although it was partly done out of a fear that Ollie would leave him otherwise I think, I still thought it showed something special about Ben's character - and why Ollie would be so drawn to him.
What else? On my reader, I had 158 pages and I thought that most of that would be story so it was with a bit of shock that the story finished at page 145. It wasn't so much that the story was unfinished (although I did find the ending somewhat abrupt) but that my expectation was that the story was going to be longer than it was.
I liked the unusual premise of the story and I enjoyed spending time with Ben and Ollie. I would have liked a few more details and for it to be perhaps a bit longer, but it was nonetheless an enjoyable read and I'm glad I bought it.
Grade: B-
http://kaetrinsmusings.blogspot.com.a...
April 10, 2012
Handle with Care by Josephine Myles is a really sweet story. Ben is a great guy who, at the age of 18, stepped up to the plate to take care of his baby sister (twelve years his junior) when their parents were killed in a car wreck. Ben worked hard and made a good life for Zoe and himself, but the one drawback was Ben’s diabetes. However, he kept that under control for Zoe’s sake, but when she moved out, Ben decided to party and do all the things he didn’t get to do as a young adult, which included not being responsible about his own health and wellbeing.
Fast-forward and we find a 33 year old Ben living with the consequences of his actions. Ben is on dialysis and awaiting both a kidney and pancreas transplant and has been for the past two years. The only highlights to his rather dim, stay at home life are visits from his sister and the delivery guy who brings Ben his daily dose of porn. The delivery guy’s name is Ollie and he is a most easily described as a young skater. Turns out that Ollie is also gay and is a sci-fi and comic book nerd. We also learn that Ollie is a rather gifted artist who dreams of owning his own café.
The problem for Ben is that he feels he is not a good catch because of his medical condition and because he’s at least ten years older than Ollie. Eventually Ollie breaks down the walls that Ben has constructed, only to have a rather major setback. I don’t want to spoil the story, but the rest of the book moves rather fast with both characters having some major turning points.
This book is told from the first person of Ben and while there were times I would have liked to know what was going on in Ollie’s head, I don’t feel like I missed out because all my questions were answered. This book is set in contemporary Reading, England and there are lots of fun little phrases I learned or I guess I should say inferred their meanings. For example, I think going out on the pull means going out on the town or clubbing. I like to think I learn something from my fictional reading habit :) Ms. Myles is a good author and I really enjoy her style. I look forward to her next tale of quirky English boys and the guys they find to love!
Fast-forward and we find a 33 year old Ben living with the consequences of his actions. Ben is on dialysis and awaiting both a kidney and pancreas transplant and has been for the past two years. The only highlights to his rather dim, stay at home life are visits from his sister and the delivery guy who brings Ben his daily dose of porn. The delivery guy’s name is Ollie and he is a most easily described as a young skater. Turns out that Ollie is also gay and is a sci-fi and comic book nerd. We also learn that Ollie is a rather gifted artist who dreams of owning his own café.
The problem for Ben is that he feels he is not a good catch because of his medical condition and because he’s at least ten years older than Ollie. Eventually Ollie breaks down the walls that Ben has constructed, only to have a rather major setback. I don’t want to spoil the story, but the rest of the book moves rather fast with both characters having some major turning points.
This book is told from the first person of Ben and while there were times I would have liked to know what was going on in Ollie’s head, I don’t feel like I missed out because all my questions were answered. This book is set in contemporary Reading, England and there are lots of fun little phrases I learned or I guess I should say inferred their meanings. For example, I think going out on the pull means going out on the town or clubbing. I like to think I learn something from my fictional reading habit :) Ms. Myles is a good author and I really enjoy her style. I look forward to her next tale of quirky English boys and the guys they find to love!
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