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Boston Boys ##2
Absolutely Eric
Twenty year old college student Eric Wesley is looking for love, but instead of choosing Mr. Right, he goes after Mr. Wrong. Eric Wesley is short and snazzy, hot and happy. Or that's what he thought. After three years of living on the wild side he's tired of being a playboy and wants to find love. Eric, however, has never been in love before and doesn't see that the guy who's been gazing at him all summer might be Mr. Right. Alexander Centauri isn't only style-less and clumsy, but also terribly awkward. After a miserable date, Eric plants Alex on another guy's lap and goes after Mr. Wrong...who looks so right. When Eric realizes his mistake, it might be too late.
252 pages, Paperback
First published May 11, 2012
2 people are currently reading
428 people want to read
About the author
Erica Pike
20 books279 followersIf you're interested in my books, you might want to join my Goodreads group: Gay Romance by Erica Pike.
I haven't been writing since I was in diapers, nor have I been an avid reader since I learned my ABC's. I have, however, always been a daydreamer spinning tales after tales. After having exhausted every possible scenario of man-woman love, I started weaving stories of men who love men. I know! So much hotter. This time I wrote it all down.
I live in Iceland with my adorable little twin boys, and I'm happy with what I have. I often say that my real name sounds like Klingon to foreigners so I don’t even bother revealing it.
I've been writing for several years, or ever since reading became an obsession.
I haven't been writing since I was in diapers, nor have I been an avid reader since I learned my ABC's. I have, however, always been a daydreamer spinning tales after tales. After having exhausted every possible scenario of man-woman love, I started weaving stories of men who love men. I know! So much hotter. This time I wrote it all down.
I live in Iceland with my adorable little twin boys, and I'm happy with what I have. I often say that my real name sounds like Klingon to foreigners so I don’t even bother revealing it.
I've been writing for several years, or ever since reading became an obsession.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
January 17, 2018
3.5 Stars
Eric works for Alex in a Gay Magazine. He thinks of Alex as a clumsy and shy guy. After seeing Adam and Jesse, Eric wants what they have; being in love and have an exclusive lover. He knows Alex has feelings for him but he’s not Eric’s type! And how he's wrong!!
I really didn’t like Eric! I liked Alex waaay much more. At some point Eric thought of himself as a slut but the thing is in MY mind he IS a man whore! And he's horny all the time! My other issue is I couldn’t feel their love! By the way, I prefer come instead of sperm and f*ck buddy instead of sex friend! But it had some funny moments too and I enjoyed them.
Told in Eric’s POV (unfortunately! I really preferred to read the story from Adam’s or at least had some of it!), 1st person. It’s the second installment in the "Boston Boys" series with character crossover but I think it can be read as a standalone. And I think I need some time to read the last installment! It’s difficult for me to rate this book because I both liked and disliked it, so I think 3.5 stars is fair and I hope you enjoy it!
Eric works for Alex in a Gay Magazine. He thinks of Alex as a clumsy and shy guy. After seeing Adam and Jesse, Eric wants what they have; being in love and have an exclusive lover. He knows Alex has feelings for him but he’s not Eric’s type! And how he's wrong!!
I really didn’t like Eric! I liked Alex waaay much more. At some point Eric thought of himself as a slut but the thing is in MY mind he IS a man whore! And he's horny all the time! My other issue is I couldn’t feel their love! By the way, I prefer come instead of sperm and f*ck buddy instead of sex friend! But it had some funny moments too and I enjoyed them.
Told in Eric’s POV (unfortunately! I really preferred to read the story from Adam’s or at least had some of it!), 1st person. It’s the second installment in the "Boston Boys" series with character crossover but I think it can be read as a standalone. And I think I need some time to read the last installment! It’s difficult for me to rate this book because I both liked and disliked it, so I think 3.5 stars is fair and I hope you enjoy it!
October 19, 2018
REREAD: and I think I liked it more this round. I went from 3.5 to 4 stars.
I was really unsure how to rate this one. The writing is superb, I could not put the book down, it caused me to feel a wide range of emotions, BUT…
Eric was awful for most of this book. I was wondering when he would grow a conscience, have a bit of self-respect, stop acting like a dick to Alex, and grow up…just a little bit. It took way too long and he did way too many horrible things for me to really like him. I kept waiting for him to get his just dessert…but damn, not even Eric deserves what he got.
Alex, you were a Saint. Eric, you were so awesome in book one, but such a bitch in this one. Alex deserved so much more then he got from Eric. I could not forgive anyone who treated me the way he treated Alex…ever. I was really disappointed in how much Eric lost his edge, allowed Rafael to abuse him in so many ways, and lost his self-confident ways. How could he be so ruthless to someone who obviously cared for him but allow others to use and abuse him?
I knew how Eric was when I started this book, and I have no problems reading about his bad boy ways, but I really would have liked to have read more about his and Alex’s relationship…once they got together. Together they were hot but we don’t get to see that enough, unfortunately.
This book is chock full of miscommunications, cheating, lying, violence, guys treating each other like throw-away sex toys, Eric being a bitch to Alex, and Alex fawning over him like a school boy. But you also see friends rallying around one another in time of need; great friends who know how to play spin the bottle and my new favorite character…Jazz. If the next book is about him, I will be reading it.
This book is so not for everyone. It is not peace, love and happiness, so if you are looking for sugary sweetness than move along. However, if you want some brutally blunt gay drama with guys being at their worse before they learn to behave than have at it.
I was really unsure how to rate this one. The writing is superb, I could not put the book down, it caused me to feel a wide range of emotions, BUT…
Eric was awful for most of this book. I was wondering when he would grow a conscience, have a bit of self-respect, stop acting like a dick to Alex, and grow up…just a little bit. It took way too long and he did way too many horrible things for me to really like him. I kept waiting for him to get his just dessert…but damn, not even Eric deserves what he got.
Alex, you were a Saint. Eric, you were so awesome in book one, but such a bitch in this one. Alex deserved so much more then he got from Eric. I could not forgive anyone who treated me the way he treated Alex…ever. I was really disappointed in how much Eric lost his edge, allowed Rafael to abuse him in so many ways, and lost his self-confident ways. How could he be so ruthless to someone who obviously cared for him but allow others to use and abuse him?
I knew how Eric was when I started this book, and I have no problems reading about his bad boy ways, but I really would have liked to have read more about his and Alex’s relationship…once they got together. Together they were hot but we don’t get to see that enough, unfortunately.
This book is chock full of miscommunications, cheating, lying, violence, guys treating each other like throw-away sex toys, Eric being a bitch to Alex, and Alex fawning over him like a school boy. But you also see friends rallying around one another in time of need; great friends who know how to play spin the bottle and my new favorite character…Jazz. If the next book is about him, I will be reading it.
This book is so not for everyone. It is not peace, love and happiness, so if you are looking for sugary sweetness than move along. However, if you want some brutally blunt gay drama with guys being at their worse before they learn to behave than have at it.
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July 4, 2012Currently available at MLR Press, Amazon (in print too), All Romance eBooks and Barnes & Noble.
About the book:
Absolutely Eric is the second in the Boston Boys Series, but you don't have to read the first to read this one. It features the fun and lively Eric Wesley from A Life Without You.
Warning: This book is not your everyday, mild-problem fluff. These characters are flawed, make mistakes, and have to work for their happy ending.
Next book? Probably Jazz...if I don't finish that Adam and Jesse novella first.
About the book:
Absolutely Eric is the second in the Boston Boys Series, but you don't have to read the first to read this one. It features the fun and lively Eric Wesley from A Life Without You.
Warning: This book is not your everyday, mild-problem fluff. These characters are flawed, make mistakes, and have to work for their happy ending.
Next book? Probably Jazz...if I don't finish that Adam and Jesse novella first.
January 19, 2018
I liked Eric in book 1 and this didn't change in this one, though there were plenty of times I wanted to smack him in the head !!!
I liked this one a bit more than the first book....less obsessive :P
It was a nice read, 3,5 stars for me, I still like book 3 best, but thats also because Jazz is my fav character out of all of them ;)
Don't feel like writing a full review right now, maybe later ;)
I liked this one a bit more than the first book....less obsessive :P
It was a nice read, 3,5 stars for me, I still like book 3 best, but thats also because Jazz is my fav character out of all of them ;)
Don't feel like writing a full review right now, maybe later ;)
May 16, 2012
Damn, I knew I would have trouble rating this book. How do you rate something you loved and hated at the same time? Should you rate it at all?
Don't get me wrong, I love Erica Pike's writing. There's something engaging about it, so it didn't surprise me that I got sucked into the story from the very start. But did I love the story itself? I really don't know how to answer that question. I guess I'll just tell you what I did and what I did not like, and maybe after I have put this in writing I will be able to see all this more clearly and reach some conclusion and dammit, finally rate this book!! So here it goes...
After reading A Life Without You I couldn't wait to read Eric's story. I loved him in the first book! Absolutely Eric shows us Eric, who is as flamboyant as he was in the first book. Maybe even more so. There's a lot of sex that doesn't happen between the two MCs. I was not that happy about it, but I guess it was necessary for us, readers to see Eric as he was before he fell in love with Alex. So the sex was unavoidable. And since there was no cheating I tried not to mind too much. However, the threesome with
What I loved about this book was the fact that we got to see how truly vulnerable and insecure Eric was. And this side of him I LOVED.
I LOVED the interactions between Eric and Alex. These two guys were so cute together. And Alex's clumsiness, which was caused by his nervousness around Eric was adorable. But it was nothing compared to how adorably cute Eric was when he was being clumsy in Alex's company, which happened when he started seeing Alex in a different light. God, Eric even blushed! Blushed! Eric! So awesome! :D
And Alex, *sighs* I'm so in love with that guy. There's no thing I didn't love about him. For him alone this book is worth buying and reading. The guy is full of surprises! Definitely my favourite character in this book!
Okay, okay, I know I'm gushing, oohing and aahing, oh, and let's not forget about sighing, but there is some stuff in this book that I absolutely hated. Starting with Rafael and what he was doing to Eric. Sick bastard! Those scenes made me ill. .
Oh, I almost forgot to mention a group of very gropey friends. Definitely not something I enjoyed reading about. Still, some scenes were kind of funny...
Oh, and be warned, the amount of miscommunications in this book may give you a headache.
And yet... despite all those things I DID get engrossed in this book. And I DID enjoy reading Eric and Alex's story. I guess one would call it my guilty pleasure. As for the rating, I think I know what to do. I may still change it, mind you, but I think it unlikely. So.... 3.5 stars for the whole book plus extra half star for Alex. I loved him so freaking much!
All in all, 4 stars from me.
Don't get me wrong, I love Erica Pike's writing. There's something engaging about it, so it didn't surprise me that I got sucked into the story from the very start. But did I love the story itself? I really don't know how to answer that question. I guess I'll just tell you what I did and what I did not like, and maybe after I have put this in writing I will be able to see all this more clearly and reach some conclusion and dammit, finally rate this book!! So here it goes...
After reading A Life Without You I couldn't wait to read Eric's story. I loved him in the first book! Absolutely Eric shows us Eric, who is as flamboyant as he was in the first book. Maybe even more so. There's a lot of sex that doesn't happen between the two MCs. I was not that happy about it, but I guess it was necessary for us, readers to see Eric as he was before he fell in love with Alex. So the sex was unavoidable. And since there was no cheating I tried not to mind too much. However, the threesome with
What I loved about this book was the fact that we got to see how truly vulnerable and insecure Eric was. And this side of him I LOVED.
I LOVED the interactions between Eric and Alex. These two guys were so cute together. And Alex's clumsiness, which was caused by his nervousness around Eric was adorable. But it was nothing compared to how adorably cute Eric was when he was being clumsy in Alex's company, which happened when he started seeing Alex in a different light. God, Eric even blushed! Blushed! Eric! So awesome! :D
And Alex, *sighs* I'm so in love with that guy. There's no thing I didn't love about him. For him alone this book is worth buying and reading. The guy is full of surprises! Definitely my favourite character in this book!
Okay, okay, I know I'm gushing, oohing and aahing, oh, and let's not forget about sighing, but there is some stuff in this book that I absolutely hated. Starting with Rafael and what he was doing to Eric. Sick bastard! Those scenes made me ill. .
Oh, I almost forgot to mention a group of very gropey friends. Definitely not something I enjoyed reading about. Still, some scenes were kind of funny...
Oh, and be warned, the amount of miscommunications in this book may give you a headache.
And yet... despite all those things I DID get engrossed in this book. And I DID enjoy reading Eric and Alex's story. I guess one would call it my guilty pleasure. As for the rating, I think I know what to do. I may still change it, mind you, but I think it unlikely. So.... 3.5 stars for the whole book plus extra half star for Alex. I loved him so freaking much!
All in all, 4 stars from me.
May 12, 2012
Could the real Eric please stand up? Because I am having a having a hard time connecting the most awesome character, I met in A Life Without You and the Eric that was in this book. Started off very Eric but then along the way I lost him, and if it wasn’t for the fact that I love these characters and they make me laugh I fear my rating would have been a lot lower.
Eric Wesley is the life of the party, he’s hot and he knows it. He doesn’t do boyfriends, he’s got plenty of sex friends to keep him entertained and life couldn’t be more awesome. Until a night of sexual fun with two of his closest friends leads Eric to the realization that maybe he’s ready for love. He definitely doesn’t want that love from Alex Centauri; the man would totally be his type if he wasn’t completely boring. He does feel sorry for him though, and goes on a pity date with Alex but he doesn’t plan to stay with him the whole night. When Eric gets a chance to leave Alex behind, he takes it and heads home with the sexy Latino. One of the first of Eric’s bad choices.
What then transpires throughout the book, I’m definitely not on board for most of them. I did enjoy Eric’s realization of Alex I found that to be the most honest part of him, after clone Eric came in. I am just in all types of =__= ‘where did the hell did Eric go?’. I am one for surprises in books cus predictability annoys me but these surprises went to Madagascar and stayed in Timbuktu. It all begins with Eric’s new boyfriend, the rush into relationship boyfriend that proves that Eric has no clue what a relationship is. There are some hard reading situations, but it fails to overshadow the stupid decisions made by Eric. I just cannot accept that was my Eric, I believed he loved himself too much to let all of the bad stuff happen but I must have been mistaken. On the other hand, maybe there’s a hidden meaning behind the transformation of his character that I am just not getting.
I really liked Alex, though I found him slight most of the time but he’s just so pure I really enjoyed him. I am surprised Eric got mixed signal cause I felt like Alex was wearing a neon sign when it came to his feelings. Alex and Eric together are super sweet and that’s really one of the saving factors for me and why I enjoyed reading.
Jesse and Adam do have some presence in the book, and offered up one of the best scenes. My heart almost gave out, oh god yes they are still so hot. Really enjoyed reading about all the boys again and I would give something to play a little ‘bottle extreme’ with them. Maybe not extreme, I will go with medium. Loved the friendships, and the fact that these guys stick together no matter what ‘it’s a beautiful thing’. Overall, with all my complaints I still really enjoyed it, though I fear it won’t go over well with some fans. I do enjoy that the author writes out of the ordinary, and Ms Pike still remains a must read author for me.
SideNote- I would talk about Eric's Latino boyfriend, but he doesn't deserve my typing time or my feelings.
May 28, 2012
3.5 stars. Good m/m romance about an unrepentantly slutty college senior who decides it's time for him to have a boyfriend; unfortunately he makes a very poor choice. At times this was difficult to read, but it was due to things that happened as a result of that poor choice and not because of the writing!
September 7, 2014
This one was tough to rate because there were a lot of things I really did like about this book (good writing, entertaining story) but so much of it had me cringing that I was not loving it. I enjoyed the first one (A Life Without You) a lot more. It was just more my type of romance storyline.
If you haven't read the first installment of this series A Life Without You it's really imperative to do so because this book will flow much better.
I guess I did not love the story probably because there was not a lot of love going on - well maybe there was but it was mostly unrequited love for the majority of the book. (Don't worry if you like smut there is plenty of sex.) Most of all I just wanted to slap Eric. Authors who write strong & vivid characters take a risk and I appreciate that. I think Eric is one of those love him or not so much kinda characters. He is very entertaining though.
The end was good, and I was pretty happy with how it all turned out, so I am glad I spent the time and money reading it.
If you haven't read the first installment of this series A Life Without You it's really imperative to do so because this book will flow much better.
I guess I did not love the story probably because there was not a lot of love going on - well maybe there was but it was mostly unrequited love for the majority of the book. (Don't worry if you like smut there is plenty of sex.) Most of all I just wanted to slap Eric. Authors who write strong & vivid characters take a risk and I appreciate that. I think Eric is one of those love him or not so much kinda characters. He is very entertaining though.
The end was good, and I was pretty happy with how it all turned out, so I am glad I spent the time and money reading it.
July 1, 2021
Absolutely Eric
By Erica Pike
Eric is getting tired of sleeping with one night stands and sex buddies. He sees how Adam and Jesse are together and realizes how much he wants that for himself. One man who knows him inside and out. One man in his bed. One man to love.
After making a bad decision and leaving the club with another man after his date with Alex Eric thinks he's found that man, but he doesn't understand why he can't get Alex out of his head. Especially after spending more and more time with him and getting to know him better. He later wishes he had truly given Alex a chance.
In a way I liked this book better than the first one in this series, but there were still parts I really didn’t like. For starters I truly hated (with sorrow in my heart, not malice) the threesome that Eric has with Adam and Jesse. I truly don't understand why it even happened and feel it shouldn't have ever happened.
Adam knows how insecure Jesse is when it comes to he and Eric. He knows how jealous Jesse is whenever Eric is around Adam. Why would he put Jesse through that heartache and possibly make him question his utter devotion to him?? Not to mention it truly tore up Adam himself too. I read somewhere that the author later wondered if she should have just had Eric accidentally see them making love instead of the threesome. I think she should have done that. It would have made the longing in Eric's heart for a relationship like their's all the more poignant instead of just another sex act. I've said it before and I'll say it again... I don't like threesomes. Someone always gets hurt.
For a portion of the book I didn’t care for who Eric had become. His attitude changed and he became petty and sometimes cruel to his best friends. Especially Adam and Jesse. Once the mall scene happened I liked him a lot better from then on.
I hated that
I guess in a big way this was one of those books that was a huge drain on my emotions. All the ups and downs. The amount of angst and anger was very high.
I am going to read the third book in the series, but I think I need to read something a lot more light-hearted first to ease my ❤.
Triggers:
By Erica Pike
Eric is getting tired of sleeping with one night stands and sex buddies. He sees how Adam and Jesse are together and realizes how much he wants that for himself. One man who knows him inside and out. One man in his bed. One man to love.
After making a bad decision and leaving the club with another man after his date with Alex Eric thinks he's found that man, but he doesn't understand why he can't get Alex out of his head. Especially after spending more and more time with him and getting to know him better. He later wishes he had truly given Alex a chance.
In a way I liked this book better than the first one in this series, but there were still parts I really didn’t like. For starters I truly hated (with sorrow in my heart, not malice) the threesome that Eric has with Adam and Jesse. I truly don't understand why it even happened and feel it shouldn't have ever happened.
Adam knows how insecure Jesse is when it comes to he and Eric. He knows how jealous Jesse is whenever Eric is around Adam. Why would he put Jesse through that heartache and possibly make him question his utter devotion to him?? Not to mention it truly tore up Adam himself too. I read somewhere that the author later wondered if she should have just had Eric accidentally see them making love instead of the threesome. I think she should have done that. It would have made the longing in Eric's heart for a relationship like their's all the more poignant instead of just another sex act. I've said it before and I'll say it again... I don't like threesomes. Someone always gets hurt.
For a portion of the book I didn’t care for who Eric had become. His attitude changed and he became petty and sometimes cruel to his best friends. Especially Adam and Jesse. Once the mall scene happened I liked him a lot better from then on.
I hated that
I guess in a big way this was one of those books that was a huge drain on my emotions. All the ups and downs. The amount of angst and anger was very high.
I am going to read the third book in the series, but I think I need to read something a lot more light-hearted first to ease my ❤.
Triggers:
May 14, 2012
So good.
A lot of the grammar/awkward syntax that bothered me in the first book was cleared up in this one. There were a couple minor issues but nothing that took me out of the story. I just loved Eric and Alex. I loved the idea that Eric didn't fall in love with Alex at first sight - he actually resisted Alex because he thought he was boring and awkward. It made me think of a few dates I've been on, and how I dismissed some guys that seemed boring to me. Maybe I shouldn't have rushed to judgment?
The chemistry and magnetic pull between these characters leapt off the page. All the scenes where Eric thought he had good reasons to keep his distance from Alex but he just couldn't... it had my heart going pitter patter.
The only real flaw in this book was that it relied pretty heavily on The Big Misunderstanding that we're all so tired of. I wish there had been a way to do this story without that, but I see how it was necessary to the plot. Even so it was achingly romantic and I loved every minute.
Okay, there's one other flaw. The book starts out with a scene that, while I enjoyed it immensely and it was smoking hot, was rather out of character for the people involved. This scene kind of sets up the book and provides a lot of background for Eric's thought processes and decisions so I feel that for this book it worked well, but it didn't really jive with the characters as they were set up in the previous book. So if that bothers you, you might not like this one as much but I was able to kind of skim over that and just enjoy.
Highly recommended, and now I have no idea what I'm going to read next. :(
A lot of the grammar/awkward syntax that bothered me in the first book was cleared up in this one. There were a couple minor issues but nothing that took me out of the story. I just loved Eric and Alex. I loved the idea that Eric didn't fall in love with Alex at first sight - he actually resisted Alex because he thought he was boring and awkward. It made me think of a few dates I've been on, and how I dismissed some guys that seemed boring to me. Maybe I shouldn't have rushed to judgment?
The chemistry and magnetic pull between these characters leapt off the page. All the scenes where Eric thought he had good reasons to keep his distance from Alex but he just couldn't... it had my heart going pitter patter.
The only real flaw in this book was that it relied pretty heavily on The Big Misunderstanding that we're all so tired of. I wish there had been a way to do this story without that, but I see how it was necessary to the plot. Even so it was achingly romantic and I loved every minute.
Okay, there's one other flaw. The book starts out with a scene that, while I enjoyed it immensely and it was smoking hot, was rather out of character for the people involved. This scene kind of sets up the book and provides a lot of background for Eric's thought processes and decisions so I feel that for this book it worked well, but it didn't really jive with the characters as they were set up in the previous book. So if that bothers you, you might not like this one as much but I was able to kind of skim over that and just enjoy.
Highly recommended, and now I have no idea what I'm going to read next. :(
June 29, 2012
God, I loved Eric. What a little, twinky slut. I just wanted to wrap him in a blanket and cuddle him. Great story line between him and Alex, and loved all of their friends. Totally entertaining read.
November 16, 2012
This second book in the series was an excellent follow up to the first book. Can't wait for the next one - Jazz up next?
August 13, 2013
Originally posted at Rarely Dusty Books
Genre & Keywords:
Contemporary Romance, M/M, College, Opposites Attract, Making Wrong Choices, Jealousy, Past Promiscuity, One Time Threesome Sex, Abuse, Friendship
~~~~~
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Heat level: 2 out of 3 flames
~~~~~
The first word that comes to mind after closing this book is 'intense'. Knowing lighthearted Eric from the first story in this series, A Life Without You , didn't prepare me at all for the course this second installment took. Sure, Eric's happy out and proud persona was still providing the lightness and humor here but his romance story also has a much darker and heavier side to it.
First, it's probably good to know that the main characters are having both sex with other men and are even in a relationship with other men, before they hook up together. Not every reader likes to read about that, on page, when it comes to their romances. Personally, I thought it fitted the plot here perfectly, so it didn't bother me.
Secondly, there's some on page violence and abuse directed at one of the main characters. It's not happening between Eric and Alex, but it's pretty graphically described and thus might be a trigger to some.
As I said, this is an intense read.
Now that I've given off enough warnings, let's talk about the awesomeness that is this story. There's the fact that I couldn't put the book down even if I'd wanted to. It kept me up until 4 in the morning on a school/work night. The tension is omnipotent and you just want to know when they, meaning Eric and Alex, will get things worked out already. They take the better part of the book to finally start talking about their feelings for each other. Meanwhile there's plenty of sexual anticipation building up between them. This suspenseful tension is what makes it difficult to put the book down once you've started it.
The novel is entirely written from Eric's point of view. We see his opinion of Alex change drastically throughout his own rite de passage. At the beginning of the story Eric is the happy playboy who hops from one bed into the next. He doesn't think he's relationship material. But this changes after he's spent a night with his best friend and boyfriend, Adam and Jesse, who invited him for a threesome. He sees the love they have for each other from up close and suddenly craves something like that for himself too. His path to find Mr Right is bumpy though. He falls in love with the wrong guy, while Mr Right is all this time right in front of him. But he's too blind to see and when he finally notices him it's too late.
During his initial journey of self-discovery Eric is somewhat of an ass to be honest. He's trampling hard on Alex's feelings and treating him rather badly because he thinks Alex is a boring klutz. He's well aware of Alex's crush on him but can't imagine ever feeling the same for Alex. How wrong he was, of course! But by the time he comes to the conclusion that Alex is hot, Alex seems to have falling in love with Eric's friend. And Eric is in a complicated relationship of his own.
Thus begins a careful dancing around each other, feelings of unrequited love playing a part in every encounter between them. Eric's friends and their sex game of Spin the Bottle are helping them building quite some steamy sexual tension too. I enjoyed this phase of their building romance a lot. It was made believable with a little help of lack in communication. Of course, Eric acted like a blind guy most of the time, but I found his lack in confidence rather refreshing and credible thanks to his inexperience with relationships.
The first book in this series wasn't without controversy either (cheating was the issue there) and this second book shows some unusual choices again. This time it's not really cheating, since the MCs don't have a relationship yet (or anymore), but like I said before not all readers will appreciated the fact that we see the heroes having sex with other characters, especially since it hurts the love interest too. However, I admire Pike for these not so usual choices in the romance genre. It definitely brings a new dimension to the emotional spectrum of my romance reading. My poor heart.
It's surely Pike's skill to write compelling and solid romances that is to blame for tugging at my heartstrings so hard and keeping me up half of the night. Her engaging characters and clever use of humor don't hurt the enjoyment either.
There are a few secondary characters in Eric's circle of friends that I'd love to read more about as well. Luckily, this month the third book in the Boston Boys series, Black Hurricane, will come out. It's Jazz's book and his love interest is a rock star. I'm excited!
December 25, 2012
Eric is a college student who likes to sleep around. He's young and according to him and every man he comes across - he is hot. He's sweet yet a little self-centred and we're told by everyone he's a slut. Now there is nothing wrong with having a character who likes having sex. I was just so bored reading about Eric having sex with every man he sees.
He meets Alex who he finds physically attractive but a bore. I'm not sure why anyone would judge Eric for feeling so. Alex is twenty-six and owns a publishing company (thanks to his inheritance). Eric wrote a few articles for the magazine and Alex has been smitten with him since. Eric is just not interested because Alex comes across boring. That's fine. The author didn't need to "prove" to me that in actuality Eric is a good guy. Alex wasn't a victim in this book. Alex dug Eric more than Eric liked Alex. Nothing wrong with that. Eric does do a slightly shitty thing to Alex, but again Eric was always upfront with Alex.
Eric ends up meeting Rafael who is everything he wants until he falls into dugs and then starts hitting Eric. This was such an obvious plot ploy just to add drama to the book. I despise storytelling like this because I felt it was made to make Eric look more "human" and make readers feel "sympathetic" towards him because he was a "slut" and he was "mean" to Alex. It wasn't needed with this reader, but I have read some reviews and yeah I can understand why the author did it.
Eric does get to know Alex more and without Alex acting all nervous, he come across as a much more personable guy. Eric of course falls for Alex but the man is occupied with a good friend of Eric's and Eric feels like he still owes Rafael.
2012 hasn't been a good year for me in the M/M genre. I enjoyed the first 35% and then it became a orgy. However, it just got a little too ridiculous for my taste. I didn't feel like Eric had to be that hot nor that perfect. Nor did I appreciate the way skin colour and race was used as a fetish. Nothing brings me out of a story faster than an author using a persons colour. You do it once to paint a picture of your characters, and after that you lose me as a reader.
I also hate when authors tell me what the characters are wearing. Eric was an A-class stereotype in that regard and so was the OMG LADY GAGA! reference as well. Ugh.
Yeah...not a good year.
He meets Alex who he finds physically attractive but a bore. I'm not sure why anyone would judge Eric for feeling so. Alex is twenty-six and owns a publishing company (thanks to his inheritance). Eric wrote a few articles for the magazine and Alex has been smitten with him since. Eric is just not interested because Alex comes across boring. That's fine. The author didn't need to "prove" to me that in actuality Eric is a good guy. Alex wasn't a victim in this book. Alex dug Eric more than Eric liked Alex. Nothing wrong with that. Eric does do a slightly shitty thing to Alex, but again Eric was always upfront with Alex.
Eric ends up meeting Rafael who is everything he wants until he falls into dugs and then starts hitting Eric. This was such an obvious plot ploy just to add drama to the book. I despise storytelling like this because I felt it was made to make Eric look more "human" and make readers feel "sympathetic" towards him because he was a "slut" and he was "mean" to Alex. It wasn't needed with this reader, but I have read some reviews and yeah I can understand why the author did it.
Eric does get to know Alex more and without Alex acting all nervous, he come across as a much more personable guy. Eric of course falls for Alex but the man is occupied with a good friend of Eric's and Eric feels like he still owes Rafael.
2012 hasn't been a good year for me in the M/M genre. I enjoyed the first 35% and then it became a orgy. However, it just got a little too ridiculous for my taste. I didn't feel like Eric had to be that hot nor that perfect. Nor did I appreciate the way skin colour and race was used as a fetish. Nothing brings me out of a story faster than an author using a persons colour. You do it once to paint a picture of your characters, and after that you lose me as a reader.
I also hate when authors tell me what the characters are wearing. Eric was an A-class stereotype in that regard and so was the OMG LADY GAGA! reference as well. Ugh.
Yeah...not a good year.
September 4, 2013
Rating 2.25
4 Chapters in and I really hate Eric. He was one of my favourite characters in the first novel. But thus far he has been totally self absorbed and judge mental.
Never mind that he take part in a
Why should profounding events always be tied to sex...
BTW. I really enjoyed this first novel! (Probably why I didn't enjoy the spoiler scene).
Hoping Eric can redeem himself.
Okay I am now at Chapter 14. There is still no redeeming qualities. I can say without a doubt he doesn't deserve Alex.
At this stage I'm only reading because I want to hear about Dean (MC of the 3rd novel) who was briefly mentioned.
a Chapter later and I can't believe
Okay I don't hate Eric anymore, but I certainly don't like him.
On the upside I love Alex. He is great caring character that deserves better.
Finally finished the book. It was not a bad read by all means, but Eric was epically self absorbed. Whereas Alex is the kindest, cutest character (I love a alpha male who still gets nervous).
4 Chapters in and I really hate Eric. He was one of my favourite characters in the first novel. But thus far he has been totally self absorbed and judge mental.
Never mind that he take part in a
Why should profounding events always be tied to sex...
BTW. I really enjoyed this first novel! (Probably why I didn't enjoy the spoiler scene).
Hoping Eric can redeem himself.
Okay I am now at Chapter 14. There is still no redeeming qualities. I can say without a doubt he doesn't deserve Alex.
At this stage I'm only reading because I want to hear about Dean (MC of the 3rd novel) who was briefly mentioned.
a Chapter later and I can't believe
Okay I don't hate Eric anymore, but I certainly don't like him.
On the upside I love Alex. He is great caring character that deserves better.
Finally finished the book. It was not a bad read by all means, but Eric was epically self absorbed. Whereas Alex is the kindest, cutest character (I love a alpha male who still gets nervous).
June 15, 2012
2.5 stars, the writing was good, had some scenes I liked (The icecream one) but I didn't warm enough to the MCs of the story.
Eric is a slut, and he enjoys it, then he keeps talking down the other MC and even throws him onto a fuckbuddy, then he goes after sexy latino and he thinks he's in love for all of two weeks, then he begins to see the other MC Alex in a different light.
I had problems with this, the story is good, but I don't relate to slutty characters at all, and Eric is written a little too perfect, He's super cute, super smart, super likable, and dances super cool, aside from the balding thing and his shallowness he's almost a Marty Stu, then he turns a little stupid as the story progresses, I mean for someone so smart that can read other people he didn't catch when Alex was talking about him when they go shopping, or in the end, he was so stupid that he was thinking of going again with Rafael to avoid Alex?
Rafael aside of being the bad guy of the story is very important, because he is the key point for the reader to warm to Eric and find him more likable, without him I wouldn't have finished the book to be honest.
Alex is a good character, I loved him at first, but then I got got stressed/bored, I think he liked Eric at first, but then got obsessed after being rejected time and again, (you know, the classic you want what you cannot have), then when Eric get's abused by Rafael he feels kinship, but outside of that I don't really feel a lasting connection, it's more of a teenage crush, the only thing they had was sexual chemistry, and he keeps saying he's very, very jealous, but doesn't really show.
In the end I didn't like the story, writing was good, but I never really connected with MCs, so I'm not really going to read the first nor the next books, the first book is a drama-fest about Jess and Adam, who which Eric had a threesome in this book... fucking Jess and being fucked by Adam, Jazz which the author says may be the next book MC, is a bigger slut than Eric, so no.
Eric is a slut, and he enjoys it, then he keeps talking down the other MC and even throws him onto a fuckbuddy, then he goes after sexy latino and he thinks he's in love for all of two weeks, then he begins to see the other MC Alex in a different light.
I had problems with this, the story is good, but I don't relate to slutty characters at all, and Eric is written a little too perfect, He's super cute, super smart, super likable, and dances super cool, aside from the balding thing and his shallowness he's almost a Marty Stu, then he turns a little stupid as the story progresses, I mean for someone so smart that can read other people he didn't catch when Alex was talking about him when they go shopping, or in the end, he was so stupid that he was thinking of going again with Rafael to avoid Alex?
Rafael aside of being the bad guy of the story is very important, because he is the key point for the reader to warm to Eric and find him more likable, without him I wouldn't have finished the book to be honest.
Alex is a good character, I loved him at first, but then I got got stressed/bored, I think he liked Eric at first, but then got obsessed after being rejected time and again, (you know, the classic you want what you cannot have), then when Eric get's abused by Rafael he feels kinship, but outside of that I don't really feel a lasting connection, it's more of a teenage crush, the only thing they had was sexual chemistry, and he keeps saying he's very, very jealous, but doesn't really show.
In the end I didn't like the story, writing was good, but I never really connected with MCs, so I'm not really going to read the first nor the next books, the first book is a drama-fest about Jess and Adam, who which Eric had a threesome in this book... fucking Jess and being fucked by Adam, Jazz which the author says may be the next book MC, is a bigger slut than Eric, so no.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 5, 2012
I read this for the Bingo Challenge and I've read many books for this challenge, but none have taken my breath away like this one. Or made me laugh as much. Or made my heart twinge as much. Or made me want to smack the character over the head as much.
Eric is a lively character and there's so much going on in his life and it makes the story so much fun to read. His group of friends too. I love them. Can't wait to read more about them. I laughed out loud in so many places, either because of something Eric (or the others) said or because of some of the crazy he/they got into.
Eric starts off as a very confident man-hunter who doesn't see sex as anything other than fun and pleasure. After a threesome, he realizes that he wants what the other two have: love.
Enter Alex, Eric's summer-job boss, who's been pining for Eric all summer. He's sweet and sexy, but impossibly clumsy whenever he's near Eric. He also has a bad sense of dress-style, and the whole package puts Eric off. Eric reluctantly agrees to go out on a date with Alex. They end up going to a club and Eric leaves with another guy, Rafael.
Eric thinks he's in love, but somehow can't get his mind off Alex, who's now in a relationship with one of Eric's friends. Rafael likes threesomes, but Eric doesn't like them and he struggles with his relationship with Rafael while he gets to know the real man behind Alex and slowly falls in love. But there are many obsticles in the way before Eric and Alex can get together.
I don't want to spoil things by saying more, but the main AND extra characters are all very well developed. They feel like real people, with real problems, and there's great conflict in this story. It's exactly what I like: the characters have to work for a HEA. There's also great character development and Eric makes big discoveries about himself. Best of all is that I keep thinking about this story now that it's over, and I know that it'll be one of those that will often come back to me.
Eric is a lively character and there's so much going on in his life and it makes the story so much fun to read. His group of friends too. I love them. Can't wait to read more about them. I laughed out loud in so many places, either because of something Eric (or the others) said or because of some of the crazy he/they got into.
Eric starts off as a very confident man-hunter who doesn't see sex as anything other than fun and pleasure. After a threesome, he realizes that he wants what the other two have: love.
Enter Alex, Eric's summer-job boss, who's been pining for Eric all summer. He's sweet and sexy, but impossibly clumsy whenever he's near Eric. He also has a bad sense of dress-style, and the whole package puts Eric off. Eric reluctantly agrees to go out on a date with Alex. They end up going to a club and Eric leaves with another guy, Rafael.
Eric thinks he's in love, but somehow can't get his mind off Alex, who's now in a relationship with one of Eric's friends. Rafael likes threesomes, but Eric doesn't like them and he struggles with his relationship with Rafael while he gets to know the real man behind Alex and slowly falls in love. But there are many obsticles in the way before Eric and Alex can get together.
I don't want to spoil things by saying more, but the main AND extra characters are all very well developed. They feel like real people, with real problems, and there's great conflict in this story. It's exactly what I like: the characters have to work for a HEA. There's also great character development and Eric makes big discoveries about himself. Best of all is that I keep thinking about this story now that it's over, and I know that it'll be one of those that will often come back to me.
October 20, 2012
Neat characters, but weak plot based on misunderstandings: I love you, but I don’t tell you, and I avoid you.
The first half was excellent. I enjoyed the characters. Eric is flamboyant, flirty, witty, and sarcastic. He wears glittery pink t-shirts, colored mascara in his hair, sometimes eye makeup. He writes with a pink and blue feathery pen. I enjoyed his group of friends and their interactions.
The last half was disappointing. Eric and Alex both are secretly in love with the other, but each thinks the other doesn’t want him. Eric tells Alex that he is in love with another guy but it’s not true. Eric wrongly thinks Alex is in love with another, and no one corrects this assumption. So there’s this I want you but I can’t have you going on for far too long. Then we have more in The Big Misunderstanding. After they finally get together one breaks up with the other because he “assumes” something untrue. He doesn’t tell the other WHY he’s breaking up with him. I was angry. This is not a fun plot. I want a good story to go with these neat characters, not this cliched overused romantic plot device.
There’s a lot of sex. Some is hot. Other is interesting. None was boring. Eric loves being a rear door receptacle. A few scenes have three men together.
Caution for sensitive readers: story contains a physically abusive relationship.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 1st person Eric. Kindle count story length: 4,959 (431 KB). Swearing language: strong. Sexual language: moderate/strong. Number of sex scenes: about 15. Setting: current day Boston, Mass. Copyright: 2012. Genre: gay male contemporary romance.
The first half was excellent. I enjoyed the characters. Eric is flamboyant, flirty, witty, and sarcastic. He wears glittery pink t-shirts, colored mascara in his hair, sometimes eye makeup. He writes with a pink and blue feathery pen. I enjoyed his group of friends and their interactions.
The last half was disappointing. Eric and Alex both are secretly in love with the other, but each thinks the other doesn’t want him. Eric tells Alex that he is in love with another guy but it’s not true. Eric wrongly thinks Alex is in love with another, and no one corrects this assumption. So there’s this I want you but I can’t have you going on for far too long. Then we have more in The Big Misunderstanding. After they finally get together one breaks up with the other because he “assumes” something untrue. He doesn’t tell the other WHY he’s breaking up with him. I was angry. This is not a fun plot. I want a good story to go with these neat characters, not this cliched overused romantic plot device.
There’s a lot of sex. Some is hot. Other is interesting. None was boring. Eric loves being a rear door receptacle. A few scenes have three men together.
Caution for sensitive readers: story contains a physically abusive relationship.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 1st person Eric. Kindle count story length: 4,959 (431 KB). Swearing language: strong. Sexual language: moderate/strong. Number of sex scenes: about 15. Setting: current day Boston, Mass. Copyright: 2012. Genre: gay male contemporary romance.
May 29, 2012
This was one of those books which I read in one and ended up staying up until about this morning just to finish it. It's going to be really difficult for me to give this book 4 or 5 stars rating because equally hate and love at the same time. The book was actually good but *oh heck* its contains ménage relationships. No offense, but ménage books just are not my cup of tea. That probably the main thing that turns me off about this book and decided to give 4 rather 5 stars. But I also loved this book because it is one of the few books that have made me laugh and cry at the same time. There are some really funny scenes and If there was a funny part, it was probably Terry!
There have been lines which made me laugh out loud.
*spoiler*
Terry to Eric: “Wouldn't it be fun? We would look like a color chart: Mocha on Top (Terry), Caramel in the middle (Alex), and your skinny white ass at the bottom (Eric).” LMAO!
And another one
Calvin: “Hmm... Mohinder,”
Terry: “Shut up, you dick, I don't look like that guy at all.”
In case you confuse, Calvin calling Terry ( he is half Indian) as Mohinder Suresh from TV series Heroes :D
I knw this is 2nd book from Boston Boys series and i didn't read the first book. I usually do not go back and read the first book of a series if I have already read the 2nd but I get excited after read a glimpse Adam-Jesse relationship in this book. I hope to purchase the book sometime soon.
There have been lines which made me laugh out loud.
*spoiler*
Terry to Eric: “Wouldn't it be fun? We would look like a color chart: Mocha on Top (Terry), Caramel in the middle (Alex), and your skinny white ass at the bottom (Eric).” LMAO!
And another one
Calvin: “Hmm... Mohinder,”
Terry: “Shut up, you dick, I don't look like that guy at all.”
In case you confuse, Calvin calling Terry ( he is half Indian) as Mohinder Suresh from TV series Heroes :D
I knw this is 2nd book from Boston Boys series and i didn't read the first book. I usually do not go back and read the first book of a series if I have already read the 2nd but I get excited after read a glimpse Adam-Jesse relationship in this book. I hope to purchase the book sometime soon.
September 28, 2012
I was very excited to be reacquainted with Eric. He is such a fun and lovable character. I liked the relationship he had with his core group of friends. I liked the twist on "Spin the Bottle." The sexual tension between Eric and Alex kept me eagerly turning the page. I absolutely LOVED the scene in the beginning where Eric gets to play with Adam and Jesse. The way it opened his eyes to how satisfying a loving relationship can be was perfectly executed.
The only thing that knocked it down a star for me was that the Big Misunderstanding was so long and drawn out, and Eric was behaving so stupidly towards the end, that I almost stopped reading. I knew it would turn around, and ultimately that kept me going, but man, was I annoyed...
The only thing that knocked it down a star for me was that the Big Misunderstanding was so long and drawn out, and Eric was behaving so stupidly towards the end, that I almost stopped reading. I knew it would turn around, and ultimately that kept me going, but man, was I annoyed...
July 10, 2012
Absolutely Love Eric!! It was so good to see Eric and all the Boston Boys again. Of course as a Mom of kids close to his age I seriously wanted to smack him a few times and tell him to wake up and smell the coffee, Alex too! These guys certainly needed to communicate. But OMG what a terrific story! Just like what I've always come to expect from Erica Pike, she's one truly fabulous author. Not many people can pull off dealing with such serious topics while at the same time keeping the charactors such fun loving guys.
December 9, 2012
My second book by this author and while I had to work for the happy ending-- it was a journey, and I appreciated that. Erica Pike has a real knack for writing characters and then having you invest in them and their story. Each twist and turn of the story has you smiling, wincing, laughing and crying along with the characters. While it was difficult to read in some parts (due to subject matter) I really loved it! First rate writing, 5 star story.
Erica Pike- if you write it, I will read it.
Erica Pike- if you write it, I will read it.
August 6, 2019
It's been years since I've read this book and it's still one of my favorites. Perhaps not a 5-star rating anymore but still Solid 4. I absolutely love how Eric is so aware of Alex and dances around their attraction. The push and pull is so realistic and very sexy. Upon the second reading more things stand out to me this time and Eric sometimes can be an absolute idiot. His choices don't always make sense but they do make for good drama. Absolutely enjoyable!
July 6, 2013
I really like m/m books...
March 1, 2018
I really don't like promiscuous MCs in my book. However, I liked Eric in the first book and also in the first half of this book. But then he went from smart and funny to insecure and stupid. Till the end, he was in denial that his ex was abusive to him and was defending and making excuses for him. And on top of that, one misunderstanding after another made me frustrated and angry.
I also didn't like the fact that everyone sleeps with everyone. I don't know if this is true or just a stereotype, but can't gay men be monogamous and happy? The author even ruined the first book for me with this one.
I also didn't like the fact that everyone sleeps with everyone. I don't know if this is true or just a stereotype, but can't gay men be monogamous and happy? The author even ruined the first book for me with this one.
June 1, 2012
4.5 stars This was a VERY pleasant surprise. It looked like it would be an OK/good read. But in no way was I prepared for heart-wrenching emotional turmoil that I went through in reading this book. And not the annoying kind where you feel like the author is purposefully just trying to get a reaction out of you. This felt natural. In no way did the story take turns I was expecting, like, ever. And I thought certain issues were very realistically done. Lastly, I felt like there were several points earlier in the book where it could have wrapped up with the HEA and this would have been a solid 3 star (as a lot of books I read are), but Ms. Pike went the extra mile and really flushed out this story. There was no conversation left un-had and no sexual position left untried. I love a book with a thorough wrap up and some comprehensive closure, so thank you for that.
Random side notes:
1) I wasn't in love with the cover initially, but I absolutely LOVE that the guy looks like the spitting image of Eric.
2) I didn't love the whole 'bottle' game, although it provided some good plot development. In a way it made me feel like the author portrayed all gay relationships as being OK with making out with other people, etc, although she did help to dispel that at the end
3) I felt like certain aspects of Eric's relationship was rushed
4) This is one of those books you can't get out of your head and end up trying to sneak in paragraphs here and there while at work and then have to try not break into tears. I probably should have just waited until I got home but I just didn't have the will power!
Random side notes:
1) I wasn't in love with the cover initially, but I absolutely LOVE that the guy looks like the spitting image of Eric.
2) I didn't love the whole 'bottle' game, although it provided some good plot development. In a way it made me feel like the author portrayed all gay relationships as being OK with making out with other people, etc, although she did help to dispel that at the end
3) I felt like certain aspects of Eric's relationship was rushed
4) This is one of those books you can't get out of your head and end up trying to sneak in paragraphs here and there while at work and then have to try not break into tears. I probably should have just waited until I got home but I just didn't have the will power!
July 19, 2012
Absolutely Eric is the second of Erica Pike’s Boston Boys series. Eric was an integral part of the first book, A Life Without You, and I couldn’t wait for his story and for Eric to meet his match. This is a book that I both love and hate. There were times my skin crawled and just wanted to look away, but couldn’t because I cared too much about Eric and his wellbeing. In some ways it was like watching a crash, you know what’s coming and that it’s going to be awful, but you just can’t look away.
Ms. Pike does a fabulous job telling this story. Getting me to read a book (and like it!) in which the majority of the intimate scenes are not between the main couple is a great feat! Eric loves sex and has it often and even has sex buddies that are basically friends with benefits, but they are friends first. Eric has never been in love and he’s a big flirt, but he catches a glimpse of what true love is in the relationship between his college friends Adam and Jesse. Eric realizes that he wants that, but he doesn’t know how to go about finding it because to be honest Eric is a bit of a snob when it comes to judging a person on the outside instead about by their inner character. This is why when Eric first meets Alex, he puts him in the “no way in hell will I ever date him” category.
However, Eric works for Alex’s magazine all summer and it’s obvious that Alex would like to date Eric. Alex is all the things Eric is not. Where Eric is flamboyant and extraverted, Alex is reserved and conservative, just to name a few. But what Eric comes to discover is that pretty and hunky aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. I don’t want to give away too much of the story, but I promise there is a happy ending, even if it takes a lot of drama and wrong decisions in order to get there.
Once again this book is packed full of fun and likable secondary characters whose story lines I will patiently await. This is not an easy read, but it is a book that will get you thinking and remind you about all the angst of being in your early twenties. The nice thing is that there is some levity and humor that Ms. Pike infuses throughout the story so it doesn’t get too heavy.
Ms. Pike does a fabulous job telling this story. Getting me to read a book (and like it!) in which the majority of the intimate scenes are not between the main couple is a great feat! Eric loves sex and has it often and even has sex buddies that are basically friends with benefits, but they are friends first. Eric has never been in love and he’s a big flirt, but he catches a glimpse of what true love is in the relationship between his college friends Adam and Jesse. Eric realizes that he wants that, but he doesn’t know how to go about finding it because to be honest Eric is a bit of a snob when it comes to judging a person on the outside instead about by their inner character. This is why when Eric first meets Alex, he puts him in the “no way in hell will I ever date him” category.
However, Eric works for Alex’s magazine all summer and it’s obvious that Alex would like to date Eric. Alex is all the things Eric is not. Where Eric is flamboyant and extraverted, Alex is reserved and conservative, just to name a few. But what Eric comes to discover is that pretty and hunky aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. I don’t want to give away too much of the story, but I promise there is a happy ending, even if it takes a lot of drama and wrong decisions in order to get there.
Once again this book is packed full of fun and likable secondary characters whose story lines I will patiently await. This is not an easy read, but it is a book that will get you thinking and remind you about all the angst of being in your early twenties. The nice thing is that there is some levity and humor that Ms. Pike infuses throughout the story so it doesn’t get too heavy.
June 5, 2012
When I first read this book I had a difficult time relating to Eric. He seemed fun but incredibly young and confused. I couldn’t see how Alex could love someone like that. I liked the book and was intrigued enough to go back and read the first Boston Boys book, A Life Without You. I loved it, but more importantly I loved Eric after seeing what a great friend he was to Adam. Once I saw that side of him, I decided to read Absolutely Eric a second time. Do yourself a favor and read A Life Without You before starting Absolutely Eric, you can’t fully appreciate Eric if you don’t.
Eric is friends with Adam and Jesse. After an up close and personal evening spent with the couple he is struck by the strength and depth of their love for each other. He longs for a love like that. His quest for it leads him into a relationship with Rafael. Eric is a little young, a lot naive and makes some really bad decisions. I had a difficult time watching him allow his boyfriend to treat him so badly and an overwhelming urge to shake Eric and tell him he deserved better than that. While all the drama with Rafael is taking place, Eric is getting to know Alex better. He’s a little older and had already learned the lessons in life that Eric was still working through. Even when Eric hurt him, Alex still tried to reach out and help. He always treated Eric with respect and genuinely cared about him.
One of my favorite things about these books is the group of friends. They’re a great group of guys and Eric was so lucky to have them. They came and went throughout the story but when Eric needed them they were all there for him. Another thing going for this book is that the pace of the story was perfect. The development of the relationships, the build up of angst, and the ultimate turning point were everything I hope for when picking up a book. My only complaint is my frustration over the lack of communication between Eric and Alex. It works well in the story but being frustrated through most of the book did take away from my enjoyment of it. Overall though, it’s a really good book and I recommend it, just make sure to read A Life Without You first.
Eric is friends with Adam and Jesse. After an up close and personal evening spent with the couple he is struck by the strength and depth of their love for each other. He longs for a love like that. His quest for it leads him into a relationship with Rafael. Eric is a little young, a lot naive and makes some really bad decisions. I had a difficult time watching him allow his boyfriend to treat him so badly and an overwhelming urge to shake Eric and tell him he deserved better than that. While all the drama with Rafael is taking place, Eric is getting to know Alex better. He’s a little older and had already learned the lessons in life that Eric was still working through. Even when Eric hurt him, Alex still tried to reach out and help. He always treated Eric with respect and genuinely cared about him.
One of my favorite things about these books is the group of friends. They’re a great group of guys and Eric was so lucky to have them. They came and went throughout the story but when Eric needed them they were all there for him. Another thing going for this book is that the pace of the story was perfect. The development of the relationships, the build up of angst, and the ultimate turning point were everything I hope for when picking up a book. My only complaint is my frustration over the lack of communication between Eric and Alex. It works well in the story but being frustrated through most of the book did take away from my enjoyment of it. Overall though, it’s a really good book and I recommend it, just make sure to read A Life Without You first.
July 19, 2012
Gennie's
Absolutely Eric is the second of Erica Pike’s Boston Boys series. Eric was an integral part of the first book, A Life Without You, and I couldn’t wait for his story and for Eric to meet his match. This is a book that I both love and hate. There were times my skin crawled and just wanted to look away, but couldn’t because I cared too much about Eric and his well being. In some ways it was like watching a crash, you know what’s coming and that it’s going to be awful, but you just can’t look away.
Ms. Pike does a fabulous job telling this story. Getting me to read a book (and like it!) in which the majority of the intimate scenes are not between the main couple is a great feat! Eric loves sex and has it often and even has sex buddies that are basically friends with benefits, but they are friends first. Eric has never been in love and he’s a big flirt, but he catches a glimpse of what true love is in the relationship between his college friends Adam and Jesse. Eric realizes that he wants that, but he doesn’t know how to go about finding it because to be honest Eric is a bit of a snob when it comes to judging a person on the outside instead about by their inner character. This is why when Eric first meets Alex, he puts him in the “no way in hell will I ever date him” category.
However, Eric works for Alex’s magazine all summer and it’s obvious that Alex would like to date Eric. Alex is all the things Eric is not. Where Eric is flamboyant and extroverted, Alex is reserved and conservative, just to name a few. But what Eric comes to discover is that pretty and hunky aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. I don’t want to give away too much of the story, but I promise there is a happy ending, even if it takes a lot of drama and wrong decisions in order to get there.
Once again this book is packed full of fun and likable secondary characters whose story lines I will patiently await. This is not an easy read, but it is a book that will get you thinking and remind you about all the angst of being in your early twenties. The nice thing is that there is some levity and humor than Ms. Pike infuses throughout the story so it doesn’t get too heavy.
Absolutely Eric is the second of Erica Pike’s Boston Boys series. Eric was an integral part of the first book, A Life Without You, and I couldn’t wait for his story and for Eric to meet his match. This is a book that I both love and hate. There were times my skin crawled and just wanted to look away, but couldn’t because I cared too much about Eric and his well being. In some ways it was like watching a crash, you know what’s coming and that it’s going to be awful, but you just can’t look away.
Ms. Pike does a fabulous job telling this story. Getting me to read a book (and like it!) in which the majority of the intimate scenes are not between the main couple is a great feat! Eric loves sex and has it often and even has sex buddies that are basically friends with benefits, but they are friends first. Eric has never been in love and he’s a big flirt, but he catches a glimpse of what true love is in the relationship between his college friends Adam and Jesse. Eric realizes that he wants that, but he doesn’t know how to go about finding it because to be honest Eric is a bit of a snob when it comes to judging a person on the outside instead about by their inner character. This is why when Eric first meets Alex, he puts him in the “no way in hell will I ever date him” category.
However, Eric works for Alex’s magazine all summer and it’s obvious that Alex would like to date Eric. Alex is all the things Eric is not. Where Eric is flamboyant and extroverted, Alex is reserved and conservative, just to name a few. But what Eric comes to discover is that pretty and hunky aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. I don’t want to give away too much of the story, but I promise there is a happy ending, even if it takes a lot of drama and wrong decisions in order to get there.
Once again this book is packed full of fun and likable secondary characters whose story lines I will patiently await. This is not an easy read, but it is a book that will get you thinking and remind you about all the angst of being in your early twenties. The nice thing is that there is some levity and humor than Ms. Pike infuses throughout the story so it doesn’t get too heavy.
July 19, 2012
This review was originally written for The Romance Reviews and can also be found there.
ABSOLUTELY ERIC really wasn't what I was expecting while I jumped around excitedly expecting this book to come out. This second book in a series offered a very different view of the characters that we got from A Life Without You.
We all loved Eric, or okay, if you're anything like me you loved the little queen and his big mouth. The guy in this story was quite different from the man I was expecting to get when I first started reading. Eric likes to sleep around, and he does. From fuck buddies to casual sex, he doesn't seem too picky and when he refuses Alex, a good guy who has a tendency of dropping things when around Eric, he ends up with the ultimate bad guy, who we don't quite experience to his full ugly potential until the second part of the book.
For me, this book lacked consistency. I felt the guys changed too often and too drastically to be very realistic. I liked Eric's open attitude toward sex but not what seemed almost naivety when it came to anything substantial as well as his disregard for actual meaningful sex.
The first sex scene involving the two characters from the first book was really out of character, but unfortunately it did somewhat set the tone for the rest of the book, one that I had trouble shaking off.
While surprised by the nature of Eric's bad boyfriend, I did enjoy the development of that aspect of the story and all misunderstandings aside, this was a really good book. The rating might be somewhere in between three and four stars, but if you like outspoken, flamboyant characters and a lovely romantic story I do recommend this. Just be aware that Eric does love to have sex and no matter how confident he might seem, there is a very vulnerable side to him.
ABSOLUTELY ERIC really wasn't what I was expecting while I jumped around excitedly expecting this book to come out. This second book in a series offered a very different view of the characters that we got from A Life Without You.
We all loved Eric, or okay, if you're anything like me you loved the little queen and his big mouth. The guy in this story was quite different from the man I was expecting to get when I first started reading. Eric likes to sleep around, and he does. From fuck buddies to casual sex, he doesn't seem too picky and when he refuses Alex, a good guy who has a tendency of dropping things when around Eric, he ends up with the ultimate bad guy, who we don't quite experience to his full ugly potential until the second part of the book.
For me, this book lacked consistency. I felt the guys changed too often and too drastically to be very realistic. I liked Eric's open attitude toward sex but not what seemed almost naivety when it came to anything substantial as well as his disregard for actual meaningful sex.
The first sex scene involving the two characters from the first book was really out of character, but unfortunately it did somewhat set the tone for the rest of the book, one that I had trouble shaking off.
While surprised by the nature of Eric's bad boyfriend, I did enjoy the development of that aspect of the story and all misunderstandings aside, this was a really good book. The rating might be somewhere in between three and four stars, but if you like outspoken, flamboyant characters and a lovely romantic story I do recommend this. Just be aware that Eric does love to have sex and no matter how confident he might seem, there is a very vulnerable side to him.
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