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Charlie in a Red Dress
When Charlie agrees to go to a Halloween keg party as the “girlfriend” half of a boyfriend-and-girlfriend costume with his best friend, Jeff, he has no idea what he’s signing up for. The night of the party, Jeff’s older sister tweezes, squeezes, and transforms Charlie into Charli, a curvy, curly-haired brunette in a flare-skirted red dress. The shoes are hell, but the attention Charli gets at the party—especially from Jeff—goes straight to her head. When Jeff walks her to her door at the end of the night, neither of them is quite ready to give up the act.
90 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 5, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
November 1, 2014
What a lovely feel-good read!
Having just read Games Boys Play by the same author, I was curious to discover how her other works would compare. And in Charlie in a Red Dress, the fun she has writing is, again, palpable. Where Games Boys Play had a bit of an edge, this 50 pages short story is your typical GFY, that leaves you feeling warm and fuzzy.
Jeff and Charlie have been friends for years, the kind that play video games together in the basement. A Halloween party, that the two decide to attend as boyfriend and girlfriend, takes their friendship to a whole new unexpected level. A guy who doesn’t realize that he’s into guys yet and who’s gently forced into dressing-up as pretty girl by his best friend as part of their Halloween theme; UST and fluffiness galore?! You can just tell where this is going, can’t you? And of course you won’t be disappointed; this is not a story for unpleasant surprises. The ‘transforming Charlie into Charli’ ritual that only goes according to plan because Jeff’s sister assists with the eyebrow-plucking and tights-rolling, could maybe have been a bit more amusing, but is cute regardless. And you can just sense the anticipation when lady in red Charlie, is ready to be shown off to Jeff.
The niggles that I had with this author’s other book are similar to the ones I have here though. The plotting just isn’t all that stellar. I’d recommend not paying much attention to plot implausibilities. There’s a lot that seems rather out there. But especially towards the ending, the Cinderella shift is too sudden and takes away credibility from the story. Without wanting to give much away, in particular Charlie’s thought process and his following abrupt decision come across as a bit ridiculous. Something that could’ve come across as more natural by simply including stolen moments of introspection and personal revelations during the turn of events. Rather than tacking it all on as an afterthought in one long end scene.
None of this changes the fact that this is an enjoyable and heartwarming story. Though with a pinch of this there, a dash of that there and a minute or so in the ‘plot blender’, this would have come a bit closer to gooey perfection.
Having just read Games Boys Play by the same author, I was curious to discover how her other works would compare. And in Charlie in a Red Dress, the fun she has writing is, again, palpable. Where Games Boys Play had a bit of an edge, this 50 pages short story is your typical GFY, that leaves you feeling warm and fuzzy.
Jeff and Charlie have been friends for years, the kind that play video games together in the basement. A Halloween party, that the two decide to attend as boyfriend and girlfriend, takes their friendship to a whole new unexpected level. A guy who doesn’t realize that he’s into guys yet and who’s gently forced into dressing-up as pretty girl by his best friend as part of their Halloween theme; UST and fluffiness galore?! You can just tell where this is going, can’t you? And of course you won’t be disappointed; this is not a story for unpleasant surprises. The ‘transforming Charlie into Charli’ ritual that only goes according to plan because Jeff’s sister assists with the eyebrow-plucking and tights-rolling, could maybe have been a bit more amusing, but is cute regardless. And you can just sense the anticipation when lady in red Charlie, is ready to be shown off to Jeff.
The niggles that I had with this author’s other book are similar to the ones I have here though. The plotting just isn’t all that stellar. I’d recommend not paying much attention to plot implausibilities. There’s a lot that seems rather out there. But especially towards the ending, the Cinderella shift is too sudden and takes away credibility from the story. Without wanting to give much away, in particular Charlie’s thought process and his following abrupt decision come across as a bit ridiculous. Something that could’ve come across as more natural by simply including stolen moments of introspection and personal revelations during the turn of events. Rather than tacking it all on as an afterthought in one long end scene.
None of this changes the fact that this is an enjoyable and heartwarming story. Though with a pinch of this there, a dash of that there and a minute or so in the ‘plot blender’, this would have come a bit closer to gooey perfection.
March 20, 2015
I really liked this story. Even in the beginning, when I was a bit skeptical that Charlie would get so into the experience without more introspection/reflection. I wanted to know more about what he thought of it, how he felt about it. I loved the hints we get about Jeff's feelings, though. And when they do start talking...wow. The wanting, the confusion, and the introspection that finally made an appearance, all made for an intense scene that was so well done.
What if the whole world had fucked it all up, shoving people in a few select boxes?
And the decision that was made...I got a little choked up.
My only complaint:
Side note:
One of my favorite parts of Games Boys Play was the narrator's focus on his senses, and the author did that in this story, too. Charli was wonderfully tactile, and when she showed us how things felt to her touch, it was perfect.
What if the whole world had fucked it all up, shoving people in a few select boxes?
And the decision that was made...I got a little choked up.
My only complaint:
Side note:
One of my favorite parts of Games Boys Play was the narrator's focus on his senses, and the author did that in this story, too. Charli was wonderfully tactile, and when she showed us how things felt to her touch, it was perfect.
May 26, 2014
Awwwww, I loved this.
Also, I am Charlie when I have to get dressed up anymore. It sure feels all pretty and what not and I totally understood this,
"I felt completely graceful - as long as I wasn't fucking moving. Then I felt like a cow on stilts."
Sing it my friend, so true.
Reading Charlie's transformation to Charli-with-an-I was humorous and enlightening and so well done. I loved the connection between he and Jeff and how they totally embraced the boyfriend-girlfriend thing.
This story did mostly showing when it came to the relationship between the two of them which I loved. I got a complete grasp on their friendship and how close they were. I just wanted a smidge more telling about them as they took their relationship to the next level. I know there was a LOT that Jeff didn't say and feeling his turmoil in the little bit he did broke my heart. It made sense as it was told from Charlie's POV, I just cared about them so much I wanted to be totally sure that they were happy and completely fulfilled.
Also, I am Charlie when I have to get dressed up anymore. It sure feels all pretty and what not and I totally understood this,
"I felt completely graceful - as long as I wasn't fucking moving. Then I felt like a cow on stilts."
Sing it my friend, so true.
Reading Charlie's transformation to Charli-with-an-I was humorous and enlightening and so well done. I loved the connection between he and Jeff and how they totally embraced the boyfriend-girlfriend thing.
This story did mostly showing when it came to the relationship between the two of them which I loved. I got a complete grasp on their friendship and how close they were. I just wanted a smidge more telling about them as they took their relationship to the next level. I know there was a LOT that Jeff didn't say and feeling his turmoil in the little bit he did broke my heart. It made sense as it was told from Charlie's POV, I just cared about them so much I wanted to be totally sure that they were happy and completely fulfilled.
October 22, 2014
Wow! Give me a minute to pick my jaw off the floor. Best cross-dressing story I've read so far. Just shy of 5 stars for this.
Wonderful read!
Wonderful read!
May 24, 2014
Sweet, coming of age and figuring out your sexuality story. Would have been happier with a little less of the prep time chatter, but cute with just a bit of angst.
Favorite quote:
Favorite quote:
“Deluded into thinking there’s something wrong with you, that you’re somehow fucked in the head and unfixable and all you can do is fucking pretend you’re like everyone else because the world’s made it pretty fucking clear that what you’re attracted to is fucked up.”
May 29, 2015
I adored this sweet story between Jeff & Charlie/Charli. My only wish was that it was longer so we could see how they grew into being a couple. This was more than about cross-dressing. The characters explored the ideas of gender and the different ways people can express it. It was a gorgeous little story that made me smile on my lunch hour.
July 25, 2014
3.75 stars rounded up
Hair remover: Check
Bikini cream: Check
Tweezers: Check
Foundation: Check
Blusher: Check
Eyeliner: Check
Mascara: Check
Red Lippy: Check
Nail varnish: Check
Sexy underwear: Check
Boob enhancers: Check
Control hose: Check
Red dress: Check
Long curly wig: Check
Jewellery: Check
Red ankle strap high heels: Check
This is pretty much the routine we girls go through (give or take a couple of details) every time we get ready to go paint the town red and we probably don't think twice about each stage of the transformation but in this instance its Jeff's best mate Charlie who's being defuzzed, tweezed, primped and painted so he can be transformed into "Charli", with an I, for a fancy dress party at their dorm, and it's poor Charlie who puts himself through this 'grooming' hell with the aid of Jeff's sister Lydia, just so he can come out the other side looking as authentic as possible, and if the final description we get once they've worked on him is to be believed then he ends up looking pretty damn good!
Both Jeff and Charlie are straight, but they take the change from Charlie into "Charli" pretty seriously and I found myself smiling at what lengths they go to to get it just right — Including some pretty intense use of bikini hair removing cream. Talk about taking manscaping to the extreme! LOL. I laughed to myself at the visual of Charlie in his sexy silky undies trying to tuck everything away, boosting his bra with 'Chicken Fillets' and struggling with figure hugging, spanx effect panty hose, that ended up low slung in the crotch, down between his knees till he got a lesson in how to pull the stupid things up! This part of the story was pretty funny and I thought I could see exactly where it was going to go, and in a way I was right but by the same token colour me surprised too!
This is sort of gay for you but with a (definite) difference. To be honest I thought it was just going to be another bit of lightweight sexy fluff, where the two of them realise that once Charlie is in the dress, looking pretty hot, their latent feelings would emerge for each other, there'd be some flirting, some fanoodling and before you know it... Gay and in love! Well, be prepared for something a touch more in-depth than that. Zoe X Rider pulls a little rabbit out of the hat along the way and towards the finish the story changes from cute to something a little more thought provoking and it was round this part that I had a slight wobble. I really enjoyed Jeff and Charlie's story and I loved that it didn't follow the predictable path it could have but I'm not sure that I fully believed the sudden shift in their relationship, when, after having sex, a certain revelation about one of the characters sexual leanings came out. For two straight guys, decisions were made quickly and I found myself wondering about how certain things would work between them long term, but I guess because there are constraints in the length of a short story I didn't get to see any of that. There was an epilogue and as sweet an ending as it was, I still felt that there was more to be looked into and would have liked to have seen it developed more because this is actually a really interesting concept.
For a new adult story, the sex is quite hot and a tad kinky, even though its not 'full on' but there's an aspect of their 'role playing' during sex that pulled me slightly out of the scene because I love my m/m action to be ALL man on man, and because of the subject matter, technically speaking that isn't totally the case in this but that's no detriment to Zoe. She's a great writer, with a really easy style of writing, its just something that I'm personally set in my ways about.
To be honest these niggles of mine might not even hit any one else's radar because for the most part this is still a fun, sometimes cute, quirky take on cross dressing that actually gives you something to think about. One that gives another's view on defining sexualitity...To read more of review follow link~http://bit.ly/SSzM31
Hair remover: Check
Bikini cream: Check
Tweezers: Check
Foundation: Check
Blusher: Check
Eyeliner: Check
Mascara: Check
Red Lippy: Check
Nail varnish: Check
Sexy underwear: Check
Boob enhancers: Check
Control hose: Check
Red dress: Check
Long curly wig: Check
Jewellery: Check
Red ankle strap high heels: Check
This is pretty much the routine we girls go through (give or take a couple of details) every time we get ready to go paint the town red and we probably don't think twice about each stage of the transformation but in this instance its Jeff's best mate Charlie who's being defuzzed, tweezed, primped and painted so he can be transformed into "Charli", with an I, for a fancy dress party at their dorm, and it's poor Charlie who puts himself through this 'grooming' hell with the aid of Jeff's sister Lydia, just so he can come out the other side looking as authentic as possible, and if the final description we get once they've worked on him is to be believed then he ends up looking pretty damn good!
Both Jeff and Charlie are straight, but they take the change from Charlie into "Charli" pretty seriously and I found myself smiling at what lengths they go to to get it just right — Including some pretty intense use of bikini hair removing cream. Talk about taking manscaping to the extreme! LOL. I laughed to myself at the visual of Charlie in his sexy silky undies trying to tuck everything away, boosting his bra with 'Chicken Fillets' and struggling with figure hugging, spanx effect panty hose, that ended up low slung in the crotch, down between his knees till he got a lesson in how to pull the stupid things up! This part of the story was pretty funny and I thought I could see exactly where it was going to go, and in a way I was right but by the same token colour me surprised too!
This is sort of gay for you but with a (definite) difference. To be honest I thought it was just going to be another bit of lightweight sexy fluff, where the two of them realise that once Charlie is in the dress, looking pretty hot, their latent feelings would emerge for each other, there'd be some flirting, some fanoodling and before you know it... Gay and in love! Well, be prepared for something a touch more in-depth than that. Zoe X Rider pulls a little rabbit out of the hat along the way and towards the finish the story changes from cute to something a little more thought provoking and it was round this part that I had a slight wobble. I really enjoyed Jeff and Charlie's story and I loved that it didn't follow the predictable path it could have but I'm not sure that I fully believed the sudden shift in their relationship, when, after having sex, a certain revelation about one of the characters sexual leanings came out. For two straight guys, decisions were made quickly and I found myself wondering about how certain things would work between them long term, but I guess because there are constraints in the length of a short story I didn't get to see any of that. There was an epilogue and as sweet an ending as it was, I still felt that there was more to be looked into and would have liked to have seen it developed more because this is actually a really interesting concept.
For a new adult story, the sex is quite hot and a tad kinky, even though its not 'full on' but there's an aspect of their 'role playing' during sex that pulled me slightly out of the scene because I love my m/m action to be ALL man on man, and because of the subject matter, technically speaking that isn't totally the case in this but that's no detriment to Zoe. She's a great writer, with a really easy style of writing, its just something that I'm personally set in my ways about.
To be honest these niggles of mine might not even hit any one else's radar because for the most part this is still a fun, sometimes cute, quirky take on cross dressing that actually gives you something to think about. One that gives another's view on defining sexualitity...To read more of review follow link~http://bit.ly/SSzM31
May 11, 2014
2.5 stars
Just finished and I'm conflicted about this story. I really, really liked the whole set-up. And the getting-ready-for-the-Halloween-Party was done very well. I loved Charlie's voice, totally could imagine him there, in the bathroom. Then also the party, very well done. Still a very gripping read. And I really loved the development near the end of the evening, it was clear where they were heading :) but then it started to lose me. The dialogue during their night was just odd. Couldn't follow it and from then on, for me, the spell was broken.
There was no epilogue, just some final paragraphs taking place obviously a year after the main story and although it rounded up the whole thing nicely, it lost me several pages ago and couldn't win me back.
As this was the second book by this author for me and also the second one I had problems with, I think, her writing style is just not for me. Sad, as the blurbs always sound so interesting, only the execution needs improvement. Well, at least for this reader.
Just finished and I'm conflicted about this story. I really, really liked the whole set-up. And the getting-ready-for-the-Halloween-Party was done very well. I loved Charlie's voice, totally could imagine him there, in the bathroom. Then also the party, very well done. Still a very gripping read. And I really loved the development near the end of the evening, it was clear where they were heading :) but then it started to lose me. The dialogue during their night was just odd. Couldn't follow it and from then on, for me, the spell was broken.
There was no epilogue, just some final paragraphs taking place obviously a year after the main story and although it rounded up the whole thing nicely, it lost me several pages ago and couldn't win me back.
As this was the second book by this author for me and also the second one I had problems with, I think, her writing style is just not for me. Sad, as the blurbs always sound so interesting, only the execution needs improvement. Well, at least for this reader.
May 18, 2014
I really enjoyed this up until around the end of the story…I just didn't really like the dialogue and how it was resolved by the end. Still, this was a cute set up, just the overall execution didn't fully work for me.
May 17, 2014
3.5 stars. Enjoyed this one alot until almost the end.
August 27, 2019
I've been meaning to read this for ages and I was in the mood for a quick cross-dressing book, so seemed like the perfect time to pick up this little number.
This is a short story so don't expect massive amount of character development or sexual tension. What you do get is a really interesting friendship that turns into something a little more over the course of a party filled with subtle touches and handholding, which leads to a rather erotic frottage scene with a man feeling feminine looking gorgeous in a red dress. In other words you get exactly what I wanted! Very sweet little story (psst no angst!!!)
This is a short story so don't expect massive amount of character development or sexual tension. What you do get is a really interesting friendship that turns into something a little more over the course of a party filled with subtle touches and handholding, which leads to a rather erotic frottage scene with a man feeling feminine looking gorgeous in a red dress. In other words you get exactly what I wanted! Very sweet little story (psst no angst!!!)
June 22, 2014
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.75 stars
This story was not at all what I expected—in the best way possible. From the summary, I was thinking I’d get some good kink and at least a HFN ending, and if I was lucky, I’d get some great kink with a great ending. This book is so, so much more than that. Men in women’s clothing (for any reason) is one of my favorite kinks, but unlike a lot of my other favorite kinks and tropes, it’s not something I can enjoy no matter what. This kink, for me, has to be handled in a certain way and address certain things for me to consider it done well. And while yes, most of this plot revolves around a “straight” guy wearing a dress (and consequently this review does, too), I got what I needed in terms of character motivation to back that up, plus there was so much more to love about this book.
Read Angi's review in its entirety here.
4.75 stars
This story was not at all what I expected—in the best way possible. From the summary, I was thinking I’d get some good kink and at least a HFN ending, and if I was lucky, I’d get some great kink with a great ending. This book is so, so much more than that. Men in women’s clothing (for any reason) is one of my favorite kinks, but unlike a lot of my other favorite kinks and tropes, it’s not something I can enjoy no matter what. This kink, for me, has to be handled in a certain way and address certain things for me to consider it done well. And while yes, most of this plot revolves around a “straight” guy wearing a dress (and consequently this review does, too), I got what I needed in terms of character motivation to back that up, plus there was so much more to love about this book.
Read Angi's review in its entirety here.
May 17, 2014
Well, the title says it all doesn’t it. This is a story about a young man named Charlie who, one night, finds himself decked out as a woman in a red dress. Poor Charlie has no idea what he’s gotten himself into. Please don’t let the subject matter turn you off. I know a boy in a dress is not my usual reading material but I definitely recommend giving this one a shot.
My review of Charlie in a Red Dress can be found at Love Bytes
http://lovebytesreviews.com/2014/05/1...
My review of Charlie in a Red Dress can be found at Love Bytes
http://lovebytesreviews.com/2014/05/1...
July 11, 2014
So many unanswered questions remained at the end. I found the fact that Charlie was ready to make changes because of one night very improbable. It would have been great to see the evolution of the relationship.
December 29, 2014
it was a nice story though i wished it were a bigger one. I always feel a bit unsatisfied when the stories are a few pages :). i want to know more peeps :D write bigger stories.
September 7, 2021
Questa storia è l'amore ♥
Dove sono le altre pagine eh? Eh? EH??
Around the year in 52 books: A book related to a codeword from the Nato Phonetic Alphabet
Dove sono le altre pagine eh? Eh? EH??
Around the year in 52 books: A book related to a codeword from the Nato Phonetic Alphabet
September 12, 2022
Me gusto muchísimo, siento que muy pocas veces se lee sobre el Travestismo, y el leerlo aquí, con ambos personajes inseguros sobre sus gustos, y sobre su miedo acerca de lo que les gusta fue interesante.
Aunque me gustó, creo que el punto malo y por el cual no le doy cinco estrellas es porque es demasiado corto. La trama y el tema principal es novedoso, pero es lamentablemente que la autora/autor, no haya creado algo mucho más largo con tanto potencial en las manos.
Aunque me gustó, creo que el punto malo y por el cual no le doy cinco estrellas es porque es demasiado corto. La trama y el tema principal es novedoso, pero es lamentablemente que la autora/autor, no haya creado algo mucho más largo con tanto potencial en las manos.
December 27, 2018
I wish it was longer.
May 7, 2014
I actually impulsivly accepted this book for review thinking it was by another author I had worked with before. But since I agreed to review it I was all in and decided to give it a go even though it was waaaay out of my comfort zone and I'm happy to say I really enjoyed Charlie in a Red Dress.
What starts out as silly Halloween night costume party outing, turns into a life changing event for best friends & roomates, Charlie and Jeff.
The story touches on a few issues such as how men treat women in a party setting. Charlie (dressed as Charli) is accosted most of the night even though he's there with a date and isn't sending out any flirtatious vibes. There is also a light hearted look at what a pain in the ass it is to walk around in heels all night, carry a purse everywhere and other fun observations.
Things heat up for the pair during the party and especially on the way home. Things are awkward since both have always identified as heterosexual and they are still treating this as a fake "date" but Charlie/Charli likes wearing this mask and apparently this is something Jeff is secretly into.
I've read several m/m romances but never one about cross dressing and despite this being a very short (@44 pages) novella, I think it raised enough questions and explored the issue in a way that helped me to understand both characters and believe in their relationship.
I wish we got to see a little more from Jeff's perspective. Has he always had a thing for Charlie? And things go pretty smoothly in the end - which honestly, I was happy about, but I really liked the pair and could have read more.
So all in all, I never would have picked this up on my own but was pleasantly surprised with how well written and sweet this story was considering how few pages it was.
What starts out as silly Halloween night costume party outing, turns into a life changing event for best friends & roomates, Charlie and Jeff.
The story touches on a few issues such as how men treat women in a party setting. Charlie (dressed as Charli) is accosted most of the night even though he's there with a date and isn't sending out any flirtatious vibes. There is also a light hearted look at what a pain in the ass it is to walk around in heels all night, carry a purse everywhere and other fun observations.
Things heat up for the pair during the party and especially on the way home. Things are awkward since both have always identified as heterosexual and they are still treating this as a fake "date" but Charlie/Charli likes wearing this mask and apparently this is something Jeff is secretly into.
I've read several m/m romances but never one about cross dressing and despite this being a very short (@44 pages) novella, I think it raised enough questions and explored the issue in a way that helped me to understand both characters and believe in their relationship.
I wish we got to see a little more from Jeff's perspective. Has he always had a thing for Charlie? And things go pretty smoothly in the end - which honestly, I was happy about, but I really liked the pair and could have read more.
So all in all, I never would have picked this up on my own but was pleasantly surprised with how well written and sweet this story was considering how few pages it was.
May 19, 2014
I try to reserve five star ratings for those books that absolutely blow me away. Does not mean the book it technically perfect or will have the same effect on another reader, but for me, this book is a gem!
The book isn’t terribly long, but the slow build up at the start of the book, where Charlie begins his transformation; beginning to shed some of his masculinity, and the way his roommate/best friend begins to get more involved in the process was just lovely. Nothing so obvious; just little touches, a helping hand, a piece of jewelry and so on. Then the two proceed, now dressed as a couple, (and with bit of roleplaying) pretending to be out on a first date going to a Halloween party. The party itself was wonderful; how the two played the part, not always consciously, but with fingers intertwined, scratching backs the way long time couples do, and the protective reactions of Jeff. All gave such a sense of intimacy shared that I completely adored. And the inevitable end of the night? Wow! Hot stuff! Very arousing, VERY sexy!
We get a nice rounded happy ending; give us a sense of closure though not without a few bumps and bruises. No, everything isn’t perfect, and we don’t know all the details of what’s happened in the interim, but the two are happy with each other, and that was all that matters. I loved the simplicity of this complicated romance and I definitely intend to read more by this author, this was just an amazing book!!
The book isn’t terribly long, but the slow build up at the start of the book, where Charlie begins his transformation; beginning to shed some of his masculinity, and the way his roommate/best friend begins to get more involved in the process was just lovely. Nothing so obvious; just little touches, a helping hand, a piece of jewelry and so on. Then the two proceed, now dressed as a couple, (and with bit of roleplaying) pretending to be out on a first date going to a Halloween party. The party itself was wonderful; how the two played the part, not always consciously, but with fingers intertwined, scratching backs the way long time couples do, and the protective reactions of Jeff. All gave such a sense of intimacy shared that I completely adored. And the inevitable end of the night? Wow! Hot stuff! Very arousing, VERY sexy!
We get a nice rounded happy ending; give us a sense of closure though not without a few bumps and bruises. No, everything isn’t perfect, and we don’t know all the details of what’s happened in the interim, but the two are happy with each other, and that was all that matters. I loved the simplicity of this complicated romance and I definitely intend to read more by this author, this was just an amazing book!!
May 11, 2016
Not what I was expecting. Starts really well, I love Charlie and his thoughts and how he was invested in the cross-dressing. I mean, this was a cross-dressing all the way, from waxing (all body hair + eyebrows) to an entire female outfit. I loved it.
The party was good, I liked how sweet and protective Jeff was with "Charli". There was some weird dialogues, especially when their "date" was coming to an end, which was a turn off for me. Charlie has always been straight, and out of nowhere he ends up eating his BFF's mouth. Then, when things get hotter and they move to the bedroom, their dialogue was so weird (Charlie in woman's role-play); too female-male concern/thoughts that were too much for me. I am not really someone who judge people's taste and their kinks, and I respect Jeff's fetish, but it did not feel like a romance to me. From both side, but from Jeff's more than from Charlie's. I mean, if Charlie did not agree to go with this fetish, would it have been over between both of them? Did Jeff really love Charlie or was he indulging himself into his fetish?
So, for the cross-dressing thing, it was a good story, although I feel like it was very unrealistic (Charlie's acceptance to go all the way for cross-dressing and the whole woman attitude when he was with Jeff, when he was supposed to be "straight"). But I did like Jeff's monologue about his worries about being someone who loved this stuff.
As for the romance, totally MEH.
The party was good, I liked how sweet and protective Jeff was with "Charli". There was some weird dialogues, especially when their "date" was coming to an end, which was a turn off for me. Charlie has always been straight, and out of nowhere he ends up eating his BFF's mouth. Then, when things get hotter and they move to the bedroom, their dialogue was so weird (Charlie in woman's role-play); too female-male concern/thoughts that were too much for me. I am not really someone who judge people's taste and their kinks, and I respect Jeff's fetish, but it did not feel like a romance to me. From both side, but from Jeff's more than from Charlie's. I mean, if Charlie did not agree to go with this fetish, would it have been over between both of them? Did Jeff really love Charlie or was he indulging himself into his fetish?
So, for the cross-dressing thing, it was a good story, although I feel like it was very unrealistic (Charlie's acceptance to go all the way for cross-dressing and the whole woman attitude when he was with Jeff, when he was supposed to be "straight"). But I did like Jeff's monologue about his worries about being someone who loved this stuff.
As for the romance, totally MEH.
January 2, 2016
2.5 Stars
Though there were parts of this I liked, ultimately I felt like too much was not explained.
Jeff has had an attraction to transvestites forever and I just didn't buy Charlie, his best friend since childhood and roommate, had been so blind to his friend's desires.
I also didn't really understand how quickly Charlie was okay with also being Charli on occasion just so he wouldn't lose Jeff.
I mean it was a only few hours of introspection and Charlie's all, "Hey, I liked wearing the dress, so I can do this on a regular basis" mentality I kind of felt could possibly marginalize the real issues some people deal with just because they enjoy cross dressing.
I liked the story, but I had a lot of questions and would have preferred it been a bit longer so it could have fleshed out the characters more.
Though there were parts of this I liked, ultimately I felt like too much was not explained.
Jeff has had an attraction to transvestites forever and I just didn't buy Charlie, his best friend since childhood and roommate, had been so blind to his friend's desires.
I also didn't really understand how quickly Charlie was okay with also being Charli on occasion just so he wouldn't lose Jeff.
I mean it was a only few hours of introspection and Charlie's all, "Hey, I liked wearing the dress, so I can do this on a regular basis" mentality I kind of felt could possibly marginalize the real issues some people deal with just because they enjoy cross dressing.
I liked the story, but I had a lot of questions and would have preferred it been a bit longer so it could have fleshed out the characters more.
September 20, 2025
Read 2021 & 2022
My main complaint is that this novella is too short! What we do get is good, but I wanted more depth, details, and character development. A fuller story would have made it even better.
The story follows Charlie and Jeff, roommates and friends.
Jeff has a desire for a partner who occasionally dresses like a girl, something Charlie doesn’t know until he agrees to dress as Jeff’s 'girlfriend' for a Halloween party. This is when Charlie discovers Jeff’s kink, and after some introspection, he decides he’s willing to embrace it. The two begin a relationship, with Charlie occasionally dressing up as Jeff’s 'girlfriend.'
There’s one short & sexy sex scene, but little else. It’s just enough to whet your appetite and leave you wanting more.
My main complaint is that this novella is too short! What we do get is good, but I wanted more depth, details, and character development. A fuller story would have made it even better.
The story follows Charlie and Jeff, roommates and friends.
Jeff has a desire for a partner who occasionally dresses like a girl, something Charlie doesn’t know until he agrees to dress as Jeff’s 'girlfriend' for a Halloween party. This is when Charlie discovers Jeff’s kink, and after some introspection, he decides he’s willing to embrace it. The two begin a relationship, with Charlie occasionally dressing up as Jeff’s 'girlfriend.'
There’s one short & sexy sex scene, but little else. It’s just enough to whet your appetite and leave you wanting more.
September 21, 2016
"We weren't ourselves, but we were comfortable enough with each other to be not-ourselves together."
Heavenly, from the chubby main character and their amused inner monologue to the stoic "boyfriend" whose tears at the end made me tear up as well. A pivotal interlude/evening both between two people and between those two people and their selves. So much showing and so little telling. And yeah this is how you write sex between two real people who have feelings for each other. That's pretty hot too.
Heavenly, from the chubby main character and their amused inner monologue to the stoic "boyfriend" whose tears at the end made me tear up as well. A pivotal interlude/evening both between two people and between those two people and their selves. So much showing and so little telling. And yeah this is how you write sex between two real people who have feelings for each other. That's pretty hot too.
April 8, 2023
(2.5) this was pretty short so there wasn’t a lot of development. too much time was spent having charlie get ready, so by the time the main conflict came around, everything wrapped up too fast to have a proper conclusion. it also felt quite fetishizing on jeff’s end, because it never felt like jeff was interested in charlie at all, other than when he was dressed up as a woman. so where did that even leave them in the future? charlie also made his decision to dress up as a woman occasionally so he could be with jeff too fast. it just wasn’t that believable.
May 18, 2014
I loved this book, it was sweet and man when they got together hot! I liked how they got together it seem easy and worked for them. Charlie had to work out some things out but it wasn't heavy. I would love to know what they're up to now. This is my first book by this author, and I see she has more so I'm going to have to check them out ;-)
May 24, 2014
This was well written and a different take on the "gay for you" trope. Also my first book about crossdressing. I really liked the first half, but things felt really rushed at the end and I wanted more of how the two guys negotiated their new relationship (there was a time jump :-/). Still recommended though!
January 14, 2017
I think this is my first cross-dressing book. It was funny listening to Charlie's thoughts while he was preparing to become Charli. I knew there was more to Jeff, but I never figured it out until I read it! I am happy to see an epilogue of sorts, but I could only assume when it took place. I would have loved an epilogue further out in the future to address a couple of unresolved issues.
November 11, 2014
What a delightful read! I loved the premise and the execution was wow. Just good. The transformation physically from Charlie to Charli was well told. The transformation in his head was even better. Overall, I loved Jeff and Charlie together and I enjoyed the little peek into their relationship.
May 13, 2014
Beautifully written m/m novella! Hot and sweet. Full review to follow.
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