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Better Than #3

Better Than Friends

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When Curt Townsend, a successful young DC lawyer, attends his first gay wedding, he doesn’t expect anything more than a great evening out spent celebrating two lucky guys willing to commit to one another. He certainly doesn’t anticipate meeting someone like Jack Farinelli. Fourteen years Curt’s senior, Jack owns two businesses: a gay bar and a motorcycle shop. He’s gorgeous and self-assured, but Curt is positive they have nothing in common.

Jack is comfortable in his own skin. He’s attracted to Curt’s quick wit and easy manner but most of all, to their unexpected mutual love of baseball. As they forge a friendship based on their shared enthusiasm for the sport, they begin a journey which reveals how their differences might be the catalyst behind a growing attraction. Both men have experienced their share of pain, but they realize they need to set aside the past and learn to trust in a future if they are to have one together.

216 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 15, 2014

100 people are currently reading
942 people want to read

About the author

Lane Hayes

105 books1,719 followers
Lane Hayes loves a good romance! She’s the bestselling author of the Out in College, Starting From, Better Than, A Kind Of, Right and Wrong, and Leaning Into Series! Lane loves red wine, chocolate and travel (in no particular order). All things she can find in sunny SoCal where she lives with her amazing husband in a not quite empty nest.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 231 reviews
Profile Image for Carol [Goodreads Addict].
3,032 reviews25.3k followers
April 3, 2025
RATING 4.5 STARS

Better Than Friends is book three in the Better Than series by Lane Hayes. This is Jack and Curt’s book. We have known Curt since book one as the other gay roommate of Matt’s when they were in law school. You can read these books individually or you can get them all in one handy box set, Better Than Stories Collection.

Curt is twenty eight years old and is a lawyer in Washington DC. He is one of Matt’s closest friends and is the first one Matt confided in back in book one about his feelings for Aaron. Curt spends most of his time in the office and has neglected his personal life. It’s a rare evening out, at Jay and Peter’s wedding when he first meets Jack and he is immediately intrigued.

Jack Farinelli is forty two years old. He owns both a gay bar and a motorcycle shop. Jack has a history with Peter (book two) and they are now good friends.

Both Jack and Curt have been hurt in the past, both by the people who were supposed to love them the most, and romantically. Curt just doesn’t have time for romance where as Jack has pretty much given up on it. But when he first meets Curt, he’s drawn to him in a way he can’t quite understand. These two are so different. Curt is a bit proper, cautious maybe. Where as Jack is the ultimate bad boy with tattoos, leather jackets and his Harley! What they do share is a love of sports, mostly baseball. And that’s how they began to really bond. Curt just can’t imagine what someone like Jack sees in him. But Jack on the other hand, is completely smitten, even though it takes him awhile to figure himself out.

I do admit it took me a bit longer to really fall for these two. But once I finally did, I didn’t want to put the book down. I needed to see how they were going to figure things out. Jack is all bossy, alpha goodness but we also see his soft side too. And Curt didn’t even realize that it felt good to let someone else take control at times, since at work, he had so much pressure on him. In the end, they were perfect for each other. This entire book is told from Curt’s point of view.

Book four, Better Than Safe, is going to be Paul and Seth’s book. This one will be different because I’ve barely gotten to know either of them where as for these first three books, I already know all of the characters. I’m diving in right away!

For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...

Profile Image for *J* Too Many Books Too Little Time.
1,921 reviews3,718 followers
June 17, 2014
4.5 Stars!!

Gah...I think I loved this one just as much as Better Than Good! And shame on me, I still need to read Better Than Chance!

This series is just perfect. It makes me smile, it makes me laugh, it has some hot as hell steam, and there is very little angst.



All of the books in this series can be read as standalones. Better Than Friends was Curt and Jack's story.

Curt is a lawyer. He's 28. He works a lot and has kind of let his love life go to the wayside. He still has his friends but hasn't had a relationship in several years.



Jack owns a gay bar and a motorcycle shop. He's 42. He wears leather. Smokes. Is all tatted up. In other words, the polar opposite of suit wearing, khaki owning Curt. But they meet at a wedding a share an immediate attraction.



Jack and Curt become friends. Jack doesn't date and Curt thinks Jack is way out his league. But they had no problem falling in to bed together and let me tell you....



They were hot together. And Jack was so sweet and funny. They both had quirks and IDK, they just fit.

There was minor drama but more than anything this was just a sweet, sexy, opposites attract kind of story.

My only complaints were minor...and didn't take away from the story.

(1)I didn't like that Jack called Curt "honey". Coming from a masculine dude like Jack, honey just didn't seem fitting. IMO.

(2)The minor conflict.
Profile Image for Karla.
1,453 reviews367 followers
March 22, 2017
3.75 stars!

So this one I didn't love it as much as book one but, still enjoyed it a lot.

I couldn't have been happier that Curt, who we met on book one got his own book. I liked him, he gave good advice to Matt when he was having his issues with Aaron. Anyway, I had a bit of mix feelings with this one, there were some things with Curt, that frustrated me a bit.

For the most part Curt, was a great guy, a lawyer who has become a workaholic and doesn't have time to date. So when he meets Jack, at Peter and Jay's wedding his intrigued by him. Jack, is gorgeous, tall, tattooed, and a successful businessman and also happens to be peter's ex. Right from the beginning they have an attraction to each other, but both have past relationship issues, so they're hesitant to start something serious.

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So here's what I liked: how the relationship between Curt/Jack progressed, they both had this crazy love for baseball, that I found so adorable. Even though they were so different in other things they were a perfect match. Where Curt, was more serious Jack, was laid back. But regardless these two had amazing chemistry, both passionate and hot for each other. Jack, was my favorite character for sure, that he rode a Harley was a plus for me. And of course seeing the guys from the previous books was awesome.

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What I didn't like: I hate third parties in other words Paul, nothing personal against him. In fact I'm looking forward to reading his book, and his sexy British accent. I'm glad that the few dates he had with Curt, were just a blur they didn't go into too much detail and nothing happens between them except one kiss phew!

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But what frustrates me about Curt, was his insecurities about how he wasn't in the same league as Jack. At first I understood him, with everything in his past and his family it made sense but when Jack, tried and came out of his comfort zone to show him how much he wanted to be with him and still, Curt, kept thinking they wouldn't last ugh! But he finally got his thoughts together and believed in them as a couple, thank goodness! I also wish the ending hadn't felt so abrupt but the epilogue was sweet.

Regardless of my issues with this one, I love this author's writing and I look forward to continuing this series. ❤
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Jennifer☠Pher☠.
2,970 reviews273 followers
March 12, 2015
I don’t know what to say. This book, well, mostly, I really didn’t like it. The book is good, the story made sense and all that but personally is just wasn’t for me. There were some moments I enjoyed and I never thought to DNF it, it just didn’t work for me. It is sad because I have really enjoyed this series. I’ll still continue if there are more books, I didn’t hate this and it didn’t ruin anything this one was just not for me. If you want to know where my head was I will post it in a spoiler below. If you don’t want to be spoiled, DO NOT CLICK ON THE SPOILER because you will be spoiled and not in the way we enjoy.



I think a lot of my friends will like this so I think for sure you need to read this as part of the series. It matters to the series overall and I didn’t hate it, I just didn’t personally like it. Was I happy in the end, well yeah, who doesn’t want a HEA? Not this girl, I always want it. So, no offense to anyone and I am glad I read it and will keep going with the series if there are more coming out.
Profile Image for .Lili. .
1,275 reviews276 followers
November 27, 2014
Lane Hayes you did it again!

She has delivered another great read. Her stories are the perfect mix of sweetness and sexy. They have a nice easy flow to them. This is a great book to take on a plane or read while on vacation- or after an emotionally charged book. Solid 4 stars.

P.S. Can we get a book for Paul?!?!


Profile Image for Gigi.
2,148 reviews1,069 followers
March 12, 2015
This one did not resonate with me. I'm afraid that the psyched-up factor is partially what ruined this book for me. It had been on my shelves for quite awhile and by the time I started reading, I was really, really excited and expecting a 5 star experience. I ended up giving it 2 stars.

Spoiler tags, just in case.



This one just plain didn't work for me. The sex was hot, but I didn't feel the emotional connection between the boys until much later in the book. And by then, I kinda stopped caring.

This one is going on my everyone liked it but me shelf, so please read other reviews before deciding to read this one. I can't recommend it, but just about everyone else can.

Profile Image for Tara♥ .
1,697 reviews111 followers
March 15, 2016
"His tattoos were a perfect juxtaposition to the otherwise uninterrupted fluidity of his manly physique."



I should of liked this book. Why you ask? Well we have ourselves a Harley riding, tattooed leather clad hot man. That's the kind of man I likes and Jack was likable in ways but for some unknown reason he likes Curtis the douche. That made me wonder about his ability to think clearly.

We first met Curtis in 'Better Than Good'. He was Matt's roommate and friend. He came across as sweet and a good friend when Matt needed him. In this we meet a selfish, opinionated, rude, arrogant little shit who is a completely unlikable character with absolutely no redeemable qualities whatsoever. I couldn't begin to care about his problems because he didn't seem to care about anybody else's.

I can't for the life of me see what Jack saw in him. That's not high maintenance Jack. That's a superiority complex.

Add to all that the same issues I had with the last book and the use of the word 'member' which surprisingly was only 4 times but it felt like a lot more as every time it was mentioned I was in danger of throwing my iPad across the room, I'm amazed I finished it.

Oh and Paul, how could I almost forget the secondary love interest? Well it is because Paul is one of the most uninteresting and unnecessary characters ever. Paul was British and liked Jazz. That's about all I learned about Paul. He worked somewhere and traveled a lot but I couldn't bring myself to retain the information.

Profile Image for Heller.
973 reviews118 followers
June 22, 2014
This was a story that I was really looking forward to but it ended up being a read that didn't work for me. Curt is filled with insecurities but we never really find the source of them. They rule his decision making throughout the story though so I found myself frustrated with the choices that he was making as the read went on. Jack was a character that intrigued me from the first time he came on the page earlier in the series but I never really felt that I got to know him in any more than superficial way, and then we're hit with an info dump of insecurities from him and finally a rushed ending. Don't get me started on the triangle or I'll go off on a Curt rant.
Profile Image for Ami.
6,240 reviews489 followers
May 9, 2015
3.25 stars (stretched it to 3.5 stars for the blog to fit the rating scale)

Curt and Jack have good chemistry. I think Curt was endearing in his lack of confidence about himself, his disbelief that someone as handsome as Jack could find him attractive, and most of all, that he is actually a messy person (haha). I like the idea that Jack is fourteen years older – we need more characters above 40 years old, me thinks.

I also like the update about Matt and Aaron. Boy, these boys have gone far *lol*. They’re just adorable.

BUT, I have issues. I am not very happy with Curt and the way he deals with the Paul situation. While I can understand that he thinks Jack isn’t interested in doing something more, I still found the whole ‘dating’ Paul thing while being fuck buddies with Jack uncomfortable for me to read.

Yes, yes, I know that Curt and Paul don’t even get physical, but just like Curt having ‘traditional’ perceptions about what dating should be like, I am also traditional in my way of enjoying romance. I like my couple to be, well, a couple. Not stringing someone else into the equation, no matter what the reasons are.

Curt’s insecurities also end up a bit tiresome after awhile. Especially when this becomes the reason why he keeps ‘dates’ with Paul. Simply because he thinks it’s nice to be able to get attention from someone?

Other than that, the use of endearments is a bit excessive for me. Yes, it’s not ‘baby’ (which I hate with passion) but I can do with less ‘honey’ too (there’s 44 of them here). I simply am not a person who enjoys excessive endearments. It has become a pet peeve of mine. I think my limit is around 10-15 for any kind of endearment *LOL*. Yes, MY issue. Not yours.

Oh, another word that just popped out on my Kindle because I thought it was excessive? Jack’s grin. Boy did he grin A LOT!

In the end, this is my LEAST favorite of the series, sad to say. Even if at one point, Ms. Hayes made me smile hugely when I saw the word “Indonesia” (where I live!).





The ARC is provided by the publisher for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Amina .
1,325 reviews36 followers
December 15, 2023
✰ 2.75 stars ✰

“So we’re together in being alone?” I smiled weakly, hoping to shift to a more uplifting line of conversation.

Jack grinned and picked up his glass. He clinked it noisily with mine.

“It seems to me… if we’re together, we aren’t alone.”


It's a shame Lane Hayes opted to have the previous books in this series be in a retelling format - it would have been so much better if it weren't (see what I did there? ☺️) As much as I would like to wire off my brain, I can't avoid the obvious moments of the tell over show parts that hindered my enjoyment of their relationship. 😮‍💨 But, three relationships in, I guess, I'm pretty much used to it by now, so I don't think I should judge it too harshly, aside from the romance itself. 💞

“Kiss me again.” Uncharacteristic of me, for sure.

“You kiss me,” he challenged, as he leaned back lazily against the brick.”


And yet, from the first moment, Curt, a 28-year old lawyer - 'a mere mortal - a regular guy' - laid his eyes on Jack - there was instant attraction between the two - an immediate chemistry that neither were willing to fight or ignore. It's an age-gap romance that started at the heels of a wedding between two of their close friends, one that spirals quickly into a full-blown hook-up, on more than several occasions, but never venturing into something more committed. 'Why torment myself with visions of hot sex with a muscle-bound leather man? It might make for good fantasy, but in reality, I doubted I was his type any more than he was mine.' 🥺

I feel odd about giving this a low rating and how mixed of a read this turned out to be; parts of it I really enjoyed. I really liked all the intimate moments shared between the two characters, I loved the vulnerability and innocent naivete Curt exhibited with Jack, who never ridiculed him for it, but allowed him to open up to new experiences, the nature of their banter was so very easy-going, and their chemistry in the sheets was off-the-charts smoking hot ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥 - 'I said no talking. It’s not easy letting go, but tonight you’re going to give me everything' - but something about it still felt off. 🤔

“He was a complex combination of muscled bad boy and boyish charm with a wicked sense of humor. I didn’t know what he saw in me, but I wisely decided not to question it.

Of course, in not questioning it, I didn’t know how to define what we were exactly.”


Fourteen years Curt's senior, Jack 'a man built like a god' was a really likeable guy - nice, confident, oozing sex appeal, and totally smitten with Curt, I liked how it was all so easy for him to express his feelings for Curt. He was a generous passionate lover, 'an expert kisser' - a complete beast in the bed, but never shied away from showing his caring and tender side, something Curt desperately needed. 'He was anyone’s fantasy come true. Imposing and dignified, with his godlike, perfectly toned abs.' 🫠🫠 They had some really sweet and affectionate moments that brought a smile to my face. I liked how passionate he would become when talking about baseball and I even chuckled when he threw a hissy fit upon seeing the uncleanliness of Curt's apartment. He also was very dedicated to his club, which really was an eye-opener for Curt - something for him to embrace a new side to himself, which I thought was nicely done. ☺️

I think what slightly bothered me about their relationship was Curt's hesitancy and self-deprecating thoughts about himself not being good enough for Jack, despite his many reassurances that he was exactly what he was searching for - someone different - someone who made him smile and put him at ease. 😒 It perplexed me even more that while he was unwilling to wholly commit to Jack - because he didn't think it could ever amount to anything more fruitful - he still found time to string along his co-worker, Paul, in the hopes of simply testing the waters. 😐 That in, itself was the entirety of the conflict of their dynamic, till one ill-timed and ill-planned action on Curt's part forced their relationship to fall apart. It's one of those rare instances where I think this would have been slightly more appealing if we had been privy to Jack's POV, as well.

“Time heals old wounds and eventually allows the heart to open when the possibility of something special comes along. But we all have pasts, and some things could be shared and others were for us alone.”

Still, all things considered, it could have been worse. There were some really endearing moments to them that I did like - whenever Jack did call Curt out on his insecurity about their relationship, I was quite fond of him at those moments. I especially hurt for him when he felt that sting of betrayal, too. I guess, there was just this reasoning of understanding why it made sense for them to fall so rapidly and conveniently into a romance that left me unbalanced. But, if this is a love story that teaches those to trust in love and appreciate the luck that you've been blessed with than truly 'there really was nothing better than being in love with your best friend.' 🥰
Profile Image for Valerie ❈M/M Romance Junkie❈.
1,726 reviews435 followers
June 17, 2014
Overall, this was a very enjoyable read. I adored Jack. He was sexy. He was endearing. I liked Curt, but there were times that he annoyed the hell out me. He seemed very insecure in himself without there being a real reason that would explain it away. He had a problem believing Jack wanted to be with him that lasted a tad too long for my taste. It knocked me out of the story a couple times questioning why he still questioned Jack.
Profile Image for Kristan.
379 reviews41 followers
January 14, 2016
I'm going to nitpick the shit out of this book.

description

Ready? Let's do this.

44 times Jack called Curtis "honey"
5 uses of the word "member." Might not seem like a lot, but if you’re assigning a PG name to your man's willy, you might not be mature enough to use it.
19 swallowed hard's and 19 times "gulped" makes an appearance.

Which all pales in comparison to our MC.

Curtis is very insecure. He's also incredibly conservative, reluctant, a control freak, and high maintenance. If that weren't enough, he also has low self-esteem, tends to overthink almost everything, and, if he loses even one ounce of control unwillingly, he turns into a massive diva.

Sounds like a real catch, yeah?

description

Nah, not really. I really didn't want to take this journey with him.

I wanted to be with Jack

It's Jack is who shines here, and unfortunately we never get inside his head. He's confident, funny, and perfectly sculpted...with beautiful longish hair...

and tattoos...

...and a pirate smile

*ahem* Sorry. Got carried away there.

I skipped book 2, and I probably should have skipped this one, because watching a MC date multiple people at the same time, just isn't for me. It's not a cheating thing (because there was no cheating), it's a wasting of time thing. I'm just not a fan.

Competing love interests only work when both are appealing. #teamEdward #teamJacob But when one is just there, in the periphery, like Paul was, it’s just annoying. Curtis keeps him hanging around for no other reason than.. Why not?

Because it's unfair to the guy we're invested in, is why not! I kept waiting for Curtis to ditch the guy he had 0% chemistry with, for the guy he had 100% chemistry with. I don't want to waste my time because the MC is too lazy to tell the guy no!

And it all felt so manufactured. What kept Paul coming back to Curtis? There was so much left unsaid between Jack and Curtis; so much tiptoeing, non communication, and misunderstandings, that... I can't even.

description

When Jack and Curtis are together, it's fantastic. Watching them evolve through friendship and seeing them finally get what they want, is what makes this a good read. And I did like the book. Honestly, I did! But getting through the rest was a little like a chore for me, and reading should never feel that way.

Still, am I going to read the next one?

description
Profile Image for CrabbyPatty.
1,712 reviews194 followers
June 23, 2016
Curt (Matt's roommate from Better Than Good) and Jack (Peter's ex from Better Than Chance) meet at Jay and Peter's wedding. As Peter starts a new life, Jack tries to move forward with his own future, becoming intrigued by Curt, a khaki-wearing eminent domain and property acquisition attorney. Curt, for his part, is absolutely fascinated and awestruck by tall gorgeous Jack, who owns a motorcycle shop and a gay leather bar.

The problem is, Curt thinks Jack is way out of his league. To which Jack replies:
“For as confident a man as you are in your work and with your friends, I get this vibe from you sometimes that you don’t think I really am attracted or interested in you. I don’t want you to think I’m playing a game. I’m not. I find you really fucking insanely attractive. In bed and out of bed. That means while we’re watching sports or eating dinner. You’re going to need to work on believing me.”

While Jack and Curt absolutely sizzle together ... oh sweet lord, they almost go up in flames, that insecurity manifests itself in Curt continuing to see Paul Fallon - their mutual friend Aaron initially set them up - for a series of coffee dates and dinners. Sigh.... It took me a while to get past Curt's low self esteem-fueled indecisiveness and I think his continued worrying needlessly slowed down the flow of the story. But once both Jack and Curt let go of their fear and the past, their HEA is well-worth the wait. 4 stars.

I received an ARC of the "Better Than Bundle" from Dreamspinner Press in exchange for an honest review.
Review also posted at GayBook Reviews. Check it out!
Profile Image for ✦❋Arianna✦❋.
790 reviews2,552 followers
July 1, 2014
4-4.5 STARS

Like the others books in this series, Better Than Friends is a sweet, fun read.

This is the story of Curt and Jake. We met both of them in the previous books in this series. Curt is a 28 year old lawyer. He has a good job, a lot of friends but he doesn’t have a significant other. Jacks is a 42 year old man who owns a gay bar and a motorcycle shop.

They met at Jay and Peter’s wedding and immediately there’s a strong attraction between them. They became friends and not so long after more…Each character has some issues. Jack – he doesn’t do relationships and Curt has some self-esteem issues, but despite their issues and age difference they manage to become a couple and find their HEA.

Both characters are lovable and sweet and there’s no unnecessary drama. A steamy, sexy read, Better Than Friends is a great friends to lovers read.

Overall this was a very enjoyable read.
Profile Image for Kade Boehme.
Author 37 books1,046 followers
August 17, 2014
Goddamn. I need a little Jack in my life. Lane Hayes is one of my favorites. Ever. She's brilliant. He stories flow so wonderfully and are genuine and laid back. One of those authors where I'm like MORE MORE MORE!
Profile Image for Denise H..
3,243 reviews268 followers
March 21, 2020
Motorcycle man and the Lawyer get hooked up on each other !
"There was something special about Jack..." At Jay and Peter's wedding, is where Curt met Jack, 42, gorgeous, muscled, tattooed, blue eyed god.

Jack owns a motorcycle shop and a leather club.

Lawyer Curt was tall and lean, brown hair and eyes, an ordinary looking, 28 yr. old man.


Jack and Curt hit it off right away, bonding with their love of baseball and trivia, and so many things. They fit together well with little effort. The problem... neither wants to be hurt, romantically, again. Their sexy times are super hot, and wild !

Curt's crappy family, Jack's disappointments that go way back, are included in the men's insecurities. Curt gets a date with a British man, and he's nice, but he's not Jack.
We get ups and downs, a death in the family, and Jack stands up to a challenge.

Great epilogue for two deserving men.
ENJOY !


======
Thanks sweet Emily for the rec !
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Profile Image for Annery.
517 reviews156 followers
June 23, 2017
*** 3.5 *** //WHY DOES GR INSIST ON NOT ALLOWING .5 STARS!!!//

Another breezy entry to the love stories of Matt & Aaron's friends from Better Than Good. Like the previous entry nothing much happens and I'm not complaining. No made up issues or melodrama, but the story of how Curt, Matt's friend and former college roommate, and Jack, who appears in Better Than Chance meet and get together is more novella material in my opinion.

Don't get me wrong. They are both good company. Curtis is sometimes too caught up in his insecurities and I think that Lane Hayes makes a good case for Jack being hesitant to pursue a "formal" relationship due to his past ones. I also appreciate that though there could be some drama created over the age difference, Curtis is 28 and Jack 42, none rises because hey, those relationships happen all the time and if anything Jack is the one here pushing Curt to go beyond his comfort zone and out of his head. All in all it's a low to no angst story of two outwardly seeming opposites attracted to each in a powerful yet easy way. For Curt it's also learning to see himself with other more admiring eyes and for both Jack & Curt to release the past and grab the future with both hands.

However unlike Peter & Jay who are forceful and interesting characters in their own right I feel like Curt & Jack are ancillary or satellites of the Matt/Aaron world and that their story could be better told within a novella …. but if you enjoy decor porn you're in for a treat. Every space gets described in an almost tactile detail and I felt a times like I was looking at pictures in Dwell or Elle Decor.

In this volume we are introduced to Paul who I'm sure will be one of the MC of the next book and I'll read it not so much because I'm interested in him but because I'm *fingers crossed* expecting more visits with Matt & Aaron and hopefully wedding bells and because lets face it I'm an anal freak who likes to finish series and in this case it will be no chore due to a combination of Lane Hayes smooth writing style about people you feel like you know: your office mate, drinking buddy or cute neighbor and these books are blessed by Tyler Stevens doing the narration. Sweet.
Profile Image for Alisa.
1,894 reviews202 followers
June 23, 2017
Audio Version

I'm not sure why so many other people disliked this one. I really enjoyed it. I liked the plot and I thought these two had great chemistry. And Jack.......I loved Jack. Jack's going in my book boyfriend harem. *heart eyes*

I liked the narrator a lot and thought he did a good job on this.
Profile Image for Heather C.
1,480 reviews222 followers
May 5, 2015
Not my favorite in the series but I still really liked it. I think maybe reading these three books back to back wasn't the best idea since they started to blend together. I liked Curt and Jack together, but I didn't feel as passionate about their HEA as I did for some of the other couples. Plus, the ending was too predictable. Anyway, these guess were HOT HOT HOT and it's definitely worth reading if you've enjoyed this series.

3.5 stars
Profile Image for Rebelexmachina.
96 reviews13 followers
January 29, 2020
3.75/5 stars

A Lane Hayes book is cosy and comforting like a warm mug of soup on a cold day. I love the little worlds she builds full of characters with distinct lyrics voices. I enjoyed this, but I I just didn’t love Curtis and Jack as much as I adore the other characters in this series so far. It’s not a fault of the writing, just a personal preference.

3.75/5 stars
Profile Image for Bitchie.
1,464 reviews75 followers
January 20, 2016
I liked this much more than I thought I would, based on reviews, so I was pleasantly surprised. I loved Jack and Curt, although I didn't quite get Curt's self esteem issues. I think I'm also starting to really dislike authors who only give one pov. I want to see both, especially with a character like Jack, who seemed fairly open, but you could tell there was more under the surface.

Plenty of people had issue with the whole Paul thing, and while I do get it, I also got that Curt and Jack were still pretty much just friends who fucked. They weren't committed or anything. If anything, I thought it was most unfair to Paul, for Curt to keep the guy on the hook, when he wasn't really even that into him.

One big pet peeve was the author's use of the word "member". It was especially annoying considering the story was first person, what guy, ever, thinks of a guy's dick as a "member"?

Also, I felt the ending was WAAY too rushed. We have some drama over perceived cheating, and it all gets resolved in a couple of pages. I thought we at least needed a whole chapter of "I'm sorry", and forgiveness and makeup sex.
Profile Image for Love Is All Around.
2,290 reviews68 followers
February 18, 2023
RECENSIONE A CURA DI LADY MARMELADE
Se penso che alcuni anni fa non prendevo in considerazione i Romance Contemporanei, a essere sincera non andavo matta per i “classici” m/f strappalacrime e troppo sdolcinati, quasi mi stupisco di me stessa! Perché vi starete chiedendo: perché ultimamente li leggo tutti e mi piacciono un sacco, ma sempre e solo in versione m/m!
L’amore e l’amicizia sono due sentimenti che vanno di pari passo; si può partire con l’essere solo amici e poi riscoprirsi innamorati, anche a distanza di anni, e quando il tuo innamorato è anche il tuo migliore amico per me hai vinto alla lotteria!
A me è capitato più di una volta, e anche se la relazione è finita sono rimasta in ottimi rapporti con l’ex di turno, proprio perché l’amicizia che ci legava era profonda e sincera, un po’ come è capitato all’oggetto del desiderio del protagonista di questa storia.
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Profile Image for Mare SLiTsReaD Reviews.
1,215 reviews66 followers
June 19, 2014
2.5 stars

Ugh writing this review depresses me.

I loved book 2. With my whole heart. It was such a great read to me. It had everything. It had chemistry and sexual tension and some angst. You could feel the connection.

Better Than Friends just didn't add up to the hype of book 1 & 2 which were both 4 & 5 star reads by me.

It was just so... Harlequin

And the self esteem issues. And the giggles. I just can't get passed grown men giggling. I don't even giggle.

And I felt 0 connection. I felt 0 chemistry. I felt 0 sexual tension.

2.5 stars cause I really liked Jack and the things that came out of his mouth.
Jack kept me from DNFing this book.

Mare~Slitsread
Profile Image for DaisyGirl.
1,206 reviews67 followers
July 12, 2014
2.5 Stars

I am a huge fan of the Better Than series and was chomping at the bit when this came out. That said, book three didn't blow my dress up. Curt was the narrator and he was a little irksome. I didn't like that he was so insecure and that he hedged his bets in love. Uh-uh. Not good. As a result, he came off as dishonest and I didn't dig it. Jack, on the other hand, was simply yummy. Confident, secure, and kind. I loved him! Too bad he got the short end of the deal with Curt. (Okay, maybe that's overstating it a bit but I was irritated.)

Bottom line: Underwhelming compared to the other books in the series.
Profile Image for Addicted2M/M.
982 reviews245 followers
July 3, 2014
Jack. I LOVE him. I want him. Hell, I may very well need him. Please more. Pretty please.

Love Smiley

"Come back to bed." Jack stretched an arm out in invitation.
"I have to get to work. And a 'walk of shame' through the streets of DC isn't my idea of a great start to the day. C'mon, let's go!"
"Walk of shame? Curtis, you are high fucking maintenance."
Profile Image for Chris, the Dalek King.
1,168 reviews154 followers
May 29, 2017
I kinda skipped over book two when reading this series, but luckily enough this book didn't suffer too much from me not having any clue who the other couple in this book were. I did enjoy this book. It was rather light and well written. I did find the whole Paul thing a bit forced. I very much doubt if there was anyone reading this book who was surprised by what happened there.
Profile Image for Eugenia.
1,900 reviews319 followers
August 21, 2017
This is my favorite of all the Better Than series. I liked both MC's and how they complemented each other--Jack grounded Curtis at the same time that he loosened him up. Curtis brought a long-term edge and commitment to the relationship that Jack missed in his life. The other characters from the previous books make their appearances, as well as one future MC in the next book.
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