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Imperfect
Two men. One bored and restless, the other broken and traumatised. How will a chance meeting in a crowded café change both their lives forever?
With looks, money, and a high-flying career, to the outside world Josh Cooper has it all. But looks can be deceiving. Trapped in a claustrophobic relationship, he seeks escape in a series of meaningless and anonymous sexual encounters.
A violent and abusive past has left Alex Fulbright wary of getting involved with another man. All he wants is to live a quiet life as he learns to put his painful history behind him.
From tentative beginnings, Josh and Alex eventually come to find the love with each other that neither thought they would ever have. But life isn’t perfect, and neither man is quite who he seems. Both have secrets and when these are dragged into the open, the life they had planned to build together is blown apart, leaving their happy ever after no longer the certainty it was.
With looks, money, and a high-flying career, to the outside world Josh Cooper has it all. But looks can be deceiving. Trapped in a claustrophobic relationship, he seeks escape in a series of meaningless and anonymous sexual encounters.
A violent and abusive past has left Alex Fulbright wary of getting involved with another man. All he wants is to live a quiet life as he learns to put his painful history behind him.
From tentative beginnings, Josh and Alex eventually come to find the love with each other that neither thought they would ever have. But life isn’t perfect, and neither man is quite who he seems. Both have secrets and when these are dragged into the open, the life they had planned to build together is blown apart, leaving their happy ever after no longer the certainty it was.
300 pages, ebook
First published May 30, 2015
23 people are currently reading
159 people want to read
About the author
A.E. Ryecart
22 books112 followersA born and bred Londoner, she may have moved to someplace more leafy but the city is still very much part of her DNA, which is why her books are set in and around present-day London, providing a thrilling, metropolitan backdrop to the main action.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
April 27, 2016
3.5 HEARTS--First off, let's get comfy before I start the review, huh? You get the snacks, I'll get the booze. Trust me, we'll need it.
I don't know where to begin. I have a barrel full of quotes and a shelf worth of alcohol. This is a book that if someone rated it a 1, I totally would get it. And if they rated it a 5, I'd understand. Because while this wasn't the best story written, I was entertained. I think I hated just about all the characters. Wait. I liked Liam, the best friend of Alex. And I pitied the hell out of Alex, the naive twink and star of the book. *pours* But the other main players aren't fit to lick the bottom of my shoe.
So...let me top off my glass while I start off with there is cheating. The author kind of tries to be slick with technicalities but Josh seeks out a relationship with Alex while still in a relationship with Dan. Josh could deny it all he wants from now until the second coming but he had a boyfriend, even if it was one sided. And it was emotional cheating. *sips*
And I think I'll just blurt out my feels because I thought this book was going to be seedy hook ups and alley way sex when the boyfriend wasn't home. Dirty call me when you get home so I jerk off when he's not looking. And it wasn't. It really wasn't. It was tamer in some aspects, like instead of cry-fests and slap-fests, it was kind of orderly. Not overly drama llama. Well except for that boyfriend. He brought the histrionics. *points* That is what I came for. Messy, bitching out. Worth the price of admission. Yeah!!!!!!
Josh is an older lawyer type who is in a relationship, cheats on his boyfriend and is a jerk. He hates commitment and yet finds himself saddled down with a boyfriend because it's convenient. He has a pre-midlife crisis of sorts when he sees a young blonde twink (Alex) working in the cafe. He saves him from being bullied and bullies his way into Alex's life. Now Alex has a past and it's very apparent what happened to him with his past boyfriend and yet he goes directly to Josh, a controlling, manipulative type who goes away without telling him where and when for days on end. He hides his phone, etc. Obvious things that are warning signs for most single people but not gullible Alex. *chugs* Thankfully, there's a Liam in Alex's life.
Liam: He was blunt and I can respect that. He was rough at first. But you know what? Head-in-the-damn-clouds Alex needed a friend like him because he kept getting hurt over and over again. And if Alex had no self-preservation, at least Liam had his best interests. Liam's way might be with his fists but sometimes there are people you just can't use words with. Pounding it out just is easier. *shrugs and gulps*
Josh is an asshole. It's not even about the cheating for me. He's a loathsome character and I really wished Liam was able to unleash the beast on him at least once. I would have 5 Hearted this book in a heartbeat if Josh got his asshole handed to him in a brown paper bag. *deep sigh* Josh was manipulative and an emotional abuser. And he knew what Alex went through and he still treated him like that? Alex could do better. Josh knew which buttons to push and how make Alex come to heel in a few amount of words. It was pathetic and yet fascinating. Like watching a train wreck.
The book runs high on emotions and reads like a soap opera and yet I devoured this 300 pg book in less than 24 hours. It was a case of "I can't believe he's going to fall for this, let me see what he'll do next". The book was slightly drawn out. It could have been shaved 20-25%, but the major plot points made sense. And for a messy, tawdry plot, it didn't end up as messy or tawdry as I thought. And there were unexpected twists, some that went deeper than I expected. Trigger warnings: Off page rape/physical abuse.
Do I think Alex and Josh actually have a shot? Hell no. This is a case where the age difference and life experiences will come to bite them in the ass in the future.Thank goodness this is fiction.
Alex needs to be taken into a witness protection program and Josh needs to have a double date with Liam's fists and boots. Alex has no voice in his relationship and the fact that he thinks he has a say is sad. Ruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuun Alex! Come over here, it's a Josh free zone! Boo Josh!
On the SRAL scale of cray cray, this couple rates a 2 out of 7: We get it you're in each others pocket 24/7. Good for you . Low factor crazy.
*looks into empty glass* But I was entertained as hell. Wouldn't read it again, but I enjoyed the ride!
A copy provided for an honest review.
I don't know where to begin. I have a barrel full of quotes and a shelf worth of alcohol. This is a book that if someone rated it a 1, I totally would get it. And if they rated it a 5, I'd understand. Because while this wasn't the best story written, I was entertained. I think I hated just about all the characters. Wait. I liked Liam, the best friend of Alex. And I pitied the hell out of Alex, the naive twink and star of the book. *pours* But the other main players aren't fit to lick the bottom of my shoe.
So...let me top off my glass while I start off with there is cheating. The author kind of tries to be slick with technicalities but Josh seeks out a relationship with Alex while still in a relationship with Dan. Josh could deny it all he wants from now until the second coming but he had a boyfriend, even if it was one sided. And it was emotional cheating. *sips*
And I think I'll just blurt out my feels because I thought this book was going to be seedy hook ups and alley way sex when the boyfriend wasn't home. Dirty call me when you get home so I jerk off when he's not looking. And it wasn't. It really wasn't. It was tamer in some aspects, like instead of cry-fests and slap-fests, it was kind of orderly. Not overly drama llama. Well except for that boyfriend. He brought the histrionics. *points* That is what I came for. Messy, bitching out. Worth the price of admission. Yeah!!!!!!
Josh is an older lawyer type who is in a relationship, cheats on his boyfriend and is a jerk. He hates commitment and yet finds himself saddled down with a boyfriend because it's convenient. He has a pre-midlife crisis of sorts when he sees a young blonde twink (Alex) working in the cafe. He saves him from being bullied and bullies his way into Alex's life. Now Alex has a past and it's very apparent what happened to him with his past boyfriend and yet he goes directly to Josh, a controlling, manipulative type who goes away without telling him where and when for days on end. He hides his phone, etc. Obvious things that are warning signs for most single people but not gullible Alex. *chugs* Thankfully, there's a Liam in Alex's life.
Liam: He was blunt and I can respect that. He was rough at first. But you know what? Head-in-the-damn-clouds Alex needed a friend like him because he kept getting hurt over and over again. And if Alex had no self-preservation, at least Liam had his best interests. Liam's way might be with his fists but sometimes there are people you just can't use words with. Pounding it out just is easier. *shrugs and gulps*
Josh is an asshole. It's not even about the cheating for me. He's a loathsome character and I really wished Liam was able to unleash the beast on him at least once. I would have 5 Hearted this book in a heartbeat if Josh got his asshole handed to him in a brown paper bag. *deep sigh* Josh was manipulative and an emotional abuser. And he knew what Alex went through and he still treated him like that? Alex could do better. Josh knew which buttons to push and how make Alex come to heel in a few amount of words. It was pathetic and yet fascinating. Like watching a train wreck.
The book runs high on emotions and reads like a soap opera and yet I devoured this 300 pg book in less than 24 hours. It was a case of "I can't believe he's going to fall for this, let me see what he'll do next". The book was slightly drawn out. It could have been shaved 20-25%, but the major plot points made sense. And for a messy, tawdry plot, it didn't end up as messy or tawdry as I thought. And there were unexpected twists, some that went deeper than I expected. Trigger warnings: Off page rape/physical abuse.
Do I think Alex and Josh actually have a shot? Hell no. This is a case where the age difference and life experiences will come to bite them in the ass in the future.Thank goodness this is fiction.
Alex needs to be taken into a witness protection program and Josh needs to have a double date with Liam's fists and boots. Alex has no voice in his relationship and the fact that he thinks he has a say is sad. Ruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuun Alex! Come over here, it's a Josh free zone! Boo Josh!
On the SRAL scale of cray cray, this couple rates a 2 out of 7: We get it you're in each others pocket 24/7. Good for you . Low factor crazy.
*looks into empty glass* But I was entertained as hell. Wouldn't read it again, but I enjoyed the ride!
A copy provided for an honest review.
Read
June 3, 2015The blurb for this story is a bit misleading. Both MCs have secrets. However, the blurb almost makes it seem that Alex's secret is bigger/badder... Josh is a cheater. Straight up. The reader knows that he is involved with someone by the end of the first chapter and yet he pursues/becomes involved with Alex.
I think the best way to state it, is that Josh's secrets are more manipulative, volitional, and current. And, imho, the greater offense.
Alex is a victim. I'm not going to spoil it for future readers. You can make your own judgment call... but I think there are readers out there that would appreciate the heads up.
I think the best way to state it, is that Josh's secrets are more manipulative, volitional, and current. And, imho, the greater offense.
Alex is a victim. I'm not going to spoil it for future readers. You can make your own judgment call... but I think there are readers out there that would appreciate the heads up.
October 6, 2016
Shit, ok...this book is hard to rate...mainly because it deals with a very unlikeable character as MC, i mean Josh who is a lawyer who falls for Alex, a young boy that works at a café where they first met. At first i didn't get into the book part of it because of the narration (omniscient narration turning into head-hopping) and Josh being an ass to his current boyfriend Dan, and Dan's friends, and basically everyone even Alex.
At 20% i was wondering if i should DNF the book because i couldn't deal with Josh actions, not because he was cheating Dan, that wasn't the main problem although Josh being all "booh" because he hated being with Dan was such an annoying thing I just wanted to kick him and tell him to man up and break up with Dan already. But no, that wasn't the thing that bothered me most, the thing was the subtle ways he wanted to control Alex and his burst of jealousy at some points, whilst the boy was just trying to get over his abusive relationship with his ex-boyfriend.
I read some reviews and they pricked at my curiosity so i decided to keep going. And I'm glad i did so because there were such dramatic scenes that just made me laugh but also others that made me think that despite Josh being *good* and *kind* to Alex he, as a person, was an arsehole like his best friend Lucy, oh yeah...i forgot to mention that in this book the women are bad bitches except of Josh's sister but just by a little *rolls eyes*.
Lastly, what didn't make me put a 3 star-rate was first the dialogue, some where so unrealistic, and second
Despite everything, Josh and Alex relationship is mainly vanilla, which was a surprise since you don't always read a story where one character cheats more in an emotional than a physical sense. To me that kind of betrayal is more serious. But unlikeable characters deserve a HEA? Maybe.
At 20% i was wondering if i should DNF the book because i couldn't deal with Josh actions, not because he was cheating Dan, that wasn't the main problem although Josh being all "booh" because he hated being with Dan was such an annoying thing I just wanted to kick him and tell him to man up and break up with Dan already. But no, that wasn't the thing that bothered me most, the thing was the subtle ways he wanted to control Alex and his burst of jealousy at some points, whilst the boy was just trying to get over his abusive relationship with his ex-boyfriend.
I read some reviews and they pricked at my curiosity so i decided to keep going. And I'm glad i did so because there were such dramatic scenes that just made me laugh but also others that made me think that despite Josh being *good* and *kind* to Alex he, as a person, was an arsehole like his best friend Lucy, oh yeah...i forgot to mention that in this book the women are bad bitches except of Josh's sister but just by a little *rolls eyes*.
Lastly, what didn't make me put a 3 star-rate was first the dialogue, some where so unrealistic, and second
Despite everything, Josh and Alex relationship is mainly vanilla, which was a surprise since you don't always read a story where one character cheats more in an emotional than a physical sense. To me that kind of betrayal is more serious. But unlikeable characters deserve a HEA? Maybe.
July 18, 2022
DNF @ 7%.
If I hadn’t already known this was one of Ryecart’s earlier works, it would have been made apparent fast enough. While the first chapter is told from Josh’s POV, the second starts from Alex’s POV. Then we get a page break and it jumps back to Josh… and from that point on it seems to switch from one paragraph to the next. It’s hard to follow who is thinking what. And somehow, without introduction, Alex knows Josh’s name… that or the POV is switching multiples times within a single sentence .
If I hadn’t already known this was one of Ryecart’s earlier works, it would have been made apparent fast enough. While the first chapter is told from Josh’s POV, the second starts from Alex’s POV. Then we get a page break and it jumps back to Josh… and from that point on it seems to switch from one paragraph to the next. It’s hard to follow who is thinking what. And somehow, without introduction, Alex knows Josh’s name… that or the POV is switching multiples times within a single sentence .
January 5, 2016
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
My rating: 3.5 Betrayal hurts. Is your heart big enough to forgive him?
Josh, a good looking lawyer, is in a dead-end relationship with his live-in boyfriend when he meets a beautiful young guy, Alex, at a cafe. Though Josh is taken by Alex almost immediately, Josh doesn’t admit it to himself until they’ve gone on their first date. Josh had never been one for fidelity, but when Alex holds back and doesn’t want sex, he finds he is in no way disappointed. Instead he is intrigued with himself for sticking around. Before Josh realizes what is happening, he is falling for Alex in a way he doesn’t understand. By the time he admits to himself that he’s in love with Alex, it is long past due for him to break up with his boyfriend. To complicate things, Alex has been abused in the past, and Josh promises never to hurt him. Though the situation goes downhill and gets quite ugly, there is a happy ending.
I loved the beginning of this book, but when I found out Josh was a cheater, it made it difficult to like him. Even so, I kept the title in mind. This is about two men who are both imperfect in their own ways. They both have flaws, and the story seems like a practical reflection of life rather than a fairytale dream. Josh was never looking for a relationship, and wasn’t trying to cheat, but no one could have convinced him he would end up falling in love. Although Imperfect kept my attention with many surprises along the way, I was waiting for Josh to redeem himself. There was an opportunity for him to be Alex’s hero in the end, but he fails to take it and goes in the other direction instead. Despite my disappointment with Josh, I still was entertained and found the story enjoyable.
My rating: 3.5 Betrayal hurts. Is your heart big enough to forgive him?
Josh, a good looking lawyer, is in a dead-end relationship with his live-in boyfriend when he meets a beautiful young guy, Alex, at a cafe. Though Josh is taken by Alex almost immediately, Josh doesn’t admit it to himself until they’ve gone on their first date. Josh had never been one for fidelity, but when Alex holds back and doesn’t want sex, he finds he is in no way disappointed. Instead he is intrigued with himself for sticking around. Before Josh realizes what is happening, he is falling for Alex in a way he doesn’t understand. By the time he admits to himself that he’s in love with Alex, it is long past due for him to break up with his boyfriend. To complicate things, Alex has been abused in the past, and Josh promises never to hurt him. Though the situation goes downhill and gets quite ugly, there is a happy ending.
I loved the beginning of this book, but when I found out Josh was a cheater, it made it difficult to like him. Even so, I kept the title in mind. This is about two men who are both imperfect in their own ways. They both have flaws, and the story seems like a practical reflection of life rather than a fairytale dream. Josh was never looking for a relationship, and wasn’t trying to cheat, but no one could have convinced him he would end up falling in love. Although Imperfect kept my attention with many surprises along the way, I was waiting for Josh to redeem himself. There was an opportunity for him to be Alex’s hero in the end, but he fails to take it and goes in the other direction instead. Despite my disappointment with Josh, I still was entertained and found the story enjoyable.
July 13, 2015
I'm sorry I don't like to write negative reviews, but this book is not good. There really is no plot to speak of and the dialogue and reactions are not realistic.
Josh is a very unpleasant character from the beginning, and very difficult to empathise with. Plus, the plot has a lot of holes in - Josh, and boyfriend Dan, seem to appear regularly on Facebook, but neither Alex, or his best friend Liam ever notice. They are both twenty-two and don't look new friends and men up on Facebook!
Josh is a very unpleasant character from the beginning, and very difficult to empathise with. Plus, the plot has a lot of holes in - Josh, and boyfriend Dan, seem to appear regularly on Facebook, but neither Alex, or his best friend Liam ever notice. They are both twenty-two and don't look new friends and men up on Facebook!
July 8, 2018
Review coming
July 20, 2015
I think this book works as a compelling piece of dramatic fiction, rather than a romance. The main character, Josh, is an anti-hero and is fairly unlikable through most of the book. He cheats on his boyfriend, this time as he pursues a young, vulnerable man named Alex. He gets mad at his current boyfriend for not wanting to have sex in a dirty alley with other men grunting and sweating nearby, he refers to his best female friend as "too curvy" (read, fat), and he is prone to jealous rages even though he is the one cheating.
SPOILERS!!!
Alex has suffered from domestic abuse in the past, and Josh victimizes him further by demanding him to prove that he's not a "slut" because he was gang raped by his last boyfriend and his cronies. That part was really tough to read and made me extremely uneasy. Josh alternates between tender concern and jealous rages, which is the hallmark of an abusive relationship.
The writing in this book was compelling with a breezy style that is easy to read, even if the subject matter isn’t. For fans of m/m romance, this isn’t a sweet, tender love story. I think it works as a piece of dark fiction, but I can't in good conscience call it a romance because there is nothing romantic about abuse.
Read it through the lens of a dramatic, tragic fiction and I think it's a solid piece of writing.
SPOILERS!!!
Alex has suffered from domestic abuse in the past, and Josh victimizes him further by demanding him to prove that he's not a "slut" because he was gang raped by his last boyfriend and his cronies. That part was really tough to read and made me extremely uneasy. Josh alternates between tender concern and jealous rages, which is the hallmark of an abusive relationship.
The writing in this book was compelling with a breezy style that is easy to read, even if the subject matter isn’t. For fans of m/m romance, this isn’t a sweet, tender love story. I think it works as a piece of dark fiction, but I can't in good conscience call it a romance because there is nothing romantic about abuse.
Read it through the lens of a dramatic, tragic fiction and I think it's a solid piece of writing.
June 28, 2015
First time authour, she did a very good job. Really nice story with just the right amount of angst to get one's blood roiling. Will definitely read another from her.
May 31, 2025
Josh Cooper appears to have it all—wealth, success, and charm—but beneath the surface, he's suffocating in a relationship that feels more like a cage. Seeking escape, he turns to fleeting encounters that offer only temporary relief. Meanwhile, Alex Fulbright, shaped by a violent past, avoids intimacy altogether, preferring the quiet solitude of his carefully guarded life. A chance meeting in a café sparks something unexpected between them, and despite their hesitations, they begin to build a fragile connection. Yet, buried secrets threaten to unravel everything, forcing them to confront painful truths that could either destroy their love—or transform it forever.
I loved this story with the two men who were drawn together and had many storms to weather together. I disliked Josh for a time because of his behaviour but he won me over eventually. Alex deserved love and hugs from everyone forever because of the violent past which horrified me. Easy to feel and understand. This was an MM story with mature content.
*** Please note that this story contains descriptions of off story domestic violence and abuse - please practice self care if needed.
*** Please note this book was previously published under the name of A E Ryecart. The cover and description may (or may not) have changed, but the book title and contents remain the same as before.
I loved this story with the two men who were drawn together and had many storms to weather together. I disliked Josh for a time because of his behaviour but he won me over eventually. Alex deserved love and hugs from everyone forever because of the violent past which horrified me. Easy to feel and understand. This was an MM story with mature content.
*** Please note that this story contains descriptions of off story domestic violence and abuse - please practice self care if needed.
*** Please note this book was previously published under the name of A E Ryecart. The cover and description may (or may not) have changed, but the book title and contents remain the same as before.
August 5, 2019
This is definitely not a story for everyone and I'm more than a little surprised at how much I ended up liking it. Alex was so sweet, I loved him and wanted to protect him right from the start but Josh...I had a love/hate relationship with. I'm not one to shy away from reading stories with cheating but usually the MC cheats and moves on. In this story Josh is cheating on Dan and Alex for more than half the book. To say I was angry and really disliked Josh for a lot of the story is an understatement but something compelled me to read on.
Both men had their secrets, both men lied through most of the story and both men had a best friend that I wasn't particularly fond of but for some inexplicable reason by the end I really liked Josh and Alex's story. I honestly don't know what else to say about Imperfect. I'm a bit dumbfounded at my reaction to this one!
There is a bonus chapter on the author's website that brings the story to a more complete happily ever after!
** Warning If you are totally against cheating, lying and reading about someone being abused you may want to give this book a pass.
Both men had their secrets, both men lied through most of the story and both men had a best friend that I wasn't particularly fond of but for some inexplicable reason by the end I really liked Josh and Alex's story. I honestly don't know what else to say about Imperfect. I'm a bit dumbfounded at my reaction to this one!
There is a bonus chapter on the author's website that brings the story to a more complete happily ever after!
** Warning If you are totally against cheating, lying and reading about someone being abused you may want to give this book a pass.
January 14, 2020
I'm not sure where to go with this review, I disliked Josh for a good portion of this book, he was manipulative and misleading from the beginning. He somewhat redeemed himself, but once a cheater always a cheater especially in his case where he says from the beginning that he doesn't do commitment, he seems to turn over a new leaf at the end but its hard to say. Alex on the other hand I just felt sorry for him throughout the book. Between Josh misleading and lying to him and Liam, his best friends, attitude towards his starting to see Josh, Alex had a rough time. Liam never seems to let him forget that he had horrible judge in men, when all Alex wanted was someone who could support him.
Overall, it was a good book, not sure I'd say its a romance but definitely a dramatic book. Rounded up to 4 from 3.5.
Overall, it was a good book, not sure I'd say its a romance but definitely a dramatic book. Rounded up to 4 from 3.5.
May 17, 2017
1.5 stars
January 12, 2018
bon moment de lecture sur un sujet difficile
January 3, 2022
Ngl, I didn't really like Josh. While he might not ba another Patrick, I think he's bad news. Alex deserse so much better, he's just too blind to see it...
October 6, 2015
A Joyfully Jay review.
3.75 stars
I am going to start off this review by saying I had two different opinions on this book. As a romance (which is how this book is marketed), I think readers will be sadly disappointed. As a piece of gay fiction, I thought the book was interesting and thought provoking. In fact, two weeks after reading the book, I still struggle to process my feelings about it…hence, a 3.75 rating.
Readers will quickly fall for Alex. Despite being gorgeous and willowy, Alex is far from perfect, especially with his two slightly crooked front teeth. Eager for love, he’s made poor choices in his life that have left him trying to pick up the pieces. Just as he starts to believe that he can move on in his life, in walks Josh, a man who fits the mold he’s trying to avoid.
Josh is a really hard character to like. He is stringing along a man who sees a future for the two of them, while out prowling looking for something better. I found him self-centered, quick to temper, and somewhat creepy at times.
Both of these characters are hiding secrets. Josh is hiding his relationship with Dan, while Alex is hiding his past. Though Alex tells Josh some of what happened in his previous relationship, he doesn’t spill all the beans. When the truth does come out, I found myself initially hating Josh’s reaction, but then found him redeeming himself, leaving me somewhat conflicted as to whether Josh is just another one to fit the mold, or whether he was really changing for the better.
Read Wendy’s review in its entirety here.
3.75 stars
I am going to start off this review by saying I had two different opinions on this book. As a romance (which is how this book is marketed), I think readers will be sadly disappointed. As a piece of gay fiction, I thought the book was interesting and thought provoking. In fact, two weeks after reading the book, I still struggle to process my feelings about it…hence, a 3.75 rating.
Readers will quickly fall for Alex. Despite being gorgeous and willowy, Alex is far from perfect, especially with his two slightly crooked front teeth. Eager for love, he’s made poor choices in his life that have left him trying to pick up the pieces. Just as he starts to believe that he can move on in his life, in walks Josh, a man who fits the mold he’s trying to avoid.
Josh is a really hard character to like. He is stringing along a man who sees a future for the two of them, while out prowling looking for something better. I found him self-centered, quick to temper, and somewhat creepy at times.
Both of these characters are hiding secrets. Josh is hiding his relationship with Dan, while Alex is hiding his past. Though Alex tells Josh some of what happened in his previous relationship, he doesn’t spill all the beans. When the truth does come out, I found myself initially hating Josh’s reaction, but then found him redeeming himself, leaving me somewhat conflicted as to whether Josh is just another one to fit the mold, or whether he was really changing for the better.
Read Wendy’s review in its entirety here.
February 17, 2016
While I do have reservations about this book, I was still surprised to see so many low reviews of it. There is cheating in this book. If you can't handle it, take your finger off the 1-click button and walk away now. If you think you can handle it, there is an older, dominant alpha (Josh) who happens to fall in love with a young twink (Alex). Josh is an asshole to his current boyfriend Dan - he cheats on him, he's temperamental and sometimes plain mean, but he knows what he is doing is wrong. He meets Alex when he witnesses him being harassed at a local coffee shop. The birds chirped, the harps were played by cherubs and cotton candy fell from the sky - that chance meeting caused Josh to feel something for Alex that he hadn't felt with Dan the entire time they had been dating. Josh proceeds to pursue Alex and is shocked when Alex doesn't immediately fall into bed with him. Alex has had a past relationship that was built on violence, dominance and shame. He tries vary hard to take things slow with Josh in hopes of repeating past mistakes. They learn very quickly that a relationship built on lies of omissions and half truths is not always stable. However, they find a way to work things out. And you know what? Good for them. Be sure to check out the bonus chapter available for free download on the author's website. This book took a bit for me to get into, but I'm glad I stuck it out until the end.
February 16, 2016
Hmmm...what to say? Well, Josh was an utter ar****le, and not just because of his treatment of Dan. Other things like his thought that Lucy was now a bit TOO curvy. The way he spoke to Craig. Getting in Liam's personal space instead of trying to make friends with him. I developed a huge dislike for him and as such, probably read through the book a bit quicker than I normally would just so I could get finished. Not everyone deserves a happy ever after.
January 10, 2016
This story way to negative. I didn't like it, mostly because of Josh. He was so negative an unfair to Dan and to Alex, that I simply couldn't enjoy his new developing side romance with Alex. He should be sincere and fair to Dan.
February 18, 2016
Ok for me
Took me awhile to get into this and finish it. It made me angry at times with both of them. It felt some parts went on too long and others parts repetitive(sex parts) a bit more variety in those scenes would have been better for me.
Took me awhile to get into this and finish it. It made me angry at times with both of them. It felt some parts went on too long and others parts repetitive(sex parts) a bit more variety in those scenes would have been better for me.
February 17, 2016
I hate, hate, hate this book! God I don't know why I suffered through it but it was not for me.
April 22, 2016
Ok I liked the story it was hard to read what Alex had gone through and what a jackass Josh was, but they worked. I don't know if I would read again.
October 12, 2016
2.5 stars
I hate cheating and in this story I felt so bad for Dan who was strung along ...
I hate cheating and in this story I felt so bad for Dan who was strung along ...
November 13, 2016
I would have liked this more if Alex had cheated on Josh also or something, I dunno. I felt like the book did not fulfill its potential.
March 18, 2016
A good story. I gave it 4 stars. I loved the main characters. And it has a good story line.
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February 8, 2019excellent read! I really like this author.
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