A Week by the Lake

Browerton University #1.2

by A.J. Truman

Greg and Ethan from Out in the Open return for a summer trip that will test their relationship like never before.

Fresh from graduation, and a post-graduation romp in the library stacks, Greg is ready to enjoy the summer. But Ethan can’t stop thinking about whether they can do the long distance thing this fall. Greg takes him to his family’s lake house to unwind, but when he runs into a guy from his past, Ethan starts to wonder if they have a bigger problem than mileage.

A Week by the Lake is a short story at 10,000 words that contains humor, heart, some angst, some sex, a working fireplace, an uneaten sandwich, and a bike covered in Elmo stickers. It’s probably best if you read Out in the Open first, but new readers can still enjoy getting to know Greg and Ethan here.

Genres: M M Romance, Contemporary, Romance, College, Queer, New Adult, Gay

Kindle Edition

First published July 20, 2016

About the author

Welcome! I’m a gay male author who writes MM romance filled with humor, heart, and hot guys. My characters fall into bed and fall in love, usually in that order. Think LOL meets DTF.

I live in central Indiana, surrounded by churches and Olive Gardens, with my husband, kids, and cats. When I’m not writing, I’m chasing around a toddler or sneaking off to a movie.

Make sure to sign up for my newsletter The Outsiders to get the latest updates on my books and to start reading free stories.

http://www.ajtruman.com/outsiders/

Reviews

[Elsa Bravante · Rating 3 out of 5]

Si os gustó la historia de Ethan y Greg, leed el retalo corto.

[MaDoReader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Le voy a dar tres por el cariño que les tengo a Greg y a Ethan, pero la autora sigue agriando el tono de estos libros... jo

[Izengabe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Flojea un poco respecto al libro, pero se les quiere porque son TANMONOS <3

[Tink Magoo is bad at reviews · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was looking forward to more of these two but now can't make my mind up about this extra portion. While this is a realistic aspect they would face in their relationship, I think I preferred not seeng the confict and sticking with the HEA I envisioned for them after the first book.

[Dani · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well Greg's still a dickhead... 🙄

[Mirjana **DTR - Down to Read** · Rating 3 out of 5]

***3.5 Stars***

A great follow up with Greg and Ethan! Life is changing for these two now that Greg has graduated, and some insecurities are creeping in. A trip to Greg's family's lake house shakes them up and also reminds them how important their relationship is.

Bonus: We get Greg's POV here!

[Laxmama · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars for the follow up, I enjoyed seeing the boys as a real couple now, also nice having Greg's POV this time.

[farith · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great to reconnect with Greg and Ethan. If you weren't a fan of the original story then don't read this one.

[Mary Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a VERY short story featuring Ethan and Gregg from Out in the Open. It is sweet, sexy and very dramatic.

[Ian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Personally I don’t love when there’s more conflict in a short story after a full fledged book but this was okay

[Mike Oaks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect short story

I liked the little look into Greg and Ethan's post grad days. 4.0 for finding what you already have sometimes takes a while.

[DaisyGirl · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.0 Stars

This was a super short follow-up to Out in the Open, Greg and Ethan's story. It occurs at/after Greg's graduation and prior to him leaving to teach in Philly, a 2-3 hour drive from Ethan and Browerton. As Ethan struggles to imagine them successfully navigating a long-distance relationship, Greg (supposedly) comes to terms with coming out of the closet when and how he did (i.e., in college and while involved in a monogamous relationship with Ethan). The story irked me a bit because Greg's experiences and resulting 'realization' at Knight's Resort seemed rushed; I would have liked to take more time exploring the issues, which ultimately felt glossed over.

Bottom line: I love Ethan and Greg but this story would've benefited from more real estate.

[Tracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars. I really didn't like how much of a push over Ethan was. I feel like he would literally let Greg do whatever he wanted and Ethan would still be the one grovelling and apologising. Greg annoyed me in this book. kinda wish I didn't read it.

[Kevin Donato · Rating 3 out of 5]

“A Week by the Lake” by A.J. Truman is a short follow-up story to “Out in the Open,” bringing back Greg and Ethan as they navigate their first summer together after graduation. While Greg is ready to enjoy a carefree trip to his family's lake house, Ethan can't shake his anxieties about their upcoming long-distance relationship. The getaway is meant to be a chance to unwind, but when someone from Greg's past unexpectedly appears, Ethan questions whether the distance is their only challenge. This 10,000-word story delivers humor, a touch of angst, and a mix of sweet and steamy moments, all set against a cozy lakeside backdrop.

I enjoyed getting a glimpse into Greg and Ethan's relationship post-“Out in the Open,” but this story didn't fully hit the mark. While it had some cute moments, it felt a little too short to dig into their issues, and I wanted more development. The tension between them was understandable, but the conflict felt rushed. It was still a nice addition to their story, and I appreciated seeing how they handled life after college. If you enjoyed “Out in the Open,” this is a fun, quick read, but it might leave you wishing for more depth. -3 Stars!

[Toti · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s a cute short story with legitimate/realistic questions however I felt the answer and resolution went way too fast.
I understand the style of the author (who am I ? => sex => love) but when you start touching to more serious subject sex cannot solve everything.
It’s cute if you like the first book, it’s a little extension that is interesting when you get yourself in need of more of Ethan & Greg.

[W · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good but I want more

It was great reading this little vignette from Ethan and Greg and catching up with them . However, I would have been even more happy if it was further into their future together to see if they make it outside college life. I hope A.J. Truman gives us another update into their relationship.

[Megan | The Mood Read Queen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was merely okay. I read it because I wanted more time with Greg and Ethan, but it was more annoying that comforting, and I would have rather seen what happened after the end of their book leading into this summer and why so much was riding on it.

Also, there's a line in here about how they were like...licking each other like dogs while they were kissing and nope, that took me right now. 😂

[Rissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love when authors give us a little update on their characters!

This was a nice glimpse on Ethan and Greg! I definitely would read more of these two! :)

[TT · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars. Head hopping and 'big misunderstanding' crutch prop up the story. I do not recommend reading this one if you enjoyed volume one. This does not feel like the same vein as that sweet book.

[Kristin Grella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great quick read!

I can't get enough of these two, I love them so much. Hope to catch up with them in future books.

[Armando · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick and cute

A short story more akin to a epilogue but cute none the less. Nice to see a m/m romance where cheating isn’t a plot device

[✿Lauu✿ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Esto podía estar metido en el primer libro en vez de dar un fragmento aparte 🙃

[idk · Rating 1 out of 5]

Horrible he almost hooked up with another guy thx 🙄🙄

[Pastel reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why did he go to that bar to “find himself”

[Brandon Yoplac · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this story, we can see that our friends Ethan and Greg are already quite stable and with a solid relationship, or well that is what we believed, Ethan was very unbearable all the time, his insecurities ruined everything, even my experience as a reader, this whole story or the conflict that was presented to us in it was based merely on unnecessary drama, I give my full support to Greg this time, there is nothing else to do here, although there was also a specific moment that was out of character, if you do not plan to deceive to your boyfriend and you go directly to a potential place to do just that I think there are some things that you have to reconsider, in the end, they discovered that they were for each other and they will re-live their love story just like at the beginning, I mean quite a story that adds absolutely nothing to the development of characters, the only redeemable thing is the sex scene.

[Dolorianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a short story revisiting a previous couple, most of this story is exactly what you'd expect. An update on Ethan and Greg, a bit of bother to shake things up, and plenty of romance/sex to round out a feel good story.

What I love about the "bit of bother" was how far away it was from the typical template. Ethan failed in his attempts to say what he meant, and Greg's response went from bad to worse in no time flat. It's not for the faint of heart or the hearts-and-flowers reader, yet it was my absolute favorite part because it was the most "real" part of the book. A flawed perfection that I have come to expect from this author. I would not have complained one bit if it that section had been just a tad longer.

Nice addition to the series.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love short stories which bring the books of a series together, and, A Week by The Lake is a perfect example of why. This is a great vignette letting us in on the development of Ethan and Greg’s relationship. Their time at the lake can provide a moment in time to cement the still new relationship into one that will last the challenges ahead or drive a wedge in their tender relationship before it has the chance to grow. To find out if it does of course you will have to read the book. I strongly suggest you first read Out in The Open to have a clear understanding the and angst that bring Ethan and Greg together. AJ Truman has truly done it again.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little snippet of life - Greg has graduated and Ethan is struggling with the changes about to happen. They spend a week at Greg's family lakeside holiday home, where Ethan's insecurities and Greg's flirtatious manner come to a head, courtesy of an Elmo stickered bike and a car bumper...

It was lovely to catch up with the boys, I'm not sure who is going miss the Library more .......me or them!! It was quite a poignant little short story, all change as life moves on.

It ends on a sweet HFN and left me with a bit of a wobbly smile.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

It wasn't enough!!

When you leave my happy ending as a happy for now I want more! Another short story please! Give me another story to prove they made long distance work! Great follow up ❤️