Dream Boy

by Shawn Bailey

It's the geeks versus the jocks in a battle for supremacy and love. Who will win?

Being gay and in love with the most sought-after college quarterback did nothing for Hiro Aoki's heart except make it break every time he saw Christian Hill parading around town with pretty girls on his arm. Christian also dated debutants and got invited to the most popular parties, while Hiro and his friends stayed home on weekends studying and trying to improve their GPA. What good did it do Hiro to be smart when the love of his life didn't return his feelings?

But to Hiro's surprise, when he agrees to tutor Christian in math, he realizes the football star may be harboring a secret longing for him also. Can the two young men actually become lovers and keep their growing relationship a secret from their families, the rest of the students, and the bullies on the football team?

This title has been previously published.

Word
Published BY MLR Press, LLC

Genres: M M Romance

119 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 13, 2014

About the author

Shawn Bailey hails from New Orleans, LA, where she works as a programmer and help desk administrator. Shawn loves mangas and anime. Her current hobbies are watching Japanese and Korean dramas, when she has the spare time. She’s also trying to learn to speak and read both Japanese and Korean. She’s also into Korean pop music and can often be found with her MP3 player attached to her head. Shawn is single and enjoying the heck out it.

Reviews

[Morgan Skye · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a quick, light read, about two new adults, still in college.

The pair, Hiro and Christian, have known each other for years, but only recently gotten together when Hiro is assigned to Christian as a math tutor to help him graduate from the university the two attend together.

Hiro has been in love/lust with Christian for years, but never acted on it and didn’t think Christian was gay. When they do finally spend time together they are instantly involved in a serious relationship and both realize they have found true love in the other.

There are many very good and sweet things to this book, but realism is not one of them. Which can be fine. We can all suspend our disbelief, but the author didn’t make a compelling case for me to willing give up mine. She simply glossed over what were major plot holes and drove the story forward. In a way, it worked, in that I don’t think she expects anyone to really see this as anything other than a nice, fluffy read to bring a smile to your face. There are plenty of potential huge, real-life hurdles the couple could have addressed: homophobia, bullying, near rape, parental disowning, college athlete going on with life/career, multi-cultural relationships, unrequited love … it’s a long list, but Shawn doesn’t really go into depth over any of them. They are suggested then moved past with seeming little discussion or effort.

Overall I liked the book. It was cute, fun but not terribly deep. Something to pass the time on a rainy afternoon.

I give it 3.5 out of 5 hearts

[D. · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are things I don't like such as Christian is healthy young man with sex drive but I found it strange since his dick stirred when Josh smile at him while already in relationship with Hiro.

And I don't like when Hiro never said the forced kiss from Michela to Christian and when it happened for the second time, Christian did
nothing to help Hiro.

The last thing is how in the world that suddenly Tristan has hot for Hiro because I think Tristan is somewhat in relationship with Ashley and never mention before that Tristan ever spare a glance toward Hiro. That just weird and unnecessary.

[Dee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars, wavering on an edge

Alright, it was enjoyable, but why does every character need to end up being gay? Why do the nerds have to be bad at sports? How rude is it that even Hiro's parents called him a girl? Why was everyone hot for Hiro anyway? What kind of university were they attending, it felt more like high school? Why everything?
I like fluff but honestly sometimes the excess is too much and this definitely went in that direction - I grew worried at one point we might be heading for a big multi-way orgy scene, it seemed like everyone was gay and the two lead characters would check out other men, plus everyone found Hiro and Christian irresistible...luckily I was spared that much. Like I said, I do enjoy lighter fare but this could've been cut down a bit and tidied up, or kept the length but taken past graduation and into coming out/living together.

[Leonel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can't help but laugh while I was reading Shawn Bailey's "Dream Boy." The book is full of cliches, and it you really have to suspend disbelief while you are reading it. But at the same time, it is sweet, charming, and quite readable. It is juvenile, and may even be a little too simple for its target audience, which I am assuming to be teenagers. Although some of the sex scenes can be pretty gratuitous (why must it be so pulp-y?) the book is pretty light harmless fun.

http://luhathoughts.blogspot.com/2015...

[Riina Y.T. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sadly this doesn't mesh with my tastes in a few ways, especially in terms of character– both MC just didn't work for me. I couldn't find my way into their hearts :(



Having all that said, I hope you'll enjoy reading it!

[Meggie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay, there is couple of words which suits to describe for this story, SILLY, childish and unrealistic. I didn't like the main storyline at all, and all that sex between Hiro and Christian just didn't make sense to me.

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story! Love it.