Unexpected Turn

by Ella Frank

Tyler and Connor couldn't be more different if they tried.

One man is gay. The other is straight. Yet the moment they met in college they knew they’d be forever linked.

After years of friendship, growing pains, and heartaches, they have grown into two men, each looking for their place in the world. And when they head off on a road trip to a family wedding, they are stunned to discover that sometimes you find what you’re looking for when you take an unexpected turn...

Genres: M M Romance, Friends To Lovers, Romance, Contemporary, Novella, Gay For You, LGBT

101 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 19, 2016

About the author

Ella Frank is the USA Today Bestselling Author of the Temptation series, including Try, Take, and Trust and is the co-author of the fan-favorite Preslocke series. Her Prime Time series has been praised as “highly entertaining!” and “sexy as hell!”

A life-long fan of the romance genre, Ella writes contemporary and erotic fiction. Some of her favorite authors include Tiffany Reisz, Kresley Cole, Riley Hart, J.R. Ward, Erika Wilde, Gena Showalter, and Carly Philips.​Ella is represented by:

Kimberly Brower
Brower Literary & Management
​kimberly@browerliterary.com

Reviews

[Alienor ✘ French Frowner ✘ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Warning : There will be SPOILERS and also SARCASM.

Alriiiiiiiiight.... So. Unexpected Turn.



Unexpected Turn.

(I know I need to start this review already but that shit isn't easy I swear!!)

Unexpected Turn was one of the biggest pile of bullshit I've read this year. First, I really really really need to read blurbs because GFY : I don't like. Most of the time these romances erase bisexuality, lack believability and... I guess they worship straight dudes' spechul spechul dicks, you know? I won't go into details but I highly recommend you reading Julio's review (and tweets). He explains perfectly why there's a difference between GFY whether it's in an erotica novel or a romance one, and too bad, Unexpected Turn is a romance novel. I thiiiiiiink.

So, new resolution : Read the goddamn blurb, Anna!! Don't fall for the one click kindle unlimited! Ugh.

So it started promisingly -

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA JUST KIDDING -

It goes like this : Connor and Ty have been best friends for five years. Ty is gay, while Connor is straight. They're both in a relationship. Five years of touchy-feely friendship, sleeping in the same bed, cuddling, etc, without ever developing any kind of attraction for each other.

But then. On that fateful day. Ty jokes about Connor giving him a blowjob.

Wait -

That's not actually groundbreaking, because he has been making that exact same joke forever. But! Anyway. On that fateful day.

Connor's dick twitches.

They ought to go to Ty's sister's wedding, where they'll meet with their significant others. Before, though, they have to spend two hours in a car together and... Connor's dick can't stop twitching! I mean, THE POOR GUY!

I'm not gonna dwell on the FANTASTIC banter they share in the car - I mean never before did I read such a long conversation ENTIRELY filled with What's wrong? - Nothing!!! Truly an achievement really.



I'm not gonna rant EITHER about my lack of disbelief for Connor's sudden attraction that came from helloooooo, nowhere - whatever, dude, whatever.

But what I found really offensive was that Ty, VERY CONVENIENTLY, started getting attracted to Connor the very moment he suspected his best friend wasn't really straight, in fact. Even though he had NEVER been attracted to him and has a boyfriend. But!! Come!! On!!! His! Straight! Best! Friend! Expressed! Interest! Straight dudes' dicks are magical!!! Gay men can't HELP!!



You'd want to worship the hell out of straight men, you wouldn't do it better. I mean, seriously? Why the fuck are straight men always pictured as some irresistible candies?

As. Ifffff.

[I asked Google for a magical dick gif but ehhhhhhh I guess I haven't found it but I did choke with laughter, so there's that]

Sure, Ty's boyfriend is a douchebag, but the story takes place in the span of, oh, a DAY. I don't quite like the vibes of 'gay men are always ready for straight ones' that I'm getting there.

Also HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA don't even get me started with Connor's girlfriend's reaction when they're caught CHEATING together. YES!! BECAUSE THEY'RE ASSHOLES!! ALSO +1 FOR SHOWING YET AGAIN WHAT CHEATERS BISEXUAL ARE!!! That's JUST what people need, AGAIN!

Can you guess her reaction?? No, really. Can you??

Well, if you thought, "she congratulates him and gives him advice, then leaves with a smile on her lips, encouraging," CONGRATS!! That's exactly what she does! Because that's such a believable reaction from a girlfriend of two years.

(If it is, goddamn it, I am such a bitch)

The only redeeming quality is that the word 'bisexual' is thrown somewhere in the last ten pages. Yep, that's something GFY almost never does, so that's positive.

ANYWAY. Unbelievable and offensive. Not recommended.

For more of my reviews, please visit:

[~✡~Dαni(ela) ♥ ♂♂ love & semi-colons~✡~ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Originally reviewed as part of:



~2.5~

BFFs-to-lovers; HFN; B/GFY; cheating; steam: low

This story takes place over the course of approximately 17 hours. One day Connor is straight; the next, his dick twitches every time he sees his bestie and housemate Tyler. But Tyler has a boyfriend. And Connor has a girlfriend. And round and round we go.

I don’t like stories where the MCs are with someone else for pages on end, as is the case here (the MCs are NOT together for 18 out of the 22 chapters). The B/GFY was not believable here, not at all. Connor has absolutely no qualms about jumping on the gay train. It all happened too quickly and easily. Plus, let’s face it: both the guys cheated on their respective significant others (yes, Ty’s boyfriend was a total douche, but cheating is cheating).

There were a few hot kisses, and I liked both men, but there was almost no relationship development and the ending felt rushed and abrupt.

[~Mindy Lynn~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5*

I've said many times I'm not a fan of "shorts" as I like to call these types of books. And this story is perfect example of why. Trying to push a lot into a little where it seems rushed and unbelievable.
There isn't enough here to make me believe that these two have been friends for a long period of time where they've shared cuddles and have shared sarcastic dirty talk for all of it to change in the same day for both of them. All of a sudden the straights dick is twitching because his gay bestie told him to suck his?! Please.

Ladies and gents, these guys had a fucking epiphany with a suggestion of sucking ones dick. Now the straight is gay and the gay is now attracted to his straight bestie who he never thought of that way but now does. Nah. Nope.

The good bits don't happen until the very end and until then I was pretty much bored. The back and forth of 'what's wrong' to the answers of 'nothing' for the majority of the road trip just wasn't enough to pull me in.
I enjoy this authors writing most of the time, but just didn't this time around.

[*J* Too Many Books Too Little Time · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars!

This one was a bit under-developed, even for a novella. I think I would have liked it more if it would have been a full friends to lovers read. Because I did like both main characters. I just needed more.

But the cover is super hot!

[☆ Todd · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I suspended belief around a couple of key points to this story, I actually enjoyed it quite a bit.

However...

It was pretty hard to believe that straight Connor, who's *never* had a single provocative thought about his best friend, Tyler, in all the many years that they've known one another, was SUDDENLY DICK-MO-TIZED after one off-handed joke about the pene .



Also, even the gay best friend, Tyler, has never entertained any of 'those' types of thoughts for his straight best friend. So yeah, totally random, "Where the actual fuck did all that shit come from?" on that front, too.



Then lastly, the (lack of) reaction from Connor's girlfriend left my jaw hanging around floor level, if not down several flights of stairs from where it had originally been. No one, male or female, gay or straight, is *that* understanding, sorry.



I may have (continuing) issues with some of Frank's plot point choices (in particular cheaters and genuine asshole behavior), but the woman definitely knows how to write heat and steam, which she did really well in this short 99-pager, too.



Anywhoooo...

I took the story for what it was, nothing more than light entertainment, and did successfully suspend my disbelief, at least long enough to finish the story, so overall I did like this one and would rate it at around 3.25 *very-disbelieving-but-whatevs* stars.

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This story is *FREE* with Kindle Unlimited membership.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I’m going to destroy you for anyone else. You sure you’re ready for that?”

I love the way Ella Frank writes and her talent at writing super sexy and emotional m/m romances are amazing. This was such a sweet and hot novella about two best friends realising that there is a lot more between them than just friendship. My only complaint is that I wish this was longer, I would have loved a HEA ending for Connor and Tyler instead of the HFN we got. Also, Ella Frank must be writing in a magical pen, seeing as both Connor and Tyler were involved with other people the first time they kissed and it didn’t feel like cheating to me….. O_O

I was ready for whatever Tyler Kincaid wanted to give me. But most of all, I was ready to be with the one person I knew I was truly meant to be with.

A must read for all m/m romance fans.

My heart felt so full in that moment that I wondered why it had taken me so long to realize that Ty had been the one for me from the very beginning.

[Dia · Rating 2 out of 5]

1,5 rounded up because Ella Frank

I love Ella Frank's books, but this one was not what I expected. So this book really was an unexpected turn.

*Some spoilers ahead. Sorry, I just can't help myself.*

I usually don't like short stories, but I've read many great ones. This is not the case.
Will I ever learn NOT to fall for the covers?!?

The writing is good enough, light, the action flows, BUT I have a lot of things that didn't work for me. I'll name only a few:

1) It was not credible. Like at all. I frowned and wondered how can two men (one straight one gay) cuddle and be super best friends for 5 years and NEVER feel attracted to each other. But a silly dirty joke makes the straight one feel an unmistakable pull towards his best friend and BOOM, that changes everything.

2) Cheating. No need to develop here. It doesn't matter if Tyler's boyfriend was awful. It's not OK! And Connor's girlfriend was way too understanding given the situation.

3) Cheesy - "I was ready to be with the one person I knew I was truly meant to be with”. After like 5 minutes after their first kiss.

I will stop here. It was not for me.

[Elsa Bravante · Rating 2 out of 5]

Las historias de Ella Frank puede que tengan muchos puntos débiles, pero para mi una cosa segura es lo fácil que es de leer y lo entretenida, tanto en FM como en MM. Pero, en esta ocasión, a pesar de ser tan entretenida como siempre y gustarme los protagonistas, la historia comienza de una forma tan poco creíble que ha hecho que me haya sido imposible creerme el resto. Empieza como un GFY, aunque el protagonista luego se llama a sí mismo bisexual, pero el paso de la amistad a enamorarse del amigo es demasiado brusco, todo se desarrolla de una forma muy precipitada y con una falta de conflicto interno que lo hace, como ya he dicho, poco creíble.

:/

[Celia {Hiatus until August} · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ora bem, o meu primeiro romance m/m.
Que posso dizer?
Gostei, estava com receio de perder o meu tempo (como é hábito, li as reviews sobre este livro), no entanto vejo-me a discordar com a maioria das opiniões negativas.

No entanto, porquê apenas 3 estrelas?
Ponto 1: Ok, uma história curta, mas mais 20/30 páginas não deixava de ser uma história curta mas preenchia as lacunas que deixou. Faltou mais, foi uma história demasiado rápida. Enrolaram um bocado para terminar meio à pressa.
Ponto 2: Miranda. Personagens fabulosa, mas não é real. Que namorada de dois anos aceita a coisa tão bem? Amigos coloridos? Certo. Namorada, não. Apesar de ter sido muito querida, mas foi demasiado compreensiva, que não bateu certo pelo facto de ter ido embora. Ryan era um otário mas teve a reacção normal numa situação daquelas.

A história em si, que teve imensas críticas. Eu gostei. Não é novidade. Quantas vezes os romances surgem entre amigos de longa data que se descobrem apaixonados um pelo outro? Que os sentimentos mudam de repente? Que no fundo não é de repente, apenas escondiam ou recusavam a aceitar em nome da amizade, para não a perderem?
Tyler recusou ver Conner dessa forma. Conner nunca aceitou o que sentia, até um dia...
O envolvimento ter sido logo "tudo"? Sim, acho que sim. Quando se descobre e se aceita o sentimento, quando se tem certeza do que sim quer, não vale a pena perder tempo. Indecisão é para os que não sabem o que querem.

[Aeren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dos compañeros de Universidad que desde entonces viven juntos, uno gay, el otro no y de repente, una frase desata todo. Debato conmigo misma si darle una más o no, pero aunque me ha gustado mucho, hay varias cosas que no me han convencido para nada: lo básico, cómo se inicia todo, es realmente poco creíble, no sólo como está planteado, sino que luego el autor decida dar marcha atrás y usar el socorrido "en el fondo estaba enamorado de ti todos estos años" solo empeora el tema, en mi opinión. Y hay un detalle que me ha chocado mucho, es una cosa tonta y en la que jamás he reparado: lo buenos que están todos, es decir, por un segundo me sentí como si estuviera viendo un capítulo de una sería americana para adolescentes, tíos espectaculares, mujeres de portada, malos de opereta y todo eso envuelto en el marco incomparable de un spa de lujo.... todo junto NO ha funcionado para mi y es una pena porque el estilo de la narración es muy agradable, pero incluso para una confesa amante de las novelas rosa como yo, el tema me ha sobrepasado. Menos unicornios la próxima vez, Please!

[books_and_brew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty sure this was a re-read for me but I couldn't find this anywhere on my 2016 Read list.

Any-who, this was a cute GFY short story that has all the feels about two friends FINALLY getting together. Be warned - both MC's have a SO.

On to the next!

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gay for you romances are my fucking jam.

Tyler and Conner are like night and day, or better yet – straight and gay.... or so they thought. As they prepare to take a road trip to attend Tyler’s sister’s wedding, Conner starts to realize that there is a new dynamic between the two that he never saw before.

When they arrive at the resort, Conner can’t seem to get away from Tyler fast enough – making the weekend even more awkward isn’t what he has in mind. Coupled with the fact that his girlfriend ambushes them in the parking lot and Tyler is introducing his boyfriend to his family for the first time – this whole weekend is bound to be a hot mess.

Now this is a novella, which means that you have to jump right in and you have to be ready to understand that you are not going to get pages of backstory to make you feel the connection these two have as friends, you have to just trust what the author tells you is already there.

I personally love these sorts of books, I don’t always need to know every detail of a relationship to enjoy the read and although I typically am not a fan of “I’m with someone, but I want you” stories, I think the way the significant others were showcased, made me feel pretty okay with it all.

The hot and steamy didn’t happen until the very end, and I would honestly love to see this story told in all its glory from those college days to present day, but that’s not what I got. I was still very happy with this story the way it was told – but if Ella EVER wants to give us a longer version, I’m all over that.

[Ula'ndi Hart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall book rating: 3
Audio Book: N/A
Book Cover: 3.8



Hmmmmm it was okay. I liked the characters and the general idea of the story.

I didn’t like the “cheating” thing. And the GFY thing was totally unbelievable in my opinion. I would have been hella-confused if I was Connor. Because there was no prelude of any form or shape here? Ummmmmm Just out of the blue “standing-ovations”??

Ty was more level headed here between the two of them. Even though he didn’t have pages and pages to figure out the gist of things he still had a few “are-you-sure-of-this” moments. More realistic I think.

I did like Miranda! I somehow think she’s a one in a million gal! Wow she just took everything in stride after that first little take a deep breath moment. I’d like to clink a glass with her. Cheers girl! You deserve one.

If there was more time with the MC’s and less spent on the likes of Ryan and all the rest, there could have been a smoother transition time for Connor to let us get into the whole feel of everything.

Ella Frank is one of my favourite authors. She made me discover the wonderful world of MM and I love her. Just didn’t LOVE this one so much.

[⊱ Poppy ⊰ · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice little book.

[Sana Khatri · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG, YASSS!!! This book is soooo sweet, just like Tyler's strawberry lipgloss!
Ugh, Tyler Kincaid and Connor McNamara are so adorable, so ideal, and so stunning together! I just can't help but fall madly in love with Ella's boys!

[Carol (§CoverLoverGirl§) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Going to a Wedding Is The Making of Another. So say the words of an old old, song


Very best friends Connor and Tyler are heading off for the weekend to Tyler sister’s wedding at some posh resort. But when Connor is running late, Tyler is miffed and some snarky remarks are made that made the more than two hours drive very uncomfortable.

Tyler’s boyfriend Ryan wants him to get there so they can watch the sunset. Connor’s job as a journalist kept him late. Ryan tells Tyler that Connor is doing it on purpose to cut into Ryan’s time with him. This is so far from the truth.

Ryan has been jealous of Connor’s long friendship with Tyler and the first time he met Connor he told him to keep away from Tyler. This put a strain on the best friend’s relationship as Connor tried to do that. Tyler is very confused at Connor’s reaction to his ‘jokey comments’.

Tyler tries throughout the journey to find out why Connor isn’t talking, all to no avail.
They arrive at Post Ranch Resort late, and Miranda, Connor’s girlfriend pulls up beside their truck. They all hurry off to their respective rooms.

When everyone meets up for drinks and finger food an hour later, Tyler plans on introducing Ryan to his family and friends for the first time. But the atmosphere is very charged and two people end up repacking their bags and heading home within two hours of arrival.

Loved this short read from Ella Frank, just enough edginess to keep me flipping through the pages. Connor and Tyler just swooped in and took over my heart, especially Tyler. Since I started reading MM stories Ive developed a soft spot for guys who like to wear eyeliner, lip gloss, and have longish dark hair and wear a man bun. Maybe it’s their bravery I admire so much.

Yeah, good one Ella.

[Janja · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing remarkable with this story. Best friends -one straight,one gay- found their mutal lust and that is it. But still sweet.

[BR11 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was ok but I needed more. I know it's a novella, but I felt I was left hanging at the end.
I could also have done without the boyfriend and the girlfriend. Ryan was kind of dickish, but hey, in the end his intuition was right. And Miranda was a totally unrealistic character. I don't think any woman would react that way.
Expected more because I love me a good friends-to-lovers story but this one was just ok.

[Lyndy Ann ♫ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a short sweet romance about two best friends.

Connor is hit with a thunderbolt when he begins to see and feel differently about Tyler his gay best friend.

What will Tyler do when he finds out.

More m/m magic by Ella Frank, her men are amazing.

[Mercedes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a sweet short story, I wouldn't categorize it under my "pure filth" shelf because it was actually pretty tame.

**I read this as part of my Kindle Unlimited Subscription**

[Denise · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 Stars

This honestly didn't feel like Ella Frank's writing. Even with it being a novella, it felt incredibly rushed and unrealistic. I found it hard to believe how quickly/randomly Connor realized he was attractive to Tyler. I also didn't appreciate that both men have significant others for the majority of the story and that cheating occurred. It was laughable how chill Connor's girlfriend was about it. The story wasn't really steamy and I found it hard to enjoy the story due to how unbelievable the plot was.

[Donna ~ The Romance Cover · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unexpected Turn by Ella Frank
3.5 stars!!!

"...when Connor McNamara focused all his attention on you, you felt like the only person on the entire planet. And for the moment, I was just fine with that."

I do love Ella Frank and her M/M's are always off the charts and super sexy. It is hard to cram a developed story into so few words and so I normally always find myself left wanting for more at the end and that was definitely the case with Unexpected Turn. The GFY storyline is always a good one but for me the relationship between these two was a little rushed. For the majority of this novella they are not together so when they finally are, you are not satisfied, it felt as if their story was just beginning.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want more! No, I need more!
I loved this novella when I read it as part of the It Was Always You anthology and I loved it even more the second time around. I adore GFY stories, and when it's friends-to-lovers on top of that, it just makes me plain giddy. Connor and Tyler were just best friends, until one afternoon when a light bulb kind of goes off in Connor's head and he realizes he likes Tyler as much more than a friend.
A little drama, a little angst, a whole lot of heart!

***Borrowed through KU, own as part of the It Was Always You anthology.

[Mirjam · Rating 3 out of 5]

“We burned the motherfucking roof down. Didn’t we?”

A friends to lovers novella about Connor McNamara, straight slept his way through our college years in various women’s beds and Tyler Kincaid out and proud. They are complete opposites, not only like black and white, but also straight and gay.
Preparing to take a road trip to attend the wedding of Tyler’s sister Conner starts to have weird inappropriate reactions towards Tyler.

It is a novella so there is not in-depth characterization of the two like Connor calling Tyler “babe” and them being "touchy-feely" with each other, but a little more background would have been perfect, now it felt rushed!

I did had a hard time believing the way things progressed between them, they met during their first week at college and are now all grown up with full time jobs. Connor is late, home at 17:30 and it is around 18:00hrs when Tyler makes a sexual remark, which had happened before and suddenly Connor can't stop thinking in a sexual way about him.

These two have known each other for years, there is one sexual comment and by midnight they were in bed having sex and planning a life together.
Connor had gone from a life time of a lot of straight sex to coming to terms with his confusion about his feelings towards his best male friend and having gay sex in six hours!

[Otterpuss · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm torn because the writing is great and I really liked both MCs.
But...
They are both with other people for the majority of this book, they are only together for 4 chapters out of the 22, and they both cheat. It doesn't go on for a long time, the whole book lasts less than a day, but still.
Totally not my cup of tea.

Read as part of the It was Always you anthology.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh right I read this as part of the anthology and didn't love it then, lol. This is OFY not done very well. Maybe if this wasn't a short it could have been developed better but in this case we are packing in too much into a short period of time and it just didn't work for me.

[J. Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kinda have to suspend disbelief on this one. It takes one sexual comment which they've exchanged before but this time its different because? And then the girlfriend once she finds out is all cool with it, seriously? I feel the reactions came from trying to fit it into a novella, had it been a full novel then it could have progressed more naturally.

[Asia · Rating 5 out of 5]

4+:)

[Laura Hampton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet another awesome, sexy read from Ella Frank!

Connor is just now starting to really notice his roommate and best friend Tyler. When those feelings begin to consume him, he does the one thing that he thinks is best, push Tyler away. But Tyler won't have any of that.

Quick, cute, sexy read. I am a huge fan of Ella's work and so glad I took the few hours I had to read this. If you are a fan of mm, I suggest you one click now.

[Cadiva · Rating 3 out of 5]

Doesn't really work for me

I read this originally in the It Was Always You anthology and, as I said in my review of that, it is the usual excellent quality of writing I'd expect from this author but I just didn't believe the story.

There wasn't enough rationale behind Connor's sudden awakening for me which meant I just couldn't get with him and Tyler.

It may be because of the length, there wasn't really enough time to create the necessary best friends level of love and affection required for Connor realising he fancied Ty.
The other boyfriend Ryan, meant to be the catalyst for change, just came over as a one dimensional dick.