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Femme #1
Femme
6 hrs 23 min
Queeny cocktail waiter, Lionel, wakes up to find himself in bed with Dog, a straight-acting softball player and the two embark on a rocky road to romance. A journey that requires coming out of the closet, going into the closet, a pair of red high heels, many pairs of red high heels, a failed intervention, a couple of aborted dates, and homemade pom-poms. Mostly, Lionel and Dog learn what it means to be a man.
Queeny cocktail waiter, Lionel, wakes up to find himself in bed with Dog, a straight-acting softball player and the two embark on a rocky road to romance. A journey that requires coming out of the closet, going into the closet, a pair of red high heels, many pairs of red high heels, a failed intervention, a couple of aborted dates, and homemade pom-poms. Mostly, Lionel and Dog learn what it means to be a man.
7 pages, Audible Audio
First published July 28, 2016
75 people are currently reading
958 people want to read
About the author
Marshall Thornton
56 books629 followersThree-time Lambda Award-winning author, Marshall Thornton is best known for the Boystown and Pinx Video mystery series. Other novels include the erotic comedy The Perils of Praline, or the Amorous Adventures of a Southern Gentleman in Hollywood, Desert Run and Full Release. Marshall has an MFA in screenwriting from UCLA, where he received the Carl David Memorial Fellowship and was recognized in the Samuel Goldwyn Writing awards.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 313 reviews
October 4, 2017
4.5 Stars.
Well,this is a little gem.It's the first book I've read by this Author and I was very impressed.
This surprised me in the best way,not least,because there are hardly any on page sex scenes but I didn't care because the writing is so engaging......that's not to say it isn't sexy because it is......
Lionel is deliciously femme,from his pink boy shorts,red heels,and his home made pom-poms.
Doug(Dog) is gay and plays for a gay softball team.He's obviously out to his teammates but not his family,something he isn't planning on changing any time soon.But his resolve is about to be tested when he meets the tornado that is Lionel.
After a drunken hook up one night these two seem to take two steps forward and ten steps back as far as dating goes and although they're complete opposites they are just so damn cute together.
The humour here is brilliant,I'm sure I had a huge smile on my face reading this.I absolutely loved Dog's mother,when she found out he was gay her research went into overdrive.
So,
Dog is in the closet with his family,
Lionel is out and proud but has to go back in the closet for work and pretend he's straight,
Mixed with the sass and humour there is a message here.
Be true to yourself,don't hide,don't pretend....just be yourself.
Highly Recommended.
This review has been posted on Dirty Books Obsession
Well,this is a little gem.It's the first book I've read by this Author and I was very impressed.
This surprised me in the best way,not least,because there are hardly any on page sex scenes but I didn't care because the writing is so engaging......that's not to say it isn't sexy because it is......
Lionel is deliciously femme,from his pink boy shorts,red heels,and his home made pom-poms.
Doug(Dog) is gay and plays for a gay softball team.He's obviously out to his teammates but not his family,something he isn't planning on changing any time soon.But his resolve is about to be tested when he meets the tornado that is Lionel.
After a drunken hook up one night these two seem to take two steps forward and ten steps back as far as dating goes and although they're complete opposites they are just so damn cute together.
The humour here is brilliant,I'm sure I had a huge smile on my face reading this.I absolutely loved Dog's mother,when she found out he was gay her research went into overdrive.
“I’ve had a very busy twenty-four hours. And I’ve come a long way. Last night I was on the same shift with Juan Hernandez. He’s a gay, and he explained a lot of things to me. He told me all about bears and otters and wolves and cubs and polar bears, and—oh my God you boys like your wild animals, don’t you?”
“Oh your father’s fine. I just fixed him a scotch on the rocks and laced it with a half milligram of lorazepam. He’ll be asleep in about an hour.” “Um, isn’t that dangerous?” “You don’t think it’s the first time I’ve done it, do you? Look, let’s get back to what’s important. Are you a relationship-oriented gay? Or are you more into hook-ups?”
So,
Dog is in the closet with his family,
Lionel is out and proud but has to go back in the closet for work and pretend he's straight,
Mixed with the sass and humour there is a message here.
Be true to yourself,don't hide,don't pretend....just be yourself.
Highly Recommended.
This review has been posted on Dirty Books Obsession
May 6, 2024
Reread - May 2024
****************************************************
"Every single person is a sterotype until you get to know them. Getting to know someone you find out all the ways they don't fit their stereotype."
10++++++ stars for the book
10++++++ stars for the Audio
I loved it that when i finished reading it, i could not believe its over, went and bought the audio and started listening to it again, that is how much i loved it
Joel Leslie did an amazing job i can't get Lionel's voice out of my head. The humor was on point,i was laughing so hard.
I am just going to quote the book, there is nothing more i can add other than Just read the book if you have not.
I adored Lionel, Dog i wanted to punch him in the face sometimes but i liked him too.
a relationship with pizza was very low maintenance. And it was certainly more satisfying than most of the men I’d dated. Oh my Gawd! I’d discovered a new sexuality. I was a pizza-sexual. Well, maybe not, I didn’t actually want to have sex with pizza. Okay, maybe a little oral, but I considered myself mostly pizza-romantic. Still, that meant I was going to have to come out to people all over again
Carlos Lionel friend’s
"... Remember that restaurant, Café Pistachio that used to be on Broadway down by Redondo?”
“The one that had the suspicious fire last month.”
“Yeah. You used to manage it.”
“I did? I didn’t start the fire, did I? I can’t go to prison, I’m too pretty.”
"It doesn't matter if he gets over it. What matters is that you do. You need to forgive yourself."
"For what? For being gay?"
"For not being who your dad wants you to be."
Ok the point is i LOVED the Damn! book.
There were no those explicit sex sex that i love so much(yeah! i know, don't you dare judge), Ummmmmm! did i care :
****************************************************
"Every single person is a sterotype until you get to know them. Getting to know someone you find out all the ways they don't fit their stereotype."
10++++++ stars for the book
10++++++ stars for the Audio
I loved it that when i finished reading it, i could not believe its over, went and bought the audio and started listening to it again, that is how much i loved it
Joel Leslie did an amazing job i can't get Lionel's voice out of my head. The humor was on point,i was laughing so hard.
I am just going to quote the book, there is nothing more i can add other than Just read the book if you have not.
I adored Lionel, Dog i wanted to punch him in the face sometimes but i liked him too.
a relationship with pizza was very low maintenance. And it was certainly more satisfying than most of the men I’d dated. Oh my Gawd! I’d discovered a new sexuality. I was a pizza-sexual. Well, maybe not, I didn’t actually want to have sex with pizza. Okay, maybe a little oral, but I considered myself mostly pizza-romantic. Still, that meant I was going to have to come out to people all over again
Carlos Lionel friend’s
"... Remember that restaurant, Café Pistachio that used to be on Broadway down by Redondo?”
“The one that had the suspicious fire last month.”
“Yeah. You used to manage it.”
“I did? I didn’t start the fire, did I? I can’t go to prison, I’m too pretty.”
"It doesn't matter if he gets over it. What matters is that you do. You need to forgive yourself."
"For what? For being gay?"
"For not being who your dad wants you to be."
Ok the point is i LOVED the Damn! book.
There were no those explicit sex sex that i love so much(yeah! i know, don't you dare judge), Ummmmmm! did i care :
January 25, 2019
*Price drop to $0.99 today at Amazon US, 1/25/19*
Marshall Thornton is a great writer, and though he isn't as popular as some of the big-name M/M authors, he always wows me every time I read one of his books. Sure enough, as soon as I started Femme, I knew it was going to be an awesome read. In fact, I couldn't put it down all weekend!
This book was FUN! I really enjoy Marshall Thornton's sense of humor, and it was out to shine in this story. Our MC, Lionel, is femme and fearless, not afraid to rock heals and a pink crop top and let his queer flag fly. I adored Lionel, and I found him to be strong, interesting, and so, so funny. Doug (aka, Dog), was dense and clueless at first (you will all want to smack him), but through trial and error (after error, after error), he finally gets his act together. I was rooting for Doug, even when he was an ass, and I liked him and Lionel together.
What I found really interesting is that while this book is primarily funny and light, it also had some more serious moments, some instances that made me really stand back and think. I ended up highlighting a bunch of quotes as I read that I found to be particularly profound.
If you don't mind a mostly sex-free book with one of my FAVORITE dynamics with a femme guy (you'll see, near the end), and you are looking for something light and funny, but with some really thoughtful content, pick up Femme. You won't be sorry.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
OH, I forgot to mention, but this is important: Marshall, you need to get yourself a better editor. I found the editing errors to be really distracting. I managed without it, but the book could be a LOT cleaner.
Marshall Thornton is a great writer, and though he isn't as popular as some of the big-name M/M authors, he always wows me every time I read one of his books. Sure enough, as soon as I started Femme, I knew it was going to be an awesome read. In fact, I couldn't put it down all weekend!
This book was FUN! I really enjoy Marshall Thornton's sense of humor, and it was out to shine in this story. Our MC, Lionel, is femme and fearless, not afraid to rock heals and a pink crop top and let his queer flag fly. I adored Lionel, and I found him to be strong, interesting, and so, so funny. Doug (aka, Dog), was dense and clueless at first (you will all want to smack him), but through trial and error (after error, after error), he finally gets his act together. I was rooting for Doug, even when he was an ass, and I liked him and Lionel together.
What I found really interesting is that while this book is primarily funny and light, it also had some more serious moments, some instances that made me really stand back and think. I ended up highlighting a bunch of quotes as I read that I found to be particularly profound.
If you don't mind a mostly sex-free book with one of my FAVORITE dynamics with a femme guy (you'll see, near the end), and you are looking for something light and funny, but with some really thoughtful content, pick up Femme. You won't be sorry.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
OH, I forgot to mention, but this is important: Marshall, you need to get yourself a better editor. I found the editing errors to be really distracting. I managed without it, but the book could be a LOT cleaner.
April 11, 2018
Update:
What a great surprise! Because...here we have a sensation, my dear friends! We have a NOT ROMANCE AUTHOR Marshall Thornton as a finalist of the 29th Annual Lambda Literary Award in the category Gay Romance! Isn't it charming?!
-------------------------------
Almost two years ago Marshall Thornton wrote a blog post I Am Not A Romance Writer…I think he needs to re-write it, like: "I am not a romance writer, but I might be wrong..." :)
It is not your conventional contemporary romance with a lot of typical sexual tension and a lot of inevitable misunderstandings. But it is a romance! A romance a là Marshall Thornton means- full of tender humor, no drama and an excellent writing (his skills for dialogues are unsurpassed!)
The majority of romance books has a standard formula, and Marshall Thornton doesn’t completely discard it, but he prepared some nice surprises.
Lionel is gay, he is 23 year old, works as a waitress in a gay bar and usually is short of money. Even if he came out in his teen years, he has never yet had long lasting relationships in his life. Maybe he has not yet met a man of his dream. Who knows? Sometimes life is full of surprises and improvisations.
Doug, known as Dog, is 27 year old and HALF in the closet. Even if he plays in a gay softball’s league, he hasn’t still come out to his family. He has a serious excuse - his father had a heart attack some years ago, and as a careful son, Dog doesn’t want to be the reason for his next one. And who if not Dog, knows better how tricky a fragile heart could be? After all, he administers cardiac stress test in a hospital. On Sundays Dog usually meets his team buddies for a glass(or more) of beer or a shot(or more) of tequila in a gay bar. Exactly, the one where Lionel works.
One Sunday evening, in one of these MORE days, Lionel and Dog suddenly end up in bed, or better to say, one Monday morning they wake up in one bed. (If you read the blurb, you know it is not a spoiler, it is just where and how the story begins.)
What follows after, is a chaos of feelings, confusing situations, a mess in Dog’s family, coming out mixed with returning in the closet, and a charming finale - OF COURSE VERY romantic - told in a funny entertaining and amusing way.
The author succeeded to sent a very important and serious message in spite of the funny plot:
Doesn’t matter how we appear, what we dress, and whom we love, we all have to be honest with ourselves and not to pretend to be what we are not, and to accept and to love ourselves in spite of or because of our unique nature. Truly being yourself is one of the hardest things in life, but it is the only way to make other people love us back. And it is the only way to be happy.
All in all, Femme is a pleasurable and satisfying quick fun read, that will put a smile on your face.
***Copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.***
What a great surprise! Because...here we have a sensation, my dear friends! We have a NOT ROMANCE AUTHOR Marshall Thornton as a finalist of the 29th Annual Lambda Literary Award in the category Gay Romance! Isn't it charming?!
-------------------------------
Almost two years ago Marshall Thornton wrote a blog post I Am Not A Romance Writer…I think he needs to re-write it, like: "I am not a romance writer, but I might be wrong..." :)
It is not your conventional contemporary romance with a lot of typical sexual tension and a lot of inevitable misunderstandings. But it is a romance! A romance a là Marshall Thornton means- full of tender humor, no drama and an excellent writing (his skills for dialogues are unsurpassed!)
The majority of romance books has a standard formula, and Marshall Thornton doesn’t completely discard it, but he prepared some nice surprises.
Lionel is gay, he is 23 year old, works as a waitress in a gay bar and usually is short of money. Even if he came out in his teen years, he has never yet had long lasting relationships in his life. Maybe he has not yet met a man of his dream. Who knows? Sometimes life is full of surprises and improvisations.
Doug, known as Dog, is 27 year old and HALF in the closet. Even if he plays in a gay softball’s league, he hasn’t still come out to his family. He has a serious excuse - his father had a heart attack some years ago, and as a careful son, Dog doesn’t want to be the reason for his next one. And who if not Dog, knows better how tricky a fragile heart could be? After all, he administers cardiac stress test in a hospital. On Sundays Dog usually meets his team buddies for a glass(or more) of beer or a shot(or more) of tequila in a gay bar. Exactly, the one where Lionel works.
One Sunday evening, in one of these MORE days, Lionel and Dog suddenly end up in bed, or better to say, one Monday morning they wake up in one bed. (If you read the blurb, you know it is not a spoiler, it is just where and how the story begins.)
What follows after, is a chaos of feelings, confusing situations, a mess in Dog’s family, coming out mixed with returning in the closet, and a charming finale - OF COURSE VERY romantic - told in a funny entertaining and amusing way.
The author succeeded to sent a very important and serious message in spite of the funny plot:
Doesn’t matter how we appear, what we dress, and whom we love, we all have to be honest with ourselves and not to pretend to be what we are not, and to accept and to love ourselves in spite of or because of our unique nature. Truly being yourself is one of the hardest things in life, but it is the only way to make other people love us back. And it is the only way to be happy.
All in all, Femme is a pleasurable and satisfying quick fun read, that will put a smile on your face.
***Copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.***
October 7, 2016
"Be yourself; everyone else is already taken." - Oscar Wilde
So much fun!
This author is new to me but I'd heard great things about this story and all those things turned out to be true. Lionel is a vivacious character who is funny and sarcastic-two traits I admire. I'm not sure what I expected from this book, but I can tell you some of the one-liners here were so unexpected that I did that bark/shout/cackle thing. That's always a win for me. I appreciate authors who can inject valid social messages into their comedy and Marshall Thornton does.
Dog (yes, Dog) and Lionel are opposites. Very opposite. Dog is a dude. He has a truck, is a cub, likes softball and beer and wears t-shirts and jeans. Which means he can, and sometimes does, pass for straight. He's also introverted to Lionel's flamboyant extrovertedness. Lionel is femme. He likes heels, pink, gin martinis, is animated, can genderfuck like a champ and passing for straight is never something that's appealed to him.
But they like each other A-N-Y-W-A-Y!
Bridging that divide is what makes Femme such an engaging and heartwarming tale. You hardly realize there's important subtext which is the hallmark of a talented comedian, in my opinion. We all have to come to some level of acceptance with who we are and how we interact with the world, but sometimes that's easier said than done, particularly when you stir in sexuality and gender dymanics. Nevertheless these characters find acceptance in each other, often in comedic ways, that still manage to be affecting. The secondary characters especially Dog's family and Carlotta! added to the hilarity.
Oh my gawd! I heart Carlotta and Frida her broke down Fiesta so muuuuucccchhhh. She needs her own book! ...and maybe a sugar daddy...
The relationship between Dog and Lionel, at times, seemed like it'd never get off the ground due to one obstacle or another. I wouldn't characterize it as miscommunication per se, but there are an inordinate amount of obstacles in their way. However, through it all these two keep finding themselves coming back together despite obstinate fathers, whackadoodle conversion therapists and boorish asshats.
"It doesn't matter if he gets over it. What matters is that you do. You need to forgive yourself."
"For what? For being gay?"
"For not being who your dad wants you to be."
All of these characters are well developed, unique and likeable. We get both Lionel and Dog's perspectives and the differences between them are subtly highlighted as are their similarities. The dialogue between them was organic, often scathingly witty and relateable. I never once thought "real people" wouldn't talk like that.
Femme is a slice of life tale about an unlikely pair that have to face and overcome stereotypes for both themselves as individuals and as a couple. That's funny! I mentioned that, right?
There is very little sex content but there is a big guy bottom! WOOOOOOOOOOTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! #winning That alone was worth the wait for me.
Lastly, I'm not one for nitpicking on grammar etc., but this really could've used a final proof or edit. I found myself rereading sentences to piece together what was meant due to missing words and there were several other little things that could've been caught in a final run through that were varying degrees of distracting.
Recommended for people who enjoy a lighthearted and comedic romance with flamboyant characters.
A review copy was provided for an honest opinion.
February 19, 2018
I am really in the minority with this one....
This started off really strong for me. In the beginning I was laughing very early on and thought, YES! I found one with humor. I also liked the two MC's early on as well. But the more I read the more unlikable both men became for me.
I am starting to realize that I am a fan of the femme types finding love with the big lumberjack kind of men. It is a new favorite trope of mine. But there was so much back and forth and so many misunderstandings that it got old quick. Especially when it continued throughout the book.
Lionel, who I thought would be a character I would end up loving, fell short for me. He became a bit of a doormat for Dog and that didn't set well for me. Dog is selfish and so worried about himself and what others will think about him that he ends up making stupid rash decisions and repeatedly hurts Lionel.
What also didn't work for me was them being apart most of the book. They weren't really a couple until the book was coming to its conclusion.
I realize there is a point to why these two act the way they do and that it is supposed to all be wrapped up as a learning lesson in the end, but getting there wasn't fun for me. Maybe if the two MC's were more likable and actually together some of the story instead of just the end I could've accepted some of the stuff they both did and said.
The writing is good. There is no questioning that. It was just one of those stories that one either likes or doesn't. This was a doesn't for me.
Obviously you can see by the many 4/5 stars that many loved this. So this was just a case of it's not you it's me.
So give this one a shot! Happy reading dolls! xx
This started off really strong for me. In the beginning I was laughing very early on and thought, YES! I found one with humor. I also liked the two MC's early on as well. But the more I read the more unlikable both men became for me.
I am starting to realize that I am a fan of the femme types finding love with the big lumberjack kind of men. It is a new favorite trope of mine. But there was so much back and forth and so many misunderstandings that it got old quick. Especially when it continued throughout the book.
Lionel, who I thought would be a character I would end up loving, fell short for me. He became a bit of a doormat for Dog and that didn't set well for me. Dog is selfish and so worried about himself and what others will think about him that he ends up making stupid rash decisions and repeatedly hurts Lionel.
What also didn't work for me was them being apart most of the book. They weren't really a couple until the book was coming to its conclusion.
I realize there is a point to why these two act the way they do and that it is supposed to all be wrapped up as a learning lesson in the end, but getting there wasn't fun for me. Maybe if the two MC's were more likable and actually together some of the story instead of just the end I could've accepted some of the stuff they both did and said.
The writing is good. There is no questioning that. It was just one of those stories that one either likes or doesn't. This was a doesn't for me.
Obviously you can see by the many 4/5 stars that many loved this. So this was just a case of it's not you it's me.
So give this one a shot! Happy reading dolls! xx
April 25, 2019
I was as nervous as a two-dollar hooker in church.
This was hysterical! I stayed until 3 AM to finish the first 50%, then spent the following day in a symbiosis with my reading chair, forgetting to do any other human worthy activities except read, read, read as I rushed through the book at a rare speed.
Plot wise the story isn't about much, and but what is there is absolutely hilarious!
I had the impression I was watching a comedy directed by Roberto Benigni. The characters' lives were complete train wrecks, but it was so funny I couldn't stop laughing.
“When I’m good, I’m good. When I’m bad, I’m better.” Same voice, just as bewildering. I had no idea what to say to that so I walked across the room and grabbed him by the dick.
I showered—since I smelled like bourbon and maraschino cherries—threw on my PJs, tossed a frozen pizza into the oven and picked out the DVD Bringing Up Baby just so I could see Cary Grant in a nightgown saying...
It was initially 4 but something near the end made me bump it to 4.5.
Highly recommended!
This was hysterical! I stayed until 3 AM to finish the first 50%, then spent the following day in a symbiosis with my reading chair, forgetting to do any other human worthy activities except read, read, read as I rushed through the book at a rare speed.
Plot wise the story isn't about much, and but what is there is absolutely hilarious!
I had the impression I was watching a comedy directed by Roberto Benigni. The characters' lives were complete train wrecks, but it was so funny I couldn't stop laughing.
“When I’m good, I’m good. When I’m bad, I’m better.” Same voice, just as bewildering. I had no idea what to say to that so I walked across the room and grabbed him by the dick.
I showered—since I smelled like bourbon and maraschino cherries—threw on my PJs, tossed a frozen pizza into the oven and picked out the DVD Bringing Up Baby just so I could see Cary Grant in a nightgown saying...
It was initially 4 but something near the end made me bump it to 4.5.
Highly recommended!
September 5, 2016
Review written September 4, 2016
4 1/2 Stars - Gosh, this was a true gem to happydance about
I liked the idea of this M/M romance as soon I heard about it. Marshall Thornton a very good writer who usually give us excellent stories (as the unforgettable Nick Novak in Boystown).
... So also this time. What's not to like?
This was such a enjoying sweetie story. Sexy needy bear, Sassy tough sissy and some Red high heels... — Just feel that combo. Intriguing right?
**********************************************
Two pages in and you I was already feeling "it"....
« Queeny cocktail waiter, Lionel, wakes up to find himself in bed with Dog, a straight-acting softball player and the two embark on a rocky road to romance. »
Femme really has two adorable main characters in the cute man-boyish Doug (27) and glittering flamboyant, in my mind very brave, Lionel (23). Guys you can't but give your heart to at once. — Even if they did and said some stupidly dumb things at times ... and very clever other times.
We also get that well known 'out of the closet' topic. This time with a quite terrific mum, a grumpy scared dad and a curious over the top interfering, but caring, sister. I loved that family's struggle with the thought of a (suddenly) homosexual son / brother.
Sweet as sugar is also the amusing background story with a softball team filled with quite terrified players bullied by their team captain. Jeez, they are all grownups. Haha, maybe a bit unbelievable but still fun to follow.
All in all: Femme is a hilarious fun and entertaining read. Both heartbreaker scenes and a lot of laughs. AND of course all this romantic sweet, lovely smexy, tender cute boys wants boys love. YummyMmm!!!
Yes, Mr Thornton did it again. His "voice" and his way of telling a interesting story (to always give me those characters I sincerely care about) is simply PERFECT for me. I'm a big big admirer. I just want much more. Thanks for a (without doubt) "HEA-romance" this time.
**********************************************
I LIKE - guys who choose what they want
...as Lionel does:
4 1/2 Stars - Gosh, this was a true gem to happydance about
I liked the idea of this M/M romance as soon I heard about it. Marshall Thornton a very good writer who usually give us excellent stories (as the unforgettable Nick Novak in Boystown).
... So also this time. What's not to like?
This was such a enjoying sweetie story. Sexy needy bear, Sassy tough sissy and some Red high heels... — Just feel that combo. Intriguing right?
**********************************************
Two pages in and you I was already feeling "it"....
« Queeny cocktail waiter, Lionel, wakes up to find himself in bed with Dog, a straight-acting softball player and the two embark on a rocky road to romance. »
Femme really has two adorable main characters in the cute man-boyish Doug (27) and glittering flamboyant, in my mind very brave, Lionel (23). Guys you can't but give your heart to at once. — Even if they did and said some stupidly dumb things at times ... and very clever other times.
“And then, could you bring me everything on the dessert menu?”
“Everything?”
“You still have his credit card number, don’t you?”
“Yes, I do. How about an aperitif?”
“How about two?”
We also get that well known 'out of the closet' topic. This time with a quite terrific mum, a grumpy scared dad and a curious over the top interfering, but caring, sister. I loved that family's struggle with the thought of a (suddenly) homosexual son / brother.
Sweet as sugar is also the amusing background story with a softball team filled with quite terrified players bullied by their team captain. Jeez, they are all grownups. Haha, maybe a bit unbelievable but still fun to follow.
‘At that particular moment, I couldn’t imagine anything a man could do for another man that would mean more than wearing a very painful pair of sparkly high heels.’
All in all: Femme is a hilarious fun and entertaining read. Both heartbreaker scenes and a lot of laughs. AND of course all this romantic sweet, lovely smexy, tender cute boys wants boys love. YummyMmm!!!
Yes, Mr Thornton did it again. His "voice" and his way of telling a interesting story (to always give me those characters I sincerely care about) is simply PERFECT for me. I'm a big big admirer. I just want much more. Thanks for a (without doubt) "HEA-romance" this time.
**********************************************
I LIKE - guys who choose what they want
...as Lionel does:
August 11, 2020
Reread review:
Awww! Just what I needed. Still adorable and hilarious and thought-provoking and all the good things. In fact, I'm giving it the extra star, because why not. There's nothing to complain about, except that the next one isn't in audio yet.
Original review:
Oh my GAAAAWD! This book was aDORablllleeee!
What happens when a super effeminate gay waiter meets a super straight-seeming gay softball player/nurse who's still in the closet to his family? Shenanigans!
"Dog" doesn't make a lot of good decisions, and he's not a fast thinker, but he does eventually always do and say the right thing. And he's very lucky that Lionel is patient with him - sort of. Sometimes. A lot of the times. :D Lionel doesn't put up with much nonsense and is as sassy as he is flaming, so when his fab meets Dog's drab, there's a lot of clashing of the cultural expectations, lol. There's not a lot in the way of Romance (™) but it's a very sweet love story nonetheless.
This is very humorous, and Joel Leslie is the perfect narrator for this story. He really hits all the comedic moments and keeps even the tense moments from getting too tense. He brings life to all the characters and goes back and forth between the POVs smoothly.
Awww! Just what I needed. Still adorable and hilarious and thought-provoking and all the good things. In fact, I'm giving it the extra star, because why not. There's nothing to complain about, except that the next one isn't in audio yet.
Original review:
Oh my GAAAAWD! This book was aDORablllleeee!
What happens when a super effeminate gay waiter meets a super straight-seeming gay softball player/nurse who's still in the closet to his family? Shenanigans!
"Dog" doesn't make a lot of good decisions, and he's not a fast thinker, but he does eventually always do and say the right thing. And he's very lucky that Lionel is patient with him - sort of. Sometimes. A lot of the times. :D Lionel doesn't put up with much nonsense and is as sassy as he is flaming, so when his fab meets Dog's drab, there's a lot of clashing of the cultural expectations, lol. There's not a lot in the way of Romance (™) but it's a very sweet love story nonetheless.
This is very humorous, and Joel Leslie is the perfect narrator for this story. He really hits all the comedic moments and keeps even the tense moments from getting too tense. He brings life to all the characters and goes back and forth between the POVs smoothly.
March 1, 2018
*** Femme waiter, Lionel, woke up that morning with a hangover, facing someone in his bed.
That someone is Dog,
hunky, gay ballplayer from the team that hangs out at The Bird bar.
* Lionel is a flamer, makes people uncomfortable,
but he's so good at being himself. * Dog/Doug is manly in his demeanor, but has an epiphany about femme guys, and it wakes him up inside. We have great characters, lovable, down-to-earth people; a family that is wading through the "coming out" of Dog and the progress of the two men, all of which make this fun and eye-opening.
Super hot sexiness throughout, realizations,
understanding, long talks, deep emotions, plus funny stuff.
What about the pompoms and pink outfit at the ball game ? !
And then we also have a mean guy who mucks things up, and Dog, who seems to disappear at the worst moments !
dancing in heels...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyMgP...
Oh, and the red pumps !
Was it cliché?, yes, worth reading?, absolutely.
Entertaining fictional romance ! ENJOY !
====================================
My first by this author, and I'll read him again.
====================================
That someone is Dog,
hunky, gay ballplayer from the team that hangs out at The Bird bar.
* Lionel is a flamer, makes people uncomfortable,
but he's so good at being himself. * Dog/Doug is manly in his demeanor, but has an epiphany about femme guys, and it wakes him up inside. We have great characters, lovable, down-to-earth people; a family that is wading through the "coming out" of Dog and the progress of the two men, all of which make this fun and eye-opening.
Super hot sexiness throughout, realizations,
understanding, long talks, deep emotions, plus funny stuff.
What about the pompoms and pink outfit at the ball game ? !
And then we also have a mean guy who mucks things up, and Dog, who seems to disappear at the worst moments !
dancing in heels...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyMgP...
Oh, and the red pumps !
Was it cliché?, yes, worth reading?, absolutely.
Entertaining fictional romance ! ENJOY !
====================================
My first by this author, and I'll read him again.
====================================
April 27, 2021
⭐ 3.5 "If I highlighted this book anymore, it would've become The Book of Neon" stars ⭐
Between the quotes I thought were hilarious, some touching analogies AND the notes I added on the parts that had me fuming...
My kindle copy started looking like this. So yes, you could say I had several thoughts about this one. Unfortunately, not all of them entirely positive.
********
But regardless of the nitpicks I’ll describe below, before I start the review let me first come right out and proclaim: This was, in fact, excellently written. It had wit, it had heart, and one of the most memorable and charismatic MCs (femme cocktail waiter Lionel) I've read in a long while.
"So what went wrong then?" I hear you pointedly ask.
Well, at least for me, Dog/Doug did (who was the other MC, a "straight-acting" softball player who regularly frequented the bar Lionel worked at). My feelings for Doug were and still are extremely conflicted. Whereas Lionel was someone who I instantly clicked with and couldn't help but cheer for, Doug had me pulling faces as if I was starring in my very own personal silent film titled "What the hell is this man even saying again?".
See below examples to discover what I mean (but beware of some light spoilers):
(For context, this one quote happens right after Doug decides to stand up for Lionel, who was publicly harassed and had his harasser trying to have him fired from his job. About 40 pages into the book.)
But again, that’s only 40 pages in. So while it pissed me off to see Doug’s prejudiced ways and his lack of spine make a show of appearance, I could overlook it in the beginning. I’m all about character development after all. When it began to be a problem, however, was when things like this were also said:
Which ultimately lead to conversations like this:
And this was past the halfway point in the story, mind you, when we were already supposed to believe Doug/Dog already had feelings for Lionel and wanted to go steady with him. Despite disrespecting him time and time again.
So yeah, you could say Doug had me practicing meditation every few pages with his bullshit. In my humble opinion, Lionel deserved better, plain and simple.
This was particularly sad, because then you had these beautifully described moments that started tugging at my heartstrings (like their first proper kiss, which was narrated in a way that was worthy of the loudest dreamy sighs). Truly, those were the moments that made me wish I could’ve bought more into both sides of the couple.
Yet, to name another big positive for me, the vast differences between these two didn’t always frustrate me. Because they also happened to lead to hilarious exchanges such as this one, when they were discussing gender stereotypes:
And cheers to that. Lionel challenging Doug's narrow-minded ways WHILE leaving me in stitches was definitely one of my favorite parts.
Back to Doug and his irritating antics, however, of course he gets better in the last few chapters. Yet... it wasn't entirely working for me. Even if the character development DID happen by the end (for both Doug and Lionel, although to different degrees of believability), I couldn't shake the feeling that I would've enjoyed the book threefold if this was only narrated by our titular femme guy. Indeed, it would’ve probably made the jump from a rounded down 3.5 to a 5+ kind of read if that were the case.
Because, again, Lionel…
Give me 999 more books of Lionel narrating life through his hilarious perspective, please and thank you!
Will definitely continue with the series(or duology?), however, and I'm hoping Doug's POV gets a little more bearable for me after his journey of introspection and acceptance in this first book. And a LOT less demeaning and judgy towards his partner.
Plus, my biggest takeaway from here is that Mr. Thornton CAN SURE WRITE. Talent this man lacks not, that’s for sure.
********
Femme series by Marshall Thornton
Femme — 3.5 ⭐
Masc — TBR.
Between the quotes I thought were hilarious, some touching analogies AND the notes I added on the parts that had me fuming...
My kindle copy started looking like this. So yes, you could say I had several thoughts about this one. Unfortunately, not all of them entirely positive.
********
But regardless of the nitpicks I’ll describe below, before I start the review let me first come right out and proclaim: This was, in fact, excellently written. It had wit, it had heart, and one of the most memorable and charismatic MCs (femme cocktail waiter Lionel) I've read in a long while.
"So what went wrong then?" I hear you pointedly ask.
Well, at least for me, Dog/Doug did (who was the other MC, a "straight-acting" softball player who regularly frequented the bar Lionel worked at). My feelings for Doug were and still are extremely conflicted. Whereas Lionel was someone who I instantly clicked with and couldn't help but cheer for, Doug had me pulling faces as if I was starring in my very own personal silent film titled "What the hell is this man even saying again?".
See below examples to discover what I mean (but beware of some light spoilers):
(For context, this one quote happens right after Doug decides to stand up for Lionel, who was publicly harassed and had his harasser trying to have him fired from his job. About 40 pages into the book.)
“Things were good. I like playing with the Birdmen. I shouldn’t mess with that. I probably shouldn’t have told Fetch not to email Bob. I didn’t really know Lionel. I mean, I liked him but big deal. I couldn’t really see myself with someone like that. Not for more than a few dates.”
But again, that’s only 40 pages in. So while it pissed me off to see Doug’s prejudiced ways and his lack of spine make a show of appearance, I could overlook it in the beginning. I’m all about character development after all. When it began to be a problem, however, was when things like this were also said:
“So is that what you like? Effeminate guys?”
“No. I mean, I like him in spite of it.”
Which ultimately lead to conversations like this:
I didn’t know what to say. It was probably going to be a disaster. “I like you. I like you anyway.”
I leaned in for a kiss but got pushed away. “You like me anyway? You like me despite that I’m a full-on fairy? You like me despite the fact that you don’t like who I am? Is that what you’re saying?”
And this was past the halfway point in the story, mind you, when we were already supposed to believe Doug/Dog already had feelings for Lionel and wanted to go steady with him. Despite disrespecting him time and time again.
So yeah, you could say Doug had me practicing meditation every few pages with his bullshit. In my humble opinion, Lionel deserved better, plain and simple.
This was particularly sad, because then you had these beautifully described moments that started tugging at my heartstrings (like their first proper kiss, which was narrated in a way that was worthy of the loudest dreamy sighs). Truly, those were the moments that made me wish I could’ve bought more into both sides of the couple.
Yet, to name another big positive for me, the vast differences between these two didn’t always frustrate me. Because they also happened to lead to hilarious exchanges such as this one, when they were discussing gender stereotypes:
“It’s nice to know you have a feminine side.”
“What do you mean?”
“You cook. That's feminine.”
Reflexively, I shook my head. “All the great chefs are men.”
“Oh yeah, you’re right. Julie Child was kind of butch. And Martha Stewart, well, I wouldn’t want to get into a fight with her. She’d cut a bitch.”
And cheers to that. Lionel challenging Doug's narrow-minded ways WHILE leaving me in stitches was definitely one of my favorite parts.
Back to Doug and his irritating antics, however, of course he gets better in the last few chapters. Yet... it wasn't entirely working for me. Even if the character development DID happen by the end (for both Doug and Lionel, although to different degrees of believability), I couldn't shake the feeling that I would've enjoyed the book threefold if this was only narrated by our titular femme guy. Indeed, it would’ve probably made the jump from a rounded down 3.5 to a 5+ kind of read if that were the case.
Because, again, Lionel…
Give me 999 more books of Lionel narrating life through his hilarious perspective, please and thank you!
Will definitely continue with the series(or duology?), however, and I'm hoping Doug's POV gets a little more bearable for me after his journey of introspection and acceptance in this first book. And a LOT less demeaning and judgy towards his partner.
Plus, my biggest takeaway from here is that Mr. Thornton CAN SURE WRITE. Talent this man lacks not, that’s for sure.
********
Femme series by Marshall Thornton
Femme — 3.5 ⭐
Masc — TBR.
March 18, 2017
2017 Lambda Literary Award Finalist!
Full reviewage on Prism Book Alliance®
Marshall Thornton, you rock my world, once again. Rock. My. World.
How… yeah… how am I supposed to… what? Gah! F@#! Because, fo reals, how does one review a Marshall Thornton story? You’d think I’d know since I’ve been here several times, experiencing, revelling, sinking, loving, pumping of the ‘YES!’ fist, but reviewing?
*cracks knuckles*
I shall do my best!
I was waiting for a compliment. Instead, Dog said, “I don’t live here.”
“What a relief! I hate it when people move in uninvited.”
Actually, I might not have minded so much if he had moved in uninvited. He was cute in a lumbering, jockish sort of way.
There’s obvious humor, subtle humor, in your face humor, clever humor, and Thornton knows and uses them all in this tale and these characters, Lionel and Dog, and their friends, and their not-so-much friends, and their family.
That was Lionel. And then? We get Dog’s point of view. *pumps fist* (See! Told ya.)
This allows us readerly types to learn two important things about both of these people: the mask they’re often wearing for most of the rest of the world which leads to their initial perceptions of each other, and the reality that is going on underneath. I was immediately wanting good things for them, whatever the context. I did feel like the switches sometimes come too quickly (they’re clearly marked), but I think this has more to do with the fact that I like both of these guys’ voices a lot and didn’t want to leave one for the other, each time, making for the most satisfying of vicious circles.
This story is a big F.U. to stereotypes, and how people use them to hurt one another, and how that action is never justified. No one is a stereotype but everyone feels love and pain and everything in between. There is so much more I could say on this but I refuzzle to give anything away.
As usual, Thornton places these ordinary people in ordinary situations (and some not so, in some of his other books), working his magic to create unforgettable characters and emotions that leave permanent marks. This is a much more realistic “meet cute”, with runny noses, missed opportunities, and the appreciation of a good blush.
He blushed a bit. I like a man with good circulation.
There are ups and downs and all-arounds in this story, with conflicts that aren’t avoided or used as cheats but instead headbutted and dared, placed in the spotlight. Upping of ye ol’ stakes, anyone? And all of this takes place around a couple of local bars and a softball team. Getting back to the mask theme, this is about why so many people have to walk around hiding who they are, always self-evaluating their behavior to make sure the mask hasn’t fallen. It’s exhausting. Frustrating. Maddening. Painful. Life is already a giant spider of a challenge, no one deserves to carry that extra burden around practically 24-7. This is also about how respect, love, humor, and all of the good things in life can help fight against the forces that foster this current reality.
All of the supporting characters are well-played and well-placed, from the sarcastic sister – and the awesomely portrayed sibling relationship between her and Dog – and the parents on opposite ends of the support scale, the odd friends, jerk of a hole who thinks he has everyone under his control, and the dive bar owner with her knowing ways.
Thornton exceeds my expectations in unexpected ways. Not that I go into one of his books with any specific ideas about what’s going to happen. I know better than that. His stories get me pumped. Inspired. And make me grateful. His insight and the way he shares it are abilities not many have and are willing to share.
Thornton writes the way people really think:
The look on his face told me that he knew I was avoiding capitulation, and he didn’t mind. And that was kind of interesting. He didn’t have to make me wrong for him to be right. I couldn’t remember another time where I’d fought with someone and it was okay to be right and wrong at the same time. I wondered what that meant?
I love this book. I love Lionel. I love that there is much more he and Dog have to learn about each other, and I imagine them being able to spend their lives doing just that. Also, they’re both funny as all git out, even when they don’t realize it. At the end, I lost count of how many times a guffaw leapt from my gut. The end itself felt a bit rushed, and I think that’s because most of the story itself covers a relatively short amount of time, so this was out of sync.
Back to the love, though, because I looooooooove this book and it is one of my top reads for 2016 and one of my favorites of Marshall Thornton. You betchur sweet bippy I recommend this’n!
ETA: Recommended Read for September 2016 on PBA
Full reviewage on Prism Book Alliance®
Marshall Thornton, you rock my world, once again. Rock. My. World.
How… yeah… how am I supposed to… what? Gah! F@#! Because, fo reals, how does one review a Marshall Thornton story? You’d think I’d know since I’ve been here several times, experiencing, revelling, sinking, loving, pumping of the ‘YES!’ fist, but reviewing?
*cracks knuckles*
I shall do my best!
I was waiting for a compliment. Instead, Dog said, “I don’t live here.”
“What a relief! I hate it when people move in uninvited.”
Actually, I might not have minded so much if he had moved in uninvited. He was cute in a lumbering, jockish sort of way.
There’s obvious humor, subtle humor, in your face humor, clever humor, and Thornton knows and uses them all in this tale and these characters, Lionel and Dog, and their friends, and their not-so-much friends, and their family.
That was Lionel. And then? We get Dog’s point of view. *pumps fist* (See! Told ya.)
This allows us readerly types to learn two important things about both of these people: the mask they’re often wearing for most of the rest of the world which leads to their initial perceptions of each other, and the reality that is going on underneath. I was immediately wanting good things for them, whatever the context. I did feel like the switches sometimes come too quickly (they’re clearly marked), but I think this has more to do with the fact that I like both of these guys’ voices a lot and didn’t want to leave one for the other, each time, making for the most satisfying of vicious circles.
This story is a big F.U. to stereotypes, and how people use them to hurt one another, and how that action is never justified. No one is a stereotype but everyone feels love and pain and everything in between. There is so much more I could say on this but I refuzzle to give anything away.
As usual, Thornton places these ordinary people in ordinary situations (and some not so, in some of his other books), working his magic to create unforgettable characters and emotions that leave permanent marks. This is a much more realistic “meet cute”, with runny noses, missed opportunities, and the appreciation of a good blush.
He blushed a bit. I like a man with good circulation.
There are ups and downs and all-arounds in this story, with conflicts that aren’t avoided or used as cheats but instead headbutted and dared, placed in the spotlight. Upping of ye ol’ stakes, anyone? And all of this takes place around a couple of local bars and a softball team. Getting back to the mask theme, this is about why so many people have to walk around hiding who they are, always self-evaluating their behavior to make sure the mask hasn’t fallen. It’s exhausting. Frustrating. Maddening. Painful. Life is already a giant spider of a challenge, no one deserves to carry that extra burden around practically 24-7. This is also about how respect, love, humor, and all of the good things in life can help fight against the forces that foster this current reality.
All of the supporting characters are well-played and well-placed, from the sarcastic sister – and the awesomely portrayed sibling relationship between her and Dog – and the parents on opposite ends of the support scale, the odd friends, jerk of a hole who thinks he has everyone under his control, and the dive bar owner with her knowing ways.
Thornton exceeds my expectations in unexpected ways. Not that I go into one of his books with any specific ideas about what’s going to happen. I know better than that. His stories get me pumped. Inspired. And make me grateful. His insight and the way he shares it are abilities not many have and are willing to share.
Thornton writes the way people really think:
The look on his face told me that he knew I was avoiding capitulation, and he didn’t mind. And that was kind of interesting. He didn’t have to make me wrong for him to be right. I couldn’t remember another time where I’d fought with someone and it was okay to be right and wrong at the same time. I wondered what that meant?
I love this book. I love Lionel. I love that there is much more he and Dog have to learn about each other, and I imagine them being able to spend their lives doing just that. Also, they’re both funny as all git out, even when they don’t realize it. At the end, I lost count of how many times a guffaw leapt from my gut. The end itself felt a bit rushed, and I think that’s because most of the story itself covers a relatively short amount of time, so this was out of sync.
Back to the love, though, because I looooooooove this book and it is one of my top reads for 2016 and one of my favorites of Marshall Thornton. You betchur sweet bippy I recommend this’n!
ETA: Recommended Read for September 2016 on PBA
January 8, 2018
4.5 stars
Funny, wise and romantic
It started with a drunken hook-up between Lionel (the very femme waiter) and Dog (the straight-looking softball player):
Overall, this was a very fun story with a sweet romance and some important messages about stereotypes. Recommended!
Funny, wise and romantic
It started with a drunken hook-up between Lionel (the very femme waiter) and Dog (the straight-looking softball player):
I kind of, sort of, maybe remembered the sex. It was fabulous. Or maybe it wasn't. I either had amazing sex the night before with a guy named Dog or I had the most mind-blowing sex dreams about the same guy named Dog.And so Lionel and Dog fumble towards a relationship. And there's quite a bit of cute and funny fumbling as they proceed:
"I'm still sowing my wild oats." Oh Gawd, I'd just made myself sound like a committed slut. I scrambled to think of something to say that was a little bit more relationship-y. "It might be time to harvest my oats and make oatmeal."But these boys have lots of roadblocks in their way and stereotypes to break down along the way. And softball-captain bullies that need to be put in their place. Lionel's tough and won't back down from anyone, and he's wise from the beginning:
"Oh, okay" he said. He had a frightened look on his face. And who can blame him? He asked about boyfriends and I talked about oatmeal.
And, yeah, I'm a fucking stereotype. Knock-knock, so are you. So is everybody. It's how we identify one another. It's how we communicate with strangers. Every single person is a stereotype until you get to know them.Dog has a little more growing to do through the story. He's got to come out to his parents. He needs to learn to be okay with himself and with being gay. I'll be honest, there were some times I was frustrated with him throughout the story. But, at the same time, he's still a very sweet guy and, well, he makes up for all the frustrations in a big way. A huge way!
Overall, this was a very fun story with a sweet romance and some important messages about stereotypes. Recommended!
January 9, 2018
4.5 Stars
Funniest thing I've read/listened to in ages! I've mentioned before that Joel Leslie can be hit or miss with me...but holy hell did he knock this one out of the park. (<--- Did you see what I did there?)
I loved everything about this book; I think it's easy to get lost in the hilarity, the ridiculousness of the whole situation and dismiss the underlying message of acceptance, family, being yourself and knowing what it means to be a man. (In more than one way, too!) Plus, the character growth - because OMG Dog was an ass so often that I wanted to stab him in the eye with the heel on my Jimmy Choos. (Except I wouldn't since I'd just freak not knowing how to get the yuck off them.) BUT, Oh.My.God did he redeem himself in the most fabulous way!
And I just adored Lionel. So fierce. So fabulous. I don't think I've ever read/listened to a story where someone so obviously gay (by his own admission) tried to go back into the closet...that whole scenario, while amusing with the "straight" coaching from Dog and trying to get Carlos to butch up his voice for those job reference calls, was also really interesting as "Leo" works through the whole experience and how it makes him feel.
Plus, seriously, the supporting cast is stellar. And I don't just mean the vocal performances. I'm talking about the writing...these weren't throw away characters (or stereotypes) (except they were, as we all are, per Lionel). They were so very much a vital part of this story. Dog's Mom, his sister...Carlos & the guys down at The Bird - all of them memorable.
I can easily see myself listening to this again, it was that entertaining, heart-warming and hella sexy.
(Also, I am going to have to work really hard to stop mimicking Lionel from here on out.)
Funniest thing I've read/listened to in ages! I've mentioned before that Joel Leslie can be hit or miss with me...but holy hell did he knock this one out of the park. (<--- Did you see what I did there?)
I loved everything about this book; I think it's easy to get lost in the hilarity, the ridiculousness of the whole situation and dismiss the underlying message of acceptance, family, being yourself and knowing what it means to be a man. (In more than one way, too!) Plus, the character growth - because OMG Dog was an ass so often that I wanted to stab him in the eye with the heel on my Jimmy Choos. (Except I wouldn't since I'd just freak not knowing how to get the yuck off them.) BUT, Oh.My.God did he redeem himself in the most fabulous way!
And I just adored Lionel. So fierce. So fabulous. I don't think I've ever read/listened to a story where someone so obviously gay (by his own admission) tried to go back into the closet...that whole scenario, while amusing with the "straight" coaching from Dog and trying to get Carlos to butch up his voice for those job reference calls, was also really interesting as "Leo" works through the whole experience and how it makes him feel.
Plus, seriously, the supporting cast is stellar. And I don't just mean the vocal performances. I'm talking about the writing...these weren't throw away characters (or stereotypes) (except they were, as we all are, per Lionel). They were so very much a vital part of this story. Dog's Mom, his sister...Carlos & the guys down at The Bird - all of them memorable.
I can easily see myself listening to this again, it was that entertaining, heart-warming and hella sexy.
(Also, I am going to have to work really hard to stop mimicking Lionel from here on out.)
July 17, 2018
Joel Leslie’s performance was excellent, but after the diner and movie theater incident, I didn’t enjoy the story as much. Maybe it’s mood thing.
January 3, 2020
As Lionel would say ..... Oh my fucking Gawd! I love, love, frickin' love Femme and Joel Leslie's narration takes this 5 star story over the top to 5+ fabulous stars.
Lionel and Dog meet one night at the bar where Lionel is a waiter and Dog's softball team comes in every Sunday night. One extremely sloshy drunken one-night stand later and Lionel and Dog find themselves in a relationship ... sorta. Well, if you don't count that night at the restaurant AND the movie theatre where Dog flat out runs out on Lionel after seeing his parents. Seems Dog really isn't out to his parents and doesn't want to tell his father especially ... because of his heart problems, doncha know?
Femme really tweaks all those stereotypes and really makes you think about how we define ourselves and others. Lionel's closet contains extra small Hello Kitty shirts, sparkly shorts and pink Converse, a killer aubergine jacket, some fabulous red heels, and he has no fucks to give for anyone who doesn't approve. Dog plays softball, wears jeans and tees, drives a truck and seems like a sweet (albeit sometimes not the brightest) guy. As Lionel says:
5+ stars for Femme. Read the book and then listen to the audiobook - oh my fucking gawd!
Visit my blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews
Lionel and Dog meet one night at the bar where Lionel is a waiter and Dog's softball team comes in every Sunday night. One extremely sloshy drunken one-night stand later and Lionel and Dog find themselves in a relationship ... sorta. Well, if you don't count that night at the restaurant AND the movie theatre where Dog flat out runs out on Lionel after seeing his parents. Seems Dog really isn't out to his parents and doesn't want to tell his father especially ... because of his heart problems, doncha know?
Femme really tweaks all those stereotypes and really makes you think about how we define ourselves and others. Lionel's closet contains extra small Hello Kitty shirts, sparkly shorts and pink Converse, a killer aubergine jacket, some fabulous red heels, and he has no fucks to give for anyone who doesn't approve. Dog plays softball, wears jeans and tees, drives a truck and seems like a sweet (albeit sometimes not the brightest) guy. As Lionel says:
And, yeah, I'm a fucking stereotype. Knock-knock, so are you. So is everybody. It's how we identify one another. It's how we communicate with strangers. Every single person is a stereotype until you get to know them.In addition to Lionel and Dog, Femme has a stellar cast of secondary characters - Dog's softball team, all the barflies at the two bars, Dog's sister and parents, especially his mother:
I’ve had a very busy twenty-four hours. And I’ve come a long way. Last night I was on the same shift with Juan Hernandez. He’s a gay, and he explained a lot of things to me. He told me all about bears and otters and wolves and cubs and polar bears, and—oh my God you boys like your wild animals, don’t you?I gotta say my personal favorite is Carlos / Carlotta who works with Lionel at the bar. Carlos and his car Frieda ... and Carlo's commentary about a former boyfriend:
"I knew I loved him the minute he put his penis into my mouth. And then...I knew I didn't love him the minute he put his penis into Roger Tyler's mouth."Joel Leslie's narration takes an already stellar story and pushes it to a whole other level. All his voices are spot-on (and hysterically funny) and I loved the lyrical flow of the narration as he gleefully "pops" Lionel's consonants and gives all the voices such texture and personality.
5+ stars for Femme. Read the book and then listen to the audiobook - oh my fucking gawd!
Visit my blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews
July 30, 2017
Audible
I had a pleasure to read and review this book BEFORE it was published.
I got an audio book shortly BEFORE our vacation. And you know what? I was excited to re-read it and I enjoyed it as an audio book even MORE. Yes, in spite of my NOT a re-reader-type. I don't do re-read normally. Why should I?! There are so MANY books to read! There are really VERY few authors I re-read. And Marshall Thornton is my top re-read author.
I read Femme and enjoyed it, BUT I had my own idea how Lionel and Dog SOUNDED. You know it is something that solidly anchored in your mind during reading. The VOICES. The APPEARANCES. The images. A movie in your own head. It is there. With your own casting.
Joel Leslie was/is a great performer. He made this story to a special event. He made this story to a wonderful holiday read. BUT he was not MY Lionel. And he was not MY Dog. Not immediately. And I needed some time to get used to HIS Dog and HIS Lionel. But it
didn't take too long.
I had a great time with this love story. It is light as a summer breeze, delightful as a summer cocktail. An excellent selection for a holiday read, a delicate and fine piece of a modern gay romance, an ideal choice as an audio book. Well, and not ONLY as a holiday book.
July 28, 2016
Femme
By Marshall Thornton
Kenmore Books, July 28, 2016
Cover design by Marshall Thornton
ASIN: B01FT7CVKU
191 pages
Five stars
“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” – Oscar Wilde
Being of a certain generation, I kept hearing “What makes a man a man?”, the splendid Charles Aznavour torch-song from 1972, floating in the background as I read this witty, big-hearted and ultimately powerful little book. That Marshall Thornton chose this particular quotation from Oscar Wilde to use as an epigraph just underscores my feelings about it. Many books by gay authors explore the world’s homophobia; few look at homophobia within the gay community. Thornton tackles an awkward subject in a contemporary romantic comedy of manners and does so with finesse and great affection.
Lionel and Dog are both gay men in their mid-twenties. Each of them is totally comfortable with who he is; but after a drunken hook-up, both begin to understand that they might not be entirely at ease with who the other guy is.
Lionel has always been a sissy. Being in the closet was never an option. His flamboyant personality got him into trouble as a teenager, and even as an adult manages to create problems. Dog (Doug’s nickname) has always been a typical jock, and has found that keeping his orientation quiet, especially from his family, is where he’s most comfortable.
When Lionel and Dog discover that they really like each other, the differences between them become a challenge to the growing feelings they share. They need to step beyond stereotypes and begin to see each other for who they truly are.
It dawned on me that the basic set up for this novel is that of a YA story—the classic sissy and jock trope; but here the boys are men, and they can face their dilemma in adult ways in an adult world.
The book really is funny—laugh-out-loud funny in many places. Lionel and Dog are not alone, although Lionel is more alone, while Dog has his whole family—blessedly ignorant of his orientation—to contend with. None of that, however, is really the point, which is about the idea of what being a man really means when you’re gay.
I’d love to have all my straight friends read this. And my gay ones, too, for that matter.
By Marshall Thornton
Kenmore Books, July 28, 2016
Cover design by Marshall Thornton
ASIN: B01FT7CVKU
191 pages
Five stars
“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” – Oscar Wilde
Being of a certain generation, I kept hearing “What makes a man a man?”, the splendid Charles Aznavour torch-song from 1972, floating in the background as I read this witty, big-hearted and ultimately powerful little book. That Marshall Thornton chose this particular quotation from Oscar Wilde to use as an epigraph just underscores my feelings about it. Many books by gay authors explore the world’s homophobia; few look at homophobia within the gay community. Thornton tackles an awkward subject in a contemporary romantic comedy of manners and does so with finesse and great affection.
Lionel and Dog are both gay men in their mid-twenties. Each of them is totally comfortable with who he is; but after a drunken hook-up, both begin to understand that they might not be entirely at ease with who the other guy is.
Lionel has always been a sissy. Being in the closet was never an option. His flamboyant personality got him into trouble as a teenager, and even as an adult manages to create problems. Dog (Doug’s nickname) has always been a typical jock, and has found that keeping his orientation quiet, especially from his family, is where he’s most comfortable.
When Lionel and Dog discover that they really like each other, the differences between them become a challenge to the growing feelings they share. They need to step beyond stereotypes and begin to see each other for who they truly are.
It dawned on me that the basic set up for this novel is that of a YA story—the classic sissy and jock trope; but here the boys are men, and they can face their dilemma in adult ways in an adult world.
The book really is funny—laugh-out-loud funny in many places. Lionel and Dog are not alone, although Lionel is more alone, while Dog has his whole family—blessedly ignorant of his orientation—to contend with. None of that, however, is really the point, which is about the idea of what being a man really means when you’re gay.
I’d love to have all my straight friends read this. And my gay ones, too, for that matter.
April 17, 2018
Edited April 17, 2018 (AUDIOBOOK by Joel Leslie):
This was as much, if not more fun the second time around with Joel Leslie voicing Dog and Lionel. I remembered the mixed feelings I had about Dog the first time I read this, and I still had them the second time around. Yet, I forget how young they all really are, and how important it seemed back then to fit in with a certain group, or to act in a way that was expected of you. Hell, that still happens decades later. Again, my favorite part of this book is not the comedy, although it is funny, it is the social commentary Thornton makes on what it means to be a man, what it means to be gay, and who is it that makes the stereotypes in the gay community? Do men choose to follow them or are they expected to do so?
Ridiculously Fun!
I thoroughly enjoyed this humorous read by Marshall Thornton. Having only been acquainted with his Boystown series, this light and insightful tale surprised me.
The trope of femme and jock is not new, but his handling of it is different. While funny, Thornton wrote depth into his characters that made them question their own stereotypes and prejudices in the gay world. Typically we see the conflict of how two different men can make a relationship work. Here, Thornton has the characters questioning their own being and true selves versus what they project to the world. Is Lionel femme because that's who he is, or is he femme because that's what's expected of a gay man like him. Dog also questions what it means to be gay and be a man, and what that should look like to his family, team and outside world.
The book was great, the red heels were awesome. The sex wasn't front and center here which made for a great flow in the story.
I laughed out loud many times, and would absolutely love to hear this performed in an audiobook.
This was as much, if not more fun the second time around with Joel Leslie voicing Dog and Lionel. I remembered the mixed feelings I had about Dog the first time I read this, and I still had them the second time around. Yet, I forget how young they all really are, and how important it seemed back then to fit in with a certain group, or to act in a way that was expected of you. Hell, that still happens decades later. Again, my favorite part of this book is not the comedy, although it is funny, it is the social commentary Thornton makes on what it means to be a man, what it means to be gay, and who is it that makes the stereotypes in the gay community? Do men choose to follow them or are they expected to do so?
Ridiculously Fun!
I thoroughly enjoyed this humorous read by Marshall Thornton. Having only been acquainted with his Boystown series, this light and insightful tale surprised me.
The trope of femme and jock is not new, but his handling of it is different. While funny, Thornton wrote depth into his characters that made them question their own stereotypes and prejudices in the gay world. Typically we see the conflict of how two different men can make a relationship work. Here, Thornton has the characters questioning their own being and true selves versus what they project to the world. Is Lionel femme because that's who he is, or is he femme because that's what's expected of a gay man like him. Dog also questions what it means to be gay and be a man, and what that should look like to his family, team and outside world.
The book was great, the red heels were awesome. The sex wasn't front and center here which made for a great flow in the story.
I laughed out loud many times, and would absolutely love to hear this performed in an audiobook.
March 4, 2019
3.75 stars
I remember reading a blog post some time back where Marshall Thornton said he didn’t write romance novels. And I had to concede that as truth, as much as I love the Boystown series, there is a lot of sex and there is some love, but not a lot of romance or sexual tension. When I saw that he’d written a book that actually had the word “romance” right up there in the blurb, I had to read it.
I enjoy reading about flamboyant characters, so I was not surprised that I adored Lionel. Witty, sharp-tongued, ballsy, but with a sweet vulnerability—he had me from the beginning. Can’t really say the same for Dog, well, I take that back. I did like him at the start but after he I found myself cringing for Lionel and wanting to give Dog a swift kick. But he was acting in character… cuz while he had a good heart, Dog didn’t come across as the brightest bulb. And sometimes he didn’t deal with things so great. I liked the insights he had when he sat down and thought about stuff, and the way he so genuinely cared for his family.
While the story begins with the MCs in bed after a drunken one night stand, there isn’t actually much sex. There is a sprinkling of sexual tension and a twist near the end that I didn’t see coming and LOVED!
My biggest complaint was that I’d have preferred more time with Dog and Lionel together and less of Dog interacting with his family. Those bits took up so much page time that I found myself wanting to skim.
Overall, a fun and delightfully different M/M read.
I remember reading a blog post some time back where Marshall Thornton said he didn’t write romance novels. And I had to concede that as truth, as much as I love the Boystown series, there is a lot of sex and there is some love, but not a lot of romance or sexual tension. When I saw that he’d written a book that actually had the word “romance” right up there in the blurb, I had to read it.
I enjoy reading about flamboyant characters, so I was not surprised that I adored Lionel. Witty, sharp-tongued, ballsy, but with a sweet vulnerability—he had me from the beginning. Can’t really say the same for Dog, well, I take that back. I did like him at the start but after he I found myself cringing for Lionel and wanting to give Dog a swift kick. But he was acting in character… cuz while he had a good heart, Dog didn’t come across as the brightest bulb. And sometimes he didn’t deal with things so great. I liked the insights he had when he sat down and thought about stuff, and the way he so genuinely cared for his family.
While the story begins with the MCs in bed after a drunken one night stand, there isn’t actually much sex. There is a sprinkling of sexual tension and a twist near the end that I didn’t see coming and LOVED!
My biggest complaint was that I’d have preferred more time with Dog and Lionel together and less of Dog interacting with his family. Those bits took up so much page time that I found myself wanting to skim.
Overall, a fun and delightfully different M/M read.
April 23, 2018
This book is an absolute delight. Marshall Thornton is an amazing writer, more literary author than romance author, but I love when he turns his hand to romance. Lionel ('Lynette') is a self-described queen, and her voice is just a scream. I listened to the audiobook and Joel Leslie was perfect.
Lionel begins a "thing" with Dog, a softball player who is more masc and can pass for straight. The road to true love, however, is rocky, as Dog has some growing up to do before he can admit Lionel is his boyfriend to his family and friends. The humor keeps this from being too angsty in spots, even when Dog messes up big time. There are some interesting musings here about femmes in the gay culture and the value of being yourself. But mostly, it's just pure pleasure to immerse yourself in Marshall's smart, witty characters. I would have rolled right into the sequel, "Masc, but it's not out for a few more days.
Lionel begins a "thing" with Dog, a softball player who is more masc and can pass for straight. The road to true love, however, is rocky, as Dog has some growing up to do before he can admit Lionel is his boyfriend to his family and friends. The humor keeps this from being too angsty in spots, even when Dog messes up big time. There are some interesting musings here about femmes in the gay culture and the value of being yourself. But mostly, it's just pure pleasure to immerse yourself in Marshall's smart, witty characters. I would have rolled right into the sequel, "Masc, but it's not out for a few more days.
July 21, 2017
I enjoyed this, slightly dumb Doug and fabulously femme Lionel.
Doug's human, he does some stupid things. Gets forgiven but doesn't learn. It felt real though, despite being out to everyone but his parents - he's desperate to fit in. He joins a sport's team to be part of a team, he wants to be 'one of the guys' and is scared of standing out, of not being accepted. His attraction to Lionel goes against all he is, Lionel is unapologetically different.
I liked how it was handled, Doug doesn't so much apology for his behaviour but acknowledge himself and the truth of things - it felt more of a waking up than a sudden happy-fix, like he's real and will likely continue to do dumb things but can go on from there.
Lionel, love his perspective though not sure about his flare for design. He's funny, sharp and totally himself; until he decides he has to act straight. There are definitely times when I thought he could do better than Doug but having both povs carries the story along. By the end I just wanted them to accept, be accepted, and be happy. The contrast of characters works well.
Between these two opposites there's a message about accepting yourself and not worrying about other people's perception, or what you feel you should be like. Liking someone regardless of everything/everyone, because you do. It's written in a way that it doesn't feel like a heavy message book. Interestingly the negativity here comes from within the gay community, rather than 'straight/religious...' people. Away from the tropey caricatures this drew the issues to a smaller, not always accepting world. Variety of people, boxes within boxes.
The book has a message but is also funny, heart-warming and maddening in turn. And fabulous, I now know the all important colour difference between Aubergine and Eggplant!
-- --
Sampled and snatched up the audio for this, the start had me giggling :) characterisation is great.
Doug's human, he does some stupid things. Gets forgiven but doesn't learn. It felt real though, despite being out to everyone but his parents - he's desperate to fit in. He joins a sport's team to be part of a team, he wants to be 'one of the guys' and is scared of standing out, of not being accepted. His attraction to Lionel goes against all he is, Lionel is unapologetically different.
I liked how it was handled, Doug doesn't so much apology for his behaviour but acknowledge himself and the truth of things - it felt more of a waking up than a sudden happy-fix, like he's real and will likely continue to do dumb things but can go on from there.
Lionel, love his perspective though not sure about his flare for design. He's funny, sharp and totally himself; until he decides he has to act straight. There are definitely times when I thought he could do better than Doug but having both povs carries the story along. By the end I just wanted them to accept, be accepted, and be happy. The contrast of characters works well.
Between these two opposites there's a message about accepting yourself and not worrying about other people's perception, or what you feel you should be like. Liking someone regardless of everything/everyone, because you do. It's written in a way that it doesn't feel like a heavy message book. Interestingly the negativity here comes from within the gay community, rather than 'straight/religious...' people. Away from the tropey caricatures this drew the issues to a smaller, not always accepting world. Variety of people, boxes within boxes.
The book has a message but is also funny, heart-warming and maddening in turn. And fabulous, I now know the all important colour difference between Aubergine and Eggplant!
-- --
Sampled and snatched up the audio for this, the start had me giggling :) characterisation is great.
April 19, 2018
I loved this! Like seriously loved it. This was a serious 5★ read for me the entire read. There was one minor bump in the road that I am guessing should have me knocking off ½ a ★…but whatever, I’m rounding up so 5★’s it is!
I woke up this morning and couldn’t wait to get back to this book and then I realized I had finished it last night. WHAT A BUMMER! So much of a bummer I haven’t read anything yet today, not even on my commute, I socialized instead. Oh. My. God.
I think this is called a book hangover. The inability to start something new so you can just roll around in the greatness of what you have just finished. Yes, this is what I feel is happening to me right now.
The thing is, there is a second book and it will be out soon and I feel like I can’t wait!
So yeah, I just can’t seem to format any real coherent thoughts about my love for this book. It was just so much fun to read and felt like it was an experience. So good.
I need the audio now.
I woke up this morning and couldn’t wait to get back to this book and then I realized I had finished it last night. WHAT A BUMMER! So much of a bummer I haven’t read anything yet today, not even on my commute, I socialized instead. Oh. My. God.
I think this is called a book hangover. The inability to start something new so you can just roll around in the greatness of what you have just finished. Yes, this is what I feel is happening to me right now.
The thing is, there is a second book and it will be out soon and I feel like I can’t wait!
So yeah, I just can’t seem to format any real coherent thoughts about my love for this book. It was just so much fun to read and felt like it was an experience. So good.
I need the audio now.
May 13, 2017
I'm of two minds about this book.
On one hand, it is clearly a humorous, enjoyable tale, maybe with a bit too much fluff, aiming somehow at the "The Birdcage" kind of look at the queer experience. But like with the movie "The Birdcage" - as it compares against "La Cage Aux Folles" - this is a tad too overwrought, too pat, too forgiving, with characters a bit too simplistic, to really make it a superior read for me.
I have been and am looking for a truly in-depth book about femme men, not even necessarily exclusively gay femme men, and given that this received a Lammy and was written by a professed "gay fiction" author, I may have expected much more than I actually got here.
However, it still is an enjoyable book and as such recommended.
On one hand, it is clearly a humorous, enjoyable tale, maybe with a bit too much fluff, aiming somehow at the "The Birdcage" kind of look at the queer experience. But like with the movie "The Birdcage" - as it compares against "La Cage Aux Folles" - this is a tad too overwrought, too pat, too forgiving, with characters a bit too simplistic, to really make it a superior read for me.
I have been and am looking for a truly in-depth book about femme men, not even necessarily exclusively gay femme men, and given that this received a Lammy and was written by a professed "gay fiction" author, I may have expected much more than I actually got here.
However, it still is an enjoyable book and as such recommended.
October 12, 2019
I couldn’t get past the fact that
While I liked the writing and the ‘message’ behind the story, this one lose points because of the MCs’ dynamic.
While I liked the writing and the ‘message’ behind the story, this one lose points because of the MCs’ dynamic.
August 15, 2018
This is a fun book. On the surface it is just a love story with quirky characters and the writing borders on being farcical at times. I'm usually not a huge fan of farces but this book manages to combine high comedy with actually quite nuanced characters and that is a feat in itself.
But apart from that it is a story that contains deep reflections about what identity means and how pervasive the fear of being different is, even within the gay community. It makes me very happy if a book manages to combine this level of depths with more than a few belly-laughs.
The characters are a delight and I applaud the author for being able to gently make fun of them without selling them out.
So, highly recommended if you are in the mood for an intelligent, funny book.
But apart from that it is a story that contains deep reflections about what identity means and how pervasive the fear of being different is, even within the gay community. It makes me very happy if a book manages to combine this level of depths with more than a few belly-laughs.
The characters are a delight and I applaud the author for being able to gently make fun of them without selling them out.
So, highly recommended if you are in the mood for an intelligent, funny book.
November 14, 2016
This was a great read in fact I'd venture to say it is my favourite MT. Why? I think it's because it looks so deceptively simple, deceptively fun whilst underneath it packs quite a punch. Because it talks about us, who we are, who we present ourselves to be, who we allow ourselves to be. To be or not to be? - quite a tough question isn't it?
"Femme guys scared us. They scared us because we were afraid of being like them. We were afraid of being obvious. And that was part of the whoe being in the closet bull. Not liking femme guys was really about not liking ourselves."MT explores these basic truths which scare us because our vision of self are tied up in them.
"You know what makes a man. A man does the right thing by the people he cares about. A man takes care of his family, his friends. A man stands up for people who need to be stood up for."Finally we do have to decide who we are going to be, a 'man' or in my case a 'woman' or a puppet moved about by outside currents who dress you up one way in a moment and demand you be something else a second later.
March 28, 2018
Oh this book is an absolute riot but still manages to carry a really important message about being true to yourself and never judging on a stereotype.
Lionel is not only out and proud, he's femme and proud and he carries his queen status high, never failing to throw out a witty quip.
Dog aka Doug, is "straight-acting" and not out to his family when he has a drunken encounter and the best sex ever with Lionel after a softball game celebration at The Bird.
After lots of hilarious mishaps, a judgey and truly horrible bloke gets Lionel fired and he struggles to find his sense of self when he ends up working in a straight bar.
Dog goes through his own existential crisis before all ends up well with a load of bin bag pom poms and a decidedly dodgy cheer.
I loved these two, the steam level is low but this is a realistic romance which also touches on the day to day everyday life of two gay men just trying to keep a connection alive.
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
Lionel is not only out and proud, he's femme and proud and he carries his queen status high, never failing to throw out a witty quip.
Dog aka Doug, is "straight-acting" and not out to his family when he has a drunken encounter and the best sex ever with Lionel after a softball game celebration at The Bird.
After lots of hilarious mishaps, a judgey and truly horrible bloke gets Lionel fired and he struggles to find his sense of self when he ends up working in a straight bar.
Dog goes through his own existential crisis before all ends up well with a load of bin bag pom poms and a decidedly dodgy cheer.
I loved these two, the steam level is low but this is a realistic romance which also touches on the day to day everyday life of two gay men just trying to keep a connection alive.
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
September 18, 2017
Oh my Gawd, I didn't see that coming...... and it hit me..... in just the right way. The story and writing were so freaking awesome! It’s a simple story, but I couldn’t get enough of it. Boy meets boy, boys have a one-night stand, and finally boys are wrapped up in each other like pretzels. It's a hilarious and incredibly populated by charming characters book . Yes, the humor is sometimes laugh-out-loud funny, but actually Femme is mostly about our expectations, about who and what people are and how they should act. Very much about labels, about stereotyping! What is the deal with not liking femme guys? 'Yeah, for a lot of straight people it isn’t surprising. Lionel is clearly gay, and if you have a problem with gay guys, you have a big problem with Lionel. But, what about gay guys? Why do we.......? Femme guys scare us. They scare us because we are afraid of being like them. We are afraid of being obvious. And that is part of the whole being in the closet bull. Not liking femme guys is really about not liking ourselves.' I really need to brush up my femme side.
October 18, 2017
How will I give both this book the true review it deserves??? From the beginning I was captivated by the writing, it flowed, it was romantic comedy at it's finest. Honestly if this was a movie IMO it would be a classic -it was that good. Yet there was a solid story, with a great message throughout and a great relationship. Real people, life problems - money, personal insecurities, family drama and being comfortable in your own skin. I was hysterical through this entire story, so invested in all the characters the message was subtly woven in and hard felt. I listened to the audible version of the book, but if I had been reading I would have had to stop on almost every page to highlight. The narration-Joel Leslie, as always phenomenal, he brought this truly amazing story to vivid life for me. I felt like I could listen to this story, with him narrating forever - the combo was perfect. I am raving like a crazy but I have not read/listened to anything like this. A new FAVE that will be re-listened to MANY times.
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