Analysis of a former-cheater book. Spoilers.
Did I wind up liking this read? YES. So much! Thank you @Evelyn Bella once again for shoving me out of my comfort zone. Why did I like it? 1) Roger and 2) the refreshing fourth-wall-breaking voice and style. The characters are telling you, the reader, what happened after the fact, both in the present story and in flashbacks. At first it was weird, and the opening may put some off by making you think it’ll be told in this cliché stereotypical “gay New York man” voice, but that goes away fast, thank goodness, and my brain caught up with the fourth-wall style and I wound up loving that POV choice. The book is pure fun some of the time!
There are many delightful shows of caring from Fletch to Roger, such as Fletch helping Roger see what would make Roger happy (hint...it isn’t being a lawyer), showing how much he Sees Roger and appreciates who Roger truly is. Even though it’s all calculated to worm his way in and back in with Roger, the moments are heartwarming and special, and I could tell Fletch is sincere and truly does adore who Roger is; he likes that man and wants Roger to also see how special Roger is. I loved that. There are also strong scenes that show just how well Fletch and Roger complement each other and get each other as friends, share humor, share a love of music from different perspectives, how they support and appreciate who the other is as a person. Very lovely and a joy to read. Secondary characters are authentic; I particularly love Roger’s colleagues whom he plays in the quartet with, including his boss and Bob. I hope Bob and Janine do have a thing! Tommy the BFF is also a delight—and I loved his little mini-romance flirtation with a certain barista! Jeff is excruciatingly believable as the dickhead current boyfriend.
This book also put me in touch with a big part of why cheaters make me squirm with discomfort. This isn’t a one-time, truly-made-a-mistake cheating story. (Although...come to think of it, I’m not even sure *I* would be able to say it is *really* cheating, because there was never a discussion in the past about being exclusive, as far as I could tell?) It was clear from the fact that MC cheater Fletch (Broadway usher, odd jobs/opportunist) hid his escapades from the man he moved himself in with and treated like a king while still fucking other people on a...daily? weekly? basis, that he knew how much his screwing around would hurt MC Roger (lawyer, gifted violinist). And he chose to do it anyway. That was two years ago. And very early in the read, you get the flashback to the simple way Roger caught him, and it bloody well hurt.
The book tries to front that Fletch really did love Roger. It tries to front via Roger’s best friend, Tommy, that part of the reason he kept cheating and they fell apart was that they never discussed that they both loved each other, never admitted feelings. But here’s the thing.
Cheating has an emotional impact that resonates and can cause self-doubt and trauma forever, yes. But what no one ever talked about in this book (or in most books, actually? Why not, people?!) is the fact that a chronic cheater is also playing Russian roulette with the partner he “cares” about’s physical health. Go ahead and google “things condoms do not protect you from.” I’ll wait. Never mind, here’s the list: lice/crabs, syphilis, herpes, genital warts, and mpox.
So the fact that Fletch was living with Roger and being so nice to him, making him feel Seen for the first time, but exposing him to what sounds like a few hundred men’s unknown sexual statuses and hygiene practices WITHOUT Roger’s consent or knowledge, and the fact that that gross lack of care about Roger is never once on anyone’s radar or apologized for or in any way acknowledged as an issue, was one reason I didn’t find the situation tenable. Fletch was careless with this lovely, sincere man’s heart AND health and never thought a thing of it. Nor did anyone else. *scratcheshead*
We learn from Roger’s BFF Tommy, that the guy Roger dated before Fletch cheated on him. And, the repellent new boyfriend Jeff also cheated on Roger. Spoiler alert. WITH FLETCH. Seems Roger has a type. Poor Roger. I wish he could just be happy with his adorable dog Haggis and tell them all to fuck off. Alas. (Tommy, why are you rooting for a guy who played fast and loose with your bestie’s mental and physical health? I know personality-wise, Fletch and Roger are uber-compatible and work incredibly well together, and Fletch is way better for Roger on that front than dickhead Jeff, but...Jeff is a really, really low bar. So low you can’t even trip over it, let alone get a drink there.)
So basically, the HEA is, Fletch wins Roger back, gets this truly lovely sweet talented guy to spoil and live with and have worship him again, and Roger gets a man who decimated his trust, but who has every sincere intention of earning it back. He does get warm, caring Fletch to nurture and adore him; Fletch truly does have a wonderful, thoughtful service love language. I appreciated his efforts, calculated as they were. I didn’t think Fletch deserved a second chance with Roger, but....
Lucky for Fletch, love isn’t about what we deserve. It truly is unconditional. And as it turns out, Roger wants to give Fletch another chance. And I want Roger’s dreams to come true. ❤️ And, okay, okay...Fletch has his good points.
Fletch DID manage to convince me there at the very, VERY end that he really does love Roger and might actually stay faithful to him. Roger’s still going to trip over a former fuck buddy every few feet, but...they truly have a wonderful, believable chemistry as true friends as well as lovers. I don’t know how Roger’s going to just forget, every time Fletch touches him, that he also touched a gazillion other guys the same way, but, not my circus, not my monkey.
Bon chance, Roger and Fletch. I did enjoy reading your infuriating story quite a lot!
HEA. Second chance. Getting over cheating between MCs in the past, but, oddly, within the timeline of the book, it IS safe for me. Fletch does not, in fact, sleep with any other men in the present day, and even says No to...quite a few. Including his best friend and constant fuck buddy Marco, which...don’t get me started on Marco not listening to No right away. Let’s just...there’s not enough time.
THANK YOU @EVELYN! 🥰 I look forward to my next “out of the comfort zone” adventure. I might even be brave and rage-y enough for that youcouldmakealife cheater book.