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Toy
Toy: a contemporary m/m romance.
Troy the toy isn’t looking for a relationship. He gets all the sex he needs whilst working at Priapus: a brothel in inner city Melbourne.
Over the past three years, he has learned to turn himself off and load his Tommy program whenever he is with a client. A saleable commodity in today’s consumer society, he is well aware that his cute twink appeal has an expiry date, but he is content for now with the status quo.
That is, until his homophobic high school bully books an appointment.
Seeing Nick Stephanides again after all these years gives Troy’s operating system a bit of a jolt. Troy has always assumed that Nick is straight, but Nick is gay, lonely and determined to start a bromance with Troy. How can Troy say no to those broad shoulders?
Troy and Nick begin a tentative friendship, whilst Troy continues to provide good customer service to his clients, some of whom have very interesting requests.
Offering advice and support are his friends at Priapus: Melissa, his manager, who keeps a maternal eye on her boys, Brett, the bear and Ari, the surfie dude, whose passionate love affair is the catalyst for much soul searching, Qiu, the cheery Goth and Damien, the beautiful redhead who, for some reason, tenses up at the mere suggestion that Troy might one day break his dating embargo.
And then there’s Desmond the politician, who pays to watch Troy dance.
Of course, Troy’s operating system is bound to glitch sooner or later. Will it be Nick who finally sneaks under his defences? There is that ancient proverb about Greeks bearing gifts…
Word count: 90,000 words
Troy the toy isn’t looking for a relationship. He gets all the sex he needs whilst working at Priapus: a brothel in inner city Melbourne.
Over the past three years, he has learned to turn himself off and load his Tommy program whenever he is with a client. A saleable commodity in today’s consumer society, he is well aware that his cute twink appeal has an expiry date, but he is content for now with the status quo.
That is, until his homophobic high school bully books an appointment.
Seeing Nick Stephanides again after all these years gives Troy’s operating system a bit of a jolt. Troy has always assumed that Nick is straight, but Nick is gay, lonely and determined to start a bromance with Troy. How can Troy say no to those broad shoulders?
Troy and Nick begin a tentative friendship, whilst Troy continues to provide good customer service to his clients, some of whom have very interesting requests.
Offering advice and support are his friends at Priapus: Melissa, his manager, who keeps a maternal eye on her boys, Brett, the bear and Ari, the surfie dude, whose passionate love affair is the catalyst for much soul searching, Qiu, the cheery Goth and Damien, the beautiful redhead who, for some reason, tenses up at the mere suggestion that Troy might one day break his dating embargo.
And then there’s Desmond the politician, who pays to watch Troy dance.
Of course, Troy’s operating system is bound to glitch sooner or later. Will it be Nick who finally sneaks under his defences? There is that ancient proverb about Greeks bearing gifts…
Word count: 90,000 words
380 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 29, 2019
9 people are currently reading
34 people want to read
About the author
R. Parr
4 books8 followersHi, I’m R. Parr!
I live in Melbourne, Victoria, on the Eastern coast of Australia. I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours in English) and a Bachelor of Laws from Monash University.
I enjoy sketching, reading detective fiction and romance, using my slow cooker, listening to rain fall on the roof whilst I’m snuggling under the doona and hanging out with family and friends.
My novel Toy has been nominated Best Debut novel and Best Sex Industry novel by the Goodreads M/M Romance Group Members' Choice Awards Best of 2019.
I can be contacted by email on: r.parr.author@gmail.com
Note: For illustrations, pinch and zoom. My illustrations are in colour, which won't show up on a standard Kindle or Kindle Paperwhite eReader. You can view in colour with the Kindle App on your phone, tablet or desktop, or with a Kindle Fire device.
I live in Melbourne, Victoria, on the Eastern coast of Australia. I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours in English) and a Bachelor of Laws from Monash University.
I enjoy sketching, reading detective fiction and romance, using my slow cooker, listening to rain fall on the roof whilst I’m snuggling under the doona and hanging out with family and friends.
My novel Toy has been nominated Best Debut novel and Best Sex Industry novel by the Goodreads M/M Romance Group Members' Choice Awards Best of 2019.
I can be contacted by email on: r.parr.author@gmail.com
Note: For illustrations, pinch and zoom. My illustrations are in colour, which won't show up on a standard Kindle or Kindle Paperwhite eReader. You can view in colour with the Kindle App on your phone, tablet or desktop, or with a Kindle Fire device.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
July 23, 2019
A Joyfully Jay review.
3 stars
Personally, I enjoyed the depiction of Priapus, the workers, and of Troy while actually at work. Parr doesn’t skimp on details like the rigmarole of clients choosing a sex worker to engage for services, or what happens immediately prior to said services being rendered (e.g. inspecting the client for STIs and showering). I also got a kick out of the fact that for Troy this seems to literally be just a job. While he’s in the midst of giving his clients exactly what they want, he’s mentally planning out meals for the week and thinking about other such mundane things. We see plenty of Troy interacting with his coworkers and learn what a sweetheart his manager is and the fact that one of his coworkers is basically in love with an oblivious Troy.
Read Camille’s review in its entirety here.
3 stars
Personally, I enjoyed the depiction of Priapus, the workers, and of Troy while actually at work. Parr doesn’t skimp on details like the rigmarole of clients choosing a sex worker to engage for services, or what happens immediately prior to said services being rendered (e.g. inspecting the client for STIs and showering). I also got a kick out of the fact that for Troy this seems to literally be just a job. While he’s in the midst of giving his clients exactly what they want, he’s mentally planning out meals for the week and thinking about other such mundane things. We see plenty of Troy interacting with his coworkers and learn what a sweetheart his manager is and the fact that one of his coworkers is basically in love with an oblivious Troy.
Read Camille’s review in its entirety here.
April 27, 2020
A very enjoyable read. I love the idea of the high school bully and his victim always having been in love with each other. It was a sweet love story. That is if you can have a sweet love story about a sex worker in a brothel.
The writing style was different and it took me a while to get into the story. Once it got going I grew to like the writing style and will certainly check out other books by R. Parr.
The writing style was different and it took me a while to get into the story. Once it got going I grew to like the writing style and will certainly check out other books by R. Parr.
September 20, 2019
3.5 stars
This ended up being really cute. The writing style is unusual for a romance, but it was a really interesting choice. Definitely not the average m/m novel, which I appreciated.
It's almost like a workplace sitcom with a romance subplot, with the bulk of our view into the sex workers' lives taking place in the staff room at the brothel where the guys work. (It takes place in Australia, where prostitution is legal and regulated by the government, so it's a contemporary, in case anyone else found the blurb as confusing as I did :)
They talk about their clients and how their days are going over coffee and lunch just like anybody else in any other industry -- except it's a brothel, so the details are weird dick shapes and lube flavors or funny kink requests. But Troy's worked there for 3 years and Damien's been there for 5, so it's just another day at the office for them -- very matter of fact in a way, but they're all friends with a good camaraderie so they tease each other and joke around between clients. It's a very laid-back atmosphere, and Troy is a very laid-back guy.
It's a completely different take on sex workers, and I absolutely loved that. There is no glamorization or hyper-sexualized characters, but it's also not angsty/danger/homeless addicts. Of course, this also makes it the least sexy novel I've ever read about sex workers, but that's the whole point :)
It's not a turnoff by any means, that's just not the point of those scenes. They are very much just slice of life/day-in-the-life-of-Troy type of scenes with almost all of the clients we read about portrayed as pleasant and easygoing. And the workers' well-being comes first, so if there's ever anything that makes them uncomfortable, they just politely decline and send the client on their way. It's actually quite thought-provoking, in its own way.
There are a few sexy moments with clients, but those aren't even full client experiences. Just a few moments here and there. The real steam doesn't come until the very end with Nick and Troy after a long, slow burn, so just be aware of that going into this one. They don't get to the steam until 83% in, although there is plenty of UST that we experience from Troy's single POV.
Nick enters the scene very early on, but he and Troy are just attempting to re-connect and build a friendship. That does start when Nick comes into the brothel where Troy works, but nothing sexual happens when he's there.
I'm not a fan of bullies-to-lover/second chance stories, but this one is very low-key and felt very realistic. The guys are only five years out of high school, where Troy fell for Nick the moment he saw him. The biggest source of angst is that even though Nick was a total 15-year-old jackass for the next year, it didn't diminish Troy's awareness of his sex appeal, so he spent all of high school with a massive crush on someone he also hated.
And I liked adult Nick. He was not perfect and he was never fully comfortable hearing Troy talk about his job, but again, this was all very low-key and realistic.
He had a tendency to talk out his ass when trying to wrap his head around this things he just couldn't quite understand, but it was never in malice and it really just served to highlight Troy's laid-back personality, which is what enabled him to do the job in the first place.
But that discomfort all takes place while they're still just friends. Even the Big Conflict, which Nick does not handle well at all, ends up serving as a catalyst for Troy to un-pause his life and get back on the track he wanted in the first place in a way that felt very right to both characters.
I had no idea what to expect with this one, so It took me a little while to get into, but once I understood the tone and settled into it, it was very enjoyable. And the ending was great. I often find the last 15-20% of a romance novel to be the least satisfying part, but it was the opposite here. I loved all the end bits with them together and felt very satisfied with the HEA -- no rushing and no "insta"-ness.
I was actually tempted to go up a star by the end, but it really does take a while to settle into the tone.
I keep coming back to comparing it to a sitcom, which probably does it a disservice since it's more pleasantly amusing than LOL funny for the most part, but it's got that almost heightened sense of reality that you'd find in a sitcom, where you're supposed to just let the amusement carry you through the moment instead of worrying about the realism of certain interactions. But that was mostly just with some of the workplace stuff -- and really Troy's whole attitude/thinking about his job -- not with the emotional relationship-building. That part was very grounded.
Conclusion: I will definitely be reading more from this author.
**This book was provided for free by the author in exchange for an honest review via the MMRG Don’t Buy My Love Program**
This ended up being really cute. The writing style is unusual for a romance, but it was a really interesting choice. Definitely not the average m/m novel, which I appreciated.
It's almost like a workplace sitcom with a romance subplot, with the bulk of our view into the sex workers' lives taking place in the staff room at the brothel where the guys work. (It takes place in Australia, where prostitution is legal and regulated by the government, so it's a contemporary, in case anyone else found the blurb as confusing as I did :)
They talk about their clients and how their days are going over coffee and lunch just like anybody else in any other industry -- except it's a brothel, so the details are weird dick shapes and lube flavors or funny kink requests. But Troy's worked there for 3 years and Damien's been there for 5, so it's just another day at the office for them -- very matter of fact in a way, but they're all friends with a good camaraderie so they tease each other and joke around between clients. It's a very laid-back atmosphere, and Troy is a very laid-back guy.
It's a completely different take on sex workers, and I absolutely loved that. There is no glamorization or hyper-sexualized characters, but it's also not angsty/danger/homeless addicts. Of course, this also makes it the least sexy novel I've ever read about sex workers, but that's the whole point :)
It's not a turnoff by any means, that's just not the point of those scenes. They are very much just slice of life/day-in-the-life-of-Troy type of scenes with almost all of the clients we read about portrayed as pleasant and easygoing. And the workers' well-being comes first, so if there's ever anything that makes them uncomfortable, they just politely decline and send the client on their way. It's actually quite thought-provoking, in its own way.
There are a few sexy moments with clients, but those aren't even full client experiences. Just a few moments here and there. The real steam doesn't come until the very end with Nick and Troy after a long, slow burn, so just be aware of that going into this one. They don't get to the steam until 83% in, although there is plenty of UST that we experience from Troy's single POV.
Nick enters the scene very early on, but he and Troy are just attempting to re-connect and build a friendship. That does start when Nick comes into the brothel where Troy works, but nothing sexual happens when he's there.
I'm not a fan of bullies-to-lover/second chance stories, but this one is very low-key and felt very realistic. The guys are only five years out of high school, where Troy fell for Nick the moment he saw him. The biggest source of angst is that even though Nick was a total 15-year-old jackass for the next year, it didn't diminish Troy's awareness of his sex appeal, so he spent all of high school with a massive crush on someone he also hated.
And I liked adult Nick. He was not perfect and he was never fully comfortable hearing Troy talk about his job, but again, this was all very low-key and realistic.
He had a tendency to talk out his ass when trying to wrap his head around this things he just couldn't quite understand, but it was never in malice and it really just served to highlight Troy's laid-back personality, which is what enabled him to do the job in the first place.
But that discomfort all takes place while they're still just friends. Even the Big Conflict, which Nick does not handle well at all, ends up serving as a catalyst for Troy to un-pause his life and get back on the track he wanted in the first place in a way that felt very right to both characters.
I had no idea what to expect with this one, so It took me a little while to get into, but once I understood the tone and settled into it, it was very enjoyable. And the ending was great. I often find the last 15-20% of a romance novel to be the least satisfying part, but it was the opposite here. I loved all the end bits with them together and felt very satisfied with the HEA -- no rushing and no "insta"-ness.
I was actually tempted to go up a star by the end, but it really does take a while to settle into the tone.
I keep coming back to comparing it to a sitcom, which probably does it a disservice since it's more pleasantly amusing than LOL funny for the most part, but it's got that almost heightened sense of reality that you'd find in a sitcom, where you're supposed to just let the amusement carry you through the moment instead of worrying about the realism of certain interactions. But that was mostly just with some of the workplace stuff -- and really Troy's whole attitude/thinking about his job -- not with the emotional relationship-building. That part was very grounded.
Conclusion: I will definitely be reading more from this author.
**This book was provided for free by the author in exchange for an honest review via the MMRG Don’t Buy My Love Program**
August 25, 2019
A ScatteredThoughtsandRogueWords Review. This review can also be found here.
Troy works as a sex worker at a licensed brothel, Priapus where one day a client turns out to be his old high school bully, Nick. Things immediately go south but Nick decides to make things right and apologises for mistreating Troy when they were in high school. Nick proposes they start a bromance but things get messy when Troy realises a bromance isn’t all he wants.
With a whole host of characters, Toy is a romance about taking chances and putting yourself out there.
I really liked this story, even though it used the miscommunication trope which I really hate but it made it work. Even though all I really wanted was for Nick and Troy to talk about their feelings the fact they didn’t till the end wasn’t such a stretch of imagination and works very well given the plot.
Troy starts working part-time as a brothel as a way to support his mother while still going to Uni but when Uni gets over and Troy finds himself overqualified and under-experienced for most job opportunities and he decides to take up the work full time. I really liked the way the author handles this accept of Troy’s characterisation. I really liked the level of maturity that this book has while dealing with this topic. Also, I instantly liked Troy.
Troy is a very likeable character and I found myself invested in him very quickly. He is really lovable and fun. He radiates so much positivity that you can’t help but gravitate towards him.
I really loved all the characters at the brothel, Brett, Ari, Qiu, Melissa and Damien and even their various clients with their quirks. All those conversations in the staff room made for a lot of fun moments. Also, it was really good to revel in the level of friendship these characters share.
Nick is a nice guy and mostly I am not miffed about him and Troy getting together but it is pretty obvious from the beginning that Damien also likes Troy and while Damien’s feelings are handled very respectfully I really wanted Damien to have more of a chance because I was really intrigued with that idea. So, my opinion of Nick is very biased even though I can objectively point out the author works hard and succeeds at making Nick a three-dimensional character while limited to Troy’s POV.
In the end, this was a real slice-of-life kind of fiction, salty and sweet with all the emotions mixed it. In the end, I was really satisfied with this book and the ending we got.
This book has a bunch of illustrations and photographs that didn’t show up well on a kindle but despite that hindrance, they really added to the story and I liked the personal touch. Also, the author hid a heart in every illustration and it was fun to go back and try to find each one in the end. Overall, I had a great time reading this book.
Cover Art by R. Parr. I like the cover, I think the illustration of Troy on the cover really lends to his character and how he perceives himself.
Troy works as a sex worker at a licensed brothel, Priapus where one day a client turns out to be his old high school bully, Nick. Things immediately go south but Nick decides to make things right and apologises for mistreating Troy when they were in high school. Nick proposes they start a bromance but things get messy when Troy realises a bromance isn’t all he wants.
With a whole host of characters, Toy is a romance about taking chances and putting yourself out there.
I really liked this story, even though it used the miscommunication trope which I really hate but it made it work. Even though all I really wanted was for Nick and Troy to talk about their feelings the fact they didn’t till the end wasn’t such a stretch of imagination and works very well given the plot.
Troy starts working part-time as a brothel as a way to support his mother while still going to Uni but when Uni gets over and Troy finds himself overqualified and under-experienced for most job opportunities and he decides to take up the work full time. I really liked the way the author handles this accept of Troy’s characterisation. I really liked the level of maturity that this book has while dealing with this topic. Also, I instantly liked Troy.
Troy is a very likeable character and I found myself invested in him very quickly. He is really lovable and fun. He radiates so much positivity that you can’t help but gravitate towards him.
I really loved all the characters at the brothel, Brett, Ari, Qiu, Melissa and Damien and even their various clients with their quirks. All those conversations in the staff room made for a lot of fun moments. Also, it was really good to revel in the level of friendship these characters share.
Nick is a nice guy and mostly I am not miffed about him and Troy getting together but it is pretty obvious from the beginning that Damien also likes Troy and while Damien’s feelings are handled very respectfully I really wanted Damien to have more of a chance because I was really intrigued with that idea. So, my opinion of Nick is very biased even though I can objectively point out the author works hard and succeeds at making Nick a three-dimensional character while limited to Troy’s POV.
In the end, this was a real slice-of-life kind of fiction, salty and sweet with all the emotions mixed it. In the end, I was really satisfied with this book and the ending we got.
This book has a bunch of illustrations and photographs that didn’t show up well on a kindle but despite that hindrance, they really added to the story and I liked the personal touch. Also, the author hid a heart in every illustration and it was fun to go back and try to find each one in the end. Overall, I had a great time reading this book.
Cover Art by R. Parr. I like the cover, I think the illustration of Troy on the cover really lends to his character and how he perceives himself.
November 15, 2019
I received a Mobi.file copy of this book from the author through a giveaway he had on LibraryThing and the following is my honest opinion. Given the genre of this book, as compared to the genres I usually read/review I’ll need to switch into my erotic writing personae so I can review it appropriately.
Having written a book of 250 Erotic Haiku and a LGBTQ BDSM erotic novella it’s been a while since I’ve had a M/M romance in my hands until now, which might just give me enough inspiration for me to finish my second erotic novella endeavor.
Troy never had expected to be part of a brothel serving male clients sexual desires from another male; but in the years he’s been at Priapus, he’s become quite adept at turning his almost robotic sex toy self on and off. The only reason he’s working there had been to help his family out due to the dire financial rights they were in due to his medical condition, and had looked at the monetary gains he could reap working there as compare to working some mundane low-paying job somewhere else.
Everything for Troy had been working out fine, and he had no problem satisfying the needs of any of the Priapus clients which came his way. Everything had been fine, that is, until the day Nick Stepanides decided to walk into the brothel. Nick had been the homophonic bully Troy had to deal with back in his high school days, and his memory still remained fresh in Troy’s mind. Troy couldn’t believe Nick would be there looking and desiring the kind of service he’s able to provide for him.
It appears Nick had actually been gay the whole time, portraying the bully to hide own gayness. But seeing Nick’s physique, to Troy he was like a true Adonis to a real woman, he couldn’t resist him and any desires he might have. Not only that, Nick now wanted to start a true bromance with Troy.
Troy has always been able to maintain his ability to switch gears from one personality to another depending on his client, and then back to his normal personae. But, with the budding romance he’s now having with Nick, will Nick become Troy’s downfall, especially since he’s been able to turn Troy’s life upside down, becoming an anomaly destroying his Boy Toy mechanism asunder. What will the outcome of their relationship be like, I’m not saying.
For giving her readers, an engaging reading experience with just the right amount of sex scenes, I’m happy to give the author, R. Parr, 5 STARS for her endeavor here.
Having written a book of 250 Erotic Haiku and a LGBTQ BDSM erotic novella it’s been a while since I’ve had a M/M romance in my hands until now, which might just give me enough inspiration for me to finish my second erotic novella endeavor.
Troy never had expected to be part of a brothel serving male clients sexual desires from another male; but in the years he’s been at Priapus, he’s become quite adept at turning his almost robotic sex toy self on and off. The only reason he’s working there had been to help his family out due to the dire financial rights they were in due to his medical condition, and had looked at the monetary gains he could reap working there as compare to working some mundane low-paying job somewhere else.
Everything for Troy had been working out fine, and he had no problem satisfying the needs of any of the Priapus clients which came his way. Everything had been fine, that is, until the day Nick Stepanides decided to walk into the brothel. Nick had been the homophonic bully Troy had to deal with back in his high school days, and his memory still remained fresh in Troy’s mind. Troy couldn’t believe Nick would be there looking and desiring the kind of service he’s able to provide for him.
It appears Nick had actually been gay the whole time, portraying the bully to hide own gayness. But seeing Nick’s physique, to Troy he was like a true Adonis to a real woman, he couldn’t resist him and any desires he might have. Not only that, Nick now wanted to start a true bromance with Troy.
Troy has always been able to maintain his ability to switch gears from one personality to another depending on his client, and then back to his normal personae. But, with the budding romance he’s now having with Nick, will Nick become Troy’s downfall, especially since he’s been able to turn Troy’s life upside down, becoming an anomaly destroying his Boy Toy mechanism asunder. What will the outcome of their relationship be like, I’m not saying.
For giving her readers, an engaging reading experience with just the right amount of sex scenes, I’m happy to give the author, R. Parr, 5 STARS for her endeavor here.
October 20, 2019
I received this earc from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.
I really liked this book. The story is interesting, set in a licensed brothel with Troy (called Tommy at work) as main character. Troy is funny, cheeky and I love reading his interactions with the clients and other sex workers. There are many characters in this story, that I loved. The sweet Brett, the new boy Ari, the grumpy Damien, the goth Qiu, Mel the manager, the middle age woman who took care of her boys and Zane, the guard, who protect them. It was really interesting and sexy getting to know this reality, with the gossips about clients, their kinks and wants, why Troy and the others choose to work as sex workers (all of them because they need money, to live, to pay debts, to chase a dream).. Troy decided to work there because he wants to help his mother with bills and mortage and his own house. After graduating, he decided to work at Priapus and get involved in that, making colleagues/friends, having sex and creating a sort of new personality, Tommy, to protect his heart and separate the two things. Everything changes when at work he meet the high school bully, Nick, who he loved and desidered and still does. Toy is an unconventional love story. Troy's work is as much as protagonist as he is, while Troy tries to understand his feelings for Nick, who want only a bromance, while working. This book is sweet and sexy. I enjoyed reading about Troy's clients, about Brett and Ari falling in love, the friendship between them all, Mel's maternal attitude, Nick, who is gay but not out yet, trying to understand what he likes and who. This love story is sweet and has angst, too, because there are a lot of miscommunication between Troy and Nick. I loved how everything it turned out, for them all. It was very sweet realizing all of them could have and did have an happy ending.
I absolutely loved seeing Troy and Nick happy and living together, planning a future together, as I loved reading about Damien and his politician (how cute my grumpy Damien managed to find someone else, helped by Troy), and Brett and Ari, creating their own bar. Amazing. I needed a sweet happy ending.
A very cute, sexy and sweet book.
I really liked this book. The story is interesting, set in a licensed brothel with Troy (called Tommy at work) as main character. Troy is funny, cheeky and I love reading his interactions with the clients and other sex workers. There are many characters in this story, that I loved. The sweet Brett, the new boy Ari, the grumpy Damien, the goth Qiu, Mel the manager, the middle age woman who took care of her boys and Zane, the guard, who protect them. It was really interesting and sexy getting to know this reality, with the gossips about clients, their kinks and wants, why Troy and the others choose to work as sex workers (all of them because they need money, to live, to pay debts, to chase a dream).. Troy decided to work there because he wants to help his mother with bills and mortage and his own house. After graduating, he decided to work at Priapus and get involved in that, making colleagues/friends, having sex and creating a sort of new personality, Tommy, to protect his heart and separate the two things. Everything changes when at work he meet the high school bully, Nick, who he loved and desidered and still does. Toy is an unconventional love story. Troy's work is as much as protagonist as he is, while Troy tries to understand his feelings for Nick, who want only a bromance, while working. This book is sweet and sexy. I enjoyed reading about Troy's clients, about Brett and Ari falling in love, the friendship between them all, Mel's maternal attitude, Nick, who is gay but not out yet, trying to understand what he likes and who. This love story is sweet and has angst, too, because there are a lot of miscommunication between Troy and Nick. I loved how everything it turned out, for them all. It was very sweet realizing all of them could have and did have an happy ending.
I absolutely loved seeing Troy and Nick happy and living together, planning a future together, as I loved reading about Damien and his politician (how cute my grumpy Damien managed to find someone else, helped by Troy), and Brett and Ari, creating their own bar. Amazing. I needed a sweet happy ending.
A very cute, sexy and sweet book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 15, 2019
Toy is a bit different than the standard M/M romance. In fact, it takes a bit for there to really be a romance. It's more about Troy's day to day life as a sex worker, and while we do get the details of many of Troys encounters with his clients, I hesitate to call those parts steamy. Troy treats his job as just that, a job, and like any of us would do throughout the course of a day at work, he thinks about dinner prep, grocery lists, bills, etc - all those mundane things that we all have to deal with. So, this one is definitely a different take on the world's oldest profession. The romance is a slow burn that gradually builds over time. Of course, it's not without a bit of angst leading to that epiphany about love, but mostly, it's about the building of a friendship that leads to something more. This is an illustrated story, but it's not what I initially expected. There aren't pictures on every page. Instead, there are entertaining little illustrations scattered throughout the book. And while the pictures are suited to the story, the book would be the same with or without them as far as the story goes. This one did hold my interest, and I liked that it was equally amusing and serious. All in all, this one is a bit different than my usual read, but it's certainly thought-provoking, and the characters are engaging and fun.
August 13, 2020
Not your typical romance
Parr pens a good story in Toy. In the story, Troy is the "toy" but it's not as it seems or even sounds. I haven’t read anything from this author before, and I really enjoyed this story. Troy was a complex character and interesting as a gay man working in a Brothel. It's a very entertaining story and had different levels of humanity, erotica and romance. I say humanity because no matter how much Troy tries to keep his "toy" persona when doing his job, his humanity is still within himself. I like how there are different obstacles that Troy has to face. I haven't read a story quite like this one, and I'm glad I read it. Don't judge a book by its cover, and read "Toy." It's a great story to follow and try to figure out what will happen next. I look forward to reading more by this author. This book is a definite recommendation by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews.
Parr pens a good story in Toy. In the story, Troy is the "toy" but it's not as it seems or even sounds. I haven’t read anything from this author before, and I really enjoyed this story. Troy was a complex character and interesting as a gay man working in a Brothel. It's a very entertaining story and had different levels of humanity, erotica and romance. I say humanity because no matter how much Troy tries to keep his "toy" persona when doing his job, his humanity is still within himself. I like how there are different obstacles that Troy has to face. I haven't read a story quite like this one, and I'm glad I read it. Don't judge a book by its cover, and read "Toy." It's a great story to follow and try to figure out what will happen next. I look forward to reading more by this author. This book is a definite recommendation by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews.
January 14, 2024
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 19 February 2022
I really enjoyed this. I'm impressed it's a debut novel, and will be looking out for more from this author. As other reviews have said, it's not your typical romance, and it takes a while for the romance to get going, but it's all the sweeter for that. The best part for me is that it's beyond hilarious and I was cracking up throughout, actually crying with laughter at several points. The author even manages to write funny sex scenes, which is refreshing, as I usually only laugh at sex scenes if they are truly terrible. Despite the subject matter, this book is not erotic or titillating, but it is charming, funny and heartwarming. I also really enjoyed the illustrations, although I spent a good five minutes staring at the front cover looking for that heart!
I really enjoyed this. I'm impressed it's a debut novel, and will be looking out for more from this author. As other reviews have said, it's not your typical romance, and it takes a while for the romance to get going, but it's all the sweeter for that. The best part for me is that it's beyond hilarious and I was cracking up throughout, actually crying with laughter at several points. The author even manages to write funny sex scenes, which is refreshing, as I usually only laugh at sex scenes if they are truly terrible. Despite the subject matter, this book is not erotic or titillating, but it is charming, funny and heartwarming. I also really enjoyed the illustrations, although I spent a good five minutes staring at the front cover looking for that heart!
October 17, 2019
Troy is a sex worker who is comfortable in his own skin and his own decisions about what he does and does not do. He works a job he is good at. He is not into relationships. Until he encounters Nick, the guy who used to bully him in high school but who really liked and still likes him. And Troy likes Nick. This was a neat, fun story about how they 'find' one another currently and how time and some more maturity can lead to a different outcome for them. The secondary characters in this story are also fun to read about as well.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 11, 2019
I found this book completely different to what I expected. Sure you expect a lot of sex and crude jokes with an MC who works in a brothel. That’s almost a given but this book was almost like a snapshot of different moments along the journey of a slowly budding relationship. One thing I really enjoyed was the setting, I’m from Melbourne so seeing all the familiar place names was like seeing some old friends. Great fun. I enjoyed the slow build relationship and getting to know the MCs.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 27, 2019
Don't let the computer generated artwork fool you-- this is a really good book! I enjoyed it a lot. I loved the relationships and well written dialogue between the characters- most, co-workers; and their genuine affection for each other. I have to say that Nick was my favorite character and his 'journey' warmed my heart. R. Parr effortlessly combined issues faced by many in their lives, and incorporated them into an interest setting and compelling story. One of my favorite reads this year.
I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 7, 2019
I loved how detailed and humorous the story was written! It was certainly a delightful read
November 7, 2019
The book was amazing to read. I got a review copy from Voracious Readers Only
August 13, 2021
Good read
August 13, 2025
Unique, funny, sweet and romantic - this wonderfully written story is moving right up into my holy grail of five star books!!! Loved it from first to last sentence!
Would give 6 stars if I could!
Would give 6 stars if I could!
September 27, 2019
I really need to stop judging books by the cover. This is a new author to me and really didn't have any expectation. But I'm glad to say that this book was a good time spent. It was a funny and engaging read. This is a good slow burn despite broad strokes of sexual content throughout the book with Troy and his clients. I do hope to read more works by this author and maybe in a world involving Troy's co-workers.
This book was provided for free by the author in exchange for an honest review via the MMRGP Don’t Buy My Love.
This book was provided for free by the author in exchange for an honest review via the MMRGP Don’t Buy My Love.
November 24, 2019
Toy was a really sweet story-despite what the main character, Troy, did for a living. In Australia, prostitution in legal and he worked as a brothel. I loved reading a story about a sex worker that wasn’t dirty or sad. The relationship between Troy and Nick didn’t start off the best (they knew each other in high school and involved bullying) but I enjoyed watching the two of them grow into their friendship and then their relationship.
I really enjoyed the writing. It was paced nicely and I was able to read it in one sitting. The author also included his own illustrations, which I really loved!
I really enjoyed the writing. It was paced nicely and I was able to read it in one sitting. The author also included his own illustrations, which I really loved!
November 16, 2021
I read this book months ago, but I remember it quite vividly, so I'm raising the stars and while I'm at it, I think I should tell a couple of things. They're well deserved.
This was different from what I usually read. It caught my attention because I was looking for an M/M romance in a sex work context, but I--didn't expect to like it this much, I guess.
Troy is brilliant. He's full of emotions and he just... rolls with it, you know? He finds himself in this brothel and he learns to like it, he owns it. Not only that, but he cares about his clients and does his best to be and do what they want.
The description of the brothel might be too much, if you're here for the romance. Priapus is a beautiful place, all the workers have great dynamics and a series about them could easily exist. I would read it. I would enjoy it.
To be honest, the romance is what I remember less clearly. I mean, it's cute. It's a little cliché, but it's not like I dislike on principle the bully/bullied trope. Nick was just a teenager asshole who needed the right perspective, and we're all thankful that he became a much more likeable adult, even with his ups and downs. Of course that's not an excuse, but I can appreciate that he learned from his mistakes.
So this was a good book. I would read again about these boys, dear author. Do what you want with this info, but--you know.
This was different from what I usually read. It caught my attention because I was looking for an M/M romance in a sex work context, but I--didn't expect to like it this much, I guess.
Troy is brilliant. He's full of emotions and he just... rolls with it, you know? He finds himself in this brothel and he learns to like it, he owns it. Not only that, but he cares about his clients and does his best to be and do what they want.
The description of the brothel might be too much, if you're here for the romance. Priapus is a beautiful place, all the workers have great dynamics and a series about them could easily exist. I would read it. I would enjoy it.
To be honest, the romance is what I remember less clearly. I mean, it's cute. It's a little cliché, but it's not like I dislike on principle the bully/bullied trope. Nick was just a teenager asshole who needed the right perspective, and we're all thankful that he became a much more likeable adult, even with his ups and downs. Of course that's not an excuse, but I can appreciate that he learned from his mistakes.
So this was a good book. I would read again about these boys, dear author. Do what you want with this info, but--you know.
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November 24, 2019(Review from the author) This is my first book, I hope you like it!
Link to a review by Entrada Book Reviews: https://www.entradapublishing.com/boo...
Link to a review by Love Bytes Reviews:
https://lovebytesreviews.com/2019/11/...
Link to a review by Entrada Book Reviews: https://www.entradapublishing.com/boo...
Link to a review by Love Bytes Reviews:
https://lovebytesreviews.com/2019/11/...
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