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Standard Candle
Denny friend.
Denny, who sleeps in threadbare tees that smell like his cigarettes, who coats his arms in the guts of engines, who kisses like he's sampling you, scenting you, until you forget that there are things you can't afford to forget.
Denny with benefits.
It's not dating. You've both done enough of that. You're both stuck in this town, you're both going nowhere, but at night, you have each other. It's sex. It's an arrangement. It suits you both.
Denny yours.
Tonight, the lie shatters. Denny Wyatt is so much more than friend, than lover, than any one word. But you'd better speak—better find the words—or he's gone.
Denny, who sleeps in threadbare tees that smell like his cigarettes, who coats his arms in the guts of engines, who kisses like he's sampling you, scenting you, until you forget that there are things you can't afford to forget.
Denny with benefits.
It's not dating. You've both done enough of that. You're both stuck in this town, you're both going nowhere, but at night, you have each other. It's sex. It's an arrangement. It suits you both.
Denny yours.
Tonight, the lie shatters. Denny Wyatt is so much more than friend, than lover, than any one word. But you'd better speak—better find the words—or he's gone.
59 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 20, 2020
1 person is currently reading
33 people want to read
About the author
G.B. Lindsey
7 books21 followersG. B. Lindsey was born and raised in California, where she earned her undergraduate degree from UC Santa Cruz before moving to Northern England for her master’s. Her first love has always been writing: as a child, she cultivated such diverse goals as becoming “a cowgirl... and a writer” or “a paleontologist... and a writer.”
Aside from her salacious ongoing affair with the horror genre, she engages in dedicated flings with sci-fi, romance, historical fiction, and short stories. Other hobbies include singing, the occasional period drama movie night, and devouring scary film after scary film. When she’s not working in kidney transplant or studying up on Arthurian myth, she relaxes at home in California with a good book and her cat, Hadrian.
Aside from her salacious ongoing affair with the horror genre, she engages in dedicated flings with sci-fi, romance, historical fiction, and short stories. Other hobbies include singing, the occasional period drama movie night, and devouring scary film after scary film. When she’s not working in kidney transplant or studying up on Arthurian myth, she relaxes at home in California with a good book and her cat, Hadrian.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
January 29, 2026
Hatred is not in my blood / Euphoria is what I feel in my dreams / Love is what I'm searching for / So take me away, to safer grounds / Where we can run free, away from harm (YOU – Morgan Saint).
Hey bud, can you do me a solid and read this out loud with me, “Denny friend. Denny, who sleeps in threadbare tees that smell like his cigarettes, who coats his arms in the guts of engines, who kisses like he's sampling you, scenting you, until you forget that there are things you can't afford to forget.” now I might be crazy, but doesn't this sound like a caveman discovering language for the first time? George of the Jungle over here is going through it. “Uga is just in his feelings right now, Uga don’t feel like talk.” and all that. Got that David Sedaris, Me Talk Pretty One Day, syntax down pat! “Oh, Denny friend, ooh, Denny lover” like, fill out the sentence man, you’re missing some words! Okay, I’m done. Alright, let’s see, Standard Candle is a short story written in… second person point-of-view (!?) and it follows a man named Avery who realizes he’s in love with his best friend, Denny, right smack dab in the middle of “freak dancing” (the book’s term, not mine, but I like to imagine they're doing the Stanky Legg) with another stranger on the dance floor. Having repressed his true feelings towards Denny for years now, Avery decides to put it all on the line and confess his undying love in a moment of the purest clarity that you can only ever find at 3 a.m. on a random Tuesday. So yeah, I thought this book was raw and emotional in a way that you don’t usually find in the span of fifty pages, and I’m impressed that it managed to put me through the ringer as often as it did, and yet... I think there’s a good reason why people don’t write books in second person. Because with this story, whenever the narration would mention “you,” as in “you did this” or “you did that,” it’s actually referring to Avery. Look, I know I don’t need to explain a second person point-of-view to you, you’re much smarter than I am, but I’m talking myself through it because I’m still a little confused. But yeah, in regards to its prose, Standard Candle isn’t standard at all! And that could be a good thing I guess, there’s certainly no doubt that this book is unique, but whenever you hear people describe others as “quirky” or “interesting,” they never really mean it as a compliment, you know? Look, my point here is that this would have been a whole lot better had it been written in a more tried-and-true method of narrative expression. I mean, already within the first page I was fighting confusion at the perspective, and I would get weirdly indignant about the constant use of “you," as if it were an accusation. The book would tell me that “You haven’t bottomed for anyone else, but Denny doesn’t know that.” and I’d be like, speak for yourself, my guy. You don't know me! Nevertheless, I liked this book well enough. Standard Candle reads a bit like when you’re flipping through the channels and end up catching the tail-end of a really good movie. Sure, the missing context is vaguely irritating, like doing a puzzle only to find it has a missing piece, but that doesn’t change the fact that what we do have is one hell of a pretty picture.
“Then you’ll just have to speak in other ways until he can’t ignore what’s being said any longer.”
Hey bud, can you do me a solid and read this out loud with me, “Denny friend. Denny, who sleeps in threadbare tees that smell like his cigarettes, who coats his arms in the guts of engines, who kisses like he's sampling you, scenting you, until you forget that there are things you can't afford to forget.” now I might be crazy, but doesn't this sound like a caveman discovering language for the first time? George of the Jungle over here is going through it. “Uga is just in his feelings right now, Uga don’t feel like talk.” and all that. Got that David Sedaris, Me Talk Pretty One Day, syntax down pat! “Oh, Denny friend, ooh, Denny lover” like, fill out the sentence man, you’re missing some words! Okay, I’m done. Alright, let’s see, Standard Candle is a short story written in… second person point-of-view (!?) and it follows a man named Avery who realizes he’s in love with his best friend, Denny, right smack dab in the middle of “freak dancing” (the book’s term, not mine, but I like to imagine they're doing the Stanky Legg) with another stranger on the dance floor. Having repressed his true feelings towards Denny for years now, Avery decides to put it all on the line and confess his undying love in a moment of the purest clarity that you can only ever find at 3 a.m. on a random Tuesday. So yeah, I thought this book was raw and emotional in a way that you don’t usually find in the span of fifty pages, and I’m impressed that it managed to put me through the ringer as often as it did, and yet... I think there’s a good reason why people don’t write books in second person. Because with this story, whenever the narration would mention “you,” as in “you did this” or “you did that,” it’s actually referring to Avery. Look, I know I don’t need to explain a second person point-of-view to you, you’re much smarter than I am, but I’m talking myself through it because I’m still a little confused. But yeah, in regards to its prose, Standard Candle isn’t standard at all! And that could be a good thing I guess, there’s certainly no doubt that this book is unique, but whenever you hear people describe others as “quirky” or “interesting,” they never really mean it as a compliment, you know? Look, my point here is that this would have been a whole lot better had it been written in a more tried-and-true method of narrative expression. I mean, already within the first page I was fighting confusion at the perspective, and I would get weirdly indignant about the constant use of “you," as if it were an accusation. The book would tell me that “You haven’t bottomed for anyone else, but Denny doesn’t know that.” and I’d be like, speak for yourself, my guy. You don't know me! Nevertheless, I liked this book well enough. Standard Candle reads a bit like when you’re flipping through the channels and end up catching the tail-end of a really good movie. Sure, the missing context is vaguely irritating, like doing a puzzle only to find it has a missing piece, but that doesn’t change the fact that what we do have is one hell of a pretty picture.
“Then you’ll just have to speak in other ways until he can’t ignore what’s being said any longer.”
September 4, 2023
4,5 stars. I wish I had realised sooner I had a gem hidden in my kindle library. This is one of those ‘wow’ books that surprised me in a very good way.
October 14, 2020
2.5 stars
There was a little too much internal monologue for such a short story, but I liked the concept, and I felt like the author effectively delivered nine years worth of friendship into my brain with the short snapshots of memories Avery showed us here and there.
I got a clear enough picture of who Avery is in these 50 pages that I can say my biggest complaint -- -- feels very much in character. Which is pretty impressive considering this starts as the guys are walking into a party and ends as they're falling asleep that same night.
The writing style will probably be a barrier for a lot of people -- second-person stream of consciousness is the best way I can describe it -- but I didn't mind it. At least not at this length.
The whole story covers just one moment in the life of these guys' relationship, but it's THE moment. The moment you read entire romance novels to get to. The moment that changes everything. And there's something about the almost OTT writing style that really captures/conveys the internal drama that comes with these kinds of moments.
Avery's emotions have just exploded through the wall of denial/obliviousness he's been barricading himself in, and now they will not be ignored. He's feeling very overwhelmed by them, and I felt a little overwhelmed by the outpouring I was reading from him as well. The ending wasn't quite as satisfying as I wanted it to be, but it was an interesting experiment.
**This book was provided for free by the author in exchange for an honest review via the MMRG Don’t Buy My Love Program**
There was a little too much internal monologue for such a short story, but I liked the concept, and I felt like the author effectively delivered nine years worth of friendship into my brain with the short snapshots of memories Avery showed us here and there.
I got a clear enough picture of who Avery is in these 50 pages that I can say my biggest complaint -- -- feels very much in character. Which is pretty impressive considering this starts as the guys are walking into a party and ends as they're falling asleep that same night.
The writing style will probably be a barrier for a lot of people -- second-person stream of consciousness is the best way I can describe it -- but I didn't mind it. At least not at this length.
The whole story covers just one moment in the life of these guys' relationship, but it's THE moment. The moment you read entire romance novels to get to. The moment that changes everything. And there's something about the almost OTT writing style that really captures/conveys the internal drama that comes with these kinds of moments.
Avery's emotions have just exploded through the wall of denial/obliviousness he's been barricading himself in, and now they will not be ignored. He's feeling very overwhelmed by them, and I felt a little overwhelmed by the outpouring I was reading from him as well. The ending wasn't quite as satisfying as I wanted it to be, but it was an interesting experiment.
**This book was provided for free by the author in exchange for an honest review via the MMRG Don’t Buy My Love Program**
October 20, 2021
Writing a story in second person and making it work takes skill, and the right story. This one worked for me, with enough intensity (once you get past the first few pages) to balance the distancing reflective effect of "you". It's very short, a moment in time, an emotional epiphany that brings two men together. There are hints of a long backstory woven in, skillfully enough that I felt I knew these characters well by the end of the piece. Read this when you want to take a just a few minutes and dive into love as it happens, with two young men whose vulnerabilities show around the edges.
Read
December 3, 2021I can’t think of any other book I’ve read in second person before. It made for a bit of a strange reading experience. Definitely a wise decision of the author to keep it short.
Examples:
“He smells like he always has—a million memories every time you inhale. Your entire friendship assaults you at once, and it’s fascinating, giddy. A roller coaster you’ve ridden time and time again, but it never gets old. You push up into him, roll your hips down, breathe him in.”
“Should have said you loved him. You want the life of him, not just his body. You want to know him through and through. You want years, not fucks. A soul mate, not simply a lover. You’re abruptly a stuttering romantic when it comes to Denny, but you can’t say it aloud.”
No rating - too short
Examples:
“He smells like he always has—a million memories every time you inhale. Your entire friendship assaults you at once, and it’s fascinating, giddy. A roller coaster you’ve ridden time and time again, but it never gets old. You push up into him, roll your hips down, breathe him in.”
“Should have said you loved him. You want the life of him, not just his body. You want to know him through and through. You want years, not fucks. A soul mate, not simply a lover. You’re abruptly a stuttering romantic when it comes to Denny, but you can’t say it aloud.”
No rating - too short
July 18, 2020
Precious! And oh-so beautiful!
I am a big fan of novellas and not many writers can set a premise, walk us through the MCs history and journey, show us the depth and value of the bond the two MCs share, make us yearn with the emotive highs of their intimacy and satiate our need for a HEA.
But this piece of writing here, in less than 60 pgs, took me through it all.
Told in 2nd person, the premise is a little vague to grab on immediately, but as the narrator -Avery weaves together his perception of his best friend -Denny, the bond they share and the moment he realizes his love for him, I was totally mesmerized by the intensity of the phrases..words..such beautiful words..and captivated by the precious emotion that is love.
The author's words initially tease you with glimpses of their personas, but it all comes together so beautifully at the end. Such wonderful penmanship.
Simply put, it is the story of a lost boy, realising and giving into the love that he has always felt for his one true person- his standard candle, his northern star. I'll not say anymore and let the story speak for itself. If you are intrigued by the blurb, I strongly urge you to pick this one up.
ARC received in exchange of honest review
I am a big fan of novellas and not many writers can set a premise, walk us through the MCs history and journey, show us the depth and value of the bond the two MCs share, make us yearn with the emotive highs of their intimacy and satiate our need for a HEA.
But this piece of writing here, in less than 60 pgs, took me through it all.
Told in 2nd person, the premise is a little vague to grab on immediately, but as the narrator -Avery weaves together his perception of his best friend -Denny, the bond they share and the moment he realizes his love for him, I was totally mesmerized by the intensity of the phrases..words..such beautiful words..and captivated by the precious emotion that is love.
|"You want him so badly, even now. Especially now. You want to wrap your arms around him and touch the hot flutter at his throat with your tongue. You want to press your mouths together, drink him up like syrup, shape the sounds he makes with your own lips. You want to open him up, ease inside, feel every inch, and you want to do it knowing what you feel for him this time, tasting the mortality of it in your mouth, the finite, dangerous heat of what he does to you, is to you."|
The author's words initially tease you with glimpses of their personas, but it all comes together so beautifully at the end. Such wonderful penmanship.
Simply put, it is the story of a lost boy, realising and giving into the love that he has always felt for his one true person- his standard candle, his northern star. I'll not say anymore and let the story speak for itself. If you are intrigued by the blurb, I strongly urge you to pick this one up.
ARC received in exchange of honest review
July 20, 2020
“Standard Candle” is a novella that focuses on one moment in Avery and Denny’s relationship. This is a very quick story, estimated fifty-nine pages, about two friends coming to terms with their feelings, that is told entirely from Avery’s point of view. I found this story to be hard to follow at times and felt like I was missing parts of a much larger story. I wished we could have gotten some of Denny’s point of views thrown in, maybe that would have helped. This novella never grabbed my attention and held on, I never felt the connection or love Avery felt for Denny. Although from the reviews, it may just be this novella and author aren't for me.
I give this story 1.5 stars.
I received an arc from the author for an honest review.
I give this story 1.5 stars.
I received an arc from the author for an honest review.
April 11, 2025
Lots of intense feelings in this short story. Really well written.
July 24, 2020
Different but I loved it.
OK, I have to start out by saying that I nearly DNF this one after reading just a few pages. Next, I have to say how HAPPY I am that I kept reading. I don't know what POV this story is written in; it's different from anything I've read before (at least as far as I can remember). When I tried to look it up, I came up with the uncommon second person POV but that didn't exactly seem to fit either. It's almost like it's first person POV but the story teller is talking about himself saying "you" this and "you" that instead of saying "I"; I found it very confusing at first and that's why I nearly quit, but like I said, I'm so glad that I kept reading.
This is a story of two friends-with-benefits who nearly miss an opportunity for the best thing to ever happen to them because they don't really communicate with each other. They talk and kiss and f*ck but they don't communicate what they are feeling for each other. The intimate scene was so moving, as was so much of the rest of the story.
At only 16,000 words this was a very quick read but it left a big impact on me. It's the first story I've read by G.B Lindsey but I do have a couple more of her books in my vast digital library so I hope to read more soon.
I've read some other reviews for this and they do a much better job of expressing their feelings about the story than I am. It's a good thing I'm not a writer because lately I'm having trouble even writing a book review that makes sense. I'll close with saying I loved it.
A copy of this book was provided to me but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author.
***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***
OK, I have to start out by saying that I nearly DNF this one after reading just a few pages. Next, I have to say how HAPPY I am that I kept reading. I don't know what POV this story is written in; it's different from anything I've read before (at least as far as I can remember). When I tried to look it up, I came up with the uncommon second person POV but that didn't exactly seem to fit either. It's almost like it's first person POV but the story teller is talking about himself saying "you" this and "you" that instead of saying "I"; I found it very confusing at first and that's why I nearly quit, but like I said, I'm so glad that I kept reading.
This is a story of two friends-with-benefits who nearly miss an opportunity for the best thing to ever happen to them because they don't really communicate with each other. They talk and kiss and f*ck but they don't communicate what they are feeling for each other. The intimate scene was so moving, as was so much of the rest of the story.
At only 16,000 words this was a very quick read but it left a big impact on me. It's the first story I've read by G.B Lindsey but I do have a couple more of her books in my vast digital library so I hope to read more soon.
I've read some other reviews for this and they do a much better job of expressing their feelings about the story than I am. It's a good thing I'm not a writer because lately I'm having trouble even writing a book review that makes sense. I'll close with saying I loved it.
A copy of this book was provided to me but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author.
***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***
July 25, 2020
My Rating : 4🌟
.
Kindle/ GRR/ July2020
#mabookyardchallengeJuly2020
.
Thank you so much GRR for the gifted review copy, so I can provide my unbiased opinion.
.
This book is a short novella that follows our main characters Avery and Denny , over a very crucial moment and decision of their lives.
.
First, Can we just talk about that cover? I mean how can i not fall in love with books because of covers when beauties like this exists? Anyways, coming to the story, this book was written in an interesting and different format. Not the writing style of it, but the writing content. It follows the thoughts of Avery and his heartbreak, self realisation, love and acceptance over his best friend Denny.
.
Second, the writing was so emotional and it delivered a lot of punch while the scenes unfolded. It gives you a quick back story of who they are and what they are to each other, but the happenings of one evening alone delivered so much it just made me almost tear up! Avery in his mind was filled with so many emotions it takes a while to remove the cloud to understand what happened around him. Oh I love the chemistry and the friendship between those two!! They are so precious I can't even begin! The only thing I can complain about would be the length of the story. I want more of Avery's mind and Denny's emotions. Just let the random and jum led thoughts run through the book and let me just enjoy the mess in peace.
.
Overall, it was an emotion driven story with two amazing characters, lots of self discovery, happy endings and mushy feels!! Pick this book up if you want a quick mood lifter and if you want your dress to soak with happy tears!!
.
Kindle/ GRR/ July2020
#mabookyardchallengeJuly2020
.
Thank you so much GRR for the gifted review copy, so I can provide my unbiased opinion.
.
This book is a short novella that follows our main characters Avery and Denny , over a very crucial moment and decision of their lives.
.
First, Can we just talk about that cover? I mean how can i not fall in love with books because of covers when beauties like this exists? Anyways, coming to the story, this book was written in an interesting and different format. Not the writing style of it, but the writing content. It follows the thoughts of Avery and his heartbreak, self realisation, love and acceptance over his best friend Denny.
.
Second, the writing was so emotional and it delivered a lot of punch while the scenes unfolded. It gives you a quick back story of who they are and what they are to each other, but the happenings of one evening alone delivered so much it just made me almost tear up! Avery in his mind was filled with so many emotions it takes a while to remove the cloud to understand what happened around him. Oh I love the chemistry and the friendship between those two!! They are so precious I can't even begin! The only thing I can complain about would be the length of the story. I want more of Avery's mind and Denny's emotions. Just let the random and jum led thoughts run through the book and let me just enjoy the mess in peace.
.
Overall, it was an emotion driven story with two amazing characters, lots of self discovery, happy endings and mushy feels!! Pick this book up if you want a quick mood lifter and if you want your dress to soak with happy tears!!
August 4, 2020
STANDARD CANDLE by GB Lindsey
A most unusual little book, this one.
A sweet, short read, written in second person format from the POV of one of the MCs.
This story is a telling of a tale with very little actual interaction or dialogue between characters.
Although it's a quick read, it's not a comfortable "flowing" read because of this unusual approach.
It's almost like the unfolding of the story happens in a dreamlike place where you're unable to enter the story but are watching it happen through frosted glass. This was, at least my personal experience.
This was my first time reading this author, and I'd be curious to try something else to see if all their books are like this.
It was, however, a deeply emotional journey too. A story of two young men who have been best friends since their teens, have had a "with benefits" sort of friendship, but suddenly discovered that their feelings for each other were a lot deeper.
The story kind of drops you in from a height, at random, shows you —almost a moment in time, then drops you back out.
It is more about that moment than about the building of the friendship /relationship.
I will say, though I'm not sure I particularly "liked" the book, as a whole, this book was good.
The editing was immaculate. Not one single grammatical error or typo to be seen. What a pleasure!
° Standalone
° Heat around 2 🔥 (only one intimate scene, very poetically described.
Virtually no profanity at all.
° No cliffhanger but a shaky HFN is the best I got from this.
° I received an advance reader copy of this title, and this is my voluntary review.
A most unusual little book, this one.
A sweet, short read, written in second person format from the POV of one of the MCs.
This story is a telling of a tale with very little actual interaction or dialogue between characters.
Although it's a quick read, it's not a comfortable "flowing" read because of this unusual approach.
It's almost like the unfolding of the story happens in a dreamlike place where you're unable to enter the story but are watching it happen through frosted glass. This was, at least my personal experience.
This was my first time reading this author, and I'd be curious to try something else to see if all their books are like this.
It was, however, a deeply emotional journey too. A story of two young men who have been best friends since their teens, have had a "with benefits" sort of friendship, but suddenly discovered that their feelings for each other were a lot deeper.
The story kind of drops you in from a height, at random, shows you —almost a moment in time, then drops you back out.
It is more about that moment than about the building of the friendship /relationship.
I will say, though I'm not sure I particularly "liked" the book, as a whole, this book was good.
The editing was immaculate. Not one single grammatical error or typo to be seen. What a pleasure!
° Standalone
° Heat around 2 🔥 (only one intimate scene, very poetically described.
Virtually no profanity at all.
° No cliffhanger but a shaky HFN is the best I got from this.
° I received an advance reader copy of this title, and this is my voluntary review.
January 16, 2026
I picked up Standard Candle with the expectation that it was smut – you know, the kind of book where tab goes into slots b and c, repeatedly and graphically.
It’s not that. Not at all.
Don’t get me wrong. This novella is sexy as hell. And erotic? Yes, totally. But it’s anything but smut.
Standard Candle takes place over the course of one evening, charting the path from fuck-buddies to true love between longtime friends Avery and Denny. It starts at a party. Denny and Avery always go home together if they don’t go home with someone else, and it’s always been casual.
But this time something is different.
When Denny leaves with someone else, Avery drives to his house, and is shocked to find the one man Denny has loved – his ex Mike – at his house. Avery spirals, and nothing will ever be the same between him and Denny again.
Standard Candle is told in second person, which makes the story feel more close and intimate. And oh, all the glorious little details. Denny, who smokes, smelling less smoky than usual because maybe he quit for Avery. The details make the story.
Lindsey is a master at charting her characters’ vulnerability, and this story has a raw emotional nakedness that makes Avery – and Denny as seen through Avery’s eyes – seem both shockingly real and emotionally appealing. We feel their pain, their uncertainty, and their mutual longing as they navigate their unspoken love for one another, and it drags us through an emotional roller coaster that leaves us as satisfied as if we were the ones making this most intimate of connections.
Not at all what I expected, but way better.
5 stars.
It’s not that. Not at all.
Don’t get me wrong. This novella is sexy as hell. And erotic? Yes, totally. But it’s anything but smut.
Standard Candle takes place over the course of one evening, charting the path from fuck-buddies to true love between longtime friends Avery and Denny. It starts at a party. Denny and Avery always go home together if they don’t go home with someone else, and it’s always been casual.
But this time something is different.
When Denny leaves with someone else, Avery drives to his house, and is shocked to find the one man Denny has loved – his ex Mike – at his house. Avery spirals, and nothing will ever be the same between him and Denny again.
Standard Candle is told in second person, which makes the story feel more close and intimate. And oh, all the glorious little details. Denny, who smokes, smelling less smoky than usual because maybe he quit for Avery. The details make the story.
Lindsey is a master at charting her characters’ vulnerability, and this story has a raw emotional nakedness that makes Avery – and Denny as seen through Avery’s eyes – seem both shockingly real and emotionally appealing. We feel their pain, their uncertainty, and their mutual longing as they navigate their unspoken love for one another, and it drags us through an emotional roller coaster that leaves us as satisfied as if we were the ones making this most intimate of connections.
Not at all what I expected, but way better.
5 stars.
July 26, 2020
3.5 stars
This is a short (just under 50 pages) read, but it packs in a lot of emotion. Maybe too much.
The story is relatively simple, highlighting a single night in the relationship between Denny and Avery. They’ve been friends and friends with benefits, but now Avery has an epiphany—he’s in love with Denny. He decides to tell Denny how he feels in the hopes that they can take their relationship to a new level, but it doesn’t exactly go smoothly.
The author chooses to tell her story in second person from Avery’s point of view, which is unusual, and it took me some time to get into the flow of the narrative. Using second person really intensifies the emotional aspect of the story, though, because the reader is in Avery’s head and experiences the tumult of his feelings along with him. And Avery feels a LOT through the course of that one night. He seemed a bit too melodramatic to me at times, between his thoughts about Denny and what seem to be some fairly serious self-esteem issues.
Overall, it’s an interesting experiment in storytelling, and I give the author props for choosing not to write her story in the standard first or third person. If you want to read something a little different, it might be worth checking out.
A copy of this book was provided for review; all opinions expressed are my own.
This is a short (just under 50 pages) read, but it packs in a lot of emotion. Maybe too much.
The story is relatively simple, highlighting a single night in the relationship between Denny and Avery. They’ve been friends and friends with benefits, but now Avery has an epiphany—he’s in love with Denny. He decides to tell Denny how he feels in the hopes that they can take their relationship to a new level, but it doesn’t exactly go smoothly.
The author chooses to tell her story in second person from Avery’s point of view, which is unusual, and it took me some time to get into the flow of the narrative. Using second person really intensifies the emotional aspect of the story, though, because the reader is in Avery’s head and experiences the tumult of his feelings along with him. And Avery feels a LOT through the course of that one night. He seemed a bit too melodramatic to me at times, between his thoughts about Denny and what seem to be some fairly serious self-esteem issues.
Overall, it’s an interesting experiment in storytelling, and I give the author props for choosing not to write her story in the standard first or third person. If you want to read something a little different, it might be worth checking out.
A copy of this book was provided for review; all opinions expressed are my own.
July 16, 2020
This novella is more about a moment than it is a relationship. Lindsey has a fantastic writing style that I found really emotional and expressive. It was a pleasure to read.
Avery, the narrator of this book has come to the point at which he has realized that his long-time friend and sometime lover Denny means a lot to him. I'm struggling to describe the book because it's beautiful and the writing is quite magical. I was really emotionally involved with the two characters because the writing was so intense.
Surprisingly, the novella is written in the 2nd person POV. At first, I wasn't sure that would work for me, but in a piece of art like this, it was fine. The author has stuck closely with Avery's thoughts and feelings and I could feel how confused and frightened he was. It's not that he can't accept that he is attracted to Denny. Avery has reached a point at which he is suddenly terrified that he's going to lose Denny.
If you are a fan of really great writing, emotion, and intense relationships then please read this. You will not be disappointed by the luxurious tale that G.B. Lindsey has given us!
Avery, the narrator of this book has come to the point at which he has realized that his long-time friend and sometime lover Denny means a lot to him. I'm struggling to describe the book because it's beautiful and the writing is quite magical. I was really emotionally involved with the two characters because the writing was so intense.
Surprisingly, the novella is written in the 2nd person POV. At first, I wasn't sure that would work for me, but in a piece of art like this, it was fine. The author has stuck closely with Avery's thoughts and feelings and I could feel how confused and frightened he was. It's not that he can't accept that he is attracted to Denny. Avery has reached a point at which he is suddenly terrified that he's going to lose Denny.
If you are a fan of really great writing, emotion, and intense relationships then please read this. You will not be disappointed by the luxurious tale that G.B. Lindsey has given us!
July 25, 2020
This is a short novella that focuses on one moment in the main characters, Avery and Denny's relationship; however, it is told only in Avery's point of view. It centers on two friends coming to terms with their friendship evolving into a relationship that exists beyond the "friends with benefits" tag.
Now, I am not familiar with this author, but I will say that the writing style is quite unique. Unfortunately, I am not sure if I fully connected with that style of writing. It was almost like a random collections of Avery's inner thoughts in the form of run on sentences. It took some time to not be put off by that, and I am not fully sure if I was ultimately successful in doing that.
I did like the story for the most part, but it was harder to maintain my sole attention on their relationship without Denny's POV being added into the telling of their story. It felt one sided because we are only exposed to Avery's side. It became Avery's story. Not Avery and Denny's story.
*I received an ARC of this title, and I have provided my honest review*
Now, I am not familiar with this author, but I will say that the writing style is quite unique. Unfortunately, I am not sure if I fully connected with that style of writing. It was almost like a random collections of Avery's inner thoughts in the form of run on sentences. It took some time to not be put off by that, and I am not fully sure if I was ultimately successful in doing that.
I did like the story for the most part, but it was harder to maintain my sole attention on their relationship without Denny's POV being added into the telling of their story. It felt one sided because we are only exposed to Avery's side. It became Avery's story. Not Avery and Denny's story.
*I received an ARC of this title, and I have provided my honest review*
July 31, 2020
This short story is unlike anything I’ve read before. It doesn’t tell you Avery & Denny’s entire story; it gives you an in depth look at one monumental moment in their life. The amount of detail the author puts into this moment is incredible. It’s also very relatable. This novella is told as if YOU are Avery. At first I thought it was in third person, but it doesn’t quite fit that definition. It’s intriguing, unique. It puts the reader IN the story, as an active participant. Overall this is an enjoyable, short read. I would recommend it.
***I voluntarily accepted an ARC from Gay Romance Reviews. My review reflects my own thoughts and opinions***
***I voluntarily accepted an ARC from Gay Romance Reviews. My review reflects my own thoughts and opinions***
July 22, 2020
Hawt, sweet and emotional!
I started the novella late one night and had to stop because it was waaayy past my bedtime. Thank goodness I stopped where I did. When I picked it up the next night, I couldn’t put it down! You just can’t put it down when you are in the middle of all the emotional workings of Denny and Avery!! The author weaved in two very emotional people and their struggles within themselves flawlessly. I wish I knew more about them..... and that’s what makes a good novella to me. Gives you a great story but you always want more!
I started the novella late one night and had to stop because it was waaayy past my bedtime. Thank goodness I stopped where I did. When I picked it up the next night, I couldn’t put it down! You just can’t put it down when you are in the middle of all the emotional workings of Denny and Avery!! The author weaved in two very emotional people and their struggles within themselves flawlessly. I wish I knew more about them..... and that’s what makes a good novella to me. Gives you a great story but you always want more!
July 21, 2020
This novella was interesting. It took me a little to get into it. The novella is told from the second person point of view as if you are Avery and having these feelings for Denny. Half the book is realizing that you, Avery, have been in love with your best friend and the other half is nothing but sex. The novella is kind of heavy on low self esteem. This novella isn't for everyone so I would say read with caution.
July 28, 2020
This was a short story, novella. It was unusual as it was told in Avery’s, the second characters POV. Denny realizes that he’s in love with Avery and decides to tell him. They have been friends/friends with benefits for a while. But things don’t go so smoothly. It was an interesting story, felt a little one sided.
I am voluntarily leaving a review form an ARC that I received. My reviews are solely based on my thoughts and opinions.
I am voluntarily leaving a review form an ARC that I received. My reviews are solely based on my thoughts and opinions.
July 31, 2020
I found this book a really nice change. I am a heavy m/m romance reader and generally like the long, leisurely build up of a romantic story but every now and then I like to be surprised. This story takes you deeply into a moment in time where a relationship changes and it does that from inside one character's head. You feel everything in the moment and that can be both incredibly wonderful and incredibly painful. Highly recommended.
July 21, 2020
“The Standard Candle is a measurement of light source intensity.”
Denny and Avery are friends, possibly more. They’ve never quantified their relationship. Until Avery realizes that Denny is the standard by which he judges life.
Short story, writing is a little odd but it grew on me. Very little backstory, almost a moment in time. But I think that’s what created the book’s intensity.
Denny and Avery are friends, possibly more. They’ve never quantified their relationship. Until Avery realizes that Denny is the standard by which he judges life.
Short story, writing is a little odd but it grew on me. Very little backstory, almost a moment in time. But I think that’s what created the book’s intensity.
July 19, 2020
I’ve never read this author before. Their style is very unique. It’s like stream of consciousness and run on sentences. I liked it. It was very raw and real.
This is definitely not a typical romance and I was okay with it and how it ended.
This is definitely not a typical romance and I was okay with it and how it ended.
July 21, 2020
This is a second by second study in passion and realizing you love someone.
It reaches a climax that has build up over 9 years.
Denny and Avery had been friends but in the space of one evening truly become lovers.
Beautifully written with sparse dialogue.
You have to experience this!
It reaches a climax that has build up over 9 years.
Denny and Avery had been friends but in the space of one evening truly become lovers.
Beautifully written with sparse dialogue.
You have to experience this!
July 22, 2020
An engaging look at the progression of a relationship. Denny and Avery were great characters and I enjoyed seeing Denny through Avery's eyes as he falls in love with his friend. It's short but lovely.
*I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the GRR team*
*I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the GRR team*
July 31, 2020
This was very different for me. I can not think of many books I have read in second person POV and I am not sure it worked for me.
This was a short novella but I kind of felt cheated because we only get one side of the story.
This was a short novella but I kind of felt cheated because we only get one side of the story.
August 1, 2020
I absolutely LOVED reading this marvelous, grab-you-by-the-feels, tug-at-your-heartstrings, emotionally charged, poignant, sexy, powerful, and totally awesome turning point moment in Every and Denny's relationship.
January 25, 2022
A gorgeous, second-person POV perspective on what it's like to realize you've fallen for your best friend. Beautiful prose steeped in fierce yearning and emotional language and turns of phrase that sucked me right into every single moment. Short and perfect and just what I needed!
July 25, 2020
Wonderful story about best friends Denny and Avery. Good writing, great characters, I'll look for more by this author.
September 14, 2020
This read to me as stream of consciousness, a style I am not used to.
I received this as a prize in the MM Goodreads annual party.
I received this as a prize in the MM Goodreads annual party.
September 7, 2024
Sometimes you go into thinking a book will be one way, only to have it be something completely different. When I grabbed this book, I was excepting an erotic tale with not much substance (which I was fine with) however diving into this tale I ended up being completely wrong and all the better for it. This story was beautifully crafted and told. Yes, there was one erotic scene, but that was the story. The story was about two friends who grow to discover their relationship is so much more and it was touching. One of the things I enjoyed the most about this short story was really being in the head of Avery, you got to fully understand him as a character and care about him. And even though you don’t get to spend any time in Dev ‘head’ you still gain an excellent understanding of him through Avery and their interactions. This is by far one of the best MM romance/erotica stories I’ve read. G.B. did a wonderful job with this story and I highly recommend it.
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