This Thing With Charlie

Chistleworth

by Sophia Soames

“It’s only words.” Charlie would have said. “Words don’t define you. You are just what you are, and you can’t help who you fall in love with.”

Not that Charlie is in love with me. Not the way my heart has decided that he’s the only thing allowed in that big cavity in my chest where my feelings hang out.
“I’m in love with Charlie,” I say to the mirror instead. “I’m in love with him, and I don’t know what to do with all that.”

This thing with Charlie? It has to end. I can’t go on like this. I just…

“Get a grip, Daniel.” I say to the face in the mirror. “Get a fucking grip.”


This thing with Charlie is set in the same timeframe as Ship of Fools, and takes place in the same fictional British town of Chistleworth. The novella Custard and Kisses, available as a free download from Prolific Works, is also part of this universe.

Genres: M M Romance, Contemporary, Romance, Fiction

127 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2021

About the author

Author of Contemporary M/M romance with all the feels. This is where flawed men discover happy endings, in truly European fairy tales.

Reviews

[ML · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daniel is a mess of a man. He tries his best to restart his life. In the middle of it all is Charlie.
Daniel basically becomes Charlie-sexual.
Charlie is resistant to this until he’s not.

This story is sexy and fun. I liked their push and pull. Charlie decided to trust Daniel and it becomes the best decision for him.
The HEA is perfectly them. Loved it.

[Shelba · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was utterly charming. I do regret starting right before bed, as I stayed up far too late reading it.

I did find the sex scene a bit too long and I didn’t really care for the epilogue, as per usual, or that it was from Charlie’s POV.

I hadn’t thought I had read anything else from the author, but realized I did DNF Ship of Fools last month. I do see that it’s being re-edited, so maybe I‘lol revisit it at some point.

[EfuaGitte · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a lovely story. Daniel and Charlie are wonderful guys to get to know. The single POV with Daniel is well written and I love how he is just totally blind to what is going on. We kind of fall in love with Charlie just as he does - only we recognize it a lot sooner.

Sophia Soames always write sweet stories with lots of love, but I truly enjoy that we in this book have to wait a little longer, have to suffer a little bit too much because Charlie is not that easy to catch once you have hurt him.

We stay with Daniel until the end where Charlie takes over. It’s nice to see Daniel through his eyes as well, but I am happy that the two POVs don’t mix up.

Another nice bonus is that once it gets hot it really gets hot.

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

Slow Burn

Dr Daniel Gilbert’s life has fallen apart yet again. He’s just divorced his second wife and he is left with very little. He’s packed his few possessions into a few boxes, and driven away from that life and London, He’s heading to a small town the far side of the country where he’s been offered a job as GP in a small community practice. He’s also bought the only property he could afford, a small house he hasn’t even seen yet. When he does he descends into further depts of despair.

Just 4% in and I’m confused because Daniel is glaring at his face in a mirror and saying “I’m a homosexual man”. Then later, he can’t sleep in his new temporary surroundings in an hotel and he’s missing the man who just left his bed.

That man was Charlie Porter, part time receptionist at his hotel, and an eternal mature student of anything that takes his fancy, and a marvellous maker of fabulous cakes and pastries. He doesn’t really know what he wants to be or who he is.

Charlie welcomed Daniel when he arrived, they became great friends, chatting each evening, Charlie did all the talking, Daniel listened and enjoyed the friendly company.

That all changed one evening after they had eaten out at a diner. Saying goodnight back at the hotel, Charlie kissed Daniel goodnight. Daniel swore and pushed him off and away, with nasty words. Charlie turns and walks off.

This is why I was confused because this is after Daniel’s statement in the mirror “I’m a homosexual man”.

Apart from my confusion, I enjoyed these MC’s, especially Charlie and his lovely personality, his directness and his openness about his sexuality and his needs.

Daniel is a bit uptight which is understandable after two wives divorces him.

Despite Charlie’s impetuous kiss, they both laugh it off the next night when Daniel returns from work. But their lovely friendship has suffered a big blow. Charlie disappears from his receptionist job.
Is the damage irreparable?

Author Sophia Soames always writes with such warmth for her characters, showing us all their foibles and still drawing us into their stories. Both Charlie and Daniel have had hard times, for different reasons, earning my sympathy.

I’ve now read several of Sophia’s stories and loved all of them giving them all 5 stars. This one I’ve awarded 4. I’ve added several others to my TBR to read over the coming holiday period.

[Ronnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best stories out there. Realistic, at least to me. I connected deeply with both characters.

[Paula´s Brief Review · Rating 3 out of 5]

Es muy amena y ellos son muy monos, pero poco más, no resulta imborrable, en dos semanas casi ni me acordaré de qué iba.

[Jacquie Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Thing With Charlie..... I loved the repetition of the chapters starting out this way. The rythym of the writing building to Daniel finally realising his feelings. The guy is such a mess and tad pathetic but with Charlie he finds a home for both of them.

[Heather]

I could have done without the epilogue but otherwise I thought it was quite good. There were a few things I didn't love but the good outweighed the bad and I would read more of this author's work.

[Mariansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book got me hooked from the first page, and I struggled to put it down. Daniel and Charlie have a way to go, but when they find the love between them it’s so good. The writing in this book is really good, and I felt both characters from the very start! This thing with Charlie has so many beautiful little moments that left me all heart eyes.

[Lady Macbeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars
This is difficult, I can't believe I didn't fully enjoy another Sophia Soames' book, but evidently, this series wasn't a good fit for me.

I wasn't fond of Charlie since the previous book, when he coaxed Andreas into a threesome. From Andreas' pov, he seemd only interested in clubbing and getting laid.
In this book we actually can see another side of him, one I quite liked: Charlie loves to study, he takes care of his kind-of-stepfather and his bakery, he works multiple jobs and he just want to be loved.
So when Daniel rejected him and hurt him, I felt genuinely sorry for him. And I liked very much that Charlie put some distance between them and let Daniel grovel for his forgiveness.

But then Charlie pushed Daniel for penetrative sex and I didn't like that at all. He was very insistent that he needed that.
I think that it wasn't him talking out of lust, I believe that he wanted to understand if Daniel was honest with him and himself when he said he was in love with Charlie.
But still, Charlie pushed him: Daniel could still be gay and in love with him and not wanting to go all the way physically; not everyone loves penetrative sex, so why Charlie insisted?

Also, I didn't like how he talked about Andreas, his relationship with Luca and, especially, how he didn't fully acknowleged his responsibilities about their threesome.
It seems that Charlie, regarding to sex, doesn't care if he's making his partner uncomfortable. That kind of ruin his character for me.
I know that was not the author intention, but that how I saw him.
The thing I liked mostly about this story was Daniel's internal turmoil and sexual awakening.

[Bárbara · Rating 1 out of 5]

For something that's relatively short, it felt way too long.
I found the writing style tedious and repetitive; the MCs, while distinct, were too much opposite for me to root for their relationship. I wasn't comfortable with the apparent imbalance in the dynamic, either. While opposite personalities with opposite backgrounds can mesh quite charmingly in many stories, I didn't find this one to be the case.
On top of that, the main sex scene went on for far too long, it was dealt with in a way I found most unsexy, and felt out of place (mainly because of that weirdly-balanced dynamic I mentioned in an earlier paragraph).
Overall, it was unfortunately a miss for me.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daniel moved to a small town after divorcing his wife in the hopes of a frest start. Nothing is going right: living in a hotel, new home needs massive renovations, co-workers nag him all the time, etc.. Until he meets Charlie. Charlie is charismatic, friendly, and just who Daniel needs to get him out of his funk. But are they on the same page? This is a relatively quick, sweet read about two guys who need each other more than they realized.

[K.C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I delve deeper into the wonderful works of Sophia Soames, I learn that she has the ability to introduce the most adorable characters, full of feelings and deep thoughts. Characters I connect with easily. Then we get to see that those guys can have some hot af sex too.
This was also the case with Daniel and Charlie and you won’t see me complain!
We follow Daniel whose life is a bit of a mess as he meets Charlie who does every job, and every task thrown at him to perfection. Neither of the men is perfect, and they have to battle through past issues to get together in the end. A lovely, emotional read with hot sex like a cherry on top!

[Jeanette Buck · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such an adorable story. I adore Sophia's quirky writing and she never fails to draw me in. Both Charlie and Daniel have their personal baggage but have a strong connection and determination. They both make mistakes but at the end of the day they will have to make the decision to take a chance on love. I really enjoyed reading this 💜

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am always dubious about stories of heretofore straight, twice divorced, characters who suddenly fall in love with a same sex partner. This was, however, a pleasant diversion and a quick read--perfect for a pandemic. Warning: sexually explicit material.

[Tessa Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daniel is trying to figure himself out, getting his life back after his divorce . He meets Charlie and everything spirals. This fun story between a man whose not sure what he wants and a man who isn’t sure he what he wants to do with life. You will enjoy this story page after page.

[Lee · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF @ 40%. While I liked Charlie and thought he was interesting and endearing, the writing didn't do it for me - it was all dialogue and Dan's depressed, navel-gazing inner monologue. I also didn't like that all the women he interacts with/has flashbacks with (Dan's ex-wives, the receptionists at his medical practice) were portrayed as henpecking shrews. Frankly, Dan just isn't an interesting character, and the story, up to the point where I gave up on it, all happened in places where no one wants to linger - a budget business hotel, the reception area of a small-town medical practice where Dan's repeatedly humiliated in public by the receptionists, and, briefly, a bakery, which isn't even described.

[Kim Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

New to me author. This is a short mm novella. Main characters are Dr Daniel Gilbert, twice divorced husband looking to start his lovely life over again in rural England. He meets Charlie a young man at the hotel his is staying at temporarily. Daniel has a slow time realising Charlie is his intended partner in life and all that comes with that. I’ll read more from from this author.

[Ken Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Winter Wonderland download. Relocated Dr Daniel meets the eponymous title character as he begins reinventing himself after divorcing his second wife. Gadabout Charlie, the perpetual student, serves as ear and entertainment at his other part-time job. Chisleworth (sp?) provides a background setting for the plot which, with ups and downs, builds the communication these men need to find one another. A satisfying resolution concludes the novel.

[GlamLawyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing style didn't work for me. Story was lovely.

[Cassandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
I'm always on the fence about this kind of writing style. On the one hand, I like the quirkiness of the characters and the unpredictability of how they act. On the other hand, the overly dramatic and highly emotional description of feelings has me rolling my eyes from time to time.

Overall, I liked this story. It was realistic, with flawed characters who acted irrational sometimes but who were in general good people. But it didn't become too RL, you know, to the point where it becomes depressing or frustrating because everyone acts stupid or does shitty things. I liked the pining. I liked the way one of the MCs slowly came to terms with his feelings. I didn't much care for their conversations, which were sometimes random and weird. Talking about stuff without REALLY talking about it. If they had been funny I wouldn't have minded so much, but they weren't, so...

Anyway, this is a case of "just don't click with the writing" for me. I liked it fine, but it didn't turn into unputdownable-good.

[Timothy Warren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sophia Soames has a gift for writing lovely prose that captures the very essence of her characters and setting. I dove into this charming romance between the uptight, twice-divorced Daniel and his sweet, new, bohemian friend Charlie having never read her… and could not put it down! I’m now looking forward to more from her. Highly recommended!

[Cali · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks Sophia, I get excited whenever I see a new release and I loved this one too.
Loved that Charlie was no pushover and refused to be his bi-curious rebound misktake, refreshing I loved it

[~✿ Tala✿~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

First time reading this author, I liked how she has a really distinct and unique writing style that made this story stand out among the free giveaway stories! Overall enjoyed the story and am definitely going to check out her other work.

[Suze · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this, it was entertaining and generally kept me engaged.
Daniel is going through an early mid life crisis - he has packed in a lot for 32 year old! It is really his growing up story as he doesn't seem to have had responsibility in the past. A bit blinkered maybe - especially when he realises Charlie's company is flirtation.
Charlie puts it all out there when he kisses Daniel - but in a way he is also still searching for meaning in his life.
They both need to be happy in themselves before diving in - still not sure Daniel was.
Lots of navel gazing from Daniel - wanted to slap him a few times!!!
And a 'catch up' epilogue - fitting a year into it.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unusual and fascinating, this story was a true journey. It starts off somewhere near the end before looping back to show how This Thing With Charlie all began. The narrator isn't exactly unreliable but he doesn't make one fundamental thing about himself clear, a belief that isn't at all obvious to the reader as the book goes on. It changes everything half way through and set the book on a new journey, even as it gets back to where it started. Then the the journey to get to the end begins. It was a fascinating read, a rough journey with no easy or clear steps, and captivating from start to finish!

[DC · Rating 4 out of 5]

Irreverant, sweet and so enjoyable. This was a different take on how love can sneek up on you when you least expect it. Daniel and Charlie made an interesting couple, and while seemingly such a mismatch, were actually perfect together.
I found the writing to be quite good with solid editing and easy flow. The whole story was from Daniel’s perspective except for the last chapter which was from Charlie’s. Having Charlie essentially wrap up the story and fill in the blanks about his background was very heartwarming.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

The storytelling is quite disjointed. I'm not sure if it's a style choice or poor writing. I've never read anything by the author before, and perhaps English isn't her first language. It was okay but kind of instalove. The MCs knew each other about three weeks before there was a weird bi-awakening/I love you anyway thing happening. It was trying to be angsty without doing the work of building the angst. If the story were more developed I would have rated it higher. While the proofreading was fine, it read like a first draft that had been edited rather than a fully realized story.

[M L R · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve reread this more times than I can count. Deep dynamic as Daniel comes to accept who he is… unfortunately he hurts Charlie along the way. Daniel has to convince Charlie he is fully in it…and Charlie has to forgive and find courage to give his heart to Daniel. Scorching hot times and a joint cause to build a life and home together. Fabulous!

[PaperMoon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This could almost be read as a festive seasonal romance - the December timeframe for part of the book certainly allows for that. Most of the book comes from Daniel's POV so it was a surprise to find the last little bit coming from Charlie instead. A delightful little 4 star read.