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Masters of Romance #.5
Side Character
Sawyer Jonathan Aston has an extremely suckable… ahem. We’re talking eight inches of girthy perfection. Two-thirds of a foot of succulent man-meat. A true cornucopia of carnal delights.
And tonight, that ahem is going to make my mouth feel like a Tokyo subway car at rush hour. We’re talking crowded. Crammed. Absolutely stuffed. And if I’m lucky, a few stops later we’ll both get off at the same time and head home together to see what kind of trouble we can get up to when bed is our final destination.
But you know what they say about the best-laid plans...
It's a good thing I'm resourceful, because come what may, I'm not going to stop until I make Sawyer mine.
Side Character is a stand-alone short story set in the Masters of Romance universe. While there are no authors in this one, there is a sassy best friend who messes things up spectacularly, but still manages to land the man of his dreams. Get ready for love, laughter, and some serious steam. No cheating and no love triangles, guaranteed.
Please take note: Side Character was originally part of the Winter Wonderland giveaway under the title D***** Down on New Year's Eve. The story remains the same—only the title and cover have changed.
And tonight, that ahem is going to make my mouth feel like a Tokyo subway car at rush hour. We’re talking crowded. Crammed. Absolutely stuffed. And if I’m lucky, a few stops later we’ll both get off at the same time and head home together to see what kind of trouble we can get up to when bed is our final destination.
But you know what they say about the best-laid plans...
It's a good thing I'm resourceful, because come what may, I'm not going to stop until I make Sawyer mine.
Side Character is a stand-alone short story set in the Masters of Romance universe. While there are no authors in this one, there is a sassy best friend who messes things up spectacularly, but still manages to land the man of his dreams. Get ready for love, laughter, and some serious steam. No cheating and no love triangles, guaranteed.
Please take note: Side Character was originally part of the Winter Wonderland giveaway under the title D***** Down on New Year's Eve. The story remains the same—only the title and cover have changed.
55 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2021
30 people are currently reading
154 people want to read
About the author
Emma Alcott
13 books218 followersShould you ever find yourself traveling down the gravel street of a quiet forest community in the Midwest, you may come across Emma Alcott--suburbanite by birth, but small-towner by choice.
Emma loves all things doctors say you should only enjoy in moderation, writing the stories of her heart, and traveling. Once upon a time, she fell in love with a man from another country and moved mountains in order to be with him. They've now been married for half a decade and have far too many fur-children.
Seriously.
Do you want a dog?
To stay up to date with Emma's new releases, follow her on Amazon and be sure to subscribe to her newsletter.
If you love Emma's books, you might also enjoy her work as her alter-ego, Piper Scott!
Emma loves all things doctors say you should only enjoy in moderation, writing the stories of her heart, and traveling. Once upon a time, she fell in love with a man from another country and moved mountains in order to be with him. They've now been married for half a decade and have far too many fur-children.
Seriously.
Do you want a dog?
To stay up to date with Emma's new releases, follow her on Amazon and be sure to subscribe to her newsletter.
If you love Emma's books, you might also enjoy her work as her alter-ego, Piper Scott!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews
November 26, 2024
No friends, no phone / Just a little sex with the Netflix on (We Should Be Together – Pia Mia).
Wait, what’s going on with all those stars up there? I think I… actually really liked this? Huh, I’m as surprised as you are, trust me. The truth is that I really thought I’d hate this based solely off of the first chapter and the odd narrative voice given to the main character. I was worried it’d be bit too quirky and a bit too self-referential for my tastes. It’s the same old story of my life-long crusade against Marvel ass dialogue and all that. But as I went along, I found that I actually started to enjoy the writing and the story and pretty much everything else about it! I mean, it helped that this was super short so I didn't have to spend too much time with these dudes, because otherwise my delighted surprise could have easily turned into bitter annoyance, but I digress. Here's the thing, what they don’t tell you about reading is that checking out the blurb can often be very helpful to folks because they give you a synopsis of the plot in order to give the people a little taste of what the book will be like. Sorry, I’m not being trying to be condescending to you, I’m being condescending to me, because I’m sure you can guess that this was another situation where I went into this completely unprepared and spent a large portion of my time with this book feeling like I was reading it the wrong way. It’s like how I’ve noticed a lot of people like to play The Sims in a wholesome way, making their Sims happy and recreating their favorite celebrities or whatever and I very much do not do that. After watching other people play the game, I’m always left feeling like, “Oh shit, I'm totally doing this wrong!” I guess it's just one of those things. Well, I did end up making Usher, the singer Usher, in The Sims, but I promise that it was entirely by mistake and also he’s evil. So, it’s more like, Tethered Usher. Anyway, I figure I’ll keep on keeping on with this “go-with-the-flow” reading style because, yeah, I never learn, but also, hey, it’s never failed me before! Why stop now? Because like I said, after adjusting my expectations a little, I actually really enjoyed this! As someone who has a lot of fun with movies like Before Sunset, I thought that the way that all of Side Character’s story takes place in one night and has a “bottle episode” vibe to it was really well done and really cool.
Although, if I had to say one thing on the side of criticism, then I’d say that if the main character was, like, 2% less horny, I would have been more ready to recommend this book to anyone and everyone coming my way! It's the opposite of how Benson Boone is about 3% away from sounding like a steaming pile of trash on the chorus in his hit single "Beautiful Things." I'm very good at math. Seriously though, not to be twinkphobic, but this book’s protagonist was annoying as hell. I’m pretty sure his name was Gavin, but I’m blanking and the blurb that I just read does that weird thing where it’s written from the perspective of the main character and didn’t feel the need to name him. But that doesn’t matter right now, what matters is that I think my main problem with him was that his overly horned up narration is often at odds with the overarching romantic vibe that I think the book was going for with its reveal (Spoilers, but not really) that Gavin's pining for his crush, Sawyer, has been reciprocated for years. And if it wasn't for the adorable, over-the-top, antics of Sawyer and his bro squad, my opinions of this book would have differed greatly to say the least. And look, Side Character is no The Lake House starring Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock, but there’s still a lot more longing and yearning in this story than I’m sure a lot of people will give it credit for. Not that I’d blame people for thinking this book would simply be another one of those samey “shirtless man books” that seem to materialize out of the ether every couple months (I certainly thought it would be), because again, this book really could have shined more had Gavin been, like, 5% less horny. I believe it was Aristotle who said that “The writer must never overuse the ‘Bratty Bottom’ archetype, lest they end up alienating their readers and making the story worse off because of it.” Wow, powerful stuff Ari. Okay, I hope I don't sound like a prude, because I think it's totally cool for a main character of a cute love story to have sexual thoughts, but I really don’t think I’m clutching my pearls when I say that it’s a bit much to have Gavin thinking about sucking dick and cock several times a chapter in a thirty page long story. Nonetheless, this was good. The cute set-up, breezy pacing, and its surprisingly wholesome love story, it’s all good and it’s all stuff I like. Besides, if you look at it at just the right angle, Side Character really does have the bones of a critically acclaimed, “fourty-minute-standing-ovation-at-the-Cannes-Film-Festival,” transcendent type of love story hidden in there somewhere. Was that a bit of an exaggeration? Probably. Oh well, call me Jack Reacher the way I’m always reaching.
“You don’t have to tell me your secrets, but if you want me to understand, you’re gonna have to spell it out for me, because drunk me is apparently super dumb and can’t read context clues for shit.”
Wait, what’s going on with all those stars up there? I think I… actually really liked this? Huh, I’m as surprised as you are, trust me. The truth is that I really thought I’d hate this based solely off of the first chapter and the odd narrative voice given to the main character. I was worried it’d be bit too quirky and a bit too self-referential for my tastes. It’s the same old story of my life-long crusade against Marvel ass dialogue and all that. But as I went along, I found that I actually started to enjoy the writing and the story and pretty much everything else about it! I mean, it helped that this was super short so I didn't have to spend too much time with these dudes, because otherwise my delighted surprise could have easily turned into bitter annoyance, but I digress. Here's the thing, what they don’t tell you about reading is that checking out the blurb can often be very helpful to folks because they give you a synopsis of the plot in order to give the people a little taste of what the book will be like. Sorry, I’m not being trying to be condescending to you, I’m being condescending to me, because I’m sure you can guess that this was another situation where I went into this completely unprepared and spent a large portion of my time with this book feeling like I was reading it the wrong way. It’s like how I’ve noticed a lot of people like to play The Sims in a wholesome way, making their Sims happy and recreating their favorite celebrities or whatever and I very much do not do that. After watching other people play the game, I’m always left feeling like, “Oh shit, I'm totally doing this wrong!” I guess it's just one of those things. Well, I did end up making Usher, the singer Usher, in The Sims, but I promise that it was entirely by mistake and also he’s evil. So, it’s more like, Tethered Usher. Anyway, I figure I’ll keep on keeping on with this “go-with-the-flow” reading style because, yeah, I never learn, but also, hey, it’s never failed me before! Why stop now? Because like I said, after adjusting my expectations a little, I actually really enjoyed this! As someone who has a lot of fun with movies like Before Sunset, I thought that the way that all of Side Character’s story takes place in one night and has a “bottle episode” vibe to it was really well done and really cool.
Although, if I had to say one thing on the side of criticism, then I’d say that if the main character was, like, 2% less horny, I would have been more ready to recommend this book to anyone and everyone coming my way! It's the opposite of how Benson Boone is about 3% away from sounding like a steaming pile of trash on the chorus in his hit single "Beautiful Things." I'm very good at math. Seriously though, not to be twinkphobic, but this book’s protagonist was annoying as hell. I’m pretty sure his name was Gavin, but I’m blanking and the blurb that I just read does that weird thing where it’s written from the perspective of the main character and didn’t feel the need to name him. But that doesn’t matter right now, what matters is that I think my main problem with him was that his overly horned up narration is often at odds with the overarching romantic vibe that I think the book was going for with its reveal (Spoilers, but not really) that Gavin's pining for his crush, Sawyer, has been reciprocated for years. And if it wasn't for the adorable, over-the-top, antics of Sawyer and his bro squad, my opinions of this book would have differed greatly to say the least. And look, Side Character is no The Lake House starring Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock, but there’s still a lot more longing and yearning in this story than I’m sure a lot of people will give it credit for. Not that I’d blame people for thinking this book would simply be another one of those samey “shirtless man books” that seem to materialize out of the ether every couple months (I certainly thought it would be), because again, this book really could have shined more had Gavin been, like, 5% less horny. I believe it was Aristotle who said that “The writer must never overuse the ‘Bratty Bottom’ archetype, lest they end up alienating their readers and making the story worse off because of it.” Wow, powerful stuff Ari. Okay, I hope I don't sound like a prude, because I think it's totally cool for a main character of a cute love story to have sexual thoughts, but I really don’t think I’m clutching my pearls when I say that it’s a bit much to have Gavin thinking about sucking dick and cock several times a chapter in a thirty page long story. Nonetheless, this was good. The cute set-up, breezy pacing, and its surprisingly wholesome love story, it’s all good and it’s all stuff I like. Besides, if you look at it at just the right angle, Side Character really does have the bones of a critically acclaimed, “fourty-minute-standing-ovation-at-the-Cannes-Film-Festival,” transcendent type of love story hidden in there somewhere. Was that a bit of an exaggeration? Probably. Oh well, call me Jack Reacher the way I’m always reaching.
“You don’t have to tell me your secrets, but if you want me to understand, you’re gonna have to spell it out for me, because drunk me is apparently super dumb and can’t read context clues for shit.”
April 22, 2021
2 stars
Brief summary: Gavin has had a crush on Sawyer for years. They’re at a New Year’s party and Gavin has a plan to suck Sawyer’s dick that night and Sawyer has a plan to get Gavin to date him. They end up flirting and having sex in the laundry room.
I think my favourite part of this was how all of Sawyer’s friends helped him get Gavin, it was so cute.
This book was very short but it also didn’t make much sense to me because the characters backstories and how they fell in love with other was really rushed and I couldn’t understand how they fit together. These people kept saying they were in love with the other, but the thing is, they both had a crush on the other for years but that was the first time they interacted so how can you be in love with someone you never talked to?
But I would like to dedicate the rest of my review to a much more important issue, one that really bothers me every time I come across it in a novel. I don’t need my sex scenes in books to be the most realistic thing ever, but I do need them to portray healthy sexual pratices and there was nothing healthy about the sex in this book. Gavin is a virgin and Sawyer (whom we are told has a 8 inch dick) just puts some lube on Gavin’s asshole and then jams his dick in him, he never preps him or anything. I just want to make it clear that when you are doing anal with a virgin, you can’t just put some lube on them and then stick your dick in them, expecially if you have a big dick. There is nothing ok about doing this. It just took me out of the story so much because there is no way any of this was enjoyable for Gavin, it probably hurt like fucking crazy. I was being told about how much Gavin loved it and how it wasn’t even painful for him to adjust to it and I just couldn’t take it seriously because thats just not how sex works.
I received an ARC of this book, and this is my honest review.
Brief summary: Gavin has had a crush on Sawyer for years. They’re at a New Year’s party and Gavin has a plan to suck Sawyer’s dick that night and Sawyer has a plan to get Gavin to date him. They end up flirting and having sex in the laundry room.
I think my favourite part of this was how all of Sawyer’s friends helped him get Gavin, it was so cute.
This book was very short but it also didn’t make much sense to me because the characters backstories and how they fell in love with other was really rushed and I couldn’t understand how they fit together. These people kept saying they were in love with the other, but the thing is, they both had a crush on the other for years but that was the first time they interacted so how can you be in love with someone you never talked to?
But I would like to dedicate the rest of my review to a much more important issue, one that really bothers me every time I come across it in a novel. I don’t need my sex scenes in books to be the most realistic thing ever, but I do need them to portray healthy sexual pratices and there was nothing healthy about the sex in this book. Gavin is a virgin and Sawyer (whom we are told has a 8 inch dick) just puts some lube on Gavin’s asshole and then jams his dick in him, he never preps him or anything. I just want to make it clear that when you are doing anal with a virgin, you can’t just put some lube on them and then stick your dick in them, expecially if you have a big dick. There is nothing ok about doing this. It just took me out of the story so much because there is no way any of this was enjoyable for Gavin, it probably hurt like fucking crazy. I was being told about how much Gavin loved it and how it wasn’t even painful for him to adjust to it and I just couldn’t take it seriously because thats just not how sex works.
I received an ARC of this book, and this is my honest review.
April 23, 2021
I received an ARC from GRR and this is my honest review..
This little novella was light and easy.
I liked quite a bit of its premise...
The pining, the supposed unrequited love/lust, young people being young...
I also liked the twist on "Seven Minutes in Heaven" that went on here and the comradery of the MC's friends. they were the sweetest for helping them.
The sex was hot if unbelievable... one MC is a virgin, the other well endowed and no prep was done.... so yeah that's a no for me.
Also I found it a bit unbelievable for them to be so in love with each other when they hadn't ever spoken...
The novella was too short IMO and needed a bit more fleshing out... to at least reinforce their attraction.
This little novella was light and easy.
I liked quite a bit of its premise...
The pining, the supposed unrequited love/lust, young people being young...
I also liked the twist on "Seven Minutes in Heaven" that went on here and the comradery of the MC's friends. they were the sweetest for helping them.
The sex was hot if unbelievable... one MC is a virgin, the other well endowed and no prep was done.... so yeah that's a no for me.
Also I found it a bit unbelievable for them to be so in love with each other when they hadn't ever spoken...
The novella was too short IMO and needed a bit more fleshing out... to at least reinforce their attraction.
May 10, 2021
Very Funny!! 3.5 Stars!
The beginning of this shirt was simply hilarious! Add to that Michael Ferriaulo’s stellar narration and this little audiobook is a total gem!
New Adult
Twink/Jock
Long time crush
Loss of clothing due to bad choices
Dude Bros Support Group in action
Candles
Mints
Blankets
And a laundry room
Happy New Year deflowering
A bit of a painful one—ouch
But, perhaps, our twink likes the burn
HFN
My rec? Michael F can read thy phone book and make me laugh.
The beginning of this shirt was simply hilarious! Add to that Michael Ferriaulo’s stellar narration and this little audiobook is a total gem!
New Adult
Twink/Jock
Long time crush
Loss of clothing due to bad choices
Dude Bros Support Group in action
Candles
Mints
Blankets
And a laundry room
Happy New Year deflowering
A bit of a painful one—ouch
But, perhaps, our twink likes the burn
HFN
My rec? Michael F can read thy phone book and make me laugh.
June 14, 2021
Loved it. We get to see a bit more of Gavin in Bad Boy and I love their story. Would totally love more of these two boys.
April 23, 2021
Know I read and rated this. *sigh* hopefully this stays up as is and doesn't get taken off goodreads once again.
November 28, 2024
Short. Silly. A bit juvenile. But fun.
The plot isn’t really there - it’s 55 pages of “I’m so into him, I need to have a beer or 10 to work up my courage to hit on him. And oooops now I’m so drunk that I puked all over him, undressed to wash my clothes and now we’re making out and proceed to live happily ever after.”
Is it realistic? Definitely not, especially the sex scene (an eager virgin taking 8 inch without prep? Well at least they got lube 😅)
But I liked the writing style, and Gavin’s inner monologues were hilarious, so I’ll go with 3 stars.
I’m a chaotic goblin child who’s always up to something. I’m also a couple rainbows too colorful to follow in his footsteps. Unless we’re talking confetti guns with glitter clips, I’m not gonna be packing much in my holster.
The plot isn’t really there - it’s 55 pages of “I’m so into him, I need to have a beer or 10 to work up my courage to hit on him. And oooops now I’m so drunk that I puked all over him, undressed to wash my clothes and now we’re making out and proceed to live happily ever after.”
Is it realistic? Definitely not, especially the sex scene (an eager virgin taking 8 inch without prep? Well at least they got lube 😅)
But I liked the writing style, and Gavin’s inner monologues were hilarious, so I’ll go with 3 stars.
I’m a chaotic goblin child who’s always up to something. I’m also a couple rainbows too colorful to follow in his footsteps. Unless we’re talking confetti guns with glitter clips, I’m not gonna be packing much in my holster.
April 14, 2021
A short erotica story that takes place on NYE, Side Character is about Gavin, who finally makes a move on the guy he's been crushing on for years.
It's cute and a little silly, with some awkwardness that's written off as adorable, a lot of horniness, and a group of heart-warmingly wholesome dudebros.
I especially appreciated the strong and conscious focus on consent, particularly in such a short story that is mainly erotica and takes place at a party.
Content warnings include: sex on-page, unprotected blowjob but protected penetrative sex, character gets drunk, throwing up, some second-hand embarassment but it's not too bad.
The story was originally available via a giveaway under a different title, D*cked Down on New Year's Eve, which has since been removed from GR. The new title, Side Character confuses me a little bit - I guess it makes sense since it's the prequel to a whole series, so the characters here will be side characters in the series, but on its own it doesn't quite make sense.
I received an ARC and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
It's cute and a little silly, with some awkwardness that's written off as adorable, a lot of horniness, and a group of heart-warmingly wholesome dudebros.
I especially appreciated the strong and conscious focus on consent, particularly in such a short story that is mainly erotica and takes place at a party.
Content warnings include: sex on-page, unprotected blowjob but protected penetrative sex, character gets drunk, throwing up, some second-hand embarassment but it's not too bad.
The story was originally available via a giveaway under a different title, D*cked Down on New Year's Eve, which has since been removed from GR. The new title, Side Character confuses me a little bit - I guess it makes sense since it's the prequel to a whole series, so the characters here will be side characters in the series, but on its own it doesn't quite make sense.
I received an ARC and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
April 20, 2021
A little novella to whet your appetite for a new series. Gavin and Sawyer have the hots for one another. Both don’t know this until... a laundry room on New Years Eve and sparks fly. You need to suspend disbelief a bit with this but it’s sweet and hot and as novella it works. No prep but hey it’s fiction...
January 27, 2022
Estas novelas cortas de romance o que sin homoeroticas son las que me mantienen despierto y no me provocan un bloqueo lector.
Esta es una precuela de una trilogía (o eso creo yo), me ha hecho reír mucho, fue muy divertida aunque como siempre demasiado fantasiosa
Esta es una precuela de una trilogía (o eso creo yo), me ha hecho reír mucho, fue muy divertida aunque como siempre demasiado fantasiosa
April 27, 2021
This was cute! Gavin is a little spitfire and I’m excited to get to know Colton in the next book!
Read
May 9, 2021All of the stars for Michael. The story is too short to rate.
May 10, 2021
Sweet. Steamy. Silly.
Side Character Is an entertaining, 1 hour 8 minutes funny, fluffy, hot , zero drama, zero angst, light on plotlines and details novella.
Pure escapism story and perfect for listening before going to bed.
Michael Ferraiuolo narration was great.
Side Character Is an entertaining, 1 hour 8 minutes funny, fluffy, hot , zero drama, zero angst, light on plotlines and details novella.
Pure escapism story and perfect for listening before going to bed.
Michael Ferraiuolo narration was great.
April 13, 2021
Short and steamy and all kinds of hot! This was my first book from the author, and won't be the last. I enjoyed her writing style; the story was fun to read, full of humour and delivered a good HEA. I hope to see more of Gavin and Sawyer in the upcoming books :)
May 18, 2021
Side Character is a short story following Gavin at a New Year's Eve party trying to be noticed by his long time crush, Sawyer. Of course thing don't go to plan but also work out better than he could have hoped.
Because this is a short story there's not really a lot of back story or relationship building but what we do have is two young men working up the courage to be noticed by the other. Gavin is funny and sweet, getting a lot more than he bargained for and Sawyer is unexpectedly adorable, totally going against the dude bro it looked like he'd be. His friends are even one of the best parts here with what they do for Sawyer.
A great quick read that definitely heats up towards end and hopefully leads us nicely into a new series from a great author.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.
Because this is a short story there's not really a lot of back story or relationship building but what we do have is two young men working up the courage to be noticed by the other. Gavin is funny and sweet, getting a lot more than he bargained for and Sawyer is unexpectedly adorable, totally going against the dude bro it looked like he'd be. His friends are even one of the best parts here with what they do for Sawyer.
A great quick read that definitely heats up towards end and hopefully leads us nicely into a new series from a great author.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.
May 19, 2021
Well this was an interesting one. Definitely adult content, even though the age of the characters is still a mystery to me. They were both funny, so I can definitely appreciate the humor and writing was good in this one. I wish it was a bit longer and gave a bit more details than it did, but as a short preview it wasn't bad. Can't wait to read the full novel about the missing Colton :)
**I was provided an ARC of this book from the GRR for an honest review**
April 22, 2021
From the blurb I was expecting Side Character to be a bit of short, hot, steamy, fluff….
And it was, but I wasn’t expecting the humour! Gavin was hilarious!
I have never read anything by Emma Alcott (aka Piper Scott) so I had no expectations regarding her writing style. But if her full books contain the same humour, and fast paced wit of Side Character, sign me up for a new favourite author!
Side Character is a shortish novella, and as such, the cast is pretty much limited to just Sawyer and Gavin and the events of the story are limited to the party, and of course, the laundry room. It was amazing though how the author was able to create, in a relatively short novella, two characters that I actually became invested in. At one point, I thought that something may have not been as it appeared (no spoilers) and I was surprised by how much I actually cared! It’s definitely a skilled author that can make a reader care about her characters in such a short time.
I honestly enjoyed every moment of Side Character, and I can’t wait to read Bad Boy (book 1) and find out what happened to Gavin’s friend, Colton.
All my reviews can be found on my blog: The Word Nerd Reviews
Follow Me: Facebook & Twitter
And it was, but I wasn’t expecting the humour! Gavin was hilarious!
I have never read anything by Emma Alcott (aka Piper Scott) so I had no expectations regarding her writing style. But if her full books contain the same humour, and fast paced wit of Side Character, sign me up for a new favourite author!
Side Character is a shortish novella, and as such, the cast is pretty much limited to just Sawyer and Gavin and the events of the story are limited to the party, and of course, the laundry room. It was amazing though how the author was able to create, in a relatively short novella, two characters that I actually became invested in. At one point, I thought that something may have not been as it appeared (no spoilers) and I was surprised by how much I actually cared! It’s definitely a skilled author that can make a reader care about her characters in such a short time.
I honestly enjoyed every moment of Side Character, and I can’t wait to read Bad Boy (book 1) and find out what happened to Gavin’s friend, Colton.
All my reviews can be found on my blog: The Word Nerd Reviews
Follow Me: Facebook & Twitter
April 15, 2021
I absolutely adored this book. Every line that came out of Gavin's mouth had me in stitches! He is definitely a man on a mission, but a little liquid courage slams the brakes on his New Year's Resolution. When the object of his affection actually comes to his rescue, it is sweet and awkwardly romantic. I loved Sawyer and Gavin so much!
April 22, 2021
I received an ARC of Side Character by Emma Alcott from Gay Romance Reviews in exchange for an honest review.
This is the very short story of Sawyer and Gavin. Gavin’s had a crush on Sawyer since childhood and decided he’s gonna finally get his man at a party that night. It doesn’t go quite how he expected.
This story was cute and steamy and funny. A light, quick read. I give it 3 stars. I was confused about how old they were because Sawyer’s wearing a high school letterman’s sweater and it never really specifies how old they were. I found out in the next book that they’re definitely in college, so over 18. Whew.
This is the very short story of Sawyer and Gavin. Gavin’s had a crush on Sawyer since childhood and decided he’s gonna finally get his man at a party that night. It doesn’t go quite how he expected.
This story was cute and steamy and funny. A light, quick read. I give it 3 stars. I was confused about how old they were because Sawyer’s wearing a high school letterman’s sweater and it never really specifies how old they were. I found out in the next book that they’re definitely in college, so over 18. Whew.
June 25, 2021
Gavin was one of the more amusing narrators a read in a while. It packs a good punch for as short as it is both in the actual length of the story and the time line it spans.
This was my first read from the author, but if her other books are anything like this, it won’t be my last. Looking forward to reading Book 1 in the series
This was my first read from the author, but if her other books are anything like this, it won’t be my last. Looking forward to reading Book 1 in the series
Read
December 4, 2021
Trigger & Content Warnings
Alcohol consumption
Emesis
Alcohol consumption
Emesis
November 18, 2024
Just a bit silly. A character vomits, has a 2 hour nap and then is good to makeout with? Their breath would have been rank. And 8inch penises don't go into virgin holes with no prep and minimal lube without a lot of pain, probably some blood and a ruined sexytime session.
May 12, 2021
Awesome Story & Listen🎧A Sweet & Spicy🔥Delight!
Side Character
A Masters of Romance Prequel
By: Emma Alcott
Narrated by: Michael Ferraiuolo
Series: Masters of Romance, Book 0.5
This short story is an enjoyable, steamy delight. The story drew me in right from the start, yep that description of Sawyer Jonathan Aston in gray sweatpants sure won me over. Emma Alcott is a gifted author, her way with words and witty dialogue shine brightly in this book and will certainly put a smile on your face. The two characters are likable, easy to relate to and connect with. Gavin has crushed on Sawyer for almost a decade, he is at a New Years even party waiting for his friend Colton, he has every intention of hooking up with Sawyer and pictures the encounter vividly in his mind. But he gets a little too tipsy for his own good and it is Sawyer who comes to his aid, even to help him get cleaned up after an accidental spill. Turns out Sawyer is a stand up guy, he even surprises Gavin with an admission of his own. I loved their encounter together and how it all played out, it is an entertaining story, short and sweet and very satisfying. Emma Alcott, thank you for this great story and the smile it put on my face. I am looking forward to checking out the rest of the series.
🎧📚🎧 And for the wonderful narration, Michael Ferraiuolo is a talented narrator and versatile voice artist. He does an awesome job portraying the characters, giving each their own voice and personality and sounding believable in each role. He sets the perfect tone for the story, captures the characters emotions and projects them into his performance. He handles the witty dialogue with ease and lands the humor flawlessly. He is an entertaining storyteller and a pleasure to listen to. Thank you for another fabulous listen.
Thank you #GRR
Side Character
A Masters of Romance Prequel
By: Emma Alcott
Narrated by: Michael Ferraiuolo
Series: Masters of Romance, Book 0.5
This short story is an enjoyable, steamy delight. The story drew me in right from the start, yep that description of Sawyer Jonathan Aston in gray sweatpants sure won me over. Emma Alcott is a gifted author, her way with words and witty dialogue shine brightly in this book and will certainly put a smile on your face. The two characters are likable, easy to relate to and connect with. Gavin has crushed on Sawyer for almost a decade, he is at a New Years even party waiting for his friend Colton, he has every intention of hooking up with Sawyer and pictures the encounter vividly in his mind. But he gets a little too tipsy for his own good and it is Sawyer who comes to his aid, even to help him get cleaned up after an accidental spill. Turns out Sawyer is a stand up guy, he even surprises Gavin with an admission of his own. I loved their encounter together and how it all played out, it is an entertaining story, short and sweet and very satisfying. Emma Alcott, thank you for this great story and the smile it put on my face. I am looking forward to checking out the rest of the series.
🎧📚🎧 And for the wonderful narration, Michael Ferraiuolo is a talented narrator and versatile voice artist. He does an awesome job portraying the characters, giving each their own voice and personality and sounding believable in each role. He sets the perfect tone for the story, captures the characters emotions and projects them into his performance. He handles the witty dialogue with ease and lands the humor flawlessly. He is an entertaining storyteller and a pleasure to listen to. Thank you for another fabulous listen.
Thank you #GRR
June 19, 2021
1.5 stars rounded up. Super fast and thin on...everything. Plot, character development, believability. Not to mention things that didn't check out or made me uncomfortable. Deets below.
So, the premise and the opening has Gavin going on and on about Sawyer's man meat and his desire to get dicked down by said man meat. His musings def lead me to believe that he's been around the block many times and knows his way around a dick. And then to find out he's a virgin? Has never even kissed anyone? Wha? I had to rewind the audio a couple times to make sure I hadn't misheard about this being his first kiss. It's like the character we meet out of the gate is the dirty, naughty, sexy twin of the inexperienced and sexually clueless guy who ends up in the starring role. And then Sawyer screws him without an ounce of prep? Not even one little finger? Barely a second of foreplay? What the actual fuck? Emma Alcott is not an inexperienced MM writer. What the hell was she thinking?
And Sawyer was pretty...yuck. Saying shit like, "If you don't want this I won't make you go through with it." Gross. Bless you, kind sir, for not raping Gavin. So very big of you. And the way he just starts making comments that indicate he clearly assumes he and Gavin are going to have sex. With zero convo about it? C’mon, you pretentious asshole. Verbal consent. It's a thing.
And don't even get me started on the insta love. Good grief.
Ok, too many words being vomited here for such a short story but I didn't vibe with this at all. Clearly. Intrigued by Colton's story so will move on.
So, the premise and the opening has Gavin going on and on about Sawyer's man meat and his desire to get dicked down by said man meat. His musings def lead me to believe that he's been around the block many times and knows his way around a dick. And then to find out he's a virgin? Has never even kissed anyone? Wha? I had to rewind the audio a couple times to make sure I hadn't misheard about this being his first kiss. It's like the character we meet out of the gate is the dirty, naughty, sexy twin of the inexperienced and sexually clueless guy who ends up in the starring role. And then Sawyer screws him without an ounce of prep? Not even one little finger? Barely a second of foreplay? What the actual fuck? Emma Alcott is not an inexperienced MM writer. What the hell was she thinking?
And Sawyer was pretty...yuck. Saying shit like, "If you don't want this I won't make you go through with it." Gross. Bless you, kind sir, for not raping Gavin. So very big of you. And the way he just starts making comments that indicate he clearly assumes he and Gavin are going to have sex. With zero convo about it? C’mon, you pretentious asshole. Verbal consent. It's a thing.
And don't even get me started on the insta love. Good grief.
Ok, too many words being vomited here for such a short story but I didn't vibe with this at all. Clearly. Intrigued by Colton's story so will move on.
April 28, 2021
What a sweet little novella to kick off a series! I was sad it was only about 10K words, because it really packed a punch of personality in its short run time (is that the right word for books? Not sure.)
Gavin has a single goal for the party he's attending: get into Sawyer's pants. But his nerves lead to some overindulgence, and he ends up in a laundry room too drunk to achieve his goals. Or so he thinks. Sawyer, with the help of his overzealous friends, has a similar goal for the night.
I don't want to write too much, because there's really not much to the novella, but it's funny and Gavin is plucky. Emma Alcott does a really good job giving you an idea of both his character and Sawyer's in an incredibly short amount of time. Based on the title, I can hope that Gavin does come back in the first book in the series, which is introduced here -- Gavin's friend Colton is a no-show a the party and is caught in the snow storm that gives Gavin and Sawyer the time they need to figure things out.
| I received an ARC, and this is my honest review. |
Gavin has a single goal for the party he's attending: get into Sawyer's pants. But his nerves lead to some overindulgence, and he ends up in a laundry room too drunk to achieve his goals. Or so he thinks. Sawyer, with the help of his overzealous friends, has a similar goal for the night.
I don't want to write too much, because there's really not much to the novella, but it's funny and Gavin is plucky. Emma Alcott does a really good job giving you an idea of both his character and Sawyer's in an incredibly short amount of time. Based on the title, I can hope that Gavin does come back in the first book in the series, which is introduced here -- Gavin's friend Colton is a no-show a the party and is caught in the snow storm that gives Gavin and Sawyer the time they need to figure things out.
| I received an ARC, and this is my honest review. |
April 19, 2021
Side Character is an incredibly short read but it had me laughing the whole time. Gavin is ridiculous. Sawyer was slightly less ridiculous. The Dude Bros had me rolling.
This is a short story - four chapter over the course of one night. That does not mean its not an actualized story. It is a fully contained mini novel about two boys coming together - some with the help of well meaning but idiotic friends. Which face it, himbos are loved for a reason and the dudebros? Definite himbos.
If you just want something that is going to fill you with absolute joy and leave your face hurting from smiling, this is for you. Sawyer and Gavin are cute. The himbos - sory Dude Bros - are cute. This whole thing is cute.
I'm pretty sure this book is going on my list of things to read on lunch when I'm having a bad day.
**ARC PROVIDED BY GAY ROMANCE REVIEWS IN EXCHANGE FOR FAIR REVIEW.**
This is a short story - four chapter over the course of one night. That does not mean its not an actualized story. It is a fully contained mini novel about two boys coming together - some with the help of well meaning but idiotic friends. Which face it, himbos are loved for a reason and the dudebros? Definite himbos.
If you just want something that is going to fill you with absolute joy and leave your face hurting from smiling, this is for you. Sawyer and Gavin are cute. The himbos - sory Dude Bros - are cute. This whole thing is cute.
I'm pretty sure this book is going on my list of things to read on lunch when I'm having a bad day.
**ARC PROVIDED BY GAY ROMANCE REVIEWS IN EXCHANGE FOR FAIR REVIEW.**
April 22, 2021
I knew I liked the narrator from his first sentence, and Gavin only grows in sweet, snarky charm as the story continues. You can’t help but root for a guy who learns, over the course of a new year’s party he definitely wants to be his opportunity for something more with the guy of his fantasies, that “lemon floor cleaner doesn’t taste like lemons. It tastes like sadness. Also, chemicals.” And that’s not to even bring up the “thicc ghost” blankets and a whole new perspective on laundry rooms. The humor, the charm, and the perseverance are all amazing, as is the sweetness, and hotness, of his connection with Sawyer, which turns out to be everything he wanted but nothing he expected. This is a fun read, and well worth it.
*I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
*I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 25, 2021
Gavin goes to the new years party knowing that what he wants is Sawyer. The guy he has been longing to get to know since he was a freshman and Sawyer was a senior and for almost ten years. He has decided to finally go for it. What is absolutely adorable is that he is not the only one who wanted to connect. Sawyer may not have held his crush for quite as long but he was just as nervous and hopeful that the new year would see them acquainted and together. With a little help from Sawyer's friends and Gavin's getting a little too tipsy which slowed them down and gave them a chance to talk not just act, they found their chance to connect. This is a steamy and sweet lead in to a new series. I look forward to the next story which features Gavin's friend Colton.
I received an ARC of this story from GRR for an honest review.
I received an ARC of this story from GRR for an honest review.
April 30, 2021
Story: 3.5 Stars
This prequel novella centers on a spicy New Year's Eve hookup between Gavin and his longtime secret crush Sawyer. And as it turns out, Sawyer has been harboring a secret crush of his own. I enjoyed the setup for this story, including the New Year's Eve party setting, along with how sweetly nervous Sawyer is and Gavin's sense of humor.
Given their mutual admiration from afar, I kept expecting a touch more more conversation before they fully jumped into the thick of it. And that particular scene also seemed a bit...lacking (as in prep - its absence really stands out, nearly to distraction).
All told, though, this is a quick and steamy story - all told from Gavin's POV - with some cute and funny moments. I received an advance reading e-copy of this book and have left this honest review voluntarily. (Also read in KU.)
This prequel novella centers on a spicy New Year's Eve hookup between Gavin and his longtime secret crush Sawyer. And as it turns out, Sawyer has been harboring a secret crush of his own. I enjoyed the setup for this story, including the New Year's Eve party setting, along with how sweetly nervous Sawyer is and Gavin's sense of humor.
Given their mutual admiration from afar, I kept expecting a touch more more conversation before they fully jumped into the thick of it. And that particular scene also seemed a bit...lacking (as in prep - its absence really stands out, nearly to distraction).
All told, though, this is a quick and steamy story - all told from Gavin's POV - with some cute and funny moments. I received an advance reading e-copy of this book and have left this honest review voluntarily. (Also read in KU.)
May 6, 2021
Quick and dirty, that's what I was expecting and that's what we got. What I didn't expect was the subtle cuteness or the awkwardness or the two-way pining that happened. Sawyer's friends were hilarious and I had no idea they'd even play a role, but the role they played actually made this short story much better. I have to admit, the synopsis really turned me off, but since I like this author I was willing to give it a shot and I'm actually glad I did. The set up for what's to come was the tiniest thread so I'm not sure what we'll get with Bad Boy, but if there are moments of cute like here in Side Character, I'm all in. There was a lot of depth missing as well as an actual promise of transition from crush to real, but if you only focus on the funny side characters and the awkward cuteness that was endearing, then I think you'll probably like this prequel just fine.
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