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It's Complicated #1
Strings Attached
He was supposed to be unattainable—but the circumstances have changed…
If there is anything April understands, it’s that it is only safe to foster feelings for people she can’t have. By focusing her romantic attention on unattainable people, she will never risk getting hurt by opening herself up to true love.
This has worked perfectly for years. While her married best friends Gavin and Jillian have been in a relationship since high school, April has satisfied herself with adoring them both secretly—and making sure never to rock their happy boat.
But when a persistent customer won’t stop making advances on April at work, she finds herself in a conundrum. If she tells him firmly that she isn’t interested in spending time with him, then she risks losing her job by angering a harmless customer. Alternatively, if she gives him an inch so he’ll leave her alone for the rest of her shift, then he takes a mile.
When Gavin and Jillian offer for Gavin to serve as April’s fake boyfriend for a day, the decision seems like an easy one. The customer will see she’s already been claimed by someone, and he’ll abandon his pursuit from then on.
But what should be a simple plan instead forces secrets to come to light that April never anticipated—and they’re going to change everything.
Strings Attached is a 20,000-word bisexual contemporary romance novella. It features an M/F main pairing in the context of an M/F1 and M/F2 polyamorous vee.
This book is intended only for adult audiences. Content warnings may be found in the book's front matter or on the author's website.
If there is anything April understands, it’s that it is only safe to foster feelings for people she can’t have. By focusing her romantic attention on unattainable people, she will never risk getting hurt by opening herself up to true love.
This has worked perfectly for years. While her married best friends Gavin and Jillian have been in a relationship since high school, April has satisfied herself with adoring them both secretly—and making sure never to rock their happy boat.
But when a persistent customer won’t stop making advances on April at work, she finds herself in a conundrum. If she tells him firmly that she isn’t interested in spending time with him, then she risks losing her job by angering a harmless customer. Alternatively, if she gives him an inch so he’ll leave her alone for the rest of her shift, then he takes a mile.
When Gavin and Jillian offer for Gavin to serve as April’s fake boyfriend for a day, the decision seems like an easy one. The customer will see she’s already been claimed by someone, and he’ll abandon his pursuit from then on.
But what should be a simple plan instead forces secrets to come to light that April never anticipated—and they’re going to change everything.
Strings Attached is a 20,000-word bisexual contemporary romance novella. It features an M/F main pairing in the context of an M/F1 and M/F2 polyamorous vee.
This book is intended only for adult audiences. Content warnings may be found in the book's front matter or on the author's website.
86 pages, ebook
First published January 28, 2022
About the author
Suzanne Clay
12 books60 followersSuzanne Clay (she/he/they) is an asexual enby with a great love for writing erotic romance, and enjoys spending her time confusing people with that fact. They live with her wife and two cats, and, when not writing, Suzanne enjoys reading, playing video games poorly, and refusing to interact outdoors with other human beings.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
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October 13, 2022What a little gem. This caught my attention immediately. It has vivid characters, three adults who’ve been best friends since high school, two of whom are married and a third, our protagonist, who is secretly pining for both of them. It also has one of the more realistic premises for “fake boyfriend” that I’ve encountered (the protagonist is a barista and one of her male customers won’t stop asking her out, he’s ignoring her refusals and her manager is ignoring the problem, but he might respect another man). I loved it so much that I immediately went looking for the sequel, gleefully anticipating the two women in this polyamorous vee getting together, but to my sorrow it’s not yet published. I’ll be there when it is.
September 28, 2022
Friends to polyamorous lovers! This was such a treat of a novella. I really felt for April pining all those years. The way things evolved between April and Gavin was utterly compelling. I got such a kick out of Jillian’s advice and that she was part of setting things in motion. I would love to get a story about Jillian and her boyfriend next and then maybe all four together.
Characters: April is a 25 year old bisexual white barista. Gavin is a 25 year old bisexual white medical technician. (There’s mention of him stimming so he might be autistic.) His wife Jillian is a 25 year old advertising exec. They’ve had an open marriage for 3 years. April and Gavin have been best friends for 20 years and Jillian is her best friend as well.
Content notes: workplace sexual harassment, on page sex, masturbation, alcohol, gendered pejoratives, cissexist language, mention of body dysmorphia (MMC), reference to past death of grandparent
Characters: April is a 25 year old bisexual white barista. Gavin is a 25 year old bisexual white medical technician. (There’s mention of him stimming so he might be autistic.) His wife Jillian is a 25 year old advertising exec. They’ve had an open marriage for 3 years. April and Gavin have been best friends for 20 years and Jillian is her best friend as well.
Content notes: workplace sexual harassment, on page sex, masturbation, alcohol, gendered pejoratives, cissexist language, mention of body dysmorphia (MMC), reference to past death of grandparent
January 12, 2022
This novella is a perfect little bisexual polyamory romance. April, who is in love with her two best friends, who also happened to be married to each other, has been dealing with a customer at work who will not take the hint. Her good customer service is only that, not an indication of interest or an invitation for more. He hasn't been violent so far, but with this kind of creep, a person has to be extremely careful.
When Gavin volunteers to be her fake boyfriend to scare the other man away, it kicks off a chain of events that changes how he and April interact with each other. After surprises and misunderstandings, it turns out that he and his wife are in an open marriage with consensual non-monogamy. Gavin and April are free to pursue their mutual feelings for each other.
While this is short, even for a novella, it packs a punch. Clay's writing as usual appears effortless. One could believe she starts writing, and it comes out perfect the first time. Clay always manages to deliver what her blurbs and summaries say, but they never come out exactly how I think they will. For me, that's a pleasant surprise.
Three things that Clay addresses in the text that particularly touched me were:
1. We are not mind-readers. We can't know what other people are thinking, even our closest loved ones. We much communicate. You will never find a romance from Clay where the conflict comes from the fact that the characters are too immature to actually talk to each other.
2. Jealousy is not an emotion. It's a good bit to remember in any situation. The characters examine jealousy, and how often it masks fear and other emotions. We have to examine ourselves and get to the bottom of it all. While I don't think this story was Clay trying to teach a lesson exactly, it was a good nugget that I plan on using in the rest of my life.
3. The characters are so perfectly, casually bisexual. April desires both her best friends. She's indicated having girlfriends from the soccer team before. Gavin mentions in a round-about way being attracted to his wife's boyfriend. They just are bi and make no apologies or unnecessary explanations for it.
The author promises to expand this so we will get stories featuring Jillian and Elias, and more combinations of all 4 characters. I look forward to that. In short: Highly recommended title that can be read quickly.
Note: I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
When Gavin volunteers to be her fake boyfriend to scare the other man away, it kicks off a chain of events that changes how he and April interact with each other. After surprises and misunderstandings, it turns out that he and his wife are in an open marriage with consensual non-monogamy. Gavin and April are free to pursue their mutual feelings for each other.
While this is short, even for a novella, it packs a punch. Clay's writing as usual appears effortless. One could believe she starts writing, and it comes out perfect the first time. Clay always manages to deliver what her blurbs and summaries say, but they never come out exactly how I think they will. For me, that's a pleasant surprise.
Three things that Clay addresses in the text that particularly touched me were:
1. We are not mind-readers. We can't know what other people are thinking, even our closest loved ones. We much communicate. You will never find a romance from Clay where the conflict comes from the fact that the characters are too immature to actually talk to each other.
2. Jealousy is not an emotion. It's a good bit to remember in any situation. The characters examine jealousy, and how often it masks fear and other emotions. We have to examine ourselves and get to the bottom of it all. While I don't think this story was Clay trying to teach a lesson exactly, it was a good nugget that I plan on using in the rest of my life.
3. The characters are so perfectly, casually bisexual. April desires both her best friends. She's indicated having girlfriends from the soccer team before. Gavin mentions in a round-about way being attracted to his wife's boyfriend. They just are bi and make no apologies or unnecessary explanations for it.
The author promises to expand this so we will get stories featuring Jillian and Elias, and more combinations of all 4 characters. I look forward to that. In short: Highly recommended title that can be read quickly.
Note: I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 8, 2022
This book is, unfortunately, too short. A wild ride that left me breathless! Very well-written and will have you holding your breath. Maybe don’t read when you’re around other people if you blush like I do haha :)
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 14, 2022
I felt it ended all too suddenly, just as it got somewhere. There wasn't the full emotional exploration of the potential relationships.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 6, 2022
top notch pining.
She has been pining for 2 BFFs who are married, then he suggests fake dating and it snowballs from there. It's short, just 20k words, but done really well with characters I believe. can't wait to read the next.
She has been pining for 2 BFFs who are married, then he suggests fake dating and it snowballs from there. It's short, just 20k words, but done really well with characters I believe. can't wait to read the next.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews