I once lived a fairly quiet existence as a math professor. Then Teagan Donahue crashed into my life like a shooting star. Now every day's a holiday, and my very best friend is also the guy I can't stop fantasizing about. The guy I'm madly in love with. The guy I'm ready to turn down my dream job for.
But the statistical probability of a man like Teagan wanting his shy, nerdy roommate as more than a friend is incredibly low, and if I have to choose between having everything else I've ever wanted and having Teagan in my life... well, I know which one I'll pick, every time.
Then one night on a crowded dance floor, I'm suddenly faced with a probability I've never let myself calculate: what if I don't have to choose at all?
NOTE: This is a 25k word novella that was first available as part of a promotional giveaway. No new content has been added.
One OTT character, several meddling characters and a major lack of communication, but it was cute and fun. Totally worked for a short story. I enjoyed it.
Pick One is book #1.5 in the Sunday Brothers series by May Archer. This is an absolutely adorable little novella that totally stole my heart. You don’t need to have read any of the other books in the series to enjoy this.
Teagan Donahue is a teaching assistant at his university where he is working to finish up his degree in English Literature while he also works as a barista. Teagan is like a beam of sunshine with his red hair and big personality. Teagan is also unlucky in love. He falls fast and tends to see possibility that isn’t really there. He sees the best in people. Which is what got him in this current predicament. Needing to move out since his now ex boyfriend cheated on him. And needing someone to help him move his couch. He is ready to admit that he needs to change things. And that’s when John enters his life. No matter how gorgeous John is, he will not fall in love with him.
John Curran is a math professor. He’s a big guy but also shy and quiet. When he happened upon the most gorgeous man he’d ever seen needing help with his couch, he instantly fell hard. But when he realized this was his new roommate and seemed to only want to be friends, he resigned himself to having Teagan in his life as his best friend only. He would keep his romantic feelings to himself. But then “that night” happened. When he thought he was really going to lose Teagan. Is there a chance that Teagan might share the same feelings? Is it even possible?
This little short story was adorable. Simply adorable. These two made my heart beat harder and gave me all the butterflies. I’ve read two books in this series and adored them both. This was the perfect addition. The next book to be released in this series will be book three, Cherry Picked, and I can’t wait.
I almost skipped this one, but I’m so glad I didn’t. This was probably one of the best novellas I’ve read in a long time. Most of the time, novellas can be too short and you want more, but not this one.
Both MC, Teagan and John, were very likeable. Teagan and his OTT ramblings and John trying to keep his feelings hidden. The nosey neighbors made me laugh.
I didn't realise that this was the other couple from the nightclub scene in Gage and Knox's book!
It was a whole load of fun finding out more about Teagan and John and discovering how they'd had an accidental meet/cute and then became best friends and roommates, all the while pining for each other.
With the usual group of meddling friends and the humour May's book's always bring, this was an absolute delight.
This one didn’t feel like a novella. It was fun, with well developed characters, and makes me want to reread some of May’s older series.
Never fear, it’s not full of cameos from other books (if you don’t count the day Teagen tells John about in the epilogue).
Honestly, it was SO adorable, watching Teagen and John FINALLY give in to the palpable attraction between them after 355 days of being roommates and best friends, I really have stars in my eyes while writing this review. Rationally it’s a 4 star read, emotionally I can’t help but give it 5 for making me sappy and gooey.
It was an audio, narrated by Michael Dean (as most books by May Archer). And boy did he get into it when they finally got INTO IT, if you know what I mean 🍆🍑 Thank God I know how to keep a straight face while listening to smut, otherwise I might have had some explaining to do 🤣
Did you find yourself wondering about the duo from the dance scene in book one and wonder what their deal was? Or were you like me and not even remember who they were? Ok so I wasn't even going to read this because I don't intend on reading more of this series. But suddenly last night, I DID remember who this pair was and I DID wonder what their deal was and it was somehow VERY urgent that I read this. My thoughts? It was cute but I found there to be an abundance of meddling and misunderstanding for such a small amount of pages. Still it made me smile. That's all I've got.
If you remember the hot dance floor scene between Gage and Knox in the first book, then you know Teagan and John. I've enjoyed each and every addition to the Sunday Brother's series and this fun novella was no exception. Teagan is completely over the top and he simply cannot fall for his new roommate because he falls for every guy too fast. Nope. They need to remain strictly in the 'friends only' zone. If only his heart and tratritious body would listen to his head. Yep. He wants his roommate and soon-to-be best friend desperately. If only John wanted him too. Or...does he? Yep, you can probably predict exactly what will happen but that didn't damper the fun in the slightest.
It took me a bit into this to remember who Teagan and John were, but once we got to the scene in the bar with Gage and Knox - our MC's from book one - it all came back to me.
John is the guy that Gage talks to in the bar when he and Knox are in the middle of their thing, and John is very much in love with his roommate Teagan, but thinks it's hopeless. Gage is gone for Knox, too, as we know, so they both dance and pretend to be into each and boyfriends to make Teagan and Knox jealous, who both show up at some point.
So in this story we get John and Teagan's story. A year earlier, they meet in the lobby of the apartment building they both live in, a meet cute way, with Teagan ranting on the phone to his friend about his recent ex-boyfriend who cheated on him, and John coming up during the rant, and the rest being history, as they say...
Or well, Teagan is one to jump into relationships quickly, without taking a minute to really get to know someone before "falling" for them, and with warnings from his friend, Fern, fresh in his mind, he takes a step back with John, even though there is an instant spark from the moment they lock eyes with each other.
When it turns out John happens to be Teagan's new roommate as well, Teagan is determined to be just friends with him and not jump blindly into a relationship.
A year later, they're both hopelessly in love with each other and think the other isn't and just wants to be friends.
After some hijinks and misunderstandings that lead to that scene in the bar, these two finally get their feelings out in the open afterward in their apartment, and come together, finally.
These two were adorable together, and they had great chemistry. They worked from their first interaction. So adorable, and a great friends to lovers story.
Definitely recommend this, it's a short, quick story but works really well, and does a good job of establishing Teagan and John's relationship and connection to each other. I definitely felt their love for each other. Two big thumbs up from me! 🥰
I mentioned in my review for book 1, I LOVE an adorable hyperactive ball of sunshine, and just like Gage, we got that again here with Teagan. After Teagan and John were introduced to us in a short and sweet dance floor scene with Gage and Knox in the first book, I'm so glad that they got their very own novella here in Pick One. I'm loving this series so far.
The audio was free on BookFunnel so I figured I’d try it. Story was just a little bit of OTT cute predicable fluff. But I was reminded why I avoid Michael Dean’s narrations like the plague. 🥴
Reading this was an exercise in masochism; I am not a masochist so I did not get any enjoyment out of it. I hated everything about this novella and I only finished it out of spite, propelled by my increasing anger.
This book felt like it was a challenge to hit as many of my most-disliked tropes as possible: massive miscommunication, making assumptions, purposeful jealous tease, looking like they're with someone else, meddling friends.
The MCs don't have a real fucking conversation until 90%. In fact they're barely even in the same place during the whole book. They meet and John is mistaken for Teagan's brother's friend, we entirely skip over them getting to know each other, their neighbour says she's worried Teagan has fallen in instalove with someone and that John has missed his shot, then John assumes Teagan is going out with that guy so leaves before he can hear his "big news", Teagan tracks him down at a club where they both dance with other people, finally they leave together but instead of talking like adults they have a circuitous argument which leads to sex - AND THEY STILL HAVE NOT TALKED. Fuck me dead. When they finally do talk, the news that both of them have that they were stressing about is a complete non-issue.
I've enjoyed May Archer's books before, I generally like her style of banter. This won't stop me from reading more of her work, but I will definitely be reading the reviews first. I could've avoided this travesty, because several reviews talk about how frustrating the miscommunication was.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This was really short , too short. I still loved it. I actually read it after Pick Me, but it was nice to revisit the scene in the bar with Gage and Knox.
So this is John and Teagan’s story. Remember them from Gage Goodman and Knox Sunday’s book. John and Teagan met them in a bar when Teagan went looking for John after a little miscommunication and misunderstanding.
John then flirted and danced with Gage and Knox did ditto with Teagan all of them Jealous. But clever Knox sorts them all out and they head home.
John and Teagan both have great news to share about their jobs, but something else needs to be sorted and understood, ASAP.
Given a choice, they have to pick one.
All of the Sunday Brothers at lovely Little Pippin Hollow get a mention here in John and Teagan’s story.
I’m still hoping that May Archer will make me happy by writing Reed’s story very soon. I’ll wait patiently. I need more of Little Pippin Hollow, Vermont.
This was such a fun glance at two characters who played a small yet significant role in Pick Me. I felt bad for John, crying in his gin & tonic while spilling his secrets to Gage about the roommate he'd been in love with for nearly a year. And Teagan was so over the top that I couldn't help but smile every time he set off on one of his dramatic diatribes. This was a super sweet, super cute story written in typical May Archer fashion, which means lots of humor and a host of nosy neighbors and meddling friends who have our MC's best interests at heart but tend to make things worse. I loved how it ended and hope to see more of Teagan and John in future Sunday Brothers books.
I'm actually glad this was as short as it was because the non-communication plot and big misunderstanding would have seriously grated on my nerves if it would have gone on any longer than it did. So, I still thought this was cute and I enjoyed John and Teagan (even if I wanted to scream at them to have a goddamn conversation, already!).
Ab enjoyable as it is quick read. You get a beginning, middle, and end, and some heat. Contemporary best friends to lovers romance, with heat, an adorable too-much MC, and a very happy ending.
Teagan is the SWEETEST and John too. I loved their meat cute and their friendship even though the miscommunication of your feelings is not a fave I loved the two of them too much to care.
PS : the award for shittiest best friend is awarded to Teagan's best friend Fern who told him to be less. She literally told him don't laugh so loud don't speak so passionately don't be so extra. I've never wanted to smack a b**** so hard in a long time.
*cautiously starts reading free story* ... Huh. Given that I could not stand the first novel of this series, I'm surprisingly into this shorter story.
Oh, here we go. At 51%, the stupid intensifies and no part of the resulting confusion appeals to my secondhand embarrassment or my anxiety. Commence: Operation Skim! Which, to be fair, I often do with this author's exhaustive detailing of characters confusion.
Ugh. Done. No more May Archer. She's better as a co-writer. Do any other romance readers tire of the just say what you feel ASAP lesson, and/or the refuse to listen to gossip and opinions as if they're facts lesson? I'm tired of it, frankly. This could have been wicked cute and fun but sunk into the tedium of assumption and gossip. A tragedy. I loved Teagan and John. But half the story is stupid.
- OTT Rambling MC - Teaching Assistant (Barista) - Math Professor - Roommates - Meddling SCs - Friends to Lovers - Miscommunication
These two have been pining for each other but never wanted to mess up their friendship, so they never went there. When the truth comes out then everything changes.
Content Warnings (may contain spoilers): - Graphic sexual content between consenting adults - Explicit language - Alcohol
Verse: No HEA: Yes POV: Dual Breakup: No Cheat: No OM/OW Drama: They go on dates with other people during their friendship Ages: Unknown
4.5 stars. This is the first story I have read by this author and I loved it! This is book 1.5 in the series but I don’t feel like I missed anything by not reading book 1 first. However, I do have that book on my kindle and will absolutely be reading it soon! I really enjoyed this authors writing!
John and Teagan’s story starts off super cute and John is the biggest lovable teddy bear! I loved him so much. This is a short story but doesn’t feel like that at all as the story fast forwards one year after chapter 1 so their love didn’t feel rushed and made sense.
From there I didn’t expect it to get so sad but my heart hurt so much for both of them. This book is full of miscommunication and if they would just talk to each other so many issues would be solved! But eventually they do and there story ends wonderfully! I loved the reasoning behind this stories name. So beautiful! I definitely recommend this novella and really look forward to reading more in this series!