Three Years

by H.L. Day

Oscar’s a genius. After three years at university, he’s back in town, convinced he’s over his unrequited love for childhood friend, Zane.

Oscar’s an idiot. It would take three decades to get over Zane, especially when the boy he once knew has, cough, matured nicely.

And now Zane’s there. Everywhere. Inviting Oscar to parties and acting like they were never apart. How is a man—genius or otherwise—meant to keep his feelings under wraps? Oscar never was very smart when it comes to love, or any good at playing it cool.

A 24k standalone friends to lover’s story about two men who really need their heads banging together. Or maybe their lips.

Genres: M M Romance, Friends To Lovers, Romance, Novella, LGBT, Contemporary, Slow Burn

89 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 2022

About the author

H.L Day is a teacher and a writer. She enjoys writing far too many different sub genres to stick to one thing so writes everything from rom-coms to post-apocalyptic sci-fi. It's just the way her brain works. H.L Day lives in the UK with her elderly black cat that she accidentally stole from her next door neighbour.

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Reviews

[Snjez · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

This story has one of my favourite tropes, but the execution didn't work so well for me and I didn't connect to the characters.

Oscar has been in love with his best friend for seven years, they spend three years apart because Oscar left for uni and also tried his best to avoid Zane to get over him.

Now that he's back, they still don't communicate and they both act weird around each other. It literally takes a friend to push them to finally talk to each other. And one conversation is enough for them to realize that they feel the same and jump straight into bed. That's the story, more or less.

Also one thing that bothered me was that whenever Oscar was thinking about Zane, the emphasis was too much on Zane's physical appearance. I get that he has impressive physique, but that's surely not the only reason Oscar is in love with him.

[Trio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredibly sweet friends to lovers romance. H.L. Day does an amazing job building the tension in this one. The diary entries are a really nice touch, and adds a lot to the depth of the relationship between the MCs.

Of course you just want to smack these two and tell them to "talk talk talk" to each other. And kudos to their friends for keeping their secrets.

A very satisfying ending is had by all!

[Ky · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the beginning of this story more than the second half.
The chapters before they talked about their feelings and figured things out were more interesting to me. After that though it became too sweet.

[Airy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the big blowout this book has on top of the story, where all the hidden feelings are shown.

[Smut Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read with plenty of tension.

[DB Kimmers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three Years is everything I could want in a love story. A backstory with two besties, hidden longing, and ultimately… shared secrets that lead to a satisfying ending. H.L. day delivers it all in this short romance.

Each chapter starts with an excerpt from young Oscar’s diary, highlighting his thoughts and concerns about his sexuality, as well as his tangled feelings for his best friend, Zane. I found I really loved this format as it puts you in Oscar’s headspace, and when it cuts to the present day, you can understand his dilemma. Additionally, it doesn’t make you feel as if you are hopping back and forth between past and present.

From private thoughts to young adult texts, we get Oscar’s jaded point of view of his relationship with and crush on Zane. Including a “Three Year” stint where he skipped away to college to quinch his desire. Only, upon returning from his self-imposed absence, he’s discovering his desire has never died.

What’s more, both men seem oblivious to what is right in front of their eyes. And as they continue to dance around one another, hiding their obvious attraction, they threaten to not only risk a chance at love, but the bind that ties them together to start with.

Thank goodness for discrete but demanding nudges from true friends to help guide the way. The raw and honest emotions when truths are reveled take you back to those insecurities of first love and make your heart beat for that innocence; even down to the nerves of that first kiss… the one you long for but can never experience again. That first time… and the mix of feelings surrounding it when it finally happens.

If I could want for anything from this charming best friends to lovers romance it would be to get inside Zane’s headspace… even though his words are perfectly clear on the pages of Three Years.

[the kevin (vaguely alive) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Even though I wanted to smack their heads together, this was an enjoyable and cute read. The beginning and journal snippets made for an easy and well done way to build up Zane and Oscar's early relationship without bogging down the rest of the book.

Once they finally managed to stop being blockheads and talk, it was emotional and adorable and hot. Well balanced on all counts.

“I am as cool as the proverbial cucumber, if the cucumber in question was the most cowardly of all cucumbers.”

[Kel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not really three years but SEVEN years of not communicating. Oscar is not that likable a character.

[Caz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute friends-to-lovers story.

[Jaqueline]

DNF

Even though the story is short, my patience for miscommunication and avoiding people is even shorter.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

We all know what effect raging hormones and secret crushes do to us when we're teenagers. Having to navigate all those mixed up feelings and emotions; not feeling good enough, being tongue-tied and terrified at the same time - and that's just Oscar!

This book is about missed opportunities, unrequited love and regret...

Loved Oscar's POV via his youthful diary entries, which made it plain to all his feelings for Zane. It would have been nice to have been privy to Zane's inner thoughts and feelings on how he saw things.

There were times when I wanted to give both MCs a much needed slap upside the head to knock some sense into them. But once they finally started talking and their respective, pent up feelings took over, well...😈😈

There's a lot of humour in this book and I found myself smiling a lot during its reading; especially with Zane's formidable grandma as I've met one of two of those women myself.

[Nara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Esta historia podría haber sido perfecta, pero hubo DEMASIADO drama innecesario y simplemente no pude conectar con los personajes. No obstante, estoy segura que esta historia podría funcionar para otra persona, pero tristemente para mi no funcionó del todo pese a tener uno de mis tropos favoritos -ˏˋ♥̩͙

˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚ Oscar ha estado enamorado de su mejor amigo durante SIETE AÑOS, pero han pasado tres años separados debido a que Oscar se fue a la Universidad en otra ciudad... solo para alejarse de Zane y tratar de superarlo. Ahora, Oscar ha regresado, pero ambos no se comunican y todo es demasiado extraño entre ellos y LITERALMENTE tuvo que aparecer un amigo que los obligo a que conversaran y que se dijesen que se amaban porque ellos no eran capaces de hablar. Y, eso, el que no pudiesen hablar fue tan FRUSTRANTE me enojaba tanto. Solo quería que hablaran y se dijeran algo porque el que no hablaran me agotaba.

[wordsandblankspaces · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was a cute little read about two oblivious guys who can't communicate even though they are best friends and know each other so well. While I did enjoy the story, I didn't really get their 15 year old logic when we get the flashbacks. Like Zane said he only kissed the other boy so he could be at it when he kissed Oscar. Meanwhile Oscar was just as inexperienced so why not just kiss the boy you really wanted to and get your practice that way. It was basically cheating to me (like here's the love of my life but instead I'm going to hook up with everyone else). Also the fact that 15yo Oscar just got over that without telling Zane he saw the kiss and how he feels about Zane blows my mind.

[Ken Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three years away, but it could have been titled Seven Years, as that is how long Oscar has been pining for Zane, who was in a similar state. Day writes with the voice of Oscar, dipping back to begin chapters with words from the past. The supporting characters are well aware that the friends-to-lovers trope is on full throttle, finally pushing them into actually talking. Humor rolls through the novel, leaving chuckles and smiles in its wake.
BTW, Leeds doesn't have a cathedral, its principal Anglican church is the Minster.

[Annemarie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story shows what can happen when you don't see what's right in front of you. Zane and Oscar had been friends for years. Both gay and in love with each other, but neither saying anything. Friends knew, family knew. Now 3 years later, Oscar comes back home and feelings have only gotten stronger. Good ending.

[Soda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Told from Oscars point of view, this is the tale of two friends who are both completely dense when it comes to their feelings for one another.

I didn’t take to Oscar, even though it’s a short story I think I’d have liked some of Zane’s POV, I think the story would have benefited.

[Sabrina Morissette · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded. I really like the author’s writing, but for a novella it took long enough for the MCs to figure things out. That’s kind of exhausting to be honest, thus the rating.

Novella available through the « Your Book Boyfriend’s Boyfriend » giveaway on Prolific Works.

[Maureen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another short story, kind of similar to the previous one I finished, two young men, friends forever until something splits them apart. Part sweet, part sad, part angsty, but along the way also funny, an enjoyable but quick read.

[Shawna (endemictoearth) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the framing of the diary entries. Some of the tropes that bugged me in the Riley Hart freeb were more endearing here (doesn't hurt that it's very British.) Both MCs were real dum dums, so at least they were as bad as each other, lol.

[Louise Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was super sweet and I know the miscommunication coulda been solved quicker but it is a novella after all and the MCs were between the ages of 15 and 22 throughout so I felt the time and angst was justified for the HEA they got. A really enjoyable read.

[DC · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was very cute. Complete oblviousness in a 20-something is not as uncommon as one would think (says the voice of experience). But, like Oscar and Zane, most of us do figure it out eventually.

[Melobook · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Woodatsi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a sweet, quick read. My first one of this author and certainly not my last.

[Suzy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 star
This was so cute and adorable. I'd have loved a little POV from Zane but I'm not the author so I will not complain. Adorbs ❤

[Zane Kage · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 stars

[Macky · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️2.5/3⭐️

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three years away, but seven years of miscommunication. Impressive, honestly, lol.

[Michelle Labelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really sweet! NA age range, implied HEA. Yes, the MCs are clueless, but they're 22. They're ALL clueless 😂

[GlamLawyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet friends to lovers story based of failed communication.

[Heather]

Sweet and predictable