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South Rock High #3

Romance Languages

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Can my straight friend help me cash in my v-card by my birthday?

In one month, I turn thirty-five with my virginity still intact. Is there anything more embarrassing than knowing most of my French students have gotten more action than me? Je suis triste

When I accidentally reveal this secret to my close friend and co-worker Seamus, South Rock’s baseball coach, he offers to help me round the bases.

It has to be a joke, because Seamus is one million percent straight.

There’s no way he’d want to fool around with a chubby language nerd like me, even though I’ve harbored a secret crush on him since the day he first walked into the teachers lounge.

But then I realize he’s not joking.

I’m either entering thirty-five with a bang…or a friendship going up in flames.

Romance Languages is a virgin, nerd/jock, friends to lovers romance filled with humor and heart. It's the third book in the South Rock High but can be read as a standalone.

280 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 26, 2023

295 people are currently reading
940 people want to read

About the author

A.J. Truman

33 books1,039 followers
Welcome! I’m a gay male author who writes MM romance filled with humor, heart, and hot guys. My characters fall into bed and fall in love, usually in that order. Think LOL meets DTF.

I live in central Indiana, surrounded by churches and Olive Gardens, with my husband, kids, and cats. When I’m not writing, I’m chasing around a toddler or sneaking off to a movie.

Make sure to sign up for my newsletter The Outsiders to get the latest updates on my books and to start reading free stories.

http://www.ajtruman.com/outsiders/

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 362 reviews
Profile Image for Imme [trying to crawl out of hiatus] van Gorp.
792 reviews1,934 followers
did-not-finish
August 10, 2025
DNF @25%

BORING! Seriously, I am completely bored out of my mind reading this.
The MCs have absolutely zero chemistry together and their entire relationship just feels awkward and empty to me. There is also no tension between these two, and the build-up to them going into their whole “sex arrangement” is practically non-existent. I can already tell this entire book will have no depth whatsoever.
Oh and last but not least, the non-stop fat-shaming that Julian is subjected to is making me more than a little sick to my stomach.


'South Rock High' series:
1. Ancient History - dnf
2. Drama! - 4.0 stars
3. Romance Languages - dnf
Profile Image for Rain.
2,580 reviews21 followers
February 20, 2024
This story wasn’t perfect (premise was questionable) but I loved these characters.

Gay romance
Two high school teachers
Bi-curious
Crush on a friend
Sexual firsts together
Smokin HOT
Humor/banter/dirty talk
Plus size hero with body insecurity
Virgin hero
Horribly judgmental mother

Julian is going to be turning 35, and he is frustrated that he is still a virgin. He teaches French, and is covering the human sexuality course this semester. (This was hilarious, and the added discussions he has with the teenagers in class is done really well). Julian has tried dating apps, but often gets rejected because of his larger size. He’s extremely insecure about his body, often rushing from the shower, directly into clothes without looking at himself.

Seamus has only dated women, but has always been curious about his attraction to the male form. He teaches Spanish and is also the baseball coach for the high school. He is very fit, but has deep shame from being a former gambling addict.

These two just worked. Seamus is so lovingly careful with Julian’s insecurities.

“Nervous?” he asked.
“A little.”
“Me, too.” He squeezed my thighs in solidarity. “At least we can be nervous together.”


I wish the author had left out the break up near the end, it didn’t fit the overall flow of the story. However, the underlying message is beautiful and seeing Julian recognize his own worth was excellent.

I love this group of friends, their banter via text is perfect.

Iggy Toma he hits a home run with his voice acting!
Profile Image for ~Nicole~.
851 reviews403 followers
Read
April 26, 2023
Dnf 30%. What I thought it might be the best book in the series - based on the tropes (virgin, plus size representation, sexuality discovery, gambling addiction recovery ) turned out to be the most boring of all AJ Truman’s books. Also, there was one thing you could always count on in this author’s books even when everything else failed and that was the humor. Well, I’m sad to say that there is no humor here, the jokes were forced , OTT and so NOT funny. Actually, the funniest thing by 30% was Chase’s tungsten joke, go figure.
As for the plot I don’t know how I’m supposed to suspend THAT much disbelief and buy the fact that a straight guy offers to help a gay guy with his virginity. And NOT by being his wing man, nooo, by fucking him (and probably he’s even good at it )Omg, that is so absurd I can’t even.. And then here comes Julian quoting “Pretty woman” by adding a “No kiss” rule. I dare you not to roll your eyes!
Well, I won’t go on because this is too silly even for the most passionate rom-com lover..What a let dow, I’m so bummed.
Profile Image for Kati *☆・゚.
1,286 reviews683 followers
April 16, 2023
4.5**** stars


I haven’t thought I would but I loved this one so much as well. Guys really, I enjoy the hell out of this series!! It’s swoony, heartfelt, with great characters and so much fun to read.

So… first we have Julian. He’s a member of the nerdy gay group of teachers who found the bestest of friends in each other. Julian is a 35-year old virgin. Literally. He doesn’t even own a toy to play with. When he has to jump in for a colleague to teach health class (he normally teaches French) he’s fucked. Because (of course!) the next topic on the curriculum is sex-ed and he probably has even less experience than most of his students in class. It’s hilarious.

And also, Julian has a big crush on his fellow teacher, Seamus.

“I just realized my birthday is in one month. It’s a big one.”
“Nice! I’m definitely getting you a gift. Anything in particular you want?”

You. On top of me. Thrusting. Kissing. Confessing your love.



Seamus is straight, the baseball coach at South Rock High and, like Julian, he teaches a romance language —Spanish. And they became good friends over time working together. In a drunken confession Julian gives up on his most guarded secret of never having been intimate with anyone. So Seamus, despite being straight but having some kind of bicurious itch to scratch, he offers to help his friend out —cashing in his V-card before his upcoming birthday and go with him through all the bases.

And God, these two compliment each other so so well and have such great chemistry. I loved how into it Seamus was from the beginning and that he went all protective about Julian, when he himself bitched about his big fat body, and told him how sexy he was. And together they experience all the first-times of being sexually intimate with a man. If that isn’t kind of romantic in itself. But of course, it is all casual, you know, helping out a friend and all that. *scoff And it was hot, I loved it.

“Nervous?” he asked.
“A little.”
“Me, too.” He squeezed my thighs in solidarity. “At least we can be nervous together.”


I highly recommend this series for a fun, light, swoony read. ♡

I’m very excited for the last instalment. Chase’s story, and an MMM at that, is going to be just as awesome. I loved the little sneak peak we got in this book. *whoop whoop


***********
South Rock High Series:

Book 1 - Ancient History - 4.25 stars
Book 2 - Drama! - 4.25 stars
Book 3 - Romance Languages - 4.5 stars
Book 4 - Advanced Chemistry - release 12/23
Profile Image for Jamie.
789 reviews124 followers
July 10, 2023
Really liked this, another great book in the series. I always love the group texts and talking at the school in their code language 😂 Overall really good, and I saw Ethan & Greg have a book so I'm excited to check that one out.
Profile Image for BookSafety Reviews.
687 reviews1,040 followers
January 19, 2024
Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.

Sorry in advance, I had a shocking amount of highlights for this book. Couldn’t pick only a couple.

“It kills you that I’m happy. How dare I be fat and walk down the street with a smile on my face. How dare an athletic guy find me sexy. How dare he want to be my boyfriend. […]”

This book is a lot of fun, well written, hot, and also touches on some really difficult topics. I thought it was done very well. I read this one a while back, but decided to listen to the audiobook as well (I love Iggy Toma). Some of this book hit me really hard, and the themes of fatphobia/shaming can be triggering as hell. It is beautifully written though, and I love how Julian’s issues with body image doesn’t magically dissappear just because he’s getting laid or someone is showing interest in him. It’s a slow and difficult road to realizing he is worthy of being loved, both by himself and others.

I couldn’t admit that I’d needed to drink alcohol to calm my nerves last night, because agreeing to lose your virginity to someone you were secretly in love with was a very nerve-racking proposition.

Definitely a book I recommend if you’re comfortable with the topics. And while it is a book containing serious topics and emotional moments, it’s also just a delightfully entertaining rom-com.

“Here’s what we’re going to do tonight. We’re going to turn off the lights and undress in the dark. We’ll be naked together, but I won’t be able to see you. Only touch you. Taste you.” […] “The candle will be on the nightstand. If you get to a point where you feel comfortable, light it.”

⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️

⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Friends to lovers
Coworkers
Older virgin MC
Bisexual awakening
Fake dating
Sexual exploration
Themes of addiction (gambling)
Dirty talk

⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Fatshaming
Gambling addict MC (no relapse)
Financial issues
Internalized fatphobia
Fatshaming parent
Themes of weight, food and body image issues
Explicit sexual content
Vomiting

⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
OM/OW drama: No
Breakup: Sort of, yes.
POV: 1st person, dual POV
Genre: Contemporary romance, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
MC age: 30 and 34
Pages: 298

Truth was, there was something lost puppyish about Seamus even now. He was kind and loyal, without a mean bone in his body. Even if he wasn’t fit, even if his eyes weren’t impossibly blue, I’d still be hopelessly attracted to him.

“J, you do so much pining for this guy you could repopulate a forest,” Everett said.

You passed out in the bathroom. I was talking about your puking. I’ve never seen someone throw up that much, and I lived in a frathouse for two years.” Change of plans: run away screaming. “I thought your stomach was going to get ripped out of your mouth. I’m glad you’re still alive.”

I’d made a straight man moan. My face deserved to be carved onto Gay Mount Rushmore.

“Fuck yes. Dry fuck me, Seamus.” We laughed at the command. We really did sound like awkward teenagers. I wouldn’t be surprised if one of our parents walked in on us. “You like getting dry fucked? Are you a frottage slut?” I threw my head back, moaning and laughing. “Are you the star of Jim Henson’s new show Frottage Rock?” “That’s too far. You’re ruining my childhood,” I said.

Even when he had a painful dick up his ass, Julian still knew how to be eloquent and produce a beautiful metaphor. Respect.


You can find most of my reviews on Instagram as well: https://www.instagram.com/booksafety?...
Profile Image for Cat the bookworm (semi hiatus ish).
920 reviews178 followers
May 19, 2023
Sadly, it didn't live up to my expectations - but it's still mostly entertaining.

I LOVED the previous book, and I've been looking forward to this one, because I've only rarely (if ever) read a book where the MCs are not ripped, lanky, or bears. Julian/Jules, the French teacher at South Rock, is neither: he's healthy, but not muscular, and not big enough to be considered a bear. That, combined with his insecurity and shyness, is the main reason why he's still a virgin at almost 35. Not only that, but he lied about that to his close-knit circle of friends.

And there's Seamus. The (straight) Spanish teacher, who has a BlingBling (aka TikTok) channel, and whom Julian has a crush on. Seamus and Julian are friends, and after another of Julian's dates went wrong, they get drunk together and Julian confesses his predicament to Seamus. Who, good friend that he is, offers himself up as a tribute to tick off all the "sex boxes" on Julian's list before he turns 35.

The premise is SO good, I expected to devour it. Sadly, I kept stumbling over things that annoyed me so often, that I started skimming heavily at some point.

What I loved: Julian is clearly uncomfortable in his own body, and I LOVED how he began seeing himself through Seamus' eyes, and how that newfound confidence was visible to everyone. I wanted to cheer him on and shout "atta boy", because, yes, that's how you should feel, even if you're NOT matching one of the "accepted" body types.

And I loved how Seamus saw Julian, and how he tried giving him that confidence, even before he realised he's in love with him.

Oh and Julian's grandmother. I want to be her when I'm old.

What annoyed me: both Seamus and Julian kept switching from talking "adult" to "immature frat bro" to "dirty sex whisperer" so often it gave me whiplash. It felt... weird. Inconsistent.

Oh and the habit of throwing in bracketed thoughts? Dear author. Not a good idea.


"Ella shuddered, making me wonder how much experience she had with the sex haze. (No judgment!)"



Another annoying thing: Julian's mother, who's played a vital part in Julian's insecurities, because she nagged at him for all his adult life to get thinner, and to start a diet. Then, out of the blue, when Julian FINALLY stands up to her, she's all meek and apologises, and all is well.

Never. Ever. Would a woman who's been so shallow and vain for ALL of her life do an 180 like that in the course of 24 hours.

So yeah, while I'm happy about the "bigger body" representation here, I'm very disappointed in the execution. I'm really hoping I'll love Chase's book more...
Profile Image for martina (the life of a chaotic reader).
786 reviews427 followers
April 26, 2023
kind of a disappointment.
not completely bad, but some things were so awkward and embarrassing for me to read. and i’m not talking about second hand embarrassment (even though it happened), just embarrassing for me to read in my free time.

why on earth should a straight guy offer to have sex with a man? the answer is “to help out a friend”, idk man, i get it, it’s a book, but let’s try to make it a little believable. also it was so weird, it came out of nowhere, like why? that’s my main question.
seamus enjoys sex with a man and doesn’t realize he’s not straight until the last part of the book. again, why? i get it, he has bigger things going on, but please use two brain cells.

another uncomfortable thing were the sex scenes. idk if it’s me, but i feel like contemporary authors are trying to spice things up but here that dirty talk stood out like a sore thumb.

it pains me to give this two stars, because i loved the premise and the characters were good, but there were too many things that i didn’t like and i just can’t give this more.
Profile Image for Jessica.
505 reviews
January 26, 2025
While I didn't love this one as much as the previous book in the series, this was another great addition to the South Rock High series. Seamus and Julian were super cute together. I mean, who doesn't love a 34 year old virgin getting drunk and confessing to his straight friend that he wants to lose his v-card before his 35th birthday, and then the straight friend being like "Hey man, I'll do you a solid and fix that for you." 🤣

It was hard not to love Seamus and the way he took care of Julian in all the ways he needed. He was kind, patient, and understanding about all of Julian's hangups. It was sweet the way he helped Julian reach a point of love and appreciation for his body. The scene with the candle had me all kinds of swoony 🥰

This installment was a bit heavier than the previous books in the series, but I wouldn't consider it particularly angsty. Overall, it was a cute, sweet friends to lovers romance. I will say that I didn't really care for

I didn't love the audio for this one as much as the last one, but it was still okay. I do like Iggy Toma because there's just something really soothing about his voice, but bless him, the man cannot stick with an accent. I've noticed this about him before, but it was really obvious here. Seamus is supposed to have a heavy Staten Island accent, and he did at times when Iggy Toma remembered to use one 💀💀💀 For real, he would just be going along and then all of a sudden remember and say something really apparent and then go back to not even trying. In the end, I just had to laugh about it 😂 I know I've mentioned it in other reviews, but narrating spicy scenes is NOT Iggy Toma's strong point. Sometimes he's okay, but here I found myself cringing so much 🙈 I'd almost rather he not try at all than to do whatever he did in this book. It was not good 🫠

I hope Iggy Toma never reads this because I really didn't mean to drag him, but it kind of ended up that way and I'm so sorry 😭
Profile Image for Marie-Pierre.
217 reviews18 followers
April 15, 2023
I was given an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Romance Languages is book 3 of the South Rock High series by AJ Truman.

Guys, I got really emotional with this one. It literally shook my core. I connected with Julian and Seamus on a deep level. Every little details of their lives somehow related to something I have lived personally or something a loved one close has experienced. I'm crying.

The very start of this book had me all in knots, reading about Julian being fat shamed on dating apps... been there my man, been there. I was reading about his failed date and just feeling so frustrated about the whole situation. I really felt for Julian and wanted to hold him tight. Thank god Seamus stepped up and offered all his wonderful support. Seamus's story and his baggage hit close to home as well. I've seen how addictions can leave people struggling and break relationships. Reading about Seamus made me super proud of how amazing he was at taking charge of his issues. I loved both these men so much.

The relationship between Julian and Seamus was just so pure and I loved how much trust they both were able to put in the other. I loved how Seamus just went right ahead, no questioning, and helped his good friend. It was beautiful sight. I adored seeing Julian gain confidence and not take any more sh*t from anyone about his weight. What a great role model for anyone struggling with body image issues.

AJ Truman writes low angst, funny and emotional books. Romance Languages is all that, and then some. I mean, how awesome was Grandma Judy? Having Raleigh being Raleigh also brought a huge smile on my face.

Another great addition to this series.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Profile Image for Christina .
269 reviews26 followers
April 27, 2023
Had high hopes for this one, but a lot of little things irked me, definitely not the best in the series. But still love all the characters and cant wait for the next one!
Profile Image for Elley Murray.
1,329 reviews142 followers
April 28, 2023
Rating: 3.5 stars

I really liked Julian as a side character in the earlier books in the series, so I was excited to finally read his book! Trigger warning for ALLLLL of the fatphobia, especially from Julian's (horrible) mom and lots of internalized fatphobia as well. If that's a trigger for you, probably skip this one. TW for addiction/gambling addiction.

Julian and Seamus are across-the-hall neighbors at their school; Julian teaches French and Seamus teaches Spanish. When it comes out that Julian is a virgin and hoping to lose his virginity by his 36th birthday (which is coming up quickly!), Seamus offers to help him "round the bases" and punch his V-card. There are a LOT of review that seem to have a lot of beef with this being a totally unrealistic response from a straight man - I'd like to point out that Seamus justifies his actions as not only wanting to help his friend, but that he's bi-curious. He admits SEVERAL TIMES he is bi-curious, so the people saying things like "he doesn't realize he's not straight until the end" are just... off base. More than his sexuality, Seamus' hesitance to get into a relationship stems from shame and self-worth issues around his gambling addiction and debt. Add in Julias' own shame around his weight and body, and there's such an interesting dynamic between these two. They can each see the other's faults and flaws and love them and how it makes the other a real person; but at the same time they view their own flaws as unlovable. I just wanna hug them both so big!


This is the third book in the South Rock High series, and can be read as a standalone. The couples from the previous books (who are Julian's friends and fellow teachers) do show up heavily as side characters in this one with some minor spoilers for the earlier books.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are unbiased and my own.

Like this review?
Check out more of my reviews on my blog, Elley the Book Otter
Profile Image for Lori.
411 reviews23 followers
April 30, 2023
I love this group of friends/found nerd family, and each of them finding their person. I really enjoyed Julian and Seamus' story. This book as the rest of the series is hot and funny with some emotional baggage to sort out. They were both damaged on the inside in different ways and loved seeing them navigate the path to their HEA. Also loved the setup for the next book, Chase with two former students sounds so hot! Loved this and looking forward to the next book!
Profile Image for Mir.
1,114 reviews63 followers
August 7, 2023
Fantastic premise but the MCs had no chemistry, the dirty talk was so uncomfortably out of place, and it stumbled in places where either too much was happening or not enough. Very cute overall though. The relationship between the mains and the side characters are one of the best things about this series and even though a side character kinda outed one of the mains here, the relationships were still great.

Jules’ mom though…that whole plot line should’ve ended differently. Mean girls don’t just change like that.
Profile Image for Monica.
553 reviews32 followers
April 20, 2023
I'm in love with this book! I've enjoyed it so much and it's been a wonderful read. A.J. Truman's books are always funny, but the beginning of this one made me cry with laughter.
Julian is a French teacher, he's 35 and a virgin. He has a huge crush on Seamus, his co-worker, also a language teacher of Spanish. Seamus is straight so Julian, of course, hasn't acted on his feelings. They are good friends and get along so well and one night Seamus finds out about Julian's virginity and decides to help him with it.
This book is everything a romance novel should be. There are so many funny situations that make the story very entertaining and act as a balance for the more intense bits. The intimate moments between the MCs are sweet and beautiful, both learning about gay sex at the same time. There is such a strong bond, understanding and an already set friendship between them, which makes everything easier.
There are so many good things in this book. The body positivity is wonderful and the way Julian's physical appearance is pictured, how he feels about himself and the way Seamus sees him are completely different. Also, the author shows so accurately the importance that society gives to someone's look and as Seamus himself says: he might be thinner outside but he is a mess inside, because nobody is perfect. Also, the group of queer friends are just their usual funny selves and even the Principal made me laugh.
This story is beautiful and very emotional, it addresses important issues such as physical stereotypes, addictions and family acceptance. A great book that I've truly loved, and I'm curious to read about Chase's story.
Profile Image for Kelsie.
208 reviews3 followers
May 16, 2023
AJ Truman is a new to me author and although this book didn't quite work for me, I saw enough promise in the writing that I'll definitely give this author another try. I probably shouldn't have started with the 3rd book in a series but the blurb sounded like something I might like.

I did like the characters. The MCs where great and so was Julian's friend group(aka past MCs and future ones) so I might go back and read their books. But for some reason the romance didn't click for me. I dunno, I think the whole "but he's straight" thing just got carried on a bit too long. Like clearly Seamus was enjoying all the sexual things that where happening so I feel like Julian was being a bit dense there. Then the 3rd act drama was kinda dumb.

So yeah overall this wasn't a bad book it just wasn't one that worked for me.
Author 3 books39 followers
April 16, 2023
Based on the other reviews I’ve seen for this book, I have to assume that this is most definitely a case of it just not being the right book at the right time.

I applaud how the idea of being plus-size in a judgemental world was handled – realistic yet sensitive, and not going for the ‘easy’ answer of having the protagonist lose weight. So where did this book lose me?

Seamus. This completely and utterly straight man not only volunteers to ‘help’ his gay best friend work his way around the bases but leads the way and knows pretty much exactly what he’s doing with nary a qualm about where he sits on the Kinsey scale.

Add to that the surface level Seamus’s addiction was handled (we never saw him attend a single meeting despite this being one of the main facets of his character and who he is) and the fact that, despite his lack of funds, there was only one occasion where money was an issue for him – for example, he buys a new suit for a wedding when only recently he’s been unable to buy a bottle of wine. It sometimes felt like an almost incestuous set of friendships and ‘couples’ from previous stories which were a little offputting, especially as the book states that it can be read as a standalone (which it can if you don’t mind feeling like you’re missing out on a lot of in-jokes) and this book simply didn’t work for me.

However, I would very much say YMMV – the writing style is engaging, the dialogue witty and fun, and the storyline good. As I said, just not the right book for me.
Profile Image for Pam Nelson.
3,798 reviews124 followers
November 3, 2023
4 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐🎧

I loved it! It was sad how Julian thought of himself because of other people. But I LOVED how Seamus saw him. <3

I mean, is this a believable story? Not really, but I liked it all the same. I just liked that Julian had this crush and Seamus was already his friend, and he was who Julian could go to for help, and Seamus didn't judge. I like how Julian was his safe place, too.

Some of the backstory was meh, but the end game for me was what mattered.

Really enjoyed the narration.
Profile Image for Ele.
1,319 reviews40 followers
Read
June 17, 2023
DNF @45%

I'm sorry, I 've been trying since May but it just doesn't hold my attention.
Profile Image for Reading Rommance.
722 reviews15 followers
April 1, 2024
This was fun! Julian is so sweet and kind. Seamus is fun and charming. I love a good friends to lovers, virgin MC situation and this book does it all well. I appreciate seeing Julian's body issues as a major conflict as I can totally relate. And Seamus's personal conflict humanizes him as well. I love seeing the gang together and seeing Ethan and Greg! So fun! 2/5 spice levels.

Notes: virgin MC, plus size MC, gambling addiction, friends to lovers, friends with benefits to lovers, no kissing rule, coworkers, teachers, family issues
Profile Image for Mélanie.
243 reviews
June 8, 2023
Romance Languages is the story of Julian and Seamus. They are both teachers at South Rock High where they developed a friendship for the past two years. Julian, who is turning thirty-six in a month, wants to lose his v-card before his birthday. He has been crushing on Seamus for a while, so when Seamus proposes he have his first experiences with him, he is both scared and exhilarated. Julian tries to convince himself their arrangement is purely a learning opportunity, but his feelings keep progressing for the baseball coach.

Seamus has had to deal with a gaming addiction and feelings of inadequacy. He takes many precautions to not repeat his past mistakes and finds ways to deal with the guilt.

Julian is a plus-sized man who has been made to feel less than a lot in the past and this book is his journey to accepting and loving himself. I could relate to him in many ways and loved how the author made it so Julian did not have to change in order to find love. I have seen this too many times in the past where the character lost the weight before finding happiness. Seamus was so supportive and elevated Julian by helping him see his worth.

I looooved this book and would highly recommend it 🥰.

**I received an advanced copy of this book and these are my honest thoughts**
Profile Image for True Loveislovereview.
2,851 reviews1 follower
April 25, 2023
Julian is a French teacher, almost thirty-five and he has one wish, losing his V card before his birthday.
He keeps it a secret for his close friends.
He’s convinced no one wants him because he’s a chubby nerd. Mostly imprinted by his mom (ugh)

Seamus is Julian’s co-worker, the Spanish teacher at South Rock.
Julian has a crush on the straight man.
After he accidentally told him he was a virgin, Seamus offers to help him stamp his V card, so it was done.

“ Guys like me…we should keep our clothes on.”

So, here’s their deal, Julian can use Seamus his body to practice. They even aren’t awkward about it. Seamus seems to enjoy it as much as Julian, he’s enthusiastically participating.
It’s no wham bam, nope, they take their time, step by step, working up to the big day.
Julian has one condition, no kissing, kissing is for feelings and romance, even when he has feelings for Seamus.
Oh boy! No feelings uh-huh! Watch them, I loved the course. It was sexy with a whole lot of fun!

It was devastating how Julian thought of himself. Seamus sees him with completely other eyes and tries to show him. Not only Julian has issues, but Seamus also has too. Watching them together was awesome.
Please, never be the parent who harms their child, make them feel less, unworthy.
And then there are friends, gosh I loved the circle of fierce friends.
It was quite an amazing story. I read it in one sit.
Profile Image for Joanna Grosz.
184 reviews19 followers
June 3, 2024
4.25****
It was a nice book, featuring one of my favorite tropes: double first time having gay sex. I'm a fan of this theme as I enjoy the exploratory aspect of sex between two males, and this book definitely delivered. I also appreciate the light humor that A.J. Truman skillfully included in the story.

It reminds me very much of the book *Practice Makes Perfect* by Jay Northcote. The themes were almost identical, including the checklist of activities like kissing, hand jobs, blow jobs, the obligatory top and then bottom with both guys and so on. However, this book features a chubby character, which I appreciated, and this element alone made me add one point to the rating.

The one thing that made me deduct half a point was the super quick glossing over the fact that Seamus had been straight for thirty years, being only with women, and suddenly proposed to have sex with another guy like it was no big deal. I felt the author could have added a bit more hesitation and mental turmoil to that part, as the transition was super smooth. I'm not a fan of brooding over the "am I gay or bi" question, and there's a common agreement in the gay book sphere that authors have the freedom to change their characters' sexual orientations as they see fit. However, this transition felt really, really super-smooth and easy, and I needed a page or two of dilemmas over this transition to feel it was natural.

The book is written in a style often seen in books by some male authors, meaning the emotional part was rather light, casual, and not very intense or in-depth. This isn't the case with every male author, but sometimes the emotions aren't described in as much nuances and details as I prefer. I guess women authors have that covered a bit more :D However, this is just my personal preference. For people who prefer lighter, less emotionally heavy books, this one is probably perfect. If feels very heartwarming and fluffy.

In summary, it was a pleasant book and definitely worth recommending for people who love double first times! It's a good specimen for this trope and I had a lot of fun! :D
Profile Image for Marthea.
1,008 reviews16 followers
June 13, 2023
Powiedzmy sobie szczerze - książki tego autora wybitne nigdy nie były. Ale miały w sobie to coś - pomimo przeciętności i powtarzalności były fajne i dobrze mi się je czytało. I zawsze z chęcią po nie sięgałam jako dobry relaks i szybkie czytanie. Ale ta... uffff. Dobrze nie było 😕

Było w niej tyle fałszywych nut i wymuszonego humoru. A już po prostu Seamus, który wskoczył w pomoc Julianowi przy straceniu dziewictwa (przed ukończeniem 35 lat) w sposób, jakby Julian oznajmił "Chciałbym choć raz w życiu spróbować frytek", a Seamus na to "Oki, to idziemy, ja stawiam" 👀 Nie muszę dodawać, że Julian to gej, a Seamus hetero... Ale czego się nie robi dla przyjaciela, który pomógł przetrwać pierwsze i najgorsze chwile w szkole (jako nauczyciel)... Problem żaden...

Wyjątkowo ta historia balansowała na granicy infantylności i zażenowania...
Ledwo daję dwójeczkę, bo jestem bardzo, bardzo rozczarowana - liczyłam na być może przeciętną, ale fajną do czytania książkę, Dostałam.. cóż, dużo mniej 😕
Profile Image for ashlee .
1,876 reviews103 followers
June 27, 2025
Julian + Seamus

-mm romance
-coworkers
-friends to lovers
-smexy lessons
-plus size virgin

awhhh these two were so dang cute & i love how seamus would describe his attraction to julian!! & it was still SOOO HILARIOUSSSS i literally could keep reading this style forever!!
Profile Image for m.
816 reviews70 followers
April 25, 2023
“I made a straight man moan. My face deserved to be carved onto Gay Mount Rushmore.”

5⭐️3🌶️
Available April 26!

35 year old Julian has one birthday wish - lose his V. He didn’t mean to wait so long but one thing led to another and eventually he figured he’d waited this long, he may as well wait for someone special. Enter his secretly bi-curious work crush Seamus, too much beer, a confession, and an arrangement.

I adored this! From page one the tone was set and I knew I was going to love Julian’s humour. I loved how both guys saw something in each other they felt they were lacking themselves and this was part of the attraction. I loved the clumsiness and nerves as they both experienced things for the first time. I didn’t love the tiny drama at the end but the ending was so good 🥰🥰🥰

My favourite scenes were Seamus shutting down Julian’s mom over her comments on Julian’s health. Size/weight does not indicate health!! And then when Seamus tried to order a pint of red wine 😆🤦🏼‍♀️

So charming and funny ❤️ I can’t wait to read more by this author.

I received an advanced copy for review - all opinions are my own.
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