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33, A Gay Love Story #collection
33, A Gay Love Story
‘33 a gay love story’ comprises 3 story plots; the love lives of 15 gay characters set amid the suspense of an international corporate scam and intriguing murder, and the randy romp of a swimwear tour through Europe, Nth & Sth America and Australia.
33 is the story of two mid-20 year olds, Rick and Justin, who meet in a heated encounter in a crowded elevator in Sydney. In their ensuing relationship, they fight issues of self-doubts and fidelity, explore faith and courage, re-live past fragile moments and probe the anxieties and trials of gay life issues.
They bring twelve other lonely guys together, aged 18 to 30. The stories of these characters enrich the book’s themes, particularly those of John and Lou and the 18 year olds, Shorty, and Damien. Their inexperience and blossoming romance embellishes the story with the charm and quaintness of innocent, virginal teenagers.
33 is a story of loneliness, hardships, abuses, insecurities, denial, curiosity, desire and love, found in everyday situations that touch feelings and tug at memories. It is a story of deprived love; of the heart’s desperation to find a mate, of the body’s innate needs to find companionship. It speaks of the beauty and bounties realised by guys ending the abyss of loneliness, of guys falling in love, of fellowship and partnership. Balancing these emotions are humour and happiness, as shown by easy going Rick and love-struck Justin towards each other and their newfound friends.
Sinister corporate intrigue, greed and crime test Rick and Justin’s dedication towards each other. In life or death outcomes at a diamond mine in Australia’s remote north west, and in the miner’s boardroom in Perth, Justin’s courage and love for his mate are put to extreme tests.
Intimacy, love, intrigue and murder, what could be better? For readers who like hot and graphically described m/m scenes by hot, gym honed beach and surf loving guys, 33 is sure to please. Similarly, if you also like riveting intrigues of corporate mischief and a mysterious murder, 33 will pleasantly surprise.
33 comprises some 119,600 words over 33 chapters, equivalent to a thick 475 page popular sized paperback novel. Accordingly, 33 is twice the size of the average printed or downloaded ebook these days. The book downloads in approximately 242 A4 pages, equivalent to 250 Letter pages.
33 is the story of two mid-20 year olds, Rick and Justin, who meet in a heated encounter in a crowded elevator in Sydney. In their ensuing relationship, they fight issues of self-doubts and fidelity, explore faith and courage, re-live past fragile moments and probe the anxieties and trials of gay life issues.
They bring twelve other lonely guys together, aged 18 to 30. The stories of these characters enrich the book’s themes, particularly those of John and Lou and the 18 year olds, Shorty, and Damien. Their inexperience and blossoming romance embellishes the story with the charm and quaintness of innocent, virginal teenagers.
33 is a story of loneliness, hardships, abuses, insecurities, denial, curiosity, desire and love, found in everyday situations that touch feelings and tug at memories. It is a story of deprived love; of the heart’s desperation to find a mate, of the body’s innate needs to find companionship. It speaks of the beauty and bounties realised by guys ending the abyss of loneliness, of guys falling in love, of fellowship and partnership. Balancing these emotions are humour and happiness, as shown by easy going Rick and love-struck Justin towards each other and their newfound friends.
Sinister corporate intrigue, greed and crime test Rick and Justin’s dedication towards each other. In life or death outcomes at a diamond mine in Australia’s remote north west, and in the miner’s boardroom in Perth, Justin’s courage and love for his mate are put to extreme tests.
Intimacy, love, intrigue and murder, what could be better? For readers who like hot and graphically described m/m scenes by hot, gym honed beach and surf loving guys, 33 is sure to please. Similarly, if you also like riveting intrigues of corporate mischief and a mysterious murder, 33 will pleasantly surprise.
33 comprises some 119,600 words over 33 chapters, equivalent to a thick 475 page popular sized paperback novel. Accordingly, 33 is twice the size of the average printed or downloaded ebook these days. The book downloads in approximately 242 A4 pages, equivalent to 250 Letter pages.
- GenresM M RomanceRomance
242 pages, ebook
First published September 28, 2010
2 people are currently reading
81 people want to read
About the author
Justin South
9 books124 followersProfessionally, I write articles for various accounts around the world. Recreationally, I write sexy gay YA and M/M romance stories, some with a degree of mystery/suspense or murder/suspense themes.
Over recent years I've counselled and assisted a large number of gay youths in Australia and some overseas. My contribution to the M/M Romance Group's video in support of the 'It Gets Better' project provides some detail, commencing at the 7 mins 55 secs mark here: http://www.goodreads.com/videos/15564...
Over recent years I've counselled and assisted a large number of gay youths in Australia and some overseas. My contribution to the M/M Romance Group's video in support of the 'It Gets Better' project provides some detail, commencing at the 7 mins 55 secs mark here: http://www.goodreads.com/videos/15564...
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 30, 2011
This one just wasn't really for me. Too much sex for for me. The writing was great and the sex was written with emotion but just too much to hold my interest. The first half of the book was mostly just character introductions and sex and the plot didn't really develop until the second half.
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February 17, 2011There are different positive points in this novel, but probably what exceeds everything else is the flourished writing style; it seems that the author, instead of writing a book, is painting a very rich landscape or sculpting a very complex ensemble of statues, and so everything is carefully crafted. Sometime this positive side is so much that the reader is overwhelmed and this leads me to the second impression I had of the novel: it was like every chapter (33 of them) was a short story, and in a way you could easily read one, then stopping and starting the next one hours later without loosing the flows. There was a continuous time in the story, but to me it was clear that every chapter, long or short as it was, was a little story inside the bigger one.
Now lets talk about the title, 33, that was also the floor in which one of the characters lived (and since the main heroes met in an elevator that is not a superfluous information, 33, that is also a very special number in literature: 33 are the chapters of the Divina Commedia by Dante, 33 is Jesus Christ’s age when he was crucified; but even if I tried to find a link between these classic themes and the novel, I was not able to find one, so I think the author simply chose the number without hidden agenda.
The story basically evolves around two men, Justin and Rick, who, as I said, met in an elevator and fell in love at first sight. From the moment they met there is no one else for them, and they live in each other space that sometime it was almost claustrophobic; but their love was so absolute that seemed impossible for everything else to enter the picture. For that reason, the only subplot that was outside it, strange happenings in an isolated mine, was so much in the background that for most of the story I didn’t understand why the author was bothering the reader with such details. Only in the end there is an explanation and everything comes to a right end.
Until then, the main subplot is the self-nominated role of Justin and Rick as matchmakers; apparently any man who crosses path with them is interested in one of them, sexually interested, or in both of them; but Justin and Rick are basically complete with each other and they don’t need any other pieces to their puzzle, and so they decide to match every man with someone else: a string of men, each of them corresponding to a different chapter with their name (John, Lou, Matt, Scott, Damien, Shorty), will enter the story to then being soon paired with their soul mate.
A closing note on the “sexy” side of the book: actually it was unexpected since, from the cover I had the idea of an ethereal story, on the trend of “angel don’t have sex”; well forget it, sex in this story is primary and carnal, dirty and raw, but always in the name of love.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004E10W0O/?...
Now lets talk about the title, 33, that was also the floor in which one of the characters lived (and since the main heroes met in an elevator that is not a superfluous information, 33, that is also a very special number in literature: 33 are the chapters of the Divina Commedia by Dante, 33 is Jesus Christ’s age when he was crucified; but even if I tried to find a link between these classic themes and the novel, I was not able to find one, so I think the author simply chose the number without hidden agenda.
The story basically evolves around two men, Justin and Rick, who, as I said, met in an elevator and fell in love at first sight. From the moment they met there is no one else for them, and they live in each other space that sometime it was almost claustrophobic; but their love was so absolute that seemed impossible for everything else to enter the picture. For that reason, the only subplot that was outside it, strange happenings in an isolated mine, was so much in the background that for most of the story I didn’t understand why the author was bothering the reader with such details. Only in the end there is an explanation and everything comes to a right end.
Until then, the main subplot is the self-nominated role of Justin and Rick as matchmakers; apparently any man who crosses path with them is interested in one of them, sexually interested, or in both of them; but Justin and Rick are basically complete with each other and they don’t need any other pieces to their puzzle, and so they decide to match every man with someone else: a string of men, each of them corresponding to a different chapter with their name (John, Lou, Matt, Scott, Damien, Shorty), will enter the story to then being soon paired with their soul mate.
A closing note on the “sexy” side of the book: actually it was unexpected since, from the cover I had the idea of an ethereal story, on the trend of “angel don’t have sex”; well forget it, sex in this story is primary and carnal, dirty and raw, but always in the name of love.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004E10W0O/?...
February 25, 2012
Is this not the longest blurb you have ever seen in your life? Well, wait until you read the story, as it is much like the blurb: very well-written though undeniably verbose. When I began this story, immediately I was taken by the impressive use of vocabulary and the magnificently descriptive prose. Certainly the strength of this novel lies within the writing itself.
As one author recently noted, however, “Writing isn’t about beautiful language. It’s about realistic characters living amazing lives.” There are plot issues which are rather difficult to swallow, and the entirety of the work is in need of editorial tightening. The plot itself is extremely repetitive, retelling the same scenario numerous times.
Rick and Justin are the central characters, and the story is written in the first person in Justin’s voice. They meet on an elevator in chapter one, and they both get off on the thirty-third floor, hence the book’s title. (The book also has thirty-three chapters). Immediately the couple is sexually intimate, and they fall in love. There is virtually no courtship or dating. Instantly they are fully committed to one another, becoming monogamous, and Justin completely abandons his former existence in order to move forward in his life with Rick.
Thereafter the couple functions as matchmakers. One-by-one, secondary characters are introduced who each are single and lonely, and the couple pairs them up with other lonely singles. In every case, it is love at first sight, and the result is instant happiness and lifelong commitment.
The plot drastically shifts about three-quarters of the way into the book. Up until this point, the story is basically a series of erotic encounters, then suddenly it focuses upon espionage as a sub-plot unfolds. Betrayal, murder, and a climactic confrontation scene comprise what I view as a book-inside-of-a-bigger book.
My feeling is that the story would have been far more interesting if this mystery and espionage had been interwoven into the story from the beginning and if the erotic scenes had been limited. It is a classic example of the adage, “Less is more”. The author is extremely gifted at portraying beautiful, sensuous lovemaking scenes, but it felt to me as if many of them were unnecessary. And with the plot not really beginning to take off until so far into the story, it was a bit frustrating because it seemed to be just one sex scene after the next.
The characters themselves were oftentimes charming, but they also were a bit too perfect. I loved the manner in which the author wrote Australian dialect, and I was especially fond of the young character Shorty. Truthfully I’d love to see a sequel or spin-off of this book which features Shorty. He’s absolutely adorable.
J.J. South clearly has literary talent, and his writing is most impressive. He’s eloquent in his use of vocabulary, and he definitely writes with sincerity and feeling. He has a distinct writer’s voice which is quite endearing. I look forward to reading more from him in the future.
The flaws I’ve identified in this review are primarily editorial, and I think that this self-published first novel is merely a stepping stone for some fantastic material which South is sure to produce in the future. At least this is my hope, for I’m anxious to read more.
As one author recently noted, however, “Writing isn’t about beautiful language. It’s about realistic characters living amazing lives.” There are plot issues which are rather difficult to swallow, and the entirety of the work is in need of editorial tightening. The plot itself is extremely repetitive, retelling the same scenario numerous times.
Rick and Justin are the central characters, and the story is written in the first person in Justin’s voice. They meet on an elevator in chapter one, and they both get off on the thirty-third floor, hence the book’s title. (The book also has thirty-three chapters). Immediately the couple is sexually intimate, and they fall in love. There is virtually no courtship or dating. Instantly they are fully committed to one another, becoming monogamous, and Justin completely abandons his former existence in order to move forward in his life with Rick.
Thereafter the couple functions as matchmakers. One-by-one, secondary characters are introduced who each are single and lonely, and the couple pairs them up with other lonely singles. In every case, it is love at first sight, and the result is instant happiness and lifelong commitment.
The plot drastically shifts about three-quarters of the way into the book. Up until this point, the story is basically a series of erotic encounters, then suddenly it focuses upon espionage as a sub-plot unfolds. Betrayal, murder, and a climactic confrontation scene comprise what I view as a book-inside-of-a-bigger book.
My feeling is that the story would have been far more interesting if this mystery and espionage had been interwoven into the story from the beginning and if the erotic scenes had been limited. It is a classic example of the adage, “Less is more”. The author is extremely gifted at portraying beautiful, sensuous lovemaking scenes, but it felt to me as if many of them were unnecessary. And with the plot not really beginning to take off until so far into the story, it was a bit frustrating because it seemed to be just one sex scene after the next.
The characters themselves were oftentimes charming, but they also were a bit too perfect. I loved the manner in which the author wrote Australian dialect, and I was especially fond of the young character Shorty. Truthfully I’d love to see a sequel or spin-off of this book which features Shorty. He’s absolutely adorable.
J.J. South clearly has literary talent, and his writing is most impressive. He’s eloquent in his use of vocabulary, and he definitely writes with sincerity and feeling. He has a distinct writer’s voice which is quite endearing. I look forward to reading more from him in the future.
The flaws I’ve identified in this review are primarily editorial, and I think that this self-published first novel is merely a stepping stone for some fantastic material which South is sure to produce in the future. At least this is my hope, for I’m anxious to read more.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews