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I kinda don't like how a big group of friends gang up on "the bad guy" Steven. Yes, he's a twat. And they snigger at him and annoy him and gossip about him behind his back. That feels a lot like bullying.

Eating disorders, insecurities, evil parent, horrible partners, this is far from sweet and fluffy. Also, bdsm-ish and emasculating male body parts. This book gives me anxiety.

You're on an adventure horse riding trip, and you get stranded in a cave during a storm with your much older local guide. You're scared cold and hungry. And then... Your guide orders you to strip naked and threatens to spank you if you dont obey.
*loud screeching break noise*

Yeah yeah I know it's a trope. The brat and the domineering daddy type that wants to discipline him. I just really hate that trope.

Simplistic writing and dialogue, like in a book for kids. Annoying family, women shrieking and screaming in excitement. Full chapters of mindless chatter, shopping and grooming. Plot not progressing.

I find it kinda disingenuous that the main MC suddenly discovered his current boyfriend is a dick, after dating for 2.5 years, exactly when he meets a handsome stranger. Also, too much emphasis on hating\loving Christmas as a basis for a bad/good relationship, as opposed to mutual respect and compromise.

This is a book about one poor guy down on his luck, and everybody around him, including the romantic interest, patronizing him, if not borderline bullying him. I guess this is done for comedic effect, but mostly it made me feel uncomfortable throughout.

What I don't like about the love triangle as a plot device, is that the outcome is usually predictable. We are left to brace for the inevitable turn of events, when one of the three will be eliminated or cast out of the relationship somehow. And when you know which characters are the main ones, and which one will be discarded - it's even worse.
I wish the story would surprise me for once and leave the trio intact.

I wish Hazard would switch it up a little. I do love the characters and their dynamics, and I like the plotlines. But I wish for a little more subtlety and nuance, instead of the same old mad obsession that make me want to send the MCs to years of therapy.

It's a strange thing with Alessandra Hazard's books - I feel like I'm unhealthily addicted, and I try to remove this addiction but I can't. Or maybe I don't really want to?...
You know what I mean? ;)
In truth though, Hazard is unfortunately a bit formulaic in her depictions of intense sexual and emotional codependency. From book to book it's getting less exciting, because you come to expect it.

This book is LONG, but too it's credit, up to 50% it is a breeze to read. It is a noticeable improvement over the first installment, both in the romance and action departments.
What has NOT improved however, is the female character. For different reasons, the female characters in both books invoked in me either annoyance, unease or contempt.
Also, by 55% the plot stalls somewhat and it becomes a chore to keep reading

I'm at 45% and I feel like the book shouldn't have more than 10 percent in it. Looks like the rest 55%(!!!) is going to be allll drama.

This is a light read, with nicely written sex scenes, but also a horribly shmaltzy mush with no real plot.
There are just two guys planning their wedding which is where I struggled to suspend disbelief, but then it's also a gay-for-you that is way on the far end on the plausibility scale, even for this trope.

Argh, why does this book feels so fucking long?!
It should've ended at 50%

At about 60 percent the story takes a turn to the ridiculous. I mean, a red blooded gay man that turns down sex, (in progress sex!) Because he's afraid his heart might end up broken...
Really???

Finley is the most annoying character. And Aven is just a prop. He's the cookie-cutter, unrealisticly perfect boyfriend, and there's nothing more to him.
As for the sex - most of the time it's being had while Finley is in deep distress, and so it is mostly disturbing.

I love the writing as always, and I'm enjoying this even though it's a bit on the emotional side.
But man, Van Dorn tends to make her stories way, way too long. I officially exhausted at 70%

I started growing tired of this book.
First, I don't much care about the world building and the rival sides in it. The missions are uninteresting, only serving as plot devices for the the MCs to interact.
And here's the second problem. 90% of the MCs interaction is bickering. Frustrating, childish bickering. The only feeling it induced in me so far is the desire to slap them both.

The first half has been brilliant. But right after the first sex scene it's as if it has been jinxed. It has all suddenly become so predictable, I'm don't care about the rest of it.

So far I'm totally in love with the blunt, grumpy and antisocial MC. This is funny.

So, the other MC can be summed up like this: overweight, painfully insecure, nervously fidgeting and babbling all the time.
And now I'm trying to suspend disbelief enough to buy into the fact that the aformentioned celibate (yet hot) guy is suddenly interested in him. The only reason given - his misery pulls at his heart strings. In other words: he pities him.
That's just great.

Oh no, another male character that is "not interested in flings" only in meaningful relationships. But! Wait for it... He isn't in one place long enough to have relationships! So, basically that means he's celibate?
This series should be renamed to "Men with Low Libido". Then we will at least be forewarned.

I'm only at 25% but it's getting tedious.
Also, what is up with the ugly covers?

It was really an enjoyable and light reading up until 30%. But by then the MCs were already sleeping together and looking all lovey-dovey, so that leaves us with 70% of PLOT to get through. And honestly I'm not prepared for that much plot right now. You either evenly intersperse the drama and angst in between the budding relationship, or start with it, and get to the love/sex later on. But never the other way around.

First things first, the cover is horrendous. It looks like a blind person googled the word "gay" and chose a random photo.
I mean, this particular guy (I'm sure he's lovely in real life) in this particular pose, in this particular context - is just ridiculous.

I understand this is a silly romance, and this is just a plot device on which the whole premise hangs, but seriously... In which world does any couple, gay or straight has to prove they are together by PDA, to prove anything to anybody? And in what world someone "outs" gay guys to their boss without any whiplash or outrage?
This could have been handled way more subtly.

There was the obligatory "bonding experience" with tons of crying, and one MC spiraling into a complete drama-queen. Wait, is this a rewrite of F/M romance with just the names changed?
Now I'll just have to endure the separation at 75% and ensuing drama.
Also, noticing the editing could be better.

I will revise my sentiments from 11%... All the tension here is based on one of the MCs not putting out. As a plot device - it works. Unfulfilled sexual tension keeps the sizzle in the story. But as premises go, it's painfully unrealistic. An adult, out gay man refusing one night stands with other hot men, because he'd feel "used" and he has "standards"? Sounds like a conservative 17 year old female virgin to me.

I got SO annoyed when a red blooded, gay, out and proud, male MC declined a no-strings fuck with a hot guy he's totally into and declared he has morals + standards and therefore he doesn't do one night stands.
That is such a female sentiment, and suffocatingly conservative at that. It is almost impossible for a man to act so chaste for no reason at all.
I hope that MC becomes a total slut later in the book...

At 30% and all I'm thinking is - that Will guy is pretty incompetent at what he does... It's so annoying.