I’m not quite as mad at this one as I was at the first book Bryan & Jase. The cover still sucks and doesn’t really make me think of either Brody or Nick. I am still PISSED about the asinine cliche line about “favorite guy/gal/girl/man” (see OPENING LINE BELOW).
I liked the story better than the first because it was a friends-to-lovers versus a hook up turned “gay for you” romance—which I have a list of reasons why that didn’t work or even really happen in the first book. I liked the how the characters schemed to better themselves, but ultimately fell for each other.
This book, like the last eight, follows the same tropes more or less. Boy-meets-boy, they get together, they have amazing sex, one or both get in their own heads, they break it off, then one makes a grandiose gesture to achieve their happily ever after/happy for now. Can’t really say more than that.
I think my pet-peeve in this book was this line:
“Brody King, did you go and get all toppy on me?” (Loc. 3,933)
It’s not because Ellis used it (I’ll get into that in the next book because she REALLY pissed me off), but it’s because all of the MM Romance female writers I’ve read have used it in some form or another. I mean hell there was a book called Frat Boy and Toppy, but it’s SO weird. Sure gay men discuss what position they prefer, but I don’t think I’ve EVER heard someone refer to it as toppy. I mean if anything they might say “masc” or “butch” but toppy? It’s like a teenage girl wrote that line and then giggled hysterically at her being risque.
Recommendation: Pass. Honestly, the best thing I can say about these is that they appear to be getting shorter. They really could’ve used a few more rounds of edits and beta readers to make the stories more believable.
Opening Line: “‘So, I think I’m getting married,’ I stated over cheeseburgers and fries with my best girl, Addie.”
Closing Line: “And just like that, we started another first day of the rest of our lives.” (Whited out to avoid spoilers, highlight to read.)
Other Books in the Something About Him Series
Additional Quotes from Brody & Nick*
“Addie and I spent many evenings and weekends together, chatting, checking out hot guys, and reading books. Well, Addie would read books and hand them to me to read when there was a scene she loved or hated; she always wanted my input on what she was reading. The fact that she mainly read gay romance worked just fine for me.” (Loc. 2,982)
“I was angry, and I was hurt. I needed away from them, I needed money, and I needed a way to go to college. Enter the Army. There are days I regret that decision with every fiber of my being. But there are days when I realize the Army helped make me into the man I am today, and I’m pretty happy with that person on the whole.” (Loc. 3,108)
“I watched with great interest and a growing heat in my belly as he lightly licked his lip. Like north and south magnets, we were inexplicably drawn closer and closer until I felt his breath against my face.” (Loc. 3,192)
“Relationships within the gay community are a lot different, and usually do move quickly, but my mind was still reeling from the ninety miles per hour journey we were on.” (Loc. 3,363)
“I knew he dealt with a lot of anxiety and depression. I didn’t know if it was something he would have dealt with as a straight man, or if the issues came about because of the stress he felt as he came to accept and admit his sexuality to his family and friends.” (Loc. 4,304)
“Wasn’t time supposed to heal all wounds? Well, time was a lazy-ass, lying bitch because she’d yet to heal the scabby sores oozing all over my heart.” (Loc. 5,695)
*These books came in a compendium on Kindle so the page/location numbers are different than if you purchase them individually.
Sounds dire to me. Cliched throughout from the cover to plot to writing style.
I think cliched is being generous. I think the most impressive thing she did was make me hate read the entire series. The stereotypes we’re borderline offensive, her legal knowledge is negligible, and her copy editors/beta readers must’ve been high school drop outs.