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nikica_k's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
This wonderful story follows Justin, who is navigating falling in love with his childhood best friend, Alex, and Alex's long-term girlfriend, Jamie. It's a story about polyamory, love, kink, but mostly about a man learning to let other people close and let himself be cared for.
I suppose that your mileage may vary when it comes to this, but I didn't find Justin's long character development boring, even though it took him ages. It seemed real and made sense for him in context.
As probably in all of zir works, Kris Ripper tries to deconstruct the idea of sexuality and leaves the characters a lot of freedom in their queer identity. I also appreciated the portrayal of kink - it seemed genuine and raw and less concerned with the mechanics of it than with the feeling and the connection.
This quote from the beginning of the book really stayed with me - it seems so raw and beautiful at the same time:
I suppose that your mileage may vary when it comes to this, but I didn't find Justin's long character development boring, even though it took him ages. It seemed real and made sense for him in context.
As probably in all of zir works, Kris Ripper tries to deconstruct the idea of sexuality and leaves the characters a lot of freedom in their queer identity. I also appreciated the portrayal of kink - it seemed genuine and raw and less concerned with the mechanics of it than with the feeling and the connection.
This quote from the beginning of the book really stayed with me - it seems so raw and beautiful at the same time:
Suddenly I could see it so fucking clearly it was hard to resist doing: I’d stride over, confident, because I knew them, and they knew me, and we all felt this thing between us. I’d meet their eyes, unashamed and unafraid, and drop down, and the icy chill of the water would be shocking on my skin, the heavy wetness of jeans would tug at my waist, and I would ignore it.
I’d want to look into their faces, but even in the fantasy of it, I was bashful, lowering my head. They would touch me, of course. Coax me past embarrassment, meet me in a place of mutual exposure, of shared vulnerability.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Eating disorder
leseratte97's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
elizabethchant's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Eating disorder and Alcohol
veethorn's review against another edition
5.0
Oh, this book was lovely. Very queer, very heartfelt, very sexy. Highly recommended.
miloblue's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
aprillen's review against another edition
4.0
I generally get bored by contemporary stories, but I liked this book. It's very positive about being queer and also it's about polyamoury, and does it very honestly. I could have lived without the BDSM (which I didn't know about before I picked up the book), because that is not really my thing, but I kind of understand it, and I didn't mind it. I also got really annoyed with Justin's hot-and-cold, I-want-this-but-I-can't-do-this vacillations, possibly because I've been on the receiving end of it more times than I care to think about, and not with any of the certainty that Jamie and Alex seem to possess. It's kind of romantic that they keep being patient, keep being there for him while he runs away and comes back and runs away again, but at some point I just felt that he was an insensitive jerk, however much I could identify with him (or possibly because of it). I get that he was pretty messed up and struggling with himself, but it just got a tad too much. But there were lots of positive things about the book too, so that was a win, although I probably won't pick up any other books in the series.
gretchening's review against another edition
5.0
I was given an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Content notes: contains BDSM, homophobia, deep reflections on men lost to HIV/AIDS, combining alcohol and sex and (to a lesser degree) alcohol and BDSM.
This is a very thoughtful, sweet, gentle poly romance that gets in deep with the (frequently aggravatingly prickly) protagonist, Justin. Justin is gay, kind of a jerk, and in love with his best friend Alex--and Alex's girlfriend Jamie. The worst part? They're in love with him, too. Cue a great deal of angst on the part of Justin trying to come to grips with being able to have nice things but not really feeling like he understands them or deserves them. I can relate, buddy.
This book has lots of relatable feelings, some very sweet home repair, reflections on recovering queer history, snarky banter, awkward sex scenes (my JAM), non-sexual BDSM, and dealing with who you are and who you want to be, and who will best fit with you in all of your spiky obnoxious pigheadedness.
The romance in this book was good especially if long, difficult relationship talks and people who are bad at and afraid of feelings are your thing. For me, though, the two aspects of this book that were incredibly moving were: the BDSM scene between Justin and his mostly-lesbian friend Madison, and Justin's deep connection to (fictional) gay artist Enrico Hazeltine, whose work captures the imagination of Justin's very conservative artist boss, and who died of HIV/AIDS in the 80s.
The BDSM scene I'm referring to is just such a sweet, caring, funny interaction between two people who are just... lonely and craving connection with someone who gets them. Madison's giggles at Justin's junk were particularly dear to my heart, and the sense of community that scene brought up was so so wonderful. BDSM can be such a powerful connecting force, and from zir other work I knew Ripper understands this deeply, but seeing it in a totally platonic setting like this was just so hugely appreciated.
The Hazeltine story is peppered throughout the book, and allows the story to reflect deeply on Justin's connection to gay history, and gives a very sweet wrap-up at the end for the power of art to change people (at least a little bit). Justin's read into Hazeltine's diaries, and his research into Hazeltine's death and the photographs he asked his closest community to take of his body, really resonated powerfully for me. I cried so much reflecting on the loss of most of a generation of men, of the art and perspective we lost during the 80s. Seeing Justin remember his youth as a young gay man knowing some of the story of Hazeltine, then see him come back to a deeper reflection on him as an adult, was such a special aspect of this book for me that it almost overshadowed the romance (which is what I was here for to begin with).
In all, I ended up feeling a bit over Justin (he was my least favorite character in Practice Makes Perfect, and I did groan a little to learn we were getting a book about him). His attitude and personality were off-putting for me at first and sometimes made it hard for me to stick with him. However, I got a deeper understanding of him, and to be honest his faults and mistakes make him a more interesting protagonist. I liked this book a lot.
Content notes: contains BDSM, homophobia, deep reflections on men lost to HIV/AIDS, combining alcohol and sex and (to a lesser degree) alcohol and BDSM.
This is a very thoughtful, sweet, gentle poly romance that gets in deep with the (frequently aggravatingly prickly) protagonist, Justin. Justin is gay, kind of a jerk, and in love with his best friend Alex--and Alex's girlfriend Jamie. The worst part? They're in love with him, too. Cue a great deal of angst on the part of Justin trying to come to grips with being able to have nice things but not really feeling like he understands them or deserves them. I can relate, buddy.
This book has lots of relatable feelings, some very sweet home repair, reflections on recovering queer history, snarky banter, awkward sex scenes (my JAM), non-sexual BDSM, and dealing with who you are and who you want to be, and who will best fit with you in all of your spiky obnoxious pigheadedness.
The romance in this book was good especially if long, difficult relationship talks and people who are bad at and afraid of feelings are your thing. For me, though, the two aspects of this book that were incredibly moving were: the BDSM scene between Justin and his mostly-lesbian friend Madison, and Justin's deep connection to (fictional) gay artist Enrico Hazeltine, whose work captures the imagination of Justin's very conservative artist boss, and who died of HIV/AIDS in the 80s.
The BDSM scene I'm referring to is just such a sweet, caring, funny interaction between two people who are just... lonely and craving connection with someone who gets them. Madison's giggles at Justin's junk were particularly dear to my heart, and the sense of community that scene brought up was so so wonderful. BDSM can be such a powerful connecting force, and from zir other work I knew Ripper understands this deeply, but seeing it in a totally platonic setting like this was just so hugely appreciated.
The Hazeltine story is peppered throughout the book, and allows the story to reflect deeply on Justin's connection to gay history, and gives a very sweet wrap-up at the end for the power of art to change people (at least a little bit). Justin's read into Hazeltine's diaries, and his research into Hazeltine's death and the photographs he asked his closest community to take of his body, really resonated powerfully for me. I cried so much reflecting on the loss of most of a generation of men, of the art and perspective we lost during the 80s. Seeing Justin remember his youth as a young gay man knowing some of the story of Hazeltine, then see him come back to a deeper reflection on him as an adult, was such a special aspect of this book for me that it almost overshadowed the romance (which is what I was here for to begin with).
In all, I ended up feeling a bit over Justin (he was my least favorite character in Practice Makes Perfect, and I did groan a little to learn we were getting a book about him). His attitude and personality were off-putting for me at first and sometimes made it hard for me to stick with him. However, I got a deeper understanding of him, and to be honest his faults and mistakes make him a more interesting protagonist. I liked this book a lot.
jce's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
terriaminute's review against another edition
5.0
I was given an Advance Reader Copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review.
Awesome, unique story! So delighted I got to read it early!
I have never read a more charmingly frustrating, perversely interesting character as Justin. Readers of Ripper's Scientific Universe series met Justin in Practice Makes Perfect, but it isn't necessary to read that first. (Although it is delightful, for totally different reasons.) As is Ripper's usual, every character is great, and since I've read all the associated stories, it was a treat to see them through Justin's warped lens.
Awesome, unique story! So delighted I got to read it early!
I have never read a more charmingly frustrating, perversely interesting character as Justin. Readers of Ripper's Scientific Universe series met Justin in Practice Makes Perfect, but it isn't necessary to read that first. (Although it is delightful, for totally different reasons.) As is Ripper's usual, every character is great, and since I've read all the associated stories, it was a treat to see them through Justin's warped lens.
mlknits's review against another edition
4.0
I found the protagonist frustrating, to say the least, and there were some annoying copy-editing errors (especially Hazeltine/Hazletine) but I’m not kidding myself this isn’t in the top 5% of the genre, easy. And by genre I mean m/m and the general category of queer romance; if we mean the gorg subcategory of m/m/f—and this variation on it is a goddamn treasure—it’s right up at the top.