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A review by theoguinto
Try Me by Neve Wilder
4.0
Really liked this story. Chet and Mark going from childhood friends to distant rivals to enemies and eventually to lovers was an interesting journey.
I wish we got more of their childhood friendship early on because it really seemed underdeveloped and just conveyed in discussions of the past. Made the first time Chet went back to Mark's bedroom less emotional than it could've been because we only find out they used to sneak over to each other's places after they stopped doing it.
Similarly, finding out that Mark suddenly hated Chet when they were in college because we were told about Sam felt like a missed opportunity to show the start of the conflict. If we'd seen how Sam interacted with both of them, then saw Mark's POV then I feel like there would've helped justify why he suddenly hated Chet as opposed to once again being told through discussions of the past.
Other than that though, the scenes where Mark and Chet interacted and moved forward were very well written imo. Showed good character development and was decently spicy.
I liked how Mark's dad wasn't just a one note villain intent on controlling his son's life, but that he was just misguided and lost sight of what was really important (also him kissing Chet's dad sounds like an interesting possible story)
Chet's dad and their relationship also acted as a nice foil to Mark and his dad. Where Mark had an icy relationship with his dad who was generally law abiding (emphasis on generally), Chet still loved his dad despite knowing he did bad things (though still conflicted at that)
I really enjoyed the story, how the characters weren't one note, and the spicy sex scenes. I also appreciated when the sex scenes faded to black which really helped with pacing imo. Helps emphasize Mark and Chet's attraction without making the sex scenes feel gratuitous or boring which other books tend to do.
I wish we got more of their childhood friendship early on because it really seemed underdeveloped and just conveyed in discussions of the past. Made the first time Chet went back to Mark's bedroom less emotional than it could've been because we only find out they used to sneak over to each other's places after they stopped doing it.
Similarly, finding out that Mark suddenly hated Chet when they were in college because we were told about Sam felt like a missed opportunity to show the start of the conflict. If we'd seen how Sam interacted with both of them, then saw Mark's POV then I feel like there would've helped justify why he suddenly hated Chet as opposed to once again being told through discussions of the past.
Other than that though, the scenes where Mark and Chet interacted and moved forward were very well written imo. Showed good character development and was decently spicy.
I liked how Mark's dad wasn't just a one note villain intent on controlling his son's life, but that he was just misguided and lost sight of what was really important (also him kissing Chet's dad sounds like an interesting possible story)
Chet's dad and their relationship also acted as a nice foil to Mark and his dad. Where Mark had an icy relationship with his dad who was generally law abiding (emphasis on generally), Chet still loved his dad despite knowing he did bad things (though still conflicted at that)
I really enjoyed the story, how the characters weren't one note, and the spicy sex scenes. I also appreciated when the sex scenes faded to black which really helped with pacing imo. Helps emphasize Mark and Chet's attraction without making the sex scenes feel gratuitous or boring which other books tend to do.