Good Breeding by JL Merrow

Good Breeding by JL Merrow
Stars: 5/5

Length: ~6,000 words
Blurb
Adopted as a baby, Giles Frobisher has grown up with every privilege. Encouraged by his best friend—and secret crush—Oz to seek out his birth mother, he’s appalled to discover she’s loud, lower-class, and insists on calling him Wayne!

Giles’ snobbier-than-thou, none-too-faithful boyfriend Hugh is equally horrified, and Oz, who’s always been secretive about his own family, starts acting very strangely.

It seems Giles is about to learn that good breeding has nothing to do with who your parents are!

Overall
Utterly adorable. Good, clean fun in a short story.

Review
This is less a romance than a look at English social class, genes versus environment, and an inner reflection in a cute, humorous way. The main character is a classic "too blind to see the love in front of him" type but the characters in the story make this tale come to life.

There are no real surprises or twists, just a slice of life as a snob finds out his true heritage, the unveiling of which reveals truths about his boyfriend and his best friend. A character study of sorts, although I don't think this short takes itself quite so serious, although it touches upon serious topics. It's a feel-good romantic comedy and I think it plays out perfectly.

Because this is a short story, there isn't a whole lot of meat here, but that would probably be my only complaint. And along those lines, while it's not meaty, it is a good thick broth with some hearty chunks. (Me and my food comparisons, right?) For what this is, I think it brings a lot to the table, and that's what really won me over with this story.

Pricks and Pragmatism by JL Merrow

Pricks and Pragmatism by JL Merrow
Stars: 3.5/5

Length: 60 pages
Blurb
English student and aspiring journalist Luke Corbin should be studying. Instead he’s facing homelessness, thanks to the lover who’s just kicking him out of their posh digs. It’s not his first rejection—his father tossed him out at age sixteen—but Luke has no problem trading his favors for a home and security. Especially with rich, powerful, handsome men.

Except now, with finals bearing down, there’s no time to be choosy. He needs a roof over his head and he needs it now. Even if it means settling temporarily for a geeky, less-than-well-off chemical engineer called Russell.

Luke’s fully prepared to put out for the guy—because after all, in this world no one gets something for nothing. But Russell isn’t just a nerd; he’s an honourable nerd who wants to save himself for someone special.

At first Luke is annoyed, but the more time he spends with Russell, the closer he comes to a devastating realization. He wants to be that someone special. Except he’s fallen for the one man he can’t seem to charm…

Overall
The perfect length for this look at Luke’s change from sugar-daddy hopping playboy to a fool in love.

Review
I was bumming around and saw this on my kindle so I decided to dive in. It was short enough to entice me and yet long enough to develop everything I wanted to see. I also read it at probably the perfect time: I didn’t want something too involved, didn’t want anything too heavy, and I didn’t want to have to work for it.

It's surprisingly tear-jerking, although not an outright-crying story. Luke evolves quickly over the story, just because Russell is such a different kind of roommate that he has to change to deal with. The two are total opposites, but Merrow does an admirable job of showing how they end up meeting in the middle and how their differences work for them.

Luke is very likeable, even if you're like me and have no fondness for playboys. Because even if he does pretty much sell himself for room and board, he's not a harsh personality. He's still very human. And Russell is geeky and awkward, but also kind of adorable, especially seeing him through Luke's eyes.

The plot isn't too thick or deep, but the author uses the various side characters to build a world around these two men, and that helps the story work and not be a flimsy romance. So while it's enjoyable and the characters are a ton of fun, the plot is probably the weakest part, although it still stands up to a re-read.

Also, it took me re-reading Hard Tail to realize that the Luke and Russell that make an appearance are these two. I love that!

Hard Tail by JL Merrow

Hard Tail by JL Merrow
Stars: 4.5/5

Length: 248 pages
Blurb
"Finding love can be a bumpy ride."

His job: downsized out of existence. His marriage: on the rocks. It doesn't take a lot of arm twisting for Tim Knight to agree to get out of London and take over his injured brother's mountain bike shop for a while. A few weeks in Southampton is a welcome break from the wreck his life has become, even though he feels like a fish out of water in this brave new world of outdoor sports and unfamiliar technical jargon.

The young man who falls-literally-through the door of the shop brings everything into sharp, unexpected focus. Tim barely accepts he's even "in" the closet until his attraction to Matt Berridge pulls him close enough to touch the doorknob.

There's only one problem with the loveable klutz: his bullying boyfriend. Tim is convinced Steve is the cause of the bruises that Matt blows off as part of his risky sport. But rising to the defense of the man he's beginning to love means coming to terms with who he is—in public—in a battle not even his black belt prepared him to fight. Until now.

Overall
I've been wanting to read this for a while, since it came out and I’d heard plenty of positive reviews about it. I was not disappointed. I read it all in one night (You know, “just going to read a little before bed”...and then at 2 o’clock in the morning you finally put it down). It didn't blow me off my feet, but I thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed it. It's sweet, funny, and a little bit awkward. It's a feel-good story that has struggles, but never gets too angsty. Definitely worth a read.

Review
There is no one part of Hard Tail that stuck out as being especially brilliant. Instead, it's one of those hinky little stories where all the pieces fall together into one cohesive tale that works brilliantly.

It's an interesting mix of characters, and even those I swore I wasn't going to like ended up growing on me until there was really only one villain, and he's a villain through and through. Matt is the happy-go-lucky type, all kindness and friendly, balanced out by Tim, who has become a bit of a stick in the mud and is down on his luck, having lost his job and his girl. Tim's mum bothered me to no end, until we're given a greater understanding of her character, and then she's just annoying, not overly annoying. It felt like a pretty standard family.

There is very little drama. Or perhaps I should say, there is a completely reasonable level of drama. The characters and the plot are very realistic, not relying on over-the-top dramatics to brew an interesting story. Instead, the quirky narrator and crazy cast of characters give livelihood to what could be a very mellow story.

This book is one I see myself returning to again and again, simply because it's an enjoyable read with a fun narrator. It won't leave you on the edge of your seat, but it will bring a smile to your face.

SPOILER
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Some of the end could be read as being too easy, too much of a happy ending. It was all very neat and tidy, but I didn't feel like this story was meant to be too much of a struggle. The self-acceptance and confidence of the two main characters is the focus, and they are rewarded for their achievements. Because of this, I didn't mind, but people who don't like the too-neat endings may find it unsatisfactory.