Rating: 3.5 stars
Buy Link:
Amazon | iBooks | Amazon UK
Length: Novel


Macallister Buchanan hates living alone, and that’s how he’s been ever since his roommate, Bryan, went off to live with his boyfriend. But Bryan has a suggestion for a new roommate for Mac, and though Mac isn’t quite sure about the seemingly strange kid, he agrees to Dubhlainn moving in. They get off on the wrong foot, with Mac pissing Dubhlainn off with only a few words. Dubhlainn ignores Mac, which doesn’t sit right with him, but Mac tries to make amends. And then, when Dubhlainn needs help with a school project, Mac is just the guy to help. They strike up a tentative friendship, and things improve.

Dubhlainn works hard, both at school and his job, and occasionally preforms in drag. He doesn’t understand Mac, but he finds him tolerable now. Until that moment when Mac, who is seemingly very straight, comes on to him. Dubhlainn thinks it’s a very bad idea, but Mac seems sincere. And when a night out results in a few too many drinks, the men decide to take the leap. The sex between them is fantastic, and both want more. After little soul searching, Mac realizes that he’s bisexual, and possibly always has been, though he’s never acknowledged it. But there’s definitely something about Dubhlainn that calls to him in a way he’s never experienced with anyone else.

Friends with benefits seems the perfect solution to both of them, but when they realize just how jealous they are, things move to casual but exclusive. The only problem is that they spend tons of time together, both in and out of bed, and feelings begin to develop on both sides. But what neither man can truly see is how the other feels about him, and it’s only with a little help from their friends that they have the conversation that is so desperately needed.

So I was quick to pick this one up, having read the first one in the Crazy Little Thing seriesPrinces of the Universe. Not only do the Queen references get me every time, but I thought the first book was decent and I was looking forward to what else this cast of characters would get up to. Unfortunately, some aspects of the book fell short for me, and I was ultimately hoping for more than what I got.

I really enjoyed Mac in the first book and that got even better in this one. He’s irreverent and perhaps a little over the top. But somehow, I find him charming, even though he’s the type of character that usually drives me crazy. But I thought the author did an exceptional job of showing Mac’s heart. He’s a really good guy, fiercely loyal and loving to his friends, and so very accepting of all things. So I really liked him and I thought he was a great character.

I also thought that he was perfect for Dubhlainn. The young man has had it rough and he’s determined to succeed and be happy in his life. He’s also got a solid backbone and refuses to be trampled over, which makes him perfect for Mac as well. These guys do fit well together, and I liked their relationship and the way things progressed between them. However, I would have liked to see more development with Dubhlainn’s character. He was a bit two dimensional, and we barely scratched the surface. As a result, I felt like we didn’t get to know him well, and therefore I couldn’t connect well with him at all.

Which brings me to the biggest problem I had with this book, and that’s the lack of depth. There were a lot of interesting elements here, and they could have really gave the book a sweeping feeling. But ultimately, nothing was delved into and I was left feeling like big things were missing. It was mentioned, in passing, that Dubhlainn performed in drag, and then it was a side plot line in the story, but only mentioned a few times. I’m still not entirely sure what he did for his regular job or what he was actually studying in college. And Mac? Basically all I know about his job is that he works from home, programs stuff, and works in his underwear. I felt like there were huge chunks of missing information and these things would have helped round out the story. As it was, it was just two characters, one of whom was two dimensional, and I felt like I was missing a good portion of what really would give this story all the depth and heft to make it full.

So I liked parts of this, and I liked the characters, but I was also disappointed in some elements of this story. So it’s definitely a mixed bag for me. I’m not ready to write off the series yet, and I’ll probably check out what comes next. But this book fell a little more on the disappointing side for me.