Rating: 4.5 stars
Buy Link: Amazon | iBooks | Amazon UK
Length: Novel
Jay always had a difficult time making friends and, now that he’s 20, it’s only a little bit better. His ADHD has always been a barrier as people don’t get him. Jay knew Logan from school and when the two of them worked on a project together, Jay wanted nothing more than to continue to be friends with Logan, but Logan wasn’t receptive. Jay now has a coveted tattoo apprenticeship and finds places around the city to cover with graffiti art and it’s unexpected that Logan comes back into Jay’s life. Jay knows it’s not a good idea to enter into a friends-with-benefits relationship with Logan, but he cannot resist.
Logan lives with his wealthy parents and, even though he is in college, his mother controls his every move. He wanted so many things when he knew Jay years ago, but he also knew his mother would never let him have any of it. Now though, Logan wants Jay desperately as Jay fills all the lonely places inside of Logan. But while Jay is ready for everything and anything, Logan knows his life is all planned out for him and that can’t possibly include someone that makes him feel the way Jay does.
The writing in this book is introspective and emotional and it complements the character-driven story of Jay and Logan. Jay was brought up by his single mother who gave him everything she could and tried to instill as much confidence as possible in Jay. Jay just wanted friends as a kid, but the other kids didn’t understand Jay’s energy and that Jay always spoke out loud what came into his head and he’s absorbed a lot of pain over the years. He was always fascinated by Logan and, even though they haven’t seen each other in years, Jay is drawn in again immediately.
Logan lets Jay know he is interested in him, but he also let’s Jay know he’s not interested in a relationship. The truth is that Logan desperately wants a relationship and desperately wants Jay and he’s incredibly touch starved. Their story then encapsulates how they move toward a friendship and a relationship and how Logan’s mother is so controlling that she is behind every thought that Logan has and every move he makes.
For most of the book, I was completely caught up in their story. However, these guys have lived in NY all of their lives and some British words and spellings came onto the page, which simply pulled me out of the story. Also, given Logan’s mother, it seemed unlikely that the guys would have attended the same school and more insight on that would have helped ground the story.
The story is soft and sweet at times and erotic and intimate at others as Jay and Logan bring out the best in each other. The writing is evocative and, while I could pull out examples, the overall tone of the entire narrative and the context truly make it shine. For those wondering, the title of the book does come into play during the story and can be interpreted as a layered foundation for their life together. The epilogue takes us further into their lives and relationship and encapsulated for me what an epilogue should be. The author doesn’t make their issues disappear, but shows how these men are better together and will have their own style of love story for all time.
