Sandra

1.5 stars So, to be fair, I probably would have given this 2 stars if it had been free, but since on top of not liking it I had to spend $2.49... it gets bumped down half a star. I say "not liking" as opposed to "hated", because hate is too strong of an emotion. This was just so... whatever... that all I felt was an urge to finish so I could be done.

Not really sure what happened to be honest. All the components were there, the problem is the author didn't connect the dots. One scene our MC's meet and have an odd interaction (Mark seems annoyed and snooty, Mason kisses Mark, Mark seemed disinterested, Mason gets pissed, Mark is interested but doesn't lament at all the insults Mason just threw at him), then they go out. Umm... OK. Next scene, they are about to go out again and start having a weird and familiar argument over something, then Mason thinks "now that we've been going out a few month I think I may love him." Wait, what?! You've been going out a few months, where was I during all this?!

And it goes on like that from there. At no point did I feel a connection to any of the characters. At no point did I feel like I really knew Mason or Mark. And some of it was just random. For example, at the end (and I don't think this is really a spoiler since it's not plot related) Mark decides he's a little into BDSM (spanking). Umm... OK. How does this further the plot or the relationship at all? It seems totally random, and actually, given Mark's possibly abusive upbringing (which, again, is hinted at but never fully developed besides his dad actually hitting him, Mason raised his voice and then Mark backed away and flinched when Mason reached for him), it seems like there's some underlying stuff that is important to understand about Mark (not that all people who are into BDSM were abused, not in the least, but to just throw those two things out there without at least acknowledging a possible connection was just weird IMO). Oh, and the sex was boring anyway.

And I never really felt any conflict. After all that time Mark spent under his parent thumb, when he finally breaks out its just all simple and smooth and he doesn't even seem that bothered by it. It wasn't really that big of a deal.

With the novella length it was and with a good plot to work with, this has no excuse for the flat, boring characters and the complete lack of any strong emotion either from the characters or from me. Sorry, but I would not recommend wasting your money.