Title: Surprise! Surprise!
Author: Star Noble
Length: 10,800 words (40 pdf pages)
Publisher: Torquere Press
Genre: m/m/m contemporary
Rating: C
Blurb:
Jason and Anthony are in a rut, and Jason can admit their love life has been less than stellar lately. But Anthony’s birthday is coming up, so Jason plans the perfect party to spice up the night and their relationship — complete with a super hot dancer.
But by the end of the night, Anthony receives more than a few surprises. He and Jason meet Ruben, a sexy sports student, and the three of them instantly hit it off. Will Ruben come between the two lovers, or will he give their relationship the boost it so desperately needs?
Review:
I liked the concept behind this story, a couple who are finding real life getting in the way of their relationship, but I wasn’t sure that t whole insertion of a third really worked. It felt out of place. Anthony finally forces Jason to realize that his two jobs are wearing him out and despite saying he’s doing it so they can have a better life, and a bigger house, they never seem to spend much time together, having fun or having sex. Jason decides to turn over a new leaf and decides to top it off with the best birthday ever.
After a lovely day out at the zoo, he manages to surprise Anthony with a surprise birthday party at their house with their friends. After a fun evening of food and dancing, the final surprise arrives… a giant cake. Of course a dancer pops out of the cake and … OMG, it’s a girl. After everyone sits there stunned, she finally stops and it seems her boss got the orders wrong and she was sent to the wrong party. Eventually everyone leaves and they offer to drive her home. There they meet her brother who asks them to come in and have coffee. After she goes to bed, it doesn’t take long for the guys to give things a whirl with Ruben, although Jason is still feeling insecure and wondering if Anthony will be looking for a replacement.
The part that didn’t work so well, is it just seemed out of character. I didn’t get the impression this was something these guys did regularly. They didn’t discuss it, it just happened. With a stranger in an apartment with his sister right there, including a rocking chair in the living room, Then it wasn’t really clear that there was a future, although the last line says “Rúben was a nice guy, and nobody knew what the future might have in store for them.” Not that they knew him, they spent a couple of hours and then some sex with him.
I thought the early part of the story was done well, the insecurity of both men, drifting apart, but I found the threesome just seemed kind of off to me. But others may not find it that way, and it could just be my inability to connect well with the characters actions.
