Twofer by Daisy Harris
M/M Romance
Releases: December 22, 2015
Samhain
Reviewed by Helyce
If a college freshman can’t get laid in sun-drenched Miami, he’s doing something wrong. Frankie Perez is determined to help his roommate get some man action in any way possible.
When Frankie’s arsenal of dating apps, fashion advice, and playing-hard-to-get lessons doesn’t work, he realizes Jeremy needs remedial help. Except tutoring Jeremy in the art of sex gets steamier than Frankie expected—and it scares the hell out of him.
Jeremy’s not sure why he’s wasting his time hooking up when he’s only got eyes for the slinky, sexy roommate he comes home to at night. But the hotter their chemistry simmers, the quicker Frankie dances away.
In near desperation, Frankie suggests the two of them team up to find a third to top them both, forgetting that two bottoms aren’t immune from lusting after each other. In a world where every man is an option, choosing one to love can be the sexiest risk of all.
Daisy Harris has been a favorite of mine for a few years now. I tend to gravitate to her over the top male/male college aged men and with their overactive libidos. Her stories are usually high on the smex with just enough plot to keep you interested and I am always impressed by the fact that she gives us a well rounded story in a rather low page count.
In Twofer, however, I felt like she’d abandoned her usual style and voice. This story had a bit more of a ‘serious’ feel for lack of a better word. While Frankie initially comes off as a bit of a slut, we learn early on that his thought process behind just hooking up and not developing any kind of relationship or attachment to a person is based on a fear of being left. It was never made clear to me why, however. Frankie is confident and has a supportive family but he adamantly shies away from relationships.
Jeremy on the other hand is all about finding “the one”. Jeremy is a virgin in every way when he comes to college. He’s quite naive about a lot of things, but he’s determined to find someone special; he wants to be in love when he has sex. Initially, Frankie sets out to be supportive of Jeremy’s quest to have his first experience be with someone he cares about. This quickly gets pushed to the back burner when Jeremy’s first attempt at dating goes badly.
From that point, it’s Frankie to the rescue as he attempts to pull Jeremy out of his shell by introducing him to Grindr and the casual hookup. Unfortunately, it’s one fiasco after another. To “help”, Frankie gives in to some innocent making out with Jeremy and quickly catches on that the playing around they’ve been doing means more to Jeremy. Frankie’s attempt to bring in a third person, is a total disaster except for the fact that Frankie himself starts to realize that the reasons behind his discomfort with the whole thing had more to do with his own heart.
The crux here is that both Frankie and Jeremy are bottoms and because of this Frankie doesn’t think a relationship between them could ever work. Jeremy, already realizing his feelings for Frankie, attempts to switch in the hopes of being who Frankie needs. It’s not a total failure, but it’s clear that it isn’t something that would work for them long term. When Frankie and Jeremy meet another couple who have a similar issue in that they are both tops, they think they’ve found the answer to their, um…problem.
The story went a bit sideways for me at this point. On the surface I get what the author was trying to point out, and I’ve read enough to know that lifestyle choices are exactly that, a choice. These two young men were doing what young people do when dating. They try people on and see if they fit. Sometimes it’s a really good match and a lot of times it’s not and maybe it’s just sex and everyone has a good time. For me, what came through, though, was that Frankie and Jeremy seemed to have feelings for each other and when love is strong you work through the issues and find ways to overcome any problems because being with that person is the most important thing. And I guess if bringing another couple into the mix is what works, and all are in agreement, then that’s what you do.
I enjoyed Frankie and Jeremy’s journey as they fumble through first love, but this book didn’t give me what I’ve come to expect from a Daisy Harris story.
Grade: C
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