Eight to Midnight: A Best Friends Romance by Karen Harley
Episodes 1-5
Contemporary Romance
December 28, 2015
Self Published
Reviewed by Helyce
Sara can’t believe it when her friends Harrison, Jasmine, and Matt actually agree to try “The Challenge” one drunken, moonlit night. The four close friends and Seattle neighbors figure it’s a positively inspired way to jog them out of their romantic ruts. All they have to do is have sex with each other for four hours every week and the rest of the time they will carefully preserve the sanctified friend zone and nobody will be hurt. Right? Wrong…
I’ve never read a serial type book like this where each “book” is like a chapter which advances the story. But I was intrigued by the blurb above and wondered how the author would make it work. Friends with benefits is one thing, but friends who share partners made me think “trainwreck waiting to happen.”
Jasmine and Sarah are roommates as are Matt and Harrison. They all hang out on occasion. During one such evening, after much wine had been consumed, and much commiserating about bad boyfriend/girlfriend choices and bad relationships all around, Sarah comes up with a plan she refers to as “The Challenge”. Basically, the two couples will partner up every Friday night for sex from 8p.m. to midnight. And in doing so, they will help each other to understand the opposite sex better because they can use their time together as a learning experience to enhance their future relationships. Initially Sarah is the only one who seems to be into it, it is her plan after all. Then Matt agrees and then Harrison and then it’s just Jasmine who they need to convince.
I enjoyed the way this story played out. I had some assumptions of the problems this type of situation would bring and some of them did play out. But I was surprised by which characters experienced these issues. I was way off there. I was also surprised that there wasn’t more conflict.
The couples were pretty much set after their first Friday night encounter. One of the couples does everything they are supposed to do and realize that they are totally hot for each other and they fit well together. But neither is willing to speak about their connection after the first night. Our second couple doesn’t do as well, but it’s clear to the reader that there were some feelings there all along. When they have to switch the following Friday, the couples are uncomfortable and the chemistry is not there. Two end up playing some sort of game and the other two, though they do get naked, do not have sex.
This story was entertaining for what it was in and of itself. Two guys, two girls-two hookups and viola…couples. There is humor and a little conflict due to a misunderstanding but it’s a basic friends to lovers type story. I enjoyed what little of the back stories were shared about the characters, especially Matt whose story was the most interesting and made me want more. I don’t think we got to know Jasmine very well though. Harrison was adorable and I could totally see his geeky/Greek God appeal. And lastly, Sarah-the instigator of the The Challenge, who comes off very flower-child-esque.
I was lucky to have an arc with all 5 episodes so I could easily read from one to the next. It reads well like that; I don’t think I would have enjoyed it if I had to wait for each part to be released. This way, it had a more cohesive feel to it and the story rolls along smoothly.
Grade: B
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