Hey HR. I reckon it's about time I shared my thoughts about these seriously great books. I read Books 1 and 2 a few years ago, and even left a comment on the thread way back then. Recently I re-read those two, and then went on to devour Book 3.
I have to admit, I must have skimmed a bit on the first read, maybe skipping to the next sex scene or whatever, because the second time through I got so much more out of the experience, got so much more involved. These books deserve more than just a quick skim.
I loved the first two, but Book 3 really surpassed them for me. It was the intensity of the emotions that got to me, even more than the sex, which was by any yardstick awesome. I gasped and smiled and teared up as I read Jess and Paul's journey from their first meeting to their ultimate act of commitment.
The guys are all so relatable in some way -- young, finding their way, looking for stability and love. We were all there once. Probably many new readers are now. In the first two books, I was drawn particularly to Justin. He seemed to be fairly sure of himself, despite having to endure being treated as the school faggot. I was a bit nerdy at school, so I could kind of relate to his outsider position at school. And he's creative and artistic, and that's appealing to me. After Book 3, I have to say Jess and Paul are jointly my favourite characters. They emerge like the perfect couple. They both started with fears and doubts, found each other, and fulfilled each other's needs, emotionally and physically. I'm so drawn to their vulnerabilities and how they overcame them.
You've created a wealth of memorable scenes, HR, that keep coming back to me in my idle moments. Like those cum-drenched jeans -- not something I'd ever really considered before, but that little episode was unexpectedly fucking hot. Billy coming out to the team, and Jess unexpectedly coming out to support him. Billy dancing in the club and getting sucked off by Tom, his angst over it, and Justin's subsequent cheerful acceptance that that was just Billy being his exhibitionist self. Paul putting Jess first in your apartment that evening. And maybe most of all, Jess and Paul's night and morning of commitment. Unforgettable.
I've thought about what it was that kept me so engaged as I read, so keen for more. The story itself is appealing, but not uncommon in its essence: young guys figuring out who they are, forming relationships, facing real-world problems, finding love. Without the fantastic sex scenes you wrote though, I might not have read the whole story. But more than that, without the emotional intensity you injected into the story, it would have been just another story that I got hard reading. Not that that's a bad thing, lol. But this was much more.
So really, I guess what kept me reading most was actually the writing. I know the boys supplied the story and the facts and all, but it was the way you wrote it that made it such a memorable experience. The way you strung the words together, sometimes in short breathless sentences that reflected the wild thoughts racing through the guys' heads, the extravagant detail of the sex, the way you brought their thoughts to the page. I was right there in bed with them so often, feeling what they felt, not quite physically, but definitely emotionally. Mate, that's genius. Seriously.
I can't thank you enough for putting in all the energy and effort it took to produce this wonderful work. And I can't thank Billy and Justin, Jess and Paul enough for agreeing to do the project, for sharing their stories and their feelings, and for putting in so much of their own time and effort with you to get it just right. I genuinely wish you all the very best, and hope life is treating you well.
If I can be of any assistance in makeing that journey pleasurable, worthwhile, reassuring, or even eye-opening, don't ever be shy about reaching out to me. Good luck to you, my friend.
