This wasn't a hate read. It was like a disaster on the news that I felt compelled to stay tuned to.
This collected volume gets a star just for collecting the series of five parts that never should have been put out separately. It should have been a single book all along so this at least feels like a better format for the story. The grammar is decent and it is, technically, written well. I just hate pretty much everything the author does with this story.
The first part had potential. Carter was introduced as a likable enough young man and his reaction to Frank was relatable. The second part starts the downhill slide as we get more of the roommate, Brandon, and Carter's more negative characteristics. That was the point where I switched from reading each installment to just going to this collection because I was pretty sure I wouldn't like this in end and planned to just skim through the rest of it.
Part three gives us a speed run back through the first two parts from Frank's perspective. You know it's not going to be good when even the author prefaces that part with a statement that you can just skip it and go to part four. I, personally, thought I liked Frank so I was very interested in his perspective and did not skip that part. I wish that I had. By the end of that part, I no longer liked any character in this story, was not seeing or hoping for a happy ending and still kept reading.
Parts four and five both began by saying how Carter and Frank were in a romantic relationship then defined romance as if to try and make clear that they fit the definition even when they're a terrible couple. Frank is rebounding, not completely over the ex that he spent 18 years with and Carter is not much older that 18 himself with immaturity and insecurity waving as big red flags all over the place. Carter pushes to move in with Frank way too quickly and Frank seems oblivious to those prods until Carter gets assaulted by a man that Brandon brings back to their shared flat. The way Brandon was portrayed was a choice by the author. A choice to take homophobic "bad gay" stereotypes of being femme, catty and promiscuous to prop up Carter's "good gay" characteristics of being more masculine and monogamous. Then, as soon as Brandon is removed from the story, Carter stops doing his daily swims, going to work and loses his young man veneer to become a whiny little boy that reads very much like a shrill harpy from heteronormative stories. The first night after Carter moves in, Frank comes home from work and seriously asks what Carter made for dinner despite it already being mentioned in the series that Frank and Brandon cooked, but Carter not so much. Yet Carter, who does not even know that first day whether he's even allowed to answer the phone in Frank's home, is supposed to have a meal waiting when Daddy gets home? That's fine if it's what they had agreed to for their relationship but they NEVER have a meaningful discussion to establish their relationship or any boundaries or expectations to it. It is a mess. The age gap and their dynamics are unhealthy. Frank absolutely should have ended things after Carter's spying. That scene, where Carter decides to go to Charles's coffee shop to see Frank's ex, was so stupidly contrived I actually got to the point where I was ready to quit this story but I was too close to the end. I'm going to spoil this for you if you've read this far in the review and are still thinking about this book. Frank and Charles still have a working relationship, which Carter is extremely jealous of. One night, Frank tells Carter that he had told Charles that they were dating and on "Thursday" Frank will make clear to Charles that their work relationship us all that they have together now. Carter cries he doesn't want Frank telling his ex anything about them and Frank says he won't. The day after this, Carter goes stalking, makes sure he doesn't see Frank's car in the lot then goes into Charles's coffee shop. It is not Thursday. Frank's car was not outside. Yet as Carter sits drinking his latte, Charles and Frank suddenly walk out of an office in the back of the coffee shop, go to the front counter together for reasons, hug and kiss in public, solely for Carter's benefit so he can go off later, then go back to the office together without having done ANYTHING other than that little display of affection. If Frank had left the shop after that, ok, but they left a private office to make a public gesture before going back to that private space. So Carter assumes the worst, leaves and goes home to work himself into a tizzy for when Frank gets home. When Frank comes home with flowers for his lil lady...sorry, LAD... he feels proud that he told Charles all about Carter and put that old relationship to rest while Carter has a jealous fit that just makes it crystal clear that he should not be or want to be in a relationship with Frank. The plot choices by the author are just stupid.
OR
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