REVIEW: 'Pretty in Pink' by Jay Northcote
Title: Pretty in Pink
Series: Housemates #6
Author: Jay Northcote
Published: February 21, 2018
Publisher: Self-Published/Jaybird Press
Cover Artist: Garrett Leigh/Black Jazz Design
Genre: Contemporary Romance; Erotic Romance
Length: 211 Pages
Tags: Gay; M/M; Bisexual; Standalone; Coming Out; HEA; Humor
About Pretty in Pink
Ryan isn’t looking for a relationship with a guy—and Johnny isn’t looking for a relationship at all.
Ryan’s always been attracted to tall, leggy blondes—normally of the female variety. When Johnny catches his eye at a party, Ryan’s interest is piqued even though he’s never been with a guy before. The attraction is mutual, and the amazing night that follows opens Ryan’s eyes to his bisexuality.
Experience has taught Johnny that love hurts. Staying single is safer, and there’s no need for complicated relationships when hooking up is easy. When he moves in next door to Ryan, they’re both interested in picking up where they left off, and it seems like an ideal arrangement: convenient, mutually satisfying, and with no strings attached.
Despite their best intentions to keep things casual, they develop an emotional connection alongside the physical one. Both begin to want more from the relationship but are afraid to admit it. If they’re going to work things out, they need to start being honest—first with themselves, and then with each other.
Although this book is part of the Housemates series, it has new main characters, a satisfying happy ending, and can be read as a standalone.
4 HEART READ
REVIEW: Jay Northcote continues his exploration of identity with a man’s first attraction to another guy, in Pretty in Pink, the sixth of Jay’s Housemates series. Each novel reads as a standalone, and as always, Northcote gently and astutely probes the boundaries of awareness and self-definition in his college-aged protagonists.
Johnny, certain of love’s fickleness, thinks he’s simply providing some giggles to the straight boy. Johnny’s not prepared for a straight-shooter with an open mind.
When Ryan sees an attractive, leggy blonde dancing at a friend’s party, the dancer turns and shows himself to be a man. After happily dating women, Ryan is flabbergasted.
Johnny, certain of love’s fickleness, thinks he’s simply providing some giggles to the straight boy. Johnny’s not prepared for a straight-shooter with an open mind.
Jay’s language is lovely. Of the jaded Johnny seeing Ryan after their first encounter, he writes, “Looking at him, Johnny felt a spike of tenderness, an unexpected green shoot pushing through winter soils.” But later readers learn, “Johnny didn’t want to start expecting things. Life had taught him that expectations were dangerous.”
And Ryan, who is enthralled, believes Johnny wants only a casual hookup, and feels hurt. “What had started as something fun and uncomplicated had rapidly become something very different. Yet like a hapless moth burning itself on a flame, Ryan couldn’t stay away from Johnny even though he knew he was playing with fire.”
Readers can identify, imagining themselves in Johnny’s shoes thinking, “This was why he didn’t like relationships. They were messy and complicated, and as soon as you let yourself start caring about another person there was the potential for being hurt-or for hurting someone.”
Isn’t this the very risk that all love demands, irrespective of gender, orientation, or the nature of our specific desires? Since love always requires courage, both men must face themselves to be ready for the responsibility and joy of another person’s heart. Can they?
As Ryan wrestles with who he is, Housemates cast of characters, reappearing from prior novels, demonstrate its depth. One friend, Ewan tells Ryan, “‘There’s more than one kind of homophobia… Internalized homophobia can be one of the biggest giants to fight.’”
Isn’t this the very risk that all love demands, irrespective of gender, orientation, or the nature of our specific desires?
I, too, was drawn, like a moth, to this couple’s melting defenses, and their fearful responses. Pretty in Pink is humorous and innocent, yet true to its plot and characters. In the month of Valentine’s Day, this is a truly romantic and easy read with lovable characters and a toe-curling, satisfying ending.
A copy of Pretty in Pink was provided to Kimmers’ Erotic Book Banter, by Signal Boost Promotions, at no cost and with no expectations in return. We offer our fair and honest opinion on behalf of our readers.
Amazon/KU
Meet the Author
Jay lives just outside Bristol in the West of England. He comes from a family of writers, but always used to believe that the gene for fiction writing had passed him by. He spent years only ever writing emails, articles, or website content.
One day, Jay decided to try and write a short story—just to see if he could—and found it rather addictive. He hasn’t stopped writing since.
Jay writes contemporary romance about men who fall in love with other men. He has five books published by Dreamspinner Press, and also self-publishes under the imprint Jaybird Press. Many of his books are now available as audiobooks.
Jay is transgender and was formerly known as she/her.
For more from Jay be sure and visit his website.
