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kaje_harper's review
4.0
This book is part of the series that begins with [b:Fun With Dick and Shane|7509987|Fun With Dick and Shane (Memoirs of a Houseboy, #1)|Gillibran Brown|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1262878246s/7509987.jpg|13109528] and should be read in order.
Here we see a lot more of Gilly, with a host of memories of his youth and childhood coming up as he deals with his mother's illness. You can finally see that so much of his snark and temper is rooted in pain from the past. When something hurts him, he lashes out with sarcasm and spite. Because he is unwilling to let anyone see the true source of his issues, even Dick, he looks totally unreasonable and unrepentant, a brat by intent, instead of in painful reaction. In this book he comes up against Shane's limits over and over, and although the other two men can see that something is bothering him, he shoves them away so hard when they inquire that they have no choice but to take him at face value.
It's a bit tough reading - the little slings and barbs from other people at Leo's house party cut much deeper because of Gilly's existing issues, but the people around him can't see that. You want to shake Gilly by the scruff of the neck, and make him tell Shane, or at least Dick, where his issues are coming from. There is comfort available if he only let himself make one move to explain that he needs it...
There is humor here, but mostly this is a painful, irritating, and poignant instalment. More an episode than a real story arc, this one doesn't have a lot of resolution from start to finish. But for those who love mouthy, bratty, sweet, self-involved, lost and found Gillibran, this story sheds a lot of light on where our hero comes from.
Here we see a lot more of Gilly, with a host of memories of his youth and childhood coming up as he deals with his mother's illness. You can finally see that so much of his snark and temper is rooted in pain from the past. When something hurts him, he lashes out with sarcasm and spite. Because he is unwilling to let anyone see the true source of his issues, even Dick, he looks totally unreasonable and unrepentant, a brat by intent, instead of in painful reaction. In this book he comes up against Shane's limits over and over, and although the other two men can see that something is bothering him, he shoves them away so hard when they inquire that they have no choice but to take him at face value.
It's a bit tough reading - the little slings and barbs from other people at Leo's house party cut much deeper because of Gilly's existing issues, but the people around him can't see that. You want to shake Gilly by the scruff of the neck, and make him tell Shane, or at least Dick, where his issues are coming from. There is comfort available if he only let himself make one move to explain that he needs it...
There is humor here, but mostly this is a painful, irritating, and poignant instalment. More an episode than a real story arc, this one doesn't have a lot of resolution from start to finish. But for those who love mouthy, bratty, sweet, self-involved, lost and found Gillibran, this story sheds a lot of light on where our hero comes from.
evil_jj's review
4.0
It was good to hear from Gilli again, though this book was more melancholy than the previous ones. He still managed to make me laugh out loud a few times, which is quite rare for me.
Gilli is much too stubborn for his own good, especially when it comes to confiding in his Daddies, and I often wanted to shake some sense into him. Then again, I have the cynical belief that they (or at least Shane) wouldn't be sufficiently sympathetic if he were to let down those walls. Shane can be a right bastard most of the time.
I'd have preferred shorter flashbacks, but flashbacks in general are a personal pet peeve. That was my only annoyance with the book, and as usual, I was left wanting more when it ended because I can never get enough of Gilli's tales.
P.S. I was shocked that
Gilli is much too stubborn for his own good, especially when it comes to confiding in his Daddies, and I often wanted to shake some sense into him. Then again, I have the cynical belief that they (or at least Shane) wouldn't be sufficiently sympathetic if he were to let down those walls. Shane can be a right bastard most of the time.
I'd have preferred shorter flashbacks, but flashbacks in general are a personal pet peeve. That was my only annoyance with the book, and as usual, I was left wanting more when it ended because I can never get enough of Gilli's tales.
P.S. I was shocked that
Spoiler
Gilli got away with his prank, but I was glad Vince got what he deserved.
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