bojangles's review
fast-paced
2.0
Another quickie on my 2023 challenge to clear at least 50% of my currently reading. This was a cute but boring story. I thought we were going to get an erotic Faustian tale where the main man sells his soul to the devil in exchange for the devil’s own sexual pleasure. Instead, it was a cute little morality tale about not judging a book by its cover. Maybe my expectations were just off going in to it, but the way the central tension was resolved was…boring. While I respect a romance conflict that is resolved through good communication, the endless weird assumptions that led to the misunderstanding in the first place were silly and badly motivated as a character/personality trait.
breadedbookpages's review
2.0
I'm surprisingly disappointed in this. I don't know. There are more iffy things than good ones.
One, the way Noah thought of Martin's body with phrases like "not his type" that made me quite upset. Also the whole metaphor of Martin being the devil didn't sit well with me especially since he's fat. Also, the scene in which they make out and Noah thinks something about not knowing how his first time with a large man would be made me scoff. Large people having sex isn't an alien thing. Not a lot of things would be different than having sex with a thin person. Gosh.
Second, the story is so short I didn't get to quite see enough of Noah to care about him. I don't think he's worthy of Martin. He read as judgemental.
I liked Martin though. Deserves better. Didn't like the referance to his biphobic ex-wife. I'm tired of bisexuals being thought of as unfaithful even in short stories in which we might not get a lot about either character. Wish this story was a bit fluffier but it kind of hurt.
I don't know how to rate it.
One, the way Noah thought of Martin's body with phrases like "not his type" that made me quite upset. Also the whole metaphor of Martin being the devil didn't sit well with me especially since he's fat. Also, the scene in which they make out and Noah thinks something about not knowing how his first time with a large man would be made me scoff. Large people having sex isn't an alien thing. Not a lot of things would be different than having sex with a thin person. Gosh.
Second, the story is so short I didn't get to quite see enough of Noah to care about him. I don't think he's worthy of Martin. He read as judgemental.
I liked Martin though. Deserves better. Didn't like the referance to his biphobic ex-wife. I'm tired of bisexuals being thought of as unfaithful even in short stories in which we might not get a lot about either character. Wish this story was a bit fluffier but it kind of hurt.
I don't know how to rate it.
kaa's review
4.0
Part fluff, part anti-bigotry messaging. This is a lovely, quick read. The writing style worked better for me than in the previous story I read by the author.
foxclouds's review
3.0
I received this short story for free in exchange of an honest review.
This story is about an artist, who makes up stories about a man he has a crush on, but when he has a chance to meet this man in person, he is surprised by what he finds out.
It is difficult to review a short story as there is not much what I can disclose without spoiling the plot, but I liked it. It had a sort of fairy tale like style to it, but what attracted me the most to the story was a very accurate - bull's eye strike - description of misconception and misunderstanding of bisexuality. The fact that the characters themselves acknowledge and address it is more than what I could expect from such a short story.
Read it. It may open your eyes a bit.
Rating: 3 stars
This story is about an artist, who makes up stories about a man he has a crush on, but when he has a chance to meet this man in person, he is surprised by what he finds out.
It is difficult to review a short story as there is not much what I can disclose without spoiling the plot, but I liked it. It had a sort of fairy tale like style to it, but what attracted me the most to the story was a very accurate - bull's eye strike - description of misconception and misunderstanding of bisexuality. The fact that the characters themselves acknowledge and address it is more than what I could expect from such a short story.
Read it. It may open your eyes a bit.
Rating: 3 stars
luss44's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
qace90's review
4.0
Cute short with an amusing ending
I enjoyed this for a quick little read. An art teacher raised Christian, Noah, sees Martin one day and makes the assumption he must be the devil between his goatee and owning a diamond business, as well as other evidence. Not a sweet story, per se, but it is cute.
Content warnings:
😈 allusion to masturbation, fade-to-black scene, allusion to oral sex
😈 alcohol consumption
😈 MC takes LI to his apartment when MC is intoxicated
😈 Child falls off bicycle and gets hurt
Rep: fat, divorced, pagan, bi businessman LI; not-straight, raised Christian MC
I enjoyed this for a quick little read. An art teacher raised Christian, Noah, sees Martin one day and makes the assumption he must be the devil between his goatee and owning a diamond business, as well as other evidence. Not a sweet story, per se, but it is cute.
Content warnings:
😈 allusion to masturbation, fade-to-black scene, allusion to oral sex
😈 alcohol consumption
😈 MC takes LI to his apartment when MC is intoxicated
😈 Child falls off bicycle and gets hurt
Rep: fat, divorced, pagan, bi businessman LI; not-straight, raised Christian MC
tears_into_wine's review
4.0
A really sweet, entertaining story with a cute pairing. Bonus points for diversity reasons. I absolutely loved the nice plot twist and the characters! Would love to read a sequel showing how things went, how the relationship developed, etc. – the story really made me curious, I want to know more about those precious babies and their dating lives, aww. <3
chronicreader's review
4.0
Brilliant
This is only 15 pages and Glassman is able to create a beautiful story with two great characters, chemistry between them and a brilliant plot.
This is only 15 pages and Glassman is able to create a beautiful story with two great characters, chemistry between them and a brilliant plot.
hartd's review
4.0
I've been having so much fun reading Shira Glassman's shorts in the past few days, and this one is great. I've never been especially attracted to large older men with goatees before, but after encountering a character like this in several of this author's books, I am starting to understand the appeal.
I like that Noah is about my age, and his love interest is even older, as well as bisexual. I want to see so much more of all of that, in m/m. Also, even though it's very short, I think the story makes an interesting comment on the difference between expectation and reality, in attraction; I have to admit that it's easy for me to relate to Noah's flight of fancy.
Anyway, this story is cute and funny. I would have preferred it to be slightly longer, but I recommend it highly.
I like that Noah is about my age, and his love interest is even older, as well as bisexual. I want to see so much more of all of that, in m/m. Also, even though it's very short, I think the story makes an interesting comment on the difference between expectation and reality, in attraction; I have to admit that it's easy for me to relate to Noah's flight of fancy.
Anyway, this story is cute and funny. I would have preferred it to be slightly longer, but I recommend it highly.
Spoiler
I laughed out loud when it was revealed that Noah was even wrong about the diamonds.claudiearseneault's review
4.0
This is the first thing I ever read by Shira Glassman and it's a beautiful and sweet anti-biphobia short. <3 Worth your time.
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