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A review by bookishpriest
Cubs & Campfires by Dylan Drakes
slow-paced
2.25
This book was a miss for me. The author did an excellent job of marketing the book on social media, promising a "sweet and spicy romance". On that score, the book delivers, but the balance isn't what I'd hoped for
The book is, essentially, a series of graphic sexual encounters between the two main characters with the thinnest of plots surrounding it. There's great positive body representation - the main characters are both heavy, hairy men - and there are some sweet moments. But it's definitely one part sweet to ten parts spicy, so make sure that's what you're looking for.
There are lots of of wildly unrealistic situations and behaviours in the book. The author does provide a preface that explains this is meant to be an idyllic fantasy where many of the concerns of this world aren't important. Being free of worries like survival gear, long hikes, or STIs means the main characters can frolic much more freely. The disclaimer about this is a nice touch and helped to set my expectations appropriately while reading.
The book is written from a third person POV but spends an enormous amount of time on the internal monologue of the main character, Luca. A first person POV would have felt more natural to this delivery of the story, I think. The main characters are, indeed, sweet, but also felt flat. The main character, at times, seemed like a caricature of the hypersexual gay man who can't look at anything in the world without turning it into a sexual reference.
There are some editorial hiccoughs to note. The book is set in the American Pacific Northwest and the author is Australian. There is a lot of Australian diction that should have been caught and localized to standard American usage. There are several grammatically awkward sentences and at least one obvious spelling error. Repetitive vocabulary was also a noticeable concern. (This book may win an award for most frequent use of "bulge".)
Cubs & Campfires wasn't for me. The writing is okay, if uninspired. The plot is wafer thin and the characters are sweet but shallow. Lots and lots of graphic sexual content on offer, though, so if that's your cup of tea, this may be the book for you.
The book is, essentially, a series of graphic sexual encounters between the two main characters with the thinnest of plots surrounding it. There's great positive body representation - the main characters are both heavy, hairy men - and there are some sweet moments. But it's definitely one part sweet to ten parts spicy, so make sure that's what you're looking for.
There are lots of of wildly unrealistic situations and behaviours in the book. The author does provide a preface that explains this is meant to be an idyllic fantasy where many of the concerns of this world aren't important. Being free of worries like survival gear, long hikes, or STIs means the main characters can frolic much more freely. The disclaimer about this is a nice touch and helped to set my expectations appropriately while reading.
The book is written from a third person POV but spends an enormous amount of time on the internal monologue of the main character, Luca. A first person POV would have felt more natural to this delivery of the story, I think. The main characters are, indeed, sweet, but also felt flat. The main character, at times, seemed like a caricature of the hypersexual gay man who can't look at anything in the world without turning it into a sexual reference.
There are some editorial hiccoughs to note. The book is set in the American Pacific Northwest and the author is Australian. There is a lot of Australian diction that should have been caught and localized to standard American usage. There are several grammatically awkward sentences and at least one obvious spelling error. Repetitive vocabulary was also a noticeable concern. (This book may win an award for most frequent use of "bulge".)
Cubs & Campfires wasn't for me. The writing is okay, if uninspired. The plot is wafer thin and the characters are sweet but shallow. Lots and lots of graphic sexual content on offer, though, so if that's your cup of tea, this may be the book for you.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content