MacI’m the kind of guy you can always count on. When my best friend and former roommate—who up and ditched me in favor of his boyfriend—needs a favor, I don’t hesitate to help any way I can. This most recent favor landed me with a moody Irish university student for a roommate. With his long copper-red hair and blue eyes, he’s too damn cute for his own good—which is saying a lot considering I’m … saying a lot considering I’m straight.
Thing is, he kinda hates me. Crazy, right? I shouldn’t care as much as I do, and I definitely shouldn’t let it bother me. Alas, here I am, caring and letting it bother me. I want him to like me, although I’m not quite sure why.
Dubhlainn
Insufferable. My new flatmate is insufferable. Between his loud, cheesy music, stupid assumptions, and flippant attitude, he annoys me. He also has this ridiculous aversion to wearing clothes around the flat, which wouldn’t be so bad if he weren’t so bloody attractive. It’s hard to remember to hate him when his perfect arse is within view.
Going after straight guys is nothing but trouble, and I’m smart enough to avoid that. Besides, I’d rather not mess up another living arrangement, and sex always makes things complicated—not that I’m thinking about sex.
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Mac and Dubhlainn
Bam! It had an awesome start. Witty, snarky and crystal clear.
Mac got a new roommate and believe it or not, the beautiful redhead of a man is just how Mac prefers them, only Mac is straight. It seems he can’t make friends with Dubhlainn and the guy avoids him at the most. Early gone and late in.
Mac is a fresh whirlwind, positive and uplifting. He’s affectionate, boyish, funny and honest to the bone. Mac’s easygoing attitude is for Dubhlainn a reason to relax a bit. When Mac understands Dubhlainn is a drag queen his heart is doing strange things.
Mac is straight uhuh, only he can’t get Dubhlainn out of his head. As honest as he is he speaks out his feelings and they arrange a sort of friends with benefits. And bam the heat is on.
They can’t keep their hands to themselves. Simple it seems, not! It’s far complicated than on first sight, more even when there are feelings. Because that will never work, it’s all just has to stay casual!
The witty Irish comments from ‘Dove’ were awesome. I loved this story immensely.
Uplifting, fresh, with adorable characters. Written in a wonderful captivating pace.
There was nothing I didn’t love here. Enough emotional moments, adorable moments, steamy hot moments, and very lovable moments. A perfect positive story with everything in it!
I loved Mac and Dove. They were so cute together. I liked how fast their story unfolded, it was fast-paced and easy to read. I liked all the other characters and now I need to read Princes of the Universe in the Crazy Little Things series. The story was sweet and sexy. I definitely recommend this book.
For when you really wish there were a half-star option…2.5 disappointed stars.
Amusing, difficult, sexy, detestable. I’m having a hard time with this review. I did get through the whole story, read right until the end and through the epilogue. If I went with my first instinct to DNF about halfway through I would have stayed sour on this book. But since I read to the end and found sweetness, honesty, and feelings, I’m a little less sour even though I really, really don’t want to be.
Fidelity is something that I must have in real life, books, movies, anime, manga…doesn’t matter. If there’s cheating or even a hint of cheating, I’m done, physically ill, bothered for days. It doesn’t work for me and it never makes me want to keep learning about the characters fooling around whether on purpose or by accident. In Mac and Dubhlainn’s case, they’re clear and upfront about non-exclusivity and we get details about Mac’s encounters sometimes that turn my stomach because I’m wondering when they’ll ever get on the same page and if Mac will ever become serious about Dove. When they do, I believe it but I don’t like it.
When Mac first blurts out his newfound curiosity/obsession I found it kind of cute because it fit his character so well. I was expecting more of that as the story went on, but instead we get so much bottling, denial, ignoring, and sleeping around because he couldn’t commit. And for Dove to find someone else because he’s jealous and petty and both of them going through the night “competing” because of those same things…ugh, no respect.
I just…I’m just sick thinking about how little care, how little emotion, how little monogamous thought went on for so damn long in this story. I hated that. Were they sweet to one another once hearts were shared? Yeah. Did we get a lot of that? No. The story was really about sex. Sex with others, sex with one another…so very little depth for the characters and their relationship that I wasn’t invested. I finished for the sake of finishing, hoping that it wasn’t just my colored view because of my own experiences. I don’t think it is. I’m not wowed by the men, their love, or the story overall.
There were some high points and that was the seriously sexy steam, Mac’s grandmother, and Maxim. When g-ma’s are cool and loving I’m a fan. I think if Maxim gets his own story I’ll definitely jump on reading it because there’s something incredibly intriguing about him. Aside from that, I just am not convinced by the story and can’t honestly recommend it to anyone with my kind of sensibilities. Was it a bad story? Probably not, if you’re not me, but since I can only be me, I’ll leave it here and simply say, the book wasn’t for me.
This is the second book in the Crazy Little Thing series; Mac’s story. It picks up from the first book pretty well, but could probably be read as a standalone. The characters are well developed throughout the story, and the writing style is smoothly done.
Mac is a straight guy, and he definitely likes his women; especially if they have red hair like his favorite comic book character, Jean Grey. When his best friend and roommate moves out to live with his fiancé, Eli, he is talked into taking in Eli’s best friend’s little brother, Dubhlainn, or Dove. Mac works mainly from home, and loves to listen to his “out of date” music loud while doing so. He also does not like wearing clothes.
Dubhlainn is a student with a part-time job. When he arrives at his new home, he is not prepared for this man that is Mac. He avoids him as much as possible, until he realizes that Mac can actually help him out with a school assignment with which he has been struggling. They from a truce, and then unexpectedly, strike a different kind of deal.
Mac is very sexual, and not afraid to explore any side this part of himself entails. He is entranced by Dove’s long red hair, and finds himself attracted to the young man. He makes a deal that they have a strictly physical, open relationship, which is smoking, but with absolutely no strings attached.
Eventually, even though Mac’s friends and Gram have tried to tell him what is right in front of his face, it is Dove who makes the decision to protect his heart. The feelings, thoughts, and actions his decision set into play are the catalyst to get Mac to realize what has been going on in his life. It isn’t until he is watching a new YouTube video of Dove performing that he gets off his depressed butt and does something about the situation.
The snark and banter between the MCs is a lot of fun in the story, and watching a player who doesn’t believe in love for himself fall in love in ignorance was cute. There is a bit of angst, but not an intolerable amount. And, of course, our MCs get their HEA.
Happy reading!
* I received an ARC of this book and I am leaving my honest review. *
Killer Queen is the second book in the Crazy Little Thing series by Serene Franklin. This book had me feeling emotions. It had angst, humor and romance…. it had characters that were interesting and entertaining. It definitely was a journey through falling in love.
Mac and Dove went from Roommates to friends with befits to lovers. Along the way, they stumbled… there was jealousy, miscommunication, cringy moments that not all readers can get passed… I for one really felt for these characters and was hit hard by certain mis-steps made, even though it all helped move the story along and played its role in the story. Honestly we make mistakes, we learn from them… so this story is more true to that… sometimes we are dumbarses.
I do like how the story was written in the two main characters’ point of views and we got to see into their thoughts and feeling… it helped understand the whys of their actions and feel connected to them. Overall this story is well written and wonderful
I received an advanced reader’s copy of the book and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review and recommendation.
Don’t you just love stories when love kinda sneaks up on the characters?
This is exactly the case for Mac and Dove in Killer Queen. Watching it happen was really entertaining. To think that they didn’t even like each other when they first met. But then Mac finds himself attracted to Dove,the guys have their little agreement to a just sex relationship (who wouldn’t say yes to that?) and what do you know…emotions start getting stronger than they bargained for…
Killer Queen was fun to read. A feisty Irish redhead and an easygoing all American guy make for an explosive combination, both outside and inside the bedroom. And snappy banter, hot scenes and growing feelings make an enjoyable book!