Mark O’Brien is finally being honest with himself. His relationship with Rachel is over and he’s moving out of the home they’ve shared for six years. They get along, but he can’t fix a relationship when the person he’s with is the wrong gender. Jamie Robertson, one of the removal men, is huge and ridiculously gorgeous, and Mark is smitten at first sight. When a cardboard box splits, revealing … revealing items of a personal nature that Mark never wanted anybody to see, he’s mortified. But it sparks the start of a beautiful friendship with benefits.
As Jamie initiates Mark into the joys of gay sex, the two men get increasingly close and “nothing serious” turns into something rather important to both of them. But communication isn’t their strong point. Will either man ever find the courage to be honest about his feelings?
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I listened to the audiobook version of Nothing Serious and I only have one small complaint. I wish the narrator had been British. It really took me out of the story when distinctly Brit words were spoken in an American accent. It threw me off. Having said that, the story itself is sweet and romantic, a friends with benefits arrangement that slides into something far more serious. It’s sexy too, with scenes hot enough to make you need a fan. I enjoyed the story and the characters. Very low angst and a perfect quick read.
Mark and Jamie meet when Mark is moving out of his old life with his ex-girlfriend, and into his new life as an out gay man. The chemistry between Mark and Jamie is instant, and they don’t fight against their attraction. Instead, they begin a casual sex relationship that soon turns into something more. I loved how Jay Northcote developed both Mark and Jamie, they were likeable and well crafted, especially for such a short book. Watching them fall in love was sweet, and the sex scenes were hot and delicious. Overall, this was a wonderful book to read. A perfect comfort read that has quality writing and adorable characters.
This was sweet and a little bit angsty, and while I would have loved to read an entire book about them, this managed to tell their story just right.
Independent reviewer for Divine Magazine, I was gifted the AUDIO file of this book.
Mark finally admits to himself and his partner of 9 years, that he is gay. While Rachel is devastated, she knows things have not been right between them for a long time. Mark moving out of their home seems the best thing to do, but they will remain friends. On moving day, Jamie shows up with his brother, and Mark feels an immediate attraction to the younger man. When Jamie drops a box contains some. . .personal items, Mark is mortified but Jamie finds the blush on Mark’s face adorable, and all kinds of sexy. But neither man is looking for anything serious right now, so they can just help each other out, right?
This book, right here, landed in my queue just when I needed it to, cos its far too stinking cute for its own good!
It’s a wonderfully well written tale of a newly out of the closet man, finding himself and all about his sexuality, with a willing young man who wants to help. Jamie finds Mark attractive, but he doesn’t want anything serious, last time he ran away when *serious* was talked about, so helping Mark explore all the joys of sex with a man, seems a good way to get close to Mark, while keeping his distance.
Mark has an immediate attraction to Jamie, and when Jamie suggests a friends with benefits type arrangement, Mark is keen to get to know Jamie.
What neither man expected, or wanted, was their emotions to get involved, and when they both realise this is what was happening, Mark and Jamie struggle with ways to talk to each other about it!
It’s not overly explicit, but it is all kinds of sexy! There is no real drama, save the guys finally admitting to themselves, at least, what they feel for each other.
It really is one of those books you just fall into and lose a few hours. It’s only short, some 154 pages, but it packs a hefty punch of cuteness! I listened to this, it’s just over 4 hours.
Michael Pauley narrates.
I have, in the past, found Pauley a bit hit and miss, for me, personally. Here, however, he really nails it!
Pauley’s voices for Mark and Jamie are different enough to be easily identifiable when they are talking, for all the characters, actually. His reading voice is clear and even, and I had no trouble keeping up. There were no dips in the sound to put me off, which has happened with Pauley before. It’s just where he lowers his voice, for thinking or musing, really but here, there is no dipping.
I loved how Pauley gets all the things running around in Mark and Jamie’s heads across, you genuinely sort of fall in love with them, as they fall in love with each other!
I’ve shelved it on my *kinda creeps up on ya* shelf, simply because, that’s what happens!
Love creeps up on Mark and Jamie and it was a pleasure listening to that happen.
4 stars for the book
5 stars for the narration
4.5 stars overall.
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
I enjoyed this story. It is a sweet coming out story, not a lot of angst and an overall good romance. The blurb really tells all that can be said without spoilers.
The characters are well written, the book is well narrated and charming and I love a British story with all the different mannerisms, and words.
4 out of 5 stars
Jamie is helping his brother out with his moving company and moving Mark out of the house he has shared with his longtime girlfriend. Mark is moving out because he’s finally come to terms with the fat that he’s gay. Jamie lifts a box in Mark’s bedroom and accidentally reveals Mark’s secret box of private things. This starts a conversation that leads to the “relationship” for the rest of the book.
Sometimes this kind of story line where they’re both feeling things and don’t admit it to the other drives me crazy. I mean, why not just freaking speak your mind, darn it?! BUT for this one I really did understand both guys’ reluctance to speak their minds. Jamie is young and feels like he isn’t smart because of his dyslexia. Mark is experimenting for the first time with a guy and Jamie said it was just for fun – and the experience, nothing serious!
I enjoyed this story and I’m glad I took the chance. I would recommend it if you’re looking for a good read to escape reality for a few hours.
*** I voluntarily read a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ***
Mark realizes after having been in a long term relationship with a woman, that he is in fact gay. Never having been with a man, Mark is about to embark on a mission of self discovery.. or try to as he has no clue how to go about it. When one of his boxes spills over and reveals the reason he is moving out to one of the movers, Mark is a bit embarrassed. For Jamie seeing the stuff that has spilled out, just proves that Mark is right up his alley, and after a bit of flirting they end up making plans to hang out. As Jamie decides to help Mark navigate this new lifestyle, they both agree that its just a friends with benefits thing… but what happens when Jamie realizes that he is having feelings for Mark?
This was such a sweet story, I really enjoyed it. I loved the whole just finding his true self, and Jamie being willing to “help” him. Some really super hot sexy times, very low on drama, and some soccer/football. I give this 4 stars.