Everyone says kindness costs nothing. It’s a lie. Kindness can cost you everything. SebastianThe only decent thing my high school bully ever did for me got him sent to prison. Aidan was a jerk, but he saved me from making the worst mistake of my life, and in return, my parents ruined him. Now that he’s out, I’m determined to make amends. No matter what he needs, no matter how long it takes, I … matter how long it takes, I will make it all up to him. But first I’ll have to figure out how to hide my attraction to my sexy, confusing new roommate.
Aidan
Saving him cost me everything. I have nothing and no one—except Sebastian. He’s determined to make good on a debt I never asked him to repay. He’s offering me money, a place to stay, and help adjusting to life on the outside. But all I’m really wondering is…who can save Sebastian from me—the desperate, bisexual ex-con who probably wants more from him than he’s willing to give?
The One Decent Thing is an M/M new adult bisexual romance with lots of heat, angst, and physics jokes.
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Aiden occasionally bullied (although never physically hurt) Sebastian in high school. One fateful night, after Aiden graduated, he spotted the younger Sebastian at a bus stop and the boy looked sad. When Aiden learned that he was planning to meet a stranger, he offered to let him stay at his place on the sofa rather than risk danger. Unfortunately, Sebastian’s influential parents got the police involved, blamed Aiden as a kidnapper, and the trial resulted in a four-year prison term for Aiden. Now, four years later, Sebastian is an adult who is estranged from his parents and living on his own. When he picks Aiden up at the prison on his release. As the lives of these two become intertwined and attraction grows, can these two have a future together?
This book is well-written, with a strong sub-text about anxiety issues and mental health. Most parts are written quite believably, but there may be a reach for some readers about the ease of forgiveness and the rather sudden move to identifying as bisexual for Aiden. All in all, it’s a very enjoyable and heart-warming story and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
After an unjust accusation and conviction, Aidan is finally free. Much to his surprise, Sebastian is there to help and support him.
Four years ago, Sebastian was seventeen, his parents made sure to put the one who saved him in jail. The injustice here was horrible and sad. Jeez, how? Read this story yourself and get to know the details.
Now Sebastian wants to right the wrong, what happened scarred him for life, not only him, also Aidan.
Sebastian doesn’t only shares his apartment with Aidan, but everything he owns.
He’s a mess, he comes with a complicated manual, and somehow Aidan can read it.
Aidan is so considerate around Sebastian, it hurts. Sebastian’s self-esteem is low, he has so many little panic attacks, and let’s not forget the big ones.
Sebastian is loyal, he chooses Aidan’s side. Sebastian is territory and jealous, he can be an awful prick. Aidan is his friend, no one else’s, period! His straight friend, he got feelings for.
In the small space of Sebastian’s apartment, the sexual tension is getting higher and higher.
Gosh, my heart, what a story. Absolutely captivatingly built, not one page was dull.
Aidan deserved the best, after all the mistreatments, he’s still humble, protective, enormously considerate.
A thousand emotions are passing by. A lot is happening, too many things to mention detailed.
I loved the whole picture, so worth reading!
There are some disturbing characters, multiple, I got quite anxious about their actions.
Logical how stressed Sebastian got from them. But Sebastian rose out above himself, protecting what was his, and did right!
This was such a wonderful emotional experience, hurt, comfort, heat, injustice, justice, romance, the parts that mattered were nicely developed. The characters are engaging, I loved Aidan at first sight, sweet Sebastian was delicate and complicated, both were courageous, the secondary characters were well pictured.
The flow was very comfortable, the plot was wonderfully thought out and well balanced!
There’s a quite satisfying denouement and an even more satisfying HEA.
I didn’t want to like this book. I don’t often like small town or convict stories…but we’ll, that’s not really what this is about. It’s adorable characters, romance, and finding oneself. I guess I shouldn’t have doubted one of my favorite author. Definitely recommended.
A decent read!
When they become roommates, can either of them resist their unlikely attraction?
An explosive and charged read full of chemistry and emotion.
The way the author captured everything and described it so vividly is truly marvellous.
Full of attraction, emotion, anxiety, heat, angst and bi-awakening.
Perfect for readers of contemporary romances.
This is a powerful story of love, betrayal, and second chances. The two main guys, Sebastian and Aidan are so well drawn that despite the obvious flaws you wish you knew them personally. A great read.
This was a really cute book. I really liked Sebastian and Aiden. Aiden was an alpha through and through which was exactly what I was looking for when I saw this book. Sebastian was really sweet and you couldn’t help but love him. Both of them Hs their issues but they worked through them together.
I will say that I’m so glad that Aiden didn’t have major freak outs when it came to his attraction to Sebastian. The story had its drama, but for the most part it was really laid back.
One draw back to the story was that I wanted to see everything go down: and how everything went down at the end of the epilogue. We are told about it throughout the book, but it was hard to really understand at time and get the whole picture. It also happened a few other times with some other things (I won’t give spoilers). I more enjoy experiencing things rather then being told about them after the fact.
With everything, this being my first book by this author, I really enjoyed it. I would read more from some of the secondary characters (Like Chris) and hopefully get a look at these two again to see how they are in their future. I rooted for them from the start and was glad they got their HEA. 4 stars #2OCCJD
(3.5 stars)…I had mixed feelings about the book but the more I reflect on it after finishing the more positive I feel. The themes of redemption, forgiveness and doing the right thing despite the potential cost send the kind of message we need right now in our culture.
The opening of the book gives us a prologue from four years earlier in which Aiden, a year out of high school and working a low wage crappy job, is on his way home from work on a rainy night and spots high school junior Sebastian on a bus stop bench. Things just don’t seem right, and he stops and makes a decision that will forever impact his life. The book then jumps forward four years with Sebastian, an anxiety ridden nerdy college student, making a decision which, at first glance, seems pretty far-fetched. As we read on, we tumble into a fairly bizarre construct that ends up creating an interesting and dynamically shifting storyline.
Let me say right off the bat that the entire premise here takes some major willing suspension of disbelief. While there are most certainly miscarriages of justice this is all just a bit too over the top with way, way too many people having to be unethical and downright crooked. And while the author tries their best to offer explanations for how it could happen it’s just hard to swallow. But if you can get by that, and why, after some time Sebastian didn’t try to remedy this all earlier, then the story can work for you.
There were several points where I just wanted to smack Sebastian. His inner monologues and his anxiety are tough to read without wanting to just have a major come-to-jesus sit down with him. I kept picturing that moment in Moonstruck when Cher slaps Nicolas Cage and yells “snap out of it!” And Aiden is beyond Zen with the patience and understanding of a saint.
As the story progresses and we really get to know these two troubled characters whose fates are so closely intertwined I really started rooting for them. I had major levels of anger and the desire to cause some significant pain to several people. I’m super annoyed that there weren’t more serious consequences for the villains of the piece. (and there were several villains to be held to account that I wanted to hear about!) I recognize the reality of the way our systems often work but man did I ache for some serious karmic justice. And where are those lawyers when you need them?! I can’t imagine after the big climatic moment there weren’t lawyers salivating with the chance for to settle the score for Aiden.
So while the book starts off slow, stick with it as the end offers some great rewards for the virtues of forgiveness, patience, understanding and kindness. (Even if I wanted my several pounds of flesh!!)
*I voluntarily read an ARC and this is my objective review *
These two men brought out all the feels as both had issues to work through both individually and as a couple. The patience and thoughtfulness Aiden had for Sebastian was heartwarming and Sebastian’s courage and never ending faith in Aiden made an amazing romance story. I loved these two characters and the world this author created.
This book was addictively good. I will ALWAYS be a sucker for the tough guy with a soft heart, and the way that Aidan was overprotective of Sebastian in all the yummiest ways–along with how he was so unfailingly devoted to him–was completely swoonworthy. Other boxes it ticked for me: A savior trope? Check. Ex-con wrongfully convicted? Check. Bright, beautiful gay boys who refuse to stifle themselves? Check. Insecurities on both sides but the inner strength to overcome them? Checkkkkkkk. A formerly straight boy who doesn’t need to angst about it when he falls for another guy? So many checks. So much yes.
Honestly, this book is probably one of my favorites of the year so far, and to be honest, probably one of my favorites in the genre. That could just be me, because (as you can see) it checks so damn many of my boxes, but it’s definitely one I’ll be recommending loudly whenever given the opportunity. ALL THE STARS.