Reviewed by Dan
TITLE: Just a Bit Unhealthy
SERIES: Straight Guys #3
AUTHOR: Alessandra Hazard
PUBLISHER: Self-Published
LENGTH: 194 Pages
BLURB:
When the line between “need” and “want” gets blurred…
Gabriel DuVal, rising soccer star.
Jared Sheldon, team physician.
To the outside world, they’re just good friends. But the truth is, Gabriel isn’t entirely sure what they are to each other.
Some call their relationship unhealthy. Some call it codependency. Gabriel calls it confusing. He knows Jared wants him – as more than a friend. He doesn’t want Jared. He’s straight, he has a girlfriend, and he loves her. But Jared is… Jared is more. Jared is his. He needs him – his touch and his strength.
But is it enough for Jared?
Publisher’s warning: This is not a light-hearted story; this is a rather twisted gay-for-you story. It contains some steamy MM scenes, strong language, and two people so wrapped up in each other that the nature of their relationship goes beyond friendship–and beyond normal.
REVIEW:
Welcome to the story of Gabriel and Jared. For those of you following along as I review this series, Jared is the cousin of Alexander from “Just a Bit Obsessed” and this time he has his own story.
Jared Sheldon is a doctor, and about five years ago he worked with then sixteen year old Gabriel DuVal on an injury which should have kept Gabriel from ever playing football again. As a result of that treatment, Gabriel developed a strong dependence on Jared, which has followed through to the present day. Gabriel knows he is messing with Jared’s mind, and he knows that Jared is in love with him, but they’ve never discussed it.
This book is darker than the other three that I reviewed for this series. There is a lot of confusion on both men’s part, and there is also Gabriel’s girlfriend of two years and their new baby. When Jared quits his position as the team’s doctor and goes back to the US, Gabriel falls apart, taking it out on his team members and his girlfriend. But what is it about Jared? Gabriel definitely isn’t gay. Jared is his best friend, and yes, Gabriel loves to cuddle with him, kiss him on the cheek, hold his hand, etcetera, but that doesn’t mean he is gay! But Jared belongs to Gabriel in Gabriel’s mind, so he should be there with him, even if it is with his girlfriend and baby…
Like I said, dark and filled with angst. This book is also a little longer than books one and two, so there is more time for character development. Can I just say I really wanted to jump into the book and slap Gabriel up beside his head a few times? When I get that annoyed at a character, I think the author did a good job creating him. He felt human. I’m going to say that out of the four books so far (counting Sage’s story in 0.5), I think I liked this one the best for storyline. It really, really annoyed me at times, but I liked that the characters didn’t just fall into bed like in the other books. This time there was resistance on both sides. I also really like that Ms. Hazard doesn’t write her female characters as two dimensional throw away characters. I really felt the girlfriend’s feelings of betrayal and hurt in this one.
The sex scenes in this one were the only thing I felt that lacked a little bit. I understand that it was because of the type of story that this particular book had. My favorite sex scene of the entire series so far was the fingering scene in the shower in Sage’s story, way back in book 0.5! Rest assured, Ms. Hazard does write good sex scenes though, so none of the four books so far will disappoint, including this one!
I recommend this book and this series. There is a note in the end of this book that the author is already at work on the next one. I know I’ll be looking for it!
RATING: 
BUY LINK: