Reviewed by Jess
TITLE: Rescuing His Best Friend
SERIES: Dating Games #2
AUTHOR: Doris O’Connor
PUBLISHER: Evernight Publishing
LENGTH: 61 pages
RELEASE DATE: September 7, 2018
BLURB:
Hunter
How do you tell your best friend that you’ve been living a lie all your life? That’s my dilemma, and if that’s not enough I need a place to hide away for a while. Sam is the obvious choice. If only I could keep my hands off of him long enough to make him see the truth.
Sam is the one I’ve always loved.
Sam
I’ll gladly be his knight in scruffy joggers and rescue him, but if he thinks for one minute that I’ll be his little gay experiment he can think again. I’ve never played games and I’m not about to start now when Hunter is so clearly in trouble. However, offering him a place to crash puts him in my bed—a fantasy come true. The wicked things I want to do to my best friend…
Hunter is the only man I’ve ever loved.
REVIEW:
I think a more apt title for this story would be Rescuing His Old Acquaintance. Though the sexual chemistry between out bartender Sam and closeted athlete Hunter sizzles, there isn’t enough intimacy between them to make us believe they are much more than casual buddies. Short romances can be great, but when you want history between your main characters, you need space to flesh it all out.
I do like the mirroring points of view that show both men are pining in their own ways. Mutual pining is always swoon-worthy, and both men are brimming with seemingly unrequited love and lust. There’s not much wait before they give into their desires, but the bit of tension that is there is great. I think Hunter’s coming-out arc is pretty rushed, but I did like how he dealt with a cruel, blackmailing ex-girlfriend.
I liked the previous story in the series, Seducing Her Best Friend, a little more. Rosie and Tirath had more palpable chemistry, though I don’t think either couple has much of a “best friend” vibe going on. Both stories lack the intimacy that comes with real lifelong friendships. Maybe a series like this that revolves around besties taking that next step deserves novel-length stories rather than these shorts.
These stories have felt a bit rushed and sloppy so far. O’Connor can write good sex scenes, but crafting believable best friendships needs a little more TLC.
RATING: 
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