Reviewed by Kat
TITLE: Asking For a Friend
AUTHOR: JJ Harper
PUBLISHER: Self Published
LENGTH: 227 pages
RELEASE DATE: April 21, 2023
BLURB:
Lando writes about romance for a living yet shuns it in his life.
After too many failed relationships, Lando Hardwick has enough. No more dates for him. His taste in men is abysmal. He always falls for the ones who are only looking for fun.
Hesketh Trent has stopped searching for a boyfriend. They only see him as a walking cash machine, only care what he can buy them. What has happened to romance, love?
Getting soaked by scalding coffee is the worst way to start the day, but hell’s bells, the man is divine. Even though the man ticks all his boxes, no way is Lando giving him his phone number. He’ll be like all the rest: one hot night and he kicks him out the door.
But Hesketh doesn’t give up so easily. The cute redhead with no brain-to-mouth filter intrigues him as no man has ever done.
A cat and mouse chase is on, with Lando as the mouse. Once Lando is caught, they can’t stay away from one another.
Until Hesketh makes a mistake.
Thank god for mutual friends who won’t give up on them and push them together when they’re both too stubborn to take the next step.
Asking For a Friend is a stand-alone MM novel with a group of sassy men, a larger-than-life ginger cat called Flanaghan, a stubborn writer, and a man who can plan events but not his own life.
REVIEW:
Getting a new JJ Harper book is always a treat.
Lando Hardwick seems to have it made. He’s an extremely popular Gay Romance writer and people everywhere love his books and him. Expect those who he is silly enough to share his heart with…they just use him up and discard him like he’s disposable. So Lando has hardened his heart and pours his dreams into his books. Silly romance books, it’s not like it’s real life or anything. When the gorgeous Hesketh Trent accidentally spills his hot coffee on the sexy red head he knows that he’s the one worth putting himself out there again. But can he convince Lando to give him a chance?
Poor sweet Lando. He has made it on his own without the help of his homophobic jerks of parents. Thankfully he had his uncle to stand behind him when he came out. They may have not had the privilege of get to kick him out but his father hasn’t spoken to him in ten years. I loved that Lando finally gave Hesketh the chance but how Hesketh blew it really pissed me off. He knew how fragile Lando was from how badly his exes had treated him and no one simply forgets they are suppose to go away with their new found love that they worked so hard to get. Yes, Hesketh deserved the chance to explain once Lando cooled down but I don’t know if I would have forgiven him either. That was simply unacceptable to just forget for a whole weekend and then expect forgiveness. This is a businessman during his busy season and he just turns off his ringer and ignores his phone for a whole weekend? I simply wasn’t convinced that a man his age would do such a thing.
I know that Lando was deeply hurt and had every right to not trust Hesketh but he was hurting and not giving Hesketh the chance to finally explain in the car ride home from that miserable farce of a party wasn’t fair. Time had passed and at least listening to his explanation seemed the fair thing to do. I will say that the way Lando finally gave Hesketh a chance was so sweet and romantic.
I think I liked Lando a lot more than I did Hesketh. He finally forgave him and then Hesketh almost blows it again at Christmas time. These two needed to spend a bit more time talking than sexing it up.
RATING: 
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