Simsala`s Abracadabra

DNF

The review has a little history at another well-known book community.

Never before I saw such a pre-release hype for a m/m book like it happened with Try.

Written by a famous/well-known - what do I know - m/f author with a large fan base.

Over thirty previews - all of them ARCs, adorned with 74 (counted two days before official release) gifs and pics of nekkid men and these godawful squee gifs. Text - if existent - in bold letters. A visual apocalypse! Someone told me this kind of hype is common in the m/f community. I would say that fits to the overall reader-IQ there. (I would never ever dare to say this out loud at GR - I`m not suicidal). Also I didn`t rate it one star like I wanted to. Rating a book after reading only three chapters? I would get strangled! But rating it five stars without reading a single word is totally ok, of course...)

It took me a minute to just scroll down to the bottom of the page to get to the next page, in search of a "real" review. All I found was a remark from a m/m blog reviewer that apparently something went wrong with this glorious attempt to get m/f readers dipping their toes into the m/m genre.

That I was was dying of curiosity puts it mildly and it`s common knowledge that curiosity kills the cat, so here we go...

 I read the excerpt downloaded from Amazon - three chapters - and I really, really don`t have to read on. Chapter two and three were slightly altered variations of the first and I doubt very much that will change. The Story has - so far - NO plot, NO worldbuilding, ZERO character development. What I got was the generic arrogant asshole (Logan) who sticks his dick in every willing orifice, may it be female, male, furry, or battery operated, just to get his rocks off. (Apparently this sort of male character is hot shit in m/f romance, but PLEASE don`t ask me why...) All I know about his newest erotic challenge (Tate) is that he`s straight, gets divorced and has the nervous habit to wipe down the counter. So far just het-sex with breast wiggling females drooling over dicks - a mere decoration to put m/f readers at ease, I guess. Sexual tension between the male characters? I was told it`s there but I didn`t feel it - not a single, tiny spark. Don`t let me start about the dialogue - these men think and talk ONLY with their little brains - is this supposed to be erotic? And...there is no "and"...that was it. In one word - bland! This might have been written as a bridge between m/f and m/m - admittedly not a bad idea and with good intentions - at least I hope so. Sorry to say it passes that goal with flying colours. I don`t know what quality in books m/f readers are used to, or what they require from an erotic romance but for most m/m readers this strange hybrid might/will/SHOULD be a disappointment.