Practice Makes Perfect (Housemates #3) - Jay Northcote - Review Tour & Giveaway
Author: Jay Northcote
Release Date: June 22
Universal Buy Link: http://mybook.to/PMP_JayN
Length: 54,000 words
Cover Artist: Garrett Leigh
Genre: Contemporary Gay Romance
Blurb:
Getting experience with the guy next door seems like a great idea—until the lines blur.
Dev, a geeky first year physics student, has zero sexual experience and he’s determined to change that ASAP. After a bad time in halls of residence, he’s starting the summer term with different housemates and a new plan of action.
Ewan lives in the house next door to Dev. He’s young, free and single, and isn’t looking to change that anytime soon. When awkward circumstances throw them together, Ewan offers to help Dev out in the bedroom in return for maths tutoring, and Dev jumps at the chance.
They work their way through Dev’s sex-to- do list, but what starts as a perfect no- strings arrangement gets more complicated as their feelings for each other begin to grow. If they’re going to turn their lessons in lovemaking into something more permanent, they need to work out how they feel about each other—before they get to the end of Dev’s list.
Sitting on his bed, Dev yawned, his full stomach making him sleepy. He stared at his phone as he contemplated calling home but decided he couldn’t face it tonight. He loved his mum, but she did tend to bang on. Once she got him on the line, she’d end up talking for ages and asking him a million questions he was too tired to answer. Instead, he sent his mum a quick text.
All moved in, everything’s good. I’m shattered now so I’m going to have an early night. I’ll call you tomorrow.
She replied within seconds as though she’d been waiting for him to call.
Okay sweetie, glad you’re settled. Sleep well xxx
He picked up his notepad and crossed off phone home. Texting counted. He also crossed off everything else on his list for today.
That was Saturday done. Dev set his notepad aside, opened his laptop, and pulled up his lists app. He liked his notepad for day-to- day organisation; it gave him a certain satisfaction to cross out the things he’d done and to get to the end of the day with all the tasks completed. But for longer-term planning, he kept his lists on his Mac, synced to his phone.
For the first time in six months, Dev could breathe again. Finally he had a safe place where he could get back on track and look to the future. He began to type.
Things To Do This Term
Make some friends
Learn to cook
Research sex stuff
Join Grindr
Get some experience
Find a boyfriend
He stared at the words on the screen and sighed. That seemed like a lot of things to aim for. But it was good to have goals, right? Jez and Mac seemed really nice, so hopefully Dev was already on his way to achieving the first objective. And that bloke Ewan… Dev’s mind conjured up the image of the flame-haired hunk who lived next door. Ewan had been friendly.
Maybe there was potential there too.
*copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review*
I'll start with the guy on the cover because he is as adorkable as Dev, the character he represents. Dev has just moved into his new house, after suffering at the hands of bullies in the dorm he was living in. He meets Ewan the sexy next-door neighbor. After an extremely embarrassing shipping mishap, the two come face to face again, and when Ewan finds Dev's profile on Grindr, he offers to help the shy, awkward virgin learn some lessons in love, so Dev doesn't fall prey to the weirdo's on Grindr. Ewan agrees to do this in exchange for Dev giving him math lessons.
I adored Dev and Ewan. Dev was your ultimate awkward geek. He was smart, shy, quiet and just totally adorable. I loved his lists, especially since I can relate. I have lists everywhere, on my phone, calendared, sticky notes cover my desk and computer at work. Ewan is a sexy flaming, red head, who's sweet and oh so lovable.
This was a somewhat predictable, yet sweet, sexy and funny story. The story is well written and the characters fit so well together. Their chemistry was amazing in and out of the bed. I loved getting to revisit some of the old housemates. My only complaint really is some of the sex scenes were a little awkward. I know Dev is learning, but while a couple were smoking hot, others just didn't flow well.
All in all this was a quick, sexy and really enjoyable read that left me with the warm and fuzzies! Highly recommended!!
***A copy of this book was provided by the publisher to Bayou Book Junkie in exchange for a fair and honest review***
Devrim "Dev" Karadere is a geeky first year physics student, hoping to finally get some sexual experience. His past term in the residence halls was something he wanted to put behind him and what better way than to move into Josh's old room in a shared house. Now free to be himself he's sets out on a mission to do all the things he's been imagining.
Ewan lives in the house next door to Dev. Young, free, and single is starting to get old and he yearns for the possibility of more. After a couple of awkward exchanges between he and Dev, he stumbles upon Dev's profile on Grindr advertising his eagerness to lose his virginity. Scared that the wrong person may get their hands on Dev, Ewan comes up with a proposal: In exchange for tutoring in Statistics, Ewan will "tutor" Dev in sex.
While working on Dev's Sex list the two grow closer. Quickly their new friendship grows into more. While neither guy seems eager to admit that feelings are starting to get in the way, they find themselves getting closer and closer to finishing the list. Without the list will Ewan and Dev have to walk away?
I loved Practice Makes Perfect. This story was full of humor, fun banter and steamy sex between a very eager virgin and the feisty redhead who wants to teach him everything. From their awkward beginning 'til the final page, I absolutely adored Ewan and Dev.
Dev may have been inexperienced but he certainly wasn't lacking in enthusiasm. He knew what he wanted and was determined to try it all. After all, how would he know what he liked if he never tried it? Like everything in his life, he goes into it with a plan, his list of everything he wants to try and needless to say it's pretty extensive. However, Ewan is up for the challenge. I liked Dev's serious nature and the way he approached the situation as if it were another class he was trying to do well in. It added to the humor but also made Dev endearing.
Ewan was great as well, I would have assumed at the beginning of the book that he would be a bit cocky or arrogant but he was very down to earth. His more laid back attitude was a perfect contrast to Dev's more serious attitude. And I really loved that he was sweet, funny, yet still confident and comfortable taking the lead. I'm pretty sure he's my favorite character behind Jez and Mac.
All in all, I loved Practice Makes Perfect and definitely recommend it.
5 Stars!
Author Bio:
Jay lives just outside Bristol in the West of England, with her husband, two children, and two cats.
She comes from a family of writers, but she always used to believe that the gene for fiction writing had passed her by. She spent years only ever writing emails, articles, or website content. One day, she decided to try and write a short story–just to see if she could–and found it rather addictive. She hasn’t stopped writing since.
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