THE DATING GAME by
Jay Northcote
Pages:
103
Date:
20/09/2014
Grade:
4.5
Details:
Copy received from author
Own
/ Kindle
The
blurb:
Five sex-free dates—how hard can it be?
“When they were at uni, Owen always had a bit of a crush on Nathan. But Nathan was apparently straight, and Owen was too busy with other guys to take his crush seriously.
When Nathan moves back to Bristol after a year away, Owen hears that Nathan has come out of the closet, and he propositions him. Nathan doesn’t want to be just another notch on Owen’s bedpost, though, so he challenges Owen to prove he can be serious: five dates before they have sex.
Owen doesn’t think that sounds too difficult. He’s expecting Nathan to find his charms irresistible anyway. But as they grow closer, Owen begins to care more about proving himself to Nathan than he does about getting him into bed.”
“When they were at uni, Owen always had a bit of a crush on Nathan. But Nathan was apparently straight, and Owen was too busy with other guys to take his crush seriously.
When Nathan moves back to Bristol after a year away, Owen hears that Nathan has come out of the closet, and he propositions him. Nathan doesn’t want to be just another notch on Owen’s bedpost, though, so he challenges Owen to prove he can be serious: five dates before they have sex.
Owen doesn’t think that sounds too difficult. He’s expecting Nathan to find his charms irresistible anyway. But as they grow closer, Owen begins to care more about proving himself to Nathan than he does about getting him into bed.”
My thoughts:
You know those books you read with a goofy grin
on your face because you really like the characters and the way they are together;
stories that pull you right in and almost convince you that you know the
characters, or people closely resembling them? Have you ever thought how
wonderful it would be if you were able to take the characters you’ve met in a story,
out for pint and just enjoy their company? If you haven’t you’ve missed out on
a wonderful experience. If you have you know exactly how amazing that is.
Whether you have or haven’t, you need to read ‘The Dating Game’ because
that’s the sort of story this is.
I liked both Nathan and Owen from the moment I
met them. Owen was straightforward and brutally honest from the very first
moment. All he initially wants is to get Nathan into his bed, and he has no
problem admitting as much. It is the combination of his lack of guile and his
cheeky charm that make instantly attractive as a character.
At first Nathan seems far more reserved and
serious. He has no intention of being a quick hook-up and convenient
one-night-stand, and makes that perfectly clear. The fact that he doesn’t just
send Owen packing when Owen suggests they spend the night together, but instead
sets him a challenge made him fascinating.
The way Owen and Nathan’s feelings, ideas and
needs change as the story, and their sex-free dates progress was subtle and a
pure joy to witness. Much to his own surprise Owen discovers an appreciation
for simple dates during his second Saturday out with Nathan. Nathan, on the
other hand, starts to think his no sex for five dates plan, has to be one of
his more stupid ideas.
As the weeks go by and they go on more dates the
sexual tension between Owen and Nathan increases until it nearly drives them,
as well as the reader, crazy. I’m not going to tell you if they actually have
five dates anymore than I’m going to tell you whether or not they manage to
stick to the rules they’ve set themselves. It is way too much fun to find out
for yourself, and I wouldn’t want to spoil it for you.
Suffice to say this is a fun, almost but not
quite angst free, story. The writing is as good and smooth as I’ve come to
expect from Jay Northcote and the dialogue rings true and sparkles. I think I
may have found my go-to author for comfort reads.
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