ARC Review: Where Do I Start by Chase Taylor Hackett

Blurb:

The ex best thing . . .

Fletcher Andrews never believed in promises. Or monogamy. Or love. When you’re tall and gorgeous, New York City is one big all-you-can-eat buffet of hot young actors, models, and baristas. Even when living happily with Roger, his sweet, sexy violinist boyfriend, Fletch can’t resist an occasional taste. Too bad you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s thrown you out for cheating with half the cast of Disney on Ice.

Two years and a chance meeting later, Fletch desperately wants Roger back. Roger’s new boyfriend, Jeff, will do anything to stop that from happening. But Fletch has a plan to make amends. And with a little help from friends, colleagues—even Roger’s Scottish terrier, Haggis—they might find that the love you don’t believe in can sweep you right off your feet . . .

My rating:





I'm super late with this review - my apologies to the author and publisher.

Where Do I Start, indeed.

Fletcher, immature and possibly a sex addict, is a serial cheater. Two years ago or so, he and his then-boyfriend Roger broke up, because Roger found out about Fletcher treating the gay scene in NYC as his personal buffet and Roger wasn't putting up with that.

Personality-wise, it was clear from the start that Fletch and Roger are two very different people - Fletch is immature, happy-go-lucky, spontaneous, whereas Roger is much more mature, set in his ways and a bit staid. Not that those are bad things, but at the time they were together, perhaps Fletch felt a bit... stifled.

Now two years have passed, Fletch is still sampling the buffet whenever he can, and Roger has a new boyfriend named Jeffrey. And Fletch just ran into Roger and might have realized what he lost.

Some folks have perhaps shied away from this book because of the cheating mentioned in the blurb - none of that happens on page, and none of it happens once Fletch decides to win Roger back.



One might think that Fletcher attempting to break up Roger and Jeffrey is selfish and speaks to his maturity level, and one would be right in as much as Fletch at first only sees his own desire to get back with Roger. But then, as I watched Fletcher grow throughout the book, I could also see that Roger, mature, staid, reliable Roger, really needed Fletcher in his life, and that the two of them, as opposite as they are, really complement each other, and bring out the best in each other.

Of course, Fletcher's scheming is not without its up and downs, and there are plenty of hurt feelings in the way at first, as well as a lack of trust, and obviously Jeffrey.

I loved Fletcher snarky inner voice, his nearly child-like optimism, and his strength of conviction - once he made up his mind that Roger was it for him, he went full on ahead with the seduction, until... well, you read this for yourself.

I rather enjoyed this tale of one very flawed almost anti-hero who grew up and became a real boy when he realized whom he had, through his own actions, hurt. Making amends isn't easy, but he didn't give up, not even when the odds of success where minimal, and when it seemed like the rest of the world was conspiring against him.

This was an excellent debut novel from a new author telling an awesome tale of an immature boy who became a man, almost on his own.

I look forward to Jeffrey's book which will come early next year. Cannot wait!


** I received a free copy of this book from its publisher via Netgalley. A positive review was not promised in return. **

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