3.5 Stars rounded down because issues

Huh, this was unexpected and hot. And yet...


I'm usually not a fan of lingerie and manties. Just not exactly up my alley, at least not in books. But it was hot here, I'll admit. That might have had to do more with Scott than the underwear, though. Because I liked him right from the get-go. He was sweet, caring and sometimes a little idiotic. But cute as hell.

Rylan was... different? I liked him and his sassy mouth in a way. And I understood his aversion to getting together with a guy who want able to define himself in any way. After one time too many with "experimenting straights" the heart trends to get wary and defensive. He did open up more in the end, so i could live with that. The snarky banter was amusing, if a little too much at times. But it is an enemies to lovers story, so that wasn't really unexpected.

What did throw me now and again was the underlying nastiness at times. Granted, most of the fights were direct results of miscommunication or no communication at all, but still. The times these two actually threw insults at each other and some of the interactions, especially on Rylans part, left me a little unsettled. That wasn't teasing anymore, it was downright mean, bordering on... I don't know. Not sure what you call one enemy touching the other enemies' most private orifice in public without permission? No matter what the name, it didn't completely sit right with me, and I had a harder time believing the rest of the story after that.

It was a nice answer to a really hot prompt, though. And I enjoyed it nonetheless. Just not as much as I'd hoped.

Uff, manties! Not only I just learned this word but I also learned that is my favorite kind of kink. It is so sexy **drools**

Every time Scott wears the lace panties + stocking it is sexy as hell. I loved it.

I also like that the huge sexual tension between them. They do not even kiss until half of the story has gone. Besides manties, I absolutely LOVE g4u stories, and this one is definitely a g4u. Scott has never wanted any other man except Rylan. And while Scott is the bigger (in all senses) guy, he is the one who wears the lace, he is the one who bottoms and he loves it.

For the manties alone I will recommend this FREE! romance to anyone. But it is also fair to point out the cons, which are:

- Scott was an ass: 1) he used women in his college/high school time. He screwed them thinking it was Rylan he was screwing. WAA (What An Ass). 2) After having their first time together, and getting caught by his brother and husband in bed with Rylan, Scott tells Rylan he is embarrassed to be with him. Ok, I get Scott has been "straight" all his life, but such a hurtful word! WAA. 3) After rejecting Rylan, and not seeing each other for a week (although Scott tried to get in touch with Rylan through text messages and calls), Scott gets jealous when he sees Rylan with a flirting guy. More or less, Scott tells the guy to back off since he -Scott- is with Rylan. Eh? After rejecting him so hard? WAA.

- It is like reading a yaoi manga. Rylan's brother is married to Scott's brother. Rylan's friend "Rimmer" (what an awful nickname, btw) has a thing with the Latin dancer. Rylan helps in study to two boys (one out, the other "straight" but that seems that has a crush on the gay guy). So, everyone is gay.

- Rylan LOVES to overreact. He misunderstands everything, which leads to a fight. First with the manties when he catches Scott alone in his kitchen; then in the first date and last in the epilogue. Chill out, bro and stop jumping into haste, wrong conclusions.

- In theory, Rylan is a nerd guy while Scott is a jock. Well, I never felt it. More like, the other way around. Although if jocks=jerk, then both of them are jocks. Their banter felt a bit teenager-ish (they are in their 25's), so basically, they act like high-school boys instead of adults.

- I hate in my MM romances when the MCs get off without a proper kiss first. Happens here.

Still, the manties win over all of them.

I liked their kink and wanted to explore it more.
I didn't like that the MCs were kind of silly and really not deep.
Every time I got into Lush in Lace they'd bicker and I'd loose focus and all intensity.

I liked the storyline--as in the arguments and bickering between our two main characters--and how they finally just came around to the idea of being together. It was rather sweet once it got going.

 

I just didn't understand the "manties" thing. I know people have fetishes but I'm not sure if it's something that would appeal to me to read about. I found it a little strange.

 

Nevertheless, I liked the characters. They both wanted the other but misconceptions and behaviour got in the way for the past...ten years or so?

Thanks to the author for the effort and participating in this event and offering this freebie.