Jay Northcote - Helping Hand

Jez Fielding and James MacKenzie—Big Mac to his mates—are in their second year at uni.

After partying too hard last year, they make a pact to rein themselves in. While their housemates are out drinking every weekend, Jez and Mac stay in to save cash and focus on their studies.

When Jez suggests watching some porn together, he isn’t expecting Mac to agree to it. One thing leads to another, and soon their arrangement becomes hands-on rather than hands-off. But falling for your 'straight' friend can only end badly, unless there’s a chance he might feel the same.

Comment: I got interested in this book for some reason, I can't remember now but I think it might have been because I was curious about another installment of this Housemates series and decided to start with the first book.

In this short story - and I did not pay attention at the time I added this to my TBR, but this is more novella length than a novel - we meet characters Jez and Mac, two students who live in the same house, along with other housemates, and how their friendship starts to change when they get aware of each other in a new way after a sudden decision to watch porn together.

From then on, they start to focus more on each other than on what happens on screen and the fact their relationship escalates is no surprise. However, they both struggle a little bit with the changes to what they see as a relationship that worked and that now has benefits but makes them unsure of themselves. Besides, what would the others say about them being together, if they ever decide to admit it?

I really didn't think this would be such a small story.  Of course there's nothing wrong with it but now I've read the book I think more pages could have helped the author to develop some things more. For instance, the element I wish could have been addressed more was how the change in their relationship would affect both guys while they were having these feelings. I can guess that in future installments they might show up or be mentioned but it's not the same thing.

There's another thing. This story is told from Jez' POV. I have said many times that, for me, in a romance, it would always be a better choice to have a 3rd person narrator so that we could have access to both protagonist's thoughts. Jez isn't such a bad narrator and I liked his personality but he doesn't  - obviously - think about all the things I believe would have helped to build up this story more. And he can't think for Mac and I think to know what he was feeling by his own thoughts and not just in sporadic dialogues, would certainly help too.

So, Jez and Mac are friends and they start thinking about each other differently. I can see what the goal was here but it would have added more emotional content to make them deal with these things for a longer time before they decided to act on them. There is mention of tie passing by but those time jumps are only a way for the plot to advance, like "time passed until.." or "...a few days later..." so there's no real connection between events and the things the guys share. Ok, that is not really necessary for the intended goal - showcasing how they go from friends to lovers - but I think it would have made a stronger story.

I liked both guys, I did like how very small details allowed me to see them in a special way, like how Mac sounded he was more mature if he was trying to have a serious education when his family didn't think he had to, or how Jez felt he might disappoint his father so they didn't communicate very well... these things are barely mentioned but they add a layer to each character. Again, I just wish we had more development on all elements, not just how well matched they end up being sexually.

Despite the things I'd change, I still liked the story and the other side of shorter books but with enough bones is that reading is easy. I think I'll read the other installments and now I have abetter notion about the author's style and the size of the stories, I might appreciate them differently too.

Grade: 7/10